Luck Be A Lady

by BabyOmochii

With their superhero lives all but forgotten, our young superheroes grow up and leave the claws and spots behind. But when La Papillon returns after nearly seven years, Tikki and Plagg are called into action as Chat Noir and Ladybug return to the streets of Paris. Will an older pair of heroes be able to balance real life with the struggles of battling the akuma?

11. Chapter 11

Baking was turning out to be much harder than Marinette had first thought it would be. She was expecting a lot of mixing and a lot of frosting. She was also expecting lots of flour and oven mitts. She was even expecting the heat. But that wasn't even the start of it. There was so much to know about spices and the chemistry of the ingredients. There was a never ending list of things to mix into the bowl that all did or meant something different in every recipe and she was only doing bread. Not even sweets. Just. Bread. She could cry. With designing clothes the hard part was figuring out what order things needed to be done in, and with baking it was a barrage of continuous steps that were all happening at once. She had acquired a new appreciation for her parents and how hard they really worked. She was prepared for it to be hard physically, but not mentally. She had to wake up early and stay up late and always be ready to serve. Sweets were baked at a different temperature than normal bread, and normal bread came in thousands of flavors. It all depended on how you mixed the dough and how long you let it rise. How long it was baked for and where you placed it in the oven. Sometimes you spread things on it before you baked it, sometimes after. If you wanted it to look a certain way, you had to fold it and shape it before you baked it. She was starting to feel overwhelmed, and it had only been a few days since she'd agreed to help her father in the shop. Her father assured her that he had never seen someone learn the art so fast, but she didn't think she would ever master it.

She was taking a break from learning about bread. She needed a snack or a drink or a nap, or all three. She sat at the small table in the big kitchen, checking her phone for the new messages she knew weren't going to be there. Alya was busy in the best way, and she didn't really have any other close friends that would be texting her. She had Nino too, but he was also busy in the best way. Alya and Nino were busy getting ready to get married. To each other. So there would be no messages. They were too far away to need her for planning, but Alya had already picked out her dress and Nino's suit. There was nothing that best friends could do. Marinette set her phone down and looked to the large island and the dough that was rising there. She sighed.

They hadn't even started talking about sweets yet. Marinette almost cried at the thought of learning about the difference between cakes and tarts and cookies and macaroons and pies and she forced herself to stop thinking of all the desserts she could possibly have to bake. Right now she needed to remember the primary differences in baking temperature and time for light and fluffy bread, and thick hearty bread. Her dad was going to come down here any moment and ask her how she was doing, and she was going to have to remember all of the things she'd learned. He was probably also going to tell her that he was putting her in charge of the orders for the day. She groaned.

If she had thought that her father would go easy on her because she was his daughter, she was mistaken. He had worked her to the bone, and expected more of her than he did from Haley, and Haley was a culinary student in her final educational year. Marinette felt bad for treading on Haley's territory. She wasn't nearly as good as she was, but obviously her parents were thrilled to have her even take an interest in the family business. Marinette hoped that eventually she and Haley could be friends. But so far, Haley avoided Marinette, and Marinette did everything she could not to make Haley upset.

Marinette looked down at her apron, which was covered in flour, and rested her head on her wrist. She was enjoying the work, but trying to balance her crumbling life with crumbly desserts was getting to her. She needed purpose and drive. Fluffy cakes and warm bread, although they were delicious, did not provide her with the purpose she craved. She didn't feel like herself without it. In the world of fashion, she had always thrived under pressure, and loved the fast-paced timetables. But in the bakery it was a lot of waiting and careful timing. Tikki, of course, loved the new work. She spent her time supervising the frosting and chocolate chips, making sure that everything tasted as sweet as it looked. The small kwami ate seven times her weight in sweets every day they were in the bakery. Luckily, her father hadn't noticed the depletion of sweet supplies just yet.

Her phone buzzed, and she looked down at the pink contraption. She wasn't expecting a call. She wasn't even expecting for her phone to even still have battery. She unlocked the screen to see a picture of Briene. Even though she wasn't sure why she would be calling, since Marinette had burned her bridge to Square as she had crossed it, she was glad to hear from the timid designer. Marinette smiled, and answered it quickly, "Bonjour?"

