MY FAIR-Y LADY

[Based on & Inspired by the Lady Fairy AU from BeeBeeBomBam in Tumblr]

CHAPTER 04: A Race Against Time (Part 01)

Opening Remarks: Hello! Welcome to the newest Chapter of My Fair-y Lady, Part 01. Unlike my last update that was 2+ years from the last update, this one is thankfully around a few weeks in between. Originally was going to post this exactly 2 weeks from the last update, but lots of stuff happened on my end (ex: preparing for the Holidays and for my sister's wedding, etc.), but thankfully I did post these! Here's to hoping you all enjoy!

Stick around at the Endnotes if you want to read the notes and ramblings. I hope you all enjoy my story, and if you want, leave a comment since I would like to reply to them when I can, and I hope I can continue writing more on this!


A new day began in Paris as the sun shined brightly, its rays signaling to the citizens of the city that it would be a good day like the ones before it or after. It even seeped through curtains of many who still thought they could still be asleep, giving a glimmering cue that it was time to finally awaken from their slumber.

"Hmmm . . . ughh . . . "

In a certain teenager's room, the morning light was at a battle with the girl who was trying to still find herself asleep, but it was not to be. Her phone collaborated with the new day in their combined tag-team effort of blindingly bright brilliance and blaringly loud alarm sounds to finally get the teenager to get up and start the day, which she did begrudgingly.

"Ughh . . . alright, alright I'm up," the teen muttered to herself as she finally relented and accepted that today was a new day.

Getting out of bed to do some light stretching, the girl looked at her phone and saw the date of today, and it made her show a small smile. Still somewhat tired, the girl in her green sleepwear and pink bedhead hair exited out of her bedroom and made a beeline for her dining area. The girl could already smell a faint scent of food, yet the food itself smelled different; that instantly made the girl perk up even more in her wakefulness as she saw the breakfast being made.

"Ahhh, there you are, Alix. I hope you like this little extra special breakfast for my little girl's extra special day!" The man whom Alix knew looked at her as she was amazed by the meal in front of her. Typically, the man would dress befitting his historian occupation: scarves, dress shirts and coats, slacks, and dress shoes.

"Come wash your hands before you sit down. I am just about done making breakfast."

The girl chuckled seeing as the man in question was still dressed in his typical sophisticated wear, but also had a frilly yellow apron over it as he was finishing up. Washing her hands and sitting down across from his dining spot, she was already excited at knowing what he made, if the smell of the food or the array of small syrup and jam jars at the table weren't already a dead giveaway.

"Dad, you made your amazing Baghrir (North African Berber pancakes)! Sweet!" Grabbing a few for her plate and dousing them in a mix of the usual honey-butter sauce and even some jam, Alix Kubdel began her birthday by scarfing the breakfast with gusto. The man who made the meal only smiled at seeing his teenage daughter scarf down the meal, all while eating more slowly and refined. He was already used to the girls' lack of patience with many things; hence, he needed to be a patient parent himself.

"Well, I am glad I could start your birthday with you stuffing your face full. I just hope you can save room for whatever your friends have plans for you. As well as the dinner we are having as a family." Alix's father, historian, and one of the many curators of the Louvre, Monsieur (M.) Alim Kubdel softly chuckled in jest as he watched his daughter realize she was eating too fast before she took a swig of her drink and swallowed the contents to reply back with the banter.

"Can't help it! You know how me and Jalil would sometimes fight over this. Speaking of which, where is my dork of an older brother anyway?" Alix chewed slower as she realized she may actually have an incoming argument with said sibling, but her father merely chuckled.

"If you can stop thinking about the next time you'll butt heads with your older brother, you'd remember Jalil slept over at a friend's place for his school project. But he's coming back around lunch . . . Anyways Alix, what are you planning to do with your friends for the rest of the day . . . I hope not too late though, I still expect my birthday girl to be in her birthday dinner." M. Kubdel in his usual gentle voice teased his daughter again which got her to chuckle.

"Haha, Pops, if you have time aside from being a paid history nerd and dad, you can try out comedy. And I'll have you know that I am just going to meet with my classmates and friends at the Trocadéro because I am making sure I beat this friend of mine in a race. It'll be my own little gift to myself if I win, along with the picnic some of them are bringing. It won't be that long anyway. I'll totally be back by then, way before the fancy dinner!"

"Is there a way that I can hopefully expect my beautiful daughter to be beautifully dressed up for the special occasion as well?" M. Kubdel couldn't help but ask, hoping for an answer of change of heart.

"Usually, I would say don't push your luck because no way am I getting into those dresses without a fight." Both daughter and father chuckled a bit before M. Kubdel walked over to the side to pick up a small box, neatly stuck with a bow as vibrant in pink as Alix's hair. Sitting back down, he put the box on the table while his daughter stared at it in wonder.

"Well, you were always a vibrant and headstrong girl . . . just like your mother." The tone of the room slightly shifted at that mention, but the father pushed on to make the tension disappear.

"Which is why I decided to give you this gift early." Giving her the small box, Alix held it as she was more curious to guess what was inside than opening it.

"Jeez, Dad. If this is another old-timey family heirloom, I think you and I both know Jalil would get more joy over it . . . and probably pick it apart to learn its history . . . On second thought, maybe we should stop giving him old stuff to dissect." Showing not-so-subtle hints of disappointment over what the content of the gift box was, her thoughts were interrupted with another more subdued chuckle from her soft-spoken father.

"No, no. This is not a historical heirloom, I know better than that since I understand you were never that interested in things like history, unlike me and your brother. This gift is an heirloom of sorts, yes, but more recent and more sentimental . . ." He paused his words as he allowed Alix to see the content of the box, her curiosity being more peaked.

It was a beautifully well-maintained wristwatch. It had a polished stainless-steel strap colored metallic black with the straps' sides silver. The watch's face showed an analog-style clock in a luxurious black with the markers and hands in white; a red line hand along with the clock hands working as the watch's compass. The outer silvery metal frame was freely rotatable and etched with compass markings. The clock face contained 2 small windows where the 3 o'clock marker would be, depicting not only the date but also the abbreviated day of the week. It also had a smaller sub-dial next to a slightly larger sub-dial at the lower half of the analog clock face, with the smaller denoting the Chronograph or stopwatch functions, while the other denotes lunar phases. Overall, it was a beautiful wristwatch that is perfect for any occasion, from formal events to wearing it outdoors such as for hiking.

"Oh wow . . . this is beautiful, Dad." Alix picked it up and started checking it before putting it on. Fitting her wrist so well while her eyes still shined in awestruck, her father continued his spiel about the gift.

"I had hoped so . . . it was actually your mother's watch, Alix. You know your mother loved these types of watches, and I made sure to keep this one in particular tip-top shape for this very moment. Happy Birthday, sweetie."

"B-but why now?" Remembering her mother, Alix had felt a wave of both happy and sad memories of Madame (Mme.) Kubdel washes over her in an instant. The father also had a slightly more solemn tone when remembering his wife.

