First of all, thank you for your support! Next, I have some important news for the next update.
You see, I've been a fanfiction writer for about a decade and my 10-year anniversary as a writer will be on July 31st. I wanted to do something to celebrate the anniversary, so I had decided to take the next few weeks off to work on one chapter for each of my currently active stories (Up Ladybug, Digimon Tamers: Cyber Battles, Five Nights at Freddy's: Obsolete), which I will all publish on the day of the anniversary.
So, if you're wondering why I'm inactive for so long, this is the reason why. I might post something, but all in all, there won't be any updates until July 31st. For more details on the chapters, you can check my Profile.
Enjoy the show!
Entry 9
Leap Of Confidence
''It's time for me to take it, I'm the boss right now. Not gonna fake it, not when you go down. 'Cause this is my game, and you better come to play. I used to hold my freak back, now I'm letting go. I make my own choice, bitch, I run this show. So leave the lights on, no, you can't make me behave.''
– Confident by Demi Lovato
xXxXxXx
It took a while for Ladybug and Chat Noir to free themselves from their restraints, as they had to wait for the energy rings to disappear, meaning that Belladonna was already gone and that there was no way for them to track her down. It also didn't help that, once the energy ring disappeared, Ladybug fell straight on Chat Noir, who cushioned her fall, with her yo-yo hitting her head. All in all, the patrol was a complete disaster.
As if the night couldn't get any worse.
Chat Noir remained silent as he and Ladybug finally left the building. He knew that she was still furious about the loss against Belladonna and he didn't want to provoke her in any way. It was quite obvious that they were done for tonight, but he had to wonder what Ladybug's plans were. He was fairly certain that she would go after Belladonna.
''LB?'' he rose his voice as they took a short stop on the rooftop of a building. Ladybug stared ahead with a blank look on her expression, causing Chat Noir to wonder whether she heard him. ''Ladybug?''
''What is it, Chat?'' Ladybug suddenly turned her head towards him, her voice just barely louder than a whisper. Chat Noir stared at her, noticing a strange gleam in her eyes and noting how exhausted she looked.
''Ladybug, are you okay?'' Chat asked, even though he already knew the answer. Still, he wanted to hear it from her.
''I'm fine,'' Ladybug replied tiredly, her voice slightly hoarse. She looked away and lowered her head, shaking as she clenched her fists. ''I'll… I'm sorry…''
''Sorry, for what?'' Chat Noir was genuinely surprised when he heard her apology.
''What happened with Belladonna… I feel that…'' Ladybug gulped, feeling as if she had a lump in her throat, ''It's my fault she got away… I-I…''
Chat Noir gave her a sympathetic look as Ladybug's voice suddenly broke and all she do was to stare at him, looking disappointed with herself and regretful about her failure. His ears lowered as he realized that she was on the verge of crying.
''Ladybug, this isn't your fault,'' he told her, stepping towards her. ''None of us knew what Belladonna was capable of and she caught us off guard.'' He smiled warmly, trying to comfort her. ''I'm sure that, next time, we'll catch her.''
He took another step, figuring that he could just hug her, but Ladybug suddenly stepped away, rubbing her arm nervously, her hand still clenched.
''I guess so…'' she said quietly, looking up. Chat Noir noticed the glistening in her eyes, aware that she was suppressing her tears. ''Good night, Chat.''
She quickly turned around and leaped off the building, seemingly trying to get as far away as possible from him. Chat Noir's ears and tail lowered as he clenched his clawed hands into fists. He took a deep breath, feeling rather worried about Ladybug's reaction. It was clear that she was quite affected by this defeat and he wished he knew a way to comfort her. His eyes narrowed as he thought about everything that happened, feeling something bothering him.
