So sorry it has taken so long to post. I was writing bits and pieces here and there in my spare time at work (during breaks). I really wanted this to be a decent fight as I don't write them often, so I was really picky about the content and trying to remember all the details of the room as well as the order in which things will happen. Then there was putting the pieces together to make them fit and flow well. At least I hope they flow well. Unfortunately, in order to get the chapter out, and because it was starting to get really long, I'm having to split the chapter into two parts. This one is already 7 pages long in Office.
Also, I assume most all of you have seen the newest episode of Miraculous, episode 16. (skip this part if you haven't caught up because of slight spoilers) Adrien is so damn adorable when teasing Marinette with that smug smirk. His Chat was showing. Glad he was able to translate her fumbled up words as well. I know a lot of people were excited thinking he knows she's LB, but I don't believe that's the case. Most likely he's just really happy someone he cherishes as a friend is a fan. He has—in the past—shown interest in her opinion of him as Chat Noir, so it's likely the case is the same here. Chat did tease LB about sharing her identity, then added "Not like that," when she tensed up. The only lies he's ever told to her were to keep his identity a secret. I doubt he'd lie about something that could endanger her or her friends and family if he were ever controlled (again) by an akuma's power or by Hawkmoth. I'm certain it was all fan-service (the teasing LB as Chat and again to Mari as Adrien). But I really hope I'm wrong and he did see her because how he'll act around Marinette will be hilarious.
Observation
Chapter 9: Luck be a Lady (Part 1)
There he was! That stupid and irresponsible Chat Noir was standing proudly before the akuma...as a dealer!
Indeed, Chat had managed to flag the original dealer at the table and switch with the man. He stood before the akuma and three other men with his head lowered. If it weren't for the shadow of the hat and low brim, his mask would have been painfully obvious. He kept on his toes, literally, to add to his height and make him look older. Luckily the akuma hadn't noticed just yet that the one dealing his hand was his enemy. The lack of the butterfly outline suggested Hawkmoth hadn't noticed either...yet. One of the other players looked a little confused, but the rest were either keeping quiet from realizing the situation or were blissfully unaware.
A Cheshire grin spread along the young male's face as he shuffled the cards with fluid movement; going so far as to do two tricks.
'Showoff,' she thought with a small smile.
As the cards were dealt, Ladybug couldn't help but notice the way his hands moved; slender and long, even with the casino gloves. Claws expertly glided across the cards without leaving a single scratch. His partner moved closer to the akuma, keeping to the rear so as not to be spotted. Silly as he was, Chat was giving her an opportunity to identify the akuma, and possibly lift it unnoticed. And many objects there were. A large four-leaf clover which was tucked in his hat, his cane which possessed a black, glowing stone—possibly the akuma or a power-filled weapon-a rabbits foot attached to his belt, barely peeked out of a side pocket, a bracelet with a multitude of shark or alligator teeth clung to his wrist and two back pockets that looked like they had some sort of heavy, ring-like objects. How many were display and how many were tools? Heck, the akuma could even be a lucky penny hidden away inside his breast pocket or something.
Chat tipped his hat towards the akuma and tilted his head, allowing his Lady to catch his gaze. An unspoken conversation was made and she nodded. With each person she passed as she neared, she whispered a warning to evacuate quietly and discreetly and to pass the message along.
Ladybug knew very little about poker, but from the number of chips Doctor Lucky began to accumulate and the groans as they were passed to him, it was clear who was winning. The akuma was acting quite smug with each new hand. This proved beneficial as he paid little to no attention to the thinning crowd around them.
"How 'bout one more hand, gentlemen?" Chat encouraged, shuffling the cards too quickly to follow. The three other men seemed reluctant until the hero turned his head towards them. They all nodded hesitantly. "You, especially seem like a lucky chap, Monsieur. Double or nothing?"
Doctor Lucky grinned and shoved all his winning chips forward. The cat with the canary, he was. "Sure thing. The more money I make, the better."
Chat nodded and pulled out a new deck to shuffle once more. Again he kept up a high speed except when talking to the akuma."So, there a reason you need so much cash, Sir? In debt and owe money to a scary lot? Have hospital bills to pay for dear old dad? Always been on the lower end of the financial world? Or did you lose your gran's allowance to the House?"
