Thank you for the support folks!
Now, before I move on with the story, I need to lay down some information regarding the recurring civilian characters. During the 2D era, the concept of a superhero team, known as the Quantic Kids, was brought up, but eventually scrapped. Aside from Ladybug and Chat Noir, the other teammates would've been Melodie, Kid Mime, Mercury, Sparrow (who was replaced by Kid Mime) and Gavroche. So far, the only ones who appeared in canon were Sparrow and Mercury (cameo), while the rest of the Quantic Kids are more or less fanon characters.
For this story, I decided to make their civilian identities Bridgette's friends, those being Allegra (Melodie), Claude (Kid Mime) and Allan (Mercury). Another recurring civilian and friend of Bridgette's would be my OC Sophie Renard, who is based on the concept version of Alya Césaire/Rena Rouge, and Amber Bourgeois, who is not only the concept version of Chloé Bourgeois/Queen Bee, but also a hoax character created during the time when people speculated who would be the Bee Miraculous holder. Now, I don't think I will give the Quantic Kids their super powers, as this story focuses on the PV!Concept, which appeared pre-Quantic Kids era, but I might leave some references to their powers here and there.
Another thing to note is that, in this story, the only Miraculous that exist are the Ladybug and Cat Miraculous, meaning that other Miraculous, such as the Butterfly Miraculous, won't appear. Furthermore, Tikki and Plagg are the Kwamis of Fortune and Misfortune rather than Creation and Destruction. This also means that Ladybug and Chat Noir don't have access to Lucky Charm/Miraculous Ladybug and Cataclysm, also leading to a different combat style. As for Papillon, you will have to wait for another chapter to get an explanation on how the Akuma would work in this universe. In addition, the transformation described in this chapter, it is a mix of the PV!Ladybug transformation and the early 3D!Ladybug prototype transformation, the one where she ends looking down from the rooftop during night.
This entry is mostly an introduction that focuses on Bridgette and her origin story as Ladybug (with more PV!Trailer scenes), as well as her encounter with the person I'd describe as the main antagonist, as he affects her on a much personal level that any other villain character in this story. On the other hand, what can one expect from someone that his own creator described as ''...mysterious and evil... I couldn't imagine why she'd love someone like him,...''
Well, I can imagine why and I'm here to tell his story.
Enjoy the chapter! ;3
Entry 1
A Miraculous Tale
''Trapped me in your lies...''
– Never Lose by Ace Attorney
xXxXxXx
''Where is it?''
Bridgette Cheng muttered under her breath as she looked around on her table for the letter she had written the evening before. She made sure she would leave it on the table, in plain sight, but somehow, the latter had vanished and she had to hurry up and find it or she would be late for school. She dove under the table, wondering if it had possibly fallen under it when she prepared herself for school. To her luck, it did and she managed to grab it. Unfortunately, as she attempted to got up, she hit her head on the table, letting out a cry of pain.
''Oww…'' Bridgette rubbed the back of her head, but quickly composed herself, smiling in excitement. Even a little mishap like this couldn't stop her from feeling glad that she managed to find the letter. She grabbed her dark red backpack, which had two orange flower prints on it, and stuffed the letter into it. Then, she took a brief look at herself in the mirror, just to make sure once again that she was ready for the day.
Her long dark blue hair, which included an ahoge, was tied back into two pigtails. She was wearing a white blouse with a button-up top, a black three-quarter-length blazer, blue jean shorts with folded ends and brown shoes. She felt quite content with her outfit of choice, her bluebell eyes lighting up in excitement. She then hurried to the trapdoor that led to her room and down the stairs, flinching briefly when she heard it slam down.
She then passed the kitchen and living room area, rushing down two flights of stairs before finally reaching a hallway that led to the tea shop, below the apartment. The tea shop, called Dynastie du Lóng, was managed by elderly woman, around the same height as Bridgette, with short black hair and dark eyes, and dressed in a blue blouse, black pants and flats.
''Hi, Gran Mei!'' Bridgette greeted her grandmother, leaning over the counter and almost knocking over the cup that was on it. She managed to catch it before it fell over, breathing a sigh of relief and placing it back on the counter. Mei Cheng, on the other hand, just sighed in exasperation over her granddaughter's antics. Bridgette gave her a sheepish smile. ''Don't worry, I'm fine.''
''I hope that the reason for your rush is because you're dealing with some kind of life-or-death situation,'' Mei told her.
''I think it depends on what either of us think is a life-or-death situation,'' Bridgette replied vaguely, shrugging. Mei rose an eyebrow, but decided not to comment further, having already a feeling that it was something she probably didn't want to be involved into.
''Anyways, I wanted to tell you that I had planned to clean out the closet in my room and I wondered whether you would like to take a look at the stuff that is there. Frankly, I wanted to get rid off everything, but I thought you might find something of interest in that mess,'' she said.
''Sure,'' Bridgette replied, walking over to the door and checking the time on her smartphone. ''I'll take a look at it after school. Bye!''
''Bridgette, wait-'' Mei called after her granddaughter, but Bridgette already left, rushing towards the school. She sighed, adding in a flat tone, ''You forgot your umbrella.''
