I'm back and I would like to thank everyone for your support!
Honestly, I had to make some changes in this chapter, setting up some things for the future and leaving it on a cliffhanger. Rest assured, this Ladybug and Chat Noir still have a long way to go when it comes to learning how to work as a team.
Nevertheless, I still hope you're going to enjoy it.
Entry 4
The Curse
''There's no room for excuses in a reality that's been shaped by lies, where miracles are twisted and turned about; Let's never ever lose! Whether it be 'right or left', whether it be 'real or false', to make judgements and determine the facts, we need nothing but the truth.''
– Never Lose by Ace Attorney
xXxXxXx
Bridgette stared at the screen of her tablet, sighing. She had gotten a message from Allan earlier, who commissioned her to draw him a new avatar image for his gamer profile, which she happily accepted, as it gave her something to do, distracting her from the sense of failure that had been creeping up her spine and whispering into her ear.
That battle didn't really go as I wanted it to. Bridgette leaned her chin against her hand as she worked on the background for the avatar. It was a complete disaster and to make things worse, the Mime had escaped once again.
''Bri, are you okay?'' Tikki asked, noticing the troubled look on Bridgette's expression. Bridgette took a deep breath, glancing at Tikki.
''I've just been thinking about what had happened last night and trying to figure out at what point I made a mistake that let the Mime get away,'' she replied.
''I don't think you made any mistakes,'' Tikki replied. ''As a matter of fact, I think you handled yourself quite well during the fight.''
''It's not just the fight Tikki, but everything that had led up to it,'' Bridgette replied. ''I had thought that I would be able to find the Mime on my own, but as it turned out, he was the one who had found me. I agree with what Chat Noir had said, that there was no way for us to know whether the Mime would show up or not, yet he did and he deliberately attacked us, even thought he didn't have to. There was absolutely no reason for him to do that.''
''You did say that you felt as if he was testing you,'' Tikki said.
''That's the only explanation I could come up with that actually made sense,'' Bridgette replied. ''It is quite possible that, after learning that there were other people with superpowers in Paris, he wanted to test us to see whether we are a legitimate threat. The only question that remains is whether we have proven ourselves to be worthy opponents or not.''
''Well, he did retreat, so maybe he felt intimidated,'' Tikki suggested. Bridgette rose an eyebrow.
''After the amateurish performance we gave?'' she asked in a snarky tone. ''I doubt that. At best, he may be considering us a nuisance.'' Her eyes narrowed as a determined look formed on her expression. ''Rest assured, I will prove to him that I can be a very formidable opponent.''
''I'm sure that you will be able to show him that he shouldn't take you so lightly,'' Tikki said in an encouraging tone. Bridgette nodded, focusing back on the drawing on her tablet.
''Not to mention, there is also the fact that it felt as if my good luck charm stopped working mid-fight, maybe even before that,'' she muttered. Tikki gave her a weird look, but didn't say anything. ''I mean, I didn't expect it to work immediately, but still, I had hoped it would give me the edge necessary to defeat the Mime.'' She glanced at Tikki with a downcast look on her expression, her ahoge drooped. ''Tell me, Tikki, am I doing something wrong? I really want to get this right and prove myself as Ladybug, and one of the ways to do that is for me to own up to my mistakes.''
''Bri, you aren't doing anything wrong,'' Tikki responded, trying to cheer Bridgette up.
''Then, why did I fail? Is it because I'm inexperienced?'' Bridgette asked.
''While it is true that you still have room to grow and work on your skills, I don't think that this is the case here,'' Tikki replied, giving Bridgette a sympathetic look. ''While the good luck charm is very powerful, it isn't infallible, especially when activated in certain situations.''
''Then, how do I avoid those situations?'' Bridgette asked.
''Well…'' Tikki fell silent, reluctant to give Bridgette an explanation. Bridgette's ahoge curved into a question mark as she stared at Tikki curiously, wondering what the kwami was hiding from her. ''It's… I…''
''I assume it's something you don't want to talk about,'' Bridgette interrupted her.
