Well… I prefer uneven chapters, don't you? Finishes next instalment, but this one is worth it
LADYBUG BY DAYLIGHT, NOT FINAL CHAPTER YET
Jim transformed back, so they could move faster, through Paris rooftops. Ladybug handling the balloon-ed Toby, Jim carrying Claire on longer jumps. Ladybug could not help but noticed the way they look at each other. The same way Adrien looks at… no, not her, at the disguise, at the fakery that is Ladybug uniform.
"You are lucky, secret identities can be very… frustrating."
"I think they're aaawsome." Said Toby.
"Well, we're not exactly public figures, unlike you. Je ne cross pas I missed all about you two in the jornaux."
Ladybug smiled.
"It's good to see the shoe on the other foot. 'Crois', not 'cross'. Otherwise, well done."
"Jim, you barely made through the Spanish test, now you know French?"
He blushed a bit.
"Imported cookbooks and shows, Claire. You end up picking a thing or two."
And Chat, thought Ladybug? How come his English is so good? She can't ask, she can't know, secret identities above all. She shook her head.
The Trolls made Chat the same question. The answer he can't give is there's no fashion industry without London and New York. So, English is a must for both models and fashion businesspeople. He is the first, on route to be the second.
"New York and other cities are important for my civilian work area." No kidding, Chat, he thought. New York is vital for 70% to 80% of all work areas. Nice way of saying nothing. He was about to ask more about the Trolls but was cut by some savage screams on the street level.
Worst, turning, he saw an akumatized Strickler, with books floating around then.
"Ah, yes. Vikings. Not the most subtle strike force in the world, but their determination is without pair." A ray came out of his pen, changing other passerby into the barbaric horde.
Chat Noir tried to attack, but was hold back by
"Now, shinobi, more commonly known as ninjas, on the other hand, are not seen up to the moment they're over the enemy."
As Chat used his staff to draw the enemies away, Strickler pointed his pen to the sky, producing a rope ladder.
"A fascinating character, Santos Dumont. One of the few people in history to actually tie his dirigible balloons he build himself and enter then by the window. If you excuse me, The Historian needs to be elsewhere. First, Airport Charles de Gaulle, and then…" He pointed to the floor again. "but my forces need a suitable General."
Chat Noir tried to escape the akumatized victims, with the help of some punches from Blinky. He got behind Aaarrrgghh.
"How about some help, big guy?"
"Pacifist."
"Fantastic!" Sighed Adrien, and jumped into action again, swirling his staff like a helicopter.
The Trollhunters and Ladybug were busy putting everything that was floating on Master Fu's apartment back in place, as he finished covering a small object with oriental written seals and charms.
"I must thank you, Master Fu." Said a normal Toby. Too bad I can't fight with a tea box."
"We'll talk with the trolls of Catacombs later, Toby. Now, me must find a way to solve this crisis."
"Easy for you to talk. I'm the only one without a magic weapon."
In another place, battered Chat Noir and Blinky started to battle Vikings at the building narrow stairs. The horde trying to go up, the heroes, down.
"Anyone saw this 'general' of The Historian?"
"No, my feline lad. Obviously is someone with enough qualities to keep us here."
"Alexander."
"No, no one of that caliber, Aaarrrgghh. Strickler is clever. He would not choose anyone capable of overthrowing him."
Finally, Chat Noir busted through the street level door, just to face an imponent figure on a horse. He dropped his staff in shock.
"Strickler, you miserable psycho." Blinky looked at the figure unsheathing a sword "Of course he would choose someone no French would engage in battle." Dressed in the colors of France, the figure pointed the sword to Blinky as she spoke.
"My name is Joan of Arc. Choosen by God to protect France from monsters like you."
"Master Fu" said Wayzz "I sense a huge Akuma activity nearby."
They turned on the TV and saw Chat Noir facing Vikings and Ninjas where they left him.
"Strickler!"
The image changed to a shot of the airport, several pilots getting into old airplanes, the ones saw in movies from…
"Ha!" mocked Toby "what kind of pilot drink alcohol before entering their planes?"
"Kamikazes" said in unisonous Master Fu and Claire.
"We may be in trouble, Ladybug, Jim, as mister Strickler visited me earlier."
"… and I am without my Warhammer."
"TV says he calls himself The Historian." Noticed Ladybug
"Yes, he was our History teacher back in Arcadia."
