Chapter 13: New Kwami

Ladybug met with Chat Noir on their usual rooftop.

"I have some good news and bad news, Minou," Ladybug said. "The mystery is solved, but I discovered some terrible things about your family."

Ladybug told Chat all that she had discovered in her investigation, including the sentimonster issue.

Chat stared into space in shock. "I'm not real. I'm a monster!"

"No! You're the most real person I know. It's just that there's an object than can control you."

"My life is hopeless. I have to do whatever my father tells me, for the rest of my life."

"I have a plan to rescue you. I'll get a different Miraculous that will help. But in exchange I have to give the Ladybug and Cat Miraculous back to the Guardian. New heroes will be picked, to carry on the fight if I fail."

"There's a Guardian?"

"Yes, but I can't tell you anything about that person."

"Once you give up being Ladybug, I'll never get to see you again. I don't know who you are."

"I can't tell you, because Hawk Moth could command you to talk. But I know who you are, and I'll come to you after this is all over."

"Why would you do that? I love you, m'Lady, but you don't love me."

"I do love you. I have from the day we met."

"Really?"

"Really!"

They looked into each other's eyes, and then they kissed.

"I need to take back your ring now," said Ladybug.

"I trust you," said Chat Noir. "Plagg, claws in."

"I'll miss you, kid," said Plagg.

"Me too, Plagg," said Adrien.

"And all that yummy Camembert," said Plagg. "I'll miss that even more."

"Oh Plagg," said Adrien with a wry smile.

Adrien handed the ring over to Ladybug. She helped him get back into his room at the mansion.

"Don't worry," she told him. "I'll get you out of this."

They parted with another kiss.

Marinette spent some time getting to know her new kwami, the dragon Longg. She was nice but more verbose than Tikki. (The loss of Tikki still hurt, but she was trying her best to be cheerful and welcoming to the new kwami).

"What do you like to eat, Longg?"

"I most like dragonfruit, though I realize that is rather rare in these parts. I can also eat watermelon, or other fruits in a pinch. Just not vegetables. I despise rutabaga."

"I can get watermelon," said Marinette.

"That will do," said Longg. "Thank you, young lady."

"Call me Marinette, please."

"Very well."

"I heard about you. You once worked with a warrior woman from Japan. Tomoe Gozen, right?"

"I cannot say that name, but I can confirm there was indeed such a woman. She was very good with horses."

"You can help me get justice for something that was done to a descendant of hers, Tomoe Tsurugi."

"I would like that," said Longg.

"What powers do you give?" asked Marinette.

"The powers of the storm: wind, water, and lightning."

"You are the kwami of Perfection. What does that have to do with storms?"

"Nothing is more pure and perfect than the forces of nature. You've heard the phrase 'perfect storm'?"

"Yes."

"There you have it."

"I need to pick a new hero name. What about Dragon Lady?"

"That name is a stereotype. It also sounds too much like your old hero name."

"What about Mulan? She had a little red dragon helping her in the Disney movie."

"That is appropriate. I know nothing of Disney movies, but there was a holder of mine by that name in ancient China, the country of your ancestors."

"I need to do a recon mission in a large mansion, to find things hidden there. How can your powers help me?"

"Unseen reconnaissance is a good use of my powers. My warrior women did that often, especially with wind. You can take the form of wind by saying 'Wind Dragon', water by saying 'Water Dragon', and electricity by saying 'Lightning Dragon'. Just use your form in a subtle way to avoid being noticed. After you have taken all three forms you have five minutes before you time out and have to feed me to recharge."

"I'd like to practice with all three."

"Be my guest."

Mulan made a mess of her room at first, but soon adapted to more subtle motions. She found she could enter and control electronic equipment with Lightning Dragon, though she burned out a radio and a hair dryer in the process of testing.

A couple of days later, she felt ready.

"Let's go raid the Agreste mansion. Longg, bring the storm!"