Ladybug blinked several times at her companion's hands as he spoke. The akuma's attention was on Chat's half-hidden face and visible smile, not the cards in his hands. He didn't seem to care what the dealer was doing, despite the prying questions. He had luck on his side. Luck would always win.
But Ladybug knew otherwise... Chat wasn't just shuffling the cards...he was arranging them. He was cheating!
...And he made it look so effortless and inconspicuous.
'I'll have to remember never to play poker with that sly cat.'
"Something along those lines. I bet money I shouldn't have, but now I'll get it back. I'll get them both back."
Chat leaned back. "Well, today might be your lucky day, Monsieur."
"You have no idea."
"Oh, I think I do."
As the cards were dealt out and the hand played, Ladybug snuck her way up behind the akuma. She'd have to go about this carefully. Best to go for the easiest grabs first. The four-leaf clover wouldn't be felt if lifted so long as she didn't knock off his hat or let him see her shadow. She might even be able to rip it in two if she was careful enough. Her partner showed no signs of noticing her, not wanting to tip off the akuma. He kept the guy distracted with banter whenever it looked like Ladybug was about to touch him on accident.
Finally, she ripped off two of the leaves from the small plant, but no butterfly flew out. A little disappointed it wasn't the easiest one—it never is—Ladybug crouched down to get the rabbit's foot next. She made a face of concentration that slowly became a little goofier the closer she got to pulling the animal foot out. His pants were tight, and she didn't want to tip him off just yet.
Without warning, Doctor Lucky slammed his fists onto the table, making Ladybug jump in surprise. "You cheated!"
"Aww, don't get mad. You should know by now, the house always wins," Chat mocked. This angered Doctor Lucky to no end.
The akuma, stood, knocking his chair back in the process. Ladybug yelped as the chair hit her and she lost her hold on the rabbit's foot. "Ladybug!?" The akuma gasped, and as expected, not a second later, a butterfly outline appeared on his face.
"It was a trap! Quick, steal their luck so you can steal their Miraculous!"
Doctor Lucky brandished his cane, swinging it at the fallen hero while she was at a disadvantage. Ladybug yanked the chair back in front of her to block the hit and whatever luck-sucking power it possessed. The three other civilians bolted for the nearest exit, leaving the room clear of possible fatalities.
The akuma waisted no time in attacking with his other hand.
"Hey, over here!" Chat Noir cried out, swinging his own fancy stick to allow his lady to escape. The disguise he had on earlier had been quickly removed when their cover was blown.
Doctor Lucky blocked the attack with ease though he couldn't push the cat back.
"Ugh. What terrible luck to happen upon one such as you," the akuma made a sour face to the male hero.
"HEY! I take offense to that," he quipped and swung his baton at the man's side, ready to make a flurry of hits.
Chat used the tables and slot machines as platforms to jump off from, giving him some sharp turns and a few extra shots. Many were dodged much to the hero's annoyance. With the lighter hits getting him nowhere, Chat dodged the man's own swing and darted behind him. Twisting his body, he threw all of his force into a batter swing to the man's head.
A loud clang echoed through the large room as Chat's baton vibrated painfully in his hands. The shockwave traveled up his arms and down his spine and legs like some uncomfortable domino effect on his nerves.
Held tightly in Doctor Lucky's hand was an iron horseshoe and unlike Chat's staff, it did not vibrate painfully.
The cane was not his best weapon, apparently. The horseshoe struck harder than the cane and each block or strike made against Chat Noir's staff made the kitty's hands shake and weaken. The grip on his staff loosened in response.
"Enough horsing around!" the superhero yelled before he lunged at the man from above.
Doctor Lucky parried and used the bend in the shoe to hook around Chat Noir's belt. A curse hardly left the boy's lips before he was thrown across the room into one of the slot machines which puked out a bunch of coins to the sounds of dings and whistles. Chat slid off and gracefully landed on the back of his neck and upper shoulders, butt up in the air. He let out a pitiful groan.
"Now to
finish you off," Doctor Lucky smirked and raised the horseshoe to throw.
A yo-yo wrapped around his hand, pulling it back. "Forgetting someone?"
