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marimeetsmischief · 1 year

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Wishes & Wands (and other miraculous adventures) - Part II

A (mildly) late chapter two update! I really loved writing this one.

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Tags: Alternate Universe - Fairy Tale, Fantasy, Summoned Heroes, Magic Powers, Fluff, Mildly Sarcastic Narractor, Rivals to friends to lovers (eventually), Plagg is a book, Tikki is also a book, Actual Cat Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, Slow burn, Ladynoir, ML Big Bang 2022

Summary: Wishing upon a star has been something Adrien grew up doing, but he never imagined it would end up like this. Sucked into a world of fairy tales that need to be brought to completion, he faces stories that are far more different than he's ever heard them told, and the endings aren't always quite what he expects. He'll have help along the way, though, with his trusty (and lazy) magic storybook, and a mysterious girl who seems to always be one step ahead of him.

Part II: Pumpkins, Mice, and Magic Wands

In which Adrien learns about the importance of alarms, a little faith, and the magic of a good make-over.

Careening backward, Adrien could feel nothing but wind all around him. The rushing air tore through his hair and clothes and he couldn’t help but flail his arms, trying to catch at anything until the ground suddenly came rushing up at him and he landed with a quiet thump. Somehow, the crash was cushioned and he felt no pain, only lush grass underneath him and warm sunlight above.

“-power…” he finished, staring up at the suddenly open sky; all of the trees that had been surrounding him were now replaced with open air. “Huh. Hey, Plagg?”

“Yeah, kid?”

“Am I… inside the book?” he asked, trying to figure out how this all worked, even though he’d probably be better off not knowing and trying would only worry him further.

“Well, it’s kind of a pocket dimension that’s part of a web of connections to the rest of the stories. The book acts as a gateway and connects them to the source power of all of the stories, which…” Plagg trailed off, pausing for a second as he sensed, rather than saw, his chosen’s confusion. “On second thought, it’ll just give you a headache.”

“I think you’re right,” Adrien mumbled awkwardly as he started to push himself onto his feet, brushing his hands over the back of his pants and looking around. “Well, where are we supposed to go?”

Just as he asked the question, his eyes searching the horizon and the setting sun, he heard a sound from the distance behind him. Whipping around, he saw a carriage thundering down a road worn into the fields, a modest trail of deep ruts from old-fashioned wheels carved into the dirt just meters from where he stood. Only having a few moments to decide, he started to walk towards the carriage, trying to get a closer look at the riders. As he did, he was struck with an overwhelming feeling of familiarity, and as they approached he began to sense why.

The carriage held three women, with a driver sitting at the front. One of the women faced away from him, and all he could see was her hair, piled high and elaborately styled and ornamented. The two ladies sitting across from her seemed young, maybe his age if he had to take a guess. Their hair was just as carefully curled and pooled at the top of their heads, both with ridiculous feather ornaments pinned to the front. He frowned as an idea formed in his head, reaching for his storybook.

“Hey, Plagg?”

“What do you need now, kid?” the book asked, stretched out in the grass in the rays of the setting sun.

Adrien turned to him and knelt, picking the book up. “Can you show me the Cinderella pages again?” he asked, looking between the book and the carriage that was almost at his location. The pages fluttered even though the air was still and landed on the first page of Cinderella, a sound almost like a yawn escaping from between the pages.

“Beautiful of face, but vile and black of heart…” Adrien murmured to himself, looking back up at the carriage that was now passing him. Its occupants didn't even spare him a glance, though he could swear he felt sharp eyes on his back as he continued to walk along the road and headed back the way they had come from. He could make out small snippets of their conversation, superficial talk about outfits, namely whose looked better, and a quick mention of a prince. “I’d call those evil step-sisters if I’ve ever seen any, Plagg.”

The possessed book didn't really answer, only letting out a quiet noise that almost sounded like a purr.

Adrien kept his eyes on the pages as he walked next to the road, reading over the sentences that had already filled it. It seemed like whatever had happened before, the story had been left incomplete at the first night of the King’s Ball, and Cinderella was supposed to be getting her magic makeover any moment now.

He finally reached the end of the road, where it turned into a tree-lined path that was more overgrown than the road he’d walked along. Branches hung over everywhere and he found himself having to duck down quite frequently to avoid them. After just a few minutes more of walking, he found what he was looking for: an ivy-covered and poorly kept chateau that had seen better days. The yard was weed-ridden and uneven, vines of ivy climbing up everything in sight. It looked as if one person was trying to take care of it all, a small garden maintained enough that he could see trellises with flowering plants twined around them.

He carefully crept into the yard, slipping over the low stone wall and glancing around, looking for any sign of the soon-to-be princess he was supposed to be assisting. After circling the front yard and edging his way into the back, he had almost given up hope when he heard soft murmurs coming from an open window.

Peering in, he saw blonde curls spilling over the shoulders of a figure kneeling in front of the hearth. She seemed to be leaning forward and speaking to something small in front of her. He crept closer to the window, trying to get a better look at what she was talking to. As he started to get close enough, something cracked under his foot and he froze, watching the blonde inside turn around. He dropped down, trying to get out of view of the window.

“Hello?” she asked, glancing around the kitchen surrounding her. “Is someone there?”

Adrien could hear her get to her feet, moving around the table and going to the window. He crept to the side, moving around a corner and praying that he was not visible to her as she peeked out. The last thing he wanted was to be caught sneaking around her garden at sunset.

She hummed softly, seeming to have given up and going back to what she was doing. This time, he could hear faint chirps answering her murmurs, and he narrowed his eyes in confusion. It almost sounded like she was having a conversation with a bird, somehow.

Trying to put the strangeness out of his mind, he reached for Plagg, where the book was hidden against his hip and flipped to the latest pages of the story. Skimming the paragraphs, he read about how Cinderella had called birds to help her sort the lentils from the ashes of the fireplace. As he got to the last words that had appeared in the book, he noticed that what it described next hadn’t seemed to have happened yet. Left behind by her step-mother and sisters even after she’d completed their menial tasks, the book detailed how she fled to the large tree behind her home and spoke to her mother.

Just as he started to wonder if he'd gotten the right house after all, he could hear her mumbling to her bird about visiting mother’s tree. He whipped his head around and tried to spot the tree, finally letting his eyes stop on a large willow tree that overshadowed most of the yard.

