Prologue:
Author's Note: This story starts off sounding more serious than it is. I have to give a lot of background information for any of this to make sense. I'm funny, I swear, you just have to stick around for the laughs ;)
Also, please note that Italics are used for emphasis or to express a character's thoughts.
I note which character is narrating at the beginning of their passage (unless I forget, sorry). Enjoy~
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Adrien
You could say that gray is everyone's "favorite" color here. At least, if a police officer asks them, that's what they would say. Always.
If you aren't a police officer, you might get a different response.
Something along the lines of "green," or "red;" real colors that show vibrancy, compassion, character, expression, and life. Nowadays "gray" is the only acceptable response. No, not "socially acceptable," government acceptable. As in, it's illegal if you say otherwise.
Why, you ask?
Well, to make it simple, I'll just blame it on the government.
What! You exclaim, you're a police officer! How can you disrespect the government!
I'm telling you, it's easy.
As easy as this:
Sometimes the government is wrong, but there aren't any people to say so. They're silenced; paralyzed with fear.
But I have a sort of immunity.
As a police officer, it's my job to protect. Now, pay close attention, because this is how I differ from the other officers:
Who do I protect?
The people.
Not the government. Not the law.
Protect how?
Protect by the laws of the government. Theoretically.
I don't… always follow the rules, as you'll soon see.
I believe in protecting the people and the wishes of the people above the wishes of the government. It's as simple as that.
But if you ask me, "what's your favorite color?"
It's gray.
Just like everyone else.
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It didn't used to be like this.
Obviously, "green" existed as a color preference at some point, and that point was not long ago. Twenty years ago, actually.
That's when France got a new "Prime Minister." He's actually a dictator. Not that kind that brutally kills for power, but one that slunk in slowly, over time, a plague that decayed the government from the bone, poisoning the blood and then the heart. The problem (aside from the whole 'dictator' thing): he's very conservative, and he controls the entire government: The President, the cabinet, the national assembly, the courts, the senate, the police…
How did he gain power over all of France?
Money. Unfortunately, there are those radical few that support him, and they are quite rich, lending him a tremendous amount of strength in funds alone. Money leads to power, and influence, and soon enough, known conservatives were replacing liberals in their government positions.
The Prime Minister's conservatism has bled into common law, and his roots strangling the most local governments are only now becoming apparent.
He's made laws that, twenty years ago, would be laughed at. Today…we don't laugh. You'll be thrown in prison.
Perhaps the most readily observable law of his is the first law he made, that "sexual expression be deemed illegal on all accounts."
No, not the "sexual expression" that asks if you're bisexual or transgender – the "sexual expression" that pertains to all expressions of sex, including but not limited to (as he noted in the law): public displays of affection, "sexy" clothing, sexualized ads, sexual discrimination in the workplace or elsewhere, sexual expression in public, - the list goes on forever. Read the article if you want the full list.
So we're all sexless now, right? How chummy. Sexual discrimination has been virtually eliminated!
Wrong.
Oh, so wrong.
You see, a lot of people were rightfully furious about this. It's insulting to be classified as "genderless," and there is an innumerable amount of business that lives off of our highly sexualized culture. The benefits simply do not outweigh the animosity of being exactly like everyone else.
The government, apparently, does not value expression, especially when that expression has turned into riots against them.
Of course, the Prime Minister had foreseen this problem and taken measures against this predicted uprising. All those that disagreed with him, and continued to dress and act like they normally would, were jailed.
Problem solved. Clean hands.
Whoops!
Wrong again.
There are more of us out there, and there always will be.
And we're rising to the occasion.
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Author's Note: Alright! Prologue complete! I'm going to tell you right now that this story is actually not about a dystopia, it's about our two lovable dorks Adrien and Marinette! Alya and Nino will appear soon too…patience. Please let me know if you like this story so far and have any feedback for me; I always appreciate knowing this isn't being sent off into some black hole. Thanks, and I hope you enjoyed!
Next chapter, Adrien, Nino, and Ladybug will all be formerly introduced. Until then – adieu!
(And Happy Holidays!)
