#anyway if I was in the room and she tried to destroy that brooch I think I’d kill her

[thegreatcrowdragon]

My beautiful girlfailure wife and schneeball cookie is here too I guess

[sassyduckqueen]

The Price of A Wish

Villain Luka au done! It was fun to write and surprisingly no Lila salt in this lol Anyway hope you enjoy it :D

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Tears rolled down Luka's cheeks as he just stared blankly at the wall. He was sat on a bed in the small room of the Orphanage that he and his sister had been moved to after his father's arrest five months ago. Not even a week later, his mother fell sick and ended up in a coma which she hadn't woken up from. Luckily, Juleka and him hadn't been split up and he had a plan in motion.  As soon as he turned eighteen, he would get custody of Juleka and they would change their names and leave Paris forever, However, she began to show signs of schizophrenia, claiming that this world wasn't real. She had been drugged up to her eyeballs and babbled about the "real" world. Luka had tried to calm her down and tried to tell her that she was sick but she insisted she wasn't. Over the last few months, she just got worst. She told him a bad cat had made a wish and how a bug needed to save the world but he didn't understand what she meant. However, that no longer mattered because Juleka was gone. A week ago, she had managed to escape and had gone missing. Luka had tried to find her but he couldn't. Every day he looked for her but never found her. Today had been no difference at first. However, he had seen a crowd gathered around the Eiffel tower. Curiosity got the better of him and he walked over. He regretted it. Lying on the floor and in a puddle of blood was Juleka. He screamed and broke through the crowd, rushing to her side. The police had grabbed him because he could reach her as he screamed her name. They took him aside and he told them who she was. That was six hours ago but as if that wasn't bad enough, he got even worse news. The hospital had declared Anarka dead and switched her off life support. In less then a week, he had gone from having a loving family to losing everyone. His mother and sister were dead and his father was locked away in a secure prison after been arrested for terrorism. Luka didn't understand it. Jagged wasn't a perfect man but he was definitely not a terrorist. He was a rockstar for crying out loud or at least that what he believed... but apparently, he was the man who was the supervillain Hawkmoth. Luka didn't want to admit it. He really didn't but the evidence was there and Jagged had admitted it himself. As a result, Luka lost everything. His friends turned their backs on him, saying they couldn't be friends with the son of a supervillain and his grandfather, the only living relative he had left, refused to adopt him for the same reason after his mother's death. It's how he ended up here with Juleka but part of him wondered that if Jagged been the supervillain was part of the reason why Juleka killed herself, though she insisted he wasn't. Either way, it didn't matter anymore. Nothing mattered anymore. It didn't matter that he was eighteen in a month's time or that he was alone. It didn't matter that his friends were gone and he had no family. Nothing mattered anymore and it would never matter again. Someone knocked on the door as he continued to stare. It opened and a woman walked in, frowning a little as she saw him. She didn't want him there but he had no where else to go. However, seeing him just staring with tear stains on his cheeks made her heart hurt a little. He didn't even acknowledge her as she walked over, holding a parcel.

  "Luka..." She stated, hoping for some reaction. Nothing. He didn't even blink. He just stared at the wall. He hadn't eaten or moved from that spot since he got brought back by the police. "You have a parcel..."

  Again, nothing so she sighed and put it on his bed before walking out and closing the door behind her. Luka slowly moved his head and looked over at it before picking it up. He tore off the paper and opened it, revealing two hexagon shaped boxes. Once again, curiosity got the better of him and he opened one of them, causing a purple ball of light to appear. He dropped the box as he stared at it before it formed a small butterfly like creature. He glanced down at the box and picked it up, seeing a butterfly shaped brooch inside. He looked up at the little creature and blinked.

"What are you?" He asked in an emotionless voice.

  "My name is Nooroo," It replied quietly. "I'm the kwami of transmission and I grant the power to create superpowered heroes..."

  "Heroes," Luka stated bitterly. "There are no heroes,"

  Nooroo looked at him as he put the box on the side and went back to staring at the wall.

  "M-Master?" He asked, causing Luka to glance at him. "A-Are you ok?"

  Luka blinked in surprise. No one had asked him that. Not when his father got arrested, not when his mother fell ill or when his sister killed herself. No one cared about him but this little creature was asking. He sat up and cupped him in his hands.

  "No... I'm not ok, Nooroo," He answered as his eyes filled with tears. "But thank you for asking me. You're the only person who has... and please don't call me Master. My name is Luka,"

  "Luka..." Nooroo repeated before gasping. "As in Luka Couffaine?!"

  "You... know me?" Luka asked, confused. Nooroo nodded. "How do you know me?"

  "You were Silencer, Truth and Viperion," He answered, making Luka blink. Silencer, Truth and Viperion.... why didn't they sound so familiar? "My old master Hawkmoth made you into Silencer and Truth... which I'm sorry about,"

  "My father made me into them?! What about Viperion?" He asked, wondering if this could get any worst. However, Nooroo looked confused. "Nooroo?"

  "Viperion was your hero name... but Gabriel Agreste is your father?!" Nooroo gasped, surprising Luka as well as himself. He shouldn't have been able to say his name but he had been able to. Did that mean he was no longer under the Agreste family's control?

  "No... my father is Jagged Stone. He was arrested for been hawkmoth and admitted to it," He explained, shocking Nooroo, who began to mumble. "But... Nooroo, are you saying Jagged wasn't Hawkmoth?"

  "He wasn't Hawkmoth," Nooroo gasped. "Duusu can confirm that too,"

  "Duusu?" Luka asked before grabbing the other box and opening it. A blue light burst free and moved around before a peacock like creature appeared. It stretched and looked at him.

  "Hello, new master!" It chirped, making Luka blink. "I'm Duusu, the kwami of emotion!! I can grant the power to make senticreatures!!"

  "Ok but I need to know something," He stated, making Duusu blink at him. "Who was Hawkmoth?"

  "Oh, well that was Gabriel Agreste and his assistant, Nathalie, was my master. She became Mayura. Oh and Hawkmoth became Shadow Moth when he merged me and Nooroo!"

  "... My father is innocent!" Luka gasped, standing up. "We can clear his name and I can live with him!"

  "Luka," Nooroo stated, making Luka look at him. "We can't,"

  "Why not?"

  "Because he admitted it," Nooroo explained, causing Luka to stare at him. 

  "But you can tell them he isn't!" He gasped before frowning as Nooroo and Duusu looked guilty. Like they knew something he didn't. "Nooroo? Duusu? What aren't you telling me?"

  "Something doesn't feel right," Duusu whispered, looking around fearfully. "This world feels..."

  "Wrong," Nooroo added in, making Luka frown before he fluttered over and lifted Luka's wrist. "You're not wearing your miraculous..."

  "My what?"

  "The snake miraculous. It was entrusted to you by Ladybug," Nooroo replied, making Luka frown. What is a miraculous? And who is Ladybug? "You... don't know what I mean do you?"

  "I don't..." Luka replied, frowning. "Who is Ladybug? What's a miraculous?"

  Nooroo sighed and turned to Duusu, who was playing with their flippers.

  "It must be the wish..." She gasped, worried. "But surely, Hawkmoth didn't win? I'm sure he was defeated,"

  "Gabriel was... maybe someone else made a wish...." Nooroo gasped, looking down before shaking his head. "We need to restore his memories,"

  "My memories?" Luka asked but before he could say something else, Nooroo and Duusu flew over to him and placed their hands on the side of his head. His eyes glazed over in purple as his mind began to flood with images. He reminded his time as Viperion, as Truth and as Silencer. He reminded his mother's akumatization and his sister's. He remembered Heroes day and seeing Hawkmoth on TV. And that was definitely not his father. His mind filled with all of the experiences he had forgotten. Kitty Sections, Been a hero, Miracle Queen, playing his violin in front of a crowd, making friends with Kagami and Marc and Marinette. He had forgotten Marinette. Tears filled his eyes as he remembered the love he held for her and how she loved him but then a new memory surfaced and it was the worst. Rage filled him as he saw Adrien Agreste overpower Ladybug and take her earrings, revealing Marinette. He broke free from the akuma and when to reset his timer but the akuma grabbed him as Adrien stated that he could fix the world now, his mother would be ok and his father would be free from been Hawkmoth. He had the nerve to smile as he said they could finally be a family again and that he and his lady would be together forever. Marinette begged him not to but Adrien ignored her, stating he would take away all of her burdens. They could finally be together like they were meant to be... but she was with Luka. She was his girlfriend and Adrien intended to steal her but worst then that, he intended to make a wish to bring his mother back and to free his father from been hawkmoth. Marinette begged him still, telling him a price would be paid but then Adrien said something that hurt everyone. He stated that he didn't care. Luka screamed as he watched Adrien combine the two miraculous and make his wish before a light engulfed him and everyone in the room. He gasped as Nooroo and Duusu pulled away, tears rolling down his cheek. "He... Adrien... He betrayed us..."

  He let out a scream and just began to destroy almost everything in his path, trashing the room before he finally sunk down to his knees and sobbed. Nooroo and Duusu flew over, hugging him.

  "H-His wish... it was for his mother, his father and for Marinette to forget wasn't it?" He asked, looking up at them as they nodded. "Is that why my mother is dead, my father in jail and my sister driven mad from memories of the real world?"

  "I'm afraid so," Nooroo replied, looking down. "A price must be paid for the wish to come true... Adrien got his family back but you lost yours,"

  Luka shook from the tears and anger before he stood up, making the two kwamis look at him.

  "Can it be undone?" He asked in a cold voice. Nooroo slowly nodded. "How?"

  "You would need the miraculous of the ladybug and the black cat. The kwamis could reverse the wish and restore the world to just before it was made," He explained, making Luka nod. "But we don't know where it is. They're properly with the guardian who may or may not be in Paris. That's why Hawkmoth created supervillains. He wanted to force them out,"

  "Then we'll do the same," Luka declared, making Nooroo and Duusu gasp before he looked at them. "But I won't force you... I'm not Hawkmoth,"

  Duusu looked at Nooroo, who bit his lip. Part of him didn't want to be used by a villain again but they could also fix the world back to how it was. It wasn't fair that Luka lost everything so Adrien could regain what he had lost. That was cruel and not a solution. It was just passing on his pain to someone else.

  "We will help you..." Nooroo declared, making Luka nod and whisper thank you. "But what about Adrien?"

  "Well... it will take awhile to get the miraculous right?" Luka asked, smirking as they nodded. "Then I'll use that time to torment him. This is his fault after all,"

  He picked up the pins and put them on.

  "Now... how do I transform?"

  Six Month Later

  "Don't be bemused, it's just the news," Nadja Chamack stated as she smiled at the camera. She was stood outside of a parade celebrating one year of been free from Hawkmoth. "It's been exactly one year since Jagged Stone was arrested and found guilty of been Hawkmoth and since our heroes retired. Earlier in the week, a fluke happened where Miss Bourgeois once again somehow ended up Akumatized but this seems to be a one time thing. Experts have theorized that it might have been a stray akuma that Hawkmoth left behind but luckily new heroes Harlequin and Kuro Neko turned up and saved the day. However, one does wonder what happened to the original Ladybug and Chat Noir-"

  A huge roar suddenly echoed, cutting her off before a beast of a creature landed on the balloon of Ladybug, making Nadja and the film crew look over. It resembled a giant snake that seemed to be themed around the snake hero.

  "Um is this part of the parade?" She asked as the figure jumped down from it and stood up straight. He didn't look like part of the show either. He was tall and had a blue hooded cape that faded into peacock green. It also resembled a peacock's tail. Under his hood, Nadja could make out blue and purple hair. His skin was a cold shade of blue and he wore a purple and black butterfly mask. His shirt was a dark purple and his waistcoat was a lighter purple that resembled butterfly wings. His pants were a midnight blue and his boots were black combat boots. His eyes were the worst though. They were pink with lilac  sclera but they were completely void like he had no soul. In his hand was a cane and attached to his hip was a feathered fan. He spun his cane down as his cape flapped in the wind.

  "People of Paris!! Listen carefully!! Queen Wasp wasn't a fluke or a stray akuma from Hawkmoth! She was merely a test run for me!" He shouted, causing everyone to film him. "I am Aglais, Hawkmoth's successor!! Harlequin, Kuro Neko! Give me your miraculous and bring me Adrien Agreste! Do this and I'll ensure the safety of Paris! You have five minutes to give into my demands or I'll make Paris wish they only had to deal with Hawkmoth again,"

  "Nadja Chamack here and first on the scene! A new supervillain calling himself has just turned up, threatening Paris if the miraculous of the ladybug and black cat aren't delivered to him, along with teenage heartthrob Adrien Agreste!" She gasped as Aglais stroked the snake's neck. He knew five minutes wasn't enough time and he knew that the heroes wouldn't give in to his demands but that was the point. He smirked as the two heroes landed on the building opposite as the cameras filmed.

  "No Agreste I see!" He shouted back as the two heroes jumped over to him. "Pity. I didn't want to terrorize anyone,"

  "Surrender your miraculous and you won't have to," Harlequin stated, holding out his hand. "You don't have to do this,"

  "Cute," He chuckled, smirking. "But I do. Agreste needs to pay for his misdeeds. Basilisk, you know what to do,"

  The snake hissed and jumped over the heroes, making them look at it as it fell to the ground. Kuro Neko rolled her eyes as they turned to the villain.

  "Your pet just killed itself," She stated, making Aglais smile a little. "You lost your advantage,"

  "Did I?" He asked, tilting his head to the side as they heard a cracking noise. "Unlike my predecessor, I have a much more creativity mind. Did you know senticreatures can grow and evolve?"

  "Senticreatures?" Kuro Neko asked before her eyes flicked down to his brooches. She gasped and turned back to Basilisk who had been growing and reforming. "He has the peacock miraculous!"

  People began to scream as Basilisk tripled in size, roaring out.

  "A sentimonster!" Harlequin gasped.

  "No, it's a senticreature," Aglais corrected, making them growl. "And the nightmare is just beginning!! Hydra! Attack!!"

  Hydra growled and began to fire beams at people, freezing them in place and causing more people to panic and scream as Aglais laughed like a maniac. The two heroes jumped down and started to fight it. They managed to cut off it's head but to their horror, two more grew back, allowing it to attack them and freeze more people.

  "Another interesting fact! I can create more than one senticreature. Monarch!!! Come to me!!" He declared as a large butterfly flew over. He jumped up and landed on it. "You see... while I planned all of this, I made sure to learn all that I could about my miraculous. Something Hawkmoth didn't do. And as a result, I learnt how to do things he couldn't! Such as creating a swarm of akumas!!"

  "What?!" Harlequin gasped as Aglais lifted his cane, causing a humming sound to echo before a swarm of akumas descended on them and the crowd. They entered items of the frozen victims and panicked people, turning them into villains.

  "Capture the heroes!" He ordered, causing the villains and Hydra rushed at them. Aglais smirked as the heroes to fight them. With them distracted, he directed his butterfly over to one of the tv stations helicopters. He stepped inside and smirking as the passagers shook in fear. "Now for the one person who can get me what I want! Come here!!!"

  He roughly grabbed the camera man as he filmed and smirked at it.

  "Agreste!! Calling Adrien Agreste!!!" He laughed, holding him. "I know you're watching, Adrien so I have a deal for you! Meet me where it all began and I'll spare Paris!! You have six hours to do this and if you don't.... well, I think you can imagine what I'm gonna do to Paris if you refuse my demands. Oh and bring Marinette with you!! She deserves to know what kind of monster she is with! See you soon, Kitty Cat!!!"

  He shoved the camera man back against the seat and jumped back on his butterfly before it flew off with him looking down at the battle. Harlequin and Kuro Neko were doing well but he couldn't let them win. He opened the connection with a sentimonster as he stared at them.

  "Rosier, time to grow," He ordered, causing a number of vines to suddenly burst through the roads, wrapping around anyone that wasn't akumatized. A number of large flowers appeared and began to shake, creating a pink smog to appear. Those who weren't akumatized or captured began to fall down asleep, including the heroes. More vines and flowers burst through, wrapping around the heroes and dragging them inside two large roses. The petals wrapped around them and pulled them underground as Aglais smirked. "Capture Adrien's friends as well. I want him to know what he did,"

  Rosier grew more large roses before capturing the rest of Miss Bustier's class, dragging them underground as well. With the parade in chaos, supervillains running around and the heroes captured, Aglais laughed and opened a connection to every villain he had created.

  "Descend on Agreste manor!" He declared, pointing his cane in his direction. The arm of villains headed towards there with Hydra following as Aglais placed his cane onto his back and moved so he was sat on the butterfly, flying it towards the manor. It was where it all began after all.

  ~Adrien's POV~

  "Are you sure about this Adrien?" Marinette asked as he walked into the manor. He turned to her and gave her a soft smile. "We shouldn't give in to a villain's demands,"

  "It will be ok, mi'lady," He stated, taking her hand in his. "I promise. Remember me and you against the world,"

  "Of course," She smiled, having no idea what that once meant to her. Now it was just part of her relationship with Adrien. She linked their fingers and followed him inside. The two of them walked through the empty manor. Adrien couldn't help but worry for his father and mother as they had lived there, meaning that they were in direct danger. He let go of Marinette's hand and rushed to his father's office, pushing open the doors. He was hoping to that his father was in there, designing with his mother but he wasn't. Marinette caught up to him before placing her hand on his shoulder as he began to release the seriousness of the situation. He glanced over to his mother's portrait and gasped as he saw a massive hole in where Hawkmoth's secret lift was. He walked over to it, followed by Marinette and saw a staircase made from vines going down into darkness. Taking a deep breathe, the two of them walked down into the butterfly garden. Marinette gasped as she looked around. It made sense that this garden belonged to Hawkmoth but why was it underneath Agreste Manor? That made no sense. "Adrien, where are we?"

  "Father's butterfly garden," He replied, looking around. He had hope that he would never find himself here again. It was a place that he never wanted to see again but it was almost exactly the same as the last time he saw it. Only this time instead of one casket in the middle, there was two and there were huge roses and vines everywhere. Adrien frowned and subconsciously stroked his ring, wishing he had kept his miraculous now. A hissing noise made him and Marinette gasp as Hydra came out from the shadows before Monarch fluttered down towards the caskets. Marinette instantly grabbed onto his arm as a number of akumatized villains walked out of the shadows before a black rose burst from the ground and opened up, revealing Aglais sat on it like a throne. "I'm here so let my family go,"

  "All in good time, Adrien," Aglais replied, standing up. Vines moved over and turned into stairs as he walked down them. "But first... let's catch up,"

  "Catch up?" Adrien asked, confused. He didn't know this villain. "Why would I want to catch up with you? I don't even know you,"

  "Oh but you do," Aglais replied, walking over to them. "You and I go way back, Adrien. In fact, we use to be on the same side... until you decided to betray everyone,"

  "I.. I don't know what you're talking about," He answered, failing to notice the vine slipping around his ankle and getting closer to his wrists. "And I don't know you! I don't get what you want with me. I haven't done anything to you!"

  "You haven't done anything to me?" Aglais repeated, making Adrien look at him in slightly annoyance before Aglais began to laugh. "Adrien, Adrien... if only that was true..."

  "What?" Adrien gasped, not expecting that answer. "I'm not lying! I didn't do anything-"

  "You are the reason why my family are gone!" Aglais suddenly roared, causing the vines to suddenly wrap around Adrien like a snake. Marinette gasped and stepped back in fear as they tightened around him, cutting into him and causing him to gasp in pain. "Painful, isn't it Adrien? Well, that is nothing compared to the pain you have caused me,"

  A vine moved down to Aglais, causing him to stroke it.

  "Do you know what it's like to lose the people you love?" He asked, glancing over to him before Adrien cried out in pain. Physically, he wasn't injured but it felt like someone had reached into his chest and tore out his heart before crushing it. "It felt like that, Adrien and it was all because of you!"

  "How did I-"

  "You took everything from me when you made that damn wish!" Aglais screamed, shocking Adrien. No one should have known about that wish apart from him. "That's right, Kitty Cat. I remember the world before this one,"

  "H-How?"

  "Nooroo and Duusu restored my memories," He replied, walking over to him. "But... I am nothing but a fair man so I will give you a chance to prove to me that you don't deserve to be punished. I will ask you two questions and you answer them..."

  "Fine. I'll answer your questions but you have to answer mine too," Adrien replied, making Aglais smile coldly.

  "I forgot how much the little kitty likes to play with his games," He teased. "But very well, I'll play your game. We both get two questions. If you answer mine correctly and I'll let your family go,"

  "You will?" Adrien asked, hoping to distract him until Ladybug and Chat Noir got there. It was one of the things about this new world that he was beginning to regret. When he shaped it, he gave the miraculous to someone else. He thought they would never appear again because there was no hawkmoth in this world. Well, Hawkmoth had existed but he had made sure his father didn't get arrested for it. Aglais chuckled and pressed his cane against Adrien's neck. The expression on his face was unreadable as Adrien nervously looked around.

  "How cute.... You think Harlequin and Kuro Neko will save you?" He asked, smirking. "They won't. I already captured them,"

  Two giant roses burst from the ground and unwrapped showing the two heroes asleep inside. Adrien frowned to himself. That wasn't suppose to happen.

  "They weren't the same as the originals," Aglais sighed. "First question...

  "Wait what do I get if you answer my questions correctly,"

  "My real identity," He grinned, making Adrien frown. "So did you know about the price when you made the wish?"

  "I... I didn't..." Adrien lied, causing Aglais to narrow his eyes. He wouldn't know he was lying... right? "I swear I had no idea,"

  "Liar," He snarled, clicking his fingers. The vines tightened, cutting into his skin and causing him to scream and gasp for more air. Marinette gasped in fear as she watched but made no move to help him. Adrien, however, just assumed she was scared. "Really, Adrien. I knew you were dumb but you should know better then to lie to an empath,"

  "E-Empath?!" He gasped, making him chuckle. "You're an empath?"

  "A natural gift but it's amplified by my miraculous," Aglais replied, flicking the butterfly lightly. "Now for question number two and don't lie this time..."

  "Wait but I didn't ask my first question!"

  "Actually you just did," Aglais replied, smirking. "Now for my second question... did you think of anyone but yourself when you decide to make the wish?"

  "I t-thought about my family and mi'lady," He replied, making Aglais narrow his eyes again. "I'm telling the truth!"

