Chapter Text
If one where to look up from the streets of Paris, they’d have a chance of seeing a streak of red for a split second. For someone new, they’ll surely lose track of the odd sight. They’ll ask someone nearby if they saw it too, if this someone lived in Paris for a good bit, they’ll give a smile before they answer.
“That’s Ladybug!”
Indeed, the Hero of Paris found herself swinging across rooftops. In midair, Ladybug chucked her yoyo at a nearby roof, making it wrap itself around a chimney. She hung on to the string as she fell towards street level, palpitations accosted her from the sudden acceleration. Before the street came to meet her, her vision suddenly jerked forward as her swing brought her across mere inches above street level. An elated “Woohoooo!” escaped her as her momentum increased and carried her much higher than before.
Ascending, the young heroine retracted her yoyo and chucked it at a level rooftop strait ahead of her, allowing it to constrict around a fire escape and for her to yank on the string with immense strength, drastically propelling herself forward. She landed on the rooftop of her home, rolling so as not to get utterly annihilated by her own momentum, and sighed in satisfaction of her invigorating journey.
Once inside her room, Ladybug caught sight of a certain blonde teenage boy sitting at her desk, which put a warm smile on her face and kept her from descending the staircase leading up to her bed. Adrien Agreste, cute fashion model, kindest guy in Paris, and the love of her life. Opting to put on a show, she put one hand on her hip, another on the banister, and gave a coy smile.
“Adrien…” she sighed seductively. The young fashion model spun around in surprise before putting on a goofy smile.
“Marinette!” He exclaimed as he scratched the back of his head, “I uh….didn’t hear you come in.” Ladybug briefly raised her hand to wag her finger.
“Tsk tsk, Adrien. You’re not supposed to call me by my civilian name while I’m Ladybug,” she explained, “Chat Noir might have followed me home.”
“R-right, sorry. Though you’ve come home as Ladybug several times, I assumed you figured out how to lose him by now.”
“Hm, true. But, on the off chance he outsmarted me…” Ladybug began a slow descent down the staircase, trailing her hand along the banister, “…what say you and I give him a show?” Adrien stood up as the heroine approached him.
“A show?” He repeated.
“Mm hm.”
Having finally closed the distance, Ladybug wrapped her arms around Adrien’s neck and let herself lean on him. Their foreheads touched as she stared into his eyes. After a lengthy fight with an akumatized villain, being this close to her lover ignited an intense need in her just screaming to be quenched. The young heroine leaned in for a kiss, on to be stopped by Adrien’s finger.
“Your Miraculous?” he asked.
“Oh, right,” Ladybug concurred, “Give it a second,” Usually, when she uses her Lucky Charm ability, it force deactivates her Miraculous, the source of her powers, and separates her from her kwami, reverting her to her civilian form.
This time, it didn’t happen.
“Tikki?” Ladybug withdrew from Adrien and tapped one of her earrings, her Miraculous. An alarming sense of dread filled the masked heroine, what if something bad happened to Tikki? Why isn’t she changing back? This dread swelled inside her, spreading through her body and growing in intensity to the point where it hurt something awful, like a cramp.
What started as dread became blinding agony, her limbs shook and her breath became trapped in her throat. She hugged herself and squeezed her eyes shut as her mouth hung open in a silent scream. Something moved around inside her, and it wanted out.
“Adrien. I…” The sound of bone crunching interrupted, followed by her own screams as she collapsed on all fours. An all-consuming pressure formed in her right arm, either growing or moving through it, she couldn’t tell. This combined with the sounds painted horrifying pictures in her head, her radius and ulna being slowly pushed apart, the tendons in her arm tearing, her fingers contorting in ways not humanly possible.
Suddenly, the pressure released explosively, obscuring her senses to anything but the pain. She flipped over on her back and screamed at the top of her lungs, which currently felt as if they were rupturing amongst other things. More pressure formed in other parts of her body. Finally able to open her eyes, the first thing she noticed was a horrified looking Adrien running out of the room.
“W-wait,” Ladybug pleaded, “Help me!” She reached forward with her right arm, and immediately regretted doing so. At first, she didn’t know what to make of her arm’s new appearance, she thought her vision was blurred or that she was going nuts. Just looking at it made her want to scream in horror, if she wasn’t already doing so in agony.
Her arm had been replaced by an insect appendage.
Before Ladybug could question it, another surge of searing pain assailed her back, forcing her to turn over on her now burning stomach. Paralyzed, all she could do was lay there as her body continued its gruesome metamorphosis, she couldn’t even scream anymore. A buzzing noise and sudden weight on her back alerted her, from where she lay, she could vaguely make out insect wings and a ladybug’s elytra in the mirror across the room.
