Capítulo 13: Paris, la ville de l'amour
[N/A: To clarify, I'm not doing a copy-paste of the chapter. At the start, yes, a bit, but after that, I branch off and write my own.]
[Paris, la ville de l'amour]
It's a typical day in the city of Paris: rats roam freely through the parks, trash piles up in the streets, and a Japanese tourist suffers from the infamous Paris syndrome, overwhelmed by the contrast between his idealized expectations and the harsh reality he encounters.
[N/A: The part about Japanese tourists and Paris syndrome is real, look it up.]
Oh, and of course, four tyrannosaurs are trapped inside a green energy dome in a football stadium. The barrier was created by Carapace, the holder of the Turtle Miraculous. Enraged, the dinosaurs roar and ram their heads against the dome, causing small cracks to form in the structure.
"GRRR!!!" the dinosaurs roar. "BAM!" Each impact reverberates, threatening to shatter the barrier.
"Hey, do you think they eat a lot?" asks Carapace, doing his best to keep the barrier intact.
"Well, we'll find out if Ladybug doesn't get back soon," replies Cat Noir, the holder of the Cat Miraculous, as he grips his staff, ready for a fight if the shield breaks.
Their conversation is interrupted by an unexpected shout. "Woooo!" Looking up, they see Dr. Anne-Jeanne, who, seemingly thrilled, is being brought back to the scene by Ladybug, the holder of the Ladybug Miraculous.
"Relax!" says Ladybug as she sets the doctor down. "We found the whistle." The doctor quickly pulls a whistle from one of her pockets and holds it up.
Just in time, too, because the dome can't hold on any longer and shatters, releasing the dinosaurs. "GRRR!!" they roar, charging straight at the heroes and the doctor.
Seeing this, the doctor doesn't waste a second and uses the whistle. "Shriiill!" The high-pitched sound rings out, stopping the dinosaurs in their tracks, their eyes widening as they fall into a kind of trance.
Suddenly, these giant predators look more like pets in need of affection than fearsome creatures. They flop down, roll over, lick the doctor, and nuzzle up to her. "Haha…" Ladybug, Cat Noir, and the doctor chuckle softly at the dinosaurs' unexpected behavior.
Meanwhile, Carapace, a bit distracted, continues looking around for Rena Rouge, the Fox Miraculous holder, who still hasn't arrived.
With everything under control, the heroes say goodbye to Dr. Anne-Jeanne. "Good luck with the dinosaurs." And with that, the three heroes leave the stadium, leaving the doctor alone with the dinosaurs.
"Goodbye!" the doctor shouts, waving as the heroes depart.
Once the heroes are out of sight, the doctor glances at the dinosaurs and sighs. "Ahh…" she murmurs to herself. "Maybe bringing them back to life wasn't the best idea. What am I going to do with you all now?" she wonders, already thinking of future problems. "You're going to blow through my whole food budget."
The sound of helicopter blades interrupts the scene, drawing the doctor's attention as she looks up to see a helicopter approaching. Aboard, with a megaphone in hand, is Bob Roth, the bald, pale-skinned, overweight millionaire, shouting at the top of his lungs:
"I'll buy them! I'll put them on an island and make a theme park. I'll be rich! MWUAHAHA!"
The doctor recognizes him immediately, though her enthusiasm fades as she recalls Bob Roth's unreliability and his shady business deals. The idea of handing over her dinosaurs to him doesn't sit well with her at all.
"I really don't have many options…" she murmurs to herself, resigned to her lack of choices. "God, help me make the best decision…"
Just as Bob Roth is about to seal the deal, a female voice echoes from another helicopter that appears out of nowhere.
"Not so fast, Bob Roth!" Nannyra's voice booms through the stadium as her mocking laugh rings out over a megaphone.
"I, the great Nannyra! I'm going to buy those dinosaurs, put them on an island, and make millions! MWUAHAHA!" she declares confidently, savoring the moment.
