Chapter 10)
"So Lila, again," Nathalie rolled her eyes in disgust.
"She is so perfectly evil by herself and on the other hand so silly to understand, she is only an expendable pawn," Gabriel being Hawkmoth that moment shook his head.
"So Shéhérazade, once you say 'Once Upon a Time in Baghdad', whoever hears it, he drops sleeping. It will not work only on Adrien Agreste. I have another job for him. And as usual, I need Miraculouses of Chat Noir and Ladybug. So, show me, what you're capable for."
XXXXXXX
Miss Bustiere entered classroom and observed usual havoc. Not for the first time she thought, this is work rather for animal handler.
"On your seats! Now!" ordered.
In same moments appeared Lila Rossi in outfit similar to oriental belly dancer. Stripping away veils, there was not a big part of her skin covered in fact.
"Lila, that's exactly VERY inappropriate outfit for this school," said teacher.
"Take care everybody, she's an akuma!" shrieked Chloé and that was the last thing she did that time.
"Bonjour, ya cheese-eatin' surrender monkeys!* Once Upon a Time in Baghdad," said Shéhérazade and with smile she observed, how almost everybody fell into sleep…
(*orig. The Simpsons)
"Adrien, Hawkmoth said, he has for you another job," said Shéhérazade, a bit deranged smile on her face.
"What job?" asked suspiciously Adrien.
"He didn't say," Shéhérazade with dreamy face expression moved to him.
When she was almost on contact distance, Adrien decided he must do something.
"Where's your akuma? I'll tell Ladybug and Chat Noir to help you…"
"I'll need their miraculouses," Shéhérazade's eyes were a bit unfocused.
Adrien tried to grab her right hand and twist it over her back. He quickly learned, without transformation he's no adversary for her. Shéhérazade quickly came loose and next he remembered was his being smashed on wall. He used 'hare's wisdom' and escaped…
Once out classroom he used his phone to place warning on Ladyblog:
WARNING! NEW AKUMA – LILA ROSSI AKA SHÉHÉRAZADE IN COLLÈGE FRANÇOISE DUPONT
ABILITY – PHYSICAL STRENGHT, WITH CATCHPRASE 'ONCE UPON A TIME IN BAGHDAD' SHE IS ABLE FORCE ALMOST EVERYBODY TO SLEEP
RECOMMENDATION – CLOGG YOUR EARS AND HER MOUTH
AKUMA IN UNKNOWN OBJECT
After sending that on blog he moved to nearest covered recess and woke up Plagg:
"New akuma, Plagg, claws out!"
Chat Noir used his baton as phone. No surprise, Ladybug had only voice mail.
"M'lady, I need you in school Collège Françoise Dupont. Lila Rossi is akumatised. Again. According Adrien Agreste she has ability to force you to sleep by one sentence. If you could, buy some earplugs, it would be helpful."
Chat Noir returned to classroom to observe situation, whether was the right time for his action or whether to wait for Ladybug. To his surprise he observed 'Shéhérazade' dancing in classroom in rhythm of melody no one else heard. It was more, than only creepy…
In that moment he noticed Marinette, who noticed him same moment. Chat Noir placed his index finger crossing his lips. Marinette nodded.
He quickly moved to her:
"Another akuma!" whispered directly to her ear. "She can force you to sleep by one simple sentence. Purrincess, please! Go and hide somewhere! NOW!"
"Whom?" Marinette asked also whispering.
"Lila, as usual, I'd almost say," snorted Chat Noir. "I tried to call Ladybug, but she's in her civilian self. Hopefully she reads Ladyblog, Adrien placed warning there."
"OK, Kitty, she'll be here soon, for sure," smiled girl and ran away.
-Off course, m'lady,- thought Chat Noir.
Melody in Lila's deviant mind probably changed, as she now rotate in picking up speed.
Marinette found same covered recess Adrien used a moment ago.
"Tikki, did you hear that?" asked her kwami.
"Sure, that girl needs being reformed."
"Rather ass-kicked," snorted Marinette. "Tikki, spots on!"
As Ladybug she quickly joined Chat Noir.
"So Kitty, what do we have here?"
"As you ask m'lady, I believe, you don't have earplugs," smiled Chat Noir.
"No, I just met Marinette and as she informed me about new akuma, I'm here as quick, as I was able."
