Sabine landed on a rooftop to see a stout, pale skinned woman in a gaudy purple trench coat and pirate hat screaming at people in the street and playing her guitar. As she did, bolts of purple energy were rocketing forth, obliterating anything in their path.
"I'll show you all, ya bloody wankers! Citizens of Paris, I am Anarchy! And if I have to pay, then you ALL have to pay!"
Sabine frowned. "Huh," she said from her rooftop perch. "Not much to work with here aside from she's mad about paying for something?" She squinted. Something about the akuma was hauntingly familiar to her…
"It's too early for this nonsense," a voice said from Sabine's left. The older woman jumped in surprise and turned to see Ryuko standing beside her, also looking over the ledge and staring at the carnage. There was a steaming cup of coffee in her hands.
Kagami shot a sleepy glance at Sabine.
"Good morning." She sipped her coffee.
Sabine stared at the hero for a moment. "Um, good morning?"
They considered one another for a moment.
"I like your sword," Sabine offered.
Kagami smiled. "Thank you. You wear the spots well, whoever you are."
Sabine beamed. "Thank you. You help Ladybug from time to time, don't you?"
Ryuko nodded and covered her mouth to fight back a yawn. "I am at her service. Even if I am in my pajamas right now." She glanced at her uniform. "Magic is awesome."
Sabine smiled at that. "Well, you wear the outfit well." She glanced back down at the akuma as she blew up a bus. "Oof. That looked bad."
Ryuko sipped her coffee. "As you have the Ladybug miraculous, I'll assume she trusts you. I suppose you're taking the lead on this one?"
Sabine bit her lip and glanced down at the angry akuma. "I guess? I mean, I know I've got the outfit, but I've only done this once. Still," she glanced at the warrior beside her. "I can take care of this, dear. You don't need to worry; I'm not about to let a child run in when I'm perfectly capable."
"I'm eighteen," Ryuko said. "And normally I'd take offense, but seeing as how it's seven in the morning, and seeing as how I dislike being blasted, I'm not going to stop you." She gestured with her coffee cup towards the carnage below. "If you want to take point, then knock yourself out. I'll follow your lead. Just let me get a little of this down, first. Maybe stretch a bit."
Sabine smiled. "Thank you. So, here's what…"
"MY LADY!"
Sabine let out a surprised squawk as she was abruptly hugged from behind by an ecstatic Chat Noir.
"Oh, my lady! I've missed you so much!" Chat cried out. He picked Sabine up and spun her around before the surprised older woman had a chance to protest. "I've gone out every night hoping to catch you, but I just couldn't seem to find you anywhere! And I know you were off on an important secret mission, but I missed you SO MUCH! I can't believe you're here! And I have so much to tell you!"
"Chat Noir?" Ryuko said. "Um, Chat Noir? Hello?"
"I finally stood up to my father!" Chat blurted out. "And I got away! Finally! And I'm with a new family now, and they actually spend time with me, and I'm told I'm loved! Like, every day! And I'm engaged! And I'm going to be a dad! Can you believe it? I…"
"Water Dragon!"
Chat screamed and scurried away as he was drenched by a wall of water. Sabine blinked as the water completely missed her but seemed to soak the young man from head to toe. A moment later, the water reformed into Ryuko.
"Bad cat!" Ryuko scolded. "You're telling aspects of your identity to a stranger!"
Chat was shivering and curled up in a ball off to the side. He looked up and blinked at Ryuko's words. "Geez, Ryuko! It's seven in the freaking morning! What are you… Oh. OH." He finally noticed Sabine was not actually his Ladybug, after all. "I'm sorry. I… Oh geez. I am so sorry, Ma'am. It's just… You look like her."
Sabine offered him a small smile. "Well, that's to be expected. I'm her mother, dear."
Both heroes stared.
"You're her mother?" Ryuko asked.
"You're her mom?" Chat Noir said in a meek voice.