The doctor on the ground recognizes her instantly. Nannyra is not only known for her wealth; her name is famous because of "Green Couture," an empire that dominates technology, fashion, journalism, and activism. Bob Roth, hearing her, turns to face her, red with fury and gritting his teeth.
"You! You always come to ruin my business deals! Get lost, I got here first!" he shouts, convinced that she has some personal vendetta against him. It's not the first time that when he's close to closing a big deal, Nannyra swoops in to make a better offer and humiliate him in front of everyone.
"MAKE ME, PIG!" Nannyra retorts from her helicopter, provocatively and calmly.
"I'LL MAKE YOU!" Bob Roth erupts. Without a second thought, he grabs the controls and veers his helicopter toward hers in a desperate attempt to shove her out of the way. Nannyra, unfazed, grips her controls firmly and accelerates toward him. Within seconds, the helicopters are locked in a battle of wills, launching into an epic aerial duel above the stadium, with the Eiffel Tower in the background and the tyrannosaurs watching from below.
Meanwhile, in the shadows, Rena Rouge watches from her hiding spot, making sure everyone stays safe. She sees Cat Noir vanish between buildings, and shortly after, Ladybug and Carapace land in a nearby alley, out of danger. Nino, wasting no time, removes the Turtle Miraculous and hands it back to Ladybug, a melancholic expression that she quickly notices.
"Why the sad face?" Ladybug asks, trying to understand his sudden change in mood.
Nino looks down, sighing. "It's just… Alya—I mean, Rena Rouge—didn't come on this mission," he replies, unable to hide his disappointment.
Ladybug thinks fast, searching for the right words to cheer him up. Finally, she smiles at him and says in an encouraging tone, "That's because I only needed you. And you did amazing!"
"Really?" Nino asks, looking up, a bit more uplifted.
Ladybug nods and says goodbye with a smile, leaping gracefully across the rooftops. "Goodbye!" she calls, leaving him alone in the alley.
However, as soon as she leaves, Nino sighs, and his expression turns melancholic once more. He's still thinking about Alya, wishing she'd been there to share that moment.
[N/A: Cof, Cof, Pussy]
[Sewers]
Ladybug lands gracefully in a secluded spot, taking a cautious look around. Ensuring there's no danger, she lifts a manhole cover and, without overthinking, slides down into the sewers. As she lands, she finds Rena Rouge already waiting in the shadows.
Ladybug quickly descends, asking urgently, "We weren't followed? No Shadow Moth traps?"
"Nope," Alya replies with a calm smile. "Nothing to report." They exchange a look of relief, confirming the coast is clear, and proceed to detransform, revealing their true identities: Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Alya Césaire.
Just as Marinette is about to leave, she hesitates, a hint of concern in her expression. "Alya, there's something I wanted to ask…"
Before Marinette can continue, Alya, with her characteristic enthusiasm, jumps in. "Oh! Did you notice my suit?" she exclaims excitedly, spinning around to show it off with a broad grin. "I was surprised by how it adapted to my new role! I even thought of a new name… Rena Furtive." Alya looks pleased with her choice, waiting for Marinette's reaction.
"Yeah, but remember… it has to stay secret," Marinette responds seriously, making sure Alya understands the gravity of the situation. "We agreed that the Fox Miraculous doesn't have an official holder anymore."
Taking the moment, Marinette steps closer, lowering her voice as she asks, "You did tell Nino you're no longer the holder, right?"
Alya hesitates, drawing out her response as if searching for the right words. "Well…" she begins, and Marinette immediately notices her uncertainty.
Marinette's expression turns serious as she places her hands on Alya's shoulders. "Alya, everyone has to believe you're not the Fox Miraculous holder anymore. That way, you can be our spy without anyone suspecting."
Alya nods quickly, slightly impatient. "And cover you with an illusion if Shadow Moth follows you, or if he shows up, I follow him… Got it, got it," she replies, nodding with impatience. "I understand the plan."
Marinette keeps her serious tone. "And for it to work, no one—and I mean no one—can know. Not even Nino can find out that you're still Rena Rouge."