Something doesn't feel right, though. She did lose before, in the battle against the Mime, but why did this loss affect her so much? Was it the humiliation that Belladonna inflicted upon her or maybe something else – something I'm not aware of?
xXx
''Tikki… de-transform me…'' Bridgette plopped down on her bed as she de-transformed. Tikki tiredly lied down on her head, feeling exhausted and hungry. She knew that there were a few cookies in the box on the table, but she couldn't bother flying over to it. ''This night was awful.''
''I want to be more optimistic, but I agree…'' Tikki muttered, taking a deep breath. She tilted her head when Bridgette didn't answer. ''Bri?''
Bridgette remained silent, her face pressed against the pillow, and the only move she made was to clench her fist. Tikki noticed her body getting tense and flew over to the pillow to at least see Bridgette's expression, but the teen refused look up. All Tikki could gather from this was that Bridgette was in pain.
''Bri? Bri, what's wrong?'' Tikki asked worriedly. Bridgette suddenly pushed herself up, with Tikki realizing that tears were forming in the corners of her eyes. She was gritting her teeth, staring blankly at her pillow. ''Bri…''
Bridgette didn't answer, closing her eyes instead and taking a deep breath, shaking. The feeling of frustration and despair was overwhelming, with Bridgette suddenly hearing a distant, cold laughter. She felt chills flowing down her spine as the laughter grew louder, mocking her for her failures, for her uselessness.
''Damn it!'' Bridgette hissed in anger, punching the pillow. She wanted to scream, but had to hold it in, as she feared that her grandmother would hear her. She could hear the cold and teasing laughter grow louder and louder, until it was filling her ears, forcing her to place her hands over them in hopes it would stop. ''Please, shut up…''
''Bridgette!'' Tikki called out to her, but Bridgette couldn't hear her over the laughter echoing in her head as the haunting memories of her past finally overwhelmed her.
''What are you even trying to do? You're so stupid.''
''You can't do anything to us!''
''What a crybaby!''
Shaking like crazy, Bridgette grabbed her pillow and started screaming into it, hoping the pillow would muffle her cries of anguish. She couldn't hold it in anymore, she had to break down crying.
''L-Leave me alone, p-please!''
''Why should we, we're having so much fun!''
''Oh, are you going to cry again? Ha, ha!''
Bridgette felt a cold sense of emptiness spreading through her body as her cries and sobs slowly got quieter. The feeling of helplessness numbed her mind as more and more memories of her past filled her head. It was a miracle she could hold out so long before reaching her breaking point. She didn't want Chat Noir to see her like this, broken and despairing.
''S-Stop being so m-mean!''
''Or what? What are you going to do?''
''She can't do anything right! She's absolutely useless!''
''Leave her alone!''
Bridgette blinked, gritting her teeth. Her vision was blurry due to her tears, but what she saw wasn't her room, but the classroom she had been trapped in when she was younger, as well as the three guys who had prevented her from leaving and getting away from them. All she knew about them was that they were troublemakers from a class above her and that she was their victim, being someone who would get easily upset over whatever they would tell her.
No matter what I did or said, nothing could make them leave me alone. I told the teachers, but they were no help, telling me to ignore them. I talked to Mum, but she didn't have the presence of mind to help me. The only one who supported me was Claude, but even he couldn't always be there for me.
Bridgette sighed as she remembered how Claude got between her and her bullies, yelling at them for making her cry and threatening to tell the teachers about what they were doing. Unfortunately for him, Bridgette's bullies didn't care, as they knew that the teachers wouldn't do a damn to stop them, but they left regardless, since they couldn't intimidate Claude as easily as they could Bridgette.
''Don't listen to them, Bri,'' Claude told her after they left. ''They have no idea what they're talking about. They're just being jerks.''
''I know…''
''If you want, we could hang out tomorrow; maybe that'll prevent them from going after you again.''
''Thank you, Claude.''
She was quite grateful for Claude's support, but even having her childhood friend by her side, she still couldn't escape dealing with her bullies. Every time she saw them, she would either freeze, paralyzed by fear and panic, or run into the opposite direction, often locking herself in the girl's bathroom in order to avoid them, completely frightened by the thought of what they might do to her this time.
