Marinette and Adrien would be part of a group overseeing the transport of the Kwami Hunter. They had brought a few teammates whom had proven useful to countering the Hunter should he get loose. Among them were Nia and Marc. They were incognito thanks to a few of Marinette's self-made outfits. "Will you be fine?" Marinette asked Nia gently.
"I'll be fine. I helped fight and triumph over him before. I can do it again. Besides…Nino and Mom, I mean Nina already badgered me, though in the latter's case she wasn't sure if she understood what was going through my mind." Nia said softly.
"You called Nina Lahiffe 'Mom'? No need to be ashamed of it." Marc noted. "It's good to know you are accepting the Lahiffes as new family. Nothing to be ashamed about, sweetheart."
"Yeah, sometimes I have the urge to refer to Uncle Greg as 'Dad' myself." Adrien admitted. "Though I haven't done so aloud and that may be because the last guy I called 'Dad' was not…"
"It's odd to be able to call someone a mom again. My birth mother may not have been…cruel but…she wasn't there for me. She couldn't live the life of a traveling adventurer or a New Guardian. Not that the life is for anyone." Nia admitted. "But its…nice. She is a sweet woman. I can tell Nino got it from her."
"Good to know you are holding up. Things haven't been easy for you, we know that." Marinette said. "We're nearly there. Last chance, Nia."
"I'll be ok." Nia assured them. "I have something to fight for, neither a demented huntsman or that mad scientist would want to cross me now." She assured them.
"They grow up so fast." Adrien said with a soft smile.
"We're here…" Marinette said as they ducked inside an alleyway where not a lot of people went. It was unassuming, didn't look to clean, hence people would often avoid it aside to take out their garbage. A huge garbage container was in the back. They looked around to see if it was truly abandoned.
Marinette pulled out a card from her pocket. On the container was a sticker that wasn't anything special, but as soon as Marinette swiped the card over it, a clocking sound came from the container. They now were able to open the container. She opened the lid. "Just follow after me." She said as she jumped in. instead of a pile of trash, the container had no bottom, and as soon as she jumped inside, she want down some type of chute. "Tikki, spots on!" she said as she transformed halfway in the container.
Chat smiled as he jumped in and let out an excited. "Weeeeeeeeeeeeeee! Plagg, Claws out!"
"Marc, you'll close the lid, right?" Nia said nervously as she climbed in half-clumsily into the container. "C-c-cammo…Blend iiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiinn!" she said as she tripped into the chute rather then jump in.
Marc smiled, shook his head and sighed. "Why is our team full of adorkable idiots. Oh wait, I am an adorkable idiot. Oh well, Geranimo! Ziggy, Nighttime!" he was the last to jump down the chute, closing the lid on his way in, which clicked back shut so no one else would be jumping in after them.
The four heroes were down the chute, hand landed on the soft mattrasses that were at the bottom, and after landing immediately went into a roll before standing up straight…aside from Antimena, whom fell flat on her tummy, rolled out of the way of Pan in time before she clumsily stood up and tried to stand impressive and tall…which was hard considering she was the shortest member. That and if people didn't know she was a superhero, would feel like it was a cute hamster trying to flex.
Allegra acted like nothing happened even if she wanted to squeal in delight at the adorkableness. Luckily she was a professional and kept her composure. "Thanks for coming, Heroes of Paris. The convoy will move out soon. Paris' police force has closed down a route for the transport with a good cover story. We shouldn't run into any curious or nosy people."
"A lot of vehicles for one person." Pan pointed out.
"The rest has stuff on board when we get ambushed." Allegra noted. No one missed how she not said 'if'. "I hope we don't need to use half of it, but I doubt that we are that lucky."
"We never are." Ladybug said as she let out a sigh.
"Anyhow, we're nearly ready to move out. I suggest you each stepping into a different vehicle, spreading out, so that if we are being watched, the attacker may not know exactly which vehicle he needs to target, after all he expects the prize to be guarded by one of the heroes."
"Good idea, keeping him guessing." Chat said as he pointed and nodded.
"All right, I am going to make one final checkup with the rest of the team." Ladybug said as she pulled out her yo-yo and opened it up on phone mode. Chat did the same for his baton. Antimena's whip curled up in a mirror-like shape, as a screen appeared, and Pan's pan flute opened up in a similar manner as Ladybug's. "This is Ladybug, come in everyone. Are you ready?"
"Viperion here, me and my team are near the harbor out of sight, awaiting the cargo. We are ready to jump in at a moment's notice."
"Bunnyx to team, I'm at the museum. My dad is opening up the new exhibition in a few minutes, we are ready to scan the crowd."
