Mornings weren't normally Marinette's friend. She could never find the energy to just spring out of bed with any amount of elegance, and was normally unceremoniously woken by Tikki pulling at her hair. Marinette supposed it had something to do with her night time activities as Ladybug, but when she thought about, she had always been like this. Though, the struggle to drag her limbs from her bed felt particularly tough the morning following a night time patrol. Not even Tikki's magical influence seemed to change that.

Today though, was different. The morning sunlight greeted her through the skylight, which was a welcome change from the bright assault on her eyes that she normally experienced. She was graceful for this small mercy, as her sleep had been broken and fitful.

She had too much weighing on her mind. Firstly, the decision between the cat and the boy. But even the clarity of the morning did not make it seem any more manageable, so she didn't dwell on this for too long, deciding to push it to the corner of her mind. Instead, she thought about the news Alya had shared with her.

No matter how often she tried to tell herself that his bruises could have been because of an accident, her mind kept drifting to the alternative that neither her nor Alya had dared speak aloud last night. What If Adrien was in trouble? What if someone had hurt him? He was definitely the type of person who wouldn't tell anyone, not because he was too proud, but because he was too nice for his own good. If someone was hurting him, he was probably hoping that he could help them on his own. That was something Marinette could easily see him doing. He probably wouldn't have put up a fight either, his good nature would probably stop him from defending himself.

Probably. She didn't know, she only had a snippet of the whole story to work from.

Marinette sat up with a sigh, blearily taking in her room. She spotted Tikki sitting on the top of her computer screen, offering her a warm and welcoming smile, just as bright as the sunlight streaming in. She returned the smile, even if hers was laced with sleep. The delicate peace of the morning enveloped them both, and they sat there smiling at nothing in particular. Marinette welcomed the moment, and revelled in the calmness, watching the dust particles float lazily, catching glimmers of the sunlight as they drifted. It was a moment she knew she would need. She had a feeling today wasn't going to be peaceful. Call it an instinct.

Knowing she couldn't sit there all day, no matter how nice and comfortable it was, she nodded up to the skylight, and Tikki flitted silently towards her, carefully checking Alya as she passed to make sure she was still asleep. Marinette opened the skylight and carefully pulled herself out of it, closing it gently behind her once Tikki had followed her, assured that the girl below them was still sound asleep.

"Good morning!" she chirruped, floating happily in front of Marinette. Tikki was normally quite optimistic, but she seemed particularly cheerful today.

"Good morning Tikki. You're definitely in a good mood today," Marinette remarked, poking the kwami in the stomach, earning a giggle from her.

"And you aren't? I thought you would be walking on sunshine after last night!"

"Last night?" Marinette asked, wondering if Tikki was remembering a different evening than she was.

"Adrien likes you!" Tikki squealed, throwing her arms out and spinning in the air.

"No he doesn't," Marinette giggled shyly. "You and Alya are running away with yourselves. Nothing happened."

Tikki shook her head, fixing Marinette with the wisest look she could muster, one that Marinette had been on the receiving end many times. It was normally followed by some shrewd commentary or helpful advice.

"He was flirting with you."

Marinette would have burst out laughing right then if she wasn't aware of Alya snoozing peacefully on the other side of the skylight. Of all the things that Tikki had commented on, nothing had been so mismatched with her wise gaze then that statement.

"He wasn't being serious – he was just trying to make sure I was okay."

"With a boy like that it's serious," Tikki corrected. "That's what you said last night."

Marinette really wanted to take Tikki seriously, but with Tikki eyes fluttering in what she thought was meant to be suggestive, but ended up being just a little bit ridiculous, she couldn't.

"I wish!" Marinette snorted, before pausing to reconsider. "Or, should that be, I used to wish?" She wondered aloud.

"Oh?" Tikki's playful expression turned serious.

"Well I've been thinking…perhaps… well…perhaps I shouldn't be. I mean, I shouldn't just wait for him…ugh. How do I say this?" Marinette pondered aloud, confusing herself with her own tangled up thoughts. "Maybe I shouldn't wait around for Adrien?"

Part of her felt like she was betraying Adrien already.

"Do you mean that you've decided to tell him?" Tikki squeaked, eyes lighting up.

"No! I mean, maybe I should just let it go. Because, well, I thought that I might give Chat a chance?"

The question at the end of her sentence summed up her indecisiveness and doubt over the whole situation. But the light in Tikki's eyes didn't fade, rather, they seemed to twinkle more as she realised what Marinette was trying to clumsily explain.

"Do you have feelings for Chat Noir?" she asked, cutting straight to the issue that Marinette was struggling to get a grasp on.

"Maybe…" Marinette winced.

"Do you still have feelings for Adrien?"

"Maybe…" she repeated, the word somehow sounding like more of a moan.

To her surprise, instead of offering her a reprimand about how she should get her feelings in order, Tikki's gaze remained curious.

"I see," was her simple response.

"I don't know what to do," Marinette sighed, stretching and wandering away from the skylight. "I feel awful."

"You'll figure it out," Tikki reassured her. "You're much more in tune with your subconscious than you realise."

As comforting as Tikki's words were meant to be, they were utterly perplexing to Marinette. She couldn't tell if it was because there was some message or hint in them, or whether because she could still feel the edge of sleepiness dimming her thoughts. She tried to grasp at the hidden meaning behind Tikki's words, but no matter how hard she stared at those big blue eyes, she couldn't figure out anything that would help her right now.

