Notes: Another hero shall rise…or maybe two. Here's to Zoe-oneesama for some inspiration.
Disclaimer: I don't own the Miraculous franchise
Miraculous Universe
Ch. 17: Musical Madness Part 2
Another week went by, and the entire time, Vivica spent it playing guitar on the roof of the hotel. XY would usually join her up there, but they didn't talk much. She had too much on her mind to ask him anything. That Saturday, Vivica woke up and once again headed for the roof. She was alone for a while, but eventually, Penny showed up.
"Vivica, we're all going over to the Liberty if you want to join us. Jagged bought a tour bus that looks more like a semi-truck, and of course had it painted in his colors."
"I'm actually feeling kind of tired, but I'll catch up with you later."
"Oh, okay, if you're sure. Are you okay? You've been coming up here a lot."
Vivica forced a smile, "Just enjoying the beautiful Paris view."
"Well, we'll probably be by the Seine all day, so just come on by when you feel up to it."
Penny was walking to the elevator when XY walked past her. She had mostly been looking at her phone, so while she did a double take, she simply brushed it off. XY once again joined VIvica on the roof.
"Your music sounds sadder than usual."
"I've had something on my mind all week."
"I know we barely know each other, but if you'd like to share…"
"I think Jagged Stone is going to replace me."
"What makes you say that?"
"He keeps going on about how great a musician his wife was, and how amazing his kids are. I worked hard to get where I am, but it feels like it was all for nothing."
"Have you tried talking to him?"
"No…I guess it's because I'm afraid."
"Of what he'll say? Or how he'll react?"
"...yeah."
"You never know until you try."
"Look, I know you mean well, but I'll figure this out. Also, you may have used your real name instead of your stage name, and you finally got a haircut, but I know who you are. You're Bob Roth's son."
"If you knew who I was, why didn't you say anything?"
"I was too distracted. I also wanted to see what your angle was."
"You mean why do I keep coming here? Truth be told, I wanted to talk to Jagged Stone."
"But you never did."
"I guess I wasn't sure how he'd react either. My dad kept trying to push me to be a musician without even learning the first thing about music. That album he put out was a lot of autotuned rubbish. I've tried to learn what I can, but he constantly tells me it doesn't matter as long as I'm making money."
"What does that have to do with Jagged?"
"I dunno. I thought maybe I could learn something from him."
"What about those times you went on TV and said he was too old school or whatever?"
"I had to say that. Dad made me."
"I'm still not too sure about you. I'm not sure about anything. I just know I'm going to get fired."
The Lair
"Gabriel, are you down here again already? It's only been a week."
"I can feel such despair and doubt, Nathalie," he replied with a smile.
"Why am I not surprised? Who's the victim this time?"
"Some young woman, I don't know. As if that's important. I'm going to make sure this Akuma is far more combat capable."
Meanwhile…
Over on the Liberty, most of the teens were hanging out. Kitty Section had performed earlier. Now they were taking a break, so Luka was showing Marinette how to play the guitar.
"Not too bad. Ever thought about taking lessons?"
"Oh, I have several skills, but playing musical instruments isn't one of them. I will admit I'm a decent singer."
"I'd like to hear you sing some time."
"Well, there was that one karaoke night," Alya said.
"Hush, Als."
"Sorry we're running behind," Adrien called out.
"I figured you had to come up with a reason to get away from your house," Nino said.
"We both did," Kagami said.
"Good to see you again, Kagami," Marinette said.
A semi-truck pulled up and parked next to the houseboat. Jagged Stone was playing a piano atop the trailer. The trailer opened so Fang could walk out and onto the Liberty.
"That's a big crocodile," Ivan said.
"He's absolutely magnificent," Alya said, "I wish my dad could be here to see him."
Fang seemed to understand she was complimenting him, so he stopped next to her and rolled over on his back.
"Looks like you made a friend," Luka said.
Alya began to rub Fang's belly, "Who's a handsome boy?"
"I thought I was your handsome boy?" Nino asked.
"Nino, don't be jealous of an animal."
"As I recall," he whispered, "I was an animal myself."
"Nino, not here," she replied with a giggle.
Jagged Stone was, rather appropriately, playing the song Crocodile Rock on his piano.
"Ooh, that vehicle is so fancy!" Rose exclaimed.
"Very impressive," Chloé said.
"How did he get the piano on top of the trailer like that?" Kagami asked.
"Avast there, ye old pirate!" Anarka shouted.
"Why does your mom talk like that anyway?" Marinette asked the twins.
They both shrugged.
"Nanarky, so lovely to see you again."
"What do you want, Jagged?"
"Why not come play with me again?"
"I told you I left that life behind a long time ago. I'm content with my lot. Besides, you have a guitarist, don't you? Or maybe you fired another one."
"How you wound me. I didn't fire Vivica. I'm actually afraid she wants to quit. Anyway, I just figured that since I'm in town for a concert you might want to perform alongside me again."
"Not a chance."
"At least they're not yelling at each other yet," Juleka mumbled.
The hotel
Vivica was now crying.
"Hey, come on, don't cry," XY said, "I'm sure you can talk this whole thing out."
She grabbed her guitar and ran back inside. She placed it in the case.
"I may as well just leave. I can't compete with a family of musicians."
Before she could go out the door, the Akuma flew in and possessed her guitar case.
"Good day to you, young lady. I am Le Papillon. I felt how sad you were. I'm here to help you."
"Like you helped Luka and Penny? No thanks."
"With my help, you'll prove to Jagged Stone that you're better than anyone else he could hire. You can even be better than him."
Vivica was now suddenly very angry.
"You're right. He wants to fire me? I'll show him I'm the best musician in the world."
"I shall give you the power to create any musical instrument and turn it into an instrument of destruction. So, rock star in the making, what shall you call yourself?"
"I'm not Vivica anymore. From now on, I'm Desperada!"
"Then let the show begin."
Her face was painted like a skull, with a musical note on each cheek. Her eyes were yellow. She was now wearing a black Mariachi outfit that had gold bones for accents. There was a knock at the door.
"Vivica, are you okay?" XY asked.
She opened the door to let him in. He was taken aback by her new look, and the fact that he now had to look up at her.
"I'm not Vivica. I'm Desperada. Since I have no quarrel with you, I'm going to leave you here. I'm off to get even with Jagged Stone. Don't try to follow me."
With that said, she leapt off the balcony and began running across the rooftops.
The Liberty
"Marinette, my favorite designer," Jagged said, "Can you suggest a good musician for my team? Maybe someone who can play more than one instrument?"
"The only person I know who can do that is…"
She looked over at Luka.
"Dad, I already told you, I'd be happy to play at your upcoming concert, but I'm not interested in becoming a rock star like you."
Chloé immediately looked at him, "He doesn't want to be rich and famous and travel the world?"
"JAGGED STONE!" came an angry shout.
The Akuma was standing on top of a nearby roof.
"Vivica, is that you?"
"There ain't no more Vivica! There is only Desperada!"
Upon hearing that statement, Penny came out of the RV to see what was going on. At the same time, Fang, his belly rub having ceased, made his way into the interior of the houseboat.
"That crocodile is either going inside where it's warmer," Alya thought, "Or he's smarter than everyone else here and knows trouble's about to start."
Desperada continued, "I'll get you out of the way before you can fire me or replace me!"
"I never said I was -"
"Now look what you've done, ya pirate!" Anarka snapped, "This young fool got akumatized."
"Were you going to replace me with this old lady?" Desperada questioned.
"First of all, you whippersnapper, I'm retired. Second, I played with him long before you were born, I'm sure!"
"Well, you won't be playing at all once I'm through with you!"
She opened her guitar case and reached into a yellow void. She pulled out a trumpet and aimed it like a rifle. It shot out a small yellow cloud with a blare. The tiny cloud struck Anarka and she disappeared. A picture of her appeared on Desperada's guitar case.
"Desperada never misses!"
She then noticed Luka was holding his electric guitar.
"Don't tell me you were going to replace me with a kid!"
"You're only a few years older than he is," Jagged replied.
The Akuma screamed and was now firing in all directions. Everyone, including nearby civilians, scrambled and tried to hide. Jagged Stone, Penny, Rose, Juleka, Ivan, Mylène, and Kagami were all hit. Marinette dove into the houseboat to hide along with Nino and Alya.
"Ready to go, guys?"
"Ready when you are, Nette," Nino replied.
"You don't have to ask me twice," Alya said.
"Nino, find a spot where the Akuma can't find us so we can come up with a more concrete plan."
"You got it, Nette."
Back outside, Desperada was reveling in her success.
"Look at all my new stickers. What I really need is to add the heroes to my collection."
Ladybird flew overhead and used her yo-yo to knock the trumpet out of the Akuma's hands. As soon as the trumpet hit the ground, it disappeared.
"Whatever's wrong, I'm sure it's not worth all this."
"Spare me the speech, hero!"