"Well, I have my reasons . . . and that will be all discussed at our family dinner tonight. So please, don't be late. Okay, Alix?"

Not knowing what else to say, Alix walked over and hugged her father tightly to which he reciprocated the embrace.

"I promise to love this amazing gift, Dad. From you and from Mom." Tears almost tried to come out of Alix's eyes, but she was not about to cry this early on her birthday. Letting go and giving each other sincere smiles, they continued their breakfast with some idle chatter, such as hiding away any leftovers from Jalil. The two Kubdels, father and daughter, laughed on in their special breakfast together, happy that the gift for Alix from someone not with them brought the two even closer.


"Maman, Mme. Chamack is here for her cake!" The blind French Chinese girl hollered from within the bakery's main post as she smiled at where she knew the woman in question was waiting. Despite her disability, Marinette Dupain-Cheng could still clearly help out in ways around her parents' bakery, Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie, which she and anyone who's had food from this place know is the best bakery in all of Paris, biased hyperbole or not. To this, she was just finishing up placing various pastries at the bakery display cases when the aforementioned customer came.

"I am terribly sorry for this, Marinette! I legit thought I could pick this up later on, but my boss heard I had a break time now, and practically kicked me out the office to pick it up." Sighing in exasperation, Nadja Chamack got a sympathetic smile and a pat on the back from the Eurasian teenager which helped mitigate the fatigue the news reporter was feeling.

"Don't be, Mme. Chamack. My parents have had your order ready anyways. You can always trust a Tom & Sabine specialty order to be truly special, and always ready for pickup or delivery!" Marinette couldn't help but giggle at how she said that last part like a saleswoman making a snappy but catchy pitch, which helped Nadja laugh at the bubbly girl's antics.

Marinette internally gave herself a fist pump over helping the regular customer and her mom's friend like that, since Marinette in a lot of ways likes to make sure she can try to help in ways she thinks she can. Whether it is just by talking to them, playing music or with her other talents, or just by being an empathetic listener, Marinette Dupain-Cheng will try to help someone out if it is within her scope of helping. The empathetic listening part can even be said to have since been heightened even more so after the girl was Chosen by the Kwami of Transformation to be Paris' Lady Fairy, wielder of the Butterfly Miraculous and partner to a certain Chat Noir.

"Sorry for the wait, Nadja. Tom wanted to double-check our reservations tonight, you know how he can be." The woman, whose name is one-half of the bakery's namesake, came forward in her usual work outfit, albeit with an extra flower hair accessory, carrying a tall box that surely contained the cake order needed.

"No, no, Sabine. I should be the one to feel bad! I mean, it's not every day one gets to enjoy their 20th Wedding Anniversary in that swanky restaurant I told you guys about. You two should have taken it slow today!" Nadja went over to the petite Chinese woman as she was willing to shoulder the cake box already.

"But with frequent customers like you and your office, it helps us actually go to those restaurants for our special occasions. Are you sure you'll be alright with that, Nadja?" As Sabine and Nadja chatted amongst themselves about how Nadja will bring the cake and what will Sabine wear for later, Marinette walked back inside the bakery and up the stairs to where she knew her father would be. She guessed correctly as she just heard him put down their landline phone from their living room.

"Excited for later, Papa?" Tom looked to his side to see his beautiful blind daughter walking to their living room towards his direction. Tom walked to his daughter and hugged her.

"Oh Marinette, I am very much excited that I must have annoyed that reservationist already with my double or even triple-checking!" Tom Dupain laughed which got his daughter to smile and chuckle as well.

"You and Maman should enjoy your nice dinner tonight. And don't worry about me, okay? I'll probably just have Alya and the girls for a study session to keep me company. I promise we'll behave for the most part." Marinette made a finger motion over her heart as though she was crossing it in promise.

"Well alright, I guess I am still overthinking things . . . do you think I should snip my mustache a bit more?"

"I think you will be dashing with whatever you decide, honey . . . but do keep the 'stache." Sabine came up the stairs and patted her husband's face lovingly before looking over to their daughter, who was starting to wonder if she should leave the two alone and not be a third wheel to her own parents' intimate moments. It was barely a second or so later before Sabine remembered what she needed to say to one of them.

"Oh Marinette, Alya and Nino are downstairs waiting for you. I already gave Nino the cake for Alix."

Checking her watch that comes with tactile and talking functions, she realized it was time for her to leave. Giving her parents hugs and kisses, Marinette went downstairs with her non-foldable white cane, or her all-white walking stick designed for those who are fully blind, to where she knew her two friends were waiting for her. Alya holding onto the cake for Alix and Nino holding onto a picnic basket to go with the cake for their group picnic with the others.

"Hey, Marinette, ready to go?"

"Yeah Mari, Mme. Sabine even gave me the cake already, which I may say am very much excited to dig into since it looks and even smells A-may-zing!" Nino's singsong-like tone over the last part made the two girls giggle.

Even without sight, she can tell that her parents made a lot of effort in making the cake she herself baked to have the level of pretty that could only be from a Tom & Sabine bakery. As much as Marinette can basically bake in her sleep due to living above said bakery and being thought by her parents, decorating things like cakes well as a blind person is a different feat altogether. Leaving the bakery, the trio of friends went off to the nearest bus stop. As they were about to reach their goal, they stopped as a familiar black car stopped by their side of the sidewalk. Rolling down the windows, Alya and Nino looked to see their resident model friend from inside while Marinette merely faced the general direction but had a feeling it was someone she knew.

"Hey guys, do you need a lift? It'll be much faster than having to wait for the bus to take to the Trocadéro."

"Oh sure, Adrien. That's really sweet of you!" Marinette's smiled facing where he was, and it was doing wonders to Adrien's heart as he needed to slightly look away unless he gets a feels-induced mini heart attack.

"Oh totally, dude! This beats having to take the bus lugging this cake ar—"

"Actually Marinette, you go on ahead with Adrien! I just remembered something, and I really need Nino's help for this one!" Alya quipped, interrupting Nino's acceptance of the offer as she handed Marinette the cake box and picnic basket before she basically opened the luxury car door for her blind friend to get in. It didn't help Adrien in his blush mitigation with how Alya basically stuffed Marinette in before he had time to fully scoot over. He felt the space between him and his blind friend's faces becoming too close, feeling the pinkness of his cheeks cover his whole face. Marinette on the other hand was not noticing it, even if she could see, as she was more peeved by being basically shoved in by Alya.

"Alya! Wai—"

"Don't worry, Marinette! Me and Nino will see you and Adrien there in a bit, right Nino?" Nino saw a threatening aura begin to manifest around the female blogger with just the way she glinted her eyes at him to try and reason out. Sighing in defeat, he conceded and just gave his two friends in the car a smile, and even Adrien's bodyguard a thumbs up. The bodyguard gave a small acknowledging nod in reply before the car drove off. Nino saw Adrien's confused face at the back window as Alya gave a too sweet of a smile at the blonde as she watched the luxury vehicle drive off.

