3rd POV
"Honestly I'm glad I struck out Aisling, I didn't expect you to be so awesome on your guitar..... or to own an electric guitar. But I mean as long as you rep our class well I think you're a much better candidate than I could possibly be." Henri said as he clapped his hand on her shoulder. Aisling nodded, albeit a little reluctantly.
"I'll be honest, I was hoping you'd blow me out of the water there Hen, after all I only entered because my parents and friends," She paused to fake cough into her hand "Jacques, sorry must have been something in my throat, forced me to." Jacques rolled his eyes and muttered, "We're still doing this?" earning him a warning glare from Aisling. Bridgette and Stella shared a look just as one of judges from came up to Aisling.
"We'll be expecting to see you in two weeks, make sure you've prepared a different act for the show." She said in a lofty tone before bustling away without another word. Aisling and her friends all stared at the spot where the judge had been before Aisling began to visibly panic.
(A few hours later)
Ladybird stared at his teammate and former partner in shock and slight horror as she rambled in Gaelic.
"Ní féidir liom é seo a dhéanamh! Conas a labhair mé leis seo ar an gcéad dul síos?! Cad a bhí mé ag smaoineamh?!(The translation is somewhere along the lines of: I can't do this! How was I talked into this in the first place?! What was I thinking?!)" Miss Fortune shouted as she paced along the roof. Sunder leaned over to Ladybird who was holding up his yo-yo in screen mode, pointing it at Miss Fortune.
"Does she do this a lot?" Sunder asked him earning a mute nod. Sunder glanced at the screen of his yo-yo and blanched slightly as she saw subtitles appearing in response to Miss Fortune's words. Wordlessly Ladybird closed his yo-yo and walked over to His teammate and grasped her by the forearms.
"You need to calm down Lucky, you're going to be fine I mean you survived a sea a bunny rabbits and fight supervillains and giant monsters on a nearly daily basis, you can play a different song on camera for a few minutes and then wait for the results. Besides look at it like this, it's a perfect opportunity to show everyone that you're a badass." Ladybird said giving Miss Fortune an encouraging smile. Miss Fortune took a few breaths and nodded.
"Yeah, okay, you're right. Not to mention if I can put up with Plagg I can stare down a camera." She said nodding quietly. Sunder stood up and walked over, placing her hand on Miss Fortune's shoulder.
"If you want we can help you choose a song." She said with a small smile. Miss Fortune paused and looked down at her hands before her head snapped up and a bright, chaotic grin shot across her face.
"Actually, I think I know EXACTLY what I'm going to play. Can you finish patrol without me I need to start practicing?" She asked excitedly extending her baton and preparing to vault off the roof.
"Do what you need to do Lucky, we'll be able to manage." Ladybird said giving her a wry smile as Sunder nodded.
"Deadly! Thanks a million!" Miss Fortune exclaimed before giving Ladybird a lightning fast kiss on the cheek and gripping Sunder in a quick hug before disappearing from the roof leaving her teammates utterly stunned. Once she managed to shake off her stupor Sunder glanced over at Ladybird who was holding a hand to his cheek as his eyes stayed frozen on the spot Miss Fortune had been. A sly grin wormed its way onto Sunder's face and she nudged his shoulder.
"Thinking about your KITTEN there mate?" She asked in a teasing tone. Ladybird flinched as she shook him from his reverie. It took him a moment to process her words before his slightly dazed expression turned into a glare and he playfully punched her arm.
"Oh come on! We DON'T SEE EACH OTHER THAT WAY. I mean come on! She was just grateful that we're letting her skip patrol, on that note we'd better start moving. You use your Multitude and cover north and west while I handle south and east then we'll both-or I guess all..? Whatever.- meet back here and report in about everything we've got." He said, sounding clearly flustered before heading off without another word. Sunder chuckled and called out her power.