Desperada reached into her guitar case and pulled out a large electric guitar that doubled as an axe. She began swinging it in wide arcs as she stepped closer to Ladybird. Tortank came running up and started blocking several swings. Chloé and Zoé were hiding under the nearest bridge.
"Let's get out there and stop this nonsense already," Chloé said.
"Ready when you are," Zoé said.
Hiding behind a nearby statue, Adrien and Luka were watching the fight.
"She's using her axe as an axe," Luka said, "That's actually pretty clever. I wonder where Matou Noir is?"
"Probably running behind," Adrien said.
Apireine and Bateleur joined them.
"Did we miss anything?" Bateleur asked.
"Apart from us being stuck here while Ladybird and the others fight the Akuma?" Adrien answered, "Not really, no."
"If we want a better hiding spot," Luka said, "We need to help the heroes."
"What are you planning, blue boy?" Apireine asked.
"A distraction, that's all," he said, grabbing his guitar from his back.
Desperada was getting more angry as she kept swinging her axe. Suddenly, there came the sound of a guitar being played. She immediately stopped attacking to look for the origin of the music. Luka was standing out in the open.
"You again?! I'll teach you to try and outplay me!"
Tortank smacked Desperada in the face with her shield. Apireine wrapped her trompo around Desperada and sent her flying to a nearby bridge. Ladybird wrapped her yo-yo around the bridge and tightened it, causing the bridge to crumble and collapse.
"What were you thinking?" Apireine asked Luka.
He shrugged, "It worked, didn't it?"
A whistle got everyone's attention. Zorrua was waving them over to a nearby manhole cover. The team ran over and jumped down into the sewers.
"I hate being down here," Apireine stated.
"You? What about me?" Bateleur said, "I'm a bird."
"So what's the plan?" Zorrua asked.
"And is it a cunning plan?" Tortank asked.
"First thing's first," Ladybird said, "Adrien, Luka, we need you both somewhere safe and out of the way."
"Maybe there's a maintenance room or something nearby," Adrien said.
Sure enough, just around the corner was a room for the workers to keep their belongings in lockers.
"You two stay in here until we deal with this Akuma," Ladybird said.
After a few minutes, Adrien peeked out the door to see if any of the heroes were still nearby. He started to leave.
"Where are you going?" Luka asked.
"I think I know where to find Matou Noir."
Luka arched an eyebrow, but simply said, "Okay."
"Oh, I thought you were going to ask more questions."
"I'm sure you know what you're doing."
"Yeah…be right back."
Adrien ran off to transform, and then ran around looking for the rest of the team.
"My Lady! I made it! Where is everybody?"
"Over here, mec," Zorrua called.
"There you are, Chaton," Ladybird said, "Thank goodness you found us. How did you know we were down here?"
Matou Noir paused, "Well -"
"I sent him a message," Apireine said.
"That's right. Now that we're all here, what's the plan?"
"Step one was to put our friends somewhere safe. Step two: Lucky Charm! A gong."
"I think I know what that means," Noir said.
"I know, too," Apireine said.
The faint sound of a guitar passed over their heads.
"I'll find you, you brats!" Desperada screamed, "You can't hide forever!"
"As soon as you go out there, she'll start shooting at you," Tortank said.
"Well then I guess we need a distraction," Bateleur said, "Wouldn't you agree, M. Fox?"
Zorrua and Tortank were at one manhole, while Bateleur and Matou Noir were at another.
LB: Ready?
Fox: Ready
Zorrua lifted the cover and looked around.
"No sign of her," he said, "Let's change that."
He took his flute and blew as loudly as he could. Desperada was still stalking through the city when the sound caught her attention.
"Someone's torturing a flute somewhere. I'll put a stop to that."
As she ran off in one direction, Apireine took the opportunity to take off. Ladybird quickly flew after her.
"Apireine, where are you going?"
"Where are you going?"
"To see the Guardian."
"So am I."
"Do you even know which Miraculous we need?"
"No, but there's an easy solution to that. I'll ask him."
They reached the parlor and began shoving each other for who would walk in first.
"Hey, we need some help."
"Pardon her, Master. We need the Snake Miraculous."
"If you're sure, then you must choose the right person."
"Oh, I hadn't thought about that."
"Well I did," Apireine said, "Remind me what that thing does."
"Once you activate its power," Fu explained, "You have a 5 minute timer. If something should go wrong, simply reset the timer and you'll end up back when you started it."
"So it's like a reset button."
"That's an accurate description, but it can be taxing if used too much. That's why the user must be very wise with their decisions. If they're still too young, once the timer runs out, they'll have to re-transform to use the power again."
"Just like all the others. I'll take it."
"Whoa, hold on," Ladybird said, "Who are you giving it to?"
"You first. Oh, that's right. You said you hadn't thought of anyone."
"Who did you choose then?"
"Luka."
"What makes you so sure about him?"
"I have my reasons. I trust him."
"Well, to be frank, I'm not sure if I trust you."
"We've been teammates for a while and you still don't trust me?"
"Working with you is one thing, but allowing you to bring in another person is different."
"We don't have time to argue about this. You can't give it to Adrien, and everyone else is gone."
"What's wrong with Adrien?"
"I don't want you putting him in a position like this. Fu, what does the Snake represent?"
"It's said the Snake Miraculous embodies intuition."
"You mean like when you use your instincts? That whole, don't think, feel, type of thing?"
"That's right."
"Then it has to be Luka."
"Are you friends with him?" Ladybird asked.
"You could say that."
"Well, I'm friends with him, too. I know he's an intuitive person, but how do you know?"
"Is this really the time to talk about revealing identities?"
"If you want to hand out a Miraculous, then yes, I think so."
She buzzed her wings in irritation, "...fine. We both share ours. Deal?"
"Deal."
They both said, "De-transform."
Marinette looked at Chloé, "I should've known. Which means the Eagle must be Zoé."
"And I should've known you were the Ladybug."
"Whatever, just tell me the truth. Why Luka?"
For a split second, Chloé looked like she wanted to strangle her, but she stopped herself.
Her eyes started to tear up, "He…he told me he liked me, okay? I don't know why he does. He doesn't even seem to know why he does, but he does regardless."
Marinette was confused, "I don't think I've ever seen you like this."
"Like what?" she asked, turning away.
"Vulnerable. What did you say?"
"I said I liked him back, but that I'm not ready yet."
Marinette was now surprised, "You?"
"Look, romantic love is a new concept for me, okay? Still, Luka and I have spent time together, and we enjoy it. He once told me he doesn't know what attracts him to me. I can only guess that it must be something intuitive. Maybe, despite our differences, he sees something in me that I can't."
Marinette put a hand on her shoulder, "Come on, then. We've got a fight to get back to."
She placed the Snake bracelet in Chloé's hand.
"We'll give it to him together."
They both transformed.
"Before you go," Fu said, "Your friend can keep the Miraculous."
"Really?" they both said.
"As I said, the Snake is not to be taken lightly. That you think so highly of this young man that you'd reveal your identities to each other, he must be quite special. And speaking of special, you both show excellent leadership qualities."
"Thank you, Master," Ladybird said.
"Yeah, well…I mean, of course I do."
"I'll head out first."
Apireine was now alone with Fu.
"Thanks for trusting me, Master."
Fu gave a smile and a nod. She then ran outside to follow Ladybird. Meanwhile, in another part of the city, in order to keep distracting Desperada, Bateleur used her bullroarer to get the Akuma's attention.
"What's that noise?!" Desperada shrieked, "That's not even music!"
Both teams quickly covered up their respective manholes and ran back to where they started. The three teams met up at the same time.
"We appreciate the distraction," Ladybird said, "Now we have what we need."
She held out the Snake Miraculous.
"Is one of us going to wear it?" Noir asked.
"Actually," Apireine said, "We were thinking of adding a new member to the team."
"You know what they say, the more the merrier."
The Ladybug and the Bee went into the locker room.
"Luka, are you still here?"
"Yes, I am, Ladybird, and I'm getting bored."
The two insect-themed heroes looked at each other.
"Luka, can I trust you?"
"I want to say yes, but if you have to ask, then I'm not sure. Do I know you?"
"I don't know why I'm hesitating. You're a good friend to me and everyone else. So I'm going to let you in on a secret. De-transform."
It was probably the first time Marinette had ever seen Luka look surprised.
"I think part of me suspected, but in the end I said to myself that it's secret for a reason."
Marinette noticed how he kept looking at Apireine.
"You already know who she is, don't you?"
"Yes."
"Guess I should've known. Luka, we've known each other for quite a while. You're smart and kind and very thoughtful. That's why I think you're the best candidate for the Snake Miraculous."
"I don't know what to say."
"I wouldn't know what to say either," Apireine said, "Just put on the bracelet, concentrate on a cool costume, and then say, transform me."
He placed the Ouroboros bracelet on his left wrist, "Transformez-moi."
