The world blurred into motion and noise as we leaped below, Sparrow's staff striking the cracked pavement beside me as we hit the ground running. The villains inhuman bulk of muscle wrapped in a shifting haze of black energy, roared from the center of the street. His shadow split into copies of himself, each one moving with perfect coordination.
We didn't have the luxury of talking strategy as a barrage rushed each of us. Every step closer was a gamble, and each and every swing of his massive fists carrying enough force to crumple a city bus.
The "Bat-like" Miraculous wielder was already here, dark hair plastered to her forehead with sweat, black leather choker glinting beneath the streetlights. The silver blue bat charm caught my eye for half a second before an air pressure returned my gaze to the fight. She darted in and out of the villain's reach, phasing through the shadows with an agility that would've impressed me if I weren't busy dodging and attempting to fight back myself.
But I could see how her right hand kept drifting to her side after every intensive bout before being swarmed again, pressing against what I suspected was more than just bruising.
Sparrow lunged over me, swiping the almost solid clone's and slamming her staff down on its head. It dissolved into smoke.
I followed, striking another clone in the back for a bit of momentum, my trailing beside Sparrow without a word. Despite our coordination and improvising, we were clearly outnumbered, outpaced, and outpowered.
The real villain seemed to refocus on us then.
He grinned, his voice a low growl. "More to crush."
The building-level punch came before I could even think *Second Chance*. The shockwave lifted us off our feet, hurling Sparrow and me through the side of a three story building like we were paper targets. My ribs protested, my vision already blurring, and dust filled my lungs.
We landed hard in what used to be a clothing store, mannequins toppling like corpses around us.
"You good?" Sparrow coughed, struggling to push herself up.
"I've been better," I admitted, but my eyes were already tracking the sound of the ongoing fight. Through the jagged hole where the wall used to be, the Bat wielder was still standing. Alone now.
She moved through shadows, her form flickering between light and darkness, trying to avoid the real villain's fists and the swarming clones. But she was slower than before, her 'shadow steps' delayed by pain. Every time she reappeared, her face twisted tighter.
And still, she didn't call for retreat, I wondered if they knew each other due to their similar powers.
We stumbled back into the street, Sparrow swinging her staff to disperse another clone. I joined her, ducking then cutting through two more, but the tide never seemed to end. The villain slammed his fist into the ground, cracking asphalt, sending us sprawling again.
The Bat wielder took the brunt of it.
She staggered, blood soaking through the side of her suit. Her choker caught the streetlight again, a final glint before she froze mid-step.
The real villain's hand closed around her throat.
"No—!" Sparrow shouted, sprinting toward them, but a clone intercepted her.
I was already moving, hearing sparrows cry but my mind seemed to drift, it was contemplating. My fingers twitched toward my Snake Miraculous. *Second Chance* was right there, the temptation sharp. I could rewind. I could change this.
But…
Every timeline has its weight. And sometimes, the loss of one hero opens a door for another.
The villain didn't give her a chance to scream. One twist, one motion, and her body went limp.
When he dropped her, it was almost casual.
I froze for a heartbeat, just enough to feel the heaviness settle in my chest it wasn't grief, not really. Something more… useful.
I didn't activate *Second Chance*.
Instead, I locked eyes with the dazed Sparrow. "We finish this."
The clones surged, a wave of shadow and movement. Sparrow lunged, blades flashing like silver streaks, deflecting strikes that could have ended her in an instant. I darted through below the towering figure, each movement pinpoint, an elbow here, a kick there.
One clone swung at me, jaw snapping open, hands reaching—but I sidestepped, caught its wrist, spun, and slammed it into another clone. The impact sent both sprawling, but there was no pause.
Sparrow shouted, a battle cry tearing through the clamor, and I used it to time my next strike. I feinted left, then drove my shoulder into the nearest clone's chest. The body crumpled, a domino in a chain reaction. Another lunged at Sparrow, but she ducked low, slashing upward in a brutal arc.
Clones fell around us, shadowed forms twisting and breaking. Each strike, each block, each dodge was a step away from death. And all the while, the real villain who looked too confident watched, trying to find an opening, slowly.
Until in the blink of an eye he was weaving between the fray, I was charging at the next clone aiming for it's out front leg A blur reached me trying to exploit my opening. With this bait I lunged back.
launching myself off the now toppled clone who was behind me, I went into a spinning kick that clipped his side. He staggered, eyes widening.
His body seemed to automatically begin producing another clone until Sparrow jumped onto his back, striking downward, forcing him to his knees.
Sparrow landed a kick that pinned his body down after and with a big leap to avoid the incoming clone stampede, with full force feeling my muscle strain I plummeted delivering my most powerful double kick straight into his skull.
The clones collapsed, broken and motionless, and the villain groaned, pinned between us. Sirens wailed in the far distance, growing louder.
We breathed hard, bodies slick with sweat and blood.
The crowd that had fled earlier was barely trickling back, voices low, faces pale. They stared at the battered villian, and hero lying in the gutter where she'd fallen.
Sparrow who seemed to take heavy damage, moved first, almost collapsing beside her. She didn't speak—just bowed her head, shoulders shaking.
I approached slower.
The silver bat charm gleamed faintly under the streetlamps. No one was looking directly at me, they were too busy staring at the villain.
Kneeling, I placed my right hand lightly over hers, as if in respect. My fingers brushed the choker. With one practiced motion, I closed her eyes and unfastened it and slipped it into my palm, tucking it into a hidden pocket before anyone noticed.
When Sparrow finally stood after several minutes, clutching her rib, I was beside her.
"She was… incredible," she said quietly, her voice raw.
I nodded, letting the weight of the moment settle between us. "She fought to the very last breath. That's what heroes do."
She swallowed hard, her eyes glassy. "It's just… she didn't deserve—"
"No one does," I cut in gently placing a hand over her shoulder. "But if you stay here, staring at the ground, you'll forget there's still a city that needs you."
Sparrow's gaze flicked to mine, uncertain.
I gave her a faint smile—not too warm, "One hero to another… we don't stop moving forward. We carry them with us, but we keep going. For them."
Her lips pressed together, and she nodded slowly. Jessica attempted to leave but the pain made her bend over.
I shook my head, "Let me help you get home"
she was seemingly unable to respond due to her abdomen so I place one of her arms over her shoulder and bridle carried her leaping onto a building.
In my pocket, the Bat Miraculous rested, a reminder of what had been gained in the shadow of loss.
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Hmm wheres the r-18.. Oh wait it next chapter silly me :P These american villians build different lowkey.
Ill tell you the bats powers now: Sonic screeches, Shadow step (appearing from a shadow) and... that's it, pretty weak.