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miracle-sham · 1 year

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Phoenix Villains Snippets.

| {MGI Civil War 3 Event} |

| {Play With Fire} |

———

| Word Count: 853. |

———

Marinette watched as the fire danced between her fingers and around her hand as if playing with her. It seemed so harmless like this, so different to roaring inferno burning the village around her to the ground.

This is what they deserved for hanging her parents under the accusation that they had set their own bakery alight. As if they would ever so recklessly endanger their sole livelihoods like that? It was sickening.

Her eyes, usually such a clear, crystal blue, gleamed gold in the lights of the flames. Why shouldn't she burn this place to the ground, and rejoice in the ashes? They'd taken everything from her. Her parents, her livelihood, her future...

Why shouldn't she take away theirs? There were no innocents in this. No one had said anything as the guards held her back, as she screamed and sobbed as two kind, gentle people gasped and choked for air.

It hadn't been a beheading. It hadn't been quick. Marinette wondered who pulled the strings to make it that way.

She'd burn them. The scent of charred skin was already becoming familiar enough.

Ashes choked the air. Good. They deserved to know how her parents had felt, desperate for air yet unable to breathe.

The crackling of bodies and buildings burning was loud, but not loud enough to disguise the crunch of soft footsteps against death baked soil, followed by the near silent swish of a cape.

“You're here to stop me.” She muttered hollowly, gaze not wandering from her flickering flames.

“What makes you think that?” An unfamiliar accent responded. “Maybe I'm here to join you.”

She snorted. “You're a Bat. Are you not? Bats stop that which they believe to be injustices.”

He chuckled. Against her will, she turned to look at him.

Poison-green eyes gleamed in the roaring fire's light. ... Perhaps this one was on her side. Still.

Best to make sure.

A man stumbled out of the wreckage, eyes wild, nearly out of his mind from pain.

"Please," he said, "Please save me. I can't -- I'm not -- I'm a good man, I promise, please --"

Marinette tilted her head at him. "Save you, hm?"

The Bat brushed ashes off his shoulder and nodded his head at her, as if to say, 'Go on.'

"Who saved my family?" she asked the man, and saw no recognition in his eyes. "Who saved Tom and Sabine Dupain-Cheng?"

"Make it stop!" the man pleaded again. Marinette tsked and threaded a soothing hand through his hair.

He sobbed, going lax under her hand.

She tightened her grip and yanked his head up. "Wrong answer."

The scent of burnt hair and charred, cooking flesh filled the air.

"Efficient," the Bat said, as she tossed the body to the ground. "Screaming was a little inconvenient, though."

Marinette gestured at the carnage around her. "Convenience wasn't exactly my goal, here."

He snorted. "Sure, it's not now. But later? It will be."

Sending a glance at him through the corner of one eye, she caused the fire to ripple and writhe around her hand and to rise from the ground, licking at the air around her boots. Casting her in a brilliantly searing glow.

She hummed, closing her eyes for a brief moment as she breathed in the scent of smoke. “And, what do you exactly propose that later will require my goal to change to one of convenience?”

The Bat sauntered closer. “Awww, c'mon. Don't tell me this is your one and only grand plan? To burn one little village to the ground and then what? Let yourself get captured by a Bat?”

“You sound so certain that I wouldn't fight back.” She pointed out. “And yet you saw what I just did to the waste of life.”

“You didn't immediately try to attack me.” The Bat countered.

Marinette hummed.

“I could help you, if you were to so wish it.” The Bat offered, a teasing lilt to his tone, eyes glimmering not unlike hers as he watched the flames swirling around her.

“I have other targets.” She admitted. “Not everyone responsible was here tonight.”

“Then,” The Bat started, moving even closer, unphased by the risk of burning, “let's enjoy tonight, the other Bats, Ladybug and Batgirl specifically, won't arrive til overmorrow at the earliest. Afterwards, we can begin making moves towards our next targets.”

She nodded, lips uncurling into a feral grin. “That sounds a wonderful plan.”

The Bat bowed. “The name's Jason.”

“Marinette but I think Phoenix is a little more fitting for the both of us now, don't you think.” She answered.

“Oh, I agree.” He reached one gloved hand out towards her. “To the start of a beautiful alliance.”

“To the start indeed.” Marinette clasped his hand, flames dancing and playing harmless around them both.

———

"What," Steph said, "The fuck."

She was staring at a heart burned into the ground. A perfectly-shaped, coal-black heart. That was somehow gouged into the cobblestone road.

Cass hummed. "Not natural, Ladybug" she said.

Steph spluttered. "Not -- not -- NO DUH! Batgirl! What -- "Cass's giggle cut her off. Steph pouted.

"Unfair," she mumbled, "You're so mean to me."

———

| @writingsnippetsthatneverupdate | | @maribat-get-in |

#Maribat #Jasonette #MGI #M?GI Civil War 3 #Maribat? Get In!#JasMari #MariJay #Marinette x Jason #Jason x Marinette #MGICivilWar3 #MGI Civil War 2023 #Luck's a Ladybug #Ba(d)t Bitches #Collab #Sham's Posts #Sham's Writing #Saf's Writing

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itriedwritingandhereiam · 1 year

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Chapters: 1/2 Fandom: DCU, Miraculous Ladybug, MariBat- Fandom, Batman - All Media Types Rating: Not Rated Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Relationships: Tim Drake & Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug & Jason Todd, Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir/Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Characters: Tim Drake, Jason Todd, Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug Additional Tags: past adrienette, shit how do I tag this, Marinette Dupain-Cheng Needs a Hug, Jason Todd Needs A Hug, Tim Drake is a Good Friend, Post-Gabriel Agreste | Papillon | Hawk Moth Identity Reveal, Post-Canon, vigilante! Marinette, Black Cat Marinette, MGI Civil War 3, No beta this is war, Luck's a Ladybug for the win, Discord: Maribat Get In Civil War Event Summary:

Hello? Lady Chatte Noire speaking, to what do I owe the pleasure of this call~ She purred. Chatte? A hoarse voice answered. The Gothamite heroine froze. Kwami, she hadn’t heard that voice in so long. Red? She whispered, immediately switching off her comms. The bats didn’t need to hear this one. A shiver went up her spine and she instinctively did a leg sweep, tripping two men she had barely seen. G-give me a minute to get somewhere quieter, she resolved, changing her grip and extending her baton to swing, knocking all standing goons to the ground. “Hey Double R!” she shouted to her partner on the second level of the warehouse, “I have an emergency! Cover for me!” The boy barely glanced at her before he was attacked, “WHAT DO YOU MEAN COVER FOR YOU? THERE ARE LIKE TWENTY EXTRA ON THEIR WAY HERE?” he shouted in an incredulous tone.

#maribat #mgi civil war #mgi civil war 2023

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alittlemelody716 · 1 year

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CONGRATS!

The results are out! Congrats to Team Chat Noir (Plagg’s Plague) for winning the MGI Civil War 2023!

@maribat-get-in

#maribat #plaggs-plague #lucks a ladybug #ba(t)d bitches #partner not sidekick #m?gi civil war

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ali-annals · 11 months

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Master Masterlist

Ship Masterlist

Series Masterlist

Collection Masterlist

IBTS

Posted

Written

Requests

BMMDI

pending

October 2023 Requests

The Eras Tour (Jasonette’s Version) (MGI Civil War 2024)

Ali’s Art

#masterlist #ali speaks

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miracle-sham · 1 year

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Necromancy and Magic Shops Snippets.

| {MGI Civil War 3 Event} |

| {Necromancy} |

———

| Word Count: 540. |

———

It had been raining the day before, when a fierce knock upon her door rattled the hinges.

Marinette had rushed downstairs to pull open, revealing a sopping wet Adrien at the threshold.

“I need your help...” He rasped, stumbling inside into the warmth beyond.

“Okay.” Marinette had agreed without question or hesitation. She had promised him she'd be there for him no matter what, after everything they've been through as Ladybug and Chat Noir.

“My mother... My father...” Adrien grimaced. “She woke up again. Because of him.”

Marinette didn't need to guess the truth he spoke underneath. She had been dead, cold and still inside that wretched crystal coffin.

“I need your help.” He repeated, staring into her eyes desperately. “I can't do this alone, please.”

