Chapter 6: Animaestro(Keith's POV)
"Are you sure you can handle waiting at this event while we make food. It's very important that this goes right. I mean, I know you're not Marinette but still. Are you sure?" Sabine asks Keith as he holds a tray of black, purple, pure red, yellow and black and red and black macarons.
"I'll be fine. Macarons aren't that heavy. Besides I'm sure if I trip someone will help me."
"Only if you're sure. If it were you and Chloe doing this together I wouldn't be fretting this much. But if you insist, Keith."
"Like I said, I'll be fine. And if an alkuma does appear, Honeybee and two other members of Team Miraculous will be around to make sure we stay safe." He says to Sabine, making her relax. Even though he is annoyed by her fretting, it is kind of nice to have the attention.
"All right. Now off you go, I'm sure there are some movie premier goers who want some Macarons while they're waiting for the premier to start. And I have to go back to Tom and…"
He kisses her on the cheek(it's a common French thing French people do when they meet, but also Marinette does it to her father to show her affection, the same thing here). "I'll be fine. And you and Tom will do great providing the pastries."
Then he turns around and heads out into the throng of premier goers. It's a bit uncomfortable wearing a balck suit, but he is being a waiter, so he has to look the part. He's kind of surprised Chloe went as Honeybee to the movie premier, same with Ryuko and Rouge Renarde and not Chat Noir. Things like these seem right up his alley, but perhaps he is a more humble cat then he lets on.
"Keith!"
"Adrien." Keith smiles, "I didn't think your father would let you come."
Adrien laughs, "Yeah me too. I was kind of hoping Chloe or Kagami would be here. But Kagami's mother wouldn't allow her and Chloe had told her dad that she was sick."
"Well guess it's just us then. However, I am helping Marinette's parents by being a waiter."
Adrien's eyes widened with understanding, "Ah, so that's why you have a tray of macarons keeping your hands busy."
"Yeah, though you're welcome to meet the heroes or help me out if your father doesn't object."
He notices Nathalie frown, "Adrien, you're here as a guest to premier the film Miraculous directed by Leaf Branch(okay so side note: I made myself the director because in the original episode Thomas Astrcu was the director for the movie and he was the creator of the show. So in spirit of that, since I created this fictional universe where Keith and Marinette switch, that obviously affects the movie if I were to do an episode on that, which is what I am doing right now. Anyways back to the story)."
"I know Nathalie. But can't I have fun?"
"Meeting the heroes, yes. Being a Waiter, no."
"It's okay, Adrien. I'll see you around and maybe we can see the show together later when it starts."
"Okay."
Keith smiles and waves, balancing the tray of macarons on one hand. Moving through the crowd, he notices Jagged Stone talking to the director, Leaf Branch. He moves closer, noticing the tension in Leaf Branch's shoulders.
"I told you Jagged. I directed the movie, the voice performances by the actors, maybe even dabbled a bit with the animation team in animating some of the scenes from the film and maybe helped the script writers write the script."
"But that still doesn't make it yours since you had the least hard job. I mean making a story from the adventures of Parises heroes and trying to figure out how they mesh as a group from videos and photos of them fighting akumas and making Hawkmoth's motives more clear is what the story writers do." Jagged points out.
Leaf again sighs, "Jagged, I understand. But directing and reading the script and making the theme that the script writers wrote stays prevalent and making sure the actors actually understand who they are portraying is the director's job."
"Still seems like…"
Keith steps in between them, he notices that Leaf Branch is wearing a dark purple lace shift dress and black dress boots that go up three inches below her knees. Whereas Jagged is just wearing his usual punk rock outfit and has his guitar with him.
"Macarons, anyone?" he asks the two. But before Leaf Branch or Jagged Stone can take one, a hundred hands quickly grab all the macarons leaving nothing left. Leaf looks angry, but she takes a deep breath.
"Thank you for offering, but it seems others desire the sweets more. Now if you'll excuse me, I'll think I'll have some punch."
Jagged looks at his guitar, undisturbed by what just happened, "That woman thinks that just because she directed the movie it is hers and not Team Miraculous, when it's about them."
"Would you like me to get another tray of macarons so you can have one?" Not sure what else to say, since film stuff is not his expertise. It also film shouldn't be Jagged's area of expertise either because he's more into music, but whatever.
"No thanks dude, I'm good."
"Okay."
And with that he heads back over to where Sabine and Tom are. "I need a pastry refill as all the macarons are gone already."
"Really your whole tray?" Sabine asks, surprised.
Keith shrugs, "Well your bakery is the most famous in Paris so I bet a few of the guests here would love to have free samples of your excellent baked goods."
He holds out his tray and receives more mutil-coloured macarons to serve to the guests. Seeing the group of heroes standing around, he goes up to see them. Renarde Rouge ,Ryuko and Honeybee. If he wasn't handing out pastries to the guests he might have joined them. Then again a hero isn't someone who goes around to events and dismisses their duties. But an akuma attack hasn't happened since Heroes' Day. Still you can never be too careful. Which is why as Marmora that was originally why turned down the invitation.
