[Author's Note]
Hi!
So, this chapter is way longer than the other one.
I'd say sorry, but you guys probably don't mind that much, so, I won't.
(Also: Origins feels! AH!)
Dear Bug,
do you ever notice anything different? The way Alya acts around you, or how you have less tardy records than before? I wish you'd talk to me and say how much you remember. Do you have dreams of saving Paris? Interviews on TV?
Never mind. I'm supposed to be answering questions, not asking them.
Plagg would be sucked into my ring, and I would get the power of destruction- or, Cataclysm, as we called it. This is that Special Move I mentioned in the last letter. The power turned out to be an only-one-shot kind of deal. (I learned that the hard way.) I would say Cataclysm! And feel Plagg's energy racing through me, out of the ring and into my fingertips. You could see the magic hovering there, black, and deadly. The power of destruction.
I always used it on objects. Never on a human, no matter how much I wanted to.
Tikki was- is your Kwami. I only saw her once, but she's small, about as tall as a pencil. She's the red of a traffic light, smothered with spots, like you, one of them right on her forehead. I didn't know her name then, but I bribed Plagg into fessing up.
She gets sucked into your earrings. Your power was creation; a nice match to my destructive power. You could say Lucky Cham! And receive a random item that could help us defeat the akuma.
I've said that a few times. Sorry. I'll try to explain it.
There was… a person, and he went by 'Hawkmoth'. He had a Kwami, too, but he was not a good guy like us. We spent most of our time trying to stop him. I forget if he had a name for his power. If he did, well, I don't care. His power was mind-control and wish-granting.
I only saw his Kwami once. I think he was purple, with stripes? Sorry again. His name was… Nooroo. I think. I'll ask Plagg.
(Plagg says hi.)
(Actually, no, he doesn't, but hi sounds a lot nicer.)
(He also remembers that yes, Nooroo is his name.)
(Oh, and if you remember anything, please tell me. I'm serious, anything. Thanks.)
Anyway.
I already told you about when we first met. Well, since we didn't know each-others secret identities, we also met separately in our civilian forms. What are the odds that we'd go to the same class?
So, uh, (in case you couldn't tell, me sitting in front of you everyday and all) my Father finally relented and let me go to school. I won't say why yet. I prefer to write the happy stuff. But when we first met, I was still… going against his wishes. Introducing: Running Away (for only a little while) Part Three.
This time I had Plagg, so I was faster, sprinting and leaping across the roofs, wiping dust out of my eyes, not looking down, and other grand hero-like things a normal hero would do while on the run. When I was close enough to have a good head-start, I deactivated, jumped into an alley, and speed walked the rest of the way to the school.
"You're such a strange kid," Plagg muttered, flying around my head when he should've been in my jacket, out of sight. "Who would want to be at school when he can stay at home all day?"
"You don't get it, Plagg. I've had enough of being shut up at home with my dad. I want to meet people and make friends! Go to a school like everyone else!"
Just to prove that he wasn't listening, Plagg moaned. "I feel weak…"
I blinked and gave him a look, before remembering, that I had just been Cat Noir, rooftop acrobatic. Kwami tend to use up their energy by transforming and taking the hit so we don't wake up covered in bruises the next day. Well, visible ones.
I slipped my bag off my shoulders and pulled out a wedge of Camembert. "You know what's strange? The fact that all you eat is this disgusting, rotten, smelly, Camembert cheese and then I have to smell like it twenty-four/seven. That's strange."
Plagg gobbled up the cheese with joy in his narrow green eyes. "If you want to be able to transform into a superhero, then stinky cheese is the deal, my friend!" His tone was nice enough that I calmed down, but still. He seriously stank.
What does Tikki eat? Macaroons?
Well, it turned out that changing into Cat Noir hadn't given me as much of an advantage as I had thought it would. I was almost inside the doors when I heard a familiar soft engine rumbling behind me.
"Adrien, don't do this! Your father will be furious!"
