Thus the two come together. Laughter, angst, and some fluff ensured.
The two players walked out of the forest into an open grass field. Ladybug looked annoyed with her arms crossed, while Chat Noir, on the other hand, was pleading to the girl ahead of him.
"Please forgive me already my lady. I didn't mean to, I swear."
"I told you if you ever get into any danger, you should call for me. It's easy enough to at least notify me in battle since we've formed a party, so stop diving into danger all on your own Chat. What would have happened if my path wasn't a dead end and I didn't go back for you?"
"I know. I thought I could handle it."
"And you forgot those wolves were capable of ambushing us players."
"I didn't! I just didn't think there would be more than one party."
"I could have gone to you in an instant with teleportation Chat! That's also a benefit of being in a party!"
"That's why you're the smart one amongst us my lady."
"One - I'm not your lady" Ladybug remarks, holding up a finger before going into two, "And two - you were the one who told me about party formations."
"...Oh… Again, that's why you're the smart one, my lady." Chat adds a wink to his defeat, making his partner roll her eyes as they continue their trek back to town.
Over a month has passed since everyone was trapped in MMO, and all players were still stuck in level, or rather floor 1. Chat Noir, a little over a month ago, had actually met the girl he wanted to meet again, Ladybug, in a similar situation to his mistakes from a while ago.
Whilst walking around one of the many dungeons of the floor, the black masked player came across her fighting a group of golems, and he decided to intervene when one of the golems was about to striker her from behind. He then helped her escape back to town where he learned she joined the searching group for the floor dungeon, and decided to tag along since he himself was helping to look as well.
"Too bad we haven't found anything yet. Hopefully the other parties are luckier than us" Ladybug adds.
"Perhaps my bad luck and your good luck have cancelled each other out" Chat grins.
"Hahaha, just because you're a 'black cat' and I'm a 'ladybug.' How smooth Chat." Ladybug sarcastically answers.
"Well, my player name is 4_chatNOIR, and 4 in some countries isn't a lucky number. Coincidentally the 8 in your player name, coccinelle8, is lucky."
"Like you said, just a coincidence. I had to have something other than coccinelle since that was taken."
"Aw, and I thought it represented something to you. Like if it was your birth month or something?"
"Hmm, maybe. Did you mean to choose '4'?"
"Of course: 'for' Chat Noir, to you I'll be, my lady." Chat suavely picks up Ladybug's hand and kisses, but she pulls away and pokes his forehead.
"Enough messing around Chat. Let's keep going before it gets dark. We don't want another ambush again."
"What? Not 'claw-ver' enough? Then how about a dinner and a 'mewvie' for two when we ascend the new floor?"
With more groaning and puns along the way, the two made their way into the nearest town possible. As the sun almost set, street lamps began to lit up and less and less people roam around the streets. Only Ladybug and Chat Noir were left to enter the vicinity.
"Wow, it seems empty over here huh Ladybug?"
"It's still a bit early I guess, but maybe other players are still in the dungeons. Most players still insist on staying in the starting town however. Not many of people, and even within the searching group, have a lot of faith like we do."
"...Then more reason to find the floor dungeon. Even if we can't, there are still others like us looking for it. It's not like we have to find it."
"Chat-"
"After all, either way, we'll make it to the second floor, so smile my lady. Kay?"
"...Silly cat."
"I'm a man you know. 14 years of this devilish charm"
"Hahaha, right" Ladybug tiredly says, but smiles nonetheless. "What a coincidence though - I'm 14 years old as well."
"I see, you're 14 too… WAIT, REALLY?!"
"C'mon, let's get to the inn already" Ladybug answers instead as she walks ahead, leaving behind her surprise party member.
"H-Hold! Is that true on my lady?"
"Now I remember - it's one of them beta testers, isn't it?!" Chat instantly hears from the side while catching up to Ladybug. His partner hears this and turns to a small group of 4 players with conniving smirks on them.
"Look, isn't him? One of the 8 people chosen to beta this stupid death trap we're in?!"
"Hmm, it sure does look like him. Blonde hair and a black mask. Just like what the pamphlet says. Not like none of the betas could change what their mask looked like anyways."
