Notes: Hot fun in the summertime!
Disclaimer: I don't own the Miraculous franchise
Miraculous Universe
Ch.20: Work Hard, Play Hard
The news report went out that Cyrille Bleuchamp and a young assassin who went only by Élodie were now in police custody. Mr. Big was pacing back and forth in his room.
"I can't believe this. First we lose our best distribution center, and then that other idiot gets himself caught, and now my best cleaner is behind bars!"
"You always said she was the best," Countess Marceau said, "But if she's so good, why did she get caught?"
"Shut up! She never had to go up against other Miraculous users before, and all at the same time."
"So what's our next move, Boss?" Sévérine asked.
"The next shipment isn't for a few months yet. We simply make sure everyone stays out of trouble until then."
"What about Cyrille?" the Countess asked.
"Let him talk. We didn't tell him everything. Besides, our inside man will take care of it."
Meanwhile, at the police station…
"You and the others have done exemplary work, Brigadier Raincomprix."
"Thank you, Captain Jourdan."
"Thanks to you and the heroes, I've actually been promoted to Commandant."
"Why haven't I received a promotion?"
"All in good time, Roger, er, Brigadier."
Regular patrols for the heroes went on like normal. One night, though, they met up at Fu's again.
"I pocketed this during the raid on the nightclub," Apireine said, "I held off on showing the police until it got closer to the appointed time. That greasy idiot had this schedule down in his basement. It's a list of dates for the next shipment of drugs and weapons."
"Looks like the next one won't be for a few months," Vipèrion said.
"That gives us time to prepare," Ladybird said, "There are still four Miraculous unaccounted for."
"Then we'll need a contingency plan for each one," Tortank said.
"Sorry to impose at this hour, Master," Matou Noir said.
"It's not a problem," he replied, "I was actually watching a foreign film. So fascinating."
A few days later, Marinette got home from school to find her parents waiting for her.
"Marinette," Sabine said, "This summer we've decided to go on a family vacation to Shanghai. It's been too long."
"We're all going?"
"Of course, sweetheart," Tom said.
"But what about the bakery? Are we just going to close it?"
"That's the one thing we've yet to agree on," Sabine said, "We won't let it stop us, but I'm drawing a blank on ideas."
"If only my parents were still living here," Tom said, "But they're busy traveling the world."
"Regardless, as soon as you're on break, we'll be off."
The next day at school, Marinette was talking to Alya.
"My parents want us all to take a vacation to Shanghai."
"Visiting family?" Alay asked.
"Yeah, my uncle the chef. Can you come over later so we can discuss…certain things?"
"Sure, girl. One question though - who's going to run the bakery?"
"My parents aren't sure about that one. They really want to go on this trip, but it seems a shame to just close the bakery."
Adrien was sitting across the room, and although he had his earbuds in, before he turned on the music he overheard the girls' conversation.
"That gives me an idea."
Later that day, Adrien went to talk to Nathalie.
"Nathalie, I need to talk to my father about something."
"Is it important?"
"It concerns a summer job."
This surprised her, "Really? You? I'll go get him."
Nathalie found Gabriel doing what he was usually doing: working.
"Gabriel, you're not going to believe this, but Adrien says he's going to take a summer job."
"Really? Did he say what it was?"
"He didn't mention it."
"Well, I insist we find out."
The pair walked into the entryway.
"Is it true you want to partake in a summer job?"
"Yes, Père."
"Does it pertain to modeling, or is it some charity?"
"Actually, it pertains more to business."
Gabriel was likely more surprised than Nathalie, "You want to partake in a summer job that relates to running a business?"
"Yes, Père. It also involves being creative."
Now Gabriel was twice as surprised, "Anything else?"
"It also involves giving people what they asked for, but at the same time convincing them to buy something they probably don't need, and also more than they really ought to be buying."
"Adrien," Gabriel said, placing a hand on his shoulder, "Son, I wholeheartedly agree with your decision. Just make sure it doesn't interfere with any appointments you might have."
"Of course, Père."
Adrien went to his room, while Gabriel and Nathalie went back into the atelier.
"You do realize he didn't actually say what the job was, right?"
"Oh, who cares, Nathalie? The point is that it sounds exactly like what I do. He's finally taking an interest in important things."
"Or he's just better than you at lying," she thought.
Meanwhile, over at Marinette's house…
"While I'm gone, Als, I want you to hold onto the Ladybug Miraculous."
"You're trusting the earrings to me?"
"Who else?"
"Well, to be fair, you've known Nino longer."
"Yeah, that is fair. Tell you what, you hold onto them, and if you believe someone else can utilize them better, I trust your judgment."
"Thanks, Nette. If I do use the earrings, I need to think of a cool name."
"Yeah, you'd better."
"Let me see…should I base it on a pre-existing character, or maybe go with something scientific, or something from another language?"
As Alya went on her tangent, Marinette became lost in thought.
"Marinette?"
"Huh? Oh, sorry. I was thinking about something else."
"We're teammates, girl. Feel free to share."
"I don't know if I should, but…I guess talking about it will help. I think I might know Matou Noir's secret identity."
"Really? How?"
"Just little things he's said in the past. He doesn't like being alone. He's allergic to feathers. He mentioned his mother liked museums."
"That could still apply to several people."
"The other night, when he laughed at Vespireine being called honey, he said it was up there with let's bee friends."
Alya's eyes widened, "You think he's Adrien Agreste. That would be so weird."
"Why's that?"
"You saw that blog post I did, right?"
"Yeah, the one about who Le Papillon might be, right?"
"Well who does that vague description I gave sound like the most?"
Marinette had to think for a second.
"Come on, Nette. Someone with a demanding day job, access to money and other resources, and a petty and antisocial man. Ring any bells?"
She sighed, "Yes, it sounds like Gabriel Agreste. I'll tell you something else. When Matou Noir and I first started, one of the first things he said was that he believed Gabriel Agreste might be Le Papillon."
"Really? What made him say that?"
"Gabriel has an old manuscript, a grimoire, that pertains to the Miraculous. He asked Master Fu to translate it for him."
"If it's true, it's like an epic story come to life: the superhero son fighting his supervillain father."
"Well, regardless of whether either of those things are true or not, I can't do anything about it yet. Concerning Gabriel, like you said, with no concrete evidence, we'd just look insane. As for Adrien…well…I'll let him tell me when he's ready."
The next day, after school, at Nino's house…
"Nino, I know this sounds crazy, but I think I know who Ladybird might be."
"Okay, just keep calm," Nino thought, "He knows that you know who she is, so let him talk."
"I think it might be Marinette, but I don't really have any proof."
He noticed Nino was trying to remain stoic.
"I'm just rambling, Nino, don't worry too much."
Nino simply nodded.
"There's just something about her that reminds me of Marinette. There was also something she said a while back. She told Alix she was friends with Ladybird and Matou Noir, but I've barely interacted with her. I just had to get the thought out of my head. I can wait until she's ready to tell me."
"Probably the best idea, mec."
The rest of the school year went on like normal. About a week before the break, Marinette, Tom, and Sabine were talking that weekend.
"Maman, Papa, I got a message from Adrien. He says he'd like to have a talk with all of us."
"He's always welcome here, ma fille," Tom said.
"Yes, he's become quite the baker since we've known him," Sabine said.
Not too long after that, Adrien and Placide arrived.
"Bon après-midi, Adrien," they all said.
