After a breather chapter, we came across a more fast-paced chapter with a lot of character moments that are setting up many future events.
Also, if you want more information about the characters, you can check my Tumblr account (the link is on the Profile, the username is tenebraevesper).
I hope you'll enjoy it!
Entry 15
Youth Of Today
''Maybe if you were some spearheaded guy, I would listen to what you have to say. But you're just some incapable figure, thinking you're bigger than me, but you're not. Yet you don't know a thing about the youth of today, stating your opinion making it ring in my head all day. And you say, 'My children weren't the same. My children's children they're the ones to blame'. And you say, 'In my day we were better behaved'. But it's not your day, no more. And we are the youth of today, change our hair in every way. And we are the youth of today, we'll say what we wanna say. And we are the youth of today, don't care what you have to say at all.''
– Youth Of Today by Amy Macdonald
xXxXxXx
Ladybug was soaring, both in a literal and metaphorical sense, as she leaped from building to building, her path leading her to the Eiffel Tower. Chat Noir was already there, waiting for her. Ladybug knew that she needed to pretend that she had no idea what Chat Noir was up to, but she felt quite excited about her new nickname. It was something so simple, but it meant a lot to her.
''Good evening, Chat Noir,'' she said as she approached him.
''Good evening, Ladybug,'' Chat Noir replied, his ears twitching as he realized that she was in a really good mood. ''How was your day? You seem to be really cheerful tonight.''
''My day was a bit of a rollercoaster, but otherwise, I had a nice experience,'' Ladybug replied. Chat Noir's eyes gleamed.
''That's great to hear,'' he said, scratching the back of his head as he thought about how to formulate his next question. It may have sounded odd for him, but he put a lot of faith in Bridgette's judgement. She had been right about his relationship with Ladybug and he felt that he should trust her, at least a little bit. Let's hope that this works.
''How was your day?'' Ladybug suddenly asked, catching him off guard. Chat Noir shrugged.
''It was normal,'' he replied nonchalantly, his tail swishing as he grinned, a fang poking out of the corner of his mouth. ''I had been thinking about giving you a new nickname.''
''Oh, really?'' Ladybug said, rising an eyebrow and placing her hands on her hips. She knew she had to pretend that she was suspicious of him, but in truth, she was looking forward to the conversation. ''What did you come up with?''
''Would you mind being called Bug?'' Chat Noir asked, smiling sheepishly, his tail swishing as he waited for the answer in anticipation. Ladybug tilted her head, crossing her arms as she thought about it. Chat Noir felt a little anxious as he waited for her answer, his ears drooping. Maybe this was a stupid idea. Maybe I shouldn't have asked her. Maybe…
''I like it,'' Ladybug said suddenly, smiling. Chat Noir immediately perked up.
''Really?''
''Yeah, it's short, to the point and sounds cute,'' Ladybug replied happily, gazing at Chat Noir, who looked quite proud of himself, still grinning like an idiot. ''Anyways, we need to leave. We still have a patrol to complete.''
''I'm right behind you, Bug,'' Chat Noir said, following her across the city.
xXx
The patrol was for the most part uneventful and Ladybug realized that it was going to be a slow night. Still, there was a topic she needed to address. As she and Chat Noir leaped on the Louvre Museum building, she turned to her partner.
''Say, Chat, have you seen the news cover for Monsieur Pigeon's attack?'' she asked. Chat Noir nodded, not looking pleased.
''I guess this would've happened at some point,'' he said, crossing his arms. ''We're lucky that we aren't being followed by a bunch of reporters chasing after the big scoop. I'm not going to let a bunch of vultures pry into our superhero and civilian lives.''
''Then we're on the same page,'' Ladybug replied. ''The only other issue I have is someone trying to paint us as dangerous vigilantes. It would only cause unnecessary panic and I don't want to deal with that.''
''You mean, just like a certain comic book character,'' Chat Noir said, smirking. Ladybug managed to only catch the glint in his eyes before he launched into a tirade, '''Who are Ladybug and Chat Noir? They're criminals, I say! A menace to the city! We'll put them on the front page, make them infamous! Wait, what do you mean 'we don't have pictures of Ladybug and Chat Noir'?! You're fired! No, wait, you're un-fired. Put an add on the front page: 'Cash money for a picture of Ladybug and Chat Noir!'. What are you waiting for? A raise?! Get out!'''
By the end of his monologue, Ladybug was laughing out loud. ''That was amazing! You really should consider acting.''
