Anything But Miraculous:

Chapter 4: First Day of School

Despite getting a full night of sleep, Sora couldn't help but feel abnormally tired. It felt as if someone had beaten him up while dealing with a bad case of the flu. He didn't want to get up in the morning, but he knew he had to, after all he had school and he couldn't make a fool of himself by skipping. He had done that far too much in the past and that had led to him and his sister being held back, twice.

Forcing himself to get up, Sora rubbed his eyes with the back of his hand, squinting a bit at the light that filtered into the room. He sat in darkness for only a second before his curtains flew open, causing him to hiss.

"Good morning, little pony! How did you sleep?"

"Like shit," he mumbled, looking up slightly. His vision cleared, allowing him to see the source of the voice. The Horse Kwami. Everything that happened the day before flooded back. The Miraculous, fighting two akumas, being in Paris fighting against Hawk Moth. That served to wake him up. "Now way… all of that was real?"

"100% real, Sora!" Fluff added, stretching her arms above her head. "You have three Miraculouses and you fought off two akumas. Not bad for your first day, but now you have to focus on your civilian life."

"You're right, I can't just fight off akumas, I gotta keep up appearances now," he said, forcing himself to his feet. He grabbed his glasses, or rather, his Miraculous, and placed them on, his vision instantly clearing. "Am I supposed to feel this tired?"

"Being tired after using a Miraculous is common. After all, you are having your abilities enhanced by magic. We're not exactly sure what side effects you'll have from unifying three miraculous. The Guardian told us that using one was dangerous enough," Baark said, frowning. "Maybe it would be a good idea not to unify us,"

"Perhaps, but if I don't then your Miraculous could fall into the wrong hands. I feel more comfortable having all of you with me than leaving two of you back here," Sora said, holding back a yawn. "Okay, I'm gonna take a shower and get ready for school. I'll bring up some snacks soon. Sit tight, alright?"

"Don't worry, Sora! I'll keep watch like a good dog!" the dog kwami said, planting herself on his desk. She placed a paw over her brow, looking back and forth like a soldier at her post. Kaalki whinnied loudly but remained silent at her antics.

The young man opened his door and headed across the hallway, his change of clothes in his grasp. The warm rush of water served to wake him up, pulling out of his previous stupor. He groaned a bit as his muscles loosened up, he felt worse than when he was forced to run laps at school. Perhaps there was some truth in what Baark had said.

"Using three Miraculouses at once might be more detrimental in the long run. That means I'll have to choose who I use and have the others as backup. But what if I need all three of their powers at once? Can I really handle it all? What a mess. Maybe I shouldn't have opened those boxes after all," he thought, as he continued his shower.

Finishing up, he swiftly got dressed, donning his light blue Animal Crossing shirt, along with a pair of black jeans and his trusty combat boots. He slipped his jacket over his arms, leaving it unzipped. His mess of brown locks was in all directions, moist from his shower, and after a quick brush, he held them down with a beanie.

"Awesome, dressed for the day. Let's just hope that school goes a lot smoother than it does back in the city,"

The sound of brewing coffee assaulted his ears the second he stepped out of the bathroom. Heading toward the kitchen, he saw his sleepy looking aunt shuffling things around in the kitchen, her long brown hair standing in all directions. She glanced over her shoulders, a big pair of glasses on her face, her eyes, though tired, brightened up the second she saw him.

"Good morning, Sora. How'd you sleep?"

"Like a brick," he said, holding back a laugh. "You gonna brush that nest any time soon?"

"Not until 8," she replied, holding back a yawn. "I know you like coffee so I decided to brew you some. Once I finish in the bathroom I'll get breakfast started. How's French toast sound?"

"Sounds great!" Sora said cheerfully. She gave him a pat on the head before heading toward the bathroom, stretching her arms over her head. He let out a sigh, opening the fridge for an apple. He washed it and sliced it up, placing it on a plate with a freshly peeled carrot and some Scooby Snacks. "Let's get these to the girls and get started on that coffee,"

Making sure not to make too much noise as he walked past the bathroom, Sora reentered his room, only to be assaulted by the kwamis who relieved him of his plate. He rolled his eyes, walking toward his dresser. "You know, you gotta stop doing that. I know you girls are hungry but you gotta let me put the plate down."

"Sorry, Sora! We're just really starving!" Fluff said, munching on her carrot.

"It's fine, I'm not mad." the young man replied, clipping the pocket watch to his belt loop, sliding it into his pocket. "You just focus on recharging while I finish up in the kitchen. We'll head to school soon. And speaking of, we're gonna set some ground rules while at school."

"Of course, we wouldn't dare do anything to expose you, little pony. The last thing we need is to be taken away from you. Though we should return with the guardian, I do admit to liking being out again," Kaalki said, having already finished her apple. "What are your terms?"

"Number 1, stay in my fanny pack at all times. Unless I let you out or an akuma attacks, you can't expose yourselves. Number 2, when we're home, you are free to float around in the room but the second you hear my aunt or someone else, you hide. No exceptions. Finally, Number 3, while my main aim is to fight off Hawk Moth and make him regret attacking people, I will also try to use the Miraculous to help others. I believe I can do a lot of good with them, but even I deserve time to goof off,"

"I don't mind agreeing to those terms, just as long as you don't use our powers to attack the innocent, steal or do bad things," Baark said firmly. "Deal?"

"Deal." he said, holding his fist out. The three clapped it with their own, returning to their snacks. "I'll be back soon, okay?"

With the young man gone, the three kwamis were free to speak. Kaalki floated in front of the other two, a firm look on her face. "So, what do you think about him?"