However, because Tom and Sabine needed someone to help give out pastries, and it was on short notice, Keith volunteered.
"Anyone want a macaron?" He asks, breaking himself out of his train of thought, to the heroes.
"Thanks. But you look too young to be a waiter." Ryuko tells him.
"I'm just helping my friend's parents, as they didn't think they would need a waiter. But clearly they did. With all the celebrities here, not to mention you and a few other special guests."
Honeybee smirks, "Yep. Things have been pretty slow regarding Hawkmoth, so I thought along with these two, that going to a movie event about us wouldn't hurt this one time."
"Oh? And what about Chat Noir and Marmora. I don't see them with you, perhaps they view being a superhero differently than you."
"Well…We did invite them to join us, but unfortunately it seems they had other plans." Honeybee remarks.
Keith nods, since Voltron was out in space the aliens didn't really know that Voltron would come to events and be celebrities. But he despises that idea. Voltron just gives hope by showing up and freeing planets. If they went out of their way to do events, then no one would be freeing plantes, except for maybe the Blades and other allies that Voltron has made. But still, Voltron should spend most of its time ending the war between the Galra Empire. Otherwise if they come here, Team Miraculous will have to deal with Hawkmoth and the Galra.
Which almost sends a shudder down his spine. As they would be outnumbered, the Galra also have spaceships and can give their troops air support. Then again Roaar did say she remembered something about a brownie with potion giving us the ability to fly.
"Earth to waiter. Earth to waiter," Renarde says.
"Sorry, I just spaced out a little."
"Well you are in the midst of superheroes so who wouldn't gawk at us."
Keith rolls his eyes.
"We want to see Chat Noir and Ladybug!" a group of kids cry. A men dressed in a green suit leans down, "We're only going to the director and Honeybee, Ryuko and Renarde Rouge."
The kids shout, "That's not fair!"
The teacher(he assumes the man is the teacher, as he's the only adult with the kids) sighs, "I know. But Ladybug has gone missing and Chat Noir must be busy with his own life. Remember Hawkmoth is still out there even though the heroes defeated him on Heroes' Day."
The kids all grumble but reluctantly remain silent as the teacher leads them towards their direction. He tries to move away, but a crowd has now formed around the heroes, leaving a little bit of space for the kids to talk to the heroes and the director.
So silently he just holds up his plate in case anyone is hungry. His arms are getting tired from holding the tray though.
The woman from earlier, the one arguing with Jagged Stone, stands beside the heroes as the kids ask a string of questions, "Is Hawkmoth gone?" "Who do you have a crush on?" "What's your favourite colour?" He smirks slightly as the heroes try their best to answer the kids questions without revealing too much personal information. Another reason why he thinks meet and greets are something a hero shouldn't do, as if you're trying to conceal your identity, getting asked a bunch of personal questions is not something you want to do.
As your fans will be over you trying to know everything about you. He knows as he has seen such meet and greets and Q and A's with celebrities or famous authors go that route as they struggled not to give everything away as some fans are creepy.
"Do you have any questions for the director of the movie?" The man asks the children as they all seem to be paying much more attention to the members of Team Miraculous.
Keith looks at the director, she doesn't look particularly hurt at the kids one kid says, "Why would we have any questions for the director? She is nothing important."
Briefly hurt flashes in Madame Branch's and the teacher scolds the child.
"It's okay, why shouldn't they be focused on the superheroes. After all, it's not like a child can understand how important a director is…" But everyone else has gone back to the heroes, ignoring the director.
Now he isn't an expert in the film world, but doesn't a good director often helps a movie out. As from what he knows certain films with a certain director's name can make or break a movie. Like Tim Burton as his films are always very good, so anything with his name on it sells better. Because people know they are going to get a good movie.
Madame Branch sighs and walks off, clearly disappointed. Keith stands, unsure of what exactly to do. He doesn't know Madame Branch all that well, but his kwami is the kwami of Exaltation and not lifting someone up would be going against what his kwami stands for.
However Honeybee approaches him, "Kinda harsh that the children just ignored the director."
"You're not supposed to be talking to me while you're in Honeybee mode!" He scolds her, whispering.
"So? It's an event. I'm going to talk to tons of people. Besides, you're becoming quite the famous model after that fashion show with that feather derby hat. So it's only natural you'd catch my attention."
Keith rolls his eyes, like anyone is gonna believe that. Out of the corner of his eye he sees Madame Branch walking away, but before he can go and follow her, "What was that eyeroll for. You don't believe me?"
"Uh, yeah. I haven't had a lot of modelling gigs like Adrien, plus there are a lot more famous people here to grab your attention than me."
Honeybee shrugs, "True. But…" "But what?" "Oh nothing. It just seems like someone is afraid of getting a lot of attention."
He scoffs, "I am not."
However he sees that she is not going to back down so he turns away. Walking away he sees an akuma. Oh quiznack, not again. Why does Hawkmoth have to do this every time? Seeing the akumas appearance he quickly guesses that it's the director, as the akuma outfit is nothing more than what looks to be crayon replacing the colour of everything.
