the next holders//mlb fanfiction

42//the first part of the plan

It's Wednesday now, three days since they discovered HawkMoth's identity. El took it pretty easy, in a way, but Autumn is sure she's just trying to stay strong, it won't last forever.
They've been working on the final plan for the past three days and it's going to happen today. Wednesday, April 8th in 2048. Hawkmoth's second and final downfall.

This morning, El told her mom she felt sick and couldn't go to school. Autumn told her she had come in contact with Ladybug and told her about what happened. The three of them — Ladybug, Autumn and Rune — are supposed to arrive any minute now and El will let them in through her window. After that, the plan will start. It's separated in two parts: the first part is getting El's ring back and the second part is defeating HawkMoth. Ladybug promised to arrange backup for the second part of the plan, they'll join in later.

After seven minutes of waiting, El opens her window as she sees Ladybug and Rune nearing. As they enter her room, El asks where Autumn is. "Her parents wouldn't let her stay home, they didn't believe she was sick. So she won't be joining us today." Ladybug says. El nods, a bit disappointed, then looks at her partner and smiles, but doesn't say a thing.
"I figured out you were Lady Noire some time ago, just say whatever you want." Rune mumbles. El's a bit shocked by this, but then turns to Ladybug.
"It's good to see you again." Then her face turns serious "And I'm sorry for what my mom has done. I didn't know and-"
"It's not your fault. Don't apologise. We'll get your miraculous back and defeat her with our own hands, like always. You ready?" Ladybug responds, smiling as bright as always. El nods.
"Good." Ladybug says, opening her yo-yo and getting two miraculous out of it: the bee and the horse. She hands the bee miraculous to Rune and the horse to El. "Then let's begin."

After transforming, the three of them make their way to the attic. Ladybug up front. She knows where the ring is, and she has to get it before Lila realises they're here. When entering the attic, she runs towards the glass where she found the ring some days ago. Instead, she finds nothing. She spins around, searching to see if it was replaced somewhere else, but she doesn't see it anywhere.
"Looking for this?" A voice echoes through the attic, sending shivers down everyone's spine. At the other side of the room is HawkMoth, she steps into the light and twirls the ring between her fingers.
"You know, it's easy to see through the plans of school students. You're all young and naive. But did you really think it was that easy to retrieve the ring?" A grin forms on her face as she puts the ring around her index finger in her left hand. "You should've taken the ring when you had the chance, Autumn and Rune." She says while Plagg reveals himself. He looks around, obviously confused, and El can't keep her cool. She jumps forward, trying to retrieve the ring, but Hawkmoth laughs and jumps aside, making El bump into the wall. "Like I said, you're too naive, El." El stiffens by the way she says her name, it's like that voice every villain has in movies.
"Give it back, I promised to keep him save!" El says, reaching for the ring again, but HawkMoth dodges easily.
"Oh is that true? Didn't mommy ever teach you not to promise anything if you can't keep the promise?" Hawkmoth mocks, then the same grin appears on her face "If you want him, then fight for him. Plagg, Nooroo, unify."
Plagg gets sucked up in the ring, shouting for El's help. It rages El, she can't let him be abused by an owner, not again. He told her about how he's been treated by previous owners, how he's been starved and how they hurt him. She can't let him go through that again. So she reaches for the ring again, and again, and again, and again. Every time Hawkmoth dodges with ease. The tenth time she reaches for the ring, Hawkmoth uses cataclysm and uses it on El, pushing her against the wall with an insane amount of pain in her ribs. "El!" Ladybug shouts, running towards her, but she already stands up herself. "This is a fight I have to win on my own. Stay back until the second part of the plan." El orders, Ladybug nods and steps back. Then whispers to Rune "If you see a chance, use your venom on Hawkmoth."

"Do you have a death wish? Look what state you're in, there's no way you can fight like that!" HawkMoth laughs, which only angers El more.
"Just shut up. You never cared for me and you never will. You're just a stupid liar who was born alone and will die alone. You're nothing but a pathetic person and an excuse for a mother. I feel ashamed for ever calling you my mother." El says, angrily. The adrenaline prevents her from feeling the pain, but she knows it will come back sooner or later. She has to fight now that she stil can.
"How dare you speak to me like that. You're just an orphan, someone without a family, without me. You're nobody!" HawkMoth shouts.
"No. You're wrong. You have nobody. I have them." El says, then whispers "voyage" while Hawkmoth is distracted. She uses it to grab the ring from Hawkmoth's finger while she didn't expect it and even though she struggles against it 'til the end, El manages to retrieve it. She tried getting the butterfly, too, but Hawkmoth managed to shield that one. El smiles and put on the ring herself. Plagg looks exhausted, but he's glad to see he's back. El detransforms, gives Kaalki and Plagg some food then transforms into her original alter ego, Lady Noire. She walks up to her teammates, ignoring the pain from the cataclysm. It might hurt a lot, but nothing will prevent her from fighting now. They're close, real close, and they won't give up until they've defeated HawkMoth once and for all. They'll do anything to prevent her from escaping, and they'll do anything to prevent the butterfly miraculous to fall into the wrong hands again.
They'll settle this fight here and now. And they'll win.