Wow, it's been a while since I updated this. I apologize; I had to deal with a rather strenuous summer job (babysitting, if you want to know).

Now, there is a lot of switching around, language-wise. One character's dialogue is written in English and then suddenly, that character can't speak English? Might get confusing, I get it. So, here's how it works:

-When two French characters are conversing, they're speaking in French, even though the dialogue is written in English (that's just so you readers can understand that they are saying).

-When a French character and an American character are conversing, it is in English with extra French (actually written in French) tossed in.

Please let me know if anything is confusing, or if you find an error in my French writing!

(And did you see that bee kwami M. Astruc posted? Adorable!)

Chloé was waiting by the room door when the others arrived. "It's about time," she huffed.

"Sorry, Chloé," said Alya, "it's not like we all have personal butlers to bring our stuff up for us."

"Not to mention he used all the carts for your fifty bags!" added Nino. He was holding two bags of his own. "I've got heavy and sensitive equipment in here!"

"Not my problem." Chloé gingerly handed Marinette and Alya two room keys, making sure to dust her hand off on her pants after she did so.

Alya seethed while Marinette rolled her eyes.

Chloé handed Adrien two room keys, making sure to let her hand linger on his. He smiled nervously and pulled his hand back to give the other key to Nino.

"You," said Chloé, pointing to Alya, "as much as I do not want to spend extended time with you, we better get our thoughts together with what we tell Jameson. The others can go."

Alya snorted. "Fine, Your High and Mighty-Ness. But you better not keep me all night."

"Feh! You wish you could spend extra time with someone like me. It'll be a half hour at most."

"That's about a half hour too much," mumbled Alya, but she agreed.

Marinette, Adrien, and Nino made as to leave, but Chloé stopped them. "Oh, Adrien?" she sang.

"Yes?" he responded politely.

"We are dining at an exquisite restaurant tonight. Just you and me. I made reservations."

"Oh, but the others and I were wanting to try out a pizza pla—"

"But my reservations, Adrien!" Chloé pouted. "It was super expensive and I can't get a refund!"

Adrien let out a small sigh. He shot an apologetic glance at the others. "Maybe we can go for pizza tomorrow?" he said.

"Sure, bud," said Nino.

"Hey," said Marinette to Alya, "maybe this means you and Nino can find a nice place and have a date!"

"But what about you?" said Alya.

Marinette waved a hand. "I'll be fine. I'll scope out the pizza beforehand and tell you whether or not it's worth eating."

"Speaking of being alone," noted Alya. "Sabrina, what are you going to do?"

"Oh, I'm going to stay in here tonight," said Sabrina. "I must schedule an appointment with Jameson. And Chloé wants me to do some research about the city. Don't worry about me. I'll order room service." The diligent assistant looked perfectly content with her plans.

Marinette frowned. "You're doing work on a trip to New York City? That doesn't sound like fun at all!"

"It does to me!"

Marinette looked skeptical, but Alya gave her a look that said, "Drop it."

Nino set down a bag for a moment and checked his watch. "Well, then, I better get ready. I have a date with a pretty lady, and I haven't even picked out the location!" He gave a wink to Alya and slipped into his room.

Alya laughed.

Adrien looked over at Marinette. "You're sure you'll be okay on your own?" he said.

"Of course!" In a lower tone she mumbled, "It's you I'm worried about."

Adrien shook his head. "It's fine. I'm used to this sort of thing," he said quietly.

Chloé, who had not heard their exchange, clapped her hands. "Hello? Nino isn't the only one going on a date with a pretty girl! Not that I really think his date is all that pretty."

Alya huffed.

"Chop-chop, Adrikins~!"

Adrien forced a smile. "Of course!" He excused himself and went into his room.

"Let's go, Al-yak," said Chloé, grabbing her arm in an iron grip.

"Hey! Don't I get a chance to put up my stuff?!"

"There's time for that later!" Chloé dragged her into her hotel room. Sabrina followed suit and then Marinette was alone.

The blue-haired girl went into her and Alya's room and dropped her suitcase onto one of the beds. She flopped onto one with a sigh.

"What's wrong, Marinette?" came Tikki's voice. She flew out of the Miraculous and came to hover before Marinette.

