"You ready kid?" Plagg asked her.

"You bet!" Emma responded, her heart racing with anticipation.

"Ok, run me through the plan one more time." She rolled her eyes, but decided it wouldn't be wise to argue with the kwami of destruction at that precise moment.

"When he takes off the ring, you disappear. He'll put the ring to the left of the sink. I go, listen for the shower curtain to open and close, then pick the lock," she held up the straightened paper clip so he could confirm she had it. "Then I reach in, grab the ring, and viola! We slip away into the night. Don't worry, Plagg. I got this!"

"That's my girl! Ooooo this is gonna be…" in a sudden puff he was gone.

Emma slipped down the stairs as silently as she could and then knelt right in front of the bathroom door. Pressing her ear against the door, she listened closely. The water was already running, but she waited patiently. It seemed like forever, but finally, she heard the shower curtain once and then twice. Knowing she didn't have much time, she quickly got to work on the lock. It only took a moment before the door was slightly ajar. She froze, waiting to see if he had heard something. But then a soft humming drifted to her ears. Rolling her eyes at the embarrassing thought of him singing, Emma peered through the open door and spied the ring. It was to the left of the sink, just as Plagg had said it would be.

Careful to not open the door anymore than necessary, she reached in and snagged the ring off the counter. Swiftly, but silently, she made her way towards the backdoor. She slipped the ring onto her finger. The ring quickly adjusted its size and Plagg appeared beside her.

"Great job, kiddo," he whispered as she opened the door and slipped out into the night air. Once the door was closed behind her, she turned to her partner in crime.

"Ready?" she asked. He grinned his approval. "Alright then. Plagg, claws out!"

Emma closed her eyes as Plagg's power transformed her. She relished the feeling as pure energy surrounded her body. Black leather began to hug her skin, covering her body in a suit of protection. Her muscles grew in strength and speed. Her human ears vanished and were replaced with Plagg's signature cat-like ears. The sounds of the night instantly became clear to her. Taking a deep breath with her nose, she smelled every detail of the night air. Flexing her hands, she could feel the power of cataclysm waiting to be summoned. Slowly opening her eyes she could see every detail of her surroundings, as if it were day time, all of it glowing a light shade of green. Emma smiled to herself as she felt Plagg settle into her very soul. She loved this moment. Bonding with Plagg gave her a sense of connection that nothing else could provide. It was like a drug to her. Nothing brought her more joy.

Suddenly, her cat-like ears twitched. The water had shut off inside the house. The curtain rings clamored against the rail. She quickly reached for her staff which was resting on her back. Taking off in a run, she extended it and then used it to leap into the night air.

Soon, she was flying across the rooftops of Ottawa. She was careful to avoid the well-lite areas of downtown lest she was spotted. Emma loved jumping and leaping from building to building. Her staff constantly adjusting its size to suit her needs. She could feel Plagg's excitement within her. She pushed herself, trying to see just how fast she could go.

Freedom. She thought to herself. This is what freedom feels like. She extended her staff and planted it firmly in the ground ahead of her and pushed off, swinging to her next landing spot. Then, suddenly, the staff gave away under her, as if the ground had disappeared. She was falling and everything went black. She felt Plagg being ripped from her soul.

"Plagg!" she cried, as she instantly de-transformed. But she could no longer sense his presence. She continued falling, unsure of what was happening. Then suddenly, she hit the ground. She rolled as she hit the floor. Pain coursed through her body, but she refused to cry out. She was inside, where she did not know. The room was dark, illuminated by moonlight that was pouring in from behind her.

Quickly getting to her feet, despite the pain, she turned and came face to face with a man more than a foot taller than herself. Looking up, she saw that his face was mostly covered by a silver mask. But then she spied something much more troubling. Resting right at the base of his neck was a jewel she instantly recognized. There was no mistaking it. Not only had Emma seen its picture a million times in her studies, but she could sense the power of the kwami resting inside it.

The Butterfly Miraculous!