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Ladybug's P.O.V
I blocked Chat's attack and followed it with my own. Yet, Chat managed to defend himself from my oncoming attack and tried to knock me off my feet with a swift swipe of his leg.
I leaped in the air, dodging it. I reached out my hand onto his head. I put enough pressure on it to knock him down and complete my flip. Landing on the ground, I quickly spun around and pointed the staff at his back.
I smirked a little, feeling a bit victorious for finally beating Chat. Although, I had a strange feeling that he was going easy on me or he was out of it.
I still wanted to talk with Chat Noir about what happened when he blacked out during the nightmare-hour Akuma incident.
We are currently practicing sword fighting in the training room. Master Fu was the only one present in the building while the others were out working. Chat Noir had some late-night duties to take care of so we decided to move practice to an earlier time at the dojo.
"Very good job, Ladybug," Chat Noir complimented, standing from the ground. I raised an eyebrow at him when he did not meet me in the eye. I will not lie. It bothered me.
He was about to go get a drink but I stopped him. I blocked his path and handed him the other half of his baton.
"We need to talk," I said, gently, "I would like to help you but I cannot do so if you will not speak. We are partners, Chat Noir. Will you please talk to me?"
Chat Noir had a grimace pulled on his face before letting out a sigh. He leaned his head down and rested his forehead on my shoulder. I was not expecting this and prayed to the lord above that his super hearing could not detect my racing heartbeat. I felt heat rise into my face.
I slowly reached up and placed my hand on the back of his head. Chat flinched for a moment causing me to pull back a little. He did eventually relax and I returned my hand to his head.
"I know..." Chat trailed off, "...it is just difficult to talk about. It actually has almost been a year since the..."incident."
I knew exactly what the "incident" was.
The loss of the former Ladybug.
I had a feeling that the last shadow creature we fought within the Akuma house had triggered one of Chat's bad memories. Yet, I was not quite positive about what it was until now.
"You and the others must be having a tough time with the date approaching," I said, feeling remorseful for Chat and the rest of the team. I could not imagine losing such a dear member. They must have all been through many trials together with Ladybug, especially Chat Noir.
Chat hummed in agreement.
"Maybe...this is not such a good time to talk about it," I thought. With how down Chat Noir is, it would be best to schedule their talk for another time.
"If you ever need a shoulder to lean on like this..." I began, talking about what was happening at this moment, "...I will gladly lend it to you."
I could not help myself and draw closer to him. I wrapped my arms around his abdomen and leaned my head on his shoulder. Chat Noir was surprised by the sudden affection but it did not take long for him to return the embrace.
"Thank you," he replied, genuinely, "I shall do the same if you ever need a shoulder too."
"Do not blush. Do not blush. Do not blush," I thought when feeling my face start to rise in temperature. I could not help myself, even if this was not the right time. Chat Noir may minimally act it but he was a very sweet guy.
"Am I interrupting something?"
Chat Noir and I separated so fast, it was as if we had touched fire. Forget the settled warmth from a few seconds ago, my face was blistered with heat. My heart pounded with fierce embarrassment as its source of power.
"M-Master Fu," I stammered a greeting. I mentally berated myself for my incompetence. Chat Noir did not say anything and I had a difficult time looking over at him to see what was going through his head.
Master Fu had a gentle smile on his face, arms tucked behind his back.
"What do you want, old geezer?" Chat Noir asked, not sounding as threatening as he was trying to be. I could hear a small waver in his voice.
"I was coming to see how your training was going," Master Fu explained, "But, it seems I came at a bad time. I will let you carry on with what you were doing."
After Master Fu returned to the hallway, I sheepishly rubbed my arm out of nervousness. The silence only fueled the awkwardness between us.
Chat Noir cleared his throat.
"I am going to get a drink," he said, walking over to the large wooden cups sitting on a bench. I nodded my head, not trusting my voice. I steeled my nerves and decided to follow to get a drink too. I am a grown woman yet I am acting like a dwindling girl. What has Chat done to me?
"Have you heard anything about Rena Rouge?" I asked. It has been a few days since the battle and the fox heroine had yet to make an appearance.
"Carapace had found her but he did not go into any more details," Chat Noir answered.
"He did not say how she was doing?" I questioned.
The blonde shook his head, "No, but I have a feeling that if she is still avoiding us, she is not well."
I hummed in acknowledgment but my mind wondered in worry for my friend. I wish I could talk to her. She is my friend, who is hurting and cannot do a thing about it.
"At least, she is not alone. She may be a hero but even she still needs someone to protect her. Luckily, she has the perfect man to do just that," I said.
I am happy that she is not alone. Carapace is by her side. If anyone could tend to Rena's mental scars, it was Carapace.
"That is nice to know," Chat Noir agreed.
We fell into a comfortable conversation. The awkwardness washed away like the waves of the ocean slowly washing away footprints in the sand.
