I realised as I started writing that this prompt might have suited the Reflekdoll chapter better... But there we go. Hindsight is 20/20, as they say. Besides, I thought this would be a neat idea.
Just in case people get on my case about this: I know harlequins aren't fake ladybirds. Doesn't mean the characters know that though.
Thank you for all of your support.
Day Twenty-One: Kwami Swap
It had finally happened.
Really, she was surprised it had taken so long. Fifteen years of lucky breaks and conveniently-placed handholds had come to an end.
Marinette had sprained her ankle.
She was fortunate not to have broken it, her father told her as he helped her hobble up the stairs after a visit to the hospital. "And both your wrists too," he said. "You won't be able to write for a while, or draw."
"I know," Marinette moaned, struggling up to the stairway to her bed. With most of her appendages not working and crutches not a viable option, she was more or less confined to her room. When she was settled on top of her duvet, Tom propped open the trapdoor to let in the fresh, summer air.
"I have to get back to the bakery," he said. "We've got an order for a dozen boxes of raspberry éclairs for this afternoon and I haven't even started…Do you need anything?"
"My laptop?"
Tom nipped down to the lower floor of the room to retrieve the laptop and brought it up for her. "Your maman'll bring you lunch later. You know the bakery number if you need anything."
"Yes, papa."
"Okay. You take it easy." With a bristly kiss on her forehead, Tom bid her goodbye then hurried back down the stairs and through the trapdoor.
As soon as the door shut, Tikki emerged from her hiding spot and sat on her knee. "This is bad, Marinette," she said worriedly.
"I know! How am I going to do the preliminary sketches for Jagged's poster if I can't even hold a pencil! Let alone draw…" Marinette grumbled as she eased her laptop open. Her wrists twinged painfully. "I can barely even type…"
"I mean if an akuma attacks!" Tikki exclaimed. "You can't transform into Ladybug with those injuries!"
At this, Marinette frowned. She hadn't thought of that. "Can't you help with that? Strengthen that part of the costume or something?"
Tikki shook her head. "It doesn't work that way. I can help it heal quicker but you'll be out of action for at least a few days…"
"Maybe we'll be lucky?" Marinette suggested. "What are the chances of Hawkmoth releasing another akuma over the next few days? We just had one yesterday."
Apparently, she'd spoken too soon. Immediately, a roar tore through the air, followed by a loud smashing noise. Marinette tried to clamber to her feet to peer through the trapdoor to her balcony but as soon as she put weight on her right ankle she yelped and collapsed.
Tikki flew up instead, and returned a few seconds later with a grim expression. "Akuma," she confirmed. "This one looks especially dangerous."
"What do we do?" Marinette cried. "If I can't transform...but Chat Noir can't purify the akuma...should he transform into Mister Bug again? But we can't do it without the Cat Miraculous... Should we ask Master Fu? Where's my phone? Please don't tell me I left it on my desk…"
Tikki's grimace confirmed that she had. "I'll take the earrings to Master Fu. It'll be quicker to go straight to him, then I can take them to whoever he picks to replace you. Just temporarily."
Marinette chewed her bottom lip; the thought of Tikki venturing out with the Miraculous was a worrying one. What if the akuma spotted her and attacked? What if Hawkmoth somehow found out and followed her?
But there weren't any other options so she nodded. "Okay." Marinette unpinned the earrings and handed them to Tikki, not liking how empty her ears were, how powerless she felt.
Tikki bumped her forehead against Marinette's then disappeared through the trapdoor.
Sighing, Marinette pulled her laptop closer and, slowly due to her injuries, pulled up a Nadja Chamack's channel and the Ladyblog to watch any live footage of the battle.
Luka heard the akuma before he saw it. Something screeched, then the building just before him was suddenly demolished by a large, green tail. Straight away, people on the street ran in the opposite direction. Luka nearly joined them when, behind the wreckage of the building, there emerged what could be described as Godzilla from the American and Japanese movies. But, something stopped him from running.
Marinette lived around here.
