The Lone Vixen - EDITING

Chapter Fourteen: No Matter How You Look

"This isn't the glamorous first class seating I was hoping for!" Luka screamed from Rena Rouge's arms as she flew him to the Columbus Café. She had picked him up eighteen minutes ago and they had been delayed leaving by his mother. "The Rouge express needs to pull into the station!" She had a smirk on her face while he screamed. She had learnt that he has a fear of heights on the way there. She had threatened to drop him on the roof of the Notre-Dame, and he had said "Anything is better than being up here." Up ahead, she could see their destination as clear as day. The streets may have been bustling, but her keen fox eyes locked onto the small shop. The lot in front of the café had nothing but a few pedestrians wandering around. "I think I'm gonna be sick."

"Okay! Tallyho!" She stopped flying, causing them to suddenly drop towards the ground. Luka screamed, as did the bystanders on the ground who looked up in horror. Alya was having fun. She loved the feeling of the wind in her hair, and the drop of her stomach is if she were on a roller coaster. At about seven feet before they were about to hit the ground, she began flying again, making them both safe. She lowered them to the ground, where Luka threw up his breakfast, and hugged himself. "It's okay everyone. He's safe. Hey, kid. How bout' we get some food in that stomach you just emptied? A growing boy like you needs his nutrients." Alya was setting it all up. After all, if people were to ask about them having lunch together, you can't give 'we're dating' as an explanation, since then they couldn't date as civilians. Luka looked up at her with a scowl, but nodded anyway. She offered her hand to help him stand up, which he hesitantly took. "Everyone go back to your day. This young man is in good hands." The news man whom had been recording the event shut off his camera and started towards Rena. "Come on Luka." She whispered as she pulled him into the shop.

The woman at the front desk of the café had their back to them. Apparently, no one else was in here, so she was cleaning up from earlier. "Hello, welcome to Columbus Café. I'll be with you in a moment." She continued cleaning up for two minutes, before she faced them. She was utterly shocked. "R-R-Rena Rouge? Oh my." She said with a smile. "It is my pleasure to be feeding you and this young man this afternoon. If you want, I can take your order here, and you can choose whatever table you want." Her smile was so sweet. Alya realized the 500th time since becoming a hero that your presence meant something. Just being in a room with someone can make their day. They ordered coffee and sandwiches, and chose a two-seater by a window. She came back six minutes later with their food. "This is the last time I'll say anything, but, I just wanted to thank you. My younger sister Julia was akumatized last month, and you saved her. I just... I've never gotten to thank you for that, so... thank you."

"You don't have to thank me. You should be thanking Chloe Bourgeois. She assisted in saving your sister. Without her help, I would never have been able to capture her akuma." The woman nodded with a smile still on her face as she left their order on the table. As soon as she was gone, Luka felt that he could speak.

"What was that for?"

"Talking to the waitress?" she asked, very confused.

"No! The dropping thing! We could have died!"

"It was payback for you saying you'd blackmail me! And besides, we wouldn't have died, so stop worrying about it. I was only having a little fun."

"At my expense." He mumbled, taking a bite of his sandwich. His mood immediately got better once he had some food in him, and they had a more uplifting conversation. "So... uh, why is your hair longer as Rena Rouge?"

"I... I've never thought of that before. I guess it's because I don't like it, and I don't really want anyone to make the connection that it's me, you know." Luka blushed before continuing.

"If they haven't figured it out by now, I don't think they ever will. And besides... you're beautiful no matter how you look." Alya looked into his eyes. They were like portals into the sky. You could get lost in eyes like those. They reminded Alya of Marinette's beautiful bluebell eyes, but surprisingly, it didn't make her upset. It kind of made her happy. If Marinette really was gone... then she would get to be around a close friend of hers that shared her favorite part of her appearance. Alya suddenly felt a hot, burning pain in her head. She grimaced, and Luka looked at her in surprise. She didn't mean too, but she whimpered... pretty loudly. "Y-y-your-" he kept circling his face. Alya had a sharp intake of air. It hurt so badly.

"My what?!"

"... hair." Alya reached her hand up to grasp a tuft of her hair. She had to reach her hand up higher than she had thought. Her hair was now the length it was as Alya. The white tips were still there, but the ponytail only held the top half of her hair. It was what she liked to call "some-up-some-down". She almost screamed. It's not every day that your hair retracts back into your skull. Instead of that though, she settled for the better option... hyperventilating. "Als, calm down. Everything's fine."

"No! No, it is not! Trixx, this isn't funny!" 'I'm not laughing at the situation. I'm laughing at your reaction. Your exact thoughts were "I'll ask Trixx to make Rena's hair short when I get home". I just did you a favor and changed it now.' Alya groaned.

"What'd she say?"

"She said she was doing me a favor." Luka chuckled and leaned forward, taking her hands in his.

"Everything is fine. You have me, and besides... you look beautiful no matter what." They blushed together and leaned in, totally missing the jealous Burnette outside the window. She clenched her fists and ground her teeth. This couldn't be happening. First, Adrien was taken away by Ladybug, now, Luka was taken from her by Rena Rouge?! She was angry. She never got her way. The people she loved were always taken away from her by people she looked up to. Before Rena Rouge and Luka kissed, she looked at him and asked, "Would I still look beautiful if I were to lie like Lila?" The brunette didn't see or hear his response. All she could see was white in her burning eyes.

"Volpina... I am once again gifting you the power to make your words truth. Prove to the one you love that you are not a liar, and bring about the downfall of the one who has taken him from you. Do we have a deal?"

"Yes Hawkmoth." Lila said with a smile.