"Don't forget to bring the inscribed stone!" Ember reminded Chat Noir once again as they arrived through the portal back in Paris. "It will be secured tightly at the Louvre. Without joining it to its missing half at the British museum we won't be able to complete the next Egyptian trial!"
"I can't believe it! Our next stop is Egypt!" Chat Noir threw up his hands excitedly.
"I will make sure to get Rena Rouge there for the illusion at the British museum first, but are you sure you don't need to take Kaalki this time?" Ladybug asked worriedly.
"Just leave it to be Bugaboo," Chat Noir booped her nose. "Even without a teleporting pony I still know my way around."
"I heard that you mangy cat!" Kaalki snarled, "I'll have you know I'm a purebred horse kwami…not a shaggy pony," she whinnied in disgust.
"Oh Kaalki, you know I'm just kidding," Chat Noir leaned into the tiny kwami's space to which she turned her back and crossed her hooves.
"Sugar lump?" Chat Noir asked innocently, holding a crystallized lump they had been carrying to help fuel Kaalki 's teleportation.
Kaalki reluctantly uncrossed her hooves, and snatched up the treats. "Call me a pony again though, and all the sugar lumps in the world will not save you from finding yourself in Timbuktu," the Kwami grumbled.
"Fair enough," Chat Noir grinned, producing more sugar. "So, I'm forgiven?"
"Forgiven," the horse kwami mumbled with a crunch.
"I'll see you at the British museum tomorrow morning," Chat Noir called to Ladybug over his shoulder as he bounded off.
"But how will you get to London? How will I find you?" She called after him.
"I'll find you!" he called back with a cheeky salute, and was propelling himself off again across the roof tops of Paris.
Adrien was able to convince Nino pretty easily to take the end of Spring break to surprise Alya in London for the weekend. Nino's parents were especially fond of Adrien, and were pretty easy going. As long as the boys agreed to check in, and stick together, Nino's parents agreed it would be a great opportunity to show some independence. Within a matter of hours both of them had snapped up train tickets online. Then they had thrown together a couple backpacks filled with essentials for a couple nights. That was the easy part…
The harder part was working with Alex to sneak into the Louvre. Somehow they had to 'borrow' an ancient Egyptian artifact Ember had insisted he bring to London. Alex knew the museum's schedule; It ran like clockwork. Luckily her father and brother were involved in another heated debate after museum hours about carbon dating back in the offices. This allowed Chat Noir and Alex to find the necessarily artifact undetected. A kwami's skill at avoiding detection, shutting down alarms, and picking locks didn't hurt either. Quick as a flash, Chat Noir was wrapping the heavy ancient stone in a sheet carefully, and stashing it in a backpack. Alex had even come up with a pretty good cover story for its absence from the exhibit. She had been helping her Dad and a team of historians catalogue (or Cat-ologued as Chat Noir put it...which Alex had rolled her eyes at) many of the pieces with her camera to add to their digital museum updates recently. This piece could simply be claimed as unavailable due to this restoration and documentation process. It was risky, but after many experiences together, Chat Noir knew without a doubt that Alex was someone who knew how to keep a secret.
Meanwhile Ladybug had returned to London to meet up with Alya at their flat. Ladybug pulled out her yoyo, and quickly called Alya. Alya had enthusiastically agreed to meet Ladybug and Chat Noir at the British Museum the next day for a special mission; recovering an important relic. They needed to find a way into the museum undisturbed, and Rena's illusions would do the trick. Ladybug had been able to entrust both Rena Rouge and Carapace with their miraculous' more permanently after the defeat of Hawkmoth. Having them as backup certainly came in handy multiple times over the years.
After ending the conversation with Alya as Ladybug, Marinette sighed going around a corner and detransformed.
"What's wrong Marinette?" Tiki asked, as Marinette handed the red kwami the last of the beignets they had picked up on their way out of New Orleans.
"Alya is going to expect me to have amazing photos from my train tour I told her I was taking, rather than being here with her in London…I guess all the lies…even after all this time are still hard to keep from my best friend."
"Especially when that friend is a diligent reporter," Tiki smiled.
"Yes, if diligent is another word for snoopy!" Marinette giggled with Tiki. Then she tapped her index finger against her temple. "But what excuse do I give this time?"
"How about you accidently deleted all the photos?" Tiki ventured.
"No, I tried that last time and she nearly caught on when she tried to show me how to recover lost files," Marinette shook her head.
