บท 36: 36: Double Trouble

Being chased was fine. Being chased by a Mummy wearing loin cloth zapping the whole city into ruins―not cool. At least that's what Chat Noir thought. He didn't have a problem with the plan since naturally it was his nature to run around jumping over random posts aggravating the opponent. Until, Mummy-man zapped an innocent alley cat which ticked him off.

"Hey!" He yelled as he scrambled to the ground next to the petrified feline. "Lay off the cats!"

In response, Mummy-man groaned and zapped the nearest mailbox. And by nearest, literally next to the sprawled out Chat Noir.

"That is fine." He squeaked at a higher octave and proceeded to scramble as planned.

As soon as Chat reached the open space of the Louvre, he positioned himself to face the floating Egyptian bonanza spitting laser beams like a spawn of Scott Summers from Xmen. Only difference, this thing looks like it's been hitting the toilet too often that its limbs look like it had been overwrapped with toilet paper with its end lying loose at the heel.

Chat cupped his hands around his mouth and yelled "Hey, Rag Bum!" which caught the monster's attention. Its eyes gleamed red under the bright sun. He guessed it didn't like the nickname now that it's snarling at him.

Now that Chat has brought the target to the target place as planned, he wasn't sure how he could stall this thing until reinforcements arrive. More importantly (feelings wise), he was not looking forward to calling this thing as 'mummy' as if he was calling out to his mother. Although he'd been considering the name Insensitive-Laser-Blasting-Undead, then again it was too long that he might even turn into a statue before he gets to battle it. Thus, it has come to the most practical tactic Chat Noir is good at, that has the highest chance if stalling but the lowest chance of survival―talking.

"Sorry about that." He said referring to the nickname. "But before we get on with the whole fighting thing, I would like to clarify some things with you."

Despite the snarling, Mummy-man lolled its head to the side hinting a rather confused but curious response. Chat took that as a good sign.

"What are you?" He inquired. "A sentimonster? An akumatized citizen? I can't seem to place your aura."

Mummy-man backed up with a hollow 'humph' which probably meant: Oh yeah, what am I? then proceeded to glower at Chat for confusing the poor thing.

"Hey, easy there," He raised his hands, "All I'm saying is I feel really bad fighting you without knowing what you really are. I wouldn't want my opponent to be forgotten now, would you?"

Despite the creature's appearance and misguided rage, Chat noticed a level of intelligence with Mummy-man. Hints of understanding his floaty request meant there could be someone in there unless it was AI. (Everything just seems to have AI nowadays.)

Chat wasn't sure of the eye-zapping-stone-turning mummy's true nature or where it had come from. However, he was sure of one thing: his charm and wits won't last long with this one.

Hurry Ladybug, he thought keeping a tight grin.

As if he had developed the power of telekinesis from the fervent mental pleading, Chat noticed a black hole opened ten feet above Mummy-man. Realizing this was the reinforcement he was promised, he choked back a squak that could have alerted the pondering mummy. In a heartbeat, dozens of fat sacks fell like confetti exploding to a plume of white smoke the moment it collided with the ground, making the creature holler in anger.

Vision was compromised for the creature, which would have been advantageous for an all out attack, but having only been a few meters away from the explosion, Chat's vision was no different.

Coughing and wheezing―in semi-blindness―Chat scanned around for any signs of Ladybug. Even after the black hole had closed with the last of the sacks fallen, the screen of white was too thick for anything to be of sight. That was until amidst the confusion, a hand held him by the arm and yanked him away from the cloud of smoke.

Next thing Chat knew, he was standing behind a huge pillar, desperately wiping away the accumulated dust in his eyes, away from where he's been facing the museum's double barrel doors. His eyes fluttered as he managed to fix at the figure standing before him. He was expecting to see Ladybug then remembered it was impossible since her kwami was currently unreachable.

In front of him, his savior studied him with an amused grin. He wore a familiar teal bodysuit covered in scaley patterns and his hair the same color as his outfit. Chat wasn't surprised with the get up knowing he also once got to wear it when Ladybug had asked Adrien to become one of her mighty helpers. He even managed to think he wore the suit better if it wasn't for this boy's great hair. Adrien and the outfit didn't seem to fit well in one sentence.

Better off as Chat Noir, he thought.

"Thank you for saving me." said Chat with a sharp edge on his tone, "But I wasn't expecting 'you' to be my rescuer." he mused dusting his leather suit off.

The thing about leather suits is it's a lot harder to dust particles off despite the smooth glossy surface of the fabric. You had to risk using a damp cloth to wipe off the dust or cause it to become paste. In Chat's case, he'll be risking dough to form in his armpits with a little H2O.

"Don't talk to Viperion like that!" chided a small voice.

Chat stared at Viperion hoping he was the one who had spoken, but the hero didn't look like he had opened his mouth.

"Did you...?" asked Chat as he signed his hand like an alligator's mouth gaping.

Viperion laughed, "Oh no Chat Noir. That was―"

"ME!" yelled the squeeky voice.

On Viperion's left shoulder emerged an action figure sized human, huffing and puffing in bursts of irritation. Looking at the contours of the body, it was a girl wearing a grey leather bodysuit with streaks of pink around her wrists and ankles. Hair up on a twin bun similar to Pucca (if you ever watched Pucca), and a beautiful doll-sized pendant that hung around her neck.

The girl groaned, anchoring both her hands to her waist, "Seriously? That was your brilliant plan? Talking to it?"

"And basing on your tone of familiar annoyance, you must be M'lady."

"Don't you 'mUHlady' me sneaky cat." She chided, "I'm currently Multimouse. So don't make a mistake calling me Ladybug if you don't want big H to find out."

It wasn't like her calling Hawkmoth as big H. Plagg must have brushed off on her considering the amount of time they spend being together. Imagine the moments Plagg must have argued with the girl. It brought a smile on Chat's face.

"What are you gawking at?" said Multimouse.

"Nothing." Chat said flicking his hand on the air, the gesture for: Thank god I finally know who she is. "I was simply admiring the smoke screen contraption you've created. Where did you get so much flour?"

Multimouse flinched. But what suprised him more was how Viperion acted suspicious, glancing at Multimouse as if consulting what to answer.

"A friend!" She blurted. "A friend helped me out. This friend owned a bakery so..." her fingers swirled around.

She may have thought that it was a wise response but all Chat could hear was: I stole it from our bakery. My dad will kill me. Don't ask.

"Besides, that's not the point here." She gestured for the thick white mist a few yards away, "We had to cover THAT with flour to save you."

"And you saved me by covering me with it as well."

"We didn't have a choice!"

"Actually, earlier when I saved you, you looked good in all white." added Viperion which he garnered a sniping glare from Multimouse.

The thought of Chat Noir turning white didn't sit well with her especially with what had happened before. Her only relief was the fact it was only her, Waze and Plagg who knew about the incident.

Chat abruptly waved his mountain of questions to focus on the problem at hand, "What do we do next?" his thumb pointing towards the audible wailing of the blinded monster within the plume of white.

Multimouse grinned. The grin he'd known for so long working with Ladybug. Standing not so tall beside Viperion's cheek, she balled her fist and thrust it against her open hand.

"Time for Phase 2."