And Marinette seemed to have no gauge of dangerous situations.
He took off sprinting, against the crowd like a salmon up a waterfall, blood pounding in his ears as, with another crash, the giant lizard destroyed a second building. He hated to think how many people might have been injured—or worse.
He skidded onto her street; it was already empty as most people had gone into hiding. However, he hadn't gotten far when something red caught his attention. A little creature, whizzing through the air. It reminded him of Sass, but this one was red…
"Hey!" he called. "Are you a kwami?"
The little red thing nearly fell out of the air, but it recovered quickly and hesitantly approached him. Like Sass, it had a large head for its tiny body, but this one was decorated with little black spots and its eyes were bright blue. It held a pair of earrings.
"How do you know…" she began, eyes wide with alarm.
"I…" Luka paused. Was he allowed to tell his secret to another kwami? "I have experience. I know... Wait. Are you Ladybug's kwami?"
The kwami tensed, then sighed. "Not here," it said, nodding towards a small alley. "We can't be overheard."
They ducked into the alleyway, walking a little way down it so the shadows hid them from anyone who might have walked past.
The creature hesitated before speaking. "I'm Tikki," it said. "I'm Ladybug's kwami."
"Is she okay?" he asked. "Why isn't she transformed? There's an akuma attack happening."
"She's fine," Tikki replied. "Just, she can't transform right now."
How could the akuma be defeated without Ladybug? Unless... He eyed the earrings in the kwami's tiny arms. "Are you looking for someone to replace her?"
She—at least, it sounded like a she—bit her lip and glanced away, but nodded.
"I'll do it," Luka said. "I have experience. I'm Viperion—or, I was. I can help."
"You…" Tikki gaped at him. "You really shouldn't go around spreading that. If Hawkmoth finds out, you and your family could be in danger."
"Sorry. I didn't think it would matter if it was another kwami…"
Another thundering crash rang through the street. More buildings were reduced to rubble by the akuma. Tikki pursed her lips, forehead scrunched as though in deep thought. Then, her eyes hardened, resolute.
"Alright, as we don't have time," she said, holding out the earrings. "Please, will you accept the Miraculous of the Ladybug this once?"
Luka glanced at the destroyed buildings, then at the Dupain-Cheng bakery, and nodded. "I will."
"Ladybug's special power is Lucky Charm, which will help you to defeat the akuma. And the Miraculous Cure, which will return everything to normal. All you have to say is Spots On."
Luka quickly replaced his earrings with the Miraculous; a familiar surge of energy coursed through his body. "Spots On," he said, and the energy multiplied. Similarly to Sass, he felt something like pure power absorb into his skin and body, but this power was different. Lighter, somehow. Airier. Whereas Sass heightened his senses, made him feel powerful, Tikki made him feel alive, like his mind was too big for his body. Like he had a thousand thoughts flickering in his brain like stars. Like a whole sky of constellations merged into one.
The costume was scarlet with spots scattered all across his torso, but the lower half of his legs and arms were solid black. The yo-yo appeared on his hip; he hadn't played with one for several years, but hopefully the ability to use it came with the transformation.
He gave it an experimental swing, only for it to hit his head.
"Well, here goes," he murmured to himself, casting one last look at Marinette's house before launching himself after the akuma.
Godzilla—as he had chosen to call it—seemed to have no other goal than to smash up buildings and kick cars, like a toddler throwing a tantrum. But, due to its size, Luka was unable to stop it with his yo-yo, or fight it with his fists.
Luka perched on top of a building, out of reach of the akuma's claws. What would the real Ladybug do?
"Hey, Buggaboo! Miss me?" Chat Noir crooned, landing neatly beside him. "What do we have he—what?" Chat Noir stared at him, confusion melted away into suspicion. "Who are you? Where's Ladybug?"
Luka—he needed to think of another alias—sighed. "She couldn't transform, so I'm standing in for now."
Suspicion turned to concern. "Can't transform? Is she okay?"
"She's fine. I'm not sure why she can't transform."
"Do you know her? I mean, in real life?"
