Wang had organised their cruise to meet Ladybug and her crew at an old dock near the Eiffel Tower. Weathered, cream bricks of a balcony, stairs leading down to a cement pavement with fishing boats waiting in the waters.
For once Ladybug was on time, not wanting to be late for her own screw up. Her anxiety was through the roof for this trip. So many things could go wrong! What if they ran out of food? What if someone did break the rules about staying in your room when de-transforming? Then they would find out eachother's identities! The Cat Noir would be disappointed that the fierce, confident hero he was in love with was really just a clumsy, stuttering mess and she should start running now because he wanted her miraculo—
"Hey, girl!"
Ladybug sighed in relief as she turned her head to the side to see Alya and Nino in uniform and carrying a suitcase of their own merchandise. "Oh. Hey, Rena, Carapace."
"What's got you so worked up?" The foxy lady asked.
"Oh, you know. Just a trip that could lead to a disastrous catastrophe and then ultimately DEATH!" Ladybug fretted.
"Woah! Chill, dude!" Carapace said, a little taken back.
"Yeah, don't sweat it." Rena placed her hands on her best friend's shoulders. "You've got a plan to keep our identities all safe and locked up, and we're all people you've trusted since the beginning. We know how important keeping everyone and everything safe is to you."
"We've got your back." the turtle-dude reassured her.
Ladybug was about to thank them when she heard a faint sound coming from the top of the staircase.
Party rock!
Yeah
Woo!
Let's go!
Ladybug and her crew were confused for a moment until they saw it was coming from a black cat-like creature.
Cat Noir was goofing around again, wearing black shades, a gold chain with the letters 'CN' around his neck and a bluetooth speaker he was holding on his shoulder.
Party rock is in the house tonight
Everybody just have a good time
And we gon' make you lose your mind (Woo!)
Everybody just have a good time
Ladybug immediately burst out laughing at her partner, crouching down with her hands at her sides, while Foxy Lady and Carrot Dude stood there blinking in confusion like 'what the heck is this guy doing?!'.
Ladybug stood - well, crouched - there, snorting at Cat Noir's attempt to be cool.
Once he approached his teammates and his partner he stopped the music and crossed his arms, posing. "Yo, what's up my dawgs, My dudes, My homies! Big cat in the house!"
"Take these things off," Ladybug said while trying to stifle her laughter.
'Big Cat' didn't object. He happily let her close to him as she took off his gold ring, his gold necklace, his speaker. . .and then his glasses.
As soon as Ladybug set her eyes on his she froze. His eyes were entirely green, so cat-like. Though they were a beautiful emerald green. But it was what hid behind his eyes that made her freeze. They showed kindness, sincerity, lovingness, and sympathy.
But why was he sympathetic? He couldn't have possibly known she was going to be so worked up and stressed about this trip that he'd need to pull off something like that to get her mind off of it.
Right?
Suddenly their gaze was interrupted by an annoying noise coming from behind them.
"Hi! Sorry I'm late" A girl in yellow and black stripes, a belt with a large, similar patterned stinger on the end and a little crown at the top of the girl's brown hair.
She was attempting to be walking a 'sassy catwalk' with her black duffle bag, but failing miserably. The bee girl bumped into people, receiving annoyed and frustrated reactions but she just rudely ignored them.
Finally heading down the staircase with her extremely heavy, wheel-less luggage she approached the baffled group of heroines. "So, I'm here now guys!"
The girl spoke highly about herself while Ladybug and Rena whispered to one another.
"You were right about Kagami being a lot more comfortable in her hero persona." The fox leant over to her bestie with a hand over her mouth while Ladybug just stared at the bee girl who was now boasting about herself.
The raven-haired girl faked a cough as a way to introduce Kagami.
"So guys, this is Kagami, but I have given her the bee miraculous in case Hawk Moth decides to strike."
"Yep! Your. . .queen is here!" Kagami pointed to the little crown on her head.
Cat Noir immediately laughed, wrapping an arm around the imposter's shoulders. "Ha! Good one."
Ladybug's fists clenched and growled under her breath. "He's. So. CLOSE to her!"
This was normal for the spotted hero, though. She is known for always putting her heart before her head. So it was normal that she wasn't herself right then. She wasn't thinking straight. All she could think of was that HER partner, HER kitty was wrapping his arm around ANOTHER woman's shoulder and that she didn't like it one bit!
"Okay! That's enough now!" Ladybug said, much too loud for normal, going behind them and pushing Cat Noir's hand off of the woman who was now falling towards the waters below.
But Cat Noir's reflexes were as quick as he was goofy. He ran behind Ladybug to catch Kagami.
The catch was what you call 'The Dip' in the Tango dance. His hands were around Kagami's waist and shoulders, their faces only centimetres apart, staring intently into each other's inner souls, to which Ladybug was turning red with one hundred times the rage she had before.
