Chapter One: A Good Start

It was winter. It had always been winter. Or at least it seemed like that to fourteen year old Azure Požar. An orphan boy. He lived in one of Paris's smaller orphanages, with few other children at it.

But that's how he liked it. Azure didn't like to talk about his family, or much really. He was a violent child, though he claimed he was trying to help. His efforts were always ignored. So instead of bothering, he sat alone.

Currently he sat in his favorite spot in the orphanage, the top. It was separate from the rest of the house, and a large round window that overlooked Paris. He sat up there and watched cars drive by, or maybe he stared at the Eiffel Tower, or maybe he just sat. In the end though he didn't care what he did, as long as he was alone. Which he was. In all sense of the word.

Though at this moment he was doing none of those three. Recently he'd discovered Batman comics, and was reading them en mass online, having "borrowed" a phone from the women in charge.

The sound of shouting breaks his silence and he clicks the button on the side of the phone, closing the device. He sighs, rubbing his eyes, and checks the time. The phone read three in the morning. Someone must have ratted him out.

"Jerks." He muttered to himself. He swings his legs down to the ladder and starts climbing his way down. A glass of water is at the bottom behind a loose board. He pulled it out and slips the phone in a secret pocket of his pants (he'd attached it himself). Then he starts walking woozily down the hallway just as an angry women rounds the corner.

"POŽAR?" She shrieked. Then spotting him, stormed over, grabbed him and started to drag him back down the hall. "Why were you out of bed?" She demanded.

Azure gently shakes his water, spilling a little. "Water."

She stopped, looked down at him, growled, and let him go. Then she got down to his height. "Don't do it again. You're starting at the new school tomorrow."

Azure nodded numbly, and turned the knob on the door leading to his room. Inside was a bunk bed, the bottom bed had a small lump in it. It was his room mate Damian. Ignoring Damian he walked over to the night stand and set his water down. Then grabbing the top rung of the ladder, he swung his whole body up and onto the bed.

A calm silence fell yet again over him and he smiled. Peace again, and he gently faded off to sleep.

"Silvia we're going out!" Her mother called from the first floor.

"Okay mom!" She called back from her bed. She was currently scrolling through her phone, reading about Harry Potter. She wasn't surprised they were going out. They were always going out. They were in charge of this big group that ran a lot of something or another. Silvia knew she should care more, since they want her to run it when she's older. But she doesn't want to.

She won't lie, she's a nerd. And proud. She enjoys school too. But what they do, every time they talk about it, dred fills her. She desperately wanted to do more with her life than be a corporate stooge.

Her older brother though was a different story. He not only had the brains she did (well he was a close second), but the desire, the drive, that was needed. Still it was her that was pushed to join her parents.

Loud thumping from the stairs distracted her from her browsing. She frowned and sat up, curious about the sound. Her brother walked much quieter than that, no one she could remember walked up stairs like that.

"Unless…" her eyes slowly dragged themselves to her bookshelf where her brothers book sat. It wasn't just an ordinary book (according to him) it was a magic book. However it seemed like ridiculous nonsense to her. Something about things called Miraculous, a stupid name as well. But he said he needed it for, whatever.

She'd meant to put it back before he discovered she'd taken it, but had forgotten. Now it was too late. Her door flew open, revealing an angry Drey Danvers, Silvia's older brother.

"Where is it Silvia?" He growled, face red.

"Now I was just borrowing it-"

"Where is it?" He asked again, interrupting her before she could finish. Silvia refrained from groaning and got up, crossing to her book shelf.

"Here." She grunted, handing him the heavy brown book. Without even a moment's hesitation he'd snatched the book from her hands, and stormed away.

Silvia shook her head, and shut the door behind him. She walked back to her bed and looked out her window. Gentle flakes of snow had started to fall. It was going to be a snow day tomorrow at school.

"Gentle snow my left butt cheek!" Viridian shouted loudly, drawing the attention of everyone in the school courtyard.

"Oh shush Viridian!" Silvia scolded, but her playful smile not being missed by the green clad boy.

He wore his standard green and black suit, but a heavy pea coat over it. His long untidy black hair hung loose around his face. "Last night you texted me about a gentle snow, and we wake up to almost ten inches of snow!"

"I'm not a weatherman." Silvia countered, Viridian chucked and sat next to her, looking around.

"You aren't kidding." He muttered and then spotted someone he hadn't seen before. "Who's the new kid?"

Silvia followed Viridian's figure till it landed on a boy she'd never seen before. He wore a black jacket and dark blue jeans. He had shaggy brown hair and was barely taller than her.

"I'm not sure, he's starting late in the semester." She whispered.

"His name is Azure Požar." A monotone voice behind them said. Viridian groaned, but Silvia turned around polity. There say Simon Zlo, his notebook open on his lap. His blonde hair neat and tidy, green piercing eyes staring at everything through his glasses.

"Anything else you managed to uncover?" Silvia asked.

Viridian held up an expectant hand, and remarked drly. "More like what doesn't he know."

Simon however ignored the other boy and pressed on. "He's fourteen and is currently in our grade. He's gotten average grades at his previous schools, but that's mostly due to lack of attendance, not intelligence. Furthermore he is a member of the Orphanage for Poorly Behaved. He was sent there a week ago after an incident at his last orphanage."

Silvia smiled happily and turned back to look at the new boy. "You never disappoint Simon."