''No, thanks, I don't like the spotlight, but I like making you laugh,'' Chat Noir said, bowing. ''I'm glad that you enjoyed my skit, Bug.''
''You're welcome,'' Ladybug replied, waving him over to follow her as she leaped off the Louvre Museum and onto another building. ''It's a surprisingly peaceful night.''
''Let's hope it'll last…'' Chat Noir said, giving her a playful look. ''Maybe we could spend some alone time together.''
''Aren't we spending a lot of alone time already?'' Ladybug asked sarcastically. Still, the gaze she gave him was one of amusement rather than annoyance. Chat Noir knew that she wasn't angry at him, but he wasn't going to test her patience. She had made it clear how she felt about his flirtatious nature and she would fight back if necessary.
Still, he had to try. He needed to remove his curse. Fortunately, he had the whole night for that.
xXx
Claude stared at the ceiling of his room, lying on his bed and holding a basketball. His eyes narrowed as he remembered Bridgette's somber gaze when she had told him that she wouldn't be pursuing Félix anymore. While he was glad that she gave up on him, as he didn't understand why she would crush on someone who would never return her feelings, he still felt sorry for her.
It also irked him that after Bridgette had started to avoid Félix, he had suddenly decided to talk to her. If he really wanted to avoid Bridgette, why would he put an effort into approaching her? What was his deal anyways? Was he still angry at her and decided to stalk her? Admittedly, Claude couldn't imagine Félix acting like that, but on the other hand, he didn't even know the guy well enough to know how he'd act.
If there is one person who'd know Agreste, it's Bridgette. Claude closed his eyes, seeing an image of Bridgette smiling. She was the only one who put effort into getting to know him, despite his refusal to engage. Even Allegra, who was the class president and kept tabs on everyone, nor Sophie, who had been interested in the Agreste brand due to her hobby as a fashion designer, had any luck with him.
Claude sighed, opening his eyes and threw the basketball up, catching it. He frowned.
I know that Bri told me she had everything under control and not to worry, but I can't bear seeing her like this any longer. If I don't interfere, things might get only worse for her. Claude felt something something constricting his chest as he remembered the times Bridgette was trying to smile and tell him that she was fine, only to break down crying because she couldn't handle being bullied anymore. He hated himself for not being able to help her at the time and had promised to himself to never let Bridgette get hurt.
I'll have to talk to Agreste tomorrow for Bri's sake.
xXx
Claude was walking towards school, having spent a good chunk of the night preparing his speech for his confrontation with Félix. He had hoped that this would prevent Félix from bothering Bridgette. To his surprise, instead of encountering a dejected Bridgette at the school gate, she was happily talking to Allan, acting as if yesterday's events had never happened.
''Hey, Bri! Hi, Allan!'' Claude greeted them. ''How are you two doing?''
''I feel great today,'' Bridgette replied in a chipper tone. Claude observed her carefully, searching for the familiar shadow that would cover her face whenever she pretended she was fine. Curiously, there was nothing.
''I'm fine,'' Allan replied. ''I was just telling Bridgette how Cori and her bandmates left today for Lyon.''
''I hope that you two got to hang out for a bit,'' Claude told Allan, who nodded. ''Speaking of which, thanks once again for the tickets.''
''No problem,'' Allan replied.
''Hey, guys!'' Allan, Bridgette and Claude turned around, only to see Allegra and Sophie approaching them. ''Has any of you seen Carmilla? She told me she'd meet me up here.''
''No, we haven't,'' Allan replied, taking a quick glance around as more and more students started to walk into the school building. ''Maybe she is already inside?''
''It is possible,'' Allegra muttered with a huff. ''Although, I thought she'd be here…''
''We should also go. The classes are going to start soon and I don't want Mme. Cartier get on our case for being late,'' Sophie reminded them.
The group agreed and made their way over to the entrance when they suddenly heard a loud clatter behind them, as if someone had kicked a can. They turned around, only to see Félix picking up a thermos bottle that had fallen out of his backpack. He looked up, realizing he drew their attention and, without showing any reaction, walked up to Bridgette and gave her the thermos bottle.
''Thank you for the tea,'' he quickly added, walking past them and into the school. Bridgette blinked, but then smiled.
''You're welcome!'' she yelled after him, with Félix wincing and quickening his pace. Bridgette kept grinning as she placed the thermos bottle back into her backpack and glanced her her friends. Her ahoge stood up in confusion when she saw all of them glaring at her. ''Uh, guys? What's wrong?''
