Marinette awoke with a start as her alarm went off.
"Happy Birthday-ow," She jumped up from where she laid on her bed, hitting her head against a rafter. Marinette rubbed her head as she made her way down the stairs of her loft to her computer screen. Refreshing the page revealed a background collage of Adrien.
"Happy Birthday Adrien," Marinette made kissy faces at the screen.
"Gee Marinette, didn't know you felt that way." Marinette jumped back in her chair, falling back on the floor. She looked up to see Nino's video on the corner of her screen.
"How long have you been there?"
"Since you opened your computer to answer the call button." Just then Marinette's actual alarm rang.
"You called me before my alarm clock?" Marinette grumbled as she righted her chair and sat back in it.
"Just wanted to remind you today was Chat Noir's Birthday. And we have a hit on the site from Lady Blanche Kattipas. She need your help recovering an artifact."
"Perfect, I have his gift ready," Marinette pulled out a wrapped box with green wrapping paper and a black bow with green paw prints. "Plus I told Papa and he said he'll make him a small cake. Can you hook us a ride for later? But first make sure Chat is free."
"Will do. See at school LB. Oh, and what was that Happy Birthday Adrien and the -"
"Gotta go bye." Marinette logged off faster than you could say "Miraculous Ladybug" and began to get ready for the day.
After she finished her morning routine, she grabbed Adrien's present wrapped in a blue box with a pink bow and headed down the stairs.
"Marinette don't forget to clean your room today," Sabine called as she handed her daughter a piece of toast for the road.
"But I might have a mission later today, depending if Chat Noir can make it," Marinette took a bite out of the toast.
"Fine, I'll go ahead and clean it, but don't blame me if I come across any of your private stuff, like your emails, your diary-"
Panic struck Marinette's face. "Okay! I'll do it, I'll do it. I'll just have Chat meet me here. Tell dad to have the cake ready."
Sabine kissed her daughter on the cheek, "Alright. Have a nice day, sweetie!"
"Happy Birthday! I mean, you too maman." Marinette raced out the door. Sabine looked at her puzzled and shrugged.
Marinette watched behind the guard railing of the school steps as Nino and Adrien came into view.
"You can do it girl! You can do it!" Alya encouraged Marinette from behind as they watched the boys.
"I can do it! I can do it!" Adrien's face came better into view as he frowned at something Nino said.
"I can't do it!"
"Marinette, you have been stalling all morning. Channel your inner Ladybug and do it!" Alya shoved Marinette in front of the boys. Marinette halted in her steps and spun around to face them, hiding the present behind her back.
"I, um... Hey." Marinette smiled stiffly.
"Hey," Adrien gave her a slight smile.
"ADRI-KINS!" Marinette was shoved aside by Chloe, school resident ... bratty person. Chloe wrapped her arms around Adrien, the poor boy looking very uncomfortable. Marinette was sprawled on the ground beside Alya
"Happy Birthday! Did you get the present I sent you?" The blond asked as she snuggled next to Adrien.
"Um, no."
"Ugh, those delivery guys," Chloe pulled Adrien inside the school building, Alya emerging and helping Marinette up.
"Girl, you need to stop being such a pushover."
Marinette grumbled under her breath.
"Good news LB, Chat Noir is free this afternoon so you're all good to go," Nino approached the girls.
"That's good, can you have him swing by the bakery then? I need to clean my room before we go."
"No problem," Nino pulled out his phone, messaging Chat.
"Did Adrien talk to his dad about having a party," asked Alya as the trio headed inside.
"No such luck. The dude has a photo shoot before and after lunch, and he is having lunch at his house today, then more photoshoots this weekend plus a fencing competition," Nino replied as he put his phone away.
"Nino, could you hack his dad's secretary's computer?" Asked Marinette, with a face calculating an idea as she gripped her present.
"Probably, just need to get inside his house. Why?"
"I got an idea."
The plan was simple. Marinette and Alya would go to Adrien's house with the present, and attempt to plug a drive into the secretary's computer, through which Nino could hack the computer to find out Adrien's schedule.
