A/N: This chapter focuses on the episode Timebreaker. I've decided to skip writing Stormy Weather because it was just sort of…okay. There weren't enough ridiculous elements like in Mr. Pigeon for me to make enough jokes to fill a whole chapter and it wasn't intriguing enough for me work on characters, etc, especially since the episode is mainly just a battle, outside of which, Adrien doesn't have much screen time. Thanks for understanding and I hope you enjoy!
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
Gabriel's lip twitched and he stared at the watch on his wrist.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
"Sir…?" Nathalie questioned.
Tick.
Tick.
Tick.
There. It was time.
Gabriel lowered his arm and spoke, "I'm ready now, Nathalie."
"Sir, I understand your eagerness, but I think you should reevaluate your plan to go see her. If you are directly involved in any investigation into Ladybug's identity and she finds out, that could lead her to become suspicious of you. It would be wiser to keep the Agreste name as far away from this as possible. That is why I thought of another idea while doing research on her. One that I believe will intrigue her more."
Gabriel stood from his seat, looked down at her, and hesitated.
She eyed his expression and spoke quickly, "One major mistake and you could lose your chance to see Emilie again."
That was enough.
She continued, "Ladybug made a major mistake when she dropped that textbook. She will make more. Rushing into our investigation would leave room for us to make mistakes. If we make mistakes, we lose our advantage."
They stood still, facing each other in silence. Neither was willing to break eye contact.
Gabriel's words cut through the quiet like a sharpened knife, "If involving myself would be a mistake then what would you suggest?"
She calmly answered him. "I will go."
His expression questioned her and she answered, "I have already thought of how to do so without bringing attention to you or the brand. We can use the miraculous. Akumatize me and give me the ability to shapeshift. I know what form to take to convince her."
Gabriel eased himself back into the chair and turned it to face away from her. Silence again enveloped the oversized room.
The early morning light pierced through the curtains on the wall to Gabriel's right. It crept along the floor and across the room in neat rows with each window. Still, shadows lingered in corners where the light could not reach.
Gabriel pulled his wallet from his pocket and gently pulled out a photo of him and Emilie holding Adrien as a baby.
Shadows fell over the desk and seat where he sat, tucked in between two windows. He scooted the chair forward, further away from Nathalie and stopped just parallel to the light coming from the window closest to him. Holding up the photo, the bright morning sunshine fell over Emilie's face. He closed his eyes and breathed deeply.
"Thank you, Nathalie. Wait until after school ends. We've wasted too much time now. I will have Adrien's bodyguard stay with him until you return to the house. Report everything to me when you return."
"Yes, sir."
Meanwhile for Adrien, the day dragged on until lunch. His phone buzzed. It was Nathalie.
Adrien read her text a few times before it sunk in. He read it to Nino, who sat next to him.
"My father's letting me go this afternoon! Apparently, there's a business meeting after school and since I don't have any lessons this afternoon, they said I could go as long as my bodyguard comes."
Nino high fived him. "Dude! That's awesome! …But do you really always have to have somebody watching you?"
Adrien shrugged. "Most of the time, yeah. Usually, Nathalie is at home with me. Sometimes my father. When I'm out in public my bodyguard goes with me. The paparazzi can be a lot."
By the end of lunch, Adrien had let his other classmates know he would be there. He practically bounced around the tables telling them.
When it was time for afternoon classes, Adrien couldn't focus and ended up doodling in the margins of his notes. He found himself trying to draw hamsters and was surprised when the bell rang and broke his almost trance-like state. He rolled up the unusable notes into a ball and threw them away.
After the usual chat with Nino after classes, Adrien headed straight for the car. His bodyguard was already aware of the change in plans so he drove close to where the race would begin and parked nearby. Adrien charged out of the car, bounded up to the starting line, and waited. His bodyguard, determining he'd be safe with a large group of friends, hung back and waited in the car. What helped Adrien be a normal kid and didn't hurt Mr. Agreste, his boss didn't need to know.
About an hour later, the rest of Adrien's classmates started arriving. The guys and girls huddled up in groups and argued about who would win and why it would be Alix.
The only girl who was rooting for Kim was Chloe. She was so focused on him that she didn't bother hanging onto Adrien. With her arms crossed and her voice tense, she approached Kim. "You have to win this Lê Chiến. That Alix and her friends like Dupain-Cheng are all ridiculous! And besides, class would be total bore if it wasn't for how hilarious it is to watch them all get so frustrated by your dares and pranks. So you better win!"