"Broken phone?" Tiki supplied.
"I'd have to get a new one, otherwise she'd notice as soon as my old one turned up," Marinette shook her head again.
"You never texted her while we were gone because we were busy nonstop with all the challenges. What if you say you never remembered to bring it in the first place?" Tiki said with the most devious smile her cute little face could manage.
"The excuses always make me come off as a total scatterbrain…but yeah, I guess that will have to do," Marinette sighed, affectionately rubbing Tiki behind one antenna.
Tiki licked the icing powder off her paws, and zipped into Marinette's purse.
In the end Alya turned out to be more heartbroken for Marinette, than suspicious when Marinette supplied the absent photos excuse. Which of course made Marinette feel all the more guilty for deceiving her friend. As pennants Marinette allowed Alya to read her the latest of the Ladybug and Chat Noir World sightings…or at least people around the world who had claimed to have seen them. Alya chatted excitedly about some of the reports, that made Marinette inwardly cringe…not all the 'sightings' were legit, nor were the activities Ladybug and Chat Noir were supposedly involved in. All Marinette could do was bite her tongue, and trust that her best friend would filter the gossip from the facts.
After catching up the two friends got dressed up in the outfits they had purchased from their last London shopping spree together, and went out for a well-deserved girl's night.
Early the next morning Alya shrieked when she opened the door and was greeted by her longtime boyfriend. Nino stood on their doorstep with a bright bouquet of tiger lilies, but did not even get a word out. Alya threw herself into his arms, knocking the flowers flying.
She kissed him excitedly, with her armed around him. "I've missed you! Oh, you're here!" She kissed him again.
Marinette looked around the corner, and laughed out loud, "Alya, at least let Nino in the door…"
Then she froze mid sentence when she saw Adrien sweep the flowers off the ground, and come up to the door beside them.
"See man, I told you she'd love our surprise," Adrien smiled at the love struck couple. All though high school they had been inseparable. Other students in their class usually gagged at their pda, but Adrien was always happy for them. If only he could have sometime to share everything with like that.
"Hey…a…ad…Adrian," Marinette stumbled, falling back into her old habit of stuttering around her crush.
"Hi Marinette!" Adrien greeted her cheerfully, edging around Nino and Alya with a backpack under each arm, and dropped them inside the door. "Hope you don't mind we crashed your girls week in London together," he looked up at her apologetically. A slight wisp of blonde hair fell over his jade green eyes when he went to lean the backpacks against the wall.
Marinette gulped, and claspt her hands tightly behind her back. It was taking a significant amount of self control for her to not reach out and risk touching that loose lock of golden hair from that dreamy face. "No, no, not at all," she quickly got out, realizing Adrien was still looking expectantly at her, waiting for a response. "I mean, look at the two of them. I think she is happy you came. You'd have thought we'd been gone a month, not just a few days! Alya…" she called laughing at the two of them, "Come up for air! It is not like one of you was shipped out to sea!"
"I've been so alone!" Nino whimpered melodramatically, as Alya pulled back, and gave them room to at least get through the door. "All alone in the city with nothing to do! No one to talk to! Abandoned!"
"Oh, come on!" Alya rolled her eyes at her loveable boyfriend. "We've video chatted every night. Plus, I know you were busy putting together a new track of songs together for the big dance coming up for the senior class next month…you didn't have time to miss me that much."
"Oh, but I did!" Nino insisted. "A set of love songs is maddening to listen to, when you don't have you lady by your side!"
"You got that right," Adrien sighed, and then his eyes shot up when the three of them turned to look at him questionally. "I mean, yeah, Nino has been totally mopping around missing you. I couldn't stand the sad, weepy emojis any more, so we had to come," Adrien finished quickly.
"I thought you were…ah…travelling with a…friend," Marinette couldn't help blurting out.
"Oh yeah," Adrien smiled, and he cocked his elbow up, scratching the back of his neck self-consciously, "yeah, had a great time travelling around for Springbreak…how has your week been?" He redirected back to Marinette and Alya.
"It has been crazy awesome!" Alya blurted out, racing to her laptop, and dragging Nino along behind her. "Just look at my latest post!" she cheered. "This travelling Ladybug and Chat Noir story has just blown up!"
Adrien leaned over curiously behind his friends to see the pictures alongside her article. "Where'd you get that?!" Adrien asked surprised, his eyes going wide.