As if he wouldn't be if I had gone back home with her. "Tell him you got her too late," I begged, turning my head only so she could see my wide, desperate, and innocent eyes. "Please!" My head buzzed in alarm as my body rebelled and walked inside the school doors. The door stayed open, as other students filed in and out, but Natalie didn't follow me. I waited to see what would happen, stepping to the side and counting to sixty.
A minute passed. A car door shut faintly, then the engine grew quieter until vanquishing.
I exhaled in relief, laughing a little. I had done it! I was going to school!
So, yeah, I sounded like I was on a kids' show, getting ready for The Big Day, but I didn't care. This was an exciting, new thing for me, and I wouldn't let that one kid's judging look bring me down.
I walked farther into the main area and saw a small group of kids talking. One of them I recognized from the field where we'd fought Stone Heart the day before, and she scowled, hands in fists as she talked. I imagined angry lasers shooting out of her glasses. A blonde girl glanced at the ceiling, then back to the girl, her voice in a sing-song tone that I didn't recognize. No-one I talked to spoke like that, though what did I know? For the most part, I'd only spoken to boring adults.
The girl- Alya! -said something back to Chloe, crossing her arms.
"Chloe?"
She turned and gasped at me, her eyes widening as she beamed, skipping over to hug me. "Adrikins!" She squeaked. "You came!" At the time, I hadn't been embarrassed or annoyed at the nick-name. I had thought everyone had one, or maybe Chloe was just one of those creative people who gave all her friends nick-names.
Well, turns out that isn't as common as I thought. We had nick-names for each other, sometimes. You hated it when I called you Bugaboo and called me Kitty in return. It… wasn't annoying.
Now I'm being weird again. I'm sorry, Marinette.
Chloe had lead me to our classroom, and I signed a few autographs on the way. She had pointed to a seat in the front row, which was nice of her. I smiled at the boy I'd be sitting with, but he didn't look ecstatic, exactly.
"You're friends with Chloe, huh?" Before I could figure out what he meant, I heard Chloe's friend, Sabrina, giggling. It wasn't a happy giggle.
I turned around. Chloe handed Sabrina gum, which she put in your seat.
"Hey! What's that all about?"
"The brats that sat here yesterday need a little attitude adjustment," she said, her voice in the same sing-song tone it had been earlier. Her smile was pulled to one side. On that first day, I was a sheltered idiot and didn't realize she was smirking. "I'm just commanding a bit of respect, that's all."
I thought, if her classmates were rude, why didn't she tell the teacher, or talk it over with them? Even then I knew: something was off.
"You really think that's necessary?" I stepped over to the seat, frowning at the glob on the bench, wet with spit.
"You've got a lot to learn about school culture, Adrikins. Watch the master."
Master of what? Chewing gum?
I knelt on one knee and narrowed my eyes at the gum. I couldn't leave it there, but I definitely didn't want to touch it. I had just worked up the nerve to grab it when I heard:
"Hey! What are you doing?"
I jumped, turning around to see a surprised and annoyed girl with indigo hair standing in the doorway. Oh, here you are again! This time, I was the one stuttering.
"Uh… I…."
Chloe and Sabrina laughed. What were they doing?
You huffed. "Okay, I get it. Good job, you three. Very funny."
"No, I was just trying to get this off!"
"Oh, really?" You walked over to the bench. I quickly stood up and pulled back out of your way as you frowned at the gum, pulled a napkin out of your bag, and stuck it on the mess. You threw a glance back at me. "You're friends with Chloe, right?"
I blinked, turned away, and sat in my seat. Why did people keep saying that?
Chloe laughed again from behind me, harsh and forced. "Now do you see what I mean about respect?" I bit my lip, head swimming a little with the events of everything. My bag fell from where it had been leaning on the desk leg onto my feet. Something moved around inside; Plagg.
"Why didn't you tell her it was Chloe's idea?"