"You know, you could have let me in on the plan before acting it up." Nino stated frankly as he went over to the bus stop to wait for the bus.

"Sorry! I didn't know Sunshine Boy was using this route, and I just had the idea pop into my head just like that!" Alya mitigated the situation. Thankfully for her, it never happens to get that bad when it's with one of the chilliest people she got to know.

She really liked that about Nino.

"You really are a wonder sometimes, Alya."

Blushing slightly, Alya thought in the back of her head that she didn't also mind using that excuse for Marinette and Adrien to be together to also just hang out more with him. Not that he also seemed to mind since he gave her a small smile and gave her one of his earphones for both to listen to music on his phone. Both teens had a similar thought go through their heads while enjoying their time together.

'Hope you're having as fun of a time, Adrien.'


Adrien was in fact not having as much of a fun time as both hoped.

In the first few minutes since Marinette's impromptu shoving inside and her trying to sit as properly as possible, there was silence. There were obvious feelings of awkwardness from the two teens, but for admittedly different reasons.

For Marinette, it was due to how she feels like she needs to not be as space-taking within the car as possible, mentally rationalizing that even if Adrien is her friend, she would not want to cause issues while sitting in such a high-class vehicle. She also took it upon herself to continue holding the box and the basket because she was again worried about what stains or scuffs may be left inside.

Adrien's reason was because he felt awkward being together with his amazing friend who he is crushing on; hence, the tense silence of a car ride. As much as he can already try to rationalize excuses in his head, he cannot not admit that Marinette does things to his heart in a way that makes him feel all sorts of feelings, mainly fluttery ones. He was hoping for the unease of the last few minutes to stop, but he could not find a way to break the tension without feeling like bursting in pink again.

Thankfully, Marinette broke it for him.

"I-I hope if I am not taking up too much space in your car, Adrien. I wouldn't want you to get into trouble with your father if the cake box or picnic basket made a mark on it . . . even though Alya should have just held it with her instead of shoving it in with me like she was trying to stuff sardines in a can!" Adrien couldn't help but give a chuckle, which made Marinette also chuckle.

"Oh. I-it's no problem, Marinette! I guess Alya really had to go get that thing she needed, huh?"

Adrien knew that smile Alya gave him as they were driving off was just her many attempts to get him to talk to Marinette alone. He didn't bother trying to deny the fact that he knows their blogger friend could see how much Marinette affects him, and that it was a matter of time before Marinette herself will finally realize it too. Adrien just hopes he would finally have his thoughts and feelings sorted and fixed by then. Looking forward, he saw his bodyguard and driver look at him and his blind friend from the rear-view mirror, with the eyes looking at the blonde teen then making eye movements to the girl. Adrien has never heard his bodyguard, whom he endearingly likes to call M. Gorilla, talk or convey with words so the way he was signaling Adrien with his eyes was enough of an obvious message even the admittedly oblivious blonde can interpret.

'Go on, talk to her more.'

And so, he did.

"D-do you want me to hold onto the picnic basket at least, Marinette?" He saw her briefly surprised by the suggestion, but he decided to continue to at least not make her take on all the objects on her side and lap.

"I-it's just you have that cake box and basket balancing on your lap, and I don't mind taking the basket at least . . . if that's okay with you though!" Adrien haphazardly added the last part as he realized in the middle of his sentence that maybe Marinette wanted to keep the basket with her instead. His overthinking of trying to play it cool instead got a chuckle out of her as she faced his direction.

"Thank you, Adrien. I guess I was worried for a moment about me accidentally staining your car with the food." She raised her left hand with the picnic basket out towards her friend. Adrien reached for the basket handle when he realized he placed his own hand on top of Marinette's; in those few seconds, he got embarrassed but immediately moved to the side of the handle and brought the picnic basket to him, cheeks still slightly reddened from the brief touch.

"N-no problem, Marinette!"

He got another smile from her, and that again was causing Adrien to almost fly off his car seat from the way her smile was making his heart do flips. With the tension gone, the two teenagers found themselves chatting. Adrien was finding himself becoming less self-conscious talking to the girl next to him as they talked, finding themselves in a comfortable casualness. The car ride for the rest of the trip was just two friends enjoying their time together, all while not noticing the tiny smile of the driver. Not much seen externally, but the man who has been driving and protecting Adrien since he was a small child, even when Mme. Agreste was still around, was happy that the boy was getting to enjoy being a teenager in certain aspects. Adrien for the most part is still heavily sheltered, but at least he gets to go to school, make friends, and even find himself naturally falling in love with crushes and the like.

As the car finally reached the open area of the Trocadéro where they were to meet with their classmates, Adrien gave his bodyguard the reminders both were usually given. These typically involve that the bodyguard stays somewhere close around the area but not too close so as to allow Adrien to actually have fun on his rare days off. Exiting out of the car, Adrien slightly blushed and looked away at how he could have sworn he saw his bodyguard giving him a fraction of a smirk when he exited the car and held his hand out for Marinette's to help her exit out the car like a gentleman.

But with the smile and small 'thank you' he got from her it was totally worth it.


"There you guys are! Aside from Alix, we've been waiting for this race to start since forever and we need all the spectators we can get!"

A tall boy hollered at the blonde model walking on beat with his blind companion. Said duo walked faster as Adrien saw a lot of their classmates, sans Alya, Nino, and Alix, already enjoying their stay at a picnic area by the grassy side of the Trocadéro. Even Chloé was sitting on her own lounge chair with a yellow parasol set up for shade, while Sabrina sat next to her on one of the picnic blankets. The rest of their classmates were also just spread out in the picnic blankets they have, either chatting amongst themselves or enjoying the fresh air with their snacks.

"A-are we late?" Marinette asked as she settled to where she knew the picnic blankets were at as the others gave their 'Ooh's' and 'Aahs' towards the cake Marinette brought. Adrien also settled next to Marinette but also tried to leave some space for Alya and Nino, who coincidentally he could see coming up the area as well with a rolled-up sheet and short poles. In Adrien's head, he was more surprised that Alya actually did bring something than somehow getting there a little after Adrien and Marinette did. Nino had Ivan help him set up the poles as it rolled out the banner behind their picnic, while Alya sat next to Marinette and readied her phone to take photos. As everyone aside from a certain someone was settling in the picnic more, their rather loud jock of a classmate stood in front of them at the paved path, showing a bit of his bravado.

"Everyone's here except the birthday girl herself?! Hah, must have chickened out when she probably already knew she would lose to the likes of me—"

"Spoke too soon, Kim!"