"I wish I could tell what you're thinking sometimes," Marinette thought aloud, her attempts to decipher Tikki's enigmatic expression failing, choosing instead to slump back on the little table on the balcony in defeat.

There was a crisp crunch, causing Marinette to leap up in surprise at the unexpected noise before turning to inspect the offender. Tucked inconspicuously under a little flower pot, was a simple envelope with a single black paw print on the front. The sight of it caused her breath to catch momentarily, and she felt Tikki clamber onto her shoulder to peer at the object that had suddenly stolen Marinette's attention.

"I wonder who this is from…" Tikki giggled.

She knew it wasn't a question, as the paw print covering the front made it more than clear who it was from. What she didn't know the answer to, however, was why Chat Noir was leaving an envelope for Marinette. Unless...

"Oh no," she moaned, feeling the panic well in her voice. "You don't think he knows?"

As far as she was aware, Chat didn't go around Paris leaving secret messages. The only real secret they had was their identities. Marinette couldn't shake the worry that he had somehow found out that she was Ladybug. Did he figure it out when she was giving him first aid? Now that she thought back, she didn't really hide her Ladybug attitude when he had been here…and as goofy as Chat was, he was still fiercely bright. The cold grip of dread crawled up her spine at the mere thought of her secret identity being busted.

"Calm down! It might not be that! Just read it! Tikki urged, nudging the envelope with her head.

Marinette gave her a resolute nod, and ripped open the envelope, trying to ignore the tremor in her fingers.

Dear Princess,

I realise I never thanked you properly for your kind help this week. Please will you accept my offer for dinner out Sunday evening? I'll await your response – just leave it under the flowerpot.

He left the note unsigned, but it wasn't really needed. No one else called her Princess. Relief washed over her as she re-read the note, before she felt her stomach knot again as the question he posed eventually sunk in. She stared at it as Tikki peered round her head to read it herself, taking Marinette's silence as permission.

"So what is your answer?" Tikki asked when Marinette remained quiet.

"I don't know," she answered in a small voice. "It's not really safe for me to be spending time with him. Well, as Marinette I mean. He could figure it all out."

Tikki just gazed back her, prompting her to carry on with her reasoning.

"I mean, I have too much on my plate – I don't know what to do about my feelings just yet, I don't know what to do about this whole new situation with Adrien… and I can't risk Chat finding out my identity."

She wasn't sure why she was talking herself out of Chat's invitation. But she was being as honest as she could, even though it sounded as if her thoughts were just a pile of strings all twisted and knotted. And they were probably doing her just as much good as a pile of strings. She thought her mind might just burst if she had to worry about anything else. Paris, Adrien, Chat… no, that was plenty for her to contend with already.

"Well, let's break it down a bit," Tikki suggested. "Start with the Adrien situation – what do you want to do about Alya's news?"

Marinette thought back to her decision the previous night. And despite her general indecisiveness this morning, the answer was still as clear to her now as it was last night.

"I'm going to check it out. I can't ignore this," she said firmly.

"Can't ignore what?" Alya's voice drifted from the skylight, causing Tikki to dart into Marinette's messy bed hair.

Marinette quickly tucked the letter in the back of the waistband of her shorts, praying that Alya hadn't heard the tell tale crumple of the paper.

"My….flower!" Marinette said brightly, gesturing to the flower sitting serenely in the pot sitting on the table. "I need to water it more – I just keep forgetting."

Forgetting who was around, more like.

"Well who could blame you after last night…" she yawned, managing to wink at Marinette simultaneously.

"Don't start this again…." Marinette moaned.

Alya smiled, making it clear that she was not having any of Marinette's shy nonsense this morning. Or what Alya probably presumed to be shy nonsense. Marinette couldn't really blame her; how was Alya supposed to know the curveball Chat was throwing her? She couldn't even work things out for herself.

Sometimes she wished that the hero attitude would rub off on Marinette a bit more. Ladybug's clear and collected approach seemed to evaporate along with the costume when she de-transformed.

"Oh, my Marinette," Alya started, leaning on the railing to take in the scenes of early morning Paris below them. "You'll soon see that there is something there between you."

"Like my dorky clumsiness?" Marinette offered.

Alya shook her head, and threw her arm round a startled Marinette, who shifted to ensure the envelope wouldn't slip from the band of her shorts.

"He'd be stupid not to find that cute. To find you cute," she said. "No, there is a spark between you too. It's written all over his face."

Marinette couldn't tell if Adrien's face had said anything of the sort last night.

"Are you sure?" she asked warily, despite knowing what Alya's answer would be.

But before she answered, a giant tremor shook the floor beneath their feet, causing them to clutch at the railing to keep their balance. It was quick, as if something large had suddenly plummeted to the ground, and a large plume of thick smoke in the distance signalled the site of the impact. There was a brief moment of silence before the wails of police sirens began to filter in from all directions.

Their reactions were simultaneous, but very different. Whilst Marinette could feel the Ladybug in herself stir into action, Alya's journalistic senses awakened, her sleep delirious state melting instantly at the thought of catching a glimpse of her polka dotted hero.

"Where there is trouble, there are superheroes!" she sang, springing of the railing with an enthusiasm that had definitely not been there minutes ago. If Marinette could bottle that energy, then she wouldn't have so much trouble falling out of bed in the mornings.

