"What do you know about parallel universes? Because it seems to me, you might just be in one."
...
Marinette opened her eyes and stretched her arms, yawning.
It was a New school year, and she was determined to be on time, for once.
Glancing at her clock, she quickly sat up and groaned. "Tikki why didn't you tell me it was this late. Its already-" Marinette paused, rereading the clock. "Thats not possible."
She rubbed her eyes and blinked. "It said 8:00. Then 8:01. Now it says its 8:02, but it completely changed fonts. I've had the same alarm clock for years. It shouldn't be possible. What's up with that?"
Tikki, it seemed, was still asleep on a pillow, and Marinette gently shook her awake. "Tikki, wake up. Something is wrong."
Tikki slowly opened her eyes and looked at the clock. "Ugh. A time interference Akuma? Those are the worst. But at least everyone will be late to school, not just you, right?"
Marinette nodded. "Tikki, spots on!" And jumped off her balcony, into the Parisian sky.
As she jumped around, something felt off. "I don't like this." Ladybug mumbled to herself, moving cautiously.
She couldn't quite place what was wrong until she looked up. "The sky is green?"
"As usual m'lady." Chat Noir landed next to her on the Eiffel Tower, but it wasn't her Chat. For one thing, this chat what was much taller. He had long blonde hair, and his eyes seemed cold and distant, not joking and friendly.
Also, he had a lot more muscle. It was kinda hot.
Ladybug stared at him for longer than was socially acceptable. "No. No its not. The sky is supposed to be blue. And you aren't this tall."
He laughed at her. "Ever think that maybe you're just short?"
She glared.
He shrugged. "But seriously, are you okay? All that stuff about the sky? You sounded like you believed it. Do you need some more sleep? Are you having those weird dreams again?"
She stared at him. "What weird dreams are you talking about? I've never tild anyone about the dream where I was a jar of peanut butter except for-"
He cut her off. "Okay that seems like a story I'd love to hear later, but you know what I mean. You always talk about those super vivid dreams you have."
"I do?"
"Yeah you do. The dreams where you are you, but a little different. And its a dream you've always had, but never told anyone because you were worried they would think you were crazy. But you almost felt like dream you was real."
She stared. "I've never told anyone about Bridgette."
He froze. "Bridgette Dupain-Cheng?"
"How do you know- her name?"
"School." He coughed something that sounded suspiciously like "stalker."
"So do you think I need to find this, Bridgette and talk to her?"
"Maybe." He rolled his eyes. "She can be a bit annoying though. And I could've sworn you said dream girl was named Marinette."
"Marinette is exactly what I said." She lied, still very confused.
"Sure it was Cocinelle." He smirked
"I. What did you call me?"
"Cocinelle? Thats your name? I'm Chat Noir."
She took a step back. "That's not my name?"
"What?"
"I'm not. I'm not cocinelle." She took a shaky breath. "My name is Ladybug."
"Ladybug?" He scoffed, "we are French. That's English. It doesn't even make sense."
She started breathing quicker. "I'm Ladybug. I'm not cocinelle. And something is wrong. I don't belong here. I-" she was struggling to get the words out, "the sky is supposed to be blue. I knew something was wrong but there haven't been any Akuma." Ladybug fell to her knees, struggling to breathe.
Chat sat down next to her and began petting her hair comforting. "Itll be fine. Breathe. We can figure this out."
She nodded and wiped away the tears.."Thanks Chaton." She kissed him on the cheek.
He visibly flinched.
She jumped back. "What did I? I'm sorry?"
He smirked, but this time it didn't feel like he was joking. There was a coldness behind his eyes, an empty, hollow feeling. "You really aren't from around here, are you?" He started swinging his baton at her.
She pulled out her yo-yo. "Didn't we establish that?"
"Yo-yo? Thats New."
"I've always had it."
"I was right."
"Right about what? And why are you trying to fight me?"
"You aren't Cocinelle. I knew from the moment you stepped outside." He pushed her down, but she got back up.
"How did you know?" She kept first fighting back, varely keeping up.
"Well, for one thing, you're too short. Your costume is a little different. You didn't use your wings, and you look like you're twelve."
She huffed, crossing her arms. "Ill have you know that I'm actually fifteen."
"16." Seeing her defenses down, he swung his baton hard.
She groaned and tell over. "What the fuck was that for?"
"We can't have you wandering around with stolen Miraculous, can we?" He grabbed her yo-yo and used it to tie her hands behind her back.
"You think I stole these?" She gasped.
"I know you did. Stop playing innocent."
"I'm scared."
"As long as you answer the questions and give the earrings back, you won't get hurt."
"But," she groaned, "these are my earrings."
He picked her up. "Not anymore they aren't. We're going to return them to Cocinelle. I hope you had fun in your time as Ladybug, but here we leave the superhero business to the professionals."
She glared. "I am the professional."
He looked her up and down skeptically. "I doubt that."
"No I swear. Please don't hurt me."
"Tell me what you did to my Lady."
"I didn't do anything. I just woke up in bed, but it was the wrong bed. I think me and Cocinelle switched lives."
Chat Noir shook his head. "Thats impossible."
"I would say so too, but with the amount I've seen this year, I can't doubt."
"What did you mean, everything is different?"
"Well Paris has the same General layout. My house is shaped the same, but different colors. I didn't have anything for designing, I had a bunch of sports trophies and the sky is green."
"Paris?"
"Yeah. We're in Paris, France."
He stared again. "You really aren't from around here."
"I- I've lived in Paris my whole life."
He chuckled. "Well I'm sorry sweetie, but this isn't Paris... at least not anymore."
"What do you mean?"
"Honey," he spoke gently, "we haven't called this place Paris in 200 years."
She shook her head. "No. Thas impossible. I don't believe it. I just had too many sleeping pills and my dreams are wack."
Ladybug took some deep breaths and proceeded to pass out.
When she woke up, Chat was still three with her. But not her chat, the unsettling one.
Ladybug groaned. "Everything is sore."
"What do you know about parallel universe's?"
"I-" she paused, "not much, honestly"
"Because, it seems to be, you might be from one."
She rolled her eyes. "Why would you suspect that?"
He nodded, "because you definitely aren't my girlfriend. You have the same voice and body, but you are different. Comcinelle would not hesitate to fight back if she needs to. You are more careful."
Ladybug nodded. "So Parallel universe?"
Chat shrugged. "Probably. It's a mostly theoretical concept, but I-"
"I know what it means. I was just saying..."
"Saying what?"
"I don't know." Ladybug shrugged. "I guess I just miss my world."
"Well," Chat looked around, "I promise, ill do whatever I can to get you back."