  "I know," He replied before hitting him with his cane. Adrien coughed up blood from the hit. "You are a selfish bastard, Agreste. You only thought of yourself and your family. You didn't think about what Ladybug wanted or what price would be paid. You didn't care that she didn't love you or want to be with you. You had to erase her memory just to make her love you but that's not even the worst thing you did. No, the worst part is you took everything from me! The girl I love, my mother, my father and my sister! All of my friends turned against me. My own grandfather wants nothing to do with me and it's all because of you! All of my pain can be traced back to you!!"

  He stopped shouting and smoothed down his waistcoat.

  "Looks like I win the game," He muttered, making Adrien gasp. "Now for your punishment,"

  "Wait!!" Adrien gasped, making him look at him. "I still have a question! How did my wish affect you?!"

  "You really want to know?" Aglais asked, glaring at him. Adrien nodded. He knew about the price but he thought it would affect some random person on the other side of the world. Not someone in Paris. Part of him began to wonder if he knew who Aglais really was. The only person he could think could be him was Luka since his sister had killed herself recently but it couldn't be because of him and his wish. "Fine. I'll tell you. You wished for your mother to wake up so someone's mother had to go in a coma instead! And guess who's mother it was?! Mine! Of course then you wished for your father to be free from been Hawkmoth?! So my father took his place! He's in a secure prison for a crime he never did! And the last part of your wish? The part where you wished for your lady to forget everything but you so she would only love you! Well, someone else had to remember and that someone was my sister! It drove her mad, Adrien. It drove so mad that she threw herself of the Eiffel tower!! Because she couldn't deal with the burden of knowing that this world wasn't natural!"

  Adrien was speechless. He had no idea that his wish would cause this but Aglais wasn't done.

  "I remember how Ladybug begged you not to do it but you did anyway. You betrayed her and you betrayed me!" He snarled, making Adrien look at him. "I really believed you were my friend and instead you steal my girl, my life and my family! You are responsible for the pain I have suffered in this world and all because you decided to make a wish at the expense of others. You must be so proud of yourself, Adrien,"

  "I did it for my family!" He screamed suddenly, causing Marinette to gasp in shock. "I did it for her and if you were in my position, you would do the same thing! That's exactly what you're gonna do!"

  "Oh, no, Adrien. I'm going to make a wish," Aglais replied, smirking. "I am going to undo it but first... I just want you to know that your little life isn't perfect,"

  He held out his hand, causing Marinette to walk over to him. She took his hand and he smiled at her. 

  "She... you..." Adrien gasped in surprise. "She has been working with you?!"

  "No, Adrien..." He replied as another rose burst through the ground and opened, revealing the real Marinette asleep inside. She looked so peaceful as she slept. "I got to her months ago, Adrien and replaced her with Nettie here. She was the first senticreature I created when I got my miraculous,"

  Nettie looked over at him with an emotionless expression.

  "And you didn't even notice," He stated, making Adrien blink. "So much for loving your lady hm?"

  "You bastard!"

  "Yes but only because you made me this way," He replied, turning on his heel and walking over. "Now it's time to undo all of this... I hope you enjoyed what little freedom you had, Adrien, because it is over now,"

  He plucked the ring and earrings from Harlequin and Kuro Neko, turning them back into Kagami and Marc before he walked into the centre and put on their miraculous, causing Tikki and Plagg to manifest. Adrien flinched as Plagg glared at him with hatred before turning to Aglais.

  "The wish comes-" Tikki started but he shook his head.

  "No, I don't want to make a wish," He stated, making her blink. "I want to undo it. I have gathered everyone who was there when it made and we're in the same place where it originally happened.... so please... undo it..."

  "If that's what you want," Plagg replied before the two of them spun around together and merged, becoming one kwami. It had three eyes and was black and white in coloring.

  "I am Null," It stated. "Tell me your wish,"

  "I don't wish for anything," He stated, causing Null to stare at him. "Instead, I ask you to undo Adrien's wish..."

  "Is that what you want?"

  "Yes," Aglais answered, nodding.

  "Very well," Null replied before glowing. Adrien screamed as the light consumed him and fell forward as he dropped the two miraculous. Marinette was reaching out to him, along with the other miraculous holders but they were completely still, like time wasn't moving. Aglais was gone and Viperion stood in his place, looking angry. All of them looked black and white before Null finally appeared in front of him. "Your wish has been undone,"

  "No! Please!" He gasped but Null disappeared and everyone began to move again. He looked up at Marinette as she moved over to him. He went to say something but to his surprise, she punched him and grabbed the miraculous from him as Viperion freed himself from the akuma and grabbed his arms, restraining him. "No! Let me go!"

  "How dare you betray me like that?!" She screamed, tears in her eyes. "How dare you?!"

  "I was just trying to save my family!" He screamed back but his mind flashed back to the previous world. "I didn't know it would cause so much pain! I'm sorry!"

  Marinette narrowed her eyes.

  "Sorry isn't good enough," She declared, ripping the butterfly miraculous of him as well. "As guardian of the miraculous, I hereby revoke the miraculous of the black cat and the butterfly from you,"

  "No! Please, mi'lady!" He cried, begging her. "I did it for us!"

  "There is no us!" She screamed, making him blink in surprise. "There never was! I never loved you and I never will! I'm with Luka! Not you!!"

  "B-But we're-" She punched him, knocking him out before he could say anything more. When he woke up, he found himself in a small cell. However, small rose vines appeared in the walls, making him gasp before a butterfly appeared in his cuffs.

  "Hello, Adrien..." Aglais' voice muttered, making his blood run cold before nothing but pain raided his body. His nightmare wasn't over yet. In fact, it never would be. Not for him.

[quicksilversquared]

The Substitute Ladybug: Chapter 8

After Lila takes things too far and Marinette ends up with a broken leg, Paris is going to have to deal with a different superhero arrangement for a bit. Having to share her superhero identity with her parents before Hawkmoth can be defeated isn’t something that Marinette had planned on doing, but- well, it might end up being a bit of a blessing in disguise.

links in the reblog

Marinette had gotten as far as the gate in front of the Agreste mansion when she realized that, like her house, Adrien's place had stairs. Unlike the Dupain-Cheng household, the mansion didn't have any sort of lifts on the stairs, or an elevator like the school.

She hadn't remembered to consider that. Really, she should have, and then she should have talked to Adrien about it before school let out for the day to figure out what he wanted her to do.

Worrying her lip, Marinette step-hopped forward through the gates as they swung open. She could probably figure out the steps- she had been working on it during her physical therapy, it was just that normally she had people behind her to steady her- or just scoot herself up the stairs on her rear, but neither seemed like particularly good ideas. The first sounded dangerous, and the second-

Well, Mr. Agreste was all about appearances, and scooting up the stairs on her butt wasn't exactly a good appearance. And after it had taken so long for Adrien to get permission to have Marinette over in the first place, she didn't want to do anything that would get her immediately booted out.

With a deep breath, Marinette readied herself to go up the steps. She had only just gotten herself in position to start hopping her way up, though, when two large hands grabbed her shoulders and lifted. Before Marinette could figure out what was going on, she was being carried up the front steps and through the front door as it smoothly swung open. The carrier- it had to be the Gorilla, based both on the size of the hands and the height at which she was being unceremoniously carried- continued forward at an unchanging pace, all the way up the set of stairs in the entryway and right to the door of Adrien's room, where they came to an abrupt halt.

Marinette didn't doubt that if Adrien hadn't been standing in front of his door, cringing as he took in the sight of her getting hauled in by her shoulders, that the Gorilla would have continued straight into his room without missing a beat.

And then Marinette found herself scrambling to get her feet under herself as the Gorilla set her back down, just as abruptly as he had picked her up. He lingered long enough to make sure that she wouldn't fall over, then headed off without a word.

"I am so, so sorry," Adrien murmured as he opened the door to his room, standing back to give her plenty of room to get by. "I mentioned that you might have trouble getting up the stairs, so- well, I was trying to ask about if we have any elevators or ground-level entrances, honestly, but. Uh. He just decided to do that, apparently."

Marinette giggled, unable to help finding it funny now that she wasn't being taken off guard and manhandled up the stairs. "He decided to interpret that as him needing to be a human elevator, apparently. I would have preferred a heads-up, sure, but I know he was just trying to help."

"I think he forgot that even if I'm used to him picking me up and moving me around without warning, not everyone is," Adrien said with a sigh. He stepped around Marinette, pulling out a chair for her so that she could sit down. "Really, I'm sorry about that. We can find some other way for you to get back down the stairs later on."

"It's fine," Marinette insisted. She sat down, scooting up to Adrien's desk. "So, what are we doing first- photos or schoolwork?"

"We should probably at least get out our homework," Adrien admitted. "And get started on it. That way, if Nathalie sticks her head in, we can claim that we've been working on it the whole time. Or that we're just taking a quick break from studying."

Somehow, Marinette doubted that Nathalie would fall for that. Whether or not she would let it slide, though, was another matter. Sometimes it seemed like she was willing to help and cover for Adrien, while other times she ratted him out and interfered with Adrien's attempts to get together with his friends. Which way she went seemed to depend on the day.

How Adrien put up with that, Marinette just didn't know. Having to be around adults who blew hot or cold at random had to be super hard.

It didn't take long for them to set up their things, and sure enough, Marinette heard the quiet click of a door as they started work, giving away that someone- Nathalie, probably- had just poked her head in to make sure that they were actually working. Adrien glanced over at the door at the same time, and Marinette knew that he must have heard it as well.

And she had thought that her parents were nosy. At least they wouldn't care if they were actually doing homework or not.

"We should definitely try to study together more often," Adrien said appreciatively as they worked their way through their science and math homework. "It goes really fast with both of us. If I had to work through these problems on my own, I think it would probably take twice as long."

Marinette smiled and nodded. She had been about to say the same, honestly. When she and Adrien hit a snag with a concept that they weren't quite getting, they would either both toss ideas back and forth until they had figured out what they were messing up, or they would dive into their books and onto the computer to find something that explained the concept better if they really had no idea where to start. They hadn't really worked together that much before, so the ease with which they clicked and worked as a team was- well, a little surprising.

Surprising, but definitely not a bad thing. If they were really productive, then hopefully Nathalie would let them hang out together more often, without so much hassle.

"Okay, we have probably fifteen minutes before Nathalie checks in again," Adrien murmured seconds after they heard the third click of their study session. He paused, listening closely, then pushed his chair across the floor to grab a small photo album that had been tucked alongside his desk. "So my mom made this photo album. It's a secret from my father, technically. It's all of the photos that he hates, for whatever reason, but my mom thought were cute or funny."

Marinette's eyes got wide. That- that sounded like the kind of this that Mr. Agreste would probably destroy, if he found out that the album existed. "And it's not been- well, destroyed or anything?"

"No, I keep it hidden. And I have digital copies, in case anything ever happens to it. I don't think my dad would mess with it, though. My mom thought it was cute, and he-" Adrien paused, swallowing. "I don't want to think that he would destroy anything that she liked so much. But it's better safe than sorry with him, honestly." He took a moment, then scooted back to Marinette's side. "There's- uh, okay, there's a lot of baby photos in here, honestly. Just ignore that. But further along..." He flipped through the pages, and Marinette had to restrain herself from trying to catch a peek of what Baby Adrien (or Toddler Adrien) had looked like. If he wanted her to know, then he wouldn't be flipping through so fast. "Aha! Here's the toga."

Marinette took one look and had to clap a hand over her mouth to keep from bursting out with laughter. "Oh my god. That- how did you not trip over that?"

"Okay, the first iteration left something to be desired," Adrien admitted. "To be fair, I was nine, and I had no idea how togas were meant to work. And the sheets on my bed- well, I have a big bed. And I wasn't a particularly big nine-year-old."

"The first iteration?" Marinette asked, puzzled. She frowned. "I thought your father would have put a stop to it."

"He tried, but it wasn't like I was just dressing up for fun," Adrien told her. "My mom pointed out that I had a reason for it, and then she got me a smaller bedsheet and looked up how to tie a toga. And she had access to safety pins and everything, so..."

He turned the page, and- oh, that wasn't fair. How did Adrien look so good while wearing- well, just a bedsheet with a belt around it?

"If Father had taken any longer to make cast-friendly pants, my mom and I were planning on ordering some kilts in my size," Adrien told Marinette. "Not for wearing out, necessarily, but to bug Father a bit." He laughed. "I kind of regret that I didn't get to do that, actually. I would have loved trying on a kilt."

...well, now Marinette wanted to make him one. It would be an interesting experience, and maybe she would learn some skills that she hadn't really dealt with before. But that also ran a very real risk of ticking Gabriel Agreste off, and considering that she had already ticked Audrey Bourgeois off this year...

Maybe that was a project for another time. Or at the very least, a project that could not be shown off beyond the confines of her house.

"Maybe Father got mad, but when Mom was here and made sure that he wasn't taking it out on me, it was fun," Adrien told her. "He might huff and puff but there wouldn't be any consequences."

Unlike there would be now went unsaid. Marinette had to wince on his behalf, because that had to be an unpleasant change to get used to.

"Anyway, there were a couple days of togas, and then I had my new cast-friendly pants to wear," Adrien finished, flipping the page. It was another page of him posing in different togas, each made up slightly differently. There were different belts, then a couple brooches to hold the toga together, then a deep red one that was clearly not meant to be worn out, considering that the back dragged out like a royal cape. "But it was fun while it lasted, and it was probably- no, definitely- the best part of having a broken leg."

"There's not much good about being on crutches," Marinette agreed. "I mean, Lila's gone, so that's good. But if I could have just, like, sprained my ankle and gotten a few bruises instead but gotten the same results, that would have been so much better."

Adrien grinned, clearly about to respond, but a noise near the door had them scrambling to hide the photo album and turn back to their books before they could be caught. When they heard the telltale click a minute later, they exchanged conspiratorial glances. Adrien's was tinged with an impish smile, and Marinette was sure that she was no better.

Being around Adrien like this was fun. Marinette had gotten tastes of it before, of course- it was hardly as though she and Adrien never hung out together by themselves- but it had never quite been this side of him, impish and rule-bending and all poorly-concealed grins and twinkling eyes and muffled laughter.

And Marinette wanted to see it more. It was easy to be relaxed around Adrien when he was like this. They could joke around and just hang out and not be thinking too much.

Or maybe she was just more relaxed because she wasn't thinking about asking him out. That had been her mom's theory when they had been discussing Marinette's crush and how it was going a few evenings back, and Marinette had to admit that she made a good point.

(Also, her mom seemed to know a lot more about Marinette's attempts to ask Adrien out than Marinette remembered telling. She suspected that Tikki might be telling her a lot, which- well, normally Marinette would be mad about that, but honestly, Alya could have told them just as much.)

They had brought up another very good point when they said that it might not be the best idea to date while she was still fighting Hawkmoth and Mayura. Apparently her parents had heard quite a bit from Alya complaining about Marinette missing out ("forgetting") on things that they had planned, and translating that to a dating setting...

Well, it wouldn't be a good idea with anyone. And with Adrien, who was already regularly let down by his father promising to show up to things and then simply not bothering- well, it would be borderline cruel, even if she didn't mean to leave him on his own.

Focusing strictly on being friends for the time being would definitely be better, Marinette decided as she re-focused on her work. Next to her, Adrien was tapping a faint beat on his notebook with the end of his pencil as he focused on the next question. She didn't want to lose Adrien's friendship because of her duties as Ladybug pulling her away unexpectedly. Once Hawkmoth was defeated- well, then she would have the time to dedicate to a relationship.

  Marinette glanced over at her phone as it let out the oh-so-familiar chirp signaling an akuma attack, then up at her teacher. Ms. Bustier didn't appear to have heard (though maybe she was just choosing to ignore it, considering how many students had that alert on all the time), so Marinette slipped her phone out of her purse and checked the update.

Oh. That- that looked like a difficult akuma. It was flitting back and forth quick as lightning, too fast to spot anything on it that might be the akumatized item.

It would be hard to fight that, even with Second Chance. She just couldn't give out instructions fast enough to keep ahead of the akuma. Marinette puzzled over that for a second, then quickly excused herself to the bathroom and made a break for it, hopping to a supply closet in the hallway instead. One transformation and a Portal later, and Marinette was back at her house.

"Are you getting more Miraculous?" Sass asked as Marinette hopped across her temporary room to the box where she had hidden the Miracle Box. Kaalki was perched on her shoulder, inhaling a quick snack to recharge, and didn't seem at all bothered. "Or are just fighting from here instead of the closet because it's nicer?"

"I want another Miraculous," Marinette told him, pulling the box out. "I thought that the Bee might be a good choice. And- well, I'm not sure if I should give it to Chat Noir or to my mom. In theory, we'll only need one Sting. And if I give it to Chat Noir and he misses, we have Second Chance. But if my mom gets it..." She frowned, pausing with her hand hovering over the Bee's comb. "Actually, Sass, would giving my mom a second Miraculous be a good idea? Master Fu didn't tell us about the fusions right away, so is it not a good idea to have newer Miraculous holders fuse like that?"

"Yeah, it's- well, sometimes it's fine, but new users do have a tendency to tire more easily with fusions," Sass told her. "They're not as acclimated to the magic, and for it to double and for the powers to be used multiple times..."

Marinette winced. "We'll have Chat Bee again, then. I don't want to risk my mom falling ill."

Sass smiled. "That's probably wise."

With that decided, Marinette scooped up the comb and called for Kaalki. With a flash, she transformed, immediately grabbing her horseshoe to find where her mom was. Coccinelle was on the move, which would make catching her next to impossible, but Chat Noir was paused in one place, clearly waiting for instructing while staying a safe distance back from the akuma.

Well. She would just go to him, then. It would be nice to see Chat Noir in person again, even if- well, even if it was only going to be for a few seconds while she handed over the Miraculous.

"And that's a nice flat rooftop, too," Tianma murmured to herself, narrowing her eyes at her map one more time to make sure that she went to the right spot. "Okay, portal!"

The portal shimmered into being in front of her, and Tianma hopped forward on her Miraculous-provided crutches, making sure to jump high enough to clear the (thankfully low) threshold of the portal. She had barely landed when suddenly, her feet were off the ground once more.

"Bugaboo!" Chat Noir exclaimed in her ear, clearly delighted, and Tianma breathed a sigh of relief. He had startled her, but to be fair, she had returned the favor with the sudden unannounced portal popping out of nowhere behind him. "What are you doing out? Is your mom not coming? How's your leg? I didn't expect to see you today! How are you doing?"

"Slow down, kitty," Tianma ordered with a giggle. "My mom is coming, I just had to deliver the Bee. This akuma is super fast, and I think the only way for us to take them down fast is if we immobilize it. And my mom was already headed out when I made that decision, so I came. And my leg is- well, it's healing. Still."

"I wish it would heal faster," Chat Noir told the top of her head. "I mean, the short fights are great and all, and your mom is super cool and helpful, but it's not the same."

"I can't wait to get out again, either," Tianma admitted. "Being stuck at home and not being able to do everything that I'm used to- it sucks. And I have another three weeks before the cast comes off! Initially I had been hoping to have a lot shorter recovery time than more people because Tikki had said that the Miraculous makes us heal faster, but the doctor doesn't know that, so of course he's not going to look at my leg early." She had made that particular realization only a couple days ago, and- well, she still wasn't over it.

Marinette knew that the doctor had said six weeks, but she had really been hoping that Tikki would be able to get her recovery time down to, say, four and a half. Or five. Anything but six.

"Well, it's still going to help you get back out faster," Chat Noir told her, and Tianma pulled back enough to be able to look up at him in confusion. He raised an eyebrow at her. "Bugaboo, you know that just because the cast comes off, that doesn't automatically mean that you're 100% again, right? There's supposed to be several weeks of recovery afterwards, and the bone is still healing. If you didn't have Tikki's healing, you probably wouldn't be cleared to go back to normal physical activity again right away." He shrugged. "Or at least that was what I had happen when I fractured my leg as a kid. It sucked, and it- well, it was just super hard to remember that I still had to be careful after the cast came off."

Tianma's shoulders slumped. She- well, she had been counting down the days to when the cast would come off and she could go out as Ladybug again, but clearly she was being a bit too optimistic. "Oh."

"But like I said, Tikki should help with that part," Chat Noir added. "Maybe she can tell you more later?"

Tianma nodded. She would be questioning her kwami later on for sure. She didn't want to go forward with unrealistic expectations, so- well, she might as well find out sooner rather than later. "Yeah." She let out a long sigh and then, with a start, realized that- well, she hadn't just come out to chat with Chat Noir. She thrust the Bee's box at him. "Oh! Here's the Miraculous. Sass said that it would be better for you to do the combo- I thought maybe my mom could do it, so she would have multiple power uses, but Sass said that she's not used to the magic enough to do combos."

"Right, okay- Pollen, Plagg, combine!" Chat Noir called, and Tianma flinched at the bright flash of the transformation. He grinned at her- and oh, the jagged yellow stripes across his normal outfit would never stop being strange. "I'll do my best."

Tianma nodded, hopping back towards the portal. "Stay safe! And just send the Bee back with my mom. I don't want to have to recharge Kaalki an extra time."

"Of course." Chat Bee paused, then reached out for her, a light hand resting on her shoulder. "Hey, do- do you think we can hang out sometime? Like, for an evening? Not romantically or anything," he added hastily. "But I miss seeing you. It's not the same to just be hearing you."

Tianma didn't even have to consider that before she was nodding, completely on board with the idea. She missed Chat Noir, too, and- well, he was one of her best friends. They didn't get to hang out outside of the suit. "Maybe over the weekend? Not Friday or Saturday, because I don't want to disrupt your patrols with Coccinelle, but Sunday?"

Chat Noir nodded furiously. "Yeah! I'll bring some food- actually, you know what, I'll figure out the details with your mom," he said hastily when a loud explosion went off in the distance. "We've got an akuma to deal with. Back through the portal you go!"

With that, Chat Noir lent her a hand- or, rather, a paw- back through the portal into her room. It closed up behind her, and she detransformed and called on Sass.

"All right, down to business," Vipera announced, settling herself at her desk and getting set up as quickly as possible. She had spent far more time than she had planned with Chat Noir, and now she really had to get going if she wanted to be prepared for the battle.

Still, she smiled. Sunday couldn't come soon enough.

  Ladybug (or, rather, Horsebug) Portaled to their secluded rooftop five minutes early, hauling a backpack stuffed with pastries that her parents had packed for her, plus an entire quiche that her mom had made specifically for them. Unsurprisingly, Chat Noir was already there, spreading out a large blanket and fussing with making sure that it was just so.