His costume was various shades of blue-green with different snake scale patterns. His gloves, shoes, abs, back, and the sides of his semi-baggy pants were turquoise. The bottom half of his mask was also turquoise, while the top half was teal. There were also two small yellow fangs on the bottom of the mask, and a single yellow diamond on his chest. His eyes were now spring green with vertical pupils. His hair ends went from cyan to sea green, and the rest of his hair was now teal.
"Wow, you look good."
"Good? He's positively handsome."
"Why thank you, Ladybird, Apireine. You can call me...Vipèrion."
"What's with the handheld harp?" Apireine asked, "Is that supposed to be your weapon?"
"It's called a lyre, and yes, it looks that way."
"Before we go, let me give you a run down," Ladybird said, "Your bracelet acts like a five minute timer. Once you set it, it slowly counts down. As long as you reset it before it runs out, you have as many tries to get something right as necessary."
"Got it. Let's meet up with the rest of the team before I set it."
The three rejoined the group.
"Everyone," Apireine announced, "This is our new teammate, Vipèrion."
"How do you do, fellow reptile?" Tortank said.
"Nice to meet you all. So what's the plan, apart from me?"
"It's been quiet lately," Noir said, "We'd better find out where the Akuma is hiding."
"I'll take care of that," Bateleur said, "Just make sure the Akuma isn't nearby."
"Wait a minute," Vipèrion said.
His lyre produced an earpiece. Everyone got the idea and produced a similar earpiece from their weapons.
"This'll save time in the field."
"Okay, everyone pick a manhole and take a look," Ladybird said, "We have to find out where the Akuma is before anything else."
After a few tries, eventually one of the team members spotted Desperada and called the others over.
"She's perched atop the Eiffel Tower with a trumpet as her sniper rifle," Bateleur said.
Another set of eyes were watching the landscape.
The Lair
"This is getting dull, Gabriel," Nathalie said, "She's just sitting there. The heroes aren't dumb enough to run headlong into danger."
"Just be patient," Papillon said, "Even if all this waiting is trying my patience."
The sewer
"Lucky Charm!"
"Uh, is that a slingshot?" Zorrua asked.
"That's certainly one way to get her attention," Tortank said.
Ladybird climbed up to the manhole and looked outside.
"Looks safe."
She hid behind a nearby wall and managed to find a decent sized rock.
"Things are about to go down, team. Everyone get ready to leap out of the sewer. You better do it now, Vipèrion."
He activated his timer. Ladybird aimed the slingshot and fired the rock at the Akuma's head.
"OW!"
The rest of the team ran towards the Tower, but the impact of the rock wasn't enough to knock Desperada off, so she started shooting at everyone.
"Oh no," Ladybird said, "Everyone fall back!"
That's when she got shot. Vipèrion gasped.
"Second Chance!"
2nd try
"Ladybird," Vipèrion said, "Try to find something bigger to launch at her."
"Chaton, hand me your staff."
She fired the staff at Desperada. It hit her hard enough that she lost her footing. She landed on her feet and pulled out a pair of small horns that fired like handguns. She managed to hit a most of the team.
"Too many losses."
3rd try
"We need something for her to shoot at first, otherwise she'll eventually get all of you."
"I can do that," Zorrua said, "Mirage!"
Like before, Ladybird hit Desperada with Noir's staff. This time when she landed on the ground, she started firing at the illusions of the heroes.
"Get her weapons," Vipèrion said to Apireine.
She used her trompo to knock the horns from Desperada's hands. The Akuma retaliated by pulling out the giant axe and swinging at the heroes.
"Still not quite it."
4th try
He remembered something.
"She's instinctively drawn to music. We'll need that as a distraction as well."
It went as before, but when she pulled out her axe…
"Everybody back!" Vipèrion called.
He began to pluck the strings on his lyre, and she immediately came towards him.
"Upstage me, will ya?!"
Zorrua then blew on his flute, which caused her to pause and look back and forth. Bateleur began to twirl her bullroarer, which only made Desperada madder than ever. She was about to pull a new weapon from her guitar case, but Ladybird rushed forward and used her yo-yo to tie up one of her arms. Vipèrion ran forward as well and used his lyre to keep her other arm in place. Apireine used her trompo to tie up Desperada's legs. Despite being tied up, she was still struggling a lot, so Tortank used her shield to slam the Akuma face first into the ground. Now that she was in a daze, Matou Noir ran up and pulled her guitar case off of her back.
"Cataclysm!"
"Please don't say it," Apireine said.
Matou Noir looked at her, "Time to face the music?"
Everyone groaned.
"Shall we get on with it, Chaton?"
"Music to my ears, My Lady."
"Please stop!" Apireine begged.
The Cat and Ladybug fistbumped, "Miraculous!"
She was now Vivica again. She looked around.
"How did I get here?"
"Well, now she's singing a different tune," Noir said.
"Will you please stop?!" Apireine cried.
Vipèrion walked up to Vivica.
"I believe this guitar case is yours."
"Oh, thank you. How far away is the Liberty from here?"
"Not too far if you need a lift."
"No thanks, M. Snake. I need to think about what I'm going to say first. Just point me in the right direction."
"I think I'd feel better if I escorted you there at least."
"Oh, well then thank you. I'd appreciate it."
Meanwhile, Optigami was flying away.
The Lair
"Where do they keep getting these people?" Papillon grumbled.
"The Snake now, huh?" Nathalie said, "That's very interesting."
The city
"Great work everyone," Ladybird said, "Let's check around if anyone needs a hand and head out."
Everyone gave her a thumbs up and went off in different directions. Vipèrion stayed to walk Vivica to the Liberty.
"So, what caused you to get upset, if you don't mind my asking?"
"I notice you have a lyre, " Vivica said, "Are you a musician as well?"
"As a matter of fact, I am"
"I took guitar lessons early in my life. I practiced as much as possible, hoping that one day I'd get recognized. Then, finally, my hard work paid off. Jagged Stone hired me. Finally, someone who appreciates music as much as I do. He talked about his kids now and then, but I never thought much about it…until now. If his kids are so good at being musicians like he is, how can I compare?"
Apireine was still hovering around, checking on civilians, when she saw Vipèrion walking and talking with Vivica. She quickly fell into step next to them.
"Oh, hey, Bee," he said, "We were just having a chat."
"Uh huh. Well, don't let me interrupt."
"I was going to say, you shouldn't compare yourself to Jagged Stone's kids. They have their own band and their own lives. He hired you for a reason. Just talk to him and see."
"That's what my…other friend said. I guess I was afraid I wouldn't like what I'd hear if I talked to Jagged."
"Your other friend sounds pretty smart."
"Yeah, and honestly it's kind of surprising."
"Why's that?"
"Promise not to tell anyone else?"
"You have my word."
"His name is Xavier-Yves Roth."
"You made friends with Bob Roth's son?"
"He just showed up one day saying he wanted to talk to Jagged, but never got around to it. We would just sit on the roof of the hotel and he'd listen to me play music."
"They do say music is the universal language. Looks like we're here. Go right up to Jagged and tell him how you feel."
As she walked towards the Liberty, Apireine pointed to a nearby alley.
"You're an understanding sort, Snake Boy. You did a good job out there today."
"Well, I couldn't let someone like you use this power," he said with a smirk.
"What does that mean?"
"You don't have the patience for it," he answered, sticking his forked tongue out at her.
"Don't point that thing at me, you slithering simpleton! You're lucky you look good."
They de-transformed and walked back to the group. Vivica was talking to Jagged and Penny.
"I should've come to you about this sooner. I was afraid you'd let me go."
"Vivica, we would never do that," Penny said, "Why you're practically family now."
"I always look after my family," Jagged said, "You know you can always talk to us about anything. Now let's have a group hug."
"Jagged!" came an unwanted voice.
He sighed, "What do you want, Bob?"
"I ran into my no-good son here, and while he either didn't know you were here, or refused to say so, I knew you would be. I come here with a flag of truce, so to speak."
XY stood behind him and said nothing, an annoyed look on his face.
"You're here because you have another money making scheme, I'm sure."
"Now hear me out, Jagged. I had another idea to promote your upcoming concert. Why don't we release a compilation of your greatest hits? All we need is a good album cover."
"That does sound like a good idea," Penny said.
"It does, yeah," Jagged said, "But I get to choose who'll design the cover."
"But of course, my friend," Bob replied.
"Marinette, how would you like a new challenge?"
"Me? Really?"
"You did such a fine job with these glasses. I need you to design a new album cover for me."
Bob was irritated, "Wait a minute! You're picking a lycée student?"
Jagged shot him a look, "Oh, Fang!"
Bob looked over at the houseboat to see Fang making his way across the deck.
"Uh…like I said, it's your album, so it's your decision."
"I'm warning you, Bob. It may have been your idea, but this album cover represents me and my music, so don't try to interfere. If you do try to prevent Marinette from completing her task, I will find out."
"Of course, Jagged, whatever you say. I know this delightful young lady has school, so how's about we give her a week to finish?"
"I agree. Adieu, Bob."