"I think he's a good person, but something tells me we're in some really interesting hands,"

"What do you mean by that, Fluff?" Baark asked, head tilted in curiosity.

"I can sense a lot of good in him but there's potential for him to sway to the other side. While he would never work for Hawk Moth, that doesn't necessarily mean he won't do things his own way. I know we're supposed to guide our holders, but we need to also make sure we don't fall into wrong hands,"

"Oh pish posh, I certainly believe we are in very capable hands. He might not be rich, or famous or too grand, but I have a feeling Sora is going to be the most famous Horse Miraculous wielder of this current era. You just have to trust him." Kaalki said, matter of factly. Fluff shrugged her shoulders, going back to her carrot and moaning gleefully about how delicious it was. Baark was more concerned, but ultimately, decided to trust Sora's judgment. After all, there wasn't much she could really do.

xxx

"Thank you for coming this early, Marinette. I know lying to your parents is difficult but we must discuss this matter as swiftly as we can," Master Fu said, earning a nod from the blue haired teenager. She was kneeling down before his table, nursing the freshly poured tea he had brewed. He cleared his throat, keeping his hands behind his back as he looked back at his charge. "You and Chat Noir have already made contact with the holder of the three missing Miraculous, have you not?'

"I have. He's calling himself Blue Bunny. He seems to have figured out how to use Kaalki, Baark and Fluff's power. In fact, without his knowledge of the future, we wouldn't have been able to defeat Money Maker," she said, taking a sip of her tea. "The Horse and Rabbit Miraculous are fairly dangerous to have active, but something tells me he wouldn't abuse them."

"Regardless of if they are in good hands or not, we cannot risk Hawk Moth getting his hands on them. The ability to open portals and send akumas wherever he wants, or messing with time is something we cannot let him have. The consequences would be immeasurable. Which is why I am requesting something of you,"

The man turned swiftly on his heel, opening the phonograph behind him, reaching for a special key. She watched as he moved across the room, opening a bookcase and pulling a shelf from within, placing the key in the slot. She saw the familiar looking Miracle Box in his hands, her eyes widening a bit. "Marinette Dupain-Cheng, I am entrusting you with the use of a Miraculous, in order to retrieve the ones that are missing. Once the mission is over, you will return it to me at once."

She stared at the slots before her. The Goat, the Pig, The Mouse, The Snake, The Fox, The Bee, the Ox, The Tiger, and the Rooster were there, all in their special spots. The Rabbit, The Horse and the Dog were empty, having recently been stolen. Finally, the other slots that were open were the ones that had been in use or lost. The Peacock, The Butterfly and of course, the Ladybug and the Black Cat.

Though her hand reached out for one, she hesitated, looking back at the master. "Are you sure about this, Master Fu? Bringing out another Miraculous might be dangerous."

"Yes, I had considered my options, but at the moment, we have no options. Though this 'Blue Bunny' character assisted you before, he could easily turn into a threat. I cannot let him continue using those Miraculouses without proper training. I can't trust anyone other than you to retrieve it."

If she wasn't nervous before, she was certainly nervous now. This was far too much responsibility for her, but Marinette knew the Master was right. Without knowing Blue Bunny's identity, she wouldn't be able to act, but she couldn't sit on her laurels either. Taking a deep breath, she made her selection, taking the Penjas Bracelet and the Bee Comb with her, much to Fu's surprise.

"I apologize, Master. I know you said one but I feel like these two will help me out. The Tiger gives the user unbridled strength, and the Bee will be able to paralyze their target. I can't say I necessarily trust Chloe, but she's the only one I have confidence in at the moment,"

"I see… and what of the tiger?"

She smiled as she looked the bracelet over. "Oh… I have someone in mind, someone who is totally perfect for it. I'll try to retrieve those Miraculouses as fast as I can. But I do apologize ahead of time if I don't get them soon."

"Take as much time as you need, I trust you Marinette. The faster we can get them back, the faster we can return to your training. You have already mastered making enhanced snacks for the kwamis. We need to broaden your attack patterns so you can fully utilize the Ladybug's true power."

"Yes, Master. Don't worry, I'll be back before you know it. I'm already late for school, see you soon?" she said, earning a nod from Fu. She hastily took off, making the old man chuckle. His mirth died down the second the door had closed, a frown appearing on his face.

"Master, is it wise to let Marinette take those two?"

"We don't have many options left, Wayzz. It's either using more Miraculous to retrieve those we lost, or letting that boy keep the three he found. I know he stumbled upon them through happenstance but I cannot let him keep them." he said, stroking his chin in thought. "Although, his use of Kaalki's power is quite interesting… perhaps he has the makings of a good holder after all."

"I'm not too sure about that myself, Master. The last person who used Kaalki almost lead the Confederacy to Victory,"

"And that is why Fluff is always used as a last resort, my friend. Mistakes are made, but it takes a true hero to fix those mistakes. I have full confidence we will fix ours. And that will begin by searching for a new hideout. That thief might return for the other jewels, and I cannot let him take them."

Wayzz let out a sigh, rubbing his eyes. "As if Hawk Moth wasn't bad enough,"

xxx

"Tikki, I don't know if I made a mistake. I mean… taking two Miraculous to try and retrieve three stolen ones? I dunno."

"I understand that you are nervous, Marinette, but the Master trusts you a great deal. Consider this a mission of sorts, in order to become a better Miraculous user. There will come a time where Master Fu will run out of things to teach you. After that, you will have to do things on your own."