''Girl, didn't you tell us yesterday that Félix hates you? What was this all about?'' Sophie burst out. Bridgette gave them a sheepish look, scratching the back of her head.
''Well, I guess I forgot to tell you that it was all a misunderstanding on my part,'' she explained. ''Félix appeared yesterday at the tea shop and told me that he just wanted to apologize for acting like a jerk.''
''Really? Félix?'' Allegra rose an eyebrow, staring at Bridgette in disbelief. ''The Ice Prince?''
''Who would've thought,'' Allan said, just as surprised as everyone else.
''Are you sure that he didn't have some ulterior motive?'' Claude asked, not really believing that Félix would sincerely apologize to Bridgette. Bridgette stared at him for a moment.
''He was genuine in his apology,'' she replied. Claude fell silent, contemplating his decision, only for Allegra to draw their attention.
''Guys, we need to go,'' she told them, holding open the door.
''Right,'' Claude said as they all walked towards their classroom. It hadn't rung yet, but most of the students were already there. Claude sat next to Allan, briefly glancing at Félix, who was sitting alone at the row across him, right after Bridgette and Sophie. He busied himself with reading a book until the teacher arrived. Claude then gazed at Bridgette and Sophie, who were excitedly chatting about something, feeling the worry rising inside him.
She is not going to give up on him, is she?
xXx
''Gran Mei said that the mooncakes are going to be especially delicious this year. She even made one for display at the tea shop,'' Bridgette told Sophie excitedly. They had a break, and Bridgette decided to continue her conversation from earlier. ''However, what I'm most excited about is the family reunion. Mum had stayed in London the entire summer due to work, but she finally got some time off to visit us. She had also promised to bring candied fruit. Also, I can't wait for us to work on our traditional family lantern.''
''I'm really happy for you,'' Sophie said, smiling at her friend's excitement. ''I just hope you'll have clear weather for the celebration. You did tell me that the Mid-Autumn Festival involves dinner under moonlight.''
''Yeah, and then Gran Mei tells us the story about Chang'e and her husband Hou Yi, and we try to find Chang'e's shape on the sky,'' Bridgette added. ''I always loved the story part and how my grandmother tells it, especially considering how, despite drinking the immortality elixir, Chang'e still choose to live on the moon to be closer to Hou Yi.''
''You know, the story does sound a bit tragic to me,'' Sophie said. ''In a situation where you can choose to be murdered or drink an elixir of immortality and give up the life you loved so your murdered won't take it, it must've been a tough choice. Not that she really had a choice under those circumstances.''
''Maybe her story is tragic, but I pray that mine won't end the same,'' Bridgette said, winking at Sophie. Her friend just sighed in exasperation, well aware of what Bridgette meant.
Unknown to them, Amber and Jeanne had overheard the conversation, but Amber was too busy showing something to Jeanne on her smartphone.
''The restaurant my parents had chosen is the best of the best, top class!'' she said loudly, hoping to be overheard by her fellow classmates, especially Bridgette. ''The chef my mother hired had actually worked in high-class restaurants in France, Italy, Spain and Great Britain. I had actually checked some of his specialties and the dishes he makes are to die for.'' She smirked, glancing at Bridgette and sneered, ''Certainly better than stupid mooncakes.''
''Oh, I wish I could join you for dinner,'' Jeanne told Amber in awe, but the latter didn't respond. Instead, she frowned when she realized that Bridgette wasn't paying any attention to her and was completely focused on her conversation with Sophie. She huffed, crossing her arms and turned to Jeanne, only to be startled by a notification on her smartphone.
She read the message, her eyes widening in shock. Jeanne gave her a worried look.
''Amber, are you okay?'' she asked, while Amber felt her blood boil.
''No, I'm not!'' Amber snapped, growing more frustrated when she suddenly heard Bridgette laugh at something. She stomped over to her desk, taking out a piece of paper and folding it into a plane, writing the words ''SHUT UP!'' on it, then pointed it right at Bridgette and threw it when she nor Sophie were looking.
Smirking, she observed as the plane flew across towards Bridgette, hoping that it would hit her right in her head and stay stuck in her hair. Unfortunately for Amber, her paper plane suddenly veered off its intended direction, doing a loop and hitting Amber straight in the head, getting tangled in the strands of her ponytail. Jeanne, who saw the whole thing, tried to say something, but Amber held up her hand.
