Marinette and Bloom make it to school just in time for science class, after the red-head remembered that they had 'somewhere to be' after stopping the Magician of Misfortune. If they never have to fight that particular Akuma again, they'll all be so happy - his powers consisted of making everything around him go wrong, and it was only Dragon Fyre's own magic that could break through it even relatively effectively.
Miss Mendeleiev demands to know what excuse they have this time for being late, and before Marinette can come up with something Bloom quickly says "Sorry, Ma'am. The Magician of Misfortune happened, and we couldn't get away until he was beaten." Thankfully, it was close enough to the school that it's believable - as excuses go, they've had to use some rather embarrassing ones and this is definitely one of the better ones. At least this time she doesn't have to go with 'they locked themselves in the girl's bathroom by accident' like Marinette came up with in a panic.
Thankfully, Rose takes the strict teacher's attention by spraying her perfume. Miss Mendeleiev purses her lips, and says "Thank you, Rose, but I don't think the classroom needs extra refreshing." She confiscates both the perfume bottle and Rose's smartphone, then sends her off to the principal's office before giving a rather explosive demonstration of just why she doesn't allow perfume in the class. Because it immediately ignites when hit with a spark from the covered fire-starter she keeps on her desk for exactly this purpose - trying to get lab-safety through her students' heads.
Bloom's the only one who doesn't gasp at the sight of the perfume going up in a sudden flash, since there was a - not-so - tiny incident one time with a bottle of perfume that got tossed because the owner didn't like it. Probably Chloe, honestly. She picked it up, tried it out…and accidentally started coughing uncontrollably, making her magic flare up and the bottle abruptly explode. Whether that was because she just accidentally blew the bottle up or because she ignited the perfume, she'll never really know - but she's all-too-familiar with perfume exploding.
It doesn't escape Bloom's notice that Marinette's nervous all day - or that her purse, where Tikki usually hides, keeps sneezing. She privately shows Bloom Tikki upon the red-head's request, and Bloom's absolutely horrified to learn Kwamis can get sick. Tikki can't even fly, that's how bad she is. She quietly hisses "What happened?!"
Marinette anxiously says "I don't know, when I transformed back she was sneezing! What about Longg?"
Longg peeks out from his spot in Bloom's hair, and says "I'm alright, thank you for asking. My Hatchling's magic kept me from falling ill. What if you…?"
Bloom shrugs, feeling helpless as she stares at Tikki's shivering form - the first time she recharged Plagg for her brother, to keep him from timing out, he said the black Kwami was on something like a sugar-high for hours afterwards. Flying haphazard laps all around his room at superspeed, almost vibrating with energy he couldn't just Cataclysm away - a Kwami's powers can't be used without a Holder without much…larger consequences. The dinosaurs went extinct, along with Dragons, for instance, because Plagg Cataclysm'd them.
Who knows what would happen if she over-charged the Kwami of Creation - with a Holder, it seemed that power gets dialed down to the creation of the Lucky Charm and the same with Plagg's power of Destruction simply destroying a single object and possibly spreading to anything touching it instead of leveling a whole city. Who knows, maybe Dragons would be recreated if Tikki had to release a lot of energy all at once - which, while it would undoubtedly be cool, it would also be incredibly destructive.
Trying to call up only a small spark of her magic - an ember compared to even a small bonfire - Bloom makes a bit of fire on her index finger and pushes it into Tikki's body. "I'm not sure how well you'll react to my magic, Tikki, but this should at least warm you up…"
Tikki moans "Oh, it feels amazing…" She curls around Bloom's finger for a moment, and says "I'm feeling a bit better. Marinette, after school, I need you to take me to a Healer I know of."
Marinette nods, and Bloom says "Just take her to him, and she'll be fine, Mari. We'll go after school." For whatever reason, Master Fu had her swear not to take either of them there unless it was an emergency - she figures a Kwami being sick counts.
Unfortunately…they see Chloe tear up the letter Rose wrote in science class, and then drive off leaving Rose in tears over the torn-up letter. Bloom groans, and Mari quietly says "Go on, Bloom. I'll make it there fine."
