It's lucky I swear!=^-^=

Ch. 13 - The Show


The day started with a jolt as Adrien was woken up promptly at 5 am. Nathalie had his whole morning scheduled down to the minute so that the show would go on without a hitch. He didn't know why he had to be awake so early when the show wasn't until 11, but he didn't argue. He was on a mission today. "Marinette?" He called as he knocked on her door.

"Marinette has already left to meet with Stephen." Nathalie informed when she returned to make sure he was ready to go. "It's 6:45 now. Make sure you are down in the foyer by 7. You'll be able to eat something once we arrive at the venue." She then turned and left without wasting a second.

He looked down as his clothes. They were waiting for him laid out on his bed when he got out of the shower. There was no doubt in his mind that Marinette had picked them out. The t-shirt showed his love of cat puns with a cat wrapped up in a burrito; a purritto. Then he had a short sleeve dress shirt to wear over it along with black chinos and those same green high tops she'd told him to wear before. "Why didn't she say anything though?" Even when she was frantic and nervous the day before, she still said good morning. Was she still upset about yesterday? Or maybe embarrassed? As he headed for the stairs he found his body guard waiting with crossed arms. When he noticed his charge, he grunted and gestured to the door. "Right, I'm coming." Stewing over it now wouldn't get him anywhere. If he wanted to know how Marinette was, he'd have to ask her himself. Early morning traffic had them arriving half an hour later where he was immediately escorted through a secure entrance. Dozens of models waited in the room he was brought to.

"Oh, Adrien? I was wondering when you would arrive." A dark haired woman called from nearby.

"Tabitha? Morning." He greeted back at a familiar face. In truth, he did recognize several of the models around him, but he didn't spend much time with them. Even Tabitha was more of an acquaintance, but he'd talked to her more due to being paired up with her for the show.

"You don't look as nervous as I'd thought you would. This is your first Fashion Week show isn't it?" She asked. She was a couple of years older than him though their experience was about even.

"I suppose, but this isn't my first show. I think I can handle it."

"I'm glad you feel good about it. I'll be okay if that Lila girl stays far away from me." The older model remarked with a slight frown.

"Lila? What did she do?"

Tabitha rolled her eyes. "More like, what didn't she do? She tried to get me fired yesterday for one. I'm lucky to have a good agent, however, so she didn't get anywhere." She then gestured towards a few of the other models. "I've heard from a few others as well. I honestly don't understand how Gabriel can trust her in this show."

Adrien chuckled at that. "I don't think he actually trusts her. My father doesn't trust very many people at all."

Tabitha shrugged. "I can believe that then. Anyway, I haven't spotted her either, so keep your eyes open. Also, if you haven't eaten yet, there are some snacks on the table over there." She pointed before moving along to start a conversation with a few female models.

Adrien moved over to the table and snuck a cube of cheese into his shirt pocket for the grumpy kwami who'd wake up any time now. He then checked his phone for messages. Marinette hadn't sent any, but Nino had. It was slightly surprising. He said he'd be sitting in the front row with Alya, and Marinette's parents. Adrien didn't get into much small talk before the Luis Vuitton models were taken out to prep for the show. "There you are Adrien. Come with me. Your father has arrived to go over the last few preparations." Stephen suddenly directed almost out of nowhere.

"Huh? Sorry, this is where my bodyguard brought me."

"He told me as much. He was following protocol for the normal models, but remember, your father wants you to see more of the process. He sent me to fetch you."

"Um…" The model started weakly. "Is Marinette okay?"

"Hmm? She was fine a few minutes ago, why?" Stephen answered without turning back to look.

"Oh, good then. I was a little worried because of yesterday."

"Oh yes, yesterday. Well, the other interns have their share of nerves at the moment as well. I suppose Marinette just got them early?" He half joked as he led Adrien into a conference room.

Gabriel waited along with his entire design team and the interns. "Good, let's get this started shall we?" The designer started once his son was present. While his father went over the details of the show Adrien's eyes wandered to the intern he was most worried about. Marinette didn't look upset at all and was focusing on Gabriel's words completely. It filled him with relief. Maybe it really was just nerves? If it was then it was good she got them yesterday so she was able to recover before the show. There was still something, however, that worried at the back of his mind though. Something that said it was more, and not over yet.