"I just feel so bad for Adrien," Marinette confessed. "I mean, a date with Chloé? Does he even have the stamina?"

"Don't worry, Marinette. With all Adrien has to go through, she's the least of his problems."

Marinette quirked an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean? His dad might be a strict and stone-faced guy and he may be busy all the time, but it can't be that bad..."

"Oh, I guess not," Tikki said shortly. It seemed like she knew more than she was letting on, but she changed the subject. "Anyhow, what do you plan on doing tonight? You'll be in your own in the big city."

Marinette smiled. "Well...we all know Marinette will be on her own...and so is someone else."

"Who, Sabrina?"

"No, Tikki! Ladybug!" said Marinette.

"What?!"

Marinette looked excited. "Yeah! Imagine it—Ladybug visits New York! I really really want to meet this Spider-guy they keep talking about. I want to compare powers and abilities and—"

"Marinette," scolded Tikki. "It will be a lot easier for people to discern your identity if you and Ladybug both just happen to be in New York."

"That's the genius of it! Nobody knows I'm here!"

"That's not true. I can think of five people who know you are here—one of them being equivalent to a whole team of paparazzi!" Tikki said.

Marinette frowned. "That's true...but these buildings! How cool would it be to jump across them?"

"Marinette, I know you want to explore from a different perspective than most tourists, but this is extremely dangerous. You can do what you choose, but my suggestion is to stay out unless Ladybug is really needed."

Marinette chewed her lip for a bit—then sighed. "You're right..."

"But you can still explore the city as Marinette! It'll be fun!"

Marinette smiled. "Yeah. Yeah! This'll be cool." She stood and took her purse. "Let's go see if American cookies are as good as French ones."

"Hee hee, that's a tall order!" said Tikki.

Marinette put on a jacket with a rather tall collar. "You can hide in here and we can talk on the way."

"Great thinking! And don't forget to bring your room key with you."

"Will do," said Marinette. She grabbed it and headed out. Tikki flew into her collar as she walked off.

New York was tall.

Marinette had unknowingly stridden right into Times Square. Was it a sight to behold in the night! The electric billboards glowed radiant and everywhere she looked she could see people. There were many advertisements in English. She recognized a great deal of them, especially the prominent Coca-Cola sign. She couldn't help but utter, "Wow..."

"Boy, they're right to call it the city that never sleeps," Tikki said from inside Marinette's collar.

"Aren't they just?" breathed Marinette.

The moment was interrupted as someone bumped past her. He shot her a dirty look as he went by.

Marinette frowned. "That wasn't very nice."

"It's New York, Mari. People are kinda mean."

"I'd figured that was a stereotype."

"It is," affirmed Tikki, "but sometimes it can ring true."

Marinette walked forward and did her best to match the pace of everyone else. She noticed something odd in front of a different hotel. "Are those people in costumes?"

"Yes," said Tikki, "that's not uncommon here."

Marinette grimaced at one poorly-made Mickey Mouse costume that seemed to stare at her. "They're...creepy..."

Tikki's stomach suddenly let out a loud rumble. She blushed. "Oop!"

Marinette laughed. "We better get you some food!"

"If that's all right..."

"I'm pretty hungry, too. Let's go find a restaurant."

It was on a road off of Times Square where they found an inexpensive convenience store that had freshly baked cookies. Marinette figured it would be best to stock up just in case before she herself went to eat. It took Marinette a few minutes to figure out how she was going to order, since she had to do it in English.

"You can do it, Mari," said Tikki.

"I can do this. I can do this. Okay!" Marinette confidently strode up to the cashier.

"Hey, what do you need?" said the man.

Marinette took a deep breath and spoke in broken English. "I...would like a...um...cookie. Uh, five. Five of...cookies."

"Five cookies," said the cashier. He rung it up and bagged five chocolate chip cookies. "That'll be $7.86."

Marinette pulled out several euros out of habit. It was when she set them on the table that she froze.

"Something the matter?"

"Zut," she said. "J'ai oubliée—I—I forgot to—uh—"

The man glanced down at the money she had laid on the table. He picked one up. "Euros, huh?" he said. He slid it back.

