- The author does not own nor has any claim over Miraculous: Adventures of Ladybug and Chat Noir, it's characters or elements.
- This tale does not intend to be a history lesson. Author's bibliography on Winston Churchill and WWII will be post at the end of the story. However
- Like I said, he is one of the historical figures I admire the most. But, just like almost every historical figure, Churchill is not free of controversies and disastrous decisions. While I will not talk about this subject in this fic, his actions and lack of actions helped cause a humanitarian disaster in India. If you are interested, read Churchill's Secret War, by Madhusree Mukerjee. It's not because I admire the guy I will sugarcoat this.
- Please enjoy. Opinions more than welcomed.
The day after Churchill's "Never Surrender" speech was different. One could feel hope in the air, the whole nation united around a goal.
"Press is calling it 'The Miracle of Dunkirk'. Well, Miraculous it was" chuckled Nooroo, fluttering over the daily newspapers.
The Prime-Minister answered with a grunt.
"What's the problem, Winston? Worried about Stephenson?"
"No, we can always count on the Americans to do the right thing, after they have exhausted all the other possibilities."
"Then, what's the problem?"
"Now that the Battle of France ended, the Battle of Britain will begin."
"Do you think they would dare to invade the island? Their forces are beginning to spread thin."
"These are new times, Nooroo. They don't need thousands and thousands on an invasion army. A few dozen planes would suffice. The question is, how we stop aircrafts?"
The kwami thought for a while.
"It's a problem. In the past, the one with spies or the higher towers could prepare for the incoming of navy or troops, now the planes are already higher than…"
Churchill smiled.
"War rules do not change, purple one. We can still see the enemy first."
William Aitken, Baron of Beaverbrook, looked at the Prime-Minister and tried to reason. Sure, things changed. When they first met, it was on a spacious and rich-decorated office at Westminster. Now, it's a cramped room, furnished with cheap wood and plastic chairs and tables. Before, a window that let light in, and the eyes dance on a view of centuries of history. Now, just neutral walls, paint bought in bulk for some military officer. Before, an architecture jewel. Now, a hole in the ground. Call it bunker, but is still a hole in the ground.
"Sir… I am used to run newspapers. What you are asking is… too much of an ordeal"
"No. The largest newspaper in the world. And you accepted the position of my Minister of Aircraft Production. So… produce"
"But you are asking for a leap on radar technology… almost a miraculous leap."
Churchill looked at the winking kwami on his drawer.
"If you really put your mind and will at it… that can be arranged."
That was only one of the meetings Churchill had that day, returning home near midnight.
"So, how's dinner, Winston?" asked Nooroo
"It would have been splendid, if the wine had been as cold as the soup, the beef as rare as the service, the brandy as old as the fish, and the maid as willing as the Duchess. But let's see if my words made some impact on Beaverbrook or his scientists. Wings, rise."
Next morning, as if a miracle happened, a scientist presented Beaverbrook the plans of a new, more potent radar.
11th JUNE, 1940
As it was an usual happening on his private office, the telegrams, reports and newspapers were shared between Churchill and Nooroo.
"You did it, Winston."
"I fail to see reasons for joy."
"The American President Roosevelt. Yesterday, in his speech, he said some really harsh words against Italy and Germany."
"I already sent him a message."
"Congratulating him?"
"Asking again for those destroyers. I want him to put his pen where his mouth is. Specially now we lost two and the Glorious*."
"Well, at any rate, we can see they opening…" Churchill showed his Kwami a telegraph. The creature gulped "…the French Government left Paris."
"Pack a couple of butterflies just in case, purple Djinn. We're going to France."
"When?"
"Oh, after lunch."
Nooroo cold barely stay awake during the travel – fearing what could happen in a sky filled with enemy airplanes, he drunk more than ever and slept murmuring things about "A Resistance Ladybug" Winston did not understand, but was too immersed in his thoughts to question.
Things did not go well. Most representatives of the two countries waited for an answer from Roosevelt, that didn't came. Five days later, the German forces would be Marching in Paris.
Within a week or so, Nooroo followed the sequence of talks with the French Government, always on the run, getting worse every day,
"Never surrender."
"Let's discuss a union of our countries. No, not a deal, not a confederation, an union. Our two empires – and military – together as one."
"Fine, your government can surrender, as long as your army and navy don't and keep fighting."
"Right, you can surrender, as long as you give us your ships."
Things are really not going well, thought Nooroo, filling up his dropper again.
*HMS Glorious – a British war ship adapted to be an aircraft carrier. Glorious was sunk by german battleship Scharnhorst, near Norway. In an unrelated note, if you're a WWE fan, now you're with a song stuck in your head.
A COUPLE OF MONTHS LATER
"We got shhhiips. We got ships!"
Churchill raised an eyebrow "Nooroo, you are drunk, and what's more, you're disgustingly drunk."
"Winston, you are ugly, and what's more, you're disgustingly ugly, but tomorrow I shall be sober."
"I can't deal with this now. I need to meet Harry Hopkins** and check the destroyers America finally sent. Don't leave the house."
**Harry Hopkins was one of Roosevelt's closest advisors and one of the architects of the New Deal. During WWII he became the de facto north-american leading diplomat.
Even with the war effort on his head, Churchill could not stop thinking about his millennia-old friend. Maybe is time to teach him some temperance. So worried he was he didn't noticed he looked at the aged and rusty ships from the United States and said aloud what was in his head:
"Cheap and Nasty."
Hopkins mouth hanged open, mumbled:
"What was that?"
The Prime-Minister realized his mistake, adding, fast:
"Cheap for us and Nasty for the Germans."
Later that day, he got home, in dire need of some good news. Maybe Red Admiral could find some local hero tonight.
"Nooroo" he said, getting itn the butterflies room "Let's work. Wings, rise!"
Nothing. The Kwami, still drunk, just turned to the other side and keep sleeping.
Had Churchill lost the only trumph he had?
I am trying hard to bring down the number of my abandoned tales to zero. "Who killed Trixie?" has only two chapters to go, and I found a way to end this one in also two or three instalments. But I am really wanted to know what you think of this one. It is taking a lot of research, and I am trying to be fair to one of my favorite History figure. So… how's it? Thanks in advance