Said birthday girl, Alix, yelled as she rollerbladed at a moderate speed to face the guy who was calling her out. Alix had her own cocky smirk to rival Kim's before she saw the yellow banner. It was a simple banner with the words 'Happy Birthday Alix!' strung up on makeshift poles behind the picnic her classmates have set up; it depicted a cartoonishly styled Alix and a birthday cake, all while Alix saw the actual cake she knew Marinette brought from her bakery. All of this, while she already knew prior, still made Alix smile warmly at her classmates and friends before she went back to looking at Kim with the same competitive fire she had. As sweet as the picnic party was going to be, Alix Kubdel still wanted to give herself a nice gift and that would mean needing to bring him down a peg or two. Before the friendly competitive tension between the two sporty teens could become anything harsher, their friend Max went in between them as he stated out the rules of the challenge.

"Alright, alright, break it up you two. Remember that this race is around the fountains using the paved path only, 3 laps each, and whoever gets to the line in front of the picnic wins. Alix will use her trusty rollerblades while Kim will use his running capabilities . . . even if I already told him that his chances are very slim if he does." Max gave a pointed look at his jock friend while everyone else giggled at the bit.

"H-hey!" Was Kim's retort before Max continued with the speech.

"If Kim wins, Alix forfeits half of her money she planned on getting the high-class skates she wanted. However, if Alix wins, Kim must— and I quote from Alix over here, lest she kicks me— 'stop being such a total ass and quit daring our friends to these stupid AF challenges when it's not the time for it 'til the end of the school year . . . dude!'" Everyone laughed more at Max's attempts to copy Alix's part of the race deal which everyone cheered more from where they were staying. Max readjusted his voice before continuing once again.

"Before we start, I suggest the two competitors give themselves a few minutes to stretch and or prepare themselves." While Kim stayed at the starting line doing some extra stretches, more so to give himself a slight confident ego boost, Alix rollerbladed over to the side when someone's snooty voice caught her focus.

"Oh wow, Alix! For someone so unruly, I never expected you to have a decent sense of fashion . . . even if it is an older model looking watch." Alix glared at the ever-haughty blonde heiress as Chloé just smiled to herself before putting her designer shades down her eyes, not bothering to look at Alix after her retort. Her other classmates like Sabrina, Nino, Alya, and Adrien on the other hand, were curious to see the watch Chloé actually gave a compliment to, then read the wearer of said accessory.

"Don't you guys think it's cool?! Dad gave me this early birthday present, says it was from my mom, so it means a lot." Alix decided to show off the present to her classmates.

"B-but don't you think it would be safer to take it off when you're racing? Who knows what could happen?" Sabrina said out her caution which Alya and Adrien nodded in agreement, but Alix covered her wristwatch with her other hand in a preemptive protective manner.

"N-no, it's going to be fine! I'll make sure this won't get damaged by any means, I promise . . . I-I just really want to keep wearing it . . . because it's like she's with me right now." Barely mumbling out the last part, Alix flashed them another reassuring grin as she skated away near the impromptu track to talk with Max. As Max was giving last-minute reminders to the competitors and to their classmates to begin the race, some of their classmates began cheering on Alix, whereas Adrien scooted over to Nino.

"H-hey Nino, I know this is a bit embarrassing, but can I ask what's the story behind Alix's mom? I don't think I have met her yet. I know I have seen her dad around but never Mme. Kubdel."

"Oh, no way?! I thought I told you with Alya that one time since you both were new to the class?" Hearing her name being called she and Marinette focused their attention away from the cheering and the start of the race to Adrien and his inquiry, while the blonde teenager himself was becoming slightly embarrassed for now asking.

"Adrien here wanted to ask about Alix's mom. I could've sworn I told you both already though."

"No, Nino, since if you can recall, Adrien was about to hear the story with me when his butt of a dad asked his secretary to tell Adrien there was an impromptu shoot he had to be in. Remember now, dummy?"

"Oh right! . . . Woops! Well, there's no time like the present. I am sure Alix wouldn't mind if I tell her story since I've known her for a long while." Giving himself a slight change of tone as though he was actually a narrator, Adrien, Alya, and Marinette listened to their friend tell the tale.

"Madame Kubdel, AKA Alix's mom, was a cool chick I'll give you that first. But the real tale is what . . . may have happened to her."


"7 or so years ago, Mme. Kubdel was working as an anthropologist— those scientists who like to study about how other people in other cultures or society live— except she did so by actually going to those places to really study them . . . respectfully of course."

The story conjures up the image of an adult woman with her mid-length straight hair in a dark reddish-brown hue, akin to like wine-red burgundy, pushed away from her face by a dark green headband. She wore khaki pants, hiking shoes, a dark brown open winter jacket opened to show a pink shirt underneath, and a beautiful rose-gold colored wristwatch, almost similar in design to Alix's.

"Unlike M. Kubdel who works mainly in Paris as a historian for all the historical stuff in museums like the Louvre, Mme. Kubdel traveled and explored around the world to learn about its people and how they live. Heard from Alix and even from some articles that she's been to various places. From the harshest of either hot or cold deserts to even the most hazardous jungles, Mme. Kubdel had guts!"

Images are envisaged of the same woman braving through the rough deserts of Africa, the harsh blizzards of the Arctic, and even hiking along the perilous rainforests and boating through the rapid rivers within the Amazon. It also cuts to the parts of her job not just in exploring as Mme. Kubdel was also there to study the small societies living in these places; she is seen within small villages, tribes, nomads, and other small social groups she has gone to study, learn and appreciate their way of living as part of her job.

"Woah!" That was all Adrien could say as he tried not to interrupt the riveting tale he's hearing, nor the way it makes him imagine them visually along with the others.

"Woah indeed! You can really tell where Alix got her personality from in a way . . . no offense to M. Kubdel of course!"

"Nino . . ." Marinette's words interrupted the off tangent from their storyteller as he realigned back to the story.

"R-right, sorry! Back to the story: While she was doing all these things, she was actually planning to in a way semi-retire. Semi-retire meaning she will probably still do some traveling but nothing as super far or as dangerous as what I just said, because she has 2 kids she wanted to be there for, with one of them being a then 8-year-old kid named Alix." The story gets cut off a bit as the four of them, with a secretly listening in Chloé because of how she got interested in Nino's rendition of the tale, looked to where they just saw Alix and Kim speed by them and Max stating it was the first lap done with two more to go. Nino went back to his storyteller tone and continued the tale.

"I remember Alix telling me and the others like Marinette about this. Mme. Kubdel was going to do one last big excursion to someplace in like the Himalayas, something about learning and living alongside a village high in those mountains. I think she even mentioned that the village was next to supposedly these ancient temples that had monks . . . though, now that I think about it, maybe Alix was just adding flavor to the story to make it sound even cooler than what it probably really was?" The way Nino added that last bit broke the tone of the story which made the listeners slightly miffed.

"Come on, Lahiffe! Tell us the rest of the tale!" Chloé spoke up, not even bothering to hide the fact she was listening in. Even if she had heard that story a while back, the way Nino was telling it, for the most part, got her really interested, especially with the stuff that comes afterward.

