Inside the principal's office, the debate had reached a fever pitch, the gunpowder in the air almost solidifying.
"I'll say it again, Damocles!"
Mayor Bourgeois leaned his hands on the principal's large mahogany desk, his body tilted forward, and with an oppressive posture, he splattered saliva onto the principal's already troubled face,
"My daughter lost incredibly valuable property in the school you are responsible for! I am not asking now,
but ordering you to immediately cooperate with me in inspecting all relevant students! This is your responsibility as principal!"
"But, Mayor Bourgeois..."
Principal Damocles retreated repeatedly, almost cornered against the wall. Wiping his face with a handkerchief, he tried to maintain his meager authority,
"To search students without any substantial evidence of theft,
this… this goes against the basic principles of education! It will cause psychological trauma to the children!"
"Psychological trauma?"
Mayor Bourgeois let out a cold, disdainful laugh, "Compared to the trauma of my daughter losing her beloved item,
what does that count for? Or are you saying that in your eyes, my daughter's feelings are not as important as some 'self-esteem'?"
These harsh, class-discriminatory remarks completely ignited another volcano.
"Koud!"
Tom's booming voice rang out like thunder. He pushed aside the chair in front of him, his tall figure like a wall, blocking the mayor and the principal.
"Watch your mouth! My daughter Marinette, and every child in this classroom, their character and dignity,
are as precious as your spoiled daughter's, perhaps even more precious! Because they understand what honesty is, and what respect is!"
"Are you slandering my daughter, Tom?"
Mayor Bourgeois narrowed his eyes, a dangerous glint flashing within them.
"I'm just stating a fact!"
Tom met his gaze without fear, "If you insist on searching, fine!
But you must start with your daughter, who is full of lies! And, I demand an independent third party be present to supervise!"
"You…"
Seeing that the two fathers were about to escalate from a verbal dispute to a physical one, Principal Damocles felt his head was about to explode.
He rushed between the two, spreading his arms to painstakingly separate these two impending volcanic collisions.
"Gentlemen! Calm down! Please calm down! This is a school!
It's a place to educate children! We cannot here…"
However, just as this chaotic debate reached its climax, there was a sudden knock on the principal's office door.
"Come in," Principal Damocles, as if granted a great pardon, quickly called out.
The door was pushed open, and a teacher poked his head in, reporting with a strange expression: "Mr. Principal, Mr. Mayor… um… the situation in the classroom might require you to see it yourselves…"
Inside the classroom, as Adrien "accidentally" found the golden bracelet, an impending storm was temporarily quelled.
The classroom gained a moment of calm, but a strange and tense atmosphere still permeated the air.
Chloé sat in her seat, her face ashen.
She couldn't understand why things had turned out this way.
His plan was clearly flawless! She had Sabrina, who had undergone a Akumatization, become an "invisible person," using the ability to "hide" items,
and stealthily transferred her bracelet precisely into Marinette's shabby canvas bag.
As long as Mayor Dad gave the order, and the "stolen goods" were found in Marinette's bag, it would be irrefutable evidence!
At that time, Marinette would not only be ruined, but all the humiliation she had just endured could be repaid twofold!
But now? The bracelet was indeed transferred, but not into Marinette's bag, but somehow into the DJ's bag!
Moreover, not only her bracelet, but various small items from all classmates were also randomly moved around!
This was not the precise strike she wanted at all, but a meaningless, widespread chaos affecting everyone!
She didn't even know what to say! That damned Sabrina couldn't even handle such a simple task!
Just then, Teacher Caline also noticed a problem. She glanced at Sabrina's empty seat and asked:
"Chloé, what happened to Sabrina? Why has she been gone so long and hasn't returned?"
Chloé was full of unvented anger. Hearing the teacher's question, she impatiently rolled her eyes and said testily:
"How should I know! She'll come back herself later!"
No sooner had she spoken than Sabrina's somewhat timid voice came from the classroom door: "I… I'm sorry, teacher, I'm back…"
Sabrina lowered her head and quickly walked back to her seat, sitting next to Chloé.
Her face still held a trace of bewilderment and confusion.
Chloé immediately leaned over and questioned her in a gritted, barely audible whisper:
"What happened?! How did you mess it up? Why was the bracelet with the DJ?!"
