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celestiall0tus · 1 month

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Tales of Bloody Bug and Chat Noir - Chapter 15 - Felix

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Adrien sat in the garden as he stared up at the statue of his mother, Emilie Agreste. He sighed and glanced back to see Nathalie and Gabriel looking at him from the window. He smiled and waved, but only Nathalie returned it. He turned away back to the statue.

“Little kitty on a roof. All alone without his…,” Adrien started to sing.

“Adrien,” Gabriel said.

“Father?”

Gabriel moved down the steps and sat beside Adrien. “There’s something important I have to talk to you about.”

Adrien tilted his head as he looked at Gabriel, noticing the bags under his father’s eyes. “Father, are you ok?”

“It’s nothing. Just nightmares and stress. But I need you to listen. There is something I need to tell you. Something I’ve thought about telling you every day, but I don’t know how to find the words.”

Adrien gasped. “Father, it’s ok. I understand. I loved Mom too, but it’s ok that she’s gone. I accepted and I’m here for you.”

“What? How could you think such a thing?”

“But… I don’t understand. She’s gone. She died. I thought you were ready to grieve. It’s All Saints’ Day, Father. Shouldn’t we be honoring and celebrating her, as well as grieving?”

Gabriel stood and glared down at Adrien. “As long as she’s in our hearts, she lives on! She’ll never be just a memory, Adrien.”

Adrien frowned and looked away.

Gabriel sighed and turned his back. “We’re expecting guests. Be ready.”

Adrien watched Gabriel disappear back inside. He looked back at the statue when Plagg peeked out from his jacket.

“Wow, your father’s like a piece of Tomme cheese. A rind so thick that it’s almost impossible to get inside.”

“Don’t be hard on him, Plagg. It’s been a year since Mom died, and it can’t be easy with All Saints’ Day today. A day we’re supposed to honor those that have passed, like Mom.”

“And what about you?”

“I don’t know. I wish we could honor her together, but I guess I’ll be doing that alone too, as usual now. C’mon, let’s get ready for company.”

Alix circled her mother’s tombstone as she washed it thoroughly. Alim and Jalil watched her as she scoured the stone, washing away all impurities.

“Alix, honey, you’ve washed the tombstone five times now. It’s clean,” Alim said.

“Just one more rinse. I just need to make sure it’s spotless.”

Alim knelt and touched Alix’s shoulder, giving her pause. “The tombstone looks lovely, Alix, but now it’s time to rest. We have a big night tonight and I know you’ll want to have your energy for that.”

“I know, but I just want to make up for almost losing her body. After what happened with Chat Noire, that guilt remained with me. We almost lost her completely because of me. If I hadn’t fixed everything, we’d have nothing to honor today.”

“Now, Alix, I know you know better. We both do.”

“But where would we celebrate her if not here on this day? It’s supposed to be here like it always is.”

“It doesn’t matter where we celebrate, so long as it’s together and for her. On the days when the veil is thinnest, and she gets to see us. And why we need to be at our best tonight when we make our offerings and prayers. We need to show her that,” Jalil said.

Alix raised her brow as she looked at Alim.

“Right, but all that aside. It’s more than just honoring her, but the family we made and the legacy she left behind. So, let’s head home and prepare for tonight, ok?”

“Fine.”

“Oh, Alix, your friends have been asking for you,” Jalil butted in.

“Have you been reading my messages?”

“Occasionally when your screen lights up and I see some of the message. They want to do something nice for Adrien today.”

“Why?”

“Something about his mother I think?”

Alix looked away.

“Alix?”

“It’s… it’s just I… I may know who he is.”

“Oh? Oh! I see. Do you want to help him?”

“Yes? No? Maybe? I mean, I understand, but at the same time, I don’t know. I want to help, but am I really the best one to help him? I’m… me!”

“You seem to help him as him,” Tikki squeaked from under Alix’s cap.

“That’s… it’s different. When the world doesn’t know it’s you, it’s easier to share. I mean, why should I care what strangers think opposed to… to….”

“Friends?” Alim asked.

Alix nodded.

“Well, that’s part of it. You will learn to open up and share more of yourself. Taking that first step with strangers is a big step. The next will be with your friends. So, why don’t you go help him in your way?”

“Are you sure?”

“Go on. I know she would approve as well.”

Alix smiled. She hugged Alim and headed to the Agreste mansion.

Adrien sat at his desk and stared at his monitors’ background. He smiled seeing him with Emilie until he heard his door open. He turned to see Nathalie enter his room.

“Your father is waiting for you downstairs, Adrien.”

Adrien nodded. He followed Nathalie downstairs to the parlor. He stood with Gabriel by the front doors. He watched as Nathalie opened the door for a woman that looked identical to Emilie. He gasped as his heart leapt, the faintest hope that it was her. The hope extinguished as the woman stepped forward to reveal his aunt, Amelie.

“My, my! Look at how much you’ve grown!” Amelie cooed.

Amelie approached Adrien and kissed his cheek. He smiled before she turned to Gabriel.

“Gabriel, isn’t he just the absolute cutest?”

Gabriel grunted. “I’m sure Adrien is glad to have such a timely visit from his aunt today of all days.”

“Of course! It’s All Saints’ Day. I thought it’d be better if we were all together on a day like this. Don’t you agree?”

Adrien nodded while Gabriel rolled his eyes. Adrien gulped and looked back at Amelie. His eyes widened seeing a boy that looked exactly like him. He grinned as his eyes lit up.

“Felix?”

Felix walked up to Adrien and held out his hand. Adrien looked at it, then hugged Felix.

“It’s so good to see you again!”

“Aw! You two still look so much like twins! Oh, remember when you two would have so much fun pretending to be each other. I still remember when they had you and Emilie fooled for a whole weekend!” Amelie reminisced.

Gabriel growled. “I won’t be fooled a second time.”

Adrien stepped back. Felix turned to Gabriel and offered a hand.

“Hello, Uncle.”

Gabriel didn’t move. He glared down at Felix’s hand, then Felix.

“Now, Felix, you know your uncle’s never been the physical sort.”

Felix rolled his eyes but lowered his hand.

“Now, Gabriel, while I am here for the holiday, I do have important business to discuss with you about the Graham de Vanily twin rings,” Amelie reminded.

“We’ll discuss it later. It must have been a long trip from London. Rest a little. Nathalie?”

Nathalie moved from the door and escorted Amelie away.

“Adrien, take Felix to your room.”

“Yes, Father. Come on, Felix!”

Adrien ran up with Felix walking behind him. He headed into his room and grabbed a basketball as Felix stood in the middle of the room.

“Hey, remember our shooting contests?”

Adrien passed the basketball to Felix. Felix caught it but tossed it aside. Adrien tapped his hands on his legs as Felix glared at him.

