Fuwamallow form prioritized defense and impact absorption over speed. The marshmallow armor compressed on impact, drastically reducing damage from physical blows.
"Another form?" Ladybug asked, her voice tinged with surprise. "How many does he have?"
"That's a lot of fluff," Cat Noir commented, a hint of awe in his voice. "Think he can still fight with all that marshmallow?"
The Pharaoh lunged with a furious roar, his massive fist driving forward like a stone battering ram. The blow landed squarely on Gavv's chest, but the marshmallow armor simply yielded, absorbing the impact with a soft thud. It bounced off harmlessly.
"What?!" the Pharaoh exclaimed, his voice laced with disbelief.
Gavv seized the momentary confusion, gripping his Gavvgablade. His new oven-mitt-like hands made the hold clumsy, yet firm.
"Ladybug! Go save Alya!" he shouted, his voice a steady command.
"Right!" Ladybug replied, her yo-yo already swinging toward the beam of light that held Alya captive.
"No!" the Pharaoh roared, moving to intercept her.
Gavv stepped directly into the villain's path, a soft, white wall of resistance.
"Your fight is with me!" Gavv declared, his voice firm, unwavering.
The Pharaoh snarled, unleashing a barrage of furious strikes against the Fuwamallow form. Each punch and kick, imbued with ancient power, sank into the soft, yielding armor, dissipating its force. The marshmallow material deflected the blows with ease, leaving the Pharaoh increasingly frustrated. He was hitting something solid yet impossibly soft, an immovable object cloaked in sweetness. Gavv held his ground, a silent, pillowy guardian.
Cat Noir joined the fray, his staff a blur. He aimed for the Pharaoh's legs, forcing the villain to shift his weight. The Pharaoh snarled, pushing Gavv back a step with a powerful, open-palmed shove.
"Horus, give me your wings!" the Pharaoh bellowed, his voice echoing across the plaza.
Golden, ethereal wings erupted from his back, shimmering into existence. He shot upward, a golden blur against the Parisian sky. The villain intended to bypass Gavv's defense and reach Ladybug.
Gavv would not allow it. He reached for his Gochizo stash, a silent movement. Another Marshmallow Gochizo appeared in his hand.
He inserted it into the Gavv organ.
[MARSHMALLOW!]
[EAT MARSHMALLOW! EAT MARSHMALLOW!]
fwump
Gavv's upper body expanded, growing visibly larger. It became even more massive and blocky, a puffy white cloud of defense. Two colossal hands, made of condensed marshmallow, formed from his newly bulked-up shoulders. These marshmallow constructs hardened, taking on the density of thick, yet flexible, padding.
Gavv swung one of these immense hands. It connected with the Pharaoh in mid-air.
THWACK
The Pharaoh tumbled from the sky like a bothersome fly, landing hard on the pavement with a grunt. He lost his golden wings as he hit the ground.
By consuming additional Marshmallow Gochizos, Gavv could rapidly increase his mass and manifest limbs made of hardened marshmallow, granting him ranged offensive capabilities. This new ability allowed him to protect Ladybug even when he was physically separated from the threat.
"My Lady! Looks like our big softy has a long reach now," Cat Noir quipped, spinning his staff.
"Don't get distracted, Cat Noir!" Ladybug called out, already scaling the light beam toward Alya. "Keep him busy!"
"By the power of Thoth, you will be trapped in time!" the Pharaoh roared.
He extended his hand, unleashing a wave of shimmering, golden bubbles. The bubbles expanded rapidly, arcing toward Gavv and Cat Noir with surprising speed. Each bubble shimmered with a strange light, hinting at the time-altering power held within.
Cat Noir widened his green eyes. "Woah, time-out! Literally!"
Gavv gripped his Gavvgablade. He knew that the Fuwamallow armor, designed for impact absorption, could also reshape itself. This power allowed him to diffuse and reform his body.
Gavv tucked his Gavvgablade close to his chest. His marshmallow armor began to churn and compress. His body flattened into a dense, white cylinder. He became a massive, rolling form.
WHOOSH
Gavv surged forward. He plowed through the incoming wave of golden bubbles. The soft, dense mass of his new form effortlessly absorbed each bubble. They popped harmlessly against his surface, creating tiny, muted pffts rather than explosive bursts.
"Incredible!" Cat Noir exclaimed, his voice filled with genuine admiration. "He's a giant, fluffy bowling ball!"
The Pharaoh stared, his jaw hanging open in disbelief. He had not anticipated such a bizarre and effective defense.
Gavv rolled to a stop, quickly reforming into his humanoid Fuwamallow shape. Cat Noir, seeing an opening, sprinted toward Gavv. He leaped onto Gavv's shoulder.
"Looks like I'm taking the scenic route!" Cat Noir quipped, using Gavv as a launchpad.
Cat Noir sprang higher, his staff extending to strike. The staff connected with the Pharaoh's chest.
