Work Text:
Emma expected a normal, boring day in school.
Instead, she got teleported back in time by the first akuma in 20 years, just her luck!
She appeared in a classroom identical to hers but instead of her class it was an entirely new one. This one had a lot of strange faces that were oddly familiar.
“Oh, fuck.” she muttered under her breath. All faces were looking at her and she started to shrink under their gazes.
“Who are you?” the teacher asked. I looked around and noticed one face I never thought I would see, Lila Rossi, wanted criminal and helper to the terrorist of Paris for many years.
“I’m Emma, Emma. Where am I?” I asked and the teacher’s gaze softened. “You are in college Francois DuPont in Paris.” she said, and my eyes widened. “Mamans school? But that closed down years ago!” I said and again looked around. Each face was oddly familiar.
Oh. Oh no.
“Oh, double fuck.” I muttered again. This time though I was heard by the teacher. “I may not know who you are or how you got here but I will not tolerate that language in this classroom. And the school hasn’t been shut down I'm afraid.”
“Sorry. Um, I don’t know how to say this other than bluntly, I am from the future. I got hit by an akuma and now I am here.” I said and everybody's eyes widened in shock.
All their faces were easily recognisable. They were all of Maman and Papa’s classmates from lycée along with Maman and Papa themselves. I started to hyperventilate as I realised the true scope of the situation.
In the future Ladybug’s repair stopped fully reverting damages and the rabbit miraculous was missing as it had been for years. They had no way for me to get back home unless another bunnix or the current guardian brought me home.
I felt a pair of arms wrap around me and looked up to see my Maman hugging me tightly. “Maman.” I whispered and she froze. I continued to sob into her chest as she whispered comforting words into my ear.
I managed to calm down and everybody was looking at me with soft eyes. “I’m sorry but there isn’t any way for me to get home. The miraculous ladybug’s have stopped fully repairing damages and the rabbit miraculous is lost in my time.” everybody's mouths dropped open in shock at my words.
“It’s going to be okay. You can come home with me, and we will see what we can do.” my Maman said, and I nodded. “Marinette, you may take Emma home and look after her today, I will discuss with the principle about her enrolling, and you can take today off to look after her.” the teacher said.
“Thank you, Ms. Bustier.” Maman said as she gathered my thing and led me out of the room with her arms wrapped around my shoulders.
We were walking towards the bakery when I froze. I remembered seeing one face I had never seen in person before, someone I had only seen in pictures and videos.
Auntie Alya was alive.
She hadn’t died chasing another akuma yet. I began to tear up, this time in joy because I always wanted to meet the brave journalist that Maman always told me, Hugo and Luis about.
“Hey, what's wrong?” Maman asked as she noticed my tears. “Auntie Alya.” I said in a voice barely above a whisper. She looked confused but still continued to comfort me. “What about Alya? Are we not friends in the future?” she asked, and I shook my head violently. “No! She’s, my godmother!” I said fiercely. How could she say that!
Then I remembered that, yet again, I was in the past. She was taken aback by my outburst, and I continued sobbing. “I’m sorry, Maman, but I never met auntie Alya. In the future where I am from, she... she died>” I said in between sobs.
Marinette just stared at me in shock as I continued to weep. I felt a small weight rubbing the outside of my leg, where my pocket is and immediately felt better. “Thanks, Tikki.” I said once I had calmed down. Marinette froze again at the mention of her kwami’s name.
“Can we go home now Maman?” I asked and she nodded, her eyes full of tears. We entered the bakery and Maman was immediately crushed in a hug from her parents.
Yet again I froze and started to cry at the sight of my grandparents, who we had lost 4 years ago in my time. I rushed forward and crashed into grand-mere, encasing the small woman in my arms. Even as a 15 year old I was quite big and rather strong.
Grand-mere hugged me back, despite the confusion of who I was, and I sobbed into her shoulder. Before I could gather any other thoughts other that ‘they’re here’ I heard a voice in my head.
“Hello there, Little Emma. I am hawkmoth. I can give you the power to bring the lost ones you love to your time, in return I want the Ladybug and black cat miraculous’. Do you understand?” the voice asked. I had never heard grand-pere's voice, but I knew this was him. Maman and Papa and been very clear with me and my two brothers.
I shook my head and started to speak back, “Go away grand-Pere! I don’t want to help you hurt Maman and Papa!” I said. Soon I felt the voice leave my head and I looked up to see three matching faces of horror.
“Did-did you just call hawkmoth ‘Grand-pere’?” Maman asked in horror, and I nodded before running back into her arms like I was 7 years old again.