Bob smiled and waved as he walked back to his car, giving Fang a wide berth. XY could hear him cursing under his breath.
Marinette was excited and nervous, "I'm honored you'd consider me, Jagged. I'll do my best."
As the week went by, Marinette kept brainstorming. She had a few ideas, but wasn't sure how to implement them. She did a few sketches, but…
"Maybe I need experts on music to help me out."
First she went to Nino.
"Nino, I'm having some trouble designing the Jagged Stone album cover. Do you think you can help me out?"
"Sure, I've got some free time this Friday."
"Thanks! Be right back."
Next she went to the more obvious choice.
"Luka, you're not busy this Friday, are you?"
"Need a little help with that album cover?"
"How did you…? What am I saying? If you could help me out for a bit, I'd appreciate it."
"I can give you all the time you need. I'm not working this weekend. They let me take a few days off for my, or should I say our, birthday."
"That's right! Your birthday is this weekend. Yours and Juleka's, I mean. You're both turning 18, aren't you? That's the big one. Are you having a party?"
"Anyone and everyone is free to come to the houseboat as if it was any other day. No presents required, just your presence."
As soon as Chloé heard the word birthday, she started walking towards the door. Once she heard the word eighteen, she walked faster.
"Is she okay?" Luka asked Zoé, "She left without saying anything."
"We'd better go check, Sabrina."
"Right behind you."
They looked around, asking a few people if they saw where Chloé went. They eventually found her outside, gently hitting herself in the face with her fist.
"What are you doing?" Zoé asked.
"I'm mad at myself."
"Because it's Luka's birthday?"
"Yes, Brina, and I forgot. No, it's worse than that. I didn't even know!"
"Well standing outside and beating yourself up won't fix anything," Zoé said, "If you want to get him a present, I suggest you go shopping immediately. Maybe you should ask Juleka to go with you so you have a better idea what to get him."
"That's exactly what I'll do! I'm glad I thought of it."
She was about to run back inside, but she stopped to hug both Zoé and Sabrina. Then she ran back inside to find Juleka. Juleka was talking with Rose and Alix.
"Hey, model in the making, do you think we could talk in private?"
"Uh…"
She looked over at Rose, who in turn gave Juleka a pat on the shoulder for encouragement.
"Sure."
They went into the nearest classroom.
"Whatever she wants," Alix said, "It must be really important if she wants to talk to someone she'd normally just walk past."
"Oh, she can be so nice when she wants to," Rose said, "She just doesn't want to appear soft. She did help Jule with her modeling. It's obvious that she wants Juleka's advice because their birthday is coming up."
"Say what?"
"I think Chloé has a thing for Luka. I don't want to jump to any conclusions, but Jule told me that she hangs out with Luka pretty often."
"I never would've guessed."
"Life is pretty crazy sometimes."
Chloé walked out of the room and past the other girls.
"Thanks. See you tomorrow morning. Excuse me, short and shorter. You can decide which is which."
"She's so charming," Alix said.
"Did she ask for your help, Jule?" Rose asked.
"She did, yeah. She wants my help to find a present for Luka."
"I knew it. I love love!"
Chloé screamed, "HEY, SHUT UP!"
Rose was undeterred, "She's so funny."
Meanwhile, Marinette was talking with Alya.
"I hope you don't mind that I'm stealing Nino away from you for the rest of the day."
"I'd say this is pretty important, Nette. Besides, I've been doing some hypothesizing. I'll tell you more later."
Later that day, Marinette and Nino were aboard the Liberty with Luka.
"With you being a DJ, and you being a musician, not to mention the son of musicians, I knew you two could help me. I'm trying to come up with a good idea."
Luka was tuning his guitar, "You've seen dad's style. You just need to apply it to your work."
"Yeah, Nette," Nino said, "Something that just screams rock star. Just don't go too far and make it heavy metal."
"So he should be holding his guitar then," Marinette said, beginning to sketch.
"Don't forget that rock stars see themselves as larger than life," Luka added, "Everything has to be over the top."
"That explains the glasses and the crocodile."
She was quiet for several minutes while she continued sketching. Luka began to play his guitar, while Nino checked his phone.
Nino: Hey, babe
Alya: How's she doing?
Nino: She's sketching right now. No panicking or anything.
Alya: They grow up so fast, lol
Marinette was still going, so Nino put on his headphones. After another 30 minutes or so, Marinette finally put her pencil down.
"Okay, have a look."
It looked like Jagged Stone, holding his guitar, striking a pose, all while standing atop the entire Earth.
"I think we have a winner here," Luka said.
"You really think so?"
Juleka just arrived on her bicycle.
"Hey, twin of mine, come over here."
"What's up, Luka?"
"What do you think of this authentic drawing by MDC?"
"Is that dad? Cool."
"I'd call that a winning recommendation," Nino said.
"Thanks, guys. I've got to get back home and add some color. Let's go, Nino. Thanks for your help, L & J."
"L & J?" Luka repeated, "That's a new one."
"That's kinda catchy," Juleka said.
"I forgot to ask you, Nette," Nino said, "I thought you were getting a motorcycle?"
"It's still being worked on. You know how long these people take. Although they promised me I'd have it by summer."
After dropping Nino off at home, Marinette rushed back to her room and refined her drawing. She fell fast asleep once finished. The next day, she woke up ready to show the finished product to Jagged Stone.
"I can show it to him and Penny at the party today."
That same day, only earlier, Zoé woke up early.
"Chlo, wake up."
"What do you want, Zoé?"
"You asked me to wake you up early. Apparently for you, waking up before noon counts as early."
"I changed my mind. Go away."
"Okay," she said, walking away, "I guess you don't need to get a present for Luka."
Chloé sprung out of bed and ran into the bathroom.
"Is that really all it takes to get her to move? I'll have to try it more often."
In a few minutes, Chloé was ready to leave.
"I'm on an important mission, dear sister. Don't call me unless it's an emergency."
"Whatever you say. Before you go, I got you some French toast."
"I don't have time to eat…but on the other hand, it would be rude not to."
She fairly quickly scarfed it down.
"Thank you."
"You're welcome," she said, hugging her, "Now get out there and find an amazing present like you always do. See you at the party."
Chloé decided to take her bike to the Liberty. Juleka was awake and waiting with her own bike.
"Let's roll, bass player."
They started their journey through the shopping areas.
"Any ideas on what to get him yet?"
"I know that getting him something music related is obvious, but I can't really think of anything else. I'm surprised you're so on board with this."
"I may not always understand him, but if he does like you, then who am I to object? I know that you're a nice person underneath it all. You helped me without expecting anything in return…apart from recognition, I guess."
They browsed a music store.
"I just thought of something," Juleka said, "Both mom and dad will give him something music related. Maybe you should try something else."
Chloé grunted, "If only I'd known about the birthday sooner."
"Well, I mean, you're good with clothes. You're always saying his current clothes are trash, so why not get him something nice?"
Chloé looked at her and gave her la bise.
"That's brilliant! I'm glad I thought of it. Let's move."
As they walked around looking for the right clothing store, Juleka paused in front of a movie store.
"Do you think we could…?"
"Right now? Can't you…? I mean…of course we can. Go crazy."
Juleka ran inside and went straight for the horror section. She found a collection of old monster movies.
"Interested in that set?"
"Totally, but I can't afford it."
"That's all I needed to hear. Consider this your birthday present."
"For me? Really?"
"You are twins, after all. To get him something without getting you anything would be unbecoming of a woman of my standing."
"Thank you so much!" she exclaimed as she ran to the register.
"The things I do for these people."
With that out of the way, Chloé finally found the perfect store to buy something for Luka.
"Something simple, but classy. Something that won't completely clash with his hair…or his eyes. Let me see… Trousers? Shirt? Socks? Maybe for Christmas. Ah, this is it. The perfect article of clothing."
"A vest?"
"Of course! It's so easy to put on and take off. It's like when a snake sheds its skin."
"That's an interesting comparison."
She quickly paid for the vest, as well as a nice bag to put it in.
"We'd better get you back home. You need some rest before the party later."
"Thanks, Chloé, but so do you. Mom won't mind if you take a nap at our place."
"Well…I suppose that would be a good idea."
They soon made it back to the Liberty.
Chloé looked around, "Hey, where's Luka?"
"Oh, he got called in at the last minute for a couple of hours. They said they'd pay him overtime though. He'll be back in time for the party."
Chloé yawned, "Oh, well that's all right then."
She then passed out on Luka's bed.
"That was fast. See you then."
Meanwhile…
Bob Roth was in his office dozing off. It didn't help that he'd been sneaking a few drinks from his private stash.
"Hey, Dad."
"Huh! What?"
"Isn't it a little early to be drinking?"
"Mind your own business."
"Anyway, everyone's talking about how the Couffaine twins are having a birthday party, and Jagged Stone will be there."
"Of course he will. He's their father. So what? I know one person who won't be happy that he's there."
"Who's that?"
"Anarka, of course. They may tolerate each other on the surface, but deep down they've resented the other ever since their band broke up."
