1652/Are Your Shots Up To Date

Are Your Shots Up To Date
Date of Scene:	11 June 2024
Location:	Mitakihara General Hospital
Synopsis:	While visit the hospital, Bow and Marinette are attacked by a nurse youma. They do well, but the help of Cat Noir turns the tide! Cat Noir and Ladybug make the first steps of repairing their friendship (team work makes the dream work, yay!).
Cast of Characters:	Bow, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, Adrien Agreste

---

Bow has posed:
Mitakihara General Hospital. There were a lot of students here recently in the burn ward. Casualities of Sunbreaker's attack, they were hospital bound until Prince Endyimon and Princess Serenity swept through the hospital, healing them all back to fully health. But that doesn't mean that the hospital still isn't busy with the mundane infirmed and injured.

In one of the wards, a presence passes through, and a nurse's notebook and syringe are infused with dark magic. From these items, a new youma appears! Dressed in a nurse's uniform, it's all black with red sunglasses and both of it's arms are syringes. It starts down the hallway and as it comes across people, stabs them and draws out their energy, storing it in her needle arms. "That's a good girl!" she says to the first victim, a nurse, giving her a lollipop before continuing on her way!

In another part of the hospital, Bow is visiting, delivering some cookies to the doctors and nurses of the burn ward and offering his heart-felt thanks for their help. "You were all so very helpful and I appreciate it! Thank you!" he says cheerfully as he presents a cookie tray to the staff.

That is an alarm goes off that there is a problem nearby, the nurses and doctors running off, with Bow frowning as he senses something... off.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Marinette is around. How? Well, frankly, she's here being treated. With the mundane infirmed, of all things. She's got a bump on her head, and her parents insisted over the zoom call that she get someone to look at it and on and on, and she's fine, really honest mom, I do this to myself all the time.

Her arguments came to the same result that they always do when faced with motherly insistence: she caved and went to have her head looked at. The doctor was releasing her, with a suggestion to maybe take up less violent hobbies, like silent reading in a padded corner, when she paused.

"Is there...I can feel something." "Trust your instincts, Marinette!" a little bug in her hair says. Super helpful, but Marinette sighs and slips into a side passage, unnoticed. She's usually unnoticed.

There's one thing that Marinette always found a bit odd about Tikki once she noticed it. Tikki doesn't lead. She, Marinette, is in control. All the time, even when Tikki could tell her what to do and sometimes should. But Tikki's actions seem to suggest that she, the kwami, is not there to take the reins and guide. It's trust, and the opportunity to grow in her own way, into her own person and type of hero. Though Tikki has berated her once or twice for jealousy.

The reason this is being considered right now is because Marinette could really have used some warning. "You knew this was going on?" she asks Tikki, the little ladybug sitting in her blue hair. "And you decided not to give me a well needed kick in the right direction?"

"You're fine, Marinette!" the little insect says to her. "You'll always get to where you're needed in time. It's part of wanting to help!" The kwami's voice is warm, and content, not rushing Marinette to decide what to do. "You've got this."

"I don't even know what I'm getting in the first place!"

Bow has posed:
What is Marinette getting into? As she heads out into the hallway to see what that feeling in her gut is, she gets a view of the nurse youma just as it catches up to one of the doctors and stick! She sets about draining the doctor of injury, again, another lollipop is offered to the doctor that has slumped to the floor, suddenly drained and tired and exhausted.

At the other end of the hallway, the elevator doors open, and Bow steps out, having henshined in the elevator, his armor in place, the bow in his hands as he holds the back of the arrow. Now with the arrival of a mahou, most of the hall is quiet and empty - it seems to be a phenomeon at the start of a possible fight - the civilians just seem to be out of the way unless they have already been attacked.

Bow hasn't noticed Marinette yet, but he does see the youma moving from her latest victim. "Hey!" he calls out, preparing a normal arrow. "Don't you know you're supposed to ask permission before you stick someone!"