“Okay.” She promised, swallowing thickly. “There's a shop, I've heard of. They specialise in... Gardening.”

Adrien nodded, eyes closing for a brief moment. “I can't go. She'll get suspicious if I'm gone for too long.”

“I'll go for you then. I won't let you down.” Marinette whispered.

Which is why she was here, stood in front of the unassuming clocktower that shouldn't exist, labelled neatly with a purple bat shaped sign 'The Batgirls' Emporium'

The door creaked as she opened it, stepping inside. The crackle of magic rolling off her as the wards let her through. She clutched at her Ladybug protective charm tightly.

The shopkeeper was watching her. She glanced away, scurrying towards the necromancy section, hope desperately curling in her chest as she scanned the aisle for what she seeked.

———

Cass looked her latest customer up and down. Their eyes met, and the other looked away first.

She nudged her partner gently and gestured to the necromancy aisle. Steph whistled.

"Ooooh, boy, you're looking for a toughie, huh?" she asked the nervous girl.

"I, um, I didn't -- I don't --"

"Not to worry, not to worry," Steph interrupted. "We've got you covered! We've got animal revivals, people revivals, plant revivals (although we charge extra for a kingdom's crops), and --"

"I'm not!", the customer interruped, "Looking to bring someone back! I need to put someone down!"

Cass's eyes sharpened. Steph froze, then slanted a look at the other.

After a quick examination, Cass shook her head.

"Well," Steph said, "Sorry for any rude assumptions I might've made." Her voice was low and soothing.

“It's... Fine.” Marinette mumbled, refusing to look at her, hands fidgeting at her sides.

Steph sighed. "Look, Cass isn't karate-chopping you right now, so I trust you're not up to any evil. What do you need?"

Marinette made a slight keening noise. “It's... I don't know exactly, I've only heard rumours of it... But my friend, someone he knew was dead and now they're not. And there's. He's scared. I promised I'd help.” She admits, saying far too much and yet not enough at the same time.

Cass vaulted over the counter and pulled Marinette into a hug. She tensed, and Steph feared she'd bolt. Instead, she melted into it.

How long had it been, Marinette wondered, since she'd last been hugged. Even Adrien kept his distance these days, despite everything, not that she faulted him, they were both hurting and coping and healing in their own ways... But she missed being comforted.

———

| @writingsnippetsthatneverupdate | | @maribat-get-in |

#Maribat #Cassette #Cassinette #MGI #M?GI Civil War 3 #Platonic Cassette #Maribat? Get In!#MGICivilWar3 #MGI Civil War 2023 #Cassandra & Marinette #Luck's a Ladybug #Ba(d)t Bitches #Collab #Sham's Posts #Sham's Writing #Saf's Writing

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miracle-sham · 1 year

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Ladybug themed dragon statuette made from polymer clay for the MGI Civil War 3 event!

@maribat-get-in

#Maribat #MGI #Maribat? Get In!#M?GI Civil War 3 #MGICivilWar3 #MGI Civil War 2023 #Luck's a Ladybug #Polymer Clay #Sham's Posts #Sham's Art

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miracle-sham · 1 year

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Ladybug miraculous polymer clay charm for the MGI Civil War 3!

@maribat-get-in

#Maribat #MGI #Maribat? Get In!#M?GI Civil War 3 #MGICivilWar3 #MGI Civil War 2023 #Luck's a Ladybug #Polymer Clay #Sham's Posts #Sham's Art

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miracle-sham · 1 year

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The last but not least of the polymer clay art pieces I made for the MGI Civil War 3 event!

This one was also for the prompt: Dragon; and is the design of the dragon from my event fic: Whence the Dragons Arise from the Darkness Inside. ([Tumblr Link] and [Ao3 Link])

| @maribat-get-in |

#Maribat #MGI #Maribat? Get In!#M?GI Civil War 3 #MGICivilWar3 #MGI Civil War 2023 #Luck's a Ladybug #Polymer Clay #Sham's Posts #Sham's Art

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miracle-sham · 1 year

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A Precipice Fore and After; a Swarm of Demons Inbound.

| {MGI Civil War 3 Event} |

| {Demons, Sacrifice} |

| [Ao3 Link] | | [Masterlist Link] |

———

| She was supposed to be a civilian. They were supposed to be gone. |

| After so long, Marinette's past had come back to haunt her. While her demons hunt her down, she must bear the burden she hadn't carried in years. |

| Word Count: 1,261 |

| Warnings/Tags: Canon-Typical Violence, Demons, Martyrdom but without the actual death so much as metaphorical death, Demons, Call of the Void, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Tragedy, Bittersweet Ending. |

———

| A/N: Less then half an hour before the event deadline ends, I have managed to write this fic! I hope you enjoy reading! |

| Also side note, Don’t Like? Don’t Read. |

———

Like the silence in the centre of a storm, or the aftermath of a bomb. A cacophony surrounding that couldn't be heard.

The sky crackled and writhed like a butterfly crawling out of a cocoon. A sickly wretched purple that spread like an infection, consuming the pink and gold glittering sunset and leaving the world drenched in twilit shadows.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she could see the fires raging as cars and buses were overturned like dominos. Civilians and other heroes, both masked and unmasked, rushing for shelter or to save one another. At any other time, it would've been heartwarming, to see everyone working together to find shelter as tragedy descends, to know that people were trying their hardest to be there for others in a time of great need.

And yet, somehow the bridge Marinette stood on held strong. Surprising seeing as the Gotham bridges were ever so frequently blown up or destroyed.

Was this…?

As she stood still, in the centre of the bridge, in a ring—the one place—that was clear of debris. Though not on the edge, she was making no attempts to move.

She could see the others, screaming desperately, terror and concern etched into every fibre of their visible beings as they reached and called out to her. Begging for her to run, to hide, seek shelter, to survive. Swearing and yelling as she made no attempts to move. As devastated by her inaction as the world around them.

But she was deaf to their pleas, their voices silenced by the thunderous pounding of her heart beat in her head and the whispers roaring in her ears.

Because in the air, opposite the bridge, cradled between the skyscrapers of Bludhaven and Gotham, an army of shadow akumas—Hawkmoth's demonic army—began to spill from a blimp like putrid rotting blood.

And here Marinette was stood. In the centre of the bridge, the only person to be facing them as the swarm began to advance towards the bridge.

Both hero and civilian attacks glancing harmlessly off the encroaching horde. Useless against the demons. But hers wouldn't be.

With a whisper in her mind, martyr, the weight of the earrings in her ears grew heavier with each breath, as she watched the demons draw closer and closer still.

Glancing towards the churning black waves below, she breathed in deeply, not daring to shut her eyes even for a moment. Feeling as though the ground was going to swallow her up and drop her into the depths below.

It was about to all come crashing down, the civilian life she'd spent so long building up from the ground with blood and tears. A nobody, newly moved into Gotham, who had somehow caught the attention of the Bats and Constantine shortly after, despite her best efforts. A civilian they sought for answers regarding the strange magic she couldn't help but exude, and the eclectic knowledge she had regarding both magic and mundane crimes around Gotham. A civilian they tried so hopelessly to protect whenever she got tangled up in their problems.

She could practically hear the swears they were all muttering as she stood there, unmoving, like a lamb for slaughter, ready for the altar of an apathetic god of emotions.

They must think she's terrified, frozen in fear.

But that wasn't the case.

This was her fault, her battle to fight, her mistake to fix.

This was the call of the void.

Ever so slowly, Marinette raised her right hand, as if reaching out towards the encroaching army.

And who was she to not take heed of it.

Twisting her hand slowly as if grasping something tangible instead of air. She clenched it into a fist in one quick violent motion.

And let the power consume her.

A flash of red and pink and white, bubbling and wrapping around her with its oh-so familiar magic.

Marinette closed her.

And Ladybug opened hers.

It had been so long, since she had last been a vessel to the powers of the tiny goddess of luck and creation. Though rusty, she was not.

She breathed deeply, staring still at the demons. With the flick of her hand, she did what she always did best; create in order to destroy. And with her counterpart's absence of life, it was up to her to balance it alone.

The akumas, and Hawkmoth; Ladybug would not fail again.

Not this time.

Not again.