“Hey, so, uh, I’m sorry I never went to your dad’s funeral. Father thought it would be too hard on me considering everything that happened this year. You’ve got every right to be angry with me.”

“That’s not what bothered me until you brought it up. It annoys me more seeing you always do what Gabriel tells you.”

“I mean… he’s very protective of me, but I don’t always do what he says. Well, now a days. Not since he changed. Not since Mom died.”

Felix raised a brow, then smiled. He hugged Adrien. Adrien gasped, then returned the hug.

“Say, do you have that chessboard? Would you like to play a round of chess?” Felix asked.

“I do! I’ll go get it!”

Adrien ran up the spiral stairs in his room to the second level. He searched his shelves until he found the chessboard and pieces.

“Found it!”

“Grab some cards, while you’re up there!” Felix called.

Adrien smiled as he searched for a deck of cards. “You still doing magic?”

“Now more than ever. You’ll see!”

“How about karate? Still practicing?”

“Of course!”

Adrien grinned until Plagg phased through the floor up to him.

“We need to talk, Adrien,” Plagg said.

“What are you doing here? Hide!”

“Mind if I take a shower?” Felix asked.

“Not at all. Make yourself at home!” Adrien answered.

“What’s up with that cousin of yours? First, he searches through your things, and then, unforgivably, he squashes my hunk of goat’s cheese under your pillow! I’ve been maturing that baby for two weeks, do you realize? Two whole weeks!”

“Listen, Plagg. Felix lost his dad not so long ago. He’s probably not himself.”

“I’m sorry, but that’s no excuse. You never touched my cheese and yet you lost your mother not so long ago.”

Adrien grimaced and looked away.

Plagg flinched. “Oh, Adrien, I’m sorry! I didn’t mean it like that. I just… your situations are similar, but you’re so different.”

“I know. I’m sorry about your cheese, but, please, be patient with Felix.”

Adrien grabbed the chessboard and cards and headed down to the first level. He put them on the coffee table when he heard a clattering noise. He looked around when he heard it again near the window. He approached it as he saw a pebble hit the glass. He ran up to it, looked out, and saw Alix standing in the backyard. He gasped and opened the window.

“Alix? How did you get in?”

“Uh, climbed the wall and fence?”

Adrien’s jaw dropped, then he shook his head. “I’m sorry, Alix, but you can’t be here.”

“Well, if I listened to the rules, I wouldn’t do half the crap that I do anyway. Sound familiar?”

Adrien’s eyes widened. “It… it is you, isn’t it? How did you know it was me?”

“Your little stunt a few days ago with Silencer. You weren’t exactly subtle, nor was your kwami.”

Adrien grimaced. “Are you… angry at me for that?”

“No, but I can’t exactly praise you either. That was a real shit move. At least when that crap happens to me, I don’t purposely make it happen. It just… it just happens because of who I am.”

“I know. I wish I could apologize, but Juleka isn’t letting me near Luka. Though I don’t blame her. Anyway, what brings you here? Is there an Akuma?”

Alix didn’t answer. She took several deep breaths before she parkoured up to the open window. Adrien watched in awe as she slipped into his room. He flinched when she smacked into the ground.

“Made it.”

“How do you do that?”

“It’s all in the legs, and the arms. Anyway, let’s ditch this place and go have fun.”

“I can’t. My cousin is here, and I can’t leave him.”

“Why not?”

“I just… it’s been forever since I’ve seen him. That and he and Aunt Amelie came for All Saints’ Day, even if I’m sure Father won’t really let us celebrate it.”

“That’s why we celebrate it. Let us honor our mothers together.”

“I want to, but Father wouldn’t ever let me.”

“Hey, there’s a saying I’ve grown to live by that my mother did. It’s better to ask forgiveness, than permission. So, let’s go!”

“But-.”

“Adrien! Can you lend me some clean clothes? I left my suitcase downstairs!” Felix yelled.

“Huh? Oh! Yeah! Take what you need!”

“C’mon, Adrien. Don’t you want to do what you want? Don’t you want to honor your mother? Don’t you want to live?” Alix pushed.

“I do, but-.”

“No buts. Let’s go. Your cousin seems to be doing fine.”

“Why doesn’t he come with us? I mean, he lost his father recently.”

Alix considered, then sighed. “Fine. He’s in the bathroom, right?”

“Yeah. He should be-.”

Alix pushed past Adrien to the bathroom door. She rolled her shoulders before she kicked the door open. Felix shouted and dropped Adrien’s phone.

“What’s wrong with you? I could have been-!” Felix started.

Alix whistled. “Damn, you look so much alike. Even more in Adrien’s clothes. Oh, and what do we got here?”

Felix reached for Adrien’s phone, but Alix grabbed it. She smiled and tossed Adrien his phone.

“Alright, boys, get ready. We’re heading out on the city.”

“What? I’m not going anywhere with the likes of you.”

“Good! I didn’t want you to come. Your soft-hearted cousin did. Anyway, let’s go, Adrien!”

“Hold up! Your father wouldn’t approve of you going out, Adrien.

“Uh, what’s that thing you said? If you listened to the rules, you wouldn’t do half the stuff you do?” Adrien asked.

“Atta boy! Let’s go!”

“Wait! You can’t just leave me here,” Felix argued.

“Then you can either come along and do something against the rules for once, or you can stay here like a good little boy who always listens to mommy.”

Felix grumbled. “Fine. Give me a minute to change.”

“Excellent, but first.”

Alix pulled Adrien and Felix in. She pulled out her camera and took a photo with them. She pushed Felix away as she headed out of the bathroom.

“What was that for?”

“Letting the girls know you, well Adrien, is in good hands. Now get changed. We have a city to terrorize.”

Alix and Adrien left Felix to change. Alix sent the photo to the girl group chat before she approached the window. Adrien followed behind her before Felix joined them. She nodded and hopped out the window and rolled onto the grass.

“Let’s go boys. We don’t have all day.”

Adrien and Felix exchanged glances before they followed Alix. They tumbled onto the grass and brushed themselves off as they stood. They looked around, uncertain of what to do next when Alix ran for a small tree. They watched her climb up it, hop onto the wall, and then climb over the fence atop the wall. Their eyes widened and their jaws dropped.

“Move it! Don’t want the adults to catch us.”

Felix and Adrien nodded before they followed Alix. They struggled up the wall and fence but made it over. They jumped down to the sidewalk, landing less than gracefully.

“Well, look at that. Congratulations, boys, you committed your first acts of rebellion. How’s it feel?”

“Technically not my first one, but that was the hardest. How do you make climbing all that look so easy?”

“I mean, you gotta learn otherwise the cops catch you.”

“This is wrong. We weren’t given permission to go out. We should go back,” Felix fussed.

“You go back. We’re heading out,” Adrien said.

“But Father will be-!”

Felix cut himself off as he covered his mouth. Alix’s eyes widened as she saw fear in Felix’s eyes. She reached out and took his head, surprising him.