"Don't sound so pleased!" Marinette chastised her, turning carefully to hide the letter. But it wasn't necessary, for Alya had already jumped through the skylight andlanded on her bed with a bounce and a squeal, and was pulling on her clothes haphazardly.

"But it's never bad when we have Ladybug and Chat Noir!" she called up through the skylight.

"There's still an akuma victim!" Marinette reminded her, following Alya's lead by jumping down and letting herself bounce on the bed. Her Ladybug instincts already kicking in, making her landing much more graceful than it normally would have been.

Luckily, Alya was too distracted in her fervour to notice her friend's unusual grace, and was already pulling on her trainers, fully dressed.

"I have to go – my blog needs this! I'll meet you back here afterwards!" she called as she yanked the trap door open.

Marinette let her go without another word. Partly because she knew that no words would hold Alya back from her obsession with all things superhero, but mainly because she couldn't transform with her around. Finding out that Marinette was Ladybug would probably break the Ladyblog, and Alya for that matter.

"Well, someone has to make sure she stays out of trouble," Marinette told Tikki, who had already emerged from the depths of her hair.

"Too right. And you'll get to say hi to a certain cat too."

"Of for the love of-" Marinette sighed. "There's no time for this. Tikki, spots on!"

Marinette felt the familiar warmth of the transformation take hold, this time accompanied by the mischievous giggle of Tikki. Somehow, the superhero attitude hadn't quite returned to her as it usually did the moment she transformed.

This might be a long battle.

Adrien was beginning to wonder if it was possible for him to have a day off without an akuma popping up out of nowhere, and quite frankly, ruining his morning.

Actually, 'ruin' might be an overstatement. It was hardly ruined whenever Ladybug showed up, and actually, to be honest, it normally made his day. It also gave him a purpose he could call his own, something his father couldn't control. But still, a bit of peace and quiet here and there wouldn't be too much to ask for.

The reason for his thinking was just in the road in front of him. Half a building was collapsing quite dramatically onto the ground, so not exactly what he called peaceful. Nor were the screaming Parisians, who were running away from the rubble plummeting into the concrete below. Luckily, they all made it away from the building before anyone was injured, but it had been close. He had watched a woman narrowly avoid a chimney which had smashed into the spot where she had been standing just a mere second ago. It set his teeth on edge, and he felt the adrenaline flood his senses.

Adrien hid amongst the terrified crowd, using the initial panic to slip unnoticed into an alleyway that no one was paying attention to. Before he could even say the words, he heard a tiny sigh drift up from his pocket.

"It's too early," Plagg whinged, peaking up at Adrien with a withering look.

"Tell me about it, but I can't exactly choose when an akuma will attack, can I?" he reasoned.

Plagg didn't have a response, but stared back at him unimpressed and less than enthusiastic. Aware that time was ticking; Adrien hastily made him an offer.

"Two wheels of Camembert are yours."

"Three?" Plagg asked hopefully.

"Fine!" Adrian agreed, holding his hand out. "Just hurry up already – claws out!"

Plagg's familiar protest faded into the ring, followed shortly by the also familiar hot current of power as it travelled up the length of his body. Before he knew it, he was Chat Noir once again.

Instinctively, he flexed his arms. Although the suit always felt so natural, so reactive, he could never quite stop marvelling at the sudden increase in his strength and reflexes, despite the ache that lingered in his muscles from a few days prior. He would have to ask Ladybug sometime whether she had the same experience when she transformed.

But first things first – he had an akuma to stop.

He clawed his way up the drainpipe next to him, right to the rooftop and scanned the immediate area for the victim. This was always the bit he didn't like. It was different when the akuma made their presence loud and clear and just barged in, because then they at least knew what they were looking for. But when his only clues had been a crumbling building and a crowd of terrified citizens, the threat could be anyone, anything…

He didn't have to wait long before he saw the answer to his question. Rather, he heard the answer before seeing, as the surrounding chaos was drowned out by an upbeat rhythm. His body automatically tensed as the loud beat of the bass vibrated the floor beneath his feet and shook the window panes around him. Then, a ball of light seemed to appear from behind the remnants of the crumbling building.

It took him a while to make out the small figure that was actually the source of the light – her silvery, sparkling jumpsuit reflecting the morning sunlight in every direction possible. The playful smile on her face was framed with a head full of mad white curls that bounced as she cheerfully bopped her head and danced her way through the air. Chat found the delight glimmering in her eyes unnerving.

"I know you can all do better than that…" she cooed at the terrifying Parisians, her voice high and clear despite the loud music that seemed to emanate from her. "Well, at least one of you can."

This was definitely a game for her. This seemed like the perfect moment to introduce himself.

"You know, I never found throwing buildings at people to be a good motivator," Chat called up to her, throwing his hand behind his head. "Have you thought of stickers? I love stickers."

As planned, it was enough to make her whip around, eyes searching for the perpetrator. She caught sight of him.

"Are you mocking me alley cat?"

Chat couldn't tell by her tone if she was challenging him or whether she was offended by his statement. That slightly wild smile of hers was hiding any hint of what she was planning, and without Ladybug's insight he was now wondering whether baiting her had been a sensible option.

There was only one thing for it: he had to stall her.

"I'd love to know where you got your outfit," he grinned pausing to gesture at his own catsuit. "I feel like I'm a bit underdressed in this compared to you."