"Fine, m'lady. Lila Rossi named herself Shéhérazade now. Well, costume could fit the concept of girl in harem. She could knock you down with one sentence – 'Once Upon a Time in Baghdad', what makes thinks tricky a bit."
Ladybug observed akumatised girl for a moment.
"Is she dancing?"
"The answer seems to me as obvious," nodded Chat Noir.
"It's only me, who feels it as spooky?"
"Completely agree, m'lady."
"So let's explain her one specific rule. Do not piss Ladybug."
She breathed several time in and out.
"Lucky Charm!" her catchphrase was quieter, than usually.
As respond they obtained two pairs of earplugs. Chat Noir used his pair, but once Ladybug did not observe him, he placed it to his pocket. If Shéhérazade's spell did not work on him as on Adrien, he assumed on Chat Noir it should not work either.
Ladybug showed him by gesticulation to go as first and to cover left part of classroom. Once they moved to place, they observed Shéhérazade disappeared. They made pantomimic faces of confusion, but continued in plan.
Chat Noir after enter classroom checked space hidden by door, but Shéhérazade was not there. He pointed to open window and pointed on himself like 'I'll go to check it.' Ladyug nodded in agreement and moved on right and up to find better overview. That was mistake, as Shéhérazade hided herself under bench in second row and she was quick, as akumatised villains tend to be. Shéhérazade hit ladybug and knocked her down for a moment in same time, when Chat Noir looked out of the opened window. Thankfully he heard the noise and turned just in time to observe that.
Shéhérazade removed one earplug from Ladybug's left ear. During catfight she whispered:
"Once Upon a Time in Baghdad!"
When Shéhérazade tried to steal Ladybug's earring, she got hit by Chat Noir's stick.
"No way!"
Shéhérazade tried saying her spell several times, but Chat Noir lied to her:
"Don't waste your breath! I don't hear you."
Now, with powers guaranteed by transformation it was easier for Chat Noir to overpower akumized girl and unceremoniously he banged her head towards floor several times, till she was knocked unconscious. After that he untied and removed her shoes, using shoelaces to tie her hands over her back. One of her sock he placed into Shéhérazade's mouth, second he used to bind around, preventing spiting of sock out to keep her mouth clogged. That way he disarmed her most powerful weapon in her speaking.
Chat Noir looked around and checked, everybody was either sleeping or unconscious. There was no other way, he kneeled to ladybug and cupped her cheeks.
"Sorry m'lady, I'd prefer it another way," said and kissed her on her lips.
Ladybug was probably dreaming about something pleasant, as she in first moment hugged him and kissed his back.
Surprise was strong, as once she regained consciousness, she pushed him away. Spell breaking worked. One could say, even better, than was necessary.
Everybody around (except for regain Miss Bustier and 'Shéhérazade') had their phones in hand, making photos.
"I worry m'lady, these photos will become viral," said Chat Noir.
"You bet!" said Alya with wide smile.
"Silly Kitty!" was Ladybug's usual answer.
"Don't be bad on Chat Noir!" said to common surprise Rose. "He broke the spell causing all us to sleep. It must be true True-Love-Kiss and it works only, if love is mutual."
"One may every time rely on sweet Rose's romantic mind…" snorted Kim, what caused Juleka to punch him by fist.
"M'lady, we have here still akuma to find," Chat Noir was not used to be voice of reason.
"Right!" nodded Ladybug. "But it's not over!"
"As you like it," smiled Chat Noir. "Any clue to akumatized object?"
Shéhérazade stared daggers to all vectors.
"Here seems to be a small butterfly," said Miss Bustier. "Isn't it what you're looking for?"
She pointed to one ring on Shéhérazade's right hand.
"Right," said Chat Noir.
He removed ring from clenched hand with using of some torture, but finally the ring was on floor and he could say: "Cataclysm!" and destroyed it.
Ladybug was a bit weakened and her first attempt to catch akuma failed.
"Maybe try to repair everything before catching it," smiled Chat Noir and passed her his pair of earplugs. "By the way," he turned to Miss Bustier. "I'd recommend to ask for psychiatric examination of Lila Rossi. She's probably pathological liar. Now do your spell, m'lady!" he turned back to Ladybug, ignoring angry starring of silenced ex-villain.
"You're right, Kitty," said Ladybug and threw all earplugs upstairs. "Miraculous Ladybug."
