Hedgehogs Dilemma

Spirit vs Spirit

In awe, Mayura stared at the man who was now standing a few meters in front of her.
She stood protectively in front of Gabriel's unconscious body and spread her hands as a gesture to protect him.

Only slowly did the matter that was surrounding him settle to reveal his altered form, which he presented with a broad grin on his lips.
His skin now took on a slightly purple shimmering tone, making it look unnatural and dangerous. Almost poisonous.
His previously black cloak was now replaced by a purple vest and cloak, that had taken the form of two large butterfly wings, which were now flapping menacingly in the wind. Claw-like nails had formed on his hands, which together with the dragon horns adorned his head, completing his look.

'A dragon butterfly?..' thought Nathalie before another fit of coughing overcame her and forced her to her knees.
The Miraculous was too much. It cost her too much of her energy.

"Duusu.. fall my feathers.." she ordered her kwami, whereupon the aspects that Duusu had bestowed on her disappeared.
The little kwami immediately formed back into its form from a blue ball of light into a little peacock-shaped creature making all that remained a dejected Nathalie in a cat outfit.

"Miss Nathalie! I wanted to warn you!" Duusu squeaked in exasperation and paled at the sight of her owner. Nathalie was completely exhausted and it was obvious.
Her face had lost color and taken on that of chalk instead, making her eyes stand out, she was so pale.

"It's okay.." she assured the kwami "It's already better than when I was transformed," she explained, wiping her mouth once.

What should she do now? she wondered her gaze fixed on the man who was sneering at her.
He was even stronger now, with two not to be underestimated Miraculouses and an Akumatized form, while she had only one she also could use a break right now. It seemed hopeless.
Her gaze wandered to Gabriel, who was still lying unconscious on the floor.

In that state, he was defenseless at the mercy of her opponent. And Tyler would certainly take advantage of that. She would have to protect him.
Resolutely she clutched the Miraculous she had taken from him in her hand and straightened up again.

"Do you have a plan?" the Kwami asked curiously while watching her.

"No. But how do you say it. Safer demeanor when completely clueless." Nathalie explained.

She took a deep breath before turning her head to her little friend. She looked at them gently now, to give her a sincere smile, "I'm glad to have you back, despite everything, Duusu. I missed you."

".. I missed you too, Miss Nathalie" the little Kwami admitted, wiping a little tear out from her face.

"Let's finish this and then I'll get you some coffee. How does that sound?"

"Great!" the kwami confirmed with a nod. She held out her tiny hand in the direction of the woman. With her index finger, the woman now gave it a slight tap.

".. What kind of sentimentalism are you having there?" the man growled, annoyed, and impatiently put his hands on his hips and leaned his head to the side.

"Oh, you wouldn't understand that," the woman said, who broke into a wide grin when their eyes met. "You would have to be loved by someone for that."

"Lovely," the man replied in a calm voice. "Thank God you'll talk less once I'm done with you!" he announced and his eyes shimmered menacingly.

'Has that green in his eyes always been so intense' thought Nathalie while she protectively covered her face with her arms.

With the sound of his voice alone, the man had managed to stir up a storm that would start the plague of his enemies.
He watched the woman now as she desperately tried to stand on both feet as he walked towards her.

"The power of the dragon? How can he use it?" Duusu cried desperately, clinging to Nathalie's belt with her last strength so as not to be blown away.

"He must have given himself the powers with the Miraculous of Gabriel!"

"Gabriel?!"

"I'll explain it later!"

"You know" explained the man who stopped a few meters in front of the woman "I've always liked the Miraculous of the Dragon the most. It's so simple, very easy to use, and yet so powerful.
In one fell swoop, you can conquer the elements making them your servant and control them to your liking."

Only now did Nathalie notice the cold that had formed around her legs and tied her to the ground. 'When did he!?' she cried in her mind and heard the man snap once. Grinning, he lifted her chin with his finger and forced him to look into his menacingly shining eyes. His face was barely a few feet from hers.

"And with your lover's Miraculous, I can make myself even more powerful," he whispered in a gentle, menacing voice, forcing the woman to feel every spoken word on her skin.
She gritted her teeth in anger in response. What seems to amuse the man even further?