She pouted haughtily and clenched her fists. Yes, this wasn't remotely sensible, Chat thought. But since when had sensible been his style? He readied himself on the balls of his feet, preparing himself for an attack. But it didn't come. Instead the girl paused in the air, studying him with something resembling disgust.

"I don't have time for you!" she hissed, though the words seemed to echo through the air as if they had come from speakers. "Unless you're MDC then you're not worth my time!"

Slightly surprised by the akuma who was now dancing away from his bait, it took him a few seconds to absorb this new nugget of information. MDC? Was he supposed to know who or what that is? Whoever or whatever it was though, he didn't envy it if this moving disco ball was setting it sights on it.

"Care to clue me in on who MDC is?" he asked, springing to another rooftop in her eyeline. "I feline like I'm missing something here."

Aww, that had been a good one. Ladybug was missing some amazing material here.

"Actually, I'd like to know that too," the akuma crooned, voice saccharine sweet, hips swaying to that unknown rhythm that seemed to emanate from her. "I'd like to see the dancing skills of MDC for myself! Anyone who tops my score on Step Dance Frenzy must be cheating after all. No one has a chance when it comes to the Dancing Queen!"

Step dance frenzy? That was the dancing game in the arcade that he and Marinette had danced on just last night. This akuma was upset about a score?

Marinette's laughter rang in his head as the image of her spinning and dancing floated to the forefront of his mind. The image of her hi-fiving Alya before entering her initials in the machine after his sound defeat. And that's when it clicked. MDC – Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Part of himself was proud to have figured this out without ladybug, and part of him wished she was here so she could think of what to do next! Plans weren't his thing!

Okay, so plans weren't his thing, but he knew he had to keep this disco diva away from Mari. The bakery wasn't far away and he couldn't let her reach it and his friends inside it. He mentally scrabbled for an idea, a witty line, just anything. Unhelpfully, his mind just showed him the memory of Marinette tucked up in her bed last night as he tiptoed back into the night. In the end, he settled with the tried and tested Chat method of stalling. Now all he needed was something stall-worthy….

"I know who MDC is!" Chat blurted out, surprising himself.

That should do it. Admittedly, it was another comment that could fall either side of the line that separated brave from stupid and he didn't really want to look too closely at what category that should be. At least a stupid cat was better than nothing right now he reasoned, and at least it seemed to have stopped the glittering akuma in her sparkly tracks.

"Who?!" she demanded, all interest suddenly locking onto Chat, who was now painfully aware of how alone he was.

"Where's the fun in just telling you? Let's play guess who! You can ask 3 questions and I'll-"

He was interrupted, quite rudely he thought, by a sound wave slicing through the air towards him courtesy with one flick of The Dancing Queen's hand. Prancing to the side, it missed him by a whisker and slammed into the rooftop, sending debris high into the air. Once the dust has cleared, he was left staring at the alarming crater where he had been standing a mere moment ago.

"I hear cats always land on their feet. I'm happy to prove that wrong if you don't tell me who MDC is," she snarled, lifting her chin defiantly.

"So not one for games then huh?" Chat mused, brushing himself down. "That's okay – we'll cut to the chase."

The Dancing Queen crossed her arms and glared daggers at him. Her patience and subsequently his limited luck was dwindling rapidly.

"Get on with it!" she hissed.

He had to be ready this time. Readying himself on his haunches, he looked up the Dancing Queen and gave her the best smirk he could muster given the circumstances.

"Why, MDC stands for 'my dream cat', of course!"

Her reaction was swift and furious – he had barely got his words out when another sound wave cut through the air with deadly precision. Despite being prepared, he narrowly dodged the attack, his muscles straining as he twisted away, tucking himself neatly behind a chimney on a neighbouring building. The attack had been so strong that a crack shot down through the building, causing the side to crumble noisily and collapse onto the street below, prompting further panicked shrieks from people nearby. Not exactly what he had planned...

"Who would dream about a street cat like you?!" she snorted. "You couldn't possibly beat my score!"

Chat peered out from behind the chimney, confirming that she was still hovering a few feet away, her attention still focused on him for now. He stepped out from his cover, placing one hand on his heart and the other dramatically across his forehead, feigning hurt. One eye creaked open to watch her reaction.

"Oh but how could you be so cruel! Can I not interest you in just one dance?"

The Dancing Queen laughed harshly.

"With a manky cat like you?", she scoffed. She then paused, cocking her head as if to listen to someone as the horribly familiar glow of the butterfly mask framed her eyes. "Though I can give you a dance in exchange for that miraculous of yours."

Chat searched his mind for a quick comeback, but faltered at the sound of a familiar voice calling through the air.

"Wow, that's sort of harsh."

Chat's head whipped round to see Ladybug land gracefully behind him, her yo-yo unravelling from the chimney before returning it to her hand in one smooth movement. The sheer joy at the mere sight of her reinvigorating his hopes.

Ladybug.

"You need to rethink your tastes in ladies Chat," she teased. "I think this one is bit of a gold-digger if all she wants is your miraculous."

Delighted at her appearance, he dropped his exaggerated acting immediately, standing straight to aim a wink at her.

"You know I only have eyes for you my Lady," he purred.

"Enough! Either give me your miraculous or I will flatten Paris to find out who MDC is myself!"

Chat ignored her sulking protests, casually waving a hand at her hissy fit.

"So you decided to have a lie in my Lady?"