“Today is typically about honoring the dead. They also say those that have passed are watching us on these days when the veil is thinnest. So, if that’s true, let’s give your father’s spirit a healthy dose of disrespect. What do you say?”

Felix didn’t answer, but the fear faded from his eyes and was replaced with hope. Alix grinned, tightened her hold on Felix, and ran.

“Move it, boys! The city is ours this day. Let us live for the day, and in the memory of what was and shall never be again!”

Adrien cheered as he and Alix ran side-by-side while she dragged Felix behind them. They explored the city at their leisure as they took Felix to each of the sights. She gathered mementos along the way she planned to offer to her mother’s grave. She didn’t want to put much stock in Jalil’s theories in front of him, but a part of her began to believe her mother was watching. If it was true, she wanted to show her mother how much how changed and the joy she now found in companionship.

Alix lingered on the notion as they reached the Pont des Arts and stumbled on Andre’s ice cream stall. Felix and Adrien smiled and enjoyed each other’s company, a far cry from what she had seen earlier when Felix was moody. A lot of Felix reminded her of herself. Seeing him now as he was, it felt another reflection of herself. One where she’d let people in. Is this what she was becoming with these boys and even the girls? If it was, she loved it. She loved seeing what she could be. Even if she didn’t overcome her anger completely, she could still be so much more. She could finally learn how to really be like her mother. To make those connections she never knew she wanted until she met Tikki.

“Alix! Come get some ice cream!” Adrien called.

Alix snapped out of her thoughts and smiled. She trotted over when her phone rang. She took it out when the screen lit up pink. She panicked and threw it to the ground. She stepped back as Lady Wifi, Reflekta, Princess Fragrance, and a fourth villain emerged from the phone. She tilted her head as she took in the new villainess.

The fourth villainess was an atrocious high fashion, heart-themed dress with leggings, platform pumps, and sunglasses. Her hair was pulled up in a puffed-up swirl that looked like cotton candy. She held up a sketchbook with a pencil in hand.

“What’s going on here?” Alix demanded.

“We’re here to punish Adrien and you,” Reflekta answered.

“What? What for?”

“We sent Adrien super nice messages, but he responded to them with a super mean message!” Princess Fragrance whined.

“And then we see you all happy with not just one Adrien, but two! Keeping them all to yourself,” the villainess screeched.

“We should have known you’d turn on us eventually, but never with Adrien. Now it’s time to make you both pay,” Lady WiFi sneered.

Alix felt her heart drop into her stomach. She glanced at Adrien and Felix, who had genuine fear and concern in their faces as they looked at her. She could still save them. She could give Adrien time to transform, or she could reason with them to get them to release the Akuma like Nathaniel and Luka had. She’d rather punch them for this, but she’d give them one last chance.

“Is this really why you were akumatized? Is this really why you accepted an offer to become monsters?”

“It is. Do you think we’re so stupid to face you without some assistance? You’re a raging monster without an Akuma,” Lady WiFi said.

“A little monster we gave a chance. We thought you cared, but it was all a lie, wasn’t it? You helped Adrien make that message, didn’t you?” Princess Fragranced demanded.

“You likely corrupted poor, sweet Adrien, didn’t you? Turned him against us for your evil, nefarious reasons,” the villainess added.

Alix clutched her fists. She took a deep breath as she let the tears that burned her fall. “Oh yeah? Well, let me just start this by saying… fuck you!”

The four girls’ eyes widened as they exchanged glances.

“You honestly assume that of me? What in your right fucking minds would make you think such fucking, utter nonsense? Why would I care to ‘corrupt’ Adrien? Why would I help him make a mean message when I have no issue telling you to your faces how much you piss me off or annoy me? Do you honestly think so little of me?”

Reflekta and Princess Fragrance hesitated as they looked at each other, but Lady WiFi and the villainess stepped forward.

“What should we even expect of you? You’re just a little monster like Chloe,” Lady WiFi hissed.

“Yeah, I fucking am, but not for the reasons you think. And you know what? You fucking bitches were lucky I even listened to my dad in the first place. If I didn’t, if I just continued to shut everyone out of my life except my family, I wouldn’t be in this fucking situation! I wouldn’t be screaming and crying over some foolish bitches I thought I could trust. I thought I finally found people who would accept me for me, but I was wrong. And you know what else? Go-!”

“Wait!” Reflekta and Princess Fragrance yelled.

Everyone watched as Reflekta and Princess Fragrance pushed past Lady WiFi and the villainess as they reverted to Juleka and Rose. They looked around in confusion before they turned to Alix. They gasped and ran up to her.

“Alix, what did we say? What did we do? Please, tell us,” Juleka begged.

“Yeah! We’ll make it up. Please, just tell us what happened!” Rose added.

“You thought I helped Adrien make a mean message for you guys,” Alix whispered.

“What? No! I mean, we were raw after that message. Then we saw your photo with the two Adriens and then Marinette-!” Rose blurted.

Alix narrowed her eyes as she glared at the villainess. She let out a small gasp when she saw the panja bracelet on the villainess’s left hand.

“Marinette! You fucking little-!” Alix roared.

“Marinette’s gone. I’m Heart’s Design and you will surrender to me.”

Heart’s Design opened her sketchbook. She held her pencil to the page when Chat Noir snuck up and smacked them with his staff. Alix took a sharp breath as she looked around.

“Everyone! Get to safety! Juleka, Rose, take Felix and get to safety,” Alix ordered.

“What about you?” Juleka asked.

“Yeah! Come with us!” Rose begged.

“No. You’re safer away from me. They’re after me, remember?”

“She’s right. C’mon, let’s go,” Juleka said.

Rose nodded and turned to Chat Noir. “Chat Noir! The Akuma is in the tablet Lady WiFi has!”

Chat Noir gave a thumbs up and went back to fighting Lady WiFi and Heart’s Design. Juleka and Rose glanced at Alix before they grabbed Felix and ran. Alix sighed and retreated to a nearby alleyway and transformed. She headed back as Chat Noir disarmed Heart’s Design and tossed her sketchbook into the Seine.

“No! How could you? Now how am I supposed to make Adrien mine?” Heart’s Design cried.

Chat Noir recoiled. “What?”

“That book would allow me to make Adrien love only me and no one else. We’d be together and he’d have all he ever needed… me!”

Bloody Bug ran in and punched Heart’s Design in the jaw, sending her flying. Lady WiFi gasped and moved to freeze Bloody Bug. Bloody Bug juked Lady WiFi and tore the tablet from her. Bloody Bug snapped it in half, released the Akuma, caught it, and purified it. Heart’s Design and Lady WiFi reverted when she released the butterfly.

Alya gasped. “What happened? Where am I?”

“Alya, I’m disappointed,” Bloody Bug said.