"Now ~," he said, while coming even closer "Be a good girl. Give me the Miraculous," he ordered her and reached with his free hand to the one in which Nathalie clutched the miraculous tightly and where the Ring that gave her power was resting.

Without hesitation, the woman swung her head to the side to free herself from the man's grip as she reached out to bite the man's hand with all her strength, forcing him to jump back in shock and pain.
He hastily grabbed his hand, pausing his powers for a moment and stilling the wind, giving the kwami a chance to retaliate.

"Leave my Nathalie alone you madman!" shouted Duusu, who then unleashed her powers and created a sentimonster, which immediately pounced on the man.

It was a greyish-blue wolf-like being, complying with its creator's desire to attack the man directly.
Reverently, the man jumped back one more leap to gain a certain distance between himself and the being. Not that that would save him.

The creature immediately lunged at him again, much faster than the man would have guessed. It growled at him with bared teeth. Ready to attack if he moved a muscle.
Karasu stared deep into the wolf's black eyes and slowly drew his staff without breaking eye contact with the creature.
He hastily threw himself on the creature, underestimating the enormous strength that Duusu had given it.
The wolf threw him back against the nearest wall, where he appealed and fell to the ground.

But it wasn't just the man who was hurt.
Gasping, the woman fell to her knees and put her hand in front of her mouth to prevent more blood from draining out of her body. Frozen, she looked at the floor and her hand in which the liquid was dripping onto the floor.
Excited and proud of her accomplishments, the kwami turned to her owner. Her facial expression however changed suddenly when she saw a woman on her knees.

"Miss Nathalie?" Duusu screeched "It shouldn't.. actually.. I'm sorry!" she called on hastily.

The woman looked over at the little creature. Her normally blue face looked pale and her magenta-colored eyes showed fear. She didn't seem to understand the situation either. So this didn't seem normal.
Her lungs burned even worse than before. If this continued, she wouldn't make it. 'I have to finish this's flashed through her mind and her gaze wandered to the man who was scrambling to get up on the wall.

"It's okay..." the woman coughed a few times and wiped her mouth "You helped me.., I thank you for that," she explained to the kwami and then grabbed the Miraculous in her hand to light it up.

A red glow lit her neck for a second, turning the pendant from gray to a black tone with red accents.

"And another thing!" continued the dragon-like kwami, who had now emerged from the Miraculous, as if it was just in the middle of a conversation when it got banished back into his jewel. "You and your stupid personality! You can ma- You're not Tyler.."

"No. Obviously not. But please. Keep talking"

Surprised, the creature blinked at her a few times before recovering. Elegantly, it bowed to the woman with a simple curtsy. "Name is Longg. Nice to make your acquaintance."
'And you're upset about his personality? you could be twins'

"Wonderful. Longg. Plagg, Unify!" the woman commanded, whereupon her body was nourished with new strength. She could feel it! This would give her a fighting chance!
She grinned at the sword in her hands in which she could see her reflection and the new things that were added to her costume.
Her cat ears were replaced with dragon horns and her mask also got a dragon tooth addition while her eyes turned yellow. A Necklace now adorned her neck while the red colors mixed with the black ones from the cat miraculous. It was fitting. Reminded her of her civil persona.
With a nod, she turned back to the Kwami.

"You can make the Sentimonster go away," the woman said, before dispersing into the wind in a split second to free herself and launch a counterattack.

She reappeared just in front of the man to fall on him from above.
He was able to just about fend off the attack with the staff.
As soon as she had her feet on the ground again, the woman swung the sword again to drive the man further back. An exchange of blows ensued between the two and a series of attacks forced Karasu to retreat further and parry.

"Lightning Dragon!" the woman announced, her blade lighting up brightly and now coming dangerously close to the man.

He dodged at the last moment and stared at the woman for a second before unleashing his powers. "Don't get choocky now!" he cried and his staff was now felt with the power of lightning, with which he immediately threw himself on the woman.
The mere touch of the blades shook the area as thunder broke through the silence with a vengeance.
Again he unleashed his powers that made his eyes light up and conjured up a storm.
But this time the woman was prepared for it. With a blink of an eye, the woman turned back into thin air to sneak up behind the man and ambush him. "Please!" she announced and drew back her sword.

