Me and my friend Reece once talked and he suggested an idea. What if the Miraculous tv show was a tv show in-universe and a flawed adaptation of the 'real' Miraculous team's adventures?
Thanking my buddy for giving the idea.
Marinette was in her room, working on a huge experiment. It was not the room where she grew up in, above the bakery where she once practiced her creative arts in peace…and held the hiding place of the Miraculous. She was now going through manuscripts, writing down notes and mixing ingredients in a cauldron. "I think I almost got it." She muttered softly. She grabbed a flower, shook it above her hand black specks coming out of it. She then threw the black specks little by little in the cauldron, turning the clear substance inside it green. "YES! I did it!"
"Well done Marinette. We are one step closer!" Tikki cheered her on.
"One step closer, but it is only the first step. If my plan goes correctly, I need lot more preparation. Now, we have to go onto…"
"Marinette, you have been working on it for hours, you need to unwind for a bit. We have been working on it for a long time, a little longer won't make too much difference." Tikki noted.
Normally Marinette would have put on a fight and getting it done, but she had learned to better listen to people and not do anything on her own. She sighed. "I guess I can take a short break. Let's see how the others are doing." Marinette said as she and Tikki left.
Now once she and Tikki left you could truly see that where they lived wasn't Paris anymore. In this complex, you would think it is a small town, but where it was built, it was on the restored remains of what once was the Temple of the Guardians. It was the only place they were safe. Not from Hawkmoth, they dealt with him years ago. No, to protect them from the world.
One day, by a fluke, everyone learned their identities. Through the actions of someone whom sought to make a fortune off of their adventures, displaying them to the world through an animated tv show. It is made even worse in that it was a horrible adaptation of their adventures. But it made sure everyone know whom they were, wouldn't leave them alone, with the result they couldn't set foot outside of their house without being bombarded by 'fans'.
They weren't true fans. Despite such a thing as the actual news footage existing, people think that blasted tv show is somehow how things really went. People could be incredibly stupid at times. Anyhow, it got so bad everyone on the team and their families were forced to relocate to the Temple. People knew there was a Temple of Guardians thanks to the tv show, though no one knew how to access it thanks to the magical defenses upgraded with technology.
This giant temple was nothing more then a shelter. The people still went around, trying to get a sense of normalcy. Her parents baked and alongside Alya's mother took care of the food. Otis Cesaire took care of the pets and the local wildlife, André Bourgeois made sure that the living arrangements were up to standards, everyone had their task.
She just walked along mindlessly until a portal opened close by and Adrien, Alya, Ninon and Chloé fell out, closely followed by Pegasus. He dropped his transformation and became Max again. All five of them were panting, undressing from the weird disguises they wore over their standard outfits. "Those people are insane!" Alya panted.
"I had my fair share of crazy fans as a model, but one tried to throw their panties at me!" Adrien said with a haunted look in his eyes. "I am starting to miss the ones whom scolded me for 'slacking' or 'throwing a hissy fit'…which I didn't do in real life mind you!"
"If I see that Astruc guy again I am going to shove his head so far up his own arse he can see out his mouth!" Chloé huffed. "It is bad enough he ruined our lives, falsely me portrayed me as a spoiled brat…I mean I was, but I actually grew out of it! But he had to keep me as a villain on the show even while there was a tease that the false portrayal may start some sort of redemption arc…I would never be that stupid to reveal my identity, I would not be that stupid to crash a train or betray my friends and I would like hell not wear that type of make-up which doesn't fit my skin at all!"
"Make-up, really?" Nino asked. "That is what miffs you?" Nino asked, an unamused look on his face.
"Bubbler!" Chloé coughed.
"I did not look like a bubble clown when Akumatized! I was 'Mr. DJ'! I turned on the replay. I swear the guy was salty because my shortfilm outclassed his at the…" Nino said.
"There, there!" Alya said as she wrapped her arms around Nino, and he whimpered and calmed down in her arms. "Ease up, Nino. You are supposed to be the chill one."
"Sorry to interrupt, but didn't your disguises work?" Marinette asked.
"We had a wardrobe malfunction and one managed to get a glimpse long enough to start a ruckus. We dropped half the stuff we were about to retrieve." Chloé said as she grabbed one of the bags. "At least we got the essentials. Shame about the hair care products, it will be just water and herb solution to clean us for a few weeks."