Marinette looked terrified. "Je suis desolée, j'ai completement oubliée, je suis une idiote..." She was so worried he was going to be one of those "rude New Yorkers" that she was rambling.

"Hey, hey, don't worry about it," the guy cut her off.

Marinette stopped short.

He offered a kind smile. "I've been there before. First time I came here, I forgot to change my money out, too. Tried to pay for a soda in Columbian pesos. That didn't go so well." He chuckled. "Might as well give you a better first impression." And he offered her the bag of cookies.

"Huh?"

"Just this once. It's on the house."

Marinette tilted her head.

"That means it's free," the guy laughed.

"It is?"

"Sure! We New Yorkers aren't all bad."

It finally clicked for Marinette that this man was being genuine. She gave him a big smile. "Merci beaucoup!" she said. She took the bag.

"De nada," he said. "Don't forget to change out those euros next time, though."

"I won't!" she promised.

He waved as she headed out.

"What a very nice man!" squeaked the kwami.

"Yeah. Gosh, I sure hope the others remembered to do their exchanges...I'll text them now." Marinette sent them a reminder in a group chat, and put her phone up. "How about we get you one of those cookies?"

"Sure!"

But as Marinette made as to get a cookie out, she heard something that rattled her.

Screaming.

"It's coming from Times Square," Tikki noted.

Marinette ducked into a nearby alley. "Sounds like Ladybug is really needed," she said.

"Let's pray your friends remain ignorant," Tikki sighed.

Marinette struck a pose. "Tikki, spots on!"

Ladybug leapt onto a building and waited. "Where are you..." she mumbled. It took her a few moments to find the source of everyone's worries. Someone or something was flying around and throwing objects at people. Ladybug paled when she saw that they were bombs.

To the people's credit, they were able to make themselves scarce when a bomb hit, and the explosions were quite small, but Ladybug was worried that they wouldn't be lucky for long. She grunted and whipped out her magic yo-yo. She hurled it at the evildoer's glider—strangely, it reminded her of that Green Goblin fellow from a while ago.

The villain started when her yo-yo wrapped around his glider. "Well, well, I was hoping I'd find you here, Spider-Man!" he cackled. He turned to face his assailant and paused. "You're not Spider-Man."

Ladybug simply growled and threw her yo-yo at him. It wrapped around his chest, pinning his arms around him.

"So much for manners," he sighed, and he withdrew a pumpkin-themed boomerang from his waist.

Ladybug gasped. "Green...Goblin?" she asked.

"Close," said the villain. He sliced the yo-yo string off of him.

"Ah, non!" she cried. She grasped at the broken strings, but suddenly she'd been shoved off.

Ladybug was plummeting to the ground without a way to save herself.

She let out a shriek and the whole crowd let out screams. Ladybug shut her eyes tightly, silently apologizing to Chat Noir for having let herself die so quickly—

—when suddenly, someone caught her.

"Chat?!" she gasped. She opened her eyes and she did not see her partner in crime.

"And here I thought I was the only big bug in town!" Spider-Man, in the flesh, was looking down at Ladybug with what she assumed was a grin. She nervously smiled back. He landed easily and set her down.

Ladybug leapt up and scrambled for her yo-yo. She found it by her side like usual. It must have regenerated...Thank goodness.

"I know you," Spider-Man said. "You fought one of my old foes. Actually, you finally got him arrested when we all though he was dead. Thank you for that."

"Oh! It's nothing."

"You're Ladybug, right?"

"Oui. That is me."

"I guess you got a bit of inspiration from yours truly, huh?"

Ladybug huffed. "That is untrue," she said. She spoke English more confidently as Ladybug, some part of her noticed. "The idea of the Ladybug is older than you. Much! Beaucoup plus agée!"

"It was just a joke! What's all this about the concept of...?" Spider-Man shook his head. "No. I gotta focus on the Hobgoblin. He's my main problem right now."

"You want that I help you?" Ladybug asked.

"Aw, come on, I'm Spider-Man! I don't need—"

He was cut off by an explosion near them that blew them both off of their feet. Above them, the Hobgoblin let out a loud cackle. Ladybug landed easily into a crouch while Spider-Man landed on his face. "Ow..."

