Chapter Text
Adrien was supposed to go to school already, his usual car wad already outside the gates. He was a punctual student, a goody twoshoes. But he was also a curious child, someone that doesn't want secrets.
And his father was a man with many secrets.
So he hid by the corner, peeking his head out. Listening to his father complain on the phone, shocked when he saw there was something behind the portrait when his father placed something in.
He waited for his father to leave, the man was distracted. Didn't notice Adrien sneak by to the painting, the golden boy looked up the portrait of his deceased mother."He hides stuff behind the painting of Mom?"
Adrien had questioned, his kwami popping out."Ooh! I love dirty secrets. Oh, yes! Go on, go on!" It encouraged, he nodded as he turned the painting to reveal a safe.
" I can't do it. My dad wouldn't like me going through his stuff. Besides, I don't even know the code, and my fencing class is about to start." He'd make an excuse, mostly to convince himself. The boy was anxious despite his curiosity getting bigger. "You're such a party pooper." Plagg wasn't fazed by the glaring lock, he'd fly in and quickly managed to get the safe open.
"My, my, what have we got here? A book on Tibet, an old flyer from a hotel, a load of junk, come on, where's the good stuff?" And just in time, the kwami noticed a book with an intricate mysterious pattern."I've seen this book somewhere before. But who cares? I'm famished! I need Camembert!" It'd throw the book to his holder's arms, the teenager looked down to inspect the book.
He'd quickly scroll through thr pages, seeing it filled by countless superheroes and... miraculouses like theirs?!
"Why is my dad keeping this locked in a safe? why does he have this-" He'd pause on a certain page, his eyes widened. "Hawk Moth? What's this monster doing in a book about superheroes?"
"Cheese! Didn't you hear me kid?"
But the teenager stopped, hearing approaching footsteps as he auickly got to work. Closing the safe, masked by the portrait as he knelt down to pretend he was fidgeting with his bag.
"Adrien? You're going to be late." It had been Nathalie that arrived, along with his bodyguard."I was... looking for my homework, silly me!" He'd make an excuse, fortunately he wasn't questioned further.
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It had been the afternoon, time for his classes. Adrien was determined to use this time to research this book, this grimoire his father intently hid. Why did he have a book on the miraculous...?
How was he involved?
But his path was blocked, his time was interrupted. He faced a girl, a girl he didn't know. She was taller than her had with green eyes like him, her face plastered with makeup but it suited her like Chloe, hip-length dark scarlet hair with bangs similar to a horse mane tied in little red bands. Her hair is loosely tied at the tips with orange bands. She wears a vermilion jacket over a dark gray sleeveless and short pant legged jumpsuit that has tiny white spots and a ribbon bow. Additionally, she wears light gray leggings and brown ankle-length high heel boots.
"Hi there." She'd say lowly, the corners of her smile widening. Adrien flinched, knowing the tone as he stepped back."I'm Lila, I'm new here."
"Uh... hi I'm Adrien, welcome." He'd awkwardly greet, not knowing what to say. He wanted to say he was uncomfortable, with her finger circling his body."Nice to meet you... I'm so sorry I have to disturb you but I was wondering... if you could help me with history homework? I heard you were a... smart student." She'd play meek,
"U-uh..." His lips tightened. She'd lean in, her eyes practically saying yes. But he never got to answer, he never got the choice once she already grabbed his arm and dragged to the library.
"Why is she standing beside the love of my life?!" Marinette could be heard whining in the distance, quickly hurrying.
She'd place him down on the seat, he'd weakly comply. He might as well go along with it, he'd open his bag to grab the book. While Lila was busy grabbing books, he'd have time to find out more about this book.
But the blonde couldn't decipher the text at all, it was close to chinese literature but it needed to be decoded further. Who could he possibly hire to de-
"Now we can get going on our history homework. It's so much more fun doing it together, don't you think?" He'd wince, quickly covering the grimoire with many books.