Kim stopped his warm-up stretches to give her a thumbs up. "Don't worry Chloe, I've got it in the bag."
Max tried his best to give Kim tips on how to maximize his speed, but it didn't do much good. He rolled his eyes and gave up. Apparently, Kim preferred pretty blonde girls to scientific reasoning. Max thought to himself, "Now THAT is utterly ridiculous!"
At this point, the chatter died down. Marinette had shown up with a handmade banner to mark the finish line. Whoever passed it first would win the race.
Adrien, noticing her arrival, walked up from the back of crowd to admire her handiwork. He eyed the details she had sewn with care. He winked at her and smiled. "Impressive, Marinette!"
She giggled at his wink and he could feel his mood elevate. Nino came up beside him and evidently felt the same. He stared at the banner and whispered to Adrien, "It so cool she put that together so soon. I'm impressed."
Adrien agreed, watching Marinette turn to speak with the others gathered around her. "Yeah, for sure. With a finish line like that it feels more like an official race."
With that, Kim took his spot and spoke over the chattering crowd. "You all picked the wrong side to cheer on. Looks like Alix isn't even showing up. Probably too chicken to race an extreme athlete like me."
As she skated up behind him, Alix spoke up. Kim jumped at the sound of her voice. She smirked, lifting her chin up and meeting his wide-eyed stare. "Spoke too soon, didn't you?"
The crowd behind them cheered, excited to see how the two would start.
Alix continued, "Your ridiculous dares and pranks are over. I'm gonna leave you in the dust meathead."
She pointed a finger in his face and stood tall. Kim loomed over her, at least a foot taller. Still, it was clear who had the upper hand. Kim, however, wasn't easily intimidated. Not in the one area he was confident in.
"You're no match for me. My neck is bigger than your thigh."
Their banter reminded Adrien of an anime battle. He stifled a laugh and quietly snorted at the idea that Alix was just a few flashbacks away from channeling the true power of friendship and turning into a certified beefcake that could crush Kim.
In front of him, Alya voiced her own thoughts, "Is that a good thing?"
Before Alix could go super saiyan, Max walked in between the two and pushed them apart. He announced, "Let's review the official rules."
Adrien almost lost it when Max then proceeded to mimic the classic anime-character-glasses move as he discussed the rules.
"Two laps around the fountains. Approximately 500 yards. The first one over the line and passed the banner is declared the victor." His voice cracked on the word victor. It was only made funnier by his outstretching his raised arms at the same time.
Kim ignored him and began squaring up to fight the air in front of him. He warmed up, bouncing from one foot to the other and punching the space in front of him. Alix didn't say much since exercising his arms wasn't going to make his legs go any faster.
Max, evidently used to this, didn't stop. "If Kim wins, Alix will relinquish her roller blades to him. If Alix triumphs, Kim will be prohibited from making another dare for the rest of the school year."
The students, impatient from waiting, started talking over Max. Juleka, who had lost her lunch to Kim's nonsense last week declared, "We're through with all your antics."
Ivan joined her, "uh huh, right!"
Nathaniel, who just wanted to sleep through class in peace, raised a fist and yelled, "No more dares!"
Kim, ignoring them, puffed up his chest and took at second to look from Max to Chloe to Alix. "I've got this. And c'mon, you have to admit the pranks were kinda funny."
Alix mimicked his body language. "Almost as funny as-"
Max cleared his throat and they regained focus. "On your marks."
The two racers got into position.
"Get set."
Adrien's heart beat faster just from watching them.
"Hold up!" Alix's voice pierced through the tension.
Kim, surprised by her yell and holding his butt high in the air for maximum velocity, lost his balance and fell forward onto the pavement. Thankfully, his face wasn't anymore bruised than his pride. He recovered and teased Alix. "Forfeiting already?"
Adrien wondered what the hold-up was. Max put his hands on his hips, ready to interrupt another playful verbal match.
Instead, Alix skated over to Alya, who had been videotaping everything, and handed her a pocket watch.
"Hold this for me, will ya Alya? I don't wanna drop it during the race."