Adrien hurried to the tree, not quite sure what his plan was but having the distinct feeling that he needed to reach the tree before she did. He climbed its branches nimbly and found a spot high among them that was covered by leafy foliage. Before too long he could hear a door open and shut in the distance, and he hoped he was hidden well enough in the branches of the tree.

Cinderella, or at least the girl he was assuming was her, knelt at the roots of the tree, pressing her hands into fists in her lap. At first she was silent, but the more his ears adjusted to the sounds of the wood, he could hear soft sniffles and stuttered breathing.

“Mother… I’m sorry. I know you asked me to be gracious and kind, always, but it is so hard. My step-sisters are awful, and I don’t know if I can handle any more of their taunts.” She shuddered, her arms curling tightly around her chest. Looking down at her from his perch, Adrien noticed how tattered and dirty her clothes were compared to the manicured perfection that had adorned the three ladies who had left in the carriage.

“All I wanted… all I still want is to feel different for one night. To feel human, and worthwhile, not just an outlet for their cruel words and coldness.”

Adrien flinched a little as her words resonated with him, drawing his mind back to the thought that had brought him here in the first place. Wherever here was, dream or even real magic, he had wished for an escape the same way.

He opened his book up, seeking out guidance on what he could do next. “Plagg,” he whispered, hoping the weeping girl below him wouldn’t hear. “What are we supposed to do?”

He knew from most versions of the story that some form of assistance came to the protagonist, usually in the form of magical transformation. But as far as he could tell, there was no one in sight, and it didn’t appear that help was coming to her at all. He frowned and looked around, stretching up to see through the leaves and waited anxiously for something to happen.

“You heard what the old man said,” Plagg grouched quietly, floating out of Adrien’s hands and resting midair. The book opened wide as if it was some kind of lounge chair and Adrien was struck with the distinct feeling that if the spirit within it was physical, he’d be stretched out on top of it. “You might not always be playing the support role you expect. Are you just gonna wait to see if someone saves her, or are you going to do something, kid?”

“But what am I supposed to do? I’m not a fairy godmother, and I don’t exactly have magic, now do I?” Adrien questioned, struggling to keep his voice low against the helpless frustration building in his chest.

Plagg snickered, the book snapping shut and landing back in Adrien’s open hands. “Oh please. You’re anything here, kid, as far as your mind can imagine. Did you really think you’d be closing these stories without any kind of powers?”

Adrien shook his head slightly, thinking the question through. “I mean, I guess not, but I don’t know how I’m supposed to do anything. It’s not like anyone taught me how to use these magic powers or whatever they are.”

“Well, I hope you can stop overthinking it before the story decides for itself. The ending won’t wait forever, not while you’re in the story. Time has to move forward somehow, so do something fast.”

Not sure what that meant, Adrien struggled to think of how exactly he was supposed to interfere in the progression of this story without messing it all up. His mind reeled with versions he had heard or seen before and finally the obvious solution hit him. He couldn’t wait forever to see if a fairy godmother showed up to fix everything with a magic wand, so maybe, if Plagg was telling the truth, he could just be one himself.

Closing his eyes, he focused on the weight of the book in his hand and thought about every time he’d seen magic in movies and comics. Maybe if he just pictured in his mind what he wanted, wished for it hard enough like he had when he’d been brought here…

Before he could doubt himself further, he began to form the idea in his mind, following the train of thought until he had pictured a wand, dark wood shaped carefully and practically aglow with magic power. He could feel the leather cover of the book warm in his hands, growing hotter until the heat almost burned, his hands peeling away from it and tingling with power even after they’d been separated.

He opened his eyes, thinking he’d just dropped the book down on the head of the girl he was supposed to be saving. Instead, the book hovered in the air right where it had been in his hands, and the cover parted, pages moving with invisible wind. He saw light in the cracks between them, and at first he thought the binding of the book was glowing until the pages stopped moving and he could see a picture had appeared on the pages of Cinderella’s story, a wand laid flat across the width of the page. It seemed to shimmer when the moonlight above hit it, and the shadows were so in-depth that it was like he could reach out and touch it.

Curiosity getting the better of him, he did exactly that, and felt his fingertips pass through the page and curl around the wooden wand.

“Woah,” he murmured, remarking on the odd sensation of his fingers being partially inside of the page. It almost started to get uncomfortable, and he quickly pulled back, but was surprised to feel the wand pull free with his hand.

It grew larger once pulled from the pages, expanding to fit his hand properly. It was almost 10in long, and more ornate than he had pictured it, decorated with curling silver tendrils and small green gems. He wrapped his fingers more tightly around it and gave it a tentative flick, and felt the leaves around him shudder as a harsh gust of wind passed through them. Eyes narrowing in thought, he swirled the wand in a circle over his own head and felt a warm weight settle on his shoulders. Looking down at his arms, he could see he was now covered with a green cloak and hood, and grinned.

“This is easier than I thought,” he murmured, pinching the soft fabric over his body and pulling it away from his chest to get a better look at it. He let the wand hover again over his face, a black mask appearing over it, obscuring the upper half of his face.

“Yeah, yeah, kid. Now that you’ve gotten your costume change, maybe it’s time to do what we’re here for?” Plagg said, yawning. His voice almost seemed quieter than before and Adrien wondered how exactly taking the wand from the pages had affected the spirit.

“Right, sorry,” he finally mumbled, shaking his head and resolving to ask Plagg about it later. “Let’s go be a fairy godparent, I suppose,” he added with a shrug.

With a little more magic, he conjured a holster of sorts for the storybook, with a black leather strap that he slung over his shoulder so that he could carry – and hide – the book a tad more discretely. Once Plagg was securely tucked into it with some minor complaining, Adrien began his descent.

He slipped down from the branch he was seated on, trying to make as little noise as possible as he watched below them carefully. The girl had wrapped her arms around her knees, curling up and hiding her face, which was perfect for Adrien’s intentions. He finally made it to the lowest branches without her looking up, and with almost cat-like grace, slipped down and landed on the roots of the great tree.

This finally made the girl look up and he smiled as warmly as he could when their eyes met, seeing the fear and desperation appear in her own.