"Queen Bee to you commoners." The blonde heroine said jokingly. "I have my lovely honeybee swarm patrolling the skies. Nothing will escape their sight."
"When have you been able to make those?" Rena Rouge asked.
"I didn't, technically my other counterpart did but I was able to… 'tame them'." Queen Bee explained. "They are now connected to me as they were to her and I can now summon them at will." One of the bees came on screen and rubbed his cheek against Queen Bee. "Er…love you too Charmy, but mommy is talking on the phone right now."
"You gave them names?" Carapace asked.
"You named him after the Sonic character? You are such a weeb." Rena Rouge giggled.
"I grew up with weeb Noir himself, so of course I may have delved into some games. By the way, say hi to Daddy Viperion, Charmy."
"Daddy?" Viperion asked.
"Of course, they are my babies, so that make you their daddy!" Queen Bee said, apparently all serious about it.
"Congrats, 'daddy'!" Tigresse snickered.
"Weren't you supposed to be the shy one?" Viperion said and if it was an anime he would have sweatdropped.
"Not in a long time." Tigresse talked back with a cocky grin.
"You know that make you an auntie, right?" Viperion said.
"Oh, can I be an auntie too?" Porcelet asked excitedly.
"Anyhow…" Pegasus butted in to break up the awkwardness. "The rest of us are patrolling, using my speed to cover ground, so if anyone needs reinforcements I'll be over the scene quickly. Left Markov in charge of the Kwamis."
"Is that even a good idea? I mean Markov is smart but the Kwamis are a bit much sometimes." Rena Rouge asked. "They can be very excitable and child-like."
"Nothing to worry, I have full confidence in him." Pegasus replied.
xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
At the Kanté household, the remaining kwamis were having the time of their lives. After all they didn't get out much until they were found and the rest were kind of stuck in a death-like state for a while and now they were basically throwing a party.
A pair of kwamis with a golden eagle and crocodile theme were flying through the air and dancing, the phoenix kwami perched on top of the stereo set and singing along to the music with its admittingly lovely voice.
"Chug, chug, chug!" a pair of kwamis said as a lion kwami was leaned on his back, a chugging a can of soda like an American fratboy at a college student party chugging a beer keg.
An archerfish kwami looked in the distance as a different, another fish kwami of undetermined species put empty soda cans on top of each other and gave the thumbs up. The archerfish kwami inhaled and shot a burst of water from its mouth to knock the pile over in one shot as the fish kwami cheered at the impressive display.
"PARTY!" Duusu, whom was in one of his hyperactive joyful moods shot across the room like a toddler on a sugar high if it somehow could fly.
Markov chased a few kwamis through the air. "I would kindly advice to not fly across the room because it is full of fragile…" Markov shot to the floor to catch a vase that was nearly knocked over and gently put it back. "Now…if you would stop…no, don't touch that. Whoa…I think I may come familiar with the human emotions known as 'exasperation'."
Nooroo and Loxxo were playing cards. "You think we should help him?" Nooroo asked his elephant kwami friend.
"I think Digitt said he'd help." Loxxo replied.
Unknown to them the robotic kwami was fascinated by the new technology he had missed during his dirtnap courtesy of Kwami Hunter and was enthralled by the washing machine. "Spinning, spinning, spinning…" he said as he traced the movements of the washing machine.
"Got any two's?" Loxxo asked.
"Go fish…" Nooroo said. He turned to the two fish kwamis. "No offense, Piskk and Shooti!"
"None taken!" the Fish Kwamis said.
Xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
After a final check, everyone was ready to move out. It was now a question of when Latombe made his move. Each of the four heroes at the Bureau was in a different vehicle. Each of them saw someone on a stretcher and a few agents in the back. Decoys.
Chat Noir peeked at the back of the truck he was in, seeing Nathalie overlooking her decoy, the tracker wristband still on her wrist. They locked eyes for a moments as she briefly smirked and nodded. She just wanted to let Adrien know everything is ok. Well, he guessed kicking supervillain ass was one way to bond with your godmother.
The bureau's trucks drove down a tunnel, which led to a normal underground traffic tunnel that was closed off due to the police cover, and a secret compartment in the wall opened so the trucks could move out.
At the Louvre, Alix checked her watch…wristwatch, not the Miraculous. Nathaniel was staring at some artwork like an interested party (he was interested in art but he was on a mission). Lila was somewhere on the ceiling, hanging upside down in the shadows, you wouldn't see her unless you knew where to look and saluted Alix as she looked in her direction. Alya was there, holding out her phone, pretending to use the cover of the Ladyblog to do an article. She gave a thumbs up at Alix as she was recording something on her phone.
