The Adventures of Sparrow - 7

"How much did you see?" Sparrow asked the red clad heroine.

"All of it, I think," Ladybug blushed and looked slightly to his left. "What was that?"

"Two consenting people enjoying company," he chose his words carefully.

"She goes to my- to a school nearby," her eyes widened for a moment at her mistake.

Sparrow pushed the slip-up from his head, there were more pressing issues. It was something of an effort. His thoughts went back to the look on her face when he joked about the chemistry test. It was an excellent line of thought for another time.

"You're not going to kick me off the team, are you?" He asked.

"Why would you ask that?"

"You're like, senior hero, and I'm pretty sure Cat Noir would agree with you," he shrugged.

"No," she drew the word out. "I saw you jump onto the roof and thought there was trouble, so I followed you. Then I saw," she waved a hand toward his lower half. "And then I saw..."

Sparrow blushed brightly, "oh."

"How did you do that?"

"Do what exactly?" He asked suddenly very interested in the pattern of the rooftop under his feet. The afternoon sun played nicely on the sleek stone. His shadow stretched out before him and almost touched Ladybug.

"Your suit," she looked up at the clouds.

"Oh," Sparrow thought for a moment. "Well, out powers, they're magic. At least that's... Do you by chance have a little fairy person thing that's kind of your partner?"

Ladybug nodded, "a kwami."

"Good," he chuckled. "I asked mine about it since I was worried it might tire him out. He said taking off the suit would be simple."

"Okay, but how do you do it?"

Sparrow held up a gloved hand, "I kind of just will it to happen."

The glove and suit beneath rippled. It flowed back to expose his hand underneath. Ladybug watched him. She nodded as she held up her own hand. Her eyes focused on it. A moment later the suit began to roll up away from her skin. It stopped just below her wrist.

"Wow," she whispered. Ladybug wiggled her fingers.

"Are we cool?" He asked.

She looked over to him for a long, silent moment. Her suit slid back into place.

"I don't know," she sighed. "You're a superhero. People look up to you and expect more from you. You might think that this thing you have is on fair ground, but you really don't know."

Sparrow nodded, "I get it."

"Are there more girls like this?" Ladybug asked.

"There was one other, kind of, but I'm pretty sure that is over," the glove moved back over his hand.

"Would I know her?" She crossed her arms.

"Maybe," Sparrow thought of the school slip-up, but decided not to bring it up. "That girl who kissed me in the street the other day."

"Chloe?!"

"I went to her home to confront her," Sparrow sighed. "She was telling people we were an item. I wanted to tell her to back off and that she could get herself into a lot of trouble if people tried to get to me through her. Then... things kind of just happened."

Ladybug gasped, "this morning. That was you?"

"Yeah," he said slowly.

She stared at him for a long moment.

"A hero wouldn't do something like that, even to someone like her," Ladybug glared. "The next time you see us fighting Hawk Moth, don't show up."

Sparrow watched her go and leap into the sky once she was out of sight. He glided down into an empty alley to transform.

Jon leaned against the wall. The cool stone felt steady against his back. Somewhere nearby he could smell bread baking. Today had not gone the way he had expected, but then, he hadn't thought everything through. He should have expected there to be fallout from this morning. Not just for Chloe, even if she was oddly quiet, but for Sparrow as well. It took Ladybug a couple of minutes to piece everything together. Jon was sure that Cat Noir would be caught up on things soon enough.

"That went well," Merp sat on his shoulder. "Think you could pick up some cashews on the way home?"

"I've been kicked off the team," he sighed.

"Yeah," the kwami nodded. "That doesn't mean you can't go solo."

"I'll just make things worse in a fight with an akuma," Jon shook his head.

"Yes," Merp rolled his eyes. "And that is the only danger that Paris is facing."

"Fight crime?"

"Sure," the little creature sighed. "That's the only other option you have."

"Do you want to be a thief?" Jon arced an eyebrow at Merp.

"It's a change of pace. Fight crime. Fight monsters. Uphold justice. It gets a little boring."

"I thought you said Hawk Moth was supposed to be a good guy? How are there monsters to fight if we've all been on the same side in the past?"

"That doesn't mean there weren't other threats to deal with," Merp walked along his shoulders. "Kwami aren't the only power in the world."

"What else is there?"

"Do you think mythology was just stories? All the people in the world were just really bored and needed to pass the time?" The kwami laughed. "The hydra, spring-heeled jack, headless horseman, yeti, dragons."

"There are dragons?"

"Yeah. Goblins, ogres, elves, trolls," Merp bobbed his big head from side to side. "Is that so hard to believe? You are talking to a mystical being right now."

"But you said Hawk Moth..."

"Is supposed to create heroes," the kwami finished. "Why would he need to if he was just supposed to fight Ladybug and Cat Noir? It's almost like there is some bigger enemy you all should be worrying about. Maybe even enemies."

"Oh, crap," Jon whispered. "How can I do this without them?"

"You've got superpowers, remember? There are things out there that don't need Ladybug to clean up," Merp slipped down his arm and into the bag. Just his head poked out through the fabric. "Now, about those cashews. I prefer the honey roasted ones, but I will settle for raw and unsalted."

"Yeah, yeah, I know, you like nuts."

"I love cashews, but peanuts, almonds, or even the odd walnut would be passable."