She had seen the weather report this morning announcing that there would be a rainstorm around noon and hoped to remind her granddaughter to bring an umbrella to school before she left, but it was obvious that Bridgette's head was already in the clouds, with her, as usual, not paying attention. She could only hope that Bridgette would have the foresight to ask a friend of hers who had an umbrella or a ride home to come with them.
xXx
Bridgette ran through the streets towards her school, having to briefly skid to a halt when the traffic lights turned red for her in order to avoid not only colliding with the pedestrians in front of her, but also running into the oncoming traffic. She was swaying slightly on her feet as she waited for the lights to turn green, being in a really good mood.
This is it! This is what I worked on the entire night!
She thought about the letter in her backpack, remembering how she spent ages on perfecting it, making sure her handwriting wasn't only readable, but also top-notch. She wanted the confession to be romantic, but non-invasive. She wanted it to reveal her feelings, yet let the boy of her dreams know that there was no need to give her an immediate answer.
A letter might be old fashioned, but it feels more personal. Hopefully, it'll work.
The moment the traffic lights turned green, she rushed across the street, barely paying attention to her surroundings. Her mind was still on what she had written in the letter and her plan on how to deliver it. She was rather nervous about it, but she already made her mind up and nothing would stop her from carrying out her plan.
''Hey, Bri- watch out!''
Bridgette was still walking when she turned her head, only to have someone pull her back by her arm, preventing the inevitable collision with a lamppost. Bridgette breathed a sigh of relief and turned to her savior, Claude Savard, a classmate she was friends with since they were children. He was a tall boy, with dark brown hair and blue eyes, wearing a V-neck white and blue striped T-shirt that was solid white on the top and solid blue on the bottom, with a blue shirt underneath, as well as dark blue jeans. He was also carrying a dark blue backpack with basketball-themed and a mime-themed pin on the front.
''Thanks,'' she smiled.
''No problem,'' he replied. ''Although, I suggest you to daydream during classes, not on your way to school. At least you won't run into anything.''
''I wasn't daydreaming,'' Bridgette replied, noticing Claude raising an eyebrow. ''I was just busy making plans for today.''
''Do you want to tell me what kind of plans made you almost slam into a lamppost?'' Claude asked as the two started walking towards the school building.
''I had planned to deliver this letter…'' Bridgette gave him a shy smile, the ahoge on the top of her head curving into a heart shape. Claude had quickly caught on what she meant, giving her a look that was a mix of concern and irritation.
''This is about Agreste, isn't it?'' he asked. ''I'm afraid that you're setting yourself up for disappointment.''
''I understand that you are worried about me, but I know how to take care of myself,'' Bridgette replied. Claude didn't look convinced. He knew that Bridgette could be quite stubborn and determined to make things work, even when the odds were against her. It may have been an admirable trait, but it would also get her into unnecessary trouble.
''I know, but I don't want you to suffer because of your choices,'' Claude replied. ''Especially in the case of someone like the Ice Prince.''
''I-''
''Hey, Bri! Claude!'' Bridgette and Claude turned around, seeing the rest of their friend squad approach them. The one who called out for them was Sophie Renard, a a dark-skinned girl with wavy dark-brown hair and hazel eyes, wearing a dark purple beanie on her head, a dark purple off shoulder short-sleeved top with a black sleeveless shirt underneath it, black jeans and a pair of golden and silver bangles on her right arm. Across her shoulder was a purple and black messenger bag. ''We just overheard you mentioning the Ice Prince.''
''Hey, Soph,'' Bridgette greeted her friend. ''Yeah, I and Claude were having a conversation about Félix.''
''Did something happen?'' Allan Durand tilted his head, his hands being in his pockets. He was a dark-skinned boy with short dark-brown hair and golden-brown eyes, wearing a green flat cap with a white horizontal stripe towards the top and a white bill and a green jacket that had a white collar and dark-gray pants. Around his neck, he had yellow-orange headphones and over his shoulder was a green and orange camo print backpack.
''No,'' Bridgette replied. ''At least not yet.''
''I have a bad feeling about this,'' Allegra Baudelaire said, shaking her head lightly. She was a girl with blonde hair, which she wore in a single braid, and blue eyes, and was wearing a white shirt with a purple vest and dark-purple jeans. On her shoulders was a black and white backpack with a huge music note across it and she was carrying a black flute case. ''Whatever you're up to, I don't believe that Félix is worth it.''
''All I want is to just deliver a letter I wrote,'' Bridgette explained, her tone a little defensive. ''I don't believe that would hurt anyone.''
''Right, but what are the chances that Agreste ever reads what you wrote? He'll probably just chuck it into the trash bin without even looking at it,'' Claude replied.
''Hopefully, he will have the decency to not do it right in front of you,'' Sophie added, her response causing Bridgette's ahoge to droop. The teen took a deep breath, reaching for the letter in her backpack and taking it out.
''I know that you guys aren't particularly fond of Félix, but he isn't really as bad as he appears to be,'' Bridgette told them. Claude, Sophie, Allan and Allegra exchanged glances, their expressions showcasing their doubt.
''Maybe, but the way he carries himself just screams cold and snobbish guy who is disdainful and condescending of everyone who dares to talk to him,'' Sophie replied.
''Not to mention, he is hardly approachable,'' Allan added. ''I've never seen him talk or hang out with anyone. I guess books are just more important than interacting with other human beings.''
