1400 to 1415 (Paris Time)

I continued my vault right through to the wide grassy field to the south and west of the Eiffel Tower, rolling into a tuck and coming out in my pounce-crouch. The afternoon continued to be nice weather wise, and Parisians were out in abundance enjoying the sun. Acutely aware that I was likely still viewed as a fugitive by authorities, however, I vaulted away from the few shocked onlookers that had seen me emerge from the portal and into the thicker growth along one edge. In true cat fashion, I leapt up and into a fairly good-sized tree, making my way as high as I could go that would keep me out of site but also give me a view of the park.

My earwig beeped. "Chat? Where are you?"

"Not where you are," I lamented. "I'm close to the Eiffel Tower."

I heard her merry laugh. "Actually, kitty, I'm just above you."

"What?" I turned my masked eyes toward the Tower. "You're up there?"

"Yep. Rena and Carapace are already here. Want to join the party?"

"Don't have to ask me twice," I said as I leapt out of the tree and vaulted my way across to the tower.

I hit the first set of girders and started clawing my way up. It had to have been the hundredth time I'd climbed the Tower over the years, and as I sprung from crossbeam to crossbeam, decided it hadn't really gotten any easier for all of that. I kept to the inner side of the leg, trying to mask my ascent behind the elevator. It wouldn't do to have photos of Chat Noir splashed around the social media of Paris – particularly at that moment.

"Where exactly are you up there?" I asked as I vaulted up another few meters. I was close to the base of the observation level now.

"Eiffel's office," Rena piped in. "Hey, Chat," she said belatedly.

"Rena," I said casually as I flung myself higher. "Sorry to interrupt your afternoon."

"No worries. I have no problem being pressed into service," she said happily.

I was aware that Ladybug knew who Rena was under the mask, and now that we had our own understanding, as it were, I wondered if she'd be willing to share that secret with me now. I filed that away for later. But in true Chat fashion, I decided to push the envelope slightly. "Once we're done here, want to get a drink or something after? A little superhero happy hour?"

"Chat," Ladybug interjected. "Not an appropriate activity."

I smiled as I covered the final set of crossbeams. "But we hang out—"

"Chat!" she hissed, but the damage was done.

"Wait – you hang with Chat Noir?" This was from Carapace.

"No – I mean, yes, but it's not like that," Ladybug replied hastily, and then realized the trap I'd sprung on her.

"I thought you didn't want us out in public?" Rena said. "How long have the two of you been dating?"

"We're not dating," Ladybug said firmly.

"Oh," I said in mock sadness. "What are we calling it, then?"

"CHAT!"

I nearly had to pull the earwig out, she yelled so hard. But I found myself smiling uncontrollably as I hung a claw on the railing and flipped into a crouch next to my now-fuming partner. The smile evaporated when I saw the we'll-discuss-your-behavior-later look in her narrowed eyes, and my ears similarly wilted. Might have pushed that a bit too far.

Attempting to ignore the goofy grins on our other two partners, Ladybug huddled with us in a hidden corner just off the apartment Gustaf Eiffel had built into his tower. "Chat discovered this location when he was in the portal a few hours ago," she started, and then looked at me. "Do you remember the clue?"

I nodded. "'Pencil, G. E. Tower.' But I assumed G.E. Tower was a person."

"Not so much," she grinned, then stood and nodded toward the door. "I need your lock picking skills," she said.

A quick roll and I stayed crouched next to the door, making quick work of the locking mechanism with a claw or two. The door popped open, and we pushed into the apartment through the rear entrance. Carapace and Rena stayed behind to keep a weather eye out for any unwanted guests.

I'd never actually been inside the apartment even with the number of times I'd visited the tower, both as Chat and as Adrien. I'd looked through the windows, of course, but the wax figures of two of the greatest inventors of all time tended to freak me out. Naturally, that meant Ladybug was making a beeline for the vignette depicting a meeting between Eiffel and Thomas Edison, with Eiffel's daughter, Claire, in attendance. I hung back and tried to look as though the view from the windows had captured my attention. Fortunately, we appeared to be between groups on the outer walkway, so if we worked quickly, we might avoid detection.

"Ah-hah!" Ladybug cried, pointing to the side table next to Eiffel. "I think this is it!"

I groaned and worked my way between the wax figures, hair on my neck standing as I did so. Ladybug had a gloved finger against the clear top, indicating a pencil among several other items in the display case. I quickly scanned the card. "'Pencil used by Gustaf Eiffel during initial design work on the Tower.'" I looked up. "Well, it fits. But are we really, really sure? This is my last Cataclysm."

Ladybug locked her blue eyes on mine. "Yes," she said simply.

"Okay," I replied. I slid out my baton and smashed open the glass display. As the shards tinkled to the floor, I held up my paw and cried: "Cataclysm!"

The power flowed into my fingers and I quickly brushed them over the pencil. It glowed white, lifted into the space, and then did the same green-and-black fireworks display we'd seen for the past twelve hours, poofing into the magical vault.

I turned to say something to Ladybug, and that was when the world went completely dark.

Author's Note: We still have an hour left in Keys (well, technically forty-five minutes now), but with the other work I'm doing this month, I've had to break up the pieces a bit. Apologies in advance, and thanks for sticking with me!

Chat Noir: We covered this in the last chapter. You ALREADY have the ending written.

Ep: I do, but I like to edit things until I know they are perfect. And it's not perfect yet. Or is that purrfect? (laughs nervously) Hah hah!

Chat: (narrows eyes) You don't have it done yet, do you?

Ep: Of course I do! Hey, is that Ladybug over there?

Chat: Nice try. Now get back to that keyboard before I Cataclysm your hard drive.