(Time skip to the day of the competition)
Stella glanced over at Jacques as he fidgeted nervously. Miss Bourgeois had managed to convince, or possibly threaten, the show's producers to let Aisling have her friends present for moral support so Stella, Jacques, and Bridgette were all standing in the studio behind the camera next to Aisling's parents. Up on the slightly raised stage was a girl doing a hypnotism act but the three friends weren't paying her any mind as they waited anxiously for their friend's upcoming performance.
"I don't know why I'M so nervous, it's not like I'm performing or anything." Jacques whispered leaning over so that his friends could hear him as he wrung his hands. Stella instantly clocked the flash of jealousy in Bridgette's eyes before being replaced with guilt.
"I mean you ARE her best friend, it only makes sense that you'd be concerned about her possibly bombing. We all are." Bridgette murmured flashing a forced, reassuring smile. Jacques nodded and let out a shaky breath. Stella turned her attention back to the stage when she saw his jaw drop. Standing there on the stage was Aisling, in torn jeans and a ripped looking black fishnet shirt over a green tank top. What was really startling however was her makeup, it was prim and pristine as always but today she was wearing a deep purple lipstick and dark blue eyeshadow, giving her a haunting look. Her hair was down in a prim braid, held in place by a spiked hair band. She adjusted the guitar strap on her shoulder and walked up to the microphone.
"I'm Aisling McKenna and today I will be perorming a cover of the song "Natural Disaster" By Tova." She said before beginning to play. Feedback filled the studio before turning into an air shredding guitar solo. Then to everyone's shock she started singing, Stella was stunned by how well suited her voice was for the song. As she sung, her voice filling the space with a deep rasp Aisling's fingers shredded the notes on her guitar. Stella leaned over to Jacques and almost silently asked, "What's that word that Aislings always using?" He didn't even look at Stella as he stared rapt at the stage and breathed the word, "Deadly......." Stella looked back at the stage and muttered, "Deadly indeed...." Out of the corner of her eye Stella noticed Bridgette nodding along with a stunned but excited grin. When the last note rang out it was all the three of them could do not to cheer and clap for their best friend as she made a metal symbol with her hands and bowed. Aisling made her way off stage over to her dressing room, followed by her parents who both wore matching scowls of displeasure. The host took her place and told the audience to vote on their phones.
"That was bloody brilliant." Stella said turning to her friends.
"Absolutely! I had no idea she could sing like that!" Bridgette said bouncing slightly. Jacques remained silent but he kept chuckling and shaking his head. A half hour later Aisling and her competitor were back on the stage, Aisling wearing her signature red leather jacket and a wicked grin and her competitor looking cool and uninterested, going between inspecting her nails and smoothing the wrinkles in her green dress.
"The results are in! It was tight but the winner is Aisling McKenna with her stunning performance!" The host exclaimed grinning broadly as they clapped a slightly stunned Aisling on the back. Aisling turned to her clearly irate competitor and held out her hand to shake.
"You did really well, I'm not surprised that it was close." She said with a bright smile. Her competitor rolled her blue eyes petulantly and reluctantly shook her hand.
"I don't see how you won, after all, all you did was screech and make your guitar sound like a sick cat." She said quietly giving Aisling a cold look. Aisling stifled a snicker and replied, "What can I say, I guess people love a good classic." The two of them separated and Stella watched the girl who lost leave. 'I don't think this will end very well.....' she thought uneasily. Once she was finished saying a few words to her 'fans' Aisling walked off the stage and was pulled aside by her parents.
"Aisling McKenna, I can't believe that you would preform a song like that without discussing it with us first." Her mother hissed scowling.
"This is exactly why I didn't talk to you about it, I knew you'd freak out but I don't regret it, I chose that song because it made me who I am! I mean come on! I grew up listening to classic rock because of dad, and that song in particular helps me come to terms with who I am. You have to understand that." Aisling responded searching her parents' eyes. Her father sighed
"She's right A ghrá, and she won so let's just be happy and put it behind us." Her father said looking over at his wife. Aisling's mother frowned for another second before sighing.
