Operetta was practically radiating pure rage. If that white-haired brat wasn't annoying enough, now she had to deal with Ladybug! The cat had nearly been subdued until she appeared. Hawkmoth seemed rather pleased with her interference, however. He whispered encouragement in her mind, urging her to her feet.
Ladybug, however, was doing her best to ignore the thief's presence.
"Thanks for the assist, M'lady," Chat said as he took the hand offered to him.
"I couldn't let you have all the fun, chaton," the heroine said with a wink.
"Well, well, Ladybug. So good of you to join us," Operetta sneered.
"Ugh, again with the cliché lines!" Spades said.
Ladybug glared at her. "Who invited you, anyway?"
"Aww, come now, lovebug," the thief said, grinning as she stood. "Can't I just pop in to say hi?"
"Hell, no!"
"Enough!" Operetta boomed. "I will not be made a fool of any longer!"
Spades raised her brow and pointed to the akuma's attire. "You look like that, and you expect us not to make fun of you?"
Chat snickered at the thief's comment, earning himself a glare from his lady. He quickly quieted and gave her an apologetic smile. Operetta turned cartoonishly red faced, glaring daggers at the thief.
"I will rip that tongue out of your pretty little head!"
"Ooo, scary."
"Can we not piss the akuma off more, please?" Ladybug snapped.
Spades held up her hands. "Yeah, yeah. As you wish. But seriously, what else is she gonna do besides scream at us?"
The villainess let out a low, eerie chuckle. "Oh, don't be so quick to underestimate me yet, brat. My lovely voice can do much more than that."
Ladybug and Chat shared a look while Spades folded her arms.
"Well, bring it on, then!" she said with a grin.
Operetta opened her mouth to sing. When no sound came out, the thief frowned.
"Is this some kind of a joke?" she said with a nervous laugh.
Ladybug was just as confused. She locked eyes with the villainess, trying to figure out her game. An unease washed over her that she couldn't explain. Something was definitely off. She almost didn't hear the slight groan at her side. Ladybug turned to her partner with concern.
"Chat?"
The feline hero held his head, swaying a little. His cat ears violently twitched. Another groan left him as he tried to block out the non-existent noise.
"Chat, what's wrong?" Ladybug asked more urgently.
The hairs on Spades' neck stood up. She looked back at Operetta and paled. It clicked. It wasn't that Operetta wasn't singing; they just couldn't hear it! The frequency was too high! Normal ears weren't going to pick up on it. But supernatural cat ears?
Operetta mouthed something that looked a little to close to "kill them both". And Luna instantly regretted taunting the bitch.
"Ladybug, duck!"
The heroine nearly looked back at the thief, but she caught sight of Chat's staff barreling towards her head just in time. She hit the ground, the sudden whoosh of air overhead scaring her just a bit. Chat went to swing again, but Spades was there this time. She blocked the blow with her forearm, then took hold of the pole and jabbed him in the stomach with it. He staggered back with a grunt. He lost his grip on the staff but managed to block the spin kick aimed for his head. Spades spun the staff and dove to sweep for his feet. Chat dodged with ease.
"Chat, snap out of it!" Ladybug called to him.
"I highly doubt that's gonna work, Spots!" Spades tried to keep the cat at bay, swinging and jabbing with his staff.
Ladybug groaned. "You just had to get him brainwashed, again, didn't you!"
"Okay, one: didn't know the bitch could do that!"
Chat took a hit to his side, catching the staff in the staff in the process. He retracted it out of the thief's hands before giving her a powerful left hook. Spades cried out. She sent him a glare as she wiped the side of her mouth.
"Two," she continued. "What the hell do you mean 'again'?!" Spades ducked and weaved around Chat's next wave of strikes.
"Not important right now!" Ladybug's eyes narrowed on the villainess. She hadn't moved an inch since she'd took control of the blond boy. Which probably meant she couldn't move as long as she was influencing him.
Ladybug heard a yelp and ducked as her partner went flying for the umpteenth time. Spades came up beside the bug, panting.
"Y'know, I could use some help here," the thief quipped. She was clutching her side, again, this time looking pretty pale.
"Hey, you asked for this, remember? What, is the chaton too much for you?" Ladybug said with a smirk.
Spades grimaced. "Considering the fact that I'm pretty sure I'm starting to bleed out? Yeah, maybe?"
The bug's eyes widened. "What?!"
Chat let out another groan as he got to his feet. He held his head, again, Operetta's song taking its toll on him.
"The kitten didn't do it, if that's what your thinking," Spades said as she stretched. "But this fight isn't helping anything."
Ladybug gritted her teeth. "I need to purify the akuma. That's the fastest way to end this."
"I figured as much. You'll want to go for her necklace, then." As she spoke, Spades drew two blades.
The heroine frowned. "How do you-"
"Not important right now. Our kitten looks ready to play."
Chat growled and set his sights on the girls. Spades tsked.
"I'll buy you some time, lovebug. You do what you have to."
Ladybug readied herself. She spared a glance at the thief's side, sickened by the glistening wetness she found. "You sure you can handle this?"
The thief smirked. "Of course I can! Just be quick about it!"
