#dog!markov

After yelling their transformation phrases, they were glad that Markov had been able to transform into the most adorable robot puppy EVER and Marc had became a copy of Ladybug, almost exact. He still had black hair and green eyes, and was slightly taller than Marinette. They hoped the differences were minimal and people wouldn’t notice. They also hoped that the Akumanette wouldn’t call attention to it.

Pegase and Markov, now calling himself K-9, checked their weapons, and, as Chat had said, they were able to use them as phones and tracking devices.

“This might take some time, but I think we might be able to use these to track Hawk Moth, especially if his weapon is like ours. We just need to go home to get our computer”

“You can use mine” offered Queen Bee. “It has the latest technology”

“Are you sure? We might end up leaving unusable afterwards”

Queen Bee shrugged. “As if I couldn’t get another one” she said, trying to sound as her haughty self, and somewhat failing it was obvious that she wanted to be as useful as she could to be seen as a hero. Everyone was polite and accepted her explanation without questions.

“Very well, is everyone ready?” everyone nodded. “For Marinette!”

“For Marinette!” Everyone echoed.

“Ready? Voyage!” yelled Pegase, making a portal to the castle. Everyone went through it, except himself and K-9.

“Good luck” He called to the other heroes.

-

The group was inside the castle in a second. And they were confused for a moment, admiring the interior of the castle. Instead of looking as creepy and hostile as its exterior, the castle looked straight out of the Happily Ever After of a Fairytale. It was bright and warm and welcoming, with golden accents over pristine ivory walls, and pink flags with Marinette’s signature flower design.

Mylene, now calling herself Mousekeeter, was the first to notice the red butterflies. It was the most scared she had ever been, and the butterflies seemed to notice, so she took a deep breath, closed her eyes and remembered about Ivan and their first kiss, about her parents and how much they cared about her, about Marinette and how many times she had helped them, probably just as scared as she was, or more, and how she always was there for them.  

Mousekeeter opened her eyes with new resolve, and the butterflies scattered away.

They didn’t went too far, as “Ladybug” immediately used "her" yo-yo to purify them.

As if on cue, the big doors above each stair opened, with Princess Fragrance coming out of one side, and Reflekta of the other side. They got to the middle point, did a curtsy to each other and walked the rest of the stairs in each other arms. Some music started to play, and when they reached the bottom of the stairs, they danced along, with a group consisting of some reflekta clones and some darkblades dancing with each other too.

Unlike the graceful movements of the akumas, the clones looked stilted and forced, almost painful to watch. The heroes were speechless. The layout of the school had obviously changed, and finding Marinette would be harder now. They all looked at Chat Noir.

“Maybe we should have brought K-9 along to track Marinette” offered Roi Singe.

“No” it was Chat Noir response. “We’ll find a way”

“They think we can’t hear them” said Reflekta loudly.

“My, my, they crash into our party and then they dare to gossip too!”

Without saying anymore, Reflekta and Princess Fragrance jumped out of each other and against the heroes, followed by the reflektas, which were controlled by Princess Fragrance and the Darkblades. They were wondering where the original was when suddenly, Ryuuko reacted and blocked an attack with her sword.

Everything was chaos. The group kept fighting the Reflektas and the Darkblades.

Carapace blocked an attack from Darkblade, which annoyed Ryuuko.

“Hey, watch it!”

“Chat Noir, take everyone and go through the doors!” yelled Carapace ignoring Ryuuko. “I’ll stay here and fight them!”

“Are you nuts? I’m the one with a sword!”

“And I’m the one with a shield!” Carapace threw it against Darkblade, managing to land a hit square in the head. “We need to reach Marinette, not waste our time fighting!”

Ryuuko looked at the boy. She had never seen someone so sure of himself. Other than herself, that is. She sheathed her sword and bowed to Carapace, showing her respects, before running to the others, who were fighting against the clones.

“I can thin the herd a little” said Cocorico, “or at least distract them so you can go to the next room. Carapace is right.” He grabbed his bow and pointed at the roof. “Daybreaker!” he summoned an energy arrow that exploded in the sky, becoming literal sunshine.

The light of Cocorico’s Daybreaker bathed everyone in the room, transforming the Darkblades back into themselves, and blinding the reflektas. The group advanced, until being confronted to the real Reflekta and gal pal.

“You think we will just let you go?” asked Princess Fragrance, pointing her perfume gun to the heroes.  “We won’t let you hurt Princess Justice! She will make everything fair again! A shame you guys will not be able to see that”

Before she could fire her perfume, Bunnix had launched herself to attack her, and managed to knock it out of her. Reflekta fired her beam to Bunnix, but fortunately, Mousekeeter managed to tie her hand with her jump rope and made her misfire.

“I won’t let you do that!”

“You go; we’ll take care of them!”

“Are you sure?”

“It’s what a friend would do!”

The group agreed and let Bunnix and Mousekeeter to fight Reflekta and Princess Fragrance. Cocorico also scurried himself to a forgotten corner to transform and feed Orikko, and later help Carapace against Darkblade, as his light seemed to be effective against him.

They arrived to the middle point of the stairs. “Now what?” asked Queen Bee.

“Second Chance!” yelled Viperion, casting his power. “Both doors lead to the same room. Right one has the Magician of Misfortune with an illusion trap. Left one has Stormy Weather with an Ice trap.”

“An illusion?” asked Rena Rouge while grabbing her flute.