Welcome back to another chapter!
This one will focus a little more on Félix Agreste/Chat Noir, as well as mark the first appearance of one of our recurring villains.
Now, last time I mentioned that I would explain how Akuma work in this universe. Well, to keep things short - Akuma don't exist in the PV Universe. Instead, the villains we saw in the PV Trailer, the Mime and Monsieur Pigeon, are permanent enemies that will frequently clash with Ladybug and Chat Noir for various reasons.
Also, keep in mind that this is still the beginning and that I'm working on setting up the universe properly, so if you feeling that something is off, it's me just adding and scrapping stuff to make the plot make sense from a story and character perspective, as well as preparing the characters for later plot points. In time, everything will get explained.
I hope you'll enjoy the chapter! X3
Entry 2
The Black Cat
''Amidst a world tainted by fake news and falsehood I keep calling for your name. After escaping through the city, I stop for a moment to look up at the blue sky.''
– Never Lose by Ace Attorney
xXxXxXx
Bridgette yawned, stretching her arms as she slowly opened her eyes. Her vision was a little blurry due to the daylight, but after blinking a few times, it quickly cleared. While she was still in a state of daze, she was in a good mood. She had a nice dream about being a superheroine, parkouring across the rooftops of Paris and enjoying her newfound powers as Ladybug.
But, that was just a dream… Bridgette glanced to the side and saw, to her surprise, a red creature with antennae sleeping next to her. ''Tikki?!''
Tikki stirred in her sleep, slowly opening her eyes and seeing Bridgette, who sat up. She smiled, stretching her tiny arms, and flew up to the teen. ''Good morning, Bridgette!''
''W-Wait, if you're here, then this means…'' Bridgette's eyes widened as it dawned on her. ''What happened last night… It wasn't a dream, right? Everything that happened was real; I am Ladybug!''
''Exactly!'' Tikki nodded. ''I guess you need some time to process what happened.''
''Actually, I already have,'' Bridgette replied, reaching for her smartphone. ''I just needed a reminder that what had happened was actually re- aagh! I'm late!'' Panicking, she got out of her bed and stumbled, almost falling over. ''I forgot to set the alarm and now I'll be late for school!''
Tikki observed her holder with a sympathetic look on her expression as Bridgette dressed herself in record time and darted downstairs, with the kwami managing to hide in her backpack. Bridgette skipped two stairs at once, still scolding herself for oversleeping and hoping that she wouldn't get into trouble with her teacher.
''Good morning, Bri-!''
''Sorry, Gran, I'm late!''
Mei was a stunned when Bridgette darted right past her, almost colliding with a woman who was about to enter the store. She then sighed, being already used to her granddaughter's antics.
Meanwhile, Bridgette was running down the street towards the school, trying to remember whether she had packed all the right books and necessities for the school day. She figured that she would get her answer once she had settled down in the classroom, if she managed to get there in time. However, as it turned out, she wasn't the only one on her way to school.
''Allegra?''
Bridgette was stunned to see her friend standing on the street, typing something on her smartphone. Allegra rose her head and smiled, waving Bridgette over, who ran towards her.
''Hey, Bri, what's the rush?'' Allegra asked as Bridgette skidded to a halt in front of her.
''I could ask you the same, we're late to school,'' Bridgette told her briskly, panting. Allegra gave her a puzzled look, but then shook her head.
''Haven't you read the group message? We don't have first period due to the teacher calling in sick and being unable to find a substitute,'' she explained. Bridgette gave her a look of disbelief.
''I panicked for absolutely no reason,'' she said in exasperation, her ahoge drooping. Allegra simply shrugged.
''You're lucky you ran into me, so at least now you know,'' she said. Bridgette perked up, giving Allegra a curious look, then smiled.
''Lucky, right,'' she said. ''How about getting breakfast? I didn't have the time to eat anything this morning.''
''Sure,'' Allegra replied, with the two girls starting to walk towards a bakery. ''So, how did it go?'' She tilted her head when she saw Bridgette giving her a confused look. ''I'm talking about your letter. Did you give it to Félix?''
''Oh,'' Bridgette muttered and looked ahead, thinking about yesterday's accident. ''I did, but it didn't go well. It accidentally got drenched in water and I had to throw it away before Félix had the chance to read it.''
''I'm sorry about that,'' Allegra said, giving Bridgette a sympathetic look. Even though she didn't particularly like Félix, she did acknowledge the effort Bridgette put into trying to confess to him. She had seen how happy and proud her friend was when she held that letter and it was quite a pity that she couldn't deliver it to her crush.
However, instead of looking downcast or heartbroken, Bridgette just smiled.
''Don't worry about that,'' she replied in a carefree tone. ''I'll figure out another way to let Félix know how I feel about him.''
''That is, if he decides to acknowledge your feelings,'' Allegra said, giving Bridgette a thoughtful look. ''I understand that you like him, but what will happen if he rejects you?''
''Even if he does, I wouldn't mind. All I want is to talk to him, maybe befriend him.'' Bridgette fell silent for a moment. ''Am I really asking for too much?''
''Honestly, I don't think that you're asking for too much,'' Allegra replied. ''However, from Félix's perspective, it seems that you do. I wouldn't be surprised if he refused to socialize even if his life depended on it.''