The next few hours was a blur as bodies shuffled around the model. Stephen kept him close so he wouldn't be lost in the chaos, but it was still a bit dizzying. Houte Couture Week really was a whole other monster than his normal shows. There were around three times as many people, and any attempt to talk to Marinette was thwarted somehow. Stephen would keep him away, or he'd be directed by Nathalie. In one instance Marinette herself had passed him by as if not noticing him at all. "Our show hasn't even started and I'm exhausted." He muttered which made Stephen chuckle.

"You'll get used to it, Adrien." He checked his watch and guided Adrien to his station. "Alright, you stay here. I need to help with the first line of girls. Marinette will be here to help you as soon as possible." He informed as he dashed down the line of curtained rooms.

"I guess that will be your big chance?" Plagg whispered as he floated out of his hiding place.

"No… Not before the show. I don't want to ruin her focus."

Plagg rolled his eyes. "What about your focus? You've been spacing out all morning."

"I'll be fine, Plagg. Doing it before the show wouldn't help me anyway. I'd be rushing Marinette, and I don't want an answer from that." An enraged shout broke their conversation, but the source was hard to define. Adrien peeked from his curtain to spy a few models dashing away from something, but nothing else. There were no screams to follow so it wasn't an akuma at least.

"Adrien?"

He went back it to find Marinette peeking in the other side. "Huh? Yeah, hey, Marinette."

"Hey. I have your clothes. Please get dressed, and I'll help with the cravat and coat." She turned around as he started to undress.

"Um, Marinette?"

"…Yes?"

"I'm glad you seem to be doing better. I was worried when I didn't get to see you earlier."

"Oh… Yes, it was just nerves after all. It's nothing for you to get worried about. You have your own job to deal with." Her voice did a good job of hiding her unease, but Adrien still felt something off.

"Right…" He trailed off as he put on the shirt and began to button it. "Nino texted me earlier saying he was going to be in the front row."

"With my parents… Alya texted me too." She answered with a less eager tone.

"I'm sure they'll be blown away by what you made." Adrien tapped her shoulder to show he was ready. "I mean, I certainly am. I was ready to buy this even before my father added it to the show."

She turned and smiled at him, but it wasn't as full as usual. "I'm happy you liked it so much, Adrien… I don't think I properly thanked you for saving me before."

"Saving you?"

Marinette straightened the vest before Adrien buttoned it. "When you brought this design to your dad. If you hadn't stepped up for me, I would have been dropped that night." She then moved to the cravat. "I was so sure that I had screwed everything up so… Thank you, Adrien."

The model was silent as she tied the accessory and her words echoed in his mind. There was a note of finality to them that filled him with dread. As she reached up to pin the fake bell he took her wrist. "Marinette?"

"Huh?… Adrien… I need to finish." She responded as her fingers struggled to reach the latch on one side.

"Marinette, look at me." He calmly requested as he raised her chin with his other hand. "I want to talk with you after the show; just the two of us. I'll text you where, but promise to meet me there immediately after the show, alright?"

She gave him a slightly puzzled look that also felt sad. "Okay…" She agreed and he released her hand so she could continue. She took out the hand and held it in restless fingers as he bowed his head so she could place it.

"Adrien, cue in 1 minute." They heard Stephen through the curtain and he took his cane and stood up straight.

"Looks like it's time."

"Good luck, kitty." The designer expressed shyly as she opened the curtain for him.

Adrien felt his heart skip a beat when he heard that. Of course Marinette was playing along again, but it still made him happy. This time he didn't resist calling back as Chat. "See you soon, milady." He then walked off to the line where to others modeling the noble miraculous dresses were waiting.

