Jade Turtle quickly ducked behind his shell shield as bubbles with the force of boulders pounded against him.

The Bubbler, Nino's evil half, was stronger than he seemed and Jade Turtle had never been more afraid of...himself.

Jade Turtle felt like he had been intruding on a private exchange between Hawk Moth and Cat Noir. He hadn't expected for Hawk Moth to have been so...depressed and insane that he would resort to going back in time as his only way to end the torment.

Jade Turtle couldn't focus on the thought long though because the Bubbler halted his attack on Jade Turtle's shield.

He looked up above the rim of his shield and saw the Bubbler, leaning on his bubble wand, his eyes bored.

"So I know that you were the original Bubbler, but there is just something I don't get," he said.

Behind him, Volpina battled Lady Wifi. Jade Turtle's eye followed the pair before he snapped his attention back to the villain in front of him.

"You don't seem like a guy who has been wronged too many times," the Akuma said.

Turtle wondered how he could have been speaking when he didn't even have a mouth. But then the Bubbler swung out his wand and Turtle ducked and rolled to the left to avoid being hit by the bubble.

When he jumped back to his feet, his opponent again leaned on his wand. "And you don't seem like you're trying to gain something from attacking...so what is it?"

"What is what?" Turtle asked as his hands tightened his hold on his shield.

"What made you become the Bubbler? Become me?"

"None of your business!"

The Bubbler rolled his eyes. "Sure, it isn't. I'm only curious as to why you turned to the dark side. It's fun, isn't it, dude? The power, the strength?"

"You don't know anything about me," Turtle growled as he flung his shield away from his body toward the smirking Bubbler.

The Akuma simply sidestepped the attack and the shield circled back around in the air, back into Jade Turtle's outstretched hand.

The Bubbler shook his head as if he was disappointed in his opponent. Then, he lifted his eyes up toward the ceiling, as if lost in thought. "Maybe, maybe it was-"

Before the Bubbler could finish, Volpina was flung into the wall behind Jade Turtle and landed hard on the metal ground.

Jade Turtle tried to run to her and see if she needed his help, but the Bubbler stepped in his path and raised his Bubble wand. Jade Turtle stopped and looked over the Akuma's shoulder to see Volpina already rising.

Volpina dodged countless attacks from Lady Wifi, including "pauses," fast-fowards," and "slow-downs" before she launched herself toward Lady Wifi and resumed the intense battle.

Turtle tried to keep his face placid when he watched Volpina counterattack her opponent, but he knew that his eyes would betray him.

And they did.

The Bubbler glanced over his shoulder at the two girls before he turned back to face Jade Turtle. Turtle guessed that if the Bubbler had a mouth, he would have been grinning like a kid on Christmas morning.

"Now, I understand," he said as he readied his wand for another attack.

Jade Turtle lifted his shield, poised and ready for the coming onslaught.

"You don't fight to fix the wrongs done to you. You fight to avenge those who have been wronged." With that, the Bubbler swung out his wand and a large, bubble formed and flew straight for Turtle.

Jade Turtle lowered his head behind his shell shield and felt the impact of the bubble as it collided and popped on his shield. The force made him tumble back a few steps but he quickly regained his balance.

When he peeked over his shell, he didn't expect the Bubbler to be so close. He was too late as the Bubbler kicked his foot up and swung his heel down on Turtle's arm. The hero yelled in pain as he dropped his shield and instinctively brought his hand back against his chest. 

The Akuma stooped, picked up the shield, and chucked it over his shoulder. The weapon flew across the room before it skittered across the floor and came to a stop next to Cat's boot.

Turtle was about to cry out to his friend for his shield, but the Bubbler rammed his elbow into Turtle's chest before he could utter a word. All the air rushed out of Turtle's lungs as he was shoved way from the Bubbler.

Turtle lost his balance and fell backward on the ground. He tried to get back up, but the Bubbler placed his foot on top of Turtle's chest, pinning him to the ground.

The Bubbler towered over the hero before he bent down. His glowing purple eyes twinkled as he said, "You will never be a true hero, dude. I now realize why you succumbed to the darkness and became like me. You only wanted to help those who had been mistreated. And though I can tell that you care for that orange chick over there, you'll never be her hero. You'll never be anyone's hero. You're not even good enough to have a Miraculous."

"No," Turtle shook his head in an attempt to rid his mind of the Akuma's dark words. "You're wrong." His attempt to shout only came out in a whisper.

The Bubbler shook his head. "I may not have a mouth, ears, or nose, but I do have eyes. And I can see that you know my words are true. You'll never be worthy, hero," he sneered, making the term sound as if it was one of the worst insults imaginable.

Jade Turtle looked away from the Akuma's glowing eyes and saw Ladybug and Cat Noir battle the resurrected Miss Fortune. He noticed how they were so fluid with their attacks. They fully trusted one another, like two half of one soul. Jade Turtle realized that he could never be like that. He would not ever be like that. He would never be brave enough, strong enough or be worthy enough of a partner that -

A scream tore through the room and Turtle turned his head toward Volpina. She was breathing raggedly as she desperately tried to maintain her ground against Lady Wifi. But Turtle saw that her strength was waning and she wasn't going to last much longer.