"R-right, okay . . . so anyways. A few days after little Alix's birthday, the Kubdel family said their goodbyes, and she left France for the Himalayas. Every two weeks or so, Alix said they would get a letter from Mme. Kubdel or even a phone call if she was really lucky whenever she could fly to a non-mountainous village that had actual phone lines. It was something the family was used to for the most part, and all seemed good . . . when it happened."

Adrien and the others listening to the story collectively imagined Alix's mom reaching the remote village in the mountains and even with how they imagined little Alix's happy face getting a letter or even a phone call from her. But the way Nino added that last bit made most remember what happened, while Adrien was at the edge of his seat practically begging Nino to continue the story as a first-time listener.

"Around a few months of normal communication, they didn't hear from her around the -Ber months. They thought she was busy at first, but then the real tragedy struck. It was around the Christmas season when a message for the whole family came from Tibet. At first, the family was happy to hear that there was a message . . . but it turns out it was far worse." Nino stopped his tale a bit as he heard the cheers of his classmates grow louder due to Alix reaching the second of the 3-lap race. Seeing as they still have time to complete the tale, and knowing Chloé and Adrien won't let him get away with leaving it at a cliffhanger, the storytelling DJ continued.

"The family was actually talked to by a group of people, policemen and even some international officials, Alix couldn't tell. They all told them the truth . . . there was a major accident that happened in the mountain area. It was said to have been really, really bad. I think Alix even said that the supposed mysterious temples next to the village but higher up were destroyed, but again maybe she was just adding flavor to what could have actually been, like say an avalanche or something. Either way, the village in that mountain got hit hard from the collateral damage, but they said that a small airplane managed to get away with a bunch of survivors . . . that same small plane that Mme. Kubdel and her really small team brought with them . . . there were reports that when the accident happened, some supposed witnesses from the villages at the base and even mountain climbers said that they saw the plane fly off somewhere . . . but there was never any reports about it landing safely or where the plane . . . or the people inside it went off to."

"W-wait, no reports at all!? Even after all this time?!" Adrien couldn't help but blabber out his astonishment over what he was hearing. He imagined in his head how such an incident could occur, with the first one that seemed plausible being a disastrous avalanche and or landslide. He then imagined Mme. Kubdel having the survivors in the airplane and then actually piloting the plane, which he knew seemed more unlikely but just made her more of a badass in his mind. The last scene in his head was like an action movie scene, with the airplane just managing to take flight in the nick of time, flying off into the sunset.

"Yeahp, nothing, nada. Apparently, the reason why there was such a long time from when the communication stopped to when those people came around was because some organization or organizations tried to keep the incident all hush-hush until it got leaked internationally around that Holiday season. For the most part, the family thought at first it was the Tibetan government trying to cover it up, though Alix at some point did still try to push about the whole mysterious temples thing and said maybe some powerful groups from the shadows was what caused the incident and tried to hide it."

"P-poor Alix." Marinette softly muttered as she remembers the tale from Alix herself when she first told them what happened, after having the strength to finally talk about it which took her over a year after the incident.

"Yeah, Mari. Alix still holds out hope to this day that since there has been no definitive proof the plane and its survivors crashed or something, her mom is still out there. Things were pretty rough for the Kubdels afterward. . . I still remember how Alix, and I think even her older brother, actually had to take a bunch of supplementary classes during the whole summer because she wasn't attending classes after the Holidays for like 2-3 months because the family was still grieving . . . and that's the end of the tale of Mme. Kubdel."

The story finally concluded, and the listeners had been reminded with clarity over their birthday celebrating classmate and her reasonings over her gift. Adrien himself, having heard the tale for the first time, now felt that he wished he could sympathize better with Alix over what happened. Adrien still remembers how he lost his mother all those years ago, but at least in his situation, he was told by his father, before he turned cold, that Mme. Agreste passed away in her sleep due to an illness she incurred. Alix, on the other hand, is still holding out hope that one day there will be more factual news that maybe Mme. Kubdel is alive and still loving her daughter.

"Well, at least now we know . . . Which is why I think it's important that we be there for Alix, cheering her on in her birthday race. We can only do so much as her classmates and friends, so might as well keep the positive feelings flowing. Right?" Getting up from her haunches and with her white cane, Marinette faced her encouraging smile to her friends and Chloé as they realized that Marinette was right. She was usually right about stuff. Getting up to shake off the mood from the tale, they all continued to cheer on Alix, wanting her to win even more so than ever.

"Go on, Alix! Fight!"


"Take him down, Alix!"

"We are so done with his stupid dares!"

"Happy Birthday still but also dust his stupid face!"

Her classmates such as Nathaniel, Juleka, and even Rose cheered hard for Alix to succeed and she didn't want to disappoint her adoring fans. As she was building up speed, she decided to make a risky play and use her speed to skate like she had never skated before, breaking through her own restraints and basically being as fast as the wind. Hearing her classmates' cacophonous cheering and realizing she can get such a boastful substantial lead from Kim, Alix decided to go all-in for it and give everyone, even her loser of a friend, something awesome to really give to everyone watching, gawking, and cheering.

"Looks like I am about to enjoy this, Kim! Because. It's. My. Win!" With her last breath, she made a full dash around the corner and left Kim in the dust. Seeing that Alya and others were ready to film or photograph her finish, Alix decided to give some more flair. Turning herself effortlessly, she let the continued speed from her dash let her skate to victory with her back turned. Very flashy and gives herself some style points.

"Hell yeah!" Alix raised her hands in the air with the victory signs as she passed by her cheering classmates backward.

"Alright, Alix!"

"She won! She won!"

"No more stupid dares! Awesome!"

"Way to go, birthday g— Alix, watch out!"

"Alix!"

Not having enough time to fully comprehend the last one from Nino or Adrien since she was still speeding by and basking in her glory, Alix turned her face before she realized she was going to meet someone.

Or rather something.

A stray cat on the paved road she and Kim were racing in.

"Ahhh!" The skater instinctively tried to fully turn her body and jump over the poor animal at the same time, but the speed she built up tossed her in the air. Time seemed to slow down as Alix, a veteran of all things rollerblading and skating accidents, was already expecting some pain. Crossing her arms instinctively, she braced for impact as she crashed landed on the floor with her arms and various safety sports gear cushioning the blow. Always wear a helmet and other safety sports gear when doing things like rollerblading.

Nearly everyone rushed over to Alix to see if she was alright; thankfully, as they were reaching her, the birthday girl immediately got up and gave everyone a nice thumbs-up.

"I-I am good guys! Ugh— Not a total wipeout but some bruising! I still won though! Hell y—"

"A-Alix . . . you-you're watch."

Dusting herself off, she heard the soft and worrisome tone of Rose as she said those words, prompting the recently crashed birthday girl to see her mom's wristwatch.

Broken.