“Bloody Bug! Please, you must understand, this girl, she-!”

“A hero doesn’t make excuses for their actions. We take ownership. What I’ve seen here is the making of a villain, not a hero.”

“What? No! I was helping my friend! That counts as being heroic, doesn’t it?”

“Not when you attack civilians after accepting to become a monster. Alya, I see your true colors now. I see the real you. You’re not a hero. You’re a bully masquerading as a hero.”

“No. No! Please, Bloody Bug, let me explain.”

“I’m done listening to your lies, Alya. Chat Noir, you may if you wish, but I’m done.”

Bloody Bug turned away and headed towards Marinette. Chat Noir glanced at Alya before he followed Bloody Bug. She grabbed Marinette’s left hand and pulled on it, causing Marinette to cry out.

“You have a lot to answer for, Marinette. What ailed you?”

“I… I’m sorry, please. I just… I… We made messages for our friend Adrien because it’s All Saint’s Day and he was surely honoring his mother since she died in the past year. We wanted to cheer him up and let him know we were here, but he sent us a mean message in response. And… and I told him I loved him. I was devastated, then I saw Alix happy with two Adriens and… and… I saw red. How could she betray me like that? I’m the one that loves Adrien, not her.”

“How dare you,” Chat Noir hissed.

“Chat Noir?” Bloody Bug whispered.

Tears streamed from Chat Noir’s eyes with pinned back ears and his pupils narrowed into slits. “You claim you love him, but this isn’t love! And Alix didn’t betray you. You betrayed Alix! You hurt someone that dared to call you a friend all because of an obsession! Not love!”

“It is! It’s true love! From the moment he gave me his umbrella, thunder rolled. It was love at first sight! We’re meant to be!” Marinette screamed.

“Enough! Marinette, you and Alya have disappointed and betrayed me. I trusted you both, and this is how you repay that trust.”

“What? No! I swear, it isn’t! I’m good. I promise!”

“Actions speak louder than words, and your actions here drown out your words. I expected better of you.”

Marinette’s jaw dropped as Bloody Bug grabbed the panja bracelet and tore it off.

“Like I told another, prove to me you can be better. When you do, I’ll consider you both again. As of now, consider my trust in you both destroyed. Chat Noir, let’s go.”

Bloody Bug and Chat Noir shot Marinette and Alya a final look before they headed off. They traveled along the rooftops until they were far enough away from Pont des Art.

“Bug?”

“What’s up?”

“Are you ok?”

“No. And, I’m sorry about Marinette, Lady Tigress, whatever.”

“It’s… it hurts. I… don’t know how to take this.”

“Yeah. Me either.”

“What now?”

“I’m going to return the tiger miraculous, probably head home until this evening.”

“What’re you doing this evening?”

“I’ll be going to the graveyard my mom’s buried at and paying my respects.”

“Would you… would you mind a couple extra people?”

“Not… not at all. See you around seven?”

“Yeah. See you at seven.”

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milarqui · 10 months

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Scarlet Lady: Princess Fragrance

Directory | Guitar Villain

“Bonjour,” Nadja Chamack greeted. “Once again, Scarlet Lady, Chat Noir, and Marigold have saved Paris.”

The screen turned to a map of Paris, with one zone marked in green over blue, and a photograph of a woman with plant-like hair and eyebrows.

“Zoe Rapporte was Akumatized into the Enchanted Florist, threatening to engulf Paris in a treacherous jungle!” the reporter continued, as the image turned to show Paris' heroes under the rain, Scarlet Lady laughing while the other two waved and gave the former a glare. Underneath them ran a message announcing Paris' best therapists. “This makes Mlle. Rapporte's Nth Akuma–”

“Well maybe if people were a little less shi–” the florist suddenly yelled, jumping into image with a rather unfriendly face.

“CUT!”

----

Anyone that knew Chloé Bourgeois would have been surprised to see what she was doing.

She was in a public bathroom. Willingly.

That she was fixing her hair was a lot less surprising.

“Ugh, can you believe I have to work in the rain?” she complained, glaring at her own reflection.

“A-choo!”

Chloé looked into her bag, where laid Tikki, the Kwami of Creation, who did not look healthy.

“Ew, don't sneeze in my bag.”

Not that Chloé cared.

“Chloé, you n-need to take m-me to a doctor,” Tikki begged, but Chloé didn't seem to be up to it.

“What, a kwami doctor?”

“I know a healer,” Tikki said, but Chloé closed the bag.

“Oh, suck it up. I'm not letting you ruin my attendance.”

“Your attendance is already ruined!” the kwami pitifully pointed out. “Doctoooooor!”

----

Rose watched in her phone the news of the day (she shouldn't be, since she was at class, but this was important!), paying special attention to one report.

“Today, Prince Ali, heir to the Kingdom of Achu, will be organizing a toy drive for the Paris Children's Hospital,” the news anchor said, as the image turned to show the young prince at previous engagements.

“He's so beautiful, inside and out!” she said, feeling the tears threatening to drop off her eyes. He was truly a Prince Charming!

“So, like you?”

“Oh, you!”

Juleka had always been a bit shy, but ever since they got together, she had been more open about this. In fact, there were times she was really romantic. Like now.

“You know what?!” she said, pulling out a sheet of paper and uncapping her pen. “I'm going to write him a letter to tell him how much I love and respect him!”

“How you gonna get it to him?”

Alright, she wasn't sure about that. But...

“Love will find a way!”

“Does love do delivery?”

“It delivered you to me.”

Juleka blinked and blushed, but there was a wide smile on her face. She couldn't let her doubt her love for her!

----

For Olga Mendeleiev, teaching was a passion, an attempt to show her students the importance of science in the modern world. She knew that few of them saw it the same way as she did, but she didn't let that prevent her from trying to follow through.

She also knew that she had a fame of tough, but it was necessary: in places like a laboratory, it was essential to pay attention to everything, lest you suffer an accident that could be grave. In her entire career as a teacher, only thrice had a student messed up, and she always made certain that such a mistake was not repeated.

However, there were things she could not handle well. Like students arriving late to class.

“And where have you been, Chloé?”

“Fixing my hair and makeup, duh. This perfection takes time.”

The fact that Damocles bent backwards over this girl was the only reason she wouldn't punish her.

And then the door opened, paving way to the other tardy girl of the day.

“Waghh!” the girl said, almost tripping over her own feet as she ran in.

“Marinette, what's your excuse?”

Going by the girl's face, she braced herself for a terrible excuse.

“I, uh, had to bring my... dog! To the vet! He... ate all of my socks!”

…

If only she could apply her clothing artistry to other fields.

“Maybe if you were early, you could fully bake your excuses, Clumsinette!” Chloé laughed. “And you wouldn't look like a drowned rat!”

“You were also late!” she reminded her. She decided to let them go with just a warning, since she could hardly punish one and let the other free, and they had arrived before she could truly begin her class.