With the flick of her wrist, the nearest demon imploded in a burst of white and pink, leaving naught but a trace behind.

She took a step forwards—closer to the edge, closer to the demons—another flick, another gone.

The sound around her became a sea of white noise. Distantly and detached, she could see out of the corner of her eye, someone she cared for reaching out towards, mouthing her name frantically like it was a prayer—like it would save her.

Ladybug turned her attention back to the demons, she couldn't afford to make any mistakes again by losing focus so easily.

She reached her hand out, as if to grab the air in front of her again, and clenched it. A huge swathe of demons in front of her hand all burst into pink and white sparkles that dissipated in the wind.

Almost mockingly beautiful in dying embers of the day, like miniature sunsets of death.

Hand gesture, after hand gesture, after hand gesture. She slaughtered her way through the swarm, preventing any from reaching the civilians upon the bridge with her.

It wasn't a surprise, they weren't targeting the cities either side. After all, she wasn't there. She was here. On the bridge. Facing them down.

They were here for her.

And her vengeance would be swift.

Another step closer to the edge, another step closer to the nightmare that hunted her.

Slowly, she began to swing her yo-yo in her off-hand, gaining speed with each swing. Her plan was risky. But it would work, it had to. There would only be one chance, however, to pull it off.

For if she failed, then Hawkmoth would become unstoppable. No, she couldn't let that happen.

The void called, the abyssal waters below churned and raved like rabid dogs chomping at that bit.

With every step, she took out more and more demons, though the onslaught was relentless.

Once she reached the edge of the bridge, she turned around, to take one final glimpse of her friends, before the end.

For Tikki.

For Plagg.

For Nooroo.

She launched herself from the edge, like a diver—face to the sky.

Plummeting, she reached her arm up as trying to grasp the sky.

The demons lunged. Hurtling towards her like sharks to blood in the water.

Ladybug breathed in deep. And as she exhaled, two great big hemelytra wings unfolded from her shoulder blades. Twisting midair so she could skim her free hand through the waves.

Rocketing upwards, she carved her way through Hawkmoth's army, taking out every single demon on the way with her wings and yo-yo, until she hit the blimp.

It exploded in an incandescent burst of red.

When the light cleared, the blimp and every demon was gone.

And in the glow of the rising moon, a girl in normal clothes fell from the sky.

———

Constantine managed to safely catch her with a frantic spell. But it had been close.

Her earrings had been missing when she awoke.

And so were all her memories.

But she was safe.

And she was alive.

———

| Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this very short little fic! Likes, Comments, and Reblogs are all much appreciated! And make sure to support the rest of my team’s fics if you enjoyed this! |

| Also feel free to send me any comments with any questions you have regarding this fic, I’ll be more than happy to answer! |

| However, please do not criticise any of my writing. This was written for fun and receiving criticism, even in a compliment/criticism sandwich, is the exact opposite of fun. |

| @maribat-get-in |

#Maribat #MGI #M?GI Civil War 3 #MGICivilWar3 #MGI Civil War 2023 #Luck's a Ladybug #A Precipice Fore and After; a Swarm of Demons Inbound #APFaAaSoDI #Sham's Posts #Sham's Writing #Sham's Fics

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miracle-sham · 1 year

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#Maribat #MGI #Maribat? Get In!#MGICivilWar3 #MGI Civil War 2023 #Luck's a Ladybug #(this is a joke don't take this seriously)

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miracle-sham · 1 year

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Simple Architecture (Shot Volition).

| {MGI Civil War 3 Event} |

| {Secrets} |

———

| Ladybug was on a mission, she knew her orders, she knew the rules. So why did she keep hesitating, why didn't it feel right? |

| It was only a matter of time before she failed. |

| Word Count: 4164. |

| Warnings/Tags: Villain and Hero!Marinette, Implied/Referenced Brainwashing, Implied/Referenced Kidnappings, Dehumanisation, Canon-typical Violence, Narcotics (Sleep Dart), Threats of Gun Violence, Mission Gone Wrong/Rescue, Protests, Interrogation, Panic Attacks, Guilt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending. |

———

| A/N: Here's the first fic I've finished for the event! Whilst not one of my more graphically angsty fics, please still do double check the tags before reading! Anyway I hope you enjoy reading! |

| Also side note, Don’t Like? Don’t Read. |

———

The Collége Françoise Dupont school's rooftop was near deathly quiet, despite the two dozen secret strike force operatives setting up on it and the muffled chants of the still steadily accumulating crowd in the street below—spilling over onto the pavement and steps in front of the building's doors. Signs and banners waving in the wind, illuminated by the golden and white glow of street lamps and phone torches. The protestors had been there since half past eight that morning, and it was now just turning eleven pm. There was apparently some symbolism behind the start time and location from what rumours had been circulating back at base, but the handlers and police assigned to work with them had kept tight-lipped about what that symbolism was exactly due to it not being "relevant" to the mission at hand.

Chat Noir brushed his knuckles against Ladybug's arm as he passed her. The only comfort they could safely offer each other at the moment. Any more and they'd both be facing punishment once they returned.

“H-14dy8u9, and H-Ch47 N012. Stop idling and take point.” The riot police Capitaine sneered at them both, signalling sharply with the flick of his gun to the edge of the roof.

That was their cue; they had been caught being too human.

H-Ch47 N012 immediately turned without a word—without hesitation, expression blank behind his white faux-Akuma mask—and stalked to the southeastern side of the front (crowd-facing) roof, where he was stationed to stand guard.

H-14dy8u9 nodded to the Capitaine, and complied with the order he had issued, stepping over to the front-facing wall near the southwestern edge that she had been assigned to alone.

H-V01p1n4, in her own inverted coloured suit, swiftly flanked H-Ch47 N012 as she had been assigned to him, whilst Carapace—H-C424p4c3, and Rena Rouge—H-23n4 20u93 had already moved into their respective positions situated on the two back corners of the roof (Carapace on the northwest, Rena Rouge on the northeast), both also in faux-Akuma versions of their usual outfits.

The rest of the operatives on the roof were all riot police under the command of the Capitaine, who were split equally along the strip of roof between herself and H-C424p4c3, H-C424p4c3 and H-23n4 20u93, and H-23n4 20u93 and H-Ch47 N012, Creating a sort of upside down U shape of coverage where the arch faced the back, and the tails faced the crowd.

Not a single protestor had bothered to look up at the roof—a glaring mistake on their part, seeing as it would now be their undoing—but even if any of them were to be or had been noticed, with the assigned heroes' suit colours all inverted in the style of their fake Akuma counterparts, any civilians would simply be mistaken for said Akumas and that the nearby riot police were under their control.

Thus giving the police a convenient statement to scapegoat their participation in this planned assassination upon, without losing any reputation with the public; which allegedly had already started crumbling with the ever-increasing rate of disappearances and kidnappings since Hawkmoth's first Akuma appeared (or so the rumours and conspiracies they weren't supposed to know, claimed).

Squatting in front of the roof lip, H-14dy8u9 eyed the crowd below; then as silently as a wraith, placed down the hefty dark grey briefcase beside her. With a flick of the clasps and two dull metallic clicks, she flipped it open and quickly scanned the inside for any imperfections.

None, luckily.

Assembling the black and red spotted rocket launcher within was easy. She'd done this a thousand times before back at base, timed until perfection. Prying each piece out from the foam in the briefcase, slotting and twisting and inserting each piece until a fully functional rocket launcher was produced.

Slowly she readied the launcher against herself, the weight heavy on her shoulders, steadying her grip as she began to stare down the scope. Her targets—Tom and Sabine Dupain-Cheng, the Bruel family, and Nadja Chamack and her news crew—were conveniently all clustered together at the forefront of the crowd, standing on the steps; the two families each with a megaphone in one hand and a sign in the other, as Nadja and her crew live reported the protest.

Her finger rested on the trigger as she adjusted her aim by a fraction.

It wasn't raining, but H-14dy8u9 wished it was. The rain would've made this job harder. Would've made it easier to bear though. Could've cried without reprimand. Though why she felt like crying, she wasn't quite sure. It was not as if she had any connection to the civilians in the crowd. Perhaps she would be required to be returned to the retraining centre once again to fix her broken emotional reaction; so as to not risk a false reaction interfering with any assigned missions. She hummed, mulling it over, most likely she would, seeing as she had been caught earlier. Wrinkling her nose at the thought, H-14dy8u9 adjusted her aim once more to hide her reaction in case the Capitaine was watching.

