Clarion
Chapter 4 - Confessions
With his arms still wrapped around Ladybug, Chat Noir's body starts to relax as he gives in to Clarion's power.
"Ladybug, there is something I have to tell you..." Chat Noir whispers in her ear.
Ladybug's eyes went wide.
"No Chat you can't! Your identity must remain a secret! No-one can know who we are!"
"Please Ladybug, I need to tell you..."
"No!" Ladybug yells, clasping a gloved hand over his mouth.
Laughter fills the air as Clarion floats above the pair, enjoying the show.
"I'm sorry I can't stay and watch my handy work unfold but I must get back to my mission."
Not breaking eye contact, Ladybug shoots Clarion a glare.
"But first, I must have his ring as a trophy!" Clarion announces, as she swoops down at a tremendous speed, stretching out a hand towards Chat's Miraculous.
In a blink of an eye, Ladybug's hand rips off her partner's mouth and grasps firmly onto Clarion's outstretched arm. Using the momentum, Ladybug swings Clarion around before letting go, sending her hurling in the opposite direction.
Not wanting to waste time, Ladybug scoops the dazed cat up with one arm, using her yoyo with the other to get the pair off the ground. Now running across rooftops, Ladybug desperately looks for a secluded spot to place Chat Noir, while she comes up with a plan to defeat Clarion.
"She's so smart." Chat Noir begins, his eyes twinkling.
"Who?" Ladybug asks, still looking around trying to find a good hiding spot.
"My Princess."
Ladybug's grip slackens, causing her to almost drop Chat Noir mid jump.
"Sorry Ladybug. But I've started seeing my Princess a lot more."
Ladybug nods, hiding a blush. She spots a safe place to land.
"I know you told me not to and that it's dangerous. But I just can't help myself, she's wonderful."
"Look Chat-." Ladybug tries to steer the conversion away from her civilian self.
"She's so pure. She will go out of her way to help anyone, even if she doesn't like them." Chat Noir continues.
Ladybug smiles. "That's sweet Kitty. But now's not the time to-"
"She's kind, honest and isn't afraid to admit when she's wrong."
"That great Chat. I'm happy you've found someone spec-"
"Her smile is radiant, her eyes sparkle like the stars. Her skin is like silk."
"Chat Noir, there really isn't any need to tell me all this." Ladybug says, a dusty pink now visible on her cheeks.
"Her lips. Oh Ladybug, her lips are nothing like what I've tasted." Chat Noir continues. "They taste just like cherries. So sweet. So tasty. So moreish. I honestly can't get enough of them."
Ladybug's face is now buried in her hands, her cheeks burning.
"Okay Chat. That's enough. I got the picture."
"Her face is beautiful, her legs are shapely, I swear they go on for days." Chat Noir sculpts their shape in mid air.
"Oh my god!" Ladybug responds, her hands pulling at her pigtails.
"Her cheeks look like they were sculpted by angels… and her other cheeks,"
Ladybug's head shot up.
"Chat!"
"So plump. So purr-fect." Chat Noir purrs. "Squeezable too."
"Tikki is never going to forget this." Ladybug grumbles to herself under her breath.
"All I can say is me-ow."
"Oh and let me guess. You want to give her a wild night?" Ladybug teases.
"Already have. It was so good she passed out."
"Really?" Ladybug questions, a brow raised. "So you two have… you know?"
"Yep."
Ladybug's face turns a deep red. Her memories of the previous rendezvous came flooding back. She gasped slightly at the butterflies now racing in her stomach.
Standing up, Ladybug grabs a hold of her love struck partner, pulling him to his feet.
"Between you and me L.B." Chat Noir whispers, learning in. "I've never had a girlfriend before."
"What?!"
"Paw on heart" Chat Noir answers, a gloved hand resting on his chest.
Silence fills the air, as Ladybug stands in disbelief. He has good moves for a newbie, she thinks to herself.
"I want to tell her who I am under the mask." Chat Noir admits.
Ladybug shakes her head, snapping herself out of her trance.
"No Chat, we've been through this. Our identities must remain a secret. Especially to those without a Miraculous." As far as she knew, Chat had only seen Marinette as Multimouse. She had used this as her excuse for alluding that Marinette should never be told Chat's identity inadvertently.
"But I was going to tell her I'm A-DU-FRN."
"No!" Ladybug yelled, cutting him off once again with her hand.
Removing her hand slowly, Chat Noir leans in.
"Your hair smells like blueberries."
Ladybug rolls her eyes.
Taking one of her pigtails, Chat Noir begins combing her hair with his claws.
"Your hair is so soft."
"By the way my name is-" Chat Noir blurts out.
"Oh no you don't!" Ladybug interrupts, slapping her hand back over his mouth.
Hearing Chat Noir's muffled words, Ladybug gives a dejected sigh.
"Sorry Kitty. I need you to focus on other things before I remove my hand."
Hearing a few more muffles, followed by silence. Ladybug slowly unclasps her hand from her partner.
"I like you Ladybug." Chat Noir admits.
