Chapter I
It's an unprecedentedly hot day for June in Paris, a day so hot, you could fry a crêpe on the sidewalk. Marinette, a shy, clumsy girl with a big secret, lies on her bed; she's sleeping in today. At least, she was until a phone call from Alya interrupts her stupor.
Alya: Girl, you are not going to believe what I just heard.
Marinette: I just, you're umm, five more minutes?
Alya: Were you just sleeping?
Marinette: *yawn* I was err, I'm up now.
Alya: Alright, sleeping beauty, get your butt down to the Grand Paris ASAP, you've got to see this. Oh, and bring your swimsuit.
Marinette: Wait, are we going *beep* swimming?
Before she finishes the thought, Alya hangs up. It must be quite urgent. Marinette slides down the ladder of her loft and gets dressed.
Downstairs in the bakery, Tom Dupain is fending off a horde of customers.
Customer 1: Where's my cake? I ordered it three days ago, and I need it to be done within the next thirty minutes, or my little Sophia….
Customer 2: What's taking so long? If I had known it would take over four hours to make a simple pastry, I would have…
Customer 3: Three days? I ordered mine a week ago, I ordered first, I should get mine…
The timer on the oven starts ringing, and Marinette dashes through the bakery.
Marinette: Bye Papa, I'm going to the pool, I'll be back for dinner.
Tom: Marinette, I need your…
But, she's already out the door.
Hawkmoth: A temperate baker, failing to keep up with the heat, such a hot spot for my akuma to flourish. Fly away, my evil akuma, and ignite this baker's soul. Mwahahahahaha!
The timer on the oven continues to peal over the shouting of angry customers. Tom rushes to open the oven, and reaches for the tray of cookies with his bare hand. He grabs the tray and scalds his fingers, scattering the cookies to the floor. Tom yelps, and the customers fall silent for a moment. Tom reaches for his oven mitt, just as Hawkmoth's akuma joins it.
Hawkmoth: Hello Burning Baker, I am Hawkmoth. I'm giving you the power to seek vengeance on those who torment you. All you have to do in return is bring me Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculous. Do we have a deal?
Burning Baker: Yes Hawkmoth, Paris will burn to a crisp before my power.
Meanwhile at the Grand Paris…
Marinette: Adrien?!
Alya: That's right, as we speak, Adrien is at the rooftop pool, posing for Mr. Agreste's new line of summer swimsuits!
Marinette squeals.
Alya: Just imagine: beautiful Adrien Agreste with no shoes or shirt.
Marinette feels like melting just thinking about it.
Alya: We've got to get you up there before they finish shooting.
Marinette and Alya enter the building, but Concierge at the front desk halts them.
Alya: What do you mean we can't go up there?
Concierge: I am sorry miss, but the pool has been reserved until this evening. I cannot allow you entry.
Alya: Ugh, this is so unfair.
Marinette: Really, Alya, it's okay.
Alya: Don't you want to see Adrien?
Marinette: Of course I do, but maybe we…
Alya: Then come with me.
Alya grabs Marinette by the hand and they sneak through the building to the elevator. Once on the roof, Alya and Marinette find a couple of pool chairs, and Alya start to undress, revealing her orange bikini swimsuit.
Alya: C'mon Marinette, get undressed. Adrien's right over there, he's going to look over at us any minute now.
Marinette: Oh no! I forgot to change into it before I left!
Marinette groans in defeat.
Alya: I can't believe you right now.
Marinette: I was just so excited, and then I was rushing to get dressed, and then I tripped over my chair, and then I remembered that my swimsuit was downstairs, and then when I went down the stairs I forgot to stop on the second floor, and I ran out the door, and I totally messed up.
Alya: What are we going to do with you, girl?
Adrien: CANNONBALL!
Adrien springs off the diving board and splashes into the water as Vincent, the photographer, snaps a hundred photos of him. Adrien swims over to the edge of the pool, right where Marinette is standing, and as he pulls himself out, water dripping from his perfect blonde hair onto his toned chest and perfectly shaped abs, he notices Marinette.
Adrien: Oh hey Marinette, what are you doing here?
Marinette: I… I… abs!
The sight of his topless body makes it impossible for her to breathe, let alone, take her eyes off his sculpted torso. Her face flushes pink, and she grins awkwardly, unable to utter another word.
Alya: Hey Adrien, we were just in the neighborhood, and thought that we'd go for a swim, right Marinette?
Marinette: Heehee…
She nods, still awkwardly grinning.
Adrien: Oh hi Alya, I didn't see you there. That's a nice swimsuit. Where's yours, Marinette?
Marinette: My bakery forgot them in the I, I mean I forgot their location in the, I mean I know their location, and I was going to get them for you, I mean I was, I was getting them for me, so that I could wear them, but then I… didn't?
Adrien: Oh… I guess that's err, unfortunate?
Adrien scratches the back of his neck.
Chloe: Oh Adriekins!
Chloe comes over in her yellow, strapless two-piece and puts her arms around Adrien's neck.
Chloe: Aren't you so glad that my father had this great rooftop pool for you to do your photoshoot?
Adrien casually removes her arms from around his neck.
Adrien: Yeah, it's a great venue. Thanks again.
Chloe: Oh it's nothing, especially for my Adriekins.
Alya and Marinette both give Chloe a look of disdain.
Adrien: Say, Chloe, do you happen to have an extra swimsuit? Marinette forgot hers.
Chloe: Marinette?
She scoffs.
