Stuck

Chapter Ten: In Which There's Yet Another Akuma & A Cliffhanger

When we get to the source of all the noise, there's heaps of people around, mostly police and students from the school. As we touch down, I hand my sketchpad and card to Alya.

'Keep these safe for me please.' I know she'll flip through the sketchpad to see what's in it, but there's nothing in there.

'I am the Baker! Nothing and no one will stop me from getting my daughter back! And you Ladybug and Chat Noir will give me your Miraculouses!' Papa's standing in the centre of the school. He's wearing a dark blue, white and black outfit with a mask. Oh no, he's been akumatized. And all because of me...

'The Baker?' Chat says, walking towards him, 'Isn't that kind of unoriginal? I mean, isn't that your everyday job?'

'Argh!' Papa raises his weapon, an oversized baguette, at us, Chat in particular, and fires. Everyone starts scattering except Alya and Nino who moves Alya to the side so she won't get hit. I pull Chat down just in time, and whatever came out of the baguette splatters on the wall behind us. Chat goes up to it and tries some.

'Gross! Cheese.'

'Chat, you really need to stop tasting things that akumas fire at us. You're going to die from poisoning one day!'

'Yeah, yeah.'

'Okay, to the right then over.' I say hurriedly as Papa takes aim again. Chat nods and we spring into action, swinging off the balcony above us. As he's spinning around trying to find is trying to keep track of us both, I make a grab for his weapon but he bats me away. Chat comes in from behind and knocks it out of his hand.

'Yoink!' He dashes away and joins me on the other side of the hall. I snap it over my knee, but no akuma comes out. Where could it be? I notice his left hand is clenched around something. I signal to Chat and point at it. He nods and starts to go for it but at the moment, Papa jumps and somehow gets onto the roof. He dashes away and starts roaming the city in search of, well, me.

We spend the rest of the afternoon going around the city after him, getting into little battles every now and again. Finally, out of frustration, I call upon my Lucky Charm. It's a...whisk? I shrug but hold onto it anyway. It should become useful soon enough. We're currently by the Eiffel Tower, where a lot of our battles seem to end up. Chat comes over just after my Lucky Charm appears.

'Do you want to hide out somewhere mi'lady? Just in case, you know.' I think it over for a moment and decide it's just not worth the risk.

'Be back soon kitty. Think you'll cope?' I tease.

'Probably. I can call you if I need to.' I wave and swing off, looking for a place to hide for a few minutes. The bakery? Nah, too far away. That rules out the school too... I stop for a moment to gather my thoughts and realise I'm right by the Bourgeois Hotel. That'll do, and plus, Chloe's probably still at school. I jump down onto the pavement and duck in the front entrance, trying to avoid as much attention as I can. Sadly, all my effort is for nothing as Chloe rushes at me.

'Ladybug! What are you doing here? Isn't there an akuma out there?'

'Yeah, I just need a room or somewhere for five minutes; Quickly. There's no time to explain.'

'Jean!' Chloe calls out. Her butler comes over almost instantly.

'Yes, mademoiselle?'

'Ladybug needs a room now. Make sure she gets one of the nicer ones too.' He nods and starts leading me to the elevator. As we get closer to a room on the third floor he asks me if there's anything else I require before leaving.

'Uh, a couple of cookies?' I close the door but seconds later, he knocks on it and I grab the plate, slam the door shut and lock it. As the last spot flashes away, I hope to transform back but to no avail. Well, it means Hawkmoth can't take our Miraculouses. I scarf down the cookies anyway (what? I'm hungry). As I wait for the spots to reappear, I grab a pad of paper and pen from beside the phone and write a short message saying thanks. I unlock the door once my spots have returned, pick up my whisk from where I left it on the bed and leave through the balcony doors.