There were times where they would not only tease her, but also take her books and pencil case and hide them somewhere. There was also an incident where she had drawn something and they spilled water all over her drawing and her backpack for good measure. They even tossed her favorite marker out of the window while claiming that they were just playing a game and that it was an accident.
Bridgette would often find herself crying and screaming at them, but they refused to stop tormenting her. She had no idea why they treated her like this, as she had never done anything to provoke them, but it seemed that they just enjoyed getting all kinds of reactions out of her. Every breakdown she had would result in them laughing at her, despite there being nothing remotely funny about her situation.
However, the feeling of dread she had whenever she had to deal with them was nothing in comparison to the sense of helplessness she felt every time she thought about their encounters. Despite being aware that she was the victim, she couldn't help but feel angry at herself for falling for their bait, often blaming herself for not being stronger and fighting back. She wanted to show them that she wasn't a victim and that they couldn't pick on her without experiencing consequences, but that wasn't easy, as it was one girl against three boys and she was a year younger than them. If she tried to stand up to them, they would just laugh at her and nothing would change.
''You're not alone, Bri. I will be there for you.''
Bridgette took a deep breath after hearing Claude's assuring words, eventually calming down. She hugged her pillow, still trembling a little due to how intense her memories were. All she wanted was to put her past behind her, trying to forget the torment she had been put through, but her humiliating defeat at Belladonna's hands and the way she carried herself, completely dominating the battlefield and mocking her affected her enough to trigger those memories.
''You know Tikki, I want to be strong,'' she whispered, drawing the kwami's attention. Tikki was relieved that Bridgette didn't completely shut down, but she was still worried about her, as her holder was clearly upset.
''But, you are strong!'' Tikki said, attempting to encourage her. ''You're the best Ladybug I've seen in a long time.''
Bridgette shook her head. ''You might think that, Tikki, but this is all just an act.''
''An act?'' Tikki gave her a confused look. Bridgette sighed, her eyes glistening with tears.
''You know, when I was younger, I had often been bullied by those who were, one way or another, stronger than I was. I couldn't do anything against my bullies, no matter how hard I tried,'' Bridgette explained, with Tikki looking horrified. ''I always looked up to Claude, whom I was friends with at that time, as he was able to stand up to my bullies. He was, and still is, like a brother to me and to this day, he protects me whenever he can.'' Bridgette's grip around her pillow tightened. ''However, I didn't want to be protected all my life. I hated feeling helpless and useless and I wanted to make a difference. I wanted to help myself and other people who were suffering in some way, but I just wasn't strong enough.'' She looked up in frustration, touching the Ladybug earrings. ''However, now I have the power to make a difference and fulfill my desires, as well as save those who need help, yet I still managed to mess up. Can I really be Ladybug if I cannot confront and win over my own inner demons?''
''Yes, you can!'' Tikki told her firmly, clenching her hands into tiny fists. ''You aren't weak at all. You just experienced a setback and I'm sure that you will find a way to bounce back from this defeat, as you always do.''
''But, what if I fail again?'' Bridgette asked, shaking her head. ''Maybe I'm not suited to be Ladybug. Maybe I was an idiot for thinking that I was capable of handling this. I mean, all I do is mess things up.''
''Bridgette, please, listen to me. No one is more suited to be Ladybug than you, believe me,'' Tikki pleaded. ''You are stronger than you think. I mean, you went after the Mime and Monsieur Pigeon even though you had trouble fighting the former and never confronted the latter until now, and you still managed to pull through.''
''Still, they escaped,'' Bridgette noted, adding in a hushed tone, ''Not to mention, I had also blamed Chat Noir for our defeats against the Mime, even though he tried to help me in his own way.'' She gritted her teeth and closed her eyes, groaning in frustration as she clutched her head, ruffling her hair. ''Agh, I hate this! I don't want to feel like a failure, yet I do. I feel like everything is my fault and that I need to own up to my mistakes, even if I hadn't done anything wrong. I want to get stronger and get over my issues, but nothing works. I don't want to feel weak and helpless anymore!''