''Don't say anything!'' she growled through her gritted teeth and left her desk, grabbing the paper plane and throwing it in the bin as she left the classroom. Even though most of her shanenigans went unnoticed, she still felt humiliated and she needed to get away from Bridgette's presence. She stopped in the corridor, taking out her smartphone and re-read the message again.
''Dear Ashley, I have another appointment today and I'll be having dinner with my client instead with you and your father. I hope you don't mind that I'll be using the family reservation for this, as this meeting is really important to me. I told your father to buy you something nice instead. For example, you could finally replace that cheap-looking necklace with something nicer. Mother knows best!''
Feeling enraged, Amber wanted to throw her smartphone away, but decided against, aware that damaging it wouldn't fix the situation. She was looking forward to this family dinner, as both of her parents barely had any time for her, this being the first time they did something together in the past two months, and now it was ruined. The fact that Bridgette kept on bragging about her own family dinner didn't help.
''Who does she think she is? Cheng thinks she's so much better just because her mother is going to visit her,'' Amber grumbled, fuming, only to hear a snort from behind her. She turned around, surprised to see the same girl she encountered when she had lost- correction, someone stole her bracelet and placed it in her locker.
''What are you smiling for?'' Amber confront her.
''Nothing,'' Carmilla replied, leaned against the wall, her arms crossed on her chest. ''I was just enjoying the show.'' She smirked. ''Although, maybe I should be worried. People say that talking to oneself might be a sign of a mental illness.''
Amber glared at her, wanting to respond, but she didn't have a good comeback aside from 'I'm not crazy!'. Instead, she huffed, pretending that Carmilla was beneath her. Still, it didn't appear that Carmilla was going to give up so easily.
''I heard you mentioned Bridgette. Do you have any beef with her?'' Carmilla asked.
''That's none of your business,'' Amber snapped.
''I'm friend with Bridgette and if someone has a problem with my friends, they have a problem with me, capisci?'' Carmilla told Amber, who just glared at the latter. ''I don't really like people like you, people who think they're above everyone and everything. Your kind needs to get knocked down a peg.''
''Like I could give a damn about what someone like you thinks about me,'' Amber replied angrily.
''Of course you don't, but that's the beauty in it.'' Carmilla gave her a sinister grin. ''You become unaware of whatever threat looms over you, unaware of who your real friends are… if have any.''
Something in Carmilla's tone sent chills down Amber's spine. She had already suspected that the girl was up to no good when she saw her just appearing out of nowhere when she and Allegra searched her locker for her bracelet, but now, she was sure that Carmilla had it out for her. Still, she had no evidence that she was threatening her. It wasn't a crime to dislike someone and so far she hadn't said anything that would be considered alarming. Even though Amber's father was the mayor of Paris and she liked to use his position to get whatever she wanted, she understood that this wasn't something her father could help her with. It was quite frustrating.
''Carmilla!'' Both Carmilla and Amber turned around, seeing Allegra approaching them breathlessly. Amber noticed Carmilla's expression changing from contempt to joy. ''I was searching for you.''
''I'm so sorry! I actually wanted to meet up with you, but I came today late to school,'' Carmilla replied in such a sweet and apologetic tone that made Amber gag.
''What did you want to talk about?'' Allegra asked, with Carmilla grabbing her hand and pulling her away from Amber.
''Oh, I was just thinking about how to deal with my boredom and I came up with something interesting,'' Carmilla replied, glancing at Amber over her shoulder. She smirked, her eyes narrowing. ''You know, something to keep myself and others on our toes.''
Despite the fact that Carmilla was still talking to Allegra, Amber had the uncanny feeling that her speech was also partially directed towards her. She shuddered.
xXx
Félix was at the locker room, picking up the books he needed for to bring home. So far, the day passed without any incident. Even Bridgette, who would smile at him whenever they locked eyes, kept her distance. Félix wasn't really sure what to make of it, as he expected her to start approaching and following him around, but from what he had heard, Bridgette was too excited about the arrival of her mother to pay any attention to him.
I suppose that's a good sign.
He placed the last book into his briefcase backpack, having spotted Plagg being soundly asleep in a pocket inside it, and put it around his shoulder. However, before he could even make a step further, he was blocked, not by Bridgette, but by Claude out of all people. Félix rose an eyebrow as he saw his fellow classmate, wondering silently what Claude wanted from him. He knew that Claude didn't like him and that it had to do with Bridgette's crush on him, but he still wasn't sure what reasons Claude would have for confronting him out of blue.