The girl looked at the two boxes in her grasp, one containing the Bee while the other contained the Tiger. She sighed as she placed them in her purse alongside Tikki. "It's hard, I know, but I have to do what's best."

"I know I didn't ask but… what are your thoughts about Blue Bunny? Do you think he's a good guy?"

"Hm… well, without him we wouldn't have defeated Money Maker, I'm glad he was there but… I can't get a good read on him. He has a good moral compass, and seems compassionate about the civilians that get caught in akuma attacks. On the other hand, I feel like if he saw Hawk Moth in front of him, he'd do anything he could to fight him." Marinette admitted, glancing up at the sky. "I'm not really sure if I trust him yet."

"He's not going down without a fight, you know."

"Yeah… I know. I just hope Chat Noir will be able to help me when the time comes, he's going to be a hard opponent to face. He'll be the first Miraculous user aside from Hawk Moth and Mayura that we'll have to fight. I don't know if I'm ready for that."

"No one is ever ready for anything, you just have to trust your instincts and go for it. I believe in you, Marinette."

"Thank you Tikki, you're the best," the blue haired girl said cheerfully.

Meanwhile, at the Agreste Mansion, Adrien was getting ready for school. He had been thinking a lot about the day before, mostly about Blue Bunny and where he had actually come from. All he knew was that he had stolen some Miraculous, but Ladybug hadn't told him more than that.

He was honestly starting to get annoyed. He and Ladybug were meant to be partners, and yet he didn't know half the things she did. He hadn't even met the Master and Guardian of the Miraculous until a month ago, when Ladybug had told him cryptically that it was time. He was beginning to wonder just what Ladybug actually thought of him. Because lately, it hadn't felt like an equal partnership.

"Hey, kid, is something the matter? You've been pouting all morning. Don't tell me it's because we're out of camembert?"

"No Plagg, that isn't it. I'm just thinking about Ladybug is all,"

"When aren't you?"

The boy glared at the kwami, who only chuckled dryly. "Alright, I kid, I kid. What seems to be the problem now?"

"Oh you know, the fact that she doesn't seem to trust me enough. I'm still reeling about what happened in New York. It's been a while now but it truly felt like she didn't care about me. And now the whole Blue Bunny thing. She didn't even tell me the Miraculous were stolen until we ran into the guy." he said, brushing his hair down with his comb, glancing at his reflection. "I'm starting to wonder if she actually considers me a partner."

"Well of course she does, kiddo. She'd be an idiot if she didn't consider you her equal. Though I do understand why she likely didn't tell you about the Miraculous. They used to get stolen a lot back in the day, before the Guardian left China and came here. So forgive her if she was secretive about it,"

"I figured that was the case but… what about Blue Bunny?"

"Hm… an enigma for sure. Kaalki, Baark and Fluff? Kaalki and Baark are innocuous by themselves but throw Fluff into the mix and well… you better get used to having flesh. We might end up being killed by dinosaurs or some other things soon." the black cat kwami said firmly.

"You don't think Blue Bunny would actually mess with time, right?"

"You tell me, if you weren't you and you have the power to travel in time and say… buy a lottery ticket with today's winning numbers, wouldn't you do it?" Plagg asked, shoving his uneaten wedge of cheese into his mouth. "I certainly would, especially if it's 1.2 billion dollars at play."

"This might be a dumb question but… how does the Rabbit Miraculous work exactly?" Adrien asked, causing Plagg to rub his chin.

"Well… from what the Master explained, you have the ability to go to any point in time, past, present or future. You can venture into it and change things, and when you do, you create a new timeline. If you go back in the past and change something, it could affect your own timeline too. But new timelines also get created under certain circumstances."

"So… since Money Maker turned me and Ladybug into coins in one timeline, what would happen there?"

"Oh that timeline would reach a dead end. Or well, it would be a timeline where Hawk Moth would win. If you travel into the past, you create a checkpoint, and if you change things, it becomes a new line. If you go back into the past to that checkpoint, that timeline you made keeps going and you create a third. So the original is the one where Hawk Moth wins, the second is where you try to prevent the first but failed and the third would be the golden one where you win and everything is normal. Following me so far?"

Adrien blinked a few times, but managed to give him a nod. Plaag sighed, slapping his forehead. "Sorry kid, I can't explain things that well. I can only explain what I know."

"It's fine. I can't expect you to know everything about a Miraculous that you aren't tied to." he said, as he finished buttoning up his shirt. "We should focus on getting to school, especially because the new kid is going to be joining our class today."

"Oh right, the American kid. Wonder what he'll be like, if he's anything like those kids we met in New York, I can tell we are in for a disappointing time."

"Don't be like that, Plagg, everyone in Armstrong High School was really nice!" he said cheerfully, opening his jacket to let the kwami fly inside. "I have a feeling this Sora kid is going to be a great friend. I don't have a lot of those, you know."

"Yeah yeah, if he likes cheese he's a-okay in my book. Now come on, before your dad hacks up a hairball or something," the black cat kwami said, making Adrien chuckle.

xxx

Sora stood in front of his new school, College Francoise Dupont, watching all the students slowly but surely climbing up the stairs. The courtyard was open and sprawling with students, from Freshmen to Seniors, the entire school was lively and chatty. In that regard, he was reminded of his own school. This one was a lot cleaner and didn't look too scary. It didn't have a large chain-link fence topped with barbed wire, and the sounds of traffic, swearing and the scent of exhaust was nowhere to be found.

It felt nothing like New York, and he was glad.

While he loved his home city, there were aspects that he wished to change. The large amount of exhaust pumped throughout the city was one, but he doubted that would change overnight. Unless the entire city of New York switched to the brand new Tesla, which he seriously doubted. He felt a light push on his back, causing him to glance over his shoulder.

