Batman and Team Miraculous were either gliding, swinging, or jumping from rooftop to rooftop until they got an alert on their ear comms from the GCPD dispatcher.
"Attention all units," the dispatcher said, "we need everyone on assignment. No 10-108 until further notice."
They went to where the dispatcher said the crime was and saw a group of criminals.
"Hey! This is our turf. You and your crew need to disappear." One criminal said.
"That looks like the crime in progress the GCPD dispatcher mentioned." Batman said. "We could go investigate, perhaps even stop the crime, but we also have to get to the arms deal at Jezebel Plaza."
Ladybug thought about it for a moment before coming up with a solution. She turned to the group and said, "Ok, Cat Noir, you take Pegasus, Viperion, and Ryuko to Jezebel Plaza. The rest stays with me and Batman. If anything happens, you call us ok?"
"You got it, M'lady." Cat Noir said. Batman gave him the exact coordinates of the deal and he took off with the heroes he was given.
"Will they be ok on their own for a bit?" Batman asked.
"Yeah, they'll be fine." Ladybug answered before turning her attention to the crime.
Just like at Blackgate, she did some leg sweeps and somersaults while the others fought with their usual fighting styles. While some had guns firing at them, it didn't slow them down. Once the criminals were defeated, they continued to make their way to the plaza by crossing the Pioneers Bridge. As they were making their way across the bridge, Batman decided to ask Ladybug something.
"So, Ladybug," Batman started, "there were those two people with Black Mask at Blackgate. I didn't recognize them, but you did. Who were they?"
"Their names are Hawkmoth and Mayura." Ladybug responded. "They're our enemies from Paris. Even my team doesn't know why they're here. I figured that if we joined you tonight, maybe we could stop them ourselves and take back their miraculous."
Batman looked at her confused. "Miraculous?" he asked. She then showed her ear to him, that had a ladybug printed earring.
"Miraculous are our jewelry." She explained. "It's what powers our suits and give us our powers. Hawkmoth and Mayura have them as well but they use theirs for evil. That's why we have to find out who they are and take back their miraculous."
Batman look at her with concern, it's as almost if she had a lot of pressure on her. With a sigh he told her, "Well, then let's get going then." Then they took off to meet the others. Just then, Alfred call them.
"I hope you and the children will keep a low profile tonight, sir." Alfred said.
"Trust is. We'll take out those assassins before they know we're there." Ladybug told him.
"It's not just that, Ms. Ladybug." Alfred explains. "If some curious child looks out to see who's pattering across their rooftop, they expect Santa Claus, not a black-clad bat creature and other animal-themed children."
"I don't patter." Batman said.
"And we're 16 years old." Ladybug said as well, to which Alfred let out a sigh. They kept making their way to Jezebel Plaza when Cat Noir called.
"Hey M'Lady," Cat Noir said, "we made it to the coordinates, but there's no one here."
"Copy," Ladybug replied, "we're close to your position now." Then Batman and his team met the others.
"Do you think that we miss them?" Carapace asked.
"Or were the first ones here." Batman said. "Let's find a spot where we can stake this place out unnoticed." With that, Batman grappled upwards while the rest leaped up and followed him.
On one of the buildings, a clock was shown changing the time as bells rung. Further away from the clock, Batman and Team Miraculous were looking over the meeting point of the arms deal.
"So, you want to tell us about the birdbrain, Bats?" Cat Noir asked. While the rest silently groaned at his wordplay.
"Penguin." Batman said. "Not a dime changes hands in this city he can't tell you about. If anyone knows where Black Mask and his assassins are, it's him. But Penguin is hard to find. We knows his men are doing a deal here. So let's make them talk." Just then, the deal started to take place. While they looked like any other common criminal, one of them had a Santa hat on.
"Guys," Loose Lips said. "So, little boys, what do you want for Christmas? Oh wait, I already know." He then snapped his fingers and one of the guys opened a briefcase that had a gun and some attachments. The goons they were trading with threw their briefcase at him. "Now, lets see if you've been naughty or-" he opened the case that had cash in it and he chuckled before finishing with, "nice." Then one of them started assembling the gun.
