Kwami Struggle a miraculous ladybug fanfiction by @storiesunite

Chapter 4: A Bit of Clarity

The red haired child was throwing away his cardboard costume, when a shadow flickered on the ground before there was a light tap of shoes. The boy turned around to find a smiling Chat Noir. "Hello Champ, remember me?"

The boy stammered. "Of course I do, you're the cat that saved my life."

Chat smiled even wider. "I'm so glad that I did, because me and Ladybug need your help." He extended a black gloved hand in invitation. 

The red haired boy rubbed the back of his neck guiltily. "This is about the Chemical thing I made, isn't it?"

Chat's smile lessened with a wince. "Yes, I'm afraid so." The child took the feline superhero's hand and Chat vaulted into the sky.

They bounded across the rooftops of Paris at a great speed and the boy whooped with exhilleration. He relished the adreniline in his veins, the wind in his strawberry red hair and the courage in his heart.  "I can't believe that this is what you and Ladybug feel like every day!"

Chat decided to lighten some more tension as they traveled. It was important to gain some trust before he and Ladybug would shower the kid with probing questions. Ladybug and Chat had been able to pin down that the strange changes to their suits happened AFTER that night on the spaceship. Chat cleared his thoat, doing his best to sound suave and cheerful. "Hey kiddo, let's play a game- I'll tell you my name and you tell me yours- sound fair?"

The boy's eyes bugged incredulously. Surely Chat Noir wasn't going to reveal his identity just right off the bat- The child nervously quavered. "Chat...I don't think-"   

Chat interjected. "My name is Pierre Punbreath. What's your name?" 

The boy paused when he realized that "pun-breath" wasn't actually a real name. He glanced at Chat Noir who was grinning widely with a twinkle in his eye. Oh good, it was a fake name. The boy vissibly relaxed. "My name is Jean Ballet."

Chat landed in front of the warehouse and set the boy down carefully. "Nice to meet you Jean." He pushed the door open and led Jean inside.

***

Ladybug set down her drink after Jean explained what the solution was and what it was designed to do. Her voice was a bit skeptical. "So let me get this straight- The thing you made was supposed to affect our suits so we wouldn't be able to use our powers anymore?"

Jean nodded, his read hair glinting with speckles of sunlight that shone through the tin roof. "That was what it was supposed to do...but now I'm understanding that you and Chat simply can't detransform- right?" 

Chat gave a thumbs up in confirmation.  "So far we are on the same page."

Jean paused to think, mumbling to himself as he drew figures in the dirt floor. Ladybug gave Chat an impressed look. This kid was a budding genius. After some time Jean looked up with a confident expression. "I know what went wrong. We were in space when my invention exploded, and the cosmic radiation from our enviornment- phased your creatures permenantly into your super-suits. THAT is why you can't seperate from your creatures and de-transform."

Chat and Ladybug were sharing a silent staring conversation with their alarmed expressions. 

How much did this kid know about Kwamis? 

Wait...this was going to be permenant?!

Jean noticed the tensitiy increase, then explained as he rolled his eyes. "Hawkmoth told me about your animals that serve as your power sources. Then I told him about my science experiment and Hawkmoth encouraged me to make a batch before you two showed up." Jean wore a devious sneer. "But you two aren't alone in this perdicerment."

Chat leaned forward. "What do you mean?"

Jean explained about how Mayura had created a sentimonster to help creat the chemical solution, and how both the Amok and an Akuma were still aboard the spaceship when the explosion occurred. Jean cackled mischeviously. "That means that Hawkmoth and Mayura are just as stuck as you are!! They can't de-transform! Oh I wish I could see the look on thier faces right now!"

The two villains that Ladybug and Chat had been seeking for months...could finally be caught.

This was both a dream come true- and a nightmare.

Jean's laughter died away as he became more serious. "I think the effects of the chemicals will wear off over time. But if after a week there is no change, I'll start scraping my notes together to create an antidote."

Ladybug glanced at Chat Noir yet again before getting up and offering her hand to the boy. "Jean, can I talk to you for a moment?"

Jean stood and accepted LB's hand. "Of course LB."

The two walked off to get out of earshot of Chat Noir. She turned to Jean. "There is more to our perdicerment. Last night- I woke up because of a nightmare, but when I looked over- Chat Noir had de-transformed back into his civillian form- But when he woke up, he transformed back. Do you think that might be possible for Hawkmoth and Mayura?!"

Jean hoarsely whispered. "So you two have told each other who you are then?"

Ladybug nodded. "It was the only way. We now have plans to keep our families from suspecting that our civilliain forms are connected to our super egos."

Jean nodded. "That's smart. As for you concern about Mayura and Hawkey- I- I think their situation is slightly different. I'll think about it and get back to you."

Ladybug smiled gratefully. "Thank you so much Jean."

Jean smiled, then waved to Chat Noir to signify that it was time to take him home.