CRACK
The Pharaoh staggered back from the unexpected blow. Gavv seized the moment, pulling his Gavvgablade from where it had been tucked against his chest. He lunged forward. Gavv's blade connected with the Pharaoh's golden armor, sending a shower of bright sparks into the air.
CLANG
The Pharaoh cried out, his voice a mix of pain and outrage. He stumbled, then regained his footing, glaring at the two heroes.
"You will regret that, heroes!" the Pharaoh bellowed, his voice filled with fury. "You will not stop the ritual!"
Meanwhile, Ladybug had reached the beam of light. She used her yo-yo to snag Alya, pulling her to safety on a nearby rooftop. Both girls looked up in awe at the spectacle of Kamen Rider Gavv's giant marshmallow hands.
The Pharaoh watched Alya being pulled away, his eyes narrowing with venomous hatred.
"You meddling heroes!" the Pharaoh roared, his voice shaking the very air. "You will not defy the will of the gods! I will have my princess!"
Gavv knew it was time to end it. He initiated his finisher.
[CHARGE ME! CHARGE ME!]
Gavv's body began to glow with a soft, white light. He leaped into the air, his form compressing and expanding into a giant, spherical marshmallow.
[FUWAMALLOW PRESS!]
He descended upon the Pharaoh, a massive, weighty cushion of candy.
"No!" the Pharaoh screamed, but he was completely engulfed and crushed under Gavv's immense, soft weight.
CRACK
The pressure was immense, and with a final sound, the Pharaoh's pendant shattered.
A dark butterfly fluttered out from the crushed form of the Pharaoh. Ladybug quickly captured it in her yo-yo, purifying it in a flash of pink light.
"Miraculous Ladybug!" she called out, throwing the cookie cutter into the air.
The magical ladybugs swarmed through the plaza, repairing all the damage, restoring the Louvre, and erasing the golden mummy warriors. Jalil Kubdel, the museum assistant, found himself lying on the ground, disoriented but unharmed. Ladybug retrieved the now ordinary pendant and returned it to him.
Gavv's form shimmered, shrinking back to his regular Fuwamallow size. He landed gently, the marshmallow armor soft and resilient. Cat Noir approached, his green eyes wide with genuine admiration.
"Dude, that was… sweet!" Cat Noir exclaimed, trying to lighten the tension.
"The fluffiest finisher I've ever seen," Ladybug added, a small smile gracing her lips. "You saved Alya. Thank you, Kamen Rider."
Gavv simply nodded, his helmet obscuring any emotion. The gratitude in their voices, however, warmed something within him. He was glad Alya was safe. He glanced towards the rooftop where Alya and Marinette were still standing. Alya waved enthusiastically.
"You really came through," Cat Noir continued, extending his fist. "Another fist bump for a job well done?"
Gavv looked at the offered fist, then back at Ladybug. He paused, a flicker of hesitation. He still did not feel like a hero.
"I am not a hero," Gavv stated, his voice quiet but firm. "I just protected what needed protecting."
He turned away from the heroes, already feeling the drain of his power. The battle had taken a toll. Gavv leaped onto a nearby building, and with a final glance at the recovering city, he disappeared over the rooftops, leaving Ladybug and Cat Noir alone in the plaza.
Jazik returned to the Louvre, the lingering scent of ozone in the air, the marble halls echoing with hushed conversations. The adrenaline from the fight had begun to drain, leaving a quiet weariness in its wake. He found Marinette and Alya near the Egyptian exhibit, exactly where he expected them to be. Alya, her hair slightly disheveled but her eyes bright, rushed forward the moment she saw him.
"Jazik, are you okay?" Alya asked, her hands gesturing wildly. "That Pharaoh guy hit you really hard!"
Jazik gave a small, reassuring nod.
"I am fine," he replied, his voice a low rumble.
Alya let out a sigh of relief, the tension visibly easing from her shoulders. She then launched into a rapid retelling of the battle, her excitement palpable.
"You won't believe it, Jazik," Alya began, her eyes wide. "Ladybug might be, like, five thousand years old! The Pharaoh said it himself! Five thousand years!"
Alya, however, was still puzzled. She tapped her chin thoughtfully, her brow furrowed in concentration.
"But if Ladybug is, like, ancient, what was she doing with a tenth-grade history textbook?" she wondered aloud. "It doesn't make sense."
Marinette, looking slightly guilty, though trying to appear helpful, offered a quick suggestion.
"Maybe she needed to brush up on the last five millennia," Marinette said, a small, barely contained giggle escaping her lips. "To stay current, you know?"
Alya, buying the explanation completely, nodded with wide eyes.
"That's so true!" Alya exclaimed. "It must be tough staying in the loop for that long."
Suddenly, Alya gasped, looking around frantically.
"Ladybug's textbook!" she exclaimed, her voice rising in alarm. "It's gone!"
Marinette let out another small, secret smile, her lips twitching with amusement. Jazik noticed Marinette's reaction, a flicker of curiosity crossing his face. He dismissed it quickly, however. Everyone was safe, and that was enough.
***
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