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waltzofthewifi · 4 years

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Kota Chapter 25: Firestarter

Table of Contents

Alya sat down at the table, looking much better.

"Thanks," Alya said.

"Of course." Marinette passed her the plate of treats she had gathered, and Alya grabbed a macaroon.

The two girls were spending lunch at Marinette's place, away from all the drama at school. It had only been fifteen minutes, but with lots of water and some time in the bathroom, Alya already seemed much better.

Alya's phone chimed, and she pulled it out of her bag to check.

"My parents are checking in," she explained. "Someone must have told them something was up."

"Or maybe it was just mother instincts," Marinette reasoned.

"Maybe," Alya agreed. She sent a quick text and put her phone down.

Alya grabbed another macaroon, and Marinette took one for herself.

"We also have ice cream," Marinette offered.

"Sounds good," Alya said. "Maybe for dessert?"

"Sounds like a plan."

Someone screamed.

Marinette and Alya were out of their seat and at the window overlooking the park. Which was now very much on fire.

"There's people down there!" Alya said.

"Let Ladybug worry about that, we have to get out of here!"

Marinette grabbed Alya's wrist and drug her down the stairs out into the street.

People were already rushing out from the bakery, and Marinette double checked for her parents. She saw them, and made sure they saw that she was out and safe.

The buildings around the park began to catch fire.

"Let's go," Marinette said, continuing to drag Alya. She was terrified that Alya might try to film this akuma, but Alya didn't argue as Marinette pulled her away.

They were several blocks down before Marinette stopped running.

"Stay here," Marinette commanded. "I'm going to make sure my parents are okay."

Alya nodded. "Don't worry, I'll be fine."

"No recording this akuma?" Marinette questioned.

"I mean, if they get close-"

"Alya! Fire is bad! Fire injuries hurt."

"Okay, okay, just this once, I'll promise not to try to film anything."

"Promise?" Marinette asked.

Alya nodded. "Promise. Now go find your parents."

Marinette nodded, heading off towards a hidden alley to transform. She dug her macaroons out of her bag and gave one to Tikki.

Tikki powered up, her black dots turning orange.

"Tikki, spots on!"

The transformation felt different with the power up - like being doused in water. The power up gave her loose black pants tucked securely in black boots, and a red turtle neck almost completely covered in red spots, that came past her hips and to her wrists. She had a heavy black belt with a water bottle attached, and her hands were covered with thick black gloves.

Her face was covered with a mask - white googles covering her eyes, and a black face mask over Marinette's nose and mouth giving her fresh oxygen. She could feel her hair shorten, decreasing the risk of it catching fire.

Marinette grabbed her yo-yo from her waist and headed towards the fire.

The transformation was amazing. The clothes were bulkier than she would wear, but as usual it felt second nature to her. Even as she approached the fire, she couldn't feel the heat at all. And the mask would protect her from the greatest risk, smoke inhalation, in a way her usual transformation wouldn't be.

Ladybug landed on a rooftop overlooking the park. The entire park was aflame, save for a small circle near the bakery. Ladybug could make out two small figures huddled together, one with vibrant pink hair.

Alix.

Why is it always my classmates? Ladybug thought.

Walking through the fire was the akuma. He looked like an average sized person, except for large muscles. His arms were bare save for flame tattoos that came up to his shoulder and curled around his wrists. He wore a black muscle shirt with orange stripes on the torso, and orange butterfly-shaped goggles, plus long black pants and combat boots. On one hand, he had what looked like a small gun that shot flames wherever he pointed at.

I bet that's where the akuma is.

"He has quite a fiery temper," Chat Noir commented when he landed behind Ladybug.

He, like Ladybug, had used the transformation potion. He had clear goggles over his eyes and a black mask over the bottom of his face, and his hair was an inch shorter. He no longer wore a tail - fire risk? - and had reflective green stripes on his torso and arms. His gloves and boats were heavier, though he still walked quiet as a mouse.

Or quiet as a cat, at least.

"This new transformation really sucks," Chat Noir commented. "I can't see your beautiful eyes."

"There's two civilians down there," Ladybug said, ignoring Chat Noir's comment. "Can you distract the akuma while I get them to safety?"

"At your service, my lady," Chat Noir replied, with a bow.

Ladybug rolled her eyes.

Chat Noir launched himself off of the rooftop, landing a few feet behind the akuma.

"Is it hot here or is it just me?" Chat Noir asked.

The akuma growled as he turned. "You come to mock me?"

"Well, not you so much as Hawkmoth," Chat Noir admitted.

"I don't like Hawkmoth anymore than you do," the akuma said. "But Paris needs to learn!"