"I will help you," said Ladybug with a smirk. She offered the other hero a hand.

"All right, all right. I give." Spidey took it.

As of late Adrien had grown to dislike many fancy things. This restaurant was no exception. He drummed his fingers on the table as Chloé rambled on about nothing.

"...and I thought that the idea was just ridiculous! I mean, a plaid shirt! Plaid, Adrien! What a fashion disaster!"

"Uh-huh."

"Not like us. We're, like, elites walking around garbage people."

Adrien sighed. "The others are my friends, you know."

"Oh, Adrien. You're too nice for your own good," Chloé said in a patronizing tone.

"Mmm."

"But really, the only people at our school actually worth anything would be you and—Ladybug?"

Adrien spat out his soda. "Who told you? What do you know?!"

Chloé pointed outside. "All I know is that that's Ladybug!"

Adrien turned around to look at the window, and sure enough, there was Ladybug, swinging around and trying to hit some guy and—and that Spider-guy was with her! A sudden wave of jealousy washed over him. How dare she get a new partner! She thought she could run on over to New York and fight crime without Chat? Well, she would have another thing coming!

"Aw, oh, oh man," Adrien said suddenly.

"What?"

"Darnit, uh, my stomach, ow, it's really hurting! I really shouldn't have had that, uh..." He clutched his tummy.

"Salmon croquettes?"

"Yeah, those! Oh, ow, I might be in there a while. Sorry, Chloé! I'm gonna have to miss dessert!" Adrien stumbled out and ran towards the bathroom.

"Hey! You just want to see the Ladybug fight! Hey! Don't leave without me!"

"Somebody's jealous!"

"Shut it, Plagg!" hissed Adrien. He had ducked into the bathroom just to be more believable. He was now sitting in a stall. "I have to figure this out. I gotta get out of here without Chloé seeing me as Chat."

"Why so eager to get out there? Surely Ladybug and her new bugfriend have it covered."

"Stop it!"

Plagg snickered. "Ladybug and Spider-Man, wrapped up in a tree! K-I-S-S—"

"Plagg, claws out!"

"Aw, come on, I was just kiiiiiiiiiding!" Plagg screeched as he was sucked into the ring.

Chat Noir hummed. "Let's see, to get away from her...I go...aha! Through the window!" He went to the nearest window and was thankfully able to open it with a little force. He flung himself out and found himself landing on a fire escape. "Hey! That was surprisingly lucky!"

Then a bomb landed near him and he was flung out.

"Less lucky!" he screamed. He started to fall.

Of course, the heroes were right nearby. Spider-Man and Ladybug swooped down to snatch him. They landed on the building nearby.

"Chat Noir!" exclaimed Ladybug.

"He's here, too!" said Spider-Man.

In French, Chat said, "Ladybug! Fancy meeting you here!"

"What are you doing in New York?" said Ladybug.

"What are you doing in New York?" countered Chat.

"I'm on a trip with my friends, I—did you follow me?"

Chat looked offended. "No! Why would I follow you? We don't even know each other's identities!"

Spider-Man, of course, couldn't understand a lick of what they were saying. "Guys?"

"So we both just happened to be in New York at the same time? Seriously?" said Ladybug. "Are these even coincidences anymore?"

"What do you mean?" said Chat.

In English, "Guys?!"

"I mean, what if we're connected somehow, in our civilian forms?"

"Ooh, you already know how much I want to connect with you, My Lady."

Ladybug made a face. "Don't be gross!"

He blanched. "Wait, no, I wasn't trying to make it sound like that!"

"GUYS?!"

They looked up to see a barrage of bombs headed their way. Chat shrieked. They managed to dodge them.

"Next time, pay attention," said Spider-Man.

"Quoi?" said Chat Noir.

"Let's go!" Ladybug said in English. She leapt off of the building to go after the villain.

Spider-Man followed suit, grabbing onto Chat. The teen snarled indignantly, but Spidey paid no heed. He followed Ladybug with Chat thrown across his shoulder, the cat hissing and spitting French curses the whole way.