''I'm looking forward to seeing you again, Coccinella.''
Bridgette opened her eyes as she remembered what Belladonna told her, feeling the rage and frustration surge through her body as the image of the smug look her opponent gave her surfaced. She wanted to prove herself and show that Belladonna couldn't get to her, but it felt like the stage magician already won the mental war against her.
''Please, don't give up on yourself, Bridgette,'' Tikki said, giving her holder a pleading gaze. Bridgette sighed, lowering her head.
''If I want to be honest with myself, Tikki, I don't want to give up on myself, but I'm losing my mind here,'' she told the kwami dejectedly, curling up on her bed. ''As Ladybug, I can put up a brave face and act as if those loses don't affect me, but as Bridgette, I have to think about my choices and decisions and wonder whether I made a mistake. I know what I have to do, but at the same time, I fear that I made the wrong decision and then the guilt starts eating me inside out.''
Tikki gave her a solemn look, wishing she could say something to cheer Bridgette up, but she had to admit to herself that she was out of ideas. Instead, she flew over to the box and took two cookies out, then flew back and gave one to Bridgette.
''I'm sure that we'll figure something out,'' Tikki told her. Bridgette smiled feebly as she got on her knees, accepting the cookie. ''I know it's hard, but I'm sure that you will be able to find a solution. I believe in you, Bri.''
''Thanks, Tikki,'' Bridgette replied half-heartedly, with Tikki flying up to her and hugging her. Bridgette hugged her back, aware that she was on a rocky road. She didn't want to give up, but was there really anything she could do to improve her situation?
xXx
''Plagg, de-transform me,'' Félix sighed as he closed the balcony door behind him. He rubbed his temple, feeling exhausted, while Plagg flew up and sat on his shoulder, not in the mood to float after his holder.
''This night was a catastrophe,'' Plagg said tiredly, glancing at Félix, who looked like he was half-way asleep. ''Kid?'' Félix seemingly ignored him, his eyes narrowed and focused as he walked down the stairs. Plagg rose an eyebrow at the lack of response, adding, ''Not to mention, Ladybug didn't even tell you whether you had passed your trial.''
''Forget about the trial, the more important thing is how we should fix this blunder,'' Félix replied, taking off his tie and placing it down neatly on a chair, before unbuttoning his vest and shirt.
''What?'' Plagg gave him a questioning look.
''Belladonna had shown that she is quite powerful and her magical abilities are giving her an advantage over us,'' Félix continued, with Plagg floating in front of him, still looking puzzled. ''Still, I'm certain that we will be able to find a way to turn her powers against her.''
''Uh, Kid? I thought you'd be more upset about what happened,'' Plagg said. ''Neither you nor Ladybug looked very heroic tonight.''
''I am aware that Belladonna played us for fools,'' Félix replied, briefly shuddering at the memory of Belladonna flirting with him. He quickly shook it off, changing into his pyjamas. ''However, that only steeled my resolve to not let it happen again.''
He then lied down on his bed, with Plagg landing on the pillow next to him, curling up. Félix sighed, placing his arms behind his head and staring at the ceiling. Despite being exhausted, he couldn't fall asleep.
''I wonder whether Ladybug believes the same,'' Plagg muttered, yawning.
''Something is telling me that this defeat hit her much harder than what she experienced with the Mime,'' Félix explained. ''It isn't too surprising, as she got completely humiliated by Belladonna, but she might have some self-esteem issues.''
''Why would Ladybug have self-esteem issues?'' Plagg asked.
''Do you remember how she lashed out at me when she found out that my power is that of bad luck? She told me that she believed that she wasn't good enough,'' Félix replied. ''I thought that she had just been venting her frustrations, but seeing her like this, maybe she isn't as confident as she presents herself. She might be having some issues as a civilian and trying to hide them as a superhero.''
