I do not own Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Cat Noir.
Enjoy!
The world was terrible.
Zombies rose, humanity went to war, cans of food that were ignored had become a lifeline.
And he, Nino Lahiffe was unfortunately stuck in the middle of it all.
You see on the day the world went under, his eyes turned red just like a Zombie.
Except he wasn't a Zombie.
He slept, he didn't sniff people, he ate, he felt pain.
But hardly anybody trusted him, every day he had to prove to somebody that he hadn't turned, every day he had to prove to strangers that he hadn't become a special Zombie that was trying to take them down one by one.
The only one willing to sleep near him was Alya but the door was always open, there was always a weapon visible in his line of sight.
However, he could take all that, but what he couldn't take was the rejection from his own family, he hadn't managed to shield his brother's eyes as they ran for their lives and people were eaten right behind them.
His 6-year-old brother saw the rawness of it all and with his eyes, Chris just stopped allowing him to touch him.
He had noticed that his mother was far more on guard and was careful about touching him.
Even as a hero, the victims he saved, the moment they looked into his eyes, they started screaming or attacking him, rarely would they ever allow him close enough to save them.
Even Alya eventually stopped sleeping next to him and showing him affection.
He kept having hope that he would be accepted one day but then he heard it.
As he was going to the toilet in the middle of the night, he came across the meeting room door, they didn't know he heard it, but they were discussing their excution plan for him.
Even Alya had one.
That broke him.
Even after all he had done, it still wasn't good enough.
He took off his Miraculous and hung it on the door.
He couldn't take it anymore.
These eyes caused him nothing but grief.
Because of these eyes, nobody saw him as a human being.
No, it wasn't these eyes, it was them.
Well, it they didn't want him, he might as well switch sides.
At least Zombies saw all humans the same way, they didn't care for the look of the eyes and they certainly weren't afraid to touch them with their bare hands.
If they wanted a Zombie, he would give them a Zombie.
He gave up human being right there, his heart turned to stone and he disappeared.
He opened his eyes and found himself on a comfortable bed.
What?
He sat up and while he doing so, he noticed a bracelet on his arm and on it flashed 'Nino'
No last name.
No family to tie him down.
He looked around and was stunned to discover where he was.
It was Adrien room, it had the massive windows and everything.
He hadn't seen this place in a year.
But everywhere was so spotless and clean, there was no layer of dust or rat running through the room.
He looked outside the window and was stunned to see instead of that aged sign of Adrien advertisement it simply said 'Welcome to Neo-Paris, the City that proudly puts Zombies first'
Neo-Paris?
Paris had been evacuated in the first few days by the military.
Everybody left but Adrien Father who was determined to stay in his ear tight mansion for the rest of his life for some reason.
So how on Earth was he here?
Had Zombies somehow broken in and taken over the mansion?
And what's this about putting Zombies first?
He then heard a knock at the door and he said. "Come in"
And in came none other then Gabriel Agreste, the man was a year older and wore a collar like a pet around his neck and was dressed in butler uniform.
He was stunned.
They looked at each, but instead of the man yelling for him to get out or better yet, throw him through the nearest window, the man said. "Did I disturb you, Master? Please forgive your servant, I just wanted to make sure the bathroom was clean"
What?
Master?
Had he stepped into some bizarre universe?
"Master?" Said the man.
"I'm fine. Go check" he said.
The man went to the bathroom and through the gap in the door, he actually saw the man inspecting the bathroom like a cleaner.
What had been done to this man?
Gabriel didn't recognise him at all.
And if Gabriel didn't recognise him, then he probably wouldn't recognise his own son.
The man came back and said. "I've made sure it is spotless for you to use, Master. Only the very best quality and if you would like me to clean again, there is a button near the bed"
He then began to leave.
"Wait," he said.
The man stopped.
"What's your name?" He said.
The man blinked and said. "I don't know, Master. All I was told was that I had a hard time focusing on my true purpose so my memory was erased. However, I can now focus and serve the masters and mistress in this house" before the man said. "Somebody of my class can only dream of stepping into a place like this. I am grateful"
Nino mouth almost dropped.
Adrien would be in tears if he saw his father now.
But what could break into the Agreste estate, get through all that security and wipe a mentally strong person like Gabriel Agreste memory?
A monster, he didn't want to meet.
"You may go," he said.
"Thank you, Master," said the man, before leaving.
He turned to the computer and saw there was a sheet on the table, on it was how to turn on the basic things like the computer and the password for the WIFI.
He went to shower.
And as the hot water poured down on him, he realised that it had been a very long time since he had, had a hot shower.
It had been a long time since he had soap on his skin and he could wash and shampoo his hair.
It had been a long time since a towel was wrapped around his waist and he saw toothpaste instead of a jar of salt.
He brushed and cleaned and went to the wardrobe and saw that all of Adrien clothes had been replaced and the clothes were now his style like somebody had put him through a personality test.
So fluffy and comfortable.
He turned the tv on and there was actually channels, 100 in fact.
The fact that it actually turned on would blow the whole base's mind.
So relaxing in front of the massive tv, in an envious room, in comfortable clothes could only be a dream before.
To think Paris had become this.
If people knew they would be flocking but why didn't they-
He suddenly knew the answer, as he saw the sign again.
What moved in wasn't humans but Zombies, who else could rebuild the city like this when there were hordes everywhere?
There was probably a giant wall to keep most out too.
On tv, he saw adverts, like a delicious new snack which was funny since Zombies don't need to eat but so the aim was the flavour.
