Ben and Gwen were watching the live stream of the latest episode of the show Fill My Shoes. Normally they didn't pay much attention to French TV but this was a special case. earlier in that day in class Marinette had asked everyone to tune in because her parents bakery would be on and with famous French Rock Star Jagged Stone.
The show began with its host Alec (who seems to host every game/celebrity show in Paris) welcoming everyone to the show. "Welcome to Fill My Shoes! You're joining us live in a new episode, and our guest today is the one and only Jagged Stone!"
Alec gestured for Jagged to come in front of the camera and he did. "Rock and Roll, yeah! " exclaimed Jagged doing an air guitar as he made hi debut onto the show.
"Filling the shoes of...a baker!" added Alec.
"Yo, Rockers!" said Jagged doing a pose in front of the camera.
Alec continued "And a big thanks to Tom Dupain for having us here in his bakery, the best in Paris, I might add." he then gestures for Tom to come over. He does so but he chuckles nervously, before speaking on-screen clearly uncomfortable "Uhh...hello!"
The show then moved over to the baking area where Jagged was trying to chop some dough with his hands but was stopped by Mr Dupain. "No, no! You have the right energy, Jagged. You just need to be gentle. Haha, hi! More like this."says Mr Dupain nervously waving at the camera. He then shows Jagged how it's supposed to be done.
Alec then asks Jagged a question "So Jagged, how does it feel to fill the baker's shoes today?"
Jagged replied "It's awesome! Check out this edible guitar I made from scratch. This is so rock 'n' roll! Flour, eggs and butter! Flour, eggs and butter! And fire in the oven This is the baker's rock 'n' roll!" He mime plays his bread-guitar while singing to the tune of Smoke on the Water with Mr Dupain. No one actually knows how he made the bread guitar so quickly nor did anyone care.
Jagged then called over Marinette from behind the camera and began speaking 'It's so cool that we get to spend the day together. Marinette's really talented, Alec; she did the artwork for my latest album, and she's only in high school!" The cover of his latest album appears on screen as Marinette nervously makes her way to Jagged's side.
"Wow, impressive! A true family of artists. A talented young designer and a gifted patissier. By the way, what're you gonna bake for us today, Tom?" asks Alec
"Uh...how about some chocolate croissants? Can you grab a bag of flour please, dear?" asks Mr Dupain to Marinette.
"Sure, Dad! Ah!"Marinette accidentally knocks over the bag of flour. All of the flour ends up on Jagged making him look white as a ghost. "Uh oh." said Marinette at her mistake.
Jagged looks dumbfounded for a second but then brightens up "Hey, look! I look like a ghost! Rock and Boo-Hoo!" laughs Jagged.
"Making pastries is obviously no piece of cake! Stay tuned; we'll be right back after this commercial break!" closed Alec as Jagged hugged him for some reason.
The show went to commercial. Ben muted the TV since he didn't want to hear the commercials and turned to Gwen.
"How does Marinette know this Jagged Rock guy again?" asked Ben
"Apparently she made his Eiffel Tower glasses and album cover." answered Gwen not knowing every detail.
"Cool." thought Ben. The fact that Marinette did that upped his respect for her a lot.
They waited for the show to return and when it did for some reason it was in Marinette's bedroom. "And we're back on the air with Jagged Stone filling the shoes of a baker. Let's see how this rockstar cleans off all that flour." says Alec as the camera moves back onto Jagged.
Penny tries to clean the flour off of Jagged, who is distracted by the pictures of Adrien and Ben.
"Hey, there are more photos of these dudes than of me! I think the baker's daughter's got some crushes on some boys." says Jagged whilst winking.
Gwen turned her head from the TV over to Ben to see he was just staring blankly at the screen. She waved her hand in front of Ben saying "Earth to Doofus!"
Ben turned to her and asked "Why does she have photos of me and Adrien on her wall."
Gwen knew exactly why she has pictures of Adrien but she could only assume it was for the same reason with Ben. She also knew she can't tell Ben why so she shrugged and lied "I have no idea why."
Fortunately for her Ben either didn't catch her lying or wasn't paying attention since his eyes were glued onto the TV screen again.