''I believe that he has a reason for the way he behaves,'' Bridgette told Allegra as she entered the bakery. Allegra just shrugged, opting to wait outside for her friend, as she wasn't hungry.
Her thoughts still being focused on Félix, Bridgette walked up to the counter, looking at the pastries. There was another customer being served, so she had a few minutes to decide what she would buy, even though she had already decided on the brioche filled with strawberry jam, as well as a few macarons for Tikki, since she figured that the kwami was just as hungry as she was.
''What would you like to order?''
''I would like one pain au chocolat, please,'' Bridgette said, registering her words only a second later. It appeared that the girl behind the counter didn't notice the look of surprise on Bridgette's expression, but went ahead with putting the pastry into a paper bag.
''Anything else?''
''Uh, I'd also like a strawberry-filled brioche and three macarons,'' Bridgette quickly added, pointing at the pastries. Why did I ask for the pain au chocolat?!
Bridgette felt a little dazed as she payed for the pastries, still wondering what possessed her to buy something she didn't plan to eat and not change her order. All she knew was that she had a strange feeling that this was the right decision, even though she didn't know why. Bridgette shook her head as she exited the bakery, figuring that she should enjoy her breakfast.
''Bri, are you okay?'' Allegra asked, noticing the weird look on Bridgette's expression.
''Yeah, I am,'' Bridgette told her. ''I was thinking how I bought some extra food, just in case.''
''In case of what?'' Allegra rose an eyebrow. Bridgette was silent for a moment, with Allegra being a little worried, wondering whether something was wrong. Bridgette than looked up at her, her airheaded answer catching Allegra off guard.
''I don't know,'' she said in a chipper tone, causing Allegra to give her a baffled look. Bridgette then winked. ''However, I do have a good feeling about this.''
xXx
Félix was no stranger to disasters. After all, he had been followed by the very incarnation of a disaster over the past two and half weeks and he was well aware that there was no way to escape it, as it would stick with him through the rest of his life. The fact that he also had to deal with the unwanted advances from a certain pigtailed classmate didn't help either.
Nevertheless, that didn't mean that he had no idea how to handle himself in these kinds of situations. As a matter of fact, he had thought of every scenario possible, making meticulous preparations and taking control over his every move and word. Everything had to be perfect if he wanted to have a normal life.
Unfortunately, he knew that his life wasn't normal and will never be, all thanks to a certain noisy creature who loved to make him miserable. Still, there was hope, as the one who would break his curse had finally entered his life. The only issue was that he had to figure out how to convince her to help him.
He furrowed a brow as the ringing of the school bell signaled the end of the class and got up. He felt the hair on the back of his neck standing up as he heard Bridgette's voice from behind him, the teen discussing her lunch plans with her friend Sophie.
''I'm not sure whether I'm going to join you today, Soph,'' Bridgette explained. ''I actually…''
Félix didn't stick around to hear the rest of the conversation. With one swift movement, he grabbed his briefcase backpack and left the room, wanting to get away from his admirer as far as possible. For all he knew, waiting longer would turn into an opportunity for Bridgette to ask him whether he wanted to have lunch with her, a scenario he wanted to avoid.
Instead, he decided that he would get out of the school and go to the nearby bakery to buy himself lunch, then find an isolated spot where he could eat his lunch and read his book in peace. Satisfied with his plan, he reached for the inside of his backpack to take out his wallet, only to realize a moment later that he couldn't find it.
He took a sharp breath, trying to stop the surge of panic from spreading through his body. He opened his backpack, checking the pocket where he usually kept his wallet, but it wasn't there. Instead, he found a small black creature with cat ears, a cat tail, a pair of whiskers on his cheeks and one on his head. It blinked, his green eyes having black cat-like slits as pupils, and smirked, a fang popping out of the corner of its mouth.
''You can keep searching, Kid, but you left your wallet at home,'' Plagg told him. Félix frowned, glaring at his kwami.
''Why didn't you tell me anything?''
''You didn't ask,'' Plagg replied dryly.
Félix sighed, but he wasn't going to give up so easily, as he had a back-up plan. He made sure to always keep spare money in a pocket on the inside of his backpack, but when he pulled it out, it turned out that he only had a few cents, not enough to buy himself anything. It seemed that he'd have to go through the rest of his school day on an empty stomach.
Great, just my luck… Feeling bitter, he glanced at the cat ring adorning his finger, the actual source of his misery. Ever since he put it on, he had nothing but bad luck. He would dread every day, being already used to the idea of something bad happening to him, from getting accidentally hit by a stray frisbee to having his teacher accidentally pour hot coffee over his homework, ruining it completely. Whenever he thought that it couldn't get worse, it would get much worse.
Having resigned himself to his fate, he closed his backpack and put it over his shoulder, clutching the strap tightly. However, before he could walk away, he was startled by a familiar voice.
''Hey, Félix!''
Not her again. He turned around, feeling annoyed when he saw Bridgette approaching him. It appeared that she wasn't bothered by the irritated look he gave her, smiling happily when she realized that he actually had acknowledged her presence.
''What do you want?'' he asked her. Considering how he wouldn't be going anywhere, he figured that he could allow himself to spend a few minutes talking to Bridgette and letting her know that he wouldn't be accepting any of her invitations, period.
''I was wondering whether we could maybe have lunch together,'' Bridgette said hopefully.