"Why did Croco Duo break up?" he asked, while fiddling with his phone.
"I guess it's about time I told you my secret," Bob snickered, "Because I broke them up."
"Why would you do that? They were making you money, weren't they?"
"Yes, but then they had to go and…well, you know. Next thing you know, Anarka's pregnant and talking about retiring. If I hadn't done something, she might've convinced Jagged to retire as well."
"So what did you do exactly?"
"The worst thing imaginable. I gave them each a Dear John letter. Nothing will upset a person more than a breakup via letter, e-mail, or text."
"And you were never worried they might find out?"
"I covered my tracks far too well. Any copies were burned or deleted. I do still keep one copy though. It's a pdf on my phone. I look at it now and then and laugh."
XY sighed as Bob let out a sinister chuckle.
"I'm gonna head out now, Pop. I assume you'll be here all day?"
"I have no interest in attending a party."
A few hours later, everyone was heading for the Liberty. Naturally, the members of Kitty Section arrived first.
"Happy Birthday, Jule!" Rose exclaimed.
"I hope Luka will be here soon," Ivan said, "Then we can start playing."
Everyone would slowly arrive over time. Marinette was spraying the album cover with a scent before she placed it in a bag. She then got a text.
AA: Ready to go, Mari?
Mari: Ready when you are, My Prince
"Maman, Papa, Adrien's picking me up so we can go to the Couffaine birthday party."
"We remember, dear," Sabine said, "That's why we made this cake."
"Oh, Maman, you didn't have to do that."
"Actually, sweetheart, we did," Tom said, "Mme. Rolling came by during the week and ordered it."
"I should've known. She sure does care about them."
"Careful with the cake, Marinette."
"Always, Maman."
"Have fun, and be careful."
"Of course, Papa."
Just then, Adrien's car pulled up. As he stepped out, he saw that Marinette was heading for the door. He quickly ran over and opened it for her.
"Thank you, Adrien, but no, you can't have any cake until later."
"Dang."
"Hey, Nette."
"Hey, Alya. Where's Nino?"
"The stuff he wants to bring wouldn't fit in Adrien's car, so I asked Zoé if she could pick him up."
They were soon at the Seine, and the Bourgeois limo pulled up shortly after that. Zoé ran to the houseboat, while Sabrina helped Nino with his equipment.
"Chloé! Hey, are you in there?"
Alix, Nathaniel, and Kim were dropped off by Jalil. Kagami and Ondine were dropped off by Tatsu, the Tsurugi self-driving car. Max was dropped off by his mother. More showed up slowly but surely. Zoé went into Luka's room.
"You in here, Chlo? Oh, there you are. Come on, wake up."
Chloé groaned, "What for?"
"Say hello, get some snacks, show off how amazing you look."
She stood up and stretched, "Well, when you put it that way."
She then looked at herself in a nearby mirror.
"Not that I need to ask, but how do I look?"
"You're positively radiant."
"Of course I am."
She reached for her gift bag, but decided to leave it where it was for now.
"He's not out there yet, by the way."
"Who?"
Zoé rolled her eyes and went back outside. Everyone was talking with someone else about something.
"Max, is it true you're working on an app that lets everyone know when an Akuma is on the loose?" Alix asked.
"Most assuredly true," he replied, "I can't go into too many details at the moment though."
"Do you think I could swim the entire Seine?" Kim asked Ondine.
She laughed in response, "Maybe you should just swim the Channel like everyone else."
"Attention, everyone!" Chloé announced, "The party is now in full swing, because I have arrived!"
Everyone just stared at her.
"Hi, Chloé!" Sabrina called out.
Everyone else went back to what they were doing.
"Why of all the ungrateful…"
Zoé tapped her shoulder, "Here he comes now."
Sure enough, Luka was coming up on his bicycle, and following directly behind him was Jagged Stone's tour bus. It opened up and he strode out holding a bass guitar. Penny, Vivica, and Fang were right behind him.
"Hey, Viv!" came a soft voice.
Vivica looked around. She saw XY peeking out from behind the tour bus.
"Hey, X. I wasn't sure you'd show up. Did you get a haircut?"
"I did, yes. The hardest part was getting here due to the crowds. It was easy to find the place when you're driving around in a predominantly purple tour bus."
"Funny how you're the first person to call me Viv."
"Well, you're the only person to ever call me X."
"Calling you XY seems silly, and calling you Xavier seems so formal. Your dad's not coming, is he?"
"He's not interested. Speaking of my dad, I have information that your bosses might find very informative. Actually, I think I'd better just speak to Penny."
"Penny? What is it exactly?"
"It concerns the breaking up of a certain band named Croco Duo."
"Jagged and Anarka's band? That was years ago."
"Trust me. They'll want to know about this."
Jagged Stone, Penny, and Fang were stepping aboard the Liberty.
"Rock and roll! Jagged Stone has come aboard!"
Luka and Juleka gave him and Penny a hug.
"Cool bass guitar, dad," Juleka said, "Where'd you get it?"
"This was my very first bass guitar, as a matter of fact. Which is why I'm giving it to you. Happy birthday, sweetheart."
Her small smile became a very big smile, "Thank you so much."
"For you Luka, my lad, my very first guitar pick, now attached to a string, and emblazoned with my likeness. Happy birthday, son."
"Thanks, dad."
The Lair
"Ah, a birthday party. How nauseating."
"Then why don't you just call it a day?" Nathalie asked.
"You're a riot. Any party will inevitably have someone get upset. That's when I'll strike."
"I hope you have a better plan than usual this time."
"Nathalie, as the young people say, don't harsh my buzz."
She gave him a dirty look, "Never try to talk like that again."
"Fly to the party, my Akuma. When the time is right, the real party will begin."
The Liberty
"Hey, Penny," Vivica called, "Could you come here for a second?"
"What's up?"
"I know this is going to seem crazy, but X here says he has information about the breakup of Croco Duo."
"Who's X?"
XY came out from behind the tour bus, "Hey."
"Bob's son? How do you have info about Jagged's old band?"
"Simple…because dad told me."
"Well, Bob doesn't treat you any better than he does anyone else, so I guess there's no harm. What is it?"
XY pulled his phone out of his pocket.
"I recorded most of a conversation me and my old man had earlier today."
After hearing the whole thing, she said, "I can't believe it. This could change everything, but we'll need that pdf file for extra proof."
"We'd have to use my dad's phone though. How are we supposed to get it away from him?"
They all stopped to think of a plan.
"And now, you lot," Jagged announced, "Gather around!"
Everyone nearby got close.
"I have here as a special treat the very record that we made before the twins were born."
He held up a record titled Croco Duo. He and Anarka were wearing futuristic robotic outfits on it.
"How dare ye bring that thing aboard?!"
"Aw, come on, Nanarky. It's for their birthday after all."
"Exactly why ye shouldn't bother! We made that record, and while you went out to sea, you left me and two sailors behind!"
"ME?! You're the one who wanted out, and I respected your wishes!"
"Don't ye dare try to pin the blame on me, ya old pirate!"
She grabbed the record and removed it from its case. She looked like she was about to break it. Jagged grabbed it and they began a tug of war.
"Don't break it. It's a present!"
"Meanwhile, I'm trying to live in the present and forget about everything that happened."
"Mom, Dad, come on," Luka said, "Don't fight, please."
"Can't you please just talk this out instead of shouting?" Juleka pleaded.
The Akuma made a beeline for the argument.
"Just the moment I was waiting for," Papillon said with a smirk.
The Akuma merged with the record, but just as it did, the record was broken in half.
"How interesting," Papillon said, "The record broke before the protection magic could activate. I doubt that changes anything. Now then, on to business. I am Le Papillon. I can feel your intense anger and pain. Why not let me help you settle this once and for all?"
Jagged and Anarka could only growl in response. Fang, being rather smart for a crocodile, had already leapt into the Seine.
"I'll take that as a yes. You, dear lady, shall be Capitaine Hardrock. You, M. Rock Star, shall now be Guitar Vilain. Ready? Set. Go!"
Both people were now shrouded in purple energy. Anarka now had wild red and purple hair, and was dressed like a cross between a stereotypical pirate, complete with a sword, and a punk rocker. Jagged Stone was now dressed like he played heavy metal, complete with spikes on all his now dark green clothes. Face paint that was a darker green covered his eyes, while his hair was now a purple and green in color, and looked like it was made of fire. Each had their half of the record strapped to their belt.
"All ashore that's going ashore," Capitaine Hardrock declared.
"Everybody off!" Luka shouted.
Everyone was rushing off the boat except Chloé who ran back to Luka's room. Before she could grab the gift bag, the ship was becoming engulfed in the same purple energy as the Akumas.
"What are you doing?!" Luka cried, "We need to get out of here!"
"But my -"
He picked her up over his shoulder and ran for it.
"Hey! Watch what you're doing, you sinister serpent!"