And then she saw something else that she knew she had warned about multiple times.

“Rose, I doubt the room needs to be perfumed,” she said as the blonde sprayed an envelope with perfume. It was a bit of a miracle that they hadn't started the experiment part yet – it could have cause an explosion! As she approached to grab the bottle, she also noticed that the girl was keeping her phone – switched on – under her table. “And using your phone in class? Take your things to the Principal.”

“Aww,” the girl moaned, but she had to be inflexible. Rose knew well enough what the rules in the lab were, and she had skipped all over them.

“I thought someone forgot a rotten fish in their bag, but it's just Rose's perfume!” Chloé, ever the troublemaker, shouted out loud, thinking she was funny.

“You have the exact same perfume in your locker,” Sabrina fired, causing everyone else to laugh while Chloé growled in embarrassment.

Alright, she could admit that it was a little funny. But that had no bearing with what was important right now – which was their class. She called everyone to order and began with her teachings of the day.

----

“Chloé, I don't feel so good,” Tikki moaned, her innards feeling like Plagg was doing his thing inside them.

“Oh, hush” Chloé replied, pushing her into the bag. “Don't you know Prince Ali is waiting at the hotel? I have to get ready!”

“Chloé!” That was Rose, who was clearly walking up to her. “Were you talking about Prince Ali?!”

“Not to you,” Chloé, ever the 'diplomatic', answered.

“Were you talking to your bag then? Cuz you have no friends?”

Ouch, that was kinda insensitive, Tikki thought, even if it was somewhat true.

“NO!”

----

Rose smiled. Poor Chloé, ever since Sabrina broke ties with her, she had been so lonely! But... she couldn't deny her a little favor such as this one, right?

“Could you give him this letter?” she asked, offering the letter she had been writing earlier in class.

“But of course!” Chloé replied, picking the envelope, before her smile turned... evil. “NOT!”

And she ripped her letter apart.

“AH!”

While she knelt to grab the pieces of paper that were all that remained of her work, Chloé got in her car, laughing like the evil witch she was.

“You seriously thought I'd walk around with that smelly fish rag?! Hahahaha!”

----

“Aghh!” Tikki groaned. The sudden movement was not doing her any favors.

“Hey! You better not get sick in my bag! You're ruining this moment for me!”

Love you too, Chloé, she thought sarcastically.

----

Hidden beneath her Queen's hair, Pollen was carefully combing through it to get rid of the knots that a long day at school had produced. She was glad that she could help her Queen in this way!

Then a car passed by, and her Queen's attention was drawn to it.

“Huh?! Wait, is that–?!”

Pollen looked in the same direction – and saw Tikki, lying on the hand of her wielder!

“Tikki?!” her Queen exclaimed. “Pollen, Chloé has Scarlet Lady's kwami!”

“Oh, my!” she said, smiling. Yes, her Queen had realized the truth of who had taken Tikki –

“She probably stole her! Cuz she's a thief and Scarlet is careless!”

“Oh my.”

Oof, so close.

----

He felt optimistic about this Akuma. The power she was granted could easily turn those blasted heroes into mere puppets of his will!

“Princess Fragrance, your perfume will be, from now on, your secret weapon. No one will be able to resist it, no one will oppose you!”

“I mostly just want my prince, to be honest...” the girl replied, “... but we can torment Chloé a little.”

Ah, Chloé Bourgeois. Clearly his best pawn in this world that kept preventing him from reaching his goal.

----

Marigold was a woman on a mission! And she wasn't going to let anyone prevent her from saving Tikki!

“Ahem,” she coughed, calling the attention of the hotel doorman. “Hello, I need to see Chloé Bourgeois! Hero business.”

“I'm afraid I can't let you in, Mlle. Marigold.”

What.

“Huh?!”

“Unless you have an invitation from the Bourgeois or there's an Akuma, you and Chat Noir are banned from the hotel.”

“B-but, why–”

“We're still finding ladybugs, Mlle. Marigold.”

“Ehehe...” she laughed.

C'mon, that was only because Scarlet wouldn't show up!

----

KNOCK KNOCK

“Oh, that'll be Adrien! Coming~” she sang out, putting Tikki back into her bag as she ran to open the door.

“Hey, Chloé,” and there he was, so handsome in his coat and vest and shirt and pants and he was so ready to be her one and done!

“Adrichéri, you're here –!”

And then her mood soured as she saw that chrome dome standing next to her Adrikins, wearing some sort of an ugly robe she wouldn't be caught dead holding in a hand.

“Agh! What are you doing here?!”

“I was invited,” the girl replied, glaring back at her.

“Doesn't she look great, Chlo?” Adrikins asked, unable to understand what he was supposed to be doing (which was getting rid of this girl, of course).

“Thanks, 'Adrichéri',” the girl said in a mocking tone.

“How dare you.”

----

She still wasn't sure why someone had thrown a perfectly serviceable motorcycle helmet and cape, but they (along with the pizza box she had also found in the pile) had allowed him to fool the doorman into thinking she was doing delivery.

She would have to thank Luka later for indirectly giving her the idea to do this.

Take your ban and shove it, Chloé! she thought, giggling to herself.

----

The doorman watched as another person dressed in what was obviously not normal clothes walked up to him.

“Oh, Lord, another one,” he muttered under his breath, before turning to the newcomer. “Mademoiselle, you can't be here–”

“That's no way to talk to a princess!” the stranger said, spraying him with a rather delectable perfume that assaulted all of his senses.

“Agh!”

Then, he realized he had had it all wrong! How could he have so horribly treated Princess Fragrance! He bowed to her and bid her enter the hotel.

“At your service, Princess Fragrance,” he said.

“I'm coming, my Prince,” Princess Fragrance sang out, before she turned. “Where's Prince Ali?”

“Restaurant floor, Princess Fragrance,” he informed her. She would soon meet her beloved Prince, and that could only make him happy.

----

This was Ali, Prince of Achu's, first visit to the city of Paris, which he had heard much about. But this was not a tourist's visit – it was meant to be about visiting the local children's hospitals, ensure the money was correctly invested in ensuring their health and, most imporantly, speak with the children and see for himself they were getting better.

But, still, as he was the representative to his country, there were unavoidable moments, such as meeting the local authorities. In this case, he would meet the mayor and the children of some of the city's biggest names.

Like the blonde girl standing in front of him – if his notes were right, she was the mayor's daughter – who was now holding a figurine of a girl that resembled her, but dressed in a red-with-black-dots costume and a domino mask over her eyes.

“Prince Ali, I brought you this beautiful, unique Scarlet Lady figure – for the children,” she said, offering him the figurine.

“Oh!”

He wasn't sure of what the children would do with the figurine, but it certainly wasn't safe for them.

----

He couldn't know that Chloé had just grabbed the figurine she liked the least off her shelf-slash-altar.