"Please. This Wind could probably only blow out candles at a children's birthday party!"

The man hastily tried to dodge the attack, but the tip of the blade had already reached his skin. Even as he turned away, the blade was already cutting into his skin, slicing through the matter it touched and making the man cry out briefly.
Karasu bared his teeth in anger. Undeterred, the woman swung around him to attack him again. Like the raindrops that are now slowly beginning to trickle down on the city and its people, she let her sword hit the man again and again until he hit the ground head first.
His eyes narrowed from the impact, giving Nathalie a chance to grab his chest first. On the other hand the sword. This time she wouldn't hesitate. This time she would meet him. Not this time-


"Nath.." the man said confused and held his head as he slowly opened his eyes again, causing a shiver to run down the woman's spine.

Suddenly they stopped looking at the cold, poisonous green eyes they had always faced in the last few months. But the soft brown eyes she is so familiar with from her past.

'What the?' she thought.

"Nath! Your.. your eyes! They are so green!" gasped the man, startled, which made the woman back away from him a little.

".. Not a step further!" proclaimed, teeth bared, sword still in her grip.

Which left the man unimpressed. Slowly, he struggled to put his free hand on her cheek. The sight of his hand made him pause ".. What. the.. what is that? Why am I wearing a Miraculous..." he spoke softly and looked down at himself.

"I said no movement!" the woman repeated her words in a sharper tone and pressed the blade of the sword against the man's neck, cutting it lightly into his neck, causing the man to finally stop moving.

He looked deep into her eyes, which sparkled with anger, and in a broken voice he began to speak, "I screwed up quite a bit, didn't I?"

"Shut your mouth!" she hissed, causing Karasu to finally look away. He was still holding his head as if something was bothering him. Memories that are still raining down on him like the rain that is still constantly pressing the hair into the faces of the grown-ups.

"You are a monster!" the woman continued, clutching the sword's hilt tighter. "A disgusting bastard! Stop trying to play stupid games here. I should rip you open here and now for everything you've done!" she growled.
Which only increased the man's pain.

"I... that...!" he tried to explain while finding himself surprisingly lacking the words to speak what was on his mind. Carefully he reached his hand out for her again. "Nath.."

"Do not touch me!" she cried with such force behind her voice that her Miraculous couldn't help but obey her voice and unleash a storm that threw the man away from her.



Roughly and with such force that it forced his eyes to close again, the man landed again on the hard floor. This time with the shoulder first, followed by an ugly loud cracking noise.
Without giving him a moment to breathe, another person approached him from behind and pulled the silver staff that Nathalie had thrown away in the fight over his head and let him fall to the ground.

".. Celine?!" the woman gasped in surprise when she saw her sister. What of all the people was she now doing here?

"Na- Mayura!" she called back as her gaze meets Naths. Without hesitation Celine ran to her, to kneel before her, taking her head into her hands "You look pale. Is everything okay?"

"Yes, that.."

"Your eyes!"

"Ignore the eyes. I'm fine." the woman assured her and tried to tear away the hands that Celine had wrapped around her. Making the women hold her tighter now

"If so - have you gone completely insane or did you just lose your mind?!" Celine called out and shook her sister slightly "You got the order to rest. And what are you doing? Pounce on the next best fight." she paused for a moment to catch her breath before she could continue "... Is that blood!?"

"Celine!" now called another voice, which approached the women and forced both to turn their heads towards her.

".. Gisele?" Celine gasped out in surprise as she saw the woman who was now standing behind her.

'Gisele? This is Gisele The Gisele..... Well... I can see why Celine is into her. saying she is her type is an understatement. She is quite appealing.'

"What are you doing here?" Celine asked curiously, letting go of her sister's clothes in return.

Nathalie meanwhile looked questioningly at the woman who had now fixed her gaze away from her sister and instead on her. For some strange reason, it makes run a shiver down her spine. As it wanted to warn her or something. Nathalie was quite unable to explain it. Was she an alley? Or another storm.
.
'Without a doubt thought Gisele, who was still looking down at the woman in front of her 'This is the woman I'm looking for. But how are they related to each other? are they related They don't look alike? But she doesn't look like anyone at the moment. Maybe a couple?.. who knows... It's no use at the moment. I don't know enough.'
With the blink of an eye, her expression changed, to a friendly yet formal smile that she gave Nathalie as she held out her hand to help her up. "Nice to make your acquaintance. I hear quite a lot about you" she explained which the woman confirmed with a nod.