"Marinette! It's me! It's Briene!" She laughed, "You'll never guess what just happened! I did it! I took your advice, and I applied to be the new Head Designer and I did it! I beat Alyssandra and the girl that applied from outside of the company."

Marinette smiled a sad smile, remembering the day that Andrew had accepted her application to be the Head Designer. It had been a defining moment in her career, and she was happy for Briene, "Oh Briene! That's so exciting! You're going to love it!" She tried to be chipper.

Briene laughed and squealed, "I'm so nervous I can barely sit still, but I'm so proud of myself. I didn't think that I would really get picked. But I don't know if I would have been able to handle it if I didn't." She groaned, "I am such a mess of nerves right now."

Marinette laughed, "You'll get used to it. How is the company?"

Briene sighed, "We miss you, Marinette. It's not the same here without you. I wish you'd come back and," there was a loud crash in the background, "Excuse me, can I help-" Briene screamed.

Marinette clutched the phone with both of her hands, "Briene. Briene can you hear me? Briene?" She called into the microphone. What was happening?

"I have to go. There is a crazy person here. She's threatening to take my job. You need to leave, or I'm going to have to call security. You'll need to- Hey!" Briene's voice faded as the phone changed hands.

"Bonjour," a sticky sweet voice sang into the receiver, "You've reached the office of Fashion Disaster, I'm afraid Briene is no longer in charge around here, I am." The new voice laughed.

Marinette stitched her eyebrows together as her mind tried to place the voice. It was distorted, but familiar. She closed her eyes for a moment and then gasped, "A-Allie?"

"Do not call me Allie," she growled, "My name is now Fashion Disaster, and I won't stop until my designs are the main line of Square. And why stop there? I will design for all of France." She laughed, and then her voice got serious, "And if somewhere along the way I meet those two bone-headed teenagers in spandex that call themselves heroes, I will have them wear my designs and have their miraculouses as well. La Papillon will know of my gratitude."

Marinette paled as her senses were thrown into overdrive. An akuma. This was not good. Briene was calling her from the Square Office. That was a two hour drive away. How did someone so far away even get akumatized? She felt the panic rise inside her as she clicked the phone off. She untied her apron and walked into the storage room. She closed the door tightly.

"Tikki?" She breathed.

The red kwami appeared and looked at Marinette with big blue eyes, "Yes, Marinette?"

Marinette pushed her hand through her long hair, "We have a problem, there is an akuma. But she's all the way out at the Square office. She will cause so much more damage than I have ever repaired before I even get there. Even if I left now, we would be super behind the game. Is La Papillon's reach really so broad?"

Tikki looked thoughtful for a moment, "It's possible that he is better bonded with his miraculous." Tikki smirked, "You should try to bond with yours to that degree as well. I think it's time you learned about what the power of a miraculous can really do."

Marinette stopped and looked at the spotted creature, "Excuse me?"

Tikki laughed, "If you'd continued to be Ladybug consistently for the last seven years, I'm pretty sure you would have naturally discovered all of the benefits and surprises that the miraculous has for you. I am like a battery. I turn the miraculous on, but what you do with it, is completely up to you. You are more powerful than you think."

Marinette sighed, "You didn't answer my question. How did La Papillon akumatize someone so far away?"

Tikki rolled her eyes, "He more fully understands his miraculous. He's strengthened his miraculous muscle. All of them are powerful. Come on Marinette. Did you really think that La Papillon would want the red miraculous so he could swing a yo-yo around and call up small objects that are only useful after you've gotten yourself in a pinch?"

Marinette blinked. Tikki had briefly explained the idea of her miraculous and how it balanced out Chat Noir's miraculous. She knew that if they were used together the wielder had almost limitless power to create and destroy at will. A yo-yo and some random objects did seem like just scratching the surface. She looked at Tikki, "Well, when you put it like that, I guess not."

"Marinette, the power of the red miraculous is the power to create. What do you think the fastest way to get to Square would be? What could you create that would help you?" Tikki smirked.

Marinette pushed down her rising panic about Briene being attacked by an akuma and tried to think logically. She would love a cab and no traffic. She could create a car that would get her there over traffic. She shook her head. Too slow. Briene and Square needed her five minutes ago. She needed to get there NOW. If only there was a jet that she could fly there, she could be there in a matter of minutes. She looked at Tikki, eyes sparkling.