Suddenly, the entire houseboat was lifting into the air. Unfortunately, this meant that when Luka tried to exit the ship, he and Chloé ended up falling into the Seine.
"Oh, great," Zoé said, "Now she'll be livid."
Chloé had latched onto Luka's back and was screaming at him.
"You brute! You beast! You snake in the grass! You did this on purpose!"
"Will you shut up and let me get us to shore, woman?!"
Chloé now stared at him and thought, "I think I found that attractive."
Fang swam near to give Luka something to hold on to so they could reach the riverbank easier.
"Good boy, Fang. Chloé, you can let go now."
She was snapped out of her thoughts, "Huh? What? Oh, right."
"Are you okay?" Zoé asked.
"Do I look like I'm okay?"
"Well, you're not hurt, are you?"
"Maybe not physically," she grumbled as she wrung out her hair.
"Are you okay, Luka?"
"I'm fine, Jules."
The houseboat had been transformed into a large, flying pirate ship. Back in the Seine, Fang was bellowing at the developments. Just then, he too was enveloped by purple energy. He seemed to rise from the water and the shape became larger. When the energy cleared away, Fang was now a large purple dragon, almost as big as the floating pirate ship. Capitaine Hardrock stood atop her ship, while Guitar Vilain was now standing atop his dragon.
"I've just about had enough of you, ya scallywag!" Capitaine Hardrock shouted.
"The feeling's mutual, heartbreaker!" Guitar Vilain shouted back.
"Arr! Fire!"
The cannons aboard the pirate ship fired at the other Akuma. He used his guitar to make a soundwave that caused the cannonballs to explode before they reached him.
The Lair
"You know," Nathalie said, "From what I can see, they're more interested in fighting each other than they are the heroes."
"Once the heroes show up," Papillon said, "That will change."
The duel
Thankfully, Roger and many other police officers were there to get the crowds to disperse. Although considering a flying pirate ship was fighting a dragon, it's possible they were backing away to get a safer view. Penny, Vivica, and XY hid inside the tour bus.
"Okay," Penny said, "As if we didn't need more motivation to get that pdf away from Bob. I've got a spare memory stick. We need to get Bob's phone, connect it to a computer, and then make a copy of the pdf to put on said memory stick."
"We might be able to walk into the building," XY said, "But getting the pdf off his phone will be a challenge."
"Maybe we could ask the heroes for help?" Vivica reluctantly suggested.
"With all that going on outside?" Penny said "Still, I guess it wouldn't hurt to ask."
Thankfully, everyone on the team was able to get away and transform. Some of the teens took refuge under a nearby bridge.
"Why are there so few of us here?" Rose worriedly asked.
"Maybe they got swept away by the crowd," Juleka said.
The heroes were convening on a nearby rooftop.
Apireine looked Vipèrion up and down, "Did you change something about your costume?"
"Maybe."
"So, uh, how are we supposed to get at them when only three of us can fly?" Bateleur asked.
"Too bad I'm not a flying fox," Zorrua joked.
"I think you'd need an extra tail for that," Matou Noir replied.
"A flying fox is a bat," Tortank pointed out, "This is no time for levity."
"I know what time it is," Ladybird said, "Lucky Charm!"
"Office tape?" Matou Noir said, "What good is that?"
"Don't you remember? The Akuma is in the record, but the record is in two pieces. We tape them together, you work your destruction magic, and then we can end this."
"So we have to fly into the battle zone to get the record halves?" Apireine said, "And by we I mean me, Bateleur, and Ladybird."
"If someone could give me a lift," Vipèrion said, "I can assist with the sky battle."
"You? You can't fly."
"Trust me."
"Oh, how can I refuse?" she replied, voice dripping with sarcasm.
"Excuse us," Penny called, "We'd hate to interrupt, but we have information."
The team jumped down.
"We're thinking of a plan," Ladybird said, "But what kind of info?"
"It's about the heart of the matter," Penny explained, "The reason they started fighting in the first place."
"The band breaking up?" Vipèrion asked.
"We have reason to believe that Bob Roth was responsible."
"While I'm inclined to believe you, do you have any proof?"
"XY here managed to get a recording of Bob admitting he did it, but we need a copy of the Dear John letters he sent the band members for absolute proof. Those two things, plus, well…"
"Ye mutinous dog!" Capitaine Hardrock screeched, "Once ye started climbing the charts, ye gave me the heave-ho!"
"You dumped me first, you old sea hag!" Guitar Vilain shot back, "You never even told me you were pregnant! I had to find out by pure chance, and fight to be a small part of their lives!"
"Conflicting stories," Tortank said, "We need to uncover the truth."
"Okay, wait a minute," Ladybird said, "I agree that we should help, but let's think this through. I assume to get this proof you'll need to get into M. Roth's office?"
"He should be there now," XY said, "We need his phone, but I don't know how we'll get it away from him."
"Bateleur will give Zorrua a lift to the roof of the TV station and then head back. Since the Akumas are busy fighting each other, the rest of us will spread out and make sure the area is clear of civilians. Once the Eagle gets back, we'll continue the plan from there."
"How do you prefer to be carried, M. Fox?" Bateleur asked, "Actually, just wrap your arms around my neck and hold tight."
"I don't know if I like this part of the plan," Zorrua said.
He did as asked, and then with a few flaps of her immense wings, Bateleur took off.
"You'll need a quick way to get there," Matou Noir said.
He looked around for Placide. Sure enough, he was hiding under the bridge with a few others.
"Over here, My Lady. We'd better get these civilians to a safer spot."
Placide refused to move, "Not without Adrien."
"May I have a brief word, M. Bodyguard?"
He took him a few feet away from the others.
"Placide, it's me, Adrien" he whispered, "I'm Matou Noir."
"I'm only partially surprised."
"I'm sorry for all the times I might've worried you, but I have to do this."
He smiled, "I know you do. I'm proud of you."
"Thank you. Can you do us a favor? Mme. Rolling needs a ride to the TV station. That jerk Bob Roth is playing dirty again."
"It would be my pleasure."
"Thank you for your assistance, Monsieur," Noir said loudly.
They gave each other a thumbs up.
"Penny, this fine gentleman has volunteered his services. He'd be glad to drive you all to the TV station."
"We appreciate your help," Penny said.
Placide nodded and gestured towards the car. As the other heroes found a safe path for the other civilians that were hiding under the bridge, Ladybird spotted Juleka.
"Are you okay?"
Juleka sighed, "I wish there was something I could do to help. They're my parents, after all."
"Aren't you worried about your brother?"
"Maybe it's one of those weird twin connection things, but I have this feeling that he's okay."
"Keep that feeling alive, because I know he's fine. Actually, there is something you can do to help."
"What can I do against supervillains?"
"I have a good idea. Vipèrion, I think you should take Juleka here to the same spot we hid her brother."
"I can do that," he replied with a wink.
"Don't worry, Rose," Ladybird assured her, "Everyone will be safe."
"Please be careful, Jule!"
Meanwhile…
"We're here," Bateleur said, "You can remove your death grip."
"Sorry," Zorrua said, "But I'm not used to flying."
"See you later," she said, taking to the sky again.
Due to the Akuma attack, the streets were mostly empty. The civilian group quickly reached the TV station.
"You don't mind waiting, do you?" Penny asked.
Placide shook his head.
"We'll try to be quick," Vivica said.
The trio headed for the top floor. Once there, XY let Zorrua in from the roof.
"Okay, I'll head inside," XY said, "I'll try to grab his phone. We need something that'll distract him."
"Oh, I think I have a good idea," Zorrua said with a smile.
Bob Roth was dozing off again.
*Knock Knock Knock*
"What? I'm awake!"
"It's me, Pop."
He groaned, "What do you want?"
"I'm your son. Do I need a reason to be here? Did you see the news? Anarka and Jagged Stone were both akumatized."
"Really?!" he said, switching on the television.
While he was fixated on the screen, XY snatched Bob's phone. Bob was busy snickering at the situation, but almost instinctively reached for where his phone was. Zorrua noticed and was quick to act.
"Mirage."
Bob got up from his chair, "What happened to my phone?"
"Uh, Pop."
"What now? Don't ruin the moment."
XY pointed towards the door. Walking into the room was Fang, in all his scaly glory.
Bob went pale, "No…no not that. Please don't let it be true. It's all in my imagination."
Fang lunged forward with his mouth wide open. Bob screamed as he ran behind his desk.
"I need my phone! I have to call animal control or something!"
"I don't see it anywhere, Dad."
"It must've fallen behind my desk!"
Fang lunged at him again, sending him running.
"Call the police, XY!"
Bob ran screaming into the hallway, Fang hot on his heels. He finally reached the elevator and was frantically pushing the button that closed the door. As soon as the elevator door was shut. Fang disappeared in a puff of smoke.
"Okay, now that was fun," Zorrua said.
Penny acted fast. She plugged the phone into the PC, went through the files, found the pdf of the Dear John letters, made a copy to her memory stick, and put everything back where it was.