"Aw, teenage love is so sweet! Makes me wanna write a song." said Jagged holding a picture of Ben.
Suddenly Marinette burst through the trapdoor to her room and panicked "What're you guys doing in here?!"
"I'm sorry, Marinette; I couldn't find the restroom." replied Jagged's assistant
"Hey Marinette, you want me to sign this poster of me?" asks Jagged pointing to the poster
Marinette was still panicking and ordered "No! I just need everyone to leave! And you, stop filming! Penny, do something!" Marinette turned towards Jagged's assistant now identified as Penny and she said "You heard the lady." and herds everyone towards the exit when the live footage suddenly goes down leaving Ben and Gwen on a cliffhanger.
The show resumed with Marinette's mother twirling around a long wooden baking peel like a weapon saying to Bob Ross "How dare you! I demand an apology!" and aiming it at him.
"Darling! What happened?" asked Mr Dupain
Someone then swats Bob on his behind with a guitar, and tosses the guitar into Tom's hands making it look like he did it.
"Hey! Are you looking for trouble?!" growled Bob putting his fists up at Mr Dupain.
Mr Dupain laughs at the camera and then he and Bob butt heads. He then says "I could pretend that this isn't bothering me, but now you've gone too far, mister!"
"Don't even think about laying a finger on my husband!" yells Mrs Dupain aiming the peel closer at Bob Ross.
Then the place descends into pure chaos somehow Jagged gets a bag of flour stuffed on his head and Alec is shoved into him. The cameraman trips but doesn't drop the camera, the boom mic operator jumps into Bob Ross's arms, and Jagged screams out "Oh! What's happening? A ghost! It's a ghost! Where's Penny?! Penny!". Immediately after he cries for Penny the door to the upstairs slams shut leaving everyone scared and on the floor.
Suddenly the Bakery went into lockdown mode and the security shields went down over the windows and exit trapping everyone inside.
"Sure your bakery ain't built on an ancient cemetery?" says Bob Ross with the boom mic operator now sitting behind him.
Things begin flying, activating, slamming and pure chaos all across the room. Everything stops going into chaos for a second and a punk rock looking woman falls through the ceiling. She has a mohawk, skull onesie, and purplish pink jean jacket with what looks like skull face paint on her whole body.
She draped her arm around Jagged and said into his ear "Hello Jagged." in a creepy way.
Jagged jumped away and cried "Whoa! Who are you?! Where's Penny?! Penny!"
The punk rocker stomps her foot and declares "There's no more Penny to deal with all your problems, Jagged! From now on, there's only Troublemaker! ( she clicks her pen twice as she says this, briefly turning transparent between clicks) And I'll make your life nothing but problems!" she then cackled and Ben and Gwen could hear scream and running coming from behind the security shields protecting the place.
Ben shut off the TV and she and Ben stood up.
Instead of making a cool one liner Ben makes a stupid comment "She really couldn't come up with a better name I mean Troublemaker? Come on why not a name related to her power like Ghost of Rock or Intanginator no wait that last one is lame."
Gwen face palms and says "Ben we need to get over there she is clearly an akuma and Marinette and her family could be in danger!" after hearing that Ben stiffens for a second and activates the Omnitrix.
"If that's the stakes then I can't afford to make any stupid decisions." answered Ben as Gwen transformed into Lucky Girl.
"So then what's the plan?" asked Lucky Girl.
Ben smirked and activated the Omnitrix with a bright green flash
"Here comes trouble again, Jagged!" cackles Troublemaker as she starts toward Jagged.
"Not in my bakery!" exclaims Mr Dupain. He tries to grab hold of Troublemaker, but she passes through him, sending him tumbling. Troublemaker kicks Jagged backward to the floor.
"Penny, stop! It's—It's not—ah-choo!—rock and roll!" pleads Jagged
"I hate rock and roll, Jagged! I only love chaos, and you'll be my number one hit!" puns Troublemaker
Alec and the camera crew approach and resume broadcasting. "You're witnessing the arrival of a new supervillain, live—aah!" says Alec before Troublemaker pushes him away and says on the air "Show's over, people!" she then knocks out the camera, disrupting the broadcast, and cackles again.