"Thanks. I can't quite say the same to you.."

"Oh don't worry. I am just a nobody" Gisele exclaimed while letting go of the woman's hand and turning her head to Celine "You ran out of the building like a swarm of wasps was behind you. I was just curious. I mean we didn't have this quite of fuss from where I come from." she explained.

"But - You should take care of my class!"

"Oh, they're fine. I am sure."

"Hnggg...." the Karasu growled softly, who was about to get up again and made the three women turn their heads towards him.

Shaking his head slightly, he opened his eyes to glare at the woman with his bright green eyes. "You're all getting on my nerves..." he continued to growl and unleashed an ice storm which he aimed directly at the women.
Protectively, Nathalie stands in front of the other two to be able to create a protective shield with her powers of wind and her body before she looks over her shoulder at Celine.

"You can't stay here. I can't fight him and protect you."

"You can give me another Miraculous! I can help you!" Celine contradicted her in an almost pleading tone.

"This is far too dangerous!" Gisele joined the conversation, using all her strength to hold the woman back in her arms by the shoulders.

"She's right. I couldn't watch if something happened to you. Do me a favor and take care of the man over there," Nathalie said and pointed with her chin in the direction of Gabriel, who still hadn't regained consciousness. Before turning away from them both. "This is the best you two could do for me."

"Oh so you don't want to watch me suffer, but I am supposed to do!?"

"This is not the time for that!" the woman explained in a sharp demanding tone. "Also. All of this has nothing to do with you - This is my fight."
With these words, she vanished into thin air again. In a split second, she made it back to the men who she faced now again.






Celine was still looking over Gisele's shoulder at her sister with a pleading look. Just as Nathalie couldn't bear to see her sister suffer, Celine didn't want to have to see anything like that either. Yet her sister expected her to do.
Again she felt so helpful. So useless. Like the day her sister seemed lost to the world. Why wouldn't she reconsider that she could help her? That she didn't have to care all of this responsibility on her shoulders alone.

"Celine, we have to go. Come on!" Gisele shouted as she grabbed her hand to tear her out of her thoughts back into Reality.

Arm first, Gisele pulled the woman away from Karasu and further to Gabriel. Yet Celine couldn't help but keep her gaze fixed on the woman in the background that was fighting the men with all her might. With every step, the image of her sister got smaller and smaller.
'Please Nath.. stay save..' she said in her mind before finally turning her head away.


Finally arriving, Celine immediately crutched down to him and started to shake him. "Mr. Agreste... Mr. Agreste! Wake up!" she repeated his name over and over again.

"Agreste? Is he related to the popular boy in your class?" Gisele gasped while switching between looking at her and the men. She seemed oblivious to the noises in the background.

"They Father and son." the woman explained. "We can't leave him here. He's better protected over there. Help me carry him over!"

"You're not going anywhere soon!" growled the familiar voice of the man who now appeared behind the two women and made them both spin around. "You're going to pay for attacking me!" he continued, glaring at Celine.

With a flick of the wrist, Gisele pulled the woman behind her and the men a step away from them while taking the staff Celine was still holding in her hand all the time. "You leave her alone." the woman hissed back at him and looked menacingly into his eyes. "I have no problem hitting you over the head as well."

The man stared down at her questioningly and his grip on his staff tightened. "Get out of my way!" he commanded and lunged once without noticing how Nathalie had already approached him in a hurry to tackle him away from the woman.

"Your opponent here is still me!" she announced and with a gust of wind both she and the man were gone.

Much to the women's surprise. But they didn't have much time for that anyway.

"We have to take him away!" repeated Gisele and dropping the staff. "Come on!"





Even as Nathalie's body slowly materialized out of the wind, she again aimed her sword at the man and left it on these woodlice to push him further and further back. Away from the people. Away from the women who were trying to help Gabriel and who Nathalie had sworn to protect.

"Grr.. leave me alone!" Karasu yelled and a wave of negative emotions that drove Nathalie insane hit her, making her eyes light up green again. But this time it shouldn't end like the first time they met.

