Here's a short chapter featuring the Kwamis!
In spite of its popularity, Lucky Red found itself almost empty of hungry customers one afternoon. All was there were only the owner and the regulars.
"The cafe looks great, thanks to you, Nate!" Marinette praised.
Nathanael rubbed the back of his head, smiling. "Thanks to your cousin for giving me the commission. I was more than happy to help."
Nathaniel, like Marinette, had grown up to a fine young adult of 20 years. He was currently an art student, studying Illustration, and evolved into an even more talented artist from his schoolboy days, talented enough to design and paint the stunning inside of Bridgette's cafe. No longer a gawky teenager, his body gained good height, built and muscle. His red hair was longer, covering half his face as usual, while a purple beanie sat on his head. He wore a red oversized V-neck shirt over a blue long-sleeved one, violet pants that went skinny down his long legs, and brown loafers. On top of all that, he had on a huge grey jacket, and hiding under that was a plain blue peacock brooch on his shirt directly under his chin.
From across the room, Adrien glared at the redhead, trying to murder him with his jealous green eyes. Across from him, Chloe blissfully daydreamed about her mysterious 'boyfriend'.
On the other side of the room, Alya sat on Nino's lap, looking at online posts of his latest gig in a club.
"I couldn't have a better artist." Bridgette said, smiling at Nathaniel. She liked him for Marinette. A better man for her cousin.
Too bad that he already has a girlfriend he loved very much.
Bridgette gave Nathaniel a pastry and coffee, on the house, and then went outside for an expected delivery.
With everyone's attention occupied, no one noticed the kwamis catching sniff of Bridgette's food and couldn't resisting sneaking into the kitchen.
The kwamis marvelled the sight of all the marvellous food Bridgette had out and prepared for hungry customers.
They went crazy.
With excited squeals, the tiny gods zoomed straight for the godsend food.
"Bonzai!"
Wayzz dived right into a China bowl of tomato soup, swimming in its celestial taste.
Trixx ravaged an entire dish of beef stir fry, marinated to perfection.
"So good!"
Pollen helped herself to taking spoonfuls of sweet honey from a jar.
"I'm in heaven again!"
Duusu lounged in a delicious salad of lettuce, cherry tomatoes, cottages cheese and oil dressing, laying back like a beach model.
"I wish Nooroo were here. He would've love this!"
Tikki nibbled on some chocolate chip cookies. She hummed happily to herself, smiling. "Bridgette was always a great cook!"
Plagg let out a big burp after he finished ALL the cheese. He was already looking fatter than his own head and drooling in the aftermath.
"Yeah...I remember the treats she used to give Felix and the o sourpuss would just throw them away. Oh, even the Camembert cheesecake...One time she made a pie, but she tried to give it to Felix, she tripped, and the pie planted on his face! Ha!"
"She may be stubborn but damn, that girl can cook!" Trixx hooted.
"If only our wielders don't hide themselves. Then we can have a Kwami party!" Pollen piped up.
"And watch Marinette get a heart attack!" Plagg heckled. "That girl is always overcompensating things."
"Plagg, quiet!" Tikki hissed.
"They like each other, why can't we just tell them and save them from the mess?"
"We agreed to let our holders reveal their identities to each other when they all want to." Wayzz explained sternly. "Hawkmoth is still out there and he will target their families and each other in order to get their miraculous."
"It's too dangerous." Tikki agreed.
"Not as dangerous as the reactions of our holders when they finally reveal themselves. Imagine it. Adrien loved Ladybug and rejected Marinette. Marinette loved Adrien and turned down Chat Noir. Now Adrien wants Marinette and Ladybug wants Chat Noir. Alya and Nino love each other but Rena Rouge and Carapace hate each other. Chloe and Nathaniel civil to each other whereas Queen Bee and Pavo are madly in love!"
Trixx blinked. "Wow. Shakespeare's got nothing on our kids."
"Nooroo had Shakespeare, remember?" Duusu recalled.
"Oh yes, Gilde! He turned peasants into actors for his plays!" Wayzz followed up.
"We better get back before our current holders notice we're missing and responsible for this mess." Tikki advised.
The kwamis immediately agreed and made way to exit the kitchen unnoticed. But one kwami didn't made it very far.