Bloom makes her way into the hotel via Chloe's suite as Dragon Fyre - it probably doesn't count as 'breaking and entering' if she magically unlocks the door to use the stairs, right? - and invisibly makes her way down to the press conference.
She sees a boy that can only be Prince Ali practically light up at the news that the Mayor has organized an extravagant fireworks display, but then he deflates as soon as his chaperone says it might not fit in his busy schedule. The similarities between Prince Ali and Adrien right then, even the things his ghost is saying - how he never has any free time, how he doesn't have any friends his age, and how he never gets to have any fun - make her want to give the poor kid a hug.
And, clearly, her brother's rubbed off on her too much.
And his chaperone reminds her of Nathalie - maybe they're distantly related? Nobody else she knows - or even knows of - is that focused on a schedule. Though, at least this woman seems to have a reason - the Prince is to be escorted everywhere with highly-trained guards for his own safety, as he's the only heir to the throne. And, if something happens to him, it would be her head on the line.
And then, just like she knew would happen, Rose walks in as an Akuma. And she looks...weird, and that's saying something coming from the girl who shoots fire from her fingertips. Green skin, pink hair done in a high braid reminiscent of a perfume bottle's rubber tube, and a slightly crazy look on her face when she sees Prince Ali. She hits Chloe with a shot of something from her gun - is that her perfume bottle?! - and suddenly the room smells like stinky fish that's been out in the sun for too long.
Thinking fast, the invisible superhero activates the confetti machine and round-house kicks Rose - or, Princess Fragrance, if the singing people are anything to go by - into the nearby seats. She reveals herself, grabbing Prince Ali by the wrist and yelling "Let's go, everyone out!"
Mayor Bourgeois gasps out a rushed explanation of the masked girl as they make their way down a flight of stairs, quickly giving the barebones details about Akumas, Hawk Moth, and the three superheroes that fight them every single day.
The chaperone says "So much chaos, how is anyone supposed to stick to a schedule around here?"
Dragon Fyre flatly says "We plan for chaos at any given moment lately. You get used to it after a while." C'mon, Brother, hurry…
They get cornered in one of the large lobbies, intended for press conferences like Prince Ali's, and Dragon Fyre gets ready for a fight - she's already tired from the Magician of Misfortune, and Princess Fragrance is getting on her nerves quick. Chloe's fish smell isn't helping matters, though.
And then a familiar voice jokingly says "Pee-uh! Can we get some fresh air in here?"
Dragon Fyre instantly relaxes, and calls over "Don't breathe in the gas, brother. You'll end up singing, for one."
Cat Noir privately decides he's not going to try to figure out what that means right now - either his sister is serious, or she's so tired by now she's mixing up her words. He's not sure which would be preferable - an Akuma that brainwashes people into singing, among other things, or his magical sister pretty much out of the fight. He deflects a shot from the perfume gun, asking "Where's Ladybug, Sis? She's usually pretty on-top of things."
Dragon Fyre tosses a fireball at Princess Fragrance, making the Akuma shoot a bolt of perfume to block it, and the result is a cloud of smoke that makes enough cover to get everyone out of the room. They quickly slide down Cat Noir's staff to the sidewalk, Dragon Fyre using a mixing bowl as a makeshift helmet for Prince Ali, and she says "Spots is dealing with an emergency, she'll meet up with us when she can."
They get in the car, Dragon Fyre climbing on top of the car so she can fight off Princess Fragrance, and Cat Noir mutters "Get here fast, Ladybug…" He really doesn't want to know what'll happen if she doesn't show up soon.
Ladybug gets to the Ponte Des Artes bridge, Tikki feeling much better after visiting that odd vet, and is absolutely horrified to see Dragon Fyre and Cat Noir standing with an Akumatized person, someone she recognizes as Prince Ali from the recent news coverage of his arrival, someone that must be his guardian, and the Bourgeois' in the middle of the bridge. One of Dragon Fyre's arms is in Cat Noir's, even as he holds a pink box in his other hand - she'd think Dragon Fyre's magic was too drained after the earlier Akuma battle if her free hand didn't suddenly start moving.
