10 A Gong?!

I stood there frozen not knowing what to do for a while then finally said, "u-uhm maybe you should just go to a safer place I'll be fine." I began biting my nails as Tikki flew out of my bag and started motioning for me to transform.

"No! Let's go Marinette if you hurry we can still get away before they find us. I'm not leaving you here alone!" I stared shocked at the curtain before deciding just to put my civilian clothes on and run out of here with Luka.

I'd rather get him out of danger first then sneak away through a crowd or something later to transform.

I zipped up my pink jeans then rushed out grabbing him by the hand while running out of the store. Looking around I saw the vast halls emptied like a ghost town. "This way!" I pulled him towards an exit door only to be cut off by a pink ball of gloop. I stuck my finger in it then smelled it, "is this...Lipstick?"

"HA HA HA! RIGHT YOU ARE YOUNG LADY! I AM KITTY CONTOUR AND I AM GOING TO MAKE EVERYONE PAY FOR CALLING MY MAKEUP SKILLS OUTDATED! ESPECIALLY CHLOE BOUGIOUS!" I looked at the black and white neo-noir looking akumatised woman and facepalmed myself in annoyance.

Looking back at Luka I saw that he was no longer there but instead shielding me from the front. "Run Marinette, we have no idea what she's been doing to people, go!"

"But--"

He looked back at me sternly then looked back at Kitty Contour vigorously. "I'll be right behind you, but don't wait for me if Ladybug and Chat Noir try t move you. Listen to them for me."

I ran back to him one more time and kissed him on the cheek. No sooner after doing that, Chat Noir falls through the glass roof of the mall landing just a few feet away from us. He looks to the both of us and yells, "get out of here! I've got it from here little boy!"

Wow, Adrien. You really think acting this petty is going to close any distance between us?

I washed the thought away and grabbed Luka's hand to run when I suddenly couldn't feel the floor beneath my feet anymore. Looking up, I saw Luka's blue hair brushing past me as Chat Noir pulled me away in his arms. "What the hell are you doing!? You just left him there by himself!"

Without looking at me he monotony said, "Ladybug will take him out don't worry."

Placing me down on the top of a nearby building, he turned around and jumped away. "You stupid cat!" I screamed at the top of my lungs and opened my bag to see Tikki fly out a little worried.

"Are you alright Marinette? Don't let your emotions get the better of you, he just misses you after all."

She was right. I did break up with him more than a week ago. I should expect him to still want to be by my side, but why...why does it feel so wrong then? It might just be a fluke but--

I snap out of my thoughts from the sound of glass breaking and a cat flying halfway across Paris followed by a pink blob and sparkling powder. Looking down at Tikki we both sighed, annoyed at the fact that he can't stall even for a few minutes. "Alright, let's go kick some Akuma butt. Tikki...SPOTS ON! YEAH!"

After my ahem, beautiful transition into my Ladybug form, I swung into the mall to no longer see Luka there.

Thank god...

Looking around, I saw the pink globs with people inside. Stepping closer I noticed their faces were all morphing into something else. Before I could get a clear reading, I felt a soft brush of air beside me and looked to see none other than Chat Noir. "Are you done flying halfway across Europe?"

I rolled my eyes at him as I started to run through the mall looking for the villain. "As long as you're done being late...as usual Ladybug." I could hear the annoyance in his voice only, I didn't know if it was from me or well, me.

Chat and I don't hate each other, we don't even dislike each other! It's just this unspoken thing that probably will never be talked about between us until he feels ready. It really isn't my problem until he feels he needs to address it...Which it looks like is going to happen soon.

He's like a tea kettle; He screams to let off steam, but it's only a matter of time before he boils over and burns someone with his scolding water.

The one problem that I have with him letting off steam is that being the holding of the miraculous of destruction, he needs to be careful not to let anger dictate him into something he may regret. "How did you get here faster than me though? I was inside the mall getting my friends out of danger already..." Letting my question trail off, I realized what I had just said to him and quickly bounced back, "I-I mean because all of the good after holiday sales that are going on w-we wanted to get some clearance stuff and uhm...Chat?"