"I just don't want you to get into any trouble Aisling..." She murmured brushing her thumb across her daughter's cheek.
"Mam, I'm tubaiste trouble is going to find me, my Luck won't suddenly change for the better just because we want it to and.... I'm not sure I do anymore...." Aisling said feeling Plagg snuggle closer to her in her jacket. Her parents exchanged a look of slight concern before nodding.
"Whatever you think is best A stóirín, we'll stand by you no matter what." Aisling's mother said with a sad smile. Stella turned away as she watched Aisling and her parents hugging. I miss having moments like that with my parents.... She thought sadly before shaking the thought off as Aisling walked over.
"You were fantastic up there!" Stella exclaimed as she wrapped her best friend in a hug.
"Yeah Ash, I'm kinda surprised by your choice of music though." Jacques said as he gave her a conspiratorial smile and wrapped an arm around her shoulders.
"Well what can I say, it seemed fitting." Aisling responded returning his grin, leaving Stella and Bridgette feeling slightly out of the loop.
(Meanwhile)
"Ugh! How the hell is it that I lost?! I mean come on she didn't even sing well!" Yelled Aisling's competitor, Collette as she kicked over a trash can. Meanwhile somewhere in Paris Khaos chuckled at the girl's rage.
"Well now I can't say that I don't respect that girl's fire, how about we help her career along?" He asked as he pulled a feather out of his fan and closed his hand over it allowing dark energy to stain it blue.
"Ride the wind little Amok, and let's see if we can't blacken her already darkened soul." He said and after floating a little ways the feather came to alight upon a matchbook shaped pin that Collette wore on her collar.
"Hello my dear, it would seem that there are some wrongs to be righted, what would you say to wreaking some havoc and getting some certain items for me in exchange for the recognition that you so deserve?" Khaos' voice asked as a dark blue aura appeared in the air in front of the girl.
"I say jump, they say how high...." She said with a menacing grin as one of her hands grasped the Sentimonster before her, what looked like a pair of hypno-glasses with red and yellow swirl-like eyes. "Are you kidding me? These look like children's toys." Colette stated as she looked down at the Sentimonster.
"Hey! Show some gratitude I'm giving you freaking superpowers kid! I'm working with whatever I've got access to!" Khaos responded in annoyance.
"Well I suppose as long as they work..." She muttered sliding the glasses onto her face.
(Meanwhile)
Stella and the others were hanging out in the park after Aisling's parents dropped them off when they all heard a cacophony of noise from down the street in the direction of the studio. Just then Stella, Aisling, and Jacques all got texts that read, 'Unscheduled field trip, meet at PEC studio.~Mistress Red'. Aisling swore in Gaelic and explained to Bridgette that the three of them had to go while Jacques explained what the text actually meant to Stella.
"It's code for a Sentimonster attack, pop quiz means Akumas while field trip means sentimonsters, and a two for one lesson means that the supervillains are both attacking." He whispered hurriedly. Aisling ran over to them and the three of them waved goodbye before racing off. They made it into a nearby alley and Aisling swore again.
"Okay what is your damage?" Stella asked her starting to feel annoyed and confused.
"It's that girl, Colette, the one I was up against in the competition? She was slagging me about my act and how it won. I'd put any amount of money on her being the cause of this." Aisling said vehemently. Jacques paused and asked, "Any amount you say?" Aisling shot him a look and the three of them transformed.
"How about this Lucky, if it's her I'll treat you to lunch at the usual place next time you want to go no arguments, if it's not her you have to treat me, deal?" Ladybird offered as Miss Fortune created a Black Hole. Miss Fortune's ears pricked up and she glanced over at him before shaking his hand.
"You're on." She said with a wicked grin.
"'Usual place'?" Sunder asked looking between the two of them.