Surprisingly, instead of rejecting her, Félix quietly observed her. It was obvious that he had already expected her to ask him that, but unknown to Bridgette, he actually found himself considering her invitation, only because he realized that he didn't want to spend the rest of his day hungry.
However, before he could respond, Bridgette quickly added, ''If you don't want to come along, I did buy myself pain au chocolat this morning, but decided against eating it.'' She reached for her backpack, taking out the paper bag with the pastry. ''If you want, you can have it.''
Félix was surprised, having not expected that Bridgette would bring him lunch. At first, he thought about refusing, but he then took the paper bag, figuring that it was better than nothing. As he glanced back at Bridgette, he realized that she had that dreamy and giddy look on her expression, her ahoge having curved into a heart shape.
''Thank you,'' he said curtly. Frankly, he would've left without a word if it weren't for the fact that common decency had been hammered into his psyche.
''You're welcome.''
A wide smile spread across Bridgette's lips, her chipper voice irking Félix. It annoyed him that she made a big deal out of him accepting the pastry and, after thanking her for the treat, he turned around and left. He remained alert, figuring that she would attempt to follow him, but was surprised when he realized that she left him alone.
Maybe she had finally got the hint to stop following me around the school.
He scoffed at the thought. Even though he didn't know Bridgette well, he was aware that she could be quite persistent, often showing up out of nowhere in order to talk to him. Admittedly, she didn't ask him for his phone number, e-mail or any social media, nor did she try to follow him to his home, as far as he knew. The only time they would interact was at school and even then, she would keep her distance whenever he told her to leave him alone. That didn't stop her from trying to talk to him the next day, though.
As if I already don't have enough problems to deal with.
xXx
The rest of the school day passed without any other accidents, although Félix did notice Bridgette occasionally glancing at him. He would just keep ignoring her, feeling mildly irritated. Fortunately, she left school in the company of her friends, meaning he didn't have to worry about her trying to approach him while he was on his way home.
Not that he was eager to return home, or rather, that sterile fortress of a mansion he had been forced to call his home for the past few years. As much as he disliked the idea of attending public school and being forced to socialize with other people, it was still better than spending his days being homeschooled and interacting with the man he detested – his uncle, Gabriel Agreste.
Félix's eyes narrowed as he was reminded of his uncle's cold gaze. There was no doubt that Gabriel was a successful businessman and fashion designer, but in private he was absolutely ruthless. He was quite observant and didn't tolerate anything out of the ordinary. Even if everything was perfect, he still wouldn't be happy, always finding something to complain about and, unfortunately, Félix appeared to be his favorite target.
While, admittedly, his uncle's criticism did affect him at first, he had eventually learned how to ignore it, especially after realizing that Gabriel was repeating himself. He would talk about how Félix's grades weren't good enough, despite the fact that Félix's grades were top-notch and all of his tutors had praised him. He would constantly remind Félix to keep his bedroom in order, but would never enter it and see for himself that it was meticulously clean. He would complain about Félix's choice of outfits and hairstyle, despite the fact that Félix was always dressed in a suit, just like Gabriel.
However, unlike his uncle, who would dress in white or tan, Félix preferred black and grey clothes. As for his hairstyle, he had to admit that he did like that it wasn't perfectly tamed on the back, refusing to cut it or comb it so it wouldn't stick out, a decision that drew his uncle's ire.
You need to be perfect.
Félix frowned as he heard a cold voice echo in his mind and tried to ignore it. He didn't need to be reminded of his uncle's expectations of his own achievements or appearance. All his uncle desired was for him to be the perfect representation of the Agreste family, not caring whether Félix was interested in it or not. Aside from his complaints, he even tried to take control over Félix's schedule, attempting to force him to take piano lessons and modeling, but Félix put a veto to it. He knew that his uncle didn't think highly of him nor his interests, but he wasn't some spineless idiot who would do anything to please him.
Fortunately for him, it seemed that Gabriel had given up on trying to take full control of his free time, maintaining a cold and distant relationship with his nephew. He would occasionally gift Félix books he bought from his business trips as a sign of good will, but that was the bare minimum of their interaction as a family. Félix knew that, if he faltered even for a moment, his uncle would make sure to do everything to break him down further.
Rest assured, every day at the Agreste mansion had been a battle for him and he was quite proud of his victories. Anything Félix was allowed to do that Gabriel disapproved off counted as a win, including the fact that, rather than being driven home by his uncle's bodyguard, he was walking back to the mansion. Still, he wished that he could just walk right past it.
After he had arrived, he was relieved to see that his uncle's assistant wasn't waiting for him at the entrance. He figured that she was busy and walked quickly towards his room, the only place in this building where he could unwind in peace. At least, that's what he hoped for when he placed his backpack on the desk, right next to the missing wallet.
The moment it was safe for him to do so, Plagg flew out of Félix's backpack and started darting around his room and checking the cupboard for the stash of camembert cheese Félix was forced to buy for him. Félix just ignored him, walking instead over to his private library and trying to decide which book he would read in order to calm his nerves.
''So, what's the plan for tonight, Kid?'' Plagg asked him, holding a piece of cheese. When Félix didn't reply, Plagg grinned mischievously, adding in a teasing tone, ''After all, Ladybug had finally shown up. You must be over the moon!''