"I'm pretty sure that's what school is for," Chat Noir commented.

"They need better teachers then!" The akuma growled. "They need me, Firestarter, to show them what happens when they're careless! Two homes burned down today because of stupid mistakes. And then I try to cool my head down, just for some girl to fall out of a tree and nearly kill herself!"

By this point, Firestarter's attention was completely on Chat Noir, who was drawing him farther and farther away from the civilians. Ladybug now had her opening.

She swung her yo-yo and attached it to a roof on the other side of the park. Ladybug launched herself off the roof, swinging down to snatch the two civilians up in one smooth move, and landed on the roof.

Alix and Lacy collapsed on the roof, out of breath.

"What... is that dudes... problem?" Alix asked between pants.

Lacy coughed.

"You two alright?" Ladybug asked.

Lacy coughed a few more times before nodding.

"Yeah," Alix said. "Thank you, Ladybug."

"Alright, let's get you somewhere safer."

It was hard carrying two people at once, but Alix was small and light and barely counted as a full person carrying-wise. Ladybug took them to the same area she left Alya in before heading back to the battle.

Chat Noir was still in the park, dodging blasts of fire.

Ladybug landed next to him. "We need to get him somewhere away from civilians."

"Stadium?" Chat Noir guessed.

Ladybug nodded. "Let's go."

The two raced across the rooftop. Firestarter, who apparently could fly, was right on their tails. Fortunately, he was too occupied with keeping up with the heroes to hit any civilians or particularly flammable buildings.

Ladybug and Chat Noir landed in the stadium.

"How long do you think you can keep him contained here?" Ladybug asked.

"As long as you need," Chat Noir said. "I have a feeling we're going to need a lot of extra help to win this one."

Master Fu put the four vials on the table.

"These are all the extra potions I have," he explained. "You will need one to transform again. That leaves you three allies."

Marinette nodded. "We'll just have to be careful not to do anything that will cause us to detransform."

The beginning of a plan was quickly forming. As Fu brought out the miracle box, Marinette did a mental count of who she needed.

She grabbed the dragon and snake. "I'll need the turtle as well."

Fu nodded, slipping the bracelet off his wrist and handing it to Marinette.

"You look like you have a plan," Fu noted.

"I think I do."

"Cool," Carapace said, admiring the power up. He also had an additional mask covering the bottom half of his face. The transformation had also given him thick, dark green pants, a light green jacket hoodie, and thick green gloves.

"Chat Noir is in the stadium fighting Firestarter," Ladybug said. "I need you to go provide back up while I find Ryuko and Viperion and tell them the plan. Do your best to keep him in the stadium."

"Got it, dude." Carapace gave a mock salute before heading off to the stadium.

Ladybug headed the opposite direction, finding Luka on the deck of the liberty, eating lunch.

"You look different," he noted.

"Fire power up," Ladybug explained.

She handed him the miraculous, explaining how the power ups worked. A few moments later, Luka transformed.

Viperion also now sported a new haircut. He had a mask like Chat Noir - clear goggles and a black mask over his nose and mouth. His outfit stayed mostly the same, though some of the turquoise decor was now reflective. His boots were also thicker.

Ladybug quickly told him the plan, before heading off to find Ryuko.

Kagami was also surprised by the transformation.

"It looks better," she decided instantly. "I assume you're giving me similar powers somehow."

Ladybug nodded, explaining how the transformations worked and giving Kagami the potion for Longg.

"Longg, bring the storm!"

Ryuko transformed in flash of light. Her hair was now in a pixie cut, and had gold edges, and her horns were now solid gold. Her eyes were covered with reflective gold goggles, and she had a face mask protecting her nose and mouth. She now wore thick black gloves and thick black boots, red pants and a red shirt with a collar like a fencing uniform. The same symbol rested on her chest, and gold, reflective flames decorated her wrists and shins.

"The akuma is in the gun he shoots his flames out of," Ladybug said. "When we get to the stadium, Viperion will set his second chance, and then you will use your lightning to go over the flames and break the akuma."

Ryuko nodded. "Understood."

"Let's go."

Ladybug and Ryuko landed next to Viperion on the rim of the stadium. Below them, Chat Noir and Carapace continued fighting Firestarter.

"They've got a pretty good handle on it down there," Viperion reported. "Ready?"

Ryuko and Ladybug both nodded.

"Second chance."

Ryuko readied to charge, and Ladybug put a hand on her shoulder.

"Wait until you have a clear target," Ladybug suggested.

Ryuko nodded. She waited, and just as Firestarter raised his hand to fire, she charged.