Stephen was talking with a stage hand while Ulrich was checking over each model. That's when Adrien noticed something odd. Mandelle was standing in front of Lila. He was under the impression that Lila was supposed to be first, but… Maybe Plagg was right? He must've spaced out during that part of the meeting before. It was probably a last minute change his father made. The urge to smile at the idea was hard to squash since Lila most certainly didn't deserve the coveted first slot. "Go!" Stephen ordered as soon as the music cued up. Clara Nightingale's Miraculous was a very fitting background as the models started their procession. Mandelle went out first and around 10 seconds later Lila followed. The interval was the same between each of them right up until Adrien went out last.

As each was revealed, a video was projected on screens around them to show the miraculous wielder they represented. Once the model reached about halfway around the stage, they posed before getting into place. The model spied Nino and Alya right before he got into position with Tabitha. It went easy after all the practice, but he could feel something wasn't right. When he saw Lila's gaze as she approached he could almost feel her plotting something. That feeling was all he had time for before Mandelle stumbled forwards. He supposed it was his reflexes that brought him to catch her before she fell. Despite modeling for years more, his hero reflexes won out, and he helped steady her footing. The music only dulled the startled mutters around the room, but that wasn't something Adrien cared about. He gave Lila a slight glare as Mandelle rejoined her and they all began to exit the stage.

When he was safe behind the curtain he wanted to punch the nearest wall. He knew Lila did something! That little trip up may have just ruined the whole show! Stephen was having a mini panic attack as he checked in with Mandelle. As the most senior of Gabriel's design team, he would get the most heat if it was ruined. Models parted as the man himself stepped forward. Gabriel looked calm and collected, which may have been worse in a way. His father went out to take his bow, and could very well return seething.


Just when it looked like Haute Couture week would go on without incident, Recompense came crashing through with the fury of a woman scorned. Gabriel's show had only been over 15 minutes before the akuma began to tear through the staging area. "All of you will get your Recompense!" She screamed as she directed swarms of black bugs all around. "Witch! Get out here for your just desserts, or I'll drag you out by that precious hair of yours!" The akuma was hard to pin down appearance wise. The gender was ambiguous, and the dark green cloak they wore covered much of their body including half their face.

Adrien watched from a curtain nearby while silently cursing. "Damn… I think that's Mandelle."

"So, let's go. I'm not letting you get out of your confession for an akuma, kid."

"Claws out!" Chat Noir called while ignoring the kwami's motivations. He leapt out of the curtain at the akuma.

Recompense glided right out of the way and pointed their sleeve at the hero. A torrent of water gushed out drenching him. "Attacking others without cause!?"

Chat Noir shook the water off. "What are you talking about? Don't you see you're ruining the show!?"

The akuma appeared to scoff and look around again. "This show was already ruined by that witch! I merely wish for her to go down with it!" Recompense once again pointed her sleeves and chains flew out to bind the cat hero.

"Wha!?"

"Stay out of my way!" The akuma shouted before leaving him to find their prey.

"What in the world is going on?"

Chat turned to see ladybug standing only a foot away. "Oh, Milady, think you could lend a paw?" Ladybug rolled her eyes and kneeled down while still looking in the direction the akuma went. "Thanks."

"Did the akuma say what it was after?" The bug heroine inquired as she used her yo-yo string to slice the chain.

"I think she's after Lila. You remember her right?"

Ladybug's eyes narrowed. "Unfortunately."

"Yes well, there was a model that just got fired, and I think that's her. Lila had something to do with it... I guess." He covered in the end realizing he knew too much.

"I have no doubt, but my real question is why the akuma didn't try to go for your ring just now. I mean I would have made it in time to stop her, but she didn't even try. Hawkmoth would usually force them to go right for the miraculous, right?"

Chat Noir shrugged. "True, but maybe because he didn't know you were here yet?"

She shook her head. "Then wouldn't using you as bait be better?"

"Or maybe the akuma is out of control? That's happened before, right?"

Ladybug couldn't argue with that. There have been several very willful akuma over the years. "It's not a bad theory."

"Yeah, but we should get going." Chat, now free of the chains, hopped up and dashed after the akuma. "We should track down Lila first. That's who the akuma is targeting so we'll need to keep her out of Recompense's hands." The very idea made Ladybug want to growl in frustration. There has been many a time when she'd rather let Lila doom herself, but Mandelle didn't deserve to have that on her hands. She was the true victim.