If Plan A failed, Plan B was to give the secretary the present with a drive attached to a miniature robot Nino had made based off the robot Marinette and Chat Noir the week before. If the robot was discovered, it had a tag labeling as a present from Nino to Adrien for his birthday.
If Plan B failed, then Nino would go and try to convince Adrien's dad to have a party and somehow plug the drive and hope the secretary wouldn't discover it until later, so Nino could hack it once he left.
If Plan C failed, Marinette would come back at night and go to the Agreste's internet tower on the roof, and Nino would reroute their internet through his so hopefully the secretary and Mr. Agreste would share files via the internet.
If Plan D failed, Nino would ask Adrien for his weekend schedule.
Alya thought Plans A-D were ridiculous and should be simplified to just Plan E. Marinette and Nino were both in support of Plans A-C since Marinette had to get her present to Adrien and Nino wanted his best bud to live a little for once.
Plan D was just desperation to not have Adrien know their scheme.
So there stood Marinette and Alya at the front gate of the mansion, with Nino communicating through them via the watch.
"Operation Present Time is a go," Nino gave the girls a thumbs up.
Marinette returned the gesture before ringing the doorbell.
"What if Adrien answers?" Marinette asked Alya in a panic, but Nino responded.
"No worries, that means Adrien will take the presents to his room and I can hack through his computer while he is at the photoshoot later."
"Come on girl." Alya pressed the doorbell and jumped out of the way as a camera appeared out of the wall and zoomed close to Marinette's face.
"Yes?" A voice sounding much like Mr. Agreste's secretary came from a speaker beside the camera.
"Um, hi. I'm in Adrien's class and I, uh-" Marinette pulled out her gift and the robot to the camera. "These are for Adrien!"
"Put them in the box." A door opened in the wall. Marinette put the gifts inside, placing the robot facing upward. The box snapped shut as soon as the gifts were inside.
"Uh, thank you." The camera retracted into the wall, leaving Marinette and Alya outside.
"Oh! I hope he likes it," Marinette thought as she did a small jump in excitement.
"Of course he will. Who doesn't love a handmade present from Marinette?" All of a sudden, panic set into Marinette's face.
"He does know it's from you right? You signed the card?" Marinette groaned, slapping her forehead in stupidity.
"Alright Dude-dettes, I'm in," came Nino from the watch.
"What do you see Nino?" Marinette looked at her watch as a live feed came from the robot the secretary was carrying around the mansion. Alya peered over Marinette's should to watch as the secretary sat the gifts beside her work desk.
"Perfect. We just need her to leave then I can put in the flash drive."
Instead, the voice of Gabriel Agreste came over the intercom by the secretary's desk.
"Who was that, Nathalie?"
"A friend of Adrien's. She was delivering a gift for his birthday."
"Did you remember to buy him a present from me?"
A look of panic overcame Nathalie's face. "Uh- uh, but you didn't ask me to."
"Of course I did!" Mr. Agreste sounded very upset."
"Yes, Mr. Agreste. I- I'll take care of it."
"Good." The intercom cut out and Nathalie leaned back in her chair. She looks at the two gifts, noticing the tag Nino placed on the robot, and noticing Marinette's was blank. She set Marinette's gift aside.
Marinette's face was fuming. "I need to get in there."
"How girl? You can't exactly go in since you just dropped off a present," Asked Alya.
"I can't but Nino can. Time for plan C.5."
"But I need to be able to hack the computer."
"So I'll plug in the flash drive when the secretary is with you and Mr. Agreste."
"And how do you plan to get inside?" Marinette gave her bestie a devilish smile.
Marinette launched her yoyo grappling to the side of the Agreste mansion near the front entrance, fully clothes in her Ladybug attire.
"This could be considered breaking and entering," commented Alya over the watch, positioned at the school with their school supplies, while Nino rang the doorbell.
"It's only breaking and entering if something is broken while you are entering," answered Marinette as she pulled out her wall stick climbers and placed them on her feet then hands.