"Yeah, but tell me, do you know what the incident was?" Viridian taunts. Simon returns Viridian's taunt with piercing look. Viridian pouted slightly. "You could at least frown a little."

"No." Simon said simply. Silvia chuckled to herself, watching the boy play on a phone.

"I'm going to go say hello." She decided.

Viridian shrugged slightly. "I'd be more surprised if you didn't if I'm being honest."

"Based off your last behavior, I would agree with Viridian." Simon included. Viridian turned on his butt to face Simon again.

"Why are you this way?"

"Why am I what way?"

"You know," Viridian waved his arms wildly in hope that Simon would understand his unspoken description. When he did not, Viridian banged his head against the stares. "Silvia can you help me out?"

"She already went to go say hello to the new boy." Simon told him. Viridian looks around and huffed slightly.

"What do you think is going to happen?" Viridian asked. Simon squints and opened his mouth to speak, but was distracted by a girl walking across the campus and into a classroom. Viridian having caught this chuckled playfully.

"You should say…" Viridian took a breath for dramatic effect. "Helllooooo." Then finished with a wink.

Simon however seemed unfazed by the teasing. "No."

"You're no fun dearie, no fun at all."

"I conquer."

"Gross."

Azure watched the girl approach him slowly out of the corner of his eye. He'd seen her and her black and blonde haired friends when he'd walked in. They'd been chatting about the weather rather loudly.

Actually everyone was talking loudly, and it bothered him. Silence was always prefered. He'd have gone to the library immediately if he could, but it was open in the mornings, so he was stuck in the courtyard with the rest of the rabble. And it appeared as though he was about to be pulled into an unwelcome conversation.

Silvia had reached Azure, holding her hand confidently out she smiled. "Hello, I'm Silvia!"

Azure appraised her silently. A good upbringing, plenty of wealth in her life. Parents well to do then. Her hand shook slightly when she'd held it out. From the cold maybe, but nerves more than likely. Talking to new people was nerve wracking so no judgment. She had good friends as well. He'd had rather been left alone. At least she was pretty.

"Hello." He grunts simply, not taking her hand.

"And your name?" She asked, prompting him to speak more, despite her already knowing it.

Azure wasn't fooled though. "The blonde boy told you."

"What?" She blinked in surprise. "How'd you know that?"

"Wind carries the sound. I heard him."

"Oh…" Silvia scratched the back of her neck, the wind let of her sails slightly.

Azure did however have a question for her, having heard everything the blonde boy had said. "How'd he know?"

"Know what?" She asked.

"My life story." Azure asked. "I'm private, so I didn't tell anyone."

Silvia chuckled. "Honestly I don't know, but Simon seems to know all."

Azure frowned and looked over at the blonde boy as he watched a small girl walk into a classroom. Azure wasn't a fan of him knowing things about him.

"Well, class is starting soon!" Silvia said awkwardly. She tried for a smile and almost succeeded. "I'll see you in there. Just remember, you always have a friend in me."

"You took that from Toy Story?" Azure asked squinting at her suspiciously.

Silvia's face dropped. "Yeah."

"Damn sister." Drey growls, placing the book back on its alter where it belonged. She didn't even think these were real. But he knew better. Because he'd managed to steal one along with the book. Some old man had been protecting them, but some sleeping pills in his tea and the rest was history.

He hadn't bothered to look at which one he'd grabbed, but from his reading it didn't seem to matter. They were all dangerous. Though the ladybug and cat Miraculous were the strongest apparently.

And if he got those two, he could wish for anything he wanted. Which was exactly what he was going to do.

After making sure the book was secured back in its place he walked over to where he'd been keeping the small box he'd stolen. He gently picked it up, examining it carefully. Nothing about the box indicated which one lay inside. As curious as he was, he dared not open it yet. Not till he was certain he'd gotten away with the crime.

He doubted the old man would call the police, but he wouldn't possibly find allies to help him search for the Miraculous. And Drey wanted to be able to study their weaknesses before fighting them.

His parents would always tell him, never start something you don't know the outcome of beforehand. And he always listened to them.

He was going to change the world with this, and nothing would be the same.

"Glad that's over." Viridian groaned, the last class of the day wrapped up. He, Silvia, and Simon were walking out the front doors of the school.

Silvia laughed slightly. "Come on it wasn't that bad!"

"Fair," Viridian agreed. "The teacher didn't notice me sleeping." Silvia sighs and shakes her head in disappointment as the three of them get to the sidewalk. At that moment a tall boy with brown hair rammed into Simon, knocking him and his glasses askew. The boy turned around and snarled loudly.

"Watch where you're going Zlo."

Simon righted himself and held up his hands. "Of course my apologies."

Silvia however stepped in front of Simon, right to the taller boy. "You should be apologizing Neal! You hit him, not the other way around."

Neal stepped forward and peered down at her, a frown on his face. Then he turned his gaze to Simon. "Then he needs to stay away from my sister."

Simon's face showed nothing, except for a small eye twitch. "I haven't talked to her in months."

"Then stop staring at her." He growled and stomped off. The three of them stood there in silence, reorganizing their thoughts.

On the others side of the street though a man was watching them. He was an old man, and extremely ancient. A small red figure, no more than three inches hovered by his shoulder.

"That's the one for you Tikki." The man croaks, as he pointed at Silvia.

Tikki squealed in joy and clapped her tiny hands. "Yay! But what about Plagg?"

The old man watched them all closely. "I'm not sure. But we must find him one quickly before the stolen Miraculous is used."