Into Another World (kotlc/mlb au)

Chapter 16

Adrien was frozen in fear. He didn't know how to react, how to fight back.

"You've grown up well, despite being on Earth most of your life," the man grinned. His cloak was different from the other person, a rich purple instead of black. But they both had a white eye on a black armband around their bicep, swirled with runes.

"Oh my gosh," Ladybug gasped. "You're..."

"The Neverseen," the man in the purple cloak grinned. "Nice of you to figure it out for yourselves. You're not incredibly incompetent."

"The girl never was," a woman stepped into view and Ladybug, Sophie, and Keefe nearly had heart attacks.

"Mom?" Keefe gasped.

"Duchess Gisela?" Sophie cried.

Ladybug went deathly pale, her hands shaking.

Adrien realized in an instant. Ladybug still had trauma against Gisela Sencen.

He instinctively gripped her hand. "You have to breathe, Ladybug. You have to breathe."

She still didn't move.

"Quite the shock, isn't it?" Gisela smoothed her skirt like she was here for an afternoon tea.

"I thought you were dead!" Keefe shouted, hot, angry tears welling in his eyes.

Gisela didn't make any sort of emotional response at her son. "Yes, there are certain circumstances that forced me to remove myself from your life. I trust that you've been working to become a great Sencen?"

Keefe said nothing; he just glared at his mother.

Sophie was still in the air, held up by some invisible force.

"Well, if we're going to continue with this series of surprises, we should bring the attention towards Adrien," the man in purple said. "Your mother sends her best regards. We voted for her to stay at our base."

Now Adrien was losing the blood in his cheeks. "My mother is alive and... with... you?"

The man grinned even wider. "Emilie really was devoted to the cause, especially when you went missing. And I stayed by her side."

Adrien swallowed the lump in his throat. He felt sick. "They said she died."

"Oh, but stories do have a habit of going around. Wouldn't you know that, Ladybug? With all the rumors running around Everglen? When in fact, we know the truth about you."

"Ruy, lower the shield," Gisela ordered, and the one controlling the force field lowered his hand. In seconds, the man in the purple cloak grabbed Ladybug and hoisted her into the air.

"Get your hands off her!" Adrien held out his hand to use his powers against this guy when he grabbed Adrien's wrist, stopping him.

"Now, Adrien, is that really how to act around a criminal like her?" the man sneered. "Maybe we should introduce who she really is? Here, I can start. You may call me Hawkmoth."

"And you may call me None of Your Business," Ladybug kicked Hawkmoth in the shin and forced him to drop her from the impact. She immediately pulled out an arrow and aimed right at his chest. "Make one more move and I'll fire."

Hawkmoth simply chuckled. "You think a measly little arrow will scare me? When we know the truth about who you are?"

Ladybug held her ground, but Adrien saw fear creeping in her eyes.

"Gisela told us everything. How she hates that you were too bright for her liking," he continued. "All those hours in the library really did sharpen that little mind of yours, didn't it?"