''So, she's doing the same thing you do,'' Plagg remarked.
''I disagree,'' Félix replied, narrowing his eyes and taking a deep breath. ''Unlike me, she actually wants to be a superhero.''
''I guess we can talk about that in the morning…'' Plagg replied, falling silent. Eventually, Félix heard only his deep breaths as the kwami fell asleep. He knew that he too should go to sleep, as he had the entire next day to contemplate his next move.
Still, he couldn't shake off the feeling that, while he wasn't really bothered by their defeat, it probably weighted a lot on Ladybug, as she wanted to be someone who can protect people, even if he doesn't.
I will have to talk to her about it. Hopefully, she'll be able to recover from this.
xXx
Bridgette yawned, stretching her arms and staring at the frying pan, having decided to make crêpes for lunch, as she wasn't in the mood to eat anything that wasn't sweet or couldn't be turned sweet in some way.
''This smells great,'' Tikki, who was sitting on the top of Bridgette's head, said. The reason why she wasn't hiding was because Bridgette's grandmother was down at the tea shop, so she could fly around freely, without having to worry about being seen.
''I'll be done soon,'' Bridgette told her. She knew that the kwami was quite excited about tasting the food she made. ''I guess you never tasted crêpes before, right?''
''No, I didn't,'' Tikki replied, lowering her head a little. ''Honestly, I never really had access to so much food.''
''Don't tell me that your previous holder didn't feed you at all,'' Bridgette said, frowning.
''No, no, the previous Ladybug did feed me, but…'' Tikki paused for a moment, ''She just kept giving me the same food. I mean, I don't eat a lot, so it was fine… and besides I didn't ask for more variety in my diet. I didn't want to trouble her in any way.''
''I see,'' Bridgette said as she placed the last crêpe on the top and turned the stove off. ''Well, if there's any kind of food you want to taste, you can just tell me and I'll get it for you.''
''Thank you,'' Tikki replied, with Bridgette nodding and opening the fridge to take out a bottle of whipped cream and a plastic box with strawberries. She then cleaned and washed one strawberry and gave it to Tikki.
''I hope you'll still have enough place in your stomach for the main course,'' she told the kwami as she took a huge bite out of the strawberry.
''Don't worry, I'll eat anything you put in front of me,'' Tikki replied, watching as Bridgette decorated the stack of crêpes. ''The food you make is too delicious to be rejected.''
''Aww, your compliments warm my heart,'' Bridgette replied, cleaning up the kitchen after she was done with the crêpes stack. She then grabbed a saucer from the cupboard and cut a slice of the stack for Tikki, placing it on the saucer. ''If you want more, just tell me. We'll be eating in my room.''
''Got it,'' Tikki said, munching down the last of the strawberry and picking up the saucer. She then followed Bridgette upstairs into her bedroom. ''Say, Bri?''
''What is it, Tikki?'' Bridgette asked as she sat down on the chair, placing her plate on the table.
''Are you still upset about what happened last night?'' Tikki asked timidly. Bridgette fell silent, a shadow crossing her expression.
''Honestly, I am,'' she admitted, then gave Tikki a soft, but bitter smile. ''Although, I do feel better now that I slept it off. However, at the same time, I feel like a dumbass for how I acted. It felt like I've been crying over nothing. I mean, what happened is in the past, and I have to think about the present-''
''But, Bridgette, you yourself noted how the past is still haunting you,'' Tikki remarked, with Bridgette avoiding her gaze, her ahoge drooping. ''I-I didn't mean to hurt you…''
''No, you didn't,'' Bridgette shook her head, taking a deep breath as she jabbed her fork into the crêpes stack. ''I need to get over myself.''
''Bridgette…'' Tikki murmured, but Bridgette ignored her.
''I want to be Ladybug, I really do, but I need to get stronger, for my sake and the sake of others,'' she said, her eyes narrowing.