Before her thoughts could wander any further again, her earpiece crackled the second a fancy black limousine rolled up to the edge of the protest.

“Bruce Wayne spotted.” The Capitaine announced across the mission channel on the earpiece, as a broad-shouldered man in an even fancier suit exited the vehicle with the aid of an elderly chaperone. “Keep an eye out for any Bat-themed vigilantes, or the Justice League in general. We cannot risk them falsely connecting the missing Wayne son to our secret operations and interfering with the mission. Understood.”

A chorus of “Understood, sir” followed from each member of the strike force on the roof, H-14dy8u9 included.

Breathing in and then out slowly, she closed her eyes for a moment. The strike force would only get one shot to complete the assassination before chaos would erupt below, so she couldn't afford to mess this up, not when she was the shot they were all waiting upon.

Blinking her eyes open again, she readjusted her aim one final time. H-14dy8u9 began to press down on the trigger when her earpiece crackled once more.

An unfamiliar American voice cut across the line. “You don't have to do this, please. Put the gun down and step away from the edge.”

H-14dy8u9 pulled her finger off the trigger, hand drifting up to tap the buttons on her earpiece but hesitated at the last second. She shouldn't respond. She should report that the channel was hacked—compromised to the Capitaine. She should—

Her gaze flicked across the Seine, catching on where an almost unnoticeable figure stood perched on the closest-facing roof of the Notre Dame. Dressed in red and black, too far away to make out any further details bar the flutter of a cape silhouetting the figure. But, with a jolt of nervousness tingling down her spine, she didn't need any further details to now recognise him as one of the Bats they had been warned about.

Chewing on her lip, H-14dy8u9 quickly scanned the surrounding view for any further heroes. She needed to report this now.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted the Capitaine, flushed a furious red and positively snarling, making sharp and angry gestures at her.

Her hand slinked tentatively back down to the trigger.

“Please,” The red and black Bat asked gently with an edge of desperation, far nicer than anyone had ever asked her before. “I know you've been forced to do this—”

—Had she? H-14dy8u9 didn't know the answer to that. Almost didn't want to know the answer to it. Would it even change anything if she did, though? How did he even know?—

“—But we can help you, and help any others like you who have also been forced into doing things they don't want to. So please, just put the rocket launcher down, and step away from it and the edge.”

She pursed her lips, finger fluttering against the trigger. A glance to her side, the Capitaine was approaching—quickly—and behind him, H-Ch47 N012 was giving her a very visibly concerned look by his furrowed brows and deep pout edging into a grimace.

It was too late.

She'd be in trouble no matter what she did. Nor what choice she takes.

Dropping the rocket launcher like a rock. She flipped backwards—away from the edge, away from the gun. A moment of weightlessness as she soared, watching her legs and body arc through the midnight sky, before planting one hand down on the roof to steady herself and follow up with a second flip.

The second her feet hit the ground after the follow-up, she immediately turned heel into a dead sprint across the roof. Not even daring to look back at where the Bat had been.

She couldn't risk it.

Out of the corner of her eye, H-V01p1n4 dashed towards the abandoned rocket launcher; whereas H-Ch47 N012 was racing after her, as was the Capitaine, finger on his earpiece hurriedly whisper-shouting orders most likely.

Her own earpiece was strangely silent.

The Bat must've disconnected her from the main channel to speak with her…

H-14dy8u9 wasn't quite sure what to think of that but she didn't have time to dwell as the riot police began to rush towards her, all attempts at stealth abandoned.

They pulled out their guns. She grabbed her yo-yo. They shot at her. She swung her yo-yo. Deflected the bullets, with the barrier formed by the magical yo-yo. Faint screams erupted from the protesting crowd.

H-14dy8u9 leapt, using the nearest riot officer as a springboard to flip into the air once more. Her mind was blank as she focused on the fight, the danger around her. More riot officers ahead, with H-C424p4c3 at the rear, shield held ready to face her.

If she got close, he could trap her with Shell-ter. She needed another way off the roof.

Louder, calm-sounding shouts rose above the screams from the crowd—other heroes protecting and diverting protesters perhaps? The earpiece crackled yet again, drowning the shouts out as the Bat spoke. “Use the yo-yo to grapple onto the wall you're running from to swing yourself around. There's a staircase to the métro, we can help you lose them down there.”

She knew that. She knew the métro was near but did the Bat not realise there were police stationed on the platform because of the protests? She would be running into a trap.

But staying on this roof would also be running into a trap.

H-14dy8u9 needed to make a decision…

She took the Bat's instructions.

Skidding to a halt, she turned around and lobbed the yo-yo towards the outcropping wall, narrowly missing both the Capitaine and H-Ch47 N012.

She tugged on the string as soon as the yo-yo was grappled onto it and dove from the roof, swinging her legs to increase momentum.

Almost in slow motion, she watched as H-Ch47 N012 summoned Cataclysm in his hand and reached out towards the yo-yo string rapidly descending away from him.

The drop wouldn't kill her, not in this suit. But it would hurt. It would stun her long enough for them to safely scale the side to the ground and capture her.

She could only watch, with a slowly spreading coldness in her chest that felt like a dropped stone, as his fingertips brushed but a hair's breadth away from the yo-yo's string. The crumbling shadowy rot just millimetres from preventing her the chance for freedom.

H-14dy8u9's heart ached, as she swung past, and she wasn't quite sure why.

Tucking into a roll as she hit the pavement, smoothly keeping the momentum as she sprung up into another dead sprint towards the métro stairs.

They didn't follow. Or, perhaps more accurately, H-Ch47 N012 didn't try to use his baton to slide down the side of the school after her. He could've, he would've caught up if he had, he always was the faster runner between the two of them. But he didn't.

The Bat had definitely unintentionally led her into a trap then. She was regretting listening to him already.

Still, she had come this far.

Bounding down the steps, two to three at a time, just enough to keep her speed but not too many steps as to risk tripping.

Until she reached the final step, a faint whistle of air whipped passed her, followed by a sudden sharp pinch to her neck. Flinching, and catching her foot on the last edge, she careened forwards with all the grace she usually lacked outside the mask, arms whirling in a desperate attempt to stabilise herself, hair slipping from their distinctive ponytails and veiling her sight, and neck. She had spoken far too soon.

Just as she was about to smack face-first into the floor, a hand grabbed one of her flailing hands in a vice-like grasp and pulled her up and close to another body—presumably, the one attached to the hand but there had been documented foreign heroes, and Akumas within Paris, with the ability to detach limbs. So it wasn't out of the realm of possibility that her saviour could have detachable hands

On instinct, she flung a wild punch towards where the arm came from. Unfortunately, whoever had her, had good close-quarter reflexes. They harmlessly caught her fist in their palm.

“You okay?” Asked an American-accented voice.

It was the Bat.

Mortifying.

H-14dy8u9 huffed, rather unsuccessfully blowing her hair out of the way and so settled for peering up at him through the strands of her hair.

“Yeah, that's fair. Dumb question.” The Bat responded, seemingly unfazed by the situation. “You're Ladybug right?”

She hesitated. Yes, she was Ladybug but also no, her official designation was: Hero-14dy8u9, even though she was dressed as an Akuma version at the moment but she was still designated as a hero and the mission was classified as a hero mission. The protests had been causing civil unrest and numerous disruptions, especially to the Mayor. She made no move to answer.

The Bat pursed his lips at her as the silence became drawn out. “Okay, I'm Red Robin, do you have a name you'd like me to call you?”

H-14dy8u9 stared at him blankly. She didn't have a name, only a designation. Ladybug wasn't a name, it was a mantle, a title, a mask.

“Can you stand?” He asked, glancing towards her fist still caught harmlessly in his hand.

She nodded and pulled her hand from his loose grip. Staggering to her feet, H-14dy8u9 stumbled for a moment as static filled her head and vision.

“Woah, careful.” Red Robin exclaimed, gently grabbing her shoulder to keep her steady.

Oh, she mused, that's why they didn't come after me. Black spots danced across her sight, slowly blotting out everything.