She protested, "Hold on girl, I can't. I gotta-"
Alix grabbed her hands. "Guard it with your life. It's a family heirloom and you're probably the most responsible one in our class."
She skated back over to the finish line.
Adrien looked over Alya's shoulder at the watch in her hands.
I could probably take it for her.
She no sooner took the watch than she turned to her left and said, "Marinette, take this. I gotta record the race for my blog."
Marinette looked at her and stammered, "But Alya, isn't your blog just dedicated to Ladybug?"
She brushed off Marinette's comment, shoved the watch into her hand, and then angled her phone camera at the racers. "Yeah, the Ladyblog. I'm talking about my personal blog."
Alya was in her own world and Marinette had to hold up the banner. She tried fitting the watch in her pockets but it wouldn't fit.
She thought to herself, rather frustrated, "Girl's clothing," and vowed to sew in bigger pockets later on.
Max's voice interrupted her thoughts, "On your marks."
On the other side of the banner, Nino was caught up in the excitement and kept jerking the banner around. He pulled it so hard that Marinette's arm flailed at her side as she struggle to maintain her grip on it. She tensed and turned to Alya, "She asked you to look after it! I gotta hold up the banner!"
"Get set!"
Nino pulled on his end of the sign just a little too hard.
"Go!"
The two racers were off, no thoughts to what was behind them, only to the path ahead. One was going to win and one was going to lose.
And Marinette was going to hit the pavement.
His attention grabbed by the commotion, Adrien turned to see both Marinette and the pocket watch heading for the ground. He didn't have time to catch both so he opted for the watch, hoping to keep it from shattering.
Marinette fell and Nino, realizing what his carelessness had caused, helped her up and urgently apologized. She smiled and said there was nothing to worry about, that she was glad he was so excited. Her eyes stayed glued to Adrien as she talked.
Meeting her gaze, he offered her an awkward smile. "Need any help?"
Adrien could see the relief wash over her face. "Yeah, um yep! Thanks! Gotta be careful, even if you are amazing-"
Oh?
He hesitated.
Her eyes moved up and down his face. "-At holding things. In your hands."
His thank you never came out because in the same instant, Kim and Alix passed the banner and finished the first lap. They were neck and neck, keeping pace with each other.
The crowd cheered. Max fed off their energy like a theatre kid in an ensemble number singing their only solo line.
"Last lap!"
They were caught up in the excitement again. It would be a close finish for sure.
For Adrien, however, the excitement inside died a little when Chloe, whose attention had been drawn to him when Marinette fell, wrapped her arm around his and shrilled, "Adrikins! Whatcha got there?"
She grabbed the watch from his open palm and held it between her forefinger and thumb.
He watched her, panicked, as she jerked it around in the air to examine it.
"Careful! It's Alix's!"
She held the watch farther from her. "If it's Alix's, it's probably worthless."
Seriously? Where did that come from?
At his side, Marinette voiced the words he had been forming. "Give it back to Adrien, Chloe."
Glaring at Marinette, she shrugged, turned away, and then pressed the center of the watch. Adrien watched in horror as she jumped at something and threw the watch into the street.
She really should've watch-ed where she threw it though because her time-ing was terrible.
Simultaneously, Alix crossed the finish line. She registered the cracking sound as she rolled over the pocket watch. It had landed in her path and its pieces were now scattered everywhere.
She turned around and her stomach dropped. She didn't even hear Kim as he protested her win.
He shut up when Alix dropped to her knees and tried desperately to collect the pieces.
She thought to herself, My dad already thinks I'm a screw-up. What am I going to tell him now?
She grit her teeth and glared at Alya. "Did you do this!?"
Alya talked fast. "Uh, I…had to videotape the race but I gave it to Marinette but then she had to hold the banner so she gave it to Adrien and Chloe snatched it from him and dropped it and uh…. Then you skated over it." She shrunk back at those words and held the phone up in front of her mouth.
Alix jerked herself up and stood, facing them. "My old man gave me this for my birthday! This watch is totally a family heirloom!" Her face was hot and her vision started to blur with tears. She turned away from them.
Marinette stepped forward, panic and concern lacing her voice, "It was an accident."
Adrien followed her example. "We didn't mean any harm, Alix-"
Chloe interrupted, "Ugh, as if. I totally had nothing to do with this!"
Alix slowed to a halt. I can't believe them. Excuses.