Félix's eyes merely flicked towards Plagg, before turning back to the bookshelf.
''You know well why I'm interested in her,'' he replied. ''Once I get that kiss, nothing else matters.''
Plagg snorted, giving Félix a knowing look as he hovered above him, leaning slightly against the bookshelf.
''Admit it, she does look cute, doesn't she?'' he said. Suddenly, the books on the top of the shelf fell all over a startled Félix, knocking him over. Plagg winced, floating over to Félix and giving him a worried look. He then grinned. ''Ha, did I hit a nerve?''
''You have no idea what you're talking about,'' Félix replied in an irritated tone, rubbing his head and picking up the books that were on the floor. He was already used to things falling on him. ''If it weren't for this curse, I wouldn't even be interested in her.''
As he got up and put the books back on his shelf, his gaze fell on the ring on his finger. He stared at it intently, remembering how he found it and wondering what the hell possessed him to put it on. In hindsight, he had no idea how much trouble this little trinket would cause him.
Félix sighed, finally deciding on his favorite book, a mystery novel about a detective who had an intense rivalry with a sly phantom thief, whom he attempted to hunt down, but she would always slip away. He then walked over to the couch and sat down, leaning against the pillows and trying to focus on the book's story. However, he couldn't, as his eyes would occasionally flick towards the ring, reminding him how his hobby caused his downfall.
It had been more than two weeks ago, just after he finally convinced his uncle to let him attend lycée. He was quite satisfied with his claimed victory over the old man and things seemed to get better when his uncle's assistant delivered a box filled with books to his room, souvenirs from his uncle's latest business trip.
Unfortunately for Félix, as he skimmed through the books, he realized that many of them were tattered and dirty, meaning that he couldn't add them to his private library. He felt quite irked, aware that Gabriel bought those on purpose, as he was well aware of his nephew's love for books and would make sure to make him feel miserable one way or another.
Still, Félix decided to make the best out of the situation. He started to pile the books into those which were readable and those which were unsalvageable, eventually coming across a decent-looking book that was hollow on the inside, as the pages in the middle had been cut out. Félix's eyes narrowed, feeling rather annoyed to see a perfectly good book being destroyed like this, but what caught his attention was the ring hidden inside the book.
Interesting, but not too surprising, given how old this book appears to be. Someone might've decided to hide their family heirloom inside it and forgot about it.
He picked the ring up, examining it. It was black and resembled a cat's head, with a pair of green gems that represented the eyes and a red gem on the forehead. Félix figured that it was quite old and probably made out of expensive materials, but there were no carvings indicating to who the previous owner of the ring was. As he held it in his hand, the ring briefly shimmered, startling Félix. He tilted his head, staring at it for a moment, but then figured that it was probably just a trick of light.
Eventually, he found himself debating whether he should put it on or not, having a strange feeling about it, wondering if there was more to the ring than he thought. He did read enough books about mysterious artifacts and how they affected the protagonists, but he didn't really believe that it would apply to his situation. Finally, he slipped the ring on the middle finger of his right hand, realizing that it fitted him perfectly. He brushed with his his fingers across it, observing it.
Suddenly, the book he had been holding earlier fell apart, dissolving into ashes. Shocked, Félix quickly got up, hitting the bookshelf behind him and causing a bunch of books to drop on him.
''Oww…'' He rubbed the back of his head, being completely baffled. ''What happened?''
His eyes flicked down towards the ring, and he realized that he made a mistake by putting it on. He attempted to remove it from his finger, but no matter how much he pulled, it wouldn't come off.
Suddenly, a black light emerged from the ring, revealing itself to be a small black creature with cat ears, a cat tail, a pair of whiskers on his cheeks and one on his head. Félix stared at the creature, completely stunned. The creature then yawned, stretching its tiny arms and glanced at Félix with its big green eyes which had black cat-like slits as pupils, seemingly surprised to see him. It then smirked, a fang popping out of the corner of its mouth.
''Hello, my name is Plagg,'' Plagg introduced himself, then started to fly around Félix. ''Do you have anything to eat? I haven't eaten a proper meal in ages and I could use some cheese.''
''Wait, what are you?'' Félix asked, still stunned.
''I had already told you, Kid, I'm Plagg, the Kwami of Misfortune, and you freed me from my dormant state when you put the Ring of the Black Cat on,'' Plagg replied, then flew around, searching for anything edible. He was quite disappointed that the only thing he found were more books. Félix, on the other hand, wasn't fond of the kwami snooping around his room.
''First of all, don't call me Kid. I have a name, you know,'' Félix replied angrily, only to get startled when Plagg flew up to him, giving him a mischievous grin.
''Then, what should I call you, Kid?'' he asked.
''My name is Félix Agreste,'' Félix told him, then rose an eyebrow. ''Also, what was that talk about 'misfortune'?''
''To keep it short, the moment you put the ring on, you've been cursed with bad luck,'' Plagg explained.
''You have got to be kidding me,'' Félix muttered, his eyes widening as he remembered the earlier accident with the bookshelf. He once again tried to remove the ring, but it just wouldn't come off.
''That won't work, Kid,'' Plagg said, drawing Félix's ire. ''In order to remove the Ring of the Black Cat, you will have to get a kiss from the owner of the Ladybug Earrings.''
''What?'' Félix stared at Plagg, completely perplexed. Plagg sighed, crossing his tiny arms and legs as he assumed a sitting position mid-air.
