"Chat Noir!"
"On it, m'lady!" The leather clad hero spun around to fend off Riposte as she lunged for Ladybug, who was trying to avoid the blasts from Pixelator's camera. The heroic duo were doing well, able to tangle around each other with a liquid like grace, spinning and twisting in calculated defensive moves. They were so close to ending this battle as Chat Noir gained the upper hand on Pixelator. He feigned a right hook to sweep his feet out from under him with his left leg. He sent him tumbling to the ground.
"Cataclysm!" He called out, summoning a bubbling orb of dark energy to his hand. He flipped over the fallen victim, touching the camera lense over his eye as he passed. The camera disegrated and the Akuma flew free as the dark magic washed off Vincent in waves. Chat Noir flipped his way to fight Riposte, after he made sure Vincent was well, while Ladybug captured the Akuma before the black butterfly flew away.
"Anytime you're ready Buggboo!" Chat called to his partner as his Miraculous beeped at him.
"Lucky Charm!" The polka-dotted hero threw her yo-yo into the air and it disappeared in a pink mist. A long braided cord replaced her yo-yo, and fell into her hands.
"A jump rope?"
"I don't think now is the time to play games." Chat said offhanded as his Miraculous alerted him, once again, of his demiraculization. Ladybug looked around her, Riposte's sword lit up, as did the street light, and Chat Noir.
Ladybug joined the fight, pushing Riposte toward the street light. She zipped to the top of the street light and made a lasso out of the jump rope while she watched the fight below. Riposte lifted the sword above her head and Ladybug threw her lasso around her clasped hands on the hilt, tying them to her weapon. The heroine tugged the rope back,pulling Riposte's arms behind her, and wrapped her up with the rope. Unable to use her weapon, it was all too easy for Ladybug to pull the ring from the girls finger and break it, releasing the second Akuma. She snatched this one up as well, purifying them before she let two white butterflies fly into the sky. Kagami fell to her knees as she deevilized and Chat was next to her, making sure she was okay as well.
"Miraculous Ladybug!" The superhero cried as she threw the jump rope into the air. Her healing magic circled the city, righting the chaos that was caused by the two, restoring civilians to their previous activities.
"Pound it!" The duo smiled at each other before Chat Noir's ring beeped again.
"Go on, Chat Noir, I'll make sure they get checked out by the EMT's." Chat smiled at his Lady before he took her hand in his, placing a soft kiss to her knuckles.
"Until next time." And with that he disappeared into the night sky. The ambulance turned the corner shortly after, and with the victims receiving treatment, Ladybug took her leave before the reporters could flood the streets like the rains that had been plaguing the city since Scarlet Moth had made his first appearance all those months ago.
'It's like Paris is trying to cleanse itself.' Marinette thought to herself as she slid into the back alley of her parents bakery. She looked around before she sighed.
"Tikki, spots off." Polka-dots were replaced by street clothes and Marinette slid in through the back door of the kitchen.
"Marinette, is that you sweetie?" Her dad, Tom Dupain, asked as he leaned through the open doorway into the baking room of the kitchen. He smiled at his daughter, flour dusting his forehead and mustache. Marinette giggled at her dad, he was honestly so cute sometimes. He really reminded her of a big kid sometimes.
"Yes papa, it's me."
"Isn't your class starting soon?" He asked, a bushy eyebrow raised.
"Yes it is, I just needed some fresh air before class so I took a walk around the block. While I was out there was another Akuma attack, so I hid until I saw Ladybugs Healing Magic in the city." Marinette grimaced internally, it was getting way too easy to lie to her parents.
"That was very smart of you." He paused whatever he was doing out of Marinette's sight as he lumbered to her on soft feet before he placed an equally soft kiss to his daughter's forehead. "I'm more than glad you're okay Marinette. It's getting so dangerous on the streets." The bell to the shop rang a few times, catching both their attention.
"Yes, but people seem to be treating themselves a little more too. I'm going to my room to long into class. I love you papa." Marinette beamed at her father and he smiled back.
"How about we play Ultimate Mecha Strike III tonight?"
"That sounds like fun." Marinette said as she climbed the stairs to her bedroom while her father's cheery 'Hello!' filled the shop.
Marinette went straight to her computer chair and Tikki flew out of her purse and sat on a small, fuzzy, doll chair Marinette had bought for her to use. She actually had a few of them set up around the room. Marinette smiled at the little Kwami and handed her a butterscotch cookie to nibble on while she turned on her webcam and got her History notes out.
Hawk Moth had made all of Paris terrified to leave their homes unless necessary, and so it was Mayor Bourgeois' final decision to close the school down for the safety of the young generations of Paris. He moved the money in the school budget that would have went to paying for utilities to funding the needs for online courses; buying students webcams that couldn't afford their own and set up fundraisers to help provide free wifi for the low-income districts of Paris. It was working surprisingly well, and it came as a shock to everyone that those were none other than Chloe's ideas.