The Hobgoblin was armed and dangerous, but he was rather inexperienced in combat. At least, the kind of combat that Spider-Man and co. delivered. Most of his methods involved hurling weapons and swerving to avoid attacks using his glider.

"Let's see," Ladybug mused in French. "He relies mostly on his weapons and his height. Without them it shouldn't be hard to incapacitate him. We need to deactivate the glider."

"What?" said Spider-Man in English.

Chat Noir ignored him. "Well, if you can get me close to the guy, I can use Cataclysm to destroy the glider."

"Hmm..." said Ladybug. "That's good. But I think it'd be better for Spider-Man to get you up there. With his webs and all."

Chat squirmed. "Yeah, but I'd rather you helped me."

"I'll be busy."

"Maybe I can use my staff?"

Ladybug massaged her temples. "Chat, please, please don't do this. I'm really not up for debating right now. Can you just go with it?"

Chat let out a long sigh and said, "Fine."

"What's the plan?" said Spider-Man to Ladybug.

In English, she said, "You have to get Chat towards the villain so that he can destroy the glider."

"Destroy the glider? How's he gonna do that?" The kid was no Hulk, that was for sure.

"Trust me."

Spider-Man looked confused, but he gave a nod. "All right...?"

The Hobgoblin had lost sight of them, and was looking around. "Oh, insects," he sang, "where are you...?"

The heroes had fashioned a slingshot made of web material. Chat made as to move, but Ladybug stopped him. "Attends. Wait for my signal," she added in English for Spider-Man.

"D'accord."

"Got it."

The heroine's eyes were narrowed. She waited in a crouch for the villain to come into view. Just a bit closer...closer..."ALLEZ!"

"Eat this, you Green Goblin wannabe!"

Spidey pulled back, and the cat flew right towards the glider. He rammed straight into the Hobgoblin.

"HEY! Hitch a ride somewhere else!"

Chat raised a hand. "Cataclysme!" he exclaimed.

Spidey kind of jumped when he saw Chat's hand glow with black...energy? Was this some kind of symbiote?

"What in the world?!" screeched the Hobgoblin.

Chat brought his glowing hand down onto the glider. It aged and crumbled beneath the Hobgoblin—and himself.

"What did you do?!" cried the villain. "My precious technology! Now we're both going to die!" Indeed, they were both plunging to the concrete and screaming citizens.

But the Hobgoblin found himself wrapped in webbing a moment later. "Aw, you didn't forget me that easily, did you?" said Spider-Man. The young adult moved so that he was at the Hobgoblin's face. "And it isn't your technology. It's Oscorp's."

The Hobgoblin just made an angry face.

Chat, meanwhile, had been rescued by Ladybug. "Thank you, My Lady," he said.

"Sure," she said, bringing him back up by the building. She withdrew her yo-yo and sighed. "What was that back there?"

"What?"

"The whole 'I don't want to work with Spidey' thing."

Chat groaned. "You're giving him nicknames now?"

Ladybug's brow furrowed. "Chat, you're not...jealous, are you?"

"What? Me, jealous! Ha! That's a riot," Chat said in a very, very, forced tone. "What, just because you find a new partner in a matter of days who's a lot more useful and similar to you than me? Why would I be jealous?"

Ladybug frowned. "Chat, why would you think I'd abandon you like that? Spider-Man and I are not partners. It just so happened we're both superheroes fighting a common enemy. You joined up with us not long after I met him."

Chat was silent.

Ladybug sighed and put a hand in his shoulder. "It's not like you to be this possessive, Kitty. What's the matter?"

Chat let out a sigh and kicked the ground. "I don't know...I was on this pretty lousy date I was forced into and I was feeling down in the dumps, and seeing you and him fly around...I guess I let my emotions get the best of me."

Ladybug have a sympathetic smile. "I get it. I've got a friend in that position right now, and he's probably pretty jealous his friends are doing what they want to while he pacifies this girl."

"Exactly! She's just so...so...I can't stand it. She used to be so nice."

"Chat, why are you on a date with her to begin with?"

"Because she—" They were interrupted by a loud beeping. Chat blanched. "Oh, man! My ring! I'm gonna change back soon!"

"Oh! You better head to an alley or something!"