''You know that you're not alone in this, right?'' Tikki rose her voice, flying up right to her. Bridgette blinked at the sudden assertiveness the kwami had shown. ''I will always be there for you, no matter what happens. Even if you fall, I will help you to stand up again.''
Bridgette cracked a smile at the sudden image of her tripping and the tiny kwami pulling her arm to help her get up. ''Thank you, Tikki. I'm so glad to have you around.''
''And I'm glad to see you smile for once,'' Tikki replied, hugging Bridgette. Bridgette embraced the kwami, taking another deep breath. She felt as if a little of the burden she felt was lifted from her shoulders. Tikki then added, ''Not to mention, you also have the support of your friends. You already said that Claude is protective of you, and I'm sure that Sophie, Allan and Allegra are also going to help you.''
''Unfortunately, I cannot tell them about my life as Ladybug,'' Bridgette replied. ''I mean, there is a reason why I'm keeping my identity a secret. Imagine if someone like the Mime or Belladonna went after them; I would never forgive myself if something happened to them.''
''Still, you could talk to them about what's bothering you in general, right?'' Tikki asked. Bridgette nodded, only for her eyes to widen.
''There is one person I could talk to,'' she said, adding with a sigh, ''Although, I'm not sure how Chat Noir is going to react to it.''
''Do you think he's going to tease you or something like that?'' Tikki asked as Bridgette let her go, hovering next to her holder.
''I… I don't think so,'' Bridgette shook her head. ''While we had a rough start, he was always genuine and would show that he cares about me. Besides, I owe him a conversation since we didn't get to talk due to what had happened.''
''Still, if he tries something, I'll deal with him,'' Tikki said, causing Bridgette to chuckle, even though she didn't mean to. That only roused the kwami. ''You need support and if no one is going to support you, I will.''
''Thank you again, Tikki,'' Bridgette said, being now in a much better mood than she was before.
In all honesty, she wanted to start healing from her past experiences and let the present wash them away, without fearing that she would be pulled back into the nothingness.
xXx
''Allegra, that weird guy is still following us,'' Carmilla told Allegra as they walked down the street.
It was late evening and Carmilla had been waiting for Allegra to finish with the school band rehearsal, so she could accompany her home. Unfortunately for them, they came across some shady guy who had been following them for solid 20 minutes, always keeping the same distance, even when they stopped at the traffic lights or crossed the street.
Allegra briefly glanced back, but Carmilla stepped behind her, blocking her sight.
''Watch out, he might realize that we know he's following us,'' she hissed.
''Are you sure that's the case? Maybe he's going in the same direction we are?'' Allegra suggested, even though her gut feeling was telling her that this situation was one big red flag.
''He's been following us for 20 minutes and keeping the same distance between us, even though we slowed down several times and even made a stop at the grocery store so you could buy yourself a soda,'' Carmilla reminded her. ''I'm sure that he's after us.''
''How about taking the metro? I'm sure he won't try anything with other people around,'' Allegra said, but Carmilla remained unsure. They had no idea whether the creep would actually leave them alone. ''Although, I don't want him to figure out where we live.''
''Neither do I…'' Carmilla muttered. Admittedly, had she been on her own, she would have no problem vanishing into the night and returning as Belladonna to beat the creep up. However, with Allegra around, there was no way for her to transform. Even if she was her friend, Carmilla didn't want to make things more difficult for herself.
''What should we do?'' Allegra muttered under her breath, briefly glancing behind. She froze when she realized that the man was getting closer to them, one hand in his jacket pocket. ''Damn it, we need to-''
However, before she could finish her sentence, something red and black attached to a string shot from above at the man, the string wrapping around his arms.
''H-Hey-!'' The man wiggled in panic, unable to free himself. Suddenly, a figure leaped down from the building, kicking him away. The man hit the ground, hard, feeling the wind getting knocked out of his lungs. He groaned in pain, squinting his eyes as he saw a teenage girl dressed in a red jumpsuit with black polka dots and a red domino mask.