“Who are you?” she asked, caution lacing her tone as she started to uncurl her limbs, struggling to stand up with the way that her legs shook under her. Still, she seemed to grit her jaw with determination and he couldn’t help but admire it.

“I’m not going to hurt you, I promise. I’m just here to help,” he explained, frowning a little as he tried to figure out what to say to explain this without making her more nervous. “What’s your name?”

She hesitated before seeming to give into her own curiosity, holding a hand out to him. “I’m Aurore,” she answered, and he grasped her hand in his own, giving it a soft shake. “You haven’t answered my question though.”

Adrien flushed a little, pulling his hand back to rub the back of his neck as he gave her an awkward smile. “Consider me a fairy godparent. I’m here to help make sure you get your wish.”

“My wish?” she questioned, her eyes narrowing again as she looked at him more carefully.

“You wanted a night of freedom, right? I want to make that happen.”

“Really?” she said, surprise flickering across her features, and he wasn’t sure if it was because he’d known her wish, or because he was offering to make it come true. “But how? I’m not exactly dressed for a ball, and I don’t even own anything that would be considered nice enough.”

He held up the wand in his hand, giving it a dramatic flourish as he bowed forward, a grin on his lips. “At your service, my lady,” he said, laying the charm onto his tone a bit overly thick for someone who was supposed to be making sure that she fell in love with the prince.

“Oh, I’m not a lady,” she murmured quietly, looking down at her messy clothing and callused hands. “I’m just a servant at this point.”

“Not tonight, you aren’t. Tonight, you’re going to be the most beautiful lady at that ball, and you’ll have the night of freedom and magic that you wished for, alright?” He grinned at her, his eyes reflecting the genuine care behind the words despite the cheeky expression.

She hesitated for a moment but finally nodded, her spine straightening as she tilted her chin up. Smiling back at him finally, she placed her hands on her hips. “Alright then, what do we need to do?” she asked, looking at the wand in his hand curiously.

At the reminder that he had to figure out how to get her dressed up and to the ball, he frowned again. “Hmm, well, let’s see if I can remember how this goes. First things first,” he said, looking around the yard until he spotted what he was looking for, in a patch of overgrown garden.

He walked over to it, picking up a large, orange pumpkin, humming to himself as he carried it back to the open part of the yard. “Transportation!” he exclaimed, giving her a conspiratorial grin and setting it down between them. “And if I give it just a little…” he murmured to himself, trailing off as he circled the pumpkin with the wand outstretched in his hand, making small circles over the orange vegetable.

Before his eyes, flecks of light fell from the tip of the wand and shimmered down to land on the rind of the pumpkin. A quiet creaking started, coming from deep inside and he took a step back, pushing Aurore back with him. The whole thing glowed with golden light for a moment and then it began to grow, first to their knees, and then hips, up and up and up until it towered over their heads. The vines attached to its stem twined and curled outward, forming wheels and ornaments as they morphed from green to gold. A delicate pattern of gold circled the pumpkin that was now a carriage, complete with a door, windows, and seats inside, as well as at the front and back for a driver and a footman.

He looked over at Aurore and grinned. “Not bad, huh? This is my first time turning any vegetables into carriages, and frankly, I think it went quite well.”

The girl didn’t really seem to know what to say at all and stood there in obviously stunned silence. “You know, for a minute there I was so sure that you were just crazy,” she remarked after a long moment.

He immediately whipped around to face her. “Well that’s just rude. Such little faith in your fairy godparent,” he murmured, clicking his tongue disapprovingly. He glanced around again, still piecing together the tasks ahead of him.

“The carriage is nice, but how is it going to move?” came a hissed whisper from his side, and he was suddenly reminded that Plagg was still there.

“What did you say?” Aurore asked, tearing her eyes away from the gleaming gold and white carriage to look at him with concern.

He coughed out a laugh and waved his hand, quickly trying to deflect away from any mention of the talking book attached to his side. Hearing a soft squeak, he noticed an upside down planter, turning it over and finding just what he’d expected: two small mice. “How do you guys feel about being horses for a night?” he said with a cheshire grin, ignoring the small squeaks of complaint as he picked the mice up in one hand.

Waving the wand over both, gold sparkles once again fell from the tip and coated the animals, and he set them down in front of the carriage. They sat still, sniffing the open air cautiously and Adrien couldn’t help but wonder what they were feeling of the transformation. Before even a few seconds had passed, they began to morph into stark white horses with twitching ears. Both animals looked around, then at each other, whinnying and shuffling their feet. He was sure the world looked a little different and more surprising from their new height.

“What am I missing?” he murmured to himself, pacing back and forth beside the carriage. Suddenly, the idea clicked in his head. “Do you have a dog? Or maybe a lizard?” he questioned, looking around.

Aurore suddenly looked nervous, as if concerned about what else he could possibly want to transfigure. “Well, we have a cat? He’s a bit old though, he mostly just sits around instead of chasing the mice.”

“That’ll work, bring him out,” Adrien said, nodding to himself as he continued to pace. He waited until she was inside, searching for the cat before talking out loud to himself. “Alright, carriage, horses, the cat will make an acceptable footman, but what else?”

He could feel that he was forgetting something, and it nagged at the back of his mind as he tried to remember all of the steps he’d seen in movies and other retellings of this story.

“Oh, a driver!” he finally said out loud. He looked around again but wasn’t exactly thrilled at the idea of leaving Aurore to be driven around by another animal turned human. He glanced down at himself instead, frowning and then shrugging.

Waving the wand once again over his own head, he felt the warm tingle of magic settle over his body and his cloak and plain clothes had been replaced with a white and gold uniform that looked reminiscent of the uniform he’d seen worn by guards in most fairy tale adaptations. Even the mask had turned white with gold accents.

“Ugh, kid, warn me next time you plan to cover me in magic dust,” he heard, remembering that Plagg was still attached. When he looked down, the book was coated in lingering gold flecks and he carefully removed the holster from himself, dusting it off and setting it on the bench of the carriage.

“Sorry,” he mumbled, his hand scratching at the back of his neck once again. “This will have to work,” he said looking down at himself once again, then turning as he heard footsteps and saw Aurore come up the stairs with an uncomfortable looking gray cat in her arms.