''Look, Kid, you're now the proud owner of a piece of jewelry that is known as the Miraculous, the other being the Ladybug Earrings,'' he explained. ''While the Ring of the Black Cat is affected by a bad luck curse, the Ladybug Earrings are affected by a good luck charm, and in order to neutralize the bad luck curse and remove the ring, you will have to receive a kiss from whoever is the current owner of the Ladybug Earrings. Do you get it now?''
''…Fine.'' Félix glared at Plagg, having realized just what kind of life was awaiting him thanks to the Ring of the Black Cat. He then added irritatedly, ''Do you at least know who the current owner of the Ladybug Earrings is?''
''Nope,'' Plagg replied nonchalantly. Félix gave Plagg a look of disbelief, cursing himself for putting the ring on. Plagg just shrugged innocently, adding, ''There is one more thing I need to tell you.''
''What is it? Something that would make me even more miserable?'' Félix asked angrily.
''Actually, Monsieur 'Lucky' Agreste, I wanted to tell you about the benefits of the ring,'' Plagg replied calmly, still having that mischievous look on his expression. Félix rose an eyebrow, giving him a doubtful look. ''The reason this Miraculous is known as the Ring of the Black Cat is because it also allows you to transform into the superhero Chat Noir.''
''You can't be serious,'' Félix muttered, getting slowly more and more agitated. ''Even if that's true, why would I even want to be a superhero? I have already enough responsibilities and problems to deal with and I don't need one more added to the pile.''
''Well, it's not like you're forced to be a superhero,'' Plagg replied dryly, with Félix giving him a pointed look and tapping the ring. Plagg ignored the implications. ''You own the ring now, meaning that you are the one who decides what to do with it. If you don't want to be Chat Noir, fine by me, but if you do get tempted, the magic words are 'Plagg, transform me!'.''
Félix scoffed, his glare and posture telling Plagg that this wasn't going to happen. The kwami just shrugged, figuring that he'd better get used to living with his new grumpy holder. Nevertheless, there was a strange glint in his eyes, one that Félix had noticed. He had a bad feeling about this.
I hate to admit it, but Plagg was right; I did get tempted.
Félix sighed as he flipped a page and glanced aside, noticing that Plagg had eaten his cheese and was now napping on the pillow next to him. During the past couple weeks, he realized that the black cat kwami was a lazy glutton who loved to prank him and cause trouble. Nevertheless, he couldn't say that Plagg didn't care about him, as he told him about the curse and how to get rid off it. Not to mention, he even encouraged him to use the Miraculous for his own gain.
Not that I needed much convincing to use it. My uncle already made that decision for me.
It had been later that same night that he decided to use the ring. He had hoped that the dinner with his uncle would pass without any issues, but the old man just had to agitate him by questioning him about his decision to attend lycée.
''I hope that you do understand that, if your grades slip or I get complaints about your behavior, you will be taken out of lycée and spend the rest of the year locked up in your room studying.''
Félix lowered his fork, but didn't look up. He knew that his uncle was waiting for him to show some kind of reaction that he could criticize. Félix didn't want to give him that opportunity, well aware that he would get trapped into another conversation he wouldn't be able to fight through. He had to retreat.
''I'm going to my room. Good night,'' he said as he stood up. When Gabriel didn't reply, Félix took it as a sign that he had the permission to leave. He quickly walked out of the dining room and to his bedroom, having a strange feeling in his chest, as if he was going to suffocate if he didn't get away from his uncle. Once in his room, he closed the door and locked it, then leaned against the door, taking a deep breath as he felt his heart race.
''You look more grumpy than usual.''
Félix rose his head, having almost forgotten about Plagg. The black cat kwami gave him a curious look, although there appeared to be something else as well – concern, perhaps?
Félix was silent for a moment, his eyes narrowing as he looked down at the ring on his hand, stepping away from the door and pacing across his room. He knew that he needed to get out of this place, maybe take a walk and sort his thoughts out. Anything was better than staying at a place where he felt like a prisoner.
''This is your ticket to freedom, Kid.'' Félix looked up at Plagg, noting the mischievous grin on his expression, then glanced back at the ring. He nodded, a look of pure determination on his expression.
He lifted his hand, brushing with his fingers across the ring in a swift motion.
''Plagg, transform me!''
The red gem on the top of the cat's head started to glow in a purple light, as he held up his hand, clenching into into a fist. Plagg then got absorbed into the ring, with Félix rising his hand above his head as the ring released dark energy in the form of black orbs. The dark light completely enveloped him, trailing down his arm, torso and legs. He crossed his arms on his chest and turned around, then uncrossed his arms as the black light dispersed and revealed a form-fitting black leather-like suit, accompanied by a belt tail that was wrapped around his waist twice, criss-crossing in an ''x'' in the front and had a large silver belt buckle in the shape of a cat's head, and mid-thigh high boots. There was another burst of black light, with the dark orbs dispersing around him as his hair grew longer and messier, with black cat ears popping up on his head. He turned on his heel, revealing the black mask on his face and the large golden bell tied to his unzipped collar, and opened his eyes, which were now green, including the sclerae, and grinned, a fang popping out the corner of his mouth. He then slashed across the air with his claws and struck a pose.