Doctor Lucky quickly ducked Ladybug's flying kick as the two began their own fight. Her own yo-yo might have been repelled by the iron shoe, but unlike her partner, she suffered no penalties to it. Within their hand-to-hand combat, Ladybug used her yo-yo to pick up stools chairs, and even smaller tables to toss at the man. Most of her ammunition was smashed to pieces with the horseshoe and soon she was running out.
His foot slid across the floor, knocking her feet out from under her.
"WAH!"
He flicked his fingers and the razor sharp teeth on his bracelet slipped into his hand like magic. With another flick of the wrist, those same teeth were thrown at the downed bug. Ladybug flipped back barely avoiding the projectiles. She leaped back onto a card table where her yo-yo shielded her from the onslaught of razor-sharp teeth he never seemed to run out of.
Doctor Lucky rushed forward and raised his cane up to attack but it was a fake-out. He kicked the table before he spun on his heel and threw the horseshoe. Ladybug lost her balance when the table slid across the floor. A heavy and hard object hit her hand with such force to throw her back against the wall. She grunted at the impact. A bit of dust fell from above and she looked up to her dominant hand now pinned in the horseshoe. Its iron legs impeded into the cracked stone wall.
A shadow loomed over her and as she jerked her head around, something solid connected with her chest. The glass topper on the akuma's staff turned a reddish pink before returning to its purple-black hue.
"Marvelous! I feel like I've got all the luck in the world, now!" Doctor Lucky's laugh came out sharp and cold.
Back in Hawkmoth's lair, the villain was silently cheering for his latest akuma. "How does it feel to finally be stepped on, Ladybug? I've waited so long for this day. Now, my akuma, grab her miraculous before that pesky-"
Chat's baton came swinging from behind, but unlike before, the akuma had to only sidestep each swing. The man just seemed to know exactly where to step to get out of the way of his baton. He wasn't putting in much effort in dodging, but any object he moved in-between him and Chat Noir proved more than effective at keeping the angry cat at bay. Stools became painful objects to trip on, tables made the funny bone not so funny, and even the metal marbles from the roulette table caused the hero to slip and fall on his ass. A flick of the akuma's wrist had Chat high-tailing it out of the way as several sharp animal teeth punctured the ground he had been moments before.
His poor lady was having an even worse time.
Despite having been touched her with his cane, the heroine didn't feel any different. Not physically, at least. While Chat kept the akuma busy, Ladybug switched the ring of her yo-yo to the other hand and attempted to throw her yo-yo at one of the chandeliers. Each attempt seemed worse than the last with her aim going way off, and at one point, almost falling onto her partner's head.
"Hey!"
"Sorry!"
Finally, it latched onto a chandelier. Unfortunately he decorative lighting had other plans as she pushed off against the wall with her feet and pulled on the fixture with her yo-yo. It crashed into the ground the moment she was airborne. Crystals shattered upon impact and Ladybug felt her insides lurch up as she fell back-first into the corner of a table.
Chat Noir yelped in pain as he was pushed up against the roulette wheel. The pain only intensified when he felt the man's foot press against his neck, choking him. Chat made a mad grab for the man's leg, but only his left hand made it as Doctor Lucky's cane stamped down into the younger male's wrist, twisting roughly. Chat hissed angrily; about the only sound he could make, other than a gag or gasp.
Hawkmoth's purple outline framed Doctor Lucky's face. "Quick! Grab his Miraculous before this chance is lost!"
"This was no "chance." It was all luck," Doctor lucky quipped, his eyes flickering down to Chat's "I've no interest in your luck, but I will be taking that ring of yours." He reached down for the hero's ring.
Chat dug his claws into the man's leg for a better grip and he pushed hard, allowing some breathing room, despite the man's full weight on him.
"Guess again!" he rasped out. "CATACLYSM!" The dark bubbling aura appeared within his hand and he bent his fingers down to sink the few claws he could into the cane that pinned his hand.
"NO!"
The effect was instantaneous as the tool turned to dust before the akuma's eyes. No dark butterfly flew out from its remains, however.
With both hands now free, Chat threw a punch into the side of the man's knee which gave out. Doctor Lucky fell back with a yelp, clutching his leg. The captive now free to move about, he gasped for air and rolled under the nearest table to get some protection between him and the akuma.