'Mind control perfume. Don't breathe. Hanging on, tired. Your move.'
It tells her all she needs to know - her partners are still there, thankfully, just putting up an act to buy some time. Dragon Fyre is very drained, and is almost certainly going to have to sit this fight out. And she needs a clothespin.
Princess Fragrance screeches in outrage as her padlock hits the water and sinks to the riverbed, and sees Ladybug land on top of a nearby light. And then a familiar presence enters the back of her mind, the purple butterfly-mask appearing in the corner of her vision.
Use Dragon Fyre and Cat Noir to get her Miraculous!
To both Hawk Moth and Princess Fragrance's utter shock, though when she orders the four of them to attack the red-and-black spotted heroine, Dragon Fyre gives her a sharp smirk and says "Not a chance, your royal thorn in my side. Brother?" And then she realizes Dragon Fyre's eyes are a bright orange now, instead of their usual blue.
Princess Fragrance screeches and takes off with Prince Ali, right after sending one last perfume shot straight at Dragon Fyre's feet - she pushes her partner out of the way, despite his shout of protest, and the perfume shot explodes directly in front of her. She immediately starts coughing, going down to her knees even as Ladybug blows the gas away from her with the yo-yo and Cat Noir pulls her away from it.
And when they look up, they get identical expressions of horror. Because there's a cloud of pink perfume expanding over the entire city.
Dragon Fyre swallows, then says "Don't think I have it in me to burn that much perfume…" Plus, the resulting explosion may well blow the city to.
Ladybug looks around, then spots the barge with the fireworks on it. "Cat Noir, the fireworks! You set them off, I'll go after Princess Fragrance!" Dragon Fyre slides down to the floor of the bridge, saying "I think the Akuma's in her perfume-gun. Go to it, Spots."
At this point, she doesn't even need her brother insisting on her sitting the rest of this fight out - she's drained after all the fighting today. Much more, even trying to take out that sky-ful of perfume, and she'll be out like a light. Something about the way she's feeling light-headed, even in the suit, tells her as much.
Both Mayor Bourgeois and Prince Ali's chaperone look around in utter confusion - one minute, they're running from an Akuma, the next…they're out in the middle of nowhere. "The schedule's a complete disaster, we're going to be late for everything! Wait a minute, where's the Prince?! And where am I?!"
They both hear a groaning sound, and look over to see…Bloom Peters lying on a nearby bench. Andre Bourgeois asks "Bloom Peters?!" He might not like her, ever since the incident in Chloe's school, but that doesn't mean he isn't somewhat concerned about her considering she seems to be semi-conscious on the middle of a bridge. Besides, Prince Ali's chaperone is right there.
Bloom pushes herself to her feet, looks at the chaperone for a moment, then says "I'll get you to Prince Ali, so you can stop freaking out. Which hospital is it that he's supposed to be at?" She ends up getting the woman's email as thanks, since she's not only Prince Ali's chaperone but also the head of the royal PR department.
If Rose gets Prince Ali's personal phone number, and the over-stressed woman lets them say goodbye…well, that's icing on the cake. And Rose has gone from a hero-worship crush to full-blown feelings for Prince Ali, which…the sheltered, shy, sensitive boy is returning. In a way, at least - his ghost is saying he's never met someone so beautiful, heartfelt, or sincere in his entire life, and how she sees him instead of his money, title, or the family he was born into. How she admires his work helping children, and how he has to find a way to stay in contact with her. And convince his parents to give her a shot because she's so incredible.
Dear Kwamis, they're as bad as each other…
And, incidentally, her two partners.
AN: Hey, everyone! Happy early Valentine's Day! So, I caught the Valentine Day bug and couldn't help but think Rose and Prince Ali were super cute - and, incidentally, that a prince in a country that isn't his wouldn't head over to a public event with just any girl on his arm. Seriously, he just met her and his face lit up at her praise. And then he whispers into her ear! Sheltered boy meets cute girl who thinks the world of him...
Anyway, enjoy! More updates coming soon! Have a happy Valentine's Day!