"Likewise, bonne famille. I understand you're planning on taking a holiday to visit family in Shanghai."
"Someone was eavesdropping," Marinette said with a smile.
"Désolé, mon chère. However, I believe I have a solution to your dilemma. It would be a crime for your magnificent bakery to be closed just because you're out of town. Therefore, I've taken it upon myself to find a suitable candidate that could fill in during your absence."
"Really? That's very thoughtful of you, Adrien," Sabine said.
"Don't stop now, son," Tom said, "Who is it?"
"Me!"
Tom and Sabine looked at each other, "You?"
"Yeah, me. You've all taught me how you do things. You can just give me a refresher course before you have to leave."
"Adrien," Marinette said, "I'm sure my parents appreciate your enthusiasm, but you can't run the whole bakery by yourself."
"Of course not," he replied, "Placide will be here with me, and I also called in backup."
He stood there saying nothing, as if expecting something to happen.
"Guys! That was your cue!"
Chloé walked in from outside, followed by Zoé, Sabrina, and Luka.
"Sorry, Adrikins," she said, "But you have a tendency to talk in a flowery manner when you're trying to impress people. I'm in the habit of tuning you out."
Nino and Alya also walked in, followed by Kim, and surprisingly Kagami.
"You got all of them to volunteer?" Marinette asked, "I guess that could work. What do you think, Maman, Papa?"
"Well, I suppose with all of you working together it should be okay," Tom said.
"Yes, I suppose it could," Sabine said, "Wait a minute. Adrien, what about your father?"
"Oh, I asked him about it and he wholeheartedly approved."
"He did?!" all three family members exclaimed.
"Absolutely! He was thrilled that I decided to partake in business for the summer."
"In other words, he lied to the old man," Chloé whispered to the others.
"Adrien, I don't know what to say," Marinette said, "I can't believe you'd do all this for us. I don't think we'll be able to pay you very much."
"Mari, you don't need to worry about that. I'll handle it."
"Won't your father notice you moving money around?"
"Eh, I'll just tell him it's work-related."
"But we can't just give you nothing."
"What are you talking about? You've given me everything."
"What do you mean?"
He took her hands in his.
"Your family's given me delicious baked goods, cooking and baking lessons, acceptance, affection, and best of all," he booped her nose, "You."
Marinette was blushing, "M-m-me?"
"You, Mari: the gift that keeps on giving. Having you in my life is worth more to me than anything."
The pair hugged each other. Tom and Sabine had huge smiles on their faces. Chloé turned away and made a gagging face. Zoé and Sabrina shot her a look, but Luka suppressed a laugh.
"It seems your mind's made up about this, Adrien," Tom said.
"We'd be honored if you'd watch the store for us while we're gone. That is, if you're sure you're up to it."
"I know all about the hours you work, Mme. Cheng. I will not be deterred. We'll help each other out, right guys?"
Everyone nodded in agreement.
"Yeah, I guess," Chloé added.
"In that case," Tom said, "How's about that refresher course right now?"
"Yes, please," Adrien said.
"Now before we begin, does anyone else know how to cook and/or bake?"
"Of course I can cook and/or bake," Alya said, "My mom's a cook. She taught me everything she knows."
"I had to learn," Luka said, "Mom gets busy."
"I took lessons because I don't like relying on machines, or employees, or getting take-out all the time," Kagami said.
"My parents taught me, just in case," Nino said.
"Same for me," Sabrina said.
"I can cook," Zoé said.
"What? You never told me you could cook," Chloé said.
"Well, I mean, it never came up. We live in a hotel. I learned to cook since my…other parents…didn't interact with me much."
A quick refresher course, and everything seemed to be set.
"I'll be at the airport to see you off, Princess," Adrien said.
"Feel free to call or text if you need anything while we're gone," Marinette said, "Just remember the six hour time difference."
"Here's where the recipe book is kept," Sabine said.
"And here's the spare key," Tom added.
In no time at all, summer break was here. Marinette and her parents left at noon. Adrien was there as he promised.
"Goodbye, Adrien," Tom said, "Good luck, son."
"Remember, don't hesitate to call if you need anything," Sabine said.
Marinette gave him a hug, "A bientôt, My Prince. Thank you so much."
He held her tighter, "I'm gonna miss you, Princess. Don't worry, though, I'll mind the store."
He kissed her hand, and she kissed his cheek. They waved farewell as Marinette went inside the terminal. Once he couldn't see her anymore, he got back in the car.
"Come on, buddy," he said to Placide, "Let's head for the bakery. We don't have to open until tomorrow morning."
When they got back to the bakery, Chloé and Zoé were already there.
"I didn't think you'd be here already."
"Yeah, well, we didn't have anything better to do," Chloé said.
"She's grumpy because Luka's busy with his delivery job."
"Shut up, Zoé."
The four of them walked into the bakery.
"I love that smell," Zoé said.
"Wait, does Gabriel know you'll be spending the night here?" Chloé asked.
"He never asked me about details. He just said he approved. Besides, if it was to come up, I can always say that I left the house before anyone else woke up. I will have to wake up really early, after all, so it's technically true."
"Well, don't worry," Zoé said, "We'll stay here with you."
"We will?"
"Of course, Chlo. I explained everything to dad. Besides, he's a busy man himself. And I already know what you're going to say. We can always go back and get our toiletries later."
"Yeah, fine, whatever. When's lunch?"
They decided to just grab something to-go and head back to the bakery. Adrien was being rather quiet.
"Adrien, please quit pining for her," Chloé said, "She's only gone for, what, two weeks?"
"I'm not pining!"
"He totally is pining," Zoé said, "Pining for the fjords."
"Aw, cut it out. She is my girlfriend, so of course I miss her. However, I also made a promise, and it's my duty to fulfill it. So I can't worry about how much I wish she was here right now."
"Wait a minute. She's your girlfriend?" Chloé asked, "I thought you two were just dating? When did you become official?"
"Oh…well, uh…the thing is…seeing as this is a first relationship for either of us, it just kind of happened."
"That's cute," Zoé said.
"Whatever works for you, I guess," Chloé said with a shrug, "So all those other people are going to help us, right? I don't think we can do it with just the four of us."
"Alya and Nino already told their parents. Luka can show up whenever he's not working his actual job. I'm not too sure about Kim, even if he said he'd help out. Kagami should be here ;ater today. What about Sabrina?"
"She should also be here later," Zoé replied.
"I just thought of something," Chloé said, "You didn't tell your father what you were actually doing, right?"
"Well, he didn't press the issue."
"Uh huh, but if you intend to keep it a secret, what do you think is going to happen the minute someone steps into the bakery and sees Adrien Agreste behind the counter?"
Adrien now had a look of dread on his face.
"Oh yeah," Zoé said, "They'll tell their friends, and then everyone will be swarming the bakery, and the next thing you know, there's a picture of you online."
"...oh no."
Chloé rolled her eyes, "Relax, Cat Man, because the master planner is here."
"You've got nothing to worry about now, Adrien," Zoé said, "Chloé has many faults, but she is great at making plans."
"That's right! I…" she paused to glare at Zoé, "How many faults do I have?"
"Uh…barely any, Sis."
"That's what I thought. Okay, so while the oven is right next to the front counter, the solution is very simple. Just wear a face mask. No one will question it. Someone else will have to run the front counter. You'll have to stay in the baking area or in the back the entire time. And for the love of all that is holy, do NOT take your mask off while you're up front. If it's too warm, go behind the scenes to cool off for a bit."
