Cutscene: Mistakes Were Made

3 months after Bastille Day

The electric buzzer announcing their presence was drowned out by the deafening clanging of the barred door sliding open in front of them. With a quiet sigh, they walked through – hand in hand – before being guided to a small, windowless room. A plain metal table with four chairs, all secured to the floor, were the only furnishings.

The meeting room of La Santé Prison was purely utilitarian, designed to give prisoners little to no opportunity to cause mischief or escape. It was an ugly room, but considering their reason for visiting, Ladybug found that to be appropriate. Three months later and it was all still so fresh. So much had happened in such a short space of time and she was struggling, really struggling. Her hormones were all over the place, and after the attack on her – and on her baby – and then almost losing Adrien, her mental health was plummeting. Each day was getting harder to get through, getting out of bed being one of the major issues.

After waiting a few minutes, Ladybug and Chat Noir were joined by a tall, grey haired man. Chat Noir stood slowly to greet him, still feeling tender from his stabbing injury, while Ladybug remained seated, her hands suffocating each other in a vice-like grip. Shaking Chat Noir's hand, the gentleman moved to the opposite side of the table and sat facing the heroes.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me, Ladybug, Chat Noir. I am Jordan de Launay, the director of this facility. I am hoping you can help me with a problem we are having."

"We will do what we can. So, what's happening?" Chat Noir asked, although both he and Ladybug already knew. There would only be one reason, one person, that would require their attention in the prison.

"I think we all know why you're here, so let's cut straight to the point," Director de Launay said. "You know Luka Couffaine is currently being held here, awaiting trial. The issue we are having is his abilities with magic. Since being transferred here, he has made nine separate attempts to escape. In total, he has injured over half the guards, with five of them almost being killed."

Ladybug winced at the Director's words. Her shoulders tensing as flashbacks to the murder scenes ran through her head. Blood. So much blood. Chat Noir reached out, taking her hand in his and bringing it into his own lap.

"We just don't have the ability to properly contain him. We have him restrained in the infirmary at the moment, but it is only a temporary measure. We can't keep him like that for more than a day, it would be illegal not to mention cruel."

"Cruel in what way?" Ladybug asked, the tremble in her hands being calmed by the soft stroke of her husband's thumb.

"It will be easier just to show you, but first, is there anything you can do to help us? If not, I'll thank you for your time and have my staff escort you out."

Ladybug and Chat Noir shared a look. "There might be a couple of things we can do. I'll know better when we've seen him and know what he's done," Ladybug stated.

"I suppose that'll have to be enough. Follow me."

Director de Launay stood and walked to the door, which was opened by the guard stationed outside. As she stood up with Chat Noir, Ladybug winced and clutched her hands to her belly. Chat Noir grabbed her shoulder to keep her steady, and gave her a questioning look. Ladybug gave him a reassuring smile and straightened up, both of them now ready to follow de Launay.

de Launay led them through corridors, up a flight of stairs, and into the Prisons Infirmary. All the while, he detailed what had transpired during each of Luka's escape attempts. Some of the details were quite gruesome, and it seemed only sheer luck had prevented any deaths and his escape. She didn't know if she could do this, and if she were alone, she would have turned around and ran out.

Entering the Infirmary, they were led to the farthest room, where two guards stood either side of the door. de Launay nodded, and the guard on the left produced a key to unlock the door. The director opened the door and motioned for the heroes to lead into the room. Stepping over the threshold, they took in the room's contents, and its sole occupant.

Luka was laying on a gurney, the only piece of equipment in the room, and it was anything but a voluntary position. Both ankles and wrists were strapped to the sides. Bindings wound around his thighs, waist, chest and both biceps. The gurney looked similar to a beautician's massage chair, Luka being positioned face down through a hole. A thick black strap holding his shoulders in place and restricting him from moving.

"I see what you mean by cruel," Chat Noir commented. Luka reacted to hearing Chat's voice, grunting loudly and straining against his restraints.