"Yeah, right. W-what do you need help with-"
"What's that?" She'd be blunt, not buying his oblivious act as she already grabbed the book without his permission."N-nothing! Just a story about superheroes."
"Oh... you're into superheroes?" She'd place her hand over his."I love superheroes." He'd be absentminded the whole session, his thoughts were somewhere else as Lila scrolled through the pages.
"Scarlet Luck...?" She read outloud, that certainly got a reaction out of him as he turned to her."Scarlet Luck...?" He'd repeat, looking over to see the page. Why was she in this book...?
This annoyed her, that was the only thing that fully got his attention. Some dumb superhero. "A girl doesn't need to hide behind a mask to be amazing, you know." She'd scoot her chair closer, defensively reminding as Adrien turned to her.
"Uh right, I'm not really sure." He didn't know what to answer, he was even more curious about this literature."You know... I'm friends with Scarlet Luck."
He'd widen his eyes, she knew her...?
He deadpanned, of course she did. She was the type of people Scarlet Luck would typically clique with. "Really...?" She got his attention, she'd sweetly smile."We can chat about it if you want. Not here though. Why don't we meet at the park after school and I'll tell you everything."
She'd offer, he'd be caught off guard. But the alarm on his phone had made him abruptly stand up." gotta go! I've got a lesson in 58 seconds." But he dropped his bag, he didn't know why but Lila had helped him.
"So the park?" She'd offer the bag."Uh, sure!" He'd quickly grab it, leaving. But the teenage model never knew was that Lila Rossi had stolen his book, she'd hum as she scrolled through the pages.
"A vixen superheroine...? Hmm... interesting." She'd leave the library with the book in her hands.
Marinette who had seen everything gasped in horror, hiding behind the trolley as she grit her teeth.
'That Lila Rossi has her eyes on Adrien...! That little thief doesn't deserve him!'
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Chloe had dramatically layed on the couch, Tikki had to feed her food with a spoon as she wailed."Oh Tikki... how could Jagged stone NOT make a song about me!"
"But he did..."
"As Scarlet Luck, but not as Chloe Bourgeois! He's ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!" She'd whine, Tikki groaning."You're never satisfied."
"Oh Taki, two songs are better than one song about me!" She'd sob, clicking on the ladyblog. It was a website that documented everything about Scarlet Luck and Chat Noir. Chloe clicked on the latest video, but she'd raise her brow when it featured the same girl that bragged about Jagged Stone making a song about her.
["There was this one time... Scarlet Luck saved my life and we instantly cliqued, we're like this." Lila crossed her fingers together.]
The kwami and holder looked stunned, unconvinced."I don't remember her ugly pigtails." Chloe instantly shut that theory down, Tikki would be confused. "Could she be... lying?" Tikki who had been holier than others had pointed out, Chloe wheezed.
"PFT! BAHAHA! So she's a liar! Like... Lie-La! I knew Jagged Stone would rather write a song about me than a nobody like her!" Her pride was regained, her haughty laugh filled her room. Tikki only sighed, that was the only thing she got from that...?
"She's so ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous! I need to text everyone about this!" She had already grabbed her phone, ready to send the text."No Chloe you can't...!" The kwami interrupted.
"And why not? Exposing her would be so much fun!" She'd smile, but it faded when the kwami quockly grabbed it away. "My phone!" She'd cry, chasing after the floating kwami.
"I won't let you cause another akuma...! You already caused one last time!"
"It was an accident, she tripped on my shoes." She rolled her eyes, not managing to get her phone as she desperately jumped to catch it.
But a loud roar could be hears from the distance, causing them to turn to her balcony where they could see a giant dinosaur in the distant.
"It's... the girl again."
"What did you do...?"
"Don't look at me! I was here being fabulous while whining!" She'd raise her arms defensively, Tikki could only sigh.
"Tikki spots on!" She'd transform, but she instantly screamed in horror when her phone dropped to the floor.