The glass cracked and the hands of the clockface came off its center placement. She even saw the outer compass ring on the floor to her side which should be on the top part of the wristwatch. Alix couldn't move, think or even breathe as she was realizing what had happened. But even fate was not as kind to her to have a moment before another yell from not her classmates broke her out of her stupor.

"Alix! What have you done!"

An older-looking teen or young adult, most likely a university student, walked over to the still shocked rollerblading teenager. Nino and many of their classmates like Max or Kim knew who the tall semi-sophisticated guy was: Jalil Kubdel, Alix's older brother. He seemed to have been passing by with a couple of other university students to check out the Trocadéro, and maybe was even there to check on his sister since he knew she would be there with her classmates when he saw what happened.

"I-I . . . m-mom." Was all Alix could mumble out as Jalil marched over to her while also picking up the broken watch piece.

"You broke mom's watch! Dad specifically gave you that early present a-and you broke it!" No one, not even the university students who were his friends, have ever heard Jalil truly raise his voice in anger like that, especially to his sister since it was kind of obvious she was the more abrasive one of the siblings. Grabbing his sister's hand, Jalil practically dragged the still stunned Alix away as he was still seething in anger.

"I-it's bad enough that dad has to break out some more news originally for later about mom, but now you've gone and just ruined something from her!"

His words further snapped her back to reality as she tried to question him what he said as Jalil still dragged Alix away.

"W-what, what did you mean by that, Jalil!?" Silent anger marred her brother's face and Alix realized to not actually upset her brother even more. She decided to just shut up and wait for whatever news is about to fall on her shoulders. With the way Jalil said it, she doubts it will be good news. Careful as to not hurt herself or even destroy the watch even further, Alix quietly went away with her brother to meet their father. All while her classmates, and even some of Jalil's friends looked on and felt sympathy for the girl on her birthday, with one majorly accepted thought floating through their heads.

'Poor Alix.'


Poor Alix indeed.

Even at home, the dejected girl still mainly kept her head down due to the anger that was still incited by her brother; Jalil Kubdel would not let up even now about her carelessness over what happened. And for once, she was really incapable of standing her ground for the longest time. Alix Kubdel was usually no pushover, especially to her brother who she could easily out-yell, but right now the words he said struck her hard. What's worse is that she kind of wished her father who was with them would yell at her too or something, but no. Soft-spoken as always, M. Kubdel could only listen in silence until he decided that Jalil should stop before it becomes too much.

"Jalil, that is enough. You have made your point very clear."

"B-but Dad!?"

"I understand you are truly upset over what happened, I am as well. But rest your temper now before you begin saying any more things that become out of line." Even with how their father spoke, both Kubdel children understood that when he meant stop now, even with his gentle voice, that really meant they should stop now or else. There is a reason why the children still utterly respected the seemingly overly pampering patient parent. Jalil understood the order and sat down across from Alix as they were currently in their living room, still leering at her but not saying anything anymore for the meantime.

Alix, on the other hand, was kind of thankful the once-in-a-lifetime moment of her brother showing true anger, sadly at her, finally stopped; she even made a mental note to herself that even her lanky nerd of an older brother could actually intimidate her. She looked to their father as he silenced the room enough to let it settle, but the way that there was this now awkward tense silence made Alix wish there was actual yelling. There was something with how her father was handling this in his usually calm way that made Alix feel like he was not actually mad at her.

No, it's far worse: it's the feeling that he was just disappointed.

That hurt more for her than she would ever like to admit out loud.

"Alix, as what your brother has been ranting in anger to you about since you all came back here, I heard that something happened to the gift I gave you." M. Kubdel gently raised his hand to silence Jalil who he knew would speak in anger on her behalf. Alix knew that she needed to fess up to what happened, lest Jalil's version mucks it up. She went into her pocket and fished out the wristwatch she eventually took off when they were nearing their home. She presented it in front of her father who looked at the broken pieces of the once whole and functional birthday gift he gave her.

"I-I didn't mean for this to happen . . . i-it was an accident, I swear!" Alix continued choking on her words in trying to explain to her father, and to even Jalil, what really happened. But even as she was putting the item back to her pocket to try and reason out, Alix just kept seeing the disappointment in her father's eyes, and a part of Alix also felt like her mother somewhere was thinking of her in disappointment too.

"I-I . . . I am s-sorry, Dad . . . Mom, I-I . . ."

"Alix, I really am disappointed that you broke this gift, not even a whole day has passed when you made it well know how much you cherished this gift."

"I-I know! I-I messed up, pl—"

"You really did mess up, Alix. For a lot of us . . ." Jalil gave a quieter retort which had their father lightly look at him with disapproval. In a sudden clarity after that retort, Alix realized that while she was getting grilled by her brother, and getting silent looks of disappointment from her father, she remembered something. It was something Jalil screamed at her when she was being dragged away with him after the incident.

". . . Dad, Jalil actually said you had news . . . to break to us for later . . . what was it?" Alix tried to be careful with how she had to address this, lest it be like she was trying to divert all the attention currently on her to the new topic at hand, even if a small part of her was doing so. But something more to it, the news that Jalil said made her feel like it was something rather ominous. Both Kubdel men stared at Alix for what she just said, Jalil himself realized he let it slip at some point which got him another look from their father. The father himself looked back at his daughter who seemed to sense that whatever the news was, it was not going to be a pleasant one. M. Kubdel decided Alix deserved to know now since things were already getting more difficult as the day goes on.

"Alix . . . it is actually about mom." The way he said it, even quieter and softer than his usual voice, was enough to break Alix a bit out of the slight focus she had in listening. The dejectedness she was originally experiencing subsided at the mention of that person, and a part of her is now just begging against all odds this news is just being presented with a somber tone when in reality it is going to be more positive in its output.

". . . mom? W-what about mom? I-is there actually news!?"

"A-Alix . . ." With how even her just recently overly angry older brother had this hushed tone in the way he called her name, a part of her now wishes she could just forget knowing that there was news concerning the one person missing in her life. But it looks like, among many things, Alix Kubdel's time of not knowing was up.

"Sweetie, what I am about to say is very hard . . . and in hindsight, I shouldn't have tried to break this to you on your special day."

"D-dad, no seriously, w-what's going on . . . is there an update regarding mom?"

"Alix . . . it's not so much an update regarding your mother . . . as is to finally lay her to rest."

". . . huh?" Was all Alix could say with how cryptic her father was sounding. Still trying to piece together what he meant, Jalil beat her to the punch.

". . . it means that it's going to be 7 years now when she's been presumed missing . . . and in most places that usually means that . . . we have to pronounce mom as—"

"Don't! . . . p-please, Jalil, don't say it . . ." She already knew where this was going. A part of her dreaded it because at some point, she actually did look it up out of morbid curiosity. She knew that most countries would have a certain number of years for them to consider when regarding missing people. Alix just thought that against all odds, it would not reach this far.

