Adrien arrived at school, feeling a mix of anticipation and unease. He spotted Cerise and Ivy near the entrance, with Plagg peeking sneakily from Ivy's bag. Adrien casually handed Plagg a small piece of Camembert he packed before heading out.

Plagg, chewing with a grin, whispered, "Adrien, you really do know me well."

Cerise, curious, leaned in and asked, "So, do you two have any plans for after school?"

Ivy smiled and said, "I'm free after cheer practice if you both want to grab some ice cream."

Cerise lowered her voice, directing her question to Adrien, "What kind of ice cream does Plagg like?"

Plagg answered before Adrien could. "I'll eat whatever looks good, but cheese, especially Camembert, is my favorite."

Cerise groaned. "Seriously, it has to be stinky cheese?"

Plagg nodded, happily savoring his snack.

Ivy laughed, "That's nothing, the stench of my sneakers after cheer practice does more damage to people's nostrils than Camembert."

The group chuckled at the joke, lightening the mood as they headed to class. In their usual spots, the day took a surprising turn. Madame Butemonte, their teacher, entered with an announcement. "Class, we have a new student joining us today. She's a talented fashion designer who had already launching her own successful line this summer. Please welcome Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

Adrien and Plagg's hearts sank as Marinette entered the room wearing the school uniform. She introduced herself, "Hi, I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng, creator of MDC fashion."

Madame Butemonte gestured to Marinette. "You can take a seat, Marinette."

Marinette ended up sitting near Adrien, who felt a wave of dread wash over him. Class resumed, but Adrien couldn't shake the feeling that things were about to get complicated.

After class, Adrien, Cerise, and Ivy gathered together. Ivy glanced at Adrien with concern. "Why did you look at Marinette like she was a ghost?"

Plagg, still hiding in Ivy's bag, piped up, "Because Marinette is a creepy stalker. She's been obsessing over Adrien for over a year, manipulating situations just to get close to him."

Cerise groaned, rubbing her forehead in frustration. "I swear my life is turning into some wild fan-fiction. First I unknowingly befriend a celebrity, then I help take down an akuma (sorry Ivy), and now I'm dealing with a stalker?"

Adrien snickered while Ivy, trying to be optimistic, teased, "It could always be worse."

Cerise shot Ivy a dirty look, making Adrien laugh harder than he had in weeks.

Out of the corner of her eye, Ivy noticed Marinette approaching. She nudged Adrien's shoulder, snapping him out of his thoughts. Adrien turned, only to be greeted by an overly excited Marinette.

"Adrien!" Marinette called out with a bright smile. "It's so good to see you again! How have you been?"

Adrien managed a weak smile, trying to keep calm. Marinette glanced at Cerise and Ivy, then introduced herself. "Hi, I'm Marinette. Nice to meet you two."

Cerise and Ivy exchanged a brief look before putting on fake smiles.

"Nice to meet you, too," they said in unison.

"So," Marinette continued, "how long have you three been friends?"

Ivy responded with a casual shrug. "Since the start of the school year."

Cerise chimed in, her tone light but a little forced. "We hang out all the time. Adrien's even in the fashion club with me."

Marinette's eyes widened in shock. "Wait, Adrien's into fashion now? I thought he didn't model anymore."

Cerise smirked slightly, playing it cool. "Well, not exactly. I mostly just drag him there so I can get some pointers on my designs. Adrien's got a really good eye when it comes to the industry."

Marinette laughed, though it was a bit awkward. "Do you two even know who Adrien's dad is?"

Ivy leaned in slightly, her expression indifferent. "Of course. We're well aware Gabriel Agreste is his dad. We were just hanging out at his place yesterday."

Marinette blinked in surprise, her expression faltering for a moment. "Really? How did you two get Gabriel Agreste's approval? None of his other friends or I ever managed that."

Adrien, meanwhile, had gone quiet. He didn't respond, too overwhelmed by everything happening at once. Ivy and Cerise exchanged worried glances, both realizing how unsettled he was.

Sensing the need to distract Marinette, Ivy stepped forward and looped her arm through Marinette's. "Oh my gosh, speaking of fashion, I've been dying to talk to you about your MDC designs! Let's walk and chat, okay?"

Marinette, caught off guard but intrigued, allowed herself to be led away by Ivy, who immediately launched into a detailed conversation about Marinette's fashion line. Cerise, seizing the moment, gently guided Adrien toward an empty classroom nearby.