"That does sound like it'll work," Adrien said.
"Of course it'll work! I thought of it. When have any of my plans ever failed?"
"What, like recently?"
"Put a sock in it, Zoé!"
"Hello!" came a familiar voice, "We're here!"
"Ah, there's Sabrina now," Chloé said, "Wait, what do you mean we?"
"We're back here, Brina!" Zoé called.
Sabrina and Kagami walked into the room.
"We ran into each other along the way here," Sabrina said.
"Did you give your mom the same lines I fed my father, Kagami?"
"More or less, Adrien."
"Did she ask any questions?"
"Not really."
Flashback
"Mother, I mean, Okaasan, Adrien would like me to attend a business class with him. It's a rather extensive course, so I'll be away from home for a while."
Tomoe seemed to only be half-listening.
"Nani? Oh, a business class, you say? It's about time. Go right ahead. As long as it takes."
"Arigatō."
End of Flashback
"Wow," Chloé said, "She really is as bad as Gabriel. Still, that just makes it easier for us. Now, on to business."
"You mean like who's going to bake what?" Adrien asked.
"No, I mean who's going to sleep where."
"Placide gets the master bedroom."
"What? Why?"
"Because he and Tom have a similar build. Therefore, it's the only bed big enough."
"I brought a sleeping bag," Sabrina said, "So I'm good."
"I don't like the idea of being in Marinette's room while she's not here," Adrien said, "So I'll just sleep on the sofa or something."
"I call her bed," Chloé said quickly.
"What about me?" Zoé asked.
"You can have her chaise lounge."
"It's too small."
"Fine then. Kagami can have the chaise lounge. She's relatively short."
"That's not fair, Chlo."
"How about this?" Adrien said, "I'll get my own sleeping bag. Kagami can have the sofa."
"How does that help us?" Chloé asked.
"You'll have to share the bed," Kagami stated.
Chloé groaned, "Do I have to?"
"Please, Chlo?" Zoé asked, trying to make her eyes bigger.
"You think by trying to look cute that I'll immediately crack? What with the big, blue eyes, and the fluttering eyelashes, and the puppy dog pout, and the freckles?"
Everyone else was smiling.
"All right! Fine! We can share the bed. Just try to stay on your side."
Zoé hugged her, "I'll do my best."
"Yeah, great, so that's taken care of. It's still early. Are we gonna watch a movie or something?"
"I guess if we can agree on one," Adrien said.
"Hey, mec! We're here!"
"Back here, Nino!"
Nino and Alya came in.
"Here's that spare sleeping bag, mec."
"Thanks."
"Wow…this place is kinda weird without Marinette or her folks being here."
"Yeah," Alya said, "It's awfully quiet."
"Well, guess what?" Chloé said, "I'm here. And while I enjoy peace and quiet as much as the next person, as long as I have to be here and help out Adrikins, I'LL BE PLENTY LOUD!"
"Anybody home?" came another familiar voice, "I'm pretty sure I heard a familiar shriek."
"I'll be back with our stuff, Zo."
Chloé walked out front to meet Luka.
"There you are, sailor man. Come with me."
"I just got here, Chloé. Where are we going?"
"I have to go back to the hotel and grab a few things. I'll need someone to carry everything for me."
"That's all you need me for, a convenient beast of burden?"
"You get to be in my presence. Are you really going to complain?"
Luka shook his head, "There'd be no point."
"Exactly! Now come along."
They were now outside.
"But all I've got is my bike."
"So what? It's got that little seat thing in the back."
"That's usually just for delivery boxes. It might not be too comfortable."
"You can make it up to me later when you get yourself a motorcycle."
"How do you know I'm saving for a motorcycle?"
"Someone like you absolutely needs a motorcycle. Honestly, do you want the baker girl to look cooler than you? She's already got one."
"You always know what to say to inspire people."
"Yes, I know. I'm a great motivational speaker. Now let's get going, Snakey Chantey."
"Put on this helmet, please."
"What, and mess up my hair?"
Luka gave her a look.
"I'm kidding. Give it here. Do you always carry an extra helmet?"
"You never know when something like this might happen."
"Do you also always carry around your guitar?"
"Always. Ready to go?"
"Let's roll."
Luka took off, whistling a tune the entire time. They were soon at Le Grand Paris.
"What song are you whistling?"
"Oh, it's nothing. Just a sea chantey you've probably never heard of."
They were soon in Chloé's room. She grabbed a backpack and began packing.
"What film genre do you prefer? Please don't say musicals."
"Why not?"
"Because Zoé always makes me watch them with her. I'm okay with them once in a while, but it makes me glad she likes variety. Hold this backpack while you ponder my question."
She went into Zoé's room and filled another backpack with things they needed.
"Okay, I think that should be enough."
"I'm willing to try anything once when it comes to movies. So if you or your sister have any suggestions, I'll have a look."
"That's a pretty good answer. Let's get going."
"You didn't say what kind of movies you like."
"Zoé's a bit more knowledgeable about films, but I enjoy variety. A bit of comedy here, some action/adventure there, and so forth and so on."
They began to walk back to the elevator.
"It's nice of you to help Adrien with his grand quest."
"I think it was crazy of him to do it, but once he makes up his mind… Anyway, I'm glad he's happy. Every prince needs his princess."
Luka chuckled, "I can tell you don't like it that much."
"I find them sickeningly sweet together. You heard that little speech he gave before she left."
"Everyone expresses their feelings differently. Marinette clearly appreciated it."
"You would take their side instead of just blindly agreeing with me."
"You say that, but I don't think you'd like someone who always agrees with you."
"Do you have to be right all the time?"
He shrugged, "I can't help it. Your helmet, Mlle."
"Yeah yeah."
The duo quickly returned to the bakery. They could hear people arguing, although thankfully in a playful manner.
"I did not cheat," Kagami said.
"Well I seriously doubt you could win fairly every time," Zoé said.
"It's all about strategy."
"It's those reverse cards," Alya said.
"Those wild cards don't help," Nino said.
"The skip cards are annoying," Sabrina said.
"It's the drawing cards that lead to a win," Kagami concluded.
"Having fun?" Chloé asked.
"Oh, there you are, Chlo," Zoé said, "We figured you'd be gone for quite a while, so we played a few card games."
"What do you say we get dinner?" Luka asked.
"Oh, Placide already went out to get us some pizza."
"We should pick a movie to watch," Zoé said.
"Here, Zo," Chloé said, "I brought you a few. You know, just in case Marinette's collection is unsatisfactory."
Zoé looked at the half a dozen movies she had to choose from.
"You know me so well, Chlo."
"Naturally, as we are sisters."
"Who here hasn't seen The Maltese Falcon?"
As soon as Placide got back with the food, they started the movie.
"That was very interesting," Kagami said.
"That was cool," Sabrina said.
"I never get tired of watching it," Alya said.
"Okay, team," Adrien said, "We'd better get to bed now-ish. We have to wake up early tomorrow."
"In that case, we'd better head out, mec," Nino said, "We'll be here as soon as we can though."
"I'll probably be here to wake you up," Alya said, "If there's one thing my family takes seriously, it's food."
With that said, Nino and Alya took their leave.
"That's the signal for me to depart as well," Luka said.
"Will you be able to show up?" Chloé asked.
"It all depends on how busy we are, but I'll do my best."
