Twenty, twenty-five, thirty- Only thirty?

She huffed, recklessly shoving the coins back into her satchel. One dropped onto the wooden floor, rolling into the crowd of bar-goers for some lucky elf to pick up later, but she couldn't find it within herself to care. She at least had enough for another drink, once she finished the one in front of her. She ought to make it a personal policy to count her payments before she leaves whatever village she's in, lest she find herself in a dirty pub with only a third of what she was promised.

Said dirty pub was muggy, sticky summer-hot, and the shouts of patrons and clanging of metal cups only contributed to the thickness of the air. She'd settled for a knife-nicked table in the far back corner- best to lay low for now. A pretty blond boy made his way to a small stoop in the front of the pub and dear gods was that a lute?

A dragon terrorizing your town? She had it covered. Demonic possession? Nothing she hadn't seen before. Skin stealers, bone-takers, man-eating bullfrogs- all were fine by her. Routine procedure.

But bards? She couldn't stand bards.

If her feet ached slightly less, she might leave. It was, she decided, a small sacrifice for someplace safe to stay. Or, she thought as an orc at the next table over eyed her satchel, relatively safe. She pulled her hood down further.

As Pretty Boy began strumming a tune, she knocked back the rest of her absinthe. "Small sacrifice" didn't mean she would endure this punishment sober. It was a love song, unsurprisingly. The boy sang of a woman who smelled of lemongrass and clove, had eyes golden as a dying fire, and eventually robbed him in the night, never to be seen again. She rolled her eyes; he seemed the type to fall into the trap of a succubus.

When the boy finished, he was met with a pitiful smattering of applause from the bar-staff. His smile dropped slightly and she figured to hell with it, the lyrics weren't quite as bad as she'd expected, and he was at least competent with a string instrument. Consider it her good deed of the day. She clapped.

The boy's head perked up and he scanned the bar, giving her a sly smile when he spotted her corner table. He walked towards her in what she could only describe as a saunter, arms akimbo and an irritatingly cocky expression on his face. She began to gather her things to leave when he reached her table, planting his hands down in front of her.

"Well, hello," he crooned. "You must be new around here because I'm fairly certain I'd remember a face like that." He swiped a chair from the orc's table, ignoring the glare that was shot his way, and sat across from her.

"Now…" He clapped his hands together and winked under blond eyelashes. "We both know what's going on here. You find me attractive- not that I can blame you! And you… Your eyes are like the deepest lagoon, a fountain of youth that has bewitched me completely! The rest of your features would surely warrant the highest praises if not obscured by your hood and mask. And why hide away?"

He reached a hand towards the sky in a theatrical flourish. "Should a jewel not be polished and placed proudly on display? Should the bluest sky not be basked under?"

He swung his lute around on its strap, plucking a few chords. "I don't do this for just anyone, but a maiden such as yourself deserves a personal serenade." He closed his eyes and began to sing, "Hair of raven, bluebell eyes…"

She stood, grabbing her satchel. "Actually, I was just about to leave."

"No!" The boy leaped out of his seat. "Stay, I implore you! I understand if you aren't one for more public displays of admiration. If it would better suit you, I've rented a room just above the-"

"I have a long way to ride tonight. Farewell." She turned to exit, but the boy reached across the table and grabbed her arm.

"Wait!" he gasped. "You're- you're Ladybug, aren't you? The rogue of Kepik?"

She looked into the boy's pleading eyes before sliding reluctantly back into her seat. "You have a job for me?"

"Well," the boy smiled weakly. "It's more like you have a job for me."

She quirked an eyebrow, mouth pressed in a flat line.

"Chat Noir of Macska." He offered a hand, which she did not take. He coughed. "I… I must admit that I've been following your adventures for a long while. I especially admire your work in my own village. That was a particularly nasty akuma, and you handled it with the grace of a gazelle!"

She stared at him.

"Alright, tough crowd…" he mumbled. "You're a bit smaller than I imagined…" He gave her a once-over with scrutinizing eyes. "No matter! I do not make it a habit to second-guess ladies, especially ones so dashingly-"

"Is there a point to this conversation?" Ladybug picked up her glass, scowling at the empty bottom. She waved over a bar maiden who was making her rounds through the throngs of patrons and signaled for a refill.