“Shhhhhh, it’s okay. He didn’t hurt you baby, you're okay.” she whispered into my ear, and I felt myself start to relax. “Marinette, what is going on?” someone asked behind me. I looked and saw Grand- pere looking at us with suspicion.
I ran into his arms and hugged with all my might, much like I did with grand-mere. He was surprised but hugged back just like grand-mere. After I had hugged him for long enough, I look up to realise I had been picked up and we were now in the apartment above the bakery.
“Maman, Papa, this is Emma, my future daughter brought here by am akuma from the future with no way of getting home.” she said, and I saw many emotions pass my grand-parents faces.
First, they were shocked at my arrival, then overjoyed at my existence and the fact that they would be grandparents, then grand-pere's face went into a look of horror. “I’m not Hawkmoth!” he yelled. Everyone looked surprised then began to realise what he meant.
I giggled at their faces “Not you! Papa’s papa” I said, and they all relaxed before again realising what I said. “Oh. Oh no, dear that terrible.” grand-mere said and I nodded, my giggling stopped by the sombre mood.
“Yea, sometimes I hear Papa crying, or screaming in the night at the nightmares. He has to take medicine as well.” I said and they all looked sorry. “I am so sorry you have had to grow up with that Emma.” Grand-pere said.
“It’s okay, Hugo and Luis help me, and I help them. We all know that Papa isn’t well mentally, so we don’t ask for help much, we help each other.” I said and Maman’s mouth dropped. “I have 3 kids?” she said, voice barely above a whisper.
I nodded “And we have a cat call Jack. It was Papa’s idea.” I said and all three looked over the moon at the revelation of three kids. “Maman, can we go to your room now? I always wanted to see your childhood bedroom, but you always say I will eventually, and you don’t need to show me yet.” I said and she looked at her parents.
“It’s okay dear, you go spend some time with your daughter.” grand-mere said. I cheered and ran upstairs, opening the trapdoor fully and looking around the room.
After a brief tour I saw the sewing box that Maman taught me to open in case of an emergency. I looked at the box and pressed the buttons on top of the case, but nothing happened.
I giggled and shook my head. “You know now the whole of Paris is seeing some wacky shit, right Trixx?” I heard two gasps at the same time. One came from the desk that Maman’s computer was on and the other came from the trapdoor.
“Please tell me I did not teach you that language.” said Maman standing just at the trapdoor. “No, I learnt mostly from Jake.” I spoke. “Whose Jake?” she asked, and I turned around. “Auntie Alya’s son. She gave birth to him a few years before she died.” I said earning another gasp from behind the computer.
“Oh yea, you might want to miraculous ladybug real quick because trixx just cast mirage without a holder not knowing I know where and how to use the miracle box.” I said and Maman cast a glare at the computer.
“Spots on.” she said and suddenly a much younger ladybug stood in her place. I burst out laughing when I saw how little the suit concealed her identity. “What?” she asked with a puzzled look. “That suit does nothing to hide your identity. How has someone not figure you out?” I said while still laughing.
A few minutes later and a bunch of magical ladybugs were flying around Paris, fixing any damage the illusion may have done. “Spots off” was the next thing I heard before I was pounced by a bundle of Kwamis, all vying for attention.
“Woah, calm down their guys. Wait, where's Plagg?” I said before I remembered, yet again, that this is the past. ”Oh, past, I forgot Papa still had his miraculous.” I said earning a gasp from Maman.
“Chat Noir’s your father?” she said and I nodded. “Well yes but by then you know each other identities.” I said. “Hawkmoths his father. Oh, my poor Chaton.” she said, more to herself than anyone.
By the time everything was cleared up with Maman and the kwamis it was time for patrol. “Do you want a miraculous to come with?” Maman asked after sketching a design for a little bit and noticing the time.
“Really?! You only ever do patrol on your own anymore. Even with Mullo I'm not allowed to follow!” I said, excited to do a patrol for the first time. “Wait you’re my future holder?” someone said from the other side of the room. “Yes Mullo. It’s really annoying when you and Plagg fight for cheese I the morning and wake the house up.” I said and she laughed.
“Plagg always hogs the cheese. I deserve at least a little bit of it.” she said. “I agree which is why I have a secret cheese stash in my room for you that Plagg doesn’t know about.” I said and she cheered. “You’re the best holder ever! Already!” she said, and I laughed.
“Anyway, you ready to go?” she asked, and I nodded after donning the Mouse miraculous.
“Tikki, spots on!”
“Mullo, get squeaky!”
Soon we were running along the rooftops, mother and daughter, ready to finally spend some time together as a family. Protecting Paris against those who threaten her safety.