He quickly gave her hand a light kiss and left. She stared out the window until she couldn't see him anymore. When she turned around, everyone was staring at her.
"WHAT?!"
Kagami grabbed a small bag and quickly walked out of the room.
"I call the bathroom first," she said with a smirk.
"Great," Zoé said, "First the cards, and now this."
Everyone took their turn and changed clothes.
"Bonne nuit, mes amis," Adrien said.
He and Placide shared the master bedroom. The latter in the bed, and the former in a sleeping bag.
"Here's a blanket, Kagami."
"Thank you, Sabrina. This is a very comfortable sofa."
Kagami took the sofa, while Sabrina had her sleeping bag next to said sofa. The Bourgeois sisters were playfully shoving each other out of the way as they headed for Marinette's bed.
"I can't believe it," Chloé said, "This is actually a really nice bed. No wonder she's so late all the time. I wouldn't want to leave this bed either."
"Just please try not to be cranky when I wake you up."
"No promises, sister dear."
4AM arrived before they knew it. Adrien woke up and quickly got ready for business. Just as he was about to start up the oven, he heard a knock on the door.
"Alya! You really did get here early."
"I told you, Sunshine. Food is serious business. Nino's running a bit behind."
"I appreciate your enthusiasm."
They were soon joined by Kagami and Sabrina. Meanwhile…
"Come on, Chloé," Zoé said, "As they say, up and at 'em!"
"UP AND AT 'EM?!"
"I can see why you didn't make any promises."
While Zoé tried to calm Chloé down, everyone else delegated tasks amongst themselves. Chloé was then taking her time in the bathroom.
"Chlo, it's been like 30 minutes."
"I have to look my best if I have to run the front desk."
It was now 5AM.
"Now's about the time people are waking up for work," Adrien said, "We'd better open."
That's when Chloé rushed into the bakery.
"I'll do that, Adrikins. Remember your mask."
"Yes, Chlo."
"Oh, and Zoé? Don't think I don't know that you're already trying to sneak away some sweets for yourself."
"I can't help it."
"Kagami, I think you'd better wear a mask as well. If your mother finds out what you're doing, she'll probably throw a fit."
"Taken care of," she said.
"You're actually really good at this, Sunshine," Alya said, "But then you had the best teachers possible."
"Thanks, Alya," Adrien said, "I'm doing the best I can."
It was 6AM when Nino arrived. It was 7AM when Kim showed up. At first it was just a few people, but as the hours went by, more and more people visited the bakery. At one point, Luka showed up, but it was to make a delivery.
"About time you got here," Chloé said.
"Sorry, Queenie, but I'm on duty."
"You're fast, Luka," Alya said, handing him a box.
"Just doing my job, Mlle."
He gave Chloé a wink before he rode off.
"Do you miss him already, Chloé?" Alya asked with a sly smile.
"Shut up," she muttered as she went back inside.
Hours went by, and at last, it was closing time.
"Well, that's one day down," Sabrina said.
"Yeah," Chloé said, "So what's for dinner?"
"I asked Placide to pick us up some sushi," Adrien said.
"This is why you're special, Adrikins."
"How about a movie with dinner?" Zoé asked.
It was soon time for bed.
"Well, that was fun, but I'd better get some sleep," Adrien said, "I have to keep up my strength. Good night!"
As Adrien walked to the bathroom, he got a text from Marinette.
Princesse: How was your first day?
Prince: Everything went smooth as silk, Princess!
Princesse: Oh, good! Before you know it, mom and dad will want you to take over for them, lol
Prince: Are you having a good time?
Princesse: Of course! Uncle is a master chef, you know. I'm learning new techniques from him, so expect a home-cooked meal as a reward when I get back.
Prince: I look forward to it, Mari. I better get to sleep.
Princesse: Thank you again for this, My Prince. This means a lot to all of us.
Prince: It's my pleasure
Adrien was tempted to add "my love" at the end, but decided against it.
"No, not yet. We haven't even said it in person. It has to be special."
As he lay in the sleeping bag, his mind began to wander.
"I wonder when mom and father told each other they love one another. Did they ever say that they loved each other? As far back as I can remember, mom and father never really seemed very affectionate. I mean, everyone expresses themselves differently. Nino and Alya restrain themselves until they're in private, but then they go crazy. Chloé and Luka clearly have feelings for each other, but they don't act on them. At least not that I've seen. Me…I have to keep my feelings a secret so that father and the general public don't find out. I wouldn't want Marinette to get bothered by such people. When the time comes that I can't keep it a secret anymore, will I go through with it? Will I tell my father and the whole world that I love her? Of course I would! Marinette's worth it. No one's ever made me feel like she does. No one's good enough for me where father's concerned…but what would mom think?"
Adrien finally drifted off to sleep. Nino, Alya, and Kim left, while everyone else in the house also went to sleep. The next day, Chloé actually woke up without screaming and snapping.
"I can't believe you're so quiet this morning," Zoé said.
"It's because I…I want to watch you work."
"You do?"
"It's just that, yesterday, all I did was wait for the store to open. You never know when baking something might come in handy, you know?"
The day went by just like before. Once again, Alya was early. Once again, Luka came by to pick up a few deliveries. He made sure to give Chloé a salute before he left.
"It really is amazing how Tom and Sabine can do this every day," Kagami said.
"Yeah, they're special people," Chloé said, mostly to herself.
Before bedtime, Adrien sidled up to Chloé.
"Hey, Chlo," he whispered, "Since we've been busy doing this, no one's been on patrol. You can sleep for an extra hour or so if you give the city a once over. Deal?"
"Very well."
While Zoé crawled into bed, Chloé headed for the balcony.
"Where are you going?"
"Adrien asked me to do a quick patrol, just in case. He said in exchange I could sleep in a bit."
"Oh, yeah, okay. That's fair. Good night, Sis."
"Good night, ma sœur."
Chloé did a few stretches and then transformed. As she was simply patrolling, she stuck with her original costume.
"I've never been out on patrol by myself. I'm used to having Zoé here. Now it's just me and my thoughts. I wonder if I should…?"
After flying around the entire city, she landed atop a roof that gave her a good view of the Liberty. Sure enough, there was Luka, out on deck alone with his violin. She couldn't recognize the song he was playing, but it sounded sad and happy at the same time.
"I don't know why, but it sounds vaguely familiar. I think it's another one of those sea shanties. Should I go over and say hello? No, of course not. You're on duty. See you tomorrow, handsome."
Apireine flew off into the night. Just as she did, Luka turned to look at the spot she had been standing a few seconds ago.
"Bonne nuit, Apireine."
Apireine landed on the roof and quickly walked over to the balcony. She de-transformed and quietly went inside. She changed into her pajamas and went to bed.
"I go away for a while and she takes up the entire bed."
She gently moved Zoé over and crawled into bed. As soon as she closed her eyes, Zoé leaned against her.
"I'm glad you're back," she whispered in a drowsy voice.
Chloé couldn't help but smile. She didn't even bother to move Zoé back over.
"I missed you, too," Chloé whispered.
The next morning, Zoé was careful not to wake up Chloé. The day went on like clockwork. Chloé woke up around 7AM and continued to try and learn how to bake. Everything went smoothly with teamwork. After work…
"Hey, Nino," Adrien said, motioning him over.
"What's up, mec?"
His voice dropped to a whisper, "I'll make you the same deal as Apireine. Do a patrol tonight and you can come in later. I think she'd like some company."
"Can do, mec."