"If he used Vikings and Ninjas, he must be storing something worse to attack us." Ladybug closed her eyes and massaged her temples. "Think, Ladybug, what an history teacher would use? What he would consider the greatest menace ever?"
"Romans."
"That's actually a very good guess, Claire."
"Thanks… but it was not a guess" The trollhuntress pointed through the window, to show a legion marching on, Strickler floating above them.
"Last chance, Young Atlas. Get Ladybug's Miraculous and wish my kind safe."
"No, way, Strickler, we…"
"Let me put it that way. There's another two places in Paris radiating Miraculous energy, and my kamikazes are about to strike then. And my deal with the media is still on. I dare to say you do not have much space for negotiation."
Ladybug mind was took by panic. Her mom and dad!
"Enough is enough!" Ladybug rushed to Strickler and his army.
"Ladybug, wait! We should…"Jim noticed it was too late for a plan, and, wielding the Daylight, followed her, Claire doing the same.
"Toby, stay here."
"But, Claire…"
She was already gone. Master Fu looked at him.
"Toby, is that it? You really want to help your friends, don't you?"
"Yes, but that black cat of yours…"
"How fast can you learn?"
A couple of minutes later, Claire noticed Fu's apartment was dominated by a strange white light. She thought it was an attack from Strickler, but at the next second, she saw jumping out the window…
"Aaaawwwwsome saaaauce!"
"… Toby?"
Her chubby friend was wearing a gray form-fitting uniform, a knight-style white tunic with two horns drawn on it. On his head, a domino mask. Over it, a metallic headband with two horns and a metallic strip protecting the nose. On his hand, a hammer in the form of a ram head.
"I am not Toby!" he swirled the hammer, keeping the romans at a distance. "I am the holder of the Ram Kwami. I am, huh… War Ram! That's it. Wa,,,"
He was hit by a Roman shield. A portal sent him away before he could strike again.
"I am all right. The War Ram is…"
"The War Ram better protect Ladybug. She is acting in a strange way."
"On it, My… better, Jim's Lady."
Chat Noir was breathing heavily, one knee on ground, grabbing his staff for support. At his feet, one of the symbols of France lied knocked out. Hope Ladybug can fix this one, he thought, or she will sport a nasty bump on the head for days. Lieutenant Roger and part of the Police of Paris was there, helping handle the Vikings and Ninjas. It took a while to explain Aaarrrgghh and Blinky were with the hero, but now all was set.
"Chat Noir. Are you all right?"
" 'Patriotism… huf… patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel'. Sam… Samuel Johnson." He stood up, trying to hide his tears, and used his staff to see the news about the other local where an akuma fight was on. "Come, Troll friends, we have a scoundrel to defeat." He jumped on Aaarrrgghh's back. "That way. Fast!"
Blinky smiled. Why couldn't Jim be like so? "Your education is remarkable, Chat Noir."
"Fight now, compliments – I know there's a shorter word for it – compliments later."
"Praise."
"Thanks, Aaarrrgghh. Next block, to the right."
Dead worried about her parents, Ladybug attacked Strickler blind of rage.
"Now, Ladybug, History can give us all the tools to victory." He took a small plastic box from his uniform "But one can't deny the advantages of modern times, right?"
He pressed a button, and two metallic wires hit Ladybug, as a quick and powerful current hit her body.
"All that destructive power, less than 20 euros in several shops. That's progress for you. Legionnaires! Grab the miraculous earring."
"Ladybug!" Jim swirled the Daylight, keeping Strickler's romans away. "Claire, Ladybug is knocked out. Portal!"
"War Ram will cover you Jimbo, I mean, James who I never met before." His hammer started to glow and grow.
"Earth…" War Ram hit the ground with all his strength, causing a shockwave that knocked down all the enemy force. "Quake!"
The portal took Claire, Jim and an unconscious Ladybug back to Fu's apartment.
"Take care of her, I must rescue Toby."
"No, Jim, I need you here. Claire, can you do it?"
"Of course, Master Fu." And she disappeared through another portal.
"Master Fu, sorry, but I am the trollhunter and I need…" But the elder man already took Ladybug to another room. A flash of red later, he was back.
"She will be fine, just need some minutes to rest. Unfortunately, we don't have this time to spare. Trollhunter…"
Fu opened his hand, showing two earrings.
"Open your amulet."
Now tell me, who saw Miraculous Toby coming? Quick contest for naming the Ram Kwami, so far I will go with "Ornns". Any better idea?
Wrapping up on the 5th chapter, I promise.