''You can add being unpleasant and rude to the list as well,'' Allegra said. ''I talked to him about showing him around the school since he was still new, being the class representative and all, but he just told me that he wasn't interested in the tour and to leave him alone.'' She frowned. ''Honestly, if he didn't need any help, he could've just said it in a politer way instead of being so blunt. To make things worse, my backpack then suddenly burst apart and all of my books spilled on the floor. All Félix did was to just give me a look and walk away instead of, y'know, helping me out.''
''To sum it up, the point is that this guy spells trouble and we are just looking out for you since we don't want to see you get hurt,'' Claude said. ''No offense, but, what do you even see in that guy?''
Bridgette bit her lip, holding up her letter and looking at it, her ahoge curving into a heart-shape.
''It is kind of complicated,'' Bridgette admitted, feeling butterflies fluttering in her stomach. ''However, I'm seeing this through.''
''Don't say that we didn't warn you,'' Sophie told her. Bridgette nodded and took a deep breath as they walked into the school building, clutching the letter tightly and pressing it against her chest. She had to admit to herself that her friends had a point.
Félix Agreste was serious and reserved, always keeping to himself and not being openly friendly. He kept conversations short and, if he deemed them pointless, he would just shut them down immediately. Considering how he barely interacted anyone, people had a hard time forming an opinion of him. He gave off the air of someone arrogant, someone with a superiority complex, making people assume that he was pretentious.
However, Bridgette was aware that there was a lot more to him than just his aloof attitude. The first time she met him, she had been wandering around the school, trying to remember her schedule, which she accidentally left at home, and not paying attention to her surroundings, as usual. She had accidentally bumped into someone and as she looked up, she saw a boy her age staring back at her.
He was tall, wearing a light-gray button-up shirt underneath a gray vest, with the sleeves covering his hands, black slacks, black dress shoes and a black tie; he was also keeping one hand on the strap of his brown leather briefcase backpack that was over his shoulder. His blond hair was combed back neatly, giving him a rather sophisticated appearance, even though the back wasn't quite tamed. His eyes were a desaturated green-grey and he had a piercing gaze, locking eyes with Bridgette.
Bridgette stared back in curiosity, crossing her arms on her back and feeling a little unsure what to make of it, as she had never seen a guy like him before. Neither of them had said anything about the accident, with Bridgette suddenly realizing that she was probably standing in his way and his silence was probably his way of telling her to move away.
She stepped to his left, walking around him and glanced back, still curious about who he was. She had noticed that his eyes briefly flicked to the side and that, despite her standing behind him, he was aware that she was staring at him, but remained silent. Bridgette then quickly stepped to his right, blinking a few times, her mouth slightly open as she wondered whether he would respond. Instead, he just looked up and walked away from her.
Bridgette was left standing in the half-empty hallway, still stunned by the encounter, not even registering that the bell rung for classes to start and that the students were going to their classrooms. She felt her heart skip a beat as she remembered his piercing gaze, the ahoge on the top of her head springing to life and taking the shape of a heart. Her cheeks flushed and she smiled.
Somehow, she had found herself drawn to him.
She had later learned that his name was Félix Agreste and that he was a new student that transferred to her class, even sitting in the row in front of her. She wanted to talk to him, but he would always walk away right after classes ended, giving her no chance to approach him. At the same time, she also had her own problems to deal with.
When she went to her locker to pick up her sketchbook, she found it missing. Disheartened and frustrated, she searched her locker and backpack again, but couldn't find it. Sighing, she closed the locker, hearing someone whispering and chuckling. As she turned around, she saw Amber Bourgeois and Jeanne Bourret talking something in hushed tones and Amber smiling as she looked at Bridgette.
Of course… Bridgette frowned, her ahoge frizzling up.
Amber Bourgeois was a girl with wavy honey blonde hair tied into a high ponytail, adorned by a bee hair-clip, and blue eyes. She was wearing a short-sleeved yellow dress with black stripes, a black jacket, black tights and black boots, and around her neck was a golden necklace with a heart-shaped locket, and a pair of yellow-rimmed sunglasses was hanging from the collar. She was also wearing a white messenger bag with yellow accents and a bee patch stitched on it over her shoulder. Despite being fairly gorgeous on the outside, she was quite prickly on the inside, always loving to find new victims.
Before Bridgette could accuse Amber of stealing her sketchbook, the teen waved, a smirk of satisfaction on her lips, and left, followed by her friend Jeanne. Bridgette felt her blood boil, but she knew that she couldn't do anything about this. She had no idea what Amber had done to her sketchbook, but it was clear that she wanted to use it to provoke her. Frankly, this wasn't their first encounter and Bridgette had hoped that Amber would grow out of being a petty bully, but it seemed that this wouldn't be the case.
Realizing that there was no way of salvaging the situation, Bridgette sighed in resignation, figuring that she would buy another sketchbook. As for the sketches, she tried to remember what she had been working on and re-draw it, but she couldn't recall anything.
This day can't get worse, can it?
As she walked outside the locker room, feeling quite downcast, she was startled by Félix, who seemingly appeared out of nowhere. Looking at his hand, she saw him holding a black book with a rose print across it – her sketchbook!