Meanwhile Cat Noir descends on his staff, and approaches the sealed bakery entrance.
"Hey everyone, let me take care of this. It'll be a piece of cake!" says Cat Noir to the press before kneeling down and struggling in vain to lift the security shield covering the bakery entrance
Inside the bakery, Troublemaker hears Cat Noir straining, and phases down through the floor to the outside, Cat Noir is knocked backward before Troublemaker phases up through the street. Cat Noir raises his right arm, preparing to use his Cataclysm.
"Catacly-!" Cat Noir was interrupted by Troublemaker grabbing his arm "So you wanna play rescue? No one's gonna be rescued today!" growled Troublemaker.
Troublemaker hurls Cat Noir, who shrieks, into the side of a van parked across the street, making a deep dent in the vehicle from Cat Noir's back. Ladybug's yo-yo then catches Cat Noir's leg, and he is lifted through the air, again shrieking, to Marinette's balcony.
"Right on time, Cat Noir." said Ladybug standing on the railing of her balcony.
"Good to see you, Bugaboo. Looks like we're gonna break bread today, huh?" replied Cat Noir laying back in her lounge chair.
Ladybug was about to rebuke the nickname but was interrupted by Lucky Girl before she could. Lucky Girl arrived via mana platforms to the rooftop.
"We got a plan guys." said Lucky Girl
"We? you're alone." said Ladybug.
"I'm up here." said a voice from Lucky Girl's shoulder.
Ladybug and Cat Noir were both shocked to see a small grey-skinned, frog-like, bipedal alien that is only four inches tall with large yellowish green eyes, which have rectangular pupils and horizontal eyelids. He was wearing a green jumpsuit with a thin vertical black stripe down the front of it and the Omnitrix was on his back. There was also a similar black stripe down the middle of his strangely shaped head.
"Woah! I didn't know you could shrink!" exclaims Cat Noir clearly very curious about this.
"Yes I can but that is irrelevant at this moment. For now you may address me as Grey Matter. Now here's the plan!" stated Grey Matter as he then began to explain the plan.
"So obviously based off of the camera footage every time she clicks her pen she turns intangible and is unable to be touched by anything until she clicks it again. However if nothing can touch her-" "Then she can't touch anything either." Ladybug finished Grey Matter's thought.
"Exactly which is why we need to trick her into giving up her pen or create a trap for her increasingly low density." added Grey Matter.
"Alright then what's the plan?" asked Cat Noir
Grey Matter grinned and began to explain his plan to the heroes.
Ladybug enters through the skylight, followed by Cat Noir, who turns and closely views the collection of class photos and pictures of Adrien and Ben next to Marinette's bed.
"Oh wow! That's a lot of pictures!" commented Cat Noir
Ladybug extends her arm to deflect Cat Noir's gaze saying "We can take the grand tour later, Cat Noir."
They were followed in by Lucky Girl and Grey Matter. Grey Matter stared at the pictures and was perplexed. Why would Marinette have pictures of him and Adrien all across her bedroom. They weren't there before so why now? His superior intellect began coming up with theories and ultimately he decided on two which seemed most likely. Either Marinette wants to model clothes for both him and Adrien or she's a stalker. The thought of having a crush on him crossed his mind but he discarded the idea since there were more Adrien pictures up rather than pictures of him and he himself had never thought about dating since Kai in the New Mexico Desert.
Cat Noir's danger sense acts up as he sense Troublemaker below. Troublemaker hurls four knitting needles upward toward the heroes, and Cat Noir, forewarned, blocks the needles by raising Marinette's mattress, which reveals more photos of Adrien underneath. Ladybug quickly pushes the mattress back down before Cat Noir, Lucky Girl or Grey Matter can see the photos, sending them tumbling down to the main floor.
They would have fallen on top of Troublemaker but she disappeared underneath the floor before she could have been squashed under Cat Noir's butt.
"Sorry" apologized Ladybug as she came down from the bunk bed's ladder and got into a defensive stance.