"It's a pleasure to meet you," Ryuko said, her voice slightly nervous and formal all at once. There was a slight pink on her cheeks. Her fingers tapped her coffee cup. "Is, um, your daughter well?"
"Your daughter is the best," Chat said. "As in, my best friend! I'm not, I mean, I never, um… Please to meet you?"
Sabine nodded. "Thank you, and yes, she's fine, but that doesn't matter right now. Defeating that whatever-it-is down there is what we need to focus on."
Chat and Ryuko nodded, their game faces instantly back on. The three heroes looked over the rooftop ledge at the akuma.
"So, her power is to destroy things?" Chat Noir said. "I can relate."
"Okay," Sabine said. She licked her lips and wrung her hands as her mind raced. "I think I've got a plan."
"Great!" Chat Noir said, grinning. "What do you need us to do?"
Sabine looked up and blinked in confusion. "Excuse me?"
Chat pointed at the akuma. "With her? What do you need us to do?"
Sabine looked at both heroes for a moment. "Nothing. You two are staying here. I've got this one."
Ryuko raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't seem tactically wise, but..." She looked at her coffee and shrugged. "Meh. You're Ladybug."
"Seriously?" Chat said. "How are we supposed to help if we're up here doing nothing?"
"You're not," Sabine said.
They stared at each other for a moment.
"Okay, for real. What's the plan?" Chat asked.
"Look, I'm not throwing children at, at that," Sabine said, pointing at Anarchy. The akuma was busy blowing up a parked car as people ran for cover. "She's obviously upset, and if I had to guess, I think I might know why. I can do this. You kids are going to stay up here where it's safe." Sabine said.
"That's nuts!" Chat said. "Seriously, LBM. We've done this a lot, and while this looks bad, trust me. Ryuko and I have been up against a lot worse."
"He's right," Ryuko said. She sipped her coffee. "Chat Noir and I have dealt with similar akumas to this. It wouldn't be a good idea to bench us just because of our age."
"Well, good idea or not, consider yourselves benched," Sabine said. "There's no good reason for you to put yourself in harm's way when I'm here to handle this, and believe it or not, I can."
Ryuko nodded. "Point, but there's no good reason to risk yourself when you have two of the most powerful heroes in Paris backing you up."
"Fur real," Chat Noir said. "I get that you're concerned, but doesn't your daughter do this on a regular basis?"
Sabine shot Chat a withering look. "Not today she doesn't, and you don't get to play that card with me."
Chat Noir recoiled a bit, but quickly recovered. "Look, no offense, but this is stupid!" He blurted out. "I can help. We can help!"
"No," Sabine said in a firm voice.
"Just let me fight by your side!" Chat said, his voice bordering between a yell and a whine. "I'm useful! I promise I can do this!"
"I said NO!" Sabine yelled.
Ryuko sipped her coffee.
"Just let me help you!" Chat yelled, visibly frustrated.
"You're going to get hurt! And you're obviously not in a listening mood, so I can't count on you right now!" Sabine snapped back.
"I'm not going to let you go into a dangerous situation without help! I can do this! I'm good at this! Ladybug needs a Chat Noir!"
"I SAID NO, ADRIEN!"
Notes:
Shhhhhhiiiiiiiiit.
NEXT TIME!
Sabine vs. Anarchy!
Kagami confronts Adrien!
Adrien is sad!
ALL! NEXT! CHAPTER!
Be here for the pulse-pounding action and haunting character introspection in TWO DAYS! Same Bug Time...
KAGAMI: If Ladybug needs someone for Bug Time, I volunteer my services.
CHLOE: Wait, wait, you don't get it. God, this is embarrassing. Bug Time means...
KAGAMI: I didn't stutter.
CHLOE: ~whispers in Kagami's ear.~
KAGAMI: My offer stands. I do not hesitate.
CHLOE: ...Well. Gaddam, girl. Get it.
...Same Bug Channel!