Near the docks, Luka was in a disguise, again courtesy of Marinette, pretending to be a friendly unassuming street musician with his guitar and an old upside down hat with a few of his own euro coins to enhance the illusion. Ivan and Mylene were in the distance, in a guise that made Juleka look more classy and dapper, and Mylene valley girl-esque, just appearing as a high society school boy taking his ditzy rich girlfriend out for a walk. Mylene was a good actress and Ivan just followed their lead. No one knew why Kim decided to disguise as an old woman feeding the birds, and even less that it actually worked.
The rest of the team were spread around the city in strategic points, the intention to check from which angles the threat may come, or to handle any distractions Latombe may set up. Once anything went down, any of them were ready to rush to the three targets to protect depending on the situation.
Latombe was just on a rooftop. He checked something on his tablet. He had a few drones going around and observing the city. One of his drones caught up to something. He saw a convoy of swat-like trucks leaving a tunnel. He smirked. "Perfect." Then one of the footage of his drones started to get static. "Oh?" the screen flickered and he started to see the visage of one of the Queen Bee drones, whom was now wrecking his recon drone. "Oh drat, it's going to go down a bit earlier. Oh well, not that much, still room for error. Move out, my other me's!" He ordered.
The duplicates of Latombe in their Latombulous armor started to appear from all over the city. Some sprang out of unusual hiding spots. Some dropped their disguises. Some just merely jumped from the rooftops. It was showtime.
It was noticed by the heroes though. Queen Bee immediately set out an alert. "Saffron…one of my bees…has intercepted a robotic drone. Must be one of Latombe's! Everyone ready!"
Shortly after the Latombe Duplicates all revealed themselves. The 'Prime' Latombe just swiped on his tablet and set the mood a bit. The screens all over the city, normally used to project the newscast, all started to flicker, showed Latombe's face. "People of Paris! Welcome to Paris' Greatest classics. And today the incredibly intelligent, incredibly talented Gustav Latombe is going to bring a cover of a great classic 'Champs-Elysées' from Joe Dassin. And it will be accompanied by some…Fireworks!" This gave the entire population of Paris a reason to panic.
One group of Latombes appeared in front of the convoy as the screens started to show a pre-recorded message of Latombe, with a bowler hat and cane dancing as the music started. The three Latombes in front of the group immediately started to shoot blasts of ice, lightning and fire at the convoy, the drivers barely dodged as they screeched to halt immediately troops started to swarm out in military gear, with Ladybug, Chat Noir, Antimena and Pan stepped out and readied their weapons.
Je m'baladais sur l'avenue le cœur ouvert à l'inconnu
J'avais envie de dire bonjour à n'importe qui
N'importe qui et ce fut toi, je t'ai dit n'importe quoi
Il suffisait de te parler, pour t'apprivoiser
Aux Champs-Elysées, aux Champs-Elysées
Au soleil, sous la pluie, à midi ou à minuit
Il y a tout ce que vous voulez aux Champs-Elysées
Alix didn't hesitate to duck away from the public view and initiate her transformation in a broom closet once she heard the sound of a wall being torn down. She stepped out as Bunnyx, Pipistrello dropping down from the rafters as Rena Rouge and Kempfhahn joined in. Through a hole that was blasted in the wall, a couple of Latombe clones came in. Not only that, they were joined by something they haven't seen for a while: Moth Swarm soldiers… The heroes would have their fight cut out for them.
Tu m'as dit "J'ai rendez-vous dans un sous-sol avec des fous
Qui vivent la guitare à la main, du soir au matin"
Alors je t'ai accompagnée, on a chanté, on a dansé
Et l'on n'a même pas pensé à s'embrasser
Aux Champs-Elysées, aux Champs-Elysées
Au soleil, sous la pluie, à midi ou à minuit
Il y a tout ce que vous voulez aux Champs-Elysées
The ship has arrived at the harbor and immediately several Latombe clones started to advance. Activating their transformations, the heroes stepped in. Taurus immediately used his superior strength to push back a horde of them, as Petit Souris started to use her jump rope as a whip to create some distance between the Latombes and the ship.
As Viperion was engaged in hand to hand combat with some of the Latombes, one came in from the sky, whom was jumped by Roi singe, the flying Latombe to wildly swerve through the air as he was being guided away from the site.
