Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug, Cat Noir and Steel Butterfly.

Chapter 17: The Puppeteer Averted.

(Author's notes: In this chapter, we'll explore what happens when my version of God intervenes on behalf of Nadia and Manon to have Miguel and Marinette babysitting Manon in order to help Miguel overcome his hatred of children and to help cement into Manon the consequences of being disobedient in terms of touching Marinette's unfinished designs without permission while simultaneously teaching Manon about Hawk Moth's true motives regarding the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculouses. That way, Miguel and Marinette can hopefully get Manon to understand that superheroes winning in every battle against supervillains are a must, especially where the French Miraculous Superhero Team is concerned in their battles against Hawk Moth.

Additionally, since Manon is gonna be babysat by Marinette in this chapter for a change no thanks to the God of my story, let's see how well Steel Butterfly can avert Manon's Akumatization into The Puppeteer just because of how troublesome she is.

Enjoy chapter 17.)

(Quantic Universe Earth 139, Dupain-Cheng Bakery, Paris, France, April 26th, 2015, third person POV...)

Marinette and Miguel were going over the reasons why babysitting children like Manon was a bad idea.

Despite Nadia Chamack's earlier protests and attempts at bribing, Marinette and Miguel asserted that Marinette already has the money she needs to cement her future.

Miguel also stated that it was a bad idea because if Manon and Marinette were to be playing with Marinette's Steel Butterfly, Dragon Butterfly, Ladybug and Cat Noir dolls, Manon would whine over the puppet-like replicas of the heroes always winning despite being too young to even comprehend the reason why Steel Butterfly/Dragon Butterfly, Ladybug and Cat Noir should always win.

To Miguel's credit, Nadia surprisingly took that into consideration.

That combined with Manon not getting what she wanted might result in her getting Akumatized and taking into account Miguel's short temper around children and babies would literally be a waking disaster waiting to happen.

Marinette was adamant that children can be trained from an early age to be more obedient, but Miguel countered that in his experience in New York City several years ago, it wouldn't be the case in these days due to more and more children growing up mentally challenged in different ways, including being unable to use words and blowing in people's faces as part of specific behaviors of mentally challenged children who can't comprehend the consequences of their actions.

To say the least, Marinette was surprised at how well informed Miguel was about any category of child raised in the twenty-first century. But Marinette continued arguing with Miguel over how he can overcome his hatred of children.

Miguel angrily summoned a thunderstorm in response, citing that his hatred of children is more or less permanent, and even if he and Corvo married in the future, he's gonna make sure that Corvo doesn't get pregnant whatsoever.

Miguel finishes with him saying, "After all, not everybody was meant to be a parent. And besides, if I ever did have children, they would end up with the same childhood I ended up with... complete with an abusive pedophile excuse of a father, and a stepfather who always makes crude and offensive jokes in certain situations."

Marinette was shocked at Miguel's paranoid, but logical explanation of the primary reason why he doesn't want to have children in the future and why he hates children in general.

But then, to Marinette and Miguel's surprise and frustration, Nadia returned to insist on babysitting Manon.

Miguel got so p***** off that he literally summoned a super dangerous lightning storm to scare Nadia and Manon away.

But then, the storm immediately went away, much to Miguel's shock.

God's voice rang out loud enough for Miguel and Marinette to hear, "This kind of behavior will not be tolerated on My watch. If you want to avoid Manon getting Akumatized and if you want to overcome your hatred of children, spending time with children at Manon's age is the best way to do it."

Miguel demonically growled before he felt a spirit-like angelic hand choking him into submission.

God's voice rings out, "Unholy negativities, hold thy pieces and come out of him!"

Soon, the negativities of Miguel in the form of an armored demon emerged from within Miguel's body and were immediately disintegrated.

Miguel was released and he turned calmer.

Soon, Marinette and Manon were in Marinette's bedroom, playing with her Ladybug and Cat Noir dolls.

Marinette says while imitating Puppet Cat Noir and Puppet Ladybug, "Here I am, milady!" "Glad to see you, Cat Noir!" "Of course you are! I'm the cat's meow!"

Marinette imitates a cat meowing and she and Miguel burst out laughing.

Manon protests, "He shouldn't say that!"

Miguel asks with an eyebrow raised, "Oh, no?"

Manon frowns and shakes her head while saying, "Mmm-mmm."

Miguel and Marinette look at each other and shrug.

"Puppet Ladybug" replies, "This is no time to be goofing around, Cat Noir! We gotta capture the baddies' akumas before they—" Marinette pauses and looks at Manon before asking, "Actually, what do the baddies want?"

Manon replies a little dumbly, "Uh... we wanna win!"

Marinette asks, "Yeah, but win what?"

Manon replies, "I don't know. What do they usually want?"

Marinette replies back, "That depends on the situation revolving someone being Akumatized in the first place. Lady Wi-Fi wanted to know Ladybug's true identity without caring about the repercussions – or the consequences – of doing so. Darkblade wanted to rule Paris with an iron fist just like his namesake ancestor from medieval times. Then there was Rogercop. But the evil Hawk Moth, who has the power to energize butterflies with dark magic to transform people into supervillains through their negative emotions, wants to take Ladybug and Cat Noir's jewels from them! They're called Miraculouses!"

Manon asks, "And what would happen if he got them?"