She was going to fall.

...And he would be there to catch her.

He had to be. He felt it deep in his gut that he had to be by her side, help her, and only then could they truly defeat...

Jade Turtle yelled as he swung his arm and punched the Bubbler in the jaw. The Bubbler stumbled away and roared in outrage.

Turtle quickly jumped back on his face and raced toward Volpina.

Lady Wifi swiped another "pause" toward the heroine, but before Volpina could move, Jade Turtle jumped in front of her and raised his shield.

The "pause" bounced harmlessly off of the shell and dissolved into the ground.

Jade Turtle glanced at the orange super heroine over his shoulder. "Are you alright?" he asked.

"Oh, just great. How are you?" Volpina said as she raised her staff to her lips and blew a soft melody that caused the ground under Lady Wifi's feet become as slick as ice.

The Akuma slid across the smooth surface and wobbled from side to side, trying to regain her balance. But she slipped and landed face-first onto the cold ground.

"I don't know how much longer I can continue to get my butt kicked by myself over there," Turtle said honestly. "It's like he knows all of my weaknesses and uses them against me."

Volpina sighed, revealing just how tired she truly was. "I know how you feel. My Akuma does the same thing. But what can we do?" After a beat, she added, "If I was fighting against you, this would be a heck of a lot easier and I would've already won by now."

Jade Turtle snorted under his breath before an idea came to him. "Well, why don't you?"

"Huh?"

"I mean, if we can't defeat ourselves, then maybe we could fight-"

-each other's Akuma," she finished.

Jade Turtle saw her grin and felt himself smile as well.

They met each other's eyes before they both yelled simultaneously, "Switch!"

Lady Wifi picked herself up from off the floor and turned to face Volpina, only to find Jade Turtle instead.

"Who are you?" Lady Wifi snapped.

"Your worst nightmare!" Jade Turtle yelled as he charged toward the villain.

Lady Wifi danced out of his way and swiped a "pause" toward him but his shield easily deflected it. She tried again and again, but he didn't slow, his shield fully protecting him.

Turtle knew she was turning to her last resort when she started to taunt him. "You're weak, Jade Turtle! Why else would your friends turn against you? They repeatedly lied to you about their identities and now you feel betrayed, don't you? You don't know who to trust!"

Jade Turtle smiled because her words had no effect on him. They were not what truly worried him. However, he still felt a pang in his heart. Was she talking like this because this is what Alya fears?

"Sorry, but that doesn't work on me, dude." Jade Turtle pulled back on his shield before he aimed for Lady Wifi and swung it away from his body.

The villainess' eyes grew large, knowing she had lost the battle. She screamed in outrage before she turned back into a purple butterfly in a puff of purple goop.

The butterfly flew straight for Hawk Moth's staff with another purple butterfly right behind it.

Turtle turned and saw Volpina grinning, having won her battle against the now-vanquished Bubbler.

She met his eyes and her grin widened.