Hier soir, deux inconnus et ce matin sur l'avenue
Deux amoureux tout étourdis par la longue nuit
Et de l'Étoile à la Concorde, un orchestre à mille cordes
Tous les oiseaux du point du jour chantent l'amour
Aux Champs-Elysées, aux Champs-Elysées
Au soleil, sous la pluie, à midi ou à minuit
Il y a tout ce que vous voulez aux Champs-Elysées
Aurore, Jean, Vince, Lysander, Ondine, Kiva, Reece and Scott ran out of the restaurant as they heard commotion outside. They saw several Latombe clones invoking a variety of powers. Some flying, some shooting all type of energy of projectiles, several others growing to a gigantic size and started stomping around. In panic, the kids scattered.
Aurore and Jean headed to the direction of the park. Kiva wanted to run straight home, before he saw a car being flung in his direction, most likely due to the tantrums of one of the Latombes. He gasped as he was nearly flattened, only for a purple and pink blur to move in, slice the car in half, and make the shredded car fall onto the floor, saving him. Tigresse and Porcelet ready, claws out and rake brandishes as they rushed at the Latombes.
Reece and Scott wanted to run back inside the restaurant as some stray rubble blocked their way and instead ran into different directions. Reece found his way blocked by a random Latombe whom grew a few extra pair of arms and was just intended to trounce anyone whom got in his vicinity for lols. Reece was only saved when something green moved in front of him and moved in front of the six armed latombe and blocked the blows. Carapace had his shield held out in front of him. He nodded at Reece, signaling him to run.
Scott had headed in the other direction with Vince and Bullhead, but suddenly they felt a tug behind their navels and there was a blur of colors as they soon found themselves a few hundred meters away. The spot they originally stood was now a smoldering crater. Pegasus gave a two fingered salute before speeding in the difference towards the attacking Latombes.
Ondine ran as fast as she could, but she was cut off by another Latombe. It dialed away at his gauntlet to pick his power…Until a different Latombe crashed into him. With Roi Singe on top. Roi Singe got up and waddled around, saw Ondine and suddenly got in front of him to protect her, raising his staff at another Latombe that headed their way.
Lastly, Lysander was cornered by another Latombe. He didn't like how this one stared at him. It wasn't with the same insanity or bloodlust as the others, but some form of recognition and a softness that looked alien, or downright terrifying on his face. A clap of thunder sounded as Ryuko landed in between him and the Latombe, a look of fury on her face and his sword's tip aimed at his throat.
Aux Champs-Elysées, aux Champs-Elysées
Au soleil, sous la pluie, à midi ou à minuit
Il y a tout ce que vous voulez aux Champs-Elysées
Jean and Aurore had ran into the parc, until the sky went dark. A swarm of wasps filled the sky and descended upon the parc. Until a swarm of bees intercepted them and kept them away form the citizens. They could see Queen Bee and her own swarm standing up against the Latombe that had invoked Queen Wasp's power.
Jean and Aurore nearly jumped when they felt a hand on their shoulders. Luckily it was the Dupain-Cheng family, as well as Emilie and Greg, whom gestured them to come along as Queen Bee and the other heroes would do their best to hold off the Latombe army.
Aux Champs-Elysées, aux Champs-Elysées
Au soleil, sous la pluie, à midi ou à minuit
Il y a tout ce que vous voulez aux Champs-Elysées
Fu and Marianne looked outside the window and saw the chaos unfold. They prayed for their young protegees that they would overcome this crisis like they did for the previous ones. However, they noticed something odd. They could swear that on a rooftop in the distance, they saw a blue cloaked figure, and the stranger looking directly at them. They were unable to tell whom this person was due to the distance, but they felt something was off.
This safehouse was protected by magic that Fu himself set up, so no one with malicious intent would be able to find this place…so why did they feel at unease?
Mahamayuri observed from a distance. He felt the familiar pull. It was…weak, like it was dampened, but it was there. He would or could possibly easily miss it if he hadn't known what to look for. But he hadn't. If is sharp toothed mouth was capable of smirking, he would have done so already. "So this is where you've been hiding out, old friend…"
NOTES
Oof, finally got this done. I was home for four days, but in those days I could write diddly squat and luckily I pumped this out before going back to work again tomorrow. Made something of my extended weekend after all.
Anyhow, the problem was to think in which order I'd have different events take place and which heroes get their time to debut or show off their stuff but instead of jumping into the action, another chapter was needed into setup so we could see in which groups what is divided and what would be going on.
I always intended Latombe to be a more flamboyant villain compared to Hawkmoth. Hawkmoth keeps himself hidden and while Latombe is rarely in the open, unlike Hawkmoth he loves the spotlight and wants people to know it is him. Hence a musical number was bound to happen.
I initially wanted to write an original number for him, but one of the more recent Doom Patrol episodes may have inspired me to go for the song Champs-Elysees. It makes even more sense because the heroes are from France. XD
Anyhow, hope you enjoy!