My Boss is Felix: Alternative Miraculous Ladybug Tale

Ch7: Shadows

Felix's words rattled in my skull. No matter how far I flung myself into the October air with my yo yo on my nightly patrol, I couldn't escape:

"You're definitely the worst secretary I've had."

I shook my head, attempting to send the words flying out of my ears. Too late. It had seeped into my subconscious, causing my entire body to ache.

As it turned out, I didn't see Felix for the rest of my first week. Instead, I had sat at my desk for eight hours and watched training videos that apparently every new hire had to complete before officially starting tasks.

As a result, my eyes felt strained and I'd been struggling with a pounding headache for five days straight. Now that tonight was Saturday, I felt obligated to go on at least one night patrol, considering that I'd blown it off all week.

A chilled breeze caressed my cheek, sending shivers down my spine. After sitting down on the ledge of a rooftop that overlooked a strip mall, I tucked my knees into my chest, and secured the position with my arms. This was a little warmer at least. Now my examination could begin.

Everything below seemed normal. The amber-lit streets were filled with women carrying more designer shopping bags than they could carry, fancy restaurants blaring classical music and sending the aroma of fresh bread into the air, and tourists taking pictures with statues or any French-styled architecture they could find.

I forced a smile. This was my Paris. The one I had fought so hard to protect all by myself. I sacrificed my free time and my social life so that these strangers could live theirs. How could I not feel a little bit jealous, knowing that I could never fully enjoy a night with my friends without the burden of Paris' safety looming over my head? My night out would only be plagued with lame excuses and me having to peel myself away to fight off some poor citizen that was akumatized by Hawk Moth.

Suddenly, my inner pity party was interrupted by reflective green lights that flashed at me from the rooftop of the Agreste building. I squinted, ignoring the pounding in my head. Wait? Where those eyes? Yes. It was. Somehow. The eyes of a shadow standing near the edge.

My shoulders tensed. I knew it. It was too good to be true to go an entire week without one Akuma attack. What kind of akumatized power would I be dealing with? Would it be relating to nightmares? Would the victim be a child or an adult?

Attaching my yo yo a parallel ledge, I flung over to the Agreste building and landed in a less than graceful manner as I stumbled over my own feet. The shadow's head darted my direction.

So much for the element of surprise.

Oh well. I charged towards the shadow, gearing up to clasp its hands and tie it up with my yo yo string. Then I'd find the Akuma. It would be over quick and easy.

Reality had other plans.

Just when I was within a few feet, I realized it was an illusion. The shadow was sitting on some kind of extended pole in a way that made it appear to be on the actual roof. Too late. I had already leaped off a twelve story building and was falling.

I reached for my yo yo and attempted to attach it to a nearby rooftop. To my dismay, the yo yo returned to me. The ground was getting closer and closer. I tried a second time, but the string only tangled itself, making it impossible for further use. Lastly, I tried maneuvering my body to grab the building's side, but physics and distance forbade it. I began to panic at the realization I had no way to break my fall.