Nathaniel's  POV:

    I hear screams coming from the lady's bathroom. I thought, no one would hurt Sarah ever again. I did not know who it was that screamed, but I knew Sarah was in there.

    I better hurry.  I entered the men's room, went into a stall, closed the door, and said, "Orriko feathers spread!"  I transformed into this crazy-looking rooster hero. I was not sure what my hero name even was yet. 

      I was prepared to help fight whoever dared to attack anyone.

    I exited the bathroom and gasped. I saw Kid Zebra, and the akumantized villain fighting a battle directly outside the lady's bathroom. How had Kid Zebra gotten here so fast? Where was Queen Bee?

    I was told I would assist Kid Zebra and Queen Bee.  Queen Bee appeared to be nowhere in sight.

       I  saw another villain attack the lady trying to get a package of crackers out of the vending machine. I sneaked up behind him and kicked him with the rooster's feet. Yes, my costume included those with it. 

   I bet I looked ridiculous. What would Chole think if she could see me now?  

    The crook spun around and attacked me. I fought him while Kid Zebra was occupied fighting the other creep.

     Soon, I heard more screams. Great not another akuma!  It was bad enough with the first two.

      "Hey, Zebra, and Rooster, what do you think you are doing?" I heard someone say.

        Why did that voice sound familiar?  I did not have time to find out.

            I was busy being a hero. Yes, it may be my first day on the job, but I intend to do it well.

             Little did I know that Queen Bee was on her way. She had gotten a single on her phone and her comb beeped once the akumas arrived at the zoo. 

              The fight grew intense as the one I was fighting pulled out a weapon. I gasped. Since when had Hawkmoth allowed the akumas to be this violent?  Good day, that seemed a bit extreme even for him.

              I thought I was a goner as he held the axe near my neck, and braced myself for impact, but it never came. Instead, someone grabbed me, and she was freaking out.

             "What were you thinking? You can't just let him outsmart you like that Rooster King," She scolded me.  I felt her voice was one I heard before, but how?

              Who was this woman who had swooped in and saved my life? I owed her.

              I opened my eyes to see who my rescuer was and gasped in surprise, Queen Bee, but how?

             "Q-Queen B-Bee, "I heard myself stutter. Why did I have such a reaction? I did not even know the girl behind the mask. 

            "Yes, that is my name.  Now, get up, Kid Zebra could use our help. She is too young to fight alone," Queen Bee said. She still looked angry.

            "Yes, Queen Bee, right away," I replied. I was too stunned to argue with her. I blushed because she was so pretty and she reminded me of someone. Wait, what?

             I followed Queen Bee back to the battlefield.  I truly owed her since she had kept me from being a dead Rooster. That would have been well not good,  and Sarah would have been freaked out should something have happened to me. Oh, no, Sarah! I hoped she was alright.  Chole would kill me if something bad ever happened to Sarah. 

             I got back into the fighting stance. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed about the whole thing. Me, a Rooster hero, when I could not even protect Chole from the abusive relationship she had suffered from for ten years, yes, ten. She had dated that monster from age seventeen to age twenty-seven. She was lovely even as a grownup and I was in love.  I shook my head, I needed to clear my head to fight the creep. 

              I attacked one of the bad guys and he fell over. Queen Bee paralyzed him. 

              "That is one down, and three to go," I said.

          "No, Rooster King, It is one down and four more to go," She corrected me.

              "Four more?" I asked.

      "Yes, four, Hawkmoth akumatized five people total," Queen Bee told me.

      I did not realize it was that many. How would we defeat them? There were only three of us and more of them.  

     I heard someone land behind me and asked, "Who goes there?"

    "Relax, King Rooster, it is me, Carapace," I heard a voice say. It was then, that I knew the turtle hero was back. 

    "Glad, you could join us," I said.

    "Yes, well, I returned  from my grandma's funeral, and my bracelet started glowing." He explained.

   "Sorry, about your grandma, Carapace," I said.

    "Yes, Sorry about your grandma, man,"  Queen Bee added.

  "Who is the kid?" Carapace asked.

  "Oh, that is Kid Zebra," I said.

   "Yep, she is good too, " Queen Bee remarked.

  "I can certainly see that," Carapace said. He was impressed.

    Queen Bee, Kid Zebra, Carpace, and I fought against the remaining akumas.  Soon, we had defeated them all.  Thank goodness.  Kid Zebra caught the akumas with her grabber after the top opened and placed them into the jars. Then, we all fist-bumped. 

     Kid Zebra stopped twice and said, "Miraculous Kid Zebra!"  To the astonishment of us, all the things messed up by the villains were all fixed without Ladybug's help. Who knew she could do that kind of stuff?  Pretty impressive. 

       Carapace left to go home before his wife and children worried about him.  Queen Bee said she had to get back to work.  Kid Zebra went into hiding, and I did the same.

   Soon, I was no longer transformed. I fed Orriko, some sunflower seeds. He seemed happy to eat them.  Then, he hides back inside the pocket of my jeans.  

   I looked around for Sarah. Where was she? I began to panic when I could find her in the crowd of people at the zoo. I felt someone tap me on my left arm.

     "Dad, I am right here, so don't worry!" I spun around and sighed a sigh of relief. "Sarah, thank goodness, you are okay!" I said. I hugged her and she hugged me.

    I did not bother to correct her because I hoped someday to be her dad, but hopefully to be married to Chole.  The marriage would have to be because she accepted my love for her and loved me.

 I was not sure what to think. Chole was confusing. Sometimes, she kissed me or hugged me. Other times she seemed standoffish. I was not sure what to make of all these emotions. I also had a feeling she was not sure either.

     Sarah and I looked at the lions, then the sheep at the small farm part of the zoo, and Sarah petted one. I took her photo. Then, I took one of me and her together at her assistance that I did this.

      I heard her stomach growl and mine too. I took her to get a hotdog.

      "This is good, too bad, I never got to try one before," She said.

     "What you have never eaten a hotdog before today?" I asked. I could not believe it. Why had she eaten one before now?

       "My biological parents were vegeterians so they never ate meat. They ensured I got to eat some only because I begged them to let me have it. The orphanage had meat, but it was mostly chicken, turkey, fish, and the occasional hamburger," Sarah explained.

   After the hotdogs, I got us some chips, a  Coca-Cola for me, and a Sprite for Sarah. Then, for dessert, I bought two ice cream cones. "Here, I got you a scoop of vanilla and a scoop of strawberry, " I said as I handed it to Sarah.

     "What is the matter?" I asked at the sad look she gave me. "I can't eat strawberry, I am allergic," Sarah said.

"Owe, sorry, kid, then you can give me that kind, and you can have this one," I said.

  "What kind is it?" Sarah asked. "It is lemon," He said. "Okay, I will try it. Never had lemon flavor before, " She said with a smile.

    I watched as she ate the lemon, I could tell she liked it. Good, at least she is not allergic to lemon, I thought.

    I took her to the Mayor's next. Chole was still at work, and I was tired. It had been a great day hanging out with Sarah. She was one cool kid.

     I arrived home safely and when I entered the house it felt empty. I closed and locked the door, and laid down for a nap.

   Little did I know what was about to go down.

Find out what happens next in Chapter 23

Until then,

bye-bye,

little owlets!

Summer out!