Marinette shook her head, she knew they had to be Pollen's ideas and not hers, but she voiced them and began leading the initiative to keep hosting fundraisers that not only sparked hope in the Parisians, but also kept the overall moral at an all time high, trying to prevent Akuma attacks. Though, it didn't work as planned, because Hawk Moth could still, and did, Akumatize people. Now that the moral was outstandingly high, and now that he had amplified powers, he could exploit the tiniest of negative emotions that showed for any reason at all. The other day Marinette and Chat had to fight someone who had become Akumatized because they had broken a nail, and they weren't easy to defeat. None of them were now a days. The fight with Riposte and Pixelator had last for almost three hours!
Marinette was brought back to reality by the sound of a call coming through her speakers. She smiled at the familiar face on her computer screen before she answered.
"GIRL! Did you see the fight today? I got some pretty great action shots for the Ladyblog!"
"U-uhm, no I didn't see anything really. I was outside when it happened so I found a spot to hide. I didn't really see anything from where I was." Marinette frowned. She looked sad because she missed the fight, but really she was sad because she had to continue lying to the people she loved most.
"He got Kagami again, and that Vincent guy, you remember him! He was the reporter who was OB-sessed with Jagged Stone." Marinette did remember him, of course, she remembered all the Akuma victims, and they'd haunted her dreams for months now, turning her once magical Ladybug dreams to nightmares.
"That sucks, I hope they're okay. But on a less depressing note, how are you and Nino doing? Did you see the new Mecha Monster Mega Massacre like you wanted?"
"Yeah girl, we did! It was so good! I wish you and Adrine could have joined us there though. It would have been an awesome double date."
"Alya, Adrine and I aren't dating. So it couldn't have been a double date." Marinette rolled her eyes.
"Yeah, but I could keep saying it was and maybe that would get it through his thick skull." It was Alya's turn to roll her eyes now as her friends face flushed.
"His skull's not thick. He's just-"
"Sheltered. I know, I know." Alya smiled a cheshire smile at her friend before the alarm for the group chat beeped.
"Time for History."
"I wonder what we'll be learning about today." Marinette sighed. They'd been learning about ancient deities lately, their teacher for this course being Mr. Kubdel. Alya shrugged as the rest of their classmates faces appeared on the screens, along with their teachers.
"Bonjour, my students, and welcome to another web class. I hope you are all well after the last Akuma attack today. Today we will be learning of some of my favorite deities," two pictures popped up on the screen, "Tikkialiminea, and Plaggalyeamunus." Their names appeared on the screen and Tikki dropped her cookie. Marinette was too busy writing to notice, but across town a black Kwami with wide green eyes was freaking out.
Plagg Zipped across Adrine's bedroom, screaming. Adrine had played it off well enough, typing out a message to his teacher about a bathroom break before he walked off screen, grateful that Kwami's couldn't be caught on film or video. In reality he muted his microphone and stood behind his camera, trying to talk to the Kwami.
"Plagg, what is wrong?"
"Nothing! I'm just excited!"
"Why, what's so special about Tikkialiminea and Plaggalyeamunus?"
"BECAUSE YOU'RE LOOKING AT PLAGGALYEAMUNUS!" The tiny Kwami gripped his chosen's shirt tightly in his paw. Adrine just blinked in confusion at his Kwami.
"No I'm not. I'm looking at you, Plagg." The Kwami rolled his eyes and heaved a heavy sigh.
"Just go back to your lesson." Adrine shrugged his shoulders as Plagg deflated, sagging his shoulders in defeat.
'My chosen is as dumb as a rock sometimes.'
Marinette didn't even notice that Adrine had excused himself, but she did take notice of her Kwami inching toward the screen.
"Tikkialiminea and Plaggalyeamunus were reveared as the Goddess of Creation and the God of Destruction. They reigned in harmony for almost 50 years, and in that time Ancient Egypt flourished. The hieroglyphics depict them as loving, concerned rulers who truly felt and acted in the best interest of Egypt. They are also some of the first ever recorded deities in history. They were documented as lovers, as passionate about each other as they were about their people.
"However, Tikkialiminea disappeared, leaving Plaggalyeamunus to rule the lands alone. But what is the God of Destruction without his Goddess of Creation? The answer is cataclysmic. Swarms of locusts, droughts, dry soil, and wave after wave of famine and sickness plagued Egypt. During these times, Plaggalyemunus was said to have been taken over by grief, becoming someone his people didn't recognize. It is said that one day he summoned a tremendous power, an orb of pure destructive power, and he leveled the pyramids in his anger. But suddenly they came back, bringing Tikkialiminea with them in a strange red fog. Everything in Egypt was back to normal, and with that Tikkialiminea disappeared again, but this time she took Plaggalyemunus with her. These were the last depicted images of the two from that day.." A picture of a faded painting appeared on the screen. A woman with braided black hair full of golden beads stood next to a man with a golden band holding his black hair down. But what stood out to Marinette was what they were wearing. Tikkialiminea was wearing a two piece outfit, scarlet red fabric with black polka-dots hung off her body, and gold ladybugs were climbing up her arms by way of golden bracelets. Plaggalyeamunus was wearing a black tunic bottom, his shirt was replaced by a golden chest plate, and that golden band had two, small, cat ears protruding from it. They both wore small masks covering their eyes as they stood atop a pink cloud.
