#ml harlequin au

[howhow326]

Harlequin AU: villain Maribug

This idea just popped into my head: what if Miraculous was a villain origin story? What if all the times where Marinette got treated like dog doo doo by her friends, society, and the narrative actually mattered?? What if all the times Marinette got needlessly traumatized were actually a prelude to a more dramatic mental break, a la Scarlet Witch??? What if Marinette went ape shit???? Here's my idea:

Marinette's descent into villainy starts the same way every other day of her life starts: Chloe and Sabrina bully her; Lila bullies her and none of her friends stand up for her; Chat Noir borderline sexually harasses her OR he acts like all the times he proclaimed his undying love to her never happened so he can avoid going on a date with her; the usual.

As Marinette goes into her room, she gets ready to cry herself to sleep like she does every night. And then, an idea pops into her head...

"Tiki, red spots on." "Marinette, no! You can't use the miraculous for evil! You know it always ends in disaster!" "Disaster for ME!!! I'm the one that always sufferers the most for mine and every else mistakes! No more... NO MORE!!! TIKI, RED SPOTS ON!!!"

Marinette transforms, but not into Ladybug. Her trauma and her 'selfish' desire to do what's good for her mixes into a new persona: Harlequin. Her outfit is a color flipped version of Ladybug's enhanced outfit from season 4, a black body suit with red spots.

Harlequin jumps out of her house and announces herself, "Bonsoir, citizens of Paris. You used to know me as the weak Ladybug, the failure superhero." Gasps can be heard from the late night citizens, wondering why their darling would call herself that. "But from now on my name is Harlequin, the strongest superhero in Earth! And I'll prove my strength by finding Hawkmoth and arresting him! CREATION CHARM!!!"

Harlequin digs deep with her power over creation, forcing her power to work for her the same way Hawkmoth forces his power to make akumas. She creates a magic compass that points in the direction of the Butterfly miraculous, and as soon as she arrives at the Agreste mansion, she knows exactly who has been making her life hell.

Gabriel is asleep when Harlequin crashes through his window and assults him. " Oh, you BETTER wake up!" Harlequin snatches his miraculous away and beats him into submission.

When Adrien walks in, he feels like he's in a nightmare. "Ladybug, what are you doing!" The boy screams as she continues to beat a corpse. "Happy Valentine's day, Adrien! Your abusive father, Hawkmoth, won't be bothering us anytime soon." As she walks out of the room to retrieve her kwamis, she turns back to face Adrien. "And by the way, it's Harlequin now."

Gabriel Agreste, AKA Hawkmoth, is dead. Suicide by cop, of course. It's not like anyone cares. Nathile is sent to a UN jail for life after her connection to Gabriel is found out. Adrien inherents his father's company and is to be allowed to live in the guardianship of the Gorilla until he becomes 18. Harlequin recreates the miraculous and brings them back home. But it's not a happy ending. It's just the beginning.

The next day, Lila is up to her old tricks. Afterschool, Harlequin drags her into the street in font of a local news station. "Bonjour citizens of Paris, Harlequin speaking! This girl, Lila Rossi, has been bullying an innocent girl in her class room for the last year. Lila has claimed an innocent girl cheated on a test, she claimed an innocent girl pushed her down the stairs, all sorts of lies really! She even claimed to be my best friend, although there's one hole in that story... Tiki, red spots off!" As Marinette reveals her identity to everyone in Paris, Lila's heart sinks. "The whole time I have been saving the people of Paris, the whole time I've been helping my friends, this wench has been bullying me! NO MORE! Tiki, red spots on!" Harlequin swings away into the distance...

The next day, Lila Rossi disappears. The people of Paris don't care, she bullyed their savior after all. Meanwhile, the akuma class' reputation is destroyed, each one becoming a social outcast.

The day after, Harlequin finds out that the Mayor of Paris has been breaking one two many laws. She decides that he, his wife, and Chloe are all going to go to a "nice family prison".

That's what she told the public. Harlequin used the bunny miraculous to send them back in time into the French Revolution. Chloe will never bully Marinette again.

The day Harlequin becomes the new Empress of France is met with cheers. She saved the world from Hawkmoth. She erased all crime in the country. She seperated France from the UN, so that they may be their own superpower again. Longue vie la Harlequin!

"Marinette, you need to stop! Don't you see that this is crazy?" Alya pleeds to her best friend. "Tell me Alya, where were you when I was being bullied by Lila? NEVER TELL ME WHAT I NEED!!!" Alya is sent away to the camps, where everyone who dare disagrees with Harlequin is sent.

Adrien is at a crossroads. If he chooses to love Harlequin, then his life will be full of joy and madness. Harlequin forgives him for all the wrong he did to her, and accepts him with open arms. Togather, they become the rulers of France... but their relationship is one of imbalance. Just as the Ladybug miraculous is so much more powerful that the Cat, Marinette is so much more powerful than Adrien. Everyday, Adrien thinks Marinette looks more and more like his father. He never says it out loud tho... He dosen't want to be punished again.

If Adrien rejects Harlequin, Kill Bill by Sza plays. Then Harlequin actually kills him.

As Marinette lays in her bed, she still cries herself to sleep. She has everything she could ever want... and she still has nothing...

[an-albino-pinetree]

I’ll post these solo too, I guess! :]c

@tadc-harlequin-au + @etanow ‘s Monster Labs AU :]

( forgot to tag-)

Neither aus depicted in this crossover are mine!!

[celestiall0tus]

Tales of Bloody Bug and Chat Noir - Chapter 41 - Feast

Beginning || Previous || Next

            Adrien sat on his sofa with a news broadcast on mute. He checked the time as he watched the minutes tick by until lights out. He glanced over at Felix, who had his nose in his phone. He sighed and turned back to the broadcast but left it on mute. He furrowed his brow when a segment with the Louvre came up that showcased a new, tiny statue with an odd symbol on it. He reached for the remote as Alim Kubdel came into the screen when there was a knock on his door.

            Adrien and Felix stood and turned as Gabriel and Amelie walked in. Ameli trotted over to Felix and smothered him with affection as she wished him a good night. Gabriel approached Adrien and stood frigidly.