''It's not that I don't want to talk about it, but…'' Tikki paused, wondering how she should explain things.
''You know, if it makes things easier for you, we can talk about this later,'' Bridgette told her as she put the finishing touches on Allan's avatar image, staring at it for a few moments. Her eyes then widened as she realized something and she smiled. ''Of course! How didn't I think about this earlier?''
''What are you talking about?'' Tikki asked. Bridgette quickly saved the drawing she was working on and put her tablet to the side, pushing herself away from the desk and starting to rummage through the drawers, searching for something.
''You'll see…'' Bridgette replied, eventually pulling out a plastic folder, a pencil and several markers. She opened the folder, revealing a set of collage paper in different colours and started flipping through them, eventually settling on a dark grey and cream variant and reaching for the scissors. ''Last time, I tried to give Félix a letter that expressed how I felt about him, but that didn't go well. This time, I'm going to make a card, but instead of a confession, it'll be a bit simpler.''
Tikki observed Bridgette as she cut out two rectangles, the dark grey one being smaller, and glued them together, then grabbed her notebook and started to draw in it with her pencil, erasing and re-drawing a chibified version of herself until she was satisfied with how it turned out, then copying the drawing on the card. Once done, she started to colour it in with the markers. Tikki flew closer, tilting her head in curiosity and attempting to read what Bridgette wrote next to the drawing in her favorite rose gold marker.
'''I understand that there is something troubling you and that you need your space. Still, I will be there for you if you need someone who'd listen to you. Love, Bri.','' Tikki read as Bridgette finished the card by drawing a rose gold heart in the corner and started to colour it in, leaving a dark grey flower pattern inside it, which she then coloured in with a black marker. ''It looks really cute.''
''Thanks,'' Bridgette replied, reaching for the drawer again and pulling out a clear plastic cover and measuring it against the card. She had planned to use it for safe-keeping until she could give the card to Félix the next day at school. ''Hopefully, Félix will be able to read it. I don't want it to get ruined again.''
''If you want, I could keep it safe for you,'' Tikki suggested.
''Thanks, Tikki,'' Bridgette replied, leaning the card against a shelf on her desk. ''Also, make sure to remind me tomorrow to not forget to bring this card.''
''Don't worry, you can count on me!'' Tikki replied, saluting. Bridgette nodded, grabbing her tablet and opening the file with Allan's commission and e-mailing it to him. She then glanced at her smartphone, checking the time.
''We'll be going on a patrol soon,'' she said. ''Although, this one will be short, that is, unless something happens.''
''Why?'' Tikki asked her.
''Well, aside from the fact that I have school tomorrow, there is something I need to get done before I leave,'' Bridgette replied, with Tikki just tilting her head quizzically. Bridgette just smiled. ''You'll see.''
xXx
I'm supposed to be the luckiest person in the world, thanks to the Ladybug Earrings… Then, why don't I feel lucky? Why do I feel as if I'm missing something? Ladybug mused as she hopped down from a taller building to a lower one and jumped across onto an apartment complex.
Even though she was once again patrolling the city, she gave up on her plan to ambush the Mime. After what happened last night, she realized that she wasn't dealing with an ordinary criminal and that she needed to change her approach.
Considering what had happened last night, it is more likely that the Mime will find me than vice versa. Ladybug frowned, landing on a building that had a rooftop garden and walking over to the edge, leaning against the railing that surrounded it. A soft breeze blew, ruffling her hair and letting her ribbons flutter. I cannot predict his movement, meaning that the only thing left is to remain alert, especially if my good luck charm fails again.
She sighed, crossing her arms and leaning her head against the railing and gazing into the distance at the twinkling lights that decorated the streets. She felt quite downcast, sensing the self-doubt bubbling up inside her.
What should I do?