She snapped, "You're all to blame."
She skated slowly away from them, dropping the pieces she had tried to pick up. Adrien watched Marinette follow after her.
I know there's nothing to say but I hope she can help.
Adrien raised his voice after a long pause. "Let's try to find the rest of the pieces for her. If she has all of them, maybe she can get it fixed."
It was a little too late.
A few minutes later, skates hit the pavement and the class turned their heads to the source of the sound.
Alix? She's been akumatized!
He yelled to his classmates, "Run!"
Adrien scanned for a place to transform. He would have to leave some of them behind. They could fix it though. Ladybug would show up and they'd stop her and everything would go back to normal once she used her Miraculous Ladybug.
He focused for now on getting everyone he could to safety, finding places for them to hide out of the way or urging them to keep running from the scene. Passerby started to inquire as to what was going on until they heard the students shouting about an akuma attack. Everybody ran in different directions. When the area finally cleared of people, Adrien stopped to catch a breath and transform. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Ladybug at a distance, swinging into the air with her yo-yo.
"Time to transform. Plagg, claws out!"
Now ready for battle, Chat Noir used his staff to propel himself up to where Ladybug and an akumatized Alix were duking it out. He extended the staff towards the latter and tapped her on the shoulder with it.
He jeered, "Lemme guess. You were all playing a game of tag and you're it?"
That was lamer than I thought it would be.
Thankfully, akumatized villains had no shame when it came to cringe and at least he was dressed cooler.
She faced him with her fists raised. "Exactly! The name's Timebreaker. Better run!"
Ladybug screamed to him, "Don't let her touch you!", just in time for him to jump and do a split in the air over Timebreaker as she moved under and past him.
"Ha, missed me." He landed and lazily stretched his arms up for good measure. "A second too late."
Chat braced himself to jump out of the way and grab Timebreaker from behind if she tried to attack again. He was horrified to see her make a break for Alya instead, who had been hiding up until then to record the fight.
Run, Alya!
They couldn't reach her time. They had to keep moving. Chat caught up to Ladybug and together they ran, watching out to protect each other from Timebreaker's touch.
He shouted to Ladybug, "So if she touches us do we get sent back in time or what?"
She answered but didn't look at him, "I don't know and I don't wanna find out!"
"Well, looking at her doesn't stop her unfortunately. Heh, sounds like some wibbly wobbly timey wimey….stuff"
He couldn't see it but she rolled her eyes at the reference.
Taking her silence as an answer he changed the subject. "Well she wastes no time, does she?"
This time Ladybug spoke. "No, and the people she's touched are goners if we don't get that akuma!"
She threw her yo-yo in front of her, entangling Timebreaker's arm and narrowly preventing Ivan from being touched. He was shaking and covering his face.
Timebreaker turned and pulled hard on the string around her arm, sending Ladybug flying towards her through the air. She hit the pavement and bounced forward.
Chat ran towards her. She struggled as she tried to pull herself up. Timebreaker loomed over her, reaching out. Ladybug winced and audibly gasped.
She was afraid and he couldn't stand it.
He didn't hesitate. He didn't overthink. He didn't stop. He just ran forward, dove onto his knees, and grabbed her. Chat held Ladybug tight, shielding her from Timebreaker's touch.
As he began to fade, he couldn't help but be surprised at how small she felt in his arms.
Then, Nothing.
There was just nothing. Nothing, until the darkness lifted and he could open his eyes. He could see scenes from his life playing out one after another, each memory from a different, random point in his life. Every memory that played out before him passed so fast he hardly had time to think before it would disappear, only to have another take its place.
It started with him jumping in front of Ladybug. He made the decision to save her because only her Miraculous Ladybug could erase the damage Timebreaker had done. It also didn't hurt that his gesture looked both heroic and romantic.
He kept reliving memories. Yesterday. Eight years ago. His birthday. Meeting Plagg.
Everything rushed by except for those memories so painful, their very presence suffocated him.
He lived through the aftermath of his mother's death again. The empty house. The silence. The crushing weight of lonely. The physical ache and weight on his chest. His father crying behind a closed door. The sound of glass shattering when his father threw a framed picture of their family across the room. The stomach ache that didn't go away for days. His father hugging him, just once.
