Well, my first Miraculous fic and my first gender-bend fic. Gender-bend fics have always alluded me as if you really swapped everyone's genders, mostly everyone's last name would be switched too. While this isn't really a problem for Marinette, everyone else would more than likely be switched. And the cycle would never end either. It would just keep going and going and I don't know why people don't bring this up more.
That being said, I've only swapped one generation. That generation being Marinette and Adrien's. So, they and their classmates have switched, their parents haven't. Meaning, Gabriel is still Gabriel and Tom and Sabine are still Tom and Sabine.
That being said, please enjoy the fic!
OoOoOo
Minou Noir didn't know what to do.
She cradled Punaise's head in her lap, holding him tight as Hawk Moth approached them. Her bug-themed partner had been stabbed by the latest akuma. The two of them had been horribly outmatched. Not only had this akuma been outrageously strong, Hawk Moth had shown up in person when the two had already been worn out, showing his face for the first time.
They hadn't stood a chance.
The battle had been awful. At least, on their part, anyway. They had been losing even before Hawk Moth had shown up. There hadn't even been time to recruit Renard Rouge, Carapace, or even Abeille. They had been left on their own. When they had finally thought they had the upper hand, he showed up. They had freed the akuma, but Punaise was already bleeding in his shoulder from the stab wound, leaving her to fight the man on her own. Even with her fencing experience, she had been no match for him.
And Punaise... Her poor, brave Bugaboo. The boy she loved with all her heart. The only reason he was injured was because he had pushed her out of the way of the incoming dagger. His breathing was slowing down due to blood loss. If he didn't get help soon... The blond clenched her fist. If he died from this... She would claw Hawk Moth's eyes out herself.
"You won't get away with this," Minou hissed, but was aware of the soft beeping of both her and Punaise's Miraculous. His Lucky Charm and her Cataclysm had been used what felt much longer than five minutes ago. Plagg and Punaise's kwami were probably at their limit. The cold hard floor made her shiver; they had somehow- the entire fight was a blur to her, honestly- ended up in Hawk Moth's lair which was as dark and cold as him.
Hawk Moth chuckled at her; a deep, cynical chuckle that almost every TV villain used. Tacky much? "Dear girl, I already have," he told her. His voice was smooth, but manipulative. It sent a wave of familiarity through her, almost as if she knew this voice. But that was impossible.
Right?
He held his hand out. "Make this easier on the both of you and hand over your Miraculous," he ordered.
Minou's slender, catlike eyes narrowed. "Never," she spat. She would fight with her dying breath if she had to. Hawk Moth wasn't getting his hands on their Miraculous. Not while she was still alive. He'd have to kill her first.
Before the villain could retort, both she and Punaise reverted back to their civilian forms. Both Plagg and the other kwami collapsed onto her shoulder, not that she minded. They must have been even more exhausted than her. She didn't look down at at the boy she so desperately loved, just kept her eyes trained on the enemy. Her partner never wanted to reveal their identities and she would honor that wish as long as she could.
No matter how she longed to know the boy under the mask.
The enemy who, for some reason, looked taken back by what had just happened. He stared at her with wide eyes, his jaw opened in shock. "Adrienne?" he questioned softly.
Adrienne Agreste gripped Punaise ever closer to her. It wasn't a surprise the villain knew her, her face was plastered everywhere in Paris for crying out loud! Still... there was something about the way he was looking at her. Did he know her personally? Maybe he was one of her teachers?
Hawk Moth shook his head. "I've failed," he muttered, more to himself than her. "I tried so hard to keep you out of this, but you've been involved since day one. I suppose this is punishment for my sins."
Adrienne regarded him warily. He tried hard to keep her out of this? What was that supposed to mean? "What are you going on about?" She knew Punaise didn't have much time. And without the spotted hero's lucky charm... She had to buy him some time. So, without hesitation, she ripped a piece of her shirt and tied it around his shoulder.
That should buy him some time. It had to.