Ladybug closed her eyes, trying to relax a little and calm down. Her mind was buzzing with memories and ideas on what her next move should be, but at the moment, she couldn't focus on any of them. She knew that she needed to talk to Tikki about her good luck charm. She knew that she had to prepare herself for school and her meeting with Félix. She knew that she also had to deal with the issue that was the Mime.
Still, despite being aware of what she needed to focus on, she still felt overwhelmed, wondering whether she made a mistake. Ladybug groaned, opening her eyes and squinting as something red obscured her vision. Surprised, she stepped back and looked up, her eyes widening when she saw Chat Noir holding a rose.
''I had figured that this might cheer you up, M'lady,'' he said, smiling. ''You seem to be quite distraught tonight.''
Still stunned, Ladybug glanced around, noticing a potted rose bush nearby. She rose an eyebrow, placing her hands on her hips as she confronted Chat Noir.
''Did you pluck it from that rose bush over there?'' she asked. Chat Noir's ears twitched and his tail flicked as he gave her a sheepish look.
''To be honest, I don't think anyone's going to notice if one goes missing,'' he replied, turning on his charm. ''Besides, even a simple rose like this one cannot compare to your beauty.'' He leaned closer to her, not noticing his ring shimmer. ''Nevertheless, I want you to-''
''Agh!''
Before Chat Noir could finish his sentence, Ladybug stepped back in order to get away for him, only to accidentally trip over an empty pot and fall backwards, landing on her butt. Chat Noir just stared at her in stunned silence and briefly glanced at his ring, confirming his suspicion. Frustrated, he extended his arm to help Ladybug up, but she swatted it away, getting up on her own and looking rather upset.
''M'lady?''
''Chat, I really can't deal with you tonight,'' Ladybug replied in an irritated tone. Chat Noir's ears flattened against his head.
''Why not?'' he asked, sounding quite disappointed. ''Is it because you're still searching for the Mime? Because if so, I…''
''Chat, listen,'' Ladybug interrupted him, with Chat Noir being a little stunned by the seriousness in her tone. ''I'm not planning on searching for the Mime tonight, as I'm already busy with some other stuff. All I want is to get over with this patrol as soon as possible and go home.''
''Don't tell me you already got tired of being a superheroine,'' Chat Noir replied, only to realize a moment later that that was the wrong thing to say. Ladybug huffed, glaring at him for a moment before leaping off the building, leaving him behind. Chat Noir frowned, throwing away the rose. ''Great, now I've done it.''
He followed Ladybug, well aware that she was in a bad mood and that he probably should stop pestering her. Still, he hoped that he would find a way to get back into her good graces. Every moment he didn't interact with her felt like a moment wasted. He couldn't afford any missed opportunities.
Eventually, he caught up with her, finding her standing on a balcony and looking at her reflection in a darkened window. Ladybug lifted her hand, touching her earrings, which shimmered, only for the shimmer to fade when Chat Noir landed gracefully on the railing next to her. She frowned, glaring at Chat Noir, who had a puzzled look on his expression.
''Would you stop following me?!'' she growled, her outburst startling Chat Noir. A moment later, her angry expression changed and she lowered her head, seemingly regretful about yelling at him.
''Ladybug, what's wrong?'' Chat Noir asked, his ears twitching and his tail lowered. Ladybug took a deep breath, clenching her fist and looked up, a firm look on her expression, her ahoge frizzled.
''I had already told you, I'm not going to deal with your antics tonight,'' she told him. ''Besides, you have already done enough damage last night. Do you really want to try your luck tonight as well?''
Chat Noir's eyes widened in shock and he stared at Ladybug, speechless. Ladybug turned around and leaped off the balcony, vanishing from his line of sight.
''Someone's moody,'' Plagg commented, chuckling. ''If you ask me, going after for her will probably result in you getting punched.''
''Thanks for the support, Plagg,'' Chat Noir replied sarcastically.
''You're welcome,'' Plagg replied cheekily. Chat Noir rolled his eyes and leaped off the balcony, making his way onto another building. He had already enough on his plate and he didn't want to deal with Plagg teasing him.
