Atop the Symbol of Paris

The ground area below the Eiffel Tower was still slightly lively with officers, it was yesterday afternoon when Lila Rossi was murdered below. The light below showed that the outline created by the police was still fresh, there was a dry dark crimson pool, Lila Rossi's blood.

Cat reached the top where Scarabella was working on the yo-yo phone.

"What are you doing, Scarabella?" Cat asked.

"Just adding notes as an anonymous user to the Ladyblog. Hopefully Alya notices and makes them official." Scarabella relayed.

"Notes? What notes? I hope you haven't revealed any secrets you shouldn't, and since when could others add to the blog?" Cat asked.

"Well, the Ladyblog isn't a proper blog if nobody could leave comments, right? So, Alya designed it so comments can be left on her posts and people with profiles can leave their own opinions on their own profile page, that is where I am putting the notes, on the profile page of the throwaway I just created. Did you know these miraculous devices have their own assigned emails as well as their own phone number? And don't worry, I'm keeping all secrets, well, secret." Scarabella replied.

Cat checked the user guide on his staff phone. "Hey, you're right, my email address is BlackCatCN@Miraculous.com, this Miraculous.com must be the domain created magically by our jewels."

"It is all very interesting, just more to add to the grimoire later." Scarabella noted.

"That doesn't sound like an easy task, I mean, does Ladybug even know how to use that ancient secret code? Is she even good enough to replicate the art within it?" Cat asked.

"Well, I can tell you this, Ladybug is just as creative as a civilian as she is a hero." Scarabella added.

"Are you also creative?" Cat asked.

"I am, but I can't hold a candle to Ladybug."

"If she was here, she would tell you to keep trying and keep growing and if you do that you'll make it."

Scarabella smiled. "You are right, well paraphrased, Cat Noir."

"I also know you may still be upset with me, for revealing secrets to the police about Su Han and the fact that Ladybug is the new guardian." Cat added sadly.

"I am mad, even Ladybug wanted to restrict that info, she told me that she told Alya to keep it off the blog."

"Alya knows?"

"After she was broken free from being Lady WiFi for the umpteenth time."

Cat pouted. "Yet another thing that she didn't bother to tell me."

"I don't why she keeps treating you like a second-class partner instead of the valued equal hero you are, but as a close friend, I can tell that even after she told me she was Ladybug that there was still one secret that weighs heavily on her heart. Something even deeper than the fact that she is Ladybug. I don't know if I should bring it to the surface. She only has me to talk to. I also am sorry that after all this time that she hasn't revealed herself as Ladybug to you, but perhaps there is a very good reason for that."

Cat smiled. "That's okay, she is adamant that Ladybug and I are not to know each other's identities... but if Pierre is successful, all of Paris will know Ladybug's identity. I'm just wondering what will happen then."

"Unfortunately, it would mean that you will have to give up being Cat Noir and Ladybug would have to pass on her duties to me." Scarabella added.

Cat began to panic. "But... that means that Ladybug will lose her memory, she won't know the things we've been through... I-I don't know if I can handle that."

"Calm down, Cat, I'm sure there will be some solution." Scarabella thought for a bit. "I think I have an idea. Do you remember that butterfly user from the other universe?"

"Ah, the one who turned Alya into a superhero able to connect to alternative universes!" Cat added.

"If I can get Max and Markov to help, I think we can send a message across the way, and we can have him show up and transform Alya and Nino back into Oblivio, this time, they will use their memory altering powers to make people forget all the events and nothing else."

"Scarabella! If I wasn't in love with another, I would kiss you!"

"You can always just do it on the cheek, that wouldn't break any rules."

Cat kissed Scarabella's cheek. "Ladybug made a good choice for a substitute. I'm still not happy that I won't be seeing her for some time, but I think until this is all over I can handle sticking with you for patrols and defeating akumas."

So, the new partnership between Scarabella and Cat Noir was sealed. They still needed to see what other clues they can dredge up in the remaining time before the trial. There has to be something they overlooked. If what was seen by the eyes of the people and recorded through their cameras was taken as truth, Ladybug might become a convict, and she would never see the light of day as a free person ever again.

Anxiety was growing. The constant 'what if' of Ladybug's guilt kept everyone on their toes. Paris had never been in such a state and the fact that Monarch hadn't taken advantage of the chaos yet just accentuated the mass anxiety.