Hawk Moth gave her a worn, ragged look. "Nooroo, dark wings, fall," he said simply.
Adrienne watched on in horror as the attire of Hawk Moth melted away, revealing none other than her father, Gabriel Agreste. "No..." she whispered. It couldn't be. Her father? Hawk Moth? It was impossible! Why would her father be Hawk Moth? What reason could he have to hurt to many innocent people? To hurt the love of her life?
To hurt her?
"Why?" was all she managed to ask, fighting off the tears that were welling in her green eyes.
Gabriel sighed, as if she were asking a question as simple as to why she couldn't go somewhere without Natalie or Gorilla. "Think hard, girl." But she couldn't think. She knew her father was cold and secretive, but there was no reason for him to do this! Why would he-
Her mother, Adrienne realized. Of course. Plagg had told her that with her ring and Punaise's earrings combined, the wearer would have ultimate power. The power to do anything.
She had a feeling that her mother wasn't really missing.
Adrienne shook her head. "Dad... I know you miss mom," she told him gently, trying her best not to upset him. Now that she was looking at him clearly for the first time, she could see the insanity that being Hawk Moth had inflicted upon him. Who knows what he would do if she said the wrong thing? That was something she couldn't afford, especially since Punaise desperately needed a hospital. "I do too, but you can't hurt people like this."
"Adrienne, don't you miss your mother?" implored Gabriel, approaching her once more. It was a different stride than before; it was more coaxing, gentle. "Wouldn't you give anything to get her back?"
"Dad, I love Mom," she told him honestly. "I love her with all my heart and I miss her every single day." She took a deep breath. "But just because she's gone, doesn't mean we can ruin everyone else's lives."
"She's not gone!" her father snapped vehemently, startling her. He faltered a bit. "Not yet, at least." He looked into her eyes, almost pleadingly. "Adrienne, I need those Miraculous. I need her back. Please."
It wasn't as though Adrienne didn't feel for her father. Love made people do crazy things, after all- she herself being no exception to that rule. But... she couldn't give him her Miraculous, Punaise's either for that matter. That much power was too much for one person, that was why the Miraculous of the black cat and ladybug were separate, after all.
Adrienne sighed. "Dad, I can't," she said firmly. She gestured around them. "Look at all you've done with just one Miraculous. Look at all the people you've hurt."
"I did this to put our family back together!" Gabriel insisted. He held his hand out expectantly, his face hardening. "Adrienne Alison Agreste, give me your Miraculous!"
She flinched back. She didn't think her father would hurt her, but being Hawk Moth had changed him. He had always been stoic and reserved, but using the Butterfly Miraculous had made him angry and harsh as well. She honestly didn't know what he would do. She found that she didn't really know anything anymore.
Luckily, a saving grace- or should she say, three saving graces- arrived just in time.
The wall behind her father suddenly busted open, revealing three very familiar superheros. Carapace and Abeille flanked either side of Renard Rouge, all three heroes looking particularly ticked off. However, their expressions quickly turned to ones of shock.
"Adrienne, Marin?" asked Carapace, her dark eyes wide behind her goggles. "Mr. Agreste?"
Wait, Marin?
Daring to look at her partner for the first time since they de-transformed, Adrienne saw that it was indeed Marin Dupain-Cheng laying in her lap with a bloody shoulder.
Holy. Crap.
She couldn't believe it. The sweet boy who sat behind her in class. The boy who always seemed to shy away from her, but was gradually starting to open up to her. The boy who helped her take Kogane to the ice rink. The boy who always helped everyone with their problems. The reliable class president who never hesitated to do everything in his power to get something that would benefit the students.
That was her partner, her Bugaboo. The boy who owned her heart.
"Carapace, Abeille and I can take care of Agreste," instructed Renard Rouge. "You get Adrienne and Marin to a hospital."
Carapace nodded. "On it." She gestured for Adrienne to help her carry Marin and she obliged.