''Do you think she knows?'' Chat Noir asked as he landed on the rooftop, glancing at his ring. Ladybug's words still echoed in his head, making him feel restless.
''I'm not sure, but I do believe that she is aware that something is amiss,'' Plagg replied. ''I guess it was just a matter of time before she figures it out.''
''I'd rather have her figure it out after she takes the curse off me,'' Chat Noir replied.
''Unfortunately, Kid, I can't help you with that. If she decides to kiss you, that's entirely up to her, and only up to her, since a stolen kiss doesn't count,'' Plagg replied. ''Who knows, maybe she'll give you one out of pity.''
''I doubt that,'' Chat Noir said, vaulting over a chimney stack and landing on another rooftop. ''I haven't exactly made a great first impression on her.''
''Then, how about a change of approach?'' Plagg suggested as Chat Noir sat down, leaning against the chimney stack and staring at the ring, having leaned his elbow against his knee, while his other leg was outstretched. ''Instead of trying to impress her with words, you could let your actions speak for you.''
''May I remind you that that's what I did the last night and the result was a complete disaster?'' Chat Noir replied, his tail flicking. He closed his eyes, adding in a dismissive tone, ''Besides, she made it clear that she doesn't want to have a partner.''
''So, you're just going to give up?'' Plagg asked in a flat tone.
''Of course not,'' Chat Noir replied in an irritated tone, then took a moment to calm down. ''I may not be lucky, but that doesn't mean that I cannot come up with a good plan on how to approach her.'' He looked up, gazing into the distance. ''I need to figure out what makes her tick and start from there. I already know that she is fine with being a superheroine and protecting Paris on her own, but she isn't used to it yet.'' The corners of his mouth curved up slightly as a memory of Ladybug blushing entered his mind. ''Not to mention, she seems to have quite a temper, but can get flustered when the right buttons are pushed. I should use that knowledge to my advantage.'' He fell silent for a moment, musing. ''In the end, I need to gain her trust first, as I won't be able to do anything else if she isn't willing to lower her guard around me.''
''It won't be easy, though,'' Plagg told him.
''I don't mind a challenge,'' Chat Noir said confidently, his green eyes gleaming in anticipation.
xXx
''Huh? Good morning, Bridgette,'' Mei said as she walked into the kitchen the next morning, greeted by the scent of baked goods and seeing her granddaughter pouring tea into a thermos bottle. ''You're up early.''
''I had to get up early,'' Bridgette replied, pointing out the two plastic bags filled with cookies, one of which was tied up with a fancy red ribbon. Mei rose an eyebrow, giving Bridgette a curious look. ''Don't worry, I cleaned up everything once I was done.''
''Is there a reason you baked cookies?'' Mei asked Bridgette, who walked over to her backpack, placing the thermos bottle and the bags with the cookies in her backpack. She yawned, stretching her arms.
''Well… I considered sharing them with my friends,'' Bridgette replied sheepishly, grabbing her backpack.
''Really?'' Mei asked suspiciously. ''So, you have no other reason for going through the trouble of getting up early in the morning and baking cookies?''
''…No?'' Bridgette replied, despite knowing that she couldn't fool her grandmother. Mei sighed, crossing her arms.
''Bridgette, I wasn't born yesterday,'' she replied, with Bridgette giving her a look of guilt. ''You may say that you made it for your friends, but I'm fairly certain that one of those bags is for that boy you told me about.''
''Fine, you got me,'' Bridgette replied in a resigned tone. ''I met Félix when I and Claude were walking along the Seine and he seemed to be really upset. I figured that I could surprise him with cookies today.''
''You want to give him a gift that is a sign of closeness, yet you don't even interact as friends,'' Mei mused, shaking her head. ''I told you that umbrella was a bad omen. Your relationship will break apart before it even had time to form.''
