Well, this one took a while. I had actually something else in mind, but given how Miraculous Ladybug Season 4 started to air, I had figured I should go back to Bridgette and Félix's misadventures. Given how this is the start of a brand new arc, I added a new song to it, that being Gyakuten Winner from the anime Ace Attorney, as well as Brand New Map from the anime Blood+.

I hope you'll enjoy it, as it features the return of a familiar PV villain, as well as a scene from the PV itself at the very end.


Entry 6

Turnabout Fortune

''The whole world has its eyes on you, even though you can't tell that for certain. At this point, who can say what the true answer is? The goddess has been flipping her coin, it's a sign that something's going to change. It may take a long way to reach your goal, but now's the time to take the first step. Such things as 'fate' aren't set in stone. Believing in your inspiration is all you can do.''

Gyakuten Winner by Ace Attorney

xXxXxXx

''Things seem to be rather quiet,'' Ladybug muttered as she jumped across the rooftops of Paris, only to get startled when she heard loud honking from below her. She looked at the street, noticing the traffic jam that had formed and one of the drivers giving into their road rage.

''I wouldn't really call this quiet,'' Tikki commented. Ladybug snorted.

''This is not what I meant,'' she said. ''So far, there is no sign of the Mime nor Chat Noir, so I really hope that this patrol will be stress-free.''

''Well, you are in a far better mood than you were the previous night.''

''I guess it helps that I had managed to actually have a normal conversation with Félix, even if it was just about school work,'' Ladybug replied, her ahoge curving into a heart-shape. ''It would be amazing if I could keep up like this and we start discussing other topics.''

''I'm sure that you two will find some common ground.''

''Right…'' Ladybug fell silent as she heard suddenly Amber's words echo in her head.

''You know, I don't mind you assuming the best in people, as it makes things much funnier when you get hit by the hard, cold truth.''

She landed on a rooftop, sighing. ''I'm sure that there is a lot more to Félix than it appears, but I cannot really force my own narrative on him. If he wants to remain aloof and avoid socializing with people, that's his right.'' She shook her head. ''In any case, I can worry about that later. I have a city to look after.''

With that said, she continued her patrol, unaware of the dark figure with glowing green eyes who was observing her from a nearby building.

''So, are you going to just follow her around all night or actually do something?'' Plagg asked.

''Don't be so impatient,'' Chat Noir replied. ''I'm just waiting for a good opportunity to talk to her.''

''I doubt you'll ever get one, Kid. She doesn't like you, she doesn't want to interact with you and the moment you make a move on her, she'll shut you down harder than a critic who comes across a story with a Mary Sue character.''

''Right… Wait, what was that last part about?'' Chat Noir did a double take, looking down at his ring.

''Look, only because I'm not actively asking you anything doesn't mean that I don't take a look at your interests, especially if I'm going to stay with you for much longer than expected,'' Plagg replied. ''I have to admit that your rant about Evan's character being shafted because the OC in the story is somehow better despite not doing anything and getting everything handed to her was amusing to read.''

''The only reason I even left a comment was because they asked for criticism, otherwise I wouldn't have said anything, since the story and characters weren't well written,'' Chat Noir replied, getting off the building and following Ladybug. ''As a matter of fact, the whole story was painful to read.''

''So, you think that you could write a better story?'' Plagg asked curiously.

''I have read the entire The Firefly series and I'm fairly certain that I would know how not to ruin Detective Evan Hunter and Phantom Thief Kaori Williams character traits. Rest assured, Kaitou Hotaru wouldn't be intimidated by someone's teenager self-insert just because she's a popular detective prodigy who has the power of precognition and is recognized by Interpol. Not to mention that stupid plot twist that I had already predicted since the first chapter, as well as the awful resolution,'' Chat Noir explained, vaulting over a chimney stack and landing on a roof. ''Speaking of which, why are you even asking me that?''

''I just like hearing you rant over something you're passionate about,'' Plagg replied mischievously.

Chat Noir remained silent, but his lips did curve into a tiny smile. Admittedly, the kwami really liked to see him being expressive and showing emotional investment into something rather than just being his usual reclusive self, even if he wasn't particularly interested in his hobby. It amazed Chat Noir that he actually put an effort into getting to know him better, despite knowing that their partnership wouldn't last long.

xXx

''So far, nothing,'' Ladybug said, landing on an apartment complex overlooking an open space where several teenagers gathered, having a conversation. ''I guess I should call it quits for tonight.''