I looked up at the boy. "I've known Chloe since I was a little kid. And I know she's not perfect, but I can't throw her under the bus. She's, like, my only friend."
The boy glanced at the desk, then turned back to me and grinned. "I'm Nino, and it's time for you to make some new friends, dude."
Then class started, so I couldn't say anything else. Ms. Bustier began role-call, but we had just gotten started when the huge rock monster ran through, his huge rocky shoulders snapping the door down.
He grabbed Mylene and Chloe, then jumped through the wall and onto the streets. First Day of School Review: 4/10. One new friend, one person who possibly hated me, and one old friend I wasn't sure about. Also: huge rock monster causes slight inconvenience.
Hey, Marinette, do you remember this part? Do you remember being Marinette? If you do, please tell me. Or Alya. I know you tell her everything- and she remembers. If you can't tell me, write a letter. Like this one. I don't mean to come off as desperate, but… I miss you.
Back to the stone monster.
I snatched my bag up and down the hall to the locker room.
"My first day of school and I don't even make it past role-call," I complained to Plagg.
"A day off? Now that's what I'm talking about!"
"Oh n-n-n-no. We have homework to do."
Plagg moaned.
"Claws out!"
Plagg was sucked into my ring once again, dark black energy crowding into my head. Every sound was amplified- street creaking under the weight of a boulderous hulk, students yelling, cellphones beeping and ringing. My head tingled with my new cat ears, my tail brushed against my legs, and the bell under my collar jingled as I ran outside to the damage.
Chloe was yelling at Stoneheart, who was holding her in his fist. "You have no idea who you're dealing with! My daddy, the mayor, will bring in the police, the army, the entire cavalry!"
"Don't forget the superhero!" I shouted, running towards them, and smacking the monster with my baton. The monster just flashed a rocky grin as he shook, growing bigger. "Oh. My bad."
"Ugh. Super incompetent, you mean." I tried to ignore Chloe, since she didn't even know who I was.
"You wanted the calavry?" Stoneheart yelled, his voice gruff. "Here it is!" The street shook as more rocky nightmares stomped their way over to us. They were slightly shorter, and less mountain-y, but my eyes still widened at the sight. "Seize him!"
The ones closest to me laughed, and even their laugh sounded coarse. Hands shot out from all sides, I ducked and jumped, rolling to the side as Mylene and Chloe shrieked more. The high pitches were too amplified for my cat ears, and I winced, trying to stay focused on the stone limbs that smacked and snatched.
"IF YOU CAN HEAR ME, LADYBUG," I shouted, "I CAN USE A LITTLE HELP!"
Out of the corner of my eye, I saw the girl you'd been sitting next to just ten minutes ago. Alya had her phone out, trying to take a picture. Okay, Alya is the best, but- WAS SHE INSANE?
One of the monsters tossed a car, and it plummeted towards Alya, so I leaped, baton out and bouncing against the car, shielding her from being crushed. Alya shouted, pinned between the car and the building behind her, but that meant she was alive.
Before I could dash over and help her, one rocky thing snatched me up, squishing, bruising, and scrapping me against its harsh fingers. I swung my feet and kicked wildly, since my entire upper body was pinned in its hand.
"LET GO, YOU BLOCKHEAD!"
Its fist swayed as they stomped down the streets. Distantly, I heard a shouting, then the zipping of your yo-yo.
"Cat Noir! Extend it!"
And then my baton was thrust between the blocky fingers. I grabbed it, energy spilling from me into the stick as it lengthened, the giant shouting as I escaped, then fell, spinning, to the ground. I grunted, then rubbed my head and sat up to see the thing looming over me.
"Woah!"
Your yo-yo flashed red and snagged my leg, yanked me up and out of the way, then left me hanging, swinging under a lamppost. You flashed a grin from where you squatted on top of the pole.
"Sorry I was late."
Remembering your puns from the first time we'd fought the rocks, I winked back. "My lady, have I ever told you that you turn my world upside down?"
"Oh, quite the jokester, aren't you?"
The boulders below us roared angrily.
"-But your comedic timing needs work- we gotta get out of here!" You leaped from the pole, onto a roof, and I followed, having no choice since your yo-yo was still tied to my leg. I shouted as I flipped behind you, tugging the string off my ankle. We dashed across the rooftops.
"HEY," I yelled, ducking and hurtling chimneys, "AREN'T WE GONNA TAKE CARE OF THEM?"
"NO." We landed on concrete, straightening up to face the Eiffel tower across the bridge from us, on top of which Stoneheart roared at the helicopters flying around him. "If we wanna save them all, we gotta go to the source. That one."
The police blocked off our end of the bridge, where the mayor held a megaphone, trying to convince Stoneheart to let his daughter go.
"You know what?" The rock pile growled, "you're welcome to her." He thrust Chloe across the bridge. Screaming, she flailed. I stepped forwards, but I was too slow, too far behind to do anything helpful. But a flash of red, and you were halfway across the bridge, catching Chloe midair. I ran over to follow you.
"My princess!" The mayor and Chloe hugged, scrambling out of the way as the policemen raised their rifles.
"We're clear to attack!" The captain ordered. Wait. What about Mylene? He couldn't just shoot with her still up there!
"WAIT!" You shouted, hands raised. "No, don't attack them! You know it'll only make things worse."
The captain shook his head, gesturing as he spoke. "I have a new plan, unlike you. Move aside, and let the pros do their thing; you've already failed once!"
You froze.
Slowly, you turned around, staring at the ground. "He's right, you know," you whispered. "If I had captured Stoneheart's Akuma the first time around, none of this would've happened!" You hid your face in your hands. "I knew I wasn't the right one for this job…"
You looked so tired.
"No. He's wrong, because without you, she'd no longer be here." I glanced at where Chloe stood with her dad. You looked up, sorrowful. "And because without us, they won't make it, and we'll prove that, too. Trust me on this. Okay?"
You took a deep breath and smiled. "Okay."
Stoneheart bellowed behind us, and we turned to see the rocky being folding in half, spluttering, and choking. He reared back, and puked… butterflies? Akumas. A huge ball of purple akumas flew, shaping a huge, brooding face, too vague to recognize. Yet it had looked familiar…
Stoneheart gasped for breath and fell backwards as the face began speaking. How was that possible?
"People of Paris," the voice hissed, both comforting and revolting at once, "listen carefully. I am Hawkmoth."
"Hawkmoth?" I leaned forwards, trying to figure out where I knew him from. TV?
"Ladybug, Cat Noir, give me the ladybug earrings and the cat ring now! You've done enough damage to these innocent people."
Someone clapped slowly, and everyone, the police, the mayor, and me, turned, to see you walking towards the giant moth-head with an easy swagger.
"Nice try, Hawkmoth, but we know who the bad guy is. Let's not reverse the roles here. Without you, none of these innocent victims would be turned into villains. Hawkmoth," you added, not a drop of doubt left in your voice, "no matter how long it takes, we will find you, and you will hand us your miraculous!"
You ran the rest of the way to the tower, leaping and screaming "time to de-evilize!" You swung your yo-yo at the moth-head, hair flying, pink streaming, flashing, as the bugs disappeared one by one. Hawkmoth yelled in outrage, until the whole thing was gone. You flipped and landed skillfully on the Eiffel, then turned and faced the whole of Paris.
"Let me make this promise to you: no matter who wants to harm you, Ladybug and Cat Noir will do everything in our power to keep you safe!" You beamed, pressed a button on your yo-yo, and released thousands of white purified butterflies into the sky, like a sonic boom of bugs.
The police cheered. The helicopters whirred. I smiled.
But Stoneheart wasn't done yet. He finally stood, glaring at us from where we stood. "You'll never take Mylene from me!" You leaped from the Eiffel, and I ran over from the bridge. Stoneheart growled and stomped, shaking the ground as Mylene shrieked. We stumbled, falling onto the pavement. My head spun, but I stood up anyway, determined to stop the rocks for the last time.
"Come to me, my stone beings!"
The other horrifying boulders stomped after Ivan, and then climbed the tower, each step shaking the ground. Quickly, we climbed, too, but had to stop at the first floor.
"We're surrounded! What do we do now? We can't attack him!"
"Yes," you said, frowning at Stoneheart, "but we know where the Akuma is."
I nodded, understanding. "In his clenched fist. The one he's holding Mylene with. So…"
"So we know he's in love with her." You paused, then beamed and turned back to me. "That's it! We don't separate Stoneheart and Mylene- we bring them closer together! They're made for each other; they just don't know it yet."
You swung your yo-yo and started climbing up the tower.
"Uh, not really following you-" …but you were already gone. I sighed, shook my head, not understanding, and followed.
"HELP!" Mylene shouted. "I'M SCARED OF HEIGHTS!"
You leaped up to the tip of the tower. "Everything's going to be alright!"
The stone monsters roared, causing the news copters to dip and back up.
I caught up to you, hair flapping in the wind from the helicopters. "How are you planning to get them closer than they already are?"
"By using our powers. LUCKY CHARM!"
You thrust your hand into the air, small dots of pink swimming along the string, until, with a flash of white, a small, red-and-black backpack fell, landed in your hands. "A parachute? What-"
But I didn't hear the rest of what you said, because while my back was turned, one of the rocks had grabbed me, throwing me into the air, spinning and yelling. I managed to grab a beam, flipped myself over it, and landed on top, holding the other boulders back with my baton.
"You sure you know what you're doing?"
"We'll find out soon enough!" You threw the yo-yo, catching it underneath Stoneheart's arm and head. "His hand! Get ready." You leaned back, yanked and grunted. The yo-yo pulled Mylene and Stoneheart together, accidently- Or was it? -causing them to kiss. Stoneheart gasped and opened his hand, dropping both the paper and Mylene.
I leaped, passing Mylene as she dangled from Stoneheart's fingertips, reaching for the paper, then hitting it back up to you with my baton, like baseball. Then I shoved my bat into a crevice in the tower, shaking, but not plummeting to my death, which is always a plus.
"Homerun!" My ears picked up the ripping of paper. "Time to de-evilize-"
But then, with a flash of deep purple, Stoneheart was Ivan, and he was falling. Mylene and Ivan shouted, falling towards me.
"CAT NOIR! You take care of Ivan!"
Without thinking, I yelled "CATACLYSM!" and slammed the sudden flash of energy into the Eiffel Tower. A beam lowered, and I snatched it, pulling it out and grabbing Ivan as he fell. You sped past, grabbed Mylene, flung your yo-yo, caught the Akuma, and activated your parachute, softly falling to the safety of the sidewalk. I watched as you hit the pavement, set down Mylene, and pressed a button on the yo-yo. One single, purified butterfly flapped out.
I helped Ivan down to the pavement, which wasn't easy; he's a big guy. Pink spots of Tikki's magic swirled around us, cleaning the damage done by the rock monsters, turning the rock monsters back into humans, and smelling faintly of roses and cookies.
"Woah! Are you seeing what I'm seeing?"
"Yeah! It's beautiful… amazing- oh, it's miraculous!"
We stood there, adrenaline still coursing, hearts beating a marathon, simply watching the magic.
Ivan said something to Mylene, so she hugged him. He froze, blushing.
"Oh, they're so made for each other."
"Like us two," I tried, but then my ring started beeping. (Plagg did that on purpose.)
"Uh-oh," you said, not looking upset. "You see that? Time to split. See you soon, Cat Noir."
I watched you swing away, then went in the other direction, leaping over rooftops until I landed on one close enough to my house. I deactivated, then ignored Plagg as he whined for cheese.
And I sat there, adrenaline still coursing, heart beating a marathon, simply watching the magic.