"Is all this necessary?" Ladybug asked, turning slightly pale. At the sound of her voice, Luka suddenly stilled, no longer making a noise.

"You tell me," Director de Launay said. "We've tried every other method we have, but nothing else worked. He's been in this state for three days, and they are the only three days we haven't had any issues from him. But this is it. Once you leave this room, regardless of whether you've helped or not, I have to release him from those restraints. If you can't give us an alternative, we're back to square one."

Ladybug and Chat Noir looked at each other, having a silent conversation between them. They had discussed this issue at length already, having received the Director's request the day before. Their brainstorming had come up with two ideas that might help, but after hearing what Luka had been doing in his escape attempts, it was obvious that there was really only one thing they could do.

Nodding to each other, Chat Noir turned to the Director. "There is one thing we can do. If it works, you won't have any more issues with Luka." Noting the tone of Chat's voice, the director eyed him warily. "Okay. What do you need from us?"

"We just need everyone out of the room, and the door locked. It will take us some time, but once we're done, we'll knock. The door can't be opened before then, under any circumstances," Ladybug said.

"As director, the prisoner is under my duty of care. I must ask what you intend to do. I need to know if it will harm him, and if it might kill him, then I simply cannot allow it."

"I know of a particular spell. Using it, I will be able to alter his memory, so that he no longer knows anything about magic," Ladybug said. "If all goes well, he should be completely unharmed, save the memory loss."

"That seems a bit extreme. Are you sure that is necessary?"

"As long as he knows magic, he will always be dangerous," Chat Noir chimed in. "It's this, or killing him."

Director Jordan de Launay thought over Chat Noir's words, then nodded. "I understand what you're saying. You may proceed, good luck." With that, de Launay ushered the guards out and had the door closed behind him.

Hearing the door lock, Ladybug and Chat Noir looked at each other, taking a moment to hold hands, each drawing strength from the other.

"Are you ready for this?" Chat Noir whispered. Ladybug looked over the bound form of their former friend, then slowly raised her eyes to her husbands. "Once we do this, we'll have our old Luka back. We can't forget what he's done." He took one hand and placed it over her growing belly. The baby sitting in her stomach like that afternoon's large meal.

"I am. I just want to say goodbye first, and that I'm sorry," she replied with a sad smile.

Chat Noir nodded in understanding. Finally, they approached the gurney where Luka lay, Chat Noir standing next to it while Ladybug positioned herself down onto her knees, crouching low to see Luka's face.

"You heard all that, so you understand what we're about to do, don't you?" Chat Noir asked Luka. Luka managed a miniscule nod from where he lay. "Very well. Ladybug is about to undo that strap so she can talk to you, so play nice. Be warned, you do anything, anything, that she or I perceive as 'not nice', and we will scrap plan 'A' and go straight to plan 'C'. Do I need to elaborate?" Luka shook his head – 'no'.

Ladybug slowly reached forward, undoing the strap before pulling it from over his back, Luka lifting his head and turning it to look at her, a gag firmly placed over his mouth, revealing the gaunt face of one of her dearest friends. Dropping the strap to the floor, she took a minute to just stare at Luka. His features were pooled into a calm expression, but the manic light in his eyes betrayed his inner turmoil. A tear escaped Ladybug's eye, running down her cheek as she sighed.

"I'm so sorry, Luka. This is all my fault. I should have been better, you deserved better. A better guardian, a better Ladybug, and a much better friend. If I had been better at any one of these, you would never have become like this. I made so many mistakes, mistakes which opened the doors that led you here." She found some inner strength, strength from her friends, her family, her unborn child and her loving husband to continue.

"But, that's all I did. I only opened the doors, revealing the path. It was you who stepped through them, you who walked it. You had choices, opportunities to change, to do anything other than what you did. But you made your choices, and now we all have to live with them."