“Help.” She rasped, knees buckling and head spinning.

“Shit! I gotcha, I gotcha don't worry.” Without letting go, he darted in front of her to catch her before she could fall again.

Her mind slipped into the darkness just before he caught her.

———

H-14dy8u9 woke up in a small minimalistic white cell with a medical cot tucked into one corner, a private walled-off toilet and sink for an adjoining bathroom, and a glowing barrier facing a blank sterile white corridor.

She had been captured… Her suit and Miraculous were untouched however, for whatever reasons, whoever had taken her—most likely Red Robin and the other heroes that had interfered with the mission—had left her armed.

It didn't take long for a hero, as guessed, to approach her cell.

Wonder Woman smiled warmly at her. “Hello, Ladybug.”

H-14dy8u9 did not smile or respond in return.

It didn't seem to deter the hero though, as Wonder Woman deactivated the barrier with a gentle tap, though she did not approach any further. “I know you must have many questions but we will answer them shortly if you will just follow me.”

What little choice did she have? H-14dy8u9 nodded, standing up from the cot slowly and making her way across the cell. She nearly hesitated as she crossed the threshold where the barrier had been.

They walked down the hallway in relatively peaceful silence. Through a set of double doors at the end of the hallway, Wonder Woman guided her to the first door on the right side of the new hallway. It was a featureless dark grey door with neither a knob nor handle, though a scanner was situated on the wall beside it. Wonder Woman pressed her hand to the scanner for a moment and a second later the door slid open with an automatic hiss.

She gestured into the open doorway, so H-14dy8u9 took the hint and scurried inside.

So this was their destination?

The room was small and plain. White painted walls, a dark grey window sill framing a (presumably) one-way mirror on the wall to the right of the door.

In the centre of the room, was a rectangular dark grey plastic table and three uncomfortable light grey plastic chairs. Red Robin was sat on one of the two chairs closest to the door but facing the opposite wall.

The rest of the room was empty of anything else of interest or colour.

Simple architecture, just like their training and education rooms had been back at base.

Speaking of back at base, strangely enough, not once had Wonder Woman attempted to disorientate or confuse her on the way here, and sure the walk hadn't been far but back at base, the route and distance travelled to reach the same training room each day would vary to ensure in the event of enemy capture, they would be disadvantaged by tactics such as that.

Wonder Woman followed her inside, and the door slid closed behind her. She made her way to the empty chair beside Red Robin and gestured towards the last empty chair. The one on the other side of the table to them both. “Please, take a seat, this may take a while.”

Nodding again, H-14dy8u9 obeyed, walking over to the gestured seat and sitting down to face them.

Red Robin cleared his throat, leaning his elbows on the table and clasping his hands together. “We'll begin with some simple questions, if that's alright with you?”

H-14dy8u9 nodded yet again, still remaining silent. However, she did not let her confusion show at the lack of interrogation tactics—both were being polite and respectful towards her, when one should have been rude or stern instead.

“Please state your name.” He asked.

She hesitated. They had already referred to her as Ladybug but she was not dressed in the usual colours of the suit, for the mission. But they had always been strictly prohibited from sharing their designation outside of the base. She closed her eyes as she took a slow breath in. “Ladybug.”

Red Robin nodded. “And do you have a secret or civilian identity, yes or no?”

Ladybug swallowed thickly. These were not simple questions. “No.”

“Do you know the names of your parents and or guardians?” He followed up.

She bit her tongue gently to hold back her answer. Refusing to speak.

Frustratingly, both the two heroes facing her kept perfectly blank faces. As such, she had nothing to go by as to work out whether she was answering correctly or not.

Without missing a beat, Red Robin continued, “Ladybug, why are you wearing your suit with inverse colouration when you aren't Akumatised?”

Biting her lip, she glanced down at the table to avoid their eyes. She didn't know what to say. Yes, they were fellow heroes but she was under explicit orders to not reveal any information not immediately pertinent to the completion of a mission and she had… She bit her lip harder. She had already failed the mission, she'd be punished no matter what once she went back.

Wonder Woman shifted her shoulders back. “Why don't we move on to the next question. What's your favourite drink?”

Ladybug paused, blinking rapidly as she processed the question. “Uh… Orange juice, why?”

Humming, Wonder Woman glanced back towards the door briefly, “would you like some now?”

“N-No thank you.” Ladybug shook her head.

“If you change your mind, just say so.” Red Robin piped up. “We don't want you to feel uncomfortable.”

Ladybug nodded bewilderedly.

“We're going to move onto some harder questions if that's alright.” He continued.

She bit back a retort, if the earlier questions were easy then how bad would the following be?

“As one of the most active local Parisian heroes, are you aware of the string of disappearances and missing people reports that have risen sharply in the past few years?” Red Robin asked, resting his clasped hands against the table as he watched her.

The weight of the stare was almost tangible.

Ladybug grimaced. “I have heard rumours of the increased disappearances, and I've noticed the number of kidnappings I've stopped increasing over time, yes.” Taking a moment to breathe and steady herself. “I was not aware these were connected, however.”

Red Robin made a noise of contemplation. “That's not surprising, whoever is behind the disappearances is very smart and dangerous.”

The two other heroes exchanged quick looks.

Wonder Woman sighed, “We have reason to believe you were amongst the first of the missing people.”

Ladybug flinched backwards, nearly toppling out of the chair in shock. Furrowing her brows she glanced up at them in confusion.“What!? Why?!”

“Of the connected disappearances, the first three to go missing were children all from the same class in Collége Françoise Dupont.” Wonder Woman began.

Ladybug's heart dropped, blood turning to ice in her veins. No.

Wonder Woman pursed her lips. “Marinette Dupain-Cheng was the first to go missing, her parents saw her leave their house at twenty-eight past eight am.—”

—That explained the protest’s location and start time.—

“—She was last seen by witnesses, crossing the road to the school after helping an old man stand up after he had fallen in the middle of the road and nearly got run over.” Crossing her arms, Wonder Woman watched Ladybug as well. “If you know anything—”

“—No!�� Ladybug retorted far too quickly. She licked her lips and swallowed thickly. “No. I don't.”

The two heroes exchanged another look.

Red Robin tilted his head to one side. “Adrien Agreste also went missing just outside of the school on the steps, only a few minutes after class had already begun. It was supposed to be his first day at school after being homeschooled.”

If she was… then… Chat must've been…

She felt sick.

He continued as if he wasn't aware of her reactions already. “Ivan Bruel was the last of the three to go missing. Midway through the first lesson, he was sent to the Principal's office. The school's security cameras showed that he left the classroom but were disabled immediately afterwards, and re-enabled a few minutes later, leaving no trace as to who or why Ivan was taken.”

Stoneheart, it had to be. Stoneheart was the designated villain who had been at the base for as long as she and Chat Noir could remember. They had been the first three at the base. Which lined up with the protest and the first three disappearances.

Wonder Woman frowned. “I know this is shocking and scary. But if you can tell us anything, absolutely anything at all that could be used to help either rescue and reunite any of the missing people with their family, or stop the person behind it all, then please don't hesitate to inform us, it would save countless lives.”

Ladybug had stopped listening before Wonder Woman spoke. She slowly rested the backs of her hands against the table. A sob tore its way from her throat as she stared down at them, stained in unseen blood.

The Dupain-Chengs had been one of her targets.

She had nearly killed her own parents.

And she didn't even remember them, not even as she held the trigger.

Tears cascaded down her cheeks as she gasped for breath, squeezing her eyes shut and curling up into a ball as best she could upon the uncomfortable chair.

Distantly, she heard noises in the background but it took a while until she registered that Wonder Woman was trying to walk her through breathing exercises in a hushed and gentle tone.

It nearly set her off again.

Keeping her eyes shut, she took a wobbly breath, heart beating wildly in her chest. “The others will fight if you try to save them.”

Red Robin huffed lightly. “That's fine, wouldn't be the first time that's happened.”

“You'll save them all, if I tell you everything I know, right?” She whispered, throat tightening.

“Of course, Ladybug. You have our word.” Wonder Woman responded, offering a hand out to Ladybug.

Her breathing hitched as she slowly opened her eyes, glancing to the outreached hand. Shaking like a leaf, she too reached out, and gently grasped Wonder Woman's hand. “Okay, h-here is everything, all the secrets, that I know.”

