The New Guardian

Chapter 23: The Cube Part 3

"Everything you went through." Ivory's eyes shot open, looking down at the pavement. "I see your reasoning. I've seen your lives. I've seen your heroic abilities." She sighed and looked at the two. Ladybug and Chat Noir watched her, unsure of their future. The story could go on, but their possible enemy has made up her mind. "I understand what I need to do."

The two heroes began to breathe heavy as they paled. Chat Noir began to cough, Ladybug choking soon after. Both hunched over, trying to stay up as they held their throats.

Ladybug's eyes watered from the lack of air. 'Were they to die? Here in the middle of the road? Had their internal fight been for nothing? How could it end so easily?' Ladybug thought. 'After those weeks at the temple and the long trial, they still couldn't escape the trouble that followed. Maybe Marinette's happy ending wasn't deserved.'

Ivory watched them, her face emotionless. Suddenly, Ladybug felt something as she continued to gag. It slithered against the back of her throat. In a matter of seconds, the small black cube fell into Ladybug's hands. Chat Noir's dropped to the pavement with a 'clack.' Ladybug inhaled deeply, trying to catch her breath. She stared at Ivory with hate. Ivory continued to watch as she opened her mouth, removing her cube from her tongue like a mint. She did it so calmly. It made the heroes' suffering seem unruly.

"Before you ask." Ivory said, picking up the box between them. It began to shake and the mini cubes shot up, reconnecting to the sides in a shimmer. "The cubes had to exit the body."

"It couldn't just shoot out of my hand or something?" Chat breathed, his throat burning.

"The cube has its ways. I'm just used to it." Ivory answered, standing up. She threw the box in the air and let it flash away.

"What are you planning to do?" Ladybug asked, slightly nervous.

Ivory picked up her blade, transforming it back to her bow, the arrow missing. "I plan to fix this." She threw her bow in the air and watched it burst into glitter and white flowers. They scatted like the miraculous ladybugs, fixing any damage. It cleaned up the aloe vera and blew out the fire, freeing the heroes and leaving a fragrant scent behind. Ladybug's yo-yo was fixed and her lucky charm disappeared. Ladybug and Chat Noir stood up.

"Thank you." Ladybug said.

"Don't think you've won." Ivory said, turning to walk to her partners. "This was hardly a battle."

"We won't." Ladybug said. "We're friends, aren't we?"

"Of course." Ivory looked down with a smile before peeking up. "Fern? Lemon?"

Fern nodded with a joyful grin.

"Whatever you say, boss." Lemon shrugged. "You're the leader."

Ivory turned back to Ladybug. "Even after sharing memories . . . I will not apologize for what I was taught. That isn't my responsibility, but for now . . . we are equals. I can see that you are prepared to defend this city and will do so effectively." She announced. "Do not worry about the temple, Marinette. I will keep the peace. New generations will start to move up and from this point, teachings will change. Because of my authority, I will keep our people on track to a better future."

"Paris is in good hands." Ladybug smiled. "And I will visit the temple every now and then, so don't be surprised when I stop to say hi."

"I look forward to it." Ivory spun and waved behind her.

Her partners shook off the situation, following their leader toward the setting sun. Lemon grabbed Fern's hand and interlocked their fingers as they smiled to each other. The trio disappeared as Ladybug turned to Chat Noir.

"It's finally-"

Ladybug jolted forward and covered Chat's mouth. "Don't you dare say it." Chat Noir stared down at her with a grin. Ladybug removed her hand and began to giggle. She grabbed his face, pressing her lips to his as Chat held her waist. Ladybug pulled back, resting her wrists on his shoulders. "You know we have to take the long way home in order to protect our identities."

"But your apartment is right there." He laughed.

"Reminds me of the old superhero days." Ladybug grabbed his hand and held it up. "But our miraculous also resumed after those cubes tried to kill us, so we have about a minute or less." She wrapped her arm around his waist and swung them on top of a set of buildings. Ladybug balanced herself. "Spots off."

Chat smiled. "Claws in."

"Now that the sun's setting and the conflict is over, we can finally enjoy the view in peace." Marinette sat on the edge, allowing her legs to dangle. Adrien sat next to her. "I wonder if Lemon could even fight after dark. Her powers are solely based on light and fire, but both are fueled by the sun. So if it goes down, do her powers at least weaken?"

"I don't know." Adrien said, staring at the outline of the Eiffel Tower. "I still don't comprehend how they keep their transformations going. Their powers are . . . just a mystery. They could easily crush us."

"I know. I was present for today's fight." Marinette chuckled.

"We're a power couple." Adrien shrugged.

Marinette smiled. "Maybe we should have enrolled at the academy for a year or so. There might have been less fighting if we did. Maybe we'd learn something there . . . or at least I would."

"Um, I don't think I would've belonged there." Adrien scrunched his eyebrows. "Besides the fact that everyone I ran into clearly hated me, I barely survived high school as it is. Sure, I won't have the insane popularity that I had here in Paris, but I'll have plenty of other reasons to be an outcast." He laughed. "A crazy, magical, academy, temple in the Tibetan mountains would've been a nightmare to survive."

"Nah, they'd love you eventually." Marinette blushed. "It took me some time."

"Well according to what you mentioned before, you've liked me for an insanely long time, but Chat Noir . . . a deal breaker there for awhile." He looked to her. "The claws just weren't fitting." He shook his head.

"Don't give me that look." Marinette hit his arm. "I vividly remember you constantly telling everyone who asked or even breathed my name that I'm "just a friend."" Adrien tried to speak, but Marinette silenced him. "Don't you even deny it. I will push you off of this roof if you do because I fell down so many flights of stairs for you and memorized your entire schedule for years in hopes that you'd at least take me on a date, but anything close to that was just a "friendly" get together." She glared.

"I know." Adrien admitted.

"I know." Marinette mocked, turning back to the pinkened sky with a grin. She pulled her legs up and rested her chin on her knees. "You really get on my nerves."

"But you love me." Adrien leaned against her shoulder.

"I do."