Also his worries are confirmed that Hawkmoth only needed some time to rest before attacking Paris again.
"I will show everyone that directors are important and that they deserve respect!"
"By attacking us?" Keith dryly replies. He has never earned anyone's respect by fighting against them when he was young, in fact it just made it worse most of the time, so he just shut himself off from the rest of the world, until Voltron happened.
"Silence! The only way these fools will respect me is if I show them what I am capable of! And then I'll make those heroes give me their Miraculouses!" She points to Honeybee.
Ryuko growls, "Not a chance. If you want our Miraculous then you'll have to fight for them!"
The akuma shrugs and then transforms into a…pokemon looking thing? It calls for snow to appear. Shivering from the cold blast, he helps other civilians get to safety. Since the Theatre lobby has wide open space, it would be impossible to transform without it looking suspicious.
And since the akuam hasn't left the building, there would be no chance for Chat Noir or him(in his superhero identity) to know about it. It is also best to keep the akuma locked up in here, since Chat Noir's cataclysm can't undo battle damage to buildings since that's fixing up the place and not destroying something.
If only he had brought his knife, then he wouldn't be unarmed and could actually help.
Kagami's POV
She dodges the Glaceon's would the akuma change into a pokemon? She slices the ice shards that get sent her way while Honeybee swings her spinning top creating a shield. Renarde Rouge dodges the old fashion way, by trying not to get hit.
"Where's Chat Noir!" Kagami yells as she slices another shard with her sabre. They need his cataclysm to destroy wherever the akuma is and they need a leader!
"Probably busy! I can't reach him as I am trying to dodge, whatever this thing is, ice and snow attacks!"
"I have an idea. I could make an illusion." Rouge adds, as another ice shard slices her cheek.
Kagami nods, and then suddenly in a swift movement something tackles the Glaceon. Surprised, she watches as a boy fights with the akuma, pinning it down eventually. However it changes into a Pikachu and escapes the boy's grasp.
"Hey come back here! I'm not done with you!" The boy yells as he chases the Pikachu who runs around the room. An idea lights up inside her head, "Honeybee, listen. I think if we corner the akuma we can have you sting it with your venom."
"Sounds like a good idea. But how are we going to pull it off?"
Rouge chuckles, "By helping that poor boy chase the akuma into a corner, surrounding it."
Kagami also chuckles lightly, as Honeybee blushes in embarrassment.
They all start chasing the rambunctious Pikachu and Kagami notices it has a purple flower, like the one from the vases, on its head. That must be where the akuma is. Once they corner it, Keith, she finally recognizes him, picks it up while it squirms.
"Gotcha you little rat."
Kagami walks over and picks out the flower, "Wonder…"
Chat Noir comes crashing in, "Sorry I'm late…What is a Pikachu doing in Keith's hands?"
Rouge laughs, "You missed us trying to deflect ice, and chasing around a rodent. By the way, how do you know him?"
"I…I..he's helped me in a few akuma attacks."
Kagami whistles, no wonder he just tackled the akuma while the rest of us were standing and deflecting ice like idiots. She breaks the flower and an akuma flies out. Chat Noir notices it "Cataclysm!" The Director appears and looks up confused.
"What happened? Where is everyone?"
Keith helps her up, "There was an akuma attack and the heroes had to get everyone to safety. But don't worry, I'm sure they stuck close to this building."
The director nods, "Yeah."
"I'll let them know it is safe." Kagami says. Another akuma where she was useless in defeating it. She knows the dragon kwami can use water, wind and lighting once per akuma. However, she doesn't feel comfortable, after all her mother doubts her own skills at fencing and drawing/painting. Being a superhero should be fun, but instead she sees the same exp[ectations she's always forced to see. This event should have been an escape but it wasn't, as an akuma happened. Where a civilian was more helpful….
"Ryuko, good plan to capture the akuma. You head into the theatre. You deserve a break from hero duties."
"But…" She protests against Honeybee.
"No buts. You were the only one to think of a plan when Ke…the civilian was doing all the heavy lifting. I'm sure Chat Noir will be proud once me and Rouge tell with Marmora. I mean the three of us aren't completely perfect at this whole hero thing. Look at me, I barely fight in akuma battles, same with Rouge. You, Chat and Marmora do most of that. And don't say I've barely seen you fight, as on Heroes' Day we had plenty of akumas to face."
Kagami nods, blushing. Walking away and towards the theatre she scolds herself for ever thinking that she isn't good enough. Chat Noir chose her to be a permanent member of Team Miraculous and she will make him proud along with the city of Paris.
Author's Note: Sorry for not posting I in a while, its just school has been hectic with everything I have to do. That and my brain has so many ideas for the end of this series and not the middle which is frustrating. So I will try to relax and just feel good and not feel stressed and try to post a chapter when I can as I do not want to let this story line die!. Any who this chapter marks the return of Hawkmoth after he was defeated on Heroes' Day and I hoped you enjoyed it