———

| Thank you for reading! I hope you enjoyed this oneshot fic! Comments, Likes, and Reblogs are much appreciated! |

| And if you liked this, don’t forget to check out my teammate’s works as well! |

| @maribat-get-in |

#Maribat #ML x DC #DC x MLB #MLB x DC #M?GI Civil War 3 #MGI #MGI Civil War 2023 #MGICivilWar3 #Luck's a Ladybug #Simple Architecture (Shot Volition)#SA(SV)#Sham's Posts #Sham's Writing #Sham's Fics

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miracle-sham · 1 year

Text

The Ravens in the Ruins Playlist

This playlist is for the fic by the same name, with each song chosen for matching the mood and vibes of the fic. As with all my playlists, I listened to these songs whilst writing the fic!

———

| @maribat-get-in |

#Maribat #MGI #Maribat? Get In!#M?GI Civil War 3 #MGICivilWar3 #MGI Civil War 2023 #Luck's a Ladybug #The Ravens in the Ruins #TRitR #Sham's Posts #Sham's Playlists #Spotify

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miracle-sham · 1 year

Text

MGI Civil War 3/Luck's a Ladybug Masterlist.

———

| Below the read more, this Masterlist contains the oneshots, outlines, and snippets written for my team, Luck's a Ladybug during the Civil War event, as evident by the title. There are separate masterlists for event playlists, and event art pieces as well, so please check those out too if you want, they'll be linked along with the main masterlist at the bottom! |

———

Oneshots:

—

| Simple Architecture (Shot Volition). | | SA(SV) |

| [Tumblr Link] | | [Ao3 Link] |

| Word Count: 4164. |

| Ladybug was on a mission, she knew her orders, she knew the rules. So why did she keep hesitating, why didn’t it feel right? |

| It was only a matter of time before she failed. |

| Warnings/Tags: Platonic/Gen, Villain and Hero!Marinette, Implied/Referenced Brainwashing, Implied/Referenced Kidnappings, Dehumanisation, Canon-typical Violence, Narcotics (Sleep Dart), Threats of Gun Violence, Mission Gone Wrong/Rescue, Protests, Interrogation, Panic Attacks, Guilt, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Angst with a Happy Ending. |

—

| Whence the Dragrons Arise from the Darkness Inside. | | WtDAftDI |

| [Tumblr Link] | | [Ao3 Link] |

| Word Count: 3809. |

| There was something wrong in the Kingdom, dragons razing villages to the ground and many people disappearing. Captured and dragged before the King, the rebel Ladybug must find out the truth before it becomes too late for her as well. |

| Warnings/Tags: Cassette/Cassinette, Fantasy/Royal/Dragons AU, No Miraculous, Hurt/Traitor Adrien (he’s not bad it’s just complicated), Hurt Marinette, Hair Pulling, Chains, Blood and Torture, Canon-Typical Violence, Rebellion, Dungeons, Burns, Betrayal, Animal Transformation, Dragon!Mari, Dehumanisation and Abuse Towards a Character Transformed Into an Animal, Angst and Feels, Swearing, Rescue Mission, Ambiguous/Open Ending. |

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| A Precipice Fore and After; a Swarm of Demons Inbound. | | APFaAaSoDI |

| [Tumblr Link] | | [Ao3 Link] |

| Word Count: 1,261 |

| She was supposed to be a civilian. They were supposed to be gone. |

| After so long, Marinette’s past had come back to haunt her. While her demons hunt her down, she must bear the burden she hadn’t carried in years. |

| Warnings/Tags: Platonic/Gen, Canon-Typical Violence, Demons, Martyrdom but without the actual death so much as metaphorical death, Demons, Call of the Void, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Tragedy, Bittersweet Ending. |

———

Outlines and/or Snippets:

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| Necromancy and Magic Shop Snippets. |

| [Tumblr Link] |

| Word Count: 540. |

—

| Phoenix Villains Snippets. |

| [Tumblr Link] |

| Word Count: 853. |

—

| Cursed Artefact Outline/Snippets. |

| [Tumblr Link] |

(Warning: Major Character Death)

| Word Count: 1378. |

—

| Ladybug!Jason Outline. |

| [Tumblr Link] |

| Word Count: 422. |

———

| [Masterlist Link] |

| [Civil War Playlist Masterlist Link] |

| [Civil War Art Masterlist Link Coming Soon] |

———

#Maribat #MGI #Maribat? Get In!#M?GI Civil War 3 #MGICivilWar3 #MGI Civil War 2023 #Luck's a Ladybug #Simple Architecture (Shot Volition)#SA(SV)#Whence the Dragons Arise from the Darkness Inside #WtDAftDI #A Precipice Fore and After; a Swarm of Demons Inbound #APFaAaSoDI #Sham's Posts #Sham's Fics #Sham's Masterlists

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miracle-sham · 1 year

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Whence The Dragons Arise from the Darkness Inside.

| {MGI Civil War 3 Event} |

| {Dragons, Royal} |

| [Ao3 Link] | | [Masterlist Link] |

———

| Word Count: 3809. |

| Warnings/Tags: Fantasy/Royal/Dragons AU, No Miraculous, Hurt/Traitor Adrien (he's not bad it's just complicated), Hurt Marinette, Hair Pulling, Chains, Blood and Torture, Canon-Typical Violence, Rebellion, Dungeons, Burns, Betrayal, Animal Transformation, Dragon!Mari, Dehumanisation and Abuse Towards a Character Transformed Into an Animal, Angst and Feels, Swearing, Rescue Mission, Ambiguous/Open Ending. |

———

| A/N: If you couldn't tell yet, I'm a sucker for Dragon AUs so when I saw the prompt I just couldn't not write something for it! I hope you enjoy reading this as much as I did writing it! |

| Also side note, Don’t Like? Don’t Read. |

———

The stained glass mosaic floor of King Gabriel Agreste the Scarlet Moth's throne room was cold and dug into the bare skin of Ladybug's shins and knees exposed by her torn and burnt leather armour as she kneeled before him. The manacles were even colder still, cutting into her wrists and ankles so tightly that she couldn't feel her fingertips or toes anymore. Though both the manacles and mosaic were slowly warming as blood trickled from her numerous wounds and began to pool, staining her red armour black in patches.

She kept her gaze to the ground, head bowed, hair loose, veiling her face from the King's view. Breathing as even as possible but with every rise of her chest, a hitch in her breath. Her heart pounded like the ringing of a death knell. Is this the end? Was all she could think.

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng.” The Royal Advisor Sancoeur announced, in her disgustingly opulent dress of dragon scales, peacock feathers, silk, and sapphires. The people were starving, were dying in the streets, and she could afford to wear something where half the materials were saturated in the blood of the poor who harvested them.

Ladybug didn't react. She refused to acknowledge her old name, let alone be known by it. Marinette had died years ago, along with her parents and their home when it was razed to the ground by dragon's breath. Ladybug had survived a dragon attack, numerous in fact. Marinette had not.

“You stand before—”

Snorting loudly, her shoulders shook and the manacle chains rattled.

The King stood, enraged by her audacity, fury practically crackling from him like lightning. “You dare—”

“You call this standing?” She rasped, gesturing with jangling manacled hands towards herself, on her knees, bloodied and beaten.

Footsteps approached from behind, slow and heavy, followed by the clank of a metal gauntlet being adjusted, was all the warning she got. In a split second, that metal gauntlet seized the back of her head. Claw-tipped fingers nicking her scalp and drawing beads of blood. Tangling in her ash-stained hair.

Ladybug grimaced but refused to make a noise of pain. Refused to let her pain entertain and quell the King's wrath.

The grip tightened. Her breathing stuttered. Barely stifling a whimper from the back of her throat. The gauntlet wrenched her head upwards to face the King. Like she was just a puppet on strings. It burned.

Tears threatened to spill from the corners of her eyes as her vision blurred.

Royal Advisor Sancoeur cleared her throat. “You kneel—”

—Ladybug snarled up at them silently, blinking back the tears until her vision cleared and all that remained was the fury burning in her eyes. Sancoeur made it sound as if she were willingly kneeling before the King to offer her allegiance.—

The King stared down at her, eyes dark, with a smirk uncurling upon his lips, as he slowly sat back down upon his white crystal marble and dark purple velvet throne.

