Chapter Six- Inferno Part 2

Chloe transformed: her hair changed into an elegant bun on top of her head and her suit's colors became inverted with black as the base color and yellow stripes around the midsection, arms and thighs, yellow fuzzy cuffs around her wrists and ankles, although Chloe's heels were still there. Black tinted and see-through insect wings were attached to her back and fluttered as the yellow magical light around her dissipated. Instead of the usual black streak running through her hair, golden highlights ran through her strands, with small black antennas sticking out from the top of her bun. Her mask also changed with yellow as it's base color and three black stripes going vertically on each side of it.

Ladybug nodded in approval before jumping into what she wanted Chloe to do. "I'm going to need you to find Chat Noir and help him keep the akuma distracted until I get there. I still have two more people I need by our side before we all confront the akuma together. We're going to need more people to take this one down, and I'd rather be over prepared than outmatched." Chloe nodded and muttered something about having to deal with Chat's puns until I got there before she took off in the direction of the akuma.

Ladybug headed towards the river, making her way to the ship that the Cuffaine's owned. Another earthquake almost shook her footing on a rooftop and she had to catch herself or she would've ended up falling from the building. Ladybug latched her yo-yo onto a nearby streetlamp, figuring it was best to travel by air from now on to avoid any slips on rooftops. On that last stretch to Luka's house boat, Ladybug launched herself towards it, rolling into a crouch as she came into contact with the floor.

Luka, and surprisingly Kagami, both came out the front door approaching Ladybug with knowing looks. "We're guessing you need some help."

Kagami and Adrien had broken up when Adrien found he wasn't ready to move on from Ladybug and that he only saw Kagami as a friend. Kagami realized her feelings for Adrien weren't as strong as they were for Luka when they accidentally ended up hanging out when Adrien had to ditch one of their dates and Luka happened to be passing by the cafe that Kagami was leaving. After Adrein and Kagami had broken up, Kagami had kept in touch with Luka and a couple weeks later they had gone out on their first date to a concert.

"You guys know each other's identities?" Ladybug asked hesitantly, remembering what happened on Heroes Day when Alya and Nino knew each other's identity: knowing the truth became their downfall.

"Yes, we've just started dating a couple days ago and we agreed that we should have no secrets between the other, but we can be objective, unlike with Rena Rouge and Carapace." Kagami intervened, seeming to follow Ladybug's thoughts. Luka nodded in agreement. Ladybug reminded herself that they were not Alya and Nino, and if Kagami says they can be objective, then she'll believe her.

"Since Hawkmoth knows your identity Kagami, you're going to need to imagine a new suit when you transform so Hawkmoth won't recognize you." Ladybug pulled out their respective miraculouses and said, "We need to hurry, Chat and the new bee miraculous holder can't hold that akuma off for long, it seems like it's getting stronger with time, and with the volcanoes erupting it won't be long until all of Paris will start looking like a molten wasteland." Turquoise and maroon lights swirled around the two figures, leaving behind Viperion and Ryuko.

Ryuko still had her weapon from her past transformation, but now her suit had more red and gold embellishments and the dragon that was wrapped around her became more prominent. Her mask design changed as well, with a golden base color and red highlights that extended into her hair.

"We'll have to travel by rooftop, but be aware that the akuma can cause earthquakes when she's making a volcano, so far there are two volcanoes, one at the park and the other where the trocadero used to be." Both heroes nodded at Ladybug's words and followed her to a building where both Viperion and Ryuko were able to jump up onto the rooftop where ladybug stood.

With the new vantage point, the heroes could see the akuma in the distance, but now her whole body was consumed in flames that reached out to lash out whenever Chat or Bee would get too close. Viperion and Ryuko followed Ladybug as she rushed across the rooftops towards the other part of her team. Chloe caught sight of her and called Chat to retreat from the akuma and meet up with Ladybug

"It's about time you slackers showed up!" Chloe exclaimed, out of breath.

"Ms. Flame-Thrower has literally been destroying everything in her path. It's taking everything we've got just to get the civilians out of the way." Chat stated, also out of breath.

"Then we need a plan that'll be enough to take her down, I don't think we'll be able to do our usual 'Distract and Grab' plan like we usually do, she's especially aware of her surroundings so sneaking up on her will be hard, but we can see if my luck charm gives us any hints, we'll just have to work fast before my transformation runs out." The rest of the miraculous team nodded in agreement.

"Lucky Charm!" Ladybug called out her power and a red and black polka dotted fire extinguisher fell into her arms. Ladybug looked down at the object and took a few moments to observe her surroundings. Seeing something lit up in her Ladybug vision in the distance, Ladybug broke the team circle they had created when discussing the plan.

While Ladybug was busy for the moment, Chloe took the moment to introduce herself as Honey Bee and Kagami introduced herself as a new member, but wished to keep the past holder's name of Ryuko. WHen Ladybug made the connection of what building it was that she was looking at, she gasped and a plan quickly formed in her mind.

"Chat!" Ladybug called her partner's attention.