''Hey, Agreste,'' Claude greeted him.
''What do you want from me Savard?'' Félix asked. If he was going to waste time talking with Claude, he didn't want the latter to dance around the issue and tell him outright what was bothering him. Claude stared at him for a moment, seemingly contemplating his next move and, with a sharp exhale, stepped up.
''I wanted to talk to you about Bridgette,'' he told Félix. The latter crossed his arms, not showing much of a reaction. He had already anticipated that Bridgette might get mentioned in this conversation. ''I don't really know what's going on between you two, besides what Bri had told me…''
''What did Bridgette tell you?'' Félix asked. His expression or voice didn't betray any emotion, but he had to admit that he was curious. Sure, it wasn't that hard to overhear Bridgette's conversations with her friends, since he was sitting right in front of her, but he figured that he didn't hear everything.
''She had told me that you two had a misunderstanding and that you apologized for acting like a jerk,'' Claude replied, giving Félix a scrutinizing look. Félix recognized it, being the same type of gaze Gabriel would give him whenever he suspected that Félix was up to something or thought he was lying. He didn't say anything, though, with Claude continuing, ''I'm not sure what you're up to, or whether you're being honest, but there's one thing you should know – if you ever hurt Bridgette, you'll have to deal with me.''
''Is that supposed to be a threat?'' Félix remarked, completely unperturbed by Claude's statement.
''No, it's a warning,'' Claude told him. ''If you cause trouble…''
''…you'll be there to stop me?'' Félix cut him off. Not leaving room for Claude to reply, he added, ''Since when do you decide what is best for Bridgette? Have you even told her that you want to confront me?''
''N-No, I didn't,'' Claude stuttered, his tone resigned. However, it lasted for a moment, as he gave Félix a determined look. ''I'm not the one who decides what is best for Bridgette, but I will not hesitate to protect her if necessary.''
''You sound like an overprotective boyfriend,'' Félix said bluntly, carefully observing Claude's reaction. Claude's eyes widened at the accusation, but then he frowned, clenching his fists.
''Try overprotective brother.''
Félix stared at Claude for a moment, his gaze intense. He never really thought of Claude as someone who'd go out of his way to confront him. Sure, the looks he gave him were a sign of hostility, but he ignored him. He didn't know why Claude was so protective of Bridgette, but he assumed that it had to do with some past event that forced him into action. Frankly, he didn't even plan on getting involved in Bridgette's life and only recently had he started considering her offer of friendship. He still wasn't sure how to approach the situation, but he wasn't going to let anyone tell him what he should do.
''What happens between me and Bridgette is our problem, not yours,'' Félix told Claude coldly, leaving the room. Surprisingly, Claude didn't bother to stop him. Despite a lack of reaction, Félix knew that Claude would keep an eye on him.
xXx
''I was informed by Adeline that your teachers have issues with your homework,'' Gabriel said his eyes narrowing as he observed his nephew. Much to Félix's annoyance, his uncle had managed to find time for them having dinner. ''What is going on?''
''I don't know,'' Félix replied, trying sound as indifferent and emotionless as possible.
''Perhaps, it would be better if I returned you back to homeschooling,'' Gabriel said. ''At least your tutors were professionals and reliable.''
''I'm sure that those issues will be sorted out,'' Félix replied, standing up. He did not want to spend another second around Gabriel. ''I'll be in my room.''
He walked up towards the door, only to freeze when Gabriel rose his voice.
''Adeline had also mentioned that your teachers observed your lack of social interaction.'' Gabriel's voice was like icy water washing over Félix. The teenager turned around, facing his uncle. Gabriel stood up, walking over to his nephew, his hands on his back. ''You do remember what I had told you about making social connections, don't you?''
Félix nodded, but didn't answer. Instead, his eyes flicked down as he tried to avoid his uncle's intense stare. Somehow, Gabriel always managed to make him feel like he was nothing, like he didn't deserve to be here. He was unwelcome and the only reason Gabriel even considered letting him stay was because Félix was his late sister's son. Gabriel kept staring at Félix in silence, before turning around and taking a few steps forward, then stopped.
''Creating connections with someone else on an emotional level will only hinder you,'' Gabriel said, his eyes flickering briefly towards Félix. ''Keep that in mind when you seek support. Unless the other person has something to offer, they're otherwise useless.''
''Understood, sir,'' Félix muttered in defeat, observing his Gabriel leaving the room. Once he was gone, he felt like he could breathe again. The whole room was ice-cold and he hated every second he had to spend inside it.