''Gran Mei, I know that things don't look well, but I am certain that this will work,'' Bridgette replied, slinging the backpack over her shoulder. ''Félix isn't the type of person who'd want to be close friends with anyone and I'm not expecting him to open up easily.''
''Fine, but I don't want you to lose sleep over something that troubles you, especially if it could've been easily avoided,'' Mei replied. ''Not good starter, not good end.''
''I know, but I'd rather live by the proverb one step, one footprint,'' Bridgette replied, waving as she left. ''Bye!''
Mei sighed, shaking her head as she opened the fridge. To be fair, she did trust her granddaughter to be independent and think for herself, but at times, she sensed that she'd have to intervene just to guide Bridgette back on the right path. Still, she had to admire Bridgette's determination. Despite all the bad luck she had, she refused to give up.
xXx
''So, when do you plan to give Félix your card and the cookies?'' Tikki asked as she popped her head out of Bridgette's backpack. She was holding the card Bridgette made, making sure that it wouldn't get bent or damaged in any way.
''I had hoped that I would find him before classes start,'' Bridgette replied. ''Hopefully, there won't be any mishaps that would ruin everything.''
Tikki rose an eyebrow, glancing at Bridgette's earrings. They weren't glowing, which Tikki took as a good sign. While Bridgette did promise her to not use the good luck charm for selfish purposes, Tikki did remind her to not rely on it when giving Félix her gift.
''There is no way of telling what might happen if they get misused, even if you have the best intentions on your mind.''
''I understand.''
Nevertheless, that doesn't mean that your powers won't leak into your daily life. Tikki smiled when she saw Bridgette stopping at the school entrance, her ahoge curving up into a heart shape when she saw Félix walking up to her. He didn't appear to have noticed her.
''Here you go,'' Tikki whispered as she held up the card for Bridgette to take, then diving back into the backpack and emerging with the bag of cookies.
''Thanks, Tikki,'' Bridgette whispered back and turned towards Félix, who had finally noticed her presence. He didn't look happy. ''Hi, Félix! How are doing?''
Bridgette approached him, with Félix giving her a dubious look.
''I'm doing fine,'' he replied curtly, his eyes narrowing. Or rather, I was doing fine until you arrived.
''That's good to hear,'' Bridgette replied, completely ignoring the cold look Félix gave her. She then held out both of her hands, revealing the bag of cookies and card she made for him, and smiled. ''I have noticed that you looked quite upset when we met at the Seine, so I thought I could do something to cheer you up.
''I don't-''
''Please, I insist,'' Bridgette cut Félix off, holding her hands up and lowering her head, avoiding eye-contact with Félix, her cheeks turning a slight shade of red. ''You don't have to say or do anything in return. I just want you to accept my gift.''
''If you promise to leave me alone for the rest of the day.'' Bridgette looked up, a little hurt by his gruff tone, but then nodded.
''Okay,'' she said as Félix took the bag and the card. She then tilted her head, adding in a hopeful tone. ''Do you at least want to walk with me to class?''
''No.''
''Oh,'' Bridgette muttered, feeling discouraged, her ahoge drooping. However, she still cracked a smile. ''Then, see you at class.''
She then left, with Félix waiting until she had entered the building. He looked down at the bag of cookies, noticing that they were of the homemade kind, with a neat red ribbon wrapped on the top. The card Bridgette gave him appeared to be handmade as well, with a little drawing of a chibi version of her and a heart in the corners.
'''I understand that there is something troubling you and that you need your space. Still, I will be there for you if you need someone who'd listen to you. Love, Bri.','' he read it, rising an eyebrow. ''Why is she so persistent? I just don't understand.''
''Maybe it's because she likes you,'' Plagg said in a snarky tone, popping his head out of Félix's backpack.
''Shockingly, I already know that,'' Félix replied in a deadpan tone, with Plagg giving him a weird look. He then reached for his backpack, taking out one of his books and placing the card inside it.
''I'm surprised that you didn't throw it away,'' Plagg said.