"I like you too, Kitty." Ladybug smiles. Chat Noir smiles too, before fading slightly.
"But I really like her..." he continues.
"She was really angry and upset. I wasn't sure how to help her. One minute she's screaming at me and the next we're in the shower having s-."
Hearing enough, Ladybug whacks him over the head with her yo-yo.
"Ouch! I'm just stating the truth, Ladybug!" Chat Noir said, nursing his sore head.
"That's the problem. Your mouth has no filter." Ladybug groans.
"Just use that thing for what it's meant for, and not on me."
"Do you think it will work?" Ladybug asks, staring down at her yo-yo.
"When has it failed?"
Tossing her yo-yo in the air, Ladybug calls on her lucky charm.
"Wait. This looks strangely familiar?!"
"It's a lucky charm!" Chat Noir laughs.
Unblinking, Ladybug stares intensely at the replica of the lucky charm she once made. It looks identical to the one she gifted Adrien all those months ago.
"What am I supposed to do with this?"
Looking around, Ladybug heaves a sigh.
"You know, I once received a lucky charm. I carry it around everywhere. It always makes things better for me." Chat Noir comments.
"You're a genius!"
"Miraculous Ladybug!" Ladybug yells, throwing the lucky charm into the air.
After a few moments, an explosion of ladybugs scatter across the city, with a cluster enveloping Chat Noir. Chat grips his head tightly as the swarm disappears.
"M'Lady? How did we get here?"
Ladybug's heart sinks. Hearing those words confirmed that Chat Noir was no longer under Clarion's spell. At the same time she realized the rendezvous from the previous night was a mistake. He was clearly infatuated even after one evening of passion. Seeing Ladybug's eyes flicker with emotion, Chat Noir rests a gentle hand on her shoulder.
"Hey. Is everything okay Bugaboo?"
Ladybug's body shivers at the touch. She feigns a little happiness as she replies.
"Never better, now that you're back to normal!" Her enthusiasm is not genuine, despite her attempt to be.
Chat Noir tilts his head sideways.
"Did I say something stupid?"
"Go chase after Clarion. You're good at getting what you want," Ladybug tries to sound happy and cheerful, but the venom of her words seeps out slightly. Her earrings start beeping.
Seeing the disingenuous smile on her face, Chat Noir thinks better than to press the matter and jumps away, leaving Ladybug alone.
Releasing her transformation, Marinette's eyes begin to water.
"It's all my fault. We shouldn't have done what we did at Adrien's house. Now things are way too complicated."
Tikki flies in front of Marinette's face, holding a half eaten macaroon.
"Please don't worry Marinette. Things have a way of working themselves out".
Sobbing loudly, Marinette covers her face with her hands, letting the tears flow freely.
"What am I supposed to do? I can barely look at Adrien right now and I've messed things up with Chat Noir. Our relationship will never be the same again".
Taking the last bite of food, Tikki remains silent, offering a weak but comforting smile.
"Ladybug needs to get back to the fight".
Sighing Marinette nodes wiping away her tears.
"You're right. Let's go".
Chat Noir is playing a game of cat and mouse with Clarion. It didn't take long to find her after he had left Ladybug's side. All he had to do was follow the screams of the frightened Parisiens and there she was.
"Tell me who you are, Kitty-cat." Clarion demanded.
Chat Noir spins around on his staff, baiting Clarion,
"Oh course. My name is Chat Noir."
Clarion shots a beam towards him. Leaning his body sideways, the beam misses and shoots past, striking a building.
"Tell me who you really are. I demand an answer."
Bowing his head, Chat Noir steps forward.
"Okay. I'm sorry. I'm really known as… a Tricky Kitty!"
Clarion lets out an exasperated scream. Raising her left hand, Clarion fires a barrage of light beams towards Chat Noir. Spinning his baton around, Chat Noir deftly deflects the torrent of light.
As her onslaught grows more intense, Chat finds himself losing ground and begins backing away towards cover.
Diving behind the iconic statue of himself and Ladybug, a beam of intense light strikes the statue, breaking off one of the statue's arms. As it falls, Chat Noir reaches out and grabs it.
"Ladybug!" he screams. "I could use a hand!"
"Looks like you already have one." Ladybug's voice came as she deflects yet another wave attack with her yo-yo.
"Very funny." Chat Noir replies sarcastically, discarding the stone arm to the side.
Alya arrives at the scene, phone in hand, as the two heroes clash with Clarion.
"Hi superfans! If you're just joining us then you have just missed a truly awesome fight with the latest Akuma victim. It appears that our antagonist goes by the name Clarion and she really doesn't like happy couples. Our one and only Chat Noir has been keeping her busy while Ladybug has been making plans." Alya says, informing her followers. "But now that Ladybug is here, things will get back to normal soon...". Alya turns off the livestream.
"...I hope." Alya adds, watching Ladybug barely dodge an attack.
Moving a few steps backwards, Alya kicks a metal drink can with the back of her foot, making enough noise to get noticed. Clarion turns her attention to the young reporter, zapping her instantly.
"No! Alya!" Ladybug cries out, rushing over.