"Well go on kiddo, your new school awaits you."

"I know… did you get my schedule?"

"Ms. Bustier should have that. She's going to be your homeroom teacher, in fact there she is right now," Annabelle said, urging him to follow. There was a young woman standing at the entrance to the school, greeting students as they came in.

Her hair was tied back into a tight bun, she was wearing a formal outfit, with a black blouse and long sky blue pants. In her grasp was a white tablet with the emblem of the school printed on the back. She had a warm smile on her face, kind and welcoming. It was a difference to the usual tired scowls he was used to getting back home.

"Everything is so different here. It's so much more lively, maybe the reason why kids in America hate school is because it's unwelcoming. Oh well, if the lunch here is anything other than 5 chicken nuggets and a carton of milk, I'll be completely sold."

"Annabelle, hello! It's so good to see you." the young teacher greeted, earning a wave in return.

"Hello, Caline, it's nice to see you too. How are you doing?"

"I'm doing great, powering through that morning sickness, hehe." she said, glancing at Sora. "Ah, you must be the winner of the exchange program, Sora, correct?"

"That's right, ma'am. It's nice to meet you,"

"Oh you, don't call me ma'am, I'm only 26 years old. I'm not that old yet," she said cheerfully. She reached for her tablet, grasping a folded piece of paper. "This is your schedule for the day. You'll be in my homeroom, as you probably already know. You'll more than likely be in the same class as several of my students, with the exception being extracurriculars. If you'd like to sign up for any of those, you are free to do so, there are clubs taking members and classes with free seats."

"Why not join a club, Sora? I'm sure someone will appreciate your love of retro consoles and tinkering. Or maybe Art class is more your speed?"

"I dunno, I suppose I'll have to settle in and decide," the young man said, glancing at the paper. "Homeroom, French History, English Studies, Physical Education, Mathematics, Chemistry, Lunch, Science and Social Studies. Not a bad list of classes,"

"Now then, we were told that you were a bit of a slacker in your old school. You are a bit older than some of the students here, and that's fine. Once your year here is over, the credits you earn will translate to your total credits in your school back home. Do well here and you might graduate earlier." Ms. Bustier said firmly. "I have full confidence that you'll take your studies seriously."

"I will, I'm not gonna let myself get swept away by my peers. That's something that happened to me back home. People I thought were my friends got me to skip school and do idiotic things, and when I realized what I was doing, I was too late. Lost two years because of that, even worse, my sister felt the need to fail just so she could stay with me." Sora admitted, glancing back at his schedule. "I… really miss her,"

"And she misses you, I'm sure of that, kiddo. That's why you have to give it your all, so you can go back and show her just how much you learned," Annabelle said, glancing at her watch. "Now then, I have to go, so I'll leave him in your hands, Caline. Oh before I do, remind me when your baby shower is again? I'd like to bring some flowers and presents for you."

"We haven't decided yet, but I'll let you know when that happens," she said happily. "Take care, Anna."

Sora coughed into his fist, looking around awkwardly before glancing up at his new teacher. "Um… how far along are you?"

"21 weeks, won't be long until the bump becomes more pronounced." the teacher said, lovingly patting her stomach. "Won't be long now. Anyway, I'll give you a tour before class begins. I know Mr. Damocles wanted to see you to explain a few things,"

"Alright, I'm in your hands then,"

With that, the pair stepped into the school, with Ms. Bustier began her long series of explanations. This didn't go unnoticed by a few students, who had been in their own groups. Some went back to their previous conversations while others watched the new student with curiosity. Among them was a group of familiar girls, who had stopped what they were doing to subtly watch the new kid.

"So, that's him?" Alya asked, briefly looking back at her friends. "He's a lot taller than I expected."

"How tall did you think he was gonna be?" Mylene queried, making Rose giggle.

"Well, Sora is Japanese for Sky, so I figured he was going to be gigantic!"

"I thought he was going to be short, since you brought up that stunted growth thing so I thought he was going to be tiny." Alix added, glancing away from her phone.

"He definitely likes Death Metal, I can tell just by how he walks,"

"Oh Juleka, you and your obsession," Marinette playfully said, rolling her eyes. She glanced at her phone for a moment before glancing back at Sora. "I actually met him yesterday. His aunt is the young lady who runs the flower shop near my house,"

"Really? What's he like?" Alix asked.

"He seems really nice, but he also told me a bit about himself. It was mostly his experience with Hawk Moth in New York and how it affected his sister. I felt super bad for him. Wasn't long after that we were attacked by Money Maker." she admitted, shuddering a bit. "I'd rather not picture myself turning into coins."

"Ohoho! Thanks for reminding me! Did you girls see this? There was a new hero fighting alongside Ladybug and Chat Noir," Alya said, shifting some things around on her phone before picking out some screen shots. It showed a blue, brown and orange themed hero, with long rabbit ears and a brown belt resembling a horse tail. She had a look of excitement on her face. "Look at him, he looks so freaking cool! I want to interview him ASAP!"

"I was watching the news and they were talking about him as well. So far, it seems his powers involve teleportation. He was hopping around a lot through portals. He managed to save Ladybug and Chat Noir from Stoneheart, but there are hardly any videos of Money Maker," Mylene added, sighing. "I'm sure it's because we were all turned into coins before we could react."

