I had made it across the city in minutes, leaping from roof to roof. My Apex Instinct was like a GPS, guiding me toward the chaos.
A giant made of stone—Stoneheart—was roaring in the center of the field. And there they were. Ladybug and Cat Noir. They looked like kids playing dress-up. Cat Noir was currently flying through the air after a hit, and Stoneheart was raising a massive fist to finish him off.
My Sixth Sense flared red-hot. Danger. Immediate.
I didn't even think. I pushed off the stadium wall, my muscles exploding with power. I was a blur of grey and white. I caught Cat Noir mid-air and used the momentum to roll us both away just as Stoneheart's fist smashed the ground into powder.
"Whoa!" Cat Noir gasped, his eyes wide behind his mask. "You're fast! Are you a new cat in town?"
"Wolf," I snapped, standing up. My senses were dialed in now. I could see the way Stoneheart's rocky skin moved. I could smell the dark, purple magic of the Akuma. "And if you want to stay alive, stop talking and start moving."
"He's right!" Ladybug called out, landing next to us. She was shaking, her yo-yo trembling in her hand. "But how do we stop him? He gets bigger every time we hit him!"
"Stop hitting him then," I said. My enhanced eyes zoomed in on the monster's right hand. "The object. The paper in his fist. That's where the butterfly is. Ladybug, you're the only one who can catch it. Use your Lucky Charm. Cat, you're the distraction. I'll go for the hand."
"Who put you in charge, Dog-boy?" Cat Noir grinned, though he looked relieved someone knew what they were doing.
"The guy who just saved your life," I replied.
The battle was a whirlwind. Stoneheart swung at me, but it was like he was moving through water. My Sixth Sense told me where the punch would be before he even threw it. I dodged, flipped over his head, and landed a kick on his shoulder that felt like hitting a brick wall. My leg bone cracked—I heard it—but a second later, the Immortal Pulse surged, and the bone knitted back together before I even touched the ground.
"Cataclysm!" Cat Noir yelled, breaking a goalpost to trap the giant.
"Lucky Charm!" Ladybug cried, and a parachute appeared.
It worked exactly like the show, but being in the middle of it was terrifying. The smell of the dust, the roar of the monster, the fear in the air—it was all so real. I leaped onto Stoneheart's arm, digging my claws into the rock. With a roar of my own, I pried his fingers back.
The paper fell. Ladybug caught it.
As the "Miraculous Ladybug" light washed over Paris, the stadium turned from a ruin back into a sports field. I stood there, breathing hard, watching the ladybugs fix the world.
"That was amazing!" Ladybug said, walking over to me. Her eyes were full of wonder. "We couldn't have done it without you. Thank you... White Fang."
"You did the hard part," I said, looking at her and then at Cat Noir. I felt a pang of sadness. These were the heroes I'd watched on a screen. Now they were my partners. And I was a dead kid in a magic suit.
"We make a good team!" Cat Noir said, reaching out for a fist bump. "The Lady, the Cat, and the Wolf."
I hesitated, then tapped my fist against his. "Don't get used to it. Paris is dangerous. Stay sharp."
My ring began to beep. One minute left.
"See you around, heroes," I said. I turned and sprinted toward the wall, leaping high and disappearing into the night before they could follow.
I made it back to my attic just as the transformation wore off. Axel popped out of the ring, looking exhausted. He flopped onto my shoulder.
"Not bad for a first day, pup," he whispered.
I sat on the floor, looking at my hands. I had survived. I had saved people. But as the adrenaline died down, the silence of the room reminded me of the truth. I was in a new world, with new powers, but I was still the boy who died in a living room.
I closed my eyes, and for the first time, I let myself cry.