The gate opened and Nino went inside, the front door being opened by Nathalie for the high school boy. Marinette carefully slipped in between the opening and climbed upon the ceiling towards the secretary's office while Nathalie waited in the foyer with Nino.
Marinette found the secretary's office with no problem, quickly dropping down beside the desk. She pulled off one of the sticky notes beside the computer and wrote a note.
"Love Marinette," she whispered as she set the note on the present. She then took the robot in hand and removed the flash drive. After searching for the most obscure USB port, she plugged it in.
"Nino has been kicked out! Secretary is showing Nino towards the door. Adrien's home. Gabriel left. Abort! I repeat, Abort Mission!"
"Alya stop!" Marinette quickly donned back on her climbers and scaled the wall. Nathalie entered the room, Marinette using the opening of the door to escape. From her vantage point she could see Adrien's bodyguard leading Adrien away to what she presumed was the dining room. When the foyer was clear, she scurried along the walls and out the front door, using her grappling yoyo to launch herself back over the wall and on top of Nino.
"Sorry! Sorry!" Marinette repeatedly apologized as she got off of Nino.
"No big, I'm use to it. Everything plugged in?"
"Signed the present, and plugged in the flash drive," Marinette gave Nino a thumbs up, which Nino returned.
Marinette wandered around her room, attempting to tidy, but instead discovering old abandoned fashion projects she wanted to start that was ending up in a pile on her chaise.
Chat Noir was due to come over sometime after school, meanwhile Nino was working on hacking into the secretary's computer to get Adrien's schedule and possibly make some changes.
"Marinette, Chat Noir's here!" Marinette heard her mother from down below.
"Coming!" Marinette grabbed the present off the desk, opened the door to her room and scurried down the stairs to find Chat Noir standing in the entrance of her home.
"Chat, come on in, make yourself at home!" Chat nervously shuffled in.
"I'll go get your father," Sabine said with a wink as she disappeared down the stairs.
"Sorry, Nino wanted to come, but he has something he needed to do," Marinette took a seat on the couch, offering the spot next to her for Chat. Chat hesitantly sat down.
"Nino was coming on the mission?"
"No, just a mini celebration for your birthday," Marinette handed Chat her present.
"You knew?"
"It was on your application." Chat smiled, relaxing as he opened the gift.
"True, but Nino already sent me something," He held up his wrist to show Marinette a communicator watch like hers, but had a green paw print at the center.
"Nice, but this one is from me. Now open your present!" Chat torn through the remaining wrapping paper and opened the box to find a shirt and pants.
"I made you a new costume. It's similar to mine, but with green embroidery and paw prints. Belt tail is still included, plus a pouch to carry Plagg. And I put a hoodie on the shirt with cat ears, so you don't have to worry about the headband ones." Chat smiled as if he was hold the most precious thing in the world. He dropped the present back into the box before capturing Marinette in a ginormous hug.
"Thanks Marinette." Marinette reciprocated the hug.
"Happy Birthday to you," Marinette's parents came into the room, carrying a small cake with a candle. Chat jumped around at the surprise as they brought the cake over.
"Happy Birthday to you," Marinette joined in the singing.
"Happy Birthday dear Chat. Happy Birthday to you." Chat sat overwhelmed, not knowing what to do.
"Go on, make a wish and blow out the candle," Marinette whispered. Chat nodded and closed his eyes, then blew out the candle. The Dupain-Chengs clapped.
"I got to get back to work. Save me a piece for later," Tom headed back down to the bakery.
"I'll cut up some slices," Sabine headed back to the kitchen with the cake.
"Be sure to save Nino a slice," added Marinette.
"Marinette," Chat whispered, taking Marinette's hand in his. "Thank you."
"In the jungle, the mighty jungle, the lion sleeps tonight!" Chat, adorned in his new outfit but with the same mask, sang as they trekked through the jungle, Plagg meowing from his pouch.
"You're enjoying this, aren't you?" Marinette asked with a smirk.
"What can I say, a cat in its natural habitat."
"You do realize lions primarily live in the savannah?"