"I brought more food," Ladybug announced, stumbling a little as she hopped though the portal. Chat Noir was by her side in an instant, steadying her and making sure that none of her weight landed on her bad leg. "And my mom made quiche, she said it's one of your favorites-"

"Ooh, she's the best!"

"I'll not ask how she knows it's one of your favorites," Ladybug added with a sigh as Chat Noir helped her sit down on the ground- or, well, on a pillow on the ground. She released Kaalki and beamed at the kwami in thanks before turning her attention to her partner. "It seems like she knows quite a bit."

Chat Noir winced at that. "I- yeah. I know I've maybe said too much to her about secret identity stuff, but it's just really easy to talk to her, you know? It's kind of like having a mom again- sorry, sorry, pretend I didn't say that bit," Chat Noir added hastily. "But it's nice to have a parental figure that actually listens, so maybe I talk a little more than I should."

...Ladybug was really glad that Tikki had mentioned that she and Chat Noir might be able to reveal their secret identities at some point soonish. If she hadn't- well, Ladybug would probably be panicking about the additional accidental information.

"Honestly, part of it might also just be that- well, what are the chances that she would actually know me?" Chat Noir asked. "Civilian me, that is. She's an adult, she wouldn't run in, like, the same social circles anyway."

"Except my mom known pretty much everyone I do," Ladybug reminded him. "She knows my classmates, she still recognizes my former classmates, she knows my friends from out of class, she even knows a lot of kids . She's not one of those adults that don't pay any attention to kids."

Chat Noir considered that. "...oh."

"I've told her that she needs to be more careful with what information she mentions to me," Ladybug told him, already hating the way his ears were starting to droop. If having an adult who would listen to him made that much of a difference to her partner- well, that could potentially save him from akumatization, couldn't it? That was super-important. "Because she was assuming at first that you and I talked about the same stuff, so she would just refer to it like common knowledge. So she's not going to accidentally tell me anything now. And..." Ladybug worried her lip for a moment, then forged on. "And she- she already knows my identity. She knows that she has to be careful to not get akumatized. If she figures out yours, too, I suppose it wouldn't be the end of the world. It would just be like how Master Fu knew about both of us, right?"

Chat Noir's entire being brightened, and Ladybug knew that she had made the right call. "I- right! Right, yeah, that- that was not the way I thought this conversation was going to go."

Ladybug had to laugh at that. "Honestly, me neither, but I know how much it's helped to be able to talk to my parents about everything in my life. I have Tikki, sure, but it's different, somehow. Tikki sometimes doesn't understand stuff in my normal life very well. And I don't think it's fair of me to deny you that."

Chat Noir pulled her into a wordless hug. Ladybug hugged him back, resting her cheek against his shoulder. She couldn't help but smile, completely content where she was.

"If I ever need to have a replacement Chat Noir, your parents would definitely be my go-to first choice," Chat Noir told her. "I mean, of course I'd rather be out there myself, but if I sprained my ankle really badly, or- heaven forbid- broke something- except I would have to know who they are, wouldn't I? There goes that idea."

"We could make it work," Ladybug told him. "I don't know how, but we could." She didn't mention Tikki's comment, not quite yet. It didn't seem like the time to.

Maybe once she returned to superheroing full-time then she could bring it up. Now, it just seemed too early and like she might be getting her partner's hopes up too early.

It didn't take long for them to settle down and unpack the food they had brought, arranging it across the blanket so that they could see everything. There was a lot- there was no way that they would be able to finish it all- but that just meant that there were plenty of tasty-looking choices. Chat Noir handed Ladybug a plate, and they dug in.

It was maybe a little strange, since- well, she and Chat Noir didn't really do this, hanging out and eating dinner. Patrols- when they did them, when they had the time to spare- doubled as exercise and training. They sometimes came out for speeches or events or dedications, but that was rare and they didn't really chat during those. It wouldn't be smart, not with reporters lurking nearby and ready to pounce on anything personal the superheroes said. And during akuma attacks, obviously they weren't going to be sprawling out on a rooftop and mindlessly chatting.

It was nice, though. Maybe- if they had the time- they could do this more often after her leg was back to normal.

"How's the Snake treating you?" Chat Noir asked as they finished up their slices of quiche and turned their attention to the petits fours that her parents had packed. "I don't think we've asked in a while. We got a few fights in with the Second Chance reset, and- well, now it's normal. But I have to imagine that it's super-tough on you."

"It's gotten easier," Ladybug told him. "I've gotten better at it, rather. It seems like I don't have to reset as often, because I've gotten good at spotting openings and incoming attacks. I've gotten Sass to give me more screens, so that helps. I have more angles to work with and watch."

"You're a regular Mission Control," Chat Noir said admiringly. "I couldn't do it. It sounds super hard."

Ladybug could only shrug sheepishly. "I guess. But I've gotten used to it, and it's a bit of a mental challenge, too. And I like a challenge." And she really, really did. It was like playing the world's fastest-paced puzzle game crossed with a fighting game.

"But aren't all of the resets hard on you? Like, seeing things going wrong again and again?" Chat Noir hadn't touched his petits four, instead fiddling with the end of his tail. Ladybug frowned at the question, puzzled.

Nothing had really gone terribly wrong during the fights when she was the Snake. Most of the time, it was just things not going nearly as well as they could have. So she said as much.

Chat Noir seemed really relieved by that.

Their conversation wandered from there, touching on the different battles and what they had seen from their perspective of the fight, then talking about things going on in the city. At one point, their conversation drifted towards the non-Miraculous side of their life, but they quickly backed off and changed the subject before they could say anything too identifying.

Maybe Tikki had said that they were getting closer to a reveal, but there was no point in running the risk of an early reveal before they were ready just because they got carried away with talking and teasing each other.

"Ah, it's getting late," Chat Noir exclaimed after he went to check his baton for something and caught sight of the time. "We'd better pack up and go home. I'm glad you could come out."

Ladybug smiled, leaning forward as much as she could to help pack up the leftovers. Her parents had definitely over-packed, and Chat Noir had brought more than they could eat, too. "I'm glad, too. This was fun. And it was nice to get out in this suit, too." She plucked at the red supersuit, smiling at the familiar outfit. "I know I've been transforming with the other kwami, and of course it's not exactly the same as my normal transformation, what with the crutches and the cast, but..." She trailed off, not sure how to explain it. Fortunately, Chat Noir knew exactly what she was talking about.

"Yeah, transforming with different Miraculous... it just isn't the same. I can't put my finger on exactly why, because- well, it's a strength boost, and you can just feel the magic, but it's not quite the same magic. It's like..." Chat Noir floundered for a second, his brow creasing. "Like if you're eating something, and the cook forgot one of the spices, or added a new one. But not like a strong spice. Like a really subtle one, and you'd only pick it up if you had it a lot."

Ladybug giggled, reaching forward to poke Chat Noir's stomach. "Talking about food already? You just ate!"

"There's food in front of me, that's why I thought of it!" Chat Noir protested with a laugh, batting her hand away. "Not because I was hungry!"

Ladybug giggled again before sitting back, content to let Chat Noir deal with packing up the food that was out of her reach. "I suppose it's a decent enough analogy. It's something subtle in the magic, not something obvious like the suit itself."

"Speaking of which- your Horse outfit is adorable," Chat Noir told her, pausing in his packing to beam over at her. "That tunic top over leggings? Very fashionable yet also leaning towards comfortable-at-home chic."

Ladybug beamed. "Thanks! I wanted to try something different. My transformation as Vipera has the same silhouette, actually. It's really comfy. And, well, it's not like I'm running and flipping around or anything. I can have a little fun with the design."

"D'you think you'd incorporate any of that design into your Ladybug outfit once you come back?" Chat Noir asked, clearly curious. "I mean, I can't see that particular design getting in your way while fighting. And it's cute."

Ladybug muffled a giggle. He had already mentioned that, which... well, was a clear giveaway that he wanted to see that sort of outfit more. "Maybe? As long as the tunic would stay down. And I would keep the higher neckline that I have now, just for safety reasons." Which honestly might throw off the composition of the entire outfit, since right now, with both the Horse and the Snake, she had a wider square neckline. Getting rid of that would get rid of the loose look that the tunic had. And- "Oh, and the sleeves aren't great for fighting. They're too loose. So- well, I guess that version of the Ladybug suit will have to wait until Hawkmoth is gone."

"Ooh." Chat Noir considered that, then smiled over at her. "Another motivation to take Hawkmoth down as soon as possible!"

"Flirt," Ladybug muttered, her cheeks red. Chat Noir just grinned at her, passing over the Horse Miraculous before helping her- or rather, lifting her- to her feet. "Thanks."

"Only the best for my lady!" Chat Noir chirped cheerfully. He grinned over at her as she put the Horse Miraculous on, the second part of her transformation washing over her. "Sweet dreams, Ladybug."

Ladybug smiled as she called on Portal. "You too, Chat Noir."

With a careful hop, Ladybug left the rooftop behind and landed back in her family's kitchen, her Portal closing up behind her. The basket of leftovers got unpacked into the fridge- except for a couple things set aside for the kwamis- and then Marinette headed to bed, unable to keep from yawning widely.

"It looks like you've had a good time," Tikki commented as Marinette washed up for bed. "Was it nice to see Chat Noir in person again?"

"It was great," Marinette told her, unable to help smiling. "I forgot how fun it is to banter with him. It's not a dynamic that I really have with any of my other friends, and I missed it." She tugged out her pigtails and started combing her hair before pausing mid-stroke. "It seemed different from when I last saw Chat Noir, though. When I last properly saw Chat Noir, before my leg broke, that is. He wasn't really flirting as much- or no, that's not right," she corrected herself. "He wasn't flirting seriously, that's the difference. We always flirt and tease, that's just how we are, but he wasn't trying to confess or ask me out or anything."

A smile flashed across Tikki's face before she hastily hid it. "He's growing up, maybe."

Marinette hummed in response, starting up her combing again. "Maybe. Whatever it is- well, I liked it. I like spending time with him."

"Do you think you're going to do another dinner together before the cast comes off?" Tikki asked. Marinette thought about it, then shrugged.

"If we have the time, maybe. We'd have to end earlier, though- it's super late right now, and I have school tomorrow."

Tikki smiled at that. "So yes?"

"Yeah." Marinette finished combing her hair and started tying it back up for the night, a small smile on her face. "Yeah, I'd like that."

  The next morning, Marinette's phone started ringing before her alarm even went off. She groaned, swatting for it blearily, and it shut off. Moments later, it started up again, and this time Marinette sat up properly, picking up the phone and squinting at it to see who on earth was calling her at this time in the morning.

It was Alya. With a groan- she and Chat Noir really should have headed home sooner, she was exhausted- Marinette picked up. "Hello? What's-"

"Marinette! Marinette! Have you heard? Ladybug's been spotted! She's finally back!"

[michelles-garden-of-evil]

Episode 36 Review: The Séance

{ YouTube: 1 | 2 | 3 }

{ Synopses/Recaps: Debby Graham | Bryan Gruszka }

Welcome back to my Garden of Evil and thank you for patiently waiting for me to return to reviewing Strange Paradise. It’s been a wild and chaotic past few weeks and I’ve just gotten around to returning to the course of events on Maljardin. And Great Serpent, this time we have one hell of a wild episode!

Because I already miss the bad puns in the earlier episodes.

Of all the episodes of this show, this one is my #1 favorite. It embodies everything I love about Maljardin-era SP: it stars Colin Fox as both Jean Paul and Jacques, features some delightful Jacques scenes, and is genuinely suspenseful and scary. There are also unintentional laughs as usual, but somehow none of them detract from the frightening moments. If I had to introduce SP to someone who had never seen it before (say, my mom, who only knows a little about it), I would use this episode, not the pilot which (IMO) is less scary and far more ridiculous. The magic of Ian Martin’s SP is on full display here. Although he doesn’t leave the show immediately after this episode, it feels like a last hurrah, and a spectacular one at that. You know you want to read about this episode, so what are you waiting for?

We open with Vangie napping on the couch shortly after the events of the previous episode. Over her, Jean Paul and Alison are arguing about whether to go through with the séance to contact Erica. Alison begs him not to because of the risk of death, but Jean Paul insists on pushing through with it anyway because, as Raxl recaps, “The Conjure Woman didn’t see her death, only [Jacques’].” Jean Paul interprets this as meaning that he himself might die, but it’s not clear if he truly believes this or if he’s trying to cover up his frequent possession by the handsome devil.

Vangie recovers and announces that she plans on going through with it, no matter what happens. Still angry from last episode, Matt protests and Jean Paul gives him this nasty smirk that reeks of passive aggression:

Either that, or Colin is trying hard not to laugh. I can’t tell.

“This is not your concern, Reverend,” Jean Paul spits, and Vangie agrees with him. Although she knows that she will one day die on the Island of Evil, she feels that the séance is her duty as the Conjure Woman.

Matt once again reveals his status as the Fool (or, rather, le Mat) when he remarks that Jean Paul and Jacques are indistinguishable “except by [their] manner of dress.” Evidently, he hasn’t considered the possibility that THE DEVIL JACQUES ELOI DES MONDES can possess Jean Paul and thus wear the exact same clothes as him. In fact, Padre, he’s worn that same extremely flattering blue suit before when talking to you, and you don’t even know it.

Jean Paul orders Vangie to begin the séance and we get a lovely overhead shot of the glass-top table. I’ve already posted high-quality photos of the table, but I love it so much that the laws of obsessive fandom require me to post it again:

Oh, how I love that table and those chairs. Actually, I love the whole Maljardin set.

Jean Paul volunteers to help Vangie, Raxl, and Quito set up, which seems to surprise them because otherwise he spends no time cleaning up after himself and all his time brooding, throwing glasses at priceless artifacts, and--of course--getting possessed. Elizabeth and Holly see them setting up, and the former heads down the stairs to watch.

Elizabeth is wearing this fabulous ensemble with a checkered dress and a red scarf pinned with a brooch in the shape of a dahlia. It most likely came from her actress Paisley Maxwell’s own wardrobe, as she mostly wore her own clothes on the show and even provided some costumes for the other actresses. (LINK CONTAINS SPOILERS THROUGH THE END OF MALJARDIN)

A shot with a better view of her brooch.

Vangie tells Jean Paul that the room needs to be dark, and that the only light in the room during the ceremony should be candlelight. Cue Jean Paul glancing up to the chandelier precariously suspended directly over the glass-top table:

If this isn’t painfully obvious foreshadowing, then I don't know what is.

The chandelier even sways ever so slightly as he stares at it!

Holly asks if she, her mother, Dan, and Tim can attend, and Vangie tells them no! According to her, they are all “disruptive influences” who will derail the séance, which will likely be too frightening for her anyway. Jean Paul tells Elizabeth to go, too, which she takes as a personal attack because Jacques has tricked her into believing that he’s in love with her.

LMAO

They are almost ready to begin the ceremony, but first, we need more blatant foreshadowing! We need Jean Paul to glance up at the swaying chandelier again, apparently without thinking of the slight chance that it might fall and cause an accident:

Seriously, Jean Paul? You have an IQ of 187. You should know better.

This is some heavy-handed foreshadowing, even for a show that constantly reminds us that Jacques Eloi des Mondes is THE DEVIL and cuts to close-ups of him every other time THE DEVIL is mentioned. I think you can guess what will happen about halfway through this episode. I normally try to avoid spoilers and to warn about any that I include or link to, but let’s face it. You know that chandelier is going to come crashing down at some point in the episode, because of all the emphasis that the script and the cinematography have already put on it. It’s a foregone conclusion. And I’m sorry, but Jean Paul with his alleged super-genius IQ has no excuse. Move the table! Have Quito tighten the chain! Replace the chandelier with a single candle or small candelabrum on the table! Do something to lower the chances of the accident that we all know is coming!

Vangie begins the séance to contact Erica.

After commercial break (hence the lack of the Drive-In Classics logo), the séance begins. We have Jean Paul, Vangie, Raxl, and Quito, plus Alison and Matt and an empty chair for Erica’s spirit. It’s a marvelous scene with just the right amount of eerie atmosphere, which Vangie’s hypnotic voice only enhances. They bridge the divide between the worlds of the living and the dead and all seems like it will succeed, but then

The third one is my favorite.

Jean Paul contorts his face again as he tries to resist Jacques’ possession of him, but ultimately his efforts are in vain:

Jacques’ beringed hand attacking Jean Paul. This also means that the chain created when the séance participants joined hands has been broken.

Matt asks Jean Paul what’s wrong and Jacques answers. “Everything is under control now,” he whispers with evil relish.

“No! Not now! NOT NOW!” Vangie screams, and then comes the inevitable:

Well, there goes one of Jean Paul’s astrological sign tables. Good thing he has another in storage.

I’m not going to lie: the first time I watched this scene, I shouted “No!” when the chandelier fell, even though I could see it coming. Somehow, despite the foregone conclusion and Jean Paul’s ridiculous headache faces, the scene creates enough suspense and horror to be effective. Plus, if you’re like me, you care about Vangie and don’t want to see anyone hurt her, even if that someone is 6′4″ with amazing cheekbones, a devilishly sexy smile, and the most beautiful hands on any man living or dead.

The power also goes out at the same time, and the handsome devil denies all responsibility for it despite his history of screwing with the electricity:

Classic Jacques sarcasm.

Conveniently, the lights come back on a moment later. They come just in time for Alison and Matt to tend to Vangie, whom the chandelier has knocked unconscious:

You can tell her injury is serious even before her close-up, because the Reverend is in shirtsleeves.

A close-up, showing the blood on Vangie’s forehead.

Jacques tells Holly that there was nothing seriously wrong with the electricity, and Dan flips out on him, insisting that “one day you’re going to blow us all up.” (Does he suspect that Jean Paul is somehow playing with the lights?) Jacques insists that even he can’t afford to buy a nuclear weapon. The fact that he knows what a nuclear weapon is serves as yet more evidence that he’s really the Devil and not a ghost from the 17th century (although, if he were a ghost, perhaps he would have overheard Jean Paul talking about nuclear weapons before).

I think that this is one of maybe two times that I ever envied Holly.

Vangie stands up, but doesn’t say a word to any of the characters, just stares blankly ahead of her. She doesn’t even react when Alison slaps her. Jacques cruelly snaps his fingers in front of her, which Alison demands he not do because it might cause her to be “destroyed, locked into a world of darkness, less living than dead.” She adds that “[she] can’t help but thinking that what happened to her is so like [Quito],” and turns to face the zombie who is watching the now cataleptic Conjure Woman, horrified:

It makes you wonder what sort of traumatic memories from Quito’s human life the sight of Jacques turning Vangie into a zombie evoked. Also, we never learn who turned Quito into a zombie in the show canon, but this scene shows that Jacques knows how and is therefore a possible candidate.

This is yet another point where the plot of the aired episodes differs from the original story as indicated in the Lost Episode summaries. In the original Episode 36, Vangie would have revealed Jacques’ possession of Jean Paul to all the participants at the séance, thus confirming for Raxl that Jean Paul is two different men. I suspect that Matt would refuse to believe it because of his lack of belief in devils and Dan because it sounds irrational and like a cover-up for Jean Paul’s alleged crimes, but Raxl, Vangie, and possibly Alison would have the evidence they needed.

Anyway, Jacques and most of the others leave Quito to clean up the mess while they have some drinks in the dining room. Mostly, it’s Jacques trying to pressure everyone into drinking while trying to gaslight them into believing that there was a storm outside even though there wasn’t. They’re not buying it, least of all Dan, who now has yet another reason to be suspicious of him.

I should also add that Part 3 of the YouTube version of this episode (which contains this scene) is out of sync, meaning that most of the subtitles are combined with the wrong shots and the wrong characters. Sadly, we don’t get anything on the level of “NO NO NO YES YES YES,” but the out-of-sync audio does make Dan’s accusation almost look like Jacques is confessing to making the chandelier fall:

YES YES YES

He offers brandy to both Matt and Holly, but Matt tells him not to give it to either of them, so Jacques brings the glasses he just filled over to Elizabeth instead.  He starts talking about how no one was hurt, meaning that she has to remind him that Vangie was injured. Still, “she wasn’t really seriously injured,” so I guess for him it doesn’t count. He sends her away and starts to drink, which I guess lets Jean Paul recover his body because he de-possesses him, finally letting Jean Paul see the mess he left behind.

I already posted a lot of headache faces in this entry, so here I’m just going to include my favorite from this scene.

For a moment, Jean Paul looks like he’s going to cry, but his sadness turns to shock when Quito shows him the writing box. The wooden box which previously only held sand, now bears a message written in grains of rice in the shape of the symbol of the Great Serpent. Quito appears terrified by the message, but sadly he can’t translate it for Jean Paul. Raxl, too, freaks out when she sees it and says it’s “from the Conjure Man, but he needs the Conjure Woman to translate it and she’s still in a trance!”

Apparently, the Conjure Man communicates in grains of rice.

Although she can’t translate the whole message, she can tell Jean Paul, “It tells of more accidents. Spirits are very angry...with you!”

This final scene, like the scene with the crashing chandelier, is genuinely chilling, resulting in one of the scariest episodes of the Maljardin arc. This is one of SP’s finest episodes and certainly one of Ian Martin’s finest from his nine-week period as headwriter. I’m not certain what led the producers to decide to have Vangie enter a trance instead of revealing Jacques’ possession to the other characters, but most likely it was to increase the suspense and the terror. Also, I’m starting to wonder if perhaps Quito isn’t actually undead, but instead is an immortal like Raxl (and Vangie?), but stuck in a magically-induced trance. Perhaps when he recoiled in fear over Vangie’s transformation, it was because Jacques (or perhaps the Conjure Man) did the same exact thing to him three centuries ago.

Coming up next: Jacques continues to meddle in affairs on Maljardin while Raxl struggles to interpret the writing box. (But before then--hopefully--the next part of my review of Shadow Over Seventh Heaven.)

{<- Previous: Episode 35  ||  Next: Episode 37 ->}

[sparklyaxolotlstudent]

More than 900 notes on the “Lila gets Exposed” ficlet? I love you guys.

And writting Lila liying stupidly and being caught stupidly is fun. so yeah, I might make this a series on different characters catching Lila lying. At least I have some idea on how Alya, Chloe, Nino, Rose and maybe Juleka might catch her. 

These are meant to be unrelated and one shots, but I will try to kept characters other than Marinette and Lila out of the fic that aren’t their so they can still form a coherent narrative if the reader want to feel like Lila was caught by everyone.