"The last thing I remember is walking out of a store with my brother before being blasted," Juleka muttered, lowering her headphones. "Hawk Moth is getting stronger,"

"He sure is… I do hope this new guy helps Ladybug and Chat Noir out. It's not that I don't trust them, it's just… with all these strong villains, they're gonna be overwhelmed,"

"I'm sure they'll be fine, Rose. After all, Rena Rouge and Carapace are there to help if they're needed." Marinette said, frowning when she saw Chloe and Sabrina walk past them, the two lost in conversation. "And Queen Bee too, I guess."

"Eh… who knows? Maybe being a hero will fix Chloe's pissy attitude,"

"Or she'll crash an airplane in an attempt to save it while trying to make herself look like a real hero."

"Sheesh, Juleka, always with the negativity," Rose said, making her best friend smile.

xxx

By the time Mr. Damocles had finished speaking with Sora, the first bell had rung. All of the students had gone off to their homerooms, officially beginning the school day. Sora had, of course, been read the riot act. It seemed some of his teachers had labeled him a problem student and a frequent class cutter, despite him not cutting class in months. The Headmaster gave him the benefit of the doubt, asking him politely to adhere to the school rules. He promised he would and was on his way.

"How embarrassing, first day of school and I'm already treated like a delinquent."

"Oh forget about that hot bag of air, little pony, I know you will do just fine," Kaalki said softly from his fanny pack. He glanced down, seeing her, Fluff and Baark giving him appreciative looks. He gave the pack a soft pat.

"I know, at least you three believe in me." he replied, coming to a stop before his new homeroom. He took a deep breath, steeling his nerves as he did. "Time to face the music."

"Ah, there he is!" the peppy teacher said, the second Sora stepped into the classroom. He stood next to her, eyeing everyone in class. They all looked at him curiously, though some looked like vultures, trying to scrutinize his every detail. He felt the teacher's hand on his shoulder, which helped him relax a bit. "This here is Sora, the winner of the Friendship Exchange Program. For this year, he's going to be in our class, so do be sure to make him feel welcome."

"I hope we can be friends. Things are a lot different here than in New York City, but I am loving it a lot more than I thought I would," he said, trying to sound cheerful. He briefly waved to Marinette, who happily waved back. "I can answer questions if you have them, though I doubt my boring life is of any interest to you."

"I really isn't, so you can go ahead and stay silent,"

"Chloe! What did I say about being nice?" the teacher snapped, causing the blonde girl to huff and look away. Sora couldn't help but sigh inwardly.

"And I've already met the class princess, excellent. I wonder if this is the "Snooty Blonde Princess" my aunt was talking about on the walk here." Sora thought to himself.

"You can go ahead and ignore her, Sora, she can be a bit of a priss," Marinette said, ignoring the glare Chloe was giving her. "I for one am happy to have you in our class. You are a special guest, so I wouldn't mind getting to know you a bit,"

"Oh oh! I have a question!"

"Uh… sure, may I have your name, dude?"

"Sure, it's Nino, good to meet ya bro. My question is… is it true that the New York City subway is filled with 40 pound rats?"

Several people grimaced while one girl cried 'ew gross' rather audibly. Sora let out a chuckle, shaking his head. "No, that isn't true. That was just some meme that was floating around the internet. Rats do, however, fight over abandoned slices of pizza down there. It's best to leave them alone… you know sometimes, they like crawling on you if you got food and stuff. There's one rat that loves cheese pizza, he likes bringing it back to his kids who happen to be turtles,"

A few of his classmates chuckled at his joke. One boy rose his hand, causing Sora to nod at him. "What about that epic subway saxophone battle, was that real? I'm Kim by the way,"

"Good to meet ya, Kim. To answer that question, yes, that was real and it happens a lot more often than not. There are a lot of cool performers in New York, they love coming out and playing for the people. Central Park attracts a lot of attention during the summer months."

"Interesting, thanks for answering dude," the boy said, earning a nod from Sora, who adjusted his glasses slightly.

"Alright students, we have to start class soon, I'll allow two more questions. How about you, Juleka, you've been looking up here expectantly for the last minute and a half." Ms. Bustier said, making the girl in question shy back a bit. Sora gave her a smile.

"I don't bite, go ahead, ask me anything. Just don't ask me what my thoughts on pineapple on pizza are, I don't want anyone here to hate me." he said, placing a hand on his hip. "Go on."

"Erm… do you like Death Metal and Post Hardcore?"

Sora was almost caught off guard by the question, only for him to grin. "Yes I do, Miss. Among my favorites is Ice Nine Kills, Crown the Empire, Falling in Reverse, Pierce the Veil, my favorite Rock and Roll band is Fallout Boy and my favorite song of all time is Bury the Light. I'll let you look at my playlist later,"

"Sweet." she said, leaning back in her seat with a look of satisfaction on her face. It seemed Sora had found a new best friend, or at least someone who shared his tastes in music. The final question came from a girl in the very back of the room, who had been patiently waiting for her turn.

"Excuse me, Sora was it? I wanted to know, I've been to New York loads of times and have met a lot of cool and famous people there." she began, making the boy grimace inwardly. "My question is, what is your favorite obscure place in the city?"

"My favorite obscure spot in the city? That's a good one," he replied, adopting a pensive look. "I think that has to be White Star Line's Pier 59. To anyone, it's just a regular pier but to those who know, it was meant to be the final destination for the RMS Titanic. Of course she never made it there. Pier 54, where the Carpathia docked with her survivors, still exists, and there are plans to turn the area into a park."

"Interesting, I was expecting you to say the Empire State Building or something like that." the girl said, genuinely surprised.

"I'm not a normal guy," he said with a shrug.