As the bar maiden stalked away, Chat Noir shouted, "I'll have what the lady's having!"

"I'm not sure that's wise of you," said Ladybug. "That stuff is known to have nasty effects on humans."

"Not human? The plot thickens. What makes you assume that I am?"

"You look soft," she remarked. "Breakable."

"Well aren't you just a bundle of pleasantries?"

The bar maiden returned with their drinks and Chat Noir picked one up, giving it an experimental sniff. "Gods, is this absinthe?"

"Serves you right," said the bar maiden, slapping Chat Noir on the back. "Are you bothering this poor lady, Tournesol?"

Chat Noir gaped and began to stammer something in defense of his honor, but Ladybug held up a hand. "I have him under control, thank you."

As Chat Noir stuck his tongue out at the bar maiden's retreating figure, Ladybug smirked. "Sunflower?"

"So she can smile!" he grinned. "Chat Noir is somewhat of a… stage name, if you will. Friends call me Tournesol. What about you? You must have a name other than Ladybug."

"You said something about a job?"

"Well." He leaned forward in his seat. "Moving past your obvious attempt to change the subject, you're a wayward traveler, I'm a bard looking for his big break- do you see where I'm going with this?"

Ladybug took a pull of her drink. "I have an idea, although I hope I'm wrong."

"Oh, come on!" Chat Noir threw his hands in the air. "My well of inspiration has all but dried up! I can only tell the succubus story so many times before people tire of it! I want to travel, to see mountains and oceans and monsters and sorceresses, to live a life of daring! I want to have a story worth telling."

"Go by yourself," Ladybug stood, slinging her satchel over her shoulder and quickly finishing the rest of her drink.

"Well, I can't very well do that, can I?" He hurried after her as she walked towards the exit. "I mean, look at me! I'm young, handsome, madly talented- do you know how many monsters would love to get a bite of me?"

"Why don't you go find out?"

The night was bitter-cold, a stark contrast to the humidity of the pub. Stars speckled the night sky, and both the moons were new.

"Cold as ice," Chat Noir put a hand to his heart dramatically, now jogging backward to stay ahead of her. "I'll have to find a rhyme for that. The symphony in my head is already composing a most wonderful song for you, My Lady, something fit for any stage in the seven realms! What a shame that you won't be able to hear the finished product…"

Ladybug trekked ahead, listening for Tikki's whinnies. "I can live with that."

"You don't know what you're missing out on. None can resist my music!"

"Then I just watched a whole bar do the impossible."

"Oh, those-" Chat Noir spluttered. "Those orcs all have sticks up their asses, they wouldn't know good music if it slapped them upside their little pea-shaped heads!"

Tikki was tied to a battered fence at the edge of the clearing where the pub lay. She neighed contentedly as her master approached. Ladybug stroked her snout before tying her satchel with the rest of her supplies.

She turned to Chat Noir. "Look, flower-boy-"

"Tournesol."

"I hate to break it to you, but I work-"

"Oh gods, don't say you work alone!" Chat groaned. "It's so archetypal! You know, for all the adventures you rogues go on, you're absolutely no fun."

"Fine," Ladybug crossed her arms. "Say I accept your offer. What's in it for me? Because right now, it sounds like I'd be babysitting."

"First off, ouch," Chat held up his hands in mock hurt. "I assure you I am extremely capable of pulling my own weight. Second, this bard is a jack of all trades! I can offer you publicity, companionship, comic relief to offset the whole broody thing you've got going on…"

"No."

"...I make an excellent pie…"

"Absolutely not."

"Not to mention my music!" Chat Noir plucked out a cheerful little tune. "My limericks are acclaimed throughout the realms! Besides, wouldn't it be nice to have a personal one-man band? It really adds zest to a battle."

"I cannot think of any noise so grating as a lute."

Chat's mouth fell open in a look of exaggerated shock. "You- You take that back! Everybody likes the lute!"

"Then you've found the exception." Ladybug began to untie Tikki. "Look, I have a quest to complete before the moons turn full, and I can't have extra weight tying me down. If you'd like, I could bring back a souvenir for you after I'm done."