Grey Matter had fallen off of Lucky Girl's shoulder and he was planning on it. He ran over towards Ladybug and began climbing up her leg unbeknownst to Ladybug.
Troublemaker reappears by Marinette's chaise longue and throws a parasol at the heroes but misses. Ladybug flings her yo-yo at Troublemaker, but the villain turns intangible with a click of her pen. Troublemaker then returns to being tangible and hurls Marinette's chaise longue at the duo, which Cat Noir catches and tosses behind him amidst a flurry of yet more photos of Adrien, fallen from the chaise. Cat Noir removes a photo from his face, and sees images of Ben and Adrien in front of him. Ladybug quickly grabs the photos away.
"I said later Cat Noir." said Ladybug clearly annoyed with Cat Noir unknowingly prying into her private life.
Troublemaker throws a large trunk at Ladybug from behind but Lucky Girl blocks it with a mana shield. She then shoves the shield at Troublemaker who disappears through the floor.
Troublemaker leaps back up but this time behind Ladybug and she reaches for her earrings. Cat Noir sees this and shouts "Look out!"
Cat Noir splits his staff, and trips Ladybug, causing her to fall away from Troublemaker's reach as well as Grey Matter falling off of her, then strikes Troublemaker back, causing her pen to go flying across the room and settle on the floor.
Everyone knew the akuma was inside the pen so now it was a matter of getting it from over in the corner. Ladybug was getting up when again she didn't notice Grey Matter climbing up her arm since she was so focused on the pen.
The four combatants race across the room to retrieve the pen (with Grey Matter clinging onto Ladybug's arm) Troublemaker between the heroes. All lunging at the floor, Troublemaker grabs the pen first, followed by Lucky Girl, Cat Noir then Ladybug. Troublemaker clicks the pen to dematerialize.
"Touch me if you dare!" taunts Troublemaker as she phases down through the floor, leaving the heroes on their stomachs.
"What're we gonna do? I can't touch her with a ten-foot pole even if I wanted to!" complained Cat Noir
"Her strength is also her weakness. In order to touch us, she must become touchable herself!" said Ladybug
"Yes I did mention that previously so I assumed you would be prepared for that." added Grey Matter. Ladybug screamed when she realized he was on her shoulder and shook him off. Lucky Girl caught Grey Matter.
"Hey I can't fly in this form you know!" growled Grey Matter.
"Sorry I just didn't know you were on my shoulder and it really creeped me out even though I know that was part of the plan." apologized Ladybug.
"It's alright I should have told you I was on your shoulder." replied Grey Matter.
"Ehem well since the plan failed any other bright ideas?" asked Lucky Girl
"Yes It didn't work because Cat Noir had tripped Ladybug before I could leap for the pen so this time I propose we try something similar." suggested Grey Matter.
"What'd you have in mind?" asked Cat Noir
"Simple. The exact same plan but this time after I get the pen I will change to another alien to further ensure that she cannot get the pen back this time." explained Grey Matter.
"I would totally recommend XLR8 since he is the fastest." suggested Cat Noir
"Yes I will try for him but who knows whether the stupid device will actually give me him." replied Grey Matter.
"Wait what do you mean you don't know if it will give you him?" asked Ladybug.
"The Omnitrix often times doesn't give me the alien I want and picks one at random. I am still unsure why it happens." explained Grey Matter.
The heroes arrive down the stairs from Marinette's bedroom and into the living room/kitchen area.
"Be careful! She's probably hiding somewhere in this room! If she wants to take our Miraculous, she can't be untouchable." warned Ladybug to the team
"And if we can grab her, we can also grab her pen." added Cat Noir
"And capture the akuma too." further added Lucky Girl.
Troublemaker phases down through the ceiling, landing between the heroes, and, solidifying, kicks Ladybug away. She then grabs Cat Noir's right arm, and twists it behind his back, so she can grab for the ring on his clenched fist. Lucky Girl tossed several mana discs at her forcing her to go through the floor to avoid them but also freeing Cat Noir.
