Breaking the Mask (Book Three)

Chapter 3

"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Chat Noir dodged an attack under the night sky, "This is the second one in the same day!"

"Whoever is controlling these must be getting desperate for our miraculouses," Ladybug said.

"Well, we better end this one quickly," Chat Noir growled, "This jackass is making us miss our daughter's recital"

Chat Noir pressed a button on his staff, making two large blades appear on either end of it.

~

Emma stood in front of the sink wearing a black, short-sleeved dress. Her long, blonde hair was curled and topped with a black headband.

"Emma?" Alya peeked her head through the bathroom door, "It's almost your turn. Are you ready?"

Emma moved a golden strand out of her eyes, "Are my parents back yet?"

Alya shook her head, "Unfortunately, no. I can't say when they'll be back"

Emma frowned, "They've already missed my last three recitals, though. They promised they would watch this one. I'm playing my favorite piece tonight, too"

"I'm sorry, sweetie," Alya sighed, "Your parents are... Very busy people. Believe me, they really love you, but-"

Without letting Alya finish, the young girl stepped out of the bathroom and took her sheet music from Alya. Alya frowned as she watched Emma walk away with her shoulders slouched in disappointment.

~

Ladybug and Chat Noir were still in battle when Ladybug heard her phone ring. She looked at her yo-yo and saw Alya's name on the screen.

"You can pick it up!" Chat Noir shouted as he called out his Cataclysm, "I'll finish it off. It's weak now anyways"

Ladybug swung away with her yo-yo. She jumped over buildings and landed in an alleyway before answering the call. The second she held her yo-yo to her ear, the sound of piano music played in the background.

"Hey, how are you guys doing out there?" Alya asked, "Emma's performance already started"

Ladybug frowned, then remembered that Alya can't see her.

"We're almost done," Ladybug said, "I'm sure we'll make it back there in time"

Right after those words left her lips, Chat Noir landed in the alleyway next to her, giving her a nod of confirmation that the battle is finished.

"We'll be there in a bit," Ladybug said, "See you there"

Ladybug ended the call and threw her Lucky Charm in the air, restoring the damage caused by their most recent enemy.

"Let's head back quickly," Ladybug said, "Emma's already started playing"

~

Back at the theater, Louis and Hugo were seated with Alya and Nino as their eldest sibling played onstage. Her piece was nearing its end, and their parents were still nowhere in sight.

With one last chord and a decrescendo to the end, Emma allowed the mixture of notes to ring through the room for a couple seconds before releasing the keys. The audience began clapping as Emma stood up, faced the audience, and dipped her head in a bow. When she rose from her bow, her green eyes scanned the room for any sign of her parents. They fell on her two younger brothers, then moved to Alya and Nino. Next to the adults were two empty seats. Emma's face fell when she saw that her parents had, once again, missed her performance.

Once the applause had died down, Emma grabbed her sheet music off the piano and walked offstage. As soon as she opened the backstage door, she was met face-to-face with her parents.