"Could be a lot worse, sis." Adrien said as he sighed and sat down on a nearby set of stairs. "You'd think that after being a model, and a superhero, and the media surrounding Hawkmoth's defeat, you'd think I'd be used to it."
"We still have the option of suing them. They may legally were allowed to create a cartoon but there must be a clause about identities that they were not supposed to reveal or even know about!" Chloé huffed.
"You know that they are on the fourth season of this shit?" Alya said as he pulled out her phone.
"Four? But season three ended with a very lousy adaptation of our final battle with Hawkmoth…" Marinette asked.
"I was not the Miracle Queen!" Chloé said in frustration. "Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous! They just added that in because Astruc has it out for my character."
"There were so many things that didn't happen. I mean, this Lila character…" Alya groaned. "We never had anything like her, and even if so, I would like hell not believe such stupid lies, I would have verified my sources and I would not have turned my back on my friend."
"Oh yeah, that episode where they took away the braincells of everyone in the class." Nino noted. "Not cool, dude."
"And my Blog is the Miracle Blog! It centers around all wielders, not just Ladybug!" Alya added. "Now everyone thinks my Miracle Blog is the fake. Are you kidding me? It's a bad tv show, why do they think that is real?"
"I have long trying to give up on trying to understand people's stupidity." Marinette noted. "As no one in their right mind would believe…" Marinette sat down next to Adrien. "That'd I'd treat my partner, my Kitty, like a sidekick. And I know he would never abandon me in my hour of need or throw a tantrum." She wrapped his arms around him.
"And I'd now you'd never be that jealous, petty or obsessive either. We know whom we truly are and that's what matters." Adrien wrapped his arms around Marinette in turn. "I can at least be glad that we found each other rather quick. I hate how they put us through that stupid love square in the show for so long."
"I can't also believe they put me with Luka. He is like my honorary cousin, and I would not steal Chloé's boyfriend. That'd be against the girl code." Marinette added.
"Damn right. You know, my offer of suing them is still on the table." Chloé noted.
"Maybe but it would not change the fact that he revealed our identities, jeopardized our families…Even if the show is taken down and Astruc with it, we'd still have to hide out!" Alya said. She leaned against a wall, but slid down to crouch. "It wouldn't change a thing."
"Shame we can't just wish for anything to be fixed. The Wish would demand a price, and if the knowledge of us as heroes is erased, what would it ask in return? We may all lose our collective memories!" Nino noted.
"Oh, that reminds me. I managed to get the first stage underway of my new plan." Marinette said.
"What new plan?" Alya asked.
"I managed to create a new version of the amnesia potion the Guardians used to erase the memories of themselves or other of the Miraculouses." Marinette explained.
"That is useful sure but how are you going to transmit it to millions of people?" Chloé asked.
"It was only the first step. I plan to use the other Kwamis' prowess…Ziggy with his powers over the mind, Digitt as the Kwami of technology and innovation, and Perri the Kwami of Fusion, I can digitize the potion…" Marinette started to explain.
"And transmit it as a signal that erases the minds of everyone in regards to the tv show and our identities! Perfect!" Alya said excitedly.
"All that remains is a computer virus that erases traces of the actual tv show itself, but I have no doubt Max, Markov and Digitt can take care of it." Adrien added.
"Coupled with the fact that after it is done, the people may still be open to suggestion, with our resources and connections put together we can think of an excuse why we and our families have been away from Paris for a long time." Marinette noted. "After all, before we got revealed, I was building my own fashion empire, and some of our friends were breaking through at a young age."
"There is only one way to verify if it will work though…" Nino noted. To make sure if there won't be a butterfly effect…"
In a flash of bluish green light, Bunnyx appeared. "You got another crazy scheme thought out that may undo the damage?"
"Yes. Since you cannot do anything about this, it was up to our favorite creative disaster girl…" Chloé scoffed.
"I could but I wouldn't. I told you how bad the timeline would have turned out if I interfered…" Bunnyx replied.
"Yeah, yeah, can you just tell us if it will work?" Chloé asked.
"This plan, out of all the crazy plans Marinette came up with, has the highest success rate." Bunnyx noted. "Just highest success rate, not that it's flawless, but the alternative of doing nothing as this travesty continues, it is the preferrable option."