When Troublemaker resurfaces from behind Lucky Girl, Ladybug was back up and she wrapped her yo-yo tightly around the her, but Troublemaker dematerializes, escaping the grip of the string, which then falls away loosely before springing back to Ladybug. Troublemaker re-solidifies and kicks Cat Noir away then quickly swiped her leg underneath Lucky Girl tripping her. Troublemaker dematerializes again and jumps through Ladybug, solidifying again to jump off the wall and leap at Ladybug. She pins Ladybug to the floor, holding the heroine's arms down with her left arm, while she takes Ladybug's left earring with the other.
Grey Matter saw his chance and leapt off from behind Ladybug's shoulder and directly at the pen. He snatched it then slapped the Omnitrix on his back.
In a burst of green light Diamondhead now stood in Grey Matter's place with the pen in hand. Diamondhead easily crushed it between his fingers and the akuma fluttered out of the pen's remains.
Meanwhile Troublemaker reverted back into Penny and Ladybug had managed to grab her earring back in the chaos and placed it back on. She threw her yoyo at the akuma capturing it inside and when she released it it was white.
"Bye bye little butterfly." said Ladybug. She was about to throw up her Lucky Charm when she realized she hadn't used her special power and that she couldn't use it without it.
"Um Lucky Charm?" said Ladybug unsure if it would work since she doesn't really need anything. To her advantage it did work and it made a photograph of Ben Tennyson our of magic ladybugs. The picture had a frame with a ladybug pattern around it
"What? A picture of Ben? Is this a sign?" wondered Ladybug in her mind. She didn't let anyone else see what that Lucky Charm was since she had already had enough embarrassment about boys today.
So Ladybug tossed it up at the ceiling and it burst into the magic swarm of Ladybugs everyone had become accustomed to and it reverted everyone back to the way it was.
"Wha...? What happened? Where's Jagged?" asks Penny bewildered at the amnesia caused by being akumatized. She was also on the floor.
Ladybug kneeled down and placed her hands on Penny's shoulders "You're always so helpful, putting everyone before you. Let's worry about Penny for a change. How are you feeling?" asks Ladybug
Penny pauses to exhale and replies " I'm fine. Thank you, Ladybug."
Ladybug's earrings beep.
"Whoops! Gotta go! Rock and roll!" Ladybug said as she made her departure by leaping up to the loft, then out through the skylight.
"Rock and roll!" adds Cat Noir as he follows Ladybug out of the skylight.
Lucky Girl followed Cat Noir and Diamondhead tried but is to big so he changed to Snare-Oh to fit through.
The heroes were all standing on the roof together. Ladybug and Cat Noir on the railing, Lucky Girl on a mana platform and Snare'Oh on the rooftop balcony/terrace.
"Whew! Well, that was a close call! Looks like you won't find out my true identity today!" said Ladybug relieved
"I already know who you are." said Cat Noir warmly
"Huh?!" says Ladybug with worry
Cat Noir leans in towards Ladybug and says "You're the girl of my dreams."
Ladybug giggles and says "Silly kitty!"
"Pound it!" all the heroes said as they did a four way fist bump and then left (minus Ladybug who just whipped around the chimney).
Marinette enters the building stealthily, sticking close to the wall as she does so.
In the courtyard, Nino, Alya, and Gwen are standing by the bottom of the stairs, conversing. Marinette discreetly creeps past behind them. They glance to their right when they hear something, but see nothing and resume their conversation. Then Marinette hides behind the doors to the locker room when they swing open as Chloé and Sabrina emerge, talking to each other. Marinette then cautiously creeps inside the locker room.
Marinette opens her locker, and places her backpack on the upper shelf inside and lets out a huge sigh of relief
"Phew! Hopefully, they didn't see me!" said Marinette to herself as she shuts her locker triumphantly, only to be startled by Adrien and Ben standing behind the door.
"Hey, Marinette! (Marinette screams after he said that) How's it going? After what happened at your place last night, I was worried that—"
"Oh, so you watched the show, then! Well, uh, look...about what you saw on the show last night — the totographs, in my room—" Marinette interrupted Adrien but then Ben corrected her "You mean the photographs?