            “Have a good night, Adrien,” Gabriel said.

            “You too, Father,” Adrien mumbled.

            Adrien and Gabriel awkwardly stood there, glancing around while Amelie doted on Felix. She paused and scoffed.

            “C’mon, Gabriel, show some love. He’s your son,” Amelie scolded.

            Gabriel pursed his lips. Gabriel turned to Adrien and awkwardly moved his arms. Gabriel sighed in defeat and patted Adrien’s head. Warmth bloomed in Adrien and spread at the scrap of attention. Since Amelie and Felix decided to stay a week ago, Gabriel had been trying to be better, with Amelie’s help. It was strange to Adrien to see Gabriel like this again, but he couldn’t deny how much he missed having Gabriel actually in his life.

            Adrien gave Gabriel a small smile. Gabriel’s eyes widened before his own face softened and he smiled back. Amelie finished fussing over Felix, wished Adrien a goodnight, and left with Gabriel. Adrien sighed and turned to Felix.

            “Are you ready?” Adrien asked.

            “As ready as I can be. Kaalki, full gallop.”

            “Stompp, charge ahead.”

            Adrien and Felix transformed. They snuck out the window and headed into the city. They covered their typical patrol before they patrolled the rest of the city. They had seen Death Noire and Pom Pom out on their patrol along with Hydra and Harlequin. They each shared their reports before they went their separate ways.

            Relief and anxiety tore through Taureau. It was looking to be another night without a Mayura or Hawkmoth sighting. Since Mayura’s grand entrance, Hawkmoth went dead silent. No akumas or anything. Meanwhile, Mayura was slipperier. They were all convinced that the shadows they had been seeing were her, but it didn’t bring them any closer to uncovering her motives.

            The closest they had all gotten was Anarka Couffaine. A week prior at the twin’s birthday party, Mayura had appeared and created a sentimonster out of Anarka’s regret. Bloody Bug had questioned Anakra afterwards and discovered Mayura had harvested the full emotion, removing it from Anarka, who described it like having a burden torn from her that left a massive hole. She couldn’t feel it or remember why she did until the fan was destroyed and it was returned.

            It unnerved Taureau at the prospect that Mayura could fully steal emotions and use them to create monsters. And from what he saw last week, Mayura had been collecting others prior to Anarka. He had to wonder who else Mayura had collected from. Did she get them back? How much was she feeding into those emotions? Who was she targeting? Was Marinette really one of them? If Marinette was, who else could fall victim?

            “Get down!” Llameri hissed.

            Taureau grunted as Llameri pulled him down. He shook himself off and peeked over the rooftop. He gasped when he saw Mayura strolling across the oddly empty Louvre plaza up to the museum.

            “Isn’t it a little odd the plaza is so empty? I know the museum is closed at this hour, but there’s usually still people around,” Taureau commented.

            “Because this is a trap,” Bloody Bug whispered.

            Taureau and Llameri gasped and looked up as Bloody Bug knelt with them.

            “Bug! What are you… never mind. What’s the plan?” Taureau asked.

            “Did you see the news?” Bloody Bug asked.

            “Yeah.”

            “That statue had the same as the guardians. It’s the one I use to activate my kwatagama to talk to the paradox Bloody Bug.”

            “So?”

            “We had a hunch that it might be of interest to our peacock friend, and here she is.”

            “I don’t understand. Why would she care about that?”

            “I’m not sure, but everything about her is wrong. Take what happened at the Couffaine party. She may have been alone, but she has an advantage over us. Regardless, it was too easy to beat her. Almost like she was… holding back and observing. My brother and father suggested she’s seeking knowledge. Given what you’ve told me about your encounter with her, I’d wager that’s in the ballpark.”

            “That doesn’t tell us what the plan is supposed to be,” Llameri remarked.

            “I’ll be going in and gauging her… and getting her attention,” Bloody Bug hissed.

            “How exactly?”

            Bloody Bug didn’t answer. Taureau raised a brow when she glanced at her bracelet and panja bracelet before she touched the pair of necklaces.

            “Wait, you’re not going to use the Amalgamation fusion, are you? Master said to save that for when she goes primal.”

            “I know what the old man said, but we need to do something. She’s evaded us at every turn and allows us to beat her. She’s hiding something and this may be a way to expose her motives. She’s here for that statue, so she must be curious about the kwamis. If I do this, it will seal my suspicions, but also hopefully get her to leave you alone.”

            “You can’t. She’ll hunt you. She may come after you, Dad, and Jalil. She may hurt them too.”

            “We know. We discussed the risks of this, but they agree something must be done. That’s why both Dad and Jalil are in that museum, watching Mayura on the cameras. We are doing something. We are making the decisions few can. We are going to make our stand tonight.”

            “Then I’m coming with you.”

            “The hell you are. You’re staying out here and away from Mayura.”

            “No way! I’m not leaving you alone with her.”

            “And I can’t let you get involved. I’m doing this for you to keep you safe from her. Let me do this. Let me keep you safe.”

            “No! Bug, we’ve been in this together since Stoneheart. Haven’t you learned at all that things work out if we tackle it together? Haven’t we both nearly got our asses beat because we rushed in like fools? Can’t you see how foolish it is to just throw away your own safety on a gamble?”

            “Just let me do this! Let me make everything right, please!”

            Taureau’s eyes widened. “Make everything right? Bug, you don’t-.”

            “I do. It doesn’t matter what any of you say, this is all my fault. This is all the result of my actions. Everything is fucking hell because of me. Let me make things right. Let me do this for you. For everyone.”

            “Bug, wait, please!”

            Bloody Bug ignored Taureau and jumped off to the Louvre. Taureau sneered and fumed.

            “How could she be so reckless? I’m not defenseless, and I can help her. She’s not the only one that can do that Amalgamation fusion.”

            Llameri smirked. “Then what’s stopping you from joining her?”

            “I… I don’t know! I want to. I want to so bad, but I don’t have four other kwamis to perform such a fusion.”

            “Well, let’s go get some. Where’s the piglet and the pompous rooster?”

            “Le Grand Paris. Chloe’s room.”

            “Voyage,” Llameri said.