"Oh, a girl can only dream!", she replied wistfully. "Sadly there's no rest for the wicked. I was hoping Hawkmoth would take it easy at this time in the morning."

"Well you don't need beauty sleep in my opinion, bugaboo," he purred.

Ladybug replied with a facial reaction that could only be described as mild panic, which wasn't what he had been aiming for. But then he followed her line of sight to a point just beyond his shoulder, roughly where the Dancing Queen would be floating. Before he could react, Ladybug pushed him to the side and suddenly dropped to her knees, another sound wave skimming over her nose by a mere whisker. It crashed into the roof tiles behind her, sending fragments cascading into the air.

"You should get a new partner – this one is slow on his feet," the Dancing Queen heckled.

"I'll pass," Ladybug replied smoothly, springing up and brushing the dust off. "I quite like this one."

Chat's heart sung.

"My lady!" he grinned, pushing himself up from the roof. "I never knew you felt that way about me."

"I might have to find a replacement if you can't keep up with my moves though," she replied smoothly, coolly smiling at his usual enthusiasm.

He shrugged at her and offered her a coy smile, trying to shoo away the small blossom of hurt he felt as she used the word 'replace'.

"That's not going to happen my Lady," he responded, his smile slightly weakened as he tried to persuade himself that her comment had meant nothing.

"Enough!"

The time for conversation was over, as the Dancing Queen looked ready to explode, or rather, looked ready to make things explode.

"If you're not going to tell me who MDC then give me your miraculous!" she roared, hair standing on end and looking positively wild.

It was just a small quiver against his skin and lasted for just for a moment, but he was thankful for his cat-like reactions, as the moment the last words had left the Dancing Queen's lips was when the chaos really started. The barrage of hits began suddenly, chasing them along the Parisian rooftops as they dodged and weaved over and through chimneys, barely keeping their footing. The air was full of shards and dust when they found a tiny balcony below to duck onto and perch on, taking advantage of the coverage that the owner's overgrown plants were providing.

"This isn't working," Ladybug breathed, peeking through the leaves of foliage to see where their pursuer was. "We need to get closer to her and figure out where the akuma is hiding."

How Ladybug managed to stay calm even when dodging danger by the skin of her suit was a mystery to Chat. Apart from a light layer of dust, she appeared unharmed and if she was shaken, he wasn't able to tell from her very calm demeanour.

"Shall we pounce then?" he asked, stretching his arms in front of him, eyes still focused on Ladybug.

Ladybug held her finger up to his lips as the Dancing Queen floated around the corner and into their line of sight. Chat urged his mind to shut up for a second and focus on the situation at hand – not on her hand which was resting precariously against his lips. After a small pause, she removed her finger and gave him a steely look of determination. She held up 3 fingers, signalling a 3 second countdown. He grinned and nodded, more than happy to follow her instruction.

Three – man, Ladybug was so confident. How did someone get to be that confident?

The Dancing Queen searched for them, the destruction from her own attacks hampering her efforts to spot the duo.

Two – it wouldn't be such a bad thing if they could stay together on this little balcony just the two of them. It was somewhat peaceful if you ignored the crumbling debris surrounding them.

The Dancing Queen paused, her head turning and eyes narrowing at nearby noises. Luckily, the remaining dust was enough to keep them safe.

One – He was close enough to see the slight shift in Ladybug's stance as she prepared to spring forwards, her free hand sliding towards her yo-yo. She spared him one last glance before she curled back the final finger. Chat felt the hair on his neck stand on end and he wasn't sure if it was the adrenaline or her that was causing this.

Ladybug withdrew her hand.

They leapt simultaneously through the foliage, Ladybug dropping down off the balcony before swinging up towards the Dancing Queen from below while he clawed over the ironwork and up the wall to attempt an attack from above. But the Dancing Queen was quick and as soon as they had moved, she turned in anticipation and neatly dodged Ladybug's hand as it reached for hers. The Dancing Queen recoiled, placing her hand protectively on the little glittering purse by her hip, the shock of their surprise attack fading as quickly as it had come. Chat overshot and managed to cling onto a nearby flagpole, crouching on his haunches while Ladybug tumbled onto the floor below.

"What made you think you could out move the likes of a professional dancer?" she sneered. "If you really want to win against me then you'll have to dance."

Chat glared at her. She was too quick for them – even Ladybug.

"Everything okay m'lady?" Chat asked, quickly leaping down to join Ladybug and getting into a defensive stance by her side as she brushed herself off.

"Well, the bad news is she's too quick."

"And the good news?"

"I know where the akuma is hiding," Ladybug smirked, pointing to her hip.

Chat frowned at her before realising what she meant. Indeed, when he looked up, there was a small purse hanging at The Dancing Queen's side, barley visible admist all the glimmer and shimmers of her dress.

"I'm surprised you didn't spot it with those eyes of yours," Ladybug teased, running her finger along the edge of his mask playfully.

Chat for once was wordless as she moved away, un-clipping her yo-yo again in preparation for another strike. It took a moment for him to shake off the heat creeping along where her finger had trailed.

"So you want a dance?" she called up to the monstrous girl, who's sinister grin had returned. "I'm not sure you have it in you."

The Dancing Queen nodded, stretching her arms in the air and twirling slowly, purposely taunting them. She came to a stop, her hand extended towards the two of them as if to ask for a dance.

"I want a dance," she agreed, followed by a slow cackle. "Won't you dance with me?"