"The grotographs, exactly! It-it's not what you think. See...I'm really into fashion, and, umm..." Marinette says meekly. but Adrien interrupts her this time. He leans forward with a piercing, impish glare and says " Are you lying?"
Marinette quickly got on the defensive and said "No! I'm so not into you—I mean, sure, I'm interested in you, but, um, not in that way; well, you know, ha-ha-ha-ha...ha ha!
Adrien chuckles "Just teasing." he said placing his arm over her shoulder and adding "I understand; don't worry. I've got used to having lots of fans...and, photographs of me everywhere — even in the most unlikely places."
Marinette laughs and says "As if someone would have a picture of you under her bed, right?" Both Adrien and Ben knew she did have pictures of them both under her bed but neither pressed the issue since that could reveal their identities.
Yeah. I was wondering; since you're into fashion so much, you could come watch my next photo shoot!" suggests Adrien taking his arm away
"No way! For you?—peal—meal— For real?" stutters Marinette
"Honestly, it's pretty long and boring, but if you were there, it would definitely be more fun! Whaddaya say?" asked Adrien
Marinette very excitedly, throws her arms up and exclaims :Oh wow! Yes! Thank you, Adrien."
"I'll keep you posted, then. (Adrien starts to leave) See you later in class." Before Adrien leaves he stops, and turns to Marinette, causing her to gasp and says "I'm glad to have you as one of my fans" Adrien then leaves.
"So are you a fan of me too despite me not being a model?" questioned Ben startling Marinette who she had forgotten was still there awaiting an explanation.
"Well I uh no I uh..." Marinette wasn't sure what to say.
"I just um think you... would look great in a some designs I have and I pictured a lot of them on you I mean not you you but you in pictures I mean I imagined it was like you were wearing my designs when the pictures were taken." spluttered Marinette.
It took Ben a moment to process it but when he did he said "Ok that makes sense but there's another thing about that that I don't understand. I don't recall posing for a lot of those photos or any of them existing so how could you have gotten them?" asked Ben
Marinette froze with anxiety and her face turned a bright crimson.
Eventually Marinette spoke and decided it was best to just come clean. "I took those pictures of you because I... I think you look... (Marinette took a deep breath) CUTE!" she finally blurted out.
Ben was indeed surprised. When he was Grey Matter he hadn't considered that possibility despite having a super powerful brain.
"So you think I'm cute like being a model cute like Adrien or like I have a crush kinda cute?" further asked Ben
Marinette knew she should have come clean but her anxiety once again got the best of her. "What me crush on you? No way. Totally like a model persplective ach perspective!" stuttered Marinette once again her cheeks blushed crimson in embarrassment.
"Um well ok but uh please don't take pictures of me without my permission Marinette it feels like an invasion of privacy." replied Ben.
"Of course I promise I won't do it again. Still friends?" asked Marinette nervously.
"Of course. Want me to come over and play video games tomorrow? Or maybe you'd like to try sumo slammers on my console." asked Ben
"Sumo Slammers?" questioned Marinette having never heard of it before.
"Yeah it's a Japanese video game one of my favorites. Want to play at the Rustbucket?" asked Ben again.
Marinette smiled and replied "Yes absolutely."
"Great see you tomorrow after school then." farewelled Ben leaving the locker room. Marinette held her breath
Tikki emerges from Marinette's purse and says "Relax, Marinette. You can breathe now!"
"Adrien invited me to one of his photo shoots! and Ben to play Video games! exclaims Marinette throwing her arms up.
"Yeah, that's awesome! And, you even managed to get some normal sentences out, too!" added Tikki to Marinette's list of accomplishments
"Oh, come on! That's not funny!" replied Marinette
"You're totally right. It is not funny." sarcastically replied Tikki
After a pause, Marinette and Tikki laugh, and touch heads.
Hope you guys like this chapter. Since Winter break has now began expect the update schedule to get back to being normal with new chapters every Saturday (or Sunday). If anyone has any suggestions don't hesitate to message me and I will respond ASAP. Please follow, review, and fav and have a Merry Christmas or Happy Hanukkah.