            Taureau watched a portal appear to Chloe’s room. He smiled when he saw Sabrina and Chloe relaxing on the couch as they watched a movie. He poked his head through and called out to them. They both turned and rushed over to him.

            “Taureau, what’s going on? Did something happen?” Sabrina asked.

            “Yes, and I need both of your miraculous.”

            “What? Why?” Chloe demanded.

            “I need to help Bug. She’s about to do something dangerous and needs someone to back her up,” Taureau explained.

            “Why didn’t you say so? Let’s tag a-,” Chloe started.

            “No. Trust us to this task. Please.”

            “Taureau, what’s going on?” Sabrina pushed.

            Taureau sighed. “Mayura is here at the Louvre and Bug is determined to set right a past that never existed. She intends to repair damage she believes she caused. So, she’s rushing in to draw Mayura’s eye, putting herself and our family in danger. I’m sure you all could help us, but for your own safety, trust Bug and me to this, please.”

            Chloe glanced at Sabrina, who weighed their options. She sighed and handed Daizzi’s anklet to Taureau. Chloe grumbled and gave Taureau Orikko’s rings.

            “Thank you. Both of you. I promise, I will return these to you after this.”

            Taureau hugged Chloe, gave Sabrina a peck on the cheek, and stepped back through the portal. Llameri closed it and de-transformed, handing Taureau the horse and monkey miraculous.

            “Wh- Felix! What is this? Why do you have the monkey miraculous too?”

            “Why else? Since you gave me that elixir thing, I kept it on me in case we ever needed to use it for a fusion.”

            Taureau grumbled but took them. He put on the miraculous and took a deep breath. He turned back to Felix as he fed Kaalki a carrot.

            “Find someplace to hide until we’re done, please. I don’t want Mayura to find you and think you are me.”

            “Get me down from here and I’ll do as you ask.”

            Taureau helped Felix to the ground before he ran into the Louvre. He ran about the museum until he heard a struggle. Fear tore through him as he rushed to the source. He peeked into the room to see Mayura toying with Bloody Bug in a one-sided fight. He took several breaths before he ran in and punched Mayura’s side. Mayura staggered and turned back to him. His unease and fear grew as he saw a twisted smirk spread on her lips.

            “My, what fear you carry. It’s almost as potent as the little red bug’s guilt. Tell me, what is it you fear, little calf,” Mayura cooed.

            Taureau gulped as he saw Mayura reach up her hand with his parents’ wedding bands on it. He sucked in a breath as her nails grazed his skin. Shivers ran up and down him as she grinned. She opened her mouth when Bloody Bug roared.

            “Get away from him! Tikki, Roarr, Sass, Trixx, Mullo, unify!”

            Mayura’s attention immediately shifted to Bloody Bug. Taureau watched Bloody Bug transform into a white full bodysuit with a long mouse and snake tail and silver stripes, white ladybug wings, long black gloves and boots, and a rainbow snake underbelly. Her fiery red hair bloomed into a prismatic mane that flowed and shifted constantly with a set of fennec fox ears lost in the mane. Her sclarea turned black, her irises faded to white, and two additional sets of eyes opened.

            Taureau glanced at Mayura, whose eyes shone with curiosity and delight. He took a deep breath, tore off the wedding bands, and slipped them on. Her attention shifted back to him. She reached out to grab him, but he jumped back.

            “Stompp, Orikko, Daizzi, Kaalki, Xuppu, unify!”

            Mayura’s eyes lit up as Taureau transformed. His clothes changed to a white full bodysuit with silver spots, black gloves, and boots. His hair erupted into a prismatic mane with a long flowy tail to match. A set of platinum bull horns, white horse ears, and white monkey tail lost in the prismatic mane and tail. His sclarea turned black, his irises faded to white, and two additional sets of eyes opened.

            Mayura looked between the pair of Amalgamation fusions and grinned. “Two? Two of you? Amazing! Absolutely astounding! Obviously, the mini bug is to be expected, but the ox boy… you must be the original cat. What happened pussy cat? What’d you do to have your miraculous taken away? Or rather, what happened that your precious Guardian needed to keep it safe?”

            Adrien sneered and lunged forward in tandem with Alix. Mayura’s grin widened as she ducked and weaved between their flurry of blows. Alix roared as she summoned Tikki’s yo-yo and ensnared Mayura. Adrien combined Xuppu’s staff and Stompp’s mallet into a warhammer. He hit Mayura in her gut as Alix used Roarr’s Clout. They launched Mayura through several stone walls and the glass wall outside the Louvre.

            Adrien and Alix jumped outside, but Mayura was gone. They frantically looked around when a shadow dashed by in the corner of their eyes. They turned as Mayura punched Adrien’s jaw and sent him flying. Alix reared back her arm as Mayura delivered a swift kick to Alix’s gut. A second passed before a shockwave emitted from the impact and sent Alix backwards through countless buildings. Adrien rushed back and smacked Mayura with the warhammer. Mayura tumbled but caught herself.

            “Impressive. You Amalgamations are strong. I would love to continue this, but I have business first. Feast, you are released.”

            Mayura snapped her fingers. Adrien flinched and felt a shift in the air. He turned his back on her and ran back to the Louvre. He glanced inside and saw the tiny statue was gone with only a tiny white feather left in its place. Fear held him in place while Mayura dashed forward. She pulled back her leg to strike when Alix ensnared Mayura in Roarr’s bolas.

            Adrien turned around as Alix tackled Mayura and they tumbled. He moved to help when a sharp, metallic odor filled the air. He looked down in shock to see Mayura’s heel dug deep in Alix’s stomach. Adrien rushed in, used Gift on Mayura, and pulled Alix out. He used Orikko’s Sublimation to heal Alix’s wound.

            “Together we can do this. Let’s go!” Adrien urged.

            Adrien summoned the fused warhammer while Alix used Sass’s Second Chance and fused Mullo’s jump rope and Tikki’s yo-yo into a whip. They rushed Mayura together when Mayura unfolded her fan. An eye opened as an orb shot out. Alix reset back to their charge. Adrien rushed forward while she used her whip to snag Mayura’s fan. She pulled on the whip, but Mayura pulled back.

