Divided We Stand: Battle of the Miraculous

The Final Battle Part 2

As Cat Noir led them to his father's repository, Ladybug could help but be in awe that this day had finally come.

They were going to face Hawkmoth.

Down in the repository, the gang crossed the bridge to Gabriel's moth garden. It was eerily silent.

"This doesn't feel right," Many Mouse said. Her face scrunched into suspicion.

"She's right," Carapace agreed. "Where's Hawkmoth?"

"I'm right here," Gabriel's voice echoed through the room.

He was just Gabriel. No superpowers, no victims. Just a sad man whose hair had turned prematurely gray.

Ladybug almost felt sorry for him.

Gabriel's lips twisted into a smirk. "You couldn't stay away, could you? Couldn't let me fix our family."

"How can it be?" Cat snarled, body tensing.

"Now the truth comes out. Your mother isn't as important to you as she is to me."

"Leave her out of this," he growled.

"It's over, Hawkmoth," Ladybug said. "You're outnumbered. Give us the butterfly miraculous."

"Outnumbered? Indeed. But it's not entirely hopeless. Nooroo, dark wings rise!"

Laughter came from the rafters. Ladybug recognized two of the voices almost immediately.

"Hmm. Did you forget about us, Ladybug?" Volpina dropped to the ground, landing on her feet.

"I think she did, Volpina." The other voice belonged to Queen Bee.

The black streaks in her hair made her look more malicious than Chloe usually did.

The third figure was Mayura, who Cat had told her was his father's assistant, Nathalie.

Finally, Ryuko lingered in the shadows as if uncertain on whether she would join the fight.

Hawkmoth chuckled. "This is the end."

"Of course it is." Ladybug swung her yo-yo. "Lucky charm!"

A painting dropped into her hands.

"Any ideas, Ladybug?" Cat lunged forward to keep Queen Bee from tagging her with venom.

"I... I don't know." She looked around the room.

Nothing. There were no other clues for her.

King Monkey summoned his Uproar, quickly tagging Volpina. Her illusions vanished and then reappeared as images of herself doing ridiculous dances.

"What?" The real Volpina's mouth dropped.

"Hurry, Ladybug." Viperion jumped back to dodge an attack from Ryuko, who'd suddenly decided to join the battle.

Ladybug took another glance, gaze landing on Hawkmoth. She still didn't have a plan, but she needed to get close to him.

"Get me close to Hawkmoth," she shouted.

Her teammates immediately began clearing a path for her.

She grew closer, yo-yo ready to fly.

Hawkmoth chuckled. "You're making this too easy."

He grabbed her yo-yo, pulling Ladybug closer. Something pinched her abdomen. She looked down to see blood dripping from her suit.

"I don't understand."

"Did you think I hadn't heard about how to kill a miraculous holder? Don't worry, the poison takes effect quickly."

"No—" Cat screamed, his voice echoing inside her head.

"And now the ladybug miraculous is mine." Hawkmoth tossed her aside, stooping for her earrings.

"Threaten me with ruin, and I will ruin you," he whispered in her ear.

"Ladybug!"

But if it was Cat or Viperion, she couldn't tell. Ladybug only knew it would be the last thing she would ever hear.

A/N just wait until the next chapter...