''I believe that this is yours,'' Félix said as he gave Bridgette the sketchbook. The teen didn't reply, opting to stare at Félix in stunned silence, her ahoge curving into a heart-shape. ''I saw Bourgeois taking it out and throwing it into the trash bin.'' His eyes narrowed, his gaze cold. ''You really need to take better care of your belongings. It's a waste to see hard work being treated like that.''
He then walked away, leaving a stunned Bridgette, who didn't even register the irritated tone in his voice. She was both surprised and confused by the fact that Félix had brought her sketchbook back, as she hadn't expected him to bother helping her. As it turned out, this wouldn't be the only time he would assist her.
A couple of days later, Bridgette had been tasked by a teacher to bring a bunch of books to the library and decided that the most efficient solution would be to stack them on top of each other and try to navigate through the hallways while having her vision partially obstructed. The end result was her tripping and causing the stack of books fall over the person she had ran into.
As she recovered, Bridgette discovered that this person was, to her horror, Félix himself. Both fell on the ground, with Bridgette flushing with embarrassment as Félix gave her a rather irritated glare.
''You should watch out where you're going,'' Félix had told her coldly. ''You're a real klutz.''
''I'm sorry…'' Bridgette replied meekly, quickly picking up the books that were strewn across the floor. As she looked up, she saw Félix carrying several books as well.
''Those were supposed to be taken to the library, right?'' he asked.
Bridgette nodded quietly, her ahoge curving into a heart-shape. She felt a little weird about the fact that Félix decided to help her once more, especially after she made a fool of herself in front of him. She remained silent during their walk to the library, focused on finding the right words to thank him and ask him whether they could hang out. However, once they dropped the books off, Félix was already gone.
Honestly, I just don't get him.
Before she even knew, she had found himself staring at Félix and even following him on occasion, being curious about his interests and where he spent his free time. The mixed feelings she had for him developed into an actual crush, but with that crush also came several issues. She saw the looks of concern on her friends' expressions and she was aware that crushing on someone whose usual response to being an interrupted was an icy glare wouldn't have the best outcome for her.
Nevertheless, there was something about Félix that intrigued Bridgette. Despite what one may think, she didn't fall for him because of his looks or aloof attitude, even though the former may have played a part in it. Félix's abrasiveness was actually a part of why she was so interested in him, as she wanted to understand the odd mix between the out-of-the-blue kind gestures and the clashing coldness in his gaze.
She knew that her friends believed that she had the utterly wrong perception of Félix and that she probably had no idea what she was getting herself into by deciding that she was in love with him. She didn't blame them for thinking like this, as Félix didn't really leave a good impression on them, but she felt that she actually knew better than them.
If I could just get through this icy barrier he built around himself, maybe I could prove that he isn't the Ice Prince everyone considers him to be.
She found herself thinking about Félix more and more, feeling her heart race each time she looked at him. Eventually, she decided to finally confront him directly, wanting a clear answer. She had managed to intercept him during lunch while he was on his way to the library, where he would, as she learned, spend most of his free time.
''H-Hey, Félix!'' Félix appeared to be startled when Bridgette emerged from a side-corridor, approaching him. He gave her a questioning look, while Bridgette blushed, her ahoge curving into a heart-shape. She took a sharp breath, trying to calm herself down. ''I-I wanted to ask you whether you'd want to go out for a coffee with me.''
''No.'' Félix's eyes narrowed as he gripped the strap of his backpack tightly. Bridgette was a little disappointed, but not discouraged.
''If not a coffee, how about tea? My family owns a tea shop and I-''
''I'm not interested,'' Félix cut her off, walking right past her.
Bridgette's ahoge drooped and she turned around, observing Félix until he left her sight. She felt downcast by his rejection, but figured that he was probably busy. She decided that she could ask him out some other time.
Not that it worked, as he rejected each and every of my invitations. Bridgette looked down at the letter she was holding. She had figured that, if Félix didn't want to talk to her, then at least he could read how she felt about him. I really hope that this is going to work. He doesn't even have to respond to it, as I just want to let him know how things are on my side.
Nevertheless, she would be lying to herself if she claimed that she didn't want him to actually acknowledge her feelings for him.
xXx
Heavy dark clouds passed across the sky, accompanied by the occasional sound of thunder. It was obvious that there would be a thunderstorm, but Bridgette was too busy planning how she would give Félix her letter instead of realizing that she still had no way to return home without getting drenched. During lunchtime, she had figured that she could give the letter to him at the library, where they would have some privacy. Feeling quite satisfied with her decision, she went to the library, hoping to find Félix there. However, she had absolutely no idea about the disaster that awaited her.
Once she had arrived at the library, she was left wandering between the bookshelves, trying to locate Félix. She managed to find him in the English Literature section, peeking her head around the bookshelf.
''Hey, Félix-'' Before Bridgette get another word in, the books Félix was reaching for suddenly fell over him, causing quite a ruckus. Bridgette winced, giving the dazed Félix a worried look. ''Are you okay?''
''I am,'' Félix replied, rubbing his head and giving Bridgette an icy glare, as if she was to blame for the accident. ''Although, I would've felt better if you hadn't sneaked up on me.''
''I'm sorry about that,'' Bridgette replied in a quiet tone, then added, slightly bitter, ''I wasn't sneaking around.''
Félix gave her an annoyed look and crouched down to pick up the books. Bridgette helped him, figuring that, while this wasn't the best moment for a conversation, she at least managed to get Félix's attention.