''I may not like Bridgette's advances, but that doesn't mean that I cannot appreciate her hard work,'' Félix replied. ''Besides, I needed a bookmark.''
''Riiiight…'' Plagg replied, noticing Félix glaring at him. He gave the teen a wide cheeky grin, which earned him an eye-roll. Félix then turned his attention to the cookies, unwrapping the bag and taking one out, eating it. The cookie was still warm, the chocolate melting on his tongue. He had to admit that it was quite tasty. He smiled slightly, only for the smile to turn into a frown when he saw Plagg staring at him with a knowing grin.
''Don't say anything,'' he said in a threatening tone, but unfortunately for him, the kwami was more amused than scared.
Meanwhile, Bridgette was on her way towards her classroom, still feeling a little dispirited. She had hoped that Félix would actually talk to her a bit longer, but she was still glad that he had accepted her gift.
''I'm sorry that it didn't go the way you had planned it,'' Tikki said, loud enough for only Bridgette to hear her as she stayed hidden in the backpack.
''It's fine,'' Bridgette replied. ''I just hope that it will make him feel better.'' She had entered the locker room and opened her locker, looking around in order to make sure that no one was close to her or looking in her direction. She placed her backpack in the locker and opened it further in order to let Tikki poke her head out. ''If anything, I had at least managed to deliver the card and cookies, so I can tick that off my list.''
''So, what's your next plan?'' Tikki asked. Bridgette's eyes narrowed as she picked up the books for her next class, stuffing them into her backpack.
''I still have to confront Chat Noir,'' she said grimly, with Tikki giving her a nervous look. ''After all, bad things happen whenever he's around.''
xXx
Maybe I could make a meal for Ladybug, some kind of romantic dinner. After all, if the way to a man's heart is through his stomach, then the same might be true for a woman, right? Chat Noir mused, taking a bite out of the cookie he had brought along. He was sitting on the rooftop of a building, his feet dangling over the edge, and thought about how he could approach Ladybug in a way that would make her trust him. Although, I believe I should start with something smaller, maybe gifiting her a chocolate bar. Does she even like sweets?
Even though he did accept Bridgette's gift, he drew a line at talking to her more than necessary. He wasn't interested in socializing with her, or anyone for that matter. Still, he would be lying if he said that her gift didn't give him a few ideas for his future interactions with Ladybug.
''Although, I first have to convince her to talk to me without scolding me,'' Chat Noir muttered, eating the rest of the cookie. His ears twitched as he heard someone landing right behind him and quickly turned around, getting up. To his surprise, the intruder was Ladybug. ''M'lady?''
''I guess you didn't expect me to search for you,'' Ladybug said, crossing her arms.
''Admittedly, I didn't, but I'm really happy to see you, Ladybug,'' Chat Noir replied in a relieved tone, only to notice Ladybug glaring at him. His ears lowered and he gave her a nervous look. ''What's wrong?''
''I have a few questions for you,'' Ladybug said in a firm tone, with Chat Noir having a bad feeling about this. ''For starters, in case you didn't know, my powers manifest as a good luck charm. However, I have noticed that, last night and especially the night before, whenever I had activated my powers, it stopped working the moment you appeared. That was particularly evident during the fight with the Mime, because I had managed to stand my ground, at least until you appeared. Then, everything went downhill.''
''Uh, well…'' Chat Noir took a step back when Ladybug suddenly stepped forward, giving her a nervous look and holding up his hands in defense.
''Not to mention the mishap last night, where I just so tripped over a random pot for no reason,'' Ladybug added, taking another step forward, with Chat Noir taking a step backwards, with a sense of dread pulsing through his chest. ''I may have my moments of clumsiness, but that one felt deliberate.''
''Uh, I- agh!'' Chat Noir hadn't noticed his ring shimmering for a brief moment, suddenly causing him to lose balance and almost fall off the building, forcing Ladybug to grab his arm and pull him back, leaning close to him.