“This is Tom,” she said, scratching behind his ear and then holding the cat out.

Adrien smiled, reaching out to give the cat a few scratches of his own. “Well, Tom, it’s a pleasure to be working with you.”

Wasting no time, he swirled the wand in a quick circle over the cat’s head and let the gold dust shower onto the cat’s fur, then gesture to Aurore to set him down. The cat glowed brightly, shifting to stand on his back legs as he grew and grew until he was Aurore’s height, his feline face replace with human features. Where the cat had been now stood a gray haired man with a thin, whiskery mustache and white uniform that matched Adrien’s own.

“Perfect, we’re all set,” he said, pushing the former cat towards the door. “Tom, your only job is to open and close this door, and help your Lady in and out of her carriage. Got it?” he quizzed, and Tom nodded simply in response, licking the back of his hand and wiping it over his face. Adrien grimaced.

“All ready to go, Aurore?” he said, trying to ignore the footman grooming himself next to them. Aurore frowned and looked down at herself, then back at him with a raised brow. “Oh, obviously, I’m sorry.”

Adrien quickly pulled her a few steps away from the carriage, circling around her. “Well, I’m not as much of a fashion aficionado as my father, but I’ll try my best,” he said, trying to just picture the fancy dresses he’d seen in movies and fashion shows. He gave the wand a swirl over her head and a few flicks to shake some extra dust off for good measure. A soft wind swirled around them, picking up petals and leaves from the garden in its breeze as it curled around her. For a moment, she was almost completely obscured from his view by the rush of flowers, but with a bright flash of light, everything converged towards her and a beautiful ball gown began to form. Layers upon layers of glittering silver and blue fabric coated her form. The few remaining flowers and petals landed on the dress and melted into silver embroidery along the trim of the skirts and bodice.

Aurore looked down at her dress in awe, swishing the skirts around herself with a joyful laugh. “This is incredible. It’s more than I ever dreamed,” she said in an admiring sigh, smoothing her hands down over the skirts.

“One more thing,” Adrien said in a hum, touching the wand to her loose hair first, and then flicking it twice at the ground. Her hair coiled up into an intricate crown of braids complete with threads of silver twined into it and ornamented with almost lifelike looking glittering baby blue flowers. On the ground in front of her appeared a pair of delicate glass slippers that reflected every bit of starlight in the garden.

“Glass?” Aurore asked, looking cautious.

“It’s… traditional?” Adrien offered, not sure what other explanation to provide her with. “I made sure they’ll be sturdy and comfortable, please don’t worry.”

She hesitated for a moment more before slipping off her own worn flats and stepping into the glass slippers instead. She closed her eyes for a moment, wincing as if she was expecting the shoes to crumble but they held up perfectly, and the blinked in silence, taking a few steps in them. “Huh, they actually are fairly comfortable,” she said, amazement clear in her tone. You could even hear a faint clink as the heels hit the rocky ground, and she seemed to be more careful to avoid anything sharp even though Adrien seemed certain that nothing would shatter the shoes.

“Ready to go, my lady?” Adrien offered, bowing in the same way he had when he’d first introduced himself, gesturing to the carriage door that was waiting open for the cat-turned-footman standing and waiting for Aurore to take her place.

Everything was in place, and for some reason she still hesitated. “Can I… really do this?” she asked, her shoulders slumping down as she shrank into herself. “Pretend to be a real lady, in front of all of them? They’ll see right through me.”

Adrien could hear the hopelessness seeping into her voice and he immediately stepped forward to comfort her. He laid a gentle hand on her shoulder and shook his head. “Not a chance. I’ll tell you a trick that I learned from… well, something I used to do. Keep your chin up, and a half smile on your face. It’s all the perception of confidence. They’ll only see whatever you project into the world. If you move with certainty and never look down, they won’t be able to see past their own motivations, I promise you.”

She nodded slowly, seeming to square her shoulders and meet his gaze finally. “What do fairy godparents do before they’re fairy godparents?” she asked, a small smile lifting the corners of her lips.

Adrien froze for a moment, looking back at her in dumb shock before laughing, linking his elbow with hers to lead her to the carriage. “Now that, sadly, is classified magical information,” he said simply, flashing her a wink as she took the footman’s hand to be lead into the carriage.

“Fine, fine, I won’t pry,” she pouted, seating herself as comfortably as she could in the carriage with the cloud of skirts surrounding her.

Adrien made sure the door was shut completely behind her, and then stepped around the front of the carriage, hopping into the driver’s seat. He knocked twice on the surface of the coach before picking up the reins and gently urging the horses forward. The former mice seemed a little over-excited to be such a size, and move so quickly, and they took over with a jolt, almost sending Adrien tumbling from his seat. Holding a little tighter to the reins once he’d gotten readjusted on the bench, he just shook his head and set off down the long road that led away from the property.

After a carriage ride that felt shorter than it was, night truly began to fall, and the carriage pulled to a stop in front of the grand front steps of the palace. He stepped down from the driver’s seat, eyeing the horses as if to silently tell them not to move a muscle. To his great relief, they stayed in place while he stepped around, where the cat-footman was already opening the door for Aurore. Adrien held his hand out to her, beating the footman to doing so and she smiled at him as she took it.

“There’s one more thing I forgot to mention,” he said as she gingerly stepped out of the carriage, leaning slightly on his arm. “The magic… as wonderful as it is, can only last so long. It will wear off at midnight, and we’ll need to be well on our way back by then, alright?”

She nodded, letting go of his hand as she moved to stand between the steps and the carriage she had just exited. “Until midnight is more than I’d ever thought I’d have. Truly, thank you,” she said with sincerity crystal clear in every word.

He nodded back and then gestured towards the steps, shaking his head. “Go on, have the night of your life, Aurore. Don’t keep the party waiting for its star,” he teased, smiling warmly at her.

She smiled back and turned, beginning the walk up the stairs. Adrien watched her the entire way until he saw the doors at the top open wide, bright light and echoes of waltzes pouring out of the opened doors. When they had safely shut behind her, he hopped back up into the seat of the carriage, leaning back in his seat comfortably to wait the night out.

