I'm definitely using this to write about the most under-appreciated character we've got: One Auroré Borealé, and her relationship with the magic of Paris... And Mirielle.

She's surrounded by wings.

They're everywhere, no matter how fast she runs, no matter how far she tries to go, she can't get out of the swarm.

Nothing she does can fight them off.

They're whispering to her: You should have won, you're better, you're the Queen of it all, they're nothing compared to you, c'mon, are you going to let her humiliate you like that?

No. No! Stop!

"STOP!"

She jerks up, and slams the switch on her lamp. Her room is flooded with light, and there are no dark wings.

"Just another nighmare... They can't get in here... They can't..." She can't keep her eyes from filling with tears. "Th-they can't control m-me again..."

Shivering, she grabs a bathrobe and turns on her phone.

Hey, Mira, u up?

The reply is almost instantaneous.

Another nightmare?

Auroré has to smile. Of course Mirielle would be on her phone at 2 a.m.

Yeah. I just need to get back to reality.

Hey, I'm here. Want to talk about the dream, or just talk?

Just talking sounds good.

Okay. Did you see the new episode of Pixiegirl? Omg.

Grabbing at the lifeline Mirielle extends, she quickly responds.

I did! Oh my god, the part with the giant flower, did you see his face?

LOL, right?

The conversation goes on for nearly two hours before Auroré notices the time.

We should get some sleep. Sorry for keeping you up, Mira.

Don't worry about it Rory. That's what they invented best friends for.

With a smile, she sends a yellow heart emoji and powers down the phone, collapsing into bed... but not turning off the light.

...

"Auroré, why exactly are the lights in your room all blazing?"

Her eyes slowly open, and the staying up for two hours hits her like a truck. "Nigh'mare," she mutters. "Lemme sleep, pleeeaaase."

Her mom sighs. "Five minutes."

"Thanks..."

The five minutes pass all too quickly, and Auroré finds herself stumbling around her room, pulling on her typical dress and ribbons, and pulling her hair into pigtails... and what is that silver box doing on her desk because that was definitely not there last night?!

"Mom!"

"What?"

"Did you put a silver box on my desk?"

"It must have been your father! Don't worry about it right now, we need to get you to school! Are you having breakfast?"

Feeling slightly sick, the blonde girl shakes her head before realizing her mom can't see her. "No thanks! I don't feel so great."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Mom!"

Grabbing the box and tucking it into her bag, she races out to the kitchen. "Ready!"

"Can you feed the dog?"

"Sure, Mom."

After doing so (and quickly washing her hands), she hops in the passenger seat of the car, and pulls out her cell.

U up Mira?

Already at school. B/c I'm perfect. ;P

"Put that away, Auroré, you're completely addicted. You're going to see Mirielle in ten minutes, can't you wait?"

"Yeah, yeah. Just let me send this last text."

They pull up to the school, and Aurore dashes in, just as the warning bell rings. Sliding into her seat beside Mirielle, she remembers the silver box.

"Hey, Mira?"

"Yeah?"

"I have something weird. Can I show you at lunch?"

With a sweet smile that Auroré recognizes as her friend's "trouble-making" expression, Mirielle nods.

Then the bell rings, and class begins.

...

When lunch finally comes, Mirielle drags Auroré to the back of the school courtyard, behind a few trees.

"Show me! Show me!" she chants. Even her voice sounds innocent and angelic.

"Okay, okay!" Auroré laughs, pulling out the box. "This just, like, showed up on my desk this morning. My mom says she didn't put it there, and I know my dad didn't, since if he came in my room while I was asleep, he'd have turned out the lights."

"That isweird. What's in it?"

"I dunno, haven't opened it yet."

"Well, open it!"

With a grin, the blonde slowly lifts the lid, trying to preserve drama...

And it starts glowing.

"HOLY SHIT!"

She drops it and jumps in front of Mirielle, hoping to at least protect her friend from whatever bomb someone somehow planted in her room...

But instead of an explosion, the light fades to reveal a comb.

"... Well. It'd certainly be cute on you."

"Shut up, Mira, this is really weird! Are you actually not freaked out by the magic glowing light?"

"Um... not really? C'mon, we've both seen weirder. Try it on! I want to see if more freaky magic happens!"

"No way! I... I'm not just gonna... what if I get possessed again? I can't risk that, Mira. You know I can't!"

"It's not an akuma. And if it looks like something bad is going on, I'll take it out of your hair. I promise, I'm not going to let anything like Clima- like you-know-who happen again."

Aurore looks at the comb, tentatively. "Take it out as soon as I start acting weird?"

"I will. Promise."

With a deep breath, she reaches down, and undoes her hair, before twisting it back and placing in the comb.

Instantly, the box starts glowing again, only this time, when the glow fades, there's a giant bee-thing floating in midair.

"Mira, are you seeing this?!"

She nods.

"A giant bee-creature-thing. Holy shit, please tell me I didn't just get a deluxe akuma..."

"I'm NOT an akuma! I'm a kwami! And why, WHY did you open the box with another person? That's not how this is supposed to go! This was supposed to bee a secret!"

"It's talking," Auroré murmurs, grabbing Mirielle's arm. "Mira the bee-creature-thing is talking."

The 'bee-creature-thing' in question rolls her eyes and gives a long-suffering sigh. "Look, do you want to be a superhero or not?"

"What?!" the girls chorus.

"My name is Vimma, and I am a kwami. I'm from the same group that helped make the Ladybug and Chat Noir. As Papillon gets stronger though, we've decided they need help. That's where you come in."

Auroré shakes her head. "I can't be a superhero. I... I couldn't fight off the akuma, when it came for me. I just..." Tears begin coming. "I just let it take me."

"Did you know you're the only akuma victim to date who even tried to fight it off when it came? Only one other tried to fight at all, and that was after the fact. He's being offered one of these too, so I won't tell you his name. Bad enough that your friend here knows about all this..."

Shaking her head, Auroré looks up. "Nobody else saw the giant butterfly about to turn them into a monster and thought, 'Hey, I don't want to destroy the city, get this thing away from me,' except for me?"

"You'd be amazed how many people get so caught up in their feelings, they don't even realize what's happening."

"I dunno..."

"Rory, take it."

She turned to her friend in surprise. "What? Why?"

"This is your chance to prove that the akuma can't control you anymore. You can fight them, Rory, and help people who were hurt the way you were. Also, I can't think of anyone better to be a hero."

Shaking her head, Auroré smiles. "This is crazy... but yes. Why not, right?"

...

A week later, Hornette makes her first appearance, a huge smile on her face, and Mirielle can't help but show everyone the pictures of the new hero, even if she can't tell anyone who she is.

Her best friend.