----

Then approached a boy with blond curls, holding a plushie of a boy that resembled him, but with wilder hair, a black domino mask and clad in black from neck to toes.

“I commissioned a friend for a few Chat Noir plushies,” he said. “The rest have been delivered.”

He picked it up, and smiled both at the detail and how good it felt to his hands. He knew the children would love this and the others.

“Oh, soft!”

----

He couldn't know that Adrien had asked his crush and number one fan to craft them. Or how handsomely he had paid for them.

Or how Marinette had worked on it as her 'compensating' Adrien for the Pixelator incident.

----

The last teen in the room was a Japanese young lady, dressed in traditional garb, greeting him with a bow that he returned.

“The Tsurugi's have delivered a truck of Marigold merch in your name,” she declared in (very) slightly accented French.

“That's so nice of you!” he declared. He and his companions would have to check and make sure the merchandise was child-safe, but he was certain the children would also love to play with them.

----

He couldn't know that Kagami's decision had been prompted by what some would call a 'girl-crush' she had on Paris' true heroine.

----

“And who are these characters?” Ali asked, confused. He knew he was not up on current cultural events, but maybe they could tell him? Perhaps it could be something to bond with children in the future?

----

He couldn't know...

... he was about to learn the truth.

----

Marinette ducked behind a short table as she saw the small group passing by, with Chloé between her father and the foreign prince Rose had mentioned in class – holding one of the Chat Noir plushies she had crafted at Adrien's request.

But her current target was elsewhere.

“Oh, there!” Pollen pointed out, signaling with her tiny arm at Chloé's bag, where Tikki could be seen hanging from.

“Pollen, she doesn't look so good,” she muttered, her heart hurting at the look. She had to find a way to get Tikki out of Chloé's hands!

Then the elevator's doors opened, and in came –

An Akuma?! One that resembled ROSE! What is she –!

The Rose Akuma aimed with what looked like a gun and pulled the trigger, but instead of a bullet it fired a cloud of green smoke that washed all over Chloé.

Everyone around her quickly covered their noses.

“Prince Ali, what – is that awful smell?” someone from the prince's entourage asked, her face almost as green as the cloud that now seemed to hang around Chloé.

“C-Chloé, you smell like rotten fish!” Adrien declared, trying to step away from her.

“What?! It's not me!” Chloé screamed, before she began to smell around.

It was definite.

This might be my favorite Akuma, she thought, giggling again as Chloé realized the true source of the smell.

“Oh no, it is me! Waaah!” the girl cried out.

“W-Who are you?!” the prince asked, clearly shocked. Didn't he know about Akumas?

“I'm Princess Fragrance, I came just for you!” Rose – or, rather, Princess Fragrance – declared. “One little PSHH, and you'll be my Prince Ali!”

Alright, pranking Chloé was one thing, but control someone was another – and she wasn't about to let the Akuma win.

She grabbed the pizza box and threw it at the biggest flower bouquet in the room.

“Not on my watch!” she shouted, as the flowers almost exploded from the impact, filling the room with flower petals – which fell around the Akuma.

“Wha– hey!”

“Now's our chance! Run!” the Mayor stated, ushering his guests away.

----

Adrien dodged out of the way of the rest of the group, ducking into a side hallway as Plagg came out of his pocked.

“Now's our chance! Plagg! Claws Out!”

----

With everyone escaping from the Akuma, and the latter distracted, it was her chance.

“Pollen, Buzz On!”

“Uh, wait, the helmet–” Pollen tried to say, but the magical transformation absorbed her before she could finish her warning.

Oops.

----

The Mayor slammed the door behind him, his back forcing it closed.

“We're safe, the door is reinforced,” he declared, but that was little comfort for everyone else, who were trying to hold their breath and avoid smelling the stench coming from Chloé.

“Disastrous!” Prince Ali's aide said. “How does anyone keep to a schedule like this?!”

Chloé looked around, and realized someone was missing.

“Hey... where's Adrien?!”

Kagami, covering nose and mouth with her sleeve, chose to answer.

“He must've been caught like the news crew.”

----

When Chat Noir returned to the place where he had split off from the group, he realized it was emptier than it should have been.

“Where is everyone?!”

----

The Mayor's claims that the group was safe were quickly put to test, as Princess Fragrance approached the door.

“Mon Prince~!” she sang out. “Breathe the perfume of our eternal love!”

And she fired her gun, which now shot a cloud of a dark pink that threatened to slip into the safe room.

“Not so fast!”

But a vacuum cleaner was turned on – and the pink cloud got sucked into the latter, preventing it from reaching the other group.

“Hey! How dare you... Marigold?” the Akuma reacted, seeing the heroine entering the scene by wielding the cleaner...

“Marigold is here! With... a helmet?” the Mayor said, surprised at the mysterious change.

“Make a break for it!” Kagami said, pulling from Ali's free hand.

“Wait, she's real?!” the Prince shouted, shocked.

Hasn't he been seeing news on Paris? Kagami thought.

----

Unfortunately for her, the vacuum cleaner had only worked as a temporary measure, as Princess Fragrance had simply amped up how much perfume she could fire. She was getting cornered.

But she found the means to escape. It was going to be tight, but she could fit in.

“You won't escape my perfume!” she heard Princess Fragrance sing.

I already have, she thought, and closed the dumbwaiter's door to go down to the kitchen. That was her way out.

----

Chat Noir finally found the rest of the group, diminished in number, as they reached another part of the restaurant.

“Chat Noir!” Alright, Kagami would act as a voice of reason.

“There you are! Where's the Akuma?” he asked, but the answer quickly came from another source.

“Behind us, close the door!” Chloé shouted at one of the hotel's workers, pointing at one door. “Daddy's been bewitched!”

But it was too late. Princess Fragrance walked through the door, still spreading her perfume around.

“Come into my arms, mon cher Prince~”

“No means no!” Chat Noir shouted, enlarging his baton and forcing the Akuma out of the room.

“OOF!” the Akuma complained. Chat Noir quickly turned it around and pushed out of the window, enlarging it until it touched ground.

“All aboard the Escape Express!” he declared, ever the showman.

----

Fortunately, lowering everyone who was still free of the Akuma's influence was easier than expected, and soon enough they had reached the Prince's car.

“Let's go–” Chloé said, but Kagami interposed her bokken.

“Stop,” the Japanese girl stated.

“Huh?! Where were you hiding that?!” Chloé asked, surprised.

“She's not after you and you'll stink up the car,” Kagami replied, ignoring the question.

“Let me in! Who do you think you are?!” Chloé yelled, and in her agitation, she made a mistake.

She forgot Tikki was in her bag.

And when she shook the bag, Tikki flew out of it.

“Go hide in a bush,” Kagami ordered, not caring for the other girl, as everyone else got into the car.