''Already? But the night is still young.''

Ladybug turned around quickly, startled by a familiar voice. She saw Chat Noir crouching on all fours on the chimney stack above her.

''Chat! Don't sneak up on me like that!'' she growled.

''My apologies, M'lady,'' Chat Noir replied, giving her a sheepish look.

''Have you been following me around this whole time?'' Ladybug asked, crossing her arms and glaring at the black cat superhero. ''I told you I don't want to see you anymore.''

''I know,'' Chat Noir said, his tone surprisingly serious. ''Still, I wanted to see you.''

While she was caught off guard by his sincere tone, Ladybug still cast him a suspicious look. She had planned to just leave and not engage at all with Chat Noir, but she did feel a little curious. As far as she was concerned, there was no reason for them to interact, but it seemed that Chat Noir had found one.

''Really?'' she replied, tilting her head slightly.

''Well, I- Agh!'' Chat Noir attempted to lean forward, only for his hands to slip, the ring on his finger shimmering, and him lose his balance and fall over, landing on the rooftop. He groaned in pain, but luckily, nothing was broken.

''Chat, are you okay?'' Ladybug asked worriedly. She walked over to him as he slowly got up, rubbing his head.

''I've been in worse situations,'' Chat Noir replied, dusting himself off. Ladybug gave him a weird look, with Chat Noir wondering whether she was judging him or actually willing to hear him out. He decided to risk it. ''Listen, I understand that I didn't make a good first impression and that you don't want me as your partner. That's completely fine.'' He lowered his head. ''Still, I had been wondering if there was something I could do to prove myself.''

Ladybug was silent for a moment, then shook her head.

''There is no reason for me to even want a partner,'' she replied, with Chat Noir giving her a disheartened look. ''Look, I had already told you several times that I want to work alone, not only because your bad luck interferes with my good luck, but also because being a superhero is something that needs to be taken seriously.'' Her eyes narrowed. ''You're right, you didn't make a good first impression and given how you decided not to tell me anything about your bad luck makes me question whether I can even trust you.''

Chat Noir bit the inside of his mouth, his ears pointing up and his tail flicking. He knew that he needed Ladybug's trust and he was getting a little desperate, wanting to find a way to earn it. However, he was aware that he needed to remain calm and not be pushy. Patience was the key.

''I know, and I've been thinking about what you had told me. I had realized that I really messed up and that I want to start over. I want to help you protect Paris as a fellow superhero,'' Chat Noir said, with Ladybug giving him a surprised look. ''It'll be a lot of work, obviously, but I believe that I can improve; that we both can improve as a team. After all, I did my best to help you during our second confrontation with the Mime and I helped you get away when the police had showed up.''

''Maybe, but still, that doesn't mean that I have to accept your proposal,'' Ladybug replied, with the two suddenly hearing a burst of laughter. Ladybug looked down, seeing the teens laughing over some kind of joke and leaving. She smiled, but her smiled vanished when she turned back to Chat Noir. ''Nevertheless, I will think about it.''

''Really?!'' Chat Noir was genuinely shocked that she decided to reconsider this whole situation.

''I said that I would think about it, not that I will accept,'' Ladybug replied, waving at him. ''Good night, Chat Noir!''

With that said, she left, while Chat Noir remained standing, still stunned by what had happened.

''This… was unexpected.'' Plagg's voice broke the silence.

''I guess…'' Chat Noir muttered. He wasn't celebrating yet, as he was aware that his fortune could still turn around. He couldn't allow himself to mess up now, especially since he had managed to actually talk to Ladybug and get her to actually reconsider accepting him as her partner. ''I still have a long way to go.''

xXx

Bridgette sighed, pulling the blanket over herself. She and Tikki were already half-way asleep, the kwami resting on the pillow next to her. Despite being exhausted, Bridgette couldn't really fall asleep, thinking about her exchange with Chat Noir. Frankly, she was still against having a partner, as she wanted to work on her own, especially if her partner wasn't going to take things seriously. Nevertheless, despite her reservations, she was willing to try it out and see whether they could even work together.

