No More Secrets

Chapter 18

Marinette sighed as she watched the news on the TV.

"A new villain known as Time Queen is terrorizing Paris! She seems to be fighting Chat Noir, but where is our famous heroine Ladybug?"

"Well, she happens to be at home," Marinette mumbled as she got up. "C'mon Tikki. You know the drill."

"Then just say the words!" The small kwami replied.

"Tikki, spots on!"

0~0

Ladybug jumped down behind the golden villain. Straightening her posture, Ladybug let out a small cough hoping to gain the attention of the villain.

Succeding, the villain turned to face her. "Well, it looks like Ladybug decided to show up for once!"

Rolling her eyes, Ladybug jumped away from the villain dodging her attack. "I don't see anything that could be her akuma." The spotted heroine mumbled to herself.

"I know." She heard a familiar voice behind her.

Turning, she saw Chat Noir looking down at her. "Chat..."

There was an awkward silence between the two, and Ladybug hated it. It hurt her to know how Chat had pursued Marinette. To make it worse, she could still remember the look in his eyes when he had cut her with his claws. She took a few steps back, and Chat seemed to realize how the bluenette felt.
"R-Right." Chat sighed. "Well, we have to finish this before it gets too late. There's school tomorrow after all."

Ladybug flinched. Turning to him, she took a long look at him. For the first time, she realized there was something familiar about him, but she couldn't put her finger on it. Sighing, she turned back to the villain and analyzed her. Her costume doesn't seem to have anything unusual about it. But I think that there's something on her hair... Turning to Chat Noir she told him a quick plan that may be able to cleanse the akuma.

0~0

"Bye-bye little butterfly." Ladybug waved as the white butterfly fluttered up into the dark sky. She smiled as she watched it disappear from view. I wonder what it feels like to be that free.
However, her thoughts were interrupted as she felt a small tap on her shoulder.

Turning, she saw Chat Noir looking down at his feet, and playing with his fingers. "Ladybug, I know it isn't my place to say this but-"
Chat was cut off by a small beeping coming from his ring.

"Sorry Chat, but I guess it's going to have to wait." Ladybug smiled before swinging away towards the bakery.

0~0

Marinette sulked in her chair as she glared at the paper in front of her, the foreign language almost mocking her. "I. Hate. Japanese." The bluenette mumbled.

"Marinette, you should take a break," Tikki called out beside her. "You're not sleeping well, and it's already midnight. You should stop for today." The small creature flew up to her. "Besides, this is due in two days."

"No, Tikki. I'll just end up procrastinating in the end." She huffed before turning her attention to her paper.

"Marinette-"

"No."

Tikki sighed. "You still need to feed Arbuste."

"Arbuste?"

"Marinette!"

The bluenette jumped up. "Arbuste!" Marinette ran to the corner of her room where the small cats' food was and opened the lid. She scooped out a few pellets and placed them in the bowl in front of her bed. She then turned her attention to the small water bowl and grabbed it. She ran into her bathroom and quickly filled it up, before putting it beside the food bowl, where the black cat was now eating. Smiling, Marinette lightly pet the kitten, before collapsing on her bed.
Forgetting all about her homework, Marinette drifted off into a deep sleep.