"No no no no no. No! this can't be happening!" I clutched at my chest as my breathing became ragged. How was this possible? My worst enemy now knew my deepest secret that not even my closest friends and family knew;

My double life as Ladybug and Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

"Oh I assure you Miss Dupain-Cheng. This is completely real" he gloated with a deep chuckle.

"You are now my newest puppet, powerless and you will do as I say, when I say until I own all of the Miraculous or else" the villain Hawkmoth gleamed in triumph.

I grimaced as I recalled the events that had led to this point.

***Hours Earlier

I yawned, stretching my arms wide as I prepared to transform for a nightly patrol.

"Alright Marinette! Let's do this girl!" Tikki squeaked, pumping her little red kwami fist in the air.

"Ok. Time to transform!" I felt a pink aura surround me. "Tikki! Spots on!" I declared triggering my Ladybug suit to materialise on my body. I swiped my hands across my eyes and felt the skin tight mask form across the bridge of my nose to the ends of my temples. The magical material enclosed around my fingers, then made it's way down my frame, stretching down to my feet until my whole body, right up to my neck was covered in the red and black polka dotted material.

"Ok. Time to go make sure that Paris is safe!" I glanced over to the large pile of paper and work on my desk. "But who's going to make sure that I'm safe from all that homework" I complained under my breath.

It wasn't long before I'd managed to catapult myself from rooftop to rooftop, nimbly running along the brick tilings of the homes of Paris, to arrive at the usual meeting place. I stood on the edge of one of the tallest building in all of the city with a clear view of the Eiffel Tower.

I felt a small breeze flow through the air, picking up my hair and gently waving it across my neck. Gazing down, I could never get tire of this view. The golden light glowing like embers from the fallen flames of olympus, illuminating the Parisian city's outline. The streets lit up to display the masterful architecture and monuments developed over centuries through the capitals history.

"How does it feel my Lady?" I hear a voice purr, dripping with playfulness.

I turn to look at the lean black leather covered figure, a smirk clearly painted across his face. In a swift motion, tufts of spiky blonde hair flick out of the way, revealing his face.

Emerald green eyes lit up with a mischievous gleam when he sees me step forward to meet him.

"How does 'what 'make me feel exactly?" I replied biting at the line he had so evidently set up.

"To be the only star in the sky?" he flashed a grin and wink combination.

I audibly groaned in exaggeration.

"Or was it that someone pulled them all from the heavens and placed them in your eyes" he continued. Ok that was a good one. 'But not good enough Kitty' I thought, but didn't want to boost his ego.

"Come on Chat. Enough of these silly games" I giggled. "Time to work" he nodded and put on a more serious expression, but I could still see his impish nature peaking out from beneath it.

With focused eyes I spent the next hour inspecting the corners and crannies of the city streets. Everything seemed to be peaceful enough, maybe tonight would be a quick one. I saw an agile figure slink around the corner. The way Chat moved was so similar to a cat that the name couldn't have been more perfect. I thought of myself trying to move around like a ladybug and laughed, picturing myself tipped over like a bug on it's back flinging it's arms around to get back up.

"To think you would laugh at nothing but won't even laugh at my hilarious jokes, you know how to pull my heart strings bugaboo" Chat complained from behind me.

"Well, come up with some funnier material then" I teased, wagging my finger up at him.

"Everything seems to be pretty quiet. Should we call it a night?" I asked, gazing back at the quiet city.

Just as he was about to respond, I spotted something with a purple glow glide down past a chimney.

"An akuma?" I pondered, trying to catch a better look at the trail of violet fading from view.

"Let's find out together shall we my Lady?" Chat bowed, gesturing 'ladies first'.

We followed the purple light to some kind of rooftop greenhouse. The glass windows went to the very edge of the ledges, filling the whole rooftop. It looked slightly dangerous, If one were to fall through a glass panel it would be a deadly drop. He went to open the door before pausing.

"Why do I feel like this is a trap?" Chat commented. I sighed as I voiced my concerns.

"Because its almost certainly a trap"

Entering the green house, I noticed a disturbing collection of deadly looking plants. Many of them were large prickly bushes and plants, some covered in thorns, others sprouting toxic looking blooms. Twisted vein-like vines crept up the glass walls and along the concrete ground. I carefully stepped forward, trying to avoid stepping on any of the thorns. The whole place had an eery feel, the nighttime only furthering the heightened sense of danger. Cautiously we began to step forward trying to inspect the place.

At first it seemed too quiet, then I thought my over-sensitive senses were imaging the sound of a small whistle of air. My eyes confirmed my suspicions as a silver glint flashed in the corner of my eye.

"Chat!" I warned. He quickly dodged the oncoming spikes flying through the air. Missing us the three projectiles sank into the ground with a sharp twang.

Without being able to tell where the assailant had thrown their small sharp needles from, Chat and I stood back to back trying to cover our weak spots. More needles were thrown from different directions, but Chat and I were able to repel them by spinning our miraculous tools.

"It seems as though the two bugs have flown into my web, just as planned." a black haired, sharp featured woman in heels stepped forward, emerging into the moonlight from the shadows.

She was wearing a tight black leather dress with a deep wine red jagged line and a black mask on her face across the defined cheek bones and narrowed thin eyes. A slender pair of glasses framed her face and rested atop the mask, and as she stepped forward she tilted the glasses up before letting them fall back in an analytical motion.