Adrien had barely closed his eyes and felt like drifting off when he jumped upright with a start at the sound of a bell chiming, coming from a tower high above his head. A quick glance at the tower confirmed that it was seconds from midnight. His eyes widened and he bolted up from his seat, taking the stairs two at a time until he reached the doors and opened them for himself without bothering to wait for the guards positioned in front of them to do so.

He eyes scanned over the party, spotting a head of blonde hair dashing into the crowd from a doorway off to the side and pushing her way through the throng of people. “Hurry, Aurore,” he whispered to himself, watching as she barely made it through the dance floor before the second strike had echoed. She ascended the stairs toward him and out of the ballroom, turning back to watch a suited figure with chin-length dark hair follow behind from the doorway she’d run through. Aurore finally reached the top of the stairs, smiling brightly and flush with life from her run and from the night itself.

“I’m late, I’m sorry, I know you said we should already-”

“There’s no time.” He pushed her towards the doorway as the third chime cut them both off. “I’m going to tell you to do something, and you’re going to think it’s odd, but just trust me,” he said, letting her walk ahead of him as she left the ballroom.

He turned back once more, now identifying the figure that he’d seen following Aurore as the prince, judging by the guards that now circled around the suited figure. One in particular caught his eye, and as if feeling his gaze, they turned and met his eyes, frowning slightly. He was struck immediately by how blue those eyes were, locked onto his own, and how much life blazed within them. He stood frozen under their gaze, even when the prince and the guards started to force their own way through the crowd. It wasn’t until Aurore tugged on his arm that he shook himself out of it.

“What were you saying?” she asked, pulling him out of the doors as he followed in a stupor, still picturing bluebell eyes in his mind.

“What?” he asked, finally looking at Aurore as they descended the overly-long stair case to the sound of the fourth chime. “Oh, a shoe!” he quickly said, stopping in place and jerking Aurore back with him.

She turned back, wide eyed and her brows raised. “A shoe?”

“You have to leave one behind, on the steps,” he said quickly, pointing down at their feet and gesturing wildly. “Don’t question it, we’re not going to even make it back to your home if we don’t leave right now.”

“Alright, I’ll do it. Let’s just hurry,” she said, her eyes darting quickly back to the doorway above them. She delicately stepped out of one of the glass slippers, leaving it on the very last stair before picking the other up and holding it as they walked back to the carriage.

Barely a second had passed before noise sounded from the top of the stairs and the bell tower simultaneously. The doors burst open once more, a dozen guards piling out of them and rushing down the steps. Adrien and Aurore took one glance at each other before starting to run. They wasted no time as they reached the carriage and she threw the door open and threw herself in, jostling the whole vehicle. Shutting the door behind her, Adrien moved around to the front of the carriage, hopping up onto the bench and flicking the reins immediately. The horses pulled forward with a lurch, their slow trot becoming a rapid gallop within moments as they sped away from the steps of the palace.

Turning the corner to exit the gates while the bell was struck again, Adrien risked a glance back and saw that some of the guards had already found horses and were mounting them as quickly as they could. He spurred the horses faster as the first of the guards swung their leg into the stirrups. It was the same girl from before, her bright blue eyes digging into him as he tried to get as much ground between them as possible. Soon, they passed beyond the border of the gates and out of sight.

“Plagg,” Adrien hissed, leaning to his side to address the book still laid on the bench seat next to him. “How many chimes was that?”

“Six,” Plagg’s voice said disinterestedly, propped against the back of the bench.

Adrien groaned, shaking his head as he snapped the reins again to try anything to get the carriage to move faster. They were quite a bit away from the gates of the palace at least, but not even halfway back yet, and he didn’t know if they could cross that distance fast enough.

Seven.

The bell rang again, the sound still loud enough to reach them even as they raced away from the tower. Adrien glanced around the side of the carriage, making sure they weren’t being actively pursued yet and almost relaxed with relief when he saw no one behind them. He wasn’t sure how long the horses could keep this paces but the answer was certainly not indefinitely.

They passed over bridges and under towering trees, and every chime of the bell tower made Adrien wince.

Eight.

The carriage tore through the small town near the castle. It was blissfully empty and abandoned with everyone at the festivities.

Nine.

Adrien felt the carriage begin to shudder and he knew what was coming, taking another glance behind them to see if the palace guards were catching up yet.

Ten.

The horses in front of him sprouted round ears, their tails twisting together until it was a single pointed cord of skin instead of horse hair. The carriage shuddered even more now, and sparing a glance down at his hands, he could see the gold leather reins turning into green vine under his fingertips. He didn’t even need to look back to know that the white of the carriage was turning orange, and he could feel the bench he was sat upon shrinking.

Eleven.

“Aurore, we’re not going to make it!” he said, raising his voice over the din of clattering hooves and rattling wheels. They were at least passing out of the town now, which meant they had passed the halfway mark and would be left with grassy road through the field and forest.

Aurore leaned out of the window behind him, her brow furrowed and her knuckles white from her grip on the edge of the shrinking window. “What do we do?”

“We get ready to jump,” he said back, gritting his jaw and steering the carriage towards the edge of the road. “When the final toll sounds, jump.”

If she had complaints, he didn’t hear or see them, busying himself immediately with strapping his storybook back against his side securely and holding the wand inside of his hand. Then, it happened.

Twelve.

He threw himself off of the side of the bench, tucking into a roll as he hit the soft ground of the meadow surrounding the road. Landing on his back with a grunt, he heard a loud creak and then a crash, sitting up in time to watch the now normal sized pumpkin smash into a rock. Looking around, he spotted the cat looking around in confusion, his nose turned up and sniffing the air before running off and then Aurore not too far from his own landing spot, sprawled on her side with the slipper tucked in against her stomach. Her dramatic ball gown had turned back into the worn slip it was before he’d transformed it at the start of the night. He took a deep breath and forced himself to his feet, wincing at the slight ache from standing up.

Adrien moved to Aurore’s side as quickly as he was able, gently shaking her shoulder. “Are you alright?” he said.

She groaned but nodded slowly after a moment, rolling onto her back with a sharp inhale. “I can’t believe that just happened.”

He laughed, nodding back at her with a slight grin. “Honestly, me either,” he admitted, rubbing the back of his neck with one hand.