He wasn't sure why, but her last few words and the subsequent laugh that punctuated the air afterwards set alarm bells ringing in Chat's ahead. Before he knew what he was doing, his feet had carried him ahead of Ladybug, his staff extending to rest poised in his fist in anticipation.

"Get ready to move," he warned Ladybug, eyes trained on The Dancing Queen, waiting for her piercing sound waves to fill the air.

There was no response. Not unless you counted the frightening smile from the Dancing Queen as she stared unblinking at them. Or the panicked sirens screaming from somewhere behind them.

Ladybug was also strangely silent. Chat turned to find her locked on the spot, her body shaking as if she was fighting the urge to move. Then, her arms started to jerk and shift, moving bit by bit like a robot. The rest of her body followed, shuddering and twisting in time to some unknown beat. Ladybug grit her teeth, her face contorting and her limbs trembling as she tried to fight off whatever force was pulling at her.

"My Lady!" he called, dropping his defensive stance immediately and turning to face her.

"Chat! I can't – I can't stop my body-" she cried, the jerks of her body becoming stronger and more violent as she continued to fight.

Chat grabbed her arm and tried to pull it, but the opposing force at work caused her arm to judder from his grasp as she continued to move. He tried again, claws skimming her suit as the same thing happened, her body jerking with a force too strong for him to counter.

"Not bad," The Dancing Queen cooed, nodding in approval. "You look a little rusty though. Maybe you need a partner to practice with?"

He knew what was going to happen before he felt it. It started off a small tap of his foot as he inexplicably felt a rhythm resonate deep in bones. It just seemed to crawl and twist in his blood, the tap of his foot turning into a shuffle, a sway of a hip. He felt his body slip from his control and mirror Ladybug's movements. She was still trying to fight the sensation, movements still jarring and unnatural.

They were helpless to her cursed rhythm.

The Dancing Queen clasped her hands together and squealed, admiring her dancing puppets as they performed a twisted dance routine for her viewing pleasure.

"I always wanted my own dancing troupe!" she gushed. "And while you two are busy, why don't I look after those miraculous for you?!"

The Dancing Queen beamed at her handiwork, flicked her mane of curls and floated slowly down through the air towards them, dancing as she went. It was quite clear that she was confident in her victory.

"Wait!" Chat called, however the Dancing Queen had obviously learnt her lesson from before and his plea fell on dead ears, and her approach continued.

"We can't let her take them!" Chat hastily whispered to Ladybug, gritting his teeth. "How do we stop this?!"

Ladybug didn't reply immediately, her eyes furiously searching around for something to use and her arms and legs carried on in their twisted jig. Then it was as if a light bulb lit up the features of her face, the usual sparkle returning to her eyes.

"We don't stop – we dance!" she laughed.

And with that, her posture relaxed and her movements became smooth and elegant. With a flick of her foot, Ladybug swept her free arm into the air, reminiscent of a ballerina.

"I used to take ballet lessons," Ladybug said, reminiscing as her body remembered the motions she must have once known.

Chat filed that piece of information away for later.

"I don't know how to dance," Chat replied nervously. "Always thought that I would look good in a tutu, just never got round to those ballet classes..."

Ladybug stuck out her tongue at his teasing, before twirling slowly and stretching her hand out to him.

"So does that mean I can't have this dance?"

She had him now. How could he resist that? Of course he couldn't help but be enamoured with the look on his Lady's face. It was daring, it was full of determination, her smile twisting to the side of her face as she threw Chat a look which prompted all sorts of thoughts to run through his overactive imagination. Oh, how that look did things to him. But, now was not the time. Right now, that look meant one thing: it was her command to get this battle started.

Chat didn't need telling twice – with just a small moment of hesitancy, he took Ladybug's hand and pulled her towards him. He felt his limbs free up and cooperate – as long as they moved to a beat, they would do as he told them. Ladybug twirled as she came closer, stopping just barely an inch from his face. He blinked bemusedly at her.

"That's just showing off my Lady," he managed to breathe.

"Well then show me your moves!"

"If you say so!"

Black claws crept to the small of her back and held her hand aloft and he leaned backwards, pulling her into the start of a Tango. He had expected a hint of surprise from her, but when she moved effortlessly with him as they marched in confident swirls and stomps to the main road, he realised that she knew what he was going to do. Even stranger then that, he knew instinctively what she was going to do – almost like it was his own body. When he stepped back, she would react in tandem. This realisation wasn't even alarming – it all felt natural. Was this the power of the miraculous?

Before he could muse any further, his thoughts were interrupted.

"Did we get away from her?" Ladybug pondered aloud, trying to look about as they twirled and bounced on their toes.

"Perhaps we should lead her away from everyone?" Chat suggested, nodding at the crowds of dancing Parisians forming a perplexed crowd around the dancing couple

"Oh! She's over there!" Ladybug announced excitedly. Sure enough, the Dancing Queen had emerged through some trees slightly ahead of them in an attempt to cut them off, spinning and stomping her way towards them and over the heads of people who started to fall into into the same strange unnatural dance that they had been forced into.

"We don't have a lot of time", Chat murmured into Laybug's ear. "Any ideas?"

"Just follow my lead," she replied.

It was barely a second later that she released her grip on his hand but he didn't need to be told the plan – he somehow knew exactly what she was doing as if it had been his own idea. He unconsciously let go of her hand and spun round, quickly reaching under his legs where her hands met his and she slid through before throwing her yo-yo in the air and calling out to her lucky charm. There was just enough time for her to unwind her arms round and land with a pop in front of him when the summoned item floated down into her hand.