"Fly. It would be fastest to fly. Can you give me the power to create a jet?" Marinette smiled weakly.

"Even better." Tikki grinned, "Say the magic words."

Marinette raised an eyebrow, but chanted the phrase, "Tikki, Spots on."

It was the same, warm transformation that it had always been. Her everyday outfit was replaced by a dark red suit with black spots and her hair swirled up behind her and into two tied ponytails. She looked at herself, not feeling any different.

"This doesn't seem any different." She hummed to herself.

She cracked open the door to the bakery storage room, and made sure she wouldn't be seen. She dashed out of the bakery and out onto the street. She caught her reflection in the windows. There was something on her shoulders. Like really big flat shoulder pads. She looked at them and pulled at them. It was hard, like a shell. Is that what Tikki was so excited about? How what that supposed to help her get to Square? She didn't need a shell.

"I didn't need padding, I wanted to fly." She growled. She needed to be airborne.

The shells on her shoulders popped open, and she realized they also covered her back. From underneath the armor she sprouted two long, insect wings out behind her. She shrieked at her reflection, and turned in a few circles before she cried out, and darted into the shadows.

"Spots off!" She cried and she turned back into Marinette of the bakery.

Tikki appeared from her earrings with a huge smile, "Did you like them? It's been a long time since a Ladybug has needed them." she was beaming.

Marinette glared, "Wings!?"

Tikki sighed, "You wanted to fly. You have the powers of a ladybug, not a jet plane. You are lucky. You are spotted. And now you are a superhero. Supersonic flight seemed like a logical thing to add to your superpower reserve, Marinette."

"I don't know anything about flying with wings, Tikki!" She screeched, "I need to get to Briene!"

Tikki glared, "How about you try? It should feel natural. Use your instinct, not your brain. Think of them as an extra set of arms. You can do this."

Marinette steeled herself, "I'm going to transform, and I'm going to trust you. And I'm going to take a little satisfaction in the fact that if I die trying this, you die too."

Tikki rolled her eyes, "Maybe try taking off from somewhere high. Or maybe watch a YouTube video of insects flying. For someone so smart you sure are dumb sometimes."

Marinette grumbled, "Great. Another thing to learn. And I'm supposed to be the lucky one. I don't think that Mr. Noir has to learn to fly."

Tikki huffed, "Marinette."

Marinette groaned, "Fine. Spots on."

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Adrien took another look around his small apartment. He looked down at his list of things to buy and things to get done. He wasn't sure of many things, but he was positive that he had his work cut out for him. The apartment was a lot more run down than it looked at the first glance. For the price he really couldn't complain, but it would take some work if he truly wanted everything to run right. The sink in both the kitchen and the bathroom constantly leaked, and the hot water wasn't working in the bathroom. He had spoken with the apartment managers, but they had told him that they covered basic maintenance, like broken pipes and mold, but unless his bathroom was flooding, they didn't care about his leaking sinks or his cold showers. He would have to deal with it or fix it himself. He had no idea how to fix any of those things, but he was determined to figure it out. He had spent his whole life just calling people to come and fix his problems. There would be no more of that. As easy as it would be to call a plumber, he felt like if he could do it on his own, then he could continue to solve his own problems. He may be inexperienced, but he would make it work.

And then if the problem seemed serious, maybe call a professional. He would only do that after he had tried, of course.

Even though he didn't have the knowledge to do it himself, and the apartment needed a lot of fixing, it all paled in comparison to the freedom he finally felt. He was no longer tied to his father, and no longer required to eat and say and feel whatever his father wanted. Not to mention he was reunited with the love of his life, Miss Ladybug. His heart fluttered, he was reunited with Ladybug. It didn't even matter that he didn't know who she was.

No one had ever figured out who she really was. There were theories all around the internet and theories from every member of their class about who they thought Ladybug could be. Alya of course, wouldn't take any sides without facts. And she had a fact that no one but their class knew about. Ladybug attended their school. Even with a clue like that no one had ever figured it out. Though, to be fair, no one had figured out that he was Chat Noir either.