———————-

Lila gets Exposed As The Lying Liar Who Only Lies

Marc and Nathaniel.

“Did you want to see me?”

Marinette got inside the classroom of the art club, where Marc and Nathaniel were waiting for her.

“Hiya Mari!” greeted overenthusiastically Marc, guiding her to a seat near a table where Nathaniel and he had been working. They had something covered in cloth, which Marinette found a bit suspicious, but was used to how theatrically dramatically extra those two could get.

“What’s this?”

“Well, remember our comic?”

“Which one? Where Super Nathaniel saves me from Stormy Weather and Lady Wifi and then we ki…”

“NOT THAT ONE!” reacted Nathaniel not so quickly, blushing so much his skin got the same color of his hair. “Ahem. The one where Might Illustrator and Reverser teamed up with Ladybug and Chat Noir for…”

“The double date one or the one where they fight Queen Wasp?”

“… Queen Wasp.” Marc turned to Nathaniel. “You told her about the double date one?” Nathaniel shook his head, both looked at Marinette confused, but she just smiled innocently and sweetly.

“Ha! You guys are so transparent. I was just guessing”

Marc made a face “meanie” he added a raspberry for emphasis. Nathaniel just kept his red hue.

“ANYWAY. The comic with us as heroes being heroes alongside the heroes of Paris” said Nathaniel very quickly.  Marinette giggled at how easy was to push Nathaniel’s buttons.

“And you’re our Everyday Ladybug, so we decided it was only fair that you would join the team!”

“We actually wanted to say you’re the real Ladybug, but realized that would be a bit problematic… and Alya would freak out big time”

Marinette had never panicked and been relieved so quickly in her life.

“Yeah, right, clumsy old Marinette as Ladybug, who would believe a loser like me was a superhero?”

Nathaniel and Marc looked at each other.

“Marinette, sweetie…” Marc said, holding Marinette’s hand “We love you with all our hearts, brains and other internal organs, but if you dare to call yourself bad names ever again, I will be legally and morally obligated to slap you silly until you learn to appreciate the wonderful human being that you are.”

“Duly noted”

“SO! Since you have never been akumatized –kudos for that, by the way, you rock – we didn’t had anything to base your herosona with… so we started thinking, and your main forte is designing, but bringing stuff that you draw to life is sort of Mighty Illustrator gimmick…”

“It’s not a gimmick!”

“Right right… so, Nathaniel thought about the hat you designed and we basically took a peek at your sketchbook, and we decided that fashion was going to be your thing!”

They grabbed the cloth and pulled it at the same time, uncovering a series of illustrations of Marinette in several hero suits. Some very elaborate some more simple. The main one seemed to be a play on her normal clothes, with a dark pink bodysuit with white details, including a belt, a dark grey jacket, and a brooch that resembled the ladybug earrings, just in the same shade of dark pink as the body suit.

“We based her a bit on Ladybug. With the brooch she can switch between suits, and the brooch changes colors to match which suit she is using. Her standard outfit is the pink one, which we based on your clothes, and it gives her agility and strength. The other suits are more specialized, like the blue one allowing her to breathe underwater and swim more efficiently.  We’re thinking a rainbow theme, with 7 suits plus the pink one. We might squeeze a black and white one too, although that is Reverser gimmick.” Nathaniel looked at Marc with a sly smile. Marc rolled his eyes.

“Touche. Anyway, we call her Fashionette, unless you want to be called something else”

Marinette couldn’t help but notice that they somehow had made the power of the suits match the power of the potions that Master Fu had given her. Still, it was different enough from Ladybug to throw suspicions… even though Nathaniel had made an illustration of Ladybug, ‘Fashionette’, Chat, Reverser and Mighty Illustrator. To Nathaniel’s credit, he had made Ladybug with longer hair, taller and more muscular than herself. She then wondered if that’s how other people saw Ladybug or if it was just Nathaniel’s artistic view.

“Marinette as a hero? Wow, you guys are so talented!”

They had been so focused on their explanation of Fashionette that they hadn’t noticed that Lila the lying liar who lies had entered the art room. Marinette closed her eyes and took a deep breath.

“Oh, and you did a drawing of her with Ladybug, my best friend.”

“Well yeah. We’re making a comic and including Marinette as a hero with us. I’m sorry, who are you?” asked Marc sincerely, as he had no idea who this girl with sausage hair was, but felt weird for how she was talking.

“Oh, you don’t know me? I’m Ladybug’s best friend, Lila Rossi”

“Isn’t Ladybug’s best friend Chat Noir?”

Lila’s eye twitched, but decided that Marc probably would question her if she kept that lie. Marinette smiled wide at that, hoping that Lila would go, but alas, she just approached the table and grabbed one of Marc and Nathaniel’s comics.

“Oh, a comic book. Cool. I know Stan Lee, he basically based Spider-Gwen on me. I might be able to get you to meet him someday.”

The three art kids looked at each other, a bit confused.

“Are you going to use a Ouija?”

“What?”

“Stan Lee died last year”

“And Spider-Gwen was created by Jason Latour and Robbi Rodriguez, not Stan Lee”

“I… I was just testing you. I meant he based Spider-man on me, way before he died, of course.”

“Didn’t know you had a time machine. Must be awesome”

“What?”

“Lila, Spider-man was created in 1962, so either you have aged really well, or you have a time machine.”

“Ugh you guys, always misunderstanding me! I mean the spider-man from the movie!  He’s my best friend!”

“Didn’t know you and Tom Hiddleston were friends”

“Of course, we are very close!”

“Hiddleston is the guy who plays Loki. Holland is Spider-man.” Lila was speechless.

Marinette was using all her power to not fall from her chair laughing. Lila trying to outgeek Marc and Nathaniel, comic book fans extraordinaries, was the funniest thing she had ever seen. Even more fun than when Chloe fell in a puddle of mud.

“Ugh, you suck!”

Lila threw the illustrations to the floor, without noticing that Mister Perrault, the art teacher had gotten in the art room just that moment.

“What is going on?”

“This girl who I am still not sure who is” said Marc quickly, as he could see Lila was going to respond something “started trying to impress us with her lies, but since we didn’t believe her, she just threw our work”

“They were being mean to me!” Lila tried to sob, while the other three teens were gathering the stuff she had thrown.

“Regardless of what they might have said, I caught you on the act of trying to destroy the work of art they had done for Marinette, and if there is something I will not tolerate in my club, is precisely that. Follow me to the Principal’s office… whoever you are.”

The trio smiled. Marinette couldn’t help but worry at Lila being akumatized yet again, but she also wanted to put some input on her “super hero” persona that Marc and Nathaniel had created with so much love for her.

——-

Art Teacher has no canon name, so I landed in “Perrault” after searching for french last names. If you don’t know who Charles Perrault is, I weep for your childhood. 

And I do accept suggestions for “Fashionette” canon name, which would be also my Akumanette, should I ever write one. 

[precuredaily]

Precure Day 175

Episode: Yes! Precure 5 27 - “Rin-chan’s Date with a Handsome Ghost!?” Date watched: 24 March 2020 Original air date: 12 August 2007 Screenshots: https://imgur.com/a/7vdwVuj Transformation Gallery: https://imgur.com/a/6k6SzS0 Project info and master list of posts: http://tinyurl.com/PCDabout

not pictured: a handsome ghost

Are you ready for more summer vacation antics? How about some ghost stories! No, not the gag dub kind, I mean actual ghost stories. Yes, tonight the girls decide to poke around an abandoned wing of their school and wind up in the middle of something bigger than themselves. Let’s dive in!

The Plot

All the girls are gathered around a table in the dark as Komachi tells them the story of Count Rosett, who used to live in a mansion behind the school with his girlfriend, until she died in a tragic accident. The count lived out the rest of his days in sadness and now his spirit returns to the school on the anniversary of her death. Nozomi, Urara, Milk, and Coco are all a little scared by the story, Karen and Nuts seem indifferent or even bored, but Rin is scared out of her mind. So naturally they go check it out.

Over in Nightmare, Kawarino himself summons Arachnea to the office and tells her that while her work is good, if she instills fear into her opponents, then they’ll expend all their energy. Sound advice honestly. With that in mind, she sets off, and begins to haunt the girls on their ghost hunt. How timely! Arachnea plays her card very quickly by bringing a skeleton to life, which makes itself known to Rin and only Rin, so she bolts off down the hallway away from the other girls. Suddenly she runs into another shadowy figure.... who reveals herself as Masuko Mika, who is inexplicably here at the same time with the same objective of finding the ghost and reporting on it.

or they’re doing the fusion dance

Nozomi, Urara, Komachi, Karen, and the fairies continue exploring the school building, trying to find Rin, and end up in a pitch-black classroom. Karen bumps into something, and when they shine the light on it revealing it to be a large statue of a man, she finally gets scared and screams. After Karen calms down, Komachi deduces that this must be Count Rosett, and then they see a large portrait on the wall of a woman who looks a lot like Rin.

or more accurately the animators drew Rin’s head on this random portrait

Rin and Mika continue wandering around until the skeleton reappears and starts chasing both of them. Rin trips and falls but Mika doesn’t stop, so Rin scrambles into a nearby classroom to hide and the skeleton passes her by. This time, though, she comes face to face with yet another specter, as a large shadowy figure reaches for her, and this one isn’t a student.

She freaks right the fuck out and loses consciousness. When she comes to, the other girls are surrounding her and asking what happened. When she explains, Komachi puts the pieces of the puzzle together and deduces that this was Count Rosett, the portrait was of his deceased girlfriend, and he was trying to give Rin a gift for his girlfriend. They convince her to try to meet him again and resolve his centuries-old suffering by accepting the gift. She really does not want to but they beg and plead her and she begrudgingly agrees to try it. Once again she enters the room and lo and behold the shadowy figure reaches for her. However the girls suddenly finds themselves in broad daylight in the courtyard of the school building and adjacent mansion, with a handsome man standing in front of her. He greets her and presents her with a rose-shaped hairpin, but before Rin can explain that she’s not his lover, the sky turns purple and Arachnea makes her appearance. She gloats about this excellent terrain and turns the wandering skeleton into a Kowaina, which is just a giant skeleton with a Kowaina mask on its forehead. Rin and the other girls quickly transform. 

The monster wreaks havoc on the mansion, which Rouge takes special exception to on behalf of the Count, and Arachnea retorts that it doesn’t matter anyway since this is a false world, before reminding Rouge that she had just been deathly afraid of the Count’s ghost mere moments ago. Rouge exclaims that her fear went away when he communicated his feelings and the girls all go on the attack. Mint and Aqua and then Dream and Lemonade perform a nice one-two combo on the monster as Rouge declares that she won’t forgive Nightmare for wrecking the Count’s house, even in an illusion world, and then her brooch glows and she summons her new weapon, the Rouge Tact. She uses it to perform a powered-up version of her finisher: Rouge Burning

The items should have been called Rouge Torch and Dream Tact but what do I know

This attack utterly destroys the Kowaina, and the mansion returns to its former beauty. The girls detransform and Count Rosett once again tries to give Rin the hairpin. She tells him she isn’t the girl he was waiting on, but he responds that she fought so hard for his sake and he just wants her to have it. She smiles the biggest smile and then the Count and the scenery fade away, leaving the girls back in the school building, with Rin still holding the hairpin. As they leave the building, Nozomi teases Rin about possible latent feelings for the Count, and then Mika reappears screaming about how she was chased by a skeleton. Komachi suggests they go back inside and get pictures, but Mika is too afraid to see any more ghosts. However, Rin states that ghosts are just like people, they experience normal feelings and once those feelings are communicated there’s no cause for fear, a marked change from her earlier behavior.

The Analysis

It’s shameless summer filler and it is EXCELLENT. This is how you do low-stakes. It’s fun! It’s a great character spotlight! It takes us new places! It ties into typical summer activities! This plays out like an episode of Scooby-Doo, with a shoujo bent. It’s comedy gold from the very beginning, when Komachi tells a ghost story and the others are varying degrees of afraid and all the way through the episode when Rin is the only one being haunted, either by Arachnea’s interference, classmates, or actual ghosts. The poor girl can’t get a break. But the comedy is done excellently, and the episode is positively filled with wonderful facial expressions (which is why my gallery ballooned to 132 images, a record for a non-movie or finale episode, so check that out).

I love how Karen and Nuts are just so over it all, while Komachi is too excited about the mystery to be scared. It makes sense given her affinity for literature, she’s heard it all before and she just wants to see if there’s any weight to the rumors. Nuts, being well-read and also generally apathetic, is probably just not spooked by ghost stories period. But back to Rin: Nozomi explains how she’s positively terrified by ghosts, and so of course she’s the one that ends up seeing them all, and ultimately meeting Count Rosett in the flesh (sorta) teaches her a valuable lesson that hey, they’re not so bad if you can reach an understanding. I don’t believe this has any lasting impact on her character but I might be wrong. I hope we see some hint of this going forward.

As I said, while Rin is scared out of her wits, the other girls are far from unshakeable. Even Karen, who spends about half of the episode acting bored, finally flips when she bumps into what she thinks is a person in the dark.

Nuts is still unimpressed though

Nozomi and Urara are scared when they start but everyone’s animosities fade away once they find the portrait of Count Rosett’s presumed girlfriend, and all they can think of is trying to get him to meet Rin and put him to final rest.

This and the next episode have really made me realize a problem to the show at this point, however. Since they got rid of Girinma, Nightmare’s only grunt is Arachnea, while Gamao is still wandering around as a free agent, and the two basically alternate episodes. Bunbee is going to dip his toes in the water again in episode 29 but it’s kind of a slog on the villain side until episode 31 when Hadenya and Bloody show up. Gamao is completely unlikeable and Arachnea has all the personality of a loaf of stale bread. Her attempt at being scary here consists of chasing Rin with a skeleton in an already haunted setting. That’s all she can muster. I’m very reticent to give Smile Precure credit for anything but they definitely had a better haunted school episode.

During the battle, Rouge accesses her portion of the Symphony Set for the first time, which is called the Rouge Tact. “Tact” is of course a name that will be reused for various Precure baton weapons in the coming seasons. The wiki says that it’s derived from the German word “taktstock”, which refers to a music conductor’s baton. As for its design, it is a large leaf shape with a handle on one end and an extension on the other which lights on fire. As I quipped above, I think it should have been called “Rouge Torch” while Dream’s baton should have another name, but oh well. The way she uses it is interesting, as you’d expect her to use it to launch a fireball directly at the enemy but she doesn’t. During her normal Rouge Fire attack, she creates a burning butterfly from the back of her hand and then palmstrikes it into the monster. Here, instead, she ignites the tact, then in a single motion she swoops the flame in front of her as the butterfly separates from her hand, she releases the tact and grabs it with her right hand as she pulls back with her left for a palmstrike and the burning butterfly shoots towards her enemy. A lot happens in a short time but the effect isn’t dramatically different from her normal attack, and rather than shooting a stream of fire directly from the tact she just uses it like a lighter. Once again, it suggests the staff weren’t sure how to incorporate the Symphony Set into the show.

I appreciate them remembering that Masuko Mika exists but it’s a really big coincidence that she’s here on this night. The script didn’t make it clear whether the ghost was spotted on one night every year, or every month, or just randomly. If they had clarified that, it may have made more sense for her to appear. I’m glad they’re trying to incorporate her but all she really does is scare Rin, sneak around, and then run off at the first sign of actual spookiness. Bring her into the group dang it! Make her a friend of the precures. Minor complaint.

From a cinematorgraphy standpoint this episode has some really cool camera shots. My absolute favorite is this zoom back from the abandoned wing of the school:

And later on the inverse: a zoom in and tilt upwards to look at the portrait of the lady that resembles Rin:

These scenes help to breathe some energy into the episode and provide atmosphere, enhancing the creepy and mysterious mood of the place.

Then there’s this sequence where the girls are trying to convince Rin to go find Count Rosett again, where the camera dollies back in stages and then shifts right to look at Karen.

I don’t remember seeing complex camerawork like this in previous episodes so to have so many of these unique shots in one episode is really cool and it makes me want to see more of it.

Finally, while this isn’t a very complicated shot, I like this bit from the fight where Dream and Lemonade perform a double kick in perfect sync.

I’m a sucker for cool fight choreorgraphy and this fits the bill. Sure, we’ve seen other more complex fights in this season alone but I like to call them all out when I find them.

(reminder: you can find higher resolution copies of these gifs in my gallery, I have to keep them under 2 MB for Tumblr)

All told, this episode is a fantastic summer ghost story. It balances comedy with an interesting mystery and provides Rin with just enough character growth to justify her unlocking her new finisher. It’s got some wonderful facial expressions that you can find in my gallery and it’s only brought down a little by its unerwhelming villain.

Next time, another summer staple: it’s time for a festival! Look forward to it!

Pink Precure catchphrase count: 0 kettei!

[twinkletoes-rp]

A Butterfly’s Heart

Fandom: Miraculous Ladybug Genre: Hurt/Comfort, Angst, Fluff Pairings: Adrinette, Tikki/Plagg, background Nathalie/Emilie Relationships: Marinette & Nooroo Words: 4,085 Other Links: FFN | AO3

Dedication: Surprise gift fic for @belles-lettresdemoncoeur​ for being the best RP partner I could ask for and to cheer her up since she hasn’t been feeling well lately! (Credit to her for some of the ideas surrounding Emilie and Mari’s care and the ‘Tikki’s choice’ line (I reworked))

Summary: After the final battle for the Miraculous, Hawkmoth – A.K.A. Gabriel Agreste – is dead, Paris is safe, and its heroes are recovering.

In the midst of it all, one little butterfly has a lot of TLC coming his way.

Please note: This is definitely a canon divergent fic! Starting with "Guitar Villain" in season one, Marinette and Adrien get closer and closer (they're also older in this because fuck canon's logic - they're seventeen here, almost eighteen in Adrien's case). Because of this, Mari and Gabriel interact more, and despite being continuously impressed by her work, the two of them butt heads personality-wise, especially where Adrien and his happiness are concerned. Thus (fic spoilers starting here!), after kidnapping Ladybug and Chat and torturing LB, seeing her as the source of his problems since she's always foiling his plans, when he finds out Mari is Ladybug during the final battle, he flips out and kicks the crap out of her, so hard and so fast she doesn't have a hope of defending herself - before finally trying to take her out of the game entirely. Also, in this version of events, Nathalie has always been a very good mother figure for Adrien, loves him like her own, and does not join Gabriel. She and Emilie are also a thing. Chloe is also not a Miraculous holder here, and her and Lila's bullying is much more severe than canon would ever (be allowed) to portray.

---

Finally, the Battle for Paris is over.

Team Miraculous comes out on top, but it isn’t without fallout.

In the end, Adrien needs five days to heal from his broken nose, bloodied-raw wrists, fractured ankle, and split lip. His bruises and cuts are still healing when he refuses to sit around anymore. How can he when there’s so much going on? 

His mother is back, safe with Nathalie and Gorilla. She’s doing well, all things considered, awake and smiling and getting stronger every day with the help of the medical team, a fixed Peacock Miraculous and Duusu, and Tikki and Plagg’s combined magic. She’s walking on her own again by the end of the week.

It’s Marinette who isn’t nearly as lucky. It takes two weeks for her to wake from her medically-induced coma. From the extent of her laundry list of injuries—five broken ribs, a thrice-broken nose, finger-shaped bruises on her neck where Hawkmoth – Gabriel Agreste – tried to strangle her, the stab wound clean through her stomach, severe internal bleeding, gashes and bruises covering her body, and the fact that they lost her twice in surgery before getting her stable, just as a starting point—it’s no surprise. Adrien makes sure she gets the best care possible, calling the best nurses and doctors in all of France to come look after her (and his mother) around the clock. He’s thankful they’re professional enough not to press for more information after he claims she was just caught up in the final battle. (Nathalie checked them all out extensively before they were even contacted, and they still sign confidentiality wavers, just in case.)

Apart from Nathalie forcing him into the shower, Adrien never leaves her side.

When Marinette finally does wake up, she’s panicked and confused and in pain, but a tearfully overcome yet stubborn Adrien is there and does his best to take care of her. He calls her parents immediately, has the doctors examine her and give her something for the pain, and once they’re done and her parents have smothered her in crying-relieved hugs, he explains everything. He does it in pieces over the coming days, not wanting to overwhelm her too much at once, and with her pounding head and hazy memory of everything past being stabbed, she’s grateful. (She doesn’t remember he’s Chat Noir, for instance, that she knows that, but she knows that Chat Noir knows she’s Ladybug – Tikki had to choose between revealing her identity or saving her life, and Adrien’s tearfully thanked the little goddess a trillion and one times since that day for choosing the obvious. He will tell Marinette later, he swears, when things are…decidedly less complicated.)

She also knows that Adrien knows she’s Ladybug, and that was…a thing that happened. It took her several minutes to come down from that particular panic, but once she did, they talked it out. After a day or two of adjustment, she’s…okay with it now. If any civilian were to know her secret, especially now that the danger’s passed…she’s so glad it’s him. 

It’s another week and two days of going in and out of consciousness and healing before Marinette is able to stay awake through the day. She still can’t move much, let alone get out of bed or walk yet, but she’s getting there, and that’s all any of them cares about. She laughs happily when Tikki snuggles into her cheek in congratulations, Plagg nuzzling into her hand and purring loudly—

—and that’s when something that’s been on the edges of her previously-foggy mind finally hurtles to the forefront with a sudden jolt of clarity. Marinette springs upright like she’s been shocked, breath hitching at the pain and realization both. At her side, Adrien is instantly on high alert, instinctively taking her hand while he looks and listens for anything that might be a threat. “Marinette? What is it?”

"W-what about Nooroo? Is he okay? Where is he?"

Adrien blinks for a long moment, and then he softens. Of course. Typical Marinette. Always thinking of other people even when she’s the one who almost died. He’d managed to get the Butterfly Miraculous off his father before it could be destroyed along with him, and he’d been keeping it with him for safekeeping. He figured she’d ask eventually, so it doesn’t take more than that for him to bring it out to show her. She immediately grabs it and puts it on.

“Marinette, wait! You might not be strong enough for—!” Tikki tries to warn, Adrien and Plagg just as worried, but it’s already too late. Even if it wasn’t, they know she would have done it anyway. It’s just how she is when she cares about someone. It’s why they love her.