            Alix yelped as she was pulled off her feet into Mayura’s face. Mayura grinned as she swung her leg up and slashed Alix’s face, gouging the left side of it. Alix staggered back as Mayura caught Adrien’s weapon and flung him across the Seine. Alix reached for Sass’s bracelet to reset when Mayura opened her fan and the blades turned to metal. Mayura cut deep into Alix’s shoulders, severed the tendons, and disabled Alix’s arms. Bile rose up to Alix’s throat as the sharp odor of her blood filled her nose and fear tore through her.

            “Lovely power, isn’t it? The snake’s. A potent tool, but that feeling of déjà vu I would rather do without,” Mayura cooed.

            “How did you know?” Alix hissed.

            “Bits and pieces left behind. Your precious Order you serve attempted to wipe all remaining records but couldn’t get rid of everything.”

            “What are you talking about?”

            “Oh, right. You don’t know, but you will soon. That little creature you were defending held a great secret. Would you like to know?”

            “You won’t tell me anyway, so no.”

            “On contrary, my dear. That creature was responsible for every miraculous at your Order’s temple and the temple itself’s disappearance. But with it gone, the temple will have been restored.”

            “What difference does that even make?”

            Mayura clicked her tongue as she held her fan at Alix’s throat. “It means I can right two ancient wrongs. Sound familiar, little bug?”

            “I don’t know what-.”

            Mayura pressed the metallic blades against Alix. “Now, now, no need to lie to me. Not when you reek of such immense guilt. It reminds me of another that wishes to right an ancient wrong.”

            “Fine. Whatever. That doesn’t explain all this. What could you have to gain by doing all this? How could you ever right whatever wrongs this way? Won’t you just make things worse?”

            Mayura laughed as she moved her fan away. “And here I thought you’d understand, but I see you’re a child in both body and mind. My bad for expecting more of the little girl that is the city’s personal therapist.”

            Alix glared at Mayura when colors caught her eyes. She looked past Mayura as Adrien charged back in. Mayura turned away from Alix and faced Adrien. Alix took several breaths, bared her sharp, predator fangs, shot to her feet, and sunk her teeth into Mayura’s left arm. Mayura howled in pain as she grabbed Alix’s mane to tear her out, but Adrien slammed the warhammer into Mayura’s side. Mayura took a sharp breath as Alix tore her fangs out, ripping a massive hole in Mayura’s arm. Mayura’s eyes darkened as she was sent flying out of the plaza.

            Adrien knelt beside Alix, who sat with her mouth agape and blood dripping from it. The chunk of flesh and muscle that Alix tore out sat on the ground. He took deep breaths through his mouth as he moved closer to heal Alix. He placed a hand on her shoulder as Mayura returned and pinned him down. He struggled against Mayura, but she held him fast. He glanced up at her and saw the torn flesh, muscle, and tendon in her left bicep.

            Adrien gulped down the bile and opened his mouth to use Daizzi’s Gift. Mayura caught him, slammed her foot on Adrien’s jaw, and shattered it. He howled in pain as he curled up into a tight ball. Mayura reached down for the rings when Alix used Trixx and Tikki’s combined power to cast a hallucination on Mayura.

            Mayura staggered back as her vision filled with shapes and colors like a kaleidoscope. She fought to ground herself when Death Noire’s yowl pierced the air. Alix watched as Death Noire used Cataclysm, struck Mayura’s left shoulder, and racked her claws across Mayura’s back. Mayura screamed, grabbed Death Noire, and slammed her into the ground. Death Noire snarled and clawed at Mayura. Mayura opened her fan when Pom Pom’s ball hit it. Mayura glanced up as it disappeared from her hand.

            “No!” Mayura roared.

            Mayura moved as clouds obscured her vision. Pom Pom snapped the fan in half and released the emotions trapped within. Mayura sneered as she jumped out of the fog and held up a single, white feather. It turned blue as she placed it into a nearby bench. A massive lanky creature tall as a building spawned. It had no eyes, an open jaw with rows of serrated teeth, distorted bladed arms, and legs. It let out a horrific, agonizing howl.

            “Death Noire… my panja bracelet. Take it,” Alix wheezed.

            Death Noire grabbed the panja bracelet and put it on as Alix reverted to Bloody Bug. “Plagg, Roarr, unify!”

            Death Noire’s outfit shifted to a panther theme. She roared and rushed the monster. She ducked away from the monster’s swing as she approached the bench.

            “Obliterate!”

            Death Noire slammed her fist into the bench. It shattered into a million pieces that turned to dust along with the feather. The monster screeched as it vanished. She looked around for Mayura, but Mayura was gone.

            Bloody Bug watched through blurry eyes as Death Noire hissed and raged. Pom Pom and Hydra rushed to calm Death Noire. Bloody Bug felt a rush of dizziness hit her as she fell back but was caught by Harlequin. His mouth moved, but his words were drowned out by the deafening ringing. She fought to keep her eyes open, but they grew too heavy. She let out a breath and passed out.

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[princess-of-the-corner]

Okay! Official but incomplete list of Miraculous assignments for the ML/Atla AU!

(Organized by character-miraculous-Hero/Villain name)

Sokka - Ladybug - Captain Harlequin

Katara - Black Cat - Painted Jaguar

Aang - Turtle - Lionturtle

Toph - Tiger - The Blind Tiger

Zuko - Dragon - Seiryu

Azula - Fox - Vulpyro

Ty Lee - Bee - Honey Stinger

Mai - Mouse/Rat - Rat Queen

Jin - Pig - Babirusa

Yue - Rabbit - Moondust

Suki - Snake -

Haru - Ox -

Teo - Horse -

Kuzon - Monkey -

Meng - Goat -

Jet - Eagle - Bateleur

-

Ozai - Butterfly - Phoenix Moth

???? - Peacock -

Notes:

I don't have any thoughts on characters for the Goat, Rooster or Dog. After all we've already had to drag Kuzon into this to fill out the team. There's just. Weirdly not that many named child characters that'd be part of the group? I might just bring in more of the Freedom Fighters for convenience's sake.