The sound of hoofbeats echoed from down the road before either of them could say anything more and they both whipped their gazes in that direction, seeing the group of guards from the palace finally approach. Adrien held his hand out to her and pulled her into a seated position from where she’d been laying down. He crouched down next to her, putting his finger to his lip as he looked at Aurore.

“Stay low and stay quiet,” he whispered. The grass was tall enough that he could only hope it covered them well enough for the moment, but the crushed grass from their landing would be too obvious from the road.

He led her forward in the field, trying to move quickly but carefully enough to avoid too much movement from the grass around them. A glance behind him showed Aurore following his steps as much as she could, moving on her hands and knees through the grass. They worked their way to the edge of the forest in good time, and he ducked behind a tree, watching Aurore take cover behind a bush across from him. Just as they’d both hidden themselves, the guards reached the spot where they had jumped from the crashing carriage.

He could see a few of them slow down, noticing the remnants of the pumpkin and the patches of smushed grass. The same guard from the ball knelt at the edge of the field and he could finally get a clear look at her.

Her eyes still stood out the most, startlingly bright blue under the moonlight to the point he almost thought they were glowing. Once he was able to tear his gaze away from them though, he looked at the rest of her. She was dressed in a guard’s uniform that matched the others almost exactly, but instead of the black and gold that the other guards wore, her coat was bright red with gold trim, and black pants with a gold band down the side of the leg. Her hair was plaited back away from her face in twin braids, and he could clearly see the calculating expression on her face in the bright light of the open field, her brow tensed and her eyes scanning the distance.

Her gaze swept over their location and he could feel his heart beating rapidly against his throat. The sound was loud enough in his own ears that he almost worried it would give away their hiding spot.

Aurore tensed across from him as well, and he turned his face to her, trying to reassure her. He gave her his best confident smile, trying to soften the tension in his brow and jaw for just a moment to at least give her the illusion of confidence.

She seemed to accept it for a moment before she looked back at the road and her eyes widened, flicking wildly back and forth between him and the group of guards. He looked back himself and saw the same guard slowly walking towards them and he felt the panic rise in his own chest.

Just when he thought they were going to be caught for sure, he heard a horse in the distance and the guard snapped toward the sound at the same time he did. She rushed back to her horse, swinging up into the saddle with ease.

“That way!” she called out, her voice sounding lighter than he’d thought it would.

The guards took off in the direction she pointed ahead of her, but she stalled for a moment. Her eyes ghosted over their location once more before she mouthed something silently. She frowned, slipping something he hadn’t noticed she’d even been holding back into a sleeve on her saddle. She shook her head and urged her own horse forward, finally following after the guards who were now nearing the edge of the woods.

Adrien heaved out a sigh of relief, slumping back against the tree behind him. Silently, he thanked whatever force of fate or luck had distracted the guards, knowing that without it, there was no chance they’d have stayed hidden for long. He took a moment to catch his breath before turning to Aurore.

“Ready to get home?” he said, slowly starting to stand up. He held a hand out to her to help her up.

She accepted the hand with a grateful nod. “More than ready. I think that’s enough excitement for one lifetime,” she said with a quiet laugh.

She wrapped her arms around herself, shivering slightly and he frowned, giving the wand a little flick and covering her with a dark blue cloak. She looked over at him, nearly tripping in shock as the warm fabric wrapped around her shoulders. “Thank you.”

He nodded in response, giving the wand a wave over his own head to revert the white uniform to the more relaxed outfit he’d had before, and then pulling his dark green cloak over his own shoulders.

“I hope you’re alright walking back. I don’t think transfiguring any more forest animals would be advisable for tonight,” he said, starting to walk along the edge of the treeline parallel to the road.

She shrugged, her arms swinging lightly at her sides while they walked through the woods. “Yes, it’s not a problem for me. I walk most places.”

Nodding his head at her slowly, he looked over at the glass slipper cradled in her hands. Even though he’d known from reading iterations of the story, he was still surprised to see it in her hands after they’d landed, when everything else he’d done had worn off right at the last stroke of midnight. It meant that at least something about the story was going right so far, and maybe he’d be able to end it the way it should be.

Adrien curled his hands around the storybook in them, wishing he could see for his own eyes if the story was writing itself the way it was supposed to. He knew without being told, though, that looking at the pages in front of the story’s main character would not be advisable under any circumstances. It felt like something he’d always known somehow.

After a short, silent walk, they reached the edges of the property and passed over the wall. Aurore’s step family’s carriage hadn’t pulled into the drive yet, and he could see the tension in her shoulders melt away at that fact. She turned to face him.

“Thank you for everything. This night was more than I ever imagined. The dancing, the dress, the prince…” she said, trailing off in quiet reverence.

“The prince?” he questioned, a smile on his lips as he prodded her for more details.

She blushed, her cheeks turning faintly pink as she turned to look at the willow tree in the far back of the yard. “The prince was wonderful… and kind, and gentle, and charming. Everything people described and more. We danced for what felt like hours,” she said. Even with her back partially turned to him, he could see the shy smile on her lips.

“It sounds like you really had chemistry,” Adrien said, moving to stand at her side. “Do you think anything will come of it? They seemed fairly determined to catch up with you.”

“It’s… a little unlikely.” Aurore paused, humming slightly and crossing her arms in front of her chest.

“Why? What prince would give up a chance at love?”

Aurore sighed, her hands curling around the edges of her cloak as she pulled it taut around herself. “Her name is Mireille. She’s the oldest of her siblings and fought her family and the court to be called prince instead of princess, since the throne is her birthright, not any of her brothers.”

Adrien couldn’t help but grin widely at this information, enjoying the little twists that the fairy tale continued to throw his way. “She sounds amazing, then. It sounds to me like she’s someone who would go to great lengths for the things – and people – she cares about,” he said with a pointed look.

Aurore flushed. “It’s not that simple. She’s supposed to marry someone titled to strengthen the whole kingdom.”

“Why do they have to be titled to give strength? You seem plenty strong to me,” Adrien said. He glanced at her, brows furrowed in concern even if she was faced away and couldn’t see it.

“Not that kind of strong. I can’t provide armies or money, and I’m definitely not what her parents have in mind. They want a successor, heirs. Someone with the right knowledge and skills to make the whole country better. Not a plain, country girl.”

