The library stayed quiet that Monday afternoon.
I sat at my usual table in the back sorting notes for the history project while a few tables away Marinette and Alya listened to Lila tell another story.
"And then Prince Ali invited me to the balcony for the fireworks," Lila said. "He told me I was the only one who truly understood his vision for the charity."
I looked up from my notebook. "That is a pretty short trip for something like that getting time with a prince usually takes more time to planning."
Lila kept her smile. "When you are as close as we are Finn the rules can be bent."
Marinette gave me a quick appreciative look
soon the air felt heavy.
The lights flickered and the mirrors on the walls rippled like water a woman in shifting fabric walked in holding a large fancy hand mirror she called herself the Illusionist.
This was the librarian she was tired of all the lies and rumors students spread every day, especially Lila's stories, so the Akuma found her frustrations and changed her.
"Enough lies," the Illusionist shouted as her voice came from every direction at once. "Let's see how you like a world where nothing is real."
The library changed bookshelves turned into walls of thorns and the floor became swirling mist you can barely see the floor where you were stepping and sounds coming from anywhere. Students yelled and ran for the exits Marinette and Alya helped the others get out while Lila stayed frozen but she got out of it and ran to get out pushing others down.
I slipped behind a tall shelf. "Axel, Call of the Alpha."
Silver light covered me as I turned into White Fang after I turned on absolute silence and climbed to the support beams.
Ladybug and Cat Noir arrived quickly but the Illusionist kept breaking into glass and appearing again.
Well, I was seeing that I was trying to figure out what her abilities were she used strong fake bodies to fight while hiding her real body I stayed quiet and used my Apex Instinct. It cut through the noise and found one faint heartbeat that did not match the loud noise of every other person.
It was coming from behind the librarian's desk.
While Ladybug and Cat Noir kept the fake bodies busy I dropped down silently behind the real Illusionist.
She turned surprised and swung the mirror like a club I blocked it, grabbed her arm, and pulled her off balance.
She moved slower and hit much weaker than her copies she tried calling fake bodies for help.
Ladybug used her lucky charm, and she got A bag of flour she threw a bag of flour into the air Cat Noir spun his staff to spread the dust then shouted "Cataclysm" and jumped around destroying several hidden mirrors one after another the fake bodies started glitching as more mirrors broke.
The Illusionist got scared and rushed straight at me during the fight we crashed through the library wall and made a big hole, taking the battle outside.
I took a hit from the mirror then struck it hard until the frame cracked I pulled it from her hands and crushed it completely.
All the fake bodies broke apart at once the illusions disappeared.
Ladybug purified the butterfly and called "Miraculous Ladybug!" The magic ladybugs swarmed around and fixed everything, including the big hole in the wall.
"Thanks for finding the real one White Fang. That made it a lot easier," she said.
"No problem," I said. "Your distraction and the flour gave me the perfect opening. Nice work on those mirrors Cat Noir."
Cat Noir grinned and leaned on his staff. "Hey I had to do something while you snuck up on her, Pound it."
We bumped fists outside before I left.
A short while later I sat back at my table as Finn.
Marinette came over still a little shaken
"You okay?" she asked.
"Yeah," as I picked up my pen. "Just another day."