Chat Noir stepped back, feeling baffled when he saw his new outfit. While the material felt quite comfortable and warm, he did have questions about the appearance of the suit itself.
''This… looks ridiculous,'' he said dryly, flicking the bell that was hanging from the zipper and hearing a soft ringing. ''Was the bell really necessary?''
''Well, the appearance of the suit depends on your inner most thoughts and needs.'' Chat Noir was a little surprised to hear Plagg's voice coming from the ring. ''You probably thought that this whole thing was ridiculous, so you got something ridiculous in return.''
''Right,'' Chat Noir muttered, frowning as he walked over to the full-length mirror next to his closet. His attention then wandered to the cat ears and belt tail and he curiously reached for them, wondering whether the ears were real. He winced once he pulled them, realizing that they were firmly attached to his head. ''Yeah, they are real.''
He observed himself in the mirror, noticing that the ears and belt tail would twitch and move according to his mood. When he attempted to look downcast, the belt tail lowered and the cat ears flattened against his head. When he tried to look alert, the cat ears sprung up and the belt tail curved up. Admittedly, while he still felt that he looked completely ridiculous in this outfit, as it was something he would never wear, he figured that he could get used to it.
''Is there anything else I should know about being Chat Noir?'' he asked, glancing at the ring. ''Do I get any additional powers?''
''As a matter of fact, you do,'' Plagg replied nonchalantly. ''Aside from the standard additional abilities, like boosted speed, endurance, strength, agility and a durable suit that protects you from most damage, you also get night vision and enhanced senses. You also get access to the moves Black Storm and Black Hole.''
''Elaborate.''
''Black Storm allows you to create a orbs or discs of dark energy that allows you to blast your opponent, while Black Hole let's you create black holes that allow you trap people,'' Plagg explained. ''In combination with your bad luck curse, those powers are also affected by your emotional state.''
''I see,'' Chat Noir muttered, then clenched his fist as he grinned. ''That's interesting.''
He glanced at the upper level of his room, where his private library was, but instead of taking the stairs towards it, he jumped, doing a somersault and landing right on the walkway. Satisfied, he walked over to the door that led to the balcony outside and closed it behind him, breathing in the fresh air.
His eyes glinted as he looked around, realizing just how easy it would be for him to sneak out and spend the night without worrying about his uncle or his private life in general. Now, he was Chat Noir, an unrestrained, free-spirited cat-themed superhero to whom any of the strict rules he had been used to didn't apply. There was nothing that could stop him from doing whatever he desired.
Nothing except for the bad luck curse.
Félix realized that he had been reading the same paragraph over and over again. He sighed, closing the book and stared at the cover, memories flooding his mind. Being Chat Noir had provided him with an outlet he could use to escape this mansion and just roam through Paris whenever he wanted. He never really bothered to do any superhero-type of work, preferring to instead sit on the rooftops and gaze at the city or tests his abilities, as he wanted to be prepared for any kind of emergency. However, as the nights passed, he found himself slowly growing more and more restless. As much as he enjoyed the freedom he had, the only reason he kept going out as Chat Noir was because he hoped for Ladybug to appear, as his bad luck had started to affect him in noticeable ways.
Now that she finally did, all I need to do was to get her to kiss me and my curse will vanish. As for what will happen afterwards… Félix's eyes closed and he took a deep breath, unsure how to finish that thought. He glanced at the window, noting that it was late evening. He sat up, placing the book on the nearby coffee table and got up.
''We're going, Plagg,'' he said. The black cat kwami stirred, yawning and rubbing his eyes as he stretched.
''Already? I was having an amazing cat nap,'' he asked lazily, flying up to Félix, who crossed his arms. ''You know, Kid, maybe you too should take a nap. You might feel less grumpy afterwards.''
''Trust me, I'll feel less grumpy once I find Ladybug,'' Félix said as he brushed with his fingers across the ring. ''Plagg, transform me!''
The ring started to glow in a purple light as he held up his hand, with Plagg getting absorbed into it. Félix rose his hand above his head, with a dark light enveloping him. Once it dispersed, Chat Noir stood in the room, grinning sinisterly. He jumped to the walkway on the upper level and exited through the balcony, landing on a nearby rooftop and looked at the night sky.
Just be patient, M'lady. Your knight in black armour is coming.
xXx
After having overcome her fears and doubts the previous night about being a superhero, Bridgette felt more daring, deciding that tonight would be her first patrol. Having already transformed into Ladybug, she was currently parkouring across the rooftops, searching for any signs of trouble, but so far, she couldn't find anything out of the ordinary.
''It's not like this is an anime,'' Ladybug muttered to herself as she landed on the top of a building.
''What do you mean, Ladybug?'' Tikki asked.
''Well, in an anime, after the protagonist gets their magical powers, the mascot that accompanies them usually warns them about whatever threat they need to fight against,'' Ladybug explained as she jumped on a chimney stack.
''As far as I know, there aren't any threats,'' Tikki replied. ''Besides, as the current Ladybug, you're the one who decides what to do with your powers. I'm just here to give you advice.''
''In other words, I will have to find out on my own whether there any threats I should fight against,'' Ladybug said, somersaulting and landing on a narrow walkway and ran across it. ''I'm fine with that.''
She continued with her patrol, not noticing a dark figure observing her from a nearby rooftop.