"An excellent point Miss Dupain-Cheng." The teenagers turned to the voice to find a woman with a ghostly pale complexion mostly covered by her expedition attire. She was accompanied by a smaller, portly gentleman.
"I knew that," Chat grumbled as the couple approached them.
"Thank you so much Miss Dupain-Cheng for taking Lady Kattipas request, I am Fisk, her ladyship's butler," answered the smaller fellow for Lady Kattipas.
"No problem, this is my partner Chat Noir. Your request said something about retrieving an artifact?"
The woman nudged Fisk.
"Ah yes, according to ancient legend there is legend of a jade tiger statue that is hidden inside the local temple here to the south of us," Fisk pulled out a map with ancient illustrations.
"What's with the three other tiger statues?" Marinette pointed to the map.
"Legend also tells that there were originally four of the tiger statues that granted powers."
"Utter nonsense of course," the group turned to Lady Kattipas, who gave a tight lipped smile at her comment.
"Then let's go," Marinette urged, with Lady Kattipas and Fisk in the lead with Marinette and Chat Noir following.
"Bugaboo, don't you think this feels a bit off?" Chat whispered.
"Off how?"
"Lady Kattipas stopped public appearances over a year ago, only overseeing archeological expeditions, never present for that full year. Why now does she want to do an archeological expedition?"
"Maybe to make a comeback. I'm surprised you knew all that."
"I know lots of things Buginette. I'm surprised you took me as a slacker."
"I never said that. It's just not common knowledge to people who don't follow historical findings."
"She's in our history books."
"Our history books? You're in the same grade as me."
"We are here." Chat was saved from further questioning by Fisk's announcement.
They approached a ziggurat guarded by pouncing tiger statues deteriorating from age.
Marinette and Chat Noir passed their employers and headed inside.
"Seems structurally sound," Chat commented as he tapped the wall. Marinette proceeded further into the entrance only to cause a trap door to open beneath her.
"Ladybug!" Chat called out before she vanished.
Marinette found herself sliding down a tunnel, eventually tumbling into a rectangular hole with stone tiger heads on every wall.
"At least the walls aren't closing in."
The walls began to close in.
Marinette scrambled on top of the tiger heads and began to shimmy up the wall until she reached a ledge as the hole snapped snut. From her new location, was a hallway filled with tiger heads along the walls.
"This should be safe," Marinette began to walk along the corridor, when suddenly a gust of fire almost fried one of her ponytails off. She quickly jumped and dodged the spews of fire, only to roll into a slide. She barely managed to grab onto the ledge before she would have fallen into a spiked pit, with the jade tiger at the center on a pedestal.
"Of course spikes. Where are the snakes?" Marinette grumbled. She heard a strange hissing sound to find beside her were a few snakes who did not like this intruder.
"I was being sarcastic!" She called out to no one in particular.
She pulled out her yoyo, and launched it with one hand, then swung across to the other wall, gently rappelling down to the ground, avoiding the spikes entirely. She cautiously maneuvered around the spikes and made it to the center of the room.
"Do I need a weight replacement too?" She asked the invisible force guarding the temple. With no response and nothing to replace the statue in weight, Marinette took the statue off the pedestal.
All of a sudden, sand began to fill the piy, the spikes submerging beneath it. Marinette shot up her yoyo and clung to the wall, before noticing the sand exiting through an opening in the wall. Marinette swung herself and the statue towards the opening falling back down to the main entrance where Lady Kattipas and Fisk waited while Chat pried at the trap door.
"Miss Dupain-Cheng, thank heavens you are alright. And you managed to retrieve the idol," Fisk proclaimed excitedly as Marinette handed it over to Lady Kattipas.
"All in a day's work," Marinette smiled as the Lady and her butler left the temple. She then a felt a rush as Chat squeezed her in a hug from behind.
"Please don't do that again."
"Chat it's part of the job."
"Then try to be more careful… for me, please," Chat whispered the last part into her back as he turned his head.
"I'll try."