''Don't think I haven't seen you!'' Ladybug growled, pulling her yo-yo back.
''Why you-?!'' The man roared as he got up and charged at Ladybug, but the superheroine easily dodged his attack and kicked him in the ribs, sending him flying back. Something metallic fell out of his pocket and Ladybug quickly picked it up. It was a small pocket knife.
''I'm fairly certain that the police would like to learn more about why you were carrying this while following two young women this late,'' Ladybug added. The man cursed under his breath, only to suddenly get up and run away. Ladybug frowned, but didn't follow him. It was more important to her to make sure no one got hurt and she still held the pocket knife, the evidence, in her hand. She was sure that she could drop it off at the police station for fingerprint search.
''Ladybug!'' Ladybug turned to Allegra and Carmilla, who were awestruck by the superheroine's actions. Ladybug smiled, albeit aware that she needed to remain professional. Even though she was close friends with Allegra and knew Carmilla as a civilian, she had to act as if she hadn't met them before.
''Are you two okay? I was on patrol and I saw this guy following you, so I figured that I should keep an eye on him,'' she told the two.
''Yeah, we're fine,'' Allegra told her. ''A little shaken up, but we're fine. Thank you so much for saving us.''
''Well, that's my duty as a hero,'' Ladybug replied casually. Allegra and Carmilla smiled at her, although Carmilla was more intrigued than awed. She thought that, after the humiliating defeat Ladybug had experienced the previous night, she wouldn't be back on the streets so soon. It appeared that she underestimated the latter.
''Well, I'm glad that I have finally met you,'' Allegra continued. ''We heard about you from my friend, Bridgette.''
Ladybug knew that she needed to act as if she and Bridgette were different people, so she gave Allegra a confused look, acting as if she was trying to connect the name to a face.
''Bridgette?'' she muttered, then perked up. ''Oh, you mean the girl who lives above the tea shop.''
''Exactly,'' Allegra nodded. ''By the way, I'm Allegra Baudelaire and this is Carmilla Brigante.''
''Hi,'' Carmilla said, giving her a small wave. ''Once again, thank you for helping us. It is great to know that there's a superheroine that roams the city while protecting those who are in danger.''
''As I said, this is my duty as a superheroine. All I want is to protect others,'' Ladybug replied, reaching for her compact and taking out a white handkerchief from the hammerspace, which she wrapped the pocket knife into so no one else's fingerprints would get on it. ''Also, you should report this incident to the police.''
''I'll take care of it,'' Carmilla said, grabbing the wrapped pocket knife. There was a moment of silence between the three, with Allegra breaking it.
''Ladybug, may I ask you something?'' she asked. Ladybug tilted her head, a little puzzled.
''Sure,'' she said. Allegra looked a little nervous, surprising Ladybug, as her friend was usually the blunt and confident type of person.
''I wasn't really sure what to make of you, to be honest,'' Allegra said. ''I mean, Bridgette told me about you and I assumed stuff… I kind of thought that you… well… that you would be busy with more important criminals rather than saving us from a creep… or tracking down that thief…''
Ladybug's eyes widened as she realized that Allegra was referring to the conversation they had the day before, where he had expressed doubt in her abilities to solve who had been stealing jewelry. She had to wonder whether Allegra really thought of her as someone who only cared more about her image as a superheroine rather than the her own competence in solving criminal cases.
''What are you talking about?'' Ladybug decided to play dumb.
''Well, my friends and I have been talking about the recent robberies and I had my doubts about you solving the case. I don't really know what came over me; I guess that, after hearing that there's a superheroine in this city, I thought that you would be able to solve any problem instantly. After all, you dealt with that mime guy on the video and then there was also that accident with the pigeons,'' Allegra admitted guiltily. ''However, now that I met you, I realized that I was too quick to judge you. I mean, you are a human, are you?''
