Chapter 16: Rejected Heroes
Marinette stood with her mouth agape as she stared at Adrien transform into Aspik.
What? How would he-
It did not make sense. How would he know that she was Multimouse? How long had he known?
"What's wrong? Are you completely taken away by my new hairstyle?" Adrien flicked his golden strands of hair as he shot a smirk at her. She did not blush, "I bet I look so much better with my hair out. The other hairstyle was made me look like an egghead? Don't you think?"
"How did you know?" She mouthed aloud. How did he find out her identity so easily?
Before she could hear his response, a crash sounded from behind them which sent them leaping forward. Inverter had literally blasted her bedroom floor open.
"Thought you could hide for long?" Inverter shot another blast towards them as they dodged it, "And I see you've brought another friend." They eyed Aspik.
"Fortunately for you, you're not the ones I want! Where are Ladybug and Cat Noir? Where are you hiding Marinette and Adrien?" Another sword blast.
"They're safe from you." Multimouse flipped backwards. Oh…the irony.
"You'll never find them!" Aspik exclaimed.
Inverter angrily groaned as they continued shooting blasts and blasts at them.
"What's the plan?" Aspik whispered in her ear.
"I wish I knew! Things would be so much easier with Ladybug and Cat Noir around! As of now, I'm just a rejected hero!" Ladybug would be so much more useful in this fight. And she was worried that Cat Noir would not see her messages in time.
"I'm on the same boat as you." Aspik pushed Marinette away as another blast came their way. Their bodies tumbled down the floor together thudding against the wall.
Aspik, who lay on top of her, lifted his head to look her in the eyes. He gave her a smile. A very Adrien smile.
"But we can do this. You once said to me that we must prove to ourselves that we are heroes. No matter how bad things are, we must believe that we can get through it. Working towards victory is always better than anticipating loss, right? Rejected heroes or not. We need to do this together."
Marinette's heart loudly beated in her chest as his gentle eyes looked down on her. He was right. Whatever was going to happen, they could not start worrying due to a few obstacles in their way. They had to stay focused on aiming towards victory. Missing earring or not, she was not going to let Hawk Moth win. They were going to do this together.
She reciprocated his smile as the warmth of his gaze made her tingle all over. There was something to seeing Adrien in a mask staring at her like this. A hint of deja-vu was hitting her senses…
Another blue ball of sparkling energy came sizzling their way as they broke apart heading opposite directions.
"Oops. Did I ruin the moment? Shameful of me. I know how that feels anyway." Inverter started blasting more energy balls at them as both heroes came to meet at the centre of the room again.
"Thanks for the advice!" Multimouse said as she stood back-to-back with him, "Though, I'm still mad at you for earlier."
"Looks like I'll have to make it up you then." Aspik chuckled dodging an energy ball, "What should we do next?"
"The akuma appears to be in his sword. I am going to keep him cornered with my superpower. You stay on the ready with your Second Chance! Try to aim for grabbing his sword! If anything, bad happens, you know what to do."
"O-okay." Aspik gulped. She could sense his apprehension.
"Don't worry. You can do it. I believe in you." She offered him her best smile, sadly, because of their position, he could not see it.
"Thanks." The gratitude tingled in his voice, "I believe in you too."
Multimouse ducked her head down covering her blush as she leapt through the air over a blast. Staying close to him when he said things like that was not the wisest option. Especially during an akuma battle. She did not know what crazy things her heart would make her do…Focus!
"Multitude!" She felt the familiar power split herself into multiple mini duplicates. It was a strange sensation: having control over so many Marinettes. But it was useful for sure. When the cat's away, the mice will play…
"Try and catch me now, Inverter! You won't be so lucky!" The mini versions of herself yelled.
"We like a good challenge. Don't you know that?" Kagami's voice took over as more blasts desperately chased after the mice. Aspik took this opportunity to activate Second Chance and play along the side-lines.
Their plan was working. Inverter was slowly starting to get more annoyed by this game of mice and seek and more determined to win. Aspik's perfect opportunity to grab the sword was coming near…
"Getting tired already, Inverter? I thought you were much smarter than this!" The Mini Mouse squad teased as they nonchalantly dodged the energy balls.
"Don't judge me quite yet!" Inverter pounced on a Multimouse dangerously aiming an energy ball at her.
"You know you won't win until you catch all the mice! And at the rate you are going, that might as well never happen."
"I can't believe you think you have the advantage here." Inverter cackled, "You shouldn't have left us alone back there. Poor Mr and Mrs Dupain-Cheng!"
The blood washed away from her face as she realised the implications of their words. No…Not when she didn't have the cure yet…
"What did you to do them?" She yelled us all the mini mice flung onto Inverter's back.
"Ma-Multimouse! Don't do that!" Aspik yelled as he moved to reset his wristband back.
"Not so fast, your terrible fake!" Inverter raged forward with the Multimouse in her hand and the rest on their back. Inverter kicked Aspik to the ground, stepping on his arm so he couldn't use his power.
"You're all going down all right! And we're all going together! You won't win!" Inverter wielded a huge energy ball, it started to grow bigger and bigger enough to cover them all. Before the heroes knew it, they were enveloped in the surging energy of the big blast.
There goes an evil cliffhanger. Can't wait till you see the next chapter! It'll be fun : )