"Well technically I'm a cat" Chat corrected but I could hear the intimidation of the spider-like woman taking effect on his voice.

"She must have been akumatized" I commented, looking at her villain like outfit.

"Oh no. I assure you that I am fully in control of my own actions. My services have been hired by a certain individual and I am required to obtain your miraculous" she spoke with little emotion, merely stating the facts she presented.

"Well that's not going to happen" I scoffed, preparing for a fight.

"I believe that within a matter of seconds you will be unable to refuse" she stated, once again pressing the corner of her glasses. Before my mind could react her hand shooting up, aiming at me, I was knocked to the ground with a forceful shove. My shoulder lit up in pain as it collided with the hard concrete and spiked thorns. I heard a yelp as I grab bed my shoulder and tried to get back up.

My eyes widened in horror as a giant protrusion stuck out from the centre of Chat's chest. He looked down, shocked as a knife like spike was sticking out of him. Be both stared paralysed. I saw Chat close his eyes and begin to wobble. Without hesitation I raced to his side, trying to support his weight as he fell to the floor. Barely catching him, I managed to hold up his body, resting it down less gently than I had hoped. I stared at the spike and noticed a purple liquid dripping from the tip. The weapon itself had not sunk to deep into the flesh, but was enough to cause blood seep from the edges.

"Poison?" I whispered in terror.

"Yes, my own concoction. It limits the bodies movement within seconds of contact. In less than two minutes, the poison will travel into the bloodstream and head directly for the heart. Promptly causing it to stop beating" she explained in a monotone voice.

"A cure! Is there a cure?!" I screamed at her, cradling Chat's motionless body.

"Why yes. I have it here around my neck" she tugged at a chain around her neck, pulling up a gleaming green vile. I swallowed, bitterly realising what this meant.

"And you want our Miraculous in exchange for the antidote" I answered the unspoken offer.

"Well, if that was all my employer wanted then I would have knocked the two of you unconscious the moment you stepped foot in my greenhouse and simply taken them." she replied, lacking any expression.

"Then what is it you want?!" I practically snarled, I was burning with anger as I looked upon Chat's pale face, the idea of time rapidly running out was daunting.

"You. They need you're position to acquire the other miraculous', not only those of the Ladybug miraculous and Cat miraculous but all of the remaining miraculous."

"What makes you think I'd continue to go along with that!?" I screeched.

"…If you'd allow me to continue. I will give you a choice of two. The first being to refuse my antidote and watch your friend there die in your arms. The other choice is to work under my employer and do whatever they require, whenever you are needed. And that does mean 'whatever' and 'whenever'…and then I will give you this antidote. From that you will accept the akuma and it will work to give you a direct link to my boss. They will instruct you from that point." I tried to comprehend everything she was saying…I would be working for a villain, like some kind of slave? That was the only way to save Chat.

"In addition, to ascertain your services, the poison coursing through your friend can only be cured by a pure solution of the antidote. The one I will give you, if you agree to this offer, is a diluted version and needs to be taken once a week every week or the poison will take effect and your friend over there will meet a painful end" she finished. I felt sick, I wanted to scream…but I didn't have time. I could feel Chat's pulse fading and his body growing colder.

"Fine! I agree, just save him!" I cried. She quickly yanked the necklace with the vile off and tossed it toward me. Desperately I lunged for the small bottle, snatching it in my hand before tearing off the lid and forcing the contents down Chat's throat. Within seconds, colour began to return to his cheeks. I sighed with relief, wanting to cry almost amused as he turned over sleeping peacefully.

"Now our verbal contract" the woman pressed. I stood up, fists clenched digging my nails into my palms.

"Fine. Let's get it over with." I growled a dark expression painted on my face.

She released a small purple akuma into the air and it fluttered it's way over to me, planting itself on my collar bone.

"Now you must accept the akuma. If not the process will not work. That is why cooperation is necessary, even though it may sting. If you wish to keep your partners health, then you must let it gain control" I hated this with every fibre of my being, every part of me wanted to reject the force I could feel pushing its way into my chest.

"I accept" I gritted my teeth. Like a burst of fire, a blinding glow invaded my senses. Even with my eyelids shut the light was infiltrating my senses, filling my nose my mouth choking me. I could feel it spread over my body, a virus infecting me, a vile stained power sinking into my flesh.

I screamed in pain as a high-frequency sound rang through my ears. This was followed by a low voice speaking as though directly into my ear.

"Ladybug. I finally have you" the omniscient voice cackled. I could feel the voice taking over my miraculous, the akuma overtaking the essence.

"Now I command you to take off your miraculous and reveal yourself!" the voice boomed in my ear. A neon violet outline tracing my mask shone and I knew he could see through my field of vision.

Painstakingly I complied. One then the other, I pulled off the miraculous earrings. A short red glow sparkled, stripping me of my power, replacing it with every day ordinary….

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng…I see" I could hear the smirk as he spoke my name. He knew it, my identity.

I could feel my breaths fasten in pace, tightness around the lungs and the urge to throw up. He continued to talk but the panic was sending rushing blood to my ears.

"You are now my newest puppet, powerless and you will do as I say, when I say until I own all of the Miraculous or else".