Finding akumas had never been something that Marinette had ever struggled with. Sure, there was an obscure victim every now and again, but for the most part, akuma attacks were limited to people she knew, knew of, or that had recently been ticked off by Chloé.

Still, she'd never had one show up at her front door (ok, there had been a few times, but never while she was untransformed).

To be honest, this woman hardly looked the part of an akuma: relatively normal appearance, minus the silver glint of her light blue hair, she could be easily labeled as a senile, old woman. That was the other thing- she was elderly, probably around her 80s, if Marinette had to guess. She walked with a hunch and a cane, the end of which glowed with a soft purple glow.

"Marinette, what are you looking at?"

The ebon haired girl spun frazzled towards her mother and smiled uncomfortably. "Oh nothing," she giggled nervously.

Mrs. Cheng smiled at her daughter, handing her her lunch bag and kissed her gently on her forehead. "Have a good day at school, Mari."

"Thanks Mom; I love you." The door closed as her mother repeated the sentiment and Marinette quickly darted to a patch of shadows near her home. Once hidden, Tikki flew out of Marinette's purse in a flash of red.

"Well, there goes my hope of getting school on time," Marinette sighed.

"Don't worry," Tikki said, "we'll do this super quick. You'll be at school in no time flat."

Marinette gave a determined nod before brushing her pigtail from her shoulder. "Tikki, spots on!"

Smiling as her transformation settled, Ladybug set off in the direction the woman had walked. Her grin grew wider when she saw the woman a few blocks later- maybe this would be quick.

"Excuse me, ma'am," she said, gently placing her hand on the woman's shoulder.

"Oh," the woman smiled, "good morning, darling. Lovely day, isn't it?"

Ladybug smiled at the woman, relief flooding her. "Yes, it is." Suddenly, the purple outline of a butterfly appeared before the woman's eyes and the younger girl braced herself.

"Oh, shh," the woman scowled, the outline fading. "I'm sorry darling, but that voice in my head just can't get over your pretty, little earrings-can't get him to stop rambling about them and some ring. I don't suppose you could help me, dear, and lend them to me?"

Ladybug flinched and straightened her posture; that had to be the kindest way any akuma had ever approached either her or Chat Noir about obtaining the miraculouses. "I'm sorry, ma'am, but I can't do that."

The woman clucked her tongue. "That really is too bad. And you seemed like such a nice girl." In a movement like lightning, the woman grabbed Ladybug's ankle with her cane, and while airborne, hit the girl like a star baseball player does a homerun.

Ladybug groaned as she skipped and skid across rooftops blocks away. 'She may be old,' Tikki's voice rang in her head, 'but she sure has an arm.'

"Excellent deduction," Ladybug mumbled as she struggled to her knees. As she lifted her head, she quickly jumped back, her previous spot taken by the woman as she landed with a dull thump. "Who are you?" the heroine asked, her weapon slicing the air as she spun it beside her.

"I am Madame Minou, and you," Madame said, pointing the end of her cane at the girl, "my darling, are going to sorely regret your decision."

"I haven't yet," Ladybug countered, and leapt towards Madame. Parrying the woman's assaults and dodging others, the spotted heroine searched her opposer's person for the possessed object. Her cane was an obvious choice- the akuma's often used the possessed item as a weapon. Then again, Hawkmoth had gotten more cunning as the months had passed, inhabiting smaller trinkets like jewelry more often.

The world spun, and Ladybug stumbled, leaning to a nearby chimney for support.

'Marinette,' Tikki screamed in her mind, 'something's wrong. Get out of there.'

Madame's image danced in front of Ladybug, doubling and tripling, as the younger girl tried to shake off the sense of vertigo.

"Poor darling." Madame's words echoed in Ladybug's ears as if underwater. "And to think this could have all been avoided." She took the girl's chin in her wrinkled hand, her image focusing as she drew closer. "May I have those earrings now, darling?"

Ladybug pushed aside her hand, and for good measure (never mind the fact this was an elderly woman), gave her a quick punch to her gut and a kick to her legs. As Madame struggled to stand again, Ladybug took her cue to retreat.

The Parisian landscape spun in her mind's eye as she tried to focus on small outcrops in which to latch with her yo-yo or rooftop pathways on which to run.

'Marinette, stop; please, you'll hurt yourself.'

As if on cue, her aim flattered and Ladybug fell to rooftop, the world falling into darkness.

"Marinette…"

The voice was so far away and echo-y.

"Marinette…"

Warmth reached the girl's face, the voice growing loader and more familiar.

"Marinette, please open your eyes."

"Tikki," she muttered, her eyes fluttering open, adjusting to the light.

"Marinette?"

As her eyes opened fully, she smiled weakly at her little kwami friend. "Hi Tikki."

"Oh my goodness, Marinette," the little sprite chirped as her hugged her face. "It's you."

"Of course it's me," Marinette smiled, sitting up slowly. "Who else would it be?"

"Um, well, you see," Tikki muttered, floating nervously. Now that she could see straight, Marinette noted that her friend seemed much larger than usual. "It's just that, you look a little different…"

Marinette tilted her head in confusion and looked down at herself. She couldn't see her hands, weird. All she could see were what appeared to be little white paws. She wiggled her fingers and marveled at how the toes on the paw moved in sync.

Wait…

She lifted her left hand, the left paw moved. Right hand, right paw.

Fear, concern, and terror settled over the girl.

"Tikki," she squeaked, "what do I look like exactly?"

The little kwami rubbed her little hands together nervously.

"Marinette, you look like a cute little kitty cat."