Disclaimer: I do not own Miraculous Ladybug or its characters. I only own my OC's.
1. Deja vu
Marinette flicked her stylus around her fingers as she listened to her professor, M. Fae, wax poetic about different techniques of incorporating sustainable design in today's fashion culture.
Normally, she would give her utmost attention to the lecture. But now, with too little coffee in her system, she couldn't stop her mind from wandering.
Glancing around, she saw that her classmates were either sketching designs on their tablets, actually taking notes or looking as tired as she felt. It was the final year after all, these days everyone stayed up late hours making sure that their personal fashion collections would be in top form for the judges in two months.
The classroom had a circular roof wall directly to her left made of crystal clear gleaming pane. Marinette could see the gentle fluttering of wings in the butterfly garden below.
One butterfly in particular caught her attention. Mainly because it kept its distance from the rest. Its wings are pure white, curvy and size bigger than the others. And it seemed to emit an ethereal shine. The other butterflies hovered away from it as if they could sense it didn't belong with them.
Marinette half-smiled ruefully.
Like that butterfly, she always did feel inherently divergent from her peers.
Over the years she had really only maintained a close friendship with Alya. Others she befriended always drifted away over time. And despite being only a student, Alya had already begun making her own name in the world of Journalism; She ran a majorly successful crime blog in her new home, New York City.
The last three years of their friendship had been spent keeping in touch through video chat, and the distance had changed their relationship. It wasn't what it used to be. It couldn't be. Time and distance had weakened their camaraderie, but it still retained a pleasant nostalgic familiarity. Their friendship was of great solace even if they were thousands of kilometers apart.
Marinette's free time consisted of designing and helping her family with the bakery. She often wandered around the Parisian streets on the hunt for inspiration.
Marinette saw a couple walk by and stopped to see the butterfly garden. They looked to be in their early twenties. The guy had his arm wrapped around the young women's shoulders and held her close. The women leaned into him affectionately and they stared into each other's eyes. They were the picture of young love.
Marinette felt longing pierce her heart.
As luck would have it, good or bad, Marinette had never had a significant other.
It's not that she was unattractive to men. Quite the opposite. In the past, there had been a generally handsome and persistent few that she turned down or had unintentionally friendzoned.
The issue lay within her. She felt nothing for those who worked so hard to catch her attention. There was no spark, not even the slightest attraction, only the platonic feelings she had felt for her entire life.
Even when Marinette had tried to push past her gut feeling, to give herself the chance to try out a relationship, her skin crawled and something just felt... wrong.
A first she thought it could be medical. After the third time it happened, she confided in her Mother who helped her find a psychologist. In the end, they decided that she was perfectly fine, there should be no reason for her not to form romantic bonds.
She didn't even identify as asexual, she knew that there had to be a man out there for her. She could feel it. The doctor hypothesized that perhaps she simply wasn't ready yet.
The only fault in that theory was that she felt more than ready for a romantic relationship.
What was it like to have a crush? Or be in love? All these thoughts and more constantly plagued Marinette's mind. From watching her parents from a young age Marinette knew love to be something precious. She wanted to feel the same happiness and joy she saw in her parents' eyes every time they looked at each other
Yet, at the ripe age of twenty-one, she has never even had a crush before. It was daunting. At first she had believed there was something wrong with her. Now she'd come to accept that she was just like the butterfly.
Different.
The sound of the door clicking open dragged her out of her thoughts. In an instant her fatigue vanished and her pen clattered to her desk. Marinette's eyes focused on the distinctly feminine figure striding into the room whose presence drew a strong reaction from every student.
Nathalie Sancoeur, assistant to Gabriel Agreste.
The room was as silent as a grave until she spoke.
"Sorry to interrupt your lecture, Monsieur, but I have a short message to give from M. Agreste. I was told that this is the graduating class, oui?"
Almost every student straitened their backs. This was HUGE. For a man like to send his personal assistant to Esmod. There could only be one reason.
M. Fae choked slightly and coughed before nodding dazedly. "You would be correct, Mlle. Sancoeur."
Natalie pivoted primly, her eyes scanning everyone's faces until they landed on Marinette, lingering for a moment before she spoke.
"M. Agreste has decided to judge this years graduate class. Specifically this group as you all specialize in Luxury Design. He hoped to find a talented young designer to take on the role of a Junior fashion designer at Gabriel. It would be wise to ensure that none of you disappoint." Her sharp gaze pierced the students for a moment before she turned back to the professor, nodded, and exited the room.
Lucinda, Marinette's fashion rival, immediately snapped her eyes to Marinette and narrowed heatedly. The blonde still hadn't forgiven her for beating her out during the last project. No doubt this new arrangement had fanned the flames of competition even further.
Marinette was oblivious to this as she was currently attempting not to embarrass herself by squealing 'YES' repeatedly.
You see this? This was literally a chance of a lifetime. Outside of selling your soul to the devil, it was nearly impossible for your typical fresh out of Uni fashion student to be recognized for a Junior position without sucking up as an intern for experience.