''Anyways, Félix,'' she said, her cheeks having a slight pink tint to them and her ahoge curving into a heart-shape, ''I wanted to talk to you…''
''I am not in the mood for a conversation, especially not in a library,'' Félix cut her off, placing the books back on the shelf, grabbing his backpack and another book, and walking away.
''Wait a second,'' Bridgette called out for him, still holding a tight grip on her letter. She found him at the front desk, waiting for the librarian to arrive so he could borrow the book he was holding. She walked up to him with a determined look on her expression, placing the letter on the desk and pushing it towards Félix. ''I wanted you to have this.''
Félix was puzzled for a moment, staring at the letter. He reached for it, failing to notice the odd shimmer coming from the ring on his right hand; the ring being entirely black with a cat face, the cat having green jewels as eyes and a red diamond-shaped jewel on its forehead. Suddenly, the vase with flowers that was on the table next to the letter toppled over, spraying the flowers and water over the letter and soaking it, then fell on the floor, shattering into tiny pieces.
Both Bridgette and Félix were stunned, their eyes widened as they stared at the ruined letter and broken vase in horror. Before they could say or do anything, the librarian arrived, looking quite alarmed.
''What happened?''
''I'm sorry, it was an accident…'' Bridgette started, only for Félix to interrupt.
''It's my fault, I knocked the vase over,'' he said, with Bridgette giving him an incredulous look. The librarian shook her head.
''Don't worry, I understand that it was an accident,'' she said, reaching for the book Félix was holding. ''I'll call someone to clean this mess up, but make sure that you don't step on the shards.''
While Félix waited for the librarian to scan the book, Bridgette took the ruined letter, feeling rather disheartened when she realized that it wasn't salvageable. Her ahoge drooped as she left quietly, ripping the letter in half and crumpling it up, then tossing it into the trash bin she passed by.
Things really can't get worse, can they?
xXx
I just had to jinx myself.
Bridgette groaned as she stood in front of the school building, with the overhang being the only thing that shielded her from the rain. She wanted to ask her friends whether they had an umbrella and whether she could accompany them, but the whole event with Félix and the letter kept lingering in her mind, causing her to forget about the thunderstorm until it was too late. Her friends had already left and she didn't want to bother them by calling them and asking for a ride or to bring her an umbrella, as it was her fault for not thinking ahead.
How am I supposed to get home now?
Bridgette sighed, leaning against the wall and staring at the dark sky, listening to the raindrops hitting the overhang and wondering whether she should wait it out. She hoped that she wouldn't be stuck here for the rest of the day, but after a few minutes passed, it was clear that the sky wouldn't be clearing any time soon. She lowered her head, her ahoge jumping slightly when she heard the entrance door next to her opening and someone walking outside, but didn't bother to look who it was.
''Here.''
Bridgette was startled by the familiar cold tone and quickly looked up, surprised to see Félix handing her a red umbrella over, while clutching a black one in his other hand. His gaze was steady and hard, the kind that would make any other person back away. However, when he locked eyes with Bridgette, she didn't appear to be intimidated or bothered in any way.
''I had a spare one with me, so you can take this one,'' he added. Bridgette was still staring at him, her soft gaze making him feel a little irked. He simply couldn't understand why she behaved like this in his presence, but at this point, he just wanted to get over with this. He looked away, breaking the eye-contact. ''Take it.''
He could feel Bridgette's fingers brushing against his as she took the umbrella, both wincing slightly when they heard a thunder right above them. He then opened his own umbrella, his eyes briefly flicking at Bridgette, only to see a warm smile on her lips. He rose an eyebrow, a little puzzled, and turned away.
''You don't have to return it,'' he added, walking away.
''Thank you!''
Félix briefly stopped walking, seemingly wanting to reply, but then continued, ignoring Bridgette. The teen wasn't bothered by this, keeping a tight grip on the umbrella. While her grandmother would probably tell her that the umbrella was a bad omen, as it was a symbol for a relationship breaking apart, she felt that she should hold onto it.
After all, life is full of surprises, and you never know what is going to happen next.
xXx
After greeting her grandmother, who appeared to be relieved that she didn't return home soaked to her bones, even though she did rise an eyebrow when Bridgette told her that the umbrella was a gift, Bridgette went upstairs, her emotions swirling inside her like a vortex. She was quite happy that Félix gave her the umbrella, but she felt disappointed that she couldn't give him the letter.
Maybe I should try something else.
She sighed as she left her backpack and the umbrella in her room, then went back down to her grandmother's room, feeling glad that she at least hadn't forgotten about what the closet clean-up. Frankly, she was curious about some of the stuff her grandmother had stored, as she had a penchant for finding or buying unusual items. She had probably spent an hour or so combing through the mess and placing whatever caught her interest into an empty box, then picked it up and walked back upstairs.
Bridgette huffed as she carried the heavy box into her room, already regretting taking so much stuff along. There were some things inside it that had piqued her interest and she wanted to go through them in her room. She sat down and started rummaging through the box, taking out a few old books, ornaments and jewelry boxes, disappointed to find out that some of them were empty.
She tilted her head when she found a small red and black lacquered jewelry box and opened it. She was amazed to find a pair of red earrings with black spots that had golden outlines on the edges, reminding her of ladybug wings.