"So, do you know what a cat or a dog is?" Chat Noir randomly asked. I could hear the teasing in his tone. I playfully glared at the man in a cat getup. I let out an offended scoff.
"Of course, I do. Just because I do not know a majority of basic farm animals does not mean I do not know all animals," I replied with a bit of a huff. Chat Noir chuckled, which made my heart flutter.
"I apologize for my teasing. I just wanted to know what animals you do know. It was a surprise when you did not know all the farm animals aside from the horses," Chat Noir whimsically spoke.
"They do not exactly teach it in lady lessons," I thought with a sour taste in my mouth. The only reason I knew those animals was because cats are pets, dogs help guard and horses pull the carriages. I also know about peacocks and swans since some rich folk have them strolling around in their gardens.
Aside from that, I was unaware of many other animal.
It amazes me sometimes with each little thing makes me realize how sheltered I really am. I have learned so much from my experience as Ladybug than I have my whole life as Marinette.
There is a much bigger world out there I wish to explore but there was one thing holding me back from it.
My arranged marriage.
I would love to just mess up one final time and be sent to the poor section. Yet, I still have some work to be done in the wealthy section. There are still many things to be uncovered.
"Ladybug? Are you still with me?" Chat Noir asked, waving his hand in front of my face. I snapped out of my thoughts and perked up and saw the worry on his face.
"Huh? Oh yes," I hurriedly answered.
"How embarrassing," I thought, wanting to hit my head on the nearest wall.
"Are you okay? You were pretty deep in thought there," the blonde asked, "I did not seem to have happy ones either."
I tried to hide my blush. He was really caring of me right now and it was only helping these feelings to grow stronger.
"I-I am goodie. J-Just have a lot to do at h-home that I need to take care of," I quickly replied, telling only a slim slice of the truth, "Besides, this is-is about you, not me."
"And I had told you that you can lean on my shoulder too if you need it. Even if I am not feeling the greatest, I would still want you to be happy," Chat Noir retorted.
"You have too pretty of a smile for it to disappear."
I instantly felt myself die and go to heaven. I could practically hear the angels singing and the lyrics were Chat's words on repeat in my head.
My face burned hotter than the sun. My heart thump thump thumped in my chest so loud, I was afraid he could hear it. I wanted to scream in joy like the dwindling little girl I apparently am.
"Ack—ou...ugh," I tried to say something but it only came out as a weird noise. Chat Noir gave me a confused look as I cleared my throat so I can speak like a normal person.
"Thank you," I quickly said, making sure there was no room for failure in talking. Chat let out a chuckle, "It is really a pleasure, Ladybug. Shall we return to training?"
"Yes, we shall," I agreed before taking one final sip of water.
"Demonstrate the five basic parry positions of protection in fencing," Chat Noir said, tossing half of his baton to me. I caught it with astonishment before it turned into excitement.
"You have been learning the names of the different sword-fighting groups," I said, thrilled by this discovery.
"I have been...dabbling in researching the history when I get the chance," Chat Noir sheepishly admitted.
"Fantastic!" I happily said, "I did not take you as somebody who learns through books instead of muscle. You continue to surprise me, Kitty."
"I am more than just bronze, Milady," Chat Noir replied. I did not know I could perk up more with joy than I already did but was proven wrong.
"Oh dearest lord. He gave me a nickname," I squealed in my head. This only motivated me more to learn and earn Chat's approval. I have been practicing the fencing forms at home in the lower part of the mansion.
I started with the first form and then went on to the second one. I did three and four until arriving at the last form. Unfortunately, I have been struggling with the fifth form. The fifth basic parry position allows for protecting the head and shoulders.
Unfortunately, I did mess up. Chat Noir stood at my right and angled my arm a bit higher into the correct position. So much for getting any praise and those nights of practicing.
He seemed to notice my slight frustration and squeezed my shoulder.
"Do not fret. You were close and have shown great improvement. It will soon be embedded into your muscle memory and you will not have to think twice about it. You just have to let it flow and be natural. If you overthink too much, it may not end well," Chat explained.
"Okay," I understood, taking his words to heart. If Chat believes I am capable, I will do my very best to prove his faith right. I would hate to disappoint the one person who believes I can do great things.
"Alright, try one more time to show me the five positions," Chat said. So, I did. As I was going into the third form, I heard the creaking sound of the skylight opening.
I paused my transition and waited to see who was entering the building. I hoped to see it be Rena Rouge finally returning.
I watched two heroes drop into the training room: Pegasus and Bunnyx.
I was a bit disappointed but was still happy to see Pegasus and Bunnyx. Out of the entire team, I hardly interacted with these too. Maybe, this could be my chance if they are not busy.
"Hello, Pegasus and Bunnyx," I greeted with a wave. Bunnyx gave me a little wave before drifting off into another land.