"So now, this is goodbye. I don't want to do this, but your continuing actions leave me no choice." As Ladybug spoke, Luka's eyes grew wider and he began to struggle against his restraints. "I am going to take away all your memories of the guardians and magic. It is time for the monster to die, and for my friend to come back," she finished. All the while, Luka's struggles became more frantic.

"Hey, stop it or I'll-"Chat Noir was cut off.

"Don't bother, Chaton," Ladybug interrupted. "Let's just get it over with."

Ladybug went to move her hands to either side of Luka's head. "Mmff," Luka grunted out loudly.

"I'm sorry, Luka."

"Mmff!," Luka Stilled suddenly. "Mmff!"

"What? You want to say something?" Chat Noir asked. Luka nodded. Carefully, Ladybug reached for the gag's strap. "No funny business," Chat Noir stated, raising his right hand to emphasise his point.

Releasing the gag, Ladybug pulled it off Luka's face. Taking a deep breath, Luka spoke. "Wait," he said. "Wait. You can't do this."

"I have to, you're too dangerous otherwise."

"That's not what I mean. There's something you don't know about the spell," he said.

"What don't I know?" Ladybug asked.

"The spell can't be performed while you're transformed. The magics will interfere with each other, causing the spell to fail. You'll have to detransform to perform the spell properly," he explained.

"Okay, so I'll jus-"

"Wait, that's not all. The guardians did things, made me experience things that are truly horrifying. Experiences that broke me and changed me into this 'monster' I became. Then I did horrible things that even haunt me in my sleep. Whoever takes these memories from me, takes them into themselves. I don't want that person to be you."

Luka turned his gaze from Ladybug, setting his sights on Chat Noir. "Have your pet sentimonster do it!" Luka spat. Without even thinking, Chat Noir struck Luka across the face, splitting his lip. Luka winced, but smiled and spat blood onto the floor.

"Chat Noir!"

"Sorry, it was a reflex. But as much as it disgusts me to say it, he's right. To take on all those horrible memories is too much to ask of you. I won't let you do it." Chat said, taking Ladybug's hands into his. "I will."

"But I- You don't know the spell."

"You can walk me through it," Chat Noir's expression softened. "You've told me about what you saw in the burrow, of what you saw of his 'training'. You said he was broken by a couple of thousand second chances of you dying? Well, don't forget that I went through twenty five thousand, nine hundred and thirteen of the exact same thing. A couple thousand more will just be a drop in the bucket. Plus, having to deal with whatever other horrors lurk in his memory will still be a lot easier than standing by, having to watch you deal with them." Embracing his wife, he held her tightly. "Ladybug, you've always carried the burden before. Now, it's my turn."

"Okay," she agreed, her voice small and tears falling.

"Claws in." Plagg appeared and landed on Adrien's shoulder. "You with me, Plagg?

"Always, kitten."

Taking Ladybug's place at Luka's head, Adrien copied her earlier hand position. "Okay, now what?"

*****

Adrien began the spell, following Ladybug's instructions as precisely as possible. He went slowly, ensuring his pronunciation was correct, and that his focus of what memories he was targeting never wavered. There were no second chances here, and there could be no mistake.

After a few minutes of parroting Ladybug, he was confused as she suddenly went silent for several moments. Adrien, confused, began to suspect he had performed the spell wrong when a strong, stabbing pain lanced its way through his head. Then the visions started.

Flash

He was sitting on a rock, Jagged and Penny opposite him, enjoying a simple lunch of sandwiches. Taking a small bite, he looked around, taking in the breathtaking view of the Himalayan mountains surrounding them. Suddenly a tall, older, bald man with bushy eyebrows landed near them, seemingly coming out of nowhere.

"Luka Couffaine?"

"Yes," he answered nervously.

"I am Grandmaster Su-Han, Celestial Guardian of the Miracle box. Ladybug has sent word that you would be nearby, and would be an excellent candidate to become a guardian." The man said without preamble.

