Chapter Two

"There are times when I hate that you're right," Chat Noir stated with the shake of his head.

Ladybug gave him a lopsided smirk in return from her crouched position beside him. "Angry mobs tend to attract Hawkmoth."

"Well, it was meant to be a peaceful protest boycotting XY from performing other artists' songs."

"Oh, but they're all supposed to be his original tracks inspired by his epiphany in the slammer." She drawled with sarcasm.

Chat Noir snorted, "Yeah, that certainly wasn't the riff from 'Welcome to the Jungle' underlying his song 'Love Me Hard'. The synthesiser totally changed the sound."

Raising a hand to cover her snigger, Ladybug couldn't help but beam at her partner. "Nope, not at all." But the smile quickly dropped from her face as there was another resounding boom. "I hate the akumas that shoot stuff."

"Why? I'm the one who ends up playing meat shield."

The cheeky glance he gave her over his leather clad shoulder had Ladybug giving him a playful shove. "Only while we figure out where the akuma is."

"Details, woman, details. Come on, I need to cataclysm something."

With a shake of her head, Ladybug led them from the relative cover of the alleyway they'd taken refuge in while she'd called up her lucky charm. It was a key on a gaudy keyring with an intertwined plastic couple attached, thankfully coated in her ladybug colours. She didn't even want to know where the thing came from. But it hadn't taken her long to figure out what to do with it. The akuma, known as Thunderstrike, had a chain and padlock necklace around his throat. It was clear that Ladybug needed to unlock said padlock and toss it to Chat to destroy.

But getting near Thunderstrike was going to be troublesome. The akumatised man shot bolts of blue lightning which burst into clouds of azure smoke after impacting. Both of the duo were tinted with smears of blue residue.

Chat Noir let out a groan beside her. "Alexia Carmen is here and right in the line of fire."

"What?" Ladybug snapped in annoyance. The up and coming reporter was frequently putting herself in danger to out-scoop Alya's long running Ladyblog. Apparently, Alexia believed herself invulnerable, or that Ladybug and Chat Noir would save her from any potential danger. "You have got to be kidding me."

"Nope, no kidding. She's trying to question the akuma by shoving her phone up his nose."

Ladybug arched a masked eyebrow in question as she padded beside Chat, scoping out what he'd just described. Sure enough, there was Alexia firing machine gun questions at Thunderstrike as she recorded the whole thing on her phone.

"At least she's providing us with a distraction."

"That's my job," Chat Noir stated while puffing out his chest and pointing to himself with his thumb. "But hey, I'm all for making life easier. See you in a bit."

With that the cat-themed hero dashed off, using the smoke to cover his movements. Ladybug took the adjacent route while keeping a wary eye on the akuma and the insufferable reporter.

Thunderstrike was staring at Alexia with a scowl that was sinking further down his chin. His large hand curled into a fist as he pointed it at the reporter. "If you will not shut up, I will make you!" he boomed as his fist charged with light, indicating he was about the cast another lightning bolt.

"Move!" Ladybug shouted as she raced closer.

The swing of Chat Noir's staff slammed down across Thunderstrike's wrist from behind, lowering the deadly hand as the lightning shot harmlessly into the ground. The akuma roared, his head turned towards Chat. With him distracted, Ladybug lunged and slid the key into the lock, releasing the makeshift necklace.

"Cataclysm!" her partner shouted as she tossed him the akumatised object, and as he caught it in his right hand it disintegrated into black dust.

Hawkmoth's magic immediately leached from the man's body, leaving him to sink weakly to his knees. Ladybug wasted no time in catching the tainted butterfly, quickly purifying it before tossing the lucky charm key in the air and calling upon her power.

Paris was restored to its former state and Alexia resumed her peppering questions at the now un-akumatised man.

"Leave him be," Chat Noir grumbled as he assisted the man to his feet. "He won't remember anything anyway."

"You never know," Alexia interjected. "Besides he'll know what triggered Hawkmoth's enthrallment."

"Now is not the time to ask," Ladybug added.

"Sure it is, the memory is fresh and people want to know."

"What he needs is medical attention to ensure he's okay," Chat insisted with his voice taking on a growl-like quality.

Alexia let out an impatient snort. "Fine, but I'm coming with you."

At that, Chat Noir's expression changed to a smirk. "Try to keep up," and without warning the superhero looped an arm around the recovering man and swept them into the sky with the extension of his staff. Ladybug wasted no time in following, leaving the livid reporter behind.

"That woman is a pain in the ass," Chat uttered through clenched teeth as she caught up to him.

"Yep," the heroine agreed. "Where are we going?"

"There will be medical staff at the concert as a precaution. Let's drop our new friend there."

The disorientated man gave a thumbs up before lolling his head against Chat's shoulder.