''You know, I don't mind you assuming the best in people, as it makes things much funnier when you get hit by the hard, cold truth.''

She groaned as Amber's words echoed in her head, aware that in this case, she was worried that at some point, things would go wrong and that she would have no one else to blame but herself for making the wrong choice.

Should I agree? I could tell him that this would be some kind of trial phase where I would see how well we'd work together. She sighed. This actually sounds like the best option. If he is serious about being my partner, then he would put some effort into it.

''Hey, Tikki…''

''Yes, Bri…'' Tikki moaned lazily, lifting her head up and giving Bridgette a tired look.

''Do you think that Chat Noir can be trusted?'' Bridgette asked.

''I don't think that it is my place to tell you whether you can trust him or not,'' Tikki replied.

''I'd still like to know your opinion on him,'' Bridgette said, adding in a slightly bitter tone. ''After all, you were aware of his bad luck powers.''

''I'm really sorry for keeping it a secret from you,'' Tikki said, giving Bridgette a look of guilt. Bridgette sighed.

''Frankly, you did look uncomfortable when we were discussing my skills as Ladybug, so I guess that was what you didn't want to tell me,'' she said.

''I believed that it wouldn't be necessary to tell you that since you were so adamant that you didn't want to work with Chat Noir,'' Tikki admitted. ''By yourself, you can be an amazing hero, but with Chat Noir, well…''

''I understand,'' Bridgette said as Tikki fell silent. ''It depends on whether I want to take the risk, right?''

The kwami nodded. Bridgette sighed, leaning back. At this point, she just wanted to go to sleep and forget about her worries.

xXx

Despite having made her decision, Bridgette still had to wonder whether it would be a good idea to go ahead with it. She was doodling in her notebook, not really paying attention to class, at least until she felt something poking her in the arm. She glanced at Sophie, who pointed at a heart she had drawn in her notebook and then at Félix, who appeared blissfully unaware of the silent conversation behind him. Bridgette shook her head, with Sophie giving her a questioning look, wondering what was occupying her mind. Bridgette glanced at the clock, then pointed at it and held up her hand, signaling to wait for five more minutes, with Sophie nodding.

I guess I could talk to my friends about it. Maybe they could give me some advice on it.

Bridgette knew that she couldn't really tell her friends about being Ladybug, but she figured that she could explain the situation in general.

''So, what's wrong?'' Sophie asked her once the bell rung and the teacher left.

''It's a lot to explain,'' Bridgette replied, then quickly added. ''Or not. I mean, I came up with this riddle and I'm not sure how to solve it. I mean, I do have a solution, but I think that it might not be it.''

''Well, let me hear it,'' Sophie told her. ''Maybe I can come up with something.''

''Okay, so, imagine you're doing a project. There is no deadline or anything, it's something you're working on bit by bit while also working on your own skills related to that project and you know that the tools you use and skills you have are good enough for you to do this project by yourself. However-''

''Bri, Soph, are you coming with us?'' Allan asked as he, Claude and Allegra approached the two.

''Sure, but Bri was just telling me about this riddle she wanted to solve,'' Sophie replied.

''What kind of riddle?'' Allegra asked.

''To keep it short, imagine you're doing a project on your own and you know that you can finish it relying only on your own tools and on your own skills,'' Bridgette explained. ''However, you get suddenly approached by another person who doesn't really leave a good impression on you. Not only do they not seem to care about the project, at least not enough to stop messing around, but when do show interest, they lie about their tools and skills, revealing that they could cause the project to collapse. Then they ask you whether they could help you with your project, promising they'll take it seriously. Would you accept their offer or not?''

''I wouldn't,'' Allegra said immediately. ''Why risk the project's success if the other person is going to mess up?''

''Honestly, that's what I also thought, but if I would give that person a chance…'' Bridgette trailed off.

''Basically, you want to say that this person cannot be trusted with the project, even if you agreed to let them help,'' Claude said. Bridgette shrugged. ''Wouldn't it be best to establish first whether that person can even be trusted?''

''How would you want to establish that? Wouldn't that mean that you should let that person work on the project?'' Allan asked, rising an eyebrow. Claude shrugged.