For now, all they can do is wait on bated breath. Plagg reaches for Tikki’s paw, the show of support for her as much as him. It’s been centuries since they’ve seen their youngest…

There’s a flash of light, and the butterfly Kwami materializes before them. Opening his eyes, Nooroo looks around, confused and worried. "Where is—?" But then, he's hit with that feeling every Kwami gets when his holder, legitimate or not, dies, and he curls in on himself. "Oh, no... M-Master..."

Realizing he’s not alone, he cautiously takes in the others in the room. Seeing Marinette with the brooch, his little face fills with tentative hope. "M-Mistress...?"

Mari can only smile kindly, a bit sadly, and shake her head, gesturing to her earrings. “Sorry…”

He gasps instantly, a shocked, awed smile coming to his face, and he sweeps into a sort of bow. "Oh, Ladybug! Forgive me, I did not know it was you!"

Marinette flushes brightly at his reaction, sending a confused, alarmed glance the others’ way. Adrien seems to be in the same boat as her, but Plagg is as exasperatedly fond as either of the kids has ever seen him, and Tikki just stares at Nooroo like she’s finally gotten back something precious. Turning back to Nooroo, Mari waves her hands in front of her carefully, not wanting to scare him, a nervous smile on her lips. "Y-you don't have to bow, really! I'm not t-that important! And don't worry about it, i-it's okay! We've never met before, so how could you know, right?"

Nooroo comes out of the bow a bit sheepish, a slightly darker purple blush coming through, and Marinette just melts. She bows right back, as low as she can in her condition, just like her mother taught her, pain be damned. "I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng. It's very nice to finally meet you, Nooroo. Tikki’s told me so much about you."

He feels less silly at her bow, she sees, which was her goal, and she holds out a small, gentle hand – an invitation, not a command. "I'm sorry to wake you up like this. I know you need your rest, and you’ve more than earned it. But I just...” she softens further, “…I wanted to see how you were doing. I've been worried about you for a long time. We all have been. The other Kwamis, too.” Her smile gentles, becomes the tiniest bit sad again, while her empathy rises. “You've...you've been through a lot, haven't you?"

She wants to cry at all the awful things he must have suffered at Gabriel's hands. She doesn't realize a tear's actually slipped out until there's a soft fluttering at her cheek, catching and wiping the tear away. "Please do not cry on my behalf, Marinette. I will be fine,” Nooroo reassures, backing up an inch or two to give her some space. Normally, he wouldn’t dare get this close to anyone, never mind someone he just met, even Ladybug, after what he's just been through, but...he gets a very good vibe from this child. He feels...safe with her.

She breathes a laugh and smiles a little more. She wants to cuddle him, to promise him no one will ever mistreat or misuse him or his powers again while she’s around, but she doesn't want to scare him off. Soon, she hopes. "Thank you, Nooroo. I'm happy to hear that. But until then, if you’ll have me, I'll do anything I can to help you. I've...been through similar things, so I know at least some of what you're feeling." Adrien squeezes her hand. Nooroo looks a little confused, and she can’t blame him. If he wants, she’ll tell him all about Chloe’s bullying growing up and Lila’s lies and manipulation later. She glances at Adrien, warming. "I'm sure Adrien will want to help, too.”

The boy nods vehemently, more than once. “Of course! I—” He looks away, suddenly nervous, rubbing the back of his neck. What if…Nooroo doesn’t want his help? What if he blames him, is mad at him, for not suspecting and confronting his father to save him earlier, regardless of how dangerous that would have been? But…looking at the little guy, he doesn’t seem angry in the slightest. If anything, he seems delighted to be feeling happy and safe for the first time in forever and just as awed to be meeting him as he was Ladyb—er, Marinette. Taking a breath, Adrien steels himself and comes back, determined as ever. “I want to help undo what my father’s done to you. And if I can’t quite do that, then…” he smiles sweetly, “…if I can at least help the healing process in any way, please don’t hesitate to let me know. I’d be honored.” He follows Marinette’s earlier lead and bows as low as he can. “It’s great to meet you, Nooroo. I’m Adrien Ageste.”

Nooroo smiles shyly and returns the bow, more confident this time. He doesn’t miss the way Adrien is particular in using his real name with no hints toward his own Miraculous. He figures that’s on purpose. Perhaps Marinette doesn’t know...? How interesting… He’s sure Tikki and Plagg will fill him in later. “The pleasure is mine, Adrien.” That aside, he straightens and has this to say, looking the boy right in the eyes: “You are incredibly brave to stand against your father as you have. Countless others would have turned and run without hesitation. Regardless of his choices, you are worthy, indeed. Do not doubt yourself.”

Adrien’s eyes widen, his mouth forming a small ‘o,’ and for a moment, Nooroo wonders if he’s said too much, shrinking and an apology already on his lips. A glance Marinette’s way shows she’s confused, and he senses some puzzle pieces might be fitting into cracked memories, but he can tell she hasn’t figured it out, so he thinks he’s safe. He was careful to be cryptic, of course, but he knows firsthand (technically) just how clever this Ladybug is.

All the same, Nooroo is opening his mouth to apologize, almost reflexively, just in case, when Adrien’s eyes well up with tears and a touched smile forms as his heart swells with gratitude and intense affection for the Kwami. The boy breathes a shaky laugh, the hand in Marinette’s – the hand he’d used to Cataclysm his own father right in the face – trembles, but his smile holds, and he nods, swearing then and there that he’s going to be there for Nooroo every step of the way from now on. He owes him that much. Nooroo deserves that much. “R-right. I’ll do my best. We’ll—we can do it together, all of us.” Marinette nods and squeezes his hand. “Thank you, Nooroo.”

It’s Nooroo’s turn to be surprised, even shocked, a blush and small “Oh…!” leaving him, but he’s so happy, and it’s a wonderful feeling. He laughs, the sound like tinkling bells so foreign to him now that he startles himself at first, going with it at Plagg and Tikki’s delight. Adrien and Marinette immediately know they want to hear it as often as they can. “Of—of course, Mas—A-Adrien! I meant every word!”

Marinette softens. “I’m sure Tikki and Plagg will—” Glancing over at Tikki, she pauses. There are huge tears rolling down Tikki's face while Plagg does his best to comfort her, and she can tell she’s barely holding back sobs. "T-Tikki, what's wrong? Are you okay?"

Tikki answers with a lurching sob and a cry of "My baby's home!" before surging forward to wrap Nooroo in what he’s pretty sure is the tightest hug he's ever gotten. He surprises himself by accepting it as easily as he does and hugging back just as tightly, letting her cry and crying a bit himself. He should have known he’d accept it from her, though, his mother in every sense, divine creation be damned. He was so alone and so scared for so long... But he's safe now, with her, with Plagg, with these wonderful, extraordinary children. He knows he is.

When they separate minutes later, Nooroo looks between Marinette and Adrien and once again bows as low as he can. This time, they don’t stop him. "Thank you for saving me, Lady—er, Marinette and Adrien. I cannot thank you enough. I am in your debt."

Marinette melts all the more. She’s still confused about the parts of the last battle she can’t remember, but for now, she’s almost certain she’s adopted the little sweetheart. "Of course, Nooroo. But there’s no need to thank us. We're just glad you're finally home safe. That's the important thing."

Adrien nods, threading his fingers through Marinette’s and squeezing. (He doesn’t notice how red she’s turning just from that, but she returns the gesture, a shy beam coming to her face, and that’s all he needs.) “Mari’s right. You and Duusu are home and fixed now, and everything can only get better from here. I’d say that’s a pretty good place to start, wouldn’t you?”

After being with Gabriel for so long, even if his service was unwilling and terrifying, Nooroo feels some parts of him are still loyal to the man, and despite being the youngest Kwami, Nooroo isn’t stupid. He knows he’ll probably need a lot of care and help and time to work through everything he’s been through, but...he also knows they're right. He knows what he went through was anything but good, knows that the loyalty he feels is from the abuse instead of anything remotely earned or deserved, and it feels…impossibly good to finally be able to admit that, even to himself, without fear of backlash. And here, with these people and his fellow Kwamis…he truly does feel like he’ll be okay.

So, he just smiles, perhaps tiny, but bigger than it’s been in so many years, and he nods. "I...I agree! I am happy, too, to be...a-away from...him..." He can't say his name, and he doesn't want to call him ‘Master’ because he—he wasn’t, not really, not by right or Choice, as it should be. So, he settles for that for now. He'll find something to call him in time. For now...

It's only then that he notices just where they are, in some kind of sterile human environment meant for healing, and he isn't sure how he didn't realize how...hurt Marinette is until now. There are still some ugly yellow bruises and scrapes on Adrien, too. Perhaps being awake and free fazed him too much.

"Oh, no...!" he says, so horrified and quiet it's barely a whisper, fluttering closer to look between them and take in their injuries as best he can. "You're hurt! You're—you're humans, human children! Why—? Your suits should have—?!" Then, his eyes widen and well with tears, going pale as memories flood back. "I...I helped him hurt you! I...I...!"

Marinette and Adrien trade a concerned glance, Tikki and Plagg, too. Is he only just now remembering more from the battle? Does he—did he maybe block out all Miraculous battles for his own sanity? Mari makes to reach out to him carefully, but she stops barely halfway, unable to bring herself to get any closer. The last thing she wants to do is scare the poor babe. “N-Nooroo? Are you okay?”

He snaps to look at Marinette, wide, haunted eyes moving from her face to her heart and back like he's frantically checking something, looking more heartbroken by the second, a few tears rolling down. "Ladyb—M-Marinette, you—you died...! Y-your human body gave out, m-more than once, you...! Y-you're lucky to be here at all! And yet, you still...!" He sobs outright and flies toward her faster than he can remember in all his years, nuzzling into a tiny, unmarred section of her cheek. "I-I'm so sorry...! Y-you didn't deserve that...a-any of it...! A-Adrien either! I...p-please...c-can you e-ever forgive me...?"

Marinette's heart automatically goes out to the poor thing, and this time, she reaches up to almost hold him, but leaves more than enough room for him to tell her no or shy away or get away, if he needs it, just in case. She doesn't want to make him feel afraid or trapped. He's felt both for far too long. She'd rather die (maybe not the best choice of words right now, but too bad) than add to that.

"Hey... Hey, Nooroo... It's okay, minou..." She makes sure her voice is light, calm, and gentle like a warm summer breeze. "Can you...can you look at me? And I mean, really look at me?" It takes a few tries, but he does look her in the eyes eventually, and she melts a bit more. She doesn’t understand how anyone could be so terrible to a being so inherently good. She wishes she could do more for him. She will, somehow. "What wielders do with Kwamis’ powers...it's not the Kwamis’ fault. Some people, like Gabriel, only see you as tools. They want to use your power and abuse it for their own gain, no matter what it does to them or the Kwamis or anyone else. That is never the Kwamis' fault. What Gabriel did to me, to us, using your power…it was not your fault. It will never be your fault."

He still looks unconvinced, so very guilty, so she purses her lips tightly before trying another way. "Let me ask you something…" She takes a slow, deep breath. This might be hard for him (and Adrien, Tikki, and Plagg) to hear, but it's necessary. This is where her own painful memories of the final battle, what she has so far anyway, will come in handy, she supposes. "When...when Gabriel was Hawkmoth and he...he was beating me, when he...stabbed me," Nooroo flinches at the reminders, tearing up all the more, but she just smiles gently in kind, hoping to reassure him, "you didn't want to do it, right? You...I'm sure you asked him to stop, told him to, begged him, did your best to resist and fight back. Am I right?"

Nooroo nods immediately, so frantic that she's afraid he might give himself whiplash. His eyes are wide and shell-shocked and somewhat far away, he looks even paler all of a sudden, and he squeezes his eyes shut as the tears become too much. "Of course I did!” His little voice is still quiet, but it’s louder than it’s been yet, shaken and pained. “I asked him what he was doing, why he was hurting you, begged him to stop, tried to tell him you didn't do anything wrong—a-and when that didn't work, I-I said I wouldn't let him hurt you, ordered him to stop! I-I fought him as hard as I could! It's—it's why I lost energy and dropped his—his transformation before Chat Noir could—!"

Mari holds up a hand to stop him, still smiling, though the memories have made her pale as well. Her hand shakes the slightest bit, the one in Adrien’s, too, making him hold on tighter. Nooroo goes silent immediately, grateful for the reprieve, tiny chest heaving with emotion as he watches her confusedly. Adrien and the other two Kwamis are doing the same, not sure what she’s cooking up, but trusting her implicitly. "See?" she entreats, her voice falling tender and soft like the morning sunrise, shaky undercurrent be damned. "You wanted to know why, and you wanted to help me. You fought him every step of the way and did your best to stop him. I might be hurt, sure, and I...I might have lost the fight a few times and been in a coma for a while, but...I'm still here. I'm alive, and I'm sure that is because of you, Nooroo.”

Marinette is pretty sure she’s turning his entire view of the situation on its head. Good. “You dropping the transformation when you did gave Chat Noir the time and opening he needed to step in and take Gabriel down. Without that, he might have kept beating me, and Chat might not have been able to stop him. He might have killed me for real." His eyes are glued on hers, wide and shocked and awed once again, but for entirely different reasons this time, better ones than the mantle she holds, and it’s her heart’s turn to swell. "I wouldn't be here, alive, right now without you, Nooroo." Tears gather in her eyes, too, and she can't help but smile softly, lightly, like sunlight through clouds. "So, thank you so much. Thank you for everything."

Adrien is tearing up himself at the display and revelations here, and he has his own thanks to give for saving his best friend, partner, and the love of his life, but he can do that later. For now, he’s going to let them have their moment. They’ve earned it, and he can’t deny how cute they are together.

Nooroo is so happy and relieved and already loves her so much that he sobs with it, his tears overjoyed and touched now, and he zooms in to nuzzle into her, hug her cheek, wipe away her tears that fall. “Th-thank you, Marinette!”

Once they’ve both calmed down, he still has one more thing. "You've been...having nightmares, I expect." Nooroo glances over at Adrien, Tikki, and Plagg to confirm, and it's a silent, unanimous yes. Vivid memories of her heart rate monitor spiking in the dark of night, shaking, hyperventilating, tears, broken cries of Chat or Adrien’s name, whispered pleas and apologies. He moves to nuzzle into her a little more, voice lowering. "I can help with that. Let me guard your dreams, Marinette. Let me do that much, if not for your sake, then for mine. Please."

Mari swallows the lump that forms at how...sweet he is. Tikki was so, so right to have spoken so highly of him. Someday, she’ll find a way to tell him just how amazing he is—and have him believe it. "If that’s something you feel you need to do, if you're sure...I'd really like that. I trust you, Nooroo. Thank you, little friend."

A small gasp leaves him, and she draws back, worried she said something wrong. But as luck would have it, the little butterfly is positively beaming, not so much tentative anymore as glowing. "A...a friend? Really? I've—I've never had one of those before!" Then, remembering himself, a faint blushing coloring his cheeks, "Ah! A human one, that is!"

Marinette laughs, softening. "I know exactly how that feels.” She glances over to meet Adrien’s eyes, warming. She's sure the two of them can bond over that later, once they open up about their similar experiences. She’d love that. "And now you do. You have me now." Nooroo cheers and flutters up to press his forehead to the star of her face. Happily pressing back, she motions to Adrien, too. "I'm sure Adrien will be, too.”

He nods without hesitation. “Absolutely!”

Marinette grins brightly. “Emilie, Nathalie, Gorilla, my parents...the rest of Team Miraculous. You'll have lots of friends soon enough, Nooroo. If you want them, of course."

Nooroo is crying again, but he's hugging Mari's cheek as she’s found only a Kwami can, and this time, he gladly lets her touch him, her fingers stroking his back below his wings with the gentlest of caresses. He snuggles in more, as much as he possibly can. "M-more than anything...!"

Then it's settled.

“Welcome home, Nooroo.”

[my-miraculous-headcanons]

The White Knight and His Queen Part 4

[Part 1] [Part 2] [Part 3] [AO3]

Chat Noir finds himself sitting rather awkwardly beside Marinette’s father at the dinner table. It’s crowded with a wide assortment of foods, and while he’s practically drooling at the sight, he can’t find it in himself to start eating when he’s feeling like he shouldn’t even be here at all.

Tom’s reaction to Chat Noir made sense. Sabine’s was downright bizarre, and certainly out of character, if Marinette’s expression was anything to go by. She’s been staring at her mother as if the woman’s been replaced by an alien fake for the last ten minutes.

“I made all of your favorites, dear,” Sabine says, still arranging the plates so that there’s more room on the table. “Tofu spring rolls, steamed salmon, sesame balls, pork dumplings— oh, don’t worry about having to eat that if you can’t, Chat Noir, we also have chicken dumplings.”

Chat blushes at that, realising he made a face. Pork dumplings are not kosher.

“And I even bought some of those dolmas you love so much! Didn’t have time to make those from scratch, but I have a feeling you would have preferred the store-bought ones anyways.”

As Marinette’s mother continues to list all the food spread out, Chat finds himself glancing towards the TV not far from the table. Tom had turned it on for background noise, he said. So when everyone starts eating, the silence doesn’t feel awkward. 

It’s an old Italian movie he doesn’t really understand. Well, Tom probably understands it, so it may not completely be just background noise. Personally, he would have chosen the news, but—

Oh. Now that’s an idea.

“Um, Monsieur Dupain?”

Tom quickly turns and grins at him with a fanboyish glee, probably once again fantasizing about the Dupain-Noir bakery now that the hero and his daughter had gotten akumatised together. 

He doesn’t know how to break it to Tom that he’s far more likely to take Marinette’s last name than the other way around. Not that... he’s ever thought of it, of course. Not deeply, at least. Only once or twice. He might have doodled it once in his notebook during class, out of curiosity. Because he definitely does not have a crush on Marinette Dupain-Cheng, since he likes La—

Wait. 

“Uhum,” his voice cracks as he tries very hard to brush away the realisation, attempting to make a polite request. “Would it be alright if I could change the channel to the news? Since Ladybug hadn’t used her restoration magic, so—”

“Ah, of course, of course! Don’t worry, son, I’ll find a good station.”

It takes only a few seconds before Nadja Chamack’s familiar face lights up on the screen. Just beside her, there’s clear image of their akuma.

Whoa... 

Nothing about their akuma screams evil or destructive, not at first, second, or third glance. Marinette’s hair is done up into a woven bun, with delicate pink butterfly pins scattered about it. She wears no mask, eyes wide open and chin raised as if to command a crowd. Her gown reminds him of the historically accurate redraw of Princess Aurore, except a lighter, gentler pink. Her dress is that of a kind and noble Princess, and yet, her expression and the way she holds herself demands a respect worthy of a Queen. 

He, in contrast, is dressed like a kind of knight he’s never quite seen before. A skintight white fabric covers his body, with a white metal breastplate woven into the material, as well as plates around his arms, shoulders, and legs. There’s flaws in the design, gaps between the metal plates that could easily be pierced through, but something about that seems like a dare. His yellow eyes scream the same thing his armor does. Come and try it. He stands behind Marinette, a rapier at his side. 

In the picture, there are many civilians on either of their sides. None of them are injured or frightened, simply standing and staring at the pair, staying out of their way as they march through the streets.

He forgets to listen to what Nadja is saying, and as a result is startled when the image suddenly takes up the whole screen, turning into a video. He briefly glances away and turns to look at Marinette, who also looks as though she had been startled out of a trance.

“Oh, I remember seeing this playing live,” Sabine says, noticing where the children’s attention is at. “I was so worried. I knew my baby was smart, and paired with a superhero, I thought you would be unstoppable. I was scared Hawkmoth was actually going to win, this time. Can you believe it? You two sure showed me, of course.”

What was that supposed to mean, exactly? He wants to ask, but something definitely seems odd about this situation, and he isn’t sure if he should admit that he doesn’t remember a thing. Sabine is making it sound like they were easy akuma to beat, that Marinette wasn’t smart, that his power wasn’t so great. 

The fact that he had a sword was an easy enough reason for him to believe that he most certainly was not easy to beat. Not with his experience. And Marinette being Ladybug, the other half to his whole, there was no way they weren’t a total nightmare. 

But there’s definitely something he’s missing. Something confusing.

Why were they simply walking through the streets at such a leisurely pace? Where were they going? Why hadn’t they simply given Hawkmoth their Miraculous yet? Why were they not causing a havoc, destroying everything in their path, making the public bend to their will?

What were they doing?

The video continues on, finally revealing exactly where the dual akuma is heading. They make it to a platform where the Mayor is standing, looking nervous, but not running away. The knightly version of him holds a hand out for his lady, and he politely helps her up the steps.

The camera zooms in as Marinette gets behind a microphone. Chat belatedly realises that the video actually has audio, but everyone had remained completely silent as Marinette had made her way onto the stage. 

“This part was clever of you, sweetheart,” Sabine says, smiling and kissing the top of her daughter’s head. “You really fooled everyone in Paris.”

Fooled? This was a trick, then? Didn’t Sabine imply earlier that Marinette was not as cunning as an akuma than she was normally?

When Marinette speaks, it’s almost as though the earth itself had gone quiet.

“What you see before you, today, is the White Knight, and I, his Queen. We have one goal in mind. A Miraculous we must obtain. We will find it whether this holder reveals themselves or not. We will battle them until our very last breaths. We will bring Paris into a peace it had not experienced since the beginning this war had begun.”

A shiver goes through his body, and if it weren’t for the fact that he knew who Marinette truly was, he knows he would have been absolutely terrified for his Lady. If it weren’t for a fact that Marinette was Ladybug herself, he would have believed that this, the Queen, was talking about defeating Paris’ last standing hero, fully confident in their ability to take them down, marking the defeat of good in a war against evil.

But she can’t possibly be talking about Ladybug, that much he knows now. No, while the entirety of Paris must have thought as such, she must have been talking about someone else, a different Miraculous user. This was the trick Sabine was talking about.

He presses a hand to his suit’s pocket, feeling the indent of the Butterfly brooch. 

This wasn’t simply a trick to fool Paris.

This was a trick to fool Hawkmoth. 

The pieces are clicking into place, one by one.

“I have one message for you, our final foe,” the Queen says. “We will defeat you. Your life will be spared, despite the numerous reasons it shouldn’t be. I am a merciful Queen, after all. But you will be defeated, as swiftly and painlessly as possible. In fact...”

The Queen’s lips crook into a smile, confident and determined. Behind her, her White Knight grins.

“You won’t even know what hit you until it’s too late.”

[chronicallylatetotheparty]

After the Fall Ch.17 Butterflies

LoganLight, AO3

"You've improved a lot," Adrien complimented as Max's avatar reduced his to pixels.