Even with the large crowd in the building for one of the biggest events in Paris, the evacuation was going rather well. With more than two years of practice, every police officer or security guard in the city was well versed in akuma protocol. That made following the akuma much easier as there were very few panicked civilians running around. "Ladybug!" The heroes stopped at the familiar call. Alya appeared from behind an electric directory with her phone in hand.

"Remember to keep out of the line of fire, Alya." She warned once the ladyblogger lowered her device.

"I know, okay? I was just going to point you to the akuma. She dashed after a few of the models who were being evacuated that way by security."

"Was there a girl named Lila with them? You know her, right?" Ladybug asked with a forced curious tone.

"Yes, I think she was. Why would she be after her?"

"Chat Noir heard the akuma screaming, and guessed."

"I was watching the show… secretly of course." The cat hero teased while hiding his anger at recalling the incident.

"Me too, but I didn't have the best view."

"You guys were watching the show? Just this one?" The reporter inquired.

"No, I've seen a few."

"I uh… Well with this many people, I wanted to make sure to be ready if something happened." Ladybug explained quickly."

"Great minds, right, Milady?"

She chuckled at Chat's comment and readied her yo-yo. "Alright, let's get back after the akuma!"

Alya watched them go with a grin, and pulled her phone back up. "Sorry for the black out, Ladybug fans, but I hope you heard what I did. That's right, Ladybug didn't brush off Chat Noir's flirt just now, and believe me it was a flirt. I think LadyNoir is on its way!"


By the time the heroes' caught up to the akuma, Lila was cornered at a security shutter. "She must've been separated from the others somehow." Chat deduced as he leapt over a railing. He landed right in front of the Italian with his staff at the ready.

"Lucky Charm!" The heroine declared as she jumped down to join him.

"Is that a… corset?" Chat asked looking very confused.

Ladybug shrugged and hooked it with her yo-yo. She already had an idea of how to use it without really thinking about it. The akuma glared at them and looked up just in time to see the garment fall over their shoulders. "Grab the laces!" Ladybug took one side, and Chat Noir took the other. They pulled together and the undergarment tightened like a vice around the akuma's arms and torso.

"Rahhhhh!" Recompense growled as she pulled and struggled.

"Late as always." Lila spat now that she thought she was safe from the akuma. "You should count yourselves lucky I didn't get hurt while you took your sweet time getting here."

Ladybug once again had to resist the urge to release the akuma for just a little bit. It would be so nice to see Lila get at least a little of what she deserved. "Our apologies, miss. This place is so big. I'm very happy we made it in time." Chat conveyed behind his trained smile. "Come on, Ladybug. Let's take care of this akuma."

"Any ideas of what the akumatized object is?" She asked back while struggling to hold the angry victim in place.

"Uh… The cloak?"

Ladybug rolled her eyes. "The object is usually purple remember?" Definitely not green.

"Okay, then something under the cloak. She makes things fly out of her sleeves like water and those chains she hit me with." If that were the case, however, then they'd need to get creative about finding it. This akuma would break free if they stopped pulling the corset so tightly.

"Okay then… On three, you cataclysm the cloak."

"Got it, Ladybug. Cataclysm!" He readied his attack but the akuma was tired of being held back. They thrashed right as Chat Noir called out his attack, and the hero reflexively grabbed for the lace to better hold on. The red spotted corset immediately turned to ash and both heroes fell back with the sudden slack.

"Chat Noir!?" His partner yelled, both off balance and annoyed.

Recompense didn't bother with the floored heroes and went straight for her defenseless prey. "Now for you!" Lila nearly slipped in her heels as she made a break for it. "Not so fast!" A web of threads came out of the akuma's sleeve and wrapped Lila's ankles tight causing her to fall face first to the hard floor. "You have yet to receive Recompense! And you have oh so much coming, Witch!"

"Shouldn't you be going after Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculous!?"