Sabrina shook her head, her eyes full of innocence and bewilderment:
"I… I don't know either… I just… it was like everything suddenly went black, and when I regained consciousness,
I was in the restroom… I don't remember anything that happened in between…"
"Useless!"
Chloé cursed in a low voice. Asking was pointless.
She knew that the Akumatization effect had been lifted. Her perfect plan was completely ruined.
Just as this strange silence in the classroom was about to be broken, a familiar, hair-raising sound drifted in from outside the window: "Coo… coo coo…"
The sound was low, dense, with a unique, unsettling rhythm.
All the students, including the teachers who had just experienced a storm, seemed to trigger some kind of collective PTSD,
and in unison, their gazes uniformly turned to the corner of the last row of the classroom—Jaden's seat.
Jaden: "…"
During the verbal sparring match that had just transpired, he had remained silent, watching everything unfold like an outsider.
It wasn't that he didn't want to, but that he couldn't.
Because, in the midst of the recent chaos, an uninvited guest had appeared in his schoolbag—Duusu.
This little fellow, who should have stayed home, had somehow secretly followed him, hiding in his schoolbag.
"How are you here?!"
While everyone was arguing, Jaden questioned the gap in his schoolbag in a voice almost only he could hear, "Aren't you supposed to be at home?!"
Duusu's voice, full of grievance and righteousness, came from the schoolbag: "But it's too boring at home!
I want to go out and play! And, I've eaten all the little breads you made!"
Jaden was almost driven to laughter by this little guy.
Weeks of gentleness and pampering seemed to have made this little kwami somewhat fearless.
Helpless, he could only say: "Listen, hide now!
No matter what happens, you absolutely must not make any sound! Absolutely must not be discovered by anyone! Understand?!"
"Oh…" Duusu reluctantly responded, shrinking back into the depths of the schoolbag.
And now, the familiar "cooing" from outside the window, accompanied by the students' uniform, complex gazes filled with "I see," "I knew it," and "It's you again,"
made him instantly feel overwhelmed. He helplessly held his forehead.
Looking at Jaden's resigned and speechless expression, the entire class also fell into a state of collective speechlessness.
"Mr. Pigeon…" Alya pronounced the name, which was famous throughout Paris, in a tone that was both sympathetic and amused.
This " pigeon fan" of Jaden's would basically be chosen by Hawk Moth every few days, or at most once a week, due to various "troubles" related to pigeons, and would "report" on time.
Some even joked that as long as Mr. Pigeon was around, Hawk Moth would never have to worry about not meeting his "negative emotion KPI."
Sure enough, outside the window, a large, dense "bird cloud" formed by pigeons obscured the sunlight, dimming the light in the classroom.
And in the center of the "bird cloud," Mr. Pigeon—Mr. Pigeon, dressed in a comical gray jumpsuit, stood majestically on a giant pigeon composed of countless pigeons.
He immediately spotted Jaden by the window, his eyes blazing with fanatic and excited light, and he excitedly called out to Jaden: "Coo! Coo coo!"
The chatter in the classroom instantly became lively:
"Here he comes again…"
"I knew it, how could he be absent from such a big event today."
"Jaden is too miserable, to be entangled by such a fan."
Jaden slowly stood up amidst a chorus of sympathetic murmurs, unhurriedly packing his schoolbag, putting away his textbooks and stationery one by one, and even took out a small timer from his drawer.
He handed the timer to Nathan, who was sitting next to him, with a helpless, wry smile: "Help me time it, see how long it takes me to get back this time."
"No problem!" Nathan took the timer, his face full of curiosity and excitement.
Marc also showed an expectant look. All the classmates looked at him with keen interest, as if watching a reality show,
without a hint of worry in their eyes—after all, they had seen this scene too many times.
Jaden walked to the window, pushed it open, and said to the excited Akumatized Person outside, in a tired tone, as if greeting an old friend: "Mr. Pigeon, when will you finally leave me alone?"
"Coo coo! Mr. Jaden!" Mr. Pigeon cried excitedly, "I finally see you again!"
"Alright, alright," Jaden waved his hand to interrupt his sentimental outburst, "What's the trouble this time? Have your pigeons been complained about again, or do you think the city statues aren't friendly enough to pigeons?"
