Trixx led her to a house on a street she rarely went on. Inside, a few lights were on in the front room, but not much else. She could have sworn she had been there before, but everything went blank. "Go. Knock," She hesitantly walked up to the front door, knocking three times before receiving an answer.

"Alya? What brings you here?" Mylène asked, opening the door wider.

"To be honest, I don't know."

"Well, if you'd care to join us, we're having somewhat of a party."

"Yeah. Sure," She said, smiling. A real smile. One that hadn't been shown in almost a year. She entered the house, seeing a few people from her class there. It was slightly awkward, seeing as how they had lost communication for a year. They sat there in a strange conversation.

"So... how've you been? I know things haven't exactly been great," Alix asked.

"Good I guess. I mean, as good as anyone could be regarding the circumstances," Alya replied wistfully.

"I've noticed that you kinda left your LadyBloggers in the dark,"

"Well, how am I meant to make a blog about Ladybug when she hasn't been around for a year? How am I to give updates on her movements when she can't make any?! How can I continue to live my life when I halted hers by being unable to save her!?" Alix, Mylène, and Ivan looked at her strange. "Sorry. I just... need fresh air," She grabbed herself up from the couch and sat on the porch she had been only a mere ten minutes before. More tears. When she sat on the steps of the house, she felt how wet her cheeks had become. Trixx came flying out of her pocket and gave her a comforting rub on the knee. "Trixx... this was a bad idea. I'm not emotionally stable. I can't do this. I appreciate the effort to help, but this is not working. I'll just go in and tell Mylène that I'm needed for my shift at the bakery,"

"Your shift is from three to five Sunday through Wednesday. It's Thursday night,"

"Then I'll say I volunteered to help them cleanup for the day!" Alya moved towards the door again to enter the house, when a loud boom made all the hairs on her neck stand straight up. "I think I need Rouge!"

Alya was zipping through the city searching for the newest villain. She had many people recording her, and she suddenly felt very self-conscious. Since Trixx had done her makeup, it showed clear as day. Also, one thing that had her ready to strangle the kwami, her suit had been changed from skin-tight spandex to a loose-fitting dress-like thing. Everyone was gawking at the new look, including her perpetrator, Chloe Bourgeois. She gazed in awe at how Rena Rouge gracefully ran and fought with the silk-like material covering her body and weighing her down. The akuma could not be seen by Rena Rouge. The only thing she saw was a purple pillow scrunched in many places, floating in thin air. All around the pillow, energy cracked and was sent all around, breaking the already fragile city. One energy beam hit the Eiffel tower, and a large crack appeared on a leg of the historical tower. Civilians cried out in fear. "Rena just take the pillow from my mother! Make it so she can't leave again!" Chloe yelled out. Alya had no idea what she meant. She saw nothing, nothing at all. Hey, kit! Yeah, listen up. This victim's name is Nightmare. My guess is that they look like everyone's worst Nightmare. Chloe's must be her mother leaving. You've dreamed a lot about being alone and woke in sweat and tears. You must not be able to see them, Trixx said only to her.

Alright, I get it, Alya said to Trixx. So, I just need to get the pillow. But how do I get close enough without being able to see them, and with the blasts of energy? Hm? Where are your smart ideas now? There. Alya was looking right at Chloe. Oh, you've got to be kidding me.

"Chloe Bourgeois!" Chloe looked up to see her favorite hero fending off her mother, looking like a ghoul. She looked expectantly down at the spoiled girl, almost praying in a sense. "Can you lend a fox a hand!? You can see your mother, right?!" Chloe nodded hurriedly. "Get the pillow!"

Chloe didn't even ask why. She's your mother. Why are you afraid of your mother? You aren't. She loves you, and you love her. You're not scared of her leaving, because she's back and here to stay! Chloe encouraged herself all the way up to the akuma, and the façade of her mother washed away. In her place, she saw a woman a little older than she in her striped nightclothes. Her eyes were closed, and she seemed to only be able to focus on Rena.