Still debating on what to do with the Peacock considering I have two options on either Zhao or my OC Noriko. Either way they're both working for Ozai it's just a debate on who gets it. (tbh I think while Ozai would see Noriko as more useful in potential, given the Peacock being broken he would rather keep the more useful pawn)

[jacksgreysays]

I'm going to 1) boost this absolutely fantastic webtoon because i love it so much and i really would love to see other people interact with it and 2) so it makes sense for it to be on this particular blog, do a little brainstorm for what kind of fanfic i would theoretically write for it

And ao3 is down right now anyway, so you may as well, lol

REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD READ MY IN-LAWS ARE OBSESSED WITH ME:

Season 1 just finished (75 chapters total) with Season 2 scheduled for next year (presuming translation time) so if you're worried about starting something that isn't complete or, conversely, jumping in to something that is dead in the water, do not worry this webtoon will take care of you

I consume a lot of garbage media so trust me in knowing what is and isn't garbage. Yes the title is weird and also it initially looks like a cheesy vampire harlequin but trust me it's not.

It's got everything I love and, hopefully, if you're reading this post you love some of these things too: time travel, political ramifications for things, DRAMA, beautiful fashions, the slowest of slowest burns of yearning, supernatural mystery revolving around a blood curse, a female lead who is more concerned about SURVIVAL and VENGEANCE and BUSINESS than romance (but also the romance is very cute eventually, emphasis on the eventually)

The art in general is stunning (again, kudos to the fashion) and the story telling in the visual medium is absolutely heartbreaking. Slight spoilers, but there's a part where it gets into the ML's PTSD from being at war and the way it's portrayed is absolutely devastating. Actually a lot of the FL's anxieties and self doubts are also portrayed wonderfully in this medium. It's THOUGHTFUL in its usage of imagery. There's also a fun recurring bit where every time the FL is framed weirdly in the shot it's because the ML is right next to her right off screen being devastatingly handsome

The side characters are great. The titular in-laws are fantastic. I weep thinking about the residence manager who is so bad at his job and openly cries about having to do work. Celphius would be my son if he weren't so enamored by having Pereshati as his mom instead.

All of the characters are SMART. Or, at least, they're logical. I never ask "why are they doing this?" because everyone is acting rationally for what information/abilities/biases they do have. And yes, the biases are important also (because god knows I hate the villains but they are, unfortunately, rational in their cruelty).

They're also proactive about things? Like, very often protagonists are just reacting to the next awful thing thrown their way, but both the FL and ML are taking steps to achieve their goals even if a lot of it is off-screen.

Please. I beseech thee, read the first ten chapters at least, if you've gotten this far in this post, just read the first ten chapters.

Anyway, so as to at least maintain the thinnest veneer of this being a writing post, the theoretical fanfic I'd write for this series is under the cut and does contain SPOILERS:

It would appear, at first, like a straightforward AU, beginning with the characters at the age they are in the canon. So ~early/mid-20s(?) ish?

But, just straight up, Therdeo is not the grand duke and Pereshati is an imperial secretary(?/scholar?). But Therdeo is probably head of the knights of the grand dukedom, so he has to be in the capitol for ~reasons~ especially since he's probably still the "hero" of the war.

The fic appears to be a straight forward meet-cute romance between elite knight, third son of the Lapileons and imperial secretary, only daughter of the Zahardt countdom. The levels are not exactly equal, but it's a lot more evened out than in canon. Maybe there's still a "please pretend to marry me so I don't get trapped in an engagement with the 4th princess" but her vibes are SO RANK I don't even want to deal with that :/

So now why does it only APPEAR to be a straight forward meet-cute romance?

Double time travel.

Well, possibly quintuple time travel depending on how deep into it we get, but basically: Pereshati and the four Lapileon in-laws who are older than her (Therdeo, Saoirse, Phineas, Gloria) all travel back to the first time someone died from Gen's blood being sold (not Islette's) which is at least several years, if not over a decade from the canon start time.

Maybe the Lapileons coordinate with each other about this, but regardless, since it's from Pereshati's view she wouldn't get to see that.

On her side what changes is: unfortunately, I don't think she can save her mother. But maybe she can prevent her father from re-marrying and emphasize cherishing the family they already have (ie, each other and her uncle+his family). And because she does now have so much experience running a household and is, you know, a fully educated grown adult in a child's body, when she goes to the academy she does EXTREMELY well. Like. Imperial Scholar well.

And, yes, she is her father's heir. But he's healthy and not married to someone who will kill him, so she sort of has the freedom to have this imperial scholar job for a while until he decides he wants to retire and have her take over, etc.

So she's working in the capitol, and Therdeo's also in the capitol.

Or maybe she works at the academy as a teacher now?

If Celphius didn't still exist, I would cry. But maybe his father is still alive and that's why Therdeo isn't the grand duke. Or even if Celphius' dad is dead (RIP) then Saoirse's family is definitely still alive and so SHE'S the grand duke(/duchess) and Celphius has an older cousin that he has to be VERY CAREFUL WITH.

Regardless, at the very least. Saoirse's son goes to the academy. Maybe the meet cute is, now that Celphius is old enough, he ALSO gets to go to the academy. And as a Good Uncle (This Time) Therdeo will be there to support him and also bring him to the Academy and be an extra set of eyes for whichever of his older siblings is the grand duke and anyway he meets Pereshati and they are both trying to hide the fact that they know each other because of time travel while also falling in love(?)

Maybe.

I just really liked the idea of re-leveling their respective statuses so they can stand on more equal footing when they meet T_T

ANYWAY PLEASE READ IT. I KNOW AO3 IS DOWN NOW ANYWAY, SO YOU MAY AS WELL

[hunterxassasin]

A Fox in Ladybug's Clothing: Tikki's Thoughts

Requested by @some1stolemyshade

-----

Never in her existence had Tikki thought she'd be stuck with someone like Lila of all people. Sure she'd had her fair share of selfish, and honestly downright bad holders, but Lila, she just rubbed the red kwami the wrong way. 

Ever since Marinette brought up the idea of handing the ladybug miraculous over to Lila in hopes of bettering her as a person, Tikki was fully against it. She knew what would, and could happen if her miraculous ended up in the wrong hands, but Marinette had insisted that she at least try. Being Ladybug made her a better Marinette, so why couldn't it help Lila too? Even though it had been a few months since Lila had gotten the miraculous, Tikki still had her doubts.