"Actually, your own skills have declined by twenty-one point four percent!" Markov corrected. "Max, however, has improved by ten point two percent!"

"Markov!" Max scolded gently. "We've discussed your honesty parameters towards humans, remember?"

Markov drooped, chastised. "Sorry, Max. Sorry, Adrien."

Adrien smiled at the floating robot. "It's alright. I prefer it when people are honest with me."

Markov perked up immediately. "Your social interactions have improved by an astounding thirty-six point nine percent!"

Max gazed at the robot questioningly. "When did you establish those parameters?"

"Last night!"

Adrien refrained from pointing out that Markov was about as good at 'people' as Max. He observed their exchange in amusement. It reminded him of a kwami's relationship with their holder. Though Markov was much younger than any kwami.

He gazed with wonder at Max's creation. Markov was a work of genius. The only person he knew as smart as Max.

Which is exactly why I'm here.

The thought sobered him. "Max? Markov? There's something I need your help with."

"What is it, Adrien?"

"I'm certain we could provide invaluable assistance!"

Adrien looked both of them in the eye and said with all due gravity. "I need to spy on my father."

----------------------------------------------------

Adrien was sitting down to dinner. His plate untouched in front of him. His eyes wandered aimlessly across the room when the butterfly motif caught his attention.

It sent his mind back to Ladybug's accusation: that Gabriel Agreste was Papillon. That theory lasted all of twenty seconds after meeting the Collector. After all, a Miraculous holder couldn't use their power on themselves.

No, in order to do that they'd need-

Nathalie walked in, her brooch catching his eye.

-a partner.

"Adrien your father is very busy and won't be able to come to dinner," she informed him like she'd done every day since the incident, not bothering to glance up from her tablet.

". . . That's alright, Nathalie. I wasn't hungry anyway." He stood up and walked past her. Side-eyeing the peacock themed accessory.

"Be sure to practice your piano before bed," Nathalie said from habit, even though he hadn't played the piano in months.

When Adrien entered his room he glanced at the untouched instrument but otherwise ignored it. He turned on the TV and switched to a news channel.

There was no reason to jump to conclusions because of a few coincidences. Even if every missed meal and last minute interruption for the past two years coincided with an akuma attack . . . Just like this one apparently.

The news crew had only just arrived outside the building where the battle was taking place but Adrien wasn't interested in the fight itself. He rushed to his computer and pulled up the Ladyblog's list of akuma attacks, comparing each event to what he knew of his father's schedule . . . Which wasn't much so it led nowhere.

Shifting approach Adrien thought of how his father had reacted to them. Or rather, how he hadn't reacted to them. Not once had he threatened to pull Adrien out of school despite all the akuma that seemed to target Francoise Dupont. He hadn't even seemed bothered.

It wasn't until he'd found -lost- the Miraculous Grimoire that he'd been pulled from school. That book started the whole Volpina/Collector episode . . .

Adrien clenched his fists as he trembled.

Riposte tried to cut me in half!

The mouse went flying, shattering against the wall.

Style Queen turned me into a perfect, pretty statue!

The keyboard was ripped away from the monitors and slammed into the ground.

Sandboy . . .

The chair was lifted overhead and brought crashing down onto the screens.

Oni-Chan!

Adrien breathed heavily as he leaned against the desk. Looking up he saw the surviving monitor had reverted to his screensaver.

Maman.

Forcing his mind back on track Adrien realized he was missing something crucial: evidence.

He walked over to turn off the TV, which showed the Guardians of Paris helping the de-akumatized victim, and waited.

Nathalie burst into his room with the Gorilla a moment later. She took in the destroyed computer station and his expressionless features in silence.

"I'll need new equipment," he stated obviously.

Something like sorrow passed fleetingly over her face before she nodded once and turned on her heel.

That was expected. Nathalie had grown even more distant since the incident. Just like his father. They hadn't even said a word of protest when Adrien simply stopped showing up for his scheduled activities.

His mood swings were taken in stride.

The Gorilla was still there, watching him in concern. His bodyguard was the only adult in the manor to draw close to Adrien, allowing his stoic exterior to fall for brief moments.

The Gorilla gestured to the destruction and grunted a question.

Adrien gave him a melancholy smile. "I'm sorry . . . Thank you."

Seeing that he wouldn't elaborate further the Gorilla gave him a pointed stare and left, reluctantly.

Collapsing onto the floor Adrien exhaled slowly. Turning his foot slightly he glared at the black butterfly on the side of his shoe. The Gabriel logo.

. . . Adrien needed proof. And he knew just who to ask for help.

-----------------------------------------------------

"Are you sure about this?"

"There's a ninety-nine point nine percent chance that we will accomplish our objective."

"He meant, am I sure I want to go through with this." Adrien corrected the robot.

"Oh . . . Why would you not want to be certain that your theory is correct?" Markov glanced at both of them, puzzled. "If we obtain the evidence we need then stopping Papillon becomes a simple matter of informing the heroes."

"Well, yes," Max agreed. "But that wouldn't be the only consequence." He turned his eyes to Adrien.

". . . Papillon used our friends as pawns. Used us as pawns. 'Father' kept me prisoner in my own room to 'protect' me from what was out there, when the real threat was in here. He's shown a constant disregard for the lives of the people around him. So, to answer your question, Max. Yes, I'm sure!"

Max's wide eyes stared at him for a moment before he pushed his glasses into place and refocused on their task. "Markov," he instructed, determined.

"On it!"

Markov floated to Adrien's recently repaired computer station where Max was sitting. Together they interfaced his AI systems with the mansion's security network. Markov's face screen showed twin hourglasses.

". . . How long will it take to go through the security footage?"

"Given the extensive number of cameras, the three year period we're searching through, and Markov's processing power . . . About two minutes and thirty-five seconds."

Adrien smiled. "That long?"

"We're trying to increase his efficiency but, it's a, secondary priority . . ."

". . . What is it, Max?"

"You could be wrong. There might be an alternative explanation for all of this."

"And the chances of that are?"

"Zero point zero one percent . . . Oh."

"Did the math beforehand, huh?"

"I was . . . concerned."

"That's fair."

". . . Why do you think he wants the Miraculous for?"

Adrien reached over and tapped a key, shifting the image on the right-most monitor.

Max gasped softly. "Adrien . . ."

"Done!" Markov spun and blinked a few times as though clearing his head. "Most of the footage we need comes from M. Agreste's office."

Markov opened several windows on the computer. The monitors showed Gabriel pressing hidden buttons on Emilie's painting and then vanishing into the floor. They showed the Collector rising up. They showed Papillon Escarlate walk out the front door. They showed an unknown akumatized villain, who could only be Nathalie, open the safe and then transform into the one they'd come to know as Mayura.

"M. Agreste enters his secret lair and approximately five minutes and forty-nine seconds later a new villain is identified. There are a few deviations from the pattern: Vanisher, Despair Bear, Queen Bee, Heroes' Day, Backwarder-"

"Thank you! Markov," Max interrupted. "I think we should-"

"Isn't there any footage of him transforming?" Adrien asked.

"Yes, actually," Markov replied. "During Animaestro's attack Papillon exits his lair and detransforms in the hall."

Adrien moves to enlarge the desired window.

"Adrien, wait. Perhaps you should-"

"You're worried about me."

"Of course! You're my friend! If this revelation is emotionally overwhelming for me then the chances of you having another breakdown-"

"Max?"

"Y-yes?"

"I'm tired, Max. I want this to be over. Just because he hasn't akumatized me yet doesn't mean he never will. I'd like to stop him before that happens."

"But you're his son!"

". . . Markov, what's the likelihood of me being akumatized within the week?"

". . . One hundred percent."

"That can't happen, Max. Once this is all over I promise to . . . slow down. But right now we need to show Ladybug what we found."

". . . Okay. Markov get that footage into a more user-friendly format, make sure the time stamp is visible for reference. I'll double check our footprint to make sure they won't know we were in the system. Adrien, call Alya, she has the greatest chance of contacting Ladybug quickly."

". . . I have a faster way," Adrien pulled out his phone and called Marinette.

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Ch.1  Ch.2  Ch.3  Ch.4  Ch.5  Ch.6  Ch.7  Ch.8  Ch.9  Ch.10  Ch.11  Ch.12  Ch.13  Ch.14  Ch.15  Ch.16     Ch.18  Ch.19  Ch.20  Ch.21  Ch.22

[phoenixplume117]

1994 AD

Mirai combed every inch of the temple… that she could.  There had been a lot of damage but so far all she'd been able to find was one miraculous, the peacock.  She was not thrilled when she'd found that one and refused to open it again.  The kwami had a flair for the over-dramatic and was whining about what he'd done to the temple and she just was not in the mood to deal with it. She'd tried to tell him it wasn't his fault but he wouldn't listen to her.  Eventually, she ended up putting him back in his box. Then, hid the box in the pillar next to her "bed".  

Every morning she would wake up, wash and gather snow to melt for the day.  Then she'd come back and make her way west, clearing the temple to the best of her ability.  

Last night she realized the pillars in the hall she made her home were some kind of retreat for the kwamis.  There were 25 pillars but the box she'd been the guardian of had only had 20 kwamis. She looked carefully and realized that some boxes must have had more kwamis in them.  Finally, she let Duusu go but she couldn't understand anything he said while he sobbed so she just stroked him until he calmed down.  

"If I leave you out are you going to be safe?" Mirai asked him.

Duusu looked around not quite sure if she was asking him, "Me?"

Mirai nodded, "yes, you. There is no one else here."

"Can I come with you?"

She would prefer if he didn't but, replied, "I suppose."

Together they made their way down some stairs she'd found the day before and she began clearing rubble away.  Every day for the past two weeks she’d done the same. She carried the rubble to a room that was destroyed but seemed safe enough to walk in.  So far she had become very well versed in old Madonna (or was it young Madonna?) as that CD was playing on her CD player as she walked back and forth with her bucket.  

“Mirai?”

“Hm?” she said, dumping the bucket into the empty room and walking back.

“What are you doing?”

“I’m a guardian-”

“A guardian! Why didn’t you say anything!” Duusu yelled flying around her. 

“I did.  I don't think you've heard anything I've said to you until now,” she told him patiently.

Duusu tried to see her logic but couldn’t, “so what are you doing?”

“I’m looking for…” she really didn’t want to use the term ‘survivors’ after all that would remind Duusu all his friends were gone because of Master Fu using his powers.  Which was what he had spent all the previous night crying about. She cleared her throat, “anything that needs a guardian to guard it,” she came up with.

Duusu looked at her rather dubiously then shot directly through all the rubble she was clearing.

Mirai looked at the boulders she’d never clear alone and frowned.  She could use Duusu, but look where that had gotten Master Fu, and Duusu didn’t seem like he was ready to be utilized after that experience.  She let out a huff of breath puffing her bangs out of her eyes. Why hadn’t she packed scissors?

“Miraaaaaaai!” Duusu yelled from the other side of the boulder.

“Shh!”  Mirai responded, “I don't know if loud noises could make this place collapse or not!

“Oh!” Duusu spoke in a ridiculously loud stage whisper, then he came back through the boulders, “I can look for you so you don’t have to hurt yourself.”

Mirai wanted to rest but she needed to focus on the task at hand, “I’m fine, but I think that’s a really great idea, Duusu.  If you scout ahead it would save a lot of time.”

“Or you could just make an amok to clear the rubble away.”

[[more]]

Mirai shook her head.  No. She would not become Mayura, she would not become Nathalie.  She was Mirai Chime, that was all. Using Duusu was a bad idea, "I don't think that's a good idea, especially after what you've been through Duusu.  This way is better."

༻࿊༺

The next day when she had yet to clear even one-third of the path she decided maybe she had been hasty in telling Duusu no.  He was quite companionable, friendly and helpful.

Seeing Mirai's hair sticking to her forehead with sweat Duusu slipped back through the rubble down a corridor then through more rubble where he found the library.  

Although "library" was perhaps a generous term.  The books were all the same, a textbook of recipes and forms for powers.  Rules for raising effective guardians and psychologically "sound heroes. The pseudo-library also didn't have many books but what was most exciting was on the small table next to a long-ago forgotten teacup was a box from a miraculous set.  It looked like it belonged to Duusu's set. He desperately wanted to know who was in there but he couldn't fly through. It looked like wood but it was actually something else, a magical material that with words could even change its shape. Unfortunately one of its magical properties was kwamis could not pass through it.  Duusu blew a raspberry at the box, flared his tail and shook it at the unhelpful box then flew back to Mirai deciding whether he should tell her what he'd found… or not.

༻࿊༺

Mirai wiped her head as she hauled another bucket full of stones to the spare room.  Her triceps felt like they were on fire, in all the years as Ladybug she'd gotten full-body exercise but her arms and abs had always done the hardest work, but for some reason, this seemed so much heavier and harder than carrying people ever had.

"It's muscle exhaustion," she said out loud, "you're just tired, push through it, you'll get to the euphoria stage."

She dumped the stones and rocks and realized she'd been speaking out loud and groaned. "Great, now I'm talking to myself.  Am I going crazy? No, everyone talks to themselves, I think it's healthy, yeah. It's probably time for a break anyway," Mirai reasoned, walking back with her bucket.  

"Duusu?" She said softly when she got back to the large pile of rubble she'd been working on.  A frigid draft ran through the hall chilling Mirai, she rubbed her arms for warmth, "Duusu, I'm going back, it's getting cold, I'm going to start making lunch,” she called again and headed back to what she had begun to convince herself was her apartment.  The large room was warm from the huge fires. Thankfully the room was built in a way that made it safe to leave them unwatched. She set about making soup, she really missed Maman’s cooking and Papa’s bread. She heard her sniffing echo in the room and coughed to cover it up.  She wasn’t going to do it, she told herself, she was not giving in to self-pity. 

“Mirai!” Duusu said a few minutes later after the soup had begun boiling.

“Hmm?” she said.

“I found another box!”

Mirai stirred the soup and carefully took the pot off the fire then turned to him with a smile.  She’d been right, she was meant to stay, she was not going to be Nathalie, she would not be part of Hawk Moth terrorizing Paris for nearly 10 years, “Where?  Who is it? How many are in it?”

Duusu smiled, glad he’d told her, “On the other side of the rubble you’re using, there is a hall then, more rubble then, a library.  That’s where the box is.”

Mirai’s smile faded, “Oh, well, we’ll get there,” then she brightened, “Do you know how many are in it?”

Duusu looked confused, “It’s just a box, not a case,” then his lower lip began to tremble, “All the cases were destroyed.”

“Hey, hey, hey, it’s okay now, don’t cry, Duusu, look you found someone, a friend!”

Duusu looked at her with huge tear-filled eyes and nodded.

“Alright?”

Duusu nodded.

“Okay, so who’s in the box?”

Duusu blinked away his tears, “I don’t know.”

Without thinking, Mirai spoke, “Then how do you know it isn’t empty?”

Duusu looked at her as if the idea had never occurred to him and as that idea worked its way through his mind she realized her mistake before his eyes filled with tears and the saddest words poured from his mouth.

“I killed them all!”

Mirai gasped, pulled the kwami to her chest and rocked him shushing him.  “Shh, shh, come on, we’ll eat later, let’s go check the box okay?” but Duusu was miserably inconsolable and deeply committed to his emotions.  Mirai sighed and stood up carrying the sad kwami she walked over to her pallet. She reached under the pillar for the box she’d hidden and pulled out the peacock brooch and pinned it with some difficulty to her Starter jacket and simply called out, “Duusu, Transform Me.”  She looked down at the little kwami before he was swept away to power his amulet, his face looked delighted and it helped her own feelings of doom. She sighed in relief, then giggled, then began laughing happily somehow she registered as an adult because it was December the Miraculous must consider her 18 she assumed.  She'd learned about this when she'd studied. She didn't have a 5-minute limiter. Or a basic super-suit, as she or her team had worn when she'd been Ladybug. In her hand was the feathered fan she’d need to create the amok to clear the way. She walked toward the rubble she’d been working on for the better part of the week and picked up a small but distinct piece of stone, then pulled a feather from her fan and began creating an amok that would be able to easily clear the rubble, she added a few features, like lights and a stabilizing pole in case the roof caved while it was clearing, then began clearing the rubble quickly.  The huge pile was cleared in less than an hour but like Duusu had said there was another huge pile of rubble before they got to the library. It took two hours for everything to be cleared. Mirai figured if she had done the work without using Duusu’s amok it would have taken a month to get to this room. She wondered what time it was, she didn’t know how to work the fan the way she used to work her yoyo. She looked around the library and picked up the box on the table and turned to go back to her room, even though transformed she was getting cold. Once in her room, she detransformed.  

Duusu looked at her then to the box in her hand.  “You did it!”

She smiled and said what he needed to hear, “I couldn’t have done it without you.  You did a lot of the work and your sentimonster moved all the rubble.”

“Sentimonster?”

"Avatar?" She remembered she'd seen that word on Duusu's page when Master Fu had been her teacher.

Duusu smiled understanding, "Really?"

Mirai put the small pot back on the fire then with Duusu floating at her shoulder she walked over to where she kept most of her gear.  She sat down and opened the box and felt her heart fall when she saw the purple stone with four beautiful wings resting on the red fabric.  Then suddenly Nooroo manifested.

"Master Liu?" he looked around confused, seeing Duusu he turned to him for answers, "Duusu, what happened?  Where is everyone? Who is she?"

Mirai felt near tears, everything was falling perfectly into place against her will.  "Duusu, I'm going to go to sleep okay?" Mirai said and took the pot off the fire and went to bed without changing or eating, only removing her boots.

Duusu looked at the girl confused, "Okay."  Then turned to his friend and hugged him, "Nooroo!  You're alive!"

Nooroo narrowed his eyes, "of course I'm alive, what's going on?"

Duusuu threw himself at his old friend and burst into noisy tears and explained that a new guardian had found him and together the two friends talked.

Mirai turned away from the duo and felt hot tears slide across her nose, cheek and into her hair.  How could she fall so low? From Paris' Hero to Paris' Nemesis she almost laughed hysterically. It was like Chloe used to say, ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous!  She looked at her Baby-G December 24. She hoped Marinette realized how lucky she was, suddenly Mirai missed her parents and the idea of not being home for Christmas was unbearable.  She cried herself into a miserable fitful sleep, not for the first time in the past 2 weeks.

༻࿊༺

The next morning she woke up and skipped all her regular chores and instead took a bowl meant to hold a small fire and went back to the library.  Once there she looked at the books. They seemed to all be the same, well sort of, They contained multiple copies of the M. Agreste's book, but it looked like there were multiple copies of books about the other miraculous boxes.  She wanted so badly to look at them but she couldn't. She knew she would end up Mayura and the information between the covers of those books was too precious. As a guardian, she would not read it. Her job was to protect miraculouses and kwamis, and she would do it.  She left the room. She dropped off the little coal holder and picked up her bucket and started her morning errands and ablutions. She met Nooroo, he was a polite butterfly who was missing the guardian he usually worked with. The three of them ate breakfast and enjoyed a conversation about earth animals' similarities to kwamis.  She went outside and cut more wood, she'd had a horrible realization earlier. She was a guardian, Master Fu might not have been able to train her completely and the once the monks had tried to take her miracle box she'd escaped and never went back and had to figure things out on her own but that didn't change the fact. She was a  guardian. One of the most important parts of being a guardian was their willingness to sacrifice. She chopped at the wood, everything seemed harder without her miraculous, she would not touch her ears, she thought to herself.  She brought the hatchet down forcefully.

Breathing roughly through her nose, forcing herself to look ahead and not feel anything she took the wood past the room she slept in and into the library and piled it overfilling it into the five fire pits.

She walked back to her room and shrugged out of her coat and picked up a notebook and pen. Then walked over to the cook fire and picked up the bowl and using tongs placed as many coals into it that would fit safely.  Then walked to the library. 

She swallowed, she needed to do this.  She took a pair of tong hanging over the fireplace amazed they hadn't been disturbed from when Feast had torn through, then again, this whole library seemed to have been saved.  With tongs in hand, she placed a few coals in all of the fireplaces in the room. Then she took a steadying breath. In, out, in, out, she thought to herself. She couldn't do this.  Her heart was racing, and she felt bile in the back of her throat. She put down the small fire and ran to the corner and threw up over the woodpile there avoiding the smoldering coal.  She wiped her mouth but heard gasping and crying and knew it was her. She'd come here to be a guardian. She needed to do this. If she was going to become a villain she needed to do this to protect these books from herself and M. Agreste. They could not have so much knowledge.  With a sob, she went to the bookshelf furthest from the information about the miracle box containing the Ladybug and Black Cat and took a book and held it over the flames but as it's leather began to dry and crack she let out a sob and threw it across the room. She couldn't, she just didn't have the strength to do it.  She sobbed running from the room.

Before she entered the room she shared with the kwamis she wiped her face and tried to calm her nerves.  She would do it in the morning.

That night she woke, smelling the delicious barbeque her father made when they went to the beach.  It took her a moment to realize what she was really smelling was the library burning, the books had been covered in yak skin and they were burning.

She bolted up, "Duusu! Transform Me!"

Duusu flew over quickly, "I can't! You're not wearing my pin!"

"Shit! Where is it?" Mirai thrust her hand into the space under the pillar and grabbed the plumed brooch and stuck in onto her shirt, "Duusu transform me now!" she said picking up the closest thing to her and as soon as her fan appeared in her hand she plucked a feather from it and began creating an avatar to rescue the books, she'd been stupid, it was a bad choice, what had she been-

"Mirai?  If there's a fire you need something that will cause the tunnel to collapse so it doesn't come this way."

Mirai listened to him and gave the avatar a huge scoop as well as the agile human hand, it was a rushed job and she hoped it would be able to make it easily over the terrain then she realized she'd need to go with it.  She urged it over the stone path she shouldn't have made it so industrial it was slow-moving, finally, they reached the library, it was an inferno. She sent the avatar to the bookshelf containing Duusu and Nooroo's information and ran back out of the room then told it to come out.  She took the book from it then ran back to her room after giving instructions on how to collapse the ceiling. With Nooroo at her side, they waited and waited and waited until the heat no longer carried their way. She looked at her watch, it was 8:38. She called the amok back and released her transformation and held Duusu close in tears.

"I'm sure this is the place, Emilie," came a male voice down the corridor.

"Hide!" Mirai said to Duusu and Nooroo.  "And don't come out of your Miraculous until I tell you," She quickly ripped the brooch from her shirt and thrust it into the flannel's chest pocket.