Chat nodded. "See you around, Ladybug." He lingered for a moment. "And...thanks." He smiled and leapt off.

Spider-Man was just returning as Chat headed off. "Well, I got everything sorted out with the police," he said, dusting his hands. "Thanks for your help, Ladybug."

She bowed. "Mon plaisir," she said.

"Hey, what's the deal with the cat, by the way? I'm guessing you're partners. I mean, I'm not trying to assume that two French-speakers have to know each other, I just—"

"It's all right. He is my partner, Chat Noir," Ladybug said. She smiled. "And a very good friend."

Spider-Man whistled. "Man. Must be great to have a friend outside of the superhero world who gets it, you know?"

"Well, I don't know who he is. But the, uh...how do I say...personnages of Ladybug and Chat Noir are forever linked."

"I don't follow."

"We are bound by magic."

Spider-Man coughed. "I think you mistranslated there. Magic doesn't exist."

Ladybug shook her head. "But it does. You saw his hand, yes? When he destroyed the glider? That is magic."

"I'm sure there's a scientific explanation."

"Non." Ladybug sounded peeved. "The Miraculous are magical devices that give powers to heroes. Myself and Chat Noir, we are bonded by the powers to create and destroy. You saw his power. There was not a need for my own this night. But it is of mystic origin, you must believe me."

Spider-Man shrugged. "Well...I guess I can see where you're coming from. Not everything has an explanation...yet."

Ladybug sighed. "I had better leave. I did not have dinner, and I have to eat something."

"Lucky you, I happen to know the ins and outs of this excellent city." Spider-Man listed the names of several restaurants he called "the best in town."

"Thank you!" said Ladybug. "My friends and I, we will very much appreciate this."

"Sure!"

"New Yorkers are kinder than they tell me," noted the heroine.

"Eh, it matters more on the person than the city. I'm happy to help a newcomer. Don't expect kindness from everyone, though. There are some real nutcases around here." Spider-Man leaned in and muttered, "Especially certain newspaper editors."

Ladybug raised an eyebrow.

Spider-Man glanced at the time on a nearby ad. He jumped. "What?! 10:00 already?! I gotta get out of here if I want to be on time tomorrow. I'll see you around, Ladybug!" He gave a wave and swung off.

Ladybug waved back. She found she liked this Spider-guy. She found she liked this city a lot more than she thought she would.

She made as to leave, and suddenly realized how ruined the areas hit by bombs were. And there weren't any civilian casualties (thank goodness), but there were some injuries. I didn't fight an akuma, but maybe Miraculous Cure would work?

Shrugging, Ladybug summoned Lucky Charm anyway. Nothing much appeared. It was just a bouncy ball with a ladybug print. Ladybug knew instinctively that it was a placeholder. She threw it into the air. "Miraculous Ladybug!" she exclaimed.

Everything was fixed. Injuries healed, buildings fixed, even the glider restored. Policemen were confused (they'd sworn the cat character had destroyed it), but they seized it anyway as evidence. Everyone in the area was shocked, but they couldn't find how everything was fixed. Ladybug didn't feel like explaining what she had done (she was tired, hungry, and not in the mood to chat with civilians in a tongue she was still struggling to speak), so she had left the scene. It wasn't like she'd hurt anyone, anyway.

Ladybug detransformed in a secluded area. Marinette went to one of the places Spidey had recommended and got herself some dinner. She actually found it quite relaxing to eat alone, sometimes talking to Tikki (who was nibbling on one of the cookies) but mostly staying quiet and reflective.

Marinette was utterly exhausted when she got back to the hotel. She passed by Adrien, who looked similarly exhausted (given he was on a date with Chloé, she wasn't surprised). They bid each other goodnight in the hallway and Marinette stumbled into her hotel room.

Alya wasn't back yet. Marinette was glad, since she didn't really feel like talking to anyone right now. She told Tikki good night and flopped onto her bed, with clothes and shoes and makeup still on.

It was one of the best rests she'd had in a while.

Kitty cat's kinda jealous, huh? Good thing Peter already likes Gwen.

Thanks again to Sunny Lighter for being my beta!

Thanks for reading; hope you liked. And a happy early 4th of July to you all! :)

God bless,

-Shippings