It became increasingly evident that Ladybug wouldn’t live to see this transformation complete, the last thing she felt before going numb was something moving around in her chest, though dying from total organ failure seemed pleasant in comparison to this hell. The worst part was Adrien fleeing, leaving her to die alone and in agony. Nobody stuck around to…
“Marinette!?”
*****
Ever wake up from a fresh nightmare before? It sucks. It really, really sucks. There’s no immediate relief upon realizing it’s over. Nope, you shake, you sweat, your heart palpitates hard, and worse you replay it in your head over and over again. Not unlike what Marinette’s experiencing right now as she sits up in her bed.
“Marinette? Are you alright?” a squeaky voice asked. Back in reality, Marinette gasped and looked down at her arms. Normal, human arms. She then looked at her addresser.
“Y-yeah, Tikki,” she answered, still shaken and struggling to get her breathing under control, “It was just a bad dream.” Tikki floated in front of her face with worried eyes, which Marinette found comforting after such a dreadful nightmare.
“It looked awful,” Tikki pointed out as she settled in the palms of Marinette’s cupped hands. The tiny kwami seemed to radiate a brilliant warmth, which soothed Marinette and expedited her relaxation. Marinette closed her eyes and took a deep breath through her nose before speaking again.
“It was,” she said quietly, “Hey, is it possible for the Miraculous to turn me into a giant ladybug?” Tikki stared up at her bewilderedly, then covered her mouth in a vain attempt to conceal her giggling.
“Of course not, silly!”
Marinette gave a soft smile, but mentally chastised herself for not realizing it was just a dream sooner. The signs were all there!
First, suggesting doing that with Adrien while Chat Noir watches. Not only would it be inappropriate to subject her feline partner to that, but the mere thought of someone watching her do something so intimate just…. Ugh!
Second, openly flirting with the heart pounding godliness that is Adrien Agreste? Without panicking and losing the ability to form coherent sentences? In what universe!? Marinette is many things, a seductress isn’t one of them.
Third, Adrien would never leave someone in trouble. He’s far too kind in real life to do something so cowardly.
“Well, I’m glad it’s over,” Tikki piped up, bringing Marinette out of her thoughts, “I don’t like seeing you upset.” Hearing that made the young heroine’s heart swell and put a smile on her face, prompting her to bring her hands to her face so Tikki could hug her cheek.
“You’re the best kwami a girl could ask for!”
*****
The oversized bedroom could fit in almost any teenage boy’s fantasy, yet its occupant couldn’t care less for such things, what he seeks lies in the outside world. Speaking of which, he stood just outside the wall spanning window, though anyone looking outside would just see a vague outline of a person sporting cat like ears on his head.
The dark figure cautiously opened a window and made his way inside, quiet as a mouse, ironically. Once inside, Chat Noir looked around his room before giving a dejected sigh. A green light suddenly flashed around him, removing his black cat suit in favor of civilian attire.
“Eat up, Plagg,” Adrien advised as he reached for his school supplies, “School starts soon.” The black kwami settled himself next to a plate of camembert on Adrien’s desk, gleefully licking his lips in anticipation.
“You just spent a couple of hours as Chat Noir leaping across rooftops,” Plagg pointed out before taking his first bite, “How about we just hang out here for a bit? I’ll share some camembert with you!”
“No you won’t.”
“Heh, no I won’t.” Not that Adrien suffered a broken heart over this, camembert is…well, it’s camembert. Still, he couldn’t help but feel a bit of indignation at his kwami’s asinine behavior.
“We’ve been over this before,” Adrien stated with exasperation, as if talking to a five year old, “I’ll get in trouble if I cut class.” Plagg scoffed before responding.
“My question still stands,” he remarked.
Having given up, Adrien sat at his desk and booted up his computer. The Ladyblog, a site dedicated to info on Ladybug herself, remained his only consistent link to his masked partner. The few hours he had with her at a time as Chat Noir, which were spent fighting akumatized victims, were few and far in between. It’s not like Hawk Moth is at it 24/7. Adrien cherished those few hours with Ladybug, chaotic and life threatening as they are. Just thinking about her put a smile on his face.
“Aw, is wittle Adwien upset he didn’t see his Wadybug?” Plagg teased in a mock baby voice.
“Knock it off, Plagg,” Adrien ordered halfheartedly. With Ladybug on his mind, not even Plagg could get on his soothed nerves, not too much at least. The kwami gave a dissatisfied pout before returning to his foul smelling meal.
