It was quiet. Ladybug crept forward silently, scanning the room for Chat Noir or Alya. Finally, she spotted Chat, still tied up.

She ran forward to her partner. "Chat!" She whispered loudly.

Chat looked up at his lady. His eyes bugged as he made eye contact with her. He shook his head back and forth urgently.

What? Ladybug wondered. What is he-

Realizing too late that it was a trap, Ladybug stumbled back and fell onto something sticky. She craned her neck as much as she could. A trip wire? Seriously? And... Ladybug looked down, attempting to pry her hands up, but to no avail. Flypaper. Classic pranks. Of course. What else would one expect from a supervillain dressed as a clown?

Ladybug groaned and rolled her eyes at her own stupidity. "Chat," she spoke quietly. "Don't worry. We'll get out of this."

Chat Noir's cat ears twitched and his tail went taut. Someone was coming. Ladybug turned to the doorway and saw her foe strut in, laughing wickedly.

Class Clown giggled coldly. "I told you I'd have the last laugh." She taunted.

A loud laugh sounded behind her. Chat Noir had struggled free from his gag and was laughing. "That's hilarious." He chuckled. "You think you can actually win? Paw-lease. Maybe you had a chance against me, but Ladybug's here now, so you may as well just give up. You're done for. And you'll never have the last laugh if you keep saying stuff like that. I can't help myself. I'll laugh at anything."

"Quiet, you!" snarled Class Clown, stomping one foot angrily. "You're going to lose this fight. Little Miss Ladybug here's too much of a coward to actually fight. She's about to give up altogether, even after her so-called 'break'. Can't you see the light fading in her eyes? Can't you see the fear in her eyes? How broken? She's useless." She spat. "I'm not afraid of her or of you, kitty cat."

Ladybug looked up into the cold silver eyes of her enemy. She was unsure of what she should do. Her adversary's cruel words were shattering her heart, but she had to fight back. They eyes kept staring coldly, mocking, waiting for a comeback or a surrender. That is, until they and Class Clown were knocked out of view.

Chat Noir had used Cataclysm to break free and knock his opponent to the ground.

"Don't you ever talk about Ladybug like that ever again!" He shouted fiercely. "She's not useless. She's not cowardly. She's the bravest, smartest, most heroic, most caring, resourceful, good, responsible, and most beautiful person I've ever met. She fights for all that is good, regardless of circumstance. She'll take any risk for any person. She keeps fighting and she never gives up. Right, M'Lady?"

Ladybug blinked, keeping back tears.

"Ladybug, this last week has been hard without you. I'm glad you're back." Chat's eyes sparkled as he smiled genuinely. "Ladybug, I-"

Class Clown leapt up and squeezed her blowhorn, knocking the hero down as several enlarged balloon animals ran towards him. He popped them all one by one.

He held up a hand. "I've got claws, remember?"

While he fought Class Clown, destroying each of her novelty attacks, Ladybug summoned her power. Lucky Charm would help her, right?

A bottle of olive oil fell in front of her. She bit back her frustration. This seemed useless. It never was, but it was still difficult to work with. Ladybug looked around and then down below her. The flypaper! Maybe it would unstick her. But...both hands were stuck...

Chat Noir glanced at her, and she nodded towards the oil. Chat squinted, then threw his staff. It crashed down on the bottle, spilling the oil. Ladybug's hands came unstuck and then she unstuck the rest of herself, jumping to her feet.

"Thanks!" she cried to Chat as she ran towards Class Clown, swinging her yoyo. "I think the akuma's in her blowhorn, it seems to be her main weapon."

"All right, let's go for it. I trust you." Chat replied.

Ladybug tied up Class Clown's ankles with her yoyo, causing her to fall onto the flypaper.

Both heroes ran over to snatch the blowhorn. Ladybug smashed it against the wall and the akuma flapped away from its ruins.

Ladybug caught it in her yoyo, purifying and then releasing it.

"Pound it!" she and Chat Noir performed their traditional fist bump. It felt good to be back.