"Neither!" Mr. Pigeon's tone suddenly became incredibly solemn, "Mr. Jaden, this time, it's a very, very important event!"
As he spoke, he directed a small portion of the pigeon flock beneath him to form a sturdy "pigeon seat" in front of Jaden's window, "Please come up, Mr. Jaden! I'll take you to see!"
As he spoke, he directed the flock of pigeons beneath him to form a sturdy "throne" made of pigeons in front of him.
Jaden sighed, slung his schoolbag on, and lightly stepped out the window, sitting on the surprisingly stable pigeon-made seat.
The flock of pigeons flapped their wings and carried him towards the city park.
Marinette watched the receding figure, her heart tightened, and she immediately raised her hand to Teacher Caline, saying: "Teacher! I… my stomach hurts, I need to go to the infirmary!"
"I'm going too!" Adrien stood up almost simultaneously, using the same excuse.
Teacher Caline, looking at the chaotic situation, could only nod helplessly.
None of the classmates had any objections to this, instead, they discussed it eagerly, some even starting to bet on how many minutes Ladybug and Cat Noir would need to resolve the battle this time.
In the boys' and girls' restrooms of the school building, the light of transformation shone almost simultaneously.
"Tikki, spots on!"
"Plagg, claws out!"
The red ladybug and the black cat, one after the other, leaped out of their respective windows, rushing towards the same direction—the city park.
In a park in the center of Paris, the flock of pigeons slowly landed.
Jaden jumped off the "throne" that made him uncomfortable, dusted himself off, and then looked at "Mr. Pigeon" beside him.
In the park, a group of innocent children were happily laughing and playing around a giant pigeon doll.
"So, Mr. Pigeon," Jaden pointed to the children, "this is your so-called 'very important event'?"
"Yes! Mr. Jaden!"
Mr. Pigeon's eyes shimmered with tears of emotion, "Look! How much these children love pigeons! Because of you,
because you have shown kindness to pigeons again and again, they will not develop disgust for these lovely little creatures! You are the bridge of peace between pigeons and humans!"
Jaden: "…"
Well, playing with the children isn't so bad.
He smiled helplessly, walked over, and joined the children's game.
This scene immediately attracted the attention of all passersby in the park.
"Look! It's that Jaden!"
"Oh my! Mr. Pigeon is looking for him again!"
"Is this some new performance art?"
Countless onlookers raised their phones and filmed this magical scene.
Just in this peaceful (or rather, strange) atmosphere, two familiar figures descended from the sky and landed in front of them.
"Mr. Pigeon!" Ladybug's voice was full of helplessness, "We meet again."
"Are you going to hand over that whistle yourself now, or wait until we fight before you hand it over?"
Cat Noir also said familiarly, his tone like greeting an old neighbor who visits every day.
They were already somewhat numb to this scene, which had been repeated countless times.
Seeing this, Mr. Pigeon immediately became wary, quickly retreating two steps and clutching the pigeon whistle hanging on his chest tightly to his chest.
A new, yet incredibly familiar battle was about to begin.
Paris afternoon, the park.
As the last soft ripple of Miraculous Restoration's pink light swept through, the entire park seemed to awaken from a brief, chaotic dream.
The pigeons caught in the net regained their freedom, gently landing on the ground to peck for food;
The children's cries had long been replaced by the marshmallows and balloons back in their hands, and their crisp laughter once again floated in the air;
And the citizens who had just been eagerly filming the annual spectacle of "Hero vs. Akumatized Person" also put away their phones contentedly, dispersing in twos and threes, as if what they had just experienced was merely a unique street performance.
The smoke of battle, or rather, the "smoke" of pigeon feathers and bird droppings, was completely cleansed by this magical power, leaving only the dappled light and shadow cast by the sun through the plane tree leaves, and a leisurely breeze.
"I… what have I… done again?"
Mr. Pigeon sat blankly on a park bench, holding his head, his voice filled with remorse and self-loathing.
His gray jacket was stained with some dust, his hair was a bit disheveled, and he looked like a defeated, dispirited old pigeon.
"Mr. Pigeon, you don't have to be like this."
A gentle voice sounded beside him. Mr. Pigeon looked up and saw Jaden had sat down next to him at some point.