With a sigh, Tikki slumped over on one of Lila's pillows, watching her new holder tap away at her phone. She had quickly come to understand Lila a bit better ever since Marinette handed over the miraculous. Lila basically lived alone, her mother was rarely around and it seemed as if there wasn't a father in the picture. It explains her attention seeking behavior but didn't excuse it in the slightest. 

"What's the matter, do you need more to eat?" Lila asked the small kwami absently, still tap tap tapping away at the screen of her phone. 

"No, I'm just tired. There's been more akumas in the past week than we've ever had to deal with. And it doesn't help that you insist on going out at Harlequin Harmony for no reason other than to show off and see your 'fans' You're a superhero, Lila, not a celebrity." Tikki sat upright, crossing her arms over her chest. 

Lila shook her head, looking at the kwami from the corner of her eye. "Poor you, I'm sure Marinette did the same thing, she probably went to visit Adrien all the time as Ladybug." The girl hummed, plugging her phone in and standing up with a stretch. 

Tikki said nothing. Lila was partially right, but Marinette only checked up on Adrien after an Akuma or when she noticed he was having a particularly rough day at school. Nothing like Lila was doing.

She watched Lila leave her room. Once she was gone, Tikki settled down, snuggling up under the covers. 

Helping Lila become Harlequin Harmony wasn't all a bad thing. In fact, Akuma attacks had become easier to take out, causing much quicker battles and less harm coming to those in the city. Sure, the miraculous cure fixed everything but it was nice to not see so many people traumatized by it. 

In addition to that, Chat Noir seemed to be less flirty, and was stepping up as Harlequin's partner. Since he no longer has Ladybug to flirt with and fawn over, he paid more attention to his surroundings and did his job in a more efficient manner. He had even been the one to bring in Mauremys, who, despite trying to hide that she was a skilled miraculous holder, made it very obvious to Tikki that she was Marinette behind the mask.

Lila had gotten slightly better as well, whether that be from Tikki's own guidance or the fact that Marinette seemed to have accepted Lila as a friend for lack of a better word and was helping her get better, she wouldn't know. But as of now, Tikki knew things could go in either direction, and being very cautious was the only way to go regarding situation.

[ladybub]

More ML Ladybug Family HCs!

- Sabine has her first go at Ladybug during Mr. Pigeon. After all, Marinette has a hat to make!

- When Chat Noir sees her he mistakes her for Mari!Ladybug and kisses her hand saying that the short hair looks beautiful on her! When he looks up he’s like 🙀 And sheepishly starts scratching the back of his head. “S-sorry! I thought you were...”

- Sabine giggles “Thank you, my dear. No harm done.”

- Chat Noir acts differently between Ladybug and her parents. He acts a little more like Adrien in the way that he’s polite, but he still makes lots of jokes and puns during the Akuma.

- During the Akuma Sabine forces them to stop to get Chat some anti-histimines because he is important. She pops out the medicine for him and gives him some water to drink

- Chats just sitting there just shyly going along with it because she’s being so motherly and when he tears up (because he’s really missed this)

- Sabine notices but thinks it’s his allergies “Oh, dear don’t worry the medicine will kick in soon”

- Chats like “No no, I just, it’s been so long since someone has cared for me like this... Not since my mum...”

- Sabine clicks on and just gives him a hug and pats his hair gently and says “Its alright, dear, you have us now...”

- Paris never learns what Sabine!Ladybug is called during Mr. Pigeon since she needs to leave quickly, but later she introduces herself as “Harlequin”.

- When Marinette comes home and gushes over Adrien later, she mentions the allergy he has and Sabine instantly figures out that Chat Noir is Adrien. She decides to keep this information to herself for now.

- Afterwards, Tom and Sabine discuss Chat Noir and decide that they want to do more for him. From here they send Marinette with little goodies and cute handwritten notes saying for Chat to have a good day and that they love him.

- The first time Ladybug brings it Chat Noir is like “Oh, did you bring us some treats for a romantic picnic, my lady?”

- Ladybug has a huge smile and says; “Nope! It’s for you!” And hands him the small basket.

- Chat Noir is confused and when he opens it it’s filled with baked goods and a little note that reads “Hope you have a wonderful day today, sweetie! Here’s some lunch to keep your energy up and drink plenty of water! Love, Harlequin and Red Velvet”

- Chat Noir just tears up again (he cries a lot in this AU)

- Ladybug freaks out a bit until he shoves a whole chocolate eclair in his mouth and says with his mouth full “I love your parents so much...” She smiles and rustles his hair a little

- In this AU Marinette has a little more struggles with her feelings regarding Adrien/Chat Noir. There is a lot more blushes with Chat Noir and it’s obvious she has feelings for him but she puts it down because she “loves Adrien, Tikki, I can’t love two people!”

- The Baton has lots of selfies and photos on it with the family and Chat Noir. Sometimes Adrien asks Plagg to transform late at night so that he can just look at them.

Feel free to send asks! I think I might draw some of the selfies... 🥰

[celestiall0tus]

Harlequin (ML AU Bridget) meeting Harlequin (Bloddy Bug Luka) when some random asks, "Will the real Harlequin please stand up?"

I got something along those lines, kinda

[hunterxassasin]

A Fox in Ladybug's Clothing part 2

Idk how I feel about this chapter it's kinda all over the place I guess? I knew how I wanted to end it but I just couldn't seem to get there in a consistent manner. I'll probably revise it at some point but I wanted to get it out for you guys so with no further ado!

-----

Harlequin Harmony raced down the hallway, towards the sounds of the fight. It wasn't hard to find it, especially not with Chat Noir shouting puns trying to be witty every five seconds. Harlequin rolled her eyes as she neared the battle, unlatching her yoyo from where it was hooked on the side of her suit. As she approached, Chat Noir gave her a questioning and defensive look. "You're not Ladybug!" He huffed out, dodging a blow from Lady Amity a second before he was hit.