"Or Rena Furtive?" Alya asks with a conspiratorial smile, clearly trying to lighten the mood.
"Or Rena Furtive," Marinette sighs in resignation, to which Alya reacts with a slightly disappointed look. "Oh…"
Just as both of them are about to leave, Alya's phone starts ringing. "Give me a moment," she says, quickly pulling it out of her pocket. Seeing the screen, she notices it's her mother calling. Marinette nods silently, giving her space to answer the call.
"Hello—" Alya starts, but barely manages to say a word before her mother interrupts, filled with excitement. "Alya, you won't believe what happened to me today!"
"Mom, I can't understand you," Alya responds, trying to make out her mother's words through her enthusiasm. With a sigh, her mother tries to calm down and speaks a little slower. "Okay, okay... listen: today I met someone at the restaurant. You won't believe who it was!"
"Who—?" Alya asks, intrigued, but before she can say more, her mother answers without holding back.
"I met Nannyra!"
Alya blinks, surprised, processing what she just heard. "Nannyra?? Do you mean Nannyra, the head of Green Couture? The famous owner of the leading company in technology, fashion, journalism, and activism?"
"Exactly, her!" her mother exclaims with so much excitement that it almost sounds like she's shouting through the phone.
Alya smiles, now excited as well. "Mom, you have to tell me all the details. This would be amazing for my blog! What did she say, how was it? Tell me everything!"
"Well, it all started when she came into the restaurant, and she liked the food so much that she asked to speak with the chef!" her mother recounts, still excited. "She's such a charming person, we talked a lot. She said she was near Paris, and when she heard there were dinosaurs, she just had to come right away! We talked about many things, and it turned out she's really knowledgeable about cooking. I told her about the family, and during our chat, I mentioned you... I told her about your blogs, and she even looked at some!"
"She really took an interest in my blogs?" Alya exclaims, both surprised and excited. The idea that someone like Nannyra, such an influential figure, is interested in her work is amazing. This could be a huge boost for her career as a journalist.
"Not only that! She said she's always looking for new talent, and if you're interested, she could give you a test. You could win her support and funding! So, I told her you were interested."
"AAAAHH!" Alya can barely contain her excitement. She's so happy she feels like she might faint right there. Thank goodness for those dinosaurs.
"So... is she going to come see me?" Alya asks, feeling like the opportunity to meet Nannyra is about to become a reality.
"Uh... not exactly. She said she's sending her protege, her right-hand person, to take care of you," her mother clarifies, trying not to dampen Alya's excitement too quickly.
"Oh..." Alya feels a small sense of disappointment upon learning that it won't be Nannyra herself. She hadn't even remembered that Nannyra had a "protege." "Wait... 'take care of me'? Like a babysitter or something?" she asks, a bit confused.
"Not a babysitter," her mother quickly corrects. "More like... an interviewer or talent scout."
Alya nods, a bit more at ease, and they continue talking for a few more minutes until she remembers where she is. "Mom, I'll call you later!" she says quickly before hanging up.
"Everything okay?" asks Marinette, who's been watching her friend jump, laugh, and shout, all without context. She was worried at first, then reassured herself, and finally, seeing the sparkle in Alya's eyes, she catches the excitement. Whatever it is, it seems like something really good.
"Yes! Everything's perfect!" Alya responds, throwing herself into a hug.
"Let's get out of here; I'll tell you everything on the way," she adds, as they both climb out of the sewer. As they walk, Alya begins recounting every detail of the call to Marinette, not hiding her enthusiasm.
-/-
Author's Note: A boring chapter? Honestly, yes. I took a lot from the original chapter here, but don't worry; from here on, I'll be writing almost everything myself. It would be boring otherwise.
If anyone's wondering why I didn't jump straight into the action, it's simple: I don't like it when the protagonist shows up and, without reason, everyone falls for them. I think there should be at least a bit of setup... Yes, I did exactly that in the first world with Tomoko, but I think it fits her attitude.
If you have any suggestions, I'd be happy to read them.
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