"Shh!" replied a feminine voice, "I swear I heard something."

Mirai was shaking, there was no point in hiding, the entire room was obviously occupied.  

"Oh, la, la!  Gabriel! Look what we have here, a squatter, can you imagine?  In a cave?" Emilie giggled seeing the room.

Gabriel looked around, it actually looked pretty nice.  Private. A place where people would leave him alone. "It's a temple, Emie, you should be a little more respectful," he said gently.

She's here. Argus warned

Gabriel stopped and grabbed Emilie's arm to prevent her from going further. Who? He replied.

"Gabriel!  It's just a girl!" Emilie brushed off his hand irritated with his correcting her and ran to Mirai.

Remember what I said about women Gabriel, Argus warned, they can be dangerous when they're scared. I should probably warn him about jealousy, Argus thought to himself.

Gabriel knew women could be warriors he wasn't a fool, but this girl obviously wasn't then he saw soot on clothes.  He ran over to her when he noticed her hands were burned. "She's hurt, Emilie, get your first aid kit."

Emilie rushed to get the kit out.

Gabriel gently took the girl's hands, but she jerked them away with a hiss of pain.

Careful Gabriele!

I am!  Can't you do something?

One, she's not wearing me and two, she's already hurt.

Gabriel took her hands surprised that the girl really wasn't a child, she was actually older than Emilie had been when they'd met, but she seemed so small, "I know you can't understand me but I'm trying to help you."

Mirai looked up at him then jerked back at what she saw.  He was so young, his hair was shaved in the popular bowl cut of the 90's, and he looked so worried about her, and… kind.  This wasn't Adrien's mean father, and he definitely was not Hawk Moth, he was so warm, she felt her face warm and she looked away as her heart pounded and she stuttered out a response, "I understand you."

He smiled, not that she saw it, "Your French is very good."

Emilie was suddenly at his side, "Oh, darling, you must be in such pain.  Gabriel, ask her if she's in pain."

"She speaks French," he replied.

Emilie looked at the girl curiously, "Oh?"

"Yes."

"They teach that here?"

"I don't know I'm French," Mirai replied

"How fortunate, we are too!" Emilie said as Gabriel gently applied a salve to Mirai's hands.

Gabriel leaned into Mirai's visual field making her turn red.  "What's your name Petite Flamme?" he teased.

Suddenly all the pieces fell together in a puzzle with the perfect fit. It gave answers to questions that hadn't made sense before.  Mirai knew then everything she'd known about Nathalie Sancoeur was true, and everything she'd learned about her future was too.  

It was Christmas, her hands were burned, and now that all the adrenaline had worn off immense pain was starting to set in, she felt her eyes fill, she just wanted to go home, to her city of lights. She suddenly realized why Nathalie's name was "Heartless".  It wasn't chosen because she didn't have one, she chose it because he had it.  Gabriel Agreste had her heart but his heart belonged to his wife, so Nathalie had none.  She was indeed heartless but still filled with love.

How could she be in love with him?  It was beyond ridiculous. But there was no denying it any longer, 

"I'm Nathalie, uh, Nathalie Sancoeur."

༻࿊༺

Fin

[yarti]

[ Galtis ] [ The Itch ]

Click Imgur link for full set and captions.

Story Below:

"BURN IT DOWN."

The growing crowd roared. It is as if it were just moments ago. I feel it, smell it. The rush, the panic. Our new Matron, sister Lette. You had done a bad thing. I was there for the reading of your decree and my body took one of the first arrows. I searched the markets, the bath and lastly your chambers, but you had long gone. Likely bound up river by ship, that much I had gathered from those that barred my paths.

Our house dissolved. How could you? You had no right. What of us? What of your family? You cared not. The city went mad. The work took up arms up against my guard. Did you even consider what the vermin would do? They worshiped you and you gave them explicit permission to destroy all that you should have held dear. Brothers and sisters fell before my eyes. If any of them escaped, they would certainly be of like-mind to my own. They would hold you responsible as do I.  My arm. It twitched as I recalled the sword hewing it nearly in twain. The silken Dunmeri clothes of that day cooked into my melting chest. I have since came to know only exhaustion and this itch. I had little recollection of the events since the fire took me.

Over time, I became more aware of my situation. Those first truly alert days were quite the experience. My caretaker took great interest in changing my bandages and keeping me fed. I would wake to the sensation, a touch gentle or healing hand. Kind words, though I could rarely make out those words. At times she would lie with me and hold me, nude herself. I allowed her curiosity or lust as it were. It was a rare sight outside of a wealthy bedchamber, the bare body of a Serethi. One such as she would have never had the chance. I recall the amputation. The shock and defeat of it. She had to keep me sedated and I had not opened my eyes since first laying eyes upon it. It continued in that way, in and out of near-sleep for some time, even after the last of the bandages. Moving not a muscle but to scratch or shift my weight. There eventually came a day where I felt well enough to open my eyes again, and so I did. I glanced to my left, my remains of my arm. And to the right, a room dark. Then toward my feet. Immediately there came a shuffling and the creek of floorboards. The far side of the room, a dim stairwell and two peeping red eyes. Our eyes met, then a voice ushered her from her hiding spot.

"Master Serethi. I feared you'd never wake." Her tone was most odd. As she crossed the room I feebly rose and hobbled to the foot of the bed. Around my waist, a vibrant cloth or towel clung tightly to my nethers. "How long?" I croaked, clearing my throat mid-speech.

The Dunmer lass slowly approached my bedside, hand outstretched. Hesitation. Fear. With a moment of thought, she brought the back of her hand to my stinging forehead. "No more fever, ah." She whispered under her breath, seemingly frustrated or upset that I had finally awoken. Her eyes trailed from my own, down my bare chest and to what remained of my ruined arm. Hives or blisters spread from the site, along the shoulder and upon my breast. Infection. From the itching, I assumed it continued along my back as well but she offered not a looking glass. Seeing what my sister had certainly wrought, it put a seething firestorm in the very depths of my charred heart. Trembling, the lass took hold of my head and lifted it to inspect my neck before stepping away. "How long has it been?" I asked again. Stuttering, she responded. "Two weeks." Wringing her hands, she began again. "Do you remember what happ-" but I cut her off with a stern "Yes."

"Well", she sighed. "Stay in bed for now, wake or not. You're in no shape to be up and about, my lord. I'll go put supper on." She squeaked then darted back down the stairwell before I could respond. Stumbling, feeble legs held firm. I ran my hand along the newfound scars and grooves, flesh blackened and inflamed. My hand, my only hand. It came to rest upon my disheveled chin. Hair matted and burned. It seemed that my nurse had attempted to shave me at one point but given up. My legs were ever-so weak, tingling, but after a few steps, the numbness began to subside. Lette had taken my looks, my arm, my home. My mind soared and I began to mumble to myself. "Sister Lette, why have you done this? If you wanted not the seat, you knew there were others that had sought long for it. You are selfish. Despicable. No better than the beasts you protect." I growled, scraping the hives, overgrown nails drawing dark blood from wounds not yet healed. Hate became fuel, energy. "I should have put that sword to use when we spoke that morning. The pack, that look in your eye, the way you carried yourself. By the time we discovered that a stand-in would give your decree, I had already feared for the worst. I could have stopped you there in the foyer. I was generous, benevolent, I stayed my hand. But not again."

With ears well learned, sounds from below tore me from my thoughts. I heard the front door open and the lass step out. Moments became minutes before she returned with company. Not a voice of ash but a voice of man. A lowly Nord, a guard perhaps from what context I could gather. Hushed words, whispers. "Have him step outside for a breath of fresh air and we'll handle the rest. Once he's behind bars, you have my word that we'll not lay a finger on him. Not today at least. But after his trials, who can say? You might not be one of us, but you are no Serethi. Your lot in life was not far from ours. Things will be better now, we just have to try. Our lady has given us a new leaf. A harvest anew. We just need to finish clearing the chaff then sew new seeds. Chin up, you've done well." From the jingle of coin purses, they shook hands or perhaps embraced before parting. With the locking and shutting of the door, she went to the cookpot. In the meantime, I had let myself down the stairs on muffled foot and stood just behind her out of view.

"Will our guest not be staying for supper?

My words startled her, spoon silent. Frozen. Moments to minutes, her mind roared as she dug up a delectable lie.

"You should not have gotten out of bed. That was the chemist, he brought salve for your burns." The audacity.

"Ah, did he now? He sounded like a Nord. Surely you aren't treating me with salves from the slums, dear. That certainly explains a lot." My words fell flat. She scraped the bottom of the cookpot for further lies to feed me.

"Apologies my lord, but with the... " she paused too choose her words. "With the decree, the riots, we must make do with what we have. You were found outside my door and responsibility fell to me. I am no proper healer. My mother would have had you back in top shape by now." Around her shoulder, I found eyes staring at my missing piece before they flicked about the room then back to me. "As best she could anyway. That was my first amputation." Grimacing, she turned her attention back to the pot. "I am sorry but I tried my best. The soup will be ready soon, then maybe we'll get you some fresh air. It'll do us both some good."

As her form moved before the firepit, light found a tanto off to my right. Freshly but poorly cleaned, bits of ash yam still clung to the edge. I took it into my waistband then stood. "And what became of mother?"

"She ran off. The crazies I suppose. She had been having nightmares for the longest time. One day we had a fight and the next, she was gone. She took only the clothes on her back. Off to find the man from her dreams. What was that name again?" Tiny fingers prodded her chin as she pondered. "Asput, Abbut, Assut-" The tanto found the meat of her spine. "WE were not the chaff." I hissed.

As she slumped to the floor, my gaze met the linens about my waist. A cheap towel, unfitting for one of my standing. I threw it aside and was amazed and heartened to see that my loins had gone unscathed. Of course she had taken great care in preserving those. But what of my arm? Under better light, I found scars and burns that had actually healed, across my chest and even down the severed arm. The arrow wound was entirely gone. Perhaps the poor girl had truly tried after all. Good. "Thank you, lass." I called out to deaf ears and made way to her wardrobes, pilfering as I saw fit. "Your mother had quite the eye for fabrics. This coat is exquisite. Like one of my own." Because it was one of my own. Alongside it, silverware, belts and brooches. Curtains and gilded scales. It seems even the Dunmer had a hand in the raiding. This would not do. Need I kill them all and start over? I would already need to reforge our connections with the other Houses, rebuild, invest. There would be much to do.

Taking an apple in hand, and blade upon my hip, I felt a shred of my old self. Galtis Serethi, eldest son of the House, Patron-to-be. The blade would suffice I hoped. There is no way of knowing just what might await me when I finally step out for that fresh air.

Among the rifled papers and books, I found the journal of the healer, the mother. I examined it as I tended to supper, having finished packing away supplies and reclaiming my stolen belongings. The journal spiraled into madness as I flipped further. Entire pages were devoted to phrases and crude drawings. Red eyes in the dark, monsters and other Sixth House blasphemies. A loon indeed. I chucked the book into the fireplace and washed my hands of it. The phrase, "He will make me whole." stuck at out at me. It gnawed at me and urged me to retrieve the journal before it was too late. In clearer minds I would have never given second thought to such ravings. "A miracle maker." If he could give me back my arm, that would be a good start. What nonsense. There would be no miracles, only revenge. Lette would pay handsomely for her deeds. And what of my caretaker? Lest I forget her part in this. Certainly, it is a shame. Even now she sits quiet as bones on the floor as I pen these very words to a blank journal. I merely lost my temper. Who could blame me after my ordeals? Her death, does it pain me? Not quite, but perhaps once my new seeds are sewn, once the true chaff is cleared. I may have a statue cast in her likeness. A monument to her generosity in these trying times. She will have saved the life of our Patron after all. But for now, I have an itch that I must scratch.

[perditaalottachocolate-blog]

One of His Best Kittens (3) - Plag Appreciation Week, Day 3: Cat nap

Day 1  Day 2  |Day 3|  Day 4  Day 5  Day 6  Day 7

Warning: Contains spoilers to season 2.

Also on AO3 / fanfiction.net

Day 3: Cat nap

High up the skateboard ramps of Adrien’s room, right next to the hot pipes delivering water to the upper floor of the mansion Plagg made himself a nest. The place was perfect. Secluded but providing a strategic view to the whole room. Warm, sunny for most of the day. Plus it faced away from those four giant screens Adrien never needed but used simultaneously anyway. That was his sacred cat-nap zone, a place he valued almost as much as his beloved trash can.

Adrien knew better than to bother him, when the black cat rested in his zone. Unless there was a literal catastrophe (pun not only unintended but also scowled at, as Adrien used it too often), the boy left his kwami to his own devices and not even once intruded his space up the ramps.

But lately Plagg found his rests more fulfilling when he wasn’t napping alone. Those weren’t frequent occasions, as during most days the black kwami traveled wherever Adrien went – to school, photoshoots, various activities or akuma battles. But almost every night now, usually around midnight he heard telltale tingling his butterfly friend made as he phased through the wall and into the cat-nap zone. Sometimes they talked and plotted their plans of sabotaging Hawk Moth’s efforts and supporting Ladybug and Chat Noir in their mission. But most often Nooroo just silently curled up next to Plagg and released a sigh of relief, before falling asleep. He was gone before dawn, just minutes before Adrien’s alarm went off.

Plagg could already see those nights and his own company had a clear effect on his fellow kwami. Nooroo’s wings regained their smooth edges. His complexion, although still unnaturally lavender at least ceased to look unhealthy. And that cheeky sparkle in his eyes was back. Morover Plagg noted with satisfaction, that lately Hawk Moth’s performances lacked inspiration. Powers that were granted proved useless or blew the moth wielder in the face. The black cat could listen for hours to Nooroo retelling time after time how much fun it had been to watch Hawkie dodging rockets and tripping over fragments of missiles that attacked him in his own lair.

But that night instead of dozing off next to Nooroo Plagg woke up to a very uncomfortable feeling of being pressed into the butterfly kwami to tightly for comfort while his bedding seemed soaked with water. Someone was sobbing next to him, a warm kwami body trembling with sniffles and squeezing the air out of his lungs. Only one creature in the world could cry like that.

‘Duusu, I can’t breathe,’ he wheezed and the pressure on his chest dropped immediately.

‘Oh, Plagg!’ the peacock kwami wailed, new tears rolling from his eyes. ‘You’re finally awake! I’m so glad I found you and Roo here!’

The little cat nudged Nooroo with his elbow a few times, but the lavender bug was apparently too deep in his sleep to bother. If he didn’t mind the damp bed and being pressed into wall, he probably wouldn’t be waking up anytime soon. Just Plagg’s luck, now he was stuck with the weeper.

‘Hi, Dus,’ he sighed. ‘Fancy seeing you here.’

The blue kwami sniffed a few times and smoothed his wet feathers. ‘How come you have a kwami sleepover and I wasn’t invited,’ he complained. Plagg thought it was intended as a joke, but there was little humor in miniature peacock’s reddened eyes.

‘Nice of you to drop by anyway,’ the little cat replied with a shrug and moved a bit to make some place for the new kwami in his cat-nap zone. ‘Here, have a seat,’ he patted the spot next to him and the furthest from Adrien’s bed. ‘Keep those feathers to yourself just in case. My Chosen is allergic and we don’t want a coughing fit drill at 2 AM.’

Duusu sat shyly on the edge of the bedding and picked on his tail in silence.

‘So, you’re no longer in the brooch,’ Plagg supplied, not sure what to make of this fact. He had a very unpleasant feeling he might not like the answer but he had to ask. ‘Who’s your holder?’

‘A woman. She didn’t tell me her name,’ the peacock kwami frowned. ‘I think she was tall but most humans are to me. She was wearing men clothes. Trousers! Is it normal now?’

‘Yeah, it’s called a suit. Some women like to wear those, others still stick to dresses and skirts. You’ll get used to it,’ said the self proclaimed expert on fashion.

‘There was a taller man with her,’ Duusu continued. ‘Pale hair, glasses, red trousers. You know them?’

‘We haven’t been introduced if that’s what you’re asking,’ Plagg rolled his eyes. ‘The man is Nooroo’s current holder and the woman is his assistant.’

‘Really? They never told me he had a miraculous, although I thought it was a bit suspicious,’ the blue kwami scratched his chin. ‘And they looked more like a couple to me.’

‘They are not a couple.’

‘Sorry, you know how it is when you’re summoned after a long time,’ the new kwami started to brush his tail sheepishly. ‘Maybe it’s normal now, but why does that man have his assistant’s portrait in that large chamber?’

The little cat blinked at him a few times trying to make some sense out of Duusu’s words. ‘What portrait?’

‘Large painting, between windows, the woman was not in that white suit thing she wore today but in a golden dress?’ the peacock ventured.

Plagg released a string of profanities and Duusu gasped. ‘Language, Plaggie!’

‘Okay,’ the black kwami sighed in exasperation. ‘Once again then. What does your new holder look like?’

‘Don’t you mean my Chosen?’ his blue friend raised his brows as high as the red dot on his forehead.

‘Dus, what does she look like!’

‘Long blonde hair, braided. Green eyes. Pale skin. I already said she was tall,’ the peacock recited.

Plagg narrowed his eyes and bit down on his lower lip to keep the next portion of expletives inside. ‘Shit,’ was all that managed to escape.

Duusu observed him in silence, absentmindedly tending to his tail.

‘What’s going on here, Plagg?’ He asked after a while. ‘I could practically smell Nooroo on that man, but they told me I was the only kwami here. That they possessed only my miraculous.’ He hiccupped a few times and soon started sobbing again. ‘They said something about miraculous chest falling into wrong hands after the temple was destroyed. I didn’t know it was destroyed! What about our friends? What about the guardians?’

And before the little cat could even think about answering Duusu was already a blubbering mess. ‘I don’t like it, Plagg. I don’t like them!’

‘Dus, please, calm down,’ Plagg tried to break through the wall of weeping, while staying silent. Dus? Dus!’ He whisper-yelled but the blue kwami was too deep in his galloping hysterics to listen.

So Plagg did the first thing that came to his mind. He started humming the song of kwami. It predated human concepts of music by millennia. Already harmonious before tones were even invented. Sweet, soothing sounds that once were the basis of kwami communication, before the language was forged by first homo sapiens. Human ear couldn’t pick all the sounds that made the song, although they were susceptible to its effect too.

Still humming the black kwami put his paw on Duusu’s lips to end his teary ramblings. The little peacock’s eyes widened in shock, but soon he started sway to the ancient rhythm and joined in. Plagg hummed and purred until he saw his blue friend’s eyelids close and his breath even. Soon the little peacock leaned into Plagg and fell asleep. The black kwami laid him gently next to Nooroo and Duusu instantly wrapped his arms around the butterfly.

There wasn’t much space left for him, but Plagg curled into a tight ball completing the cuddle pile in his cat-nap zone. He listened to the gentle snoring of his Chosen and silent whistles of the remaining two kwamis. Although he was always pleased to meet his friends, he couldn’t ignore the twisting of his stomach at the implications of Duusu’s presence. Every fiber of his being screamed at him in big green letters “Trouble ahead”.

This wasn’t exactly new to Plagg. It was kwami fate to always appear at times of trouble. What was new however, was how entwined the miraculous holders’ paths currently were, with Adrien at the centre of the network. Duusu and Nooroo being awake posed only as greater threat to Chat Noir. Poor kid suffered through enough in his short life, the black cat mused. It wasn’t fair that this was coming his way. Sooner or later the midden is going to hit the windmill and Plagg would rather not be the metaphorical Hercules to clean those Augeas’s stables. It had been already dreadful the first time round.

As the sleep finally claimed him, the black cat decided to put those thoughts for tomorrow, taking a mental note to get some extra helping of camembert just in case.

The credit for the idea of cat-nap zone goes to @kryallaorchid and her ameouwzing Tendencies series. I changed it a bit, but this is what came to me first when I thought about cat naps.

[kyuu-rereads-umineko]

Ep6, Chapter 8 & 9 (Part 1)

“think of her as my daughter” “is it okay if i date her then” “what” “what”

The chapter opens on Kumasawa and Chick in... Uh, Battler’s meta-study? I guess? who even knows anymore

The two of them set out a plate of cookies for Battler. D’aww.

In, uh... i don’t even know anymore but at any rate, Elder comments on Chick “sparing no efforts for the sake of her beloved Father.” Yasu really, truly loved Battler, didn’t she...

“To think that I would give Battler cookies... Why should I, the ruler of the night, do so much for a guest who comes so rarely?” lol

Ooof, and then Battler returns, clearly not too happy to see Chick and Kumasawa there. Kumasawa explains that Chick baked the cookies on the table for him as a gift.

“Battler looked at the plate on the study desk that was piled up with beautiful cookies... and the message card of encouragement lying next to it, and his face twisted with a complex expression, which might have had traces of both sadness and anger contained within it...”

He does thank her for the gift, but goes on to say he “doesn’t like sweets.” “I am grateful for her feelings. ...I’m in the middle of a vital game right now. This is the final game... and it’s vital both for me... and Beato as well. So please. Try not to trouble me any more than is necessary.”

Kumasawa balks and tries convincing Battler to at least try one, clearly quite upset about it. “Master, do you think there might be poison inside them!?”

“...Yeah. If Beato ever came to give me cookies... Of course I’d think that she’d put some kind of crazy poison in them...” I can’t help but feel sympathetic for both of them, here. Battler’s wracked with guilt over the end of the last game and what he did to Beato, and Chick doesn’t understand what she’s done wrong (because she hasn’t, really) to warrant the cold treatment he’s giving her... It’s really sad.

In Featherine’s study, Ange seems unsure of what to think. “I don’t have a clue why Onii-chan and Beato act so friendly together. Right now, I think of Beato as our greatest enemy, the one we must defeat... Still, even so... As a woman, I... can’t say I like Onii-chan’s reaction.”

“Onii-chan’s reason for defeating Beato isn’t to destroy an enemy out of hatred... It feels like he wants to give a sincere answer to her questions.”

“...Beatrice. I want to ask you something.” wait is this

“When Ange asked her question, Beato, who had been reading a Fragment book in the shadows of the study, jumped.” oh fuck it is

i was going to say “so let’s recap here” and go over the like fifty different layers of meta here but i don’t even know where to start, oh well let’s try anyway

so we’re reading a story (umineko) about a story (forgery dawn) written by a character in-universe (tohya) about two characters (featherine and ange) reading a story (kakera dawn) about another character (beato), and ange turns around to ask someone else (also beato) a question about the story she is in

i hate this

Anyways, back on track. Ange cuts right to the point, asking Chick why she calls Battler “Father.” She repeats what she’s said before - that Battler created her - and Ange asks why she’s so dedicated to him in the first place. “It’s almost as though... that’s your goal as a piece.”