"We have a meeting place that we've been using since we got started as superheroes. We used to meet up there for patrol before you joined since we figured it would be easier to meet somewhere higher up so that we could cover more ground." Miss Fortune explained before jumping into the portal. Ladybird added, "We still hang out there in civis so we'll make bets about who has to pay the next time we go there." Sunder nodded finally understanding. 'So that's where they keep going on their 'not dates'. She thought before feeling a pang of guilt as Bridgette popped into her mind. She shook her head and followed Miss Fortune's lead, jumping down into the Black Hole, followed close behind by Ladybird. As they emerged onto a roof near the studio Miss Fortune silently pointed to a screen on the outside of the building. On it was, unsurprisingly, Aisling's former competitor Colette wearing her green dress with a pair of glasses with red and yellow swirls on the lenses.
"Hello Paris and welcome to Colette Commands." She said making a grand gesture with her arms.
"First of all, I win, second of all look at her collar but not her face." Miss Fortune said pointing at a pin at her collar.
"What is it and why shouldn't we look at her face?" Sunder asked looking at her teammate.
"That pins where the Amok is, I watch a lot of old movies and that pin looks just like a matchbook from "The Woman in Green" it's a Basil Rathbone Sherlock Holmes movie that involves, surprise surprise, a hypnotist."(AN: this is a real movie and it's awesome so I'm avoiding giving any spoilers) Ladybird nodded.
"It would make sense... but what does that have to do with not looking at her face." He asked scowling slightly.
"Oh that! Yeah did you happen to notice the weird glasses on her face?" Miss Fortune asked earning a hesitant nod from her teammates.
"Deadly, well just a moment before you got here the glasses blinked, I'm damned sure that they're the sentimonster and we'd be screwed if one of us ended up under her control. Not to mention that she's currently live-streaming to everyone with a phone and a pulse so it's best we don't have to split up. Now have you got a plan oh infallible leader, because I'm in bits over here." She explained her words dripping with sardonicism. Ladybird sighed and said, "For one thing," he flipped her off, "we've got enough problems without your sass right now Lucky. For another thing, if we could somehow get in from behind, as long as you use precision you be able to cataclysm the pin without removing it.... Though it might be better for Sunder to just take it and bring it back now that I'm thinking about it, if we can get you on and off of her collar we might have a chance." Ladybird his frown deepened as he worked through the problem.
"Well getting in may be a bit of a problem guys, look." Sunder said, after Miss Fortune pointed out the fact that Colette was live-streaming she'd looked down at the people below them.
"It looks like the plan to use a livestream to spread the effects of her Sentimonster worked." She said pointing below them as throngs of people with fully red and yellow swirling eyes gathered in the street in front of the studio.
"You've got te be kidding me....." Miss Fortune muttered as she looked down.
"Okay ground floor is off limits...." Ladybird murmured as he looked around for another way in. He saw an open window and pointed it out.
"Hey Lucky, whaddo you say to a little B&E?" He asked with a devilish smile. Miss Fortune returned the grin and said, "Just like old times." before extending her baton and casually tightrope walking over to the window.
"Just what did you used to do before I got here?!" Sunder asked her mouth hanging ajar. Ladybird chuckled sheepishly before clicking a spot on his yo-yo, causing the two halves to separate and form into a staff which he used to pole vault into the building.
"Bloody show offs...." Sunder muttered as she attached her jumprope to the roof of the studio and swung herself in.
"Okay so we're somewhere around the tenth floor and Colette is down on the first in the main studio. If we can somehow get down to the main floor without being caught we've got a good chance." Ladybird said, not noticing some of Colette's hypnotized victims coming up behind him.
"Psst, Birdie, turn around!" Miss Fortune hissed anxiously as she and Sunder prepared themselves for a fight. He turned around just in time for one of the victims to grab him and pin his arms to his sides. Sunder and Miss Fortune immediately moved to attack but Ladybird yelled for them to stop.
