A Miraculous Tale: Storybook

Ch. 13

"Why does he keep worrying about me getting hurt? It's annoying!" Marinette huffed.

"He cares about you, Marinette. You're his friend." Tikki said.

Marinette smiled in delight when she saw her kwami. "Tikki! Oh, I've missed you so much! You won't believe the adventure Cat Noir and I have gone on!"

Tikki giggled. "I'm sure it was something. Don't you think you should transform into Ladybug though? Cat Noir needs your help."

"Right. Tikki, spots on!" She transformed into the superhero Ladybug, and she ran outside to go help Cat Noir. She pulled out her yoyo and called him.

"Hey, Bugaboo. Long time no see."

Ladybug rolled her eyes. "We don't have time for this, Cat Noir. Storybook needs to be defeated, asap. Do you have any bright ideas?"

"Yes, actually. When I was fighting her before I got zapped into Peter Pan, I noticed that she had a large book with her. That must be where the akuma is hidden."

"Good eye. Where are you?"

"I am at the Eiffel Tower. I thought a birds eye view might help us spot her."

"Okay, I'm on my way." Ladybug was about to hang up when Cat Noir stopped her.

"Wait! There's a girl, Marinette. I hid her in the hotel, make sure the villain doesn't go near there so she'll stay safe."

Ladybug smiled. He's so sweet. "Will do. See you in a bit." She hung up and ran to the Eiffel Tower.

She met Cat Noir at the base.

"So, Storybook's throne seems to be in the Agreste mansion. We better get there fast, to make sure the Agreste's are okay." Cat Noir said.

Maybe Adrien will finally get a taste of his own medicine. She thought, then she shook it away. Even he doesn't deserve that.

They ran off to the Agreste mansion, and Cat Noir led her to an open window. They walked into Adrien's bedroom.

"How'd you know the window was open?"

Cat Noir chuckled nervously. "Just a lucky guess."

They walked through Adrien's bedroom, and Cat Noir led them through the house. They eventually found Storybook in Gabriel Agreste's study. She was sitting on a large, red armchair in front of a portrait of Emily Agreste. Ladybug and Cat Noir backed into the hallway softly.

"What's the plan?" Cat Noir asked.

Ladybug thought. "We can't let her zap us. That's for certain. You said the akuma is in her book. She must have it close by..." Ladybug peeked through the crack in the door again. She scanned the room carefully. The book sat on a large pedestal in front of the villains chair. Two wolves sat guard next to her, and soldiers were stationed around the room.

Ladybug pulled away and tiptoed over to Cat Noir. "They have guards everywhere. There is no way we'll get to the book."

"Very optimistic, I see."

"I think I'll need to distract them. While they're busy with me use your cataclysm to destroy the book. Got it?"

Cat Noir nodded. "Loud and clear, Milady."

"Good. I'm going in." She barged into the room.

"Where's the akuma, Storybook?"

"Like I'd ever tell you. Get 'er Big Bad and Huff!" The the two wolves stood and howled. Then they leaped at her. At the same moment two soldiers blundered toward her. Ladybug fell to the ground and rolled out of the way. The four staggered into each other and toppled with a resounding crash. Storybook yelled in frustration.

"Get her!" She yelled at the remaining soldiers. They turned and ran after Ladybug. She darted away after some of them and found herself up against the wall.

"This hardly seems fair." She complained as she cast her yoyo out at the first guard. It looped around his sword, and she yanked hard. The yoyo came back to her and his sword went flying across the room. Then she decided she better even the odds.

"Lucky charm!" She shouted. A sword fell into her hands.

"That's better. En garde!" She held her sword in her right hand and made a shield with her yoyo. The soldiers came at her, one or two at a time, and she fought them off. They weren't the most skillful, and she remembered her training from trying to get into fencing class.

She saw Cat Noir sneak in through the door, and he treaded carefully past Storybook. Careful Kitty. She thought. She jumped up and kicked the soldier facing her in the face. He lurched backwards and brought down two other soldiers with him. She prepared to face the next soldier when suddenly she heard Cat Noir shout.

"Cataclysm!" Storybook screamed as her book crumbled to dust before her eyes. A black and purple butterfly flew into the air. She threw her yoyo out at it and caught it.

"Gotcha! Bye bye little butterfly." She said as she clicked open her yoyo, and it flew away. "Miraculous Ladybug!" She shouted as she threw her sword into the air. Magic flew past them, and the world was restored to normal.

"Pound it!" Ladybug and Cat Noir chimed as they fist bumped. Cat Noir's miraculous beeped.

"I better be going, Milady. See you next time!" He ran off with a wave over his shoulder. Ladybug turned with a wave and left.