Harlequin flicked the loose strands for her hair, hands on her hips. "Ladybug is tied up right now. I'm her replacement, Harlequin Harmony." The hero said, puffing out her chest as she swung her yoyo at Chat, pulling him away from another blow from the villain. "I know where her Akuma is hiding, follow my lead." The girl looked up at Lady Amity, eyes narrowed. She slowly stalked forward, yoyo swinging in front of her like a makeshift shield.

"Do not take another step forward." Lady Amity's voice boomed, and Harlequin stopped. Chat Noir was close behind, giving her a concerned look. 

"Don't you think you should use your lucky charm?" Harlequin shot him a look, she didn't intend on using the lucky charm at all during this fight. She had watched Marinette enough to know that she likely wouldn't destroy anything during her time as an Akuma, in fact Lady Amity seemed to only be out for one thing, to have her friends notice her again. This didn't faze Harlequin, in fact, it made her whole plan a whole lot easier.

She shook her head, and pointed to the bag that was tied around Lady Amity's waist, giving her dress a more regal look. "We don't need it, she isn't going to cause any damage. In fact, all I need you to do is distract her for a while. Find some of the kids from Ms.Bustier's class, they'll be good bait for her, distract her long enough so I can grab the bag."

Without another word, Harlequin swung off, using the school's rafters to propel her. Chat Noir was on edge, he didn't enjoy the way this girl was going about getting rid of this Akuma, especially not with her using civilians as bait, but. . .if it got the job done, why not give it a shot. He knew a certain reporter was probably lingering around, and she'd be more than happy to help out.

 

Alya was easy to spot, as she wasn't very hidden in the first place. The girl was on her knees, phone out, recording the action, or lack thereof. She glanced up when Chat Noir walked up to her. "Shouldn't you be helping the new ladybug get that Akuma?"

"Actually, that's what I'm here for. I need your help. Harlequin Harmony wants us to distract Lady Amity. So far she seems peaceful, aside from trying to find and force people to like her. Can you help me?" The hero asked, and received an enthusiastic nod from Alya. He grinned and dashed off, the girl fast on his heels. 

---

The Akuma was taken care of swiftly and efficiently. Harlequin Harmony had cleansed and released the Akuma. She called the lucky charm, which was a pair of black studs. The hero ignored this and threw them in the air, calling out "Miraculous Harmony!" And a swarm of ladybugs fixed the little damage Lady Amity had caused. Harlequin bent down next to Marinette and helped her up, a fake smile on her face. "Are you alright, Marinette?" 

Marinette looked at the hero in confusion, and then seemed to remember the events moments prior to her akumatization. "I'm fine. . . Uh -" 

"My name is Harlequin Harmony, it's a pleasure to meet you." She glanced back as she heard the telltale chirp of her miraculous, giving Chat a look."I've got to go, will you help her home?" She once again didn't wait for an answer, rushing up the stairs and into an empty classroom. 

Lila let her transformation fall, catching Tikki in her hands. The little red kwami looked exhausted, and more than a little bit surprised. Lila had moved with such grace and efficiency when she was transformed, something Tikki was not expecting. The kwami shook her head,glaring up at Lila. "Give the earring back to Marinette, you did your job, its time." She said,crossing her arms over her chest. 

Lila let out a snicker, shaking her head. Did this little thing really think she was going to give up the miraculous so easily? Tikki was stupider than she had originally thought. "Why would I do that? I've got a miraculous now, and the whole of Paris needs to know how much better Harlequin Harmony is than Ladybug. Soon the whole city will forget her and be fans of me!" She held Tikki a bit tighter in her hands, before dropping the Kwami into her bag. "There's food in there if you get hungry, we have a long day ahead of us."

Tikki opened her mouth to say something, but the bag was zipped up too quickly. She thought about phasing out of it, but it would be no use if she couldn't get the earrings from Lila, Tikki hoped Marinette was right in thinking being a miraculous holder would change Lila for the better, because if not, Paris was in for a world of hurt.

---

A few months had passed since the first appearance of Harlequin Harmony, which meant a few more Akumas had come and gone. Harlequin and Chat made a good team, swiftly taking down Akumas, about half the time without the help of a lucky charm. Harlequin was a good manipulator, and found it quite easy to just get an Akuma to get distracted long enough for she or Chat to break the object the Akuma was hiding in. Paris was still fretting over the disappearance of Ladybug, but they still had two saviors of Paris so it wasn't too big on their radar. 

Lila was sitting in the back of class, seething with anger. Her attempt at making Marinette out to be a selfish fool had backfired, their classmates had seemingly come to their senses for the most part after the Lady Amity event. They hadn't exactly ditched Lila, but she was upset they were speaking to Marinette again, as if nothing had changed. Things have changed, Lila knew Marinette was Ladybug, and she had refused to give the miraculous back. Lila knew Marinette was just as much a liar as she was, if only because she lied everytime she had to make an excuse to go be Ladybug. She shook her head, balling her fists on the desk. There wasn't any time for these kind of thoughts. 

Lila stood up and made her way over to Alya and Marinette, who were chatting with Adrien and Nino about hanging out together this afternoon. "Oh! You're going to the park! How nice! Do you mind if I tag along?" She asked, giving Alya a smile. She had been spending more time with the group, in hopes of distancing them from Marinette once more, but if anything she seemed to be slowly becoming a friend to them, at least, that's what Marinette hoped. 

Lila had noticed Marinette was being oddly nice to her, especially since she hadn't given the earrings back. Marinette hadn't even requested them back once, this made Lila slightly uneasy. One would have thought Marinette would have tried to get her miraculous back more than once, but she hadn't even asked about it, not once. It seemed as if Lila was craving out a place for herself, though her lies continued. "I don't mind if you come along." Alya piped up, putting her arm around Lila with a grin. 

Adrien opened his mouth to speak, but he was cut off by a scream coming from outside. The four teens ran to the window, spotting the citizens of Paris running into buildings, away from a giant stone monster. "Ivan. . ." Marinette said quickly, and glanced at Lila. She was the only one who knew Lila held the Ladybug miraculous now, and Marinette was the only one outside of Chat Noir who had an insight on how to beat Stoneheart. It wasn't a surprise that Hawkmoth had akumatized the boy once again, he'd already akumatized some people into a villain more than once, such as Mr.Pigeon or Stormy Weather. Harlequin Harmony and Chat Noir had taken them down easily enough, Mr.Pigeon more so than Stormy Weather but that's besides the point. 