"I-I am so Alix, but it might be the right time . . . to finally let her spirit, wherever it may be, to rest. I-I really didn't want to prolong this anytime sooner . . ." In a normal situation, she would forgo her own emotions on behalf of comforting her own crying father because he was also admitting that his wife is fully gone-gone, but right now, with all the things she was feeling and how the truth bomb just shattered her world on top of feeling like she broke an important memento, Alix did the only thing she could have at this situation.

She ran.

Not caring for the sounds and sobs she was making, she left her just as dejected older brother and father by themselves as she sprinted to her bedroom. Not caring anymore, she locked her bedroom before running to her bathroom, locking it as well. She would have considered breaking something or just yelling, but Alix just felt like releasing all the tears she had within her. Curled up in her own little ball, with her back on the bathroom door, Alix Kubdel cried and wailed out in her bedroom's bathroom, thankful that with how it's situated, Jalil or her father wouldn't hear her loud crying from just outside her bedroom. Looking up from her crying form, she fished out the broken watch from her pocket. She gently placed it down in front of her, and remembering how much she truly missed her, Alix cried more and moreover realizing one of the last reminders she had of her mother from her mother, who the family is going to accept is now gone-gone, is broken because of her.

Because she was irresponsible.

Because she was not careful.

'. . . b-because I didn't love you enough to care . . . Mom, I am so sorry!' Were the last words Alix Kubdel could mentally say to herself and know were from her before she realized too late.

Before she saw the seemingly weird black feather-like fluff land on the broken wristwatch's broken clock face and somehow disappear as though it was absorbed into it.

"My, my, what a truly depressed creature you are. So young, yet so full of sadness. It fills my blue heart . . . with anticipation."

The voice in her head was nothing like she ever heard or imagined. It was a sickly demeaning-sounding person, who seemed to enjoy the wallowing Alix Kubdel was in. The way he worded out his introduction made Alix wish she could wipe that stupid smirk she can imagine the man in her head was having if she was emotionally fit to take the guy on.

Alas, being emotionally fit when having Le Paon inside one's head was the last thing to ever happen because he always draws upon prey going through negative emotions. Negative emotions and feelings like sadness, anger, jealousy, or fear.

And Alix was one big glowing mark of depression, grief, and self-loathing that made her the perfect Vessel.

But it didn't mean Alix Kubdel didn't have the guts to still try.

"Urk . . . n-no! Argh! Ahh!"

"Struggle all you want, child, but you are currently under my cage. Now, let's see . . . I wonder how you would feel with all your emotions . . . if it were at an 11, shall we?"

Almost immediately did the crying teenager feel her emotions she was currently going through feel like they were accelerating at a pace she could not physically handle. The sudden and immense surges of emotions at an all-intense high were making her wail out now in pain, rather than in sadness, as emotions like her sadness were physically making her feel ill with how she knows it should never be this bad. The conflict between what she mentally knew VS. the magic-induced emotion hacking from the blue evil known in Paris as Le Paon was at an all-time high. It was causing her to actually feel severely ill and exhausted, even more so as she was desperately losing a battle she had no chance of winning at this time.

"Alas, my poor Vessel, time for me to disembark with the lovely gift you left for me; otherwise, time is up for the likes of you." All Alix could feel before she slumped down on her bathroom door was a horrific emotional yanking feeling, like someone forcefully removing her heart from her body and relishing the prize in front of her defeated form. She could slightly make out the same corrupted feather but now encased in some sort of crystal as her whole world started spinning around her. She felt the floating thing disappear from her bathroom window, probably where the accursed feather came from in the first place, to who knows where, but Alix was desperately trying to cling onto her wakefulness. She had to make the Asura Alert if possible.

She had to let Paris know they were in danger.

She had to keep her brother and father safe.

She had to—

Not even finishing her last thought process, Alix Kubdel succumbed to the emotional-turned physical exhaustion she experienced, being another Vesseled victim of Le Paon's dastardly schemes.


Le Paon observed from within his lair the very Soul of which his new Asura will come forth from. Hidden somewhere in the empty alleys, the floating crystalized Soul was near where he exploited the emotions of his latest Vesseled victim. He frankly admits that while he felt it was a necessary act to do so, a small part of him did truly enjoy the emotional torture he did to procure such immense emotions to become the new catalyst for his latest schemes.

Many call him a villain, to that he could absolutely care less what they think of his methods. His methods of absolute madness as to power up his Miraculous-based magic. Le Paon could live being called the villain for all of this, because he himself did not care enough about people's say over his own reasons for doing the things he did.

All he cared about was finally achieving the very goal he wishes to obtain: The Cat and the Butterfly Miraculous jewelry!

He was always so, so close that he could almost taste it. Alas, there were always challenges to life's plans, and his took the form of Paris' great superhero duo: the annoyingly charismatic Chat Noir and the ever-mysterious and ever-elusive Lady Fairy. The current wielders of said artifacts he wishes to attain.

"Despicable cretins . . . I care not who you are under your masks, I only care to take what is rightfully mines to claim!"

Having an idea of what his new monstrosity would be, Le Paon decided that time was at his side as he allowed his Asura to take shape. By his command, the corrupted dark blue and black energies from the Soul started manifesting into a form of its master's choosing.

"Awaken my new creation, my Flauros! Time is of the essence to strike!" He allowed himself to enjoy a good villainous laugh as he felt the monster make its last features be known as Le Paon could finally link up with his creature via the glowing sigil. The monster landed on the pavement as it looked up withs its white fiery eyes, in full obedience to Le Paon's command and will.

He could care less what they thought of him and his madness because for Le Paon one thing felt certain:

Time is not at the Parisian heroes' side.


". . . mom . . ."

She could see the face she could never forget look to where she was, as though she was astonished or caught off guard. But the woman gave her a smile she always remembered as one of the prettiest things on earth. She gave her a smile that radiated all the love a mother could ever truly give to her daughter. A smile that was, sadly, fading and shrinking away into obscurity as said daughter desperately tried in vain to run for it, even as some other background noises were starting to make it harder for her to reach that smile disappearing from her again.

". . . m-mom! Mom! D-don't go! . . . I . . . love . . . you, mom."

"Ahhhh—"

A loud scream from outside her bathroom window was the necessary sound bit from the cacophony of other shouts and yells to finally awaken Alix Kubdel from her exhaustion-induced sleep. Picking up the watch and getting back up, while she was half wondering what the yelling was about in her half-tired and half-sleep state, she suddenly remembered why she fell asleep in the first place, and she has a good inclination that it was associated with the various screaming she is hearing from outside her home.

'A-Asura! I-I was Vesseled! T-the Asura!'

Running out of her bathroom, Alix paused as she realized the yelling from outside had since subsided into still silence.

It was quiet, but it was the kind of silence that would not make sense in a situation wherein just moments ago there were people loudly screeching and yelling like their lives were on the line. That was also when she made a shocking realization over her current setting:

Her house was in that same eerie silence even before the yelling from outside also joined in the creepy quiet. Panic shot through the girl's mind as she rushed to where she last saw them, wondering where her family members were.