As soon as she said it, Chat rushed towards them, swinging his staff. Spades lunged to meet him. Their weapons clashed, and sparks flew. Ladybug got out of the way. She turned her attention back to the akuma.
"Better get this over with," she told herself before tossing her yo-yo in the air. "Lucky Charm!"
Out of the light she summoned fell a small, polka-dotted container. She caught it and turned it over in her hands.
"Pepper? Seriously?" What was with all the condiments?
Spades could feel herself slowing down. Every blow they exchanged took a greater and greater toll on her body. It didn't help that Chat was continuously targeting her side. His never-ending onslaught kept pressuring her to defend and deflect. She tried to fight through the pain, but her vision was beginning to blur.
Ladybug clipped the container to her belt and began to spin her yo-yo. She ran towards Operetta, ready to take her down. Suddenly, Operetta's voice rang out, resulting in a shockwave that sent the heroine flying towards the stage.
Chat hesitated on his attack, giving Spades the perfect opening. She knocked the staff out of his hands and kicked his feet out from under him. The hero hit his stomach hard. Spades was quick to jump on his back and twisted his arm behind him. Chat hissed.
"Spades, stop!" he cried out.
"Sorry, kitten, but I can't take any chances." Not that she was sure she could keep him pinned for long.
As Ladybug got to her feet, she found Operetta grinning ar her.
"You stay right over there, bug! I'll have Chat get rid of this nuisance once and for all!"
She began her silent song once more, and Chat seized underneath the thief. Spades struggled to keep him still, but it was a losing battle.
"Ladybug, hurry!"
"Working on it!"
Ladybug looked around frantically for some sort of clue. Her eyes landed on an industrial fan peeking out from a curtain, and an idea formed. She ran over to it and began to drag it to center stage.
Chat did all he could to fight Operetta's influence. He banged his head off the floor over and over again, prompting Spades to react. She grabbed hold of his hair and forced his head still.
"Kitten, no!"
The hero gritted his teeth. "I... I can't-"
"I won't let you hurt me, okay?" Spades whispered in his ear. "It'll be alright."
Chat's eyes lost focus. The thief closed hers and pressed all her weight into him. They both sent out a silent prayer that this would be over soon.
Just then, a gust of wind filled the room, carrying a cloud of dust with it. The cloud hit Operetta and once again, her song was interrupted. This time by a sneezing fit. Ladybug made sure to empty out all the pepper into the fan before running at the akuma again. A ripped piece of curtain covered her nose and mouth to protect herself from the cloud that had Operetta gagging in tears.
"You- aaaaachooo!"
"Your performance has been canned, Operetta!" Ladybug yanked the pendant off of her neck and crushed it beneath her heel.
Chat stilled beneath Spades. His head was pounding, but now that the song was over, it slowly became a dull throbbing. He tried to peer over his shoulder at the thief who was still struggling to keep him pinned.
"Spadesy?"
She lifted her head to look at him. "Is it over?"
"I think so... Let me up."
Spades was tentative, but she eased her hold just enough to let him look up. Chat caught the familiar sight of white wings and sighed in relief.
"It's over," he said with certainty.
"Thank God for that," Spades said as she rolled off of him. She winced and held her side as she laid back.
Chat groaned as he moved to sit. He studied the thief panting beside him. "You okay?"
"I will be," she told him.
He sighed. "Tell me again how none of that was reckless."
"Told you I lost my dictionary, didn't I?"
The two of them shared a laugh, causing Spades to groan. Chat sombered but knew better than to say anything. The thief was just as stubborn as his lady, sometimes. Instead, he gently eased Spades into sitting so he could help her stand.
"Come on, Spadesy," he urged, draping her arm over his shoulder. "You're not gonna want to miss this."
"Miss what?"
"Miraculous Ladybug!"
Spades' eyes widened at the swarm of little bugs that came forth. They filled the room, repairing every bit of damage they came across. A small stream of them even came towards the pair. They gathered around Spades' stomach and caused a small gasp. When they left, the tear in her suit was gone and the pain numbed to a small ache.
"Whoa," she whispered.
"Amazing, right?" Chat said with a grin. He looked over at Ladybug, lovingly. "She really is something..."
Spades followed his gaze. The heroine was currently knelt beside the akuma victim as if to comfort her. It was more than the thief would've done, that's for sure. She looked back at the cat with a smirk.
"You are one smitten kitten."
He chuckled. "I really am."
Shaking her head, the thief made her way over to the pigtailed bug. "That was a pretty impressive show, Spots."
As soon as she heard the thief, Ladybug stood. "Well, you look better all of a sudden."
"All thanks to your magic touch," Spades said with a wink.
"Good. Then, you can get lost."
The thief pouted. "Oh, don't be like that, lovebug," she purred. "I was helpful, wasn't I?"
Ladybug huffed, folding her arms. "How is making a bigger mess of things helpful? You shouldn't even be here!"
"I think the phrase you're looking for is 'thank you'. Though, if you'd rather not say it..." She leaned in closer with a cheshire grin. "...I wouldn't be opposed to a thank you kiss, instead."