On the screen was a zoomed in photo of Ladybug and Chat Noir running around the streets of Seattle. A particularly good shot. Adrien couldn't help the smile that plastered across his face. In the picture Ladybug's head was tilted back slightly, caught in the midst of a laugh…probably at one of my brilliant puns Adrien thought to himself. They looked happy together.
"I've got my sources…" Alya smiled proudly, crossing her arms, "…A few actually, but I'll never tell."
"…so you're back from your trip early before the end of the week?" Marinette cut in unwilling to let to topic of Adrien's mystery girl go. "Did something happen between you and your 'girlfriend?" she asked, trying to keep the eagerness from seeping into her voice, but unable to say 'girlfriend' without her voice becoming frustratingly high pitched.
"Well, it was kindda a series of day trips I guess," Adrien skirted, "…and she isn't really my girlfriend yet," he added in a rushed mumble.
"But dude," Nino cut in, "you told me, a couple days ago that you are so head over heels over your mystery lady…how did you put it…how she makes you happier than you ever dreamed possible."
Alya elbowed Nino sharply, and nodded her head towards Marinette. Adrien missed the exchange between the protective Alya, and the oblivious Nino…but Marinette's keen eyes caught it, making her go red.
Adrien went a bit red himself, and his hand found the back of his neck again. "Yeah, she is pretty amazing," he tried to avoid their inquiring looks. But, Marinette's heart ached to see the way Adrien's eyes lit up thinking about his girl.
"Sorry man, I know you like to keep stuff on the down low," Nino patted him on the back, "Already you've got media all over you, and you don't need your friends on your case too."
"Thanks for understanding," Adrien sighed, glad Nino have given him a way out.
"….So, Adrien already found a hostel in the area nearby that had some free rooms for us," Nino moved on, "…you know, if you girls wanted to still have your place to yourselves or if you already had plans for today."
"No, no," Marinette assured Nino, "it would be cool if you guys want to join us!"
Alya grabbed her best friend's arm with a thankful squeeze and a big smile.
"I've been just trying to convince Marinette to go to the British Museum today!" Alya jumped at the chance to get the boys on her side.
"Yeah, let's do that!" Adrien abruptly shouted out. Then dropped his voice a bit as his friend laughed at him.
"Wow, man, okay, okay…you are like crazy excited to spend our weekend at the museum," Nino smirked. Which is when Alya pulled out her puppy-dog eyes, and claspt Nino's hand. "Oh, fine…we'll do the museum," he gave in. "But I get to pick where we have lunch!"
"Deal!" Alya nodded, and turned triumphantly to Marinette. "Soooo…"
"Yes, the museum sounds great!" Marinette agreed, putting her hand on her hip. "You certainly do know how to get your way Alya."
"The gift of persuasion my dear," Alya laughed, rubbing her polished nails on her shoulder.
The boys high fived, and Nino jumped on the couch to hear about Alya's week and discussed plans for the day. Inwardly Marinette grinned to herself. With Alya and Nino (a.k.a. Rena Rouge and Carapace) both coming to the museum with her, it would be even easier to get in and out unnoticed. The only problem was what to do about Adrien…
"You sure you don't think we are party crashers?" Adrien whispered to Marinette breaking her out of her thoughts. His warm breath tickled her ear, and made her nearly swoon.
She managed to pull herself together, and gave him an encouraging smile. "Seeing that I've done my fair share of party crashing in the past, I'd say you're a welcome guest," she giggled a bit less nervously.
"You did look pretty cute in a mustache and poncho," Adrien laughed, thinking back to the time Marinette had snuck herself into the guy-only party at his place.
"Aaahhh, thanks, I guess," Marinette raised an eyebrow at Adrien. How did this boy not see what he did to her she wondered.
Thank you readers for your patience and for continuing to follow this fan fiction story! It has taken so long to write the last few chapters.
The world has been turned upside down for everyone. I hope you all are staying safe and well during this time. Maybe this story, along with other fantacy fanfics, can provide you with a bit of an escape from uncertain or stressful reality...or at the very least some entertainment. Learning about all of the countries you have suggested certainly allows me to live vicariously through Chat Noir and Ladybug as they get to travel the world while we are confined. I also just wanted to say a huge thank you to all those who are working to help others during this time and put their lives on the line everyday! You are true heroes!
Please keep following! I appreciate all the encouragement! You are the best:)
Feel free to send in a review if there is another place in the world you would like Chat Noir or Ladybug to travel to in this series of chapters!
-All the best! Phoenix203