''Those are so cute!'' Bridgette smiled, quickly getting up and walking over to the mirror, wanting to put them on. As she took the earrings out of the box, they briefly shimmered, startling Bridgette. She figured that it was just a trick of light and put the earrings on. She then titled her head, brushing away her hair to take a better look at the earrings, which suddenly started to glow, with an orb of red light emerging from them.
Bridgette cried out in surprise, stumbling and falling over on the floor. The source of the red light appeared to be a small red-orange creature, with light orange cheeks, a dark brown four-leaf clover marking on its forehead, and a dark brown spot on its back. Its eyes were black and it had two antennae with round yellow tips, as well as a short three-tipped tail. The creature then looked around and flew over to Bridgette, who stared at it in shock.
''Hello, my name is Tikki,'' Tikki introduced herself. ''Who are you?''
''I-I'm Bridgette Cheng,'' Bridgette replied, two seconds away from completely freaking out, her ahoge being frizzled. ''Wh-What are you?''
''I'm a kwami, specifically, the Kwami of Fortune,'' Tikki explained. ''You freed me from my dormant state when you put the Ladybug Earrings on.''
''I… did?'' Bridgette touched her earrings, wondering if she should take them off. ''I'm sorry, I had no idea-''
''No, no, that's a good thing!'' Tikki assured her, flying up to Bridgette. ''As long as you keep wearing the Ladybug Earrings, you will have good luck in your life.''
''That's good to know,'' Bridgette said, giving Tikki a resigned smile. ''I could really use some good luck in my life, since I'm something of a klutz. I mean, just a week ago, I had agreed to help out my friend Sophie to decorate her room, only to manage to knock over the can of paint and get drenched. It took me ages to wash it off.''
''Unfortunately, I'm not sure how much the good luck charm will help you with your clumsiness, but if you need guidance or advice, I will be right by your side,'' Tikki told her, her tone warm and soothing. Her expression then changed and she gave Bridgette a serious look. ''However, I have to warn you. If you use your good luck for selfish reasons, great misfortune will befall you. You need to be careful with how you use them.''
''I see,'' Bridgette muttered, her eyes narrowing. ''I guess that it shouldn't be surprising that this kind of power wouldn't come without any consequences. Nevertheless, I promise that I will use it responsibly.''
''There is one more thing you need to know,'' Tikki added, with Bridgette giving her a curious look, her ahoge curving into a question mark. ''You can use the Ladybug Earrings to transform into the superheroine Ladybug.''
''A superheroine?'' Bridgette stared at Tikki, completely stunned.
''That's right,'' Tikki continued. ''These earrings are a special type of jewelry known as the Miraculous and, once you're transformed, will give you additional abilities that will be helpful when you find yourself in a pinch. Of course, it is up to you whether you want to use them or not, but if you do, I recommend you to make sure that your true identity and source of powers remains a secret. One can only imagine the horrors that could happen if the Miraculous falls into the wrong hands.''
''I understand,'' Bridgette said, nodding. She lowered her head, her ahoge drooping as a look of doubt formed on her expression. ''Although, I'm not sure whether I'm cut out to be a superheroine. I'll probably mess things up.''
''No one is perfect. You might make mistakes, but you should take them as a learning experience,'' Tikki comforted her, patting her shoulder. Bridgette rose her head, seeing the kwami smiling. ''All you need is to be confident in your abilities. I'm sure you'll make a great Ladybug.''
''I guess you're right,'' Bridgette said in a quiet tone. She was still unsure about this whole situation, since it was quite sudden to learn that she had been gifted super powers, but she was intrigued by the idea of becoming a superheroine who would be able to help those who are in need. She took a sharp breath and got up, giving Tikki a determined look. ''Okay, I'm in!''
''That's great!'' Tikki gave her an excited look. ''In order to transform, all you have to say is 'Tikki, transform me!'.''
Bridgette nodded, brushing away her hair with her hand to reveal the Ladybug Earrings.
''Tikki, transform me!''
She tilted her head slightly to the side, with Tikki getting absorbed into the Ladybug Earrings. Sparkly orbs of red light were emitted from the earrings, completely enveloping Bridgette. She stretched out her arm out, with a red suit materializing across it, and spreading over her body, the suit having black spots on the torso and a black collar. Her hair grew longer, with long red hair ribbons, that were tied to her pigtails, popping out and trailing behind her. A string covered in golden beads appeared around her waist, with a red compact that had black spots on it being attached to the string. She took a step forward, with a red mask appearing on her face, and she opened her eyes, which turned a darker shade of blue. She turned on her heel, striking a pose, her arms outstretched and bent slightly back and her hair ribbons billowing behind her.
Ladybug blinked a few times, stunned and walked over to the mirror, staring at her new suit. She tilted her head quizzically, turning around to take a better look at the hair ribbons and the back of her suit.
''I have to admit, I didn't expect to look like this,'' she said.
''The suit that materializes on your body is the product of your own vision.'' Ladybug was surprised to hear Tikki's voice coming from her earrings.
''I guess that makes sense,'' Ladybug said. ''When you told me that I'd become a superheroine named Ladybug, I imagined a red outfit with black spots.'' She tilted her head, placing her hands on her hips. ''The ribbons and beads are a nice touch, though. They make the suit look less bland.''