Adrien's phone buzzed in his pocket. He fished it out and looked at it. It was a reminder to go to the Job Fair in the park. He groaned a little. He was responsible, and he knew that he couldn't live on his savings forever. But he didn't know anything about finding a job, or even having a real job. However, he needed one. If he was going to be free from his father forever, then he needed to find a career. He set his list down, and he put on his hoodie to fend off the chill. He locked his door and made his way down the creaking steps to the fresh air of Paris. The park, and the adorable bakery that he still couldn't figure out what he remembered it from sat across the street. He smiled, what better way to start off his day then with a sweet treat and a warm cup of tea.

He crossed the street quickly and stepped into the bakery. He inhaled deeply. The smell of this place was borderline nostalgic, and filled him with a light sense of happiness. The same red-headed girl was standing behind the counter. She smiled and waved at him.

"Bonjour, Monsieur. Welcome back!" she laughed, "Did you enjoy the cinnamon roll?"

Adrien laughed, "It was delicious." He glanced up at the menu, "I am on my way to the Job Fair, and I need something warm." He looked to her, "Have any more suggestions?"

"How about a Roast Coffee and a fresh Blueberry Muffin?" She smiled.

Adrien picked his wallet from his pocket, "Perfect."

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Ladybug growled low in her throat. She had watched seven YouTube videos of ladybugs taking off. None of them had made her feel more comfortable with her new "power". They only made her feel like she was definitely going to die trying to be a bug. She wasn't a bug, she was a human girl in a super suit. She was standing on the railing surrounding her small balcony. The large wings were stretched out to her sides, and she was trying to think of them as a natural part of her body. She imagined that they were really a part of her body, and that she'd always had wings. It was totally natural to have large filmy things coming out of your back. She tried to feel them, and to think about what it would be like to fly. She was afraid that if she tried to move them she would hurt herself.

"Stop being such a scaredy cat." She chided herself. She stood straight and jumped. Immediately her reaction was to flick her wrist to catch herself with her yo-yo. Instead she tried to imagine life with wings as the ground to closer. She heard them buzz behind her and she shrieked. She didn't hit the ground but she did fly into the side of the building before she circled around and crashed into a car. She laid on the ground, and groaned. She was going to be bruised tomorrow.

"Okay, so maybe I do need padding." She rubbed her arm and hip where she'd hit the side of her house.

She stood, her wings draping behind her on the ground. She smiled, despite her sore arm and leg, she could control the stupid wings. She wasn't good at it, but she could get good at it. With practice she could be quite good. She bent her knees and set her eyes on the prize. Flight.

The wings snapped out beside her, and she took off. She beamed. She had taken off and she was flying straight. She frowned. She didn't know how to turn. Or how to stop without crashing. The wings stopped fluttering and she arched towards the ground again. She hit the concrete with a soft thud, and rolled to a stop. She growled. She didn't have time for this learning curve. She needed to get to the akuma. Now. She stood up and stood her ground. She was The Miraculous Ladybug. She was going to save Briene and stop this Fashion Disaster.

She heard voices and the clicks and beeps of phone cameras and camcorders focused on her. She was used to the attention by now, between her life as a star of fashion and her childhood as a hero. But this was just embarrassing; her debut with wings should have been cooler, like her landing gracefully into a crowd of people, not her fumbling around outside of her parents bakery. She frowned, she was earning herself quite a crowd of people. Smartphones were pointed at her as she tried to embrace this gift and new power that Tikki was trying to teach her. Natural. It should feel natural. She closed her eyes. She thought of that it was like to wield the yo-yo. Hard at first, but now she could do almost anything with it. It was an extension of her. She smiled. She imagined where on her back the wings would be attached and what it would feel like to have wings there. Every little girl thinks that she could be a fairy at some point. She was a ladybug fairy. And just like that, she could feel them. They sat on her back like the dress-up fairy wings she used to have to use with Manon. They were thin and almost frail like candy paper, like the thin film of oil that formed on the top of water before it was mixed. But they weren't frail. They were strong and ready for her to command. A new power. A new way to keep her city safe. She opened her eyes and before she could overthink it, she jumped high and set her course for Square.