Flash

He was in an empty room, sitting cross-legged in a meditative pose. His head was pounding and thoughts blurry. An unkind voice spoke to him.

"Focus! Your resolve cannot waver when using second chance. Even the slightest wavering of will can have disastrous effects when you manipulate time."

"But Master, it's only five minutes, and if I make a mistake I can just reset and do it again."

"You narrow minded, ignorant fool. Do you believe that is all that the Miraculous of the snake does?" The elder monk asked him. "That is just the first, most basic skill the wielder of 'second chance' has available to them. You have even seen one of the more advanced powers yourself before, or have you forgotten?"

"What do you mean?" he asked.

"The ability to go back to any 'marked' point in the past. Ladybug told us about it when she again refused to divulge Chat Noir's identity." The monk cocked an eyebrow. "I don't suppose you would be willing to enlighten us?"

"If Ladybug won't, then neither will I." He said defiantly.

"Hmm, your loyalty is admirable, if misplaced," the monk's features returned to their normal, resting scowl. "Continuing on, that ability you witnessed is the ultimate expression of 'second chance'. There are others abilities between your basic skill and that ultimate form, and I will endeavour to teach you them. But you must first learn to control your focus. Let us begin the exercise again." The monk lit a stick of incense, then waved the smoke towards him. "Activate 'second chance'."

Flash

He was sitting in Marinette's room as she frantically moved around throwing things into suitcases.

"So, it's all going okay? The training that is." She continued to scurry around the room, looking as chaotic as ever, so enthralled in what she was doing, she didn't notice his small shrug.

"It is what it is, I suppose. But apparently there's more to time manipulation than just the 5 minutes with Sass. Apparently you found something out."

She stopped and turned to him, a bra hanging from her finger. "Yes, that's right. I was talking to Su-Han and if Sass is trained alongside a skilled Guardian, the time change can be a lot more specific. Only to the past though, not the future."

Marinette turned and threw the bra into the suitcase, slamming it shut and then sitting on it to fasten. The pounding of feet came up the staircase, blond hair glistening in the spotlights of her room.

"Adrien!" Marinette exclaimed, launching herself off the suitcase into her boyfriend's arms. He smiled at their happy display, though the smile on his face didn't reach his heart.

Flash

Viperion jumped over the rooftops, determined to get to the fight as quickly as possible. Pegasus had voyaged to come and get him, his power needed in this latest attack by Lila.

Reluctantly, the Guardians had allowed him an extended leave from the Temple, under one condition, he came back with the Miracle box. He had nodded in agreement, his thoughts turning to the relationship troubles between Marinette and Adrien, and Marinette's repeated questioning about Guardianship removal.

But right now, he needed to save them. He could save them. His powers had increased; so much so, he didn't always need Sass anymore. His own abilities became as powerful as that of a lower ranked wielder. Once they were safe he could sort out the miracle box with Marinette, giving her the future she deserved. A future without the guilt and pain she felt.

Making his way through the portal and onto the battlefield, Viperion pushed forward – the Eiffel Tower in his sight. He was almost there, just a couple more steps, when it happened. Ladybug and Chat Noir were arguing. Arms moving quickly as they bent in towards each other. They were shouting. That much was clear.

He froze, staring at the two of them as Ladybug crumpled down onto her knees, Chat Noir standing over her and continuing to shout. She grabbed his hand, pulling him back to her, but he wouldn't move. Instead, he pushed her off, flicking her down onto the ground before grabbing his baton and vaulting off into the night sky.

Everything happened quickly, too quickly for him to react, as Lila appeared behind Ladybug and stabbed her right through the heart.

"Second chance!"

Flash

"AGAIN!" The command was like a knife stabbing through his head. The pain was unbearable, it was crippling him. The hard, cold stone of the pit floor provided no comfortable position. The air was freezing, and the incense smoke burned his throat with every breath. The only good thing about his current situation was the total darkness, meaning at least his eyesight wasn't being used to inflict trauma on his exhausted mind.