Luka—Mister Bug? Coccinelle?—shook his head. "No. I just found her kwami. This is only for today."
Chat Noir stared at him for a few seconds longer then nodded. "As long as she's alright. What's the situation here? Godzilla?"
"Looks like it," Luka replied. "I can't see where the akuma is. It doesn't look like it's wearing anything."
"Is it holding something?" Chat Noir asked. "Sometimes that's where it is."
"No, not holding anything."
"Damn. Looks like we'll have to get a closer look...uhh... What should I call you? Not that it's important as it's just for today…"
Something like sourness had seeped into Chat Noir's voice, but Luka ignored it. He'd seen the headlines and the gossip columns about Chat Noir's feelings for Ladybug, and his constant rejections. A smidgen of jealousy wouldn't surprise him.
"Harlequin," he replied. "You know, like the fake ladybugs?"
This seemed to please Chat Noir as he gave a short, breathy chuckle. "Alright then, Harlequin. Let's get a better look."
They swooped down, landing at the akuma's feet, but it didn't seem the least bit interested in them. Instead, it continued yelling and stomping and punching buildings. Luka—Harlequin—wondered if it really was a toddler having a tantrum.
"Hey, Godzilla!" Chat Noir shouted, baton at the ready. "Want a real fight with someone who can hit back?"
"RREEAAEAAAH!" screamed the akuma, lifting its foot to stamp on them. Chat Noir leapt nimbly out of the way and began jabbing the akuma's scaly leg, still taunting it.
Harlequin, having stumbled in his bid to not get squashed, retreated a small distance away to assess the situation. He had to be missing something. The akuma had no weapons, just its size and brute strength. It had no clothes, so accessories. Just itself: claws, teeth and scales.
Scales.
He noticed the discoloured patch on the akuma's chest: not vivid green but a dingy yellow, shaped roughly like the beast itself. It had to be where the akuma was. And now that he knew where it was—or hoped it was—he just needed something to help get it.
Praying he wouldn't hit his head again, Harlequin flung the yo-yo in the air with a quiet, "Lucky Charm."
A pink flash, then a red and black object fell into his hands. A large, leather hoop. A horse collar?
Harlequin frowned and looked back at the akuma. Chat Noir was running circles around it, lingering just long enough for it to strike, then jumping away at the last second. Soon, the ground was covered in dents from the akuma's tail and feet where it had tried to squash Chat Noir, and the buildings around had large holes where it had caught itself when it lost balance.
Harlequin glanced back at the horse collar and smirked.
He had an idea.
"Chat Noir!" he called. "Get this on Godzilla's hand!" He flung the collar, which Chat Noir caught easily with a thumbs up. Then, as Chat Noir got to work trying to force the collar on, Harlequin charged forward with his yo-yo spinning. He threw it. The end wrapped around Godzilla's other wrist, but the akuma didn't notice; it was too busy swatting at Chat Noir.
Harlequin made a running leap, and with the Miraculous' extra boost, managed to land on Godzilla's back. Then, he yanked as hard as he could on the yo-yo, forcing the akuma's arm back. He tied the string around one of the back-spines, trapping the arm, and looked to Chat Noir.
He had the collar around the other hand. Then, seeing Harlequin, he similarly used the collar to pull the arm towards its back.
The akuma thrashed and stomped, kicking cars and smacking its tail into anything it could reach, but Harlequin held on tight. Finally, it overbalanced and, without its arms, it couldn't catch itself on anything. The akuma fell sideways and slammed into the pavement, nearly throwing the two heroes off its back.
"Let me take that," Harlequin said, keeping one hand on the yo-yo string as he braced himself against the spines. "There's a yellow patch on its chest."
"Gotcha." Chat Noir grunted as he passed him the collar, with the akuma's flailing hand trapped in the middle, and leapt down. A few seconds later, Harlequin heard a cry of Cataclysm! Followed by a rush of black and purple. A butterfly fluttered up, which Harlequin quickly snatched up in his yo-yo and released purified.