"Hey you! Is it true?! Are you a beta tester? Did you know this would have happened?!" Chat Noir cringed and looked away, gritting his teeth to hold back his anger.
"C'mon, it's ok, it's not like anything will change" one of the men said. "We're all still stuck here after all!"
"Stop it!" Ladybug shouts. She runs back to Chat and positions herself in between him and the players. "Leave him alone! If he knew, he wouldn't be here in the first place!"
"Girl, move aside" another commands. "There's no place for the likes of you here."
"You back off! Chat Noir is part of my party! There's no need to fight like this!"
"Heh- Why in the world would you let the likes of him join with you anyways?! Don't you remember the week after being trapped in this game?!"
One of the players hold up a pamphlet and lightly taps it, "Our player-run issues made their first headline with the reveal of the beta testers of MMO, and how they had a part in our demise. You said his name was Chat Noir, right? All the more proof, along with his black mask, that he is a beta tester!"
"You're really a fool, aren't you? Did you think you would come back to 'save us' because you know how the game works?!"
"That's not true-"
"Please. Spare us of your pity. If you think that plan was going to work, you should have at least changed your name before coming back. Who knew one of your own would betray you like this in the first place?"
"I SAID THAT'S ENOUGH!" Everyone, even Chat, looked back at Ladybug.
"If you're looking for a fight, then let's take it outside" she says with a glare. "Any more of your banter, and I'll call the town guards here. Fighting is, except in official duels with standard ruling, not allowed in towns, especially with all of your inappropriate behavior."
"Why you-" The four reach for their weapons as well as Ladybug, but Chat puts a hand on her shoulder.
"Sorry everyone, excuse my partner here. She's, as you can see, a bit feisty" he says with a smile.
"Chat! There's no need to-"
"I think there's plenty of things here to stop. I, too, agree, but this isn't the time and place for this. We're very sorry gentlemen, please excuse us." Chat Noir moves his arm around Ladybug's shoulders and walk away to their original destination with the irritated players behind them.
"Yeah that's right, RUN AWAY YOU COWARD! THAT'S ALL YOU'LL EVER BE!" one of them yells. Ladybug tries to look back, but Chat stops her.
"It's ok my lady. You've done more than enough for me."
"But Chat-" Ladybug stopped when Chat did as he smiled at her with an honest and tired look.
"Thank you, Ladybug." He saw Ladybug wanting to say something, but chose not to, which he was glad for. Instead, he took her to the inn and let go of his partner.
"Today has certainly been a long day hasn't it? You go on and get some rest now my lady. With the extra earnings you got from the dungeon, you should have more than enough for a room here."
"What about you?"
"I don't feel that tired myself yet, so I'm going for a little walk."
"Liar. You're not tired after what just happened?"
"Don't worry my lady."
"Of course I'll be worried! What if you meet up with more people like them?!"
"My lady," he puts his hands on her shoulders, "It's ok. It's really getting dark now. Not a lot of players came in after us, so I won't be encountering anymore people. Besides, we'll need plenty of rest for tomorrow's expedition, so should you go on ahead and rest up while you can."
"But-" Chat lets go and moves past her.
"Good night my lady. Hope you'll appear in my dreams as well." He uses his skill DASH and seemingly teleports out of the town, leaving his partner behind.
"Idiot."
Chat Noir, rather than going back to the inn, chose to camp out in the woods outside the town walls. He stares into the fire he made with the camping gear he bought.
Now that I think about it, he thought, I always wanted to camp like this since I never had the chance when I was younger.
Chat moves from the fire to the sky, which was partially blocked by the trees around him. I was so excited to sleep in the open like this. It was one of my happier memories before those pamphlets spread all over like insects. I was about to enjoy my first night in an inn too! Why did this have to happen?!
"...Ladybug must think I'm such a loser now" Chat says out loud with a sigh.
"Well not because of those people back there, but how you just left me at the inn. Honestly Chat, I thought you were better than this." Chat's eyes widen as he looks back to see Ladybug with a sleeping bag under one of her arms and a basket in her hands. She walks to settle next to him, carelessly dropping her stuff with Chat's eyes following her every movement.