Lady Kattipas, via Fisk offered for the duo to stay at their campsite for the night before making an early trek back to civilization. Both the teens were insistent on leaving first thing in the morning, Marinette to see what Nino had done with Adrien's schedule.
"Bugaboo?" Chat looked over at Marinette, who had taken off her mask as she attempted to sleep in her sleeping bag.
"No My Lady today Chat?"
"Didn't want Lady Kattipas to think I was talking to her."
"True, what's up?"
"Do you think we'll be asked to find the other statues?"
"Probably, unless their locations are easier."
"Why do you think she chose us over some archaeological team."
"Probably because she's trying to get back into the spotlight."
"Probably.
"Buginette?"
"Hmm?"
"Don't let the bedbugs bite."
"You are the worst." Marinette turned over, facing away from Chat as he chuckled.
Chat snuggled down in his sleeping bag, patting the pouch where Plagg was hidden away.
When Chat poked his head out, he noticed a shadow jumping through the trees.
"Ladybug, there's something out there."
"We are in the jungle Chat. There's a lot of things out there."
The shadow was getting closer, taking on a human appearance.
"One that looks human?"
"Probably a monkey passing through."
The shadow entered Lady Kattipas tent.
"Via Lady Kattipas tent?"
Marinette sat up just as the figure exited the tent with the jade tiger.
"A ninja." Marinette was out of her sleeping bag in a flash, while Cha Noir struggled to get out of his. Marinette blocked the ninja's escape, while the masked foe attempted to fight off Marinette with some quick punches and jabs. Marinette managed to dodge, striking a few blows of her own, before weedling the statue away and tossing it toward Chat.
"Chat!" Chat, still struggling the the sleeping bag, managed the catch the statue, knocking him mostly out of the bag minus his feet. His pouch where Plagg had been sleeping peacefully had opened, letting the kitten out.
"Plagg." Chat called out, drawing the ninja's attention away from Marinette. Chat picked Plagg up, only to be confronted with the ninja.
The Ninja reached out for the statue, only to be scratched by Plagg. The ninja hissed, pulling back their hand. They instead opted for a strike, throwing Chat off balance. Marinette stepped over Chat to block him, the statue and the kitten from the ninja. The ninja struck out at Marinette again which she dodged, but unfortunately dodged into an opening for the Ninja to slip by and take the statue. With a puff of smoke, the ninja and statue were gone.
"What's going on out here?" Fisk exited his tent.
"The statue! It's gone," came Lady Kattipas voice from inside her tent. She emerged from the tent, gloved hands covering her mouth in horror.
"Sorry Lady Kattipas, a ninja stole the statue," explained Marinette.
"Oh dear, we should have been more careful handling the statue," lamented Fisk. Lady Kattipas began to cry, retiring into her tent.
"Will Lady Kattipas be alright Fisk," Marinette inquired.
"It will take some time. This was to be her big break back into the archaeological society." Marinette gave Chat a knowing look, who still frowned, holding Plagg close.
"Do you think we could get a ride home now. I don't think either one of us are going to sleep much after that," asked Chat.
"Of course, I will arrange that."
"Are you sure?" Marinette glared at Chat.
"It's quite alright. The statue is no longer in our hands so her Ladyship and I aren't in harm's way. Just give me a moment."
Fisk retreated back into his tent.
"What was that about Chat?"
"Sorry, just I don't think we are going to get much sleep, plus we have school tomorrow, so I would like to get a little more sleep either on a plane or in bed."
"Fine."
Marinette managed to make it home two hours before school was to start, just in time to find her dad prepping for the day at the bakery.
"Morning Marinette, how'd it go?"
Marinette sat at a chair in the corner.
"Good news, I recovered a priceless artifact. Bad news, a ninja stole it." Tom handed her a fresh croissant.
"Now isn't it just like those darn ninjas?"
Marinette chuckled as she took a bite out of the pastry.
"I sent Nino all the info I have on it, so hopefully he can get some more info on who the possible thief was."
"Sounds like a plan, although you might want to tidy your room better before your next mission."
"But I did, before Chat came over."