Frowning, Adrien sighed and looked away from Aurore and out at the road they walked. “What does Mireille want?”

She shrugged quietly, not daring to voice the answer she hoped was true.

“It’s not like I’ll ever see her again, so does it really matter?”

“Don’t be so sure of that,” he said, not explaining anything beyond the simple statement.

They ended their walk in silence, each contemplating the events that lie before – and in Adrien’s case, still ahead of – them. When they reached Aurore’s home, they sequestered themselves in the ash covered kitchen that he’d first seen her in.

After settling a sack of grain against a corner, Aurore frowned at him. “Are you sure you’ll be alright hiding out in here? You don’t have to stay here for me anymore, I’m sure there’s someone else who deserves your magic,” she said quietly.

He glanced at the dark stone corner behind him and nodded resolutely. “Entirely sure, Aurore. I have a feeling that your story isn’t over. I won’t leave you before then.”

Smiling at her, he sat down on the floor of the small storage space in the kitchen, drawing his cloak around his shoulders as he leaned into the sack. Aurore sighed, and knowing she could not argue with him, drew the curtain closed in front of him. For a moment, she could have almost sworn that she heard hushed whispers coming from where Adrien was hidden by the curtain, and not just his own. She listened for a moment, but whatever she heard didn’t make itself known again, so she stepped away and moved to her own bed near the fireplace.

She had taken to sleeping down in the kitchen for warmth, and eventually gone as far to simply move her flattened cot with her. Now the kitchen simply felt safe to her, and she stared in slight awe at the glass slipper resting on her worn bed. She felt as thought every time she blinked, it would be gone when she opened her eyes, but the slipper continued to defy that reality. It glittered in the firelight, the dancing flames reflecting against her skin. Picking it up in her hands, she curled up in the thin cot and clutched it close to her chest, staring into the flames as darkness seeped into the edges of her vision and she drifted into sleep.

#miraculous ladybug #ml fanfic #lovesquare #ml fairy tale au #fantasy au #ml fic #ml au #adrien agreste #miraculous ladybug fic #miraculous ladybug au #miraculous ladybug fanfic #marimeetswriting #wishes and wands #ml big bang #ml big bang 2022 #mwg

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marimeetsmischief · 1 year

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Wishes & Wands (and other miraculous adventures) - Part I

The first chapter of my fic for the @mlbigbang 2022 is ready! I'm so happy to finally share this with you all <3

Read on Ao3

Part I: Wish Upon a Star

The first chapter of our tale, in which Adrien finds himself in a strange place, with a strange man and an even stranger talking book.

“I wish… I wish I could have a real adventure. Be a real hero… be anywhere but here.”

And just like that, he was.

The forest that had appeared ahead of him was unfamiliar and open. He squinted, looking up at sunlight filtering through the trees. One second he’d been standing in his room, leaning over the windowsill and looking up at a starry night sky; the next second he was on his back in something soft, his lungs filled with the cleanest air he’d ever inhaled in his life.

Glancing downward, he could see that his clothes were different too. Designer quality items had been replaced by weathered but rough fabrics in a style he could only compare to something straight out of a fantasy movie, or a medieval history book. He pressed his hands against the ground below him and, feeling soft grass and moss, used them to push himself upright.

“Where am I?” he mused out loud, for plot convenience.

“You’re in the enchanted forest of Ever After, Adrien,” an aged voice said from behind him.

He whipped his head around, nearly breaking his neck as he faced the robed man behind him.

“Enchanted forest? How-what? Who are you?” he questioned, his spine straightening as he managed to get to his feet, overcome with confusion as he looked around further. It was true that the forest did look… magical, if he were to characterize it. In fact, upon a closer look, enchanted was about the only word that seemed to suit it. There were flowers and vines twining around everything, and they glowed with light. In fact, almost everything seemed to glow, even the air itself. “I don’t understand. How did I get here?”

The old man smiled, mirth in his eyes as he started to walk down one of the paths away from Adrien. “You wished for it.”

Adrien stiffened in place. “But that was just… talking to myself. It’s not like I could actually wish myself somewhere else.”

“No, not exactly. We heard your wish and brought you here. I am Master Fu, a member of the Order of Fates. And you, Adrien, have a quest to begin. Come along.”

Scrambling over his own feet to follow him, Adrien hurriedly caught up and walked just behind the cloaked figure. “A quest? What kind of quest? Do I get a sword? But I don’t know how to use a sword. Will I have to use it?” he said, nearly tripping over his own tongue.

“All of your questions will be answered in time.”

“That’s not really an answer,” he mumbled in a half pout, folding his arms over his chest.

The old man only chuckled and continued walking forward. Soon enough they came into a clearing occupied by a large, gnarled tree aglow with orbs of light and a mossy stone dais in front of it.

“Step up to the dais to receive the Storybook of Ages,” he said quietly, standing aside and gesturing Adrien forward. “If you’re worthy, you may yet save us all.”

Frowning, Adrien nudged his own feet forward, not even remembering when he’d frozen in place. A few short steps later he was standing upon the carved stone. As his hands came to rest on the edges of the podium, he closed his eyes, waiting in fear and anticipation.

And nothing happened. In fact, he thought he looked almost idiotic, standing silently and waiting for something to happen even though no one had activated the thing he was waiting for.

“Oh, right. Thank you!” the old man mumbled awkwardly, remembering that he was supposed to be doing something instead of just standing around like a lump on a log. “It’s been so long since we summoned a hero that I’d forgotten, old friend.”

He stepped forward, knocking in a particular rhythm on the stone of the podium. As soon as he finished he stepped back and…

Nothing happened.

“Fates be damned, did I get it wrong?” he whispered to himself. If he’d have some patience, however, and give it just a moment more…

Finally, a low thump sounded deep under the podium and the air began to sing with energy, the glowing lights of the tree condensing over the top of the podium. Adrien, unsure of what was happening and startled by the noise, picked the worst possible moment to open his eyes and was blinded by a flash of light centimeters from his face.

All at once, the lights disappeared again and in their place, he could only hear the faint ruffling of pages. Opening his eyes again tentatively, he glanced down at where a large leatherbound book lay atop the stone.

“Woah,” he said softly, reaching down to pick the volume up.