“Chloé,” Chat Noir said as the doors closed. “Wait for Marigold. Or your BFF, Scarlet Lady.”

“GRR!” Chloé growled.

“HOW DARE YOOOOU!” both Chloé and Princess Fragrance yelled out in unison.

----

Chloé's irritation with the world increased as she saw the Akuma fly off the restaurant's terrace in pursuit of the fleeing car.

“How dare that Akuma prove Tsurugi right by ignoring me?!” Chloé complained. “Tikki, time to give her a piece of my–”

But when she looked down into her bag, she realized the kwami was missing.

“Tikki?” She began to look around. “Where'd she slink off to?!”

She thought over what had happened, when she saw someone else showing up.

“Oh, no, where'd they go now?”

“Marigold!” she shouted, approaching the heroinesidekick.

“Chloé?!” Marigold waved her off, putting a disgusted face. “You stink!”

Chloé ignored that.

“After that car! Tsurugi stole my, um, important bug plushie!”

“Oh, I bet she did,” Marigold replied, before taking off after the car.

----

At the car, its four occupants remained on edge. Chat Noir and Kagami were more than conscious about the danger the Akuma still represented, while the Prince and his attendant, Soraya Khan, remained in shock about the sudden turn of events, of something that they had never heard about.

“Ugh, I can still smell it,” Mlle. Khan complained, as Chloé had been close enough to the rest that the rotten fish stink had permeated through their clothes and into the car. “I'll open the moonroof a little.”

“Ah, wait–!” Chat Noir warned, but the woman still did it.

“Don't be a fool, do you want the Akuma to gas the whole car?” Kagami stated, hitting Soraya's hand with her bokken.

“OW! What?! Surely we've gotten enough distance–”

“What a great idea, future servant~!” Princess Fragrance suddenly said, from the top of the car.

“NO!” Chat Noir yelled, but it was too late, as the car's interior got flooded with the pink mist.

“I'll take you to the Pont des Arts to seal our love!”

----

Out of sight of all the humans, a tiny kwami laid on the floor of the car, unable to act. Brought low by her sickness, she could only beg for her holder.

“C-Chloé...”

----

By the time she was able to track down the car, it had crashed into a pile of (now empty, fortunately) cars and buses. She knew it was a bad sign, that the Akuma had captured the ones riding there. Right now, though, she couldn't do much – save for helping the reason she had been running around.

“Oh no, Tikki!” Running up to the car, she finally got rid of her helmet (it would be restored to normality as soon as the Cure was cast) and checked into the car.

When she saw the tiny kwami, laying on the floor, in clear pain and distress, broke her heart.

“Tikki! Oh, you poor thing, you're worse than I thought!”

“M-Marigold?” Tikki weakly said as she picked her up. “I-I need to get back to Scarlet Lady, to transfor–”

“Absolutely not!” she interrupted. “I'm taking you to Master Fu first, no ifs, ands, or buts!”

“B-But–” Tikki tried to say, but Marigold was resolute.

“No buts!”

----

Finding her way to Master Fu's home was not easy, but with Pollen's help she was able to remember the path, and soon enough the venerable man was using his magic on the sick kwami.

“How did you find her like this?” the man asked.

“My classmate had her,” Marinette said. “Knowing Chloé, she probably stole her.”

Tikki let out a groan of what sounded like pain, but Fu smiled and retired his hands.

“She should be all better now.”

Tikki sat up and smiled. Her countenance had completely changed now, and it was obvious she was hale and hearty.

“Oh, thank you! I feel so much better! I'll go right back to Scarlet Lady now!”

“Tikki!” Pollen exclaimed. “Goodbye hug!”

“Huh?”

“My Queen gives the best hugs!”

“I-If it's okay...” Tikki replied, feeling insecure, but then Marinette smiled and opened her arms.

“Of course!”

And Tikki jumped to hug the one that should have been her wielder.

And if there were tears in her eyes, no one said anything.

Then Tikki opened her eyes and noticed Pollen giving her a face.

“Tikki, just to be clear, you're the only one I'm willing to lend my Queen to,” she whispered. “Tell the others she's off limits: especially Mullo.”

Wow, Mullo had to have done something bad to bring this side of Pollen.

----

“This padlock will seal our love for eternity, Mon Prince!” Princess Fragrance said as she spread her perfume over the object the ensorcelled Chat Noir was presenting her.

“At your service, Princess Fragrance!” Prince Ali replied, not realizing the danger due to the Akuma's power.

Suddenly, a top flew and struck the heart-shaped padlock Princess Fragrance had created, forcing it out of Chat Noir's hands and causing it to drop into the waters of the Seine.

“Rose, did you forget you have a girlfriend?”

“Marigold!” the incensed Akuma shouted as the top returned to the heroine's hand. “I have two hands, busy body! Servants, attack!”

As the people the Akuma was controlling ran over to her, Marigold just rolled her eyes.

“Honestly, I'm more afraid of Kagami than Chat Noir.”

----

Tikki quickly tracked down Chloé by the Earrings, and found her sitting down by the hotel, moody and arms crossed.

“Chloé!” she called out, and the girl looked up at her.

“Tikki! Where've you been?”

“The doctor. Like I told you earlier.”

“Don't you know I was stuck on the sidelines like some civilian?! Ridiculous, utterly–”

“Chloé–” she said, interrupting the girl's favorite sentence before she could get more absurd, but that was interrupted when Chloé looked up.

“Ah, there she is again!” the girl exclaimed, and she turned around to see the Akuma flying with the young boy from earlier holding onto her. “Tikki, Spots On!”

“Agh!”

Now, she could only hope Chloé would actually be able to do her part.

----

Hawkmoth was feeling impatient. The girl had managed to put Chat Noir under her control, but for some reason, instead of doing the obvious thing and taking the Ring, she was instead focused on forcing some boy to love her. He opened the connection to her and got ready to berate her.

“I'll enchant all of Paris and make it our kingdom!” Princess Fragrance declared, much to his shock.

“Wait, not me though, right?” he said before he could contain himself.

“ALL OF PARIS!”

…

I might have miscalculated this time.

He was now confronted with a Morton's fork. If he didn't reclaim the power, this Akuma might well manage to put him under her control, and he'd be unable to escape. But, if he did reclaim the Akuma, he'd lose the chance to get a half of what he needed to make the Wish! This was the closest he had been to his goal!

But then the Akuma's concentration was broken.

----

“I don't think so, Stink Bomb!” Scarlet shouted, throwing her yo-yo and hitting Princess Fragrance's gun before she could fire her perfume.

“Ah! Scarlet Lady!” Princess Fragrance turned to glare at Scarlet, only to see Marigold landing right next to her. “And you again?! What happened to my servants?!”

Marigold ignored the question.

----

At the banks of the Seine, Chat Noir had recovered his senses, and was now guarding the stunned people that had been controlled by the Akuma, tied up with his belt.