"Way to sour the mood, despite it being the best option it almost makes it sound like something I wouldn't want to do." Marinette noted sarcastically.
"Nothings perfect, there will always be 'we f***ed up timelines no matter what we do. But that's why I'm here, in case we are in one of those, to guide to a timeline where we didn't f*** up as much." Bunnyx noted. "And you live through centuries of things going to hell and having to play a glorified reset button for the timeline."
"Let's just go through with it, until I change my mind." Marinette sighed.
"But not before miss workaholic got her coffee, some rest and her kitty cuddles." Alya noted.
"I have gotten better you know!" Marinette noted.
"I'm still keeping my eye on you." Alya noted.
Guy was, as his name suggests, just an average guy. He had a passion for the movie industry and was glad to land a job, even if it was a more behind the scenes role at the Graham de Vanily studio. He greatly admired his boss, the recently returned Emilie Agreste, whom had picked up her life again after awakening from her coma and divorcing her criminal husband.
A contract was made with a marketing team handling the usage of the names and image of the superheroes of Paris for various objects form lunchboxes to costumes, and movie and tv show adaptation. Guy loved to see it come to fruition, being a huge fan of the heroes.
Being both a fan of Emilie and the Miraculous wielders he kept a close eye on her (not a creepy way, he was curious on what made them tick) and kept a personal log of his findings on the heroes. However, one day he put two and two together when he heard Emilie mention something he wasn't supposed to hear, something she could only know by knowing the Miraculous team. He didn't even know what it was anymore, but it had cemented that her son was Chat Noir, his girlfriend was Ladybug, their friends were the other heroes and Emilie wasn't a victim of a villain lucky to find a Miraculous, she was a former wielder herself.
He had to write it down to process it and deal with the stress to not freak out. He would keep it to himself in his personal file. Nothing to worry. If only he was more careful about where he would keep his stuff and didn't notice his tablet missing until it was too late.
That Astruc fella always rubbed him the wrong way. He may appear as a passionate man involved with his project, the Ladybug movie and the spinoff tv show he worked on. He was determined to be the center of attention. Not unusual, artists want to get recognized for it.
But that he stole his tablet, found the info inside and used that not only to expose the heroes' identities in a tv show, but also twist that reality to fit his vision. The guy was out of his mind. Queen Bee was a heroine, now painted as a treacherous villain. Ladybug, the kind heroine whom always put others first was portrayed as morally ambiguous while Astruc still insisted she was the heroine, and Chat the equal partner to Ladybug was portrayed as inferior.
He also didn't seem to regret the theft of his tablet, the reveal of the heroes and lie about them. He wouldn't even back down when called out on it, it was like he said he owed the characters, he could do what he want. And the fact they were real people in cartoon form didn't cross his mind. Even his fans calling him out on social media are violently turned down.
The fact that despite the controversy the show still aired also showed how much corruption can be involved if money is to be made out of them. The only reason they aren't sued is that the heroes literally cannot come out for two seconds without being harassed. They only came in disguise to get stuff (he did recognize them but didn't call them out, giving them peace) or in hero form to fight a threat (which was getting harder because people were acting like that inaccurate portrayal of Alya Cesaire in the tv show and rush to get a close view of the action).
Guy wished he had spoken up before. That he had been smarter. However, since it was his tablet was stolen, a device he was responsible for keeping safe and failed…he would be blamed just as much by everyone (though no one else of course took personal blame). He kept quiet because…he was not brave, he was no hero like Ladybug and Chat and their friends, whom despite this mishap ruining their lives they still look out for the citizen of Paris, even if some of them had gone absolutely bonkers.
He was a coward. He was depressed, riddled with guilt. But he was even more of a coward, he felt because he couldn't even bring up a little courage to end his own pathetic lives. It was what he deserved for ruining the lives of the great heroes with his stupidity. He could blame Astruc, whom has a lot to answer. But he wasn't guiltless.
He came home after another day at work, one he once passionately did but now it became a chore due to the reminder of his mistakes. He even tried to get fired by messing with the airing schedule of the episode, mixing them out of order, but Astruc and the higher ups didn't even seem to care about that and went along, everything to get the show aired. He wondered if Astruc was once a passionate man whom let fame go to his head, or if he was always like this.