Chloe: As if, to think that she'd fit into my designer swimsuits? Ridiculous! Besides, what are you two doing here anyways? This pool is reserved for Adrien and his photo crew.
Marinette: If it's reserved, then what are you doing here, Chloe?
Chloe: Ugh, my daddy owns this hotel, I can go wherever I want whenever I want, now get out before I make you.
Marinette grinds her teeth.
Crew Member: Look, over there!
Everyone turns to look at the horizon. On the other side of town, a colossal smoke cloud is forming above a conflagration.
Marinette: Perhaps Chloe is right, Alya. We should go.
Marinette pulls on Alya's arm and drags her to the elevator.
Alya: You're right. Did you see that smoke cloud? I've gotta get down there and start filming for my ladyblog. Ladybug is going to show up for sure!
Marinette: Yeah, you should go as fast as you can, I'll catch up with you later, 'kay?
Alya changes back to her clothes in the elevator, then rushes out of the hotel lobby.
Marinette: Tikki, it's time to transform! Tikki, spots on!
Marinette transforms into Ladybug and swings into action.
Back on the rooftop, Adrien tucks away from the photo crew.
Adrien: Come on, let's go Plagg.
Plagg: Aww, I was enjoying lying around the pool.
Adrien: You've done enough of that, it's time: Plagg, Claws out!
Adrien transforms into Cat Noir and bounds across the rooftops with his baton.
Burning Baker: Mwahaha! Take that, and that. Burn it all, burn to a crisp! Nothing can stop me. I'll reduce this city to ashes!
As he flies through the city streets, Burning Baker fires one fireball after another from his fire-mitt, and with each fireball, another building erupts into flames. People are screaming, and vehicles are exploding. A fire truck turns the corner to contain the fires, but Burning Baker charges up a huge fireball and sends the truck flying.
Ladybug drops into the scene.
Ladybug: That's enough, villain. It's time for you to simmer down.
Cat Noir drops in behind her.
Cat Noir: That's right, after all, no one likes a hot-head.
Burning Baker: I'll burn you, I'll burn this city, and I'll burn everyone in it! Mwahahaha!
He hurls a fireball at them, and Ladybug dodges left as Cat Noir dodges right. Ladybug slings her magic yoyo at Baker's mitt, but as Ladybug pulls him to the ground, Baker ignites his mitt, releasing the yoyo's grapple. From behind, Cat Noir attempts to tackle the Baker, but he dodges, and Cat Noir lands on the sidewalk next to Ladybug.
Burning Baker: Take this!
He hurls another fireball at them. Ladybug and Cat Noir run down the street, dodging fireballs as the Baker chases them.
Cat Noir: I hope you have a plan…
Ladybug: This way to the Seine. If we can get him in the river, he won't be able to use his fire.
Cat Noir: Great thinking, m'lady.
However, Burning Baker throws a charged fireball at a building ahead of them, and the rubble falls into the street, blocking it off.
Ladybug: Quick, this way!
Ladybug leads Cat Noir into the nearest building.
Ladybug: If we can lure him inside, we'll be able to get close to him.
Cat Noir obeys, and Burning Baker follows, leaving footprints of fire on the wood floors.
Ladybug: Upstairs, quick!
The pair climbs the stairs to the second floor, and waits to ambush Burning Baker. Ladybug spins her yoyo, and Cat Noir grips his baton. The door from the stairs explodes from its hinges. Ladybug and Cat Noir duck as Burning Baker emerges, now fully engulfed in flames.
Burning Baker: Give me your Miraculous, and I won't have to burn you alive.
Cat Noir: Sorry to douse your flames, but this barbeque is over, CATACLYSM!
Ladybug: It's time to end this: LUCKY CHARM!
The lucky charm falls into Ladybug's hands.
Ladybug: A blanket? What am I supposed to do with this?
Cat Noir: Don't you think it's warm enough in here?
The flames are starting to surround the superheroes. If it wasn't for their protective super suits, they'd surely be cooked medium-well by now. Ladybug and Cat Noir charge Burning Baker as he charges up his next fireball, but before they reach him, the floor beneath them collapses under the flames!
Ladybug and Cat Noir fall through, and Ladybug loses her Lucky Charm, and when Cat Noir looks up, he finds it under his hand. The Lucky Charm sizzles and changes colors under his Cataclysm.
Cat Noir: Uh oh…
The Lucky Charm starts to wiggle and glow bright white then black, then white again. It pulses and throbs before it finally explodes with a shockwave of magical energy.
Marinette wakes up moments after the explosion, and she finds herself on the ground floor of an office building, presumably the same office building that was moments ago engulfed in flames. She looks at her hands and sees that she's turned back into Marinette! A few feet away, she spots Tikki, coughing.
Marinette: Tikki, are you alright?
Tikki groans in pain.
Tikki: The augment, I wasn't… you have to find…
Marinette: I have to find what? Tikki, what do I need to do? Tell me!
Tikki: Plagg…
Marinette: A Plaque, whose Plaque?
Tikki: The other… kwami.
Tikki lets her tiny head drop, and she passes out.
Marinette: No Tikki! I need you to tell me what to do. How do I fix this?! Tikki, Tikki!
Adrien: Plagg, what's wrong? I have some camembert for you.
Plagg: Find… Ladybug.
Adrien: Ladybug, but what about our identities?
Plagg: I need… Tikki.
Adrien: Tikki? What kind of cheese is that?
Plagg closes his eyes, and Adrien cups his tiny body against his chest.
Adrien: No! Plagg!