To Felix and Beyond // Miraculous Ladybug

28 - Gala

It was a good thing Alya's parents were out of town because they would have killed her if they saw the police on their doorstep because their daughter hacked into airline records.

It was also a good thing Ladybug was the one who answered the door, because after explaining that they needed to test something, the police let Alya off with a warning.

"I can't believe there's two of them!" Ladybug threw her hands up. "Two of them!"

"At least t explains why the fights have been harder," Chat added with a shrug.

Ladybug turned to Alya. "I need to take care of something after we found out this information. Thank you so much, Alya, but I can't keep you in this danger any longer. You don't need to do this for us anymore, and I hope I will see you at the gala tomorrow night," Ladybug told her and exited quickly after.

Chat Noir nodded towards her. "Yes, I can't thank you enough. But knowing there is two of them now, we can't keep you in this danger... and now that they know we know there's two of them, they're going to raise the difficulty of these fights," Chat concluded. "I'll make sure to say hello tomorrow night," He smiled, and followed Ladybug.

"What do we do now?" Chat Noir asked Ladybug.

"I have to talk to someone... the guardian, that is, I have to warn him," Marinette told Adrien, and before he could even reply, she took off running and threw her yo-yo.

Alya didn't want to tell them anything, scared it would be wrong, but she did have doubts.

---

"Our heroes of Paris, Ladybug and Chat Noir!" The mayor introduced to the gala, and the two heroes entered.

They were exhausted. After helping Alya last night and finding out there was a second villain, they could barely sleep. Then, since the villains knew they knew, they sent out their toughest Akuma yet earlier in the day. Marinette was just happy that it wasn't sent off during the gala, which only made her theorize that one of the villains would be attending.

Ladybug and Chat Noir walked arm in arm onto the stage to greet a crowd clapping for them; all dressed up.

They agreed to answer some questions to the press, but that was before Marinette was about to pass out. She couldn't back out on her word, so she told Chat Noir she would give it all she had.

Reporters gathered around once the introduction concluded. Marinette looked around at all the screaming faces, only to see her favorite reporter slumping against the wall in the back corner. She nudged the boy to her side, then nodded her head in Alya's direction.

"Give me one second, I'll be right back," Ladybug said and went around all the reporters and followed to the back. "Alya, what's wrong?"

Alya looked up with a blank stare on her face. "I can't stop thinking about the video. I didn't get any sleep last night, at all, and I keep thinking of ways I ways track them-"

Ladybug put her hands on Alya's shoulders. "Hey, you don't have to do anything. You did enough to help us find out there's another villain, you don't have to carry this burden around anymore," She tried to comfort her.

Alya knew she had to listen to Ladybug, but deep down, she would always feel a burden. "Forget about it for tonight, go have fun!" Ladybug gestured to the dance floor. "I really have to get back to Chat Noir before he dies from all those reporters. They aren't like you; you're the one we love talking to the most," Ladybug told her. "I'll see you around."

Alya smiled, comforted by her words. She reluctantly pulled out her phone, and started live streaming the event to the Ladyblog.

Ladybug resumed her spot next to Chat Noir, trying to be awake as she could. "Ladybug! Why are you always late to battles?"

Chat Noir laughed and put his arm on her shoulder. "Old habits die hard," He answered for you.

Questions were being thrown a million a minute, and Marinette couldn't keep up with it. She answered some, but some were so quick she didn't have time even to process the question. Adrien was taken over to another part of the stage, talking to more reporters, and they were separated. "Ladybug, do you and Chat Noir know each other's identities?" One yelled, and caught her attention.

"Uh," She started, staring at the reporter. "W-we, we don't, r-really t-talk about, about identities," She stuttered out, making it completely aware that they, indeed, knew each other's identities.

Chloe was watching and could tell Marinette was freaking out. She didn't know what she had to do, but she knew she had to act quick. "Oh my gosh, Ladybug!" She squealed and ran into the stage. "Come on; I have to show you something!" She acted like her old, annoying self to get through the reporters and get her friend out of there.

Chloe grabbed Ladybug, so she had no choice but to follow her. And to be honest, she was thankful Chloe pulled her off the stage.

Ladybug was pulled around to a part of the hotel sectioned off for authorized personnel only. The door closed and Ladybug fell against the wall with a loud sigh. "Thanks, Chloe."

"You look exhausted, are you okay?" She asked.

Marinette put her hands up to her eyes. "I'm drained, Tikki's tired, and I just need a break. We found out something scary last night about Hawkmoth, and he decided to use it against us today. I just... I'm so tired," She mumbled, her words running together.

"Do you...would it help if you detransformed? Back here, there are no cameras, and I would watch the door to make sure no one will come in if you need it," Chloe offered.

Marinette nodded. "That, that would probably help a lot. Tikki' been exhausted as well and she needs more breaks than normal," She sighed. "Tikki, spots in," Marinette called quietly.

Chloe was shocked by the pink flash that engulfed the room. She knew about Marinette's identity, but she had never seen her transform. Her jaw dropped when she saw a small, rat-bug fall onto her lap.

"Marinette, I'm sorry, the Akuma really-"

"I know, Tikki," Marinette grabbed the cookies she had stored. "Here, try to regain your energy. We might have to take you the healer tomorrow," Marinette whispered, then looked up. "Right, Chloe, this is Tikki. She's what grants me my powers to become Ladybug."

A smile went to Chloe's face. "A pleasure to meet you, Tikki. If you need any more sweets, I know where the best ones are," Chloe said.

"Thank you, Chloe," Tikki chirped and bit into the cookie.

Marinette jumped when there was a knock on the door. Chloe opened the blackout screen just so she could see who it was, only met by Chat Noir. "She's detransformed, Chat-"

"He knows, let him in," Marinette added.

Nodding, Chloe opened the door just enough for Chat Noir to sneak in. "Marinette, what happened?"

"It really hurt Tikki today, that villain. We don't even have a name for her, yet she's ten times stronger than Hawkmoth!" Marinette groaned.

Chat Noir slumped down next to Marinette and looked back up at Chloe. "You can go back out there and party, I'll keep her company," Chat advised.

"If it's okay with you, I want to make sure she's going to be all right," Chloe responded, a little shy.

Adrien nodded to Chloe to confirm she could stay. "Plagg was worn out too, but it's nothing a lot of Camembert and sleep can't fix. But I know your powers take more of a toll on Tikki," Chat continued. "Hey, we don't have to stay. I can take you home and come back, or I can stay with you to make sure you'll be all right. Or, I can go get Felix, he just texted me he arrived, or we can all just go home and rest-"

"I'll be fine," Marinette sucked in a breath. "But, do tell Felix where I am. I promised him after the fight today I would check in with him."

"I see him," Chloe called. "I'll go get him," She nodded and walked out of the room.

Chat Noir let out a small laugh. "It's so great to see her being nice, relieving, actually."

Marinette nodded, agreeing with him. "I guess we can thank Marinette for admitting her identity," Tikki added.