Tikki was right, it was about instinct not brains, and as she pushed herself to fly faster, she could feel her instincts catching up. It was like running or dancing, you didn't execute a plan, you felt it. Turns, tucks, ups and downs came easier and easier. She pushed faster. She flew higher. And then, it happened. A rush of speed that she wasn't expecting. The streets and city blurred past as she rocketed towards her old life. Supersonic flight. She grinned. She owed Tikki an apology, which would probably be a plate of cookies.

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The park was packed with tables that loudly broadcasted their careers and open positions, with vibrant tablecloths and people shoving flyers at him every time he turned around. Adrien had walked through half of the park already, and while he was sure that he could do the jobs he had been presented with, he was still longing for something else. He sat down at a booth with a big "NEED HELP?" poster above it. A stout woman with horn-rimmed glasses turned in her chair to look at him.

"With a face like that you should be a model." She hummed.

Adrien resisted every urge to jump up out of the chair and run back to his apartment, fearful that his father had somehow found a way to get his hooks back into him. Instead he smiled and nodded, "Thank you. But I don't think that's what I'm looking for."

She huffed, "Well, that's unfortunate. What are you interested in?"

He sighed, "I've walked around this half of the park, and I can't find anything that calls to me. But I think that maybe I don't know what I'm looking for. Can you point me in the right direction?"

She pulled out a piece of paper, and shoved it at him, "Fill this out."

Adrien took it, and looked over the questions, "Uhm. Thank you."

The woman huffed, and turned back around.

Adrien set to answering the questions. On a scale of one to ten, please answer the following questions. One being never, and ten being always. When in a situation that involves danger, I try to get others to safety first. Ten. When confronted by a problem, I find the most non confrontational answer. Maybe three. I believe in doing what is right even if it breaks the rules. Six. My family is more important to me than my friends. One. I am easily angered. Five. When choosing between mercy and justice, I will always choose justice. Six. My friends describe me as a shy person. Three. I like to be challenged. Ten.

Adrien burned through the questionnaire, deciding that answering more on instinct than over thinking every question would get him the best results. He answered questions about his personality, his work ethic, his ability to make choices and how he interacted with others. He filled out his name and address and education history. He cleared his throat.

The woman looked at him over her glasses, "Finished?"

Adrien handed the woman his paper, "Yes, Ma'am."

She swallowed, "Give me a few minutes to get your results. Help yourself to a snack while you wait." she pointed to a plate of stale looking, store bought cookies.

Adrien frowned, even if he'd wanted a snack, he wouldn't have eaten those. The blueberry muffin had been enough to satisfy him for now, and the coffee tasted better than he'd expected. He would pass on the cookies. Just because he could eat them didn't mean he would.

He looked around the park while he waited, remembering all of the photo shoots he'd had here as a teenager, and all of the times he'd come to this park to be with his friends. His heart tightened. He missed those days, where he was busy but surrounded by people who cared about him. When he was sometimes just a normal teenager, not a model or a fencing champion, but just Adrien, a boy that liked to joke with his friends. He watched the families playing on the playset at the other end of the park. Children pulling at the legs of their parents to push them down slides, or catch them at the bottom. Daring feats of high jumps and perfect landings from swings and platforms that were no taller than he was. Smaller children played with toys in the packed dirt near the benches. There were also the older children and teenagers throwing coins into the fountain, likely making wishes for good grades or to find love. It filled him with a sense of belonging. No one had noticed him as a model, and he was just another guy at the park today.

"Public Service." A voice pulled him from his musing.

"Pardon?" he blinked.

The woman huffed, "Your results," she slammed the paper on the table, "You scored highest in public service. There's a pamphlet over there if you want more information." She pointed to a bin of papers, and turned away from him.

"Thank you." He smiled wide, and walked over to the bin, looking for the pamphlet. He picked one out of the disorganized pile, and flipped it open. There was a long list of jobs available to explore.

Firefighter, a position for the brave and selfless. Recruits are trained and welcomed on to the brigade after a physical exam and background check. He wasn't a fan of fire. Next.