"Plus you lied to me," she follows up. "Keep in mind that I don't like liars."
"I-I… I don't think I ever mentioned going back to the inn" he said, not knowing what to do. Unfortunately, what he got back was a glare as he gulps and looks back at the fire.
"S-Sorry. That wasn't what I meant to say, a-and it was rather rude of me to do that."
"...It's fine… Is it ok if I sleep out here with you?"
"Are you sure you don't want to stay in the inn? It's much warmer there."
"True, but there are merits to camping. You get this amazing view of the stars" Ladybug responds while looking up. "A few branches are in the way, but it's nice. It's like we're not in a game anymore."
"...I guess" Chat answers back smiling. Ladybug looks back at Chat with her own smile while he was distracted.
"Have you always camped out here?"
"Yeah, I guess. Even before the pamphlets came. It got a bit harder though because of the rumors."
"Oh…" she says, looking away, and he saw it all.
Oh no, why did I say that? Chat panicked in his mind. Bad Chat, BAD! Quick, start a new conversation!
"So Ladybug- "
"Oh yeah, are you hungry? I got us some stuff from the market." Ladybug rummages through the basket and pulls out a red jar and a spoon, settling it in between them before grabbing two loaves of bread. "Here" she says, holding out one of them to Chat.
"Ah, thank you." He takes it into his hands and bites it.
"So fluffy" he instinctively said out loud.
"You should try it with this jam," she says while holding the jar. Ladybug opens it and slabs some of it with the spoon. "Sorry, they ran out of knives, but this strawberry jam is very good."
"Ok." They eat in peace with bread and jam, the stars as their only witness while they converse through the night. The mood lightened up a bit, but midway through the meal Chat's face turned serious.
"Thank you Ladybug, but really though, you don't need to worry about what happened my lady."
"Stop that Chat. It's ok to feel sad you know, especially around friends."
"F-Friends?"
"Yeah. We are friends, aren't we? Since that day when you saved me from those golems and paired up with me to find the floor dungeon. You can still be annoying though."
Chat Noir scoffed at the last bit. "I'm offended my lady. And here I was trying to 'im-purr-ess' the lady before me."
"Well you're probably trying too hard there" she sarcastically answers with a smile. "But honestly, before you came, I almost gave up on all this. This game, our situation, and, to some extent, my life as well."
"Really?"
"Yeah. I just wanted to hang out with my cousin who lives in another part of France. She and I love to play games, and that was how we stayed connected when she moved away. When she told me she got MMO, I helped my parents to get money for this game so we can meet again even if it's not actually us. But then that day happened, and I couldn't find her. I forgot to give her my player name, and there's surely other coccinelles out there… I was getting frustrated."
"Ladybug."
"Part of the reason why I joined the search was so my name would be known, so some way it would reach my cousin and we would meet again, but I got careless and I wasn't thinking of fighting back. Then you came and then all of this happened, both the good and bad memories we made. I'm glad that we met despite the circumstances."
"I'm really glad to have met you to Ladybug, although things would have been easier for you if I wasn't a beta tester."
"None of that matters Chat." Ladybug moves closer and takes Chat's hand into hers. "It doesn't make up who you really are. You're still that silly yet great fighter I've known these few weeks. So thank you, Chat Noir, for being there for me and sticking by my side. I'm also here when you need me. Just be honest to yourself is all I ask."
Chat didn't think it would happen since they were in a game, yet a tear was escaping down his cheek. Sniffles were ensured upon his partner's kindness; he wanted to talk but he couldn't bear to look at her. Nevertheless, she let him rest on her shoulder as she held on to him gently like a mother could.
"There there. It's ok kitty" she whispered as she soothed his back.
"Heh- I'm so pathetic" he whispered back, tightening his hold on her cape.
"No you're not. You're strong. You were right to run away from those people. There weren't worth the time."
"…Thank you Ladybug. You're awesome."
"…I know" she answered confidently. Tears turned into a small chuckle from her partner's lips. She laughed when he did. Then he did as she continued laughing. The duo laughed through the night till slumber arose their thoughts, and rested when it was the time.
This was how the two met, and how they became friends.