"I can get out of this, I'll be fine, we don't hurt civilians, Lucky you know that as well as anyone. Get somewhere safe, I'll handle things here, besides we were trying to get to the first floor anyway this works well for the plan." He said with a wry smile. Sunder glanced at Miss Fortune who was blinking back tears as she backed herself against a wall and placed her hand against it.
"We'll see you soon A ghrá." She said with a nod before creating a black whole and pulling Sunder into it. For the first time when the two girls entered the portal they didn't immediately emerge in their destination. Instead Sunder found herself in a black void staring at Miss Fortune as she held up her baton, now a simple silver tube, and detransformed. Aisling McKenna, who in the weeks that she had known her had proven to be one of the strongest people that Sunder had ever met started crying as she gave her kwami a wedge of cheese.
"We only get five uses of our secondary powers, for me it's even less because each portal I make takes up power. We'll hide in here for now and then I'll get us to the first floor." Aisling explained as her tears floated away from her eyes, shining like stars against the blackness of the void.
"This isn't your fault kid, besides Tikki and Jacques are perfectly matched for each other, they'll be fine." Plagg said rubbing against her cheek comfortingly as he ate the cheese.
"And you aren't alone here, I'm not going anywhere." Sunder added with a determined smile as she placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I know, I just needed a minute." Aisling said returning her smile and patting Plagg's head. With that she transformed and the two of them existed the void into what looked like a dressing room.
"Was this where you got set up for your act?" Sunder asked Miss Fortune as she looked around.
"That's right. Now the plans basically the same as usual, you get the pin, Ladybird and I will draw aggro." Miss Fortune said in a no nonsense voice.
"Okay, will you be alright?" Sunder asked her voice filled with concern for her friend. There was a long silence as Miss Fortune paused in front of the dressing room mirror and turned to her teammate, her slit pupiled green eyes narrowing menacingly as a slow, cold grin spread across her face.
"Oh don't you worry about me friend, let's just say that someone's about to have some VERY BAD LUCK." She said as the mirror behind her cracked.
(Meanwhile)
'"Just don't look at her eyes, no problem!" Yeah right!' Ladybird thought as he forced himself to keep his eyes glued shut as he tried to get away from the two civilians that were holding him down in front of Colette and her sentimonster. 'If these people weren't just civilians....' He growled to himself.
"Oh come on, just make this easy for me, just open your eyes, I promise this'll go much better for you if you do." Colette cooed as she bent down to lift his face to hers.
"Oh believe me I'd love to discuss how much EASIER this would be for you but I honestly don't think I'd enjoy the experience even half as much as you imply." Ladybird shot back as he wrenched his face out of her hand. She growled an order to some other civilians before shrieking loudly. Ladybird's eyes flew open and he looked up to see Miss Fortune landing on the floor in a hero pose. She used her baton to, gently, push his captors back so that they'd release him before twirling her baton around and leaning on it with her hands crossed over it as a wide grin took up her face.
"Welcome to the party pal." She said shooting him a wink before back flipping and swinging her baton around and knocking back a few more of Colette's minions. After a breathless moment Ladybird jumped up and followed her lead. After a minute of fighting the two of them ended up back to back.
"Just like old times, surrounded on all sides and having the craic!" Miss Fortune exclaimed her usually slitted pupils dilating with excitement. Ladybird chuckled and asked, "That reminds me, where's our friend?" She shrugged and responded, "Haven't a clue, left her behind before rushing here to save your sorry arse." He barked a laugh before shouting, "Lucky Charm!" A small, broken off, piece of chalk landed in his hand.
"Apoidea...." He murmured just loudly enough for Miss Fortune to hear.
"Oh shite....." Miss Fortune muttered before using her baton to quickly send a message to Sunder before creating a Black Hole beneath them.
(Meanwhile)
Sunder glanced between her jump rope and the message displayed on it and her teammates as they dropped down into a portal. The message was short and slightly confusing but Sunder thought she understood.