"You know, X," Vivica said, "If he finds out you helped us, he'll be mad at you. You could get in so much trouble."
"What can he do to me?" XY said, "I'm not afraid of him."
"Well, we're friends now. I don't want you to get hurt or something."
"Thanks for caring, Viv. Don't worry, though, because I already thought of a plan."
"Time for us to get going," Penny said, "To the elevator quick, before Bob gets back."
They all ran to the elevator.
"Aren't you coming, Zorrua?" Vivica asked.
"Thanks, but I can find my own way out."
"Thank you so much for your help," Penny said.
He bowed, "Happy to be of service."
He ran back onto the roof. He looked over the edge of the building.
"I hope this isn't a bad idea."
He took a running leap off the roof and did a somersault onto the next nearest roof. He continued to do so as he headed back to the group.
Meanwhile…
Ladybird flew to the massage parlor. A quick look around, and then she went inside.
"Master, I know we already have seven heroes, but I want my friend Juleka to help since the Akumas are her parents."
"I can understand that. I trust your judgment, Ladybird. Which Miraculous did you have in mind?"
"I need the Tiger."
"Do you intend to let her keep it?"
"I don't think Luka would like that. She's his sister."
"A sibling is often quite protective."
"Plus, with her band and her upcoming modeling, I don't think she'll be able to be a permanent hero. Also, something tells me we should have the Tiger ready on standby."
"I must defer to you, Ladybird."
She grabbed the Tiger Miraculous, but before she left, she gave Fu a hug.
"Thanks so much, Master. I know I've been busy, so I thought I'd better remind you how much you mean to me."
"Be careful out there, my child."
She quickly flew back to the battlefield. She found Vipèrion and Juleka in an alleyway.
"Juleka Couffaine, I need your help."
"Me?"
"This is the Tiger Miraculous. Use it for the greater good and then return it. Can I count on you?"
"Are you sure I'm the best choice for this?"
"Considering the Akumas are our parents," Vipèrion said, "I can't think of anyone better."
"Luka! You're a superhero?"
"I'm a fairly recent addition to the team, but yes. Sorry I already revealed my identity, Ladybird."
"I think for Juleka to truly accept this task, it was necessary."
"Do I have to be a hero all the time now?"
"Being a superhero isn't for everyone," Ladybird said, "It takes dedication and self-sacrifice. We're all busy with our day to day lives. It's perfectly fine if you want to be one and done. If we really need you again, we'll let you know."
"I'd rather you stay safe, Jules," Vipèrion said, "Call it my big brother instincts. You've got your future to think of."
"You've always been self-sacrificing. You know you're only older by like a minute."
"Okay, good point, but also, since you know the truth, you can cover for me."
"I'm your civilian contact? Awesome! Works for me."
Ladybird handed her the Tiger Miraculous, which was a panjas bracelet. She attached it to her right hand.
"What now, Ladybird?"
"Just imagine a cool costume and say, transform me."
"Transform me!"
Her costume was exactly what you'd expect from a tiger. The back was crimson, the front was light fuchsia, and the stripes were dark cerise with gold outlining. Her boots were black with light fuchsia toe caps. Her hair was now in a ponytail, and was violet with fuchsia highlights. She had a pair of small, black ears on her head. Her eyes were orange with yellow sclera. Her mask was mostly crimson with light fuchsia above her eyes. Her right hand, where the Miraculous was, was now sporting a black and gold glove with claws. What appeared to be a tail was actually her weapon, the bolas.
"Now that's a costume," Ladybird said.
She then gathered everyone around.
"Everyone, this is our temporary hero for the day."
"Hey! My name is, uh…Mortier Tigresse."
"A tigress, you say?" Matou Noir said with a wink, "I guess that makes us cousins."
"You have good taste in outfits," Apireine said.
"Hang onto me, Tigresse," Ladybird said, "I'll get us skyward."
"Hey, Bateleur," Vipèrion said, "Can you give me a lift?"
She sighed, "This is what happens when you've got the biggest set of wings. Okay, hold on tight."
She ascended into the sky, with Apireine beside her.
"I hope you actually have a plan, M. Serpent," Apireine said, "My partner isn't flying you up here just so you can fall back to the ground. Although I hope you at least try to aim for the Seine."
"Trust me. I've got it covered."
"What should we do?" Tortank asked.
"I guess keep an eye out for stray cannonballs," Noir replied.
Bateleur was now high above the dueling Akumas.
"Okay," Vipèrion said, "You can let me go."
"What?" Apireine scoffed, "What are you, crazy?"
"Maybe a little. Does that intrigue you?"
"Don't change the subject."
"You do trust me, don't you?"
Apireine sighed, "Of course."
"Then don't worry so much."
He let go of Bateluer and he free-falled for a bit, his arms at his sides. Apireine was flying next to him.
"This is part of your plan, right?"
He winked at her, and then spread his arms and legs to reveal that his costume was re-designed to resemble a wingsuit. He was now maneuvering through the air and heading for Fang.
"That is so cool!" Bateleur shouted.
Ladybird was still flying while carrying Tigresse.
"Ladybird, am I crazy, or is my brother flying?"
"Obviously he's the crazy one. He made his costume a wingsuit?"
"So this is your plan?" Apireine asked.
"Clever, isn't it? Did you know there's such a thing as flying snakes?"
"Look up there!" Tortank exclaimed, "Isn't that Vipèrion?"
Noir nodded, "Yeah, but why's he dressed like a flying squirrel?"
"He's not a flying squirrel. He's a flying snake."
"That's a thing?"
Apireine saw how long Ladybird was taking with Tigresse. She flew over to give her a hand.
"You take one arm, Ladybird. I'll take the other."
Together they more easily lifted Tigresse above the Liberty and dropped her aboard.
"Avast there! Ye be trespassing on me private pirate property!"
"Say that three times fast," Apireine said.
Rather than humor her comment, Capitaine Hardrock ran at them while swinging her large sword. Meanwhile, Vipèrion and Bateleur landed atop the dragon.
"Won't that wingsuit be cumbersome?"
"Way ahead of you."
Vipèrion tore off his costume to reveal a similar costume underneath it. The only difference was that this second costume was more skintight.
"So that's why you made your costume look so loose fitting."
"Everyone knows a snake can shed its skin."
"Oi, you lot!" Guitar Vilain shouted, "Get off my dragon! But first, how's about you hand me your Miraculouses?"
"Uh, one second."
Vipèrion looked at Bateleur, who shook her head.
"Yeah, we're gonna have to pass."
They dodged out of the way before Guitar Vilain sent a shockwave from his guitar. Vilain got a wicked smile.
"Fang! Do a barrel roll!"
He leapt high into the air as the dragon did as commanded. Vipèrion was now falling, but Bateleur caught him.
"Thanks for the save."
Apireine saw what happened and flew over to the dragon. Just as Guitar Vilain landed back on the dragon…
"Venom!"
"So…not…rock and roll…"
Bateleur dropped Vipèrion on top of the dragon.
"Bateleur," Apireine said, "Deliver that statue to the pirate woman."
"I'm on it," she said, grabbing the paralyzed Akuma.
Dragon Fang noticed she was flying off with his master and shot a stream of fire at her.
"Hey! No eating eagles!"
Apireine used her spinning top and wrapped the cord around the dragon's mouth.
"Would you like to do the honors, Snake Man?"
He took the reins, "I'd be glad to. Back to the Liberty, Fang!"
The dragon reluctantly flew towards the pirate ship. Meanwhile, Bateleur grabbed the record half from Guitar Vilain, and then dropped him on top of Capitaine Hardrock.
"Arr! They threw a bomb!"
Ladybird quickly grabbed the captain's record half and flew away. Bateleur dove next to her and gave her the other half of the record.
"Thanks!"
Back aboard the Liberty…
"Get this sea dog offa me!"
"Sorry, Mom," Tigresse whispered.
Bateleur grabbed her, "Time to go, Tiger Lady."
"What be that off the port bow?"
Vipèrion flew the dragon straight into the deck of the ship, causing it to fall from the sky.
"Time for us to go, Queenie."
"You don't have to tell me twice, king cobra."
Apireine grabbed Vipèrion and flew away.
"Drop me off on top of that building, quick!" Tigresse said.
Bateleur did so. The new hero now got a running start.
Mortier Tigresse leapt into the air and shouted, "Clout!"
Her right fist was now glowing with energy. She threw a punch that hit the Liberty, sending it flying back into the air. Back on the ground, Ladybird used the tape to repair the record. Apireine and Vipèrion landed nearby.
"Hey, real quick," Vipèrion said, "Will your world healing wave thing bring them safely back to the ground?"
"That's actually a good question," Ladybird said, "Maybe we'd better get them back into the Seine first, otherwise we'll have a normal houseboat falling through the air."
"I'll take care of that!" Tortank declared, "Shell-ter!"
A huge force field formed around the pirate ship, the dragon, and the two Akumas. Tortank was now slowly lowering the force field towards the Seine.
