The Miraculous Tale of Red Beetle & Chat Noir

Darkblade

After ensuring the civilian was safe and receiving a nod from Chat, Red Beetle swung his yo-yo around a rooftop, allowing it to pull him through the air. He deftly navigated the rooftops, leaping and flipping with remarkable agility. With one last glance back, he launched himself into the sky, soaring gracefully through the air.

Red Beetle raced across the skyline, executing acrobatic flips and whirls. He landed gracefully on a ledge, gazing up at the bright sky with a small smile. 'It's strange,' he thought. 'Every choice, every action leads us down a path—some brighter than others. I used to believe it was all about victory and saving the victims. But now...it feels like a never-ending cycle of fighting shadows.'

He frowned, watching the clouds glide by, narrowing his eyes. 'Papillion thinks he can toy with lives as if they were mere playthings. But he doesn't understand—there's always a price to pay for corrupted magic. Papillion will answer for his actions. With Chat, we'll bring him to justice and put him behind bars where he belongs.'

Red Beetle took a deep breath, executed a windmill flip, and backflipped into the air with a graceful twirl. He landed on a nearby roof and sprinted across it, he ran towards an obstacle, jumped forward, and placed both hands on it while tucking his knees towards his chest. He propelled his body over the obstacle while maintaining momentum, landing on the other side, he slid under a bar and let himself fall before swinging onto his roof.

Red Beetle approached his trapdoor, landing softly inside with a gentle thud. As he stepped in, he muttered, "Spots off," and watched as his suit began to melt away, revealing his regular clothes beneath.

"Home sweet home..." Marcel sighed contentedly, glancing at Tikki as she flew off to grab a cookie. He observed the last remnants of the suit dissolve, finally leaving him in his everyday attire. The news played in the background on his computer as he moved toward his chair to finish the device he had been building.

"Red Beetle and Chat Noir have saved Paris yet again," the reporter announced. Marcel glanced at the screen and noticed Nadja's familiar presence delivering the news.

Marcel snorted in frustration. "And yet again, I hope I'll finally have enough time to complete my box." He grunted, annoyed not at the victim who was essentially possessed, but at the interruption itself. Grabbing a screwdriver, he continued building his device as Tikki flew overhead, munching on a cookie.

"What's the magic box for, Marcel?" Tikki asked, landing atop his head.

"To lock up my journal and all the other things that include my secrets," Marcel replied, tweaking the device, which was nearly finished.

"Every little secret? You mean you write everything down in that thing?" Tikki inquired, peering over his shoulder.

"Some things—only the stuff I need to remember...Why?" Marcel answered, repeatedly opening and closing the contraption to test if it would work.

"Well, for one, what if someone finds out you're Red Beetle? And two, what if someone finds out you're Red Beetle?!" Tikki exclaimed as Marcel slid his journal into the box.

Marcel closed the contraption with a grin. "One, I didn't write that down; I'm not an idiot. And two, that's not going to happen. Try it, Tikki." He gestured toward the device, a glint in his eye.

Tikki narrowed her eyes, wary of his look but still flew inside the box, attempting to lift the diary—only to get locked in instead. "Hey!" she shouted, her voice muffled through the box.

Marcel opened a drawer next to him and retrieved the key he had crafted for the trap box. "Good, it works." He unlocked the contraption, freeing Tikki, though he wondered why she hadn't just phased through.