A Masked Game

Ready Player 3

Flashback Cutscene: Autograph

9 years and 9 months ago...

As the orchestra settled down on their chairs, the cello took centre stage and the delicate, yet perfect, notes of a soft love song began to play. Ladybug looked down at her ballgown and felt like Cinderella; any moment now the clock would strike midnight and she would be turned back into her normal, chaotic self. She swayed side to side, allowing the fabric of her dress to swish and spiral around her legs as she moved fluidly to the tune. It was just a shame she wasn't as fluid when someone was beside her.

She looked up at the clock on the wall and sighed happily when she realised she had at least 3 hours until she had to worry about completing her riches to rags story. Tikki had done a wonderful job transforming her usual plain suit into one a Princess would be proud of, and as she stood here twirling around, she couldn't help but giggle.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng was at a ball, and so was Adrien Agreste — standing over the other side of the room and smiling at her. Unsure what to do, Ladybug quickly attempted to make herself look busy, not like a young teenager let out of the house for the first time. Looking side to side, she spotted a waiter with a tray of drinks. She was 17 years old, she'd had alcohol before, her mother and father always let her try a little on holidays. Without too much thought, she grabbed a wine glass and took a swig, at the same time as she noticed Adrien moving towards her – only to start coughing. Violently.

Her eyes began to water, the coughing not stopping and turning her from the Princess at the ball to the wicked witch.

"Hey, Ladybug, are you okay?" The warmth of Adrien's hand soaked through the back of her dress, his fingers imprinting on her body and she knew she would never get rid of the feeling ever again. She didn't want to.

"Yeah," she sputtered out, bending over once more before standing up straight and looking at her boyfriend all wrapped up in the most perfect tuxedo. The bowtie was positioned in the middle of his shirt collar – a suit tailored to perfection.

"Wow!" he said, looking her over.

Trying to gain some confidence, she slowly turned around to give him a good view. "That dress is beautiful! Did Marinette design it for you?"

Her eyes widened and her mouth opened to speak. Instead of words though, a weird noise escaped her lips. "Marinette?" she wasn't sure if that's how it sounded as it escaped her lips, but she was certain that was what she was trying to say.

"Oh," he reached up and rubbed the nape of his neck, the sleeves of his jacket pulling against his biceps and almost had her choking once again. "I'm guessing it was meant to be a secret. Sorry. I just saw that dress in her sketchbook and well –"

Before he could say anything else, or her squeak at him again, the orchestra finished playing the current song, the crowd breaking out into applause. "Yes," Ladybug said. "Yes, Marinette helped me. I told her what kind of thing I liked and she designed it."

Suddenly, the band struck up again, this time with one of her favourite songs. She began to humm and sway again.

"Care to dance?" Adrien asked, offering a hand out to Ladybug.

She looked between his hand and face, a playful grin coating her lips. "And what would your girlfriend think about this?"

"She'd be glad I was saved by Paris' superhero. There are too many people staring at me at the moment, and I know I'm either going to get girls coming over to flirt, or people quiz me about the disappearance of my father. I can't deal with that at the moment. So, please, give this guy a break."