"No more evil doing for you, little akuma!" used her catchphrase Ladybug again and this time she successfully yo-yoed escaping insect. "Time to de-evilize!"
Before she was able to release butterfly, her earring beeped and Chat Noir grabbed her.
"You're to de-transform, m'lady!" he moved her out of classroom.
Miss Bustier observed Lila, whose socks, as well as shoes, returned back to more proper place and whose outfit was normal for student now.
"Lila, I'll escort you to Principal Damocles," decided teacher. "Alya, keep here order for a moment, please."
XXXXXXX
Outside of classroom Chat Noir produced entomological killing jar and placed purified akuma inside.
"Today we should meet professor Lefebvre."
"Chat, I maybe will be short of time this afternoon, do it yourself."
"OK, m'lady. Go to de-transform now."
Tikki dropped transformation literally once Marinette was around nearest corner.
"That was too closed," said kwami.
"True Tikki," said Marinette, patted small creature's head and gave her a chocolate biscuit.
Tikki ate it in Marinette's purse…
XXXXXXX
When Adrien de-transformed, Plagg laughed and flied in circles around him:
"I though, you do not beat girls!"
"She was akumatised villain!" said Adrien and clogged Plagg's mouth by piece of Camembert. "It was unfortunately necessary. But it was also in one moment funny and spooky."
XXXXXXX
In Principal* Damocles' office Miss Bustier presented Lila with clarification, what had happened in her class.
(* author's note – In Czech language word Principal means strictly circus director. Coming from what tends to happen around Collège Françoise Dupont, not so big difference here…)
"So Chat Noir recommended you to ask for psychiatric examination of Miss Lila Rossi? Interesting, unfortunately it's not in my authority to order that, I can only recommend it to her mother. I'll call her right now and ask her to come here. So now, young lady, return to your class and wait, till I'll send for you!"
XXXXXXX
Adrien met Marinette right before door to classroom. She seemed like not being ready to enter.
"What's up, Mari?"
"I've met Chat Noir, he ordered me to hide and later Ladybug told me, it's safe to return. But it's almost half of lecture late…"
"Don't worry. It's after akuma. Just let's in!" said Adrien and grabbed her hand to pull her into classroom.
Marinette instinctively interweaved their fingers together, what Adrien found as pleasant.
He opened door into classroom, where low whisper changed into total silence, followed by wolf-howling. Adrien bended his head to check, who's that idiot, wanting the class checked by another teacher in Miss Bustier absence.
He was not surprised, recognizing Kim. When Adrien moved his left hand to show him erected middle finger, Marinette grabbed his left hand and whispered to his ear:
"Ignore him!"
As that gest looked rather like she kissed Adrien, it caused even more havoc. Nino moved himself to Marinette's place, letting both to sit side by side.
Just a minute or so later Miss Bustier returned to classroom with Lila, who did not look guilty at all, rather angry.
"As big part of lecture was lost due to akuma attack, I have to ask you read at home pages 97 up to 108 and write an essay explaining importance of Jules Verne as technical and scientific visionary. You can say thank Lila kindly for that."
Chloé starred daggers to Lila:
"Oh, thank you really much, you ninny."
Miss Bustier raised up one of her eyebrows, but did not comment that.
Next lecture was mathematics, thanks to Adrien's giving her hints Marinette had better grade, than she was used to.
After English with Miss Bustier ended, teacher asked:
"Adrien, for a word!"
"Yes, Miss Bustier?"
Teacher made Adrien to move more far from other students.
"Be careful, Adrien!"
"Pardon me, Miss Bustier?"
"Once you jumping all around in black leather, be careful, I hate idea of speaking on your funeral."
"I'm really sorry, but I have no clue…"
"Stop it!" Miss Bustier looked irritated. "Off course I KNOW, you're Chat Noir."
"That must be a mistake," said Adrien, panicking. "Who else thinks that same…"
"You mean who else know?" teacher laughed a bit. "Well Missis Mendeleev knows too. She's even cleverer, that most of you here is able to imagine. The only blind here is Principal Damocles, what a surprise."
When some students, with Marinette as first neared to them, Miss Bustier said more loudly:
"If you have a romantic relation with Marinette, I have no problem with that. But please, in your free time and out of school preferably."
Marinette blushed hearing that. Adrien acted decisively. He came to Marinette and grabbed her hand again. He whispered into her ear:
"Let's go!"
TO BE CONTINUED…