“Hey, hey, watch where you’re putting your hands, kid,” yawned a voice as the book fluttered open on its own, seeming to come to life and stretch itself out.

“Oh, fates. Not him. Take him back, do you hear me?” Fu called out, quite uselessly into the open air because no one was listening to him.

“It has been a looooong time since I’ve gotten to run free,” the voice spoke, and now Adrien was sure that it was the book, as if that hadn’t already been obvious. “What’s your name, Chosen?”

“Uh… Adrien?” he answered, not sure it was best to question why exactly a book was talking to him.

“Not a bad name, kid. Where are you from?” the book asked again, pages fluttering every time it spoke somehow.

Adrien, to his credit, didn’t hesitate nearly as much upon answering this time. “Paris, France.”

“Oh, France! They’ve got good cheese there, fancy stuff. I don’t suppose you’ve got any cheese on you? Camembert maybe?”

“But you can’t eat cheese, can you? You’re a book. I don’t really see how you could eat anything.

The book seemed confused by his confusion, ruffling as it spoke again. “Of course I can have cheese, I- wait. I’m a what?”

This time, Adrien paused and seemed to consider his options, not that he had many. “You’re… a book?”

“A book. A book?” All the sudden the book floated up into the air, spinning in circles and flipping through its pages from cover to cover. “Where’s my ears? And my beautiful tail? Fu, this was not the deal, you old badger!”

Fu blanched slightly, failing at hiding his guilty and perturbed look. The situation was surely not… ideal, but there was not much about it that could be helped now. “Plagg, I would not have brought you out by choice. It seems the fates have decided that you are needed.”

The book somehow looked… irritated, if that was possible. Even without a face, the crinkle of pages and bend of the cover suggested annoyance. Adrien seemed at least less surprised than before. “Plagg? Is that your name?” he questioned, head tilting towards the weathered black volume.

“The one and only, kid. Spirit of chaos and destruction, at your service against my will,” the book drawled, every drop of enthusiasm leeched from the words.

“At my service for… what, exactly?” Adrien asked, glancing between Fu and the talking book. So far, all he knew about what lay ahead of him was that it could be considered a quest, and unfortunately his brain could conjure up a vast number of possibilities that fell under that umbrella.

“Adrien Agreste, you have been brought to Ever After for the purpose of saving all happy endings. Plagg, your Storybook Spirit, will accompany you and serve as a guide as you navigate the tales ahead of you. His energy embodies the Storybook of Ages to help you along your quest. In the pages, you will find many tales, some familiar and some very much not so, and you must guide them all to their proper endings, whatever they are meant to be.”

Pausing to take it all in, Adrien stared silently at Fu, the gears of his mind visibly turning behind his eyes until the quiet became unbearably awkward.

Fu sighed slightly, frowning upwards at the sky. “Adrien, I know it sounds like a monumental task-”

“So what’s first?” Adrien cut in abruptly, as if his mind had just finished parsing through the information.

Stammering to a stop, Fu managed to quell his shock and stumble into an answer. “That choice is mostly yours, but I did have two pieces of advice for you, and a warning that I hope you will heed. I can tell the temptation to rush headfirst into this is great, but you must exercise caution and restraint.”

“What do you mean?”

It was something in his eyes that made Adrien listen. The concerned tilt of his brows, the way his pupils darted from side to side, looking for interlopers to the conversation.

“The stories may not end the way you think or remember. You must be ready to bring them to whatever ending the Storybook presents you with, or Ever After as we know it may fall apart. Listen to its pages.”

“I understand. How will I know what to do, to guide the stories to the right endings?” Adrien asked, uncertainty lacing his voice.

Humming quietly, Fu stroked his chin in consideration. “Follow your heart and I have the feeling that it will lead you best.”

Nodding, Adrien could only look over at his Storybook, still floating above the dais. “But which story do I start with?” he murmured to himself, gingerly plucking the book from the air, hoping not to annoy the spirit possessing it again.

“Well, kid, don’t you have a favorite fairy tale?” the spirit asked, his pages ruffling back and forth slowly.

“I’ve read plenty; I just don’t know if any of them are my favorite. I guess I just like anything that ended happily. I’ve always wanted to find my own true love.”

“Oh great, you’re that kind of sap,” Plagg grouched.

Adrien frowned, the insult obvious in the book’s words. “What’s wrong with wanting a true love?”

Plag huffed, pages fluttering as if real air had been released. “Nothing, nothing, kid. Let me just take a guess here though. Sleeping Beauty?” he questioned, flipping to a page labeled Little Brier-Rose.

“That one is a little questionable, isn’t it? I mean, the princess is asleep for most of it. And isn’t there a dragon? I don’t think I’m ready for that.”

“So picky. Snow White then? Oh, or maybe the Glass Coffin. Haven’t had anyone try that one in ages. Maybe even Allerleirauh, if you’re interested in sticking out, though that one is… odd.” Plagg rambled, flipping through pages faster than Adrien could read them. Suddenly, his eyes caught on one story in particular, the cursive C standing out before it flickered away in the rush of pages.

“Wait, that one, Plagg. That’s it. Cinderella,” he said with surety in his voice finally. “It’s simple, no magical evil to fight, just… a bad parent.”

“Hmm… that could work,” Plagg hummed, flipping back to the appropriate page. “And it looks like someone’s already started it for us and never finished. Probably got bored, ha.”

And so, filled with overconfidence and self-assuredness, Adrien and Plagg chose their first story. Though unfortunately for them, nothing about it was simple as it appeared.

“Adrien,” Fu interjected, interrupting with more obvious foreshadowing. “You may not always find yourself playing the role you expect in these stories. They have a way of tricking Heroes. Above all else, never reveal to anyone your true, full name. There is power in possessing it.”

As he spoke, the wind in the forest picked up, and Adrien could feel himself drawn to the pages before him. Despite the gale around them, the paper was stone still, and it was almost as if the illustration under its title shimmered with movement.

“Time to go, kid. Hope you’re ready!”

“Wait, Master Fu, what did you mean by-”

Before Adrien could even start his next word, the ever-impatient Plagg had rushed forward to meet his grasp, and suddenly the pages under his fingers were not paper at all, but open air, and all at once he was free-falling through it.

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