Okay, he needs help with his justice speeching. It's a new concept to him! The arrow is fired and it misses the nurse, who dives behind the wall of the nurse's station, and now it's a game of cat and mouse. Except Bow is probably more kitten then cat.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Okay, this is where Marinette steps out and Ladybug steps in. Without another word, "Tikki, spots on!" is spoken and in the hidden passage (oddly empty, as was mentioned), the world changes. Tikki slips into her earrings, which shift and grow..spots! The mask appears, the outfit shifts in a wave of sparkles, and the confidence and poise and balance all fall into place like old friends.

Holding Bow's errant arrow in her right hand and tapping it against her left palm, Miraculous Ladybug steps out of the alcove and then leans against the wall, raising an eyebrow. "Well, there's always sending her back to med school. You can lose your practice for this, but she seems to need a little practice from here."

She points the arrow at the youma, her grin powerful and ready to fight. "Step away from the patients! Or I'll lose mine!" She's showing off a bit for Bow, since she wants to make a good first impression. New country and all that!

Bow has posed:
As he is making his way down the hall, Bow has his fingers on the drawstring, ready to summon and fire another arrow. The only sounds in the hallway is the sounds of medical machinery in the hallways, the steady pulse of respirators, the beeps of monitors, the muffled voice over the intercomm that is announcing something, but with them being in the youma's influence, everything is distorted and off-putting.

Just as he comes around the corner, there's a new figure, and Bow is about to draw when he takes in the young woman in the red and black spots. "Oh hey!" He's never seen her before, at least not in this outfit, by the tall archer offers a grin at her speech. "That was pretty spot on!" comes his call out to her.

And that's just when the youma pops out right next to Bow and he lets out a girlish shriek of terror as he has to use his bow for defense, getting knocked backwards and barely avoiding the barrel of those really big syringes that she has for arms.

"I'm up to date on vaccines!" he yelps, still shaken slightly by the jump-scare as the nurse pivot and sends a kick at him that sends him skidding on his rump down the well-polished hallway. With that, the youma turns to face Ladybug, and tilts her head, the little nurse's cap perched cutely on top. And then she starts running towards the heroine!

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Ladybug takes a step forward when Bow is attacked, already in motion when the youma turns toward her. "Hup!" she says, as she leapfrogs over the arms, the two syringes missing her splayed legs by millimeters as she bounds over Nurse Scary. She lands in a crouch, taking a moment to put a hand out toward Bow. "You okay? You're okay. Stay ranged, I'll get up close and personal. This lady's got an interview with me before she gets at you."

Then she pulls...what appears to be a yo-yo from her waist, and holds it in her right hand. she turns to glance at Bow, then grins hearteningly. "We've got this. Team, right?"

This is something he should be able to get behind. Also, Ladybug, because she starts toward the nurse and has him in her rearview.

Bow has posed:
It's not a complaint, really. Bow just needs a moment to recover as Ladybug decides to tank the nurse youma. "Yeah, I got your back!" he offers quickly to his new companion as he twists around and bounces back to his feet. Once he lands on them, he takes a moment to watch as Ladybug decides to show off her up close skills!

And the nurse youma seems to be ready for this. But she is not exactly one that is close combat proficent. Instead, it seems that her attack of choice is to run in close to Ladybug and start trying to clumsily stab at her with those giant syringes. Stab, stab. No parry, all thrust. And as she raises one of her arms to make a strike at her, from behind Ladybug comes a cry out.

<Ice Arrow!>

A frozen arrow shows up in Bow's draw, the condensation rising off of it as he fires. He's a terrific shot. Like probably on par with a certain fictional comic archer. The arrow strikes the shoulder joint of the youma, freezing it in place, keeping her from slashing down at Ladybug. "Sorry to cut it, but it seemed appropriate!"