"Okay then, it's time for class to start. Sora, your seat is in the back, right next to Miss Rossi, she's the one whose question you just answered," Ms. Bustier said, earning a nod from him. "She was the new girl before you, I'm sure you two will get along,"

"I hope so." he replied, quickly taking his seat. He shrugged his bag off his shoulders, placing it down by his feet. Lila gave him a bright smile, though something told him it wasn't genuine. As the teacher started to speak, so did the brunette.

"So… I'm sure you want to know the details about how things work here, I have lots of information if you want it." she said softly.

"I'm sure I can manage, thank you."

The brunette shrugged, deciding to return to her own classwork, though a brief glance at her notebook told Sora that she was into doodling more than actually doing her work. He felt someone tap his shoulder, making him look to his right. The girl who liked Post Hardcore, Juleka, was holding something out to him, a folded piece of paper. He glanced back at the teacher for a moment before taking it, unfolding it as quietly as he could.

"Don't listen to her, she's a snake," the note read. It even had a small drawing of a snake, its forked tongue tasting the air. He bit his lip, holding back the urge to laugh. He glanced back at Juleka who was giving him a thumbs up. He gave her one in return, turning back to the board.

xxx

"Alright students, that's all for today. As you know, class is going to be a bit shorter for today because of Sora's arrival. You are quite the lucky student, everyone here wanted to make you feel welcome so they convinced me and Mr. Damocles to let you have a small welcome party. So from now until the beginning of P.E. you are free to do as you like." the teacher said cheerfully. "I do hope you feel welcome here, Sora."

"I wasn't expecting such a warm welcome, honestly. I'm so used to my teachers being brooding uncaring people. But you've been so nice, all of you have." he said, a genuine look of happiness on his face.

"The party was actually Marinette's idea, so you can thank her for it," Alya said cheerfully, making Marinette blush.

"It was a group effort really. Come on, let's forget about school for a bit and get to know each other. I'm sure there are tons of things you can tell us about New York."

"Hey yeah, like the United Heroez! Have you seen them arrest anyone? Have people gotten stabbed during robberies? What about gunshots, how often do you hear them?"

"Alix, try not to overwhelm him," Max said, pulling the pink haired girl back. Sora let out a chuckle.

"Yes, I've seen them arrest people, stabbings are fairly common on the subways and I hear gunshots every two to three days. Depends on the weather and what's currently going on in the city," he replied.

As Sora was swept away into conversation, Adrien and Nino started talking by themselves. Chloie and Sabrina had left the room almost as soon as Ms. Bustier had, and Lila had followed shortly after. People had grouped up in their own little groups, while the rest practically dogpiled the new kid.

"He seems like a good person," Nino said, as he leaned back against the wall.

"I think so too, but… I dunno. There's something about him that makes me feel odd," Adrien added, glancing back at the brown haired teenager. "Call it a gut feeling, but I feel like I've met him somewhere before."

"Really? Maybe it was in New York. There were a lot of civilians running away from Techno Pirate or whatever his akumatized form was. What if you bumped into him or something?"

"Hm… no, it isn't that. It was more recent… I can't really say where but I know I've seen him somewhere before,"

Nino looked rather confused, glancing back at Sora for a moment. "I dunno, bro. Seems too convenient to me. I feel like you are just imagining this meeting or something,"

"Yeah.. probably,"

Adrien glanced back at the new kid, briefly wondering what this feeling that had washed over him was. He didn't know why, but he couldn't get the feeling out of himself. Perhaps Nino was right. Perhaps it was all just an odd feeling.

xxx

The party was in full swing, by now everyone had moved down to the courtyard, where some tables had been set up. Snacks had been provided by Alya's mother, who Sora had found out was a 5 star chef. He had gotten to know a few of his new classmates, and had successfully made a few friends. His phone number had been passed around until he practically had everyone's contact information. Even the prissy Chloe had provided hers, though she had told him repeatedly never to call her for any reason at all. The turn out was a lot different than what Sora had been expecting.

"Everyone here is so friendly. You try to make friends with people back home and you feel like you are about to be mugged. Maybe being here won't be so bad."

"Hey Sora, I've been meaning to ask… what's up with the fanny pack, bro? It kind of throws off your entire outfit," Kim said, taking a sip from his juice. "You carrying a gun in there or something?"

"Pfft, no." he replied with a laugh. "Nah, I have to carry this around for medical reasons. I have hypoglycemia, if I don't get enough sugar I could end up getting sick or passing out. So I have some sugary snacks and candy in here, just in case I need something. Though I hardly ever do, you never know."

He really hoped people bought that lie. Though he wasn't exactly lying. He technically was hypoglycemic, but that was a condition he had when he was a child. He had since then outgrown it. Kim seemed to accept his answer without much questioning.

"I was told by Marinette earlier that you play Smash Bros, I wouldn't mind having a match to see which of us is superior," Max said, making Sora roll his eyes.

"Prepare to get creamed then, Max. I'm a champ when it comes to Smash Bros. You and Marinette might be the best players in the school but I am about to take those titles from you."

"Ohoho, careful there, Max. Looks like Sora here means business," Nathaniel said, causing the group to laugh.

"God, seriously? What the hell is your problem?"

The boys suddenly turned around, spotting Lila at the foot of the stairs, glaring at Juleka, who looked rather frightened. The brunette had a look of anger on her face. "What is the matter with you? First that big guy spills food on my expensive jacket and now you stand in my way and almost make me trip? Sheesh, do I need to put alarms on myself or something."

"You bumped into her, and you made her drop her 3DS. You should at least apologize to her, Lila." Rose cried out.

