7Papillon landed on the edge of her room's railing, and quietly hopped off. She had searched all the museums in Paris for the ring, after having to detransform once and let Nooroo eat some flower petals, those were her favorite.
"Hey."
She glanced up to see her guardian Chloé sitting on her bed.
"Hi." The girl whispered. "How could you recognize me? I thought no one can in a miraculous form."
"No one should be able to know unless they are deliberately told so. That's just how the miraculous work. Master Fu told me the day may come when you had to take a miraculous… I Just thought I could protect you enough so you wouldn't need to." Chloé explained. "Em, you know far too much now. I should've never told you about your parents. Maybe then that imposter wouldn't be after you."
"I would've remembered anyway,oui it's not your fault." The girl sighed, sitting down next to her. "Nooroo, bright wings fall."
Nooroo appeared once more. "Mistress… Thank you."
"For what, Nooroo?" Emma asked.
"... For doing the right thing." Nooroo said softly.
Emma cocked her head and gave a weak smile. "You're welcome?"
"Okay." Nooroo whispered. She sat down on Emma's desk.
Emma turned back to Chloé. "I guess, saving Paris is up to me now?"
Chloé gave a sigh. "I suppose… It may be disastrous for myself or any other person but you to use that miraculous, when you're chosen, you're chosen. You can't reveal your identity to anyone else, okay? Not your brother, or Uncle Kim, anyone. Understand?"
Emma nodded. "I understand. I promise to make you proud."
"You're off to a good start." Chloé smiled weakly, taking Emma's cheek in her hand. They hugged before the guardian stood.
"Er, Aunt Chloé?"
"Yes?" Chloé turned.
Emma hestatied then smiled. "... Er, thanks, for trusting me."
"Of course." Chloé said. She then shut the door.
Emma then decided to sit on the rail of her balcony, and contemplate on what to do. She tapped a finger on her new brooch.
"Mistress?"
Emma glanced at Nooroo. "Hm?"
"May I ask… what your plan is?" Nooroo whispered, floating nearby. "It's ten, we only have 2 hours before midnight… Why didn't you ask her about the ring?"
"I couldn't." Emma sighed. "She would know immediately what was going on. Besides, that bug is after my brother, he took away my parents, I won't let anyone else fight for me."
"But, how are we going to find the ring?" Nooroo whispered.
"I… I don't know. I have no idea where to look! That man should've already had it, it should've been on my father's finger before he…"
Nooroo gave a small cough. "Do you think it could still be at your old home?"
"Maybe." Emma whispered, shuttering slightly. "Nooroo, why does he want the ring so badly?"
Nooroo looked up with memory of something. "I… shouldn't tell you, mistress. Sometimes, it's better to be in the dark."
"Hm." Emma frowned. "You know, you don't have to call me mistress, right? Call me Emma."
"Really?" Nooroo asked with suprise. Emma nodded with firmness.
Suddenly the door creaked open and Nooroo quickly zoomed behind Emma's pillow.
"Emma!" Louis cried, hugging his older sister. "Where were you?! You missed so much! Uncle Kim and I ran outside, but Aunt Chloé went upstairs to get you, then Queen Bee showed up! Then Aunt Chloé was falling from the tower, she must've thought you were up there!"
"S-She did?" Emma gasped, pretending she had missed it. "What happened? The security system locked me in before I could follow you guys!"
"You should've seen it! There was this really cool new superhero we've never seen before! She had wings, and saved Aunt Chloé! I didn't see much else, but I know she saved that kid!"
"That's great, bud." Emma smiled, ruffling his hair. "But shouldn't you be in bed? Did you sneak out just to see me?"
"Maybe." Louis grinned. Emma gave a laugh.
"Come on, you." Emma took his hand and lead him out to his room. She soon tucked him in, and kissed him goodnight. Louis gave a disgusted noise and wiped it off.
"Good night, Loui."
"Good night, Em." Louis yawned.
Emma closed the door quietly and sighed. What was she going to do?! She didn't have the ring, and it was near midnight! They only had a few minutes…
"Ready or not, we have to go." Emma said sternly, walking briskly into her room.
"Emma, what are you going to do?" Nooroo asked shakily.
"I'll think of something." Emma answered.
The Papillon landed softly on the platform of the Eiffel Tower, five minutes til midnight. She glanced around, searching for Ladybug. "I'm here, so show yourself!"
"Hm, I suppose you want to get that target off quickly."
The girl spun around to see Ladybug standing only a few paces from her.
"I didn't come to give you what you want." Papillon announced, twirling her cane in her fingers before firmly stamping it on the ground.
Ladybug was staring at her, Emma wished she could see if he was shocked, but that stupid hood held it back. To her dismay, he laughed at her. The man took two huge strides before looking down upon the much shorter girl. She looked up. Even in the moonlight, she couldn't see his face… how odd.
"Hm, I guess it is true butterflies have tiny minds, eh bright eyes?" He chuckled. "You're being awfully dumb, kiddo."
"I came to stop you." Papion growled, flying up higher than him.
"Oh, and how are you going to do that? Are you going to hurt me?" Ladybug teased.
Papillon shook her head. "No. Just tell me what you want, what you truly want, and I'll try my best to give it to you."
"I already said, I want the ring, the power. Why won't you just understand?" The villain laughed. "It's like you can't comprehend why I would destroy your city, your brother, and you for the miraculous."
"You're right, I can't comprehend that!" Papillon cried. "Just tell me why you want it!"
Ladybug sighed and shook his head. "I would take all the mystery out of it if I told you. Besides, you wouldn't like it, your mother didn't."
Papillon gave a growl and lundged at the man. The girl only fell onto the hard ground though. She looked at her hands in suprise. How?!
"What a hasty girl!" The real Ladybug laughed, pouncing on her and pinning her to the ground. Papillon struggled to get up, her face slammed against the cold metal ground. Any harder, she thought, it would crack my head open.
"How did you do that?" Papillon asked with gritted teeth.
She heard the man chuckle and he leaned down to whisper in her ear. "Let's just say… I'm not the only one out to get you…. So, here's my plan, I'm going to let you go, let you enjoy your new powers, and eventually I'll be back for the ring, the only catch is, I won't tell you when."
The girl felt him leap off and turned to face him.
"The next time we meet, I won't be so friendly." Ladybug hissed. "Well, bye bye little butterfly!"
She watched him jump off and then heard her brooch blink. The third wing faded away… She didn't have much time before she detransformed.
Emma had detransformed and was laying on her bed. "What am I going to do?" She whispered, twirling a strand of hair in a nervous tick .
"For now, just try and stay calm." Nooroo said soothingly, trying to comfort her misstress.
Emma gave a groan and slammed her head into a pillow. "He's going to come back soon, I can just tell! I don't even know where the ring is! And who knows what he'll do with whatever power it has! How am I supposed to stop him?"
"By training, miss." Nooroo sighed in habit. "You must get stronger. Master your powers!"
"All I can do is fly and wave a cane around! I don't have any massive power like he does!"
Nooroo watched Emma brush her fingers through her hair, clutching her head in panic. She has to tell her…
"Emma?"
Emma glanced up.
"You… have one more power, um, have you ever heard of a akuma?"
"Of course! Those evil bugs that used to create villains! Hawkmoth sent them out, and my parents had to stop him. All those things are are trouble." Emma sniffed.
Nooroo hung her head in shame. "Well… they weren't supposed to make super villains, they were supposed to make super heros…"
Emma gasped in surprise. "Really?!"
"Yes. And that is your power, Emma. The power of generosity."