Miguel answers, "Then, he could combine them to be granted godlike power and be granted a single wish that can easily alter reality itself and grant its user anything he or she would ever desire."

Manon's eyes lit up like a Christmas tree, but then, Marinette interjected, "But unfortunately, there's always going to be one known drawback: for every wish granted by Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculouses, there'll be a very terrible price to pay in order for the universe to maintain balance."

Manon asks nervously, "Wh-what kind of t-terrible price would there be to pay?"

Miguel answers, "That depends on the wish made. For example, if a sentient robot wanted to wish to become human, someone will lose their own humanity in exchange, most likely to be the creator and owner of said robot. For another example, if you wanted to revive a friend or family member from death, another friend or relative will have to die in their place. That's how the universe maintains balance for every different wish made. You can't gain something of extreme value without losing something else in exchange."

Manon looked deflated, but then Miguel said, "But you won't have to worry; Ladybug and Cat Noir have a handful of allies today that can help them make sure that Hawk Moth doesn't ever make a wish with Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculouses in a combined use. Whatever Hawk Moth wants to wish for, by the time he finally realizes the consequences of his actions, it'll already be far too late to make up for it."

Once that bridge was crossed, the dolls fight, and Manon's Akumatized villain dolls win.

Miguel remarks flatly, "Oh, wow. The villains have won, and Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculouses have been given to Hawk Moth. Now, he has the potential power to make a terrible wish without caring about the price to pay. I don't know how I'm gonna sleep now."

Manon asks, "Aren't you enthusiastic?"

Miguel answers, "Maybe my tone didn't give it away, but no, I'm never enthusiastic whenever the bad guys win. Besides, when it comes to any specific supervillain in existence with the power of a god, whether fictional or not, they'll always want to destroy all of existence throughout the multiverse and they'll either rebuild it in their own dark, evil image, or they'll just become the never-ending ruler of endless nothingness – an endless abyss in space, in other words."

Manon looked at Miguel in shock, and Marinette gave Miguel an incredulous look, only for Miguel to flash a hidden scowl at her.

Nadia came up on the stairs and announces, "I'm back, Manon. Have you been a good girl?"

Manon replies cheerfully, "Oh yes, I have!"

Nadia looks at Miguel, who adds his two cents with a bit of a joke, "Yep, she was such a good girl, and it makes me wonder which of these girls will always get on Santa's nice list every year."

Nadia, Manon and Marinette burst out laughing at Miguel's little joke.

Somehow, Miguel had unlocked the powers known as Laughter Inducement and Humor Manipulation, the ability to manipulate someone's sense of humor and the ability to cause people to laugh, even if the target of the power user doesn't think that he or she is funny.

Composing herself, Nadia states, "All right, this was fun and all, but we gotta go. Say goodbye, Manon."

Manon comes up to Marinette and hugs her while saying, "Goodbye, Marinette."

Manon goes to hug Miguel, but hesitates because of his... stone-faced expression.

Suddenly, in a rare moment of humanity and a rare show of positive emotion, Miguel kneels to Manon's height and hugs her.

Manon hugs Miguel back, taking Nadia and Marinette by surprise.

Of course, Miguel made sure to be careful with his superhuman strength while hugging the five year old child in front of him that he used to hate.

Miguel and Manon break off the hug as Miguel states, "Be good to your mother every single day of every year, and I can guarantee you that you might be rewarded with anything a child might want... as long as it's age-appropriate."

Manon smiles brightly as she walks over to Nadia and the two Chamacks say goodbye to Marinette and Miguel.

Miguel sighs fondly as his eyes start to water.

Marinette, Tikki and Leppey notice and Marinette and Leppey ask, "Miguel...?" "Are you crying?"

Miguel wipes his tears away and goes downstairs to get himself a red apple from the refrigerator.

Miguel washes the apple thoroughly and takes a bite out of the apple.

Marinette, Leppey and Tikki come to Miguel as he eats the apple.

Miguel notices and asks, "What's up?"

Tikki starts to say something, but her mouth seals itself closed, showing Miguel that Marinette discovered she can put limits on her kwami and has decided to punish Tikki for treating Miguel like trash.

Tikki muffledly moans in exasperation as Miguel starts chuckling to signify that he finds this funny.

Tikki groaned in frustration.

Leppey asks, "Miguel, were you crying tears of joy just because your hardened heart has softened enough to hug a child?"

Miguel clears his throat and replies, "You saw it happen; what do you think?"

Marinette, Tikki and Leppey look at each other.

Miguel then states, "Anyway, Manon's Akumatization into The Puppeteer has been averted, now I must be on patrol, just in case someone gets Akumatized in her place."

Miguel throws the apple core in the trash can and calls out, "Leppey, Elegant Wings Live!"

Steel Butterfly takes off in flight.

In Hawk Moth's lair, Hawk Moth was fuming over how he didn't get the opportunity to Akumatize someone.

Suddenly, he detects positive emotions coming from a jubilant Steel Butterfly as he flies across the skies of Paris.

Scowling in disgust, Hawk Moth transformed back to Gabriel Agreste and prepares to have dinner with Adrien, much to his pleasant surprise.

Steel Butterfly returns home from his patrol and heads to bed.

The End.

(Author's notes: In the next chapter, The Mime will have to contend with Steel Butterfly's ability to pantomime things into existence all at once to counter The Mime's powers.

See you all in chapter 18.)