The air around her crackled as she changed into a bolt of lightning, shooting down to Firestarter. She changed back at the last moment, slashing at her target with a precision. She rolled when she landed, coming up on her feet a few paces away from Firestarter.

A butterfly flew out.

Ladybug and Luka landed on the deck of the Liberty with a quiet thud.

"Thank you for your help," Ladybug said.

Luka shrugged. "Felt pretty useless, actually. Didn't even use my powers."

"But it was nice knowing you were there," Ladybug said. "Fire is not something to mess with."

"No," Luka agreed. "Want to come in and grab a bite?"

"I really should be heading back to school," Ladybug said.

Luka frowned. "You need to eat."

"I'll be fine," Ladybug said. "I had some food beforehand."

Luka relented. "Okay, just take care of yourself. Don't wear yourself out."

"I'm trying not to," Ladybug said. "But the akumas have been awful lately."

"They have," Luka agreed. "I do know a few tricks that can help destress you. If you come over after school, maybe I could show them to you?"

"I'd like that."

No one was surprised when Lacy and Alix didn't return to class.

Adrien wished he had an excuse to miss class. He hurt. The miraculous cure was wonderful, but it did nothing for fatigue and similar problems. And Firestarter had worn him out.

Also, he still smelled like smoke, but so did Marinette and Nino, so he hoped no one was suspicious.

(He didn't think to question why his friends smelled like smoke.)

Adrien was too tired to carry on a conversation, and Nino didn't seem talkative, so he ended up listening to the conversation happening behind him.

"Sounds like a date," Alya teased.

"It's not," Marinette argued. "We're just hanging out."

"Alone," Alya said. "At his place."

She's hanging out with Luka tonight? Adrien felt a pang of jealousy. Partially because he was hoping to sneak over to the Liberty sometime that afternoon, and partially because.

Well, he didn't know why.

"It's not a big deal," Marinette insisted. "He's just... easy to talk to."

Adrien debated just telling Nathalie fencing was cancelled, but then he would probably be forced to do something else during that time, and he needed a break. Maybe he could convince Nino to let him come over and just nap while Nino was babysitting Chris.

Then again, Kagami was probably free this afternoon.

Chloe walked in, stopped at Adrien's desk, and sniffed.

"Why do you two smell like smoke?" She questioned.

Adrien scratched the back of his neck. "Uh, because? The smoke from the akuma reached us during lunch?"

Nino chuckled nervously. "Yeah, the smoke was all over the place, dude."

"Don't call me dude," Chloe said, before walking on to her seat. She gave Adrien another glance before turning back to her phone.

"Okay, that was... an interaction," Nino commented.

When her dad got home, Lacy was curled up on the couch, half asleep.

He gently tapped on her knee to wake her up.

"How are you doing?" He asked, sitting down next to her.

"I'm fine," Lacy said. "I - that was a close call."

"I know. But you're doing alright?"

Lacy nodded. "Yeah, I think so. It-it wasn't really bad, you know? Nothing - Nothing alive burned."

"Okay, well, let me know if I can get you anything."

Lacy nodded, watching her father leave the couch and walk upstairs to his room.

The smell of smoke lingered in her nose, but she had smelled worse before. Her heart had stopped pounding after she got home and into her favorite pair of pajamas. And her eyes had stopped burning from the smoke when Ladybug casted her cure.

Still, she felt shaken. Well, not so much as shaken as just worn out from the shaking. She had never had an akuma target her like that before, and while she had learned later what really had set off Firestarter, she still had been his main focus.

Small mistakes can really add up sometimes. She did get a little careless, sometimes, when trying to find an angle for a photo, but it was hard to remember to be careful when everyone around her was not. People did dangerous stunts all the time at camp, for training purposes, or just because they could. Alix wasn't much better, and honestly, neither had been Sadie.

Still, what was the worst that could happen falling from a tree? Lacy had plenty of emergency supplies, and she could probably live with a sprained wrist for a while. Sure, a fall from that height could have worse injuries, but she had been trained at camp how to fall without injury herself. Plus, she now had the instincts she was gaining as Kota to help her out.

The fireman had overreacted, or maybe he reacted appropriately but late and at the wrong target. Either way, Lacy had talked herself out of feeling guilty of akumatizing someone.

She did feel a bit bad for using some of her limited ambrosia to heal the cut on her arm, but it stung. And she was at her limit for the day for inconveniences like that.

Hopefully, nothing else eventful happened for the rest of the day.

Next chapter

#kota #miraculous ladybug fanfiction #miraculous ladybug #pjo #hoo

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