"A rose?"

Ladybug stared expectantly at the unassuming red rose in her hand waiting for the answer to hit her. However, when it seemed like the answer wasn't immediately presenting itself to her, Chat knew he had to do something.

"Just follow my lead," he smirked, echoing her earlier words. He leant forwards and took the rose in between his teeth, resuming their earlier stance and leading Ladybug into a graceful waltz towards their akuma victim.

"Always so dramatic," she sighed, rolling her eyes but following him none the less. "Just make sure you keep rhythm – can't have you letting the side down."

"What do you mean? I have natural rhythm!" Chat Noir boasted, flicking his hair in a gesture of exaggerated offence. His words came out slightly garbled due to the rose, so she leant in to take back the rose with her teeth, his cheeks burning furiously as she arched an eyebrow, fully aware of her actions.

Was it possible to feel like there was no ground? The balls of his feet felt that they were springing on the very air as the two of them twirled and dipped.

"Don't you dare!" The Dancing Queen screeched, stopping her twirls and shimmying to land on the ground just a short distance in front of them. "Hand over the miraculous or I will take them from you!"

Chat only allowed his eyes to flick to her for the briefest of moments before he resumed his dance with Ladybug. He knew exactly how he was going to get the The Dancing Queen to dance for them.

"Ignore her," he told Ladybug. "She hates not being the best. Keep on dancing."

"Oh? And how is that going to help us get to her purse?" Ladybug muttered through the rose.

"If she wants to prove herself the best, then she's going to have to take her hand off that purse sometime", he shrugged.

Ladybug's forehead furrowed, before her eyes widened with realisation. "Oh! Not bad kitty!"

By now, the crowd of Parisians surrounding them had grown, forming a wide circle that surrounded them and the Dancing Queen, offering encouragement and cheers despite their forced dancing. This was great for Chat's plan – they were most certainly the centre of attention which would wind The Dancing Queen up something rotten, but it also left little margin for error. There was nothing to block those sound waves if she decided to play dirty.

"She's getting mad", he pointed out, catching sight of the burning fury in The Dancing Queen's eyes, her expression souring with every step they took.

"Get ready twinkle toes", Ladybug smiled, also waiting for the tipping point. He took the warning seriously, feeling his muscles coil in anticipation.

The Dancing Queen practically crackled with angry energy, her lip curling into a snarl as her patience snapped.

"You think that you're better than me?!" she screamed. "I will show you that I am the only Dancing Queen!"

There was a flash of light and Chat immediately swung Ladybug low to ground, her hair brushing the ground as the sound wave narrowly missed her face and smashed into a tree behind them which groaned and splintered. He pulled Ladybug up and smiled apologetically.

"I've always wanted the chance to have a slow dance, but not like this", Cat Noir admitted, placing his gloved hand lightly on the small of Ladybug's back as she regained her balance. He kept his gaze fixed on hers. "I hoped it would be amongst rose petals, on the top of the Eiffel tower – maybe with a kiss..."

Chat honestly expected to see the heel of her hand hurtling toward his chin with that statement, but he was pleasantly surprised when it didn't. It was amazing really, as he had been more vulnerable than his usual flippant flirtations. Maybe it was something to do with the music singing in the backs of their minds. Perhaps it was their lingering conversation from the rooftop, or perhaps it was because of how close their bodies were pressed together right now. Whatever the reason was though, the catch in her breath was not his imagination. It wasn't much, but he clung onto it and let it fuel his hope that there was something growing beneath them.

"We need to concentrate Chat," Ladybug managed to state, barely masking how he had caught her off guard. "Stick to the plan."

Chat wasn't certain if that was a blush tinting her cheeks. So he replied with a tap of his feet, a bop of his head and launched straight into a more upbeat jive, Ladybug matching his moves. The crowd cheered at the realisation that their heroes were unharmed by the attack.

"You call that dancing?" The Dancing Queen yelled at them, hands curling into angry fists which were winding back in preparation for another attack.

"For a dancing Queen you're not doing much dancing," Ladybug commented, purposefully looking their rival up and down as they continued their jive.

Chat cottoned on quite quickly to her strategy.

"Yeah – as far as I have seen you have definitely left twinkle toes here in the dust Bugaboo," he grinned, confident that his own comment was fuelling the Dancing Queen's rage. "I'm not sure she was actually a champion after all."

The Dancing Queen had turned an alarming shade of magneta as she tried to reign in her frustration at their commentary, an eye twitching and mouth curling into a silent snarl. Chat was sure she must have known what they were doing, but she didn't seem to want to fight back her competitive streak. Or rather, perhaps she couldn't? It was probably what got her akumatised in the first place – Hawkmoth really was ruthless when picking his prey.

"I'll- I'll -" her anger was so hot that she was having difficulty spitting out her words. "You're gonna regret challenging me Ladybug!

Her words were followed by an eruption of music, deafening in its intensity, causing both Chat and Ladybug to falter and the crowd to cover their ears. The Dancing Queen revelled in the new beat flowing in the air, twirling and tapping her way enthusiastically in her efforts to prove that she was the best dancer in Paris.

Chat couldn't think straight – he just wanted that delirious music to stop immediately. He winced as he tried to assess the scene, but he couldn't focus. But he felt Ladybug move so he let his their strange link dictate his actions, letting his limbs move with her.