"Not well enough according to your maman. She found a bunch of your sewing fabrics on your chaise."
"Alright, I'll go clean those." Marinette finished her croissant and headed upstairs.
"Ok, what could you do Nino?" Marinette asked Nino over break. Marinette managed to finish cleaning her room just in time to make it to school. Unfortunately Adrien wasn't there due to a photoshoot, but that meant Nino, Marinette and Alya could scheme in his absence.
"So what we have is Adrien's schedule for the whole weekend," Nino pulled out his tablet with full weekend marked in blocks. "He has a photoshoot this morning, but will be back this afternoon for lunch and fencing practice. His old man though is having him go to bed right after dinner, because he is booked for photo shoots on Saturday, but they are all at Gabriel's headquarters. Then he has a fencing match that night, but nothing afterward."
"What if then after his matches we then kidnap him for drinks and bring him back before the whole thing is over?" Offered Alya.
"And by drink you mean non alcoholic, correct?" Marinette glared at her friend, knowing fully well how wicked she could be.
"Yes, why don't we then bring the drinks beforehand? Waste less time."
"Sounds like a plan." Nino high fived the auburn.
"So Nino, any research on what I sent you yesterday?"
"Yes, although I do not like being messaged at 5 in the morning."
"Payback."
"I woke you up five minutes before your alarm."
"Do you have anything?"
"Yes alright, sheesh."
Nino opened to a new page.
"According to my research, the Jade Tiger Statue was an idol belonging to those who practiced Hung ga."
"Hung ga?" Marinette and Alya both asked at the same time.
"A Chinese martial arts style of fighting that is represented by the tiger. Most known for it stance and quick striking," Nino pulled a video of monks practicing the ancient art.
"The disciples of this form believed if you put all four statues together, it will give a person special powers."
"So why disperse the idols," asked Alya.
"They didn't want to share the power."
"Maybe the ninja believes the legend and is trying to assemble the idols," reasoned Marinette
"The best person to help with that would be," Nino began typing into his tablet, "Lady Kattipas. She spent years in China reaching ancient civilizations that may have more accurate understanding of the legend."
"Sounds like a plan. Let Chat know we need to pay her ladyship a visit."
Marinette and Chat both approached Lady Kattipas mansion, a dark and gloomy place if Marinette ever saw one.
"You sure this is fine. Coming here unannounced?" Asked Chat.
"We helped her, she'll help us. It's a win-win." Marinette rang the doorbell. The door was opened by a surprised Fisk.
"Miss Dupain-Cheng."
"Sorry to bother you, we just had some questions for Lady Katipas."
"Of course, please come in," Fisk let them enter the mansion, Marinette sure that this could beat the Agrestes in depressingly stiff.
"Good Evening Miss Dupain-Cheng," Lady Kattipas sat in chair, barely illuminated by the firelight.
"Sorry to bother you Lady Kattipas, we just wanted to ask you so questions about…"
"So! You know all about it! About my obsession with Hung ga?"
Marinette and Chat Noir gave each other bewildered looks.
"Say again?" asked Chat.
"Oh, we're playing stupid, I see. Huang Ga! Tiger kung fu! Gah!" The frustrated woman stormed off down a passage, Marinette and Chat hesitantly following.
"Grrrrrr! But did you know that I spent the family fortune to get these?!" The woman turned around in full light, her teeth sharpened to a point, her red eyes crazy with madness.
"Or these?" Lady Kattipas ripped off her gloves to reveal claw like nails, there was scratch on her hand where Plagg had attacked the night before.
"The ninja," Marinette whispered, everything coming into full circle.
"Muwah-hahahahahhahaha!" Lady Kattipas entered the center of the room, encased in a glow from the power of the four idols scattered around the room.
Marinette was about to charge, when she felt something get caught under her foot. She turned her head to see Fisk.
"At last, the power of the tiger is mine! Bow to my power! I am Kitty Paws!"
Kitty Paws turned to Marinette and Chat, a new form of insanity brewing in her eyes.
"So, now you know my secret, which you will take to your graves."