"Why should I apologize? She should apologize to me for being in my way. I mean come on, is she blind and deaf?"

"You don't have to be so mean, Lila. It was an accident, if you don't want to apologize that's one thing but don't stand there shouting at her," Marinette said, glaring at the brunette. Lila blanched, looking away from the blue haired girl.

"Whatever, I'm gonna go to the nurse's office. I'm pretty sure I sprained my ankle because of her. Try watching where you are standing next time," she said, limping away. Sora watched her go, his frown deepening.

"Does she do that a lot?"

"Bumping into people? Not that I know if, though she did say she had tinnitus and that makes her lose balance sometimes. So if she bumps into people it's because of that." Kim explained, making Sora quirk a brow. "While I do feel bad for Juleka, she does know about Lila's condition so she should have cleared out of her way before she started coming down,"

Sora was about to speak, only to see Juleka kneel down, scooping something into her grasp. He noticed what it was immediately, a 3DS XL, or what was left of one. He tossed his plastic cup into a nearby trash can, making his way toward her.

"It's okay, Juleka. Maybe we can fix it with some tape or something?"

"Tape isn't going to fix this." she replied, looking the system over. "The hinge is broken, the screen looks cracked and who knows what else broke. My brother got me this for my birthday, it was the last one on sale too."

"Do you think I could see it?" Sora asked, causing her to jump a bit in surprise. Realizing it was just Sora, she gave him a nod, handing the system over. He hummed to himself, glancing at the broken hinge. "Broken hinges are common for these systems. You'd think after a while, Nintendo would fix their design."

"Can it be fixed?" Rose asked curiously. Sora pressed the power button, seeing the light turn on. The bottom screen flashed on, but it was clearly cracked. The top screen had no image and the sound was coming out crackled.

"Hm… the bottom screen needs to be replaced, and I'm sure the top screen's ribbon cable is torn. The outer shell is cracked and the hinge is busted…" he said, taking in all the details. "Yep, you can totally fix this."

"Except I don't have money, I'm sure it'll be more expensive to fix this one than it would be to buy a new one." Juleka said softly, clearly saddened by the state of her console. "It meant so much to me, my brother hardly gets enough spare money for things like this."

"Tell ya what, I'll take it home with me and I'll see what I can do. I've fixed things like this before so I know my way around the console." he said, much to her surprise. He opened the front compartment of his fanny pack, reaching inside for something. He pulled out his own New 3DS XL, handing it to Juleka. "You can borrow mine while I fix it."

"Wow… are you sure?" Rose asked, earning a nod from the boy, who popped the cart out, giving it to Juleka.

"Mhmm. It should take me about a week or so to fix it, sourcing the parts will be a challenge, given I'm not in New York, but I should have everything I need at home. Your 3DS is in good hands,"

"I um… thank you, Sora… it means a lot to me," she said softly, earning a bright smile from the teen.

"No problem, the 3DS is one of my favorite consoles, I've put plenty of hours into tons of games myself. Now then, all I'll need is your Nintendo Account information. I'll make a backup of the SD card on my PC but I'd like to have it just in case something happens and I gotta redownload stuff."

"Sure, I'll text it to you later,"

"Alright students, it's almost time for P.E. You'll have to start winding down soon as well as begin cleaning up!" Ms. Bustier said. Sora carefully placed Juleka's 3DS in his fanny pack, pulling the zipper closed. He briefly looked into the center pocket, earning nods from the kwamis inside.

"We should probably start cleaning up, yeah?"

"We should." Juleka said, clearing her throat. "So, that playlist?"

Sora rolled his eyes, pulling his phone from his fanny pack. "I was wondering when you were gonna ask,"

xxx

Sitting within the nurse's office was an injured Lila, though her injury was anything but real. She was perfectly fine, but she wanted to be seen as a victim, after all she had already made a scene, she needed to back it up. The nurse stood in front of her, a sweet woman in her late thirties, with dark red hair tied into a bun. She was wearing a blue uniform, with white stockings and shoes, a white hat sat on her head with a bright red cross. She had a look of concern on her face, though there was a hint of annoyance in her eyes. It was clear her patient was faking her injury, but she couldn't outright say it.

"What do you mean my ankle isn't sprained? I took a tumble down the stairs. I think the bone is out of place!"

"I already checked you over, sweetheart. It isn't swollen and when I felt around the bone it felt fine," the nurse said, giving Lila a firm, yet loving look. "If it hurts then I can bandage it up for you and give you some medicine. But I don't think I need to call an ambulance or request X-Rays."

"Ugh… you are useless, what does this school even hire you for? If students can't get good healthcare here then there shouldn't be any nurses. Just forget it, I'll get medical help somewhere else!" the brunette cried, forcing herself off the bench. "Ow! God, it hurts so much!"

The door slammed after her, leaving the nurse alone in the office. Once she was sure she was alone she let out a frustrated sigh, her fists clenched tightly. "Honestly, who does that little girl think she is? Faking an injury? What is wrong with her?"

On the other side of Paris, the frustrated nurse's emotions became palpable. The circular window slowly opened, shedding light on the darkened room, sending the butterflies within fluttering in all directions. Hawk Moth's lips curved into a smirk as he held his hand out.

"A medical practitioner who's very job is questioned. Dealing with patients who don't appreciate your work must truly be the worst," he said with a chuckle. He cupped his hand over the butterfly, channeling dark magic into it before releasing it into the city, with a spin of his cane. "Go forth my little akuma, bring out those angry emotions of hers and evilize her!"