The lesson was over, but the two deities were still staring at Marinette.
"Marinette, do you know who you're learning about?" Tikki asked slowly, hoping she had already put two and two together.
"Tikkialiminea and Plaggalyeamunus?" Marinette asked, utterly confused. Tikki smacked her forehead.
'I guess it's my fault. I'm not sure she even knows my whole name.'
"Marinette, take a closer look at those two and think about what your teacher just said happened." Marinette squinted her eyes in thought as she tried to connect the dots.
'Plaggalyeamunus was left alone, the love of his life just up and left. He must have been so sad. So sad that he summoned a cataclysmic power, an orb of destruction, and took down the pyramids. All of Egypt suffered. Tikkialiminea is wearing polka-dots and ladybugs, and when she came back, everything that had happened while she was gone just, disappeared and went back to normal. A strange red fog that fixed their problems, a cataclysmic-cataclysm. Ladybugs weren't sacred in Egypt, scarabs were. These two are-'
"Tikki! Is this the first Ladybug?" Marinette stood up, her chair toppling to the floor.
"You could say that, yes. Marinette, my nickname is Tikki. My full name is Tikkialiminea, and Plaggalueamunus is Chat Noir's Kwami."
"You and Chat Noir's Kwami are, are lovers?"
"We were." Tikki said sadly.
"What happened Tikki? Why did you leave?"
"I thought I was doing what was best for the both of us. Plagg had asked me to marry him, to rule together in our first life and any other life after that. I got scared. I didn't think he needed me. But I was wrong, I was so wrong. I went away, trying to figure out who I was. Plagg and I had always known each other, we were childhood friends. We grew up together, we discovered our powers together. He's my best friend."
"Do you still love him, Tikki?" The Kwami looked out the window, and Marinette really felt for her. She understood how she felt, she felt it everyday with Adrien. Marinette scooped the tiny goddess into her hand and traced circled on her back with a fingertip.
"Tikki, if you love him, tell him next time you see him. I'm sure he'll understand."
"We had years to talk about it when we were with Master Fu. Every time we'd try something would happen, or he'd just avoid me. I tried to apologize for years, but he's still so angry. And he should be. It's just not meant to be, Marinette."
"Somehow, i doubt that Tikki. You've done so much for me Tikki. Maybe I can do something to help." The Kwami looked up with hopeful eyes, full of unshed tears. She nuzzled into Marinette's palm and sighed.
"Thank you Marinette."
That night Adrine laid in bed, thinking about Plaggalyemunus.
"That poor guy must have been heart broken. It sounds like he was Akumatized and destroyed the pyramids."
"He was, Adrien."
"How do you know that, Plagg?"
"Because, Adrien, when I told you I'm Plaggalyemunus I wasn't lying. My name changes with the times, Plaggalyemunus isn't an easy name to pronounce."
"So you were Akumatized?"
"Yes."
"So if you're Plaggalyemunus, then who's Tikkialiminea?"
"The love of my many lives."
"Why'd she leave?"
"I asked her to marry me. She'd laughed and played it off, but I was more serious than I'd ever been in my life. I asked her again, and I think it set 'd grew up together. We'd developed our powers side by side. I felt like we just belonged together. But I guess she didn't feel the same way. She left. And when she left I became so heartbroken. My heartbreak sparked Nooroo's powers, actually, and I know he didn't mean to Akumatize me. But it happened. I was so lost, stuck in such a dark and confusing time. Without Tikki, my life had no purpose. I knew she'd come back if something happened to Egypt. So I did everything I could to bring her back. It worked and she came back and saved me.
"The rest of my mortal life was a blur, I can't remember much. But I do remember being in the Miraculous box with her. I'd run away from her. I couldn't look her in the eyes, not after what I'd done. It's still hard to do, but it's easier now. It's like we're friends again."
"Do you still love her, Plagg?"
"Even if I do, it doesn't matter."
"Are-do I love Ladybug because you love her Kwami?"
"No kid. Kwamis don't alter your feelings, we amplify them. You already loved Ladybug without the mask, even if you didn't realize it." Adrien chewed his lip as he looked at his distraught Kwami. He pulled something out of the mini fridge he kept for his Kwami and pulled out a tiny package. As soon as he opened it the Kwami's ears perked up.
"What is that, Adrine?"
"A gift."
"Is- is that Pule?"
"Yes. and it's all for you buddy. I'd gotten it for after the next Scarlet Moth attack, but this might be a better time for it." The tiny god flew to his chosen's hand and started nibbling at the small brick and purred happily in Adrines hand.
Two teens, chosen to protect the city of Paris looked out at the skyline of their beloved city and sighed.