"Greetings, I hope I am not disturbing you both. There is a matter of business I wish to discuss," Pegasus said.
"You are not a bother at all. We shall hear what you have to say," Chat Noir replied before looking at me, "We will have to halt training for today."
"That is no problem if there is business to be discussed," I assured, handing over the other part of his staff. I turned to Pegasus, asking, "What is it you want to talk about?"
"I had done some research on Gabriel Agreste as you requested. I found out he had hired an assassin," Pegasus explained, "He has also been doing some sketchy associations with a small group of people. But I was unable to get closer..."
Pegasus trailed off, biting his lower lip in worry and seemed hesitant with what he was about to say next. His silence made me anxious about whatever else he had learned.
"Pegasus, what is it?" Chat Noir asked.
"Well..." Pegasus started, "...I may have an idea of what they were talking about due to what they each carried."
"What did they have?" I asked. There was a sinking feeling in my chest down to my stomach. Whatever had unnerved Pegasus must be something to worry about.
"They each had carried a Crimson Banshee," Pegasus spoke with a waver in his tone.
"Crimson Banshee?" I thought, unknowing what it was. I watched as Chat Noir's usual resolved look go ghostly pale with fear evident. Even the unfazed Bunnyx displayed an expression of terror.
This unsettled me. If whatever this "Crimson Banshee" is makes Chat Noir tremble at the mere mention of the name, it must be something of nightmares.
"What is a Crimson Banshee?" I asked, concerned. The two men and woman heroes all stared at me before exchanging looks with each other. Maybe, I should not have said anything. Ignorance is bliss, after all.
Yet, if I ever face this dastardly thing in the future, I need to know what I am up against.
"Crimson Banshees are a special type of gun used only on magic users. The SSS were the only ones allowed to use them. The weapon can kill them with a 100% guarantee, even if it is just the graze of the bullet on your skin," Pegasus continued explaining.
"The properties from the bullet enter the victim's system and turn their blood into a sort of acid. It melts the victim from the inside out for a long, painful hour until there is nothing left but a puddle of flesh and blood. But the reason why they call it a Banshee is due to the blood-curling shrieking during the melting proce-"
Pegasus stopped when noticing Chat Noir glaring at him and gestured to stop talking.
The horse hero turned back to me, noticing my horrified expression. I shivered at the imagery playing through my head and hearing the raw-sounding screams ringing in my ears. I became squeamish when the picture of the melted skin and blood-mixed puddle appeared in my mind. I nearly threw up.
Who would be inhuman enough to invent such a gruesome and cruel weapon? I would never wish a faint such as that even on my worst enemy.
"I apologize, Ladybug. I should have been more considerate about what I said rather than rambling in explicit detail. It is a bad habit of mine," Pegasus apologized, guiltily.
Chat placed a comforting hand on my shoulder. It was warm, soothing me a little bit but I was still freaking out.
"Those things are supposed to be banned and destroyed. How on earth did Gabriel Agreste get himself and his group each one?" Chat Noir questioned, his fake tail flicking agitation.
"Your guess is as good as mine," Pegasus replied with a shrug.
While Chat Noir and Pegasus continued to talk, my attention averted to Bunnyx. She stood quietly behind the horse hero before doing many different gestures with her hand. It took me a moment to realize that she was doing sign language.
Much to my luck, I did know quite a bit of sign language. This was the one time I have to thank my worthless lady lessons for being useful for once. I carefully studied each movement and form of her hands.
"We need to find Rena Rouge. Her fate has yet to be decided," I deciphered in my head. I gave her a confused expression. What did that mean? Was Rena in trouble?
Bunnyx's power is to travel through time, seeing both past and future. She knew more than anyone would in this present day. She may know all the heroes' identities...and Hawkmoth.
But if I learned anything, it is that there is a time for everything. If Bunnyx were to bring back something from the future or change someone's fate, there will be consequences.
So...what is Bunnyx trying to tell me and why risk the chance of the consequence? Could the men talking a few feet away not see or understand this interaction? Should I ask?
Bunnyx gained my attention again and started to sign.
"Not a word. They do not know sign language. That is why I am communicating like this," I interpreted in my thoughts, "Only you need to know."
"Okay," I whispered, nodding my head in case she did not hear me. I was still lost on what she was trying to tell me but I trust she knows what she is doing.
I just wondered what kind of fate we are deciding for Rena Rouge.
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Gabriel's P.O.V
"Is there something you need me for, sir?" Nathalie asked after entering my office.
I placed the Crimson Banshee gun on my desk after cleaning it. The weapon had been in storage for so long that it needed a shining so it can work properly.
"Yes," I said, now examining one of the gun's special bullets.
"I need you to find me a target. I need to make sure these bullets do not have any expiration on them."
"What target do you have in mind?" my assistant asked, taking notes in her notebook.
I thought for a moment before deciding on my answer.
"I am sure one less rebel will not affect much."
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