The blush on the heroine's face rivaled the red of her suit. Her blue eyes narrowed into a downright lethal glare. "Over my dead body," she hissed.
Chat snickered as he came up to them. "Hate to break it to you, Spadesy, but if anyone's gonna get that kiss, it's gonna be me."
Spades blinked at him. "Oh, well, if you insist."
"Of course I-" He paused when she grabbed hold of his bell. "Wait, wha-mmmmph!"
The thief pulled him down over her, muffling his words of protest in a kiss. Chat felt like he was being tased all over again. Electricity shot throughout his body, paralyzing him. His eyes widened as his mind went blank. This was nothing like their first kiss. That one had been gentle, tender, unsure. This? This was a fire that had no business burning him the way it did. He felt her tongue glide against his, and the taste of her made him weak. Mint and strawberries. Sweet and intoxicating. He couldn't help the soft moan that she caused. It felt so wrong... so right! Kissing Luna shouldn't have made his heart skip so wildly.
But it did. And he was trying so hard to remember why that might be a bad thing.
The kiss was soon broken, and with it, the spell she had over him. Chat blinked half-lidded eyes, slowly coming back down to earth. Spades licked her lip as she let go of his bell, letting it ring.
"What's wrong, kitten?" she said with a smirk. "Thief got your tongue?"
And just like that, Chat snapped back to reality. His face caught fire. "I... That wasn't what I meant!"
The thief giggled, which only furthered the blond boy's embarrassment. Covering his mouth, Chat looked to his partner for help. He felt the urge to crawl into the deepest hole he could find once he did, though. Because Ladybug looked ready to kill him.
"Oh, before I forget," Spades said, turning back to the spotted heroine. "I did actually have a reason for being here." She pulled a playing card out of her sleeve. "I would've loved a bigger audience for this, but I digress. I'd like to issue you another challenge."
Ladybug eyed the thief, then the card before taking it. A frown settled on her lips as she read it. "A mask? Really?"
"As I said before, Spots, I am a lover of the arts. And what better way to celebrate that love than to claim an iconic symbol of one of my favorite shows?"
Ladybug snorted "Why wait? I could just cuff you right here and drag you down to the police."
"Oooo, promises, lovebug. But, I think you're on a bit of a time crunch as it is." Spades pointed to Ladybug's flashing earrings just as a second spot disappeared.
The heroine slapped a hand over her ear, glaring daggers at the thief. Spades gave her a smug grin.
"That's what I thought." The thief took out her grappling gun and aimed for the ceiling. "I'll see you both in three days. Try and give me a challenge this time, hmm?"
Before Ladybug could react, Spades propelled herself upward and disappeared into the shadows. The blackette stood in disbelief, silently fuming. When her earrings sounded off another warning, she tsked and stormed out of the auditorium. Chat followed soon after, catching her arm.
"Ladybug, wait! I-"
She spun out of his grip and snapped. "What is wrong with you?!"
His ears flattened against his head. "I-I didn't-"
She didn't let up. "Do I really have to remind you that she's a criminal? That makes her just as much our enemy as Hawkmoth is! Did you forget that?!"
"No... Of course not... But, it's not like that!"
"Then how is it, Chat? Because she just issued us a challenge, and I need to know if you can keep it in your pants long enough to actually help me."
Chat felt like she'd just slapped him. Was... was that really what she thought of him? He was devoted to her; didn't she see that? He balled his fists. She meant the world to him. He was her knight, her shield! And she... He gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the pain.
She really thought that little of him.
"You can rest assured, My Lady," he all but spat. "I know my place."
Whatever Ladybug had to say after that, Chat didn't want to hear it. He shoved his way passed her and was about to head out the door when he caught sight of Nino. More importantly, Nino holding a cellphone. And recording his every move.
Chat wanted to puke.
To his credit, Nino seemed to think better of his recording and lowered his phone. He tucked the device into his pocket and looked away from the leather clad teen, placing a gentle hand on Manon's back. Chat didn't miss the way the little girl clung to his best friend's leg. Nor did he miss the flicker of fear in her big round eyes. The blond tsked and continued on his way.
Just his rotten luck.
Let's take a touching moment and throw it in a dumpster fire, shall we? I'm sure there'll be no repercussions at all! Ahahahahaha... I have done a bad thing.
Davey: I did ask, so it's all good. But I will stand by my self-criticism.
Typicalbooklover: I'm not sure you understand how frustrating these scenes are for me. Dialogue? Banter? Emotion? Those things are so easy for me to picture and hear. Actions have always been difficult for me to put into words. I will say this story is helping me with that, immensely, though.
Blueluna12: To be fair, they had interrupted the fight first. Operetta just wanted to get back on task.
SpringBorn: Well you can have a kids show that has more realistic themes. It's just in how you present the information.
ChloeFan: Isn't she, though?
mayfire21: Glad you think so.
Thank you for reading.
Playlist:
In the Middle of the Night- Within Temptation
How To Be A Heartbreaker- Marina and the Diamonds
Waltz- Lindsey Stirling
Love Me Like That- The Knocks feat. Carly Rae Jepsen