''Hm…'' Sophie placed her hand under her chin as she thought about it. ''Honestly, I'd have to agree with Allegra on this. If I were to work on a really beautiful dress using expensive materials, I wouldn't let someone who lied about their skills help me, especially if there's a risk of them ruining the dress.''

''Now that you mention it, I wouldn't want anyone help me setting a record in a video game, especially if there's a huge chance that they would ruin my score,'' Allan added.

''Does this project even require teamwork?'' Claude asked Bridgette, who shook her head. ''Well, then it's settled. Just tell them to back off.''

''Fine, but what if I actually agreed that the person helps me with the project? How would you handle that?'' Bridgette asked.

''Maybe tell them to stay away while you do all of the work?'' Allan shrugged. ''I know it's not the best solution, but if you want them to be there and not risk it…''

''I believe that the most practical solution would be to let that person work on a side-project related to the main project, so you can assess their skills and decide for yourself whether that person would be worth your time.''

Bridgette, Claude, Allegra, Sophie and Allan turned towards the source of the voice, all of them surprised to see that Félix had turned around.

''Were you eavesdropping on us?'' Claude asked.

''You guys aren't exactly quiet,'' Félix replied, picking up his backpack and slinging it over his shoulder as he got up. He looked at Bridgette. ''If you want to trust that person, you need to be aware of their motivations and what exactly made them change their mind to suddenly take things seriously. Stay wary of them and don't let your own doubts cloud your judgement. Maybe there are sincere in their request, but maybe they have some ulterior motive. However, you won't know unless you take the risk.''

He then left, leaving Bridgette and her friends stunned.

''I guess that isn't bad advice…'' Allan muttered, with the rest being unsure what to think of it.

''To be honest, that's what I also had in mind,'' Bridgette said, with her friends giving her surprised looks. She smiled a little. Who would've thought we'd have the same idea?

xXx

Félix was eating dinner in silence, trying to avoid his uncle's gaze, who didn't appear to be interested in an conversation either. The teen had to wonder why they even had dinners together if neither of them was comfortable with each other's presence. His only guess was that his uncle wanted to maintain the image of a normal relationship between them. He had hoped that he would be done with this as soon as possible and get out of the mansion in order to meet up with Ladybug.

''I have taken a look at your current schoolwork,'' Gabriel suddenly said. Félix looked up, his eyes narrowing as he glared at the old man, but didn't respond.

Annoyance, thy name is Gabriel Agreste.

''I'm surprised that you have managed to keep up high results, especially considering how you're surrounded by distractions,'' Gabriel continued, entwining his fingers and placing his chin on the top of his hands, his stare intense. Félix knew that his uncle was rather infamous for being able to intimidate anyone without ever uttering a word.

''I know how to focus on what's important,'' Félix told his uncle.

''I wouldn't expect anything less from you,'' Gabriel replied and stood up, leaving the table. Félix lowered his head, trying to not show his uncle how displeased and irritated he was. Once he heard the door of the dining room close, he too stood up and left.

As said, I know how to focus on what's important, and the most important thing for me is to meet up with Ladybug.

He returned to his room, finding Plagg on the couch eating the camembert cheese he had left for the kwami.

''Hey, Kid,'' Plagg waved, flying up to him. ''You look slightly more irritated than usual.''

''I just had dinner with my uncle, I think I have the right to be irritated,'' Félix replied. Plagg nodded, patting him on the head.

''There, there, it'll be fine,'' he said, holding up the piece of cheese. ''Want some? It'll make you feel better.''

''No, thanks,'' Félix replied, with Plagg shrugging.

''Fine, your loss,'' he said, eating the cheese. Félix sighed, not really wanting to admit that he did feel a little better thanks to Plagg's support. He walked over to the desk where a bunch of books was and started to go through them, having planned to sort them out by which ones he wanted to read.

''Anyways, we'll be leaving soon,'' he said, taking a stack of books and walking over to the stairs that led to his private library. Suddenly, his ring shimmered, causing the books to slip out of his arms and falling all over the floor. Félix groaned in annoyance and crouched down to pick them up, only to get startled when the door suddenly opened.

''Félix.''