''Yeah, I am,'' Ladybug smiled warmly. ''Unless you wanted me to be an alien.''
Allegra giggled nervously, but relaxed a little when she realized that Ladybug wasn't angry or disappointed at her for her lack of faith.
''I'm sorry,'' she said. Ladybug shook her head.
''No, it's fine,'' Ladybug replied, wondering whether she should tell Allegra how she felt. While she knew that she had to keep things professional, as Allegra put it, she was still human. She still had doubts. ''I have to admit, I also suffered from a lack of self-confidence and faith in myself. I had tried to apprehend the thief behind the jewelry robberies, but I failed and that failure made me question my own competence as Ladybug.''
Both Allegra and Carmilla were stunned to see Ladybug being so honest with them and not afraid to show her vulnerability. Admittedly, Carmilla was more disappointed about the fact that Ladybug wasn't as tough as she appeared to be. Frankly, she had expected more from her, rather than have her curl up and cry like a baby after one defeat, no matter how humiliating it was.
''Nevertheless, I realized that I need to become stronger if I want to protect those I care about,'' Ladybug continued, giving the two a determined look. ''There will be times I'll fail in the future, but I don't want to give up. If I had decided to not be Ladybug anymore and stayed at home, you two may have gotten hurt or even worse. This is why I'm here – I've been given a chance to make a difference, if not for myself, then for others.''
''You aren't the only one who is making a difference, Ladybug.'' Ladybug, Allegra and Carmilla looked up, seeing Chat Noir sitting on all fours on the nearby street lamp. He jumped down, turning to Allegra and Carmilla and bowing, one hand on his back and the other on his chest. ''Ladies, may I introduce myself? I'm Chat Noir, Ladybug's trusted partner.''
''My, my, what a charmer,'' Carmilla said, looking quite interested in him.
''It comes with being myself,'' Chat Noir replied smoothly, with Ladybug rising an eyebrow. She had to wonder whether he seriously was about to flirt with Allegra and Carmilla.
Not that I'm jealous or anything. The most important thing now is that we focus on the patrol and I can't let him get distracted, she quickly added in her mind.
''I see,'' Carmilla smirked. Her smile caused Ladybug to frown. ''Honestly, I'd be interested in a conversation with you-''
''My apologies, but I'm not,'' Chat Noir quickly cut her off. Carmilla frowned, while Ladybug perked up. ''I just wanted to add my thoughts to the conversation you guys were having and pick Ladybug up for the patrol.''
''I'm sorry for holding you back,'' Allegra apologized to Ladybug.
''It's fine,'' Ladybug said in a comforting tone. ''Besides, the talk we had did help me. I promise I won't disappoint you and that I'll keep you protected.''
''Don't push yourself to hard,'' Allegra replied, giving Ladybug an assuring look. ''I believe that you'll be able to deal with those criminals in your own way. Don't let your confidence falter, no matter what happens. Bridgette, Carmilla and I already have your back.''
''Thank you,'' Ladybug replied and winked, giving them a determined look. ''Rest assured, I'm looking forward to my next encounter with Belladonna.''
''Belladonna?'' Allegra tilted her head in confusion, while Carmilla rose an eyebrow.
''Let's just say that I have some intel on our mysterious phantom thief,'' Ladybug replied confidently. ''Trust me, I'm not letting her get away with her victory so easily.''
With that said, she and Chat Noir exchanged glanced and leaped onto the nearby street lamp, disappearing into the night. Allegra grinned, still feeling excited about the conversation she had with Ladybug and confident that the superheroine was someone that could be trusted with the city's safety.
Carmilla, on the other hand, was pleasantly surprised by Ladybug's sudden change in attitude. She had not expected that the latter would actually challenge her, even if she didn't know what kind of reaction her words sparked inside Carmilla. The fact that the superheroine refused to give up only steeled her resolve.
Belladonna may have found herself an actual rival in Ladybug.