There was even an advertisement for a new video game.
Wow.
He played Adrien Video games all night, making sure to not delete the guy's progress, after all, he would never be that evil and just played on the next slot.
He didn't need to sleep so he played all night.
He went out the next morning, and things had really changed, everybody was clean, shops had been completely revamped and every human he talked to him called him Master and gave him free merchandise especially because he was new to the city and didn't have an allowance yet.
He came back to the mansion and walked past the other zombies in the house.
Who knew the mansion would become a boarding house for complete strangers with the owner walking around as a servant?
He may not agree with everything but it wasn't lost to him, the feeling of not being looked at with suspicion.
He hadn't experienced coming near people and they don't subconsciously take a step back.
If people are deep into a conversation, here, people don't stop at the sight of him for fear of him using that information against him and best of all, he was not sent to the front lines where he will be assaulted by both Zombie and human.
Who knew Zombies treat their own so well?
He spent 4 days being on cloud nine, generally enjoying what it was like to actually be 15.
But after the 4th day, he was made to realise he was now a mere cog in the whole city.
This whole place wasn't just made for him.
And an advertisement was what did this for him.
But this wasn't just an advertisement, it was a video that gave life to dead devices and broadcasted all over the world.
He heard spoken in a peppy voice.
"Hi. Are you a starving and smelling human who lives in a camp or in a cramped space-eating food out of an old Can and drinking your own pee because going outside will make you a target? Your life sucks"
There saw a human who had the standard look from his previous camp even down to the haunted eyes.
But the voice said. "Well, what if I told you it doesn't have to be? I'm now introducing to you all, a new place. Neo-Paris" there was a nice shot from high above to down below.
The man looked stunned, just like the human race of course.
"Say goodbye to your old terrible life and say hello to Neo-Paris," said the voice. "The only country in the world that has clean, running hot and cold water. We have supermarkets, houses, jobs, medication, heating, TV, Wi-fi and many more. And no, we're not joking, we have it all and its all behind a protective wall"
The guy transformed, he was now much cleaner, healthier and reading a newspaper, while eating a fresh breakfast of fried eggs, 2 sausages with a cup of coffee on a nice clean table and with a comfy background behind him.
"So you must be asking yourself, what do you have to do to be a citizen of this amazing country?" Said the voice. "Well let me tell you, you just have to show up at the many entrances around the wall and state your case. If you can't make it to the address, countless bus's will be sent to your area, no matter the part of the world and they will transport people safely there."
There was an image of a clean bus, which will probably be hijacked in main areas.
But then the voice said. "But wait, its get better. If you can prove that you used to live in the original Paris before the expansion, you will be granted VIP citizenship and will receive an allowance higher then those who are not VIPs. Are you excited yet? Are you following?"
She was good...he thought, the whole world must be hooked.
"So now let's talk about the hard stuff," said the voice. "The beautiful city you see on screen isn't actually run by human but by special kind of zombies"
And just like that, the world seemed to have gone silent.
"These Zombies can talk and think thanks to a bracelet on their arm. They can also control the spread of their virus" said the voice. "The city's motto is to put Zombies first. So if you're wondering why all the best houses are taken, that's why. To become a citizen, you agree at least tolerate your new neighbours and understand that the city will never treat you as well as it treats a Zombie." But then she added. "Unless that Zombie decides to use those benefits to help you out"
There was a long awkward silence, there was indeed no such thing as a free lunch.
The voice then said. "Now onto security. All weapons will be confiscated at the door and if you try to break in, the country has the right to defend itself"
There were weapons and shooting and people dying on screen.
The voice continued and said. "If there are any shouts of revolution, you will immediately be thrown out and blacklisted from the country. The country does not have time for your nonsense. If you were to murder a Zombie, you will be punished by Zombie law which is the most serious offence." Then the voice said. "Any crime you do within the country will have a punishment fitting it. You will also be required to address a Zombie respectfully unless the Zombie says otherwise"
More silence.
"However this is a small price to pay to get out of your hellholes," said the voice. "The highest human citizens are the ones who agree to devote their lives to a zombie. Not only can they move into their zombie's owners nice homes, but they are also allowed access to exclusive Zombie events, buildings and merchandise. They will also receive the highest allowance for them and their family"
They saw a human with a collar.
Wow.
You have to admire how they outright show the human slave.
"However, we understand that this route is not for everyone," said the voice. "Neo-Paris is the first of its kind and will usher in a new world. There are other places already in development so as time goes on, there will be a lot more freedom of choice. So come on down and get a taste of that sweet normal pie. Neo-Paris. The country that puts Zombies first whether you like it or not."
And then the advert had the nerve to make the sun smile before it ended.
The advertisement ended in this country but it was playing on a loop all around the world until people turned their screen off.
Nino was silent, he still remembered seeing the fear and hurt in peoples eyes, the sheer despair.
The human race had been beaten and such a thing stubbornness was a thing of the past, you do whatever you can to survive.
If somebody is given you such a place, a chance to be normal at the cost of discrimination then you shut the hell up and survive.
That's why people will bolt to the country doors and even abandon their own families to get there.
A sea of desperation was coming.
Yes and a lot of stupid people who were about to find out talking Zombies were still Zombies.
But he also knew his old allies will come with their families and his family will come too.
They may even try to change this country behind closed doors while they wanted better lives for their families.
As for him?
He felt nothing.
He had chosen to feel nothing.
This Zombie heart of his was completely fine.
And scene!