----

Scarlet called up the Lucky Charm, and as soon as it showed up Marigold grabbed it, an angry face over her features.

“I'll be taking that Lucky Charm!”

“Hey!” Scarlet yelled.

Nobody cared.

The one who cared was Princess Fragrance, but what she cared about was how the Lucky Charm – a balloon – got thrown into her gun just as she tried to put the heroines under control.

“Wha– NO!” the Akuma shouted as the balloon caused the gun to backfire and break down.

“VENOM!” Marigold shouted, jumping at Princess Fragrance, who had suddenly found herself defenseless.

“Wai–!”

Too late. The tip of the spinning top pierced her, and the Akuma was paralyzed, allowing Marigold to grab the perfume gun and smash it against the floor.

“Well, that was easy!” Scarlet said, immune to the glare the ticked-off Marigold threw at her.

“Easy for you, maybe.”

----

Prince Alí came about somewhere in the streets of Paris. Not only he didn't know where he was, he didn't know how he had actually arrived here. The last thing he could remember was that... Akuma? Throwing some perfume into the car he was riding, and after that it was a blank.

And then there was the girl next to him. He felt a bit uncomfortable about how she was holding his arm, but... he couldn't deny there was something genuine about her, unlike other girls he had met before.

“Prince Ali!” the girl said, smiling and blushing as she stood there.

“Where am I?” he asked, before turning to the two... heroes that had apparently saved him. “Who are they?”

The one in red and black – the one that resembled Mlle. Bourgeois – stepped up, while a loud beeping came from something around her. Had she left some alert that she was ignoring?

“Why, I am the famous hero of Paris, Scarlet–”

“Lady of Timers!” the other one, the one that resembled a bee, interrupted, pulling from the red one's ear.

“OW!” the latter said, but clearly the bee girl didn't care about her pain.

“Time to go, my Queen of Irresponsibility.”

The bee girl kept pulling from the other one, until they were at the top of the Sacre Coeur and...

“See you later!” she said, waving with one hand as she just shoved off her partner down the other side of the dome with the other.

“Are your heroes usually this... eccentric?” he asked the girl, who was similarly shocked.

“Um...”

Deciding to learn more of the situation and this young lady, he decided to talk with her, because maybe she'd be able to throw some light.

Rose – the girl – explained what Akumas were and how the heroes – Scarlet Lady, Chat Noir, and Marigold – fought the Akumas in order to prevent them from stealing some sort of object on behalf of Paris' villain. As for Rose herself, she had been Akumatized, and apologized profusely for what she had done, but he forgave her: if what she had said was true, everything she had done was not something she would have done if she wasn't under control of this Hawkmoth, so he couldn't blame her.

And then she had come down to explain why she had been Akumatized.

“I know you help the sick children of the world. I just wanted to tell you that you're the nicest person I've ever met!” Rose said, her face blushing from cheek to cheek, and he also felt his face redden. He had been told similar things many times... but never by someone so honest and sincere as Rose.

“Really?” he asked, but before Rose could answer someone else interrupted.

“Prince Ali!” Mlle. Bourgeois shouted as she ran up to them

Rose turned to look at Mlle. Bourgeois, but it didn't seem to be friendly at all.

“Chloé?”

Ah, so they knew each other?

“You're safe! Aren't you glad I'm safe too? Let's continue where we left off! And ditch Rose.”

The words had come out of her mouth like bullets from a machinegun, but still he understood them easily. He understood what the girl intended to do.

And put a stop to it.

“No thank you, I'll be going to the Children's Hospital with Mlle. Rose.”

“Whu–?! Uh, but–” Mlle. Bourgeois babbled, before she appeared to settle on an argument. “She has a girlfriend!”

Hm? Well, if Rose had someone she called a girlfriend, then she had to be a wonderful lady as well!

“Oh, I'd love to meet her!” he told Rose, smiling, and she smiled back at him.

“She'd love to meet you!”

“Arhh!” Mlle. Bourgeois yelled. Clearly, she had not expected this outcome.

----

Soraya Khan, Prince Ali's personal attendant, had been on a quest to track down her charge after waking up drenched and tied with other people by a belt next to the Seine. After the young hero untied them and explained something of what had happened, she had thanked him and then started to look for Ali, knowing that she was risking some severe punishment if the Prince of Achu suffered any damage while under his watch.

Fortunately, a lucky find had pointed her at the Children's Hospital the Prince had meant to visit, and she quickly rushed over, finding him playing with one of the cancer-struck children that were tended to there, as well as another girl of Prince Ali's age holding the child.

“Prince Ali! There you are!”

“Ah, you found me,” the Prince replied. Soraya felt slightly apprehensive: did the Prince not understand how important his security was?

“I've been looking all over Paris for you!” she pointed out, as the Prince and the blond girl stood up – holding hands.

What.

“Who is this?” she asked, surprised that her charge was holding hands with this unknown girl.

“This is my girlfriend, Rose.”

She felt her jaw dropping. At fifteen, the Prince had never shown any interest in other ladies, not even the ones presented to him by her family. And suddenly, a girl he had known for less than a day, he was willing to call her 'girlfriend'?

“And this is her girlfriend, Juleka!” he continued, pointing at the girl holding the other hand of the first girl, a contrast because, where this Rose was blonde and wearing colorful clothing and was just sunny, the second wore black all over her body and looked like she was used to look gloomy.

But here, the girl was smiling, and even waved at her.

“Hey.”

She felt a current of cold sweat down her back. Explaining this to the family was not going to be pretty...

----

As soon as he was certain he'd be able to get away, Adrien had transformed into Chat Noir and jumped his way across Paris.

He had received a message from Marigold.

Meet me at the usual point, 23:30.

And he might be mistaken, but she had sounded like she was on edge for some reason.

He hoped she wasn't angry with him.

When he landed, he found her with her back turned to him, and he decided he needed to avoid being the target of her anger any more.

“Hey Goldie, I got your message. Everything okay? You sounded a bit off.”

When she didn't react to this, he decided it was time to admit his mistake.

“Is this about the Akuma? I'm sorry, I didn't mean to get hit–”

“Chat Noir.” Wow, she sounded serious. And when she turned around, he realized she was really serious. “We need to talk about taking the Earrings from Scarlet Lady.”

He felt like his jaw was dropping. They had both thought about it once or twice... but this time, it was clear that Marigold really meant it.

It felt like nothing would be the same any more.

----

Despair Bear

@zoe-oneesama Here endeth Season 3. Season 4 will begin as soon as I can get the inspiration in the middle of this heat. Dealing with high 30s ain't fun.

#scarlet lady the novel #fanfiction #milarqui #long post #marinette dupain cheng #marigold #adrien agreste #chat noir #princess fragrance #rose lavillant #prince ali #chloe suffers

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