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
Thrust. Thrust. Parry, Parry. Good! Marinette saw a movie like this not long ago, something about men in tights. She's not sold on the idea, men in fashionable outfits more her style. But she is put on the back heel for a moment while the thrust-a-nator tries to jab her in her everything.

"Gotta say, I wasn't expecting to come in for my shots," she says as she backflips. Mid-flip, she spots Bow aiming and grins. It gives a perfect space for the shot, and she lands behind the passing arrow. "You're -very- good," she admits. "I usually have a partner who keeps me on my toes."

She spins her yo-yo in a whizzing circle then, grinning. "I'll try and keep up." She whips it out, whacking at the syringes to try and dent or bend them. That's quite the yo-yo!

Adrien Agreste has posed:
Adrien Agreste had been making visits to the hospital since many of his friends were also here. Though his part had mostly been to offer some distractions when necessary to those that were guarding others, and deliver coffee to Naru for her own shifts.

The reason he's here NOW however? A certain set of worried parents had texted Alia, who in turn had texted him, to ask him to check on Marinette due to a bump she'd gotten on her head. It had been awhile since he'd really seen his friend to begin with so it wasn't any trouble to head over.

Except, there was trouble. The fact that some nurses were fleeing while others were slumped to the ground with lollipops nearby was a dead giveaway. the sound of fighting nearby another.

"Plagg, Claws Out!" Adrien states without hesitating past making sure no one was awake nearby to see him change. Just as Ladybug mentions a partner she typically works with, the dark clad Cat Noir steps in to block one of the syringes with his staff.

"Awww does that mean you missed me, Bugaboo?" He croons out to Ladybug with a broad grin out of habit. Just as cheerily he calls out, "Hi Bow!"

Bow has posed:
To be fair, the only one in tights here is Ladybug. Bow doesn't have feelings one way or the other on the matter - besides the fact that she makes them look good and is very fluid in her movements, which provide him openings to fit his arrows into as he continues to try to give her support. "You're pretty amazing yourself! I didn't catch your name." he admits with a thoughful pause.

He's looking for another opening as the nurse is in close combat with Ladybug, but with her yo-yo in action, the youma is frustrated with the fact that Ladybug keeps blocking her attacks. And she becomes frustrated enough that she decides to stop fighting Ladybug and turns her attention to the ranged combatant that she thought was the softer target earlier. She races past Ladybug and was about to strike out at Bow with the one syringe she has working. His eyes go wide, is he about to be drained?

*CLANG!*

The nurse's syringe collides with Cat Noir's staff and the nurse leaps backwards, sliding to a stop, as she frowns at the new arrival.

Who is bantering it up. "Cat Noir! Been a while!" he responds and lets out a breath of relief. "The girl in the ladybug costume been tanking this thing, I think we're wearing her down, but I'm not really a good judge on how far sparkles need to be down before people start with their special attacks."

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
"Cat Noir!" Ladybug grins, holstering her yo-yo at her hip. "Perfect timing, as usual." She sidesteps the flirting, as she does so easily, and takes the moment that he and Bow have given her to assess the situation a bit more globally. "You just used my name, I'm Ladybug. Did the spots not give it away?" She's talking to Bow there, but she can split her attention! she's talented.

"I'm not sure about the rules of these guys, sorry. I thought you two were the pros here. But you gave me the time I need." But she knows one who can handle it. She likes to call it 'lucky charm'.

Yo-yo into the air, spinning above her head, Ladybug calls out. "LUCKY CHARM!" the air above her sparkles with shining magic, and she almost poses. No, it is a pose. Makin it classy.

And she gets?

A mop.

"I'm often underwhelmed by my ability..." Ah well, what's it for then?

Adrien Agreste has posed:
"You too, Bow! Always glad to have someone on arrow-point." Cat Noir quips back. It was a stretch but give him a break, he was a bit rusty. None the less, he steps back with staff in hand preparing to block any further attacks from the needle-armed youma while looking it over with a keen eye.