''There she is.'' There was a glint in Chat Noir's eyes as he smirked. He jumped from the rooftop and landed on the railing of the balcony below it, keeping an eye on Ladybug. ''Now I just have to-''
He was startled when he suddenly heard something growling at him. He turned his head, realizing that there was a Yorkshire terrier on the balcony, barking at him. His ears moved back and his tail curled up as let out a cat-like hiss at the dog, baring his fangs. The poor Yorkie suddenly whimpered and ran back into the apartment through the open balcony door, with Chat Noir chuckling in satisfaction. He then turned around, his expression faltering when he realized that the dog distracted him long enough to lose Ladybug out of his sight.
''Oh, com'n!'' he whined.
Meanwhile, Ladybug was making her way across the rooftops, eventually making a brief stop at one building to assess her surroundings. ''Let's see, I'm currently at-''
''M'lady!''
''Oh, no…''
Ladybug groaned as she heard a familiar voice. Due to other things being on her mind, she had completely forgotten about Chat Noir. However, considering how he expressed interest in her the previous night, was it really that surprising that he would attempt to follow her?
Chat Noir, on the other hand, was relieved that he had managed to catch up to her, even though he did notice that Ladybug wasn't really happy to see him. He figured that it wasn't that much of a deal, especially once he went through with his plan. One little peck on the lips and Ladybug wouldn't have to see him ever again.
''I'm so happy to see you, M'lady!'' Chat Noir said, looking elated as he walked up to Ladybug. ''It appears that, no matter how big Paris is, our paths will eventually cross. Maybe it is just coincidence, but it could be destiny.''
''Or, maybe I should check my suit for any tracker devices,'' Ladybug replied dryly, crossing her arms. ''Chat Noir, I had already told you that I'm not interested in you nor do I want to hang around with you while I'm doing my work as a superheroine.''
''Technically, you aren't doing anything at the moment,'' Chat Noir pointed out, a sly grin on his lips. ''Unless you want to tell me that the enemy is invisible.''
Ladybug rolled her eyes.
''I'm currently patrolling the city,'' she replied. ''While yes, I haven't found anything yet, I might-''
''Then, why don't you take a little break,'' Chat Noir approached her, leaning towards her and tilting his head. ''Maybe we could go out for some coffee or something like that. It's not like anything significant is going to happen.''
Suddenly, the two heard an explosion not too far from where they were standing. Their eyes widened and they turned to the source of the explosion.
''Wh-What happened?'' Chat Noir stammered, while Ladybug ran towards the explosion.
''I think you managed to somehow jinx us!'' she shouted back.
''What?'' Chat Noir was stunned, but followed her nonetheless. While he wasn't sure whether he wanted to get involved, he figured that he might as well see what had happened.
Meanwhile, Ladybug had managed to reach the building that had been affected by the explosion, surprised to see that it was a bank.
''Someone must've broken in,'' she muttered to herself as she observed the entrance to the bank from the building on the opposite side. Despite the fact that the bank was closed, the door was open and the glass was shattered.
''You don't say, M'lady.'' Ladybug turned her head and saw Chat Noir joining her. ''What I would like to know is who would use explosives in a bank robbery? That's a sure way to draw attention.''
''Maybe the intruder doesn't care about the attention he would get,'' Ladybug replied, looking back at the building. She and Chat Noir saw someone exiting the bank, carrying a black duffel bag. ''There he is.''
''I guess we should leave this one to the police, they will be here soon,'' Chat Noir said, only to be surprised when Ladybug had already jumped of the building. ''Ladybug!''
Ladybug ignored Chat Noir, instead focusing on the bank robber, as she wanted to make sure that he would stay on at the crime scene until the police arrived. However, just as she landed behind a car, the bank robber turned towards her, miming something with his arms. Listening to her gut feeling, Ladybug crouched down, only to hear the breaking of glass. As she looked up, she realized that the car she had been hiding behind was riddled with bullet holes.
''What the-''
Ladybug sneaked a glance, being quite stunned by the intruder's appearance. He appeared to be a tall man with short blond hair and periwinkle-coloured skin. He had a black derby hat on his head and was dressed in a dark gray and white striped shirt underneath a bluish-gray dress jacket, high white pants with black lining on the pockets and black and white boots. Surprisingly, while he didn't carry anything in his hands, aside from the already mentioned duffel bag, the way one of his hands was positioned made him look like he was holding a gun.
''Is he some kind of mime?'' Ladybug muttered as she crouched behind the car.
''Please, be careful,'' Tikki warned her. Ladybug glanced at the wall in front of her, noticing a long shadow of the Mime thanks to the way how the street was lit. Even though she didn't see anything in his hands, his shadow was holding a gun.
''Seems like we're not dealing with an ordinary bank robber,'' Ladybug muttered. While she had questions, she knew that this wasn't the right time to ask anything. She sneaked a glance once again, noticing that the Mime was still standing on the same spot, looking at her and pointing his hand at her. Ladybug quickly retreated behind the car, only to hear more glass shattering, as well as recoil sounds when the invisible bullets hit the car and the wall next to her. She grabbed her compact, knowing that she would somehow have to get closer to him.
''Black Storm!''