Ladybug rubbed her sore back and switched to her dominant hand again as she ran around the broken shards of glass from the fallen chandelier. Not wanting Doctor Lucky to have another go at her kitty while he was recovering, she swung herself up and over to the akuma victim, forcing him onto the defensive
Chat finally recovered from his earlier knockout and joined in as both heroes fought to take the man down. Frustrated with their constant assaults, the akuma began throwing the shoes around the room with more force than needed. There were four in total. The iron hooks slammed through walls and tables and everything else that stood in their way. They acted like boomerangs, loyally returning to their owner. The structure of the room weakened as bits of smaller rubble fell.
While his horseshoes flew about the room, Doctor Lucky switched back to the teeth and aimed a sneak shot at Chat who was too busy deflecting a rogue horseshoe.
"Chat!"
On instinct, Chat jumped away taking Ladybug with him. He hissed in pain and placed a hand over the side of his exposed neck. A streak of blood oozed out from a shallow cut.
"Well, that was close."
"Too close," Ladybug scolded as she found her way to him "Be more careful."
He shrugged and gave her a pleasant grin, "What can I say, I live for danger."
"Not if you're dead," she countered, unimpressed.
The two jumped out of the way in unison as part of the ceiling fell down; the earlier destruction having a hand to play, but not as much as the effect Ladybugs luck had. Dodging some of the larger debris, Ladybug failed to spot a nearby, fallen stool and caught her foot in it. With a yelp of surprise, she fell only to face-plant into the carpet with a surprised squeak. As Marinette, it was a familiar venture, but as Ladybug, it was unusual.
She should have been more careful. More graceful.
Looks like even her luck really had run out as a large chunk of the ceiling fell towards her.
"LADYBUG!" Chat tackled her out of the way, narrowly missing the heavy mass that kicked up dust around them. His tail hadn't been so lucky, sending an unpleasant shiver up his spine. Chat gave it a good yank till it was free. "I'd be a real shame if you got squished, my Lady."
"Chat, my luck is-"
"Yeah, I know." He picked her up and tossed her over his shoulder, ignoring the angelic voice of protest. His ring let out another beep. Two minutes. He bolted for a set of double doors he hadn't seen earlier with the crowd. A sign next to it said employee's only. Not even bothering to check if it was unlocked, he slammed into it, busting the lock and took off down the hall. "Looks like your Madly Clumsy again."
They moved through the area, looking for a safer place to come up with a plan. It was a good thing the cameras were down. They didn't need to media to tell them how bad they were loosing. It wasn't often they fought an akuma who actually knew how to fight.
Ladybug let out a huff at the name she first introduced herself as. "I'd rather not be."
"But that clumsy side of you was pretty cute, Bugaboo."
Her cheeks felt warm. The memory of his description of Ladybug in her room surfaced only to be quickly shoved into a dark closet with a big lock. "I told you to stop calling me that, Chaton."
"Purrhaps you should start using other cute pet names to get back at me, then."
"I do. Idiot, flirt, dummy, dork." She listed off jokingly. "If you want, I can come up with more."
"No, no. I'll take Chaton, any day, thank you."
"Suit yourself, Kitty."
They hid in what looked to be a break-room. Ladybug guarded the door, her back to partner as his ring let out a final beep before his transformation dropped. She strained her ears, listening for the akuma's approach but the only thing she could ear was Chat rummaging through the fridge while his kwami complained about cheese in a nasal voice.
"There is no Camembert, Plagg. Just Swiss and American. We don't have time for you to be picky."
Well, that explained why Chat Noir sometimes smelled faintly of stinky cheese.
"It's not my fault people have no taste in what cheese they put on their sandwiches." The tiny god made a loud noise as he took a bite. He seemed to be chewing as loudly as he could just to spite his chosen.
Ladybug chuckled at the other kwami. He was certainly different from what she expected. Total opposite from Tikki, it seemed.
"You done?"
"In a rush to get your butt kicked again?"
"Tch!" No retort came to mind as Plagg had been pretty accurate about their situation. "Plagg, claws out!"
"W-wait! I was kidding! I'm still hung-!" The rest of his words were cut off as he was sucked into the ring and a green flash appeared behind her.
Ladybug turned around to see Chat giving his ring a reproachful look. "Don't worry, Kitty. We might be down, but we're not out yet. Besides, there's no way the
great Ladybug and Chat Noir could be beaten so easily.
Acid eyes flickered to her and he smirked. "But of course, my Lady."