Guy came home to his crappy apartment where he was home, just ate some cheap instant noodles and tried to get drunk on cheap whiskey to drown out his sorrows. He wished he could have just forgotten about everything, forgotten what he learned about the Miraculous heroes, so that they wouldn't have been condemned to a life of hiding.
He put the tv on, but let out an annoyed groan as he accidentally put it on the kids' channel where the awful Miraculous tv show aired. And it is the episode with the original character Lila turning the class against Marinette. Just his luck. However, his luck turned around when there was static on the tv. "What the…" there was a flash!
Guy felt…why was he feeling sad again? Was it something on tv? Some accident happened on the news. Odd, the timeslot on several channels wasn't filled, like a certain program had vanished form all of them. Was that the reason he felt like crap earlier? Anyhow, if he can't remember why he's sad, he shouldn't feel sad. He looked around his apartment. How did he live off instant noodles and cheap booze for so long, how did he let his apartment get like this.
With renewed vigor, Guy would clean his apartment over the next few days, take on a healthier lifestyle with more limited booze conception and more balanced meals, and enjoy his job at the movie studio again. He was glad to see Miss Emilie again, after her absence to see to a project outside of the country her son and his girlfriend were involved him. That was nice, the atmosphere was so much happier with her around again.
Guy felt his life was going pretty great so far.
"Who are you again?" the receptionist of an animation studio asked.
"Thomas Astruc! I made the Ladybug and Chat Noir movies and tv shows!" the other man, panicky introduced himself. "Remember those?"
"Aside some webtoons, there has been no movie or tv show, though the Graham de Vanily studio worked on it."
"I work here, the shows and movies are real, I made them. As an employee you should know, so let me in!" Thomas shouted.
"I work here and I know there is no such show or movie like that yet. And since I don't remember you and you are not on our list of employees or guests, you have no reason to be here!" the receptionist said, sounding stern but keeping her cool.
"No, it's real, see…" Thomas took out the ipad he stole of Guy ages ago, but it no longer had the info he needed. He also checked the web and it was like his tv show and movie never existed. But even if it was erased from the web, it could not be erased from people's memories, right? "It's not on the web but I recall, I based it on the lives of the real Ladybug and Chat Noir, I know their identities, they are…" He stopped.
He forgot! He knew he learned their identities at one point, but he outright forgot. "I…I knew it, just give me a moment."
"Sir, I'll have to call security if you don't leave." The receptionist said.
"I know that I knew, I am Thomas Astruc, I created the show and…"
"And I am Wonder Woman." The receptionist said sarcastically. She had already used the panic button earlier so the security guards dragged the screaming man outside. "There are a lot of weirdos in the world." The receptionist sighed.
Marinette felt delighted that she was able to live in her room above the bakery, she, her friends and her families able to enjoy life in their home town again. First thing to do upon returning? She and her friends enjoying movie night. "I got the mint and chocolate chip ice cream!" Adrien said, delighted as he took out a freezer bag with a couple of tubs of the frozen treat.
"I got peanuts and chips!" Nino said as he also held up a few bags.
"Drinks!" Alya said, holding a sixpack of sodas.
"And I got the pastries and cookies, of course!" Marinette noted.
"And I got a few fancier snacks as well." Chloé added. The group huddled in front of the tv, ready to wait for the movie to air, as they heard the news.
"…named Thomas Astruc got arrested for causing a public disturbance at the Zag Movie studio, claiming he was the writer for a tv show about our Miraculous heroes, though as we all know the only tv show centering around the heroes is currently still being in production. After being guided out by security several times, he tried to enter the complex again and subsequently law enforcement was contacted…" Nadja Chamak said on the news. They listened to the rest of the article.
"So he does still remember?" Adrien wondered.
"Clearly not all, because no mention of our identities is made. Either the news covers it up or his mind was only partially wiped." Marinette noted. "The process would not have been without its bugs."
"No one is believing him so for the moment we shouldn't worry too much." Alya noted.
"Though keeping an eye on him for a while…" Marinette noted. "Though for now, it's no reason for alarm just yet. Without any evidence, which we took care off, he'll have no power."
"Any trouble he may get otherwise into, not our problem." Chloé said. "Let's not have our movie night ruined by him."
No one argued with that. Right now, they managed to get something of their old lives back. They could live their civilian lives in relative peace. They would still be the heroes protecting the city. But no one knew whom were behind the masks, aside of their families. And that's how it has to be. It was simply the best.