Chapter Four:
Unwanted Help
After the interview I was feeling really good and wanted someone to talk to about it. Instead of feeling lonely without any one from home to talk to I decided to go talk to some people I did know. First stop, the Dupain-Chengs bakery. Their fresh croissants were the best and I had become a bit of a regular so they might be happy to be hearing about my new job opportunity.
As I walked in I was pleasantly surprised to see their daughter Marinette helping out at the front counter.
"Hi, how can I help you?" she asked sweetly.
"Can I get, um, say five of your croissants?" I asked.
"Sure thing. What kind?" she asked.
"Just some plain ones. Are your parents both baking in the back?" I asked.
"Yeah. Why? Did you need to talk to one of them?" she asked concerned.
I smiled and waved off her worry.
"Not particularly. I was just hoping to have someone to tell my good news to." I explained.
I internally cringed. I sounded sadder than I had intended and letting her know I had no one else to tell my good news to other then some people who occasionally rang me out probably made me look pathetic. She didn't seem to think so though. In fact, her smile grew even brighter.
"Well, you could always tell me. I'd love to hear any good news you have." She said excitedly.
"Okay. Actually this might mean more to you then it would to them anyway. I may be getting a new job soon. As a personal assistant." I said and paused. "For Adrien Agreste."
Marinette turned bright red.
"W-why would that mean more to me?" she stuttered.
I looked at her a little confused. Then it hit me that she must have a little crush on him or something.
"Well, he's your age and a model and your parents told me you're a designer. Your career choices overlap so I thought it would be more exciting to you." I said casually.
"Oh, yeah. He's actually in my class too. I hope you get the job. It would be a really good job and I know you would be there to help Adrien however you could. You deserve the job. I'll be rooting for you." She said giving me an encouraging smile.
"Wow. Thank you. I wasn't expecting so much praise." I said feeling sheepish.
"Oh! Your croissants." She said rushing off to gather them for me.
After grabbing my croissants there was still one more place I wanted to stop.
"Master Fu?" I called as I peeked my head in the shop.
"Audra? Good to see you. I hope there is not a bad reason for your visit?" He asked.
I smiled as I saw him peek out over the counter. I walked deeper into the shop.
"No I actually have some good news that I was hoping to share with you. And maybe Kerta if that's allowed?" I said hopefully.
"Normally releasing a kwami for such trivial matters is unwise." He said.
"Pleeeeaaaase Master Fu? She's my friend and I want her to celebrate with me." I said.
I put my hands together pleadingly and pouted while giving him puppy dog eyes. Yes, I am 25 and these are still my tactics.
"Okay. Just for a while." He said smiling.
We headed to the back and Master Fu took the bracelet out of the jewelry box. When he handed it to me I cradled it like the precious object it was. In a little puff of magic smoke Kerta was floating in front of me.
"Audra!" she said rushing up to my face to rub noses with me.
"Hey Kerta. How're you?" I asked cheerfully.
"Flametastic!" she said.
"We've been hanging out with Cat Noir too long if you're going to start with the puns now." I said giggling.
"Would you like any tea?" Master Fu asked as he sat down across from me.
"No thank you. But that does remind me that I came here for an actual reason." I said straightening up. "I might have a new job!"
"That's ex-scale-lent." Kerta said.
"Really?" I turned a deadpan look on her.
"These are withdrawal symptoms. You need to use me more often. I have so much pent up energy." She said.
"What do you mean 'might'?" Master Fu asked.
"Well," I started looking away shyly "it's not exactly set in stone. I still have don't know if I passed this round to get to the next interview and only if I do well at that interview will I actually have the job."
"Mmm, being excited is good but getting your hopes up isn't." Master Fu said.
"Hey, this is still reason to celebrate. Audra is awesome. I'm sure she'll get the job." Kerta said crossing her arms defensively.
"Thanks Kerta but he's right. If I get over confident then I may mess up. I really want to make sure I do my best. Besides no one wants to be that person that goes around saying they achieved something they didn't." I said.
Suddenly we heard a crash at the front of the shop. Master Fu and I ran to check on what was going on. Once in the shopping area we saw Ladybug get up from some broken merchandise and leave out the broken entrance.
"Ladybug!" I called but she was already gone.
"There must be an akuma. We should stay in the back protecting the other miraculous." Master Fu said calmly.
"Woah hold up. If there's an akuma shouldn't I go help them?" I asked.
"No. They did not summon you for help." Master Fu said.
"But I'm here. Kerta is right here. Wouldn't it make sense for me to go help them?" I asked worriedly.
"Audra, you are unneeded in this fight." Master Fu said.
I stopped and frowned at him. That answer angered me and hurt me, no one wants to be told they're unneeded. Another crash was all it took though.