Jaden's face showed no trace of blame, his dark eyes reflecting the afternoon sun, calm and warm, as if capable of smoothing out all the wrinkles in one's heart.
"But I… I caused trouble for everyone again, especially for you, Mr. Jaden."
Mr. Pigeon's voice was somewhat choked,
"I just… I just feel that only by your side can these lovely children truly understand the beauty of pigeons,
"I... I just wanted you to spend more time with them..." His voice grew softer and softer as he spoke, a deep sense of powerlessness making him almost unable to lift his head.
"Your intentions were good, but your methods were a bit extreme."
Jaden smiled, gently patting His shoulder. The force wasn't heavy, but it carried a reassuring strength.
"Everyone understands. Look, aren't the children having fun with the pigeons again? So, don't blame yourself too much."
"Coo..." A soft coo came, and a bold pigeon hopped onto the backrest of the bench, tilting its head, looking at Jaden curiously with its black-bean-like eyes.
"Exactly, Mr. Pigeon."
A clear, melodious female voice joined in. Ladybug also sat down gracefully on Jaden's other side.
Perhaps the battle had just ended, as His cheeks still held a healthy blush, and His big, sky-blue eyes stared unblinkingly at Jaden, before turning to Mr. Pigeon, His voice full of encouragement,
"Jaden is right. As long as you can express your love for pigeons in a gentler way in the future, everyone will be your friend."
She sat very close, His shoulder almost touching Jaden's. A faint, fresh, sweet scent seemed to waft from the young girl in the air.
Cat Noir, standing next to Mr. Pigeon, idly drew circles on the ground with the end of His metal staff.
He looked at the harmonious scene of the "trio" before Him, especially Ladybug's almost melting gaze, and rolled His eyes dramatically, echoing in a drawn-out, slightly teasing tone:
"Yeah, yeah... just as long as you don't turn all of Paris into a bird's nest next time.
It's really hard to clean up all those feathers every time."
At the same time, in the cold lair, Hawk Moth observed this unremarkable scene.
His face was covered by a silver mask, showing no expression, but a hint of impatience welled up inside Him.
"It's Mr. Pigeon again. This man's obsession with Jaden is even more stubborn than the Paris sewers."
He muttered in a low voice, which sounded particularly cold in the empty space.
"I originally wanted to take care of some private matters today... what a waste of time."
"Forget it, that's enough for today."
He was just about to detransform when a strong, unfamiliar wave of negative emotions, like a sharp sword, pierced His perception network.
"Hmm?"
Hawk Moth's movements froze.
"This is... anger? No, it's a deeper... hatred of betrayal and despair? Who could it be?"
He didn't rush to act, choosing instead to continue observing. Anyway, one more show might allow Him to see more of Jaden's reactions.
In the park, the counseling work was nearing its end. Mr. Pigeon, under the combined comfort of the three, finally calmed down.
After gratefully thanking everyone, he got up to put away His beloved pigeon feeders.
"Alright, since the matter is resolved, I should head back too."
Jaden stood up, stretched, and smiled at the two heroes, "Thank you, both, again."
"Wait!"
Ladybug almost instinctively stood up with Him, a hint of urgency on His face,
"I'll see you off! Um... I mean, to prevent you from encountering any danger on the way!"
She blushed a little at His own excuse.
"Pfft..."
Cat Noir chuckled from the side, slinging His metal staff over His shoulder, and winked at Jaden,
"Then I won't be this shiny third wheel! Ladybug, you have to protect our 'Prince Jaden'! See you!"
With that, he was about to bend His knees and leap, gracefully leaving this place of sweet and sour emotions.
However, just as His toes were about to leave the ground, a sudden change occurred!
In the air before them, a rift tore open out of nowhere without any warning!
It wasn't a physical tear, but a more bizarre sight, as if space itself had been hollowed out.
A deep, ominous purple vortex appeared out of thin air. At the edges of the vortex, countless distorted, shattered fragments of time shimmered like glass, coalescing, then annihilating.
"What is that?!" Cat Noir's alertness instantly reached its peak, and he immediately adopted a combat stance.
Ladybug also stepped in front of Jaden, shielding Him behind Her, His yo-yo poised for action, His gaze sharp as she stared at the strange vortex.
The next second, a figure slid out of the vortex like a top-tier street dancer.
