HAPPY 2017! Woo~
MOB (My Official Beta - for this story at least): Woo~
Me: The new year, new resolutions, lots of exciting things to come! Like KH, and Gintama, and Voltron, and the new Miraculous seasons-
MOB: And the rewritten Moonlit Dance. Of course, that's why we're here right?
Me: Y-Yeah... honestly, I feel like I haven't change much.
MOB: No, you did magi. Don't worry. Plus, if it didn't, at least it's a good refresher for those who've read it already like me.
Me: You think so. Thanks Mu- Wait, you're suppose to know my story beforehand MOB! You're my beta after all!
MOB: ...We do not own Miraculous Ladybug. Enjoy, and a happy New Year once more. Bye!
Me: HOLD IT! -starts running but stops- Oh, here's the 2 rewritten chapters. The new chapters 3 and 4 will be up the next day, and Chapters 5, 6, and 7 after that unless I get busy all of a sudden. FIGHT-O! -runs again-
Winter in Paris - it's very cold and there are chances of either snow or rain. This, however, does not stop the city's residents as they prepare for one of the greatest holidays ever - Christmas. People have already started setting Christmas advertisements, and some people have already thought of a list of gifts and/or decorations for the holiday.
Even the students at Collège Françoise Dupont, a public secondary education school, are excited for Christmas to come. Why? Setting aside all the school work and tests is the winter break that begins the week of Christmas, and the day right before break starts always ends with the annual school dance, one of the greatest events where every student can help its grand festivities.
Our story begins in a certain class that holds Paris' greatest heroes, Ladybug and Chat Noir. The two heroes were so close to each other, yet they don't know each other's identities, who were respectively Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste. Nevertheless, the two were partners and always had each other's backs. Both were, of course, excited for the events to come as both civilians and heroes, with Adrien as Chat Noir hoping to spend more time with Ladybug and Marinette hoping the same with Adrien. Unfortunately for them at the moment, their class right now was… seething in anger?
"Ooohh~ how can this be?!" a very angry blonde with a yellow jacket angrily paces around the front of the desks while an orange-haired girl with glasses tries to calm her down, and most of everyone else staring at them.
"Chloe, it's alright-" Sabrina says until Chloe interrupts her.
"Sabrina you idiot! This is once in lifetime opportunity my father got for us, especially for me and Adrien, and that idiot says he has to cancel of a sudden!"
"Calm down Chloe. Everything will be fine, we'll find someone else to sing for the dance." says Adrien. Although he particularly doesn't want to dance with Chloe, the class' spoiled girl (though of course no one would say this out loud), this was a critical situation for the whole class.
Some of the students and teachers asked Marinette Dupain-Cheng if she and her class can help with the music entertainment for the dance. One of the students in the prom committee in charge of entertainment suddenly dropped out to transfer schools, and they were especially hoping if someone within her class could get a performer for the dance to make it special. As class president, she bought this up to the class during their free time and everyone was excited. They decided to put together a list of songs to play, with Nino remixing a few of them, and Chloe was able to get them Jagged Stone weeks ago.
Right now the class was editing the playlist to make it fit with the dance duration, and check if the school's equipment would their songs would play. They were given some time from their homeroom teacher, Madame Bustier, since they were doing good in terms of their school work. The rock star, however, decided to do another worldwide tour for the holidays, and Chloe's dad told Chloe during this time. As the class learns from Chloe's rant what happened, with Adrien's words the girl was able to calm down a bit, though she was still mad and disappointed she couldn't impress her one-sided crush.
"Breathe Chloe, breathe. See - inhale, exhale. Inhale, exhale."
"Just shut up Sabrina!" Chloe barks back. Adrien's best friend, Nino, who sat with him at their desk, stands up for her attention.
"Chloe, like Adrien said, there is no need to keep being upset. This is just a minor setback. We'll just have to add more songs in the playlist. That's all" he says, trying to be optimistic.
"But everyone is counting on us to find someone for the dance Nino. I don't know if we can disappoint them like this after telling them we found a performer" Ayla says next to him. She was at the smaller end of the boy's desk, close to Nino's side.