“—before the Royal Court, for the crimes of:” Royal Advisor Sancoeur took a breath, quickly unravelling a very long scroll, and began reading. “High treason, attempted regicide against the King, and Crown Prince on multiple accounts; abduction, attempted torture and indoctrination of the Crown Prince; misprision of treason, defection, sedition; abduction, torture, indoctrination, and endangerment via dragons of hundreds of Parisian children and young adults; espionage, brigandage, witchcraft on multiple accounts, murder on multiple accounts, and lastly, contempt of court.”

Ladybug remained silent, not even bothering to listen to crimes attributed to her, for her gaze wandered over to the smaller white marble throne, lined with the palest blue velvet, in the shadow of the King's throne. Where the Cat's Paw of a Renegade Prince was seated primly.

He did not meet her eyes.

She didn't expect him to. But the shock of seeing Adrien—dressed in white silks, diamonds, and pale blue finery with that blank look in his eyes—made her lips curl up bitterly.

A sharp tug on her hair dragged her attention back to the King and his Advisor.

“Due to the nature of your crimes,” Royal Advisor Sancoeur continued, “you shall undergo trial by fire for each crime. If every burn heals once three days have passed, then you shall be proclaimed innocent of all crimes and released from Royal Custody.” She paused to allow the attending council to murmur amongst themselves.

Ladybug didn't need to look away from the King to know that they were undoubtedly sneering down at her and mocking the very thought of her being innocent of the crimes.

Royal Advisor Sancoeur cleared her throat to quieten the Court. “Should even a single burn fester, then you shall be proclaimed guilty of all crimes and be sentenced to burning alive unless you repent and seek to atone for your crimes, in which case you shall instead be sent to the oubliette for the rest of your days.”

Three days. Three days. That's how long she had, to find out what had happened to all of the disappearances attributed to her and the rebellion, and then to either escape on her own, or hope that Cass or the rest of the Rebellion would come rescue her. Or else she'd die painfully either way. No one ever returned from the oubliette, a fate worse than death some would even consider.

The King rhythmically tapped his fingers against the arm of the throne, still smirking down at her. “Send the traitor to the Ember Dungeons so that the trial by fire may begin as soon as possible. And ensure that she is given three full meals and clean drinking water, every day whilst we await the results.”

The gauntlet wrenched her up onto her feet by the hair once more. Ladybug winced, unable to keep the grimace off her face from the pain.

Finally releasing its hold on her, she twisted around to see who it was. A knight in dark grey and blue striped armour.

Her heart sank. Eyes wide. Mouth agape. The gauntlet that had grabbed her—hurt her—belonged to none other than the new Captain of the Royal Guard (the previous was among the missing). Their spy, a fellow rebel, Dick Grayson. That… that hadn't been necessary, he could've just—

She didn't know. He was supposed to be on their side but… Then why—why go so far?

Swallowing thickly she turned away, hands shaking.

Cass was going to be devastated if she found out what her brother had just done. What if she knew already—no, no, she would never stand for that, never would let that happen… but…?

He shoved her between the shoulder blades. “Get moving.”

Stumbling, she tripped over the manacles around her ankles. The only thing keeping her from falling over was Dick wrenching at the back neckline of her armour. She gasped helplessly, as her own armour choked her for a moment.

“Move.” Dick ordered again, tone clipped and emotionless, letting go of her just to shove her again.

Gaze flickering frantically around the throne room, she licked her lips, mouth going dry. “W-where…?”

He scoffed, grabbing at the manacle chain around her wrists and dragging her across the room towards an unassuming door.

Before she was removed from the room, two voices caught her ear.

“The King's kindness is wasted on a wretched girl like that.” The first sneered.

“Indeed. She's guilty without question, it's plain to see, those meals would be better given to those who actually deserve to be fed.” The second agreed.

It took all her willpower not to turn towards them and spit curses at them. Not that the curses would actually do anything, but still, she couldn't help the slight curl of vindictiveness in her heart at their unashamed cruelty.

Across hallway after hallway, through doorway through doorway, down stairs upon stairs, finally they reached a door blackened and warped by extensive scorch marks, and a wrought iron dragon-shaped knocker, deep beneath the Palace. It was like a maze, but Ladybug couldn't help the sneaking suspicion that Dick had dragged her around randomly to exhaust and mislead her so escape would be even more difficult.

Dick didn't even glance at her despite the fact they were alone. He grabbed her by the nearest shoulder to him and kept her between him and the stairs back up to the palace. Grasping the knocker, he loudly rapped it against the door.

With a decrepit groan, the heavy wooden door squealed on its hinges as it was prised open from the other side.

A low dark stone tunnel lurked beyond, flanked by torch sconces on either side of the walls, and two dark purple armoured knights.

Dick nodded to the two and began pushing Ladybug forwards, following behind her every step.

She grit her teeth and kept her breathing slow and even, not uttering a single complaint as she stepped into the foreboding gloom.

The knights watched her silently, turning their heads as she drew closer to them.

But the second Dick stepped across the threshold, the knights raised their spears to his neck. Slipping into a defensive position that separated Ladybug from the exit, and Dick from her.

“Halt. Remove your hand from the prisoner and return to your post.” The knight to the right ordered.

Slowly, Dick raised his hand off of her shoulders and into the air. “I was instructed to bring the traitor to the Ember Dungeons for trial by fire.”

The left knight nodded to him. “You have accomplished your order then. Now leave.”

Dick did not move.

The right knight grunted. “It seems you do not understand. This prisoner,” gesturing towards Ladybug, “is now under our jurisdiction. None may pass beyond this threshold barring prisoners and those in the Akuma Guard.”

“As you are neither,” the left knight continued, “you are to leave and return to your post or the King shall be alerted and your ranks stripped.”

Dick raised an eyebrow. “I am Captain of the Royal Guard.”

“Your captaincy holds no power nor sway down here.” The right knight sneered.

The Captain cast a disdainful glance towards Ladybug before stalking off, back into the palace without another word.

Leaving her alone, with two Akuma Guard knights—a rank of knights she had never heard of before—and their spears blocking her only exit.

Lowering the spear, the right knight slipped past her so that there was a knight on either side of her, and plucked one of the torches from the nearest sconce.

“This way.” The knight grunted, metal sabatons clattering against the stone with every step.

She didn't move, not at first. The right knight didn't turn around to check she was following.

A sharp jab to the back forced her forwards. Letting out a hiss between her teeth.

The left knight, the one still behind her, jabbed the tip of the spear into her armour, not quite piercing through it but applying enough force it still hurt. “Follow.”

Closing her eyes for a moment, she breathed in deeply and then complied with the order. What choice did she have?

Slowly, she began to walk after the right knight, keeping within the feeble light cast by the torch he carried; wary of the left knight close behind her.

If the palace itself had been a maze, then the Ember dungeons were a labyrinth.

It felt as though it took centuries to traverse the twisting and winding corridors of the Dungeon, splitting off into seemingly endless shadowed stone passageways and bolted iron doors. Eventually, the knights stopped in front of an iron door warped and rusted, clearly damaged by fire.

The right knight stepped forwards, keys jangling as the heavy bolt was unlocked. A wretched squeal of the hinges anteceded the door swinging open into a dark cell. Just barely visible within the room, from the torch held outside, was a stone altar with black iron hoops and chains attached to it.

Ladybug froze up.

Snorting, the left knight shoved her into the room unceremoniously. And when she still didn't move willingly, he dragged her over to the altar and hooked the chains to the manacles around her wrists and ankles.

The chains were long enough to give her some space to move but not enough to let her reach even halfway to the door. Escaping, or getting rescued was going to be harder than expected.

She swallowed thickly, watching the knights in trepidation, barely resisting the urge to check the chains' limits right in front of them.

“We suggest you get some rest.” The right knight stated.

The left knight walked back to rejoin the other. “We shall return once preparations for your trial by fire have been sorted.”

The heavy door slammed shut, faintly rattling the chains all the way on the altar from the force.

“Do not try to escape.” One knight ordered.

“It shall not end well for you.” The other finished.

Ladybug listened to the rustling of the bolt and keys being locked, and then the sounds of the knights' sabatons marching off and away.