It seemed silly, childish even, being in love with someone whose real name he doesn’t even know. But Adrien couldn’t help it, she’s brave, selfless, smart, a little on the crazy side, not to mention beautiful. Perhaps it’s merely a symptom of being high off the freedom his Cat Miraculous gave him, but he doesn’t care. Whoever gave her the Ladybug Miraculous picked a good one. He just wished he knew who it is behind that mask.
Finding nothing new on the Ladyblog, Adrien gave a defeated sigh and checked his watch. Half an hour until school starts. He wished he had more time to be Chat Noir, despite liking his school life. Maybe seeing Nino and the others will cheer him up.
*****
“Mom! Dad! I’m heading out!” Marinette announced as she made for the front door.
“Got your bag, Marinette?” her dad asked from another room.
“Yeah!”
“You sure?”
Suspicious, Marinette stopped and tapped her shoulders. Discovering no backpack straps, she groaned and turned back around, immediately being rewarded with the sight of her father holding her backpack with her mother by his side, both sported amused smiles. Marinette scratched the back of her head as she approached.
“Uh, thanks,” she muttered as she took her backpack and lowered her gaze.
“It’s alright, sweetheart,” Sabine, her mother, assured, “People forget things all the time.”
“It’s not that,” Marinette replied dejectedly, “I screw up on a daily basis. You know how clumsy I am!”
“We also know how amazing you are,” Tom countered as he knelt in front of his daughter, “Who designed Jagged Stone’s most recent album cover?”
“Me…”
“And who asked for an autograph? Not from Jagged Stone, but from you?” Sabine added.
“Adrien…”
“So what if you’re clumsy?”
Marinette smiled and held her hands behind her back. Feeling better, she couldn’t help but find it droll that “The Hero of Paris” worries about remembering her backpack and other small stuff. Being Ladybug certainly gave her a confidence boost, but she still has her not so glorious moments.
“Even if all of Paris thinks you’re a joke,” Tom told as he rested his hand on his wife’s shoulder, “Keep in mind there are two people who know better.”
“Thanks,” Marinette replied.
*****
“Adrien, it’s time to go!” a woman shouted from outside.
“Coming, Nathalie!” Adrien shouted back as he quickly made his way down the foyer staircase. As he descended, he looked back at the massive portrait of him and his father hanging on the back wall. Gabriel’s cold gaze served as a reminder as to why he looked forward to going to school every day. Once outside, he slowed to a brisk walk alongside Nathalie on the way to the car.
“You’re up late,” Nathalie commented.
“Sorry, couldn’t sleep,” Adrien replied, averting his gaze. Nathalie didn’t seem to notice.
“I hope you’re fully awake by this afternoon, you have a photoshoot at five,” she explained dutifully.
“Got it.”
The car, like the mansion Adrien lives in, could very well have been on those commercials you see and go “I will never be able to afford that.” The Gorilla, Adrien’s chauffeur, already occupied the driver’s seat. Nathalie took the passenger’s seat, leaving Adrien to occupy the back by himself.
“Hey, have you seen my dad this morning?” Adrien asked.
“Your father had to attend an urgent meeting,” Nathalie answered without turning to face him.
Wouldn’t be the first time, Adrien thought to himself. He often wondered how many of these meetings were actually “urgent”. Not that he had the energy to complain about it anymore, he’d grown accustomed to having an absent father.
Adrien stared out the window at his father’s enormous mansion. Going to school and being Chat Noir felt like being let out to exercise in prison. Maybe he’s being a little overdramatic, he thought, but anything beats the soul crippling loneliness of that mansion. He shook his head and put on a smile, at least he’ll get to see Nino, Alya, and Marinette, no need to be gloomy!
Besides, he didn’t want to fall into that trap of missing his mother.
*****
A large shutter opened up, illuminating the domed observatory as it revealed a large, ornate window. A swarm of seemingly luminescent butterflies sprang to life and fluttered around, as if agitated by the sudden light. In the middle of the swarm stood a lone, masked man with a cane. He gazed out the window with a wicked smile as he gave a satisfied sniff.
“I sense something brewing,” Hawk Moth mused maliciously, “Such intense anger and indignation. Perhaps I’ll let it fester this time, wait until it boils over.”
He could practically taste it; a hatred for injustice, crippling cynicism, general distrust and contempt. These feelings didn’t spawn from a single unfortunate incident, but from a lifetime of betrayal, failure, and heartbreak. Yet it’s tempered by strong, albeit wavering ethics, and affection for someone loyal to them. But negative emotions build, and build, and build, until everything good you have loses significance. For this one, all it’ll take is a one little push for them to be akumatized.
“It won’t be so easy this time, Ladybug and Chat Noir!” Hawk Moth declared, his excitement reaching its fever pitch, “Your Miraculouses will be mine for sure this time!”