Flapping its wings like its life depended on it, the darkened butterfly flew through the city. It didn't take it long to find its target, slipping through the open window. It landed on the edge of the Nurse's clipboard, turning it an obsidian color. She clutched her head for a moment, a violet mask appearing over her face.

"Nurse Redheart, my name is Hawk Moth. You have been dealing with an ungrateful patient as of late, haven't you? Someone who does not value your expertise and medical training. And now because of her, you feel an unbridled fury within you. I can turn that fury into something new. I am giving you the power of inflicting injuries onto your patients, and making them feel all sorts of pain, and once they are done suffering and beg for your help, you'll be able to heal them right up. All I need from you is Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous, and if you can, try to capture Blue Bunny as well."

"Yes, Hawk Moth, I shall do as you ask." she said with a malicious grin. A dark wave of energy flowed from her clipboard and onto her body, turning her skin to a dark, almost poisonous color. Her blue outfit turned a blood red, her cleavage becoming more pronounced than before, the entire outfit was far too provocative for a nurse, but she didn't seem to care. She licked her lips as she walked toward the door. "Time to find my first patient!"

The second she opened it, she locked eyes with a young man, who had scuffed his knee during Physical Education. His eyes widened in shock and before he could even react, Nurse Redheart wrote something on her clipboard, shooting it at the boy. "You've got a nasty boo-boo don't you? How about I prescribe you a little pain, eh?"

"AHH, it hurts!" he cried, falling to the ground in agony, clutching his injured knee. "Why would you do this to me?"

"Because unappreciative little boys like you deserve nothing but pain. All you little twerps come here every day and you don't even say thanks. Well now it's my turn to show you all just how much I care!" she cried, breaking into a laughter as she jumped up onto the railing, looking down at the students below. "All of you deserve nothing but endless pain, so drop to the floor and writhe in it! Beg for it to stop and I might just listen!"

xxx

"Was that a scream?" Kim suddenly said, looking up from his text book.

"Remain seated students, I'll go see what's going on," Ms. Bustier said, heading toward the door. Sora perked up almost immediately, the hairs on the back of his neck were standing. Something in him was screaming for him to get up and run, but he remained seated, not wanting to attract attention.

"Could it be that Hawk Moth sent out another akuma? Does that bastard never rest?"

"Aaah!"

"Ms. Bustier!" Marinette cried, as their teacher came back into the room, clutching her stomach tightly. "Ms. Bustier, what's wrong?"

"S-she blasted me with something, and now it hurts. Everything hurts… my baby, I don't want to lose my baby!" she cried, clearly scared for her child. A laugh filled the room as a red clad woman shot inside, her eyes scanning the entire room with glee.

"What do we have here? A room of ungrateful patients? Well, it's time for me to show you all whole new world of hurt. This is for never saying thanks after you come see me for help!"

"What the hell? Is that the nurse?" Alya cried, only for Nino to tackle her to the ground, narrowly avoiding a blast of red light. Sora jerked to the right, almost being hit by it himself. He grit his teeth, trying not to scramble for the exit with the others.

"This has gone too far, Hawk Moth is getting out of hand. How dare he attack pregnant women now? What the hell is wrong with him?"

"I'd stop questioning what's wrong with him and find a hiding place, it isn't safe here." Adrien said firmly, a look of anger on his face. He noticed several of his classmates had been hit and were writhing in pain, but he knew he couldn't do anything.

Sora knew it too. He waited for the right moment, and ducked through the side door, alongside Nathaniel, Juleka and Rose. He had noticed a few others had managed to escape as well, but several others were still inside. He ducked into an empty classroom, closing and locking the door behind himself, simultaneously opening his fanny pack.

"There's another akuma girls, and this one seems to dish out pain to anyone she wants." Sora said, a look of anger on his face. The three kwamis shared a look, all three of them looking very concerned. "Hawk Moth went too far this time, making an akuma that injures people, one who attacks pregnant women without a care in the world? That's a new low."

"Then we have to do whatever it takes to stop her, little pony. We are ready to go whenever you need us," Kaalki said cheerfully.

"Alright then, time to kick some ass. Kaalki, Baark, Fluff, unify!" he cried, holding his arms out as the kwamis flew into their respective miraculous. In a bright flash of brown, white and orange, Blue Bunny had appeared. He held his hand forward, channeling energy through his hand, opening a portal to the outside world. "Well then, Hawk Moth, if you wanna play dirty then I'll just have to stop you. Ha!"

A/N: Well this was certainly a good start for Sora's first day of school, huh? We also get to see Lila doing Lila things, as per usual. This chapter was a lot easier to write, because unlike Money Maker, I had an idea for Nurse Redheart. I actually got inspired by the Fallout Boy "Young Blood Chronicles" video, where there was a zombified sexy nurse. I figured "Hey, there hasn't been an evil Nurse akuma yet" and bam. You'll get to see her in action in the next chapter, as to her full appearance... well I'll leave that to your imagination. The summarized appearance was actually longer but I had to cut it down a bit. Evil Sexy Nurses are kind of hard to get right lol.

You also get to see the beginning of a Miraculous retrieval plan being formulated as well as Master Fu showing concern over Blue Bunny. Will these things change? Maybe. Well, I know the answer but you know... details. I know I said I wasn't going to post again this month but meh, I was happy about how Chameleon came out so I decided to post a new one. Though for real now, the next upload will be on April Fools Day. I hope you look forward to it.

Thanks to everyone reading this story, it means a lot to me. I'm doing this for fun, and though it isn't my first time writing Miraculous, it is the first time it's coming out decently good, so that's always a plus. I hope you all liked this chapter. Until next time, see ya!