"Please, no more, I can't keep watching her die," he begged. He couldn't do it. Not anymore. He couldn't go through with reliving that moment again. Not after so many. He'd lost count of the number of times he'd been through it after the first thousand, or so. That had been at least several hundred times ago, but the master was still pushing.

"AGAIN!" There was no mercy in the voice. No patience. Just a sanction for returning without the box.

Why? He thought to himself.

"So you don't mistake 'luck' for 'skill'. So that you understand the fragility of 'change'. To demonstrate to you that you can make thousands and thousands of changes to a situation, but the end result will not change." The monk said. Apparently, he had spoken the question.

"Yes, you saved your precious Ladybug at the time, and after only a few attempts, too. What I'm teaching you here is all the ways you could have failed. Success breeds complacency and weakens the will. Only through failure do we learn and grow."

"You still have a lot to learn, apprentice. AGAIN!"

Flash

He was sitting in his room aboard the Liberty, preparing to meditate. He had just got 'home' from a night out with his sister's friends. They used to be his friends too, but the last three years of intense Guardian training had changed him. That didn't stop him from enjoying their company, but it had caused a disconnect to develop in his relationships with them.

They had been enjoying some drinks when the topic of heroes came up, and who fought when. Someone had mentioned 'That one time Ladybug didn't show up' which started a heated discussion on why she didn't. He more than noticed Marinette's silence on the matter.

So here he was, sitting in his room, transformed and with Juleka's invitation to the end of year dance in front of him. It was time to try out his newfound ability, 'Vision'. He would go back and view Marinette that night, see what she was doing that prevented her from responding to 'Nightormentor'.

Flash

He stood still in the shade, cigarette in hand as he watched the scene play out in front of him. Adrien had everything he wanted. Everything Luka craved. For a guy who embodied bad luck, he was surprised how lucky the exmodel had become. It seemed Adrien Agreste truly was a child of the Gods.

Throwing the butt down onto the ground he stamped on it just as the squeals of two newly weds made their way into their new home. They were clinging to each other, and Luka was sure they'd continue right up to the bedroom. The thought of 'IT' fucking her made him feel sick.

Turning away from the scene, he headed through the alleyways, zigzagging himself through the back streets of Paris. The Guardians didn't know he was there, and they would be out of their minds if they knew. He was stronger than them all. Stronger than all but one! Ladybug! She held the skills and natural ability the others could only wish to display. The power of true love increased her skill set ten fold.

Finally reaching his destination, Luka walked into the building and past the graffitied walls into the back room where pictures of his friends were on display. Masks scribbled over all their faces.

"I need another hit," a feminine voice sounded behind him.

"I thought I told you never to follow me here." Luka kept his face to the photographs on the walls, before looking at the ones on his table. The ones of the game Max wanted his help with.

"I thought you said you'd give me another hit. I've been waiting, Luka!"

Closing his eyes, Luka thought about the outfit Aurore Beauréal wore when she was Stormy Weather before morphing it into the one on Max's picture. If they all want to play games with him, make him follow rules, then it was time he started his own.

Placing his hand onto the table, he was happy to feel the cool metal of what would become his iconic finale.

"What the fuck?!" Aurore's shock made him smile, his eyes opening in black voids, his soul no longer his. Voids the guardians created when they made him relive his worst times over and over again. His fingers continued down to the wooden handle before grasping it and turning around.

"I'm about to make you more famous than you ever dreamed of."

Flash

Adrien stumbled backwards and onto the ground, his chest rising and falling at a severe rate. He felt like he was drowning, his senses so overwhelmed he couldn't differentiate between reality and memory. Memories upon memories of pain, torture and heart break. He heard sobs echoing around him, even though he wasn't entirely sure where they were coming from, and he was becoming aware of someone holding him, whispering in his ear. It was Ladybug, hugging him and speaking sweet nothings, and it was him crying. He couldn't feel his mouth moving or the tears streaming down his face, all he knew was the intensity of Luka's emotions, the pain he went through and the evilness of the Guardians. God, he hated them! If they weren't already dead he would have...