''Then, there is the fact that I am aware that a black cat is usually a sign of bad luck,'' she added, glaring at him. Chat Noir froze up, staring at Ladybug in terror. Despite trying to keep a calm demeanor, inwardly, he was freaking out.
There's no way she knows about the curse, right?! This has to be some kind of bad dream!
''So, what do you have to say for yourself?'' Ladybug let go of his arm and stepped back, giving him some breathing space.
Chat Noir stared at her, trying to figure out what he should say. Should he lie and hope that Ladybug would buy it or should he tell her the entire truth and watch his only chance to be freed from his curse crumble into dust? Fortunately, there was some middle ground for him to work on, without having to reveal anything.
''Fine,'' he said, sighing in defeat. ''I admit, unlike you, my powers manifest as a bad luck curse. Essentially, I cause misfortune wherever I go and sometimes my bad luck activates whether I want it or not.'' He crossed his arms, his tail flicking. ''It also seems to be powerful enough to cancel out your good luck.''
''I see,'' Ladybug muttered, glaring at Chat Noir. ''Why didn't you tell me about it before?''
''I figured that there was no need for telling you anything,'' Chat Noir replied, frowning.
''Seriously? Because I believe that there was indeed a need for you telling me about your bad luck curse,'' Ladybug replied, feeling quite annoyed. ''I thought that the reason for why I made all those mistakes was my own incompetence, but as it turned out, it was because of you.'' She huffed. ''Instead of a Maneki Neko, I get a cursed cat.''
''I figured that it would be obvious- Wait, Maneki Neko?'' Chat Noir gave her a puzzled look.
''You know, the Beckoning Cat?'' Ladybug held up her hand next to her head and did a beckoning motion. ''While they're commonly a symbol of good fortune, the individual variants have their own meanings, with the black Maneki Neko being known to ward off evil spirits.'' She placed her hand on her hip. ''Unfortunately, the only thing you are going to ward off is my good luck.''
''As you said, it is unfortunate, but this is my power and an ability I got used to in the past weeks,'' Chat Noir replied, pointing with his thumb at himself, his other hand placed on his hip. ''This black cat has the whole package – the black suit, the attractive appearance and the bad luck.''
''Right, but this ladybug will have to refuse the offered package,'' Ladybug replied. Chat Noir's ears flattened against his head as he gave her a disheartened look. ''Look, I told you from the very start that I'd rather work alone and I'm not going to change my mind. I can already imagine how things would turn out, where I try to patrol the city, only for you to appear out of nowhere and, due to your bad luck, wreck whatever task I wanted to get done.'' She turned around and walked away, briefly turning her head back. ''I think it would be for the best if we go our separate ways. Goodbye, Chat Noir!''
She then left, leaping off the building. Chat Noir gazed at Ladybug, lowering his head once she was out of his sight. He frowned, clenching his clawed hand into a fist, shaking. He knew that the situation wasn't as bad as he feared it would be, but still, all of his effort was undone in one single confession and he doubted that Ladybug would be willing to give him an opportunity to prove himself – all thanks to his curse.
''Damn it!'' he hissed, feeling quite desperate. What should I do now?
xXx
''I'm sorry that you had to find out about Chat Noir's bad luck powers this way,'' Tikki said regretfully. ''I should've said something.''
''Honestly, at this point, it doesn't matter,'' Ladybug said, feeling rather frustrated. ''I had already made it clear that I don't want to work with Chat Noir. If anything, this reveal just cemented my decision.''
''I guess that's for the better,'' Tikki replied. ''Chat Noir's powers are too unpredictable and you are still learning how to use yours.''
''Exactly,'' Ladybug replied, landing on another building and looking around. Fortunately, Chat Noir seemed to have given up on following her.
Unknown to her, someone else had been hiding in the shadows, observing her. Someone who had more sinister intentions.
The Mime stepped out, holding up his arm as an invisible sledgehammer appeared in his hand and looked at Ladybug, confident that, this time, he would eliminate her.