From their high vantage point, the duo located the medical team stationed at the side of the stage. Together they landed and explained the situation. With the akuma victim in their care and recovering rapidly, the pair turned to do their ritual fist bump.

"Pound it!" they said in unison only to elicit a round of sniggers.

Both turned their heads to look at the four men at the edge of the crowd leering at them. "I'd like to pound her too," one of the men jeered.

Chat Noir immediately stiffened beside Ladybug. "Don't talk to her like that."

"Why?" Another added, "We all know you'd love to bend her over something and go to town."

"Take that back," Chat snarled as he stalked forward, his hand reaching for his holstered baton.

The same guy crossed his arms with no intention of backing down. "We all know you're pussy-whipped. Hell, that should have been your name!" He laughed as he turned to his friends for further encouragement.

Chat Noir bristled as his fist curled around his baton, his thumb hovering over the activation button. Ladybug grabbed his elbow. "They're not worth it."

Those green eyes glanced down at her but they were still filled with indignation as he returned his attention to the group of jerks. "You're right, they're nothing but a bunch of drunk assholes."

"Ooo," they said in unison.

Again, Ladybug tugged at Chat's arm. "Come on, ignoring them is the best thing to do."

"Do as you're told pussy-boy," the initial man taunted.

At that Chat Noir lunged forward and grabbed the jerk by his shirt collar. "We just saved your asses from an akuma. Show some respect!"

"And if I don't, are you gonna rough me up, pussy-boy?"

Chat Noir's hand tightened, the tips of his claws pricking at the moron's skin. "No," he said with quiet venom, "I don't need to. This whole scene is being filmed by a number of people. Can you imagine what will happen when this goes online?"

The man's bravado wavered slightly. "Nothing, absolutely nothing."

"Oh, you really have no idea how outraged fans react, do you?"

All smugness left the man's face but as Chat Noir released him, he gave the hero a hard shove. Chat easily recovered his balance on the back step but stared coldly at the jerk. "Now apologise to Ladybug."

"Get fucked."

Steely determination laced Chat's voice. "I said, apologise to Ladybug."

"And I said, get fucked."

Both Chat Noir and Ladybug were so fixated on this single asshole that neither noticed one of his friends had pulled a metal bottle cap from his pocket, only to hurl it full force at the latter. Ladybug barely had time to flinch as the serrated edge hit the left side of her face, impacting hard enough to slice into the skin midway along her jaw.

Chat Noir had his baton up in a second, ramming the blunt end into the moron's sternum with a vicious jab. "What is wrong with you people!" he snarled as he shifted protectively in front of his partner.

At that moment security finally stepped in. "Gentlemen, it's time for you to leave."

"About fucking time," someone from the crowd added. It was only then that those part of the altercation realised how much anger was radiating from the people surrounding them.

"How dare you speak to Ladybug and Chat Noir like that, they're heroes you bunch of dipshits."

Ladybug, who had been cupping her injured face, raised her hands. "Everyone let's calm down. Security have got this. Plus, we don't want to give Hawkmoth the opportunity to raise another akuma."

There were a few murmurs of discontent but for the most part people settled down, especially when security escorted the troublemakers from the scene.

It was the gentle brush of Chat Noir's gloved fingers against her right cheek that had Ladybug returning her attention to her partner.

"Are you alright?" Concern was written all over his masked features. "I shouldn't have provoked them further."

Again, Ladybug applied pressure to her left cheek in attempt to reduce the throbbing. "I'll be okay. I don't really think it would have mattered what you said."

"Maybe not but the way they treated us, you, was wrong." His hand dropped to squeeze her shoulder. "I couldn't stand back and say nothing."

"I understand."

For a moment they simply studied each other, silently communicating in a way only people who understood each other deeply could. While Ladybug knew she should ice her cheek as soon as possible, there was no other need to rush away. Unlike their teenage years the duo had learned how to use their powers without requiring an immediate recharge. Both had around five hours now instead of five minutes to rejuvenate their kwamis.

Ladybug wanted to reassure Chat Noir that she would be fine, while he seemed equally determined to remain at her side. "We should go," she said as XY re-entered the stage and began singing to a tune that sounded remarkably like a synthesised version of 'Dude Looks Like a Lady'.

Chat Noir glanced at the stage. "He's so getting sued again."

"Yep," she chuckled while trying to hold back a wince, then they eased their way to the edge of the stadium.

So, I had intended on posting this chapter earlier in the week but OMG what a week it's been. I got made redundant from the organisation I've worked with for 18 years and yeah it sucks. But hey they were talking of cutting 30-40% of the workforce so I guess I was just on the wrong side of the scales. One door closes, another opens as they say.

Anyhow, hope you enjoyed the chapter. Next one needs some more polish before posting. Hope to get it out next week. Thanks for reading. :)