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"Oh, hi!" Lila had greeted the approaching Adrien. They had planned (onesidedly) to meet in the park as Lila stationed on a park bench. "Hey! I lost the book earlier, did you have it?" He'd say, tired from shuffling between everywhere he went. She'd usher him to sit, she'd flutter her eyelashes.
"Yes... It's included in what I need to tell you, I had to... take it for a reason." She slowly told her words, careful with his reactions. He'd be baffled, was she part of this web too...?!
He discovered so much things today.
"So wait... do you actually know Scarlet Luck...?" He'd repeat, wanting clarification."Not only did Scarlet Luck save my life, we've become very close friends because we have something very special in common..."
He'd be confused, she'd give the book back to her. The page was on a vixen."it's what I wanted to tell you about. I'm the descendant of a vixen superheroine myself, Volpina." She showed her a necklace, similar to the one in the book. A miraculous, he thought.
"Volpina...?" He choked out, unsure of what to say."She's... one of the superheroes in the book." He realized, she'd nod."Of course she's in your book. She's one of the most important superheroes. More powerful and more celebrated than Scarlet Luck." He appreciated the Scarlet Luck slander but he'd be more confused, he was a fan of superheroes so he knows he would definitely know about her.
But he never did, was he this closed off to the world...?
"Between you and me, Scarlet Luck doesn't even make the top ten. My grandma gave me this necklace." She'd gesture to her necklace, his attention entirely on it."A miraculous...?"
But the ground had suddenly thumped, shaking violently. It alarmed the both of them, turning to see a gigantic dinosaur passing by the park. Lila screamed, falling to the ground as Adrien was alert. He saw Scarlet Luck make her entrance, trying to use her yoyo to keep the dinosaur at bay.
"Scarlet Luck...!" Adrien winced, abiut to run off to transform but was stopped by Lila."Wait Adrien... it isn't safe! You need to hide with me-"
"Aren't you a superhero? Paris is in danger!"
She'd panic, the karma getting to her. But the vixen was confident of running away from that karma."I know, but I need to hide and transform remember! I can't let Paris know who I am or my bloodline will be in danger...!"
"But Paris is in danger... I'm going." He'd step back, ultimately running off to chase after Scarlet Luck. Lila reached out, confused on what to do.
What was so great about that damn Scarlet Luck...?! Why did he prefer that heroine over her?! Volpina would've been a better superhero than that stupid bug.
She just wanted... for her lies to become truths.
"Stupid necklace... doesn't even work. Stupid Scarlet Luck... thinks she's better than everyone."
If she had powers, she'd make a better superhero. She'd have all the attention aimed at her, not some stupid ladybug.
Marinette who saw everything gasped, she was a gigantic liar...!
But the bluenette never saw the akuma flying towards the enraged Lila Rossi.
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Scarlet Luck smiled for the cameras, having just purified the akuma as Chat Noir was more distracted as usual. But he felt an elbow to his gut as he turned to Scarlet Luck.
"Why are you so distracted? You were caught multiple times by a dinosaur of all things." She'd roll her eyes, unimpressed. He'd ponder, his mind distant.
"What if... there's more superheroes like us?"
"What?"" She'd be taken back, a startling question she'd never expect from him."You're kidding, there's absolutely no way there's other superheroes like us." She'd be confident, no room for doubt.
"Are you su- look out...!" She'd jump to where he landed on the roof, a giant meteor was going to crash down Paris. But the duo winced, they only had 4 minutes left until they had to detransform...!
"I... I already used up my lucky charm!" Scarlet Luck was panicking, she couldn't do anything...! Chat Noir felt the same, he felt hopeless. But before either of them could move a lone figure had already made it to the meteor.
"Huh...?!"
"Ugh...!" The masked person managed to fling the crashing meteor away. She'd fly to the roof as she was more visible now,
She had an orange mask with black edges, and her hair bands are black. On top of her head, two fake orange ears with white and black insides are attached. The top of her hair is black and then quickly ombrés down to light brown with the tips of her hair being white. She wears a orange jumpsuit with a white section going down the front. Wrapped around her waist is an orange sash that looks like a fox tail. The necklace with a fox tail hanging off of it is worn around her neck with the soles of her feet being white with an orange fox foot printed on each.