He lived through the funeral. The closed casket. The bouquets of flowers gathered in black and gold ribbon. Roses, Camellias, Lilies, daffodils, and tulips in red and white. Everything burned into his brain from hours of staring. Aunt Amelie arguing with his father. Felix, staring down at the floor from a far corner. Shallow condolences from men and women in suits, discussing business at every chance. Avoiding eye contact.
He lived through the weeks prior to her death. The muffled voice of his mother in another room yelling, "Gabriel, this hast to stop! I'm scared, but…" A slamming door. Afraid to move from his room. Concerned. Uncertain.
Adrien closed his eyes after those memories passed and allowed himself to drift through the darkness. He tried to block out the voices, sounds, thoughts, choices, and emotions that stitched his life together- the very fabric of his being.
But then, a laugh. A new sound at the time, but it felt familiar. He blinked and watched as a blurred world came into focus. It was ladybug, reaching out to fist bump him in a memory. He had made a particularly bad pun just a few seconds prior and she had actually laughed at it with him. She wasn't laughing at him or asking him to be somebody else. She wasn't yelling at him or keeping her distance. She was just there, smiling and accepting in a way no one else was. Accepting of Chat Noir and his friendship. Accepting of who he was when he was free to make his own choices. Accepting of him.
It didn't erase the pain he felt, but it did bring comfort. It was as if this memory gently wrapped around his heart and whispered, "You are not alone."
Then the world grew quiet and still.
Adrien blinked again but all around him this time was a deep, pitch black. Dark, empty, almost hungry. The ground shifted beneath him and tilted upwards. Sounds and images from the beginning of the race began to fade into view and jarred him into a higher state of alert.
And then, with the sound of rushing wind in his ears, the black ground gave way and it almost felt as though he was falling down and into something familiar.
He was back at the race, living it again before Timebreaker attacked.
He could not remember his journey through his memories, so there he stood, happily cheering on his classmates.
For a moment.
The excitement inside died, however, when Chloe, whose attention had been drawn to him when Marinette fell, wrapped her arm around his and shrilled, "Adrikins! Whatcha got there?"
She grabbed the watch from his open palm and held it between her forefinger and thumb.
He watched her, panicked, as she jerked it around in the air to examine it.
"Careful! It's Alix's!"
She held the watch farther from her. "If it's Alix's, it's probably worthless."
Seriously? Where did that come from?
At his side, Marinette voiced the words he had been forming. "Give it back to Adrien, Chloe."
From above, Ladybug's voice rang out, "Chloe! Put the watch down!"
And put it down Chloe did. She dropped it onto the concrete. A masked girl wearing roller skates jumped down onto the pavement in front of her and screamed, "No! Ladybug, this time it's your fault!"
Ladybug called out, "don't let Timebreaker touch you!" and the group of students scattered.
Adrien scanned the area for a place to transform. He would have to leave some of his classmates behind. They could fix it though. Ladybug would show up and they'd stop her and everything would go back to normal once she used her Miraculous Ladybug.
He focused for now on getting everyone he could to safety, finding places for them to hide out of the way or urging them to keep running from the scene. Passerby started to inquire as to what was going on until they heard the students shouting about an akuma attack. Everybody ran in different directions. When the area finally cleared of people, Adrien stopped to catch a breath and transform.
"Time to transform. Plagg, claws out!"
Now ready for battle, Chat Noir used his staff to propel himself up to the roof of a building where Ladybug stood, readying herself for a fight.
She called out to him, "Chat Noir, I can't explain now but we've gotta capture Timebreaker's akuma! Your life depends on it!"
Business as usual. He teased, "Which life? I've got nine."
Ladybug stopped and turned, looking at him intently. Her expression hardened and her body tensed. "I'm serious! The akuma is in her roller blades. We've gotta release it."
Alright then? His eyes met hers and he nodded. Chat was unsure of why this fight seemed different to her than normal, but he chose to trust her and take it seriously.
They ran forward and lept off the building to meet their opponents below.
They landed and Chat looked up to see two Timebreakers. "Ladybug, am I seeing double all of a sudden?"
"Another thing I don't have time to explain."
The Timebreaker closest to him gave him the answer he was looking for. "The energy from these two will be enough for both of us to go farther back in time."
Time travel. Okay, that's actually pretty cool.
He looked from them to Ladybug and back again, her earlier words sinking in. My life depends on this?
He took a deep breath and mentally pushed that down.