Where the akuma had just been, there now sat a child next to a pile of dust. Harlequin hurled the horse collar in the air and, feeling only slightly silly, announced, "Miraculous Harlequin!"
The horse collar burst into pink light and ladybugs, and the street was put back to rights. The demolished houses stood tall, the cars back on the curb. Any injured people well again.
Chat Noir, mouth pulled to one side, held up his fist. Harlequin met it with the least enthusiastic Pound it! he'd ever witnessed.
"You sure Ladybug will be back next time?" Chat Noir asked. "You were fine, but you can't compare with my lady."
"I hope so," he replied. "That was pretty intense."
"Yeah," Chat Noir agreed. "It is. Well, thanks for stepping in, Harlequin. Don't take this the wrong way, but I hope we don't meet again."
"Not like this, anyway," Harlequin added. "I have to get going. These earrings are beeping, so…"
"Yeah, go ahead. I'll take care of this one." He knelt down in front of the child, who now held a plastic toy dinosaur and seemed surprisingly content for someone who, mere moments ago, had been tearing up Paris. "I'll take you home, kiddo. Where to?"
As Chat Noir spoke to the child, Harlequin fled. He hoped not too many people or cameras had seen him—it probably wouldn't be good if Hawkmoth found out the real Ladybug was out of action—but it was too late. As he ran back towards the alley he'd spoken to Tikki in, he spotted a news helicopter hovering above where the fight had been, and Marinette's friend Alya skulking on the sidelines with her boyfriend.
"Hey!" she called. "Harlequin, was it? Can you answer a few questions for the Ladyblog?"
"Sorry!" he yelled. "Can't stay!"
She shouted something else, but he was too far away to hear it. He reached the alley moments before the transformation gave out, and he was once again just Luka with a kwami in his hands.
"Thank you." Tikki smiled. "You make a fine Ladybug."
"Well, if you ever need me again," he said as he took out the earrings. Suddenly, he felt quite exhausted, like he'd just run a marathon.
Tikki nodded and took the earrings. "We'll know where to find you. I have to go back to the real Ladybug now. You'd better go home. It was nice working with you, Luka!"
She disappeared before he could reply. Luka decided to wait a little bit before leaving the alley, lest he should see where Tikki went. The real Ladybug could live nearby, and he'd hate to accidentally find out her identity and compromise her safety.
However, as he strolled out of the alley, half a minute later, another thought crossed his mind.
"How did she know my name?"
Luka was nearly home when he received a text from Marinette that almost made him turn around.
M: soooooo guess who nearly broke her leg
L: Are you okay!?
M: yea
M: just sprained my ankle
M: and my wrists
M: both of them
L: How?
M: fell down the stairs
L: Do you need anything? Do you want me to come over?
L: I can be there in 20
M: nooooo
M: its fine
M: ive got a film playing
M: just need rest for now
L: I'll come round tomorrow
L: You can't stop me
L: I'll bring you favourite chocolate
M: :D
M: xxx
L: xxx
He still wanted to turn back and see her, but she seemed content enough, and he had promised to help Anarka with a few chores that evening. He had debated swinging back around afterwards, but by the time he'd finished the chores it was nearly 9pm. He knew her parents went to bed early due to the bakery, and as lovely as they were they wouldn't appreciate him waking them up.
When he went down to his room that evening, with thoughts of chilling to a bit of music and maybe attempting more crocheting, he was surprised to find a small box on his desk, along with a note.
Destroy after reading.
I'm sure you know what this is and how to use it.
With Hawkmoth's akumas becoming stronger, we cannot risk any mistakes.
Use it well.
It wasn't signed. Luka read it a few times then, as per the instructions, he fished a box of matches out his desk—he'd gone through a candle phase a few years ago—and struck a flame. He watched the paper burn and disintegrate into a pile of ash, which he scooped up and dumped out his window.
Then, he turned to the box—the very familiar box—and opened it.
A flash of turquoise light.
A surge of energy.
A low, smooth voice.
"Hello again, Luka."