As soon as they were alone, Adrien's composure shattered. His breathing became shallow and erratic, and his eyes widened with panic. He pressed a hand to his chest, trying to breathe, but it only made him feel worse.

"Adrien, breathe!" Cerise urged, her voice calm but firm. She quickly took Adrien's phone from his bag, unlocking it with ease. She found Nathalie's number and dialed it.

When Nathalie answered, Cerise spoke urgently, "Nathalie, Adrien isn't doing well. He's having a panic attack."

There was a brief pause before Nathalie responded in a calm, authoritative tone. "I'll be there immediately to pick him up. Keep him calm until I arrive."

Cerise hung up and knelt beside Adrien, speaking softly, "Nathalie's on her way. You're going to be okay, Adrien. Just focus on breathing with me, okay? In and out, slowly."

She stayed by his side, making sure he knew he wasn't alone, helping him through every shaky breath. Nathalie arrived swiftly at the school, her expression sharp and concerned. As she approached Adrien, she noticed his still-fragile state. Gently helping him into the car, Nathalie turned to Cerise with a questioning look. "What happened?"

Cerise glanced at Adrien, then back at Nathalie, carefully choosing her words. "Marinette approached us, asking Adrien some questions, and... well, it just overwhelmed him. It all happened really fast."

Nathalie's lips tightened in understanding.

"I'll sort it out when we get home," Nathalie said with a firm nod, clearly intending to handle the matter discreetly.

At that moment, Ivy rushed back over to the group, slightly out of breath but triumphant.

"I managed to stall Marinette long enough to get her away from Adrien," Ivy explained, giving Cerise a nod.

Nathalie's eyes softened slightly as she regarded the two girls.

"Thank you," Nathalie said sincerely, appreciating their efforts. "You've been a big help today. I'll take it from here."

After another glance at Adrien, Nathalie helped him into the car, and they drove off, leaving Ivy and Cerise standing by the school entrance. Plagg, having peeked out of Ivy's bag, floated up with a sigh of relief.

"I'm really glad Adrien has people like you two looking out for him," Plagg said, his usual sarcastic tone replaced with something softer.

Cerise and Ivy exchanged smiles, both feeling a sense of pride in knowing they had done the right thing, but before they could fully relax, an akuma alert buzzed loudly on their phones. Cerise shot Ivy a look, her eyes widening with urgency. Ivy gave her a quick nod, and without wasting a second, she slipped away toward the nearest bathroom. Once inside, she looked down at Plagg, who had followed her.

"Okay, how do I do this?" Ivy asked, excitement mixed with nerves.

Plagg hovered in front of her, his tiny body floating lazily. "It's easy. Just hold up the ring and say, 'Plagg, claws out!'"

Ivy took a deep breath and raised her hand. "Plagg, claws out!"

A surge of energy rippled through her as the transformation began. Black energy swirled around her, and in an instant, her usual school clothes were replaced by her superhero costume. As Belle Noire, Ivy's outfit was sleek and stylish. Her bodysuit was a deep, shimmering black, with elegant silver accents tracing along the edges of her gloves and boots. Her mask was sharp and angular, matching the silver cat ears that adorned her head. A long, silver-tipped black tail trailed behind her, and a silver bell rested at the collar of her suit. The suit itself hugged her form, built for agility, but also had a distinct, graceful look, a reflection of Ivy's athletic prowess as a cheerleader. She felt powerful and confident in her new form.

Looking down at her transformed state, Belle Noire smirked.

"Okay, this is pretty cool," Belle Noire muttered under her breath. "Alright...let's do this!"

With a confident nod, Belle Noire dashed out of the bathroom, ready to face her first challenge as Paris's new feline hero.

The chaos at the scene of the akuma attack was palpable. Ladybug had arrived with a team of temporary heroes, all of them trying to hold their ground against the rampaging akuma and its monstrous amok. The creature was massive, a swirling storm of dark energy and mechanical limbs, tearing through the streets of Paris. Ladybug barked orders, her voice sharp and focused as she tried to organize the team.

"Rena Rouge, cover the civilians! Pegasus, keep trying to get a read on the amok! Viperion, we need another time reset if this goes south!" Ladybug's instructions flew out rapidly, her mind racing for a solution as each of their attacks barely scratched the surface of the akuma's defenses.

But no matter what they tried, the creature was relentless. It swung its metallic arms, sending the heroes scattering. Ladybug grit her teeth in frustration, feeling her control slipping. "Why isn't this working?!"