"How can you be so sure? I mean a lot can happen in the next sixty or seventy years..." Chat readied himself into a fighting stance with his retort.
"For you maybe. Not so much for your friend."
Chat glanced to the side to no longer see Marinette in his peripheral. Which was just enough for Kitty Paws to land a strike, sending Chat against the wall. A full view of the room told him Marinette wasn't there. Chat made a dash for the stairs, Kitty Paw chuckling manically as he left.
"Nino, where's Marinette?" Chat asked his watch as he ran around the mansion.
"Isn't she with you?"
"She isn't, at least not presently. Lady Kattipas is actually some psycho with claws for hands. She now goes by Kitty Paws."
Nino winced, "She lost me with the name. Could have been terrifying but naw. Should have gone with Chat Blanche or something."
"No, just because her name is Blanche doesn't give her the right to rip off my name."
"Or you can take it as an arch nemesis. Ladybug does have Anti-bug."
"Which is petty. I never liked that villain. Look, just find Marinette."
"Alright. I'll see what I can do."
Nino opened up another window.
"I think she's right next to you?" Chat stopped, finding nothing but a table and two candle sticks.
"You sure?"
Nino shrugged.
Chat stood on the table, pushing bricks. Maybe there was a secret passageway. He instead stepped too far to the right, pushing over one of the candlesticks. An opening revealed itself in the wall.
"Nice," complemented Nino.
Chat raced into the tunnel, seeing a glow coming from further down the corridor.
"Marinette?" He called out.
"Chat." Marinette's voice echoed down the tunnel, sounding far away. Chat headed towards the light.
Back to Marinette whom last we knew, had been tripped by Fisk. Realizing Fisk was on the whole thing, Marinette instead attacked Fisk while Chat was in a stupor watching Kitty Paws receive her power.
So much in a stupor he didn't see the wall open behind him and Marinette follow Fisk into the hole in the wall.
And Marinette didn't realize it was a trap until the wall closed shut, leaving her and Fisk. Marinette attempted to search for a lever, or someway out.
"I assure you that would be a waste of time, since this can only be opened from the outside."
Furious, Marinette pushed past Fisk and began running through the tunnels, as Chat ran through the halls, unknowingly followed by Kitty Paws after she opened the wall to find only Fisk, who then began to chase Marinette.
It was when Chat called out to Marinette though that Marinette had escaped the tunnel. But Chat didn't know that. He didn't ask Nino where Marinette was. Chat was determined the light led him to Marinette and Marinette thought finding the room would lead her to Chat.
Meanwhile Kitty Paws and Fisk had 100% lost the two teenagers.
Chat Noir found himself back in the room where the idols stood, no one there. And he began to panic. Hyperventilating to be precise.
Marinette was missing. She could be beaten up or worse and he was totally lost.
"Dude, you just need to chill."
"How can I chill? How can you chill when Marinette is lost somewhere in here with a psychotic cat lady."
"Talk about the cat lady's final form."
"Not helping."
"Look bro, this may be a stretch, but do you think you can take down Kitty Paws?"
"I doubt it, with Marinette maybe, not so much on my own. I quite karate years ago."
"Then maybe you need a boost up. Bring a balance to the force."
"Did you just Star Wars Quote me?"
"Did it work?"
Chat looked at the statues, piecing what Nino said.
Marinette made it in time to see Chat run into the center of the room, the power from the jade tigers hitting him and Plagg, still in his pouch.
Kitty Paws and Fisk were quick to follow down the secret passage, Marinette quick to punch Fisk in the face.
"No! Mystical tiger power is reserved for me and me alone!" Screamed Kitty Paws. The power brought Chat back down to the floor, landing in a fighting stance.
"I must disagree." Kitty Paws launched an attack at Chat while Marinette continued to fight Fisk.
"Foolish girl," Fisk yelled as Marinette continued to successful parry Fisk's moves.
"Rash, probably. Hasty, yes. Easily angered, very," Marinette landed a punch to his gut, knocking him to the ground.
"But not foolish."