The thought halted him immediately. This – this is what caused them to lose their Luka, to lose their friend. The once a year visits were nothing more than an illusion. A fakeness Luka was putting on to make them think nothing was wrong. Though his actions weren't to be justified, Adrien understood it. He understood it so badly, it hurt.

He understood now. He knew the reason, but even with those reasons he would only forgive Luka one thing... for saving Marinette.

*****

Cutscene: Game Over

8 months after Bastille Day - verdict to Luka's trial being read out by Nadja.

'The trial of Luka Couffaine, nicknamed the 'Akuma Killer', concluded today with the jury returning its verdict after 2 weeks of deliberations.

The verdict reads:

2 counts 1st degree murder - guilty.

4 counts attempted murder - guilty.

Mr Couffaine was also found guilty for the following:

Assault causing grievous bodily harm,

Class A Drug possession,

And 12 counts of 'Use of magic/magical artefacts with criminal intent'; under the 'Hawkmoth Law.''

"M. Couffaine will be sentenced tomorrow, where he is expected to receive multip-"

Ladybug walked over to the tv and turned it off, silencing the room filled with their friends – Gabriel included.

They were in the boardroom at the Grand Hotel, Sabrina sat alongside them as they heard the verdict.

"Don't you want to be there?" Ladybug asked, her belly pronounced to a point of explosion. She was well past her due date, and Adrien worried this would push her over the edge into labour.

"No," Sabrina smiled sadly. "This is where I need to be."

The friendship between the heroes and the detective had developed over the past few months as they were all in and out of court giving evidence. Luckily, Ladybug wasn't called on too often due to her impending arrival, instead Chat Noir taking most of the dock time.

Nino sat alongside Alya, both coated in their supersuits. As the verdict was announced Carapace began to sob uncontrollably, his shoulder shuddering as he broke down into Alya's shoulder. There was a long way to go but he was healing. He probably would never look the same again, or be able to function as he did –DJing now a thing of the past – but being Carapace was a respite for him. Allowing him to walk, to dance, to love. He was a shell of a man, for want of a better word, but he would get there. They would make sure of it.

"Is it over?" Myléne whispered, looking to the heroes as her toddler slept soundly on her shoulder.

"Yes. Luka's going to jail and is unlikely to ever get out." Chat Noir said, handing a tissue over to their broken friend. Just another tragic party in this game. Survivors' guilt had hit the heroes hard, both struggling with understanding that they had survived, Nino had survived, yet Ivan, poor Ivan, had been a casualty of this unknown war.

Juleka and Rose had distanced themselves from the group, neither willing to talk to those they knew as heroes and also knowing what their brother had done, had destroyed.

Max was currently in rehab, seeking help for the guilt he felt and the alcoholism which came with it. Nathaniel was receiving therapy as well.

Kagami sat with Félix, both cuddled on the sofa as Félix lay a hand on Kagami's small rounded bump. She was 5 months pregnant. Félix became the defensive man he was and vowed never to leave his family's side again – much like his uncle.

"But didn't you wipe his memories? He's going to jail for crimes he doesn't even remember doing. How is that different from Akumas?" Kim spoke up from where he was sitting beside Myléne.

"The difference is control," Gabriel stated. "When I made Akumas, they were puppets and I was the puppet master. They had no control or knowledge of what they were doing." The cold, clinical way he spoke about his past crimes sent shivers down everyone's spines. "Luka was his own master. He knew what he was doing, no one was forcing him. His memory was erased because his knowledge of magic made him dangerous. Just because he no longer remembers what he did, doesn't change the fact that he killed two people." He looked over towards where Chat Noir was holding Ladybug. "And we are lucky he didn't kill more."