Ƭհҽíɾ Ɓíցցҽsե Ɱísեɑƙҽ Ƴҽե

𝙲ի𝛼⍴եᥱ𝑟 24

The atmosphere in Monarch's lair was thick with tension as he grappled with the knowledge that his own son was Chat Noir. He had been weighing his options, trying to figure out how to protect Adrien from further harm. Nathalie, standing at his side, was equally tense, her brow creased with worry. She knew that whatever decision Monarch would make could have far-reaching consequences.

As he prepared to make a final decision, something unexpected occurred. A tremendous force burst through the large circular window with explosive power, shattering it to pieces. Monarch and Nathalie were sent sprawling backwards, their eyes wide with shock and surprise.

As the dust settled and they struggled to regain their bearings, they were met with an unexpected sight. Èguǒ had made a flamboyant entrance, his presence dominating the room as if he were delivering a delightful surprise to a grand celebration.

Shànyīn followed her brother a few seconds later, her expression a blend of mild amusement and faint irritation at his dramatic entrance. Again. Èguǒ merely laughed it off, brushing aside her concerns with a playful grin.

Then, he turned his attention to Monarch, his face shifting from mischief to amusement, tinged with a touch of curiosity. He studied Monarch's appearance, evaluating him in a way that left the older man slightly taken aback.

Èguǒ's amusement bubbled forth, and he couldn't help himself as he commented, "Has anyone ever told you that you look like a pimp?"

The abrupt and unexpected comment caught Monarch and Nathalie off guard. Their expressions shifted from the shock of Èguǒ's entrance to disbelief at his audacity.

Nathalie found herself at a loss for words, while Monarch, recovering from the initial surprise, responded with a bewildered, "I beg your pardon?"

Èguǒ's cackling laughter filled the room, echoing off the walls, as he found his own humour thoroughly amusing.

"You really should consider a different wardrobe," he teased. "You might not look as ridiculous then."

Shànyīn couldn't help but let out a small giggle. As a designer herself, she found Monarch's outfit... interesting.

Monarch, still reeling from the unexpected turn of events, struggled to maintain his composure as he demanded to know why the twins had intruded upon his lair. The audacity of their presence, their outlandish entrances, and their insinuations had rattled him, and his tone turned progressively harsher.

"What are you doing here?" he barked. "How did you find this place?"

"Why, dear Monarch, aren't you jolly to see us?" Èguǒ remarked, his voice dripping with mockery, "Anyway, we've come to bring an end to your reign of chaos. You've caused far too much trouble, inflicted unbearable pain, and brought nothing but suffering to this city."

Monarch's glare grew even colder, his eyes filled with anger and a lingering disbelief at the twins' audacity. He couldn't comprehend how his greatest weapons had become so brazen, so defiant.

"Who are you to challenge me?" Monarch's voice quivered with intensity as he berated them. "I gave you your powers, and you are bound to do as I say!"

She shot a pointed look at Monarch. "You might have given us these powers, but you've lost control over us," she declared firmly. "We have no desire to take the miraculouses and hand them to you. If you won't surrender the Butterfly Miraculous willingly, we'll take it from you by force."

Her fingers toyed idly with the cat ring she held, emphasising her point.

Monarch's eyes narrowed, a vein throbbing in his forehead, his usually calm demeanour faltering. Shànyīn's refusal to surrender the Cat Ring hit a nerve, stoking the anger within him. "If you think you can just waltz in here and take what you want, you're gravely mistaken!"

With a snap of his fingers, Monarch commanded the surrounding butterflies to do his bidding. They transformed into dark, menacing creatures, their once beautiful wings now sinister and malevolent. As a cloud of evilized butterflies converged on the twins, their intentions were clear – attack and eliminate the threat.

Monarch's face displayed a cruel grin, believing that the twins would be overpowered by his evilized creations. He revelled in the chaos he had wrought as his sinister laughter echoed in the room.

Nathalie, who had been silently observing the exchange, felt a surge of fear for her boss. She couldn't stand idly by while he faced the twins, even if he believed he had the upper hand.

"Let me help you," Nathalie said, stepping closer to Monarch, determination in her eyes, "let's defeat them together."

However, Monarch's arrogance still held sway. He waved away Nathalie's offer with a dismissive hand. "No, Nathalie, I do not need your assistance," he declared, still smirking with supreme confidence.

His arrogance cost him dearly.

Èguǒ, well-versed in dealing with threats, teleported nimbly out of harm's way, reappearing behind Monarch. He raised his sword high, aiming to strike down upon his former mentor. Monarch sensed the impending attack just in time and reacted with a swift block, raising his arm to parry the blow.

While Èguǒ confronted Monarch directly, Shànyīn's empathy and the power she had received allowed her to see the butterflies not as mere minions of darkness, but as creatures corrupted by Monarch's influence. The fluttering creatures transformed before her eyes, returning to their gentle and serene state.

Monarch and Nathalie were left baffled by Shànyīn's actions, a gasp escaping Nathalie as her eyes widened in disbelief.

"What... What is she doing? H-how did she..." Nathalie whispered.

Unbeknownst to Monarch and Nathalie, since Shànyīn is also Ladybug, she still retained her Ladybug magic, in addition to the unique abilities granted to her by Monarch. This amalgamation of power had allowed her to cleanse and restore, rather than merely destroy.

Because Monarch was momentarily distracted, Èugǒ's next strike, while not fatal, had managed to cut across Monarch's chest, slicing through the enchanted suit that had protected him thus far. Monarch hissed in pain and staggered backwards, clutching his wounded chest. The thin trail of blood slowly darkened his white attire, but his anger burned hotter than the pain.

Monarch, despite his injuries and mounting anger, remained focused on his mission. He hurled commands at the surrounding butterflies, sending them swarming towards Shànyīn. If he could incapacitate her, he would have the upper hand against Èugǒ. But this task proved to be much more challenging than he had anticipated, as Shànyīn continued to purify them.

Èugǒ seized the opportunity to taunt Monarch. With a smirk, he began to mock the powerful figure who stood before him.

With a grin of amusement, he mocked Monarch, "You know if you deep it," he jeered, "it must be hard for a big, bad villain like you to lose to a couple of teenagers you gave powers to. That's really embarrassing."

Monarch's rage surged at Èugǒ's taunts. He refused to be belittled by those he had empowered. His expression contorted in anger and determination, and he used his staff to block Èugǒ's relentless onslaught.

The chaos in the room escalated as Nathalie made her desperate move. She couldn't stand by on the sidelines any longer, even without powers of her own. Clutching a shard of glass from the broken window, she charged at Shànyīn with a singular intention: to strike her in the back and disrupt the course of the battle.

Shànyīn, always vigilant, had sensed Nathalie's sudden rush and had been ready to thwart her attack. However, just as she was about to intervene, a powerful yell of "No!" disrupted her focus. Turning her attention towards the source of the sound, Shànyīn was met with a surprising sight. A figure had suddenly appeared and intercepted Nathalie's attack.

In the split second that followed, Nathalie's improvised weapon pierced through the air and into the chest of the intervening figure. Shànyīn's scream pierced the room.