It was a very strange person. He had light purple skin, wore light green sunglasses and a yellow and blue mouthpiece like a gas mask on His face, and a black and blue hooded sweatshirt with a clock pattern on His body.
He wore a large yellow clock necklace around His neck, and in His hand, he held what looked like a toy spray gun.
"Yo! Yo! Listen up, look here! Listen to my beat!"
As soon as this uninvited guest landed, he began to twist His body in an extremely clumsy rap style, accompanied by stiff dance moves.
"Traveled through the tunnel of time, leaving the past all behind!
I came to this era, for one goal, one omen!
Your Akumatization is ding-donging, your energy is about to run out! Hand over those little trinkets, stop your futile resistance! Okay?"
His voice, processed by the mask, had a distorted, electronically synthesized quality, and every word was full of arrogance and disdain.
"Future?" Ladybug keenly caught the keyword.
"Who are you? Hawk Moth's new clown?" Cat Noir scoffed.
"Call me 'Timetagger'!" He smiled smugly, twirling the spray gun deftly between His fingers,
"As for you guys... your Akumatization time is almost up, isn't it? I'll take care of those two little toys for you!"
Before he finished speaking, he suddenly raised His spray gun and "swish, swish, swish" sprayed several crooked, glowing green graffiti marks on the ground, bench, and tree trunk not far from Him.
Then, he locked His first target onto Jaden, who was protected by Ladybug!
"First, let's start with this troublesome ordinary person!"
"Whoosh!"
A green energy beam shot out from the spray gun's muzzle!
All of this happened too quickly; from His appearance to His attack, it was only a few short seconds.
"Jaden!"
Ladybug and Cat Noir exclaimed simultaneously, they didn't even have time to make any effective blocking movements.
That green beam, in their sight, accurately hit Jaden's body.
There was no explosion, no impact, not even a sound.
Jaden's body was merely enveloped by the green light, and then, in less than a second, His entire being instantly became transparent, finally turning into countless shimmering light particles, disappearing from where He stood.
As if He had never existed.
Time, at this moment, seemed to stop for Ladybug.
She maintained Her protective stance, Her body stiff, Her sky-blue eyes contracted into two small dots due to extreme shock.
His outstretched hand remained in mid-air, where Jaden had just been standing. Now, only warm air and a few fallen leaves stirred by the breeze remained.
"He... He took Jaden..." Cat Noir's voice was filled with disbelief.
"Next, it's you, fellow!"
Timetagger gave them no time to react. He turned His gun, and another green light shot towards Mr. Pigeon, who had just been startled by the battle and was looking over with a bewildered expression.
"Poof!"
Mr. Pigeon also instantly disappeared.
But this time, behind Him, a phantom, constantly rotating spacetime vortex appeared out of thin air. In the center of the vortex, a string of numbers clearly emerged: [1630].
Immediately after, the vortex disappeared, and in the center of the park, a brand new bronze statue rose from the ground! The statue depicted a comical knight in medieval armor, with huge pigeon feathers decorating His helmet. He stood on a giant pigeon, majestically pointing to the sky.
On the base of the statue, an inscription was clearly carved: [Pigeon Knight, Founder of the Great Pigeon Dynasty].
"What the heck is this..." Cat Noir went forward to examine the absurd statue, feeling an unprecedented sense of ridiculousness.
And Ladybug, after a brief moment of daze, an unprecedented, icy rage erupted from the depths of Her heart like a volcano!
"Where... did you... take Him?!"
His voice was no longer clear, but hoarse and low, each word squeezed out from between Her teeth, carrying a chilling coldness that made one's heart palpitate.
In His beautiful blue eyes, a raging fire now burned, making Her look like a female beast whose reverse scale had been touched, about to devour someone.
"Give Him back to me!"
Accompanied by a roar, His yo-yo in Her hand transformed into a crimson lightning bolt, striking Timetagger with unparalleled fury!
"Good move!" Timetagger was unhurried, leaning His body back.
Just as the yo-yo was about to hit Him, His figure suddenly vanished, and then, several meters away, he reappeared out of thin air in the exact same posture on one of the graffiti marks he had sprayed earlier.
"My turf, my rules!" He whistled smugly.
Cat Noir's attack followed closely, but the result was identical.