Quickly returning to his room, he was met by a familiar black cat followed by a strong scent of cheese bumping into his chest and flying up, pressing his tiny paws against his cheeks. ''You took so long, Kid!''
''Uncle Gabriel wanted me to attend dinner with him,'' Félix replied, feeling slightly irked. He really didn't like to be touched, especially in the face, but he let it slide. Plagg flew over to his shoulder, sitting on it and grinning.
''Then we should just leave,'' he said. ''Trust me, Kid, the fresh air will do you good and help you clear your head.''
''I know,'' Félix replied, holding up his hand with the ring as Plagg flew up to him. ''Plagg, transform me!''
xXx
''Perhaps, this will do,'' the jewelry store manager said, pointing at a beautiful necklace with tiny diamonds encrusted into it. Amber scoffed, crossing her arms as her exasperated father gave her a defeated look.
''Amber, my sweet child, we've been searching for the perfect necklace for hours. We looked at most jewelry stores and even online and you rejected every single one. Please, tell me what exactly you want,'' André Bourgeouis pleaded tiredly. He was fairly certain that his daughter inherited her stubbornness and taste for fine jewelry and clothes from her mother, Audrey, making it quite difficult to satisfy her whenever he was out buying gifts for her. Amber groaned, turning to her father.
''None of these necklaces are what I want!'' she replied. ''They all look tacky!''
André stiffened, giving the manager an apologetic look. The manager, who was also exhausted, just shrugged tiredly. Amber glanced down at the necklace she was already wearing, a golden necklace with a heart-shaped locket, and frowned, her hand clasping around the locket. Despite what her mother had told her and despite visiting numerous jewelry stores, she didn't want to replace her favorite necklace with an another one. She didn't want another shiny gift that had zero meaning to her.
''I'm leaving!'' she said in a haughty tone, walking out of the jewelry store and into the dark street. It was late in the night, with street lamps illuminating the front of the store. She took out her smartphone, wanting to vent her frustrations out by sending Jeanne a message, not knowing that someone was observing her.
She cried out when someone grabbed her suddenly from behind, placing their hand over her mouth in order to prevent her from screaming. Her smartphone fell out of her hands as she wiggled, trying to escape the person's grip, the screen shattering on the floor.
''Da-, hel-ugh m-!'' Amber tried to scream, seeing her father's bodyguard running out of the car. Her father, who had been apologizing to the manager, had also noticed what was going on, gasped in shock. The person who was holding her suddenly removed their hand from Amber's mouth and pointed it at the bodyguard, with Amber seeing the shadow of a gun on the nearby wall. The person fired at the bodyguard, hitting his right arm and causing him to collapse on the ground, bleeding. Amber froze as the person, a man dressed as a mime, slung her over his shoulder and ran. A moment later, she realized that she was being kidnapped and screamed as loud as she could, ''HELP ME!''
Amber could hear her father yelling for her, but at this point, the Mime ran into another alley, one that was devoid of people and continued running. After he entered another street, he placed Amber on the ground and started wrapping an invisible rope around her, tying her up. After the initial shock passed, Amber looked up at the Mime, still processing her situation.
''What do you want from me?! If it's money, Dad will pay anything! He's the mayor of Paris, after all!'' she told the man, but the Mime ignored her. Instead, he looked up at the sky, as if waiting for something. Amber wondered if he assumed that they were being followed. Either way, the situation didn't look good for her. She noticed him miming something again and glanced at the shadow beside her, realizing that it was a crossbow. What is he doing?!
Suddenly, something leaped out of the darkness, with the Mime firing at them. To his shock, it was a shield made out of bug wings that were flapping at high speeds.
''Chat, now!''
The Mime gritted his teeth as Chat Noir leaped from the building above him. At the same time, Ladybug emerged from a corner, picking up her shield and running towards him. The Mime made a snap decision and turned to Ladybug, forming a hammer in his hands and swinging at her.
''Black Storm!'' Chat Noir fired at the same moment Ladybug dodged Mime's attack and grabbed Amber, turning her shield back into a yo-yo and using it to swing up at the building.
''Ladybug!'' Amber gasped as the superheroine placed her on the ground, trying to undo the rope. ''I- How did you-?''
''A superhero is always on alert,'' Ladybug told her as the two were approached by Chat Noir, who infused his claws with dark energy and cut cleanly through the rope.