No, this time she would use those intense feelings.

"Lightning Dragon!" she cried again and her sword lit up again, which she immediately swung at the man.

He hastily dodged back a little, only to find himself with his back to the wall and a woman approaching him with quick steps.

"Damn. Damn!!" he cursed and another wave of energy emanating from Raven Miraculous hit her, which she ignored.

In a split second, the man turned back into the wind, just like Nathalie, to quickly rush up onto the building and dodge the attack.
Nathalie stopped briefly to look down after him and did the same so that she too would get to the building.
With one leap she made it onto the roof, where she immediately attacked the man.

He spun around and desperately tried to parry the attack with his staff, which was immediately split in half by the woman's unbridled anger and the superiority of the sword.
With one blow she had managed to destroy his weapon. The point of the sword, which was now coming towards the man unchecked, now bounced off the brooch on his chest, causing it to be thrown from him and putting an end to his outfit.
Even as the dark mass made him turn back to Karasu, the woman grabbed the brooch, which turned gray again at the mere touch.

Determined she stretched her sword in the air "Water Dragon!" said the woman and immediately a ball of water formed around the roof, which would make it impossible for both of them to escape.

The woman gritted her teeth and pointed the sword back at the man, who was now crouched on the ground in front of her. "Check and mate," she hissed.

Only now did she realize how exhausted she was. The man's face in front of her blurred again and again. The sound of her heartbeat pounded in her ears in rhythm with her breathing, which was heavy and fast. She felt like she might faint at any moment. 'Damn... pull yourself together..' she admonished herself 'You're so close... you
For a brief moment that felt like an eternity for herself, the woman blacked out in which she felt the strength in her arm leaving her and the sword falling to the ground, causing her to fall to her knees as well.

"It's over... look at yourself... you're at the end strength," the man said, trying to gasp for air.

"Oh yeah. Why don't you take a look at yourself... You don't look any better..."

"Better than you.."

"Just give me... your Miraculous..."

"You want it.. " shouted the man "come and get it!"
With a huge leap, he jumped at the woman in an instant. To hold back her opponent's fists, she grabbed the man's wrists to hold them tight. At least in theory. In Reality, she missed them as his vision still went blurry from time to time.
However, she managed to get his hand, which resulted in her having to hold hands and stare into the man's eyes as they both struggled for the upper hand.
The sheer force of the man and superiority in strength, however, let her stagger back a bit, which is why she was now slightly below him.

"You're such a bad loser!" the woman hissed at him

"I just fight to the end!" the man replied and pushed her down a bit further. "I am just as much of a pain in the ass, as you are!" he commented further.

"Well.. you got that part right!" she said, using all her strength to not sound as desperate of a miracle as she was. What could she do? what was she supposed to do? Even with all her strength, she couldn't overpower him. And his Miraculous was too far out of reach for her to snap it.
'Damn.. damn, damn. Damn it!!' she gritted her teeth as she gazed at the men.

"Maura!" Gisele called out to her "That is your name, right?" Her Voice made Nathalie turn her head slightly to her rousing the heroine from her despair. "I am a little bit busy here"

"I know. You forgot your staff," she said waving once with the silver weapon in her hand.
'Of course!'

Grinning, the woman turns her gaze back to the man. All of her last energy would be needed for this moment. With sheer willpower and the desperate force power to not lose her as she forgives herself when she would lose to this man one more time,

she tore the staff out of Gisele's hands, which immediately came rushing up to the two of them on the roof with breakneck speed.

"That won't help you anymore either!" the man shouted and pushed her down a bit further "You don't even have one hand free to catch it! Nor do you have the time!"

"I can change that!" she announced and let the man push her to the ground completely to place her legs on his stomach and push him away before he could even realize what happened.

His terror reign would end here and now.
She jumped back to her feed, grabbed the staff, and immediately pulled it over the man's head with her remaining strength, forcing him to turn his head to the side as he would loose his sign.
Emotionenless she watched how he and his Miraculous thundered to the ground, heralding the end of this fight.
She won. She had beaten him.
Nathalie raised her head to focus on the sky above her. 'I won...' she explained as her staff fell to the ground.