"I better get home! My mom is going to be worried sick once she finds out there's an Akuma running around" she fished her phone out of her pocket, pretending it was vibrating. "Oh here she is now!" Lila said and scurried out of the classroom. She ducked into an empty classroom and called on her transformation. After the bright pink light died down, Harlequin Harmony raced out into the streets, spotting the Akuma she used her yoyo to get closer, eventually slamming it into the monster. To her surprise, Stoneheart grew bigger. Harlequin backed up, stumbling into Chat Noir. 

"You can't attack him head on, he'll just grow in size." The boy explained, pulling Harlequin to safety as Stoneheart began to advance. "Call your lucky charm, last time Ladybug and I-" 

Harlequin yanked her hand away from Chat, seething. "Don't bring up that wretched bug in my presence! I don't care what she did last time, I'm not her! I'm better than her in every way!" She snapped, and used her yoyo to fling across the city after the Akuma. Usually she and Chat Noir worked well together, but anytime he brought up Ladybug and how she did things, Harlequin would get on the defense side, become angry and lash out. She stopped on the roof of a building, watching as Stoneheart continued turning others to stone wherever he went. 

Harlequin was confused and wasn't quite sure what to do. She fidgeted for a minute before trying to attack the monster with her Yoyo once more. He just grew bigger. This went on for what seemed like forever, she thought she could finish him off without using the lucky charm, without Chat's help, but after a few hours of her struggling to keep out of Stoneheart's grasp and trying to figure out a plan, and also making sure chat stayed out of her way, she had no choice. Harlequin through her yoyo into the air. "Lucky charm!" She called, and a gong fell into her hands.  Chat looked at her curiously. 

"Aren't you going to go to the guardian's place and get another miraculous to help? That's what that means." He asked, only to receive an irritated look from Harlequin.

"Stop pulling my leg, I don't even know what or who you're talking about!" Glancing around the area didn't help her figure out what to do with the gong. She hissed, and threw it aside, ignoring the beeping of her miraculous. Chat Noir pinned his faux ears to the side of his head and bounded off. If Harlequin didn't know of the guardian or where he was at, then he'd have to get them help. 

--- 

Adrien entered the small massage parlor wearily, Plagg floating out of his pocket once they were safe inside. "I know Harlequin Harmony said Ladybug gave her the miraculous but if she doesn't even know who the guardian is, I'm not sure we can trust her. Now might be the time to get that miraculous back, Adrien." Plagg said, shoving a piece of cheese in his mouth. 

Adrien stopped in the doorway, shaking his head as he waited for Master Fu to come see them. "I'm sure Tikki just hasn't deemed her ready yet. Everything will be fine Plagg, I have faith in her." His eyes light up when he saw Master Fu hobble out of what seemed to be the kitchen with two cups of tea. "Master Fu! It's good to see you again."

Fu gave a small smile, and handed the tea to Adrien. "I had a feeling you'd be showing up today, Chat Noir." The man headed for the miracle box, bringing it over to Adrien, he opened it. "Adrien Agreste, pick an ally you can trust to aid you in this fight, once the job is done, you will return the miraculous back to me. Do you understand?" The man went through the procedural words, letting Adrien look over the miraculous in front of him.

"Actually master, I have someone in mind, and the perfect miraculous for her is the one on your wrist. . . May I?" Fu nodded, putting the turtle miraculous in one of the boxes. He handed it over to Adrien. The two big farewell, and once in the alley way again, Adrien transformed back into Chat Noir. 

---

Chat Noir bounded over the roofs of Paris, headed towards the school. He slipped in through a window, and glanced around. She should be here somewhere. . . He slowly began to prowl through the seemingly empty hallways, that is until he heard someone smack into the floor. "Alya! We're trying to be quiet!" Marinette's voice echoed towards him, as she seemed to pick herself up off the ground.

"Sorry girl, I didn't mean to run into you." The other voice responded. Chat grinned, just who he was looking for. But he needed a way to separate them. 

He approached the two girls,giving them a smile. "Hey ladies, found a safe place to hide yet?" He leaned on his baton, causing Marinette to roll her eyes.

"We have one spot, but it won't fit both of us -" she was cut off as Chat Noir lifted her off the ground. Alya blinked for a moment before pulling out her phone, ready to record this. Chat held his hand up, shaking his head.

"Go hide Alya, I'll get Marinette somewhere safe." With that he gripped Marinette a bit tighter and bounded off out of the school. He skirted to a halt on a secluded roof, setting Marinette down. Grabbing the box of the turtle miraculous, Chat held it out to her. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng, this is the miraculous of the turtle. It grants the power of protection. You will use it for the greater good, and return it to me once the job is over." Chat held the box a little closer to her. "Do you accept?" Marinette blinked for a moment before giving a nod. 

She opened the box,flinching a bit as Wayzz flew out in a ball of green light. The kwami played pretend well enough, acting as if he didn't know who Marinette was. "Hello, I am Wayzz, and I'll be your kwami. To transform just say 'shell on'."

With a nod, the girl slipped the bracelet on, it turned into what seemed to be a simple leather cord bracelet. "Wayzz! Shell on!" She called, and a green light washed over her.

[hunterxassasin]

Could you give us a description of Lila’s hero suit? I’m curious—

In FLC, Lila (Harlequin Harmony) has a more detailed suit than Ladybug. The color is more orange than red, playing off the Japanese Imposter beetle concept she has going for her. She not only as more black spotting, but they're more patterned/symmetrical and shaped more like ovals than circles. Along with that she had knee high black boots and her suit seems to be more leather (like chats) her hair is done in a bun with a few loose strands framing her cheeks. She has a feather the color of her suit tucked in the bun, mimicking an antenna. Her hair color does change, from the brown it is when she is Lila, it starts as a black then moves to a more reddish orange color (like Volpina) and has a slow fade to white at the end. This isn't very obvious because her hair is up. The laces of her boots are white, and so are the short gloves she has on.