Timetagger moved like a ghost, teleporting between the graffiti marks he had laid out, easily dodging all the attacks from the two heroes.
"Beep! Beep!"
Urgent alarm sounds came simultaneously from Ladybug's earrings and Cat Noir's ring.
Their Akumatization time was running out.
"Damn it!" Ladybug still wanted to continue attacking. His mind was now filled with only one thought: to catch this bastard in front of Her and find out Jaden's whereabouts.
"Ladybug, calm down!"
Cat Noir intercepted Her with His metal staff,
"We don't have much time! We have to retreat first! This guy's ability is too strange, we need to formulate a new plan!"
"But Jaden, he..." A hint of a sob entered Ladybug's voice.
"We'll get Him back! I promise!"
Cat Noir's tone was exceptionally firm, "But if we expose our identities now, everything will be over!"
Looking at His partner's unquestionable gaze, Ladybug could only bite His lip tightly, forcefully suppressing the anger and worry in His heart.
The two exchanged a look and quickly disappeared into the park, using the cover of the buildings.
"Heh heh, go on, little kids."
Timetagger watched their hasty departure, scoffing, "I'll give you a little more time to prepare for despair."
With that, he leisurely began to spray more graffiti marks throughout the park and even the surrounding streets,
Gradually transforming this area into His own invincible hunting ground.
In the distant lair, Hawk Moth watched all of this with interest.
Just then, an unfamiliar mental link forcefully connected to His mind.
"Hello, Hawk Moth of this era."
It was the guy who called himself "Timetagger."
"Who sent you?" Hawk Moth's voice was devoid of emotion.
"The future Hawk Moth sent me back to the present to take their miraculous."
"Oh?" A meaningful curve formed at the corner of Hawk Moth's mouth beneath His mask, "Is that so? Then my future self must have high hopes for you."
"Of course! I am the strongest!"
"Then... we'll see your performance." Hawk Moth cut the link, His eyes becoming even more profound.
"My future self... huh? Interesting.
However, compared to those two little toys, I'm more curious to know which era you sent my 'ace' to?"
A dizzying sensation.
Jaden felt as if He had been thrown into a rapidly spinning, kaleidoscopic kaleidoscope.
Countless bizarre images, noisy and ear-splitting sounds, and chaotic, disordered fragments of time washed over His consciousness like a tide.
He couldn't feel the existence of His own body, as if only a pure wisp of consciousness remained, drifting with the current in this ceaselessly flowing river of time.
After an unknown amount of time, the dizziness slowly receded.
His five senses began to return.
First was the sense of smell.
A strong, peculiar scent, a mixture of earthy fragrance, burning wood, and... poultry droppings, filled His nostrils.
Next was hearing.
The distant clanging of blacksmiths could be heard, mixed with people speaking in a strange French accent, and the crowing of roosters and barking of dogs.
Finally, sight.
As He slowly opened His eyes, what greeted Him was a low, wooden and thatched roof,
And a hazy, somewhat murky sky, polluted by pre-Industrial Revolution coal smoke.
He slowly sat up, finding himself lying on a pile of soft hay. This seemed to be the corner of an alley, with several old wooden barrels stacked nearby.
He looked down at His clothes; He was still wearing His modern casual attire, which looked out of place in the surrounding environment.
Outside the alley was a narrow street paved with cobblestones.
People came and went on the street. Most men wore tight short tunics and breeches, while women wore rough long skirts and headscarves.
Occasionally, a few heavy, wooden-wheeled carriages pulled by draft horses creaked by.
The distant buildings were mostly wooden structures, with white plaster walls.
And further in the distance, the spire of a magnificent Gothic cathedral loomed in the mist—
It was the outline of Notre Dame, but compared to the one Jaden was familiar with, it seemed even more... ancient.
Jaden stood up, brushed the hay from His clothes, and walked out of the alley.
He looked at the scene before Him, which seemed to have stepped directly out of a historical painting, watching the passersby who cast curious, surprised, and even wary glances at Him, and took a deep breath.
The unfamiliar air, mixed with historical dust, instantly led Him to a conclusion.
He was no longer in the 21st century.
"Welcome to... past Paris." He smiled helplessly, beginning to ponder a very serious question.
How would He survive in this era with no electricity, no internet, and no "Ladybug"? And, how would He find His way back?