That night, Chloé once again went out on patrol. She didn't get very far before Zorrua was waving at her.
"Good evening, Mlle. Bee. I thought I'd join you on patrol. It can get a bit boring on your own."
"What, you just decided to randomly join me? Tortank isn't here, you know."
"What's that got to do with anything?"
Apireine started to hover close as he walked along to keep up.
"It's obvious you and her are a thing."
"What, just because we're paired up often when the team is together? I already have a girlfriend."
"Okay, if you say so. Wanna race to the Eiffel Tower? I may be able to fly, but with your impressive jumping abilities, I'm sure you can give me a challenge."
"Bring it on."
Being able to fly did give Apireine a head start, but Zorrua effortlessly leapt from rooftop to rooftop and was keeping up. However, once they were out in the open, it was harder for him to keep pace. She flew up to the Eiffel Tower, while he jumped from one spot to the next. She was already sitting at the very top when he arrived.
"What kept you?"
He stopped to catch his breath, "Flying seems a bit like cheating. Don't bother to say something like how you're just using your naturally given superpowers or something like that. I've seen enough movies and TV shows and animé to get the picture."
He sat down next to her and they looked out over the city.
"Sometimes you just have to stop and look around to appreciate the scenery," she said.
"Yeah, you have to not take it for granted. I'll have to remember this spot for later."
She got an idea, "I'm sure Alya will love it."
"Yeah, but it's too bad I can't fly."
His eyes went wide as it sank in what he just said. He looked over at Apireine. She had a smug smile on her face.
"Nice night for a run, huh, Nino?"
His ears drooped, "I didn't think I was that obvious."
"Don't feel too bad. It wasn't just you. I knew Adrien had to have asked you to come out here, which meant you must be someone in the friend group. Who's he closest to besides me? You also tend to say the word mec a lot. Plus I'm just brilliant."
"Wait, so…Chloé? I should've guessed from the attitude."
"I'll take that as a compliment."
"So the Eagle must be Zoé."
"I'm guessing the Turtle is Alya."
"I have nothing to say."
"You don't have to say anything. Your actions speak louder. You must know about both Marinette and Adrien then."
"I'm just glad they haven't tried to get it out of me."
"You know how they are. It has to be special. When did you find out about Alya?"
"That day you and Zoé got akumatized. When did you find out about Adrien?"
"He told me and Zoé the same day we became superheroes. I found out about Marinette the day we went to recruit the Snake. What about the happy couple?"
"That night Alya's little twin sisters got akumatized, Adrien recruited me. That day Adrien's bodyguard turned into a giant gorilla, Marinette let me in on her secret."
"That was quite a day. I was going crazy. Adrien's like my brother, so I wanted to do something. Everyone else had to drag me away to somewhere safe. That meddling pirate boy took me to his houseboat and practically sat on me just so I wouldn't do anything stupid."
Zorrua smirked, "You like him, don't you?"
"None of your business."
"I mean, it's so obvious with how much you stare at him."
"We are changing the subject now," she said, wings buzzing.
"Okay, sorry. So…when do you think Adrien will tell his jerk father about him and Marinette?"
She shrugged, "I'm sure he'll know when the time is right. Let's do another lap around the city. I'll give you a lift down."
"I'd appreciate that. I can't believe I managed some of the crazy jumps I did that day we snuck into Bob Roth's office."
After about another hour, they decided to call it a night.
"See you tomorrow, Fox Boy."
"Likewise, Mlle. Apis."
This schedule continued for the rest of the week. One night…
"You ever notice how sometimes Matou Noir will start running on all fours?" Apireine asked.
"Yeah, he does do that once in a while," Zorrua said, "I'm not sure why. We're not exactly built for it. Maybe it's the whole cat thing."
"A fox is as much a predator as a cat, but I've never seen you run on all fours."
"Well, maybe it's because I can jump better than he can. I don't know."
"Well try it."
"All right. Might as well."
Zorrua did a few stretches and then looked around.
"I'll run over there and back. We'll see if I get some kind of urge to assume a quadrupedal stance."
Zorrua began running and jumping across the rooftops.
"Nope, nothing. Maybe if I just did it intentionally."
He stopped and crouched down so his hands were touching the ground. He then took off.
"It still seems kind of awkward, but I guess the whole magic thing is helping it work."
"You looked weird doing that," Apireine said, "But again, so does he."
"I think it just needs to be the right moment. Hey, can you walk on walls and ceilings?"
"That's a good question. I've never had to before. May as well give it a try."
She walked to the edge of the roof and looked down.
"Okay, just try picturing it in your head. That's how it works with the costume."
She took a breath, closed her eyes, and stepped off the building. Zorrua ran over to check on her.
"Bee Girl, are you…okay…?"
Apireine was standing perfectly fine on the side of the building.
"Thanks for the idea, M. Vulpine."
The next day went the same as the last. That night…
"Hey, so you switched Miraculous with your sister, right? What was that like?"
"It felt the same, but different at the same time. Both can fly, but it's a different kind of flying. There was one thing. The Eagle gives you enhanced vision."
"Makes sense, I guess."
"Oh, another thing. As the Bee, I feel more fast and agile. A bee normally avoids stinging if she can help it, but it's my own naturally aggressive behavior that makes me attack. I guess that's one of the reasons I renamed my stealth mode costume. I mean, a wasp doesn't want to sting any more than a bee, but unlike a honey bee, if a wasp feels threatened, she can sting multiple times. Now when I was the Eagle, I felt slower, but I also felt stronger. Still, I think I prefer the Bee."
"Have you tried combining two Miraculous together yet?"
"No, but I'll definitely have to try it."
"I don't know if I'd want a different Miraculous. The Fox seems to really fit me. Still, it couldn't hurt to try. I do like the idea of using two at once. It's just that I feel like there's more I could do as the Fox though. Like find a way to enhance my powers or something."
"What, like making solid illusions?"
"That seems about the only way I could see them getting an upgrade. What about you?"
"Like I said to my sister, I'm not sure how to upgrade from paralysis. She said mind control was the next step."
"That sounds about right, but there must be something else you can do. What about…a way to immobilize people that doesn't involve paralysis?"
"That does sound intriguing. Enough talk! What do you say we spar a bit?"
"Really? Well, I guess we should be training. Those gang members are still out there. So's that Le Papillon guy, even if he's keeping quiet lately."
"I'm sure there's a reason for that. We can discuss this with the rest of the group later. Ready for that match?"
"If you're sure."
"What, you think you can beat me?"
"No, because you're more of a fighter than I am. You said you learned savate. I probably ought to, but at the moment all I know is parkour."
"It's not just what you know, but what you do with it."
At first, the two just traded punches and kicks. Then, Apireine began swinging her trompo at him. He managed to dodge every attempt. He then pulled out his flute and extended it to a more combat appropriate length.
"I didn't know you could make your flute act like a staff."
"I didn't either for a while, but I decided to try."
He began trying to hit her, but she would always fly out of range. The two finally stopped to catch their breath.
"I think that's enough for tonight. Not bad, Reynard."
"Same to you, Beedrill," he said as he left.
She looked confused, "Beedrill?"
That weekend, Adrien managed to have a talk with both Nino and Chloé.
"Hey, Chlo, Nino, can I talk to you one at a time?"
"You may as well talk to us both at once, Adrikins. We figured out our secrets. It wasn't that hard."
"Oh…right. So, uh, did either of you see Ladybird while you were out on patrol?"