''You're lucky we were on patrol nearby,'' Chat Noir told her, giving Amber a cheeky grin. ''Although, that scream probably awoke half of Paris.''
''Well, that was the idea!'' Amber snapped back, overcoming her initial shock. ''I was hoping that you would hear me.''
Ladybug and Chat Noir exchanged knowing grins, with Amber giving them a suspicious look. Still, despite her aggressive attitude earlier, she was thankful that they saved her. Unfortunately for the three, the battle was far from over. Chat Noir's ears twitched as he heard a metallic sound, him and Ladybug stepping in front of Amber protectively. They realized that the Mime used a grappling hook to climb the building and once he was on the roof, he formed another hammer. Ladybug grabbed her compact and turned to Amber.
''Stay behind us and don't engage. We'll deal with the Mime,'' she said. Amber stared at Ladybug, but then nodded and quickly got as far away from the two superheroes as possible, finding a hiding spot behind a ventilator. Ladybug then turned to Chat Noir. ''Let's take him down as quick as possible.''
''I agree,'' Chat Noir replied, infusing his claws with energy, while Ladybug turned her compact into a staff.
Both of them charged at the Mime, with Chat Noir going first, attempting to slash at the Mime, only to be met with a swing of the villains hammer. However, before it could connect, Ladybug appeared, blocking the hammer with her staff and allowing an opening for Chat Noir. He gathered energy in his palm, punching straight into the Mime's chest and knocking him away.
Amber peeked out of her hiding spot at the action that was going on, awed by Ladybug and Chat Noir's teamwork against the Mime. The villain managed to get up, throwing the hammer at the two, only to reveal that it was attached to a chain and swung it. Chat Noir, who was standing next to Ladybug, got hit, while Ladybug evaded the attack.
''Chat!'' She knelt beside him, with Chat Noir getting up.
''I'm fine, Bug,'' he replied and turned his attention towards the Mime, who was spinning the hammer attached to the chain, grinning. He then threw the hammer once again at them, but Chat Noir was quicker.
''Black Hole!'' He extended his arm, forming a black hole in front of him, the hammer disappearing right into it, much to the Mime's shock. Chat Noir closed his palm, which also closed the black hole, allowing Ladybug an opening as she swung her yo-yo and wrapped it around the Mime's legs and pulling back in order to cause him to fall. However, he managed to quickly form another crossbow, firing at her. Ladybug easily avoided the arrows, but a stray one almost hit Chat Noir hadn't it been for his cat-like senses.
Meanwhile, Amber realized that the battle was slowly escalating and, considering she had no superpowers, she was the one who'd most likely get injured. She crawled out of her hiding spot and went towards the entrance to the rooftop, but as she turned around to make sure nobody was following her, she caught a brief glimpse of the shadow of an arrow flying straight towards her.
''Watch out!'' Before she could even scream, Ladybug was right in front of her, with her shield open and protecting her from the arrow. She glanced back at her. ''Are you okay?''
''Yeah!'' Amber breathed, feeling a little dazed due to all of the adrenaline pumping through her body. ''Does this happen often?''
''You have no idea,'' Ladybug replied, focusing back on the Mime, who was fighting Chat Noir in hand-to-hand combat.
Despite the fear of his bad luck acting like a hindrance, he managed to stand his ground, dodging Mime's attacks nimbly and landing another kick in the gut. The Mime stumbled, and formed another hammer, swinging at Chat Noir. He somersaulted backwards, avoiding the attack, with Ladybug leaping at the Mime and swinging her staff at him, knocking him over the building. The Mime managed to hold onto the edge of the building, though, glaring back at both Ladybug and Chat Noir. They all suddenly heared sirens, with the Mime letting go of the edge. However, he stayed afloat in mid-air, with a jet pack-like device attached to his back and left.
Ladybug and Chat Noir exchanged glances, both of their expressions revealing that they wouldn't be following the Mime. They were both exhausted from the battle and they weren't going to deal with more than necessary.
''You're safe now,'' Ladybug told Amber as she approached them. ''I hope the Mime didn't harm you.''
''Well, none of my nails are broken and my hair is just a little messed up, so call it mission accomplished,'' Amber told her in a haughty tone, with Ladybug and Chat Noir giving her a pointed look. They did not believe that she would be this nonchalant after such an attack. It appeared that Amber had caught on what they were thinking, as she added, ''Thank you for saving me!''
''You're we-'' Ladybug was about to reply when Amber smiled, grabbing her hand, her eyes wide in awe.