The teen got up, looking at his uncle's assistant, Adeline Arsenault, a woman dressed in a short white turtleneck dress with black dots, short sleeves and a zipper that went up from her chest to her neck. She was also wearing white stockings with black dots and white stilettos. Her platinum blonde hair was styled into a bun, with one long strand of hair wrapping behind her neck and her eyes being yellow and hawk-like.

''Yes?'' Félix looked at her, wondering what she wanted from him. Adeline stared at him coldly, her head slightly lifted, with Félix feeling as if she was looking down at him. He didn't like it.

''I wanted to inform you that your uncle will be absent the next few days due to work, meaning that you'll be eating dinner alone,'' Adeline told him.

''Is that all?'' Félix asked. Adeline looked down at the spilled books on the floor.

''Clean this mess up,'' she said, then turned around and exited the room. Félix frowned, but kept quiet, turning instead to the books on the floor.

''Man, did she ever heard anything about knocking?'' Plagg flew out of his hiding spot. ''You'd think that as your uncle's assistant, she would have better manners.''

''Unfortunately, people in this household don't really care about how their actions affect me,'' Félix replied, picking up a book. ''Honestly, I'll be happy once all of this is over.''

''You mean, not being Chat Noir anymore or moving out of this place?'' Plagg asked.

''Both.'' Félix grabbed another book, seeing a card fall out of it. He picked it up, realizing that it was the card Bridgette made for him.

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.

''So, are you going to accept her offer?'' Plagg, who was peeking over Félix's shoulder, asked. ''Unlike your uncle, she does care about you.''

Instead of answering, Félix placed the card back into the book and put it on the desk.

''I'll have to refuse,'' he said, with Plagg giving him a questioning look. ''The most important thing I have to focus on now is Ladybug's decision about whether we're going to work as a team or not. If she rejects the idea, I need to come up with a new plan.''

xXx

''Let's see…'' Ladybug muttered as she stepped on a roof, looking around and sighed. ''I guess I should've told Chat Noir where to meet up. On the other hand, he does always somehow manage to find me.''

''Of course, I do, M'lady.''

Ladybug felt chills flowing down her spine, her ahoge and pigtails standing up as she heard a familiar voice behind her and turned around, finding Chat Noir sitting on the chimney stack above her.

''Would you stop creeping up on me like that?!'' she yelled at him, startling Chat Noir enough for him to almost fall over, but he managed to land on his feet this time.

''Unfortunately for you, M'lady, I'm a cat and cats have a tendency to be sneaky little bastards,'' Chat Noir replied.

''I see,'' Ladybug muttered. I need to buy a laser pointer then. She then took a sharp breath before adding, ''Anyways, I had decided that I would put our partnership on a trial.''

Chat Noir blinked.

''A trial?'' he asked, feeling puzzled.

''Right,'' Ladybug replied. ''Basically, we'll work as a team for a limited period of time and depending on how it turns out, we could become a permanent team.''

''I see,'' Chat Noir muttered, looking a bit lost.

''What is it? Don't tell me you have gotten your hopes too high,'' Ladybug asked, tilting her head.

''N-No, I was just reminded of a conversation I had,'' Chat Noir replied. Ladybug gave him a questioning look, but Chat Noir didn't elaborate on it. ''In any case, I'm fine with this decision, M'lady.''

''I'm glad to hear that, but could you stop calling me 'M'lady'? Ladybug is completely fine. It's not as if I'm calling you 'Kitty' all the time,'' Ladybug said. Chat Noir grinned.

''Actually, you can call me 'Kitty' all you want, M'lady,'' he replied, leaning towards her. Ladybug's eyes narrowed, only for her to smile mischievously.

''You know what, I prefer 'Alley Cat' as your nickname,'' she said, watching Chat Noir's expression turning into an annoyed look.

''Then you won't mind if I call you 'Mini Menace','' Chat Noir replied with a sly grin on his lips, only for his ears to lower when he realized that Ladybug didn't appear to be offended by this suggestion.

''It's still better than 'M'lady','' Ladybug replied, looking rather amused. She turned around. ''I know that you can come up with a better nickname for me, you're smart enough for that.''

With that said, she jumped off the building, forcing an exasperated Chat Noir to follow her. Admittedly, he dared to hope that he'd be able to charm Ladybug into kissing him at this point, but it was painfully obvious that this wasn't going to be an easy task. He knew that he'll be stuck with the ring for quite a while. Still, he wasn't giving up easily.