Only to meet a rather grim sight.

"D-dad! . . . J-Jalil!"

Silence was all she got from the frozen statues that were her father and brother. They all had a look on their faces that showed they were severely startled or even downright scared by something in front of them, yet their eyes were now fully white. If that was not creepy enough for Alix, the fact that their colors were essentially drained from them would. The motionless bodies of her family were now left with this greyish blue pigment which give the victims a grimmer look overall. Like their lifeforce has been taken from them, and now they remain perpetually stuck at the moment they lost it.

'N-no way . . . this can't be happening . . . i-is it because of that feather!?'

Alix Kubdel was able to break out of her thoughts when she faintly heard something in the distance. It sounded like something was still moving. Running out the door, she was greeted by a similar scene. Unlike the two family members she saw, she was greeted by the scene of countless people or even animals essentially frozen in their place all with whited-out eyes and the same color tone. She was even shocked to see how some of them are frozen in the air as she could see one of her neighbors stuck in the air as they seemed to try and run away from whatever was causing this, while Alix also saw a bird motionless in the air in mid-flight.

Like they were all stuck in time.

She heard the noise again to her side as she saw something from the distance. Using her phone's camera's to zoom while pressing record, Alix caught a quick glance of what was essentially a scene of a predator about to attack mercilessly its prey.

The creature, its back turned away from Alix's view, was on the rooftop of a building as it glared at someone frozen in their place, but out of fear more so from whatever caused the other previous victims. The creature pounced from the high altitude, but from when it pounced it disappeared. Not a moment sooner, it reappeared to have landed on all fours in front of the still terrified man before standing up on just hindlegs. It then used its forelegs, or actually arms, to hold the man in place by their shoulders. The man could only whimper before producing an ear-shattering wail as something white and fiery was coming out of the man's eyes and mouth as it was being sucked in by the creature, but Alix could not see exactly. No longer than a couple of seconds, the man was now like the rest of the greyish-blue victims with his last moment's expression being that of a horrified yell like many of the others.

"O-oh . . . good god . . ." Was all Alix Kubdel could say as she witnessed the creature, the Asura, be the cause of all these inanimations.

After it's ambushing and feeding was complete, the creature turned itself slowly towards the direction of the unpetrified birthday girl as Alix knew the creature knew she was recording the incident the entire time, as though the Asura wanted her to bear witness to its ruthless acts. All Alix could feel from the viewing of the front of the monster was how both horrific and downright bizarre it looked.

The humanoid-looking monster seemed to have taken concepts from the cheetah somewhat as the creature's face, tail, and overall color scheme and pattern resembling that of the fastest land animal, only from there was where the somewhat normalcy ended. The face itself was actually on its torso, large enough that it took the whole space; its eyes are at the chest area whereas the nose and mouth were situated around the stomach portion. The part of the body where the neck and head would have been was instead replaced by a structure that resembled a large ornate kerosene oil lamp with no handle, a white and blue fire constantly burned from within its glass container. Its limbs seemed to be a fusion of humanoid-looking arms and legs but also cheetah limbs as the feet ended like that of the feline while its humanoid hands had sharp claws for nails. The face on its torso was also unique in that its chest eyes glowed a vibrant blue whereas its open sharp-fanged mouth seemed to have something darker blue inside it, but the video could only discern so much.

Before the creature seemed to choose to take care of the video recording girl, a glowing blue sigil appeared over its torso face, which meant that Le Paon was not only looking through his creature's eyes but was actively stopping it from using its own sentience. As though it was to taunt the girl who made the creature, she could see the cheetah-like Asura smile at her. It was a smile that she knows was from Le Paon himself, to ridicule her for being his latest victim and reminding her of her powerlessness. The creature turned away from the girl and pounced away to disappear and reappear shortly after on the rooftop, leaving the girl who was its Vesseled source to feel the derision the Asura, and Le Paon, left in their wake.

To make her think it was her fault.

'M-my fault . . . this is . . . all my fault . . ."

Stopping herself from having another crying breakdown as she wiped the slight wetness from her eyes, Alix looked around and back inside her home to see all the victims that were around her. As much as she wanted to wallow in the grief and utter woe of the situation, Alix reminded herself of those self-calming tips she remembered reading up from Alya's Heroes' Scene website.

'This is not my fault. This is not my fault. This is not my fault . . . but it sure feels like it is!'

"Argh! . . . Stupid, stupid me! I-I never should have been so careless . . . a-and now that thing is out there! This . . . this isn't my fault but it sure as hell does feel like something I need to make up for it!"

Anger and determination now fueling her, Alix rushed back inside her home only to come out minutes later in her usual wear. Wearing her trusty rollerblades, helmet, and safety sports gear, Alix Kubdel readied herself for a fight she knew she will probably not win. Patting the wristwatch kept close inside her pocket, Alix sent the recorded video she took to the Heroes' Scene's Asura Alert portion so that Paris will know. Readying herself, Alix Kubdel sailed off on her rollerblades to where she thinks it's going, wondering if she can still have time to say her apologies to the people who are currently immobilized indirectly due to her.

If there will be time left for her at all.


They were trying to still have a good time, but it didn't feel right.

The classmates and friends of Alix were still trying to enjoy the picnic that was for the birthday celebrant, but they all could not reclaim the mood since that incident.

"Poor Alix . . . I hope she is doing alright." Everyone internally agreed with what Rose said. They all felt varying levels of bad for her over being chewed out like that due to her admittedly irresponsible act. Even someone as being above it all as say Chloé Bourgeois was keeping her mouth shut as she didn't feel the need to say anything at that moment, or so she would reason out.

Marinette, not one to allow this mood to stain their day, got up from where she sat and addressed her classmates. If there is a way to help, she will find that way.

"Look, guys, I know we really can't do much for Alix right now but a lot of us are her friends or have known her for so long, so how about we find ways to help cheer her up?"

"H-how, Marinette? Alix left with her brother— er, or rather, she was dragged away by her really angry brother. I doubt she will get out of whatever she is in with what happened."

"I-I know that Mylène, which is why I propose we give her a later birthday get-together like this when all's good on her end!" Marinette's positivity and seemingly sound option got her classmates to see worth in the suggestion.

"Y-yeah, we could all just set up another get together like this picnic for her at some other day . . . I mean, I am all for any excuse to just hang out with everyone, so why not right?" Nino rose in alliance with Marinette's plan as he helped further solidify it. It got them all to voice out their eagerness.

"Oh, that could be fun!"

"We could even have some extra surprise gifts for her ready by then!"

"Absolutely! What an amazing plan, Marinette and Nino."

"I say we add a gift from the whole class by making Kim Alix's slave for the rest of the school year!"

"Hell yea— J-Juleka, what the hell!? Why me!?"

"Can it, Kim! You lost already and Alix is already sad. I agree with Juleka's class gift plan!"

"I second that!"

"Count me in on the next party and for Kