#Tales of Ladybug and… Wait a Minute

[bluemooneagle01]

DID SOMEBODY ORDER A DOUBLE MUTATED BUG MIKEY AU?

Wait no one did? Oh ok

SO ANYWAY-

I did it! Hooray!

I saw a severe lack of Double Mutated Mikey’s in the bug variety so I just had to do it

Ok ok- so story time

Donnie and Mikey went out looking for scrap metal in the junk yard and whoopies! -Mikey gets bit D:

Donnie sees him mutate like:

They hurry back to the lair and when Raph and Leo see Mikey they’re like, “DONNIE WHAT DID YOU DO”

Donnie tries working on a cure but Mikey intervenes like “hey wait this is kinda cool” and yeah :]

The name is still in the works but for now I’ll call it “The Tales Of Ladybug and… Wait a Minute”

Absolutely inspired by @onejellyfishplease’s DM Donnie and @devildewdrop’s DM Leo

[lambypop]

🎀The Tales of Coccinelle Moon and The Batman🎀

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Chapter Two:

And the crowd goes... worried???

<<Previ // Mast.List // Next>>

TW: Damian crashes out???? (Kinda occ damian?) the word daddy is used strictky platonicaly, JON AND CONNOR KENT MENTIONED?!

Platonic!Batfam x Ladybug/Magical Girl!Reader

• Gotham City, Monday/March/06/2025, 6:40 AM

"This is Wayne Enterprises, please we ask you to stay together in your designated group, the tour is about to begin, please remember the tour rules, at the en of the tour we'll have a small meeting with Mr.Wayne" one of the teachers said, a yes, the school tour day Jon thought half bored, he has come here multiple times already, he even knows the ventilation system thanks to Damian, but this is a great time to see Batman! or even NIGHTWING, he thrives to see them (mostly to see Damian)

• Metropolis, Monday/March/06/2025, 6:45 AM

'Another day another evil plan in how to destroy Superman, tho he's been missing since yesterday' thats what lex luthor was thinking as he wakes up' but first, i need to see the boarding school group chat' he's opening the suspiciously empty chat……. 'Brucie usually sends a Good morning text between 6:33am and 6:37am….. and Olie has not send anything either… maybe im just overthinking stuff?' he tries to shrug off that anomaly in his daily routine as he gets out of his luxurios silk sheets to his incredible marble floor bathroom, and as he does his skin care routine he decides to call his son. (because even to he made him for a bad cause he grew a tiny littble bit attached)

• Justice League Watch Tower, Monday/March/06/2025, 6:47 AM

……Thump…..thump…..Thump…..Thump……

'…..Bruce…..'

……Thump..thump..Thump..Thump……

'Jon'

…..ThUMp…ThUMp…ThUMp…ThUMp….

'Connor'

Thump.Thump.Thump.Tump

'Kara'

Thump….Thump….Thump….Thump….

'Louis'

'……they are okay, ill sleep some more' an unconsius clark thinks

• Wayne Manor, Monday/March/06/2025, 6:48-49 AM

"Thank you for the Meal Alfred!" A very happy Duke said as he takes some pancakes and brings them to the table, some slight footsteps can be heard coming to the kitchen and cass peaks her head in and waves a hand to Alfred to ask for Bruce "🫵🏻👀👉🏻👨🏻❓" she signs kinda sloppily cause she just woke up from the heavy night patrol "I haven't seen him jest Miss Cain, he's probably stil in his room either sleeping or just brooding" she nods and heads into the kitchen to make herself a starwberry protein milkshake or something

• Paris-France, Monday/March/06/2025, 6:50 AM, 10 minutes before the disaster

"Ohh Papas jet arrived Five minutes ago! EEEEEK! im so exited to see him!!!!" you cant help but jump around happily waiting for him, you're impatient to see him, you are way to happy when he comes to visit and this time he even came half a month early, lets just hope nothing happens today, toda's gotta be perfect!

• Gotham City, Monday/March/06/2025, 6:51 AM, 9 minutes before the disaster

"What do you mean he didn't check in today???? he always checks in. perhabs we miscalculated one of his day offs? wait- did he even schedulched a day off?" one of the work assistans asks almost dumbfounded "Heyyyy have someone seen Mr.Wayne? i need these papers signed" A worker of HQ mumbles as he peaks inside the room "It seems he didn't check in today" a male acountant says "What do you mean he didn't check in? he always does" the HR worker says confused "Thats what i said! today is the first monday of the month! we have the Monthly prepare meeting with Brucie!" The assistance says with a half sad whine, everyone at the office loves Brucie Wayne, even tho he looks and acts like a bimbo everyone in the office knows he is very much intelligent an talented, if he wasn't he wouldn't be able to keep up with the great company he has!

• Metropolis, Monday/March/06/2025, 6:52 AM, 8 minutes before the disaster

"is the world ending???" Luthor says outloud as he stares at his phone screen, the text chat is still empty with No Bruce message, so he decides to do the most obvious call. "Hey, Olie….. have you heard about Bruce??? he hasn't send his perfectly timed morning message with the stupidly bad grammar- You noticed it too? oh yeah no, i haven't seen him, i was gonna ask if you have seen him- yeah uhm i can check that too, tell me if you know something" luthors hand goes to his mouth as he thinks…. "Maybe he fell into a Fountain??? nono- gotham news would already have posted something-!!! RIGHT maybe he's on one of those crazy yatch parties- ill check on that"

People may not know it but Luther has a soft spot on his childhood best friends, and he has a very strict routine during the entire day that started WAY back in the early days of that Boarding school where he met those two idiots, the blond and a bit obnoxius one and the broodie black haired one that looked that he would jump you at any second.

• Justice League Watch Tower, Monday/March/06/2025, 6:53 AM, 7 minutes before the disaster.

"What was the call about Dear?" Black Canary asks curiosly "……..Bruce seems to be unpresent? like he's never late to anything……." Green Arrow or also known as Oliver Queen says to his dear wife as he is definately confused at whats going on "Uhm perhaps a call to Alfred would apease you?" Dinah says uncertain and kinda laughing at her husband obvious worry (he claims he does not worry at all) "Maybe…… but also he may be only running late you know?" oliver ends the conversation at that as he takes his wifes hand in his.

• Wayne Manor, Monday/March/06/2025, 6:54 AM, 6 minutes before the disaster

"Okay but really. where is bruce, he never misses Alfred's Breakfast" Steph says with her mouth full of pancakes "True. maybe he already went to W.E????" Dick says as he plays with the fruitloops he put on his food

"…….Pennyworth does my pancakes have-" Damian gets cut of "They have no dairy milk nor eggs, is almod milk fine with you?" the butler asks with a faint smile "yeah" damian says as he takes a bite of the pancakes, they are good but not as near as good at his father makes them or well thats what Damian thinks, running footsteps can be heard through the hallway, and the kitchen is loudly entered by the other only missing family member "OH MY GOD BRUCE IM SO SORRY I DIDDNT APPEAR I SWEAR I'VE BEEN SLEEPING, I ATE IM F-Fineeeee, i just fEel AslEEP on a RoofTop! NAD FORGOT TO TEXT!!! OSHDBSAFBGQASKFBKFBADVAFBAKJ PLS DONT CRASH OUTTTTTT" a exasperated and out of breath Tim says coughing and with a face that resembled Deer under car lights, he has this worried expression as if Bruce would jusr crash out from not knowing where one of his sons are (HE WOULD AND HE WILL) "……………." a biss ass silence takes hold onto everyone on the Kitchen even Tim that know feels kinda embarrassed

"Drake with all due respect, what the hell?" Damian says with a weird out face as he munches on the pancakes "Dude are you okay" stephanie says as the passes him a plate with pancakes "wheres Bruc- wait no what time is it?" Tim asks half dishoriented "6:54:29 seconds why" Dick answers "Okay so bruce is in W.E I'll just grab his stuff and-" Tim says as he starts to turn around "Master Wayne hasn't left the house, his car is still in the garage" Alfred says as if he's used to this "He took a day off?" the second best detective asks as his brain starts to work on this anomaly in Bruces behavior "But today is the first monday of the month" Tim mumbles to himself as he takes the entire pancake and brings it to his mouth eating it in one sole bite "Im going to the batcave" Tim declares and does not wait for an answer "Is he okay?" Duke wonders out loud as a fast shadow decides to follow tim onto.

• Paris-France, Monday/March/06/2025, 6:55 AM, 5 minutes before the Disaster

"DADDY!!!!!" the girl runs towards her fathers arms and jump towards him making the man drop a bag he was carrying just to catch his daughter and spin her around as she starts to laugh, Bruce's eyes cant help but tear up a bit, when was the last time any other of his children missed him this much, but this isnt about them, its about you two "I missed you SO MUCH!" you cant help but shake him a bit "Ohhhh I cant waiiit to tell you what have i done! and what i've been seeing at school!!!" nothing could make this worse nor better right? "…..papa….. how much are you staying for?" you cant help but ask always hoping that he'll say that he will saty with you forever, you sometimes dont like the fact that you are 'hidden' "…im having…. a Staycacion" he says wity a smile "………Stay-cacion?…….AAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH YOUR STAYING!?" you screamed very much loudly and exited that you can't help when you bursted into happy tears and hugged him and staining the shoulder of his jacket not like he cared, stains can be washed, stuff can be cleaned, but moments and memories??? they cannot be replaced.

• Batcave, Monday/March/06/2025, 6:56 AM, 4 minutes before the Disaster

"I swear- wheres that man- he nevers changes his routine- he isn't at W.E nor the JL HQ………. Where-" hussle hussle "Casssss not right now" russle russle "he isnt at the kent- wait! your right the kent farm! let me make a call" Tim say as he fistbumps Cassandra and she smiles happily, she is just happy to be of help in finding her father, she's still kinda angered by how they talked about him last night and she wants to have a 'word' with Tim about it, but she'll wait until they have something that leads them to their dad.

• Gotham City, Monday/March/06/2025, 6:57 AM, 3 minutes before the Disaster

"The hell do you mean he isn't in his office?????" a very well known man in a two color suit says "Boss he is not in his office" one of the goon says "I know very well my bes- I know very well Bruce Wayne's schedule" the man says with a bother voice "Harv-" another goon tries to talk before a gunshot is heard, the bullet did not anyone it was just a warning "Two-Face for you all. None of you get to call me Harv-ey. none of you. there was only one person that call me that and im not seeing them." Two-Face said with an unmatched irritation, perhabs he's worried? no! ofcourse not, he is a well known villian that was gonna kidnap the richest man in the country and definately not because he was his bestfriend or that when they kidnap him this bimbo of a man takes this time to sleep and its the most relaxed he's seen him in a while ofcourse not (he definately knows he's tired af from being batman and not sleeping more than 3 hours a day).

• Wayne Manor, Monday/March/06/2025, 6:58 AM, 2 minutes before the Disaster

light and calm steps can be heard through the halls and they go to a stop infront of the master bedroom of the manor, the alluring and very exquisite scent of a meal can be smelled from miles away.

knock knock knock

"Master Bruce. are you awake?……. perhaps your feeling unwell my child" Alfreds voice softened at the silence, he knows how Bruce can get when he's being gloomy and angsty "Please open the door my son, you need to eat, you haven't had a proper meal in 2 days and your protein shakes do not count, i please beg you stop acting like a child and have some proper nutricional food" the old butler can help but be a bit stern in his voice and his worry for the man he's raised for over more than 30 years …… "Master bruce? has something happen?" before alfred can do anything else two pair of steps alert him "Pennyworth? has my father already came out of the room?" The youngest wayne asks with one of his pets following him "Not yet, do you want to help me out Master Damian?" the butler recieves a happy nod, the green eyed child is more than pleased to help wake his father up, his father has been there for him since he entered thos household, the least he could do is try and help him when he isn't feeling well.

• Batcave, Monday/March/06/2025, 6:59 AM, 1 minutes before the Disaster

"He is not there??? could you help me out with this???" Tim says through the phone as cass is re-checking all the cams that they have around everywhere and also crossing all the possible stuff in their improvised list

fell into a fountain

crazy yatch party

weekly meeting

JL Headquarters

Kent Farm

his room

she can feel Tim stress out by only looking into his eyes, he is inside the 'normal' for Tim so she doen't worry much (she is gonna freak out in that nights Patrol)

• Wayne Manor, Monday/March/06/2025, 6:59 AM, 30 seconds before the Disaster, and counting

"ejem- ejem- Father, are you in there?" Damian tried to keep his voice the most steady as possible but still no asnwer…. so he decides other aproach as he slightly eyes the butler and then grabs all the possible bravery and takes the handle in his hand and twist it opening the door and stepping in "Baba i request you stop ignoring Alfred and I- B-baba??" but there is no one to be found in the room they fully walk in to see Bruce's closet half closed, most of his daily shirts are goneand so are most of his shoes and jackets and the fur jackets, but thats okay until he checks the drawer where Bruce keeps the stuff his children give him…. and its empty… His father keft them "D-did he? did he-"

"…."

"Master Damian, please do not alarm yourself"

• Everywhere in Gotham, Monday/March/06/2025, 6:59 AM, 10 seconds before the Crashout, and counting

"Thanks Connor, I'll call you later"

09 seconds before the Crashout

"Duke have you seen B?" Barbara asks as she just got there from the watchtower and she needs to talk to Bruce about some Scarecrow shit

08 seconds before the Crashout

"Why are my Older brother senses Tingling???" Dick stands up and gets out of his room peaking out to see Alfred in the doorway of Bruces room

07 seconds before the Crashout

"Alfre? is everything- what the- " he watches the know kinda empty room of Bruce

06 seconds before the Crashout

"H-hey Damian, how- how are you doing?" Dick asks as he kneels infront of the kid that looks that is about to combust on the spot, he tries to stay as calm as he can to not startle the child

05 seconds before the crashout

Are they taking him for an idiot? why is Grayson treating him like a kicked puppy, he's fine. he is totally okay, definatelly not worried……

04 seconds before the crashout

He is okay, he can handle his emotions, this is a trick!, a TEST, thats right! just a test to see if he can do stuff alone and without help! definately because he wouldn't have left him right?

03 seconds before the crashout

he wouldn't left him. he promised he wouldn't and his father never lies, right? RIGHT?, he woudn't do what his mother did to him. he promised, he swore under that candle. He signed the papers where it says that he is his father, so is he not here? why did he left his stuff, but he wouldnt do that right? he would do it again, like the timestream incident?

02 seconds before the crashout

maybe what his grandfather told him was right, Bruce wouldn't want him, perhaps this is his karma for failing his 'rightfuk destiny' maybe he did something wrong?

01 Seconds before the Crashout

"Master Damian, please stop this in this moment, it's not time for a tantr-" Alfreds voice gets cut off and Dick cant help but actually get freaked out, Tim hears ot, Cassandra hears it, Duke, Barbara, Stephanie, Jason who was entering through the window of his old childhood room, Connor who was eating his breakfast in Kansas, Jon who is in his school trip first hears the heartbeat spike abnormaly and is ready to ditch the class in that instant and perhaps even the half unconsious Superman hear the bloody screathing banshee scream that goes out of Damian's throat

00 seconds before the crashout

"BABA!"

Bruce stops suddenly from walking "Are you okay papa?" You can't help but ask kinda worried "Did you heard that????" he asks you also confused, he feels his chest tingling in a weird way that he wasn't felt in a while, at least not since Tim brought him back from the timestream and kinda lunged into his arms crying "I didn't heard anything dad" you asnwer him more softly tryung to appease hus sudden frown "ehhh… Must have been the wind then" he says now more calm as you and him walk hand in hand out of the air port and towards a [F/C] Porsche convertible with a custom plate that says [INSERT THE MOST BADASS WORD YOU KNOW], "m'kay papa lets go!" you say with such happiness and such bright smile that you could challenge even the sun in who was brighter the Sun or You (obviosly you would win) "Yeah, Lets go home" Bruce says with the softest laugh that you have ever heard, he helps you in your own car into the passanger seat even tho you were gonna drive, how could he let his child drive him let him help you please, you can only smile at the fact that he is trying his best to be a more than a good dad, what can you say? Your love your father very much.

3K EXACT WORDS (I made this chapter i like 2 hours????) Hope yall like Damians Crash out (PLEASE COMENT WHATEVER)

[fabseg-creator]

Miraculous fanfic: Chrysabug (First Time)

I've drawn new Cerisette/Chrysabug sketches. The first (at the top) illustrates the first meeting (or first confrontation) between Ladybug and Chrysalis and how should be happening. Below, there is a fanfic.

This happens in a rooftop of a building. Ladybug has been attacked by a supervillain (or precisely by a supervillainess): It's in fact the new Butterlfy Miraculous Holder. After an intense duel (with the use of the Lucky Charm and the Miraculous Ladybug for repair the minor damages on the roof), Ladybug had managed to immobilize her Butterfly girl. The latter is trapped in her opponent's yo-yo.

Ladybug (in good mood, teasing): It seems I have cought a special butterfly. Is that you, the Nooroo's new Holder ?

Chrysalis (confident): I just hoped I could catch a interesting specimen as you are, Ladybug.

Ladybug: Who are you ?

Chrysalis: Before you call your Cat*, I want say to you who I am, my Lady.

Ladybug feels confused about her adversary saying 'My Lady'. It's the Cat Noir's line.

Chrysalis: I am Monarch's former apprentice. The future Hawkmoth. But for the moment, I prefer you call me Chrysalis.

Ladybug: Sounds like you are too proud about yourself, Chrysalis.

Chrysalis giggles.

Chrysalis: When you fought against Monarch, I was present. I came to the Agreste manor for steal the Butterfly brooch to Mr Agreste. I just came to take my revenge on him for having backfired me. I've observed you in action, but none of both you had noticed my presence. I know all about you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

Ladybug: What ?

Chrysalis (smiling): Even about the wish processus. Gimmi the kwami of the Reality. The Gabriel's self-erasure from the reality. I could reveal that to everyone (even to Adrien) but I haven't did it. That happened two months ago. Do you know why I still keep your secret hidden ?

Ladybug (perplexed): What do you mean ?

Chrysalis: I hide your identity from the public because I respect you, my Lady.

Ladybug is intrigued.

Chrysalis: Since I know you exist as the superheroin of Paris, I hated you so much for having saboted my schemes. I've teamed up with Hawkmoth who will become Monarch for eliminating you. I hated you even in your civilian form, so I had to ruin your life. I hated you until the day of the final battle against Monarch when I has been witness of your detransformation of Bugnoire. I was confused first like you are actually confused. I've found out Marinette and Ladybug are the same person that explains why you're the only one I've never managed to make you fell in my words.

Ladybug: Wait a minute. Your words ? You would say: Your lies ?

Chrysalis: Ding ! ding ! ding ! good answer, my Lady.

Ladybug (shocked and grossed): Lila ?!

Chrysalis: Yeah and not really. Lila Rossi was nothing but a disguise. Things aren't always what they seem to be at first sight. I have used too many identities and disguises on my life even before you and Cat Noir had begun your adventures/tales on Paris. My vision of the world is just... different.

Ladybug: It's a lot of things you're telling me, 'Chrysalis'. How can I be sure you're not lying to me, this time ? A trap ?

Chrysalis: I understand your vigilance but I don't come to you as your enemy. I have a deal for you.

Ladybug: What deal ?

Chrysalis: I challenge you to discover my birth name and/or to find my residence. You can call the place my lair but I call it La Plage too. I keep your real identity secret, my Lady. Don't worry.

Ladybug: You introduce yourself to me with the only missing miraculous. You already engage a duel against me and now you propose me an 'treasure hunting' about you ?

Chrysalis: The duel was just a test but I will try to be fair on this .

Ladybug stays careful of the butterfly girl's words. She stealthly spins for watching around herself (realizing a panorama) and she turns her look on the captive.

Ladybug: I just want to be sure you haven't bring some akumatized people.

Chrysalis: I even haven't akumatized anyone yet at Paris. Have you noticed that ? I offer you this deal. But only to you.

Ladybug: Why me ?

Chrysalis begins to be flirtatous.

Chrysalis (blushing): Because you have made me curious toward you. Since you've hidden the fact Gabi and Monarch were the same person from everybody in the world, I just realised you and I are similar, familiar. Together, we need each other.

Ladybug is like slightly disturbed by Chrysalis' words.

Ladybug: Do you believe I will accept this deal ?

Chrysalis: So. Do you prefer I reveal who is really Gabriel Agreste to everybody (even in prison) ? Bring me to jail and it will be fun. Take me the miraculous but I have covered the brooch with a strong glue for prevent you to remove it to me.

The red black-spotted superheroin still expresses some doubts. Meanwhile, she is now aware of these revelations used to not be lies: her adversary knows her real identity, the same girl has been Hawkmoth's accomplice for akumatization causes, knows how to use the Absolute Power from Tikki and Plagg and the girl is used to be 'Lila Rossi'. She has even confessed Lila was a simple disguise she had weared during her time at Françoise Dupont school with many disguises. Meanwhile, Ladybug rethinks about the actual butterfly holder's case.

Why hadn't she tried to steal the Ladybug and Cat miraculouses for summon Gimmi and make the wish for herself ? Has she some other plans ? If she can use some fake identities and some fake looks, why didn't have used all her ressources ? Is it possible Nooroo can accept a girl like her as his holder ?

Ladybug realizes about this point: During the Summer vacation, 'Lila'/Chrysalis hasn't come back in her life. This peace time has been too good for her. And now, like an intuition, the superheroin begins to think her adversary is honest for real. Despite the confusing situation she's living, Ladybug has the feeling her nemesis isn't telling lies to her at all.

Chrysalis: Have you chosen your choice, my Lady ?

Ladybug: Fine. I let you leave, Chrysalis. For this time.

The superheroin removes her yo-yo, freeing Chrysalis. The latter takes her swordcane, moves away from Ladybug and jumps from the rooftop to a building.

Chrysalis: Thank you for your choice. We will see you again, Ladybug. (making an evil smile) But as a civilian, I look forward to seeing you again, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. When will happen, I will be already disguised. (becoming cheerful again) That's my clue for you. I wish you Good luck for finding out who I am really, my real name and my real backstory.

Chrysalis moves her arms for forming a heart pose at the top of her own head. It's a directed message to Ladybug. The latter is suddenly fascinated by the former. The butterfly girl flees to the other side of Paris and disappears.

Ladybug (intrigued and blushing): What a strange girl.

The End

*Cat Noir

Bonuses:

Chrysabug kiss scene.

Ladybug and Chrysalis take the hide on an alley away from the public.

[gryficowa]

Guys, I remembered that Miracolous special that probably never came out

Because if the Christmas episode (which was announced at the same time) came out, this particular special is already forgotten

Interesting fact: The Christmas episode was supposed to last 40 minutes, but it was shortened and we all know how it ended

However, the Halloween episode did not come out, but was announced in a similar period to the Christmas one (At least as I remember it)

So yes, this series has lost media (And those were the times when the series didn't crash)

Wiki:

Thomas, as usual you wasted something good

Seriously, explain to me why Thomas keeps shooting himself in the foot?

Even though we all know this special wasn't as good as antagonizing Chloe because the fandom started liking her and Thomas didn't like it

I understand, many series have episodes thrown to the trash, but we are talking about miracolous here, a series that has been turning over for years because Thomas is Thomas

I know that many new fans may not be familiar with this special, because it was announced during the two-year break between the first and second seasons (Seriously, there was such a long break between all this, and the first season ended on something strong and we had to wait for two years for sequels, old times, right?)

The question is whether they animated anything for this special or whether there is only a script

The same question arises as to what the Christmas episode would have looked like if they had had more time and if it had lasted as long as it was supposed to (I doubt whether there is a script for it, because although there were leaks of scripts, they were probably from later seasons)

I don't really expect a full Christmas and Halloween episode, but it's a bit of a bummer that something so good ended up in the trash.

[pythagoras180]

"Miraculous World: Paris, Tales of Shadybug and Claw Noir" Review

Spoiler warning for the special and all of season 5

The special begins with an alternative title sequence with Re-Verse!Gabriel instead of Marinette. Then there's a cold opening where Betterfly (Re-Verse Hawk Moth, who's a hero) and Re-Verse!Alya. Watch a news broadcast from the main universe talking about Ladybug and Cat Noir, before Betterfly uses a Kamiko (alternate Akuma name) to transform Re-Verse!Alya into Ubiquity, who can travel between universes. At this time, Shadybug and Claw Noir burst in and attack.

Meanwhile, in the main universe, Gabriel is in his lair right after being Cataclysmed, since this is right after "Destruction". He puts all his new Miraculouses on a table before trying to call Nathalie, but it goes to voicemail.

Wait a minute, doesn't this take place after the beginning of "Multiplication"? It does, because this special is the last thing that happens that night, it's dawn at the end of the special. So Nathalie should already be in the mansion, she arrived there in "Multiplication". Why doesn't he physically go talk to her? Gabriel then considers talking to Adrien, who is watching the news in his room. Wait, didn't Adrien fall asleep after calling Marinette? Did he fall asleep, then immediately wake up to take part in this special? None of this adds up.

Continuity errors: 2

Adrien still feels bad about Cataclysming Monarch, and he tells Plagg that he's afraid of his power. Gee, it would sure be awkward if Adrien intentionally tried to Cataclysm like 3 more people in season 5, none of which are as bad as Monarch, and then showed no remorse for it. That would make this scene look stupid, wouldn't it?

We have a scene between Marinette and Alya, where Marinette calls her "the best BFF ever".

Earlier this same day, Alya accused Marinette of lying about Adrien not wanting to go on the trip. Yeah, what a great friend.

There's then a scene establishing that Marinette's parents are downstairs.

Marinette expresses doubt that she can defeat Monarch, saying that she feels like she tried everything.

That's not true Marinette, you didn't take advantage of the Rabbit Miraculous's ability to spy on anyone, anywhere, at anytime to determine Monarch's identity.

Alya then is transformed into a duplicate of Ubiquity, and the two Ubiquities form a portal between universes. Betterfly jumps though the portal. He asks Marinette to lead him to Ladybug and Cat Noir, but she doesn't trust him, for obvious reasons. Shadybug and Claw Noir then force Ubiquity to reopened the portal. Alya warns Betterfly and Marinette that they're coming, and Betterfly doesn't simply recall the Kamiko to close the portal, and instead he chooses to run away with Marinette. What a great hero he is /s.

Shadybug and Claw Noir arrive in the main universe, and they tie up Alya, destroy Marinette's wall, and give chase. Only now does Betterfly recall the Kamiko. Oh, and the butterfly flies out of main universe Ayla's glasses, even though it was used on Re-Verse!Alya. That doesn't really make sense. Also, Alya immediately unties herself. Is Shadybug just terrible at tying people up?

Alya tells Sabine that the sound of the explosion was just a video game, and then she tries to call Marinette on her phone, but it's still broken from when Monarch smashed it in "Destruction". So instead she calls her using the computer.

Hey, that's actually a nice piece of continuity. Good job.

Shadybug and Claw Noir lose track of Betterfly, so Shadybug summons her Lucky Charm. She receives a pair of goggles that can identify butterfly pheromones, and uses them to track the Kamiko butterfly as it returns to Betterfly.

Oh, that's why they had the Kamiko randomly hop universes, to provide a way to track Betterfly. How convenient. Does the Butterfly Miraculous require white butterflies? Could Betterfly not have just used a random butterfly out in the wild?

Anyway, Betterfly and Marinette arrive at the Eiffel Tower, but Shadybug and Claw Noir arrive shortly after and start beating up Betterfly. Marinette watches the fight while on a call with Alya, and Tikki explains that they are Miraculous holders from a parallel universe, one of billions. Marinette asks Tikki why she never told her about this, and Tikki says she's lived billions of years in every universe, and there isn't enough time in Marinette's life to tell her even a fraction about it.

Um, Tikki, it doesn't take a lot of time to say "By the way Marinette, there is a multiverse. So don't be shocked if versions of you from another universe show up one day." This is a terrible excuse. Also, Tikki implies she is one entity across all universes, yet she doesn't seem to know anything about he Re-Verse.

During the fight, we get the first mention of "The Supreme", the evil overlord who controls all the Miraculouses in the Re-Verse.

Honestly, I think the fact that Shadybug and Claw Noir are just working for someone else instantly makes them much less interesting.

Marinette asks Tikki how Shadybug and Claw Noir can use their powers repeatedly, and Tikki explains that the one time use and time limit is to protect young holders from over-exerting themselves, but Shadybug and Claw Noir are ignoring this and hurting themselves in the process.

If the limitation on power use if the users physical body, then why did Ladybug and Cat Noir gain unlimited use in "Revolution", after allegedly maturing emotionally? Are they going to end up hurting themselves too? Maybe don't make up the rules as you go along guys.

And I'd like to point out that Shadybug can summon Lucky Charms without speaking or using her yoyo. How?

Marinette transforms into Ladybug and starts fighting the villains, and shortly afterward Cat Noir shows up too. He then immediately threatens to Cataclysm Claw Noir.

Gee Adrien, I can really see how bad you feel about the whole Monarch situation when you literally do the exact same thing mere hours later. What a good guy you are.

Claw Noir then forces Cat Noir to cataclysm his chest. And he just tanks this? How is that possible? At first I thought they would explain that his power is enhanced or something, but nope. Remember what happened to Cat Noir in "Miraculer"? Are we supposed to assume that that actually wasn't a big deal but Adrien is just a massive baby?

Ladybug summons her Lucky Charm, a traffic cone, which Claw Noir immediately grabs and destroys. Um, why did the Lucky Charm give her something that doesn't work? Shouldn't it have predicted that Claw Noir was going to grab it? You might be thinking "Well it would have worked if Ladybug reacted quicker." The power should have scanned her mind and determined that she wouldn't react fast enough, and adjust accordingly. Seriously, how does a Lucky Charm fail?

"Intuition", what a great and non-harmful episode /s.

Shadybug and Claw Noir get the upper hand, so Betterfly uses a Kamiko on Cat Noir. Betterfly and Cat Noir speak to each other telepathically at superspeed.

What is going on right now? The Butterfly Holder and akumatized person have always needed to move their mouths to communicate and talk at normal speed. Stop making up new rules.

Anyway, Cat Noir transform into Celesticat, which is just a reused Cat Blanc model with green eyes and wings. He then flies Ladybug and Betterfly away from danger.

Too bad Betterfly didn't just give him crazy superpowers strong enough to defeat Shadybug and Claw Noir, because otherwise this special would be over already. Yes, I know, Shadybug's Lucky Charm should still give them an out, but we literally saw a Lucky Charm fail 2 seconds ago. So thanks for making the power inconsistent. If Celesticat was even 1% as powerful as Cat Blanc, the battle would just be over.

Shadybug grabs Celesticat's tail and is dragged along, but Ladybug simply removes his belt to make her fall. Claw Noir lets her fall, and then tries to take her Miraculous. We find out that these two have repeatedly tried to steal each other's Miraculouses because they hate each other so much.

In Emilie's tomb, Gabriel already knows that his condition is terminal. How? He was wounded a few hours ago, the mark couldn't have spread yet. I guess the Kwamis may have told him, but we don't see that.

Gabriel senses the villains arguing, and sends a Megakuma after them. However, Claw Noir immediately destroys it, thinking it's a Kamiko.

Wait, why are they afraid of a Kamiko? Do they force people to be good? But they were experiencing negative emotions at the time, wouldn't the Kamiko make them more evil? Their reactions make no sense.

But there actually is some good continuity here. Claw Noir immediately destroys the butterfly, like Cat Noir did in "Cat Blanc". Meanwhile, Shadybug sees it but just stands there instead of purifying it, just like Ladybug did in "Cat Blanc". I just love consistency.

Shadybug and Claw Noir return to Marinette's room to look for clues. And Alya hides and spies on them.

In the sewers the three heroes talk as they recharge. Betterfly talks about his world, and says that all forms of mutual aid are a crime.

I'm sorry, what? There is no way such a civilization can sustain itself. This is so dumb and overly simplistic. Couldn't they have just said that the world is rampant with greed, corruption, and authoritarianism? That's at least realistic, the entire world being evil is not. But hey, maybe the people of this world don't think or feel the way we do? Nope, later in this special they are shown to be very similar emotionally speaking. The world Betterfly is describing can not exist.

Betterfly also explains that the Supreme controls all the Miraculouses, and only hands them out to his allies. Re-Verse!Gabriel stole two of them, apparently for selfish reasons.

So the Supreme decided to give out the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculouses to a couple of children so they can steal back the other Miraculouses, instead of just, you know, use the ultimate power to wish them back. "Oh, but what about equivalent exchange?" This is equivalent exchange. The Supreme gains two Miraculouses, Gabriel loses two Miraculouses. Equal equal. I guess the Supreme is just as dumb as everyone else. Gee, it's almost like establishing that you can choose the price of the wish and can decide who pays that price completely breaks the entire story. And I'm definitely going to make this same criticism of season 6 if Marinette doesn't immediately wish for the Butterfly Miraculous back.

Back in Marinette's room, Shadybug reads her diary and learns about how great Marinette's life is with all her friends, and that she is Ladybug.

In the sewers, Ladybug and Cat Noir deduce that the villains are alternate versions of their civilain selves.

Meanwhile, Shadybug learns from the diary about the ultimate power of the Miraculouses, and Marinette very conveniently decided to tape a copy of that Grimoire page into her diary, with exact instructions on how to use it. How nice of her /s.

By the way, establishing that the Grimoire has clear instruction on how to use the wish definitively destroys the plot of "Deflagration". Gabriel definitely knew how to use the wish then, he had absolutely no reason to attempt to unify.

Shadybug then handcuffs Claw Noir with a Lucky Charm and immediately takes his Miraculous. If it was that easy, how did she fail in the past?

Shadybug recognizes Claw Noir as famous model Adrien Agreste. She then puts on the Black Cat Miraculous and detransforms. Re-Verse!Adrien remains handcuffed, even though Lucky Charms are supposed to disappear as soon as the holder detransforms.

Continuity errors: 3

Re-Verse!Adrien recognizes her as a girl he saw in a bakery once, and immediately fell in love with.

You know, I think "Miraculous" has been pretty good at avoiding "love at first sight" until now. But Re-Verse!Adrien likes her even though he never talked to her or saw he do anything special to make him like her. They put no effort into this, huh?

Re-Verse!Marinette tries to summon Gimmi, intending to switch her life with main universe Marinette's. However, the Supreme put a safeguard in place to prevent a wish from being made. He also sealed the Kwamis mouths so they can't speak. I quite like this plot point.

Re-Verse!Marinette then gives Re-Verse!Adrien his Miraculous back. Wait, why would she do that? I thought she hated him? She tried to steal his Miraculous in the past just to get rid of him. And she doesn't know him as Re-Verse!Adrien, so that shouldn't change her opinion. Why does she suddenly trust him?

Also, Claw Noir's suit is still cracked after retransforming, even though their suits and weapons are supposed to be completely restored every time they transform.

Continuity errors: 4

Monarch then portals into the room, after apparently hearing everything. So shouldn't this clue him in that Marinette and Adrien are Ladybug and Cat Noir? Shouldn't he at least investigate them? Is he stupid? Yeah, I know the answer to that.

Shadybug and Claw Noir attack him, but he is immune to their powers thanks to the Ox Miraculous. But wait, shouldn't Shadybug's Lucky Charm sword still be able to defeat him somehow? You might be thinking "Well maybe there is a way, but Shadybug wasn't smart or creative enough to figure it out." Why would the power give her something she can't figure out? Shouldn't it have scanned her mind and given her something she can figure out?

"Intuition", what a great and non-harmful episode /s.

Monarch offers to help them steal Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculouses, so that they can make wishes that way. Shadybug and Claw Noir agree to this. That's it, they just agree. They have no hidden scheme, they don't plan to double cross him, they just go with his plan. What great villains these two are /s.

The three heroes see massive versions of Shadybug and Claw Noir rampaging through the city. Thinking they're akumatized, Betterfly attempts to recall the Akuma.

If that's possible, then why the hell did Lila send Timetagger to the past, where a different Butterfly holder was active? Even if Timetagger successfully stole the Miraculouses, Hawk Moth could have just recalled the Akuma and stolen them for himself. We haven't even seen Lila as the main villain yet, and they already damaged her. That's honestly kind of impressively bad writing.

Alya then gets Ladybug's attention by driving through the streets yelling for her. Couldn't that also have attracted Monarch's attention? Alya then shows Ladybug that she recorded Monarch telling Shadybug and Claw Noir his plan. Monarch created giant illusions of the villains in order to split up Ladybug and Cat Noir, so that the villains can fight them separately and Monarch can ambush them. And... Ladybug is stumped. She has no answer for this. I'm sorry, isn't she supposed to be smart? Did she really need a pep talk to solve this simple problem?

So, what is Ladybug's plan? Well, the Butterfly Miraculous has a limited range, so first they have to

Wait, wait, wait. It was shown in "Startrain" that there is a limited range for the Butterfly Miraculous, but this is contradicted in "Intuition". You might say that the Horse Miraculous is what allowed Monarch to overcome the range problem, but he has the Horse Miraculous right now. So there is no guarantee that he has limited range. Whatever, maybe Ladybug doesn't know that.

So the heroes and Alya fly far way from Paris, and then Betterfly transforms Alya into Ubiquity. Betterfly detransforms, and gives the Butterfly Miraculous to Ladybug, which she uses to become Ladyfly. She transforms Re-Verse Gabriel into Guardian Angel, who has the power to put protection spells on Ladybug and Cat Noir. He then puts the object that contains the Kamiko into the Re-Verse using Ubiquity's portal, preventing Monarch from recalling it.

Wait a minute, placing an akumatized object out of range of the holder doesn't remove their powers? So why didn't Monarch just teleport all akumatized objects outside the solar system? His minions would be invincible. Also, it's confirmed that Monarch has absolutely no control over Akumas if they're out of range. So couldn't the heroes have just used the Horse Miraculous to teleport an Akuma outside the solar system? Since he's limited to one at a time, he would be completely powerless afterward. Do you see how making up new rules makes previous stuff much stupider?

The heroes do split up and fight their counterparts, and Monarch plans to ambush them using the same invisibility strategy he used in "Illusion" and "Deflagration", even though in "Illusion" he acted like he just came up with it for the first time. But I don't really blame them for this. Also, in "Kwami Buster" the Miraculouses did not multiply along with Multimouse, they remained singular. Why is it different here? I guess maybe that's an adult power or something. Hey wait a minute, if the illusions are now taken down, why doesn't Monarch just stop using the Fox Miraculous and use the Snake instead? That would greatly increase his chances of winning. But he forgot about it I guess?

Anyway, Monarch tries to use Venom on both heroes, but they are protected by Guardian Angel's spells and the Monarch copies are immobilized by feathers. Monarch just recombines with them though, at a very great distance I might add. I thought the copies needed to gather in a group to combine, but I guess not.

Ladybug and Cat Noir continue to fight their counterparts, who decide to start ranting about their motivations. Re-Verse!Marinette was bullied by Re-Verse!Chloé (aka the Devil), and she didn't have any friends or loving parents to help her, so she accepted the Miraculous from the Supreme because she wanted to be able to protect herself. I guess that makes sense, but why was she genuinely trying to steal the Butterfly Miraculous? Wouldn't she want her assignment to last as long as possible so that she wouldn't lose her Miraculous? Also, in a world without mutual aid, wouldn't Marinette's situation be commonplace? It's almost like that world doesn't make sense or something.

Claw Noir's motivation is that he's sad that his mom died. Um, is that an explanation? Did the Supreme promise to bring her back or something? I guess that's possible, but it's never stated in the special. I don't understand why he became a supervillain. Also, this is literally the first time his mother has been brought up. That's not how you write a motivation. Cat Noir tells him that his mom is also dead, and he was also really sad about it, but his friends helped him through it. Um, what is Adrien talking about? He never seemed significantly effected by his mother's death. The audience can't just be made to assume that he was sad about it offscreen, that's not how writing works. Also, Claw Noir is angry at his father for not caring about his mom's death and moving on. Shouldn't he be angry at Cat Noir for the same reason, not moved by it? Also, Emilie died months before the start of the series, which is when Adrien started making friends. Adrien clearly wasn't very affected by her death at the time, so no, his friends did not help him through it.

Also, Re-Verse!Adrien explicitly had 2 good parents, yet he still didn't have friends. I take this as explicit confirmation that Adrien's lack of friends during childhood wasn't his parents' fault, as many claim it was.

Claw Noir says he wants to use the wish to bring his mother back, but Adrien explains that there is equivalent exchange in play. If he wished for that, someone else would lose their mom. I'm pretty sure that's not true, the rule is a life for a life, not a mom for a mom. Sacrifice a death row inmate with no family and you'll be fine.

Dear reader, I urge you to please take a seat, or get a grip on something sturdy. I am about to reveal something that annihilates Adrien's entire character. Something that permanently disqualifies him from being considered a hero. It's literally just one line of dialogue that I already mentioned, so you might have picked up on it. But I understand if you didn't, because the writers clearly didn't.

Adrien explains the equivalent exchange rule to Claw Noir. Adrien knows the rules of the wish. This special takes place the night of "Destruction". In "Passion", an episode that takes place weeks later, Cat Noir asked Ladybug if he could make a wish (he secretly wanted to cure Nathalie). Ladybug has to explain the equivalent exchange rule to him. But thanks to this special, we know that Adrien already knew the rules, so he must have just been hoping Ladybug didn't, and she would agree to let him make the wish. He was prepared to sacrifice somebody else's life in order to cure Nathalie. He would have done so if Ladybug said yes. Adrien is honestly as bad as Gabriel at this point. I would go as far as to say this is a character assassination, if I didn't already consider Adrien's character destroyed by the past 3 seasons. So surely Adrien doesn't have any fans anymore, right? I'm kidding, I'm sure he could commit cold-blooded murder and his fans would still defend him.

Continuity errors: 5

So Shadybug and Claw Noir win their fights, but Marinette and Adrien convince them with words that a better world is possible and they should stop being villains. This might have been powerful if it was earned. Shadybug uses her restoration power, which also heals the damage to her and Claw Noir's bodies? But they were acting like it was irreversible earlier, but Shadybug just had the power to fix it the whole time? Whatever, I guess they needed to stop being evil before they could be healed.

So everyone reunites. Re-Verse!Gabriel was also no longer transformed by the Kamiko? How? His object is in another universe, with no way to reach it. They couldn't have recalled it or broken the object without a portal, which they are only creating now. Speaking of, Betterfly transforms Alya back into Ubiquity, so she can bring the Re-Verse gang back home.

But wait! We can't end the special without shoehorning in some references! Monarch uses the Rooster Miraculous to give himself the power to travel to any universe he wants.

My patience with that Miraculous is really being tested. Also, Monarch used the quill to write the power he wants on his hand, even though that was never a thing before. Maybe it's just for dramatic effect.

Ubiquity senses what Monarch is doing, so Betterfly instead uses a new Kamiko to give Ladybug the power to travel between universes. Monarch travels to a universe where the heroes are Scarabella and Kitty Noire (her first chronological appearance) and tries to take their Miraculouses, but Ladybug intercepts him and kicks him back to his universe. It sure is lucky that Monarch was able to teleport directly behind the heroes. Unless you're telling me that Monarch has his own multiverse burrow, in which case I say giving him the power to also spy on anyone, anywhere completely breaks the story all over again. So Monarch keeps trying to get Miraculouses in other universes, but Ladybug intercepts him every time. Did he just forget that he has other Miraculouses to use? Use some extra powers to defeat Ladybug, genius. But whatever, the sole purpose of this is to show different universes. There's the PV's universe, the manga universe, and one where Adrien Mister Bug full time. I guess this is kind of fun, but they should have done it in a smarter way.

Monarch eventually gives up, and Ladybug returns to her universe claiming that he won't try again any time soon. Excuse me? All he has to do is wait for the Re-Verse gang to return home. Then try again. Even if Ladybug could somehow sense you hopping universes, there's nothing she could do to stop you. Why didn't Monarch try again some other time?

You know, this problem could have been so easily solved if Monarch wasn't stopped by main universe Ladybug, but instead alternate universe heroes dedicated to maintaining peace between universes. Then he know there's always a chance they could intercept him, so he won't try again. Or maybe just don't give the Rooster Miraculous this insanely OP ability. How does that sound?

So that's about it. The Re-Verse gang departs as Ladybug and Cat Noir promise to defeat Monarch (HA!). Marinette and Alya have a scene with weirdly romantic undertones where they decided to eat breakfast then take a nap because they've been awake all night, and the special ends.

Conclusion

So that certainly wasn't great. It's pretty weak as far as multiverse stories go. I don't feel like Marinette or Adrien really learned anything from their alternate selves. This could have been a great place for Adrien to reflect on his potential as a violent person, but that doesn't work when he becomes worse later in the season. And I feel that Adrien is an even worse person than Claw Noir. Honestly, I think this special is proof Adrien shouldn't be making his own decisions. Imagine if he did make his own decision in "Passion".

Saying that the entire Re-Verse is evil is just a laughable concept, they should have at least tried to make is sound realistic. And Shadybug and Claw Noir's backstories didn't really justify their behaviors.

Giving the Rooster Miraculous the ability to travel between universe is yet another plot breaking superpower. They just can't resist adding more of these in, can they? And they couldn't resist shoehorning in cameos after the story was already over.

In total, I counted 5 blatant continuity errors, and I was being very generous.

So it doesn't seem to me like the writing quality of "Miraculous" is improving at all. I don't know if it's just because I'm analyzing it more critically, but it feels like there has been significantly less effort put in to making this make any sense.

Anyway, thanks to anyone who read this whole thing. I would like to hear other opinions as well. Have a great day.

[starwarsmum]

Chapter 15 of Introducing Mousinette! Adrien Visits

Marinette woke the next morning, having hardly slept. She felt like a zombie as she pottered around her kitchenette, gulping down a far too hot coffee before making a second to take with her. She toyed with her phone as she got ready, before deciding, ultimately, that she needed to message him before they saw each other at work.

Hey, are we okay? I know I kind of dropped that on you last night, but I really do need to talk to you. Maybe we can talk at lunch? Miss you xox

She took a deep breath and hit send. It was nerve-wracking, sending something to Damian after she had spoken to Robin. What if she was wrong? She really didn't think she was, not with the way he had run away from her, because the only reason he would do that is if there was a chance of her working it out. 

By the time she left for Wayne Enterprises, she still hadn't received a response. She went through the general motions of setting up for her day, keeping a sharp eye out for Damian, but he didn't come by to see her. As the day wore on and she still didn't get a text from him, she started to panic. 

When lunch finally came, she took herself as calmly as she could to Damian's floor. She greeted his colleagues as usual, trading pleasantries before making her way to his office. She knocked and waited for him to answer but nothing came. Frowning, she knocked louder, calling out softly.

“Marinette?” She spun to see Tim walking towards her, a friendly but confused look on his face. “What're you doing over here? Didn't Damian tell you he wasn't coming in today?”

“Ah, oh, no, it…must have slipped his mind,” she said softly, trying not to panic further. “Is he okay?”

“Yeah, he's fine, just said he had a personal issue to deal with. I think he might be trying to spend some time with another friend, Jon Kent? He was kind of abrupt about it, I thought he was driving in with me but then he canceled. Are you okay?” He asked, frowning as her breath hitched slightly. 

“Yup, perfect, I'm great,” she said, eyes bright and a brittle smile plastered across her face. “If you see him before I hear from him, can you ask him to call me? Or just to drop by my place, it doesn't matter when, I just really need to talk to him about something.”

“Of course. Look, are you sure you're okay? You look kind of-”

“I'm sorry, Tim, I have to go eat lunch before my hour runs out. I'll see you later?” She didn't wait for a response before scarpering, her head down. She was trying very hard not to panic, but the fact that he had canceled coming into work, and he wasn't answering her messages…she was very close to hyperventilating.

“Whoa, Pix, slow down there.” She crashed headlong into a solid body, but didn't stop, muttering an apology as she all but sprinted away. She heard whoever it was calling her name but didn't acknowledge it as it clearly wasn't Damian. She made it to a quiet bathroom, locked herself in a stall and pulled her phone out.

I think I fucked up big time. Are you free for a call?

Two minutes after she sent the text, her phone began to ring. She answered it immediately, and began babbling at speed. The person on the other end waited patiently for her to stop word-vomiting before they interrupted. 

“Bugaboo, take a breath,” came Adrien's soothing voice. Marinette cursed silently - she thought it was Chloe she had messaged but apparently her stupid fingers had messed up. “Good, now start again, what's going on?”

And so Marinette started again, going at a much more sedate pace. She explained that she had met someone, that they had been on a date and that she had accidentally learned a secret about him that he wasn't ready to share. Adrien made appropriate noises throughout her tale and waited for her to finish.

“...and, I mean, you know me, I couldn't not tell him that I'd worked out this secret, but I probably did it wrong. I just thought telling him as soon as possible was the right thing to do! Adrien, what if he hates me now,” she ended pitifully, sniffing back tears.

“M’lady, if he's scared off because you learned a secret about him, maybe he's not right for you,” Adrien consoled her, and she rolled her eyes before accusing him of thinking nobody was right for her. He had the audacity to laugh, a bright cheery thing. “Well obviously nobody else is good enough for you, Buginette, your soulmate is right here!”

“Ha ha, very funny,” she said, though she noticed that her breath didn't catch this time. “But seriously, what should I do? I really like this guy, and it felt…real, you know?”

“...yeah, I know what you mean,” Adrien's reply was so quiet she almost missed it. He took a deep breath before continuing, and Marinette wondered if he had found someone new himself. “Look, you did the right thing, telling him you knew his secret. If he's more upset about this secret coming out than he is about hurting you - don't pretend, I can tell you're hurting Bugaboo - then he really isn't worth your time. Listen, I've got to go, I was actually just finishing up some coursework so I can hand it in and spend some time on me. Message me, I'll do what I can to help!”

When he hung up, Marinette took a deep breath and worked to clear her mind. It had been a while since she had had to suppress her feelings like this, but she was at work and couldn't afford to fall apart. Tonight, when she was home and alone, she could treat herself to ice cream and weepy movies.

The rest of the day passed in a daze and she debated whether it was worth going to the gym before heading home. She decided against it, not wanting to spend any longer in the building, especially not where she was normally so happy. 

Once home, she changed into her most comfortable pyjama trousers. She was looking for a hoodie when she came across Damian's shirt from the other day, still slightly rumpled. Her fingers shook a little as she picked it up, but she impulsively decided to wear it, reveling in the smell that engulfed her as it went over her head.

_ _ _

Marinette's phone didn't receive any texts from Damian, and Robin didn't stop by again. Or, if he did, he didn't announce his presence as he usually did. On Monday, she decided her heart couldn't take it if he didn't turn up to their shared lecture, so she took a sick day, emailing all of her lecturers and apologising.

But she couldn't call out sick from Wayne Enterprises on Tuesday, so she dragged herself out of bed, made herself semi-presentable and made her way in. She gave small smiles to all the usual suspects, chatting about nothing before going straight to her office. 

The first hour was tedious, but she stayed squirreled away, making sure all of the seams were straight on the latest creation for Tim. She was just hanging it up for steaming when there was a knock on the door. She didn't have any meetings so she hesitated but called out a tentative ‘come in’.

“Hey Marinette, we're just showing someone around, he asked to see every department,” Tim said cheerfully, motioning behind him for the other person to follow him. “So, this is our fashion department, Marinette here is the leader of it. We're really very luc-”

“Adrien?” Marinette squeaked, bolting around her desk and throwing her arms around his middle. She felt his chuckle vibrate through her, and forced down the tears that threatened. “Was this your aunt's idea? I can't believe you're here.”

“I take it you already know each other?” Tim said dryly, but Marinette could hear the quiet humour. She beamed over at him, releasing her grip on Adrien, although he kept an arm slung around her shoulders.

“Tim, Adrien is one of my best friends, we've known each other for years! And he didn't tell me he was coming to Gotham, so he's in trouble,” she said teasingly, poking him in the ribs. “Is this the last stop on the tour?”

“Just the finance sector left,” Tim replied, looking away from the pair to view the new suit, which meant he missed her small flinch. But Adrien's concerned frown down at her meant he had felt it. “You're welcome to join us, you didn't make it there today yet, did you?”

“Oh, um, I'm kind of behind on some work, so I'll just…” she trailed off, shoulders scrunching slightly. “But I think I'm free for lunch, Adrien, if you want to get something to eat?”

“Sure thing, Bugaboo! Let me know what time,” he said with a slightly forced cheer. He gave her one last concerned look before he left with Tim, and then she was alone again.

Meanwhile, Damian was suffering through a tedious conversation with Todd about what he was going to do about Marinette. He knew that Todd meant well, but his temper was frayed from sleepless nights and - he may as well admit it - withdrawing from Marinette. 

“I'm just saying, D, if you don't talk to her soon, she's going to think you hate her. And, just so we're clear, you don't, right? Because she came clean to you, about knowing things she shouldn't, even though she could have kept it to herself.”

“Tt, I thought I made it plain that the point of coming to you for help was because you were not to intrude on my relationship?” Damian snapped, eyes hard. “I do not think-”

“...finance department is currently being interned by my youngest brother,” came Drake's voice, bringing an abrupt end to the conversation. When Drake knocked on the door, Todd was perusing several security documents and Damian was scowling at data sheets on his desktop screen. “Hey guys, the representative of the Graham de Vanily’s is here. Adrien, these are my brothers, Damian,” he pointed behind the desk, “and Jason. Guys, this is-”

“Adrien Agreste?” Todd said suddenly, eyes wide. He glanced at Damian meaningfully, which made him sit up straighter and study the tall blond man that was standing next to Drake. “Uh, hi, nice to meet you. I've heard good things about you from a friend.”

“Oh, you're Mari’s friend Jason! Yeah, she's mentioned you too, said you have a wicked sense of humour, but also that it wouldn't mesh with mine. I pun,” he clarified, grinning mischievously as he finger-gunned. Todd snorted, but didn't fully relax.

“Yeah, I've already got a brother who puns like it's breathing, I don't need you to add to it. Pix didn't mention you were stopping by, have you already been to see her?” 

“Stopped by on our way up here,” Drake confirmed, and Damian could feel himself tensing all over. The blond man, Agreste, was eyeing him speculatively, as if he knew something. And given the information Marinette possessed, that made him cautious. “She seemed pretty surprised, but not unhappy.”

“Yeah, well, we go way back,” Agreste said, shrugging nonchalantly. “She said she was having a hard time with her current boyfriend so I thought I'd surprise her with a visit. She tends to spiral easily, and I'm pretty good at pulling her out of funks.”

Damian was sure his brothers could feel the anger radiating from him. He disliked the insinuation that Agreste knew her best, regardless of their history. He recalled that Todd had said she dated the ex-model, which made him irrationally angry. But he wasn't going to fall for whatever bait was being laid out for him, dismissing everyone so that he could work.

“Alright, I'll see you around, Damian. Hey, do you know if Mari has enough time to go out of the building for lunch?” He said, addressing Drake again, but loudly enough that Damian was sure he was meant to overhear. “She seemed pretty tense earlier, I think getting out of the building would be good for her.”

The conversation faded out of earshot, and Damian slumped once the door was closed. He opened his phone, fingers twitching as he opened his messages, to the last one Marinette had sent him. He had been avoiding her, he could admit that, but for her ex-boyfriend to swoop in like this? Did she truly not know he was coming, or had she arranged it to make him jealous?

He had no way of knowing without seeing her, but he was petrified. She had made a space for herself in his heart and then taken up permanent residence, only to drop the information that she knew his alter-ego on him with no warning. She had made it clear that she did know when she messaged him on Friday morning and that had scared him enough that he had called out of work, using the excuse of needing to investigate something with Kent.

When lunch eventually came, he moved on autopilot, making his way to her floor as he always did. He stayed back when he saw her door open, listening. She was chatting to Agreste, her voice light and unworried. He stepped into an alcove when she emerged, watching to see if she would look for him, but she didn't. 

“So I checked with your boss and he said you have plenty of time to go to lunch,” Agreste said excitedly, almost like a puppy. “So we don't have to stay here for it, we can go somewhere and talk in private.”

“Okay, that sounds good. I…don't think I want to be in the building all that much,” she admitted, locking her office door and linking her arms with his. Damian felt her words, and the motion, like a knife to his ribcage and he stopped breathing for a moment.

“So he does work here. Bugaboo, do you need me to talk to him? I don't need to know all the details,” he said, waving her protests off. They were starting to get further away and Damian followed after a moment's hesitation. “Mari, I can make an educated guess as to who it is, I could just go and talk to him.”

“I'm not sure there's any point.” The words were so soft, Damian could almost pretend he had imagined them. Almost. But they stopped him dead in his tracks, rejection and loss slicing clean through him. “Kitty, if he wanted to talk to me, he would have. As much as it hur- as much as I would like to force it, this is my fault…”

Damian watched as they stepped into the elevator, so deep in their conversation that they did not see him. He stood there for several minutes, trying to let the emotions wash out of him. When he thought he had more mastery of himself, he made his way to his office, forgoing a visit to the cafeteria. 

Todd found him there some hours later, working furiously and ignoring everything around him. Damian didn't acknowledge the other man, and Todd didn't say anything for a long while. But, inevitably, Todd was the first to break the silence.

“So is that it?” He said quietly, eyes boring into Damian. “You go through all of the effort and stress of getting her to date you, you have an amazing time with her - don't deny it, you were on fucking cloud nine when you went on patrol that night - and then you get scared and, what? You end things? Except that's not what you're doing. Ending things would give her closure, and let her move on.”

“Tt, I have not decided on anything yet, Todd. I am weighing all of my options and examining the facts. We do not know if she is a danger to us,” he said through gritted teeth, thinking about Agreste, who had swept in to comfort her, if that was what he was doing. “She admitted she has her own secrets, and I cannot risk getting close to her if she means us harm.”

“Demon, that's not how this works. Okay, fine, you want some time to process and sort your feelings or whatever. Then tell her that. Right now, all she knows is you're avoiding her, maybe even hate her. And you can be damned sure her ex is still in love with her, you saw how he talked about her. If you don't set this straight, there is a good chance she lets him sweep her off her feet again, and he won't be dumb enough to let her get away twice.”

And he left, Damian still brooding but thinking as well. He had panicked, not wanting to get it wrong. He had fallen hard and fast for Marinette, and that alone had given him some pause, but to know that she had worked out his identity? His flight response had activated and hadn't let up.

Looking at the time, he realised it was too late to visit Marinette's office. Neither did he want to simply send her a text, fearing it would do more harm than good. He decided his best course of action would be to visit her as Robin again, and so he set off home and waited for nightfall.

[hypexion]

Well it looks like even Miraculous is getting into multiverse madness with Tales of Shadybug and Claw Noir, featuring the evil versions of Team Miraculous. But instead of an increasingly convoluted and hard to follow mess it's instead forty-five minutes of superhero fun. Let's get at it.

Shadybug: With a few tweaks, Marinette's hero origin story becomes her villain origin story. So go the fickle threads of fate. Shadybug is a very believable dark mirror of Ladybug, who's compassion has understandably run dry. She sees the Miraculous as something that stops her from being hurt, even as it kills her. But ultimately, Shadybug desperately wants the life Ladybug has, and is willing to rewrite reality to do so. It's also the key to her turn to good - the possibility that better things are possible. Indeed, the power of hope is enough to heal the damage the Miraculous have done to her and Claw Noir. Speaking of...

Claw Noir: But what if Adrien was somehow more self-destructive? Like with Shadybug, a little loneliness goes a cruel way, and Claw Noir is happy to destroy anything if it gets him closer to his goal - himself included. I'm getting actual, full-on vibes that Claw Noir thinks he has nothing to live for, which is why he's immediately drawn to the wish. Chat Noir telling him that he can have someone else in his life is the spark of hope that changes his fate, hopefully for the better.

Betterfly: The good Gabriel Agreste, who turns hope into superpowers and opposes the rule of the mysterious supreme. Unfortunately, his parenting skills seem to match Monarch's, as Claw Noir is a self-destructive supervillain who is slowly dying of Miraculous poisoning, and Betterfly has apparently not noticed this. While Betterfly does come off as better than Monarch, there may be a less than altruistic reason for him starting his crusade, depending on just how his version of Emilie died. Hopefully with Claw Noir turning good, there is hope for a better ending between father and son.

The Supreme: The mysterious villain who torments the world of Shadybug and Claw Noir. He is an awful person, exploiting two deeply unhappy children for his own ends, essentially sentencing them both to a slow death. This means he is of course Evil Fu, as he displays all of Fu's negative traits even as a villain. This can be verified through just how bad his plan to retrieve the Butterfly Miraculous actually is.

He recruits Sad Marinette and Sad Adrien as wielders, without mentioning that using the Miraculous for evil will kill them. Which gives them a reason to resent him. Then at some point he established that he will "spare" the one of the two who brings him the Butterfly. Not only does this destroy any chance of the two working together, but it puts them into active conflict, as neither wants the other to deliver the Butterfly to the Supreme. This means that there's a non-zero chance that on acquiring the Butterfly Miraculous, the villain that does will akumatize the other, then proceed to murder the Supreme in an act of entirely justified vengence. A terrible plan all around, especially when he could just say "do this and you get to be part of the Inner Circle, with all the benefits that brings". Shadybug and Claw Noir are clearly very good at what they do, so that's not even giving much up.

Monarch: Okay, was the stained glass costume always this good? Maybe it's the higher-quality animation, but compared to the later costume, this one is actually kicking. Plus the detail where the different segments light up based on which Miraculous he's using? That's super cool. Ten out of ten, no notes.

Oh No The Plot Hole: Okay so Ubiquity Ladbug stops Monarch from stealing alternate universe Miraculous to complete his plans. Except she can only do this as long as she possess the power of Ubiquity, which she got from Betterfly. Surely Monarch can just wait until tomorrow and try again?

Anyway overall it was pretty neat. Nice bit of extra content that is only slightly dubious into how it slots into the timeline of Season Five.

[p96822]

Xover: The Phantom and Ladybug Ch 22, Danny Phantom & Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug & Cat Noir | FanFiction

Danny was easily beating Skulker as Marinette was watching him with a lovesick look on her face. Tucker had to pull Marinette away.

Paulina was fawning over the ghost boy until she saw Marinette doing the same thing, which upset her.

"Hey, French loser, stop looking at my ghost boy like that," Paulina yelled at the French girl.

"Um, what do you mean by looking? I'm not looking at anything. I am looking at, um, how beautiful the building is. Yeah, that's right, look how beautiful the lunchroom is." She yammered.

She glared at the French girl, not wanting her to stare at her ghost boy in the same way she did.

"You better keep your eyes off my ghost boy," Paulina scolded the Parisian girl.

The Parisian girl decided not to argue with the Hispanic girl and went with Tucker to be safe when Danny fought the robotic ghost.

Danny did an Axehandle on Skulker's neck when he was behind him and smashed him to the ground.

Skulker barely got up and was about to launch his missile launchers at the ghost boy. However, Danny fired an ecto blast that destroyed the missile launchers.

"Game over, Skulker," Danny aimed his Fenton thermos at the robotic ghost and sucked the ghost in.

Danny closed the cap on the thermos and was about to leave before Paulina approached him and grabbed his arm.

"Ghost boy, it isn't true that you and Ladybug are a couple? Tell me that it's a lie because we are meant to be together," The Hispanic girl pleaded, wanting to know if the love for life was dating the Parisian superhero.

Danny was quiet for a minute. He did hear about many students pairing up with Ladybug after she was under the effects of Ember's guitar. He didn't want to answer her question because it was more complicated.

"It's none of anyone's business who I date," Danny told Paulina.

"But my ghost boy," Paulina trying to get confirmation about him and Ladybug.

"He is right, Paulina. He has the right not to tell anyone who he is dating. It's his business and no one else," Marinette told the Hispanic girl.

"But it none of your business, France loser! My ghost boy and I are soul mates, and when I graduate, we will live in a beautiful mansion with two or three little ones," Paulina fawned over the last part.

Denny shivered at the last part of what Paulina wanted and finally decided to stop this fawning over him before it was too late.

"Paulina, there are many other guys in the sea beside me, and I'm just not interested, OK," Danny tries to let her down lightly.

Paulina didn't believe him and thought he was just being shy. She laughed at the thought of her ghost boy not having feelings for her.

Danny was annoyed by this and decided to leave before he said something else to hurt her feelings.

"Ghost boy, wait, take me with you!" she screamed as Danny left the lunchroom.

Later, Danny and Marinette walked together hand in hand while blushing. Marinette was happy she could have a boyfriend from whom she didn't have to keep secrets. She can express her feeling to him without looking like a complete fool. Then a thought came to the Parisian girl and took Danny somewhere to hide.

"Where are you taking me?" Danny wonders as he finds a perfect place to hide and transform.

"I want to talk to Master Fu now when we have this chance before I leave for Paris in the next few days," Marinette told him as she transformed into Pegabug.

"I guess there is no time like the present," Danny snarked as Marinette made a portal.

"Are you ready, Mon Chevalier?" Marinette smiled at him.

Danny nodded, and they went through the portal hand and hand. They stepped out of the portal and were at an abandoned Merry go round l where Master Fu was.

It was now nighttime because of the seven-hour time lapse. Marinette's face palmed for forgetting that France was the head of America's time difference. She detransforms and goes into the abandoned merry-go-round and knocks.

Master Fu came out of the ticket booth and was surprised to see Marinette there with someone he didn't know/ Marinette gave a nervous wave and smiled at the older man.

"Greetings, Master," The bluenette greeted.

"Marinette, I thought I wouldn't see you in the next few days. Is there a problem?" The master asked.

"Well, it's not really a problem, but I want to introduce to you, someone very special to me during my time in America…" she said as Danny walked up to the old man.

"Hi…" Danny greeted the master.

"Marinette, why would you bring someone from America to visit me?" Master Fu asked, wondering who this guy was.

"Master, I can explain…" Marinette said. "This is my new boyfriend, Danny Fenton, and he figures out that I am a Ladybug, but I can trust him with my secret because I can trust him…." She told her master as she gave a smile to Danny.

"Even though I am unsure about this boy, Marinette. can truly trust him to keep your secret…." Master Fu said, being uncertain about Danny.

"You can trust me, sir, because I have a secret of my own…" Danny looked at Marinette, and she nodded to him

Danny transformed into his ghost form, and this surprised the master. He had never seen something like this. "This is amazing…" Fu sounded amazed by the transformation.

"Uh, thanks, I guess…" Danny rubbed the back of his head.

"Your welcome young man. If Marinette trusts you with her secret, I'll give you a chance…" Master Fu told Danny.

"Thank you, master! You won't regret it…" The bluenette hugged her master.

Danny was glad that her master wasn't mad at her. He hoped this didn't come and bite them back in the butt.

Marinette was happy that her master wasn't mad at her for Jenny, knowing she was Ladybug. As they left the merry, go round, Danny turned them intangible and flew off.

Danny founded an abandoned building where Marinette could transform and return them home.

Danny Phantom and Ladybug were on top of a building watching the stars together.

"I can't believe that you're leaving tomorrow. I'm going to miss you, Mari. Like a ton." Danny sighed as he placed his hand on hers.

"I'm going to miss you too, Spookyboo. You're a great guy, whether I'm Marinette or Ladybug." Ladybug said as she gripped Phantom's hand.

As they continued staring at the night sky, an idea came to Marinette. "I want to go on a romantic flight with you, Danny."

"You really want to go out on a night flight on Air Phantom?" Danny asked his girlfriend.

Ladybug nodded, and Danny held her bridely style. He floated in the air and took off with his superhero girlfriend in his arms. As they flew through the sky, Marinette was amazed by the sky view of the haunted town.

Danny looked at his girlfriend and saw how beautiful she was. He wants to kiss her, to embrace the girl with bluebell eyes, blue hair, and those pink lips.

She's the greatest person I ever met... He thought in a mixture of happiness and sadness.

As they finish their romantic flight, Danny phase through Fenton Works and lands and Danny's room. The two heroes look at each other, and as they transform back into Marinette and Danny Fenton respectably, their blue eyes look at each other.

'Danny,' Marinette got closer to the ghost boy.

'Marinette,…' Danny did the same.

Their lips connected, and they kissed passionately before they finished. Their faces blush after finishing their kiss.

The next day

The Fentons were at the airport with Marinette, ready to go home.

"I'm glad that you cared for me even though I was a little bit clumsy," Marinette said with a chuckle.

"No problem, sweetheart. We're glad that you enjoyed yourself while you were in America," Maddie said with a smile.

"Also, thanks for making the designs for the new jumpsuit for Jazz and Danny," Jack said as his kids facepalmed.

"Uh, no problem, Mr. Fenton. I made sure that it would fit Danny and Jazz well," Marinette said, unsure about that.

Maddie and Jack decided to give their son privacy to say goodbye to Marinette. Jazz also left to let her little brother say goodbye to his girlfriend.

"So…" Danny began.

"I'll talk to you when I return to Paris," Marinette said softly.

Since the two teenagers didn't know what to say next, they gave each other one last kiss on the lips before Marinette departed.

Danny had a goofy smile after the kiss, and he was going to miss his girlfriend.

Meanwhile, Vlad Masters walked out of the airplane, grumbling about his horrible trip to Paris.

"Vladdie!" Jack called out.

"Jack, Maddie, it's so good to see you after my business trip," Vlad greeted.

"So that's why I haven't heard anything from you for a while, V-man," Jack stated.

"Yes, my old friend, but now since I'm back, I have to continue my Mayoral duties in our city," Vlad said.

The older halfa left them and decided to go to his mansion to work on his new scheme.

And now the story is finished for now. We are going to have a sequel story next time. Special thanks to NeoMark, Flower Princess 11 and BeConFuzzled Write for helping me out with this fic.

[aidanchaser]

Boulangérella: A Miraculous Fairy Tale AU - Chapter Sixteen

Table of Contents Read on Ao3 Prologue

beta’d by @7wizardsshallanswerthecall, @mothmanhamlet, @ccboomer and @aubsenroute

Adrien did not sleep that night. Even as tired as he was, he spent the night staring up at the golden canopy above his head. He was worn down from two nights in a row as Chat Noir and an emotional day strung between those nights. He had taken a grand leap from mourning wear into finery for a ball, he had defended the palace from one of Hawk Moth’s attacks, he had endured Chloé and Lila at the ball, and had, after nearly letting her walk off of a wall, kissed Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng.

He pressed his fingers to his swollen cheek and winced. He had no idea how he was going to explain this to his father.

“Plagg, you can’t heal me, can you?”

Plagg barked out a soft laugh that dissolved into a lazy hum. He shifted from his fay form into the shape of a black cat and kneaded the pillow with his claws.

Adrien had expected no less.

He maintained his staring contest with the canopy over his head, waiting for exhaustion to overcome him, but the throbbing pain in his face and the memory of his kiss with Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng kept him too warm for sleep.

“Do you think my father would be more likely to let me marry Ladybug or a baker’s daughter?” he asked.

Despite the closed eyes and slow, snore-like purrs, Plagg grunted, “How on earth should I know that?”

Adrien fidgeted with the ring around his finger. He had expected his father to say something about his choice to spend the evening with Lila, but Gabriel had not. Was his father really going to let him choose his wife like he had promised? If he was, well, Adrien had already been rejected by Ladybug, and Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng had someone else, but maybe he could find a woman who was at least a smidge more tolerable as a partner than Lila. Maybe he ought to try a proper conversation with Kagami.

But there was one problem with that train of thought.

“Do you really think Lila can save my mother?” Adrien asked the night, and he was answered only by Plagg’s snores.

The sky turned gray as dawn crept ever closer. Adrien threw his arm over his face in an attempt to block out the encroaching light, but his mind would not settle into sleep.

He kept thinking about his kiss with Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng. It had been foolish, stupid, and impulsive. He wanted to blame Plagg for it, but the truth was that he had enjoyed it just as much. She had smelled like fresh bread and wildflowers and he had felt more at home pressed against her than he felt in this bed.

But she had someone else.

But she’d also kissed him back.

Adrien pressed his hands to his eyes and wailed, both with emotional distress and physical pain as his face throbbed beneath the pressure of his palms. He shouldn’t be interested in courting a girl who kissed two boys on the same night.

But he was no better, proposing to Ladybug and then kissing the seamstress.

“Plagg, what do I do?” he cried.

“Go to bed already,” Plagg grunted.

But dawn broke, and Adrien still did not sleep. Cold winter light poured through his bedroom windows as dawn became day, and still, he did not sleep. He stared up at his gilded canopy, and could not help but wonder if there was any chance at happiness for him. If he could find Ladybug at the ball somehow, perhaps he could convince her to fall in love with him. She had said that he was her best friend, so maybe she just needed to get to know another side of him for that friendship to transform.

There was a sharp, efficient knock on his door and before Adrien could work up a protest, Nathalie pushed her way into his room.

“Adrien, what are you doing still in bed? You’re expected to have breakfast with Princess Kagami in just twenty minutes.”

“I’m awake,” he grunted, and forced himself to sit up.

Nathalie gasped. “Your face—oh, goodness—” But there was no sympathy in her eyes. They were strangely cold as she left the way she had come in.

Adrien was bemused. Nathalie was not exactly affectionate, but he had expected some sort of concern. He pulled his dressing robe on and Plagg dove into the pocket with uncharacteristic determination. Adrien appreciated the fay creature’s efforts to stay by his side ever since their unfortunate separation during the Gilded Queen’s attack.

He stepped out into the hallway just in time to see Nathalie disappear into Félix’s rooms.

Adrien’s stomach dropped as he remembered the stolen goods he had left under Félix’s bed. In the wake of Lila’s pronouncement and his kiss with Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng, he had forgotten to retrieve Chloé’s shoes.

He hurried after Nathalie, hoping that he might be able to prevent or undo any damage his forgetfulness might have caused.

“Nathalie?” he called, as he pushed open the door to his cousin’s room. “Félix? Is something wrong?”

Nathalie had hurried to Félix’s bedside, where he lay with his arm draped over his eyes to block out the worst of the morning sun.

“Adrien,” she hissed, but not at him; instead she shook Félix’s shoulder. “You’re supposed to be getting ready for breakfast.”

Félix had not slept at all last night. He had lain awake, staring at his own golden canopy. He’d entertained an unusually significant level of self-pity while considering his brief, largely one-sided conversation with his uncle.

But despite his uncle’s reticence, Félix had deduced several things.

Gabriel was desperate not for the capture of a wanted thief but for the ring of chaos and destruction. Gabriel also spent every summer hunting in the Forest of Fay—but not last summer, suggesting that the hunt two summers ago might have been successful.

The timing, however, still did not make sense to Félix. Hawk Moth, Ladybug, and Chat Noir—and lately Volpina—were the only people who were known to have deals with fay, and they had not appeared in the city until after Emilie had fallen asleep. And those appearances were timed with Michel’s disappearance.

If Félix were optimistic, like Adrien, he might wonder if Michel had become Hawk Moth, hiding out in the city, perhaps waging a war on Gabriel and the kingdom for some unknown slight. But Félix was not an optimist. He was painfully practical and it was hard to forget how Gabriel had insisted on funerary services after Michel’s disappearance. Not a bounty nor a search, but a swift end to the story. And there was one more fact left to account for: Gabriel had ended up with Michel’s ring.

Félix could not be sure what the impetus was for Gabriel taking the ring from Michel, nor what Gabriel wanted with Chat Noir’s gift. Perhaps Michel had insinuated that Félix could lay claim to the throne over Adrien. Perhaps Emilie falling asleep had made Gabriel paranoid. Maybe Gabriel wanted to use the power of destruction on Félix and get rid of him once and for all. Félix couldn’t say, and he honestly didn’t care. He only knew that Gabriel had made his father disappear and he was only interested in getting his revenge.

His anger kept him awake all night, and he was not pleased when Nathalie burst into his room and shook him.

“I’m awake,” he snarled, and pulled his arm away from his face.

Nathalie gasped, though Félix couldn’t understand why. She’d been there when he had received the vicious mark on his face. He sat up and was startled to see Adrien standing in his doorway, bearing a similar mark.

“What happened to your face?” they asked in unison.

Nathalie glanced between the two of them and debated her options. When she had seen Adrien in bed, face purple and swollen, she had assumed that the princes had switched places, as they had enjoyed doing as boys. She had been annoyed, particularly when the ruse was so terrible with one so obviously injured. Now that she was in Félix’s chambers with both boys equally wounded, she was unsure what to do. It wasn’t a feeling she was familiar with.

“Adrien?” she asked.

The one in the doorway answered, “Yes, Nathalie?”

It sounded naïve enough to be Adrien, but the boys had always been good at fooling her. She would feel worse about being unable to tell them apart if she did not know the truth of how they had been born.

Nathalie settled on her course of action. If the boys wanted to play games today, they could play them. She had other, more important work to attend to.

“You’re expected at breakfast with the Tsurugis,” she said, “but heaven help you if you show up looking like that.”

Adrien brushed his fingers against the bruise. “I can’t really do anything about it.”

He was only half-right. There was nothing he could do about it before breakfast, at least. Nathalie could not help but wonder if he had somehow done it on purpose to get out of his duties. Gabriel always thought of Félix as the trickier of the two boys, but Adrien had enough wiles of his own when he wanted them.

Well, on purpose or not, Nathalie had two princes with bruised cheeks and even if she felt partially culpable for one of those bruises—though she had never expected Gabriel to actually hurt Félix, she felt guilty for not having tried to stop him—she had a responsibility as head of the palace staff to see to it that the princes were presentable for the ball that evening.

“I’ll smooth things over with the Tsurugis. You’ll stay in your rooms until the ball. In fact, better that you both stay here in this room so that no one else on staff sees you like this.”

“Wait, but what about our fitting?” the prince in the doorway asked.

Nathalie couldn’t be sure, but she thought that there was disappointment in his voice. “I’ll see to it that you’re powdered before Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng arrives. In the mean time, I’ve already sent for a courier to bring snow from the mountains, but I’ll send for more. You two will do everything you can to hide that swelling.”

The prince still in bed looked up at her with a dull, knowing glare. “Is that an order?”

“It can be,” she said simply, and left.

Adrien sank into Félix’s bed with a tragic and dramatic sigh. “Well, cousin, it looks like we’re stuck together all day. And no other company until tonight.”

Félix said nothing. He merely laid back down and resumed his miserable attempt to sleep.

“It could be worse,” Adrien offered in a tone that suggested that he was looking for his own comfort as much as offering it to Félix. “We could be wining and dining the Tsurugis or the Bourgeoises or the Rossis or all three at the same time.”

Félix did not so much as grunt a pity-laugh.

“I’ll tell you how I got mine if you tell me how you got yours.”

Félix wasn’t sure he would if he could.

Félix liked secrets. He hoarded them the way a king hoarded armies. He certainly didn’t see the benefit of telling Adrien that their lives and lineages were wholly lies, and their entire existence and independence hinged on a pair of wedding bands. If Félix thought about that for too long, let alone voiced it, he might go mad.

But it was impossible to know if he wanted the secret of his injury to stay secret because that was who he was, or if he wanted this secret because Gabriel had told him to keep it.

And he hated that he would never know.

“I walked into a frying pan on my way to bed,” Félix muttered.

“Interesting. I fell into a wall.”

Félix’s lip curled with a sneer, but he kept his eyes closed. “Draw the curtains, would you? If we don’t have to be anywhere, I’m going to sleep.”

Adrien stifled a yawn and did as his cousin asked. He wondered if he would be able to get some sleep, or if he would find just as much success in Félix’s bed as he had found in his own.

Sleep did indeed prove just as elusive here as it had been in his own chambers. He could feel Plagg rummaging in his pocket for a comfortable sleeping position, but the fay creature seemed no more capable of rest than Adrien.

“Félix, are you awake?” Adrien whispered.

“No,” Félix replied dully.

“You always know things about the noble families and other royals, right?”

Félix made a loud mockery of snoring.

Adrien sat up. “This is serious, please?”

Félix tore his arm away from his face and looked up at Adrien. His gray eyes were dull in the dim light that fought its way through the curtain, and the bruise spread across his right cheek looked nearly black.

Adrien was used to his cousin’s mellow temperament, but there was something unusually dour about him today.

“Are you really all right?” Adrien asked.

“What’s your question?” Félix asked, and Adrien raised an inquisitive eyebrow. He knew what it was to avoid a question with another question.

Though the princes were not twins, many presumed so when meeting them for the first time. It was hard for anyone, even their parents to tell them apart, but those who knew them well learned that Adrien’s smile came more easily, and Félix’s eyes were often a few degrees colder than Adrien’s.

It was easy for these people to assume that Félix was the shrewd, calculating prince, and Adrien the earnest, charming prince. But even that distinction belied the truth, the truth that only the princes knew: that Félix yearned for affection as much as Adrien did, and that Adrien could be just as calculating as his cousin when he wanted to be. And now Félix knew why. They were both made of Emilie’s determination to fulfill her duties and her love for her family. Though Félix and Adrien wore those feelings in different ways, they weighed equally in the princes’ hearts.

“I thought we didn’t have secrets from each other,” Adrien said.

Félix’s stomach turned. What if he had been honest with Adrien two nights ago? What if he had said, “Actually, I found my father’s ring on your father’s hand. What do you know about it?”

But that was a foolish thought exercise. Not only could he not change the past, but even if he could, even if he sought out some fay creature that would let him manipulate time and undo that single moment, what would he gain? He had known nothing about the ring worth telling Adrien, and surely Adrien didn’t know the truth of their birth—or rather, their creation.

So Félix considered what he did want to tell Adrien. It was less like searching for the loopholes in a binding contract and more like feeling the swell and draw of a tide. There were things he wanted to share and things that he did not, and perhaps if he shared everything, even what he didn’t want to, until he could not share any longer, it might be enough to unravel Gabriel’s plans. If Félix could no longer rely on secrets, perhaps he could rely on surprise.

“I talked to my mother last night,” Félix said.

“About?” Adrien prodded when Félix lapsed into another silence.

This was harder than Félix had thought it would be. He was used to restraint, not unabashed vulnerability.

“About my father,” he finally said.

Adrien waited for Félix to continue, but when he did not, he simply said, “I’m sorry. I know—” Adrien bit down on his tongue before he broached a topic that might be too much for him or his cousin.

But Félix’s eyes turned from dull to sharp in the space of a heartbeat. “What do you know?”

“Nothing, I—I just… I know you always hoped he’d come back.” Adrien swallowed as hurt bloomed in Félix’s eyes. In an effort to soften the blow he added, “Like I always hoped my mother would wake up.”

But it did no good to return a blow with a self-inflicted wound.

Félix closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. “You’re pathetic.”

Adrien laid back down. “I know.”

His question about Lila’s family seemed like an insult now, but if anyone had the answers, it would be Félix or Ladybug, and he had already tried and failed to ask Ladybug.

“Last night, Lila told me that she could bring my mother back.”

Félix added this new fact to his collection of secrets. It explained why Adrien had clung to her at the ball last night, at least. He wondered briefly if it was a weapon Félix could wield against Gabriel, but that was a foolish thought exercise. The minute he teased anything that might give him leverage, Gabriel could simply demand that Félix tell him and Félix would be unable to resist the compulsion.

“Will you tell your father?” Félix asked.

“I’m afraid of what he might do to Lila if he knew.”

That was a fair concern, Félix thought, even as the bruise on his face stung.

“Do you want to marry Lila?”

“No.”

“Do you want to marry Kagami or Chloé?”

“No.”

“Do you want to marry at all?”

And this time, Adrien did not answer. Félix considered the conversation he and Adrien had had two nights ago. Adrien was in love, but he would not say with who.

But marrying for love was not an option either of them had, certainly not while their lives were bound to a ring under Gabriel’s control. Félix wondered why Gabriel had even bothered to let him try and convince Adrien to willingly choose Kagami, when he could just as easily command Adrien to love Kagami and it would be done. Maybe Gabriel still had some respect for his vow he had made to Emilie to never use the rings. Félix could not help but feel an unfortunate amount of self-pity that Gabriel did not have more respect for that vow. And misery loved, more than anything, company to commiserate with.

But even if Félix were free to tell, he was not sure that he would want to rip that illusion of independence out from beneath Adrien. He did not think that he wanted to be the one who finally broke Adrien Agreste’s smile, however weak and sad it was, for good.

The sudden and efficient knock on Félix’s door announced Nathalie only moments before she pushed her way in, bearing a tray laden with freshly fallen snow.

She carried it to Félix’s bedside. “You’re lucky its winter. I’ll have another cart ready for you in three hours. Don’t you dare light a fire or put it in the sun. Keep it on your face until it burns. You can take a break in-between snowpacks, but that swelling better be gone by the time I come up here to get you ready for the ball. Is that clear?”

“Yes, Nathalie,” the princes replied in dull harmony.

And then she was gone, back to the duties of preparing the palace for the gala that evening.

Adrien plucked a handkerchief from the tray and piled a fistful of snow into the linen. He handed it to Félix, then prepared one for himself.

Adrien laid back down beside his cousin and pressed the snow against his face. He winced at the painful chill, but did as Nathalie had asked and held it against his bruise. He supposed it would not be so bad to try and reduce the swelling. Perhaps it might even make his injury less offensive to his father.

“Lila has to be lying, right?” Adrien asked. He couldn’t say whether he wanted Lila to be honest or not. Which was more terrible to face: a future with Lila Rossi or a future without his mother?

Félix considered the story his mother had told him last night. If she had been right, that Queen Emilie had fallen asleep because she had made a deal to give herself an heir, then what sort of deal would Lila have to make to bring her back? But he couldn’t even tell Adrien the truth of why Queen Emilie had fallen asleep.

“If she is telling the truth,” he said, “do you think you’d be prepared to pay that sort of price?”

“What?”

“The fay will ask for something in return. It might be more than you or Lila can give.”

Adrien considered the fay in his pocket. Plagg had not asked for much, and neither had Tikki. Lila, though, had sacrificed her grandmother’s life to gain access to Trixx’s power. What would it cost to bring his mother back? Adrien wasn’t willing to pay in human lives, certainly. But how much of his own life might he give just to have his mother again?

“I have a secret I’ve been keeping from you,” Adrien managed.

Félix hummed noncommittally, certain Adrien had nothing so terrible as the secrets Félix had been forced to bear.

“I’m in love with Ladybug.”

Félix burst into laughter. He sat up, hand clutching his stomach as he laughed uncontrollably. He could not remember the last time he had laughed so hard. Certainly nothing in the last year had ever been so funny.

He wiped a tear from his cheek. “That was fantastic; tell me another.”

Adrien stared up at him, pout half-hidden beneath the handkerchief full of snow. “I’m serious.”

“You can’t be.”

But Adrien’s jaw was set in that unique stubborn way that Félix recognized from chess matches that Adrien had refused to lose or arguments with their tutors about the duty of a ruler to sacrifice the few for the many.

“You can’t be,” Félix said again, but it was much more plaintive and agonized this time. He fell back down on the bed beside Adrien. “God, pathetic doesn’t begin to cover it, does it?”

“I have another, if you want me to make it worse.”

“Please, do go on.”

“I kissed Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng.”

“Are you trying to kill me? Adrien, have you ever even kissed Chloé?”

“She’s kissed me. Anyway, who have you kissed besides your mother?”

“That nice girl in pink kissed me last night,” Félix said, and hated how defensive he sounded.

“She also kissed that boy in the band, the one with the green cape.”

“Good for her. I wasn’t going to marry her.”

“I’m just saying, if that’s your baseline, it can’t be a very good one.”

“Maybe she’s an excellent kisser because she’s so well-practiced.”

“She can’t be better than Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng.”

“I’m going to tell Nathalie that you got your face bruised from kissing so many girls until one of them slapped you,” Félix snorted.

“So was it the girl in pink or the boy in green that slapped you?”

“Neither, it was—” And though Félix had no desire to tell Adrien the truth, and had only tried to say it in a jest that Adrien was never meant to take seriously, the breath was stolen from his lungs as surely as if he had been punched in the stomach.

“Félix?”

“I’m fine,” Félix gasped. He wanted to die. He wanted to sink into this bed and never emerge.

If Gabriel had never commanded him to keep this secret, he probably would have kept it anyway. But the fact that he didn’t have the freedom to even speak about what had happened in a joke, not even in a way where no one would believe him, drove home just how dire his situation was.

“Félix—”

“I’m fine,” he repeated, putting as much force into the words as he could muster.

“Did…” Adrien swallowed and turned his head to get a look at his cousin’s face. He didn’t like the agony he saw there, but tilting his head allowed him to shove the ice between his cheek and the bed and relax his shoulders a bit. “You said you talked to your mother last night?” he asked, voice careful.

But Félix knew the question Adrien was truly asking and he hated both how close Adrien was to the truth and yet how far he still was. “She didn’t do this.”

“You’d tell me if she did?”

“Do you really think she would?”

“No… but… when she and my father get angry, they… they aren’t always themselves.”

Félix tasted the question on his tongue and he found no resistance. Tentatively, he asked, “Has your father ever struck you before?”

“No, never. But—” Adrien swallowed. “But sometimes I think he wants to, until he sees my mother in my face.”

I don’t know if that would stop him, considering you and I have the same face, Félix thought, but if it was his own courtesy or Gabriel’s command that held his tongue, he couldn’t say.

“For better or worse, he does want you to be happy,” Félix finally said, knowing it was as close to the full truth as he was allowed to get.

“I suppose that’s something,” Adrien murmured.

Félix closed his eyes and considered his own happiness. He had spent his life wanting to please his parents and the past year trying to make his mother happy despite their shared grief; he supposed Adrien must have lived with those same feelings. They were created for the purpose of pleasing their parents, and what more was there for them?

He couldn’t save himself, and he didn’t see how he could save Adrien, but maybe he could give Adrien something more, at least for a moment. At least until Adrien was, inevitably, as trapped as he was.

“Are you asleep?” he asked quietly.

“Yes,” Adrien laughed.

“I’ll take care of it.”

“What?”

“I’ll take care of Lila.”

“You don’t have to—”

“I know.”

Adrien struggled to read the hard glare in Félix’s eyes. Somewhere in him, he knew that Lila’s offer was perhaps not as kind as she pretended, but he did not think it warranted the anger Félix cast at the canopy above them.

But Félix had anger to spare, and if he could not fight back against Gabriel then perhaps he could at least try to protect Adrien.

The two princes drifted in and out of sleep, and in their brief waking moments, took to private plotting. One contemplated revenge, the other love. Neither made much progress. They were interrupted only by a fresh tray piled high with snow and Nathalie inspecting their faces to make sure the swelling had indeed reduced as she had hoped.

She seemed perhaps not pleased, but satisfied at the least. “Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng has just arrived and delivered your clothes. I’ll be back shortly to cover your bruises before she fits you.” And then she was gone again.

Adrien patted his cheek dry before applying another handkerchief full of snow. The cold did numb the pain, at least.

“Does Mademoiselle Dupain-Cheng know what happened to your face?” Félix asked with a raised eyebrow.

“She does,” Adrien replied, though he supposed she would not recognize him. “Er—maybe don’t mention the kiss to her. It’s a bit of a… touchy subject?”

Félix quirked an eyebrow. “How so?”

“She, er—she has an intended, I think.”

Both of Félix’s eyebrows shot up.

“It was a mutual kiss, I swear!” Adrien protested.

“You’re forgetting that you’re a prince. She’s supposed to do whatever you say.”

“It wasn’t like that.”

But Félix’s eyes were still suspicious, so Adrien tried for levity.

“Her intended is the musician in the green cape.”

Félix laughed again, unsure where this newfound humor was coming from. Had Adrien always been so funny? Perhaps now that Félix had a noose around his neck he no longer had to be wary of danger. Maybe simply knowing it was close at hand rather than suspecting it was around every corner made laughter easier.

“So will the musician challenge you to a duel tonight?” Félix asked.

“Only if you tell him what I did.”

Félix considered it. “A duel would certainly make the ball more interesting—”

He was cut short by a loud crash outside the window.

Adrien pulled back the curtain and glanced into the gardens below. People were fleeing in a panic. He shoved open the window and stuck his head out. He traced back the paths of the crowds towards the north side of the palace. They were running from the throne room. A loud crack, followed by the almost musical sound of shattering glass echoed through the gardens, and Adrien could only think of one window large enough to cause a crash that loud.

“Something’s gotten into the throne room.” He hurried for the door but Félix grabbed his arm.

“What are you going to do, Adrien? We’re safer here—”

“My father could be in trouble.”

Félix swallowed. He wanted to tell Adrien that he didn’t care about Gabriel, but he knew that if he did, it could be enough to allow Adrien to connect this new, outright distaste with a fresh bruise. And if he knew Adrien might learn the truth, he did not want to give it voice. Or he could not give it voice.

He didn’t know the difference between what he wanted and what Gabriel wanted anymore.

He let Adrien go.

Adrien burst from Félix’s room so quickly that he nearly fell into the other end of the hallway. He ran for the stairs, robe flying behind him, and paused only to duck into a dark alcove and whisper, “Plagg, claws out!”

[bluemooneagle01]

Please tell me that Lagybug Mikey will have a series/comic/fanstory??

Uhhh, may haps?

Ok ok but fr

Most likely I’ll choose comic form. Buuut, it’s not set in stone or promised that I will be making a fully fledged comic considering the obstacle of me having to actually write a story.

BUTx2 -I could try out answering questions and asks with drawings and info (maybe do an “ask the turtles” thing)

With that said, everyone is more than welcome to ask and make art and fan stories based off on my DM Mikeybug concept. Just credit the concept and tag me! I would love seeing your work!!

[fabseg-creator]

Miraculous: Tales in the Opposite Universe (Inversed Personas AU): Chapter Two part 2

This story is a fanfiction (Not an official script for an episode of the TV show). Some characters result from Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir (original title: Miraculous: Les aventures de Ladybug et Chat Noir). It contains some original characters (OC) but they're fanon. All rights reserved to ZagToon.

Part one

The day dawns on Paris: It's a saturday. Marinette and Cerise come to the ship Liberty. By walking, they cross paths with Wayhem… and Adrien ! Adrien: "Marinette ?" Marinette: "Adrien ?!" At this moment, Marinette are Adrien are troubled. They looked lightly amazed at each other. A: "Is it really you ? But… how did you get here ?" M: "Same… Same question for you, A-Adrien ? About "here", is it possible you…" They run towards each other to embrace each other. A: "I'm glad you are fine. I see you again." M: "Me too, Adrien." Wayhem and Cerise simultaneously interpel them: "Do you two know each other ?" M and A: "Yes." The parallel teenagers both tell their lives in their homeworld to their two new friends. They both tell it all by avoiding to reveal their superhero's identities (interesting facts: Marinette doesn't mention the Alley Cat's identity she already knows; Wayhem is already known by the three other people as Rouge Chance since the loss of his earrings). W: "It would seem that Voyager the akuma didn't miss you two. With this Ladybug and this Cat Noir, you must be four." A (ironising): "That's the circumstance, Wayhem." There is a collective sarcastical laughing between the four.

Following the next minutes, they take the road at the ship Liberty, at the Seine river. Once arrived on place, Marinette and Adrien are slightly stupefacted: They see out the ship Liberty from this world is a rusted damaged wreck. M: "What the hell happened to the ship ? It's the Luka's and Juleka's home." C: "It was. But now, the twin siblings and their mom live with Bob Roth a.k.a. 'the greedy record' since five years. The mom is remarried to this guy." M: "Wait ! Have did you say: Bob Roth ?!" W: "Of course, girl. Your homeworld's friends hadn't certainly lived the same life as their counterparts. About the boat, according to TV medias, an accident would caused these destructions five years ago. Happily, there weren't any casualties. Sadly, the Couffaines hadn't any house anymore. Mr Roth had hebergated them with the price of Mrs Couffaine getting remarried with the man." An expression of dismay temporarly appears on Marinette's and Adrien's faces. Later, at the other end of the wreck, they spot a rally of teenagers. Marinette and Adrien recognize their friends among the group: Alya, Nino, Mylène, Ivan, Juleka, Rose, Marc, Nathaniel, Kim, Ondine, Max, Sabrina, Socqueline and… Alix and Luka ! And Chloé (as bonus but not really a friend in their initial world) ! Before coming to them, the two not yet lovers are interupted by Cerise. C: "Do you know these people ?" M: "Yes. They are our friends." C: "In your homeworld, I must admit it's true. But listen to me: You two come from another world. These people you can see are our friends for me and Wayhem. They know you too but they see your counterparts, your other selves. If you introduce yourselves to us all with Marinette's and Adrien's names while the others Marinette and Adrien come at the same place, they would be suspicious. They could believe you're some spies from Fathom or Lycène, you come for a conspiracy." A: "And how are we supposed to interact with them if we can't say our real identities ?" M: "Adrien, we haven't the choice if our friends' counterparts must trust us. We must find some others names for avoid create the confusion." A: "I follow you, Marinette." M : (to Cerise) "It's okay. I will take the identity of 'Germaine'. And Adrien… (to Adrien) What name do you choose ?" A: "My name will be… 'Anathase'." C (sighing): "Too old. (normal tone) Why not… ? 'Nathan'." M: "'Nathan' sounds like cute." A: "I agree with the alias of Nathan." W: "I hope you two will fit in very well with all of us. Good luck." A: "Thanks, you two."

The 'quartet' advances to the group and Cerise and Wayhem move to different ways while Marinette and Adrien watch around them. Suddenly, both Marinette and Adrien are amazed to see their 'friends' wear different clothings each others. Idem about their looks. But the most glaring detail that astound the two: They figured out each counterpart have a different personality compared to each initial friend they knew in their homeworld.

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[sabertoothwalrus]

i had ANOTHER dream abt miraculous ladybug and this ones a LONG one. it didnt have your artstyle but time paris DID have lovely architecture such as: the bigass hollow tree stumps in breath of the wild, u know the ones big enough to fit a shrine and a half. anyway, the final battle is Happening, people get to wonder if hawkmoth is gonna bite the dust in real time bc its being televised. this is all taking place smth like 3 yrs in the future from season 4 of the show. so theyre like uhhhh Older Teens and certifiably Tired Of All This Shit. so! at the bottom of one of those tree stumps, cat noir’s identity is going to be revealed! oh no!! hes in a #crisis of the soul mostly bc getting revealed would be Bad but also he doesnt feel like hes helping ladybug anymore. he doesnt feel trusted. a classic tale of the villain manipulating a traumatized teen. and ladybug (looking out over a roof and yelling at the top of her lungs) is like “ABSOLUTELY NOT YOU LEAVE MY PARTNER ALONE.” and bribes hawkmoth away by dangling her own secret identity in front of him like a worm on a hook. it works a little too well. her identity gets revealed! cat noir is safe but in the shuffle hes lost his miraculous and marinette picks it up. shes got both and puts them on. tikki and plagg are like “MARINETTE ITS SO DANGEROUS TO WEAR BOTH AT THE SAME TIME” and shes like “im going to punch hawkmoth in the face” and off she goes.

cat noir is nowhere to be found bc now hes adrian! and she doesnt know that! but he knows shes marinette! drama! so now ladybug is re transformed (without activating the black cat miraculous) and is whaling on hawkmoth. she crashes thru my house which is definitely not in paris and tells me and my sibs we have to get out NOW so we book it and its at this point the dream reveals to me that mylene’s mom is chinese and i sit there like Now Hold On A Minute and my mom says “i told u so!” and i tell her “you dont even watch the show???” mylene was wearing a green cheongsam. i don’t tend to ask questions. also by this point i made a mental note to tell u abt this bc it only gets more batshit.

ladybug told us (and everyone that was running away which was a lot of ppl) that if they find cat noir they shld tell him that ladybug loves him. then she has this Stellar idea. she finds nadja chamack and her camera (bc theres only two newspeople in all of paris and one of them runs reality tv) and is like “hi i need to get a message out to cat noir.” when the camera is situated on her (mind u ms chamack is VERY aware that this is her daughters babysitter and is currently holding hawkmoth in a chokehold) she says “im sorry cat noir. you believed in me and trusted me since day one and i couldnt extend you the same courtesy. i was wrong. there is no one else who can wield the black cat miraculous, no one else i would trust with the power of destruction. meet me at our normal rendezvous point so i can give back what is yours.” its all very heartfelt but undercut by the fact that hawkmoth’s bitch ass is shouting explicatives next to her. the fight resumes. she gets slammed into a wall á la every anime fight ever and manages to hide before getting to the roof where she’s waiting for cat noir. shes in a right amount of pain and tikki is running her mouth abt danger and injuries etc. marinette Will Not Move until cat noir shows up. and he does! adrian arrives! when marinette sees him she starts laughing and crying. adrian is rightfully confused. is this a good thing? is this a bad thing? did she hit her head? (yes to all 3.) marinette says “i have been in love with you since 10th grade.” (were they in 10th grade? i do not know.) adrian says “and ive been busy being in love with ladybug.” and then she apologizes again, gives him the ring back, they hug, kick ass and meet up in her room.

if it feels like we’re going rlly fast now its bc we are. the dream was pretty much a montage at this point. hawkmoth is arrested, the world knows who ladybug is, adrian is an orphan, nathalie is still sick, and marinettes parents r thinking that their kid has nearly died MULTIPLE TIMES and they never knew. also luka is under that bridge going “oh fuck.” marinette is in her room trying to explain what will happen next to alya and nino. alya says “i had to tell nino”and marinette says “i am beyond the point of anger. but whatever.” cat noir falls thru her sunroof and they hug (again, there was so much hugging in this dream to make up for the complete lack of hugging in the actual show) and alya + nino are like “uhhh awkward.” the last convo i don’t have quotes for bc at this point my alarm was ringing but it was something abt how marinette cant be ladybug or hold the miracle box and she wld want alya to be the holder but NINO knows and nino Cant Know. but cat noir doesnt want marinette to lose her memories! but People Know. the conclusion was they have to talk to chloe abt how to navigate paparazzi. this is my chloe-and-marinette-could-be-friends agenda. ok i think thats EVERYTHING. if u read all that godspeed, drink water. OH. FINAL THOUGHT. ADRIAN HAD LONG BEAUTIFUL HAIR WHICH IS VERY IMPORTANT TO ALL OF THIS. he had model-brand stubble and sharper teeth than he should.

sometimes I’m peeved that tumblr increased the character limit for asks to be higher than 500 characters, and other times I get

1k word asks about miraculous ladybug dreams, and I think that’s beautiful

I do unironically love the part about Chloe helping Marinette navigate paparazzi, rip to her canon character development

[marauderundercover]

Taking Chances Chapter 4: Unexpected (Bonding)

Prev

AO3

Bruce Wayne felt lost. This wasn’t an unusual feeling for him, but he wasn’t particularly fond of the events that led to him feeling lost. First, he found out he had a daughter. Yet another child that he hadn’t known of their existence. Then, he acted as Batman. He researched the girl and found that her school situation was...less than ideal. As was the supervillain situation in Paris. The girl- his daughter- had been targeted several times. Sometimes the Akuma went after her from the start. Other times, she was unfortunate enough to be in its line of sight when it was on a rampage. Any way you looked at it, she was in danger. No, the biggest mistake in researching her came with the phone number for the bakery run by her parents. Two lovely people who had raised her and taught her right from wrong. Something he hadn’t done. Their phone call was what left him feeling lost. They hadn’t demanded that he stay away from his daughter- from Marinette. No, on the contrary, they thought it was a great idea for the two to bond. Especially once Bruce had mentioned his other children. 

“Marinette was distraught when the only information we could give her about her birth father was his name.” Sabine had said, adding to Bruce’s confusion. 

“You had my name but didn’t reach out?” Bruce asked, trying (and failing) to figure out the situation. 

“We didn’t have much to go on. Just your name and that you were American and worked in business. Bridgette didn’t give any specifics, and back then it didn’t really matter. I assumed Bruce Wayne was a common enough name, especially in the US.” Sabine replied simply. The rest of their conversation had gone similarly, with Bruce growing more and more lost until the end. They hadn’t even suggested a DNA test (though he was planning on asking Marinette, just so that they could be completely certain). They just wanted Marinette happy. Even if it meant meeting and bonding with the man who hadn’t known about her existence. 

---

Marinette Dupain Cheng was not having an easy week. No, her week was sucky. In fact it was beyond sucky, it was shitty. So many things were happening at the same time, and she was just grateful that she wasn’t currently in Paris, since she was certain she’d be akumatized. From being attacked by the Joker for simply looking like a Wayne, to meeting Batman who was just as angry in person, and then figuring out Bruce Wayne really was her dad and accidentally calling him Batman, to fighting an Akuma by herself (one that she could barely handle) and then to top it all off, Adrien is Chat Noir. And Adrien has a crush on her, as Marinette. And apparently has for at least a month. Oh and now he knows that she’s Ladybug and so last night was filled with her Chat Blanc nightmares all over again. The cherry on the top of this mess was the fact that the class was practically ignoring her. She was sure they weren’t doing it intentionally and that they were just kinda distracted by Lila’s tall tales of Gotham. Tales that include her dating one of Bruce Wayne’s sons. She wouldn’t clarify which one, which was probably for the best. They two closest to their age were 12 and 19. Neither a great option for the 15 year old Italian. A shrill ringing tugs Marinette out of her thoughts. Glancing down at the unknown number attempting to call her, Marinette silently prayed that this would turn her shitty week around. 

“Hello?” She answers, wincing slightly at the way her voice sounds after a night filled with screaming and crying from nightmares. 

“Is this Marinette Dupain Cheng?” A deep voice asks. Marinette frowns. 

“Um, yes?”

“Good. This is Bruce Wayne and well, I’m not sure how to-”

“You’re my dad.” She blurts out, face instantly heating up. “Oh crap, I mean, um-”

“Well yes. I do believe I may be your father. I was in contact with your parents earlier, to ask about boundaries and such. Your mother says that you had shown interest in meeting me and seeing how we’re similar?” He says, the question clear in his voice. Marinette opens her mouth to respond, then frowns. 

“Just like that? We’re gonna meet, just like that?” She asks, hoping that her distrustful tone doesn’t push the man away. 

“I’ll admit that I was going to ask if you would mind a paternity test. After speaking with your mother, I have no doubts, but I thought it might make you feel better. And of course, if you would prefer to just act as though I didn’t speak to your parents and go on with your trip, we can do that as well. I just- I was caught off guard, if I’m being honest.” Bruce Wayne- her father- says. 

“I’ll do it. I- I would like to get to know you. I can’t have a relationship with Bridgette, but if my parents are okay with it, I do want a relationship with you.” Marinette admits, holding her breath as she waits for an answer. There’s silence on the other end for a long moment, but just as Marinette’s about to apologize and tell him he can go and pretend she doesn’t exist, he answers. His voice a little softer this time. 

“I would like that.” 

---

The paternity test came out positive, to no one’s surprise. Bruce had given Marinette the option of meeting somewhere more public (like a restaurant or museum) to bond, or coming over to the manor. Not quite ready to deal with the possibility of paparazzi and the rumors (no matter how true they may be) that would stem from a public visit, Marinette agreed to going to the manor for dinner. Which is how she ended up sitting in silence in a town car with a man who seemed like he knew more than he was letting on. 

“So, you’re the one who raised Mr. Wayne?” Marinette asks, not quite ready to call the man “Dad” or any variation of the word. The man nods and she meets his eyes in the rearview mirror. 

“Indeed, Miss. I am Alfred Pennyworth.” The man, Monsieur Pennyworth, says calmly. She tries not to let the frustration that she feels building show on her face. She feels like she should know this man, like there’s something important that she’s just barely missing. 

“Have we met before?” Marinette finally asks, racking her brain as she tries to figure out why this man is so familiar to her. 

“I don’t believe so, Miss Dupain Cheng.” He says, and for the first time since meeting him, it doesn’t feel like he’s all knowing. Instead, it feels like he’s just as confused as she is. Drat. She opens her mouth to question him more, when the huge manor becomes visible in the distance. Eyes widening, Marinette forgets everything else and turns her attention to the beautiful architecture. The giant fence and metal gates do little to hide the massive house. Sections of the house rise above others, almost as if there are towers. Dozens of windows are visible, as is the giant fountain at the front of the house. Ripping her sketchbook out of her bag, Marinette immediately starts sketching out the ideas that attack her mind. Dresses and suits and skirts, all using the architecture in front of her for the basic shapes of the outfits. As the car goes past the gate and the gardens come into view, Marinette can’t hold back her shocked gasp. Shaped hedges and flowers, hundreds of different colored flowers, and trees and- it was beautiful. Almost too perfect. Like something that belonged in a movie. She jumps slightly as the car door is opened, Alfred standing on the other side with an eyebrow quirked up. Right. She was actually getting out of the car. And going into this massive house. And spending time with her biological- nope. She can’t do this. She can’t- 

“Miss Dupain Cheng, if it makes you feel any better, Master Bruce seems to have run into some traffic on his way back from the office. You’ll have a few minutes to gather your bearings inside before he arrives.” Alfred says softly. Relief washes over her and she nods, finally moving to get out of the car. 

“Thank you, Alfred.” She says, smiling at the man. He nods back at her before leading her up the steps to the door. He opens it and then steps back, allowing her to take a tentative step into the house. Her previous panic is pushed aside as she realizes the inside is just as gorgeous as the outside. Immediately turning back to her sketchbook, she tunes out the world around her and just stands in the foyer, scribbling furiously into her sketchbook. 

“Um, hi?” A voice says, making Marinette yelp and jump, eyes scanning her surroundings until they fall on a guy. A pretty tall guy. 

“Hi.” She says softly, also confused as to who this guy was. Not her- dad-biological father-other part of her DNA-father-Mr. Wayne- not anyone she had ever met, that’s for sure. 

“I’m sorry, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Dick Grayson.” The man says, extending his hand, a smile on his face. Anyone else probably would have thought the smile was sincere, but Marinette had always been good at reading emotions. And she could tell that he was wary of her. Why would he- oh. Grayson. As in, Richard Grayson, as in this man was her brother. Or, well, maybe he wouldn’t want to be. Maybe he would think that she’s ridiculous or that she’s just here to get money or here to try and pull apart Mr. Wayne’s family or maybe he would think that she was trying to take his place and she would never but maybe he would hate her and- She takes in a deep breath, trying desperately to ground herself and wishing she’d taken up Adrien’s earlier offer of him coming with. 

“I’m Marinette. Marinette Dupain Cheng.” She finally says, reaching out and shaking his hand. He nods, obviously still confused. So Mr. Wayne hadn’t mentioned her. Did he hate her? Did he ask her here to have her sign a NDA? Did he not want anything to do with her? Of course he wouldn’t, he obviously already had a family. A family that he chose, not one that he had by accident. His name was on her birth certificate, surely he would have found her sooner if he actually wanted anything to do with her? He chose Dick Grayson to be his son. He wanted him. He didn’t want Marinette. He-

“Ah, Marinette. I see you’ve met Dick.” The last voice she needed to hear says calmly as he walks through the door. Marinette swallows back the thickness in her throat, the one that tells her the tears will be starting soon. 

“Uh, yes. Mr. Wayne. Um, hi.” She says, flinching slightly when he winces. What did she do wrong this time? Was he really going to tell her to take a hike? If he didn’t hate her before, he surely did now. 

“Bruce, what’s going-” Dick starts to ask but is cut off by screaming voices getting closer to them.

“What the hell is wrong with you, Demon Spawn?” 

“Not my fault your blocking skills are subpar, Todd.”

“Sub- you almost stabbed me, you little shit!”

“Almost, yes. But I didn’t. I’m sure Father will be pleased with my restraint.” 

“You little fu-” “Boys!” Mr. Wayne finally yells as the two screaming walk into view. Both freeze and the younger one’s eyes instantly fall on Marinette, narrowing as he takes a defensive position. 

“Another one, Bruce, really?” The older one asks, making Marinette flinch back. Of course. Two more of his sons-her brothers- who he chose. Another two that he wanted. Not like her, someone he was going to be forced to know. Unless he told her tonight that he never wanted to speak to her again and made her sign a paper saying that she would never contact him again and then they would never have to worry about seeing her again and- oh this is a lot. 

“What were you two doing?” Mr. Wayne finally asks, and that’s when Marinette sees the weapons in their hands. And the blood on the older man’s shirt. The man turns slightly so that that part of his shirt is hidden when he notices her staring. 

“Uh, bonding?” He says, not at all convincing. 

“Who is that, Father?” The younger boy asks, the utter distaste clear on both his face and in his tone. And this is it. This is where he’s going to say that she’s no one, she’s nothing, and then he’s going to make her sign that stupid piece of paper and the last chance she has at knowing one of her biological parents is going to fly out the window. Poof. And then she’ll be so embarrassed, she won’t be able to go back on the trip and then she’ll have to change her name but she can’t completely run away yet because of stupid Hawkmoth and-

“This is Marinette, my daughter.” Well that was unexpected.

Next

Tag List: @maribat-bdbwm @vixen-uchiha @stainedglassm @liquid-luck-00 @when-no-wings-do-broomsticks @jayjayspixiepop @jjmjjktth @mizzy-pop @trippingovermyfeet @queenz-z @thepaceperson @iloontjeboontje @waiting247 @laurcad123 @toodaloo-kangaroo

[countlessrealities]

As Kaito speaks, going back and forward on his words, as if he couldn't decide what to say, Adrien just stands there, grateful for the extra space he has managed to put between them because it allows him to hide better the way his cheeks are starting to burn once again.

The urge to just turn on his heels and run is getting stronger and stronger with every passing minute, but it conflicts with the sort of manners he has been raised with. Not to mention that the last thing he wants is to offend Kaito by making it look like he can't wait to be rid of him.

"Uh, yeah, but...those are...fairy tales and this is real life, you know?" He points out with a forced, awkward chuckle. He can't help feeling like and idiot and a hypocrite, since he gets magical super powers from a mythical creature to fight evil. "So, uh, I know that with akums stuff can get...weird, but...I'd rather stick to the facts. And that's Ladybug always fixing everything in the end."

New crush or not, he can't help thinking that she is amazing. There's a part of him who will always love her, no matter whom he sets his eyes on. She will always be his partner and she will always hold a special place in his heart, no matter in what form it takes.

"Also...I agree. There are things that shouldn't be forced or hurried. Baring your heart is definitely one of them," he goes on, discarding those thoughts. Somehow, thinking about his old crush feels wrong right now. "So, uh, one more reason to believe that this is the doing of some akumatized person."

He's about to take another step back, his mind still rushing to find an excuse to explain why he really needs to leave, but Kaito's question makes him pose. They are his favourites? That's one lucky coincidence.

"I...I didn't know," he admits, somehow feeling shyer. He should act weird about it, but somehow it feels almost like a sign. "I just thought...they suit you?"

what ? that can be the only solution right ? he doesn't want to force adrien into doing this either but he will have a chat with his witch friend later regarding the strange occurrence on what just transpired -- no , he wouldn't think of it that deep . he knows they're kind of getting close , as much as he hates to admit .

' it's more likely the latter . ' kaito confirms , maybe he was over thinking too much but if it's someone different he would be skeptical either with how it's a regular thing in paris nowadays . & he doesn't like seeing his friend over a simple case of rejection ?

' i'm not sure but doesn't that how love spells work in fairy tales? ' his point of view was a bit biased . those two again , as much as he despises the heroic duo for messing with his criminal affairs as KID each time he goes into stealing gem & to return it after to confuse them , making them confused if KID is an ally or not--

' what i mean is , if the person truly loves the other they should confess right ? but only the right time . like an evil witch who tried to switch things up . ' kaito backtracks , he finds himself glancing at the bouquet of sunflowers .

' i appreciate the sunflower bouquet , anyway. i have a question before you leave . ' he says , with an eyebrow raised . 'how did you know this was one of my favorite flowers? i never told anyone about this . '

[joydone07]

Pt. 1 (No Taglist)

For @11thgradewriter I apologize for this coming so late.

Thank you @izanae for beta reading

Things… were not going as planned.

Playing damsel, for one thing, was completely out of Marinette’s comfort zone. She was a heroine for kwamis sake, like she’d ever need to be saved. She had faced death head on time after time, and was still there to tell the tale, even though she probably never would, but it was the thought that counted.

But there she was, pouting in Super Jr’s arms as she was taken out of her burning apartment complex. To be honest, Marinette wasn’t quite sure what happened, just that one minute she was debating over the fact whether she should go ahead and sleep, or complete the commission, and the next, she saw a blazing fire eating up at her door.

Quickly grabbing everything of value, and quietly thanking whoever that the Miracle Box was more compact than the egg had been before, Marinette went towards the window, jumping when the fire alarm finally began wailing.

Once opened, Marinette was face to face with Superboy, the younger one, with a smile way too bright for the current situation. Knowing it would do no good to squirm away, she resigned herself to her fate.

“Good evening!” He exclaimed cheerfully, “I hope you were having a good day, at least before all of this.”

Unable to keep the frown on her face, she hesitantly smiled back. “Good evening to you as well. And we’re being honest, my day was pretty shitty, even before all of this happened, which is pretty much the cherry on top.”

Flying around towards the front of the building, the smile got a bit smaller, but didn’t lose any of its brightness.

“Well that sucks. I’m sorry if any of your things get ruined. This really isn’t your day.”

Chuckling at the boy’s sincerity, Marinette replied, “it’s fine, I got what was most important to me out, and the only thing that will be really lost to me is my work. My clients should understand, and besides, the most they can do is ask for their money back.”

Watching as the fire department went to work putting out the fire, Marinette finally began to realize all of the eyes on her, and blushed brighter than her ladybug suit.

Having heard the increase in heartbeat, Superboy inquired what was wrong, only to be told that it was because of all of the eyes which made him finally realize it as well.

With a blush covering the both of their faces, they cast their eyes downward, not enjoying all of the attention, despite being used to it. They both stood there looking awkward, not sure of what else to do. Marinette quite obviously couldn’t go in yet, and now that the firefighters had arrived, all Superboy could do was either watch, or just go ahead and leave.

Looking away from the ground, back up at Marinette, his blush returned full force seeing that she was looking as well. There was an awkward moment where they were both fumbling for something to say, before they ended up reaching the same conclusion.

“I never asked your name,”

“I don’t think I’ve introduced myself,”

It was silent for a few seconds, before they both burst out with laughs, drawing the attention back onto them, but were too engrossed with themselves to realize it.

“Well, let’s try this again, hi, my name is Marinette.”

With a smile on his face, he responded, “Good evening, Marinette, it’s super nice to meet you!” Catching his pun a second too late, he tried to take it back, “Wait no, I meant it’s nice to meet you, not super! I mean, while it is super great to meet you, I didn’t mean to say super?” With the end getting slightly higher, it came out like a question, making Marinette giggle.

“It’s nice to meet you too, Superboy.”

Mortified beyond belief, Superboy was about ready to fly off, straight into the sun, as to hopefully forget that the interaction ever happened. Right as he was about to go ahead and go, the firefighters as well as the police claimed that most of the building was still alright to go in, but the rest would have to find accommodations elsewhere, which was kind of rude, as Marinette was the only one living in the unsafe area.

Knowing that his family had raised him better than to leave a lady in need, heavens know what his grandmother would have done, he cleared his throat, asking politely, “Would you like to be taken to a hotel, Marinette? It is Metropolis after all, and I could get you one pretty cheap.”

Once again with a smile on her face, Marinette offered her thanks and allowed herself to be led away.

——

After walking a decent amount away from the apartment, Superboy asked if it would be alright to carry her the rest of the way, as it was Metropolis and while it sure as hell wasn’t Gotham, crime still occurred, especially for beautiful young women like herself.

Realizing that he was trying to give her a subtle compliment under the guise of pure concern, Marinette agreed, even though it would still end up cutting her time with him short. The time that passed was much too quick, and dropping down in front of the hotel lobby, Superboy wanted nothing more than to give her a kiss along with his phone number, but he knew he couldn’t.

About to bid her a goodnight, Marinette softly pulled his cape down, “Meet me on the roof in an hour,” let go, and walked through the doors. He was glad that she hadn’t glanced back, as his face turned the red est it had been that night.

“Yes!” He shouted, looking forward to the rooftop visit.

[mcheang]

How about one where Marinette gives up on her class, deciding to get holders from other classes

So she decides to give Aurore the Fox, prompting Lila to lie about the fox.

Next akuma is a mind control akuma, and oh no! Aurore is one of the controlled! Well, she was gonna give the turtle to Mireille but maybe she can be the Fox just this once

And then the Akuma after that, Fox Aurore and Turtle Mireille

Basically lots of quick and random akuma attacks make it hard for Lila to keep up her lies

Switch

A Pre-Miracle Queen outline that my mind drove me to

Marinette decides that having her hero allies be classmates under Lila’s spell is a bad idea.

Good thing she is on the class president committee and knows the other class presidents are smart enough to see through Lila’s lies (basically they weren’t pleased with Lila’s flaky absences from class participation. And also because the weather girls know their fair share of celebrities)

First replacement: Aurore as Vixen

The battle was a success but Chat questioned why Rena was replaced.

Ladybug: she can’t tell truth from lies. A bad trait for any hero, let alone one wielding the kwami of illusion

Alya was heartbroken but couldn’t catch Ladybug in time to interview her.

While writing her post on Vixen, Alya asked Lila if she knew what Rena’s flaw was.

Lila: oh that’s easy. Rena and Carapace are so a couple but that just hinders them in a fight. Their first priorities were on each other, not Hawkmoth.

Alya: oh...

So this was about the Scarlet Moth incident. Oh no, then Nino is being replaced too?

Second replacement: Mireille as Kit (she knows she is a substitute so she wanted her name to show she wasn’t a real hero yet)

Aurore had been hit by an akuma, luckily her vice class président had escaped.

Kit’s appearance had Alya confused.

Lila: oh, that’s because Vixen was pregnant. Shocker, I know. Even Ladybug was speechless. But obviously she can’t be a hero in her condition.

Except then why did Vixen return alongside the new heroine, Emerald Shell?

Lila: the pregnancy test results were a dud

Nino was already warned by Alya. While not happy, he was remarkably chill about the new girl.

Honeybee makes her appearance

Lila: ok, how are you surprised Chloé was replaced?

Chloé threw a major tantrum.

Equestria replaces Pegasus

Lila: Ladybug is promoting female power

Max: that doesn’t sound right. She’s unbalancing her team genders.

Not to mention, Max figured he would have been told about why he was being replaced if that was the case. Or maybe he was a one-time hero? Except Party Crasher refuted that theory.

Tarzan replaces Monkey King

Lila: that’s Ladybug’s crush.

Everyone knows that Ladybug prefers to be professional rather than mix personal with business (Aspik was a mistake) so this raised more than a few eyebrows.

Maybe it was that LadyNoir was possibly sunken with that lie, but Alya was determined to ask Ladybug herself.

The heroine had been avoiding her for a while now, leaving her blog posts to have only Lila’s statement for evidence.

It shouldn’t be too hard, except now the Teachers were serious about keeping students safe. Meaning they were anticipating Alya to run to the fight and were determined to stop her.

And apparently Lila didn’t want to call in any favours with Ladybug for an interview because friendships aren’t about favors.

Hence, Alya kept lurking around the park, waiting for the inevitable return of Mr Pigeon.

As has become tradition, after Mr Pigeon is defeated, Mr Ramier treats the heroes to ice cream and they sit down for a while.

But this time, Alya interrupted their peaceful snack.

Alya: Ladybug, Chat Noir, would you please grant me an interview

Ladybug stood up, “Sorry, Alya. But I barely have a minute left. Thanks for the ice cream, Mr Ramier. Bug out!”

Chat had just gobbled his in two bites when Alya called out again, desperation leaking out of her. “Just one question!”

Ladybug stilled, but finally turned around. Her eyes were cold sapphires. “One. I don’t have time right now.”

Be quick about it.

Alya gulped. There were so many questions she wanted to ask about the new heroes, why they were chosen. But if she had to choose one question, Alya blurted out without thinking. “Are you really Lila’s best friend?”

That was her question? Alya wanted to smack herself. That was old news. She should have asked why Ladybug took so long to replace Queen Bee.

“No.”

Alya stared at Ladybug, having lost her focus in her self-reproach.

“What?”

But Ladybug had already zipped away.

Chat coughed. “Lovely to see you again, Alya. Have a good day, Mr Ramier.” And he quickly made his escape too.

Mr Ramier looked at the Ladyblogger with pity. “Do you want some ice cream?”

Alya burst into tears. She had paid for Lila’s ice cream. Because of her tonsil surgery. But that was a lie, wasn’t it? Lila had been lying all this time.

At the moment, Alya could care less about why the old heroes were replaced. That was their affair. But now she understood why she had been replaced. Not because of her relationship with Nino, but because she believed lies about Ladybug without even checking with her. What a gullible fool she had been.

As Mr Ramier tried his best to cheer her up, and keep a sharp eye out for akumas, the tale came out. How she had ruined her credibility and blindly believed a liar despite her own best friend warning her.

Mr Ramier: why didn’t you believe Marinette?

Alya: because I thought she was jealous of Lila. They like the same boy.

Mr Ramier frowned. “Is Marinette the kind of girl to hate a supposedly sweet girl just because they share a crush?”

Alya paused. True, Marinette had issues with Chloé and Kagami because of their personalities but Aurore also had a crush on Adrien and the girls got along fine.

Alya: no, she isn’t. What kind of a friend, am I?

Mr Ramier: a human friend. Miss Cesaire, if I may give you some advice, you made mistakes yes. Everyone does. What matters is what you choose to do afterwards. And to do better next time.

Alya: so...I should apologize?

Mr Ramier nodded patiently. “Yes. To your friend, to Ladybug, and if I may say so, to your followers.”

Alya: what should I do about Lila?

Mr Ramier: what do you think you should do?

Alya bit her lip. “I’ll expose her. But not as badly as I would like, because she’ll just end up as an akuma.”

Mr Ramier nodded and stood, his pigeons flying off. “I wish you luck, Miss Cesaire.”

That night, Alya finally did her ground research on Lila. Needless to say, she was horrified at what she had learned.

The next morning, everyone was whispering about the newest post on the Ladyblog. “The truth about Lila Rossi.”

Not only did it feature Ladybug’s statement and Alya’s apologies, but there were links to warnings about Lila from her old classmates.

Lila was absent, hiding from the disgust of the school, but also facing an angry mother. Alya was persistent in getting Mrs Rossi’s attention. It took a while to convince the ignoramus that she was not an akuma and yes, her daughter is a lying bully.

Alya gave Mrs Rossi a heads up because with Lila now exposed, questions about her leave of absence will be raised. Oh, and she needed to keep an eye out for akumas.

Hawkmoth certainly would have loved to target Lila, but Alya was on lookout. She caught the akuma in a butterfly net launcher 10 minutes before the school bell rang. Now she just needs to deliver this to Ladybug. Though maybe they should just hold on to it. I mean if Hawkmoth can’t create more than one akuma, maybe purifying this one was a bad idea.

Ladybug agreed to wait until Lila was dealt with. She commended Alya for finally opening her eyes. But sadly Rena won’t be returning.

Alya accepted that. She wasn’t ready. It would take time, but she would recover.

The butterfly was kept under guard until Mayura finally sent a sentimonster after it.