A Meeting with Max and Markov

The robot and his creator were playing a game of chess, when Max was distracted the sound of Scarabella's yo-yo. Scarabella came in through the window.

"It's not safe to keep your windows open, who knows who might to try and come in, especially since you have something so valuable." Scarabella noted while gesturing toward Markov.

"Don't worry, I lock all windows upon sunset." Max noted.

"And I help." Markov proclaimed with a smile upon his digital display.

"And I will need your help." Scarabella remarked.

"Who are you exactly?" Max asked.

"I think I would recognize you with my vast database of knowledge, yet you don't show up anywhere." Markov added.

"Well, you were probably hypnotized." Scarabella pointed at max. "And you were akumatised again." Scarabella pointed to Markov. "So both of you have valid excuses for not knowing who I am. I am Scarabella, new, and hopefully just temporary, wielder of the ladybug miraculous."

"Why are you hoping temporary?" Markov asked.

"Well, that is why I came, don't you know?" Scarabella added. "If everyone is allowed to retain their memory of the events and what is revealed at Ladybug's upcoming trial, then obviously Ladybug will have to give up her duties as the holder of this miraculous, and as the guardian."

"Ladybug... is the new guardian?" Max asked, uncertain if what he heard was true or not.

"It is true, she told me as much herself." Scarabella relayed.

"I don't understand. Sure, she will never be able to use the Ladybug miraculous anymore, but it is in good hands with you." Max added.

"But if she can't be guardian either because she knows all of the identities of the superheroes, then she'd have to hand over her duties to someone else, and if she does that, she will lose all her memories about the miraculous. That's the curse of the guardian, passing your duty on requires you sacrificing your memories. Do you think you can live knowing that not helping me would make Ladybug forget everything about all of the things she knows as a miraculous wielder?" Scarabella explained.

"Lose her memories? Does she have to give up being the guardian? Monarch has all the miraculous, so he doesn't need to know the identities of those who wielded them, so its not like he'd hound her." Max noted.

"She knows my identity, and Cat's identity might be made public knowledge as well during the trial. He might get a hold of Cat's miraculous, and try to obtain the ladybug miraculous by forcing my name out of Ladybug's mouth, she'd sooner give up her memories than give up my identity." Scarabella continued.

"Ah, now that is bad news... right?" Max asked.

"Monarch announced that he wanted both miraculous, which means we can't allow him to get them." Markov added.

"Right, how could I forget his taunting message, but I still don't understand how we can provide help." 

"Well, its not likely that a lucky charm can get rid of all the damage, but a somebody with memory erasing powers might do the trick."

"You mean Oblivio?" Markov asked. "According to my database, Oblivio erased memories in service of Monarch before he had obtained all the miraculous. They were a villain then, how could we have them act for good?"

"You are going to find this ludicrous, and I won't blame you or be upset if you called a mental hospital to come and cart me away, but what if I told you there was an alternate universe where Monarch is the good guy?" Scarabella asked.

Markov pushed up his glasses and there was a gleam in his eyes. "Well, there's a scientific theory where a universe exists for each potential outcome. But such a thing hasn't been proven. But I don't think you are crazy, just scientifically inclined, and if that were crazy then all scientific minds of France would be inside a mental hospital."

"Fair point. Well, another universe does indeed exist, and Alya would know all about it, she was personally transformed into a superheroine by the Betterfly, the good Monarch." Scarabella added.

"Betterfly?" Max chuckled. "You're joking, that's the name of the alternate Monarch?"

"It is." Scarabella added.

"What a bad name, I mean, couldn't he have come up with a better butterfly name than that? He must be a dad to use such a bad name." Max noted.

"Oh... and what name would have you used if you were in charge of the butterfly miraculous?" Scarabella answered.

"Well, a ton of butterfly species are named after warriors, Markov can help me find the perfect one, and I would name myself that, is it obscure? Yes, but anything is better than 'Betterfly.'" Max added, making a good case, and making Scarabella smile.

"Well, I think you two are the best choice for the task, I need you to get in touch with Betterfly so he can Kamikotize Oblivo back into existence." Scarabella answered.

"You have our support, 100%. I'm not sure how we are going to get a hold of them, but Markov and I should be able to fit in the task. Markov, do you think you can put a few things on hold while we work through this?" Max asked.

"I'm reorganizing as we speak, nothing should be put above something that would benefit humanity, and I don't see anything more humane than allowing Ladybug to keep her memory and Scarabella's identity safe." Markov asked.

"Ladybug's trial is in five days, do you think you can be done by then?" Scarabella asked.

"Since when has anything been a real problem for us both, Markov?" Max asked.

"When apart, we have our weaknesses and were both akumatized separately because of them, but together we cover each other's backs, were a better duo than father and son, such should be a duo between robot and creator." Markov added. Then they both joined together to pull off an awesome pose.

Scarabella laughed in delight. "I hope to hear good news, Cat and I are going to continue our investigation."

"I've analyzed the footage, it shows no errors." Markov added. "Lila is dead and Ladybug killed her, I know there must be an alternative explanation, but not everyone is going to have that view, your going to need the luck of the miraculous and then some if you are going to break these charges."

"I'm not worried." Scarabella added as she sent off her yo-yo to swing away. "The wielder of the ladybug miraculous has never failed nor have they ever fallen to evil, I'm sure there is some way of explaining these events that clears Ladybug's name, and I hope I am the one to find it."

"Good luck, Scarabella." Max relayed.

"And to you too, my scientifically inclined friend." Scarabella saluted Max and then swung off into the streets.

"Oh Max." Markov added.

"Yes? Have you made a breakthrough already." Max asked.

"You could say that." Markov said as he moved a chess piece. "Checkmate."

Max noticed that he lost the game, but he laughed that Markov had turned it into a joke. Markov, being ever naïve, asked what his creator was laughing about. Alas, after all his integrations, Markov still failed to understand humour, while also never failing to create his own.