Today was the day. The day she'd kept stalling in fear of rejection was finally here!

Today, Marinette was going to confess to Adrien Agreste!

"Go for it, girl!" Alya cheered. "Finally let the poor sunshine child know! I want my ship to sail!"

"Alya!" Marinette whined. "Don't get so enthusiastic! I already feel bad about rejecting both Luka and Nathanaël. What if he thinks I'm shallow? He'll think I only want him for his looks and money! And he knows that I want to be a designer – what if he thinks that by dating him, I'll be able to get close to his dad and secure my career? What if he leaves me for someone prettier? What if –"

"Girl, girl girl girl." Alya groaned a little, interrupting the blunette's rambling. "Enough with the what ifs. We are his best buddies – practically attached to the hip. He knows who you really are Marinette, just like me and Nino. Stop fretting about it so much. No regrets!"

"I can do this. I can do this. I. Can. Do. This." She chanted. "I CAN DO THIS!" she shouted, making Alya laugh.

"I know you can. Now, just go. You're 18 years old, and graduation is not that far anymore."

"All right Alya. I will finally tell Adrien about my feelings. No turning back!" Marinette spoke with determination. She then bolted to greet Adrien at the school gates.

Before she could get out of earshot, she could hear Alya shouting. "I want all the deets girl! Don't mess it up!"

She waited for Adrien at the usual spot where Gorilla drops him and picks him up from school. The silver car was nowhere in sight, and neither was Adrien. Had he already gone home?

This day was not turning out to be good.

Chloé was absent today, and Lila was in detention. This was the perfect opportunity! And Adrien wasn't even there! A perfect opportunity wast –

Marinette heard a clattering of footsteps. She turned around, and saw Nino and Adrien talking to each other. When they reached the bottom of the stairs, the boys shared a fist-bump, Nino went to his home and Adrien walked towards his usual spot to wait for his bodyguard. He noticed Marinette standing there, and greeted her with a small wave.

"Hey Marinette!" he greeted her with a smile. Marinette wanted melt in a puddle of goo right there and there.

"H-Hi Adrien!"she returned, her voice an octave or two higher than normal. She then looked around nervously, checking for intruders. "Um, Adrien" she asked. "Can we talk? Somewhere private, if you don't mind."

"Sure, why not?" he shrugged. "Is it something important?"

"Er, yeah, important! No, I mean yes! It's very important! I mean not as important as food, but it's important! Ugh, what am I saying?" she groaned as she facepalmed.

Great, now there's no doubt that Adrien would never want this moronosaurus as his girlfriend!

"Um, I don't really have much time Marinette. Gorilla would be picking me up any minute now." Adrien chuckled a little. "Is it really important?"

"Yes." She breathed. She took deep breathes to calm herself. The bluenette was pretty sure that her face was bright red right now

"I actually wanted to tell you for years, but I was scared that it would affect our friendship." She chuckled nervously. Yes! Finally, he'll know! "Adrien, I-I-I, I'm in love with you!" she rushed out the last part.

There! Out in the open!

Adrien's cheeks turned a faint pink, as his eyes became wide as saucers. He averted his eyes away from Marinette, as he rubbed the back of his neck with his hand, a nervous habit of his.

Adrien became conflicted. How in the world was he supposed to reject one of his best friends? His heart belonged to Ladybug. How could he break hers? This girl was one of the most important people in his life.

"M-Marinette," he finally spoke after an awkward silence. "I-I appreciate that you have feelings for me…" he trailed off.

"A-and?" Marinette urged, her voice becoming thick, as her vision became blurry with tears.

"The thing is that…" he paused, frowning a little. "Wait, do you hear that?"

Marinette frowned as well. "Um, no I don't – hey I can hear it too!"

Sure enough, there was a sound of screaming, which became louder every moment. The teens turned towards the source of the sound, and spotted a dark blur becoming larger every second.

"What in the world is that?" Adrien wondered aloud.

His question was answered soon enough. As the screaming blur became larger, the teens realized that the dark mass was in fact hurtling towards them. Before anyone of them could snap out of their stupor, the mass collided with both of them, grunting an 'Oof!'as they both landed on their butts, wincing as they massaged their head.

For Adrien, it was a moment of Déjá Vu.

For Marinette, it was a realization at how Chat Noir must've felt when they met for the first time.

Marinette shook her head a little, as she processed at what just happened to them. Half of her body was pressed underneath a small, dark violet body. Adrien was in the same situation as well.

The stranger moaned a little as they got up from their human cushions. Marinette noticed that the stranger looked no older than 13. When the person sat upright, she noticed that the girl's forehead and cheekbones were covered in a silver mask that was shaped like the purple glowing butterfly symbol that hovered over the eyes of an akuma. At the back of her head was a lavender butterfly, from which, a ponytail protruded from the middle. Her skin-tight suit was violet and black, the end of the silver collar at the front in the shape of a butterfly's upper wings extending at the back upright, with a small butterfly at the middle in the shape of a moth with silver wings in the middle. She was holding a cane that had a purple bubble on the top, and pure white butterflies surrounded her. Very familiar butterflies…

"Uh, sorry for that." The girl mumbled dumbly. "I was chasing a rogue, and I really don't know what do."

"Who are you?" Adrien questioned, narrowing his eyes in suspicion, as the trio stood up. His eyes widened as he noticed the butterflies hovering around the girl. "Wait, are those Akumas?!"

The girl nodded.

Marinette's eyes widened. This 13 year-old girl was Hawkmoth? What kind of sick twisted pleasure she got from taking advantage of a person's weakness? And what would she be benefitting from taking their Miraculous?

Marinette frowned. This wasn't right. At her second battle against Stoneheart, Hawkmoth was proved to be an adult male, when the swarm of purple butterflies had erupted from the akuma's mouth. And that was 5 years ago.

The girl's eyes became wide, as if she read their minds. She panicked. "W-Wait, no! I'm not Hawkmoth! I may have his powers, yes, but I swear I don't take advantage when a person gets sad, or angry, or whatever!"

"Then who exactly are you?"

The not-Hawkmoth sighed. "I go by the name 'Butterfly', the English spelling. And the one I akumatized is the reason I'm here." She spoke the last part with bitterness.

"Why would you akumatize someone?" Marinette raised an eyebrow.

"To help ma – I mean – Ladybug and Chat Noir, of course." Butterfly sounded a little offended. "There was a crisis, and I akumatized a man to help pa – I mean – Chat Noir, because I can't do much myself as I'm a newbie. The akuma is a time based one, which means he can time travel."

"So, I'm guessing that's how you're here." Adrien guessed. He was wondering what kind of connection he had with this superheroine.

"Yes!" she snapped, elated that he was right. "After the trouble was over, that damn akuma went rogue, and I can't get him to listen to me. Speaking of which…" she started to freak out. "Agh! I'm supposed to be looking for him!" She turned to the older teens. "If you spot an akuma that's wearing a Lincoln hat with a cape, it would be huge help if you would tell me where he is!" With that, she promptly bolted out of their sight, jumping on rooftops for the akuma she had apparently akumatized.

Marinette blinked at the spot where Butterfly had turned around a corner and disappeared. "Um Adrien?" she said with a blank expression on her face. "Can we talk later? I just remembered that I have some important work."

"Uh, sure why not?" he replied dumbly. "I just remembered I have a photoshoot at this hour. See ya later, Mari!" With that, he rushed away.

Adrien turned around in an alleyway, and Plagg flew out of his pocket once they were alone.

"Do you think she was telling the truth, Plagg?" Adrien asked, as the kwami floated at his eye level.

"Of course! I sensed Nooroo in there, but he didn't appear to be belonging to this time." The kwami replied in a bored voice. "But the most important thing is that I'm hungry. Get me some cheese."

"I don't know why, but the girl seemed familiar." He wondered, ignoring his kwami's request. "Well, only one way to find out. Plagg, Claws Out!"

Familiar warm green light surrounded him, as black leather replaced his clothes, stretching over his body. Chat Noir gave a competitive smirk, and jumped upon the rooftops, as he spotted Butterfly chasing after the akuma she had described, and started following her.

Marinette didn't even bother to greet her parents as she rushed to her room. She dumped her bag on her chaise, and turned to talk to Tikki.

"Do you think she was one of Hawkmoth's akumas, Tikki?" she asked the crimson kwami uncertainly.

Tikki shook her head. "No, she's not an akuma. She really holds the Butterfly Miraculous." She turned towards the balcony hatch, urging her chosen to come forward. "I sensed that she doesn't belong to this time. She's from the future!"

"Well then, what are waiting for?"

"Say the magic words."

"Tikki, Spots on!"

A wave of warm, pink light surrounded her, to reveal Ladybug clad in a skin-tight red suit with black spots. She opened the hatch of her balcony, and swung towards a loud commotion, which she believed was caused by the Butterfly's akuma.

Sure enough, Chat Noir had reached there tailing Butterfly (she mentally smacked herself for that pun) as the violet superhero chased after something that was wearing an electric blue Lincoln hat with a cape of the same color. It appeared to have a pasty-white skin with dark-grey detailing, and it was holding a huge hourglass that came up to his waist.

"Give me back my akuma, Time Lord!" Butterfly shouted. Time Lord smirked.

"Aw c'mon Butterfly! Hawkmoth used to give fun times to us, why are you holding back?" Time Lord challenged.

"Because your version of fun is a danger to Paris!" Ladybug retorted, as she stood next to the violet superhero. Butterfly flashed her a grateful smile.

"You're taking away my freedom? Not a chance!"

Chat Noir extended his baton and charged towards the akuma. The akuma dodged the attack swiftly. Ladybug swung her yo-yo towards Time Lord. The super hero trio followed the akuma as Time Lord ran across the roof, away from the heroes.

After a time consuming match, Chat Noir having used his Cataclysm and Ladybug used her Lucky Charm, they were left with only 5 minutes before they detransformed. The akuma smirked, then collected some sand from the hourglass, and threw it at a distance, where a swirling portal opened up.

"Good luck staying here, little bug. I'm sure you'd like the past!" Time Lord taunted, as he started towards the portal.

Panicking, Butterfly threw her cane towards the akuma. The cane hit the hand of Time Lord, jerking the hourglass out of his hand, shattering it. A dark purple butterfly flew out.

"No more evil-doing for you, little akuma!" Ladybug said as she swung her yo-yo. "Time to de-evilize!" The yo-yo reached and captured the akuma. "Gotcha! Bye-bye little butterfly!" She said as she released the little insect, which joined Butterfly instead of flying away. She shouted "Miraculous Ladybug!" as she threw the lucky charm in the air. The ladybugs flew and restored Paris back to normal.

Except, the portal was still swirling in the distance. The cured man woke up, a little disoriented, muttering about how in the world Paris looked old. Butterfly had not gone back to her own time.

"Go!" Butterfly shouted, pointing at the portal. "Go before the portal closes!"

The man nodded and hurried towards the portal, disappearing in a swirl of light. Before Butterfly could go through the portal, it closed.

Yup, she was officially stuck here.

Butterfly paled, as her eyes became wide as saucers and her jaw hit the ground, staring the spot where the portal was. Ladybug and Chat Noir cast each other concerned looks, as the younger superheroine was still here. There was a moment of uncomfortable silence, until the peace was ruined by frustrated shouts.

"NO!" Butterfly screamed, stomping her foot. "Nononononono! This can't be happening! This is ridiculous!" she started swinging her cane around madly, venting out her frustration on an invisible villain.

Chat approached her cautiously, treading with light steps. "Um, are you okay?" he asked hesitantly. "We can discuss this…somewhere private, concerning your, er, predicament." He gave a sheepish laugh at the younger girl.

Butterfly didn't look any less any less frustrating indicated by her put-out expression, but she seemed to sober up a little. She sighed. "Fine. Eiffel Tower in 5. Charge up quickly." She grew a little panicky. "Er, I don't really have anywhere to stay for some time." She mumbled.

Ladybug understood and sighed. "All right. But don't stray far from there."

After charging up, Ladybug swung towards her usual spot, surprised to find the younger heroine sitting there. She swiftly landed on the iron, startling the other girl. Chat came quickly as well swinging on his silver baton towards their usual meeting spot.

"Okay, so what do want us to talk about?" the feline hero asked, grinning.

What Butterfly did was none of them expected at all. She cast them a small smile, and mumbled softly "Nooroo, Dark Wings fall!"

She was immediately engulfed in a purple flash, and a girl with dark, inky locks that hung loose on her shoulders took her place. She was wearing a dark grey blazer that looked ridiculously expensive, a white top, and a dark grey skirt with green slacks. She wore black ankle boots, and a small ladybug printed purse hung from her shoulder. She wore ladybug shaped bracelets on both wrists, and a black cat pin in her hair. A small purple brooch was pinned on the breast pocket of her blazer. When she opened her eyes, they saw that they were a vibrant green.

"Erm, hi?" the little blunette gave a small wave with a sheepish smile.

The super duo gaped at her, shocked by the sudden detransformation.

"I think you should call out your kwamis as well." she said.

"Are you insane?" Ladybug squeaked. "But didn't your kwami – "

"I know what Nooroo says." She interrupted. "But since I don't exist in this timeline, it doesn't matter if I reveal myself to you. And I'm sure Plagg and Tikki won't mind it either."

"How do you know our kwami's names?" Chat asked suspiciously, narrowing his at her. The young bluenette snorted.

"I know them because I live with them." She clarified. When she saw their confused expression, she sighed. "Drop your transformation now, if you want to know who am I exactly."

"W-What?" Ladybug squeaked "But we're not supposed to – "

"I'm sure Tikki will understand, and Plagg won't likely care. He'll laugh at your faces actually." She rolled her eyes.

Chat grabbed Ladybug's hand, and squeezed for assurance. "It's okay m'lady," he spoke softly. "We knew this day would come sooner or later. If you want, we can count till three."

Ladybug nodded. She gripped her partner's hand tight and screwed her eyes shut.

"One, two, three!"

"Spots off!"

"Claws out!"

The familiar glow surrounded them, and they were no longer Paris's beloved superheroes. They stood in their civilian forms, completely vulnerable, as everyone's kwamis floated into view. The super duo opened their eyes, and let out a startled yelp.

"Marinette!?"

"Adrien!?"

They both stood there frozen, as the realization sunk in. The quiet moment was interrupted by a clearing of throat.

"So now that you know who you are, it's time I officially introduce myself." She held out a hand, and grinned widely. "I'm Emma. Emma Agreste."