Counselor. Counselors are needed in many professional and educational situations. Like helping others work through things? Do you enjoy a challenge? Stop by our booth to find out about furthering your education by becoming a counselor! Adrien frowned. He had already graduated a collegiate program after begging his father to let him continue learning. After receiving a basic degree in general studies, Gabriel had forbidden him from continuing. Going back for more schooling might not be quite what he wanted either. Next.

Police Officer. Adrien blinked. Join the ranks of our proud and courageous Police Force, where being a hero is just a training period away. Help us keep the streets of Paris safe and find a family on the force. Stop by for more information, and an honorary "Deputy for a Day" sticker!

Adrien hummed, and let his mind wander. He had thought of being a teacher or a counselor. But hadn't considered that a police officer would be along the same track. He nodded to himself, shoving the pamphlet into his pocket and walked to the set of tables with navy blue tablecloths. Behind the tables two men were arm wrestling.

"Excuse me?" Adrien held up a hand.

The two men looked at him, and the taller one hit the other on the arm, "Hey check out this kid! Don't you think he's a little too handsome to be on the force?"

Adrien fought again against the panic that someone would recognize him.

"Give the kid a break, Rodgers. You used to be handsome, too bad you took one to many sucker punches to the face." the other laughed.

Rodgers, the older of the two, huffed, "I'll show you a sucker punch, you disrespectful little twit."

The younger one laughed and walked to Adrien, putting his hand out, "Don't listen to Rodgers. He's just grouchy that he pulled the short straw and has to sit here at the recruit table all day. My name is Antoni. Bradley Antoni. Are you interested in being on the force?"

Adrien swallowed, suddenly nervous. What was he getting himself into, here? Could he really live on his own? Was this the job he really wanted? What if they made him sign up? What if he wasn't cut out to be anything other than a pretty face? He looked at Bradley. He was happy. No need to be so worried. Adrien took a deep breath, "I was thinking about it. Tell me more about what it would take to be a Police Officer."

"Well," Antoni smiled, "You'll need to pass a preliminary physical exam, which would include a stress test and a drug screen. All interested parties have to meet a minimum to be considered. You would also take a quiz that helps to determine if you have the right attitude and mindset to serve. After that, you'll have to be cleared through the national database, and we would look through your education and job history. By then you're pretty much good to go."

Adrien smiled, "Well sign me up to at least take the tests. Even if I don't have what it takes, it'll be good experience."

Rodgers grumbled, "Taking the Police entrance exam is not something you do for experience. You gotta be serious about a choice like this."

"Leave him be, you old windbag." Antoni huffed, then turned to Adrien, "He could have been nicer about it, but he's right. I'll give you a minute to think. This should be a concrete choice. If you're not sure, then it's really too much work just to try it out. But I think you'd be good for it." he winked, "Feel free to look through all the information we have here. If you have questions don't hesitate to ask."

Adrien nodded. Antoni retreated back to his seat. Adrien looked at his score from the job test, and the pamphlet filled with his best choices, and then he looked at the table full of papers and fliers about the job. He picked up a paper with a list of requirements. Good physical stature. Desire to serve. Basic college education. Adrien felt his heart beat a little faster. He fit all of the requirements. He flipped the paper over, and saw in bold print, "Don't have a college degree? Ask about our tuition reimbursement program! Already have one? Start training in as little as two weeks, depending on training class availability and start dates."

The prospect of starting so soon was exciting if not nerve wracking. He had left the reach of his father with the intent to do something of this nature. But he also hadn't given much thought to what he wanted besides freedom. He hadn't thought that he would find something so enticing so soon. Or that he would be so readily qualified. He would need time to think. Time to be sure.

He turned back to the tables. "Excuse me when does the next training class start?" He called.

Antoni smiled, "If you sign up and test today, and you meet the rest of the requirements, there is enough time to get all your paperwork in and start on Monday."

Adrien frowned, another impending deadline, "Thank you. I'm going to think for a bit before I decide for sure, but you'll probably see me again."

Antoni nodded and Rodgers huffed. Adrien retreated to the nearest bench to think. He didn't get much time before his ears picked up on another conversation.

"Do you see that!?" A woman cried.

Adrien turned to look without a second thought. He didn't see anything out of the ordinary. But, his heightened senses still kicked in whenever he felt even slightly alert. It was a blessing and a curse.

