The Mayor decided to host a massive celebration at the Grand Paris Hotel. It was meant to honor the heroes of the city. Every student in our class was invited. I put on a clean suit and checked my reflection.
The silver ring on my finger stayed hidden under my sleeve. I felt a steady beat from my chest as the Immortal Pulse kept me calm.
The hotel lobby was filled with the smell of expensive food and heavy perfume. My Apex Instinct was working hard to filter the noise of the live band. I walked through the crowd and found Nino and Adrien near the buffet. They were talking about the guest list.
"The whole city is here," Nino said. He looked at the massive gold decorations. "I wonder if White Fang will show up."
"He might be busy," I said. I took a glass of water and looked around the room.
My nose picked up a familiar scent. It was the sharp smell of Lila Rossi. She was wearing a dress that cost more than my apartment. She was surrounded by a group of reporters. She told them that Ladybug had personally invited her to the gala. I knew it was a lie.
I could hear her heart rate skipping a beat every time she said Ladybug's name.
Marinette arrived a few minutes later. She looked nervous. She was wearing a dress she had made herself. I could smell the faint scent of cinnamon and sugar on her.
It was much better than the fake perfumes in the room. I gave her a small nod as she passed by. She smiled back but quickly looked away when she saw Adrien.
The party was going well until Chloe Bourgeois took the stage. She began to brag about how she was the reason the heroes were so successful. She called herself the team leader. The crowd laughed, but Chloe did not think it was funny. Her face turned red with anger.
I felt a sudden shift in the air. The pressure in the room dropped. My Sixth Sense gave a sharp warning. A dark butterfly was coming from the top of the hotel. It flew through an open window and merged with Chloe's gold teddy bear.
A wave of yellow light hit the room. Chloe was gone. In her place stood a villain in a yellow and black suit. She held a swarm of mechanical wasps. Despair Bear had become something much more dangerous. She called herself Queen Wasp.
"Everyone out!" I yelled. I did not wait for the panic to start. I pushed the students toward the emergency exits.
I ran into a service closet and locked the door. Axel popped out of my pocket. He looked ready for a fight.
"The wasps are the key," Axel said. "They are part of the Akuma."
"I see them," I said. "Axel, Let's Hunt!"
The silver light covered my body. As White Fang, the room became a grid of heat signatures. I could see the mechanical wasps flying through the vents.
They were targeting anyone who tried to leave. I leaped through the service hatch and landed on the ceiling of the ballroom.
Ladybug and Cat Noir were already there. They were trying to swat away the wasps with their weapons. The wasps were too fast. Every time one touched a person, that person became paralyzed.
"Don't let them touch you!" Ladybug shouted.
I did not use my claws. I used my speed. I moved between the guests and the wasps like a blur. I grabbed a large velvet curtain from the wall. I swung it through the air, trapping a dozen wasps in the heavy fabric.
"White Fang! Get to the stage!" Cat Noir yelled. He was busy protecting the Mayor.
I leaped over the crowd. Queen Wasp was standing on the stage, laughing. She held the gold teddy bear in her left hand. I could smell the Akuma inside the toy. I did not stop to talk. I lunged at her, using the weight of my suit to knock her off balance.
She sent a swarm of wasps at my face. I closed my eyes and used my Apex Instinct to hear their wings. I swiped them out of the air with my hands. The metal felt cold, but my healing factor fixed the small stings instantly.
Ladybug used her Lucky Charm. She got a large roll of tape. She looked at me and then at the vents. I understood the plan. She wanted to block the source of the wasps.
"I will hold her down!" I said.
I grabbed Queen Wasp by her arms. She was strong, but my Immortal Pulse gave me the edge. I pinned her against the stage floor. She struggled and tried to call more wasps, but Ladybug was already taping the vents shut.
Cat Noir used his Cataclysm on the stage floor. The wood crumbled, and Queen Wasp fell into the gap. She dropped the gold teddy bear. I reached down and caught it before it hit the ground. I tossed it to Ladybug.
She snapped the toy in half. The dark butterfly flew out. Ladybug purified it, and the yellow light returned everything to normal. Chloe sat on the floor, looking confused and angry.
I did not stay for the applause. I slipped back into the service closet and detransformed. My suit felt heavy as the adrenaline left my body. I walked back into the ballroom just as the reporters were interviewing the Mayor.
I found Marinette near the entrance. She was leaning against the wall, trying to catch her breath.
"That was a close one," I said.
"It really was," she replied. She looked at me with a curious expression. "You always seem to disappear right when the action starts, Finn."
"I just find a good place to hide," I said with a smile. "I am not a fan of wasps."
She laughed. It was a genuine sound. I felt a small spark of warmth in my chest. I knew the night was over, but the war with Hawk Moth was only getting more intense.