Center Stage part 3

While Center Stage continued to sing, Chat found an industrialized fan and got it into position.  When he saw Ladybug give the signal, he turned it on.  High powered winds began to blow interrupting Center Stage's performance.
"You gotta be kiddin' me.  For what is a man, what has he got!  If not himself, then he has naught!  To say the things he truly feels!"
Ladybug climbed the cage with Chloe still inside and pulled the door off.  Chloe still kept her eyes on the Akuma still singing.
"Chloe, come on," Ladybug hissed.
"No, I wanna hear more," she whined.
Ladybug rolled her eyes and just grabbed her.  She set Chloe down towards backstage where the rest of the crew stood in awe of the Akuma's singing.
"Chat, Chloe is safe.  Shut the Akuma up!"
"You got it!"
Chat turned the intensity of the fan up and that made it harder for the Akuma to sing.
"And not the words of one who kneels!  The record shows I took the blows and did it my way!"
Somehow the Akuma managed to finish the song to thunderous applause.  While Center Stage took a bow, Ladybug lassoed him.
"I'll admit, you did sound pretty good.  But you can't just hold people against their will," said Ladybug.
"But I belong on stage," bellowed the Akuma.  "Everyone here loves me!  How about an encore?!"
The audience cheered while Chat Noir appeared next to his Lady.
"Any idea on where the Akuma is," he asked.
"Not yet, but we better get in there before he starts again."

The two heroes engaged with the Akuma, who used his cane to attack them.  Chat Noir was able to get in close to Center Stage.  He then noticed the purple flower in the lapel but before Chat could get it, Center Stage swung his cane at him.  Chat leapt away to stand next to his Lady.
"He has a purple flower on him.  I'm sure that's the Akuma," said Chat.
"Right.  Lucky Charm!"
After a swirl of magic, a pair of red and black spotted scissors dropped to her hands.  She used her Ladybug vision to determine their next course of action.  She looked over at Chat and saw him light up and then a sandbag weight above them and finally the scissors in her hand.
"Chat, you see that sandbag weight?"  Chat looked and nodded.  "Get the Akuma into position," she said as she swing away.
"Hey Top Hat!  What do ya say we give them a real show," bellowed Chat as he got his baton ready.
"En guarde, cat!"
The two crossed baton and cane together.  Ladybug used her yo-yo to hang close the sandbag and got ready with her scissors.  They only had one shot at this and they needed to make it count.  She saw Center Stage slowly getting closer and with one quick look to Chat, he activated his Cataclysm.  Chat grasped the cane which made it disintegrate.  That caused Center Stage to jump back more right below the sandbag.  Ladybug quickly cut the rope and the bag dropped onto the Akuma.  Chat grabbed the flower just as Ladybug dropped down.  He crumpled it up causing the black butterfly to be released.  One purification and cleansing later, the stage was back to normal, everyone was freed from whatever spell Center Stage used and Center Stage turned back to Michel.
"Pound it," the two heroes cried.
Soon, their Miraculous' beeped.
"Looks like I gotta exit stage right," saluted Chat as he hopped away.
Ladybug ran the opposite direction to hide her transformation back.
"Nice work, Marinette," complimented Tikki.
"Another day saved."
Just as Marinette walked out of her hiding spot, she saw a worried Sabrina.
"Marinette, are you okay?"
"I'm fine, are you?"
"Yeah, Alec said that the show will go on once they get everything set.  And I'm next!  I can't go on wearing this!"
Sabrina gestured to the dress Chloe made her wear.
"Don't worry, I still have the dress I designed for you.  Let's get you changed."

A few minuets, Alec was back on stage to introduce the next act.  Adrien looked over and saw Sabrina, now in a turquoise dress with darker turquoise mesh covering her collar bone and formed sleeves.  Purple, green and blue sequins dotted the edges of the knee length skirt and the edge of the bust where the fabric and mesh met.  She was huddled into a corner.
"Sabrina, are you okay," he asked with concern.
"I'm terrified," she squeaked out.  "I can't do this!"
"I know, I understand.  But I believe in you, your friends believe in you, your parents; I could go on but you got the idea.  Look, forget the competition.  Win or lose, you shouldn't let fear stop you from doing what you love.  You love to sing, right?"  The girl nodded.
"Please welcome to the stage, Sabrina Raincomprix," yelled Alec.
The audience applauded and waited.  And waited.  And waited.  Adrien went out and whispered to Alec, who then smiled and nodded.
"Folks, it appears Mlle Sabrina is a bit shy right now.  Let's give her some encouragement!"
Alec and the audience began to clap and chant Sabrina's name.  Adrien went back over to her.
"Take my hand."  She did and Adrien led her to the stage.  "Don't worry about anyone else, just sing and everything will be alright."
As soon as Sabrina walked out on stage, the audience cheered louder.  Alec smiled and gave her the mike and he retreated to his judges seat.  When the audience quieted down, Sabrina looked out and gave a nervous smile.  Then, she began to sing softly.
"Everybody's got a thing, but some don't know how to handle it."  She cleared her throat and continued with soft piano music kicking in.  "Always reaching out in vain.  Accepting the things not worth havin' but don't you worry bout a thing.  Don't you worry bout a thing Mama."
Adrien was beaming at how good she was doing.  Marinette was shocked and amazed at the voice that came out of her.  Chloe was just as surprised, as well as Michel and the rest of the audience.  Sabrina's parents just smiled with pride at their daughter.
"Cause I'll be standing on the side when you check it out," she finished softly.  But then the music picked up in tempo and Sabrina with her newfound confidence delivered an amazing performance.  The audience cheered at the change in tempo and clapped and danced along.  Even Michel was having a great time, cheering and dancing.
"Everybody needs a change, a chance to check out the newooooo yeah!  You're the only one who sees, the chances that take ya surprise!  Whoa oh!"
Sabrina then belted out a note that made everyone cheer.
"Don't you worry about a thing," she continued.
Everyone began to sing along.  Sabrina never felt so happy than she did right there.  She was doing what she loved and shared it with everyone else.
"Don't you worry!  Don't you worry about a thing Mama!  Cause I'll be standin' I'll be standin' with you oooooooooo!"
Sabrina let out a few long notes into one high note and back down again and into the finale.
"Don't you worry about a thing!"
She held the last note, raising her arm and her head up until the end of the song.  The lights went out and the audience roared with applause. The lights came back up and Alec came up to the stage with a big smile on his face and trophy in hand.

"Well, how about that!  What a performance!  Did you all enjoy that?!"  The audience cheered again.  "I think I speak for all of us judges when I say that..."
"WAIT!"
Everyone got quiet when they saw Chloe storm the stage.  Sabrina cowered a bit and both Adrien and Marinette got ready to run out there and defend Sabrina.
"You are not going to give her that trophy," Chloe yelled.
"But, Chloe," Sabrina squeaked out.
"Now, hold on just a minute," Alec began but was silenced when Chloe took the trophy out of his hands.
She looked at it and sighed and turned to her friend.
"I want to be the one to give it to her," she smiled.
The whole theater gasped as Chloe presented Sabrina with the first prize trophy.  Sabrina began to tear up and then hugged Chloe, who hugged her back just as hard.  Adrien was never more proud of either them.  He nudged Marinette and she smiled back at him.  Both turned back to the scene before them; Sabrina's parents now we're on stage hugging their daughter who had the biggest smile on her face.