Another woman answered, "I hope she'll be alright. She just crashed into a wall."

"Is that even really her?" The first woman sounded skeptical, "Since when did Miss Ladybug have wings? I thought she used yo-yos."

Adrien's ears perked up, they were talking about his Lady. He stood on the bench and looked around. His eyes picked her out in a second. She was in front of that charming little bakery, and she had four silvery wings, almost like a cape, dropped behind her. Adrien paled. She wasn't going to fly, was she?

He heard a buzzing sound and watched as the silvery wings snapped out beside her. She was off the ground and into the air. He jumped down off the bench and crouched low behind a garbage bin. He pulled his jacket open and hissed.

"Plagg. Get out here." He demanded.

Plagg appeared sleepily from within the warmth of Adrien's jacket, "What is it?"

"Is there an akuma nearby?" Adrien asked hurriedly.

Plagg blinked and then seemed to search half heartedly for any threat. He sighed, "There is nothing here, kid. Can I go back to my nap?"

"No." Adrien hummed, "I have another question. Can Ladybug fly?"

Plagg groaned, "Why the sudden need to know things? Can't you look it up on google?"

Adrien glared, "Plagg."

Plagg sighed, "Yes, there have been times in the past when Ladybug needed to fly. The power of the red miraculous is to create. She can have wings if she wants."

Adrien thought about it. It made sense. He had gained most of the powers that one would associate with a cat. Extreme flexibility and agility, as well as a very sensitive sense of smell and the ability to hear every sound within a mile, it seemed like. He was fast and could see in the dark. When his miraculous was activated, he could see even further, and was acutely aware of almost everything around him. It would follow suit that Ladybug would have wings, after all, he had a tail and ears. But why would she want them now? There was a loud pop, and Adrien turned to see Ladybug zip out of sight.

"Plagg, I need to catch up to Ladybug, how do I do that?"

Plagg hummed, seemingly annoyed, "You tell me kid. The power of the black miraculous is that of destruction, so as to be perfectly opposite to the red miraculous. I can't think of anything that could catch you up to her, except if you drive there and break every traffic law on the way."

Adrien thought for a moment, and then sighed. There would be no way for him to justify to an officer why he would be driving so fast. He took a deep breath, he would wait and see. If she truly needed him, his miraculous would burn if she tried to call him. Until then, or until an akuma showed up, he had bigger things to worry about. Could he be a Police Officer? Is that what he really wanted. He felt his stomach churn.

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Ladybug screeched as she flew towards the part of the city where Fashion Disaster was obviously causing trouble. She realized with horror that she wasn't really sure how to land, and put her arms over her face as she rocketed towards the glass of a large window. She burst through the window, shattering the glass, and tumbled onto the ground, feeling crumpled and heavy. She groaned, and sat up.

"Well that was a graceful landing." she sighed.

"What do you think you're doing!?" A loud voice yelled, "Do you frequently crash through windows? I hope you're planning on paying for that!"

Ladybug stood up, looking from the window to the floor of the shop. She put up her hands, "I'm so sorry. I'll fix it. But first, I'm looking for someone that calls themselves Fashion Disaster? She should be around here."

"Yeah, she's here," the man huffed, "She's taking away all of my customers."

Ladybug huffed and walked with her wings dragging behind her towards the street that she had been trying to land on. Outside, Fashion Disaster was standing on the edge of a fountain and hitting anyone who passed by with a beam from a gaudy ring on her hand. They were quickly transformed into mannequins, wearing all manner of distasteful clothing. Ladybug sighed. She would have to get the ring from her. She wished that she could maneuver without the wings, though. They were a little heavy and awkward.

As if on command, the large plates on her shoulders snapped shut, and the wings folded themselves inside. She looked at herself in the windows of the building across the street. Not bad.

Ladybug smiled and walked towards the fountain, "Fashion Disaster! I am Ladybug, and I'd like to teach you a thing or two about fashion. You're doing it all wrong."

Fashion Disaster turned, "What?"

"You have ears, don't you?" Ladybug jeered, "You heard me. I said you know nothing about fashion. I mean look at that outfit. What a 'disaster'."

Fashion Disaster growled low, "I'll show you."

Ladybug mumbled to herself, "Here we go."