''I want to also say that that was absolutely amazing! You totally showed that villain who the boss is without breaking sweat!'' Amber said in awe. ''You're really exceptional!''
''Uh, I… It's not that of a big deal… I was fulfilling my duty as a superhero, and besides, Chat Noir also deserves credit,'' Ladybug replied. Amber turned to Chat Noir, giving him a brief gaze and nodded.
''You did also well,'' she said. Chat Noir's ears and tail lowered as he realized who was Amber's favorite out of the two. Still, he didn't care that Amber was fangirling over Ladybug, as he didn't want the attention.
''I wonder why the Mime has targeted you, though,'' Chat Noir said. He exchanged glances with Amber and Ladybug, who also realized that they were left with some unanswered questions.
''It's probably the same thing as with Monsieur Pigeon,'' Ladybug said, glancing at Amber. ''These people want to fight us and in order to draw us out, they attack crowded places, like the concert or kidnap a high-profile person, like the daughter of the mayor of Paris.''
''Well, I'm glad that I'm at least important for something,'' Amber grumbled in a snarky tone, only to raise an eyebrow as she thought about something. Ladybug and Chat Noir exchanged glances, both aware that this was something that they would have to discuss at some point, but now, they just wanted to bring Amber back to her father safely.
xXx
''You heard that right! I was kidnapped by this villain, the Mime, but luckily, Ladybug and Chat Noir saved me,'' Amber told the group of people who had gathered around her. It was the morning after the fight with the Mime and Amber was telling Jeanne what had happened to her. Word had spread and more people gathered around Amber, wanting to hear her story. The only exceptions were Bridgette and Félix, who remained in their seats as they could hear Amber's story from afar due to how loud she was. Instead, Bridgette was focused on distributing the mooncakes among her friends, while Félix was reading a book.
I guess I should add Amber to my list of topics I need to discuss with Ladybug, Félix thought as he flipped the page. Last night, he and Ladybug departed quickly, without having their usual conversation, so Félix hoped he would make up for it today. He also had other issues he needed to deal with, like Bridgette's offer to be his friend, Claude's warning and what Gabriel had told him.
''Félix?''
Félix looked up, seeing Bridgette holding a small plastic bag with mooncakes inside them, the top wrapped neatly with a red bow. She smiled as she placed it on his desk, not even waiting for a 'Thank you!' from Félix. The teenager looked down at the mooncakes, noting how this was the first time he ever tasted a pastry like that. However, before he could even take a bite, he heard a smartphone ring behind him, realizing that it was Bridgette's. He turned his head towards her as she took her smartphone out, reading the message.
She looked like she was in shock at first, her eyes wide as she re-read the message. Her ahoge then drooped and she lowered her head, her bangs hiding her eyes, placing the mooncakes on her table quietly and leaving the classroom. Félix looked around, realizing that his classmates were too distracted by Amber to even notice that Bridgette was gone. Well aware that he might regret it, he followed Bridgette, wondering what kind of message she would get to make her so upset. He found her in the locker room, hearing her talking to someone on the phone. He leaned against the lockers that separated them, making sure that Bridgette didn't see him.
''Mum, you promised…'' Bridgette pleaded. Félix realized that she was probably talking to her mother. ''It's Mid-Autumn Festival, you know that today is the day when the family gathers. Why couldn't you-'' She fell silent, listening to her mother. ''I-I see… There is nothing that can be done…'' She bit her lip, her eyes tearing. ''N-No… I understand that it's an emergency, but I-I had hoped to see you again…'' She was silent once again. ''O-Okay… I-I'm not crying… No, I'll be fine, I promise… Bye.''
Bridgette cancelled the call, leaning against the locker. Tears started trailing down her cheeks as she sobbed. Her knees weakened, forcing her to sit down as she cried in frustration. She had no idea that Félix was standing on the other side, behind the lockers, listening to her crying. Even though he heard only one side of the conversation, he realized Bridgette's mother was probably unable to return home for the holiday, causing Bridgette to break down crying. While he had no idea about Bridgette's family situation, he understood well how it felt when a loved one wasn't able to return home.
In spite of his better judgement, he remained standing in the locker room, listening to Bridgette sobbing. He didn't want to reveal himself, but he didn't want to leave her alone either. A part of him, the more nonsensical side, had hoped that his unseen presence might bring her comfort, as it was his own way of telling her that she wasn't alone. He knew that it was stupid.
Neither of them were aware of the dark clouds gathering outside.