"However," Max starts, "according to my research, every other performer we know of already have plans for the winter holidays. And the chance that we get anyone else 0.001-" the boy would have let on, but was interrupted by Kim slamming their desk to make the seatmate quiet.
"In other words, we're doomed." Kim went blantly on. Most of the class was starting to anticipate the worse. Nino, Adrien and Ayla, however, were still thinking of a back-up plan for their class.
"Calm down everyone, it's not the end of the world" Adrien tries to reason. "Look, Nino, Ayla and I will think of something else we can do, so just wait for us and hopefully we can think of something."
"Oh~ That's my Adrikins. Of course he'll help save the day." Chloe says ecstatically, ignoring Nino and Ayla helping him. Of course she wouldn't know he always helps save Paris as Chat Noir, though Adrien just ignores her and gets back to the discussion.
"If we can't find any performer who can be at the dance," Nino starts, "how about we get someone in school or anyone we know who perform? I'm sure there is someone who can help us."
"But what if they are also busy?" Alya asks. "Most likely someone in school could do it, but there are other things to consider like tests and time for practice and rehearsals. Who do you know would be willing to set time for this?"
"Hey, I'm just trying to give out some ideas here Ayla! At least I'm trying while you just question them."
"These are things to consider Nino. We also need to think of the other party's agenda. We can't just get anyone like that."
"Look, both of you are right" Adrien jumps in. "It's best we get someone we know who can sing and can help us out. We don't have time for auditions depending on how many candidates we find, but we also can't force them to help us if they don't want to."
"Well, who do we know that can sing and has time to practice?" Nino asks.
"We need to think of someone quick, or we're just gonna have to deal with an extended playlist, and a bunch of angry people on our way to class for a few weeks" Alya grimly says.
"Maybe we can remix a few more just in case right Adrien?" Nino asks again.
As the trio continue their discussions for alternatives and back-ups, while everyone else waited for them, the only one not participating in the class meeting, Marinette, worked on her designs at the sides. While she was wanted to help the class, she did not know much about music; she focused more on her designs, school work, Adrien, and being Ladybug. Marinette only listened to a few artists thanks to Ayla, but not much (with Jagged Stone as her favorite, and this did disappointed her when she heard the news).
With Ayla's help, the class decided she would help pick songs, and be the mediator between them and the official prom committee. In exchange, she would be making dresses for her and Ayla. Luckily she was done with the planning, making Ayla leap out of joy at the design, and had already finished her dress and half of Ayla's.
In addition, Marinette was also making winter designs for herself as Ladybug, Tikki, Chat Noir and his kwami (guessing that he also has one like her with Tikki). Since the weather was getting even colder, she wanted to gift the three especially with warmer but flexible clothing for them. It was also good for akuma emergencies in this kind of weather since she didn't want another accident (particularly her partner) slipping from iced floors and roofs. Marinette blushed as she thought of one of their most recent battles, though luckily no one saw it and quickly brushed the thought away.
She and Chat Noir were best friends and partners for over a year now, and she trusts him with her life; however, for the past couple of months she felt herself having feelings for the feline hero. Marinette just didn't know what to do. She still gets nervous and happy whenever she was with Adrien as always, but when around Chat Noir not only she had fun, but she can also be herself even when he does his cat puns and other flirtatious moments. She even thought of them as the same person a few times, hoping for a miracle like that to occur if she were to see Chat Noir under the mask, though she couldn't think of Adrien acting as someone like Chat Noir.
Subconsciously, instead of drawing a jacket for her partner, she drew his face with a speech bubble saying 'Princess.' She quickly erased the drawing and tried to work on the clothing once more, but Marinette lacked inspiration at the moment. If only I could go out like always when I need inspiration she thought, but luckily she remembered the song she sang with Manon when she babysat her in the weekend. Even after Manon left, she couldn't get the song out of her head and remembered the lyrics of it. Marinette thought she could get inspiration from it instead, and thus quietly sings while she draws.
Dancing bears, painted wings
Things I almost remember
And a song someone sings
Once upon a December
Someone holds me safe and warm
Horses prance through a silver storm
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory
Far away, long ago
Glowing dim as an ember
Things my heart used to know
Once upon a December
She was now glad she knew the song; she got one design and has a basic idea for a few other alternatives. What she didn't realize however, was that her voice was gradually getting louder. Adrien hears her, and during the last stanza he asks Ayla and Nino to be sure.