"Ladybug, the statues!" Chat continued to fight Kitty Paws, Marinette getting a sense of Chat's idea.
She ran to the first statue and knocked it over, Kitty Paws barely managing to catch it before it hit the ground.
Chat quickly went to the next statue and knocked it over, Kitty Paws catching that one as well.
Marinette raced to the third, knocking it over, Kitty Paws still able to catch that one.
Then Chat ran to the last one, knocking over, Kitty Paws catching it in her mouth.
"Ha! I...I saved them all! Mystical tiger power will still be mine!" As she reordered the statues into her arms.
"Tiger this, psycho," Chat did a flying kick, sending the statues and Kitty Paws crashing on the ground.
"Nice one Chaton," Marinette walked over to Chat, ruffling his hair. "Pound it."
Chat's nuckles met Marinette's, "Pound it. I'm glad you're safe." Marinette smiled and began to walk out of the room.
"I'm glad you're safe too. With the whole exception of tiger powers."
"It's actually not that bad. Who knows? It may be a useful gift."
"Next up is Adrien Agreste from Francois Dupont College vs. Emile Danglars from Orleans College," came the announcer in the stadium.
Marinette sat bouncing in her seat as she watched, no longer trusted with watching over the drinks.
Alya had managed to get them in the front row due to Alya recording for the school blog. Nino sat between Alya and Marinette, holding the drinks now and serving as buffer in case Marinette's bouncing got too much for Alya's recording.
Adrien entered in his uniform onto the field, as did his opponent. Both saluted to the stadium, the judges, and to each other.
"En Garde," called the announcer. Both boys got into position, Marinette noticing Adrien taking a lower stance than his opponent.
"Fence!" Adrien pounced forward, knocking the opponent off guard. With a quick flash, Adrien's rapier tapped the opponent's chest.
"One point for Francois Dupont."
Marinette was amazed at Adrien's skill and slightly confused. For all the matches she had been watching, she had never seen anyone move quite like Adrien did.
"En guard." Adrien once again took a low stance.
"Fence!" This time the opponent made the first move, which Adrien artfully dodged. From Marinette's vantage, this seemed less like a fencing match and more like some form of martial arts.
"Two points for Francois Dupont." Both the coaches took the boys aside. Adrien needed one more point to win the match, but the coach did not look happy. Adrien, nodded, a stern look on his face. He spoke something to the coach, who after a moment, nodded. Adrien returned to the mat, waiting as his opponent made his way to the mat.
"En garde." Both took their stance, Adrien again standing low.
"Fence!" Both lunged (Adrien pounced) towards each other. Instead of following through with an attack, Adrien used the moment to flip himself over the opponent, stabbing him in the back.
"Three points for Francois Dupont. Adrien Agreste is the winner of this round and will be progressing to the finals with highest time."
The crowds cheered, Marinette ecstatic at the announcement.
"Come on," Nino nudged her, Marinette following after her friends as they went to find Adrien. They found Adrien off the stage close to the bench drinking water.
"Bro, why bother with that drink when you can have this one," Nino came up to the gate blocking the crowds from the athletes.
Adrien smiled at his friend's voice and jogged over, taking the drink.
"Nice one Agreste. Where'd you pick up those moves?" Asked Alya, recording on her phone.
"Lets just say for my birthday I got an extra gift."
It was then Adrien noticed Marinette. Marinette who noticed besides Adrien's bag was the scarf she had made. Marinette who thought Adrien was talking about her gift. And Adrien who was turning more than fifty shades of red.
A reader(guest) commented asking why I chose Nino over Max to be the techie. True while Max would have made a more logical choice, in Miraculous Ladybug, Nino, Adrien, Alya and Marinette make up the four main friends. If I had Max as Wade, idk were to put Nino other than background and friend of Adrien. Plus there is the Valentine's Day episode where Wade falls for Monique, which works better fandom wise with Nino and Alya. Plus since Chat/Adrien (spoiler) is pictured currently more as a crush than part of the friend group (imagine Josh Mankey for now), Nino currently fills Ron's shoes in school.