''I've been wondering something,'' Chat Noir said as he followed Ladybug across the rooftops of Paris. ''If we are supposed to work as a team, wouldn't that also mean that we should get to know each other better. I mean, I certainly wouldn't mind to get to know you on a personal level.''

''Well, I would,'' Ladybug replied. ''Even if I did agree to be partners with you, I'm still not okay with sharing my private life with you.''

''I'm sure that your private life is fascinating,'' Chat Noir said, smirking.

''You're missing the point here,'' Ladybug replied dryly. ''I don't want to talk about my private life because I want to keep my life as Ladybug separated from it. Besides, who says that revealing something about myself wouldn't lead to you find out who I really am?''

''I doubt that,'' Chat Noir replied. ''It might come as a surprise to you, but I'm not exactly social in my private life.''

''Really?'' Ladybug was stunned, landing on the rooftop. Chat Noir, who landed next to her, nodded.

''This also means that there is a very low chance that we even know each other in private life,'' he said, looking at her.

''I see,'' Ladybug muttered.

''Besides, you could just tell me something general about yourself, like what your favorite colour is,'' Chat Noir suggested.

''You know that I could easily lie about that,'' Ladybug noted.

''You don't strike me as a person who'd just lie for the sake of lying,'' Chat Noir told her. ''Besides, you had told me that you're not sure whether to trust me, yet you tell me that I shouldn't be trusting you either.''

''I didn't mean-'' Ladybug cut herself off, taking a deep breath. She shook her head lightly, her arms crossed, then looked up, giving him a curious look, leaving Chat Noir wondering what was going through her head. ''You're really not making this easy for me.''

''I'd take that as a compliment,'' Chat Noir replied mischievously, tilting his head. ''Look, I understand you don't like this idea, even if you agreed with it. This should be the time where you learn how to rely on your own abilities without having someone distracting you.''

''Exactly my point,'' Ladybug replied. Chat Noir nodded.

''I promise, I won't get into your way,'' he added, walking up to her. ''Nevertheless, I want to let you know that I know how to deal with my bad luck curse and that I hadn't spent the last couple weeks doing nothing. It might not be much, but I am determined to prove myself to you, no matter what it takes.''

To his delight, Ladybug looked rather stunned. He had hoped that his speech would convince her to trust him, at least a little bit. He needed to get as close to her as possible and every little sign of her getting fond of him was a win.

''I-'' Ladybug paused, looking a little unsure about how to respond to this. Eventually, she nodded, giving him a determined look. ''I guess we both still have a lot to learn, not only about each other, but about ourselves as well. Also, for the record, my favorite colour rose gold.''

''That's an interesting choice.'' Chat Noir smiled, a fang poking out of his mouth. ''I prefer emerald green.''

''I would've thought that you'd pick black,'' Ladybug said.

''Why? Is it because I look good in black?'' Chat Noir asked in a flirty tone. Ladybug rolled her eyes, but Chat Noir didn't miss the smile on her face.

''How about we just continue with the patrol?'' Ladybug suggested. ''We can talk afterwards.''

''As you wish, Ladybug,'' Chat Noir replied. Ladybug looked at him for a moment, as if wanting to tell him something, but then she just nodded and leapt off the building, with a confident Chat Noir following her.

xXx

Pigeons had been gathering around the Eiffel Tower, with one flock being gathered tightly enough to carry a man. This man was muscular, wearing a full body skin-tight suit with black forearms, waist and thighs, dark grey belly, light grey chest, shoulder and biceps, and pink shins and head. The suit also had a vertically stretched dark gray hexagon with a light gray outline on his behind and upper legs, as well as two oval-shaped light blue spots below his collarbone. His arms were crossed as he stared ahead stoically, only to suddenly feel a rush of excitement, his blue, bulging eyes only widening as he waved his arms, putting his hand above his eyes and taking a look at what was ahead. He could see two figures running across the rooftops, neither having noticed him.

''What do we have here?'' he muttered to himself, a wide grin on his lips. ''Seems like I finally found the misfits that are terrorizing my city. Well, I, Moniseur Pigeon, won't let them get away with it! Ro-roooo!'' He pointed dramatically at the building where he saw the two figures. ''Let's get them!''