"Punk in the Santa hat must be in charge." Batman said.
"Then let's give them an introduction." Stinger said. With that, the heroes lowered themselves to get closer as the goons kept talking.
"Where's the rest of them?" The criminal asked.
"Easy tiger." Loose Lips said. "When you deal with us, you deal with the Penguin. This ain't some fly by night operation."
"Cut the crap." Now they were getting agitated. "Where's the rest of them?"
Having heard enough, Batman dropped down and landed on a guy. He then held him down and knocked him out. Then the rest of the heroes followed.
"It's the Bat." One goon said. "And kids?"
"Doesn't matter. Get them." Another said. Because the heroes were a lot, the fight was over rather quickly, but they made sure that Loose Lips was kept breathing and that he didn't run away.
"Ok, ok. I give up." Loose Lips said.
Batman grabbed him by the neck before throwing him back on the chair he was sitting on. Then he sees Ladybug coming up to him.
"No. No. Get away!" Was all he could get out before she kicked him backwards breaking the chair and decorations around him. Then he saw Ladybug jump on him and she held him by the neck. Despite being shorter than him, she was surprisingly strong.
"Where's the Penguin?" Ladybug questioned him.
"I don't know." He breathed out.
"Where is he?" She asked again, this time holding him higher.
"I swear-" was all he said before he passed out.
"Damn." Ladybug said. She then looked at the others then back at Loose Lips before releasing him and walking off to the side to get herself under control. She usually kept her emotions in, but ever since Blackgate, it was almost as if she couldn't control what she released her rage on. The others came to console her before walking back to Batman.
"Follow me." He told them, as he carried Loose Lips and the other went with him.
"Wake up" Loose Lips heard a voice before his senses came back to him and realized he was hanging upside down. He looked around him as he saw Batman and the others before he started to freak out and started panicking.
"Time to talk." Batman said. "Where's Cobblepot?"
"Let me go!" Loose Lips pleaded.
"If you insist." Batman said, before releasing him. Loose Lips screamed but didn't know that Batman had tied his ankle to some rope. Batman grabbed the rope which caused him to stop and slam in the clock. Then the heroes heard what sounded like a text alert coming from his pocket. Ladybug hung upside down before lowering herself to him, which scared him even more.
"Stop! Stop! I'll talk!" Loose Lips begged. "I'll tell you guys anything you want to know! Please."
Ladybug ignores this and reached in his pocket and pulled out a phone. There was a text from the Penguin. She then looked at him and said, "Too late. We already have what we need."
Batman then let's him go as he screamed while crashing into the Christmas tree below.
"You're crazy! You're frigging crazy!" Loose Lips cried out.
"We know we are but what are you?" King Monkey joked.
"If I can read the SIM card, we may be able to locate Penguin." Batman said, as he got out his Sequencer. When he tried to get a signal, nothing was working.
"Alfred, I'm getting interference on the comm systems. Is that on your side?" Batman asked the butler.
"No sir. I'm seeing it as well." Alfred answers. "It's from a nearby GCR tower. It's the same signal jamming the Batwing auto-nav systems. I've highlighted the tower on your map."
"Oh goody. We get to see Enigma again. Joy." Rena Rouge said with false happiness.
"We need to stop that signal before we can track down Penguin." Batman said. With that they made their way to the tower.
So, before you bitch on me about how I'm writing Ladybug's character, because I know someone will, I'm just going to say that I'm not getting rid of it in the story. I'm trying to go for that Gotham is slowly starting to change her attitude, but not so much that she becomes a villain, which she won't. It'll just change and show her that you save as many save as you can, doesn't mean you save everybody.
So not much happened in this chapter as you can see, and I would've gotten it out sooner, but I spent the weekend celebrating Easter. So I hope this makes up for it. With that said, as usual, let me know your thoughts.