Every second that passed by was a thought closer to Ladybug picking Kagami up above her head and chucking her into the water.
Cat Noir was the person she so badly wanted to love, the person who kept telling her how he loved her and yet, so easily, betrays Ladybug to flirt with another girl. Why should she believe that he loved her when every time she brought in some superhero help (that so happened to be a girl), he would try to get her to fall for him?!
But no matter how much he annoyed her with his awful timing, no matter how much he would frustrate her with identities, no matter how much he betrayed her in the love department, he was always there for her when she was upset and needed a hand to hold. He would always tell her that she could count on him to hold onto her and never let her fall. . . . and she loved him for that.
But on the other hand, Kagami was infuriating Ladybug just as much as HER kitty was.
First, the spotted hero was in love with Adrien, and still is. It's just that only now, Ladybug has realised her second love for Cat Noir. The only difference is that Cat Noir loves her back - or she thought he did - and Adrien had only ever acknowledged her as 'Just a Friend'.
Avoiding the 'Just a Friend' topic, Kagami had known Marinettes's love for Adrien, but decided to, not only go out, but kiss Adrien. Now she was hitting on the other person she would die for.
Stop stealing my men, Kagami!
Ladybug couldn't help but think: 'How does she even get all these guys, anyway? She's not even that pretty! And she's so blunt!'
"So, uh, K-kagami," Cat stuttered, finally releasing Kagami out of his grasp. "What should I call you?"
"Yeah! Tell us, dude!" Carapace nodded.
"Oh, well, obviously it's the coolest." Kagami beamed, glad the attention was on her. "You can call me Albina. It's such a better name than 'Ladybug'! Like, seriously! I wouldn't call myself 'Bee'. That's ridiculous!"
The entire group - minus Ladybug - was loving this side of Kagami.
First she was taking away my love life, but now she's talking bad behind my back, when really I'm RIGHT THERE?! Ladybug was beyond furious now.
Ladybug held her hand in front of her. "That's it! Give me back your miraculous! You've made enough trouble already."
Albina looked shocked for a moment, but it soon turned into disappointment, as if she'd failed.
She slowly reached up to her hair to take her comb out but was stopped by hands over hers along with pleading for her to stop from a certain cat.
"Wait, Ladybug! Don't be like that!" Cat Noir begged. "It's only been fifteen minutes! Give her another chance. She won't insult your name again, will you Albina?"
Albina faked her guilt. "Uh. . .no! Of course not! I'm so sorry Ladybug."
"Yeah, you weren't perfect on your first mission either!" Rena Rouge implored.
"Forgiveness is key." Viperion implied.
Everyone turned their heads in Viperion's direction, blinking twice.
"When did you get here?" Rena spoke with a hand on her hip.
"Oh, just now. I don't actually have a clue what you guys are arguing about, but thought I'd try to help."
There was a baffled silence for about thirty seconds, taking in Luka's sudden approach until Ladybug got back on topic.
"Fine." Ladybug said, defeated. "You can keep your miraculous. For now!"
"Oh thank you, Ladybug! I promise you won't regret it!"
"I already do." The bug mumbled under her breath as the rest turned to the newly found surprise that just approached.
At that moment, a giant shadow of a blanket had hugged the crew. There was no light shining over the heroes.
"Look at this, dudes!" Carapace chimed while the others gasped their lousy keister's off. "This is our crib for next month?!"
Rena was jumping up and down on Ladybug's shoulder. "THIS IS THE CRUISE WE'RE STAYING IN?!"
Master Fu wasn't kidding when he said it would be a luxury cruise. It was a huge, white boat that looked like it could hold over 6,000 people, though only the six of them were holidaying there. Plus the captain.
It had windows along the entire thing and a long, pointy balcony waiting for them at the end. A word in blue cursive writing was on the side of the cruise that said 'The Guardian'.
"Wow. This puts my place to shame." Viperion smiled.
"Last one inside's a rotten egg!" Cat Noir yelled, already running up the cruise card.
Once inside the amazing cruise, the heroes found themselves looking at the five-star main room.
It had cream and gold swirl carpet. Glass cabinets were planted along all the walls and two staircases, a hallway leading in between the two with chandeliers emerging from the roof. It looked like something straight out of a fairytale. Or from those rich-people magazines.
Silence filled the gorgeous room as the group let their eyes wander in awe.
Thankfully it had managed to get Ladybug's mind off the murderous anger she had towards Albina, who's jaw was practically hitting the floor.
Cat Noir looked around as if he was bored out of his mind. "If we're gonna have this reaction to every room we enter, it's gonna be a long boat tour."
Ladybug snapped out of her glance to look at her kitty. "You're right. We better go find our rooms now."
The hero squad lugged their bags up the overpriced staircases to find a corridor with seven doors along the walls.
As the heroes were about to examine every bedroom and decide which ones were theirs, someone startled the living daylights out of them, leaving the six hugging each other from the fright.
"Ahem"