Ladybug's head snapped upwards as she saw a disc of dark energy flying at the Mime, knocking him back. She quickly ran out of her hideout, turning her compact into a yo-yo and threw it at the Mime, with the yo-yo wrapping around the hand in which he was holding the gun. She pulled hard, causing him to stumble and let go of the duffel bag, then ran towards him, recalling the yo-yo and turning it into a staff.
The Mime managed to regain his balance and pointed the gun at Ladybug, but before he could fire it, a swift kick from Ladybug knocked it out of his hand and a swing from her staff connecting to his stomach knocked him back. However, as she attempted to attack him again, the Mime put his hands in front of himself. When Ladybug took another swing at him, she hit something solid instead, some kind of barrier. The Mime smirked at her, while Ladybug gritted her teeth, trying to figure out a way through the invisible wall the Mime had put up between them.
However, before any of them could make a move, they heard police sirens in the distance, with the sound growing louder. The Mime suddenly extended his hands, doing some kind of wave motion, then quickly booked it into another street. Ladybug wanted to follow him, but as she lifted her staff, she realized that there wasn't only a wall in front of her, but also on both sides, blocking her way out. Turning her staff back into a compact which she put back on the beaded string around her waist, she glanced down at the shadows, realizing that she could easily jump over the wall.
Unfortunately, the moment she had escaped her temporary prison, the police had arrived, their cars screeching to a halt. Ladybug was, to an extent, relieved to see them, but that relief completely vanished when she saw them pulling out their guns and pointing them at her.
''W-Wait, I can explain!'' Ladybug shouted at the officers, slowly panicking when she realized that they probably thought that she was responsible for this mess.
''Hold your hands up and turn around!'' one of the officers yelled at her. Ladybug gulped, realizing that the Mime would be long gone if she didn't do something.
''You got it all wrong, I wanted-''
Before she could finish her sentence, she got startled by Chat Noir, who had jumped down from the building, standing right in front of her and facing the police.
''Chat-'' Ladybug stared at Chat Noir, who smirked mischievously as he held up his hand, the ring on his finger shimmering.
''It appears that you still have a lot to learn, M'lady, but for now, I'd suggest we leave,'' he said, placing his hand, which was glowing in a black light, on the car next to him.
The moment he did that, the car's alarm blared loudly, with the doors popping up open, startling everyone. This move set off a chain reaction, as suddenly all of the cars in the street had their alarms set off, blaring loudly and distracting the police. Chat Noir then grabbed Ladybug's hand and the two ran into a nearby street from which they could get back on the rooftops.
Even though they were no longer on the street, they kept running across the rooftops until they were at a safe distance from the crime area, making sure they weren't being followed. Ladybug did try to keep an eye out for the Mime, as she and Chat Noir used the same street to escape, but it appeared that he got away. The only thought that comforted her was the fact that he had left the duffel bag, which she assumed contained the stolen money, at the crime scene.
''That was really stupid of you.''
Ladybug glanced at Chat Noir, noticing that he was glaring at her, a far cry from the seductive gaze he gave her earlier.
''Well, someone had to stop him,'' Ladybug huffed, her eyes flicking to the side as she sighed. ''Although, he still got away.''
''The issue I have is not that you let that guy get away,'' Chat Noir replied, his response confusing Ladybug, with her ahoge turning into a question mark. ''Answer me this – why do you even bother with acting like a superheroine?''
''Maybe because I genuinely want to help people, especially after being granted superpowers,'' Ladybug replied in a snarky tone, still puzzled by Chat Noir's sudden change in attitude.
''So, you would help people even if they don't care about you?'' he asked. Ladybug frowned.
''What are you talking about?'' she asked. Chat Noir suddenly fell silent and shook his head.
''Forget it,'' he replied, turning towards Ladybug, with a soft smile on his lips. ''Or rather, don't. All I want to say is that I'm afraid that people might not appreciate your effort; that they might shower you with gratitude one moment, then turn against you the next one and scold you whenever you make a genuine mistake.'' He took her hand, kissing the top of it. ''After all, you are still an amateur, if your appearance yesterday was your first night as Ladybug.''
''So, what?'' Ladybug pulled her hand away, frowning, her ahoge frizzled. ''How long have you been active?''
''Over two weeks,'' Chat Noir replied, smirking. ''In comparison to you, I'm a veteran.''
''Yet you haven't done anything notable to let me even know you even exist,'' Ladybug replied, Chat Noir's ears flattening against his head as he gave her a downcast look. ''I may be an amateur, but I'm fairly certain I'm capable of performing under pressure, as well as dealing with people who might attempt to hurt me in some way.''
''I understand, you want to help others,'' Chat Noir told her, turning his charm on, his tail flicking. ''Don't worry, I'm not here to stop you.'' He leaned closer to her, causing Ladybug to shudder when he placed his claw under her chin. ''I'm simply here to look out for you, M'lady.''
Blushing slightly, Ladybug simply swatted his hand away, stepping back as she took a sharp breath.
''While I appreciate your assistance, I'd be happier if you kept your distance,'' she replied.
''Unfortunately, I'm afraid that this isn't possible,'' Chat Noir told her. ''It is hard to stay away from a beauty such as you.''
Ladybug rolled her eyes, not at all flattered by his compliment.
''Then, I'm going to stay away from you,'' she replied.
''Is that a challenge?'' Chat Noir winked, causing Ladybug to groan in annoyance.
She had realized that this was going to be a long night.