"I am Volpina, the only superhero Paris needs!" She boasted as the crowd chanted her name. Chat Noir had widened his eyes, Lila...?
The duo used this time to detransform seperately, feeding their kwamis as they transformed back. Volpina smirked at their approaching figures, she was just getting started.
"Who is this... Volpina person?! She's stealing MY spotlight!" Scarlet Luck complained as she stopped on a roof, Chat Noir did the same but he couldn't answer her.
"Uh... a new superhero."
"I know that idiot! But she suddenly came out of no- wait... did you know about this?!" She'd point accusingly at him, his sudden question from earlier made sense as he winced."Perhaps, but bug come on. Isn't it better we get more help?" He'd reassure, she didn't like it.
"We don't need more help! We're more than enough to save Paris!" She'd insist but Volpina had landed in front of them."Hey guys! Glad you dropped in, I need a hand. Come on!" The vixen already flied ahead, the duo could only do nothing but follow after her.
They'd stop on the roof as Volpina pointed to a very familiar hooded figure, the duo realized who it was. "I can't believe it! It's Hawk Moth in the flesh!" Chat Noir chased after him already, Scarlet Luck only stayed to see a smirking Volpina.
"Who on earth are you? When you appear a meteor and even the Moth appeared, who the heck are you?" She'd snap, turning to the heroine she doesn't know about.
"You're leaving your partner to fight Hawkmoth by himself?" She'd change the topic, her words stung as Scarlet Luck crossed her arms."He can handle it, probably. But there's something nagging me about you."
"Probably because I'm way better than you? Face it bug but you need to depend on Chat Noir, I don't. Plus I have superior flight and speed." She'd boast, Scarlet Luck grit her teeth. "Now you're just being insuf-" She'd stop, suddenly multiple rockets and projectiles were aimed at her. Scarlet Luck gtimaced, looking up to see Volpina's smug expression.
"Paris doesn't need another superhero, bug. I'm more than enough."
"You think Paris will enjoy a fake superhero that killed another?" Scarlet Luck sweatdropped, her haughty expression still present even now. The projectiles got even closer to her as the heroine stepped back.
What could she do now...?
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Chat Noir had picked up the pace, jumping roof to roof to chase after the shifting HawkMoth. He eventually outsmarted it, pouncing on him only to catch smoke.
But he'd be surprised, he was just an illusion...?
Then was everything an illusion? The meteor...?
Then what about Volpina? Who was she?
He turned, retreating back to where Scarlet Luck and Volpina where. But he'd be stunned, seeing his partner surrounded by multiple rockets and a building collapsing.
"Tiktok Scarlet Luck! We don't have time for this! It's either your miraculous or the entirety of Paris will be gone!" Volpina laughed, she'd make more parisians streets cracked.
Chat Noir was stunned, she wasn't a superhero. Lila was akumatized...!
"You're lying, you won't have a city to save then!" Scarlet Luck bluffed, the streds getting to her until she saw Chat Noir approaching.
"Wait!-"
He'd use his baton, hitting the rockets that only turned into puffs of smoke. Volpina was stunned, stepping back as her eyes widened in surprise. How did he get here so fast...?!
"What?" Scarlet Luck snapped, glaring at Volpina."Volpina isn't a superhero, she's Hawkmoth's akumatized victim!" Chat Noir notified her, she'd be annoyed. "Your power isn't flight or speed, it's just illusions! You're a liar!" The heroine laughed making Volpina run away.
"Why didn't you tell me sooner?! I knew you were just sitting back and watching!" She'd complain, Chat Noir sighed."I wasn't. But can you complain later? We need to go to Adrien Agreste."
"Adrien? Why do we need to go there?"