'Find 👩‍🏫 get 🐝.~🐈‍⬛ Okay, so I need to find Miss Bourgeois and get her to help us.... Can't be too hard can it?' She thought as she rushed through the city. As she swung through the city a slightly familiar yellow and black spinning top wrapped around her middle and pulled her onto a private looking rooftop. Once she had gotten her bearings Sunder found a familiar hair comb being offered to her.
"Don't ask me how I know you need this just put it in and say 'Mullo, Pollen unify'." Miss Bourgeois ordered. Sunder placed the comb in her hair behind her left ear and it took the form of a black hair comb with spikes and followed her teacher's order. As soon as the words left her mouth Sunder felt a rush of power and looked down at herself. Now running along her arms like double helixes were black and yellow stripes and on both her cuffs and belt was each one encircling band of yellow. The white section of her suit was now divided by a black stripe and now she wore what looked like a black jacket with quarter length sleeves with, when she craned her neck to look behind her had white bee wing designs on the back.
"Metal....." She murmured as she examined herself.
"No time for that hurry!" Miss Bourgeois shouted at her causing Sunder to quickly stand to attention before jumping off the roof and swing back to the studio.
(Meanwhile)
Miss Fortune watched her partner pace in the void that her black hole had created.
"Calm down Birdie, she'll be back soon and we'll get this done." She said placing a comforting hand on his cheek.
"I know, I know it's just.... She's new to the whole hero thing and she's never unified miraculous before. Not to mention what if she didn't even understand the message? I-!" Miss Fortune cut him off by placing a hand over his mouth as she held up his yo-yo which had a message on its screen.
'Got 🐝 OTW~🐭' Ladybird read before letting out a relieved sigh. 'So she understood.... Thank god....' He thought as he retrieved his yo-yo from Miss Fortune as she removed her hand from his face. They shared a quick nod and Miss Fortune made them an exit portal just to find their teammate standing in the midst of a large crowd of hypnotized victims.
"Sunder use your powers and stun these civilians, Miss Fortune and I will handle the rest!" Ladybird shouted as he and Miss Fortune started working on distracting the civilians.
"It's Swarm actually but on it!" Swarm shouted in response.
"Deadly!" Miss Fortune said as Swarm used her two powers to not only stun the civilians but also Colette.
"Fair play to you Swarm! You're an absolute pleasure to work with might I just say!" She added as Ladybird tossed her the pin from the, muffledly screaming, girl's collar as he confiscated it and her sentimonster.
"Cataclysm." Miss Fortune said with a dark grin as she made eye contact with Colette as the pin turned to ash in her hand. Ladybird quickly purified the Amok and returned things to normal.
"You two head back, I'll catch up soon." Miss Fortune called earning a concerned look from Swarm as she and Ladybird exited the building.
"Look I'm sorry but-"
"Don't lie to me, I know you were in full control of your actions the entire time you were controlling that sentimonster, you're not sorry, so know this and know it for damn sure, it's a fine thing to throw a tantrum over losing something but don't you DARE put innocent people at risk because of your poor control over your emotions. Get therapy, talk te a priest I really don't care but for the love of all that is safe and good if you do something like this again I will personally kick your bloody arse all the way te hell and back before we have te cleanse the Amok or Akuma. Is that entirely clear?" Miss Fortune hissed menacingly, getting in the trembling girl's face, her pupils shifting to almost imperceptible slits and her hair puffing up as a growl rumbled in her chest. Colette nodded vigorously before collapsing onto the floor as her legs gave out from fear. With that Miss Fortune exited and detransformed in a nearby alley.
"You okay kid?" Plagg asked her as he ducked into her leather jacket.
"Oh I'm fine, I just thought I'd get back at her for making me feel so useless earlier when Ladybird got captured." Aisling responded offhandedly.
"I knew I liked you." Plagg said with a sardonic chuckle as he snuggled against her neck.