Ladybug told him, "Whatever you do, don't let either of them touch you."
All four of them lunged forward to attack. Chat plunged his staff down. Timebreaker dodged right. She raised a fist to him. He blocked with his staff and returned the jab. They moved in time like a deadly dance until Chat got the upper hand and was able to knock her off her feet. She wasted no time in getting up again and moving toward him head on. Adjusting his grip on the staff he held it in front and when she got close enough, used it to push her up and over him. She fell flat on her back and he caught his breath. Ladybug managed a similar maneuver.
Nice LB. He winked at her and readied himself to charge.
The two Timebreakers clenched their fists, exchanged muttered words, and promptly roller-bladed away.
Okay? Wait, citizens. Shoot.
Ladybug and Chat Noir raced after them. He saw them touch passerby and watched each victim fade into nothing. He realized now why Ladybug had been more serious than usual. He wondered again if…..
Let's not think about that.
Even if he had wanted to, he wouldn't have had time anyway. The two Timebreakers turned and started running towards them. Out of nowhere, Ladybug's yo-yo was hurled from the building above them and hit the two on the wheels of their roller blades, knocking them off balance and onto the pavement.
He jerked his head to where the other end of the yo-yo was and there she stood.
ANOTHER LADYBUG?
Truth be told, he heard her yell down to him and even talk to the Ladybug on his right when she landed next to him but he couldn't have repeated what she said to save his life. He was too busy trying to process that there were two of them.
This is AWESOME!
He was jolted out of this thought when both Ladybugs yelled out, "Lucky charm!" A street cone and rope fell into their hands. They echoed each other. "Any ideas?"
He distractedly answered their question. "While you two figure it out, I'll try to buy us some time."
Okay. First, the rest of Paris. Gotta stop them. Their skates.
Chat scanned the area for something large enough to mess up the flat ground. If they couldn't skate, they couldn't move fast enough to freeze him or ladybug.
There! He ran forward, both Timebreakers in pursuit and used his Cataclysm on a large statue. It turned to rubble and covered the ground between where they had been fighting and the street.
They turned around, unable to maneuver this area, just as he'd hoped. There, both Ladybugs were ready and waiting for them.
He used his staff to get over large hunks of rubble and by the time he caught up to the Timebreakers, he could already hear both Ladybugs shouting "Miraculous Ladybug!" Both Ladybugs and Timebreakers joined into their one, individual prospective person and the broken watch from this timeline was fixed. Chat watched Ladybug hand it to Alix who walked off, carefully holding it to her chest.
He strode up beside her and joked, "I was just getting used to having two Ladybugs around."
She took the opportunity to poke him in the chest and teased, "And now you're gonna get used to having no Ladybugs around."
She threw her yo-yo up and it latched onto the roof of the building in front of them. She moved as if to swing herself upwards and stopped. Turning towards him, the sarcasm faded from her expression. "Thank you though. I couldn't have purified the akuma if it weren't for you. I thought I was a goner."
He stood silent, listening intently.
she continued, "In another timeline, she was about to touch me but you jumped out in front and saved me," she smiled, "…and then we were able to save everybody else."
He poked her back on the arm. He wasn't used to seeing her be this soft towards him. She was usually either all business or teasing him right back. He tried to lighten the heaviness she seemed to carry in her words.
"All while still being handsome and hilarious I hope."
But then, a laugh. A familiar sound. "Maybe," she said.
Ladybug reached out to fist bump him. She stood there, arm extended out, smiling and accepting in a way no one else was. Accepting of Chat Noir and his friendship. Accepting of who he was when he was free to make his own choices. Accepting of him.
Their miraculous beeped, interrupting them.
They nodded to each other and parted ways, but even as he left her, the memory of today gently wrapped around his heart and seemed to whisper, "You are not alone."
She'll fall for me someday. It's only a matter of time, right?
He de-transformed, rode home, and headed to bed for the evening with that very thought swirling around in his mind.
Satisfied, he let the world around him grow quiet and still and drifted off to sleep.
In another part of the city, Nathalie waited.
He's too eager for his own good.
She tightened her grip on the tablet in her hands and turned to glance at her reflection in the nearest store window. The face of Nadja Chamack stared back.
Nathalie straightened her short red hair and then walked past the store. After a minute or two, she passed Alya Cesaire's address. She eyed the building and wondered what the inside looked like.