"I have a feeling she's going there." He'd answer, she'd contemplate. But he had already dashed ahead as she winced, where did he go..?!
"Ugh! He's freaking lucky I know the way there!" She'd take a different path to the manor.
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He had taken a shortcut, knowing all the ways to his house. He'd jump in his room, quickly detransforming to see a distraught Plagg.
"Kid...! Good timing I need to tell you about that book!" The kwami frantically flied to Adrien's bag to reveal the book."Wait- Plagg Volpina might be-"
"Adrien!" The duo had faltered, Plagg quickly hiding in his bag as Adrien turned to see Volpina in his room."H-hey...! Who... are you?" He'd question what he already knew, the vixen only sweetly smiled as she walked closer.
"You can call me Volpina, and I just saved Paris from a meteor. I even managed to get a scratch on Hawkmoth but Scarlet Luck's incompetence made me fail on catching him." She'd boast, he knew it was a lie. She was grasping for straws now,
"Lila...?"
"I'm a real superhero, Adrien. I'm not a liar." She'd sound so desperate as she held on to him, he'd falter.
"Yeah, you're not a liar. But a super liar." A voice alarmed the both of them, to see Scarlet Luck landing in his room as she already swung her yoyo.
"See what I mean! She's jealous of me, of you, of us, but this time you aren't going to ruin our date Scarlet." The heroines faced off with a glare."My job is to keep citizens like him away from freaks like you!" The spotted red charged in to kicked Volpina, the vixen hissed as the two began to fight.
Adrien grabbed his bag, hurriedly running to the bathroom. He'd open it to see Plagg absorbed in the grimoire's pages."Kid we hit the jackpot! I can already see the mountains of camembert the guardian will give me!"
"Plagg... claws out!"
"Wait kid!-"
Scarlet Luck and Volpina were on equal footing, the vixen stepping back to cause her illusions. She' quickly use her yoyo to make them disappear.
"Sorry I'm late, had trouble finding this place." It was an obvious lie but Scarlet Luck was too focused on Volpina to notice, the duo were now together and it made the villain unamused.
She'd blow her flute, creating multiple illusions of her. They'd quickly erase it until Scarlet Luck saw Volpina on a roof far away with them, Adrien dangling from her arms as she jumped off.
"Chat... she has Adrien!" She'd shout in horror."That's an illusion too...!" Chat Noir quickly talked her out.
"I can't risk a citizen's life...!" She'd step back, running to the bathroom where she saw Adrien previously hid."Bug my feline sixth sense is legendary-"
"He's not here! She has him!" She already yoyo'd out, Chat Noir could only deadpan."I'm not even gonna try to get out of this." He'd say to nobody but himself, chasing after her.
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"Hahaha...!" Volpina had laufhed at the top of the eiffel tower as the heroes desperately climbed up. Scarlet Luck didn't know what to do, her precious friend was in danger.
She never even got to talk to him again.
"Give me your Miraculous now or I will!" Volpina shaked Adrien, he'd look down in a panicked state. She'd see his struggle as the grip on the railings worsened.
"I thought you loved him!"
"Not as much as seeing you two defeated!" She'd turn to Adrien and gave him a quick peck on the cheek."No hard feelings, right?" The blonde boy instantly shaked his head. "You're bluffing. It's another illusion!" Chat Noir said confidently, so confidently ad he turned to the distraught Scarlet Luck.
"You wanna bet on that?!" She'd release a finger, her hold on the teenager slowly dropping."Don't make him fall...!" She'd hold on to her ears, specifically reaching for her earrings.
"Bug... what are you doing?!" He'd grab her arm, she'd glare at him."He's in danger...! I have to-"
"Since when were you this naive? I thought your miraculous mattered over some boy-"
"He isn't just some boy! He's a citizen...! I can't... endanger someone again. Weren't you the one that preached that?!" She'd look down, he'd be dumbfounded. He was surprised the heroine wasn't as heartless as he thought.
Maybe she was changing, for the better.
