Gavv, astride the Vrocanbuggy, sped through the streets, its hot pink chassis a vibrant blur against the graying Parisian afternoon. Dark, swirling clouds with jagged bolts of lightning crowned the distant KIDZ+ building. He guessed that was the battleground. With a sudden burst of acceleration, Gavv aimed the Vrocanbuggy at the building's side, the oversized tires gripping the vertical surface as it effortlessly scaled the wall.
The Vrocanbuggy shimmered upon reaching the rooftop, its metallic pink and blue form dissolving in a shower of sparkling light. The Candy Gochizo that had powered it floated upward, small translucent wings (°▽°) ✧˖° sprouting from its hard, round body before it too faded into nothing ( -人-).
Ladybug and Cat Noir, caught mid-battle with Stormy Weather, spun around, startled by the unexpected arrival. Stormy Weather, her face a mask of icy fury, paused her elemental assault. Gavv wasted no time, launching himself forward in a powerful, arcing kick aimed directly at the weather villain.
WHOOSH
Stormy Weather shrieked, a blast of wind throwing her off balance as Gavv's kick connected with her side. She slid across the icy rooftop, her parasol clattering against the frozen tiles.
"Well, kitty," Ladybug remarked, her yo-yo spinning as she prepared for a follow-up attack. "Looks like we have some backup."
Cat Noir blinked, his green eyes wide with surprise. "That's the Kamen Rider you mentioned before, isn't it? The one with the candy powers?"
"The very same," Ladybug confirmed, her voice a bit clipped. She did not sound entirely thrilled by the new arrival. "Gavv, a little warning next time would be appreciated!"
Gavv ignored her. His glowing yellow eyes fixed on Stormy Weather, who slowly pushed herself upright, her purple hair crackling with electricity. He had a mission, a promise to Manon, and he intended to keep it. The world could wait for pleasantries.
Stormy Weather sneered, her voice a cold, sharp wind. "You'll all pay for interrupting my glorious forecast."
She extended her parasol, and a fierce gust of wind ripped across the rooftop. Razor-sharp ice shards accompanied the blast, forcing Gavv to recoil from the sudden, widespread attack. He charged again, trying to close the distance between them, but her elemental control kept him at bay. Blasts of hail peppered the icy surface around him. Sudden gusts of wind pushed him back. Crackling lightning flashed across the dark clouds above, a constant reminder of her power.
Gavv weaved, dodged, and punched at the air, his gummy armor absorbing the weaker impacts. Each hit thudded against his form, a dull, resonant sound. He could not get close enough to strike.
Cat Noir, with his usual flourish, landed near Gavv, disrupting the steady rhythm of Gavv's defensive maneuvers.
"Well, meow there, new hero," Cat Noir quipped, a wide grin beneath his mask. "Didn't know we had a new cat in town. Cat Noir, at your service."
He bowed dramatically, then quickly sidestepped a gust of wind, his tail-belt swishing.
"Who are you, stranger?" Cat Noir asked.
Gavv merely shifted his weight, his golden eyes scanning Stormy Weather. He offered no response, for introductions felt like a waste of precious time. His focus remained on the threat, on the ice picks still threatening Alya and Manon below, a quiet ache in his chest for their safety. He blocked another blast of wind with a forearm, the gummy armor flexing around the impact.
Ladybug, ever the pragmatist, spun her yo-yo, deflecting a volley of ice that had been aimed at Gavv.
"Her akuma must be in her parasol," Ladybug called out to both heroes, her voice clear and commanding. "We need to destroy it!"
Gavv observed their movements, how Ladybug's yo-yo danced with precision, how Cat Noir's staff extended and retracted with fluid grace. He registered their efficiency, a different kind of combat from his own stark, survival-driven style. They moved with a trust he rarely allowed himself to consider.
"Lucky Charm!" Ladybug shouted, tossing her yo-yo into the air.
A swirl of magical pinkish-red energy formed above her, coalescing into a solid object. A large metal trash can lid, red with black polka dots, clattered into her hands.
Ladybug mumbled, her brow furrowed in confusion. "A trash lid? What am I supposed to do with this?"
She quickly scanned the rooftop: a tall, metal antenna nearby, the hail-covered surface, the way Stormy Weather was generating lightning. A plan began to form in her mind, visible in the sudden clarity of her bluebell eyes.
"Cat Noir, hit the base of that billboard!" Ladybug instructed, pointing to a large advertisement sign at the edge of the roof. "Kamen Rider, keep her distracted! Draw her lightning!"
Cat Noir, ever eager, grinned. "You got it, My Lady! Cataclysm!"
He touched the billboard's base. CRACKLE. The metal instantly corroded and crumbled, sending metallic debris scattering across the roof.
Gavv, understanding the unspoken command to draw attention, charged at Stormy Weather. He unleashed a flurry of gummy punches that exploded harmlessly around her, creating small POP sounds in the icy air. She snarled, her cold eyes focusing her icy fury on him. A bolt of lightning erupted from her parasol, aimed squarely at Gavv.
Ladybug, holding the trash can lid like a shield, angled it precisely. The lightning struck the lid, and with a CRACKLE, it redirected toward the conductive debris field created by Cat Noir's Cataclysm. A chain reaction of sparks and crackling energy surged through the metal, shocking Stormy Weather and temporarily disabling her parasol. Her body stiffened.
Seizing the opening, Gavv lunged, his stretchy gummy arms wrapping around the stunned villain's parasol. With a final, explosive gummy punch, he shattered the akumatized object. SMASH. The dark butterfly fluttered free, a small, dark stain against the grey sky.
"No more evil-doing for you, little akuma," Ladybug declared, her voice firm. She swung her yo-yo, capturing the dark butterfly within its glowing string. "Time to de-evilize!" With a gentle release, a purified white butterfly fluttered away into the sky. "Gotcha! Bye-bye, little butterfly."
"Miraculous Ladybug!" Ladybug exclaimed, throwing the trash can lid into the air. Swarms of magical ladybugs erupted, sweeping across Paris. The frozen merry-go-round thawed, the billboard repaired itself, and the scattered debris vanished. Stormy Weather reverted to Aurore Beauréal, blinking in confusion.
"Uh, what am I doing up here?" Aurore mumbled, looking around.
Ladybug and Cat Noir turned to each other, a shared sense of accomplishment in their eyes. "Pound it!" they said in unison, bumping fists.
Gavv watched the miraculous restoration, a quiet awe settling over him. He had seen destructive power, but this was different. The ability to reverse all damage, to make things whole again, the power of creation, he thought, a flicker of wonder in his golden eyes. It was amazing.
He was about to turn and leave, but Cat Noir called out.
"Hey, new guy! Come on, a hero's gotta pound it!" Cat Noir urged, holding out a fist for Gavv to bump.
Gavv paused, then simply shook his head. His focus was already elsewhere, on the bakery, on Marinette, Alya, and Manon. His mission here was complete. He was not one of them, not truly.
"Aww, what a party pooper," Cat Noir sighed dramatically, letting his fist drop. "Guess some heroes just aren't team players."
***
Donate powerstones to support this novel, and it tells me you like this story.
Read full and advanced chapters in my patreon.com/Najicablitz