''You know, if you don't like it, you can change the suit's appearance upon your next transformation,'' Tikki informed her.
''Actually, I'm fine with it, although, I feel more like a magical girl than a superheroine. Maybe I should call myself Mahou Shoujo Coccinelle,'' Ladybug mused, a look of satisfaction on her expression. She tilted her head slightly, snorting. ''Or, maybe not, Ladybug is also fine.'' She then reached for the compact that was attached to the string and took it off. ''So, what is this for?''
''Well, as I stated earlier, with the transformation come also additional abilities, like boosted speed, endurance, agility, and strength. The suit is quite durable and will protect you from major hazards, like a fire. As for the compact, it can turn into various weapons of your own choice. Try trailing with your finger across the edge of the compact.''
Ladybug did as Tikki instructed her, surprised to see the edge opening and revealing a black string, essentially turning the compact into a yo-yo. Ladybug played with it, amazed and curious about whether she could do anything else with the compact.
''This is awesome!'' she said as the yo-yo returned back to her hand.
''In addition, you can turn the compact into a staff, a shield, and even wings for flight. Try it out!''
Ladybug clasped her hands around the compact, which suddenly separated into two pieces. When she attempted to put the pieces together, a pale red and purple beam of energy appeared between them, with Ladybug extending the pieces, revealing a staff. She grabbed it by the beam and twirled it.
Smirking, she gripped the beam tightly, causing it to break and reached for the two pieces, turning it back into a compact. She then placed the compact on the back of her hand, with the middle of the compact opening and revealing a pair of insect wings, which started flapping at rapid speeds, forming a circular shield in front of her.
Curious, she let the shield disappear and placed the compact on her back. It suddenly grew bigger, the red frame, basically an elytra, opening up and revealing a pair of blueish insect wings beneath it. Amazed, Ladybug wondered how to activate them, only to cry out in surprise when the wings started flapping, causing her fly up and hover at least a meter above the floor.
''This is not what I had in mind!'' She flailed her arms in panic, having no idea how to control her wings, and shouting the only thing that came to her mind, ''Tikki, de-transform me!''
The moment her costume vanished, Bridgette fell on her back, crying out in pain. Tikki, who emerged out of the earrings flew up to her, worried.
''Bridgette, are you okay?''
''Yeah, I am,'' Bridgette replied as she sat up, rubbing her back. ''I just had a hard landing, that's all. I'll be fine.'' She glanced at Tikki. ''Although, I think I'll practice flying somewhere in the open rather than in my room.'' She glanced at the window, noticing that it had stopped raining and that the sky had cleared. ''Not to mention, I don't think this is the only thing I'll have to practice.''
''What do you have in mind?'' Tikki asked her.
Bridgette looked back at the kwami, smiling mischievously and doing a fist pump.
''How about doing some rooftop parkour?''
xXx
Okay, maybe this wasn't the best idea I had.
Bridgette took a deep breath and looked over the wall of the building she was standing on, feeling dizzy when she saw just how high up she was and quickly crouched down, her back turned to the wall and her ahoge frizzled. Her heart was racing as she leaned back, her fingers grasping for the cold wall and making sure that she wouldn't fall over.
It was late in the evening and she had figured that she could get on the top of a building that had a lot of rooftop space for her to practice moving across Paris while jumping from rooftop to rooftop. The only issue was that, after seeing how high the building was, she suddenly started getting cold feet. She was worried that she might mess up, that something might go wrong, causing her to fall down and hit the ground. She knew that a fall from this height would result in either her breaking all of her bones or certain death.
''Bridgette, are you completely sure about this?'' Tikki, who was hovering next to her, asked. Admittedly, she had complete faith in Bridgette's abilities, but seeing the fear in Bridgette's eyes made her question her holder's decision. Bridgette took a deep breath, taking a moment to calm herself down and nodded.
''If I want to act as a superheroine or magical girl warrior or whatever, I will be dealing with all kinds of situations, won't I? I need to learn how to overcome my fears for the sake of the people I want to help,'' she told the kwami, who nodded.
''That's correct, but you need to keep in mind to not push yourself,'' Tikki replied. ''This is a new experience for you and you have shown that you're determined to follow through with your plan. All you need is to be confident in your abilities and believe in yourself.''
''Right.'' Bridgette took a sharp breath and stood up. ''Ready?'' Tikki nodded, with Bridgette brushing away her hair with her hand to reveal the Ladybug Earrings. ''Tikki, transform me!''
As the kwami got absorbed into her earrings, Bridgette was enveloped in red light and, a moment later, she was standing on the rooftop as Ladybug. She looked down and then at the building on the other side. She turned around, distancing herself from the edge and then took another sharp breath and started running towards the edge. However, before she could jump off, she skidded to a halt, freaking out again.
Oh, com'n! You can do better than this!
She shook her head, a sheepish look on her expression, turning on her heel and walking back to the other side of the rooftop. Frankly, gymnastics wasn't her forte, but she knew that she didn't only have enhanced abilities, but also good luck super powers, so she should be fine.
''Alright, let's go, but this time, for real,'' Ladybug said calmly, her voice giving her the confidence she needed.