"No, and you already know why, so why bother to deny it?"
"Normally I would never say this, but she's got a point, mec. You've already been speculating about it. I mean, if you still want her to admit it, fine, but there's no sense playing dumb or something."
"I know. I just thought I'd make sure. Thank you, both."
Another week flew by, always with Chloé and Nino doing the patrol. At last, the day had arrived. Adrien and Placide drove to the airport, making sure to pick up Alya and Nino first. Adrien waited until he could see her getting closer.
"It was great to see our family, Maman," Marinette said, "But nothing beats coming home again."
"I know what you mean, dear," Sabine said, "Thanks to my brother, though, I have new recipes to try."
"I've missed the bakery," Tom said.
"I wonder if he's here yet?" Marinette wondered.
That's when she heard a familiar voice.
"Morning in Paris, the city awakes
To the bells of Notre Dame."
She spun around to see Adrien leaning against a wall.
"The fisherman fishes, the baker girl bakes
To the bells of Notre Dame.
From the big bells as loud as the thunder…"
He paused, and waited. She got the idea.
"...to the little bells soft as a psalm."
The two joined in together.
"And some say the soul of the city's
The toll of the bells
The bells of Notre Dame."
She then practically glomped him.
"Hey, take it easy, Mari. It hasn't been that long."
"Oh, come on, Sunshine!" Alya called out, "Like you haven't been acting like an excited puppy the entire time."
Marinette then went over and hugged Alya and Nino.
"It's good to see you guys."
"We missed you, girl."
"Yeah, Nette," Nino said, "It wasn't the same without you."
"Marinette," Sabine said, "If you want to ride home with your friends, that's fine."
"We're off to pick up the car," Tom said.
"Okay, I'll see at home. Nice to see you, Placide."
Placide smiled and nodded as he took her luggage and put it in the trunk. They were now on their way home.
"So what did you do besides visit family?" Alya asked.
"Saw a few sights, but mostly learned some more Chinese and additional cooking techniques. I'm presuming that since you're all here and not making excuses that the bakery didn't burn down?"
"You're a riot, Nette," Nino said.
"So there weren't any problems?"
"Not at all, Princess," Adrien replied, placing an arm around her.
"I'm glad it all worked out."
At last, they arrived at the bakery.
"Oh, I've missed that smell," Marinette said.
As they walked inside, Zoé was there to greet them.
"There goes the baker with her tray, like always
The same old bread and rolls to sell.
Every morning just the same
Since the morning that we came
To this poor provincial town."
"Ha ha, very funny," Marinette said, "You've been waiting to sing that even more than Adrien was to sing the song he picked, I'm sure. I'm going to take my bag upstairs."
Just as she passed the register…
"Marinella! The baguettes! Hurry up!"
Marinette let out a cry as she fell over. Chloé was now standing over here, a triumphant smile on her face.
"Welcome back, baker girl," she said, extending a hand.
"Thanks for the warm welcome, Chloé."
"I'm so glad you're back."
"Really?"
"Of course. Now Adrien will shut up about you."
"Did you actually help at all while I was gone?"
"I did plenty, as a matter of fact. I did my best to learn how to bake."
"What was the end result?"
"I learned what I already knew to be true. Leave it to the professionals."
They followed her into her room.
"Well, my room isn't a mess, so thanks for that."
"I'm sure you'd like to get some rest, Princess," Adrien said, "Here's the spare key."
"Oh, uh…why don't you keep that?"
"Really?"
"Well, you never know if there might be an emergency or something."
"Can we go now? She's not the only one who needs a nap," Chloé said.
Before Alya left, she made sure to slip Marinette the earrings. As the others were about to leave, Tom and Sabine got back. They were now all in the bakery.
"Well, everything seems to be intact," Tom said with a chuckle, "Nothing was destroyed."
"Thanks again to all of you for helping out," Sabine said.
"It was our pleasure, Mme. Cheng," Alya said.
"We'll be waiting in the car, Adrikins."
"I'll be right there, Chlo."
It was now just Adrien, Marinette, Tom, and Sabine. They pulled him into a hug.
"I know we said it already, but it bears repeating," Sabine said, "Thank you so much, Adrien. This trip meant a lot to me."
"It took a load off our shoulders knowing the bakery was in good hands," Tom said.
"Let's see what we can plan for the summer, My Prince."
"That can wait until tomorrow, Princess. You need some rest. See you later."
After dropping everyone else off, Adrien returned home. As he headed back to his room, Gabriel actually noticed him.
"Adrien, I didn't expect you back so soon. What about your summer job? It's still summer."
"Oh, well, I'm off today. I've been learning a lot, Père."
"That's good to hear. Speaking of work, I must get back to mine."
"Of course, Père."
Adrien was now relaxing in his room.
"I hadn't really planned on working past the two weeks they were gone, but it would get me out of the house, and close to Marinette. Plus that way Père won't get suspicious. I'll go by tomorrow and ask if I can keep helping."
Meanwhile, in another part of the city…
"I have to get back to the bakery as soon as possible," Kagami thought.
Adrien woke up early the next day.
"Hey, buddy," he said to Placide, "I'm sorry to bother you, but I need to get back to the bakery. If I don't, my father might start to wonder why I'm not working."
Placide gave a nod and got ready. They were about to drive off when Kagami showed up. Adrien quickly opened the car door and they drove off.
"I definitely didn't expect to see you, Kagami."
"I'm willing to bet that we both had the same idea though."
"Seems that way. I'd better text, Marinette."
Prince: Are you awake, Princess?
Princesse: I am, as a matter of fact. What's going on?
Prince: I need to talk to your parents.
Princesse: Oh, okay…I'll let you in the back.
As soon as they parked, Adrien, Kagami, and Placide looked around to make sure they weren't being watched, and then ran into the house.
"Oh, Kagami! I wasn't expecting you."
"That seems to be the recurring theme for the day, Marinette."
"Are your parents busy, Princess?"
"Just a second. Feel free to wait in the living room."
Marinette went to check, while the others went to sit on the sofa.
"It was fun working here, wasn't it?" Adrien said, as more of a statement than a question.
"When the alternative is being stuck at home with an overbearing parent, anything else seems fun."
Adrien gave her a confused look.
"Forgive me, Adrien, if I sound like I'm being sarcastic. I mean, I suppose it was meant to be at least half sarcastic. What I'm trying to say is that, yes, I had fun, but I'm not the type to outright say it."
"You know, that kind of makes you a bit like Chloé."
"Normally I'd take offense to that, but considering how much she's done for us, maybe she's not such a bad influence after all."
"Chlo always looks out for her friends…she just won't admit it."
Tom and Sabine came into the living room.
"What can we do for you, kids?" Tom asked.
"I know this is a bit last minute," Adrien said, "But if Kagami and I could keep working here for the rest of the summer, we'd really appreciate it."
Sabine was surprised, "Oh, well, any particular reason?"
"Well, the thing is…I didn't actually tell my father what I was doing for work. That's the only reason he didn't object. So, if I could continue to assist you, in any way, shape, or form, I'd be eternally grateful."
"What he said," Kagami added, "But more succinctly."
"What if your parents find out?" Marinette asked.
"Well, we're hoping they don't," Adrien said, "However, if they do, we'll just explain that no one ever saw us working here."
"That and it really did contribute to learning about business," Kagami said.
"Or to put it another way, it's better to beg forgiveness than ask permission."