"Much as I'd like to agree with being an expert, there's a *lot* of different types of things that can attack in Tokyo. This is definitely not an Akuma though so we shouldn't have to worry about harming an actual person." Thankgod. His power wasn't exactly known for being gentle.

When Lucky Charm comes out with a mop he can only grin knowingly. "I have faith that you'll figure out how to neatly mop up this monster, Ladybug."

Bow has posed:
"I mean, I was just guessing off your costume!" Bow admits when he had accidentally stumbled across Ladybug's name but commenting on her outfit and spots all over. "It's pretty basic compared to some I've seen..." he starts to say, before adding, "Not that is a bad thing!" That is a quick amendment, so that he doesn't feel like he's insulting Ladybug, far from it. "Sometimes simple is best and functional!"

And then she calling for a Lucky Charm! And Bow's eyes sparkle with excitement! He always wants to see new magic and what it does, and he's sure that he will not be disappointed because something that sounds like Lucky Charm sounds amazing and awesome.

And then a mop appears. Don't look disappointed, Bow! It takes all he has not to like... have his jaw hit the floor or just facefault at the fact that a mop appeared in Ladybug's hands as the weapon that would defeat the youma'd nurse's gear.

But Cat Noir is there with the save, and Bow nod nods. "I'm sure it will be helpful!" he quickly adds, but shares a worried glance with Cat Noir. It will work out, right?

As for the Nurse Youma? Well, she can deal with two people that seem to know what they are doing in Bow and Cat Noir. Or she can go after the inexperienced one *that admitted as much*. Guess which one she's going after as she turns to charge after Ladybug, ready to strike at her with the syringe as she holds it out in front of her like a lance held by a knight!

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
His name is Bow, got it. Good to not be calling him something weird, like The Quiver. That's just...shudder. No, no. Focus! "I'm on cleanup?" she grins, trying not to look stymied. "Wait, cleanup..." she pauses, looking around the room. Also, her costume's been getting 'too simple' comments lately too and it's...

FOCUS MARINETTE! Work time!

"Just a second, I think...hm." She clearly needs to figure out how this 'magic item' can be used, from Cat Noir's comments and her sudden desperate searching of the environment. Her eyes fall on a mop bucket, still filled with water, in a corner. Then she looks at Bow's arrows, then Cat Noir, then at the youma.

It all clicks into place, almost audibly, and she calls out, "Ready on the bow! Two arrows, aim mid level!

Then she's leaping over the youma, throwing the mop across the room as Cat Noir defends. it's good to have a team dynamic you're used to relying upon.

The mop gets dunked into the bucket, which tilts and rebounds off the wall. Then Ladybug lands on the handle. Water, filled with soap, sluices across the combat zone, making the floor what we call in the hospital, a 'tripping hazard'.

"Go, guys!"

Adrien Agreste has posed:
Cat Noir notices the look Bow flashes his way uncertainly. A quick wink is given along with a rather smug smile--It might seem odd but he was always impressed with how Ladybug managed to get the oddest things and make them work. "Don't worry, Bugaboo always delivers!" A quick thumbs up is given as well.

Right before he has to lunge forward with an inward slide toward the youma. His staff snaps out trying to fling the needle end of the youmas' attack toward the ceiling so that Ladybug can do her thing without getting the stabbing end of the business.

"On it, Lady!" He calls out while hopping back out of range for the moment. His clawed hand raises up with a cry of, "CATACLYSM!"

A sphere of dark energy sworls around his claw tips growing, and then encasing his hand. The odd little crackly glow of magic remains and he holds that hand to the side taking care not to touch *anything* or *anyone* just yet. Not until the rest of the plan is enacted.

Bow has posed:
With Ladybug laying out a foundation of a plan, and Cat Noir giving his support, Bow jumps in line. He's always supportive of someone's ideas and if Cat Noir is sure of Ladybug, then gosh darn, he will be too! She starts to sweep across the floor, sudsing it up, making it slick and dangerous and not even putting out one of those little 'Wet Floor' signs!