"A quest!" Chat clapped his hands together gleefully. "How exciting! By the way, do you ever get tired of the time restraints being tied to something cryptic like moon phases? Because honestly, that seems like it would get old very f-"

"I'm serious," Ladybug spat. "There's money and my life on the line. I couldn't conceive of a worse time to bring along a bard."

"Well…" Chat appeared genuinely dejected. "In that case… could I at least know what the quest is? For… future song inspiration."

Ladybug regarded him with suspicion. "I am to locate Prince Adrien of Parīze and return him to the kingdom before the dual moons complete their cycle."

"Tch." Chat crossed his arms. "Prince Adrien. I heard he was a douche anyway."

"Well, that douche is worth a million coins," Ladybug mounted Tikki. "And I'll be damned if I let that reward slip from right under my nose."

"Then, this is where we part ways!" Chat sighed dramatically.

"Yes. It is."

"No one can say I didn't try! And what an incredible duo we could have been! It was nice to meet you, Ladybug of Kepik. May the gods allow our paths to cross again someday." He held up his hand, which she eyed cautiously.

"Oh, come on, you owe me at least this." Chat Noir wiggled his fingers. "You got me pretty good back at the pub. I daresay you wounded my dignity. Just a scratch, though."

"Fine," Ladybug took his hand.

As soon as they made contact, a great rumbling started from the earth. Over Chat Noir's head, a gash, like a bolt of lightning, opened in the air. From the gash spilled blinding gold light, and Ladybug watched through squinted eyes as she and Chat were enveloped- the light warmed her, heating until it became a surging, hopeless hot. She gasped, feeling the burn on her skin, sure it would melt her-

The gash closed as suddenly as it had appeared, leaving dark spots in her vision. A chain, transparent as an aftershock of light, attached her and Chat Noir at the wrists. The chain quickly faded until invisible, but her arm felt lead-heavy. The bard wore an expression of utter guilt.

"What did you do?" Ladybug hissed.

"B-before you get mad, know that I had no other choice."

"What did you do?"

"A… a soul-binding spell?" Chat flinched.

Ladybug dismounted and marched to Chat Noir, grabbing him by the shoulder. She unsheathed her dagger and placed the tip under his chin. "Explain."

Chat Noir frantically held up his right hand, pointing to a silver ring on his index finger. Black veins snaked around it. "I have the other miraculous. That's how you became Ladybug, right? I… I found it in a cave- see, I told you I shouldn't be traveling alone- and I put it on, but then I realized I couldn't take it off!"

He looked at her with the same pleading eyes as before. "I started to forget my name. I asked a sage what to do and he said that I needed to find you. I didn't want to have to resort to this, but you're the only person who can save me."

Ladybug lifted the dagger, nicking Chat's skin. A drop of blood trickled down his neck. "I can break the bond right now."

Chat held his hands above his head in surrender. "I can help you figure out who you were! And I'll- I'll never play the lute again! Can you please just get that thing away from me?"

Ladybug sheathed her dagger with a scowl.

"Thank you!" Chat Noir gasped. "You won't regret this! I'll- I'll be the best companion you could ask for! I can tell you stories of the North-"

Ladybug moved her hand back to her sheath.

"Or I could be quiet!" Chat exclaimed. "Very, very quiet."

Tikki was trembling as Ladybug mounted her again, so she stopped to stroke her mane for a moment. When the horse calmed down, Ladybug spat at Chat, "Get on."

Chat hopped on Tikki behind her, and the horse grunted under the added weight. Ladybug patted behind her ear in reassurance. When Chat tried to put his arms around Ladybug's waist, she swiveled, hissing, "Off."

"I, uh," Chat flinched. "I don't have any other options. I'm going to fall if I don't-"

"Figure it out on your own." Ladybug pulled on Tikki's reins, and the horse slowly began to move through the forest. "And not a sound from you."

"You got it, My Lady. You won't even notice I'm here. Bard's honor."

Chat Noir lasted fourteen minutes without playing the lute. Ladybug lasted five seconds before pushing him off Tikki.