"Well now, normally we wouldn't encourage lying to your parents," Tom said, "However…"
"However?" Adrien and Kagami asked.
"However," Sabine said, "Seeing as we know your parents are less than ideal, to put it lightly, and having a job teaches you important life lessons…"
Tom and Sabine looked at each other, "Okay."
Adrien pulled Marinette and Kagami into a hug.
"Can we keep staying here, too?" Adrien asked.
"It would certainly be more convenient," Kagami said.
"I agree," Tom said, "Placide can use the sofa."
"I still have my sleeping bag," Adrien said, "I'll stay next to the sofa."
"You can stay in my room, Kagami," Marinette said.
"Thank you. I also have a sleeping bag," Kagami said, "I wouldn't want to impose by sharing your bed."
"Either way, it's like a sleepover."
That night…
"You and Adrien are kind of similar, aren't you, Kagami?"
"Other than the fact that we both have parents who want to control our lives, I don't think so."
"Oh, well I guess it was just the one thing. You speak your mind a lot more than Adrien."
"He likes and dislikes that about me. There's also something you and I have in common. If you'd care to see, I'll show you my work."
"Your work?"
Kagami reached into her bag and pulled out her own sketchbook. Inside were a variety of drawings, many of which were either her friends or the Miraculous heroes.
"Kagami, these are beautiful. I didn't realize you were such a great artist."
"Alas, the one person who can't appreciate it, in more ways than one, is my mother. She says it's a waste of time because I'm not good enough."
"If she said that, then your mother is blind, in more ways than one. I've seen you at plenty of sports competitions. You seem to be able to master whatever you set your mind to. I'll bet drawing helps you relax."
"It does, actually. I knew you'd understand."
"You can always talk to me about anything. From one artist to another, or just as friends."
"It's still strange sometimes, knowing I have so many friends now."
"Well, you'd better get used to it. Because that's the way it's gonna stay."
The next morning, Marinette got up early, tiptoed past Kagami, and went to the bathroom. Once she opened the door…
"Good morning, Princess."
Marinette saw Adrien without a shirt on, so needless to say, she was now wide awake.
"I'm sorry, I should've knocked," she said, face very red.
He pulled his shirt on, "It's okay. You didn't know. I didn't think anyone else would wake up this early. This isn't exactly how I pictured you seeing me without a shirt on, but knowing our luck, I should've expected it."
"You're awfully calm about this."
"It's just my shirt, Princess. At least it wasn't my trousers."
Marinette's eyes went wide as she started to lightly bang her head against the nearest wall. The rest of the day went by much smoother. As did the rest of the week, and the rest of the month as well. It all went practically like clockwork. In all that time, Marinette knew it would be risky to go out on patrol, so she asked Nino and Alya to do so in her stead. Adrien had the same idea, so he asked Chloé and Zoé to do patrols. One night…
"Hello again, M. Fox."
"Delightful to see you again, Mlle. Bee. I'm sure you remember Mlle. Turtle."
"Who could forget? I'm sure you remember Mlle. Eagle."
"Always a pleasure."
"Okay," Tortank said, "You two being all formal is just weird, and not in a good way."
"How come Ladybird and Matou Noir aren't here?" Bateleur asked.
"Because Adrien's staying over at Marinette's house," Apireine said.
"What does that…? Oh…"
"So it's true?" Tortank asked, "Adrien is Matou Noir?"
"Oh, wait, I probably shouldn't have said that. Forget what I said."
"Talk about bad acting," Zorrua said, "You did that deliberately."
"So what if I did? The Cat and the Ladybug are the only ones who haven't told each other who they are, more or less. It's not like any of us knowing who they are is going to change anything. We're all part of the same team."
"What if one of us was an imposter?" Tortank asked.
"I'm sure if that were true, one of us would've noticed," Bateleur said, "We all know who we are. We've known each other for years now. As a TV detective once said, when a person does something one way and then suddenly does something another way, it should make you think. I'm paraphrasing a bit, but you get what I'm saying, right?"
"And you say I'm the one who comes up with all the ideas," Apireine said.
"That does make a lot of sense," Zorrua said.
"Yes, okay, it's very logical," Tortank said, "Now let's patrol different sides of the city and meet back up right here."
The four of them took care of the patrols for the rest of the summer. It was soon time for school to start up again. Now that the whole team was free, the first week of school was also used for a team meeting one night.
"I'm glad everyone could make it," Ladybird said.
"We already know what this meeting is about," Apireine said, "The big night's coming up, and I don't mean the prom."
"We're all ready to go for the night of the delivery," Tortank said.
"Yeah," Zorrua added, "We've been training."
"Well, we can keep training for a bit yet," Matou Noir said, "The drop off isn't until the end of this month."
"Do we have some kind of plan?" Bateleur asked.
"First of all, inform the police so that they're nearby. Second, deal with anyone there who has a Miraculous."
The next few weeks were pure school work. It was actually a bit of a relief when they could focus on something else. Everyone was once again in their stealth suits. The team was waiting by the beach, keeping an eye on the large group of gang members who were also awaiting the shipment. The leader was a very tall, very buff woman.
"That woman there has been giving everyone else orders since they got here," Vipèrion said.
"Looking at her," Zorrua said, "She reminds me of Nora Césaire, but if she were evil."
"So are we just going to confront her?" Bateleur asked.
"Good question," Matou Noir said, "Most if not all of those guys must have weapons."
"Just lure that female bodybuilder away," Tortank said, "Then I'll place a forcefield around her troops."
"You've been kinda quiet, Ladybird," Vespireine said, "Something on your mind?"
"Just coming up with a backup plan in case things get bad."
"How's that going?"
"Actually, I think we're good. Let's put a stop to this operation."
Vespireine flew ahead and landed a few feet away from the gang leader.
"Hey, you!"
The lower ranking members all drew guns.
"Hold your fire! I'll deal with these pests myself."
The seven team members now stood in a row, but the woman merely scoffed.
"Well, well, I knew you'd show up. I told that fool René he didn't need a copy of the delivery schedule. I'm guessing you found it and it led you here. You know, part of me was hoping you would show up. I can take care of you right here, right now, before you cause any more trouble for the boss."
"Sorry, lady, but we're taking down everyone in your gang," Tortank said, "We also outnumber you. Why not just give up and save time?"
"Oh, you're funny. Transformez-moi!"
Her costume was a dark blue, save for the boots, gloves, and domino mask, which were black. The toes of her boots were shiny like hooves. She also had a massive pair of cattle horns on her head. In her right hand was a hammer as long as she was tall.
"Resistance!" Marteau snarled.
"Uh oh," Ladybird said, "She has the Ox Miraculous."
"Doesn't that mean she's immune to our powers?" Vespireine asked.
"Nice to know you've been studying."
"Sévérine was my name, but now," she declared, "You can call me Le Marteau!"
"The Hammer?" Matou Noir said, "Well, it's certainly straightforward."
She charged at the heroes as they scrambled to get out of the way.
"Tie her down!" Ladybird shouted.
She used her yo-yo, Vespireine used her trompo, and Bateleur used her bullroarer to tie up the Ox warrior.
"You think this'll stop me?! I am the boss' champion! I am undefeated!"
She began thrashing around like a wild bull. The three heroes were pulled along by their weapons. She finally broke free and began swinging her massive hammer. Considering the length and size of the hammer, she really didn't even need to aim. Simply spinning around and slowly moving to different points was enough to get everyone to back up.