He didn't answer her, spinning his baton as he threw it to where Adrien and Volpina were. They turned into puffs of smoke as Scarlet was in disbelief. "See? Let's go." He'd pat her head, climbing up. She could only stare at him, her expression uneasy but relieved.
"Lucky charm...!"
She was given a candy wrapper, opening it to look up and see Chat Noir struggling to find the real Volpina. She'd have an idea, turning the reflective part of the wrapper as it hit the sun.
Out of the many Volpinas on the tower, one had shielded her eyes from the reflective light it gave off. Chat Noir noticed the real one as he used his cataclysm on the part of the eiffel tower, the railings falling apart to trap the stunned Volpina.
Scarlet Luck had jumped up to her level, grabbing the necklace as she broke it. She'd capture the akuma as it flied off, the white butterfly never matched this girl's corruption. It revealed Lila, kneeling down as she could only stare at the hard metal. Chat Noir landed next to Scarlet Luck,
"Purify!" A swarm of ladybugs had fixed everything, the victim was no longer trapped as she had the necklace back in her hands.
"Oh! So it was the liar that was akumatized, I should've known with the illusions." Scarlet Luck scoffed, Lila refused Chat Noir's hand to help her stand up.
"Don't get bigheaded, insect. You're not as great as you think you are." Lila was could, glaring at the both of them."Not even a thank you? Or an apology for lying about us being friends?"
"I was wrong, we could never be friends." Lila turned to leave, not wanting their help to get down. The heroine only turned to her partner, she'd look annoyed. "What? Don't blame me for the girl not praising you for once." He'd shrug, she'd shake her head. That wasn't it.
"You're right, I was being stupid and dramatic. Dramatically stupid." She crossed her arms, he'd snicker."Look at you admitting your mistakes-"
"Shut it." She'd glare, their miraculous starting to beep."I need to make sure Adrien is okay." Before she could jump off Chat Noir had stopped her.
"I'll go check if he's okay-"
"But-"
"Bug."
"Ugh, fine. You better make sure he's okay. I need to go." She'd roll her eyes, leaving. Chat Noir did the same as he retreated back to his room. His room, as Adrien Agreste. He'd detransform, Plagg was exhausted as it flailed to his couch.
"Ugh kid... can't you let me finish first?" It'd complain, he'd shrug. Adrien threw him slices of camembert as the kwami happily catched with it's mouth, the golden boy walking to his bag to grab the book.
"Why does father have this? Lila doesn't seem to be the one that wrote this... I'm pretty sure her words aren't as credible as she says it is."
His kwami was energized, back to flying as it'd land on the open pages."We need to get this to the guardian!"
"The... guardian?" Adrien had repeated.
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He had managed to sneak out, following his keami's instructions as he arrived to a little herbal house. Adrien had walked inside, seeing a little chinese man massaging a parisian.
The teenager was confused, did Plagg lead him to the wrong place?
The massage specialist noticed him, looking straight at the book he held."Oh hello...! Sorry sir but I have something urgent to attend to." The parisian he was massaging was rushed out the door, Adrien started to remember as the senior smiled up at him.
"It's you... the one that gave me the ring." He noticed him, he'd nod."I've been looking for you... but I couldn't let my father know."
'So it was the both of them holding those searches, of course.' Fu remembered the pain he endured to hiding from people. "You may call me, Fu. Master Fu." He'd inttoduce."Adrien, Adrien Agreste." He'd bow, a greeting with the old man's culture.
Plagg had made himself visible, holding the book as he gave it to the guardian."So where's my camembert old man?"
"Wayzz can help you with that." And when he said that, a green turtle like kwami appeared as it lead Plagg somewhere else. "Another... kwami?" He'd be confused, turning to see Fu only nodding.
"Thank you, Adrien. This book will massively help us."
"B-but I got so much to ask!-"
"Ask away, young one. We've got plenty of time." He only smiled at the teenager. Now the duo had both met the guardian of the miraculous, the one that knows about their powers the most.