"Those kids are in trouble. I won't make them fight alone." I said slipping the bracelet on. "Kerta, Wings out!"
"Another weather akuma?" I whispered to myself.
I sat on top of a roof peeking out from behind a chimney. Apparently this akuma could control the wind. Wind currents and speed ensured she could wreak some real havoc. I wasn't sure if Ladybug and Cat Noir had a plan or not but without finding them first I wouldn't really be able to know what the plan was.
"Hey, Dorothy!" Ladybug called.
I looked down to see Ladybug confidently marching down the street trying to get the akumas attention. I wasn't sure why she was doing that but it made a pit rise in my stomach thinking how she could get hurt.
"Ladybug how nice of you to join me. Now I can take your Miraculous." The akuma said.
A strong gust of wind pushed Ladybug back and I had jumped into action. Right before she hit the brick wall I landed between her and the building, softening her blow. Looking back down the street at the akuma I saw Cat Noir tackling the akuma. Ladybug turned to me shocked by my sudden appearance.
"Flare what are you?" she started.
"Ladybug! I could really use your help! Remember the plan?" Cat called.
"Shit! This really didn't go to plan. Stay there Flare." She said glaring at me before taking off.
I wasn't sure how but I had messed up their plan somehow. I wasn't actually going to wait there for them to yell at me after they were done. They knew who I was as a civilian and if they really wanted to yell at me later they could. I couldn't just leave though so I hid all over again to watch from the side lines. As they dodged every blow I grew more and more relaxed. They were really fine. My ego was bruised as they defeated the akuma but my babies were fine and that's all that really mattered.
"Kerta, Wings in." I said as everything righted itself.
"Audra. It's okay. It's just that we didn't know what the plan was. It's not that you weren't needed." Kerta said as she rubbed my neck using my hair as cover.
"It's okay Kerta. If the kids don't need me then they don't need me. There's nothing I can do to change that." I said as I entered Master Fu's shop.
I returned the miraculous and walked home in a sober mood. What had started off as an exciting day ended with the sad realization that I was needing these kid's way more than they were needing me. I cared about them for sure but my protective behavior was a way for me to feel needed in a city I didn't belong in. Once I got home I picked up my cell and called someone from home that I had been needing to spill my heart out to.
"Hey" I said and I lightly giggled at his response. "No your face. … No I just … I have to be honest. I'm missing home" I said as the tears started. "I miss you and my mom and Shane and I'm just feeling so alone. It's lonely by myself."
An hour or so later I woke up to a light tapping on some glass. I groggily opened my eyes to see I had fallen asleep on my futon. I looked at my phone, still on the line with 'Mine'. I smiled, he hadn't hung up even after I fell asleep to the sound of him reading to me. I picked it up.
"Hello?" after no response I hung up.
He must've fallen asleep too. Another tap on the glass got my attention. I looked up to see Cat Noir on my little balcony. I sighed and opened the sliding glass door for him. Pixie growled and ran off to my bedroom.
"Hey, how're you doing?" he asked.
"Besides feeling really stupid? I'm okay." I said.
"You look like you've been crying." He said concerned.
"Yeah, for completely unrelated reasons." I sighed going to the kitchen.
"So, you know I have to ask some questions concerning today right?" He asked following me.
I grabbed a water and gulped it down. I was feeling super dehydrated.
"Yup. Go ahead. Reprimand me for taking things into my own hands." I said heading back to the living room.
"Well, first of all Ladybug figured out you know where the Miraculous' are being kept. She's not too happy about that." Cat said
"Who did she think gave me my Miraculous the first time? It was Master Fu. Why would she think I didn't know that?" I said sharply.
I was defensive and cranky from being woken up from a very nice sleep. For once I felt at home while sleeping in this strange city. Now I was going to have to fall asleep feeling like an outsider again.
"Why did you jump in without us asking you?" Cat Noir asked.
"I felt compelled to protect you. I know it's not my place and everything but it's instinct for me." I said.
He was silent and contemplating something.
"Maybe…maybe it's not such a good idea for you to continue being the Dragon Miraculous holder. You know where the Miraculous are hidden and you can't stop yourself from jumping in without us calling on you. You don't trust us anymore. You've let our age blind you." He said.
I felt a heartbreaking pain and then a numbness overcame me. I knew this feeling, this was the same as back then and that sent ice through my veins.
"So you'll replace me then?" I asked deciding not to look at him.
"No! Just…" He trailed off.
"Just the Dragon is no longer needed. I'm no longer needed. Well, it was nice working with you Cat Noir. Have a good night." I said icily as I held open the sliding door.
I gestured for him to leave. His ears went down and his tail became limp. He opened and closed his mouth a couple times but then disheartened he left. I shut the door and made my way to my room.
I woke up the next morning to a soaked pillow and a cloud hanging over my head.