Just as it seemed that the akuma would get the upper hand, a black figure darted into the fray, moving with precision and grace. Belle Noire, unnoticed by the team, slipped into the battlefield, her cat-like reflexes allowing her to weave between the akuma's attacks. With a swift motion, she landed a critical strike on the amok, destabilizing its core.

Ladybug and the others froze in shock.

"Who—who is that?" Viperion muttered, astonished.

Ladybug's eyes widened.

"A new Cat Miraculous holder..." Ladybug whispered, disbelief coloring her voice.

But there was no time to waste. Ladybug, always quick on her feet, adjusted.

"New plan! Follow her lead—strike where she weakens the creature!" Ladybug called out, directing the others to assist Belle Noire.

The team quickly adapted, with Rena Rouge providing cover, Pegasus using his portals to redirect attacks, and Viperion keeping the battle steady. Together, with Belle Noire leading key assaults, they brought the akuma to its knees. Ladybug used her Lucky Charm to create the final opening, and with a well-aimed throw, she captured the corrupted object.

"Time to de-evilize!" Ladybug purified the akuma with a flick of her yo-yo, watching as the dark energy dissipated into nothing.

Belle Noire stretched her limbs with a casual elegance as the battle finally ended. Ladybug, still processing the appearance of a new Cat Miraculous holder, made her way over, her brow furrowed in curiosity. "You... you must be the new Cat Miraculous holder, right?"

Belle Noire nodded but said nothing further. Without giving Ladybug a chance to ask more questions, Belle Noire sprinted away, disappearing into the shadows before anyone could stop her. Ladybug stood there, stunned, unable to follow.

Back in the school bathroom, Ivy detransformed, her breath still heavy from the adrenaline. She handed Plagg a cheese cube, which he immediately devoured, grinning.

"You really do know me well," Plagg said between bites, satisfied with his reward.

Just then, Cerise entered, her eyebrows raised. "So? How did it go?"

Ivy let out a groan, leaning back against the sink. "I have no idea how Adrien put up with Ladybug for that long. She's intense." Ivy shook her head, still a little bewildered.

Cerise chuckled at that. "Yeah, you get used to it. Maybe."

Ivy smiled and handed Cerise the ring. "Your turn." Cerise slipped the Cat Miraculous onto her finger, feeling the power hum through her.

Plagg floated nearby, his tiny arms crossed. "I gotta say, kid, you did pretty well today for your first time out."

"Thanks, Plagg," Ivy said with a grin before pulling out her phone. She quickly texted Adrien, asking how he was doing after everything.

Adrien's reply came quickly: I have to attend an emergency session with my therapist this afternoon. Sorry, I won't be able to get ice cream with you guys.

Cerise and Ivy exchanged knowing glances, smirking as an idea formed in their minds. Slowly, they both turned to Plagg, who blinked in realization. "Wait a second... you two aren't the only sly cats around here, are you?

A short while later, Cerise and Ivy arrived at the Agreste mansion, ice cream in hand. Before they had come, Ivy had once again transformed into Belle Noire after once again borrowing the ring from Cerise, sneakily picking up three cones from the ice cream shop—one for each of them, and an extra-large one for Plagg. After grabbing the ice cream, she detransformed in a hidden corner and Cerise made sure to cover her tracks.

As they approached the door, Cerise casually passed an entire ice cream cone to Plagg, who was hiding in her bag. His eyes lit up, and he greedily dug in, savoring the treat.

"You two are the best," Plagg mumbled through mouthfuls of ice cream.

Nathalie answered the door and gave the two girls a small nod.

"He's upstairs," Nathalie said, stepping aside to let them in. "Thank you for bringing him this. I think he'll appreciate it."

Cerise and Ivy made their way up to Adrien's room, the wooden stairs creaking softly under their feet. When they reached his door, Cerise knocked lightly.

Adrien opened the door, looking surprised but touched by their presence. His eyes fell on the ice cream in Cerise's hand, and his lips curved into a grateful smile. Adrien quickly ran back to grab a notebook and pen, writing down a response: You guys didn't have to do this...

"Of course we did," Ivy chimed in with a smirk. "We couldn't let you miss out on ice cream, could we?"

Plagg, still hiding in Cerise's bag, peeked out just enough to get a whiff of the treat. Adrien caught sight of him and chuckled, stepping aside to let them in. The room filled with a quiet sense of comfort as the trio sat down, enjoying their ice cream together in the calm aftermath of the chaotic day.