Bow nods firmly and grips the bow string. "Twin arrows!" he calls out, two arrows forming in the space between string and bow. Pulling them back, he aims where Ladybug directed him to, and lets them fly.

The Nurse Youma, who had turned to attack Ladybug, was unaware of the wet floor and was slipping as she prepared to leap to dive at the girl in the spotted costume. That is until the two arrows strike, one in each shoulder, driving her forward towards Ladybug as Cat Noir prepares the ball of dark magic, something else that Bow has never seen before!

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
The arrows fly true, and as Ladybug turns to stand, hands on her hips, she lets it all play out. The youma's foot hits suds, and the right foot goes out from underneath it. Her? It? Them? It falls, syringe-arms waving in the air, and Ladybug grins widely.

An arrow strikes each arm, pinning the youma in place. It barely has time to struggle before it hears, called from Ladybug's lips, "Oh by the way. We act as a team. I can't beat you, but I'm not the one to worry about right now."

Then she looks up, at the incoming catlike form of her partner.

Adrien Agreste has posed:
The youma slips and the arrows pin it. Perfect! Cat Noir had held back just a bit for this very moment after all. With a twirl of his staff he straightens to his full height to saunter toward the felled youma with that dark-energy hand held aloft. Dark as in color not... it wasn't EVIL. HE wasn't evil. Though it might look that way if people didn't really know him.

With Ladybugs' remark he swings his hand forward and down to ... To rake a clawtip over the youma's nose with a joking, "Boop!"

Boop indeed. That energy crackles from his hand through the youma. Cracks appear all over it, darkness shifting from where he touched like ashes spreading to just destroy it entirely. It ripples, and shudders, and then just crashes into itself as the magic holding it together is utterly destroyed. Destruction was like that. It was a good thing it was in the posession of such a laid back cat.

"And that is how we get things done!" He cheers standing up again and offering a fist out to Ladybug, "Pound it!" And the other fist is held up toward Bow for the same reason.

"We make a pretty great team!"

Bow has posed:
The youma is struck and pinned. Unable to move or attack, it flails ineffectively right up until Cat Noir comes up to it and with a 'BOOP', the Cataclysm cleanses the youma, destroying it and a clipboard and a syringe fall to the wet floor with a clatter, the youma defeated and the day saved!

"That was... amazing!" Bow squees at that, and then oh hell yeah, pound it, twist it and lock it with Cat Noir. But there's another issue that they have to deal with.

Now that the youma has been defeated? Time and space are returning to normal.

Which means it's time to vamoose.

"Does she know about rooftop ramen?" Bow calls over to Cat Noir as he gets ready to depart.

Marinette Dupain-Cheng has posed:
"Pound it. Been too long," Ladybug says, fist meeting fist. She grins, then reaches up to touch the two dots left on her earring, rapidly heading toward being only one. "It's always best with the best team."

She, however, glances at Cat Noir, then motions to her earring. He knows. "Can't stay. Once I do my thing, I'm on a timer. Maybe next time Bow?" Then she's leaning in, giving Cat Noir a hug. One arm, but a hug nonetheless. "We're still a team, right?"

She seems worried.

Adrien Agreste has posed:
That... That was surprising. Just a bit. Cat Noir accepts the hug though, giving it back with a firm nod. "Always. Check out Okuju Ramen, it's a rooftop ramen place we sometimes go to hang out after a fight," he suggests to Ladybug. His own ring gives a little warning beep though causing him to chuckle. "After a quick recharge at least."

with that he steps back, raising two fingers to salute at Ladybug. "I'm around. Give me a call when you need or want, I'll be there," he assures.

Then with a quick grin at Bow he adds, "Got to go myself but ramen sounds good!" For now? He heads off quickly before his own timer runs down.