"Guys, help!"
The kwamis stopped and turned, seeing Pollen captured by pink taffy in a bowl.
"I'm stuck!" Pollen cried.
"Oh dear!" Duusu yelped.
"Hold on, Pollen. We'll get you out!" Tikki promised.
"Hurry up! This is messing up my fuzz!" Pollen snapped.
"Alright, keep your stripes on!" Plagg snapped back.
"Hang on!" Wayzz said.
The 6 kwamis tugged at the Bee's body, trying to set her free. However, they found themselves engaging in a fierce tug-a-war with the taffy, stretching the candy in the process.
"Boy, this stuff is strong!" Trixx noted.
Back in the café room, Nathanial patted his jacket pocket, expecting to feel a lump, only to have felt his hand slap flat against his thigh. He looked into his empty pocket, eyes wide and he panicked silently.
"Duusu?"
Alya and Nino shared a kiss before they got up.
Nino peeped into his jacket pocket and his eyes bulged. "Little dude? Where are you?"
Alya looked into her bag, her face soon creased in worry and her hand searched frantically. "Trixx? Trixx, where are you?"
In one more tug, the kwamis lost their grip and were sent back flying, crashing into different parts of the café.
Except for Plagg who got caught along with Pollen.
"Did you hear that?" Marinette yelped, hearing the crash. Her head whipped around the room, caught sights of small colourful balls that intrigued her, but she forgot about that as soon as she saw Tikki laying on the floor.
Chloe glanced over her shoulder and gasped. "Adrien, look!"
He looked, only to sigh lovingly at the sight of Marinette. A scowling Chloe smacked his face, snapping him out of it and redirected him to the open window viewing the kitchen. To the display of Pollen and Plagg, stuck in pink goo.
"Plagg!"
"Pollen!"
They scrambled out of their seats, heading for the kitchen.
Fortunately, they were ignored by the others in the room, all focused on their own kwami.
"Tikki!"
"Trixx!"
"Duusu!"
"Wayzz!"
Marinette snatched her kwami out of sight, Alya picked hers up by the tail, Nathaniel scooped his kwami in his hand, and Nino grabbed his.
Adrien and Chloe ogled at the chaos before them. In their minds, they wondered how two little creatures could have made such a terrible mess. They yanked their kwamis out of the taffy and frowned upon them.
"What have you done?" Adrien asked.
"Sorry." Pollen apologised.
Plagg burped. "Couldn't help ourselves."
"I can't believe this! You're always telling me to be responsible, do the right thing and you go and do this!" Chloe scolded.
"This is a speck compared to Troy and Atlantis." Plagg remarked.
Adrien threw his head back, moaning. "Oh geez. Bridgette is gonna-"
Bells chimed, followed by the clicks of heels.
"Excuse me, the kitchen is off-limits to-"
Bridgette trailed once she entered her kitchen, finding it in a mess beyond her nightmares. Food spattered on the walls, sauces splashed on the floor, dishes wiped clean of her beautiful food, all of her hard work gone in 10 minutes.
She stared at the mess, the atmosphere entering a deadly silence.
Adrien and Chloe gulped in fear of her reaction.
"BLOODY HELL!"
Her scream threw them back.
"My kitchen!" She wailed with great aguish. Her heart broke over the working center of her pride and joy.
Her gaze fell upon her best customer and her worst one, both of them shaking in their fancy shoes, sweating in fear.
"We'll pay for everything!" The younger people exclaimed.
It didn't soothe Bridgette's fury completely, yet it was enough to prevent her from throwing the pair onto the pavement.
Marinette watched bemused at what happened. Nathaniel stared blankly, not familiar with Bridgette's temper or Chloe and Adrien's reaction to it. Nino shook his head while Alya snickered and snapped a photo.
Their kwamis felt guilty from their hiding places.
Plagg, on the other hand, was crackling.
"SHUT UP PLAGG!" The other kwamis hissed.
A/N: Shakespeare's superhero name came from his quote in King Lear; "We Will All Laugh at Gilded Butterflies." The quote refers to people who put on "false fronts" or superficial acts to impress others, kinda like actors. Puns run for centuries!