Marinette stared at the old Chinese man before her, but shook her head.
"Haha. Very funny. Did Chloe put you up to this?" she sighed, "You're not Master Fu."
"And why not?" he asked.
"Because he's made up. A story mt mom told me from her childhood to get me to be good," she answered.
He could see the light within her heart was starting to darken. He needed to prove himself before she gave into her dark feelings. He had an idea.
"If that is truly how you feel, then I shall be on my way," he said and spoke inside his cloak, "Come, Wayzz. It is time we took our leave."
Before Marinette's eyes, a little turtle-like creature floated out of his cloak. She couldn't believe it! The creature known as Wayzz looked like something her mom described to her.
"Wait!" she cried, "Is that a kwami?"
"Hello, I am Wayzz, the master's kwami," Wayzz introduced himself, "Is this her, Master?"
"It might be," he answered, "Well, Marinette? Are you?"
Marinette didn't know what he meant, so he gave her a small box. The moment she opened it, a ball of light came out and became a ladybug kwami. Inside the box was a pair of black earrings.
"I am sorry it took me so long to get here, but I wanted to wait for the right moment," Master Fu explained, "Marinette, meet Tikki. With our help, you shall go to the ball."
"Hello, Marinette. My, you're very pretty," Tikki complimented, "Are you ready to go to the ball?"
Marinette had no idea what to say! The stories her mother use to tell her were real! With Tikki's help, they were able to turn a pumpkin into a golden carriage, her mice friends into horses, one of her bird friends into a footman, and her dog into the driver.
"Seems everything is all set," Master Fu said.
"Uh, Master? Aren't you forgetting something?" Wayzz reminded and pointed at Marinette.
"Oh yes!" he gasped and walked over to her, "Forgive me, Marinette. I almost forgot about your dress. We can fix it up. All you have to do is say 'Spots On'."
"I will be absorbed into your earrings and transform you into a new look," Tikki explained.
"Alright," Marinette agreed and put the earrings on, "Tikki, Spots On!"
Like Tikki said, the ladybug kwami was sucked into the earrings. A swarm of ladybugs magically appeared and surrounded around Marinette. Her tattered pink dress was transformed into a red sleeveless gown with ruffles in the mid-front and a rose belt around her waist. Pure white evening gloves covered her hands up to her elbows as a red shawl with black spots wrapped around her, and a sparkling diamond necklace around her neck. Her hair became loose and free as a small bun was tied over her hair in a half up-do. And last, but certainly not least, a red and black-spotted ladybug mask appeared on her face to conceal her identity.
When the transformation was complete. she couldn't believe it! She eagerly ran to the fountain to see her reflection and gasped at the girl looking back. Was that really her? She looked like a princess! Even her low heeled red shoes were incredible! The little black bow on each toe completed the look.
"Still think I am not Master Fu?" he joked.
"I take back everything I just said," she answered, "You really are him! But, why me?"
"Because you have a good heart who has faced so much darkness. I began to sense you and another were starting to lose your happiness and that is something I cannot let happen," he explained.
"Master, who is this other person you mentioned?" she asked.
"You will meet them soon, but for now, you must go. But listen to me very carefully, Marinette, because this is very important: the magic will only last so long. You have until midnight to return home, for when the clock strikes the final toll, it will disappear and everything will return to what it was before."
Marinette nodded her head in understanding.
She quickly went into the carriage and waved to Master Fu and Wayzz, thanking them for the most magical night of her life. As soon as her carriage was out of view, the master snapped his fingers and disappeared. He had one more person to visit.
At the castle, everyone was getting everything ready for the ball. With Nathalie, the king, and everyone busy, Adrien snuck away to a secret part of the royal gardens very few people knew and remembered. He went through the hedge walls and entered a secret garden. All around were flowers. And right in the middle was an apple tree and a swing attached to it.
This was his mother's garden. He sat on the swing she use to push him on and looked at the flowers she once attended to. Nights like tonight he really missed her. If she were there, none of this would be happening.
"I wish you were here, Mom. I really miss you," he said, looking up at the night sky, "If only I could get Father to listen. He always listened to you."
Adrien reached up and plucked an apple from the tree branches, about to take a bite when he saw an old man hobbling around on a cane and suddenly fell. Adrien quickly got up and ran over to him.
"Are you alright, sir?" he asked, "Here. Let me help you up."
To the old man's surprise, the boy gently took his arm and helped him to his feet, returning his cane to him.
"Thank you, Your Highness, but why help me?" the old man asked.
"Why wouldn't I? I couldn't leave you there. What if you were hurt?" Adrien pointed out.
"Truth be told, I thought you would just leave me here. Many a rich and powerful people would not stoop so low to help a weak old man. But you, Prince Adrien, showed me kindness."
The prince brought the old man to the secret garden where he could rest and offered him the apple. They sat in silence for awhile with the only sound coming from the old man munching on the apple until he spoke up.
"A ball seems to be happening tonight, yet you do not seem excited. What troubles you, young prince?"
"It's not the ball itself. It's just that whole point of it is so I can find a girl and court her. I will be expected to stand by my father's side and dance with girls of nobility.
"And is that what you want?"
"No. I just want to have fun and dance with whoever I want! But I can't. I have to be the perfect prince everyone expects me to be."
Adrien sighed while the old man smiled.
"What if there was a way for you to have fun without anyone knowing?
Adrien gave him a confused look as he threw his hood back to reveal himself.
"Prince Adrien, my name is Master Fu and I can help you have the best night of your life, with some help from Wayzz."
A little turtle creature floated out from under his cloak.
"Hello, Your Highness. I am Wayzz, and this is for you," the little turtle kwami said and gave him a small box.
When Adrien opened it, a ball of light appeared and transformed into a black cat Kwami named Plagg. Inside the box was a silver ring Adrien placed on his finger. Unlike Marinette, he did not need to be cleaned up, so Master Fu told him that when he was ready to transform, all he had to say was "Claws Out".
Just as Adrien was about to thank him, he looked up to see Master Fu and Wayzz gone.
"So, kid. When are we gonna party?" Plagg asked.
"Soon. First, I have some royal duties to take care of," Adrien told him. The kwami floated along side his new owner as they left the garden to get ready for the ball.
