"Where do you think she's gone?" Dame called from the rooftop across the way, sprinting and hopping along the skyline.

"All I know is her motive is to get back at Audrey Bourgeois," Chat shouted as he hoisted himself over the building with his long, silver staff, "But I wouldn't know much further than that."

"Well, I'd suppose Mrs. Bourgeois would be hiding out in AB Fashions, wouldn't you think?"

"Looks like it's time for a little catwalk modelling then, hm?"

...

"Audrey Bourgeois." The voice boomed; the voice that always seemed to be so soft and airy. Now, it shook the room with the harsh echoes of darkness and angst. "I do believe you owe me a very complex apology-"

"I owe you nothing! Ridiculous, how did you get past my security? Security!" Audrey yapped on, "And your outfit is utterly-- Oh! Of course!" she stepped forward, "Marinette Dupain-Cheng!"

"Everyone should stop calling me that." Marinette demanded as she reeled her arm back, sending her fan whipping through the space between them. Audrey guarded herself with her arms as it knocked her to the ground; she began to rise once more, but fell of fright. "Now," she went on, "apologize."

"Marinette!" A voice objected, busting through the large, see-through door that lay behind Marinette as she approached Audrey.

Marinette quickly spun around to see who could be intervening with her success-- and of course, it was the famous duo; Dame Rouge and Chat Noir.

The look on Rouge's face disgusted her, she seemed so arrogant and threatening. As if she were challenging Marinette's strength. A face that seemed ever so distantly familiar...

"Coming back again, Chat Noir? Needed a little helping hand, hm?"

"Maybe I do," he shouted as he reached for his baton, "But this time we're bringing you back, M'-" He stopped.

Why did I almost call her 'M'lady'?

"-Marinette."

"Stop it. Stop calling me Marinette. I ceased being Marinette a long time ago."

"...Marinette?" Dame chimed in, "Do you remember giving me- er, uh... do you remember me?"

"You knew her?" Chat gasped, pointing in her direction out of confusion.

How could Dame have possibly known her? Was she someone Marinette was close to? Chat was ready for battle, but his curiosity filled him to the brim. He shook it away, because for everything he's been through, he remembers what Ladybug used to tell him:

The best kept secrets are the ones you never share.

"I- well, I-"

"No, it's fine, don't tell me. It's better that way."

Dame nodded her head in agreement, letting a sly smirk cross her face. "Let's go, kitty."

Chat raised his hands to fists, one holding his in-extended pole and the other anxiously shut tight; Dame gripped the small, circular yoyo tightly in her palms as she stood confidently across from him. With a slight exchange of glances between them, they took off sprinting towards their new, harsh opponent.

It seemed as though the joy-filled, kind Marinette he knew was now the coldest, most empty girl. Why? Why was she so... distant?

"Fine. If you'd like to challenge Lady Subjugation, then so be it."

Marinette propelled herself to the side, dodging their spars with a graceful twirl; she raised the fan to her eyes enticingly, waving it about as her eyes gleamed a shade of pink... signalling to Chat. His eyes shimmered the same shine as her's, disappearing almost as soon as it appeared. He charged at her with his staff in hand, but her power snatched his mind.

"Dame Rouge! I can't believe it took you this long to arrive and help me. Ladybug would have been here in no time!" He angrily growled from her side.

"What? What do you mean?" she halted her sprint, "I thought we were done comparing me to her!"

"Never. Ladybug was amazing, and you're nothing. You're worthless, Rouge."

Chat raised his hands to his mouth as he silently fought the control, but took a sharp hit from the hand fan, laying hurt on the ground. He couldn't fight it. Somehow his mouth said words he would never say... well, that he wouldn't say now, at least. He gripped his gut as he stared Dame helplessly in the eyes.

"But I-" Dame rested her hand on her forehead in spite, for she knew Chat wouldn't speak those things... but the urge to fight back and defend herself was grand. "I know what the problem is, Kitty."

She had understood Chat would never say that to her... not after the night they made amends. Not after they had become so close. Plus, he didn't call her by her full name; he called her by just Dame.

How is it that I chose this name... but it sounds so much sweeter when he calls me by only half of it?

She was ready to defeat Lady Subjugation, the girl she used to call her mentor.

Marinette stumbled back as she realized that Dame wouldn't fall for her illusion; she tightly grasped the weapon as she prepared to battle. A battle against her long-lost pupil... of whom she didn't remember.

A slight growl rose from Marinette, as she didn't feel that she would need to become too physically involved... but now, they had finally asked for it. Shadow Moth grinned side to side at this, for he knew:

Those who are the kindest, most sweetest beings you know... have the darkest alternate.

After long, harsh moments of constant kicks and punches, Marinette finally pulled herself to their sides. She had finally snapped-- no more friendly combat.

She launched the fan towards Dame and sprung to Chat's front. She quickly spun into a wheel kick, slinging him to the ground and hopping atop of him. She raised her arm and caught the boomerang-like fan, reeling it back in the projectile of Chat's head.

"This is for-"

"Marinette! Stop this! Think back to when you were Ladybug, please!"

"What?!" Marinette and Chat shouted in unison, their voices breaking through the subtle molds they had been put in. Marinette shoved her weight off of Chat, and fell to his side. "I'm-- what? I was never Ladybug!" She called from the ground, recalling the tales she'd heard of the brave, daring Parisian hero.

"But... you were," Dame went on, "You were Ladybug, then you... you left. You passed everything on."

"That's impossible, I think I would remember if I had been some kind of... super-heroine."

"...Wrong, Marinette. You were the guardian of the Miraculous, which means-"

Chat swiftly rose to his feet and stood over Marinette, watching as her confused, cold eyes darted from place to place, trying to understand why this all felt so... nostalgic.

"You-- you were... Ladybug?" He muttered, gazing at her with a pale, love-filled expression.

"What? No!"

"Yes, she was. And she... was the best mentor I could have asked for." Dame lightly approached Chat, resting her hand on his shoulder; they both peered down on Marinette solemnly, watching as she gripped the ground in fear.

"If you're really her... come home, M'lady."

Marinette's eyes widened, showing the first glimpse of blue-bell eyes he'd seen in a long while.