Before they could say anything, however, Ladybug was shot in the back with a blast of red lightning and she screamed.

~~~

She was terrifying. Ladybug had never known how truly scary Miss Fortune had been when Ladybug was her. Now fighting against an Akuma puppet version of Miss Fortune, she'd never more afraid of herself.

But despite her horror, she continued to battle and fight the villainess. With Cat Noir by her side, she felt stronger and braver. With him, she could face anything.

However, this was the first time they were battling an Akuma knowing each other's true identities.

Yet, nothing had changed.

They were still a team, still partners and still had to defeat Hawk Moth once and for all.

Miss Fortune turned her attention toward Cat and shot a red beam of light. He ducked and rolled out of the way, while Ladybug flung her yo-yo at the villainess.

Her yo-yo collided with the back of the Akuma's head and Miss Fortune tumbled out of the air. She landed on the ground with a thud, but quickly managed to get back to her feet.

She whipped her head around and glared daggers at Ladybug. Though Ladybug could feel that the puppet wanted to say something, the villainess didn't utter a word. She could hear Jade Turtle and Volpina's conversations with their enemies as they fought, but Miss fortune had remained silent the entire battle.

Hawk Moth, on the other hand, had plenty to say. "Come on, Cat Noir, wouldn't it just be easier if you just handed over your-"

"I'm never going to, so quit asking!" Cat yelled as he ran in front of his lady and blocked a red bolt of lightning with his baton.

He glanced back at her over his shoulder at her. She was breathing heavily, but still met his gaze and nodded her thanks.

He winked at her and a blush spread across the heroine's cheeks.

"Please, son, would you just listen to me?"

Cat whipped his head back at his father standing in the corner of the room. He was leaning against the wall, his posture exuding his ease and calmness about the current situation.

Cat's eyes burned with anger and rage. His father's leveled stare gazed back at him.

Just when he was about to retort, Miss Fortune rose back into the air and started harnessing all of the energy in the room above her head in one giant red lightning ball. Her hair whipped around her face as her eyes began to shine an even brighter shade of purple. She reeled her hand back, the red ball following her movements.

Cat Noir and Ladybug prepared to dodge, but before the two could move, Miss Fortune spun around and thrust her hand down toward Hawk Moth. The blazing orb flew through the air straight for the shocked villain.

Hawk Moth gasped, his eyes widening at the ball flying toward him.

"No! Father!" Cat screamed as he ran and blocked the man with his body.

The orb swung through the air and circled away from the father and son toward its true target.

Realizing that the ball was coming straight for her, Ladybug spun her yo-yo in an attempt to shield herself from the ball of energy. But it was no use. At the last second, she tried to duck away but the ball collided with her back. She screamed and dropped to the floor, red sparks of energy dancing across her suit.

"Ladybug!" Cat Noir cried, racing back toward his lady.

Miss Fortune stepped into his path and created a large wall of sparking red lighting that rained down from the roof, thoroughly separating Cat Noir from his lady. The villainess had no mouth, but her eyes shined with glee.

"Ladybug!" The hero yelled as he swung his staff at the wall, trying desperately to reach Ladybug, who lay motionless on the floor.

Volpina and Jade Turtle ran to Ladybug's side but Hawk Moth calmly blocked them from her. Volpina yelled as she swung her staff toward the villain's head but he easily ducked away from her. He swung out his leg and kicked the heroine's legs out from under her. Volpina hit her head on the ground and was knocked out cold.

Jade Turtle charged towards the villain, but Hawk Moth deflected his attack and punched the hero in the gut. Before Jade Turtle had a chance to recover, Hawk Moth grabbed Jade Turtle's arm and flung him towards the wall. The hero crashed against the wall and slumped to the floor.

Hawk Moth grinned as he slinked toward the unconscious Ladybug. He gently brushed her hair away from her ears.

Cat Noir screamed in outrage. "Don't do this, father! Please!"

Hawk Moth didn't look at him. "You should've handed them over when you had the chance, Cat Noir. Now look at what you've done."

The villain unclipped the heroine's earrings and Ladybug de-transformed back into Marinette, who lay bruised and bleeding.

Hawk Moth stood and clipped the earrings onto his own ears. A surge of power flowed through his veins as his suit morphed to reveal a blood red color.

He nodded to Miss Fortune. She returned the nod and retracted her hands away from the wall of sparks. It disappeared in a blink of an eye.

Cat Noir rushed to Marinette's side and grasped her hand in his own, clinging to her tightly. His eyes glanced over his lady's body, searching for any severe injuries when he felt a hand squeeze his shoulder.

He looked up at the monster who the audacity to look ashamed of his actions. "I'm sorry it had to come to this, Adrien, but you left me no other choice."

Cat Noir refused to let the man standing beside him see his tears so he furiously blinked them away.

"Now, are you going to willingly hand over your Miraculous or am I going to have to hurt more of your fiends in order to get it?" Hawk Moth said.

Cat glared at his father, but the villain patiently waited. After what seemed like an eternity, Cat looked down at his right hand and closed his eyes. His body shook with anger as he pulled his ring off his finger and felt his cat suit morph into his regular clothing.

The hand on Adrien's shoulder fell back to Hawk Moth's side as the villain extended his other hand out toward the boy.

Adrien met the villain's eyes as he placed his ring in the outstretched hand. "You are not my father. You're a monster."

Hawk Moth sighed. "In just a little bit, you will see that what I'm trying to do will be the best for everyone. You're too emotional right now to see."

Adrien turned away and scooted around Marinette until her head was resting in his lap. He ran a hand through her hair.

He looked up to see Hawk Moth discard his brooch and slide the ring onto his right hand. The brooch skittered across the floor. Nooroo reappeared and his large eyes widened as he took in Gabriel Agreste transforming into the ultimate Miraculous holder.

Black and red swirls swarmed around the man as his suit changed and morphed into a bright purple one with yellow accents. Gabriel Agreste broke free from the cloud and hovered a few feet off the floor, his power surging throughout the large room. His right hand slashed through the air and his earrings glowed as a portal formed in the middle of the room.

He glanced once at his son before he flew straight into the portal and out of sight. The portal closed and disappeared behind him, leaving only Nooroo and the four friends in the present.

Volpina and Jade Turtle sat up and glanced around the room, both coming to the same conclusion.

"He's gone, isn't he?" Jade Turtle asked.

Adrien nodded, not having the heart to say anything.

"What...what do we do now?" Volpina whispered.

As he gazed down at the girl lying in his arms, Adrien said, "We wait for the present to change."

"What do you mean?" Volpina asked.

"He went back in time. To stop my mother from leaving. By messing with the past, he could create any kind of new future, even one where I don't ever meet you guys. I wouldn't become Cat Noir and Marinette would be battling a different villain, with...someone else by her side." His grip tightened ever so slightly around Marinette. "Everything...isn't set and stone anymore."

Volpina and Jade Turtle exchanged glances.

What was going to happen to them?