It's not important.
She could find out if she wanted, but had more pressing matters on her mind today.
It's not hard to find out any information with a good network and enough money.
After all, it hadn't been hard to find out Ms. Cesaire's address, especially with all her online activity.
Nathalie stopped about a block from the apartment building. She waited and divided her attention between watching videos of Mrs. Chamack talking with people and keeping an eye on the area around her. Passerby gave her looks only to receive a hardened glare. They continued walking past her.
Finally, there she was. Alya came into view ahead of her. It was time to move.
Nathalie walked forward, keeping her head tilted down towards the tablet in front of her. Out of the corner of her eye, she watched Alya. As they were about to pass each other on a street corner, Nathalie quickly turned and they collided, hard. Alya fell and Nathalie dropped the tablet. Bits of glass from the screen were scattered everywhere as the tablet hit the ground.
Nathalie stammered, "Oh, are you okay? I wasn't paying attention and went to cross the street and I'm so sorry Ms.-?"
"Alya," She replied distractedly, picking up loose items that had spilled from her book bag. "Just watch where you're going next time. It's dangerous to get near the street without looking. I think I'm alright though. Are you okay?" Alya glanced up for the first time since Nathalie had run into her. Her eyes grew wide.
"Just fine. My work tablet is shattered, but that's my fault. I should've been paying attention," She replied, grabbing a corner of the device and doing her best pick it up while avoiding glass shards.
They both paused then, observing each other. Nathalie spoke first and broke the silence, interrupting Alya as she started to say something.
"I recognize you. You're Alya Cesaire, right? You run the Ladyblog?"
By this point, Alya had gotten to her feet and regained her composure. She placed her hands on her hips. "The one and only. I can't believe you've seen my blog… I mean, you're a famous reporter. That's awesome!"
"Of course. You're a real journalist, seeking after the truth. Speaking of which, call it luck," Nathalie grinned at Alya, "but I'm actually really glad we ran into each other today. I saw your piece on the textbook Ladybug dropped a while back. You've managed to uncover a major clue as to who Ladybug is and that's not something I or any of my other colleagues have managed to do yet."
Alya shrugged and looked away, "Well, that actually turned out to be a dead end, so it doesn't matter. I lost the textbook anyway. I did find out though that Ladybug is thousands of years old! I made a blog post about it after the incident if you're interested."
Nathalie chuckled. She knew better because of Gabriel though she had to admire Ladybug's attempt to cover up the incident.
If only she knew.
Nathalie continued, "Dead end or not, I see potential in you. In fact, I think I might be interested in having you work for me on a certain project of mine that has to do with Ladybug. You may not be an official reporter, but you remind me of my younger self, caring so much about the truth. I want the same thing. You would be provided with resources and in turn, the Ladyblog- "
Alya cut her off, "Thank you for the offer, but I'm not sure I want to turn my passion project over to a major news outlet. I've worked hard on it and want to be in control of what gets posted and what doesn't."
Nathalie replied, keeping her voice even and steady, "Of course, Ms. Cesaire. I think you misunderstand me. The project I'm referring to is more of a personal search for the truth behind superheroes and would involve a mutually beneficial partnership kept separate from the news network I work for…..but if you're not interested, then it's no use discussing details."
She hesitated and watched Alya's expression. "I tell you what Ms. Cesaire, let me give you my personal card. If you change your mind, we can talk more about what I can offer you in exchange for your help."
Alya took the business card Nathalie held out and flipped it over. Her eyes flit over the card. Printed on it in bold, black letters was the name Nadja Chamack with contact information. Alya thanked her and said she'd definitely think about it. They exchanged goodbyes and each went in opposite directions.
After Alya was out of sight, Nathalie could hear Gabriel in her head.
"Excellent work, Nathalie."
"Thank you, sir."
The air grew cooler as dusk fell over Paris. A slight breeze tussled her short hair as she turned the corner into a shadowed alleyway. The street it turned off of was as silent as a city could be at a time when families were at home cooking dinner or relaxing for the evening.
Nobody was around to observe her go into or come out of the alleyway, but if there had been, they would have seen Mrs. Chamack enter and a tall, well-dressed woman with black and red hair leave the side street. Behind her, a glowing white butterfly soared up and into the evening sky.