She ran towards the edge, leaping across to the other building and even doing a somersault mid-air before landing back on her feet. Her heart was racing as she looked back, a wide smile forming on her lips.
''That was awesome!'' she exclaimed, still having difficulty to believe that she managed to pull off the jump. ''Let's see what else I can do!''
''That's the spirit!'' Tikki cheered. Ladybug grinned and then started to run across the rooftop, leaping off it and landing on another building. She didn't stop though, continuing with her rooftop run and covering bigger and bigger distances between the buildings. She felt like she was on a roller-coaster doing jumps and mid-air somersaults with ease. It was incredible, giving her a sense of freedom unlike anything she ever felt.
Unknown to her, she wasn't the only one doing a rooftop parkour, as another figure had landed on a rooftop on his hands and feet just as she was passing by. He was wearing a form-fitting black leather-like suit, the collar around his neck being unzipped, showing a bit of his chest, and had a large golden bell attached to the zipper. His belt tail wrapped around his waist twice, criss-crossing in an ''x'' in the front and had a large silver belt buckle in the shape of a cat's head. In addition, he was wearing mid-thigh high boots, had claws on his fingers, fangs, as well as toe beans on his feet and hands. His blond hair was messy and untamed, with black cat ears on the top. His face was covered in a black mask, only revealing a pair of green eyes, including the sclerae.
He was known as Chat Noir, a superhero with an unfortunate penchant for trouble and a bad luck magnet. As he looked up, he saw Ladybug soaring across the sky under the full moon. She had a wide smile on her face, clearly enjoying herself; and once she landed on the roof, she did another somersault, effortlessly jumping over another chimney stack and disappearing from Chat Noir's sight.
Chat Noir was stunned for a moment, but then his eyes widened, glittering in the moonlight and a wide grin spread across his face.
''Woo!''
Excited, he quickly followed her.
Meanwhile, Ladybug had managed to land on another rooftop, finally slowing down and being slightly out of breath. Nevertheless, she was quite satisfied with her accomplishment. She clasped her hands and stretched her arms above her head, trying to figure out what she was going to do next. So far, she felt like she was just in the tutorial phase and wanted to do something more challenging.
''Huh?'' Ladybug looked up at the chimney stack above her, seeing a dark figure with green eyes sitting on the top, his tail curling up. Puzzled, she stepped back, only for the figure to jump down, revealing himself to be a guy in a black suit with cat ears and a belt tail. ''Uh, good evening?''
''Good evening to you too, M'Lady.'' To Ladybug's surprise, the cat boy took her hand and kissed the top. She blushed slightly, being startled by his straightforwardness. She stared at him as he gave her a knowing smile, only to snap out of her daze.
''Excuse me, but who are you?'' Ladybug asked as she pulled her hand back.
''The name is Chat Noir.'' Chat Noir bowed down with flourish, one hand on his back and the other on his chest, and looked up at Ladybug, winking at her. ''Your loyal partner-in-crime.''
''Partner?'' Ladybug rose an eyebrow, crossing her arms on her chest. ''I had no idea I needed one.''
She observed in satisfaction as he faltered for a brief moment, his cat ears flattening against his head. He obviously didn't expect such response, but he managed to quickly pick himself up.
''While one might argue that you indeed don't need a partner to protect you, I believe that it would be far more exciting to have me by your side than work alone,'' Chat Noir replied, extending his hand and smirking, a fang popping out of the corner of his mouth. ''A beautiful lady like you deserves only the best and I'm fairly confident that I'm meeting those expectations.''
''I wouldn't be so sure,'' Ladybug replied. ''After all, I haven't even seen you in action.''
She was startled when Chat Noir suddenly stepped closer to her, causing her to back away, only to hit a wall. Chat Noir took another step, leaning with one hand against the wall and blocked her way with his body.
''It depends,'' he said, his tone enticing. ''I could show you my skills while fighting off criminals, but in return, we could spend some time together… Maybe in a more romantic setting.''
Ladybug blinked, gawking at Chat Noir and trying to process what he just insinuated. Was he flirting with her?
''I don't think so, Kitty,'' she replied in a stern tone, seeing the puzzled look on Chat Noir's expression. ''I may still be new to this, but I'm not interested in being involved into any kind of romance while I'm working as a superheroine. It would be too much of a distraction.''
''So, I'm now a distraction?'' Chat Noir didn't falter this time, his tone charming and confident. ''Thank you for the compliment, M'lady.''
Ladybug rolled her eyes, feeling quite irked and realizing that Chat Noir wasn't giving up so easily.
''Seriously, I'm not interested,'' she told him, pressing her hand gently against his chest and pushing him away, with Chat Noir stepping to the side. ''If all what you want to do is to flirt with me, then I'm better off by myself.''
''Then, how about a good-bye kiss? I don't even know whether I might see you again,'' Chat Noir leaned closer, only to be stopped by Ladybug placing her hand right in front of his face.
''That's not going to happen, Chat Noir,'' she said, giving him a pointed look. ''Ever.''
She then turned on her heel and ran off to the edge of the rooftop and leapt off it, landing on the rooftop of another building. Chat Noir just leaned against the wall, his tail flicking as he crossed his arms and observed Ladybug vanishing from his sight.
He smirked sinisterly.
I don't mind a challenge, M'lady. Trust me, one day, your heart will belong to me.