"This is getting us nowhere fast," Tortank thought, "Time to try something."
She walked up to the Ox woman and planted herself behind her shield. When Le Marteau swung her hammer at the shield, there was a massive shockwave. Tortank and Le Marteau had been sent flying backwards in opposite directions. Zorrua rushed over to Tortank.
"Are you okay?"
She groaned, "When the unstoppable force meets the immovable object."
The Ox wasn't happy as she picked herself up.
"I'll make you pay for that!" she said with a snort.
Suddenly, something was now around her neck. It was Vipèrion, and he was using his lyre like a collar around her neck.
"Want to play rough? Your funeral!"
She began running around and jumping erratically in an attempt to buck him off her back.
"You said you thought of a plan, Ladybird," Vespireine said, "I think now's as good a time as any!"
Ladybird nodded as she reached into her yo-yo and pulled out the Horse Miraculous.
"I can put these on and make a portal to take care of that cow," Ladybird thought, "But wait! We'll definitely need more than one portal. We need someone who can utilize this better."
She looked around. The team was trying to wrangle Le Marteau again.
"Bateleur! Over here, PDQ!"
The Eagle flew over.
"Do you have a plan after all?"
"Put these on."
"Sunglasses at night? I know I'm half American, but still…"
"That's the Horse Miraculous, you dolt," Vespireine said.
"Oh, right. Now we're working with portals. Eagle, Horse, unify!"
She now had small chestnut-colored wings on her boots and the sides of her head. Her hair was in a long ponytail. The chestnut streak in her hair was joined by several white streaks. Her gloves were white with black fingers. She also had a horseshoe attached to her back.
"Very nice," Vespireine said, "You're not going to call yourself Pegasus or something, are you?"
"I thought about it, but no. Since this is a unified costume, I need a name with more bite. Voyage!"
She created a large portal in the ground. She then flew over to where the others were attempting to trip up the Ox woman.
"Hey, you! That's the perfect Miraculous for you, because you're full of bull!"
"You changed your costume. That's cute. What do you call yourself now?"
"You can call me Hippogriff. I'm just going to call you ugly."
"Why you smart-mouthed little…!"
Le Marteau threw Vipèrion off her back and shoved everyone else out of her way. She began to charge at Hippogriff. The hero dodged a few times, but now she stood her ground.
"Fly away, little bird, unless you want to get crushed!"
"I don't need to run from you, Mme. Vache."
Once she was close enough, Hippogriff grabbed the bull by the horns and pushed. While she put up a good fight, but Le Marteau was bigger and stronger. Hippogriff was now trying to lift Le Marteau into the air, but only raised her about a foot off the ground.
"Too much weight, petit oiseau?"
"Mais oui! Time to lighten the load!"
As soon as Hippogriff let go of her horns, Le Marteau was now falling through the air. She had, in fact, fallen through the portal in the ground, which took her very high up into the sky. She quickly fell back to Earth and hit the ground with a loud crash. After such a fall, she struggled to get back up. She was now standing, but she looked exhausted. Hippogriff landed a few feet away.
"Well, not everything was meant to fly."
Le Marteau growled as she grabbed her hammer and began swinging at the hero.
"Not so tough on the ground are you, little birdie?"
She was suddenly tied up again. Vespireine flew over and put her hands over the villain's eyes.
"Guess who, musclehead?"
"Get off me, you nasty bug!"
Hippogriff kept back, while Matou Noir and Ladybird ran forward with his staff between them. They managed to trip Le Marteau. While they did that, Hippogriff motioned for Zorrua.
"I think it's time to finish this. Voyage!"
She made another portal.
"Would you mind helping me set up the bait?"
"I'd be delighted, Hippogriff. Mirage!"
Le Marteau was clawing her way across the ground to regain her balance. She finally stood up and reached back to grab Vespireine.
"I'll crush you like the insect you are!"
She reached for her hammer, but it was gone.
"What the…?" she shook the Wasp in her grasp, "Where's my hammer, you stupid parasite?"
Vespireine responded by kicking her in the chin.
"Why you miserable…"
Just then, her hammer hit her in the face very hard, causing her to loosen her grip on Vespireine.
"I found your hammer," Hippogriff said, "I wanted to return it."
"I'm gonna clip your wings!"
"You think you can? Come and get me!"
Le Marteau was so angry that at first she was running on all fours, but as she got closer to Hippogriff, she right herself so that she could easily punch the Eagle.
"You don't scare me, you big, dumb ox! I won't even try to fly away. I'll take you head on!"
Le Marteau was now close enough that she was ready to tackle the heroine. However, just as she did so, the hero disappeared, and in her place was a portal. With so much momentum behind her, she couldn't stop herself from going through. She soon found herself up in the sky once again.
"Did you drop her from an even higher height this time?" Vespireine asked.
"That's why you should look before you leap."
"Please don't make any jokes."
There was now a small crater where Le Marteau crashed into the ground. This time she was really struggling to get back up. Ladybird hurried over and removed the villain's nose ring.
"That's one more Miraculous out of their hands."
"The Ox Miraculous is a nose ring?" Vespireine asked, "That seems unsanitary, but I'm sure since it's magic that it's fine or whatever."
"Shell-ter!"
A large forcefield now surrounded the group Sévérine had brought with her, as well as the many ships that had arrived to deliver the goods. A new ship now appeared from its hiding spot, lights atop it flashing. The police began moving in on the gangsters. Once the police and Interpol had their weapons pointed at the crooks, the latter dropped their weapons, and Tortank dropped her forcefield.
"Good work subduing that woman," Roger said, "This time we managed to get a hold of Interpol to help us out with this. Once we explained what was being delivered, they became very interested. Oh, wonderful, the press is here."
"This is Nadja Chamack. Don't be bemused, it's just the news. Tonight we bring you to the sight of a large bust pertaining to the smuggling ring that's become increasingly prevalent lately. Any words, Brigadier Raincomprix?"
"It seems this was indeed a very large shipment of drugs, weapons, and assorted technology. With the assistance of the heroes and Interpol, whatever this gang would've gained from this shipment is now in custody."
It took several police to drag Sévérine into the back of the police car, mostly because she was so big. She was too exhausted to struggle.
Meanwhile…
Mr. Big was watching the news, and was also smashing everything in the room in frustration.
London
Amelie was on the phone with someone.
"Yes, I'm aware of what happened. I'm not an idiot. I saw the news. Of course I know you require my merchandise. I'm going to Paris myself to deal with it in time. I need to take care of affairs here in London before I can take off. Don't worry, though, I'm sending someone extremely capable in my stead."
Amelie hung up and began rubbing her temples.
"The things I have to do. The people I have to put up with. Félix, my angel! Mommy has a job for you."
He rolled his eyes as he walked over to her, "Yes, Mother, what is it?"
"You saw what happened on the news, yes?"
"Of course, Mother. I'm well aware of where most of our income comes from."
"Well then you know that we have to do everything possible to protect it."
"What do you want me to do? Go after those gaudy-looking superheroes?"
"Never mind them. I want to know what these imbecilic gangsters are going to do. On top of that, I want to know what your Uncle Gabriel is up to. This operation was going strong for years, and now all of a sudden some animal-themed heroes show up and start dismantling it. I just know Gabriel is behind this in some way. I have to pack up everything and make some arrangements. I need you to go to Paris and keep tabs on our extended family."
He sighed, "As you wish, Mother."