When I decided to actually pay attention, I saw that he was already jumping away to find the akumatized victim.

You could've told me!

Instead of dwelling on it any longer, I followed him through the halls so that we could end this quickly as always.

Swinging up beside Chat Noir as he's once again thrown across the room by Kitty Contour, I sigh and tell him for the fifth time, "you can't keep attacking her like that! She's too powerful, we need a plan." Pulling into one of the stores, I duck us down over the counter and whisper to him, "I don't know if I should use my lucky charm yet because we still don't know where the Akuma is hidden!" I looked at him for his own opinion but it looked like he wasn't even paying attention.

I waved a hand in his face making him snap out of his paralysis, "alright, here's the plan: I'm gonna come in through sky window above and use my cataclysm on her broach." Before I could ask him how he knew it was her broach he was already running down towards the exit of the mall.

"Awww~! Your little Kitty doesn't want to play anymore? No matter pesky bug, we can still have fun!" Jumping out of the way, I fly over a big pink glob of transparent gloss. Looking up, I see Chat Noir already on the room and ready to jump.

Before I could yell at him not to, he jumped from the room and started to get tangled in the old woman's red poofy hair. "Chat just let go!" he struggled to get his claws out of her knotted strands while the woman spun in the air and spurted blushy powders everywhere.

Finally, with one hand free, he was dangling down the woman's forehead, "CATACLYSM!" reaching down, he grabbed the broach and we both watch as it wilted to rust.

I think just by looking at his face, anyone could tell that he knew he fucked up. The second, the rusted bits hit the floor, Kitty Contour ripped Chat from her curly rat's nest and flung him across the mall laughing evilly. "HA! I KNEW THE CAT STILL WANTED TO PLAY!"

Without hesitating another minute, I swung far away from the Akuma, "LUCKY CHARM!" Throwing my yo-yo up, I looked up to see a huge metal gong about to hit me in the head. I stepped back and watched it curiously hit and break the marble floor.

Chat walked up beside me rubbing his back in annoyance, "a freakin gong? What the hell are we supposed to do with this?" He tried to pick it up but struggled immensely. I crouched down and helped him pick it up but dropped it again, indenting the floor upon realizing what it was for.

"I uhm...I have to go, Chat Noir! I need you to hold off the Akuma until I get back, can you do that without getting hurt?" He looked at me annoyed then sighed.

"Fine...But where are you going, what does this stupid gong mean?" I looked away feeling awful about having to lie to him.

Master Fu told me not to tell him anything yet which made me uneasy at first but it was for the greater good. "I'll explain when I get back, be careful!" Without waiting for his answer I swung away and hoped he'd be able to keep Kitty Contour busy for the time being.

Destransforming, I run into Master Fu's place trying to catch my breath. Looking up from my panting, I see that Master Fu has just come out of his meditation. "Ah Marinette, has your Lucky Charm brought you to me again?" he laughed as he stood up from his mat and waited for me to tell him what's going on.

"Well uhm yes, that's exactly what happened." I opened my bag to have Tikki fly out munching on a macaroon. "It seems that Kit- uhm I mean the Akuma is too strong for just the two of us..."

Before I could continue, he was already opening the secret case that held the rest of the Miraculous and handing it to mean. "Marinette, choose a wise partner to help you in this battle that you know can be of some use to you but you trust to return the Miraculous when the deed is done." Looking at all the Miraculous, I struggled to think of who was around that could help and which one to actually use.

I know Luka is nearby, maybe I could give him the snake Miraculous, or Rose the Bee? I know Juleka is here too but would she even want to do it? She hasn't really said anything about wanting to be a hero...

Then, my eyes spotted the perfect one for this Akuma, "I need this one Master Fu." Picking it up, I bowed and ran out the door with Tikki tracking behind me already finished recharging. "Let's go regroup, TIKKI SPOTS ON!" With that, I swung through the Parisian streets looking for the next temporary holder.