"Are you okay?" Zorrua asked.
She was straining a bit, but said, "I've got it. Go ahead."
"S'il vous plaît, Chaton," Ladybird said, tossing him the record.
"Cataclysm! Looks like this record will be their swan song."
"I told you to stop that!" Apireine snapped.
"Allons-nous, My Lady?"
"Nous allons, Minou."
They shook hands, "Miraculous!"
That moment, Tortank lowered the force field and let the Liberty fall into the Seine. Everything was now back to normal.
The Lair
"I told you so," Nathalie said.
"You delight in doing that all the time, don't you?" Gabriel questioned.
"Always."
The city
"Good job, everyone," Ladybird said, "We'd better get going."
She motioned for Mortier Tigresse to follow her and Vipèrion, while everyone else went off in different directions.
"Thanks for this opportunity, Ladybird," Juleka said, handing her the panjas bracelet.
"You did great, Jules," Vipèrion said, "That was awesome."
"It was very cathartic," she replied, "Your secret is safe with me."
"You'd better get back and check on mom and dad. I'll be right behind you."
As Juleka ran back to the houseboat, Ladybird was looking around the area.
"Are you looking for something in particular?"
"Every so often, Matou Noir manages to spot a Sentimonster that spies on us. It has big eyes that are a dead giveaway. I don't see anything. Go ahead and get back to your parents."
He de-transformed and ran after Juleka. He caught up with her fairly quickly. She was watching Anarka and Jagged argue back and forth again.
"Look what you did!" Anarka snapped, "We got akumatized because of you!"
"You're the one that made a big deal out of this!" Jagged Stone shot back.
"SHUT UP!" Juleka yelled, "It doesn't matter whose fault this all is. What matters is that you put it behind you and move on with your lives!"
"Darling, you don't understand. Your father sent me a Dear John letter of all things."
"You sent me a Dear John letter, too, so don't act like you're innocent."
"Did either of you actually give each other the Dear John letter in person?" Luka asked.
"Well, no," Anarka said, "Bob Roth gave me the letter."
"Now that I think about it," Jagged said, "Bob gave me your letter."
They looked at each other, and they both said, "You don't think…?"
"If I could have your attention, please," Penny called out.
"Penny? What's going on, love?"
"I have here the evidence that Bob Roth is responsible for breaking up your band. I printed out copies of the Dear John letters you each received."
"Where did you get those? I threw my letter away."
"I shredded my letter as soon as I finished reading it," Anarka said.
"We got these straight from Bob Roth's phone. If that's not enough proof, we also have recorded footage of him bragging about the incident."
XY held up his phone and played the recording. Once it was done, Jagged Stone looked around. Nadja and her crew were about to leave.
"Oi, Nadja!"
"Jagged Stone, to what do I owe the pleasure?"
"Are you ready for some big news?"
A few minutes later…
Bob dragged a few security members to his office.
"Bob, we've talked about you using the security team as your personal servants."
"I'm telling you, that overstuffed lizard was in here."
"Have you been sneaking drinks again?"
"Yes - no wait, I mean, no!"
"This is Nadja Chamack. Don't be bemused, it's just the news."
"Dang it, I left the TV on."
"Following their akumatization earlier today, Jagged Stone and Anarka Couffaine, former partners in the band Croco Duo, have turned up evidence that paints Robert Roth, music producer and owner of his own record label, as the very person that broke up their band all those years ago."
"WHAT?!"
The security team filed out of the room.
"Brigadier Raincomprix is on the scene to corroborate."
"This evidence certainly seems concrete. The footage on this phone clearly shows M. Roth admitting to his scheme."
"We can play if for the viewing audience now."
Upon seeing the footage, Bob started to teeter between seething and panicking.
"How could they have got that footage? The only person I told that secret to was…XY."
Just then, his phone rang.
"WHAT?!"
"Hey there, Pop. It's me."
"How dare you call me after what you've done?! How could you do this to me?! As far as I'm concerned, I have no son!"
After hanging up the phone, Bob turned off the television and left.
"I'm sorry about this, X," Vivica said.
"Don't be too sorry. I knew it was bound to happen. I made preparations beforehand."
"Really?"
"I packed what I needed, sold what I didn't, and then took all the money and put it in a new bank account where my dad can't get it. I honestly can't believe how much some of my stuff sold for. All I had to say was that XY owned it."
"But now where will you go? What will you do?"
"It's obvious," Jagged said, "He's coming with us. That is what you were going to ask, right?"
"I was, yes, but I wasn't sure you'd accept my explanation. I'm Bob's son."
"You can't blame a kid for something their parents did. You helped my family out and you didn't have to. Why?"
"I got sick of not being my own person, and also all of dad's unsavory business practices."
Jagged shook Xavier's hand, "Welcome to the team, son."
"Thank you."
"Glad to have you with us," Vivica said, hugging Xavier.
She was hugging him for about a minute before she realized what she was doing.
"Oh, uh, sorry," she said, now blushing.
"I'm not," Xavier replied, also blushing.
"You're all welcome back any time," Anarka said, "That even includes you, ya old pirate. I am glad that, despite everything, you're a good father."
"I'm glad we at least cleared things up, Nanarky."
Luka and Juleka hugged their parents.
"It's okay that you and mom aren't getting back together, dad," Juleka said, "Me and Luka are glad you found Penny. We think she'll make a great agent-in-law."
Jagged and Penny shared a look and smiled.
"Did you take care of things, love?"
"It's part of my job, Jagged."
A bar
Bob was drinking again. He suddenly got an email that caused him to spit out his drink.
From: Penny Rolling
To: Robert Roth
"YOU'RE FIRED!"
The Liberty
"Isn't this still a party, Jagged?" Penny asked.
"Yeah, that's right. Let's have a jam session. Jagged Stone and Kitty Section, together."
"Oh, Jagged," Marinette said, "In all the excitement, I forgot to give you your new album cover."
"Now this is me! What do you kids think?"
"A great job as usual, Marinette," Luka said.
"So totally awesome," Juleka said.
"That cover on a greatest hits album will be perfect for your new record label," Penny said.
Jagged Stone, Vivica, Anarka, and Kitty Section played a few songs. Everyone was enjoying themselves. After a while, everyone was conversing again and eating the cake. Chloé had a small piece, and then went into Luka's room. Luka noticed and followed. She was laying out on his bed again.
"I hope it's comfortable for you. You've taken it from me enough times."
"It's okay, I guess."
That's when Luka noticed the gift bag on the floor next to the bed.
"So this is what you came back for."
"Yeah…uh, happy birthday, I guess."
"A vest. This is nice. Thanks very much. So much better than the garbage I usually wear."
Chloé tried not to laugh, so it came out as blowing air out her nose. Luka sat down on the bed next to her.
"This will be my favorite birthday party, I think."
"Because your parents turned into monsters? Because you ruined Bob Roth?"
"Because you got me a present."
"It was nothing."
"No one else got me one."
"You told them not to."
"That included you, but you did anyway."
"Well…I mean…you know…"
"I can't believe you're the only person to buy me a gift and you're not bragging about it."
"It's not a big deal. Like you said, I'm just giving you good clothes to wear for once."
"Even when you say something that could be construed as hurtful, it always feels like you're being funny."
"That's a gift in and of itself."
"Anyway, thank you again for this."
"You're welcome."
"It means a lot coming from you."
"Why would that be?"
"Because you're special."
"Flattery will get you nowhere, but don't stop trying."
"I think you're exceptional."
She immediately sat up, "What did you say?"
"You're exceptional, Chloé."
Her eyes began to tear up.
"Did I say something wrong?"
She crawled over and maneuvered herself so that she was now sitting down in his lap, and then she wrapped her arms around him.
In a quiet voice, she said, "Hold me."
He did so, with an equally quiet, "As you wish."
A week later, after "shopping around" for a new record label, Jagged Stone and Penny got Kitty Section a deal. To celebrate, any of Marinette's friends that wanted to go to the concert were allowed to go for free. They weren't the best seats, but everyone was just happy to be there. Jagged alternated between playing his double-neck guitar and his piano. He eventually came to a pause.
"Hello, Paris! Thank you for coming!" Jagged Stone shouted, "You're my favorite city, as if the glasses didn't convey that. These glasses were made by a talented young lady who goes by MDC. She also designed the cover for my upcoming album. I want you all to meet an up and coming new band called Kitty Section. We collaborated to write this next song in honor of MDC. Rock and Roll!"
The band filed out: Luka, Juleka, Rose, Ivan, and even Adrien. While the first four band members wore simple domino masks, Adrien had to wear a mask that completely covered his face for Gabriel to even remotely agree to this. As the band played on, Marinette noticed Chloé was there, although unlike everyone else who was shouting or dancing, she was just kind of standing there.
Marinette leaned in close to her ear, "I didn't think you'd like this kind of music."
Chloé spared her a glance, but kept looking at a specific spot on the stage.
"I don't know what you mean. I love this music."