"M'Lady?"

"I need you and Ryuko to distract Inferno and lead her towards the Bourgeois Hotel. Honey Bee and I go ahead there and set up a trap on the roof. Viperion will activate his second chance power and be our eyes and ears to watch your backs and let us know when you guys are close to the hotel. Everyone ready?" Ladybug laid out the groundwork and when everybody nodded, they broke the circle, following their instructions.

Chat and Ryuko took off towards the akuma, with Viperion in the background, only interfering when he deemed necessary and covered their blind sides. Chat and Ryuko both worked well together, being that both their miraculouses were built for close combat. They grabbed the akuma's attention and slowly drew her in the direction of the hotel by letting Inferno think she was driving them backwards with her attacks.

Meanwhile, Honey Bee and Ladybug made their way into the Bourgeois hotel through the rooftop elevator. The elevator stopped five floors down and they both got out. Honey Bee followed Ladybug towards the stairwell where Ladybug explained: "There's fire extinguishers on each floor of the stairwell, We're going to need one for each member of the team."

"whatever my queen commands," Honey Bee said with a teasing grin. Ladybug grinned back at her friend, knowing she was just trying to lessen the fearsome tension in the air between the heroes.

The heroes worked in sinc, taking turns taking all the fire extinguishers between the top five floors until both their arms were full. They made their way back up to the roof just in time for Viperion to send them the message that they were close to the hotel.

Chloe ducked behind one of the beach chairs while Ladybug got behind a large potted plant, their stashes of extinguishers held in front of them. Ladybug told Viperion through her yo-yo to get Chat and Ryuko to get her to hover above the pool and to get ready to catch.

Ladybug and Honey Bee waited, bodies tense. And when the akuma was in the right position, Ladybug signalled, and they both sprang from their hiding spots, throwing out fire extinguishers to the rest of the team.

"Now!" Ladybug shouted as every member of the team hit Inferno, ambushing her with the puffy clouds of carbon dioxide spraying out of the extinguishers. The substance smothered the fire building around her body, but the fight wasn't over.

Before Ladybug could call out the next faze of her plan, the akuma launched herself at her, rage burning in the akuma's eyes. "You're the reason my family is dead!" The akuma screamed at her. Inferno's words were enough to make Ladybug pause, which allowed the akuma the chance to close in on the heroine.

When Ladybug realized she didn't have time to counter the attack, she was able to turn fast enough away so that the akuma was only able to injure her shoulder. A sharp pain punctured into her shoulder blade and the back of her ribs where the akuma had hit her.

Ladybug shrieked in pain, swallowing most of the sound to keep her team from hearing just how painful the hit was as her suit didn't seem to protect her this time.

As the akuma readyed herself to strike at the girl again, Honey Bee stepped between them, grabbing onto the akuma's raised hand, intent on putting her into an arm lock. But the akuma moved too fast, and in the span of a second had turned the tables, holding the young girl's arm in a position, that was no doubt painful, and turned the girl's wrist.

With that swift movement, a second heroine in those few seconds screamed out, pain clear in every sound that came from her mouth. Her eyes watered, a choked sob coming from her mouth as she fell to her knees in front of the akuma, wrist bent at an abnormal angle.

Chat, Ryuko and Viperion stood shocked at the scene in front of them. Seeing their revered spotted heroine and yellow striped friend bent over in agony was not something that any of them had thought was possible and something that none of them ever wished to see again.

However, Ladybug did not freeze at the sound of Honey Bee's scream, instead a dark look overcame her eyes as a new emotion other than pain became very clear on her face. Hearing the only friend that had ever stood by her, be in pain because she was protecting her, set off a whole new level of lethal in Ladybug's mind. If Hawkmoth wasn't worried about causing lasting harm to her teammates, then she was going to play just as dirty as he was.

"Ryuko!" Ladybug called out to break the stunned girl from her daze just as Ladybug threw a right hook at the akuma's face. The akuma fell to the ground, not expecting the tiny hero's rage.

"Water dragon!" Ryuko materialized into water and wrapped her fluid body around the akuma, holding down her arms and legs from where she fell.

Ladybug stared the woman down and stated in the most threatening tone that she could possibly conjure, "Hawkmoth, are you listening?" When the symbol she despised the most graced the akuma's eyes she spoke again. "Good, because I want you to know that you're not going to be around much longer. I will find you and when I do, I'm going to make absolutely sure you will never be able to hurt anyone ever again, that, I promise you." The dangerous tone of her voice made it clear that taking his miraculous wasn't the only thing she was going to do when she did get her hands on him.

Ladybug scanned the woman before ripping off a leather bracelet from the akuma and stomping on it.

The akuma flew out, Ladybug not giving it much time for freedom as she quickly captured it and released the butterfly without a word. Ryuko released the woman just as dark bubbles descended on the woman's features revealing a frail looking woman with bags under her eyes.

Ryuko helped the woman up as Ladybug reached over and took a hold of the red and black polka dotted fire extinguisher, throwing it in the air. "Miraculous Ladybug!"