"This is it, Plagg. This is it."

"Remember to have a lucky charm. Should all the cheeses mould, I'll cataclysm the entire place and you'll restore them back after escaping." I nodded, eyes set on the mansion in front of my vision. The black kwami floated in front of me, his green eyes glowing menacingly. "Are you sure you're gonna do this without my holder, Ladybug?"

His holder.

Adrien Agreste.

Or rather, Chat Noir.

The one who left me alone to fight with the demons of Paris and my head for his ego.

"Yes."

Plagg breathed out heavily. "I wish I had the power to convince you otherwise, Guardian."

"You don't, so tag along."

—xoxo—

"That is a very serious assumption, Ladybug. Do you even realize that I hold the power to charge a case against you for this?"

He quirked an eyebrow, a look of intense malice masked under that perfectly executed calm exterior. Gulping down my nerves, I shook my head. "I have only asked you politely, so I suppose you must look up your dictionary for the difference between assumption and inquisition, sir."

"Then, the answer is a straight no."

I contemplated my next move. Gabriel, especially after this particular confrontation, seemed nervous and anxious even, as if he was hatching a plan as he went. Flexing my jaw, I muttered. "I wish to search your mansion." Gabriel let out a loud laugh, one that was borderline mocking.

"You said it yourself, Ladybug. This is a mansion. Home built on houses. You think you alone could search my home? If so, where's the official document for me to let you in for a raid?"

He had a point, but I was not giving in. This man was a bigshot. Approaching him legally would mean a lot of redtapism, and taking several stabs on the back. Not to mention, I didn't have much time left to house this body of Marinette's. I just knew it.

"I have my ways."

"Could you do a kind demonstration?"

With as much confidence as I could muster, I tossed my yo-yo up to the air, speaking the magical words to trigger the power of the miraculous of the creation. "Lucky charm!"

Something red and spotted fell into my hands. It was a cravat? As perplexed as I was, I decided to take a look around the home, but then I realized that cravats were a piece of clothing meant to be worn. My eyes met Gabriel's menacing ones before flitting down to the cravat he was wearing.

"Mister Agreste, I request you to remove your cravat, if only for a second," I said, gesturing to the neck piece. A frown grew across his features, before he took a step behind. The next thing I knew, I was using my yo-yo to straighten a pushed pillar. He was the culprit, and was under the said pillar! "No, stop—"

I lugged the pillar back for it to fall to the other side.

But I was too late. Where Gabriel once stood was now the man in the purple suit who had shown on up on Marinette's balcony the other evening in search of Ladybug. His face tore into a smug smile, before his cane came flying. I quickly tied my lucky charm to the string around my waist and did a somersault to avoid the incoming object.

Then came the power of the miraculous of the bee, an yellow halo wrapped around his left wrist as he edged closer. Without any hesitation, I tossed my yo-yo up blindly. It wrapped itself around the weak holder of the chandelier above. Charging forward, I managed to break it.

As gravity took hold of the thousand lights, I threw myself out of the way just a foot away from colliding into the man. Monarch hadn't seen it coming, and could not dodge on time.

With the foe under a million shattered pieces of glass and other debris, I stopped to heave a breath. My heart was pumping with all the action, but I had to force myself to go on. "What are you even fighting for when you said you don't have anything to lose?! Haven't you already lost Emelie?"

The debris shifted, and without waiting for him to rise up completely, I had him in an arm lock, thanks to the thin yet strong strings of my weapon.

He didn't answer, so I unified the miraculous of the turtle with my suit, seeking out Wayzz's power to protect myself from the venom of Pollen, the kwami of subjugation.

Surprisingly, Monarch did not call out for the paralyzing power once more when the shield I conjured disintegrated to break the yellow halo. With little to no effort, I pulled out the rings he was wearing on his left. They came up to five. "Is it for your son, Adrien? Or are you selfish on this?"

"I'm fighting to get back what I have lost. What this world lost." 

"Gabriel," I started, sympathetically. It pained me that Adrien, Chat, was part of such a family and still had that goofy smile on as both his civilian as well as superhero self. But he didn't trust you.

Pushing aside the thoughts, I tried again. "I know for a fact that using my miraculous and Chat's will help you grant any wish—" At this, the man's eyes turned hopeful, and I found it very hard in me to keep eye contact while declining someone what they desired. "But it will come at a cost."

"I am willing to pay the price!" The yo-yo trembled in my hand as he attempted to push through the debris to hoist himself up to his knees. I let him, not because of sympathy, but to make sure he hears me right. Even if Chat doesn't care, I still do.

"Listen up, Mister Agreste. Do you know why life insurance means guarantee rather than indemnity?" His face fell, and I felt a pang at how rude I was forced to be. "Because a life cannot be replaced even with a million dollars.

"If you seek for the return of Emelie, either you will have a life with her alone, or Adrien without you."