What if Befana tried harder to transform Marinette at her birthday party?

Befana Blasts
Chapter 1: Get Her While She's Down

Gina Dupain arrived at the bakery on her motorcycle. She felt sad that Marinette had abandoned her. Her life as a world traveler had been so active that she seldom felt old, but today she did. She sadly started up the stairs.

"Uh, where's Marinette?" asked her daughter-in-law, Sabine.

"Tom was right. She's too old now to spend time with her Nona..." said Gina.

"What? No, no! Tom never said that," said Sabine.

"That's sweet of you, Sabine. But it's not a big deal. That's life. I'll be up in the apartment if you need me," said Gina.

Gina sat on the chaise lounge in Marinette's bedroom. On top of a pile of shirts she saw the tiny shirt a friend had knitted for Marinette – Gina had told her the wrong size.

Gina opened the tin of "Dolci della Befana" candies to get one, and touched something sticky. She found several that were spit out by Marinette after pretending to eat them. Another lie on top of that silly dentist story. It was too much. It was clear that Marinette despised her.

A purple and black butterfly entered the candy tin, and a voice spoke in her mind.

"Befana, I am Hawk Moth. I'm restoring your matriarchal power as grandmother. You will use these candies to reward the deserving and punish the ungrateful. As for my reward, you will bring me the Miraculous of those pesky little kids, Ladybug and Cat Noir!"

"You're right, Hawk Moth. The time has come to teach them all a lesson," said Befana.

Befana flew on her magically-transformed motorcycle. Sabine, now an angel-like fairy under her control, led the way to the park where Marinette was partying with her friends. Tom had been left behind in the bakery, transformed to coal for being a naughty son.

Befana sang a silly jingle she had composed about La Befana, who "gives out candy to those who are dandy." (The original La Befana was a Santa-Claus-like witch in Italian folklore). The tune was La Donna è Mobile from the opera Rigoletto. Befana thought it was appropriate because the opera song described women as being fickle and deceitful, just like Marinette.

Befana jumped from her motorcycle and landed in front of Marinette.

"You lied to your grandma, Marinetta," said Befana.

"No, I- I didn't know Alya was throwing a surprise party for me," said Marinette.

Alya moved in front of Marinette and said, "She's for real, ma'am."

"And all those candies you pretended to be eating?"

"I'm sorry, grandma. It's just that I didn't want to upset you."

"I'm not your grandma anymore. From now on, I am only Befana! And I'm going to punish you for all those lies!"

Befana fired her coal-candy gun at Marinette, but she ducked. A girl behind her was hit and turned to coal.

"No!" cried Marinette.

Marinette tried to run, but Sabine the winged fairy blocked her way.

"It's rude to leave while Befana's still speaking to you."

Befana aimed at Marinette again, but a long sick hit her gun and knocked off her aim. She turned and saw Chat Noir, one of the "pesky kids" she was supposed to defeat. He had jumped up on one of the DJ's speakers.

"Hey, I never knew grandmas could be so nasty," said Chat Noir.

"You would look wonderful in white, my pretty kitty," said Befana.

She took a shot at Chat Noir, who just got barely got his head out of the way in time.

"Eh, not convinced. I'm much more into black – makes my eyes stand out, don't you think?" said Chat.

Befana took several more white-candy shots at him, but he vaulted up the building, dodging as he went.

"Take care of this pesky pussy cat!" said Befana, directing Sabine after Chat.

Sabine flew at Chat Noir, making him leap up out of her way.

"Hey, I thought fairies were supposed to be nice!" said Chat Noir.

Sabine knocked Chat Noir into the trees, leaving Marinette unprotected.

"You're not getting away unpunished, Marinetta!" said Befana.

Marinette ran as Befana shot at her. Befana wanted Marinette to suffer before being turned to coal, so her shots were deliberately off-target.

Marinette tripped, dropping a birthday present she had been holding. She was now an easy target, and Befana had a decision to make. Should she shoot the present, and make a speech about Marinette being an ungrateful brat who didn't deserve presents, or should she just shoot Marinette?

Befana realized her ammunition was running low, so she chose the second option, instantly turning Marinette to coal.

Watching from hiding, Alya said to the group of friends, "Nooo! We should have helped Marinette!"

"We can keep her from getting away and hurting anyone else," said Rose. "Until Ladybug gets here and puts everything back to normal."

Alya nodded. She jumped up to the table and began throwing plates at Befana.

"Marinette was not a liar!" shouted Alya.

"Someone has to teach you table manners!" said Befana, shooting Alya and turning her to coal.

"Alyaaa!" shouted Rose.

Kim tried to jump Befana and get her gun, but she was too fast on the trigger for him. He was also turned to coal.

Befana said, "That's what you get for stealing candy, you bunch of ill-mannered kids!"

"You shouldn't have done that to Marinette! She was only the nicest person in the world!" said Rose.

"That's very disrespectful, to speak up without permission! But then again, it's quite noble of you to stick up for your friends. Okay. I shall make you a fairy."

She shot Rose with a white candy, and Rose transformed into another flying minion like Sabine.

"You are going to help me discipline your friends," said Befana with an evil laugh.

Tikki felt herself become intangible the instant the transformation struck the Miraculous. An active Miraculous with a kwami inside it was indestructible and highly resistant to transformation. But an inactive Miraculous was not indestructible. The earrings had turned to coal, and they were useless.

That meant that Tikki was not anchored to the physical world, just as she had been before the Miraculous jewels were enchanted. She could not touch anything, or be seen by anyone other than a fellow kwami.

Marinette was gone, and without a Miraculous there was no way to reverse it.

The Great Guardian needed to know. Tikki flew away to find Wayzz at Master Fu's shop.