Leaving her cold, and alone, in the pitch-black dungeon cell.

She sighed, and tried to wriggle her wrists to test the chains and manacles but both were strongly made, she wouldn't be getting out of them anytime soon without something to break them.

———

Ladybug bolted awake at the sound of keys rattling in the cell's door. She cursed under her breath, how could she have fallen asleep?

The horrific squeal of the door opening pierced the air. Wincing, she squinted up at the doorway as torchlight flooded the gloomy room.

Her heart plummeted as the sight of the King greeted her.

Smirking down at her, the King stepped into the room, sceptre in hand. The two knights from earlier, flanking just behind him, one lugging a satchel in.

The King put his hand out, and the knight dutifully pulled a piece of blood-red chalk from within and handed it over to the King.

He brought the chalk up to his eye, the reds shifting in the dancing light of the flame. “Please try not to disturb the chalk once it has been laid out, otherwise we'll have to make it so you can't interfere, understood?”

Ladybug nodded slowly, watching their every move with bated breath.

The King rolled his eyes and curled his lip in contempt. “Good enough for now I suppose.”

With a surprising grace considering how heavy the King's armour and cloak must've been, with the thick fur and excessive jewellery adorning him too, he began to draw strange symbols and lines in the blood-red chalk. He circled around her, connected the lines and adding more symbols until a multilayered ritual circle was fully formed centred around the altar—around her.

She didn't dare move, if they were using magic to burn her for each crime instead then damaging the circle in any way could have devastating or even fatal results.

The King then set out black candles at various points in the circle, and lit each one carefully.

Ladybug swallowed thickly, gaze straying to the numerous flickering flames now surrounding her.

Stepping back, the King bared his teeth at her in the mockery of a smile. “Now, let us begin your trial.”

He swept his arm in a wide gesture, so that the sceptre pointed towards her.

One moment there was scarlet energy crackled around the tip of the sceptre.

The next, there was muffled screaming.

It took far too long for Ladybug to realise it was her screaming, as she arched her back and thrashed against the chains. Tears streaming down her face as she gasped for breath between searing screams. Agony etched itself into her very bones with each passing second as the crackling grew louder and louder and louder and the room glowed brighter and brighter red.

She struggled to swallow her still-beating heart as the darkness crept in at the edges of her sight.

The King's maniacal cackles were the last thing she heard, as the pain claimed her consciousness.

———

The second his shift had ended, Dick had cursed with every swear and minced oath he knew under his breath, and immediately set out for the city below. He needed to meet with Cass and the rest of their rebellion squad immediately. Dressed in simple non-identifying clothes and a black cloak, he dashed across rooftops until he reached the abandoned inn.

Slipping in through a broken first-floor window, he darted through the clean but unoccupied room, and slid down the bannister to the bar room below.

Cass and the others were already waiting for him.

Felix was behind the bar, pouring a drink for himself and Allegra, whilst Mireille, Claude, and Allen were sat around a table in the middle of the room exchanging notes of some kind.

Legs dangling from her perch in the rafters, Cass stared down at her older brother. “Where.” She croaked, red eyes and dried tear streaks barely visible in the low light.

“Ember Dungeons.” Dick responded immediately, glancing towards the others, as he scanned the room quickly.

“Fuck.” Felix hissed, nearly dropping the glasses.

“Yeah,” Dick responded, swallowing thickly. “She's been sentenced to trial by fire, for every crime committed by the rebellion.”

“You're joking!” Claude gasped, “that's not—”

“It's the King. You think it matters what it's not.” Felix snarled.

Mireille stood up. “How long? Until the trial?”

Sighing, Dick raked a hand through his hair, dishevelling it. “The trial's already begun. We have three days to get Ladybug out and find out what we can about the disappearances.”

“Shit.” Allegra grimaced, closing her eyes. “This is gonna be hell to pull off.”

“We will save her.” Cass asserted, swinging down from the rafters. “We're not leaving her.”

“It's not a matter of leaving,” Dick answered. “If we don't save her before the three days are up, then depending on whether she's proclaimed innocent or guilty by the trial; then she'll be sentenced to the oubliette for the rest of her life, or publicly burnt alive.”

The second he finished speaking, the others all burst into yells.

Dick breathed in shakily, closing his eyes so he wouldn't have to face them and waiting until the others grew quiet again. “Even worse.”

“Oh no.” Mireille muttered, wringing her hands.

“Ladybug recognised me whilst I was undercover, and reacted in obvious shock.” Dick licked his lips for a moment before continuing. “I had to keep pretences up because the palace is crawling with the King's observation magic, and I couldn't afford my cover to be blown before we got her out, so she probably thinks I'm a traitor, like the fucking Prince.”

Claude slumped onto the tabletop, head thunking against the wood. “This is a mess.”

“You can say that again.” Felix snorted.

Shaking his head, Dick walked over to the table and unravelled a large map of every room on every level of the palace. He waited until Cass, Felix, and Allegra joined them at the table.

“This,” he said, pointing at a small innocuous room, labelled cellar staircase, “is the entrance to the Ember Dungeons. After those stairs is a long corridor which ends in a burnt wooden door with a wrought iron dragon-shaped knocker. The Dungeons are beyond that door.”

Allan frowned, furrowing his brows and pursing his lips. “But there's no evidence of any underground dungeons below.”

Shaking his head, Dick sighed again. “The location is a heavily kept secret, I was only informed of it upon becoming the Captain of the Royal Guard, and even then I was refused access into the dungeons themselves.”

“So let's get this right?” Allegra huffed. “We've got three days to work out how to break into the palace,—”

—Dick nodded.—

“—something not a single member of the rebellion has successfully achieved yet,—”

—“Yep,” Claude piped up.—

“—enter some dungeons in which we have no map and no knowledge of except that they exist,—”

—“Uh-huh.” Felix chimed in drily.—

“—And save Ladybug before she's executed or they make her disappear as well because I think we can all agree that they're clearly using the oubliette as an excuse for some of the disappearances.” Allegra finished.

“Sounds about right.” Dick muttered darkly.

Cass slammed her hand down on the map. “We will succeed. The King will pay.”

Allegra sighed. “Well then, let's get your girlfriend back then.”

And with a long night ahead of them, they began to plot.

———

“How disappointing.” The King mused, lowering the sceptre to stare down at the tiny little pink-scaled and purple-spined dragon with red and black elytron wings, wreathed in dwarfing chains and curled up on the centre of the altar.

The Flapling made a pathetic plaintive whine and twitched feebly, clearly still disoriented and in pain from the magic bleeding from the Sceptre.

“And here I thought, that one of the most notorious and troublesome rebellion leaders, would have a more impressive draconic form.” He sighed, stepping towards the ex-rebel. “Such a pitiful nuisance, foiling my plans to the very end, aren't you.”

Poking it with the tip of the still glowing sceptre, elicited a miserable cry, writhing and wailing as it tried to flail away from his torment.

The King scoffed, eyeing her quivering form. “You'll be of no use in the raids against the rebellion, but with the right training, perhaps you'll still be of some use. If the Rebellion ever learn of what my dragons really are, do you think they'd hesitate from killing you? Perhaps even try to save you still?” He burst into laughter, wiping a tear from his eye.

Turning to the guards, he gestured towards the dragon that had once been Ladybug. “Sedate it, clip its wings—the elytra shell, not the hindwings themself, need I remind you—and claws, muzzle it, then bring it to the Royal Tower Mews.”

“Of course, Sire!” Both knights answered in unison, one removing the sedative, and dragon clippers from the satchel; whilst the other marched off to retrieve a fitting muzzle.

The King chuckled lowly, watching as the sedative was applied. “I do wonder what your allies will think of you once they find out from henceforth you'll be on my side? Will they believe you've betrayed them, like my son betrayed you? Or will they think I'm merely trying to get under their skin and kill you under the assumption you're nothing more than a mindless monster?”

The Flapling made no response, already stilling under the effects of the sedative.

His grin widened as the remaining knight began to snip the protective shell casing. King Gabriel drew closer, plucking a clipped shard up from the ground in his free hand and hummed, inspecting the red and black colouration, a cruel idea forming in his mind.

The rebellion wouldn't know what would hit them.

———

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