Ladybug hooked her legs round his waist and he instinctively let his claws grip her thighs as she stretched backwards, her yo-yo sailing out towards the akuma. Although the move had been intuitive, Chat only realised the proximity of their bodies as her back flexed, legs gripping his waist as she perfectly kept her balance. He admired the way her body flexed reactively and couldn't find the will power in him to pry his eyes off her the curve of her chest as it turn into smooth stomach. Damn these suits.

The yo-yo missed it's target barely, The Dancing Queen's hair fluttering as it zipped by her ear. She didn't stop moving, but chose to float up high above them, sending her maddening music further into air and causing the ground to shake with the intensity of beat. Windows cracked, doors rattled and buildings began to creak under the strain. They had to act fast.

Chat pulled Ladybug back towards him by her arms and began to swing her round.

"Prepare for takeoff!" he warned her.

He was impressed at how unfazed she was when he launched her into the air. It was like she had this planned from the start – she rose in the air and twisted round in one smooth motion. All it took was a quick flick of her hand threw the rose like a dart at the Dancing Queen, the thorns catching the side of her cheek and leaving a red scratch blossoming on her pale skin. The Dancing Queen's movements froze as she clasped her cheek with her hands.

Chat saw his opportunity. He rolled underneath them and thrust his staff into the ground, catapulting himself high up into the air behind The Dancing Queen with an elegant pirouette. She turned to face him, still cupping her cheek and in that instant, time seemed to slow. His tail whipped around him in a big arch, and the Dancing Queen's hand curling defensively. There was a split second where their eyes met, and he registered the shock that flashed in her own. Or could it have been the flash of the person behind the akuma realising that freedom was near. It didn't matter, as before his tail had even caught up with him, he had lifted his knees up and brought his staff down with all his might. It smashed into her shoulder with enough force to knock her out of the air, plummeting to the streets below.

The crowd recoiled and spluttered at the dust that filled the air, barely able to spot Ladybug sprinting over to the motionless figure of the Dancing Queen. She snatched the purse from her waist and opened it, a panicked black butterfly emerging from it's interior. Chat landed just as the yo yo snapped shut around the akuma, straightening when Ladybug waved it goodbye after cleansing it. Ladybug leant over the Dancing Queen and gently untangled the rose from her hair. Chat could see the traces of guilt in her features when she examined what they had done – but they both knew that it had been for the best. She flung the rose into air.

It was always magic and quite literally magical. Buildings began to rebuild themselves, dust and debris vanished, people's bodies relaxed into normal stances and The Dancing Queen transformed back into a blond haired girl who couldn't be older than 13. She began to stir and Ladybug offered her a gentle smile as her eyes opened.

"Ladybug!" she gasped, sitting up in her shock.

"Shh, everything is okay", Ladybug reassured her, still smiling until her earrings gave their small bleep. "I have to go, but there are lot's of people to take care of you now."

She stood suddenly, glancing at Chat before taking her yo-yo out. Chat didn't want this to end so quickly.

"My Lady, please wait -"

"Chat- I have to go – my miraculous-" Ladybug whispered, faint traces of panic glistening in her eyes as the press came in closer, shouting their names. Her words were confirmed with a repeat bleep from her earrings.

"Say no more!"

He scooped her up and used his staff to get a head start halfway up the closest building, clambering over the lip of the roof. He turned to face the crowds who continued to call after them as Ladybug let herself down from his arms.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I do apologise but we have to dash. Stay safe!"

Chat turned to follow Ladybug who was already preparing to jump down into the winding alleys and away from the prying eyes of the press. They soon found themselves balanced carefully between the two narrow walls in a nearby alley, watching from the shadows as the press tried to piece together as much information as they could in the dusty aftermath. They duo were silent as they tried to let the adrenaline fade from their systems, both trying to ignore her miraculous as its bleeping increased in urgency. Chat spotted the familiar curls of Alya as she bobbed through the crowd on her own little mission for the Ladyblog. He wasn't sure if he was going to enjoy watching his dodgy dancing later on once she had updated the blog, especially with Plagg's less than complimentary attitude. Though he could put up with that if it meant seeing his Lady's moves again.

It was only when Ladybug sighed that his attention turned from the hubbub in front of him to the superhero wedged behind him. Chat managed to carefully turn around, leaning against one wall while a foot and a hand propped his body up.

"That was great," he beamed with an honest smile. "You were amazing!"

There was a pause. She smiled tentatively at him.

"You weren't too bad in the end I guess," she teased, but although the jest was evident in her voice, her face looked somewhat strained. The miraculous' bleeping was now incessant and reminding them of the price they could pay for these precious moments if they lingered too long. It was a price he was more than willing to pay, but one that Ladybug wouldn't consider. However, she was still here with him, and the alternative was just too appealing. He had to make this last while he could.

"Well in that case, do you think that one day I have that dance with you? Without the mask?" he asked, barely restraining the longing that was overcoming him as he gazed at those striking blue eyes.

Ladybug expression hardened as it normally did when he pried into these matters. But as he readied himself for the usual rejection and the joke that would cushion the blow he realised that her face was softening, faltering. Her eyes searched him, desperately scrabbling for an answer, and he felt his hopes rising in his throat. And then it came, so softly and whispered, but still perfectly audible.

"Maybe."