"Hey, do you guys hear that?" Adrien asks. Nino and Ayla stop talking and nod to him of his suspicions. Marinette paused for a while, making the trio wonder if it was real, until Marinette continued.
Someone holds me safe and warm
Horses prance through a silver storm
Figures dancing gracefully
Across my memory
Ayla was sure it was Marinette's voice, and turned to her to confirm this. Adrien and Nino joined her as they stood by watching Marinette sing while drawing. One by one, the class slowly look at Marinette as well, and listen to her song.
Far away, long ago
Glowing dim as an ember
Things my heart used to know
Things it yearns to remember
With now several designs completed for Ladybug and Chat Noir, she smiles at her progress as she tries to finish the song. As she smiled, Adrien thought his heart skip a beat and blushes with uncertainty.
And a song someone sings
Once upon a December
Once Marinette ends the song, she closes her sketchbook and sighs. Marinette now wished she could hurry back home and show Tikki her designs to help her pick the best ones. She stood up, wanting to put away her sketchbook and check what was happening, when she sees everyone staring at her and gets nervous from their stares.
"U-um… Is something wrong everyone? D-did I do something?" Marinette asks. She especially took note of Adrien's stare, who looked puzzled to her but at the same time amazed. She was worried, but didn't know for a fact that Adrien himself felt awestruck when she sang, and was just as surprised as everyone but Chloe. He knew he felt himself blush a bit when she gleamed from whatever she was drawing, though he did not know why. Adrien soon got out of his shock when Ayla started to ask Marinette the question everyone else wanted to know.
"Marinette that was awesome! I didn't know you could sing like that!" Ayla shouts at her.
"W-what d-do you mean Ayla?" Marinette asks.
"You just sang a while ago" Ayla answers. "What was it again? Oh, "Once Upon a December" from the movie Anastasia. I remember; I watched it with my siblings before. Why didn't you tell me you could sing Mari?" Marinette then realized what she did and flustered at her answer.
"Ah. W-well… Um… H-how do I say this? I-I… don't know… I guess." Marinette says. The poor girl just wants to crawl into a hole right now. Ayla realizes her nervousness, goes to her, and puts her hand on her shoulder, hoping to calm her friend down by being near her.
"What do you mean mon cheri?" Ayla asks.
"… I just simply don't see myself to have a talent in singing" she answers with a sigh. "I do it from time to time, but mostly to myself. Besides, I love fashion more than singing. It just sometimes when I get stuck and need inspiration, I sing to myself as an alternative. I only knew the song because Manon wanted to watch the movie when I babysat her recently. I didn't realize I actually sang out loud. I'm sorry I interrupted something." Marinette answers, albeit to Ayla's comment, with her hands covering her face to hide her embarrassment.
"But you were amazing Marinette," Nino ecstatically compliments the shy girl with everyone else agreeing with him except for Chloe who looks away with her arms crosses. "That was a sweet voice you have there."
This still doesn't help Marinette uncover her face and gets more embarrassed. Ayla, at that moment, thought of something and looks at Nino, who had the same idea as she did. They nod to each other like they had a telepathic meeting together.
"Actually Marinette, if you don't mind, there is something we want to ask you." Nino asked first. Marinette slowly removed her hands to look at Nino.
"You see, with Jagged Stone no longer going to the dance, everyone in school will be disappointed. We couldn't do that to them when we already had their expectations up so high, so we need to find someone else who can perform at the school dance. The thing is thought, we don't have much time to look for someone, but you are just what we are looking for. The voice, the skills - everyone here agrees with me right?" Nino turns around, and most of everyone shouted various yes' with a few nodding their heads in agreement. Satisfied, he turned back to see Marinette still confused and oblivious to what he was asking her.
"That's why, Marinette, would you be willing to lend your voice and perform for us at the school dance? Please," he adds.
Marinette rapidly blinks for a moment, until she slowly understood Nino's request. Her mind suddenly felt like it was getting fried and into smokes, as if it were a computer, at the high expectations of her singing, thus making her scream in her mind:
W-WHAT?!