Chloe snuck up on the girl as quiet as she could. The bright shine of pure energy was being emitted from the girl's heart. The more frightening the nightmare, the faster the heart beats, the more energy is wasted, Trixx told Alya. Bring your less prominent fears to the forefront of your mind. Show them to Nightmare, and tire her out. Then, Chloe can grab the pillow. "Alright," Alya said out loud. "Chloe wait for my signal!" Rena concentrated long and hard, thinking of the most frightening things she could. The akuma changed forms about twenty times, but the light was as strong as ever. Maybe if you scare her... no no no, that won't work. How about you calm her down. What, give her a false sense of safety? Trixx gave no answer, and Alya just took it as a yes. She pulled her flute from her back and began playing. "Mirage!" she yelled, using her special ability to create the akuma's mother. She walked to her and hugged her.

"Mom?" The tears of relief and happiness spewed from Nightmare's eyes as she embraced what she believed to be her mother. Alya heard the subtle beeping noise coming from her necklace. Only four more minutes. The glow coming from Nightmare dimmed to that of a dying flashlight. When the light flickered, and went out, Rena screamed, "Now!" Chloe jumped from her spot behind the akuma and grabbed the pillow, causing the illusion of her mother to disappear.

"No!" the akuma wailed. "Give that back! Hawkmoth promised me a good night's sleep!"

"Well, you woke me up from mine, so what's fair is fair," Chloe tossed the pillow up to the flying Rena, who grabbed it in midair. Without the pillow, Nightmare was unable to use her abilities.

"Thanks Chloe! Now I can get my beauty rest," She landed on the ground next to the blonde. "You'll comfort her, won't you?" Chloe nodded fiercely, not wanting to disappoint Rena Rouge. "Good," With the pillow in hand, Alya raced to her home, entering her room through the window. Once she reached her closet, her miraculous ran out, and Trixx came shooting out of her necklace. She was panting, and went to lay on Alya's bed. Carefully extracting her final jar of the month, she ripped the pillow and captured the akuma inside the glass jar. "Whew. What a day, huh? It... it was nice to have help. That hasn't happened in a long time," She smiled slightly as she sat on the edge of the bed. After some time, she stopped. "We need to go return this," she said, gesturing to the ripped pillow. "She might be missing it," Trixx was still panting, but she followed. Alya set her in her pocket, along with three strawberries.

Alya returned to the scene. Everyone was gone. Everyone except Chloe. When she saw Alya, her face contorted. "What brings you here vermin?"

"I found this on the ground after Rena Rouge left, so I assumed it belonged to the akuma,"

"Her name is Julia," She spat. "And now you suddenly keep up with Rena Rouge? Ever since her first day of being a hero, you've criticized her in every way possible. Just go back to moping in your house. It's all you're good at," Chloe snarled. It was strange, how Alya winced, Chloe noted. Nothing she had ever said to her had given this much of a reaction.

"Here, all knowing majesty. Take this back to Julia. Convince her I'm a worthless piece of trash too. It's all you're good at," Alya threw the pillow to Chloe and turned, beginning to walk away. It took all her willpower to not scream that she was Rena Rouge, that she was just being hard on herself. She was so emotionally drained, she didn't even care where she was going. She didn't take a break until she reached the Trocadéro Gardens. She sighed and sat down on the concrete steps. "Trixx?" Her kwami rose from her pocket and looked around, sniffing the air. She asked again, "Trixx?" this time with more force. "Where are you going? Hey! Can you hear me? Hello?!" Trixx picked up a scent and followed it. She followed it in an almost complete 360, floating above the long grass strips of the garden. She laid low to the ground, occasionally shooting upwards to catch the scent once more. "Trixx, what are you... oh my... Trixx," Her eyes landed on an item of red, black, and silver. They brimmed with tears as she picked it up. It was small, round, and spotted. She had seen it millions of times before. It was one of Ladybug's earrings.