This was her chance to achieve her dream and prove to her superiors that her designs were a big deal. That she had the talent to be great. The fact that the one offering her the position was her fashion idol himself only made it all sweeter.
A timer beeped on the lecturers desk, signaling the end of class.
Abruptly Marinette stood, nearly knocking her chair over as she packed away her tablet and ran out after a hasty "Adieu!"
If she was going to win, then she was going to give it all she had with single-minded creative ferocity.
It was late afternoon when Marinette burst through the bakery's front door.
Her ideas had begun taking flight on the bus. Designs for dresses, suits, hats and outerwear were already stacked in her file from the last three years, many of which would suit the years theme: Elegance. However, Marinette knew that she needed better designs than those if she hoped to impress someone like Gabriel Agreste.
Marinette threw details at her parents at lightning speed in between chucking random sewing supplies she had found scattered about into her loft and attempting to inhale a cookie or three. Her father just handed her the plate on her last pass, and wished her luck as she dashed up the stairs.
As soon as the plate hit the table, her sketchbook was sprawled open across her desk. She heard a quiet thunk and looked up. A small black box had been knocked out of the way when she had chucked her sketchpad.
Where did this come from?
She carefully picked it up to examine. Her nails toyed with the edge of the lid.
Should she open it?
Without stopping to really consider it, Marinette flicked her thumbnail under the lid and pulled. She shrieked and dropped the box, as a blinding white light engulfed her room. The light slowly faded, Marinette peeked from one eye to see... something.
A small floating red thing, about the size of a mouse, with black spots all over it. A thing with enormous blue eyes. A thing that was moving. A thing that was alive.
Their eyes met and Marinette immediately felt a strange nostalgia, like an old friend she hadn't seen for a long, long time had arrived. Marinette clutched the side of her table to support herself as her mind switched to autopilot in its attempt to comprehend what she was seeing.
"Ladybug, how I've missed you!"
Marinette's lips parted in surprise. It spoke.
"What-"
Before she could start her sentence, the bug like creature floated up to her face and affectionately nuzzled Marinette's cheek as though they had done it hundreds of times before. And perhaps they had, because something about the action put Marinette at ease but still left her confused.
Gently, Marinette took the small creature and held it, her with a voice like that it had to be female, in both of her hands. The creature's big eyes watched her knowingly, not at all fighting her hold.
"What are you?"
"I'm your Kwami, Tikki. Ladybug, the time has come again for you to fight and cleanse the corrupt Papillon from evil."
Say what?
"Okay first of all, I'm not Ladybug. My name is Marinette. Second, what are you talking about?"
"Marinette." Tikki said slowly, testing the word. She gave a small nod of approval, "a good name for Ladybug." She fixed Marinette with an intense gaze, "Ladybug is your alter ego you will become when you fight to save Paris against evil Akuma."
By the blank look on Marinette's face, Tikki realizes that she wasn't explaining well enough.
"These earrings..." Tikki gestured to the now open black box on the table. Inside were two ruby earrings with four black marble spots on its face. "Are called the Miraculous. They give you the power of creation and luck. Put them on and you become Ladybug, the superhero who will save Paris from the Papillon, a corrupt Miraculous user."
"Okay wait," Marinette held her hand up, "I need to think." she held her head in her hands as another wave of dizziness hit her. This time Tikki sat on top of her head and made a strange crackling sound. It seemed to numb her dizziness, but not really her rising panic.
Taking a deep breath, she answered, "I can't save Paris. I'm not a hero, I'm just a student. And I have classes, and people that-" she cut herself off when a single thought crashed into her mind.
I've done this before.
Marinette couldn't shake off this intense feeling of deja-vu. She chanced a question. "Have we met somewhere before?"
Tikki smiled knowingly. "Yes, many times."
"How? I don't remember... But your voice. I've heard it before."
"The holder of the Ladybug Miraculous is special. No one else but you can be Ladybug. This is your destiny. You were born for this."
Marinette blinked, "Born for this?"
Deep down, she had known. Known for the longest time that she was different. But to have it confirmed like this was just bizarre.
"I'll say this the same way you have always understood. Marinette, you have always been Ladybug. Your spirit is the same as all the other Ladybugs before you. You may have a different name and appearance, you may never remember your previous life, but there is no doubt about it. Our connection never lies. You are Ladybug! No one else but you will be able to use these earrings. The world needs you."
In that moment it felt like her life made sense. Marinette felt like all her life she was holding a box containing a million puzzle pieces waiting to be put together. But that box was locked. Meeting Tikki was the key. The puzzle pieces broke free and moved to form a semblance of a picture, a picture of her fate.
She was Ladybug.
"Okay," Marinette said slowly, she took a deep breath and felt the weight of the responsibility already settling on her shoulders, "I believe you."
Tikki chirped happily, "Yay! I can't wait for you to meet Chat Noir!"
A/N:
This AU has been on my mind a lot. It will include the whole love square and my OC.
And yes, Marinette is different. Everyone is different. Deal with it.
Review your thoughts.
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Until I update,
LaylaDeMich