The akuma chuckled. "But didn't you want to be first? I'd hate for you not to get your way." Lila turned over to reveal her nose was bleeding; of course that only made the akuma happy. "Now, cue time."

Recompense began to real her in as Lila clawed at the floor. "Damn it! Those heroes are worthless!"

"Yes you have so much in common, don't you?" Recompense reached down and dragged her up by her hair. "All so very worthless, but here's something you don't have in common, Witch." The akuma leaned down with a showed grin. "Unlike you, they'll be missed when they're gone."

"Everyone will be missed by someone when they're gone!" Chat shouted as he knocked Recompense over from behind. Lila dropped to the floor though her legs were still tied. Chat used his staff to hold the akuma in a choke hold while Ladybug wrapped her with the yo-yo.

"Only a few minutes left! Hold her Chat!" Ladybug grabbed the arm Recompense was attempting to aim towards Lila.

"Why do you stop me!? That Witch deserves this!"

"That doesn't make it right!" Chat argued while trying to keep the akuma off balance. Her height made it harder.

While pulling at the akuma's wrist a loud snap was heard and the heroine noticed the dark butterfly rise from the broken bracelet in her hand. "Got it, Chat Noir!" She unwrapped her yo-yo and snatched the akuma right out of the air, purified it, then released. "Bye bye, little butterfly."

Chat heaved a relieved breath as he released the now freed Mandelle and sat back. "That was a close one."

The distraught model crumpled to the floor with tears down her face. "It's ruined… My one chance…"

Ladybug looked on in sympathy. She'd heard just how mad Gabriel had been when he came back stage after his bow. Thankfully or unthankfully, she had been busy with the other interns getting the clothes put away. Thinking back on that night when her design went missing, Marinette couldn't help wondering if this is how she looked when she got home. "Mandelle… right?" She kneeled down and spoke softly. "I know you must feel like the world is collapsing around you. Like nothing you could ever do would fix things?" Mandelle looked up to her with red eyes, but no more rage. "Sometimes bad things happen, true, but give those things time before you assume they're all bad. Sometimes they're really good and you just don't know it yet."

"Ladybug, your earrings." Chat pointed out as he handed his partner what was left of the lucky charm.

"I know, Chat. Miraculous Ladybug!" Upon tossing it up the magic covered the whole building and the heroes' didn't stick around after.


"That ended faster than I thought it would. "Nathalie remarked as Gabriel left the private meeting room.

"I already doubted Mandelle would get the job done. She gave Ms. Rossi something to think about at least." The slight smile he wore was reflected on his assistant's face.

"Hopefully."

"Now, damage control."

Nathalie nodded. "Yes, I have several of the attending press here." She pulled up a list on her tablet.

"Good. Anyone look promising?"

"Yes, Anna Rue."

Gabriel furrowed his brow. "Anna Rue? Teaching Lila a lesson aside, I am in no mood for jokes."

Nathalie shook her head. "I understand, Gabriel, but, despite her normal reputation, I believe we can use her this time. She's working with an intern at the moment; a Ms. Alya Cesaire."

The designer rubbed his chin at the familiar name. "Cesaire… Does she run about with Mr. Lahiffe?"

His assistant nodded. "Yes, and she is best friends with Ms. Dupain-Cheng. I believe we can use that connection to head this stumble debacle. At the very least, it could serve as a way to dampen the blow."

The man looked at least a little intrigued by the idea. Of course they'll have to make the move as soon as possible. News travels fast, and any journalist worth their pen wants to be the first to break the news. "Inform Stephen of what he'll need to do, and find Ms. Dupain-Cheng."


What? I'm making you wait one more chapter? How could I? (Of course I would) It will be worth it because I really like how I did the meet up between our cute little couple. I'm finishing up 15 at the moment, and so I think maybe 16 chapters will end it nicely. It's not set in stone, but that's what it looks like. Anyway, I'm open for suggestions on how Lila gets thrashed publicly. I already have how she's going to get revealed as the show ruiner, but not after quite yet. (I had to fit fluff in somewhere, right?)=^-^=

Thanks for reading, and I appreciate comments!=^-^=