Together, they lugged the boy out of Hawk Moth's lair and towards the nearest hospital. The whole time, Adrienne couldn't stop herself from glancing at the boy in her arms. Now that she thought about it, it made total sense. Marin was always late to class and he almost always seemed to disappear when there was an akuma attack involving one of the students at their school.
Now, she might never see those bluebell eyes of his again.
Adrienne shook those thoughts from her head. She couldn't lose hope now. Marin had the luck of the Ladybug Miraculous, he was going to be okay. And if he wasn't, well, she didn't think she would ever forgive her father.
Once, they entered the hospital, Marin was immediately wheeled away. Adrienne sank into one of the uncomfortable hospital chairs, her stomach clenching at the thought of Marin dying. He couldn't leave her, not like this!
Carapace seemed to know what she was thinking. "Don't worry, dude," she soothed. "He's going to be fine."
She nodded. "I know." She gave a halfhearted smile. "Thanks, Nina."
"You're-" Carapace froze, biting her lip nervously. "Uh, I mean-"
Adrienne managed to give a small chuckle. "Nina, I know it's you. I've known since the first time you showed up. You were in the fight with Anansi and when you disappear, another hero comes in? It was so obvious."
The turtle heroine sighed. "Alain said that too when we got our Miraculous from Master Fu to come help you guys." She blushed, realizing what she had just revealed. "No, wait-!"
But Adrienne had already caught it. "Wait, Alain's Renard Rouge?" she whispered. Thankfully, the hospital wasn't too crowded and there didn't seem to be any security cameras. She supposed that made sense. If Marin was Punaise and he gave the Turtle Miraculous for Nina, who else would he give the Fox Miraculous to but Alain?
Carapace sighed. "Me and my big mouth," she muttered. "Well, I guess all the secrets are out now. Go figure."
Adrienne smirked. "Yeah, the cat's really out of the bag now," she quipped. The only person she had ever been able to use cat puns with was Punaise due to the risk of exposing herself. But now that Nina knew... She was going to have fun with this.
Carapace blinked at her. "Adrienne, no," she deadpanned.
"What's a matter? Cat got your tongue?"
"Adrienne, stop."
The blond nudged her friend. "Aw, I'm just kitten around."
Carapace rolled her eyes. "I'm gonna go see if Abeille and Renard need help," she told her. Her eyes softened. "You should get yourself looked at too, okay? Marin might be the worse hurt, but you're hurt to."
Adrienne nodded. "Be careful, girl."
Carapace winked. "Always." With that, she hurried out of the hospital to assist the other two heroes.
Adrienne watched her retreating form with a sigh. Her father was most likely going to end up in jail and the love of her life was in a hospital bed. Whatever was a girl to do?
OoOoOo
In case anyone was confused, here's a list of names:
1. Marin Dupain-Cheng/Punaise=Marinette Dupain-Cheng/Ladybug
Obviously, he couldn't be called Ladybug and Lady Beetle isn't much better. "Punaise" means "Spotted Bug" in French, so I just went with that. But I did keep his normal genderbent name.
2. Adrienne Agreste/Minou Noir=Adrien Agreste/Chat Noir.
I don't know guys, I really thought that Minou was a lot cuter than Chat for a girl, seeing as it means kitty in French. Also, the name Adrienne is perfect the way it is.
3. Alain Césaire/Renard Rouge=Alya Césaire/Rena Rouge
Renard means fox in French and rouge means red, so why not? I obviously couldn't name him Rena, that would be weird. So, Renard seemed the most practical. Again, kept the civilian name that most people have names him.
4. Nina Lahiffe/Carapace=Nino Lahiffe/Carapace
I honestly couldn't find a reason to change Carapace since it means shell, so I didn't. Nina was the most natural name to put too.
5. Clovis Bourgeois/Abeille=Chloé Bourgeois/Queen Bee
King Bee would have been the tackiest name ever. So I just gave Clovis the French name for bee. A little lazy on my part, but I digress. Also, I kept the popular name Clovis, just because.
I really hope you liked it and please review! Also, expect one more chapter soon!