“Yes... That is the goal that gave birth to me.” Ange asks if Battler gave her that role, and Featherine clarifies that he merely “set a piece with that goal” on the board - and, furthermore, that the first game master - Beato as we know her - was the one to create Chick to begin with.

“...Aaaah, this is getting confusing.” ANGE

Ange summarizes that Chick calls Battler “Father” affectionately, in part because he was the one to put her on the board to begin with, and then asks who gave her the goal of devoting herself to Battler in the first place - only to realize that the answer is the original Beato, who isn’t around to explain anymore.

“I will... do anything for Father... My existence will bring him happiness. ...That is my one and only pleasure... And... And... if I could one day have Father acknowledge my efforts... it would be my one and only joy...”

oh god hope started playing help

“...What the hell. If you only wanted to serve him, I’d say you’re just another furniture of the witch... but you want him to acknowledge your efforts? That’s less like furniture and more like...” And then it clicks: “That’s less like furniture and more like... you’re just a girl... who loves Onii-chan.”

“The guiding force behind this Beato’s actions... is that of a girl who adores Onii-chan. But then, what does that make this Beato? If the first Beato liked Onii-chan, then she should’ve adored him and done things for him herself. Why would she create ‘a piece of herself,’ a separate entity, to do it...? This way... even if she does attract Onii-chan’s attention, it will be towards the piece version of herself, not the creator who made that piece. [...] It’s as though this love is destined to go unrewarded... No matter how devoted she is, she will never get anything out of it.”

“That’s right... This Beato was created as a ‘piece’... because of an impossible reason...”

Ange and Chick discuss the old Beato a bit more, and Chick decides to start calling Battler “Battler-san” instead of Father. She goes back to reading her Fragment book, as dedicated as ever...

Back in the tale itself, Battler’s sitting alone in the study. “There was no colour in this dimly lit room. However... for just the short time that the plate of cookies had been placed there, the room had seemed at least a little cheery...”

He summons an image of the cookies on the desk and just sorta looks at them... then summons a piece of the old Beato. “Come ooon, have a bite~ It’s not every day that I’ll make these by hand...! Have no fear, I’m confident in how well they’ve turned out.”

One by one, he summons a few of the other magic characters - Ronove, Virgilia, Gaap, etc. - and has them make a pithy comment of some sort. Battler ends up reaching out for the plate, only for everyone to disappear just before he touches it... that is, everyone except for Beato.

Even though this is basically a conversation Battler’s having with himself, there’s a lot of interest to it. “...The more the new ‘me’ differs from the form you wished for... the more you are reminded that I can never be revived again, correct...?” Battler starts crying, though he also says, “If you never appear again... that’d be a relief.”

“The ‘me’ you were expecting... has already disappeared. My soul, femininity, sparkling personality, and splendid character were cultivated in a thousand years spent as a witch. Unless an exactly identical thousand years is traversed, it is impossible to become me.” Battler comments that Bern’s already guaranteed Beato will never be revived, and Beato retorts that Battler’s hoping for it regardless.

“One day, the new ‘me’ trips and lands on her head, and all her memories of the past are restored! ...You were hoping for something like that, weren’t you? Ahahahahahaha! A delusional plot like that wouldn’t even pass in a light novel these days!”

Battler comments that Beato was hoping for pretty much the same thing from him in the past, and she goes silent. “Does this mean... that our relationship... is exactly the opposite now of how it once was...?”

“...Well, at times, I did continue the game believing that you would eventually notice and remember, that a miracle would occur.” Battler asks her how it felt, and she cackles and tells him to “look inside his own heart.”

Battler reflects on how maybe he’d be able to cope better if Chick didn’t like the same as Beato herself, and she says, “Well, do as you wish. In the past, I toyed with you and tormented you... Now’s your chance for revenge against me.”

“...I would if it was you. It’d probably make me feel a lot better. ...But... that Beato... isn’t you.”

“Because the new Beato seems like a different person, I can’t accept her. Even though I know she’s a different person... she keeps reminding me of Beato’s face.”

“In that case... why not think of her as my daughter?”

oh no thanks for being born is playing now I’m actually crying

“She does share my blood, so consider her a daughter that closely resembles me. After all, she is my double, but hasn’t lived a thousand years, so calling her that is not incongruous. Imagine that I have died, left behind a daughter... and entrusted her to you. That way, won’t it become a little easier to think of how to deal with her?”

“You are free to press my likeness upon her. You may also let loose your pent up resentment on her in my place. Making her bear my sins and torturing her as you please may calm your grudge. If that doesn’t match your tastes, you can also guide her down the right path so that she does not end up on the inhumane road that I have tread. [...] ...With a miracle of a thousand years, she might even become me.”

With that, Battler realizes just how harsh he was being to Chick earlier, and notices that the card she left with her cookies is on the floor... except he can’t read it through his tears (or the ink is smudged by his tears, I’m not entirely sure which tbh).

Meanwhile, back on the board, Shannon, George, Kanon, and Jessica have been transported into Zepar and Furfur’s smoking room... lounge... thing. magic gonna magic

Shannon’s apparently told George a bit about what’s going to happen, leaving Jessica as the only one completely in the dark. He mentions “a test for a pair of lovers,” though.

Shannon and Kanon put the two halves of the brooch back together, and it shatters, unleashing Zepar and Furfur. YESSSS HERE WE GO

BEAAATORIIIIIIIIICHEEE

And then the two Beatos appear, right... Elder introduces Chick as her “double and little sister.” bern wasn’t kidding when she said beatrice didn’t necessarily mean “a single woman” back in ????1 huh

Zepar and Furfur explain that with the brooch broken, their work is almost done - “It was decided when the contract was made. It was decided that we must lend our power one more time before our final farewell.”

“So, this is truly the final miracle!”

Elder goes on to explain. “Those gathered here are ones cursed to have unsuccessful love unless a miracle occurs. The power of the golden butterfly brooch, which can grant this miracle, is your last chance, and like it or not, this chance is limited to this evening! This miracle can be given only to a single pair!”

Jessica does not take this well at all, understandably. When Shannon asks, Kanon says, “I didn’t know... how I should explain it.” Chick expresses confusion as well, asking Elder if she can’t explain it any better.

“With our blessing, the pair can cultivate their love at their leisure! No need to worry about suspicious demons!” “However, without our blessing, your love will vanish, disappear, wither, and decay.” Jessica angrily asks why.

“Because it is fate!! You may choose not to accept it, you may choose not to resist it!!” yeah i feel like i should have something to say here but really this is pretty blatant isn’t it

“Ushiromiya Jessica, the future you two share is far more grim than you realize.” YEAH NO KIDDING

Elder repeats what’s been said before - unless he and Jessica win, Kanon will end up leaving the island, never to return. “You will probably leave the island yourself in search of the one you love, but such a venture will doubtless be in vain!”

Jessica’s pretty angry, but she remembers something Kanon told her a long time ago - namely, that if Shannon were to ever stop working on Rokkenjima, he’d probably quit as well. Yasu really did think of everything, didn’t she?

On the other hand, if Kanon and Jessica were to win, Kanon would stay on the island with her, and they’d be able to develop their relationship from there... but, in return, George and Shannon won’t get together, though it’s not explained why (yet, at least).

“Without the power of the golden butterfly brooch, neither love is fated to bear fruit.”

Jessica, understandably, asks why the hell that is, and Elder replies, “It is due to your sin of falling in love with furniture, which is not allowed to love.”

George suggests looking at it as a test “to see who can display the strength of their feelings more strongly.”

“When I gave Shannon that engagement ring, I swore to fight all trials and barriers that stand in my way. ...No matter how unreasonable or incomprehensible these trials might be... I cannot choose to avoid them.”

“...We must fight openly for that single miracle. Even if I lose at the end... I’ll be able to accept it if we both gave it our all. And because of that, I will be able to cheer on the victors from the bottom of my heart.”

Shannon apologizes, saying that she’s “determined not to flinch in her resolve,” despite knowing what’ll inevitably happen to Jessica and Kanon’s relationship if she and George win. God, I can understand why Yasu would’ve felt so horrible about this...

“Love brings about conflict, and this conflict gives rise to determination. As the demons of love, [Zepar and Furfur] could understand more fully than any others how noble that determination was...” god

And then Elder comments that Chick is just as eligible for this miracle as the other two pairs of lovers. Hey readers are we getting the hint here yet huh

“With the miracle of the golden butterfly brooch... even your wish... your wish that your affection for Battler will be acknowledged, can be granted easily. ...And without a miracle... you also can never be bound to him.”

Zepar and Furfur state that they were planning on including Chick from the beginning. Jessica, Kanon, George, and Shannon all agree to it and restate their resolve, and Elder asks Chick if she feels the same way.

“...Yes... If there is even a small chance that Father - ah, no... that Battler-san will acknowledge me, I’m willing to put myself on the line.”

And so the demons of love declare, “Let’s begin this trial of lovers, the fight over a single miracle of magic...!!”

Meanwhile, Erika’s gone up to her room on the second floor of the guesthouse. This time around, it’s on the other end of the hall from the cousins’ room. gg batora

She tries making some of her duct tape (or packing tape, as of the Mangagamer release, but we haven’t switched to that yet so shhh) seals from the previous game, only to find out it’s not sticky enough to be used for... pretty much anything, let alone her seals.

“Letting Erika get her hands on duct tape gave her a fatal weapon to use against witches.” i’m just quoting this because i love how it sounds out of context

Dlanor points out that in all likelihood, any substitutes for the tape have also been tampered with, meaning Erika’s out of luck. She kinda takes it in stride and flops over on the bed, clearly in a bad mood.

“...Why do you hate magic, Lady Erika? [Maria’s cup-and-candy magic] was nothing more than a foolish trick to deceive CHILDREN. Everyone knew THAT... Was it really necessary to go so far to destroy that ILLUSION?”

Erika replies with, “Well, I am a self-proclaimed intellectual rapist. I can’t stand having magic confuse the truth.” Dlanor can tell that there’s something other than just “pleasure” behind her actions, though. Erika denies it and turns away, then starts talking to... herself, probably.

“I love you.” SHIP SHIP SHIP (nah i don’t actually ship it sorry)

Erika proceeds to go through random bits from her backstory, from the niceties her then-boyfriend told her to some of the strange things that started popping up - a new wallet, new cologne, suddenly having a part-time job, and so on.

“I found tons of evidence that I loved you. I found tons of evidence that you loved me. But I couldn’t find any evidence that you haven’t been cheating on me.”

“If you really find it that hard to trust me, we’re through. Stay away, just go home, bitch, I don’t love you anymore. Don’t cry dammit, it’s disgusting. Just die. Stop shouting, dammit, you’re annoying the neighbourhood. Just get the hell away from me and never come back.”

“...Without love, it cannot be seen? ...Hah. That’s backwards. Because of love, you end up seeing things that don’t even exist. It’s nothing more than an illusion, one that no one except you can see, and one that even you can never touch. Without love, humans would never need to sift through truth and lies.”

I’m pretty sure I already said it, but... Man, even if I’m guilty of not looking at Erika with enough ‘love’, her backstory here falls completely flat for me. For one thing, it’s coming after she had so much fun tormenting Natsuhi in Ep5 and destroying Maria’s illusion in the lounge earlier - it ends up feeling to me like a pithy attempt to make her sympathetic, and... it just doesn’t work. I can’t quite put my finger on why it doesn’t work for Erika, when we’ve got other terrible characters like Rosa and Kinzo (and even Yasu, to an extent) running around, but... it just doesn’t.

Part of that, and the second thing, is that Erika’s backstory just doesn’t make sense to me. While we’re never given an exact number, the narrative does say that she’s younger than Jessica and Battler, putting her around 16 or 17 at the oldest (I’m not sure where I got 14 from, don’t ask). This backstory? Suggests a woman who’s in her 20′s or late teens at the youngest to me, not someone who’s in middle school. I mean, yeah, sure, willing suspension of disbelief, plus as Bern’s piece who knows what the hell kind of person Erika was to begin with, but... it just doesn’t work for me.

...Though I suppose it’s kinda funny that one of the themes I like about Umineko so much - how two different, contradictory options are both “true” - is what trips me up with Erika, huh?

At any rate. “Right now, I am happy... Though it may be temporary, I have become the Witch of Truth. ...As I am now... I no longer need to worry about being tormented by non-red words.”

Erika ask Dlanor how she’d respond to her accusations, and the two of them re-enact the “game” Erika had against her boyfriend. It’s horrifically one-sided, in Erika’s favour.

Before leaving, Dlanor says, “A splendid game, Lady Erika. Even before you became Lady Bernkastel’s piece, you truly were a splendid wielder of the blue TRUTH... However, Lady Erika. Humans are only allowed to use the blue TRUTH. The only thing that can counter blue truth is red TRUTH. Humans are not allowed to use the red TRUTH... In that case, how should your opponent have shown his TRUTH?”

Erika just sorta replies with “who knows.” I’ll admit to feeling a pang of sympathy for her here...

“...You certainly were the victor in that GAME. However, allow me to say this as a protector of the TRUTH. [...] ...This game is your VICTORY. However... you still have not denied the six points of blue truth evidence that I showed to claim that I still loved YOU. ...Even you are HUMAN. You cannot use red truth to deny those POINTS.” 

Erika smugly replies that she “used the detective’s authority” to have her argument elevated to red truth. “I am human, yet superior to humans. A detective and a witch. I am the Witch of Truth, Furudo Erika. Any other questions? Parting remarks?”

Dlanor hesitantly says no and leaves, leaving Erika laughing bitterly on her own. Glancing at the clock, she notices that it’s almost midnight.

“The curtain has finally opened on the second day, October 5th. ...I wonder if the murder this time is happening somewhere about now. I hope our victims leave us some interesting dying messages this time.” yikes™

Elsewhere, George is confronting Eva about his engagement with Shannon. it’s finally murder time

[esonetwork]

Timestamp Special #5: Real Time

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Timestamp Special #5: Real Time

Doctor Who: Real Time (6 episodes, 2002)

  It seems appropriate to visit the one visual Big Finish Sixth Doctor tale after saying farewell to Colin Baker’s live-action television portrayal.

After a brief reprise of the Third Doctor‘s opening credits, we are reintroduced to the Cybermen as they search the rooms surrounding a large ball called the Chronosphere. Two humans emerge after the patrols pass and send a “doctor” (who was connected inside the sphere) to the past, potentially destroying their timeline.

On a starship called the Cassius, an officer named Kruger talks to Professor Osborne on the state of the planet below. Two teams have disappeared in two days, but their disappearance has stymied the search teams. During the debrief, the professor and his team are engulfed by a wave of temporal energy and disappear, exactly on schedule with the last two events. They also witness a Cyberman as they vanish.

On the planet, the TARDIS overlooks a camp and pyramid-shaped temple. Evelyn Smythe and a third survey team are digging into the mystery with the help of the Doctor (as requested by the authority called Central) because of the Cyberman sighting. Evelyn and Doctor Reece Goddard discuss the Doctor before settling in for a chat about the history of Cybermen.

Inside the temple, the survey team and the Doctor are studying the hieroglyphs printed on the walls of a large chamber. This version of the Sixth Doctor is more conservatively dressed and far less pompous, and he helps the team unlock a few secrets of the building’s architecture. Together, they decide to open a sealed door and examine the wall beyond. The team leader, Nicola Savage, is adamant and eager to find her missing colleagues, but the Doctor and the rest of the team are hesitant and cautious. As they argue, the door opens on its own accord and exposes an extra-dimensional space beyond. The Doctor warns the team not to mess with the membrane covering the entrance, but the scientists don’t listen and they Savage is pulled through. After the lights go out, half-converted Cybermen (including Savage) emerge and threaten to assimilate the rest of the team.

Evelyn and the administrative team in the camp muse about the subcutaneous bio-trackers that keep tabs on everyone on the survey team – except Evelyn, the Doctor, and the allergic Goddard – and how Savage’s signal has blipped off then on. Their discussion and debate are interrupted by the Doctor and the partial Cybermen. The Cybermen cannot recognize the Doctor in his sixth form until Evelyn inadvertently reveals him, and they demand that he follow them into the portal to meet the Cyber Controller and turn over the TARDIS. The portal itself leads to the Chronosphere chamber from the story’s opening.

The Doctor puzzles over Cyber Savage’s ultimatum: She plans to kill the survey team if the Doctor doesn’t comply, but the Doctor notes that the threat is impotent since he sees a handful of lives as insignificant against the survival of the universe. He also deduces that the Cyber Controller didn’t build the temple, but instead is using it after the previous occupants have long since gone.

Cyber Savage reveals a critical key to the audience: The Cyber Controller is interested in an heir to its power, and the Doctor (along with his knowledge of time travel) is the perfect candidate. That’s an interesting idea. Anyway, Administrator Isherwood offers to betray the Doctor by making a duplicate key, and the Cybermen agree with the plan. The Doctor doesn’t think it will work, and he confirms it by watching the Cybermen struggle with basic logic as they try to carry the TARDIS into the temple. They are usually more intuitive than that.

After consulting with the Cyber Controller, Cyber Savage provides the Doctor with the history of the situation and a demand to provide sanctuary from the impending temporal wave inside the TARDIS. The Doctor also figures out the plan to assimilate him and travel back to the origins of the temple. The Doctor confronts Isherwood over his plans for the TARDIS, then develops a plan to prevent the Cyber Controller from communicating with Cyber Savage. Evelyn and Goddard enter the ruins with scientist Carey, but there are two problems: First, Carey has an implant so he can be tracked; Second, Evelyn has potential knowledge of TARDIS operation. The Doctor has no choice but to go after them, but the Cybermen catch them first and take them to the Cyber Controller. Carey is assimilated in a most gruesome fashion, and Evelyn is faced with a future as the new Controller.

Cyber Savage stands in the Doctor’s way as he tries to pass through the portal, prompting the Doctor to debate her with empathy. Cyber Savage responds with force and logic, driving the Doctor to relent. Cyber Savage uses this to her advantage later by tricking the Doctor by manipulating his empathy for her prior humanity.

Meanwhile, Goddard confronts Isherwood and his plan to take time travel for his own uses. On the other side of the portal, Evelyn discusses empathy with the Cyber Controller and makes some headway through logic and reason.

The Doctor figures out Cyber Savage’s deception before she succeeds in securing the TARDIS, and the Time Lord uses the distraction to confront Goddard. The Cybermen have ignored him so far, and the Doctor wants to know why. Goddard is a Cyberman from the future (sort of), and his technology is based on Time Lord knowledge, which the Doctor will inevitably yield.

Nice twist!

In 1927, the Cybermen unleashed a virus on Earth that transformed humans into cybernetic hybrids. Goddard was one of the few who survived and joined a rebellion to reclaim the planet, and his research has brought him to this point. The ability to travel in time has allowed the Cybermen to completely conquer the universe and Goddard (who was the doctor in the time sphere) us trying to stop the origins of the Cyber-verse using a counter-virus.

The downside: This creates a time paradox.

The Doctor tries to stop Goddard, but the hybrid knocks him out. The scientists see this happen, but Cyber Savage cannot see Goddard. Unable to explain the event, Cyber Savage kills Renchard while torturing him for the truth and then takes Isherwood to the portal. Goddard and the Doctor follow, but the Doctor is ambushed by a Cyberman. Goddard kills it with the counter-virus and they proceed, but the transition through the portal destroys most of the counter-virus. Once through the portal, the Doctor makes a few changes to the hieroglyphs.

I love the point/counterpoint of the clashing moralities between the Doctor and Goddard.

As Evelyn’s assimilation begins, the Cyber Controller demonstrates to Ishwerwood how the portal negatively affects the organics under the cyber armor. The Controller finds the Doctor and begins to reason out the existence of Goddard, and a slip of the tongue from Isherwood leads to a change in the Cyberman algorithms, making the young scientist is visible to the enemy. The Cyber Controller finds the virus and questions the Doctor’s morality around it, calling back to Article Seven of the Time Lord Constitution and the laws against genocide.

Goddard assures the Cybermen that he will use the counter-virus even if the Doctor will not, and the Doctor negotiates with the Cyber Controller over the TARDIS as Cyber Savage analyzes the counter-virus. Cyber Savage finds that the counter-virus will only help them and sends Isherwood and Goddard for assimilation.

In the assimilation chamber, Evelyn’s transformation stops as the overseeing Cyberman has a human epiphany of emotions. After the Cyberman leaves, the Cyber Controller notes the irregularity and reactivates the chamber. The Cyberman engages Cyber Savage, and the Doctor and Goddard use the distraction to gain the upper hand. Goddard kills Cyber Savage, then delivers a coup de grâce to Isherwood as the former administrator shares a secret with him.

The Doctor finds Evelyn and frees her from the conversion chamber, but Goddard arrives and reveals the secret: Evelyn is carrying the original virus, engineered from the counter-virus and completing the paradox that the Doctor warned of. Goddard defeats the Cyber Controller and opens the faceplate, revealing Evelyn’s face beneath as the being dies and the temporal wave washes over them both.

The Doctor and Evelyn reach the TARDIS, the former unaware of the terrible burden the latter carries. Evelyn is weary and a deeply respectful Doctor takes care of her as he sets course for a cliffhanger: The TARDIS hurtles toward Charles Lindbergh‘s historic flight in 1927 and the birth of the Cyber-verse.

  This was a decent story with some great twists, and it operated almost like the reconstructions of the First and Second Doctor‘s eras. The downsides are numerous, including far too many close-ups on random bits, such as the cat brooch (which emotes as the Doctor does) and Cyber Savage’s cyber-crotch. It was also far gorier than previous stories and maintained the Fifth and Sixth Doctor era tradition of large body counts.

That said, the big positive is a better representation of the Sixth Doctor himself. This Doctor shucked the cynicism and abusive attitude while maintaining his standoffishness. He has really grown up, and I would have liked to see this Doctor for a season on the actual show.

  Next up, our journeys with the Sixth Doctor come to a close with another non-canon tale.

  Rating: 4/5 – “Would you care for a jelly baby?”

    UP NEXT – Doctor Who: A Fix with Sontarans

  The Timestamps Project is an adventure through the televised universe of Doctor Who, story by story, from the beginning of the franchise. For more reviews like this one, please visit the project’s page at Creative Criticality.