Am I the only one bummed that in Princess Fragrance, we didn't get Chat and Marinette team up? WE WERE SO CLOSE. And it would have been so frustratingly funny if he still couldn't figure out who she was.


Sending those three away, Chat turned to face Princess Fragrance from where he sent her flying into the kitchen. Only to be surprised when there was a very furious cry, a racket, and then a very different figure rushed out to him, a small, thin girl with a red cape and worn helmet. A little baffled, he gaped at her, trying to figure out who this was.

He felt like he knew who this was…

"We need to get out of here!" the muffled voice rushed when she finally got to him, surprising the hero when she grabbed his wrist and started to jerk him to the window.

Chat agreed, jerking his hand out of her grip. Coming up behind her, he wrapped his arm around her torso, easily lifting her up and hurrying out, just as the akuma shoved the kitchen doors behind her, looking absolutely pissed.

"I'm getting tired of your ruptures," the akuma sang, glaring at the girl wrapped in his arm, "though it is quite courageous!" The akuma sang on, pointing her gun at them.

"Go!" helmet head shrieked, and Chat jumped out of the building and to the opposite roof. Careful not to give away where Prince Ali, his attendant, and Chloe went, he raced off in a parallel path. All the while he glanced down at this stranger, grumbling under her breath as she clutched his arm. Behind him, he could hear the akuma's angry cries, shouting her for prince.

Seeing a good place to duck away, Chat slid into an alley, letting the shadows blend with his suit. He kept the civilian pressed against him, her back to the wall as he hid her. The akuma flew over without a second glance to them. Just as the stranger sighed in relief, Chat spoke up, his tone tight. "So." The figure stiffened, twisting the helmet about so he couldn't see their face easily.

He pressed on. "What's a civilian think she's doing harassing an akuma?"

Technically he should be going after the prince, securing his safety with the akuma on the run. But he could spare a minute to scold this civilian. It would certainly put his mind at ease since he felt he wouldn't see this stranger again anytime soon.

The stranger shuffled on her feet warily as she replied, "Keeping akuma control till you got there." And seemingly still unsettled, she twisted the helmet some more till he was staring at the side of it. Chat was getting really annoyed with this helmet. She could at least wear it straight!

He reached to turn it, only she saw his left claws and jerked back. Bouncing off the wall, she flailed about, trying to knock his hands away. Only to end up smacking his face instead.

Growling slightly, he was just about to snap at her when she uttered, "I'm not transformed Chaton…"

Chat jerked, his eyes widening as his heart pounded at the statement.

There was only one who got away with calling Chaton.

And not transformed...

And she was in her civilian form.

She was a civilian right in front of him.

"Ladybug?!" he gasped.

"Shhhh!" she hissed against, trying to find his lips only to end up smacking his mouth. Chat drew away so his queen wouldn't keep blindly smacking him.

"Wha, what are you doing?! Why are you facing the akuma as a civilian?!" he exploded, his tail jerking about behind him. As exciting as this was, this was vey concerning.

Just, what was she thinking?

Ladybug grumbled, "I'd be transformed if I could…"

"You can't?" he pressed, worry filling him.

"Um," she flittered, "long story short, Tikki got sick and before I could get her help, Chloe snatched her up!"

"You know Chloe?" he couldn't help but ask.

"Chat!"

Right, there were more dire things at hand.

"So you're kwami is with her?" he asked.

"No, she gave her to Prince Ali," his queen stated, drooping like a dehydrated flower.

So her kwami was with the prince, who was being hunted by the akuma. That certainly made things direr. Ladybug jerked when he took her hand, her bare hand in his claws, and Chat couldn't help but stop for a moment, staring down at this hand in wonder. Was her hand always so small and delicate looking? It looked unfitting to rest so easily in his claws. He almost felt like dropping his own transformation, just to see it held by his own bare hand, not his inhuman one.

Instead he brought it up to kiss her knuckles. He closed his eyes, enjoying the feel of soft skin beneath his lips. "I'll retrieve your kwami," he promised her hand, enjoying the fragrance of vanilla, cinnamon, and lavender coming off her skin.

"Chat," his queen tried to intercept, pulling her hand free.

"You're a civilian now My Queen," he warned fondly. How admirably that she even rushed in, without powers.

He wasn't sure if he could do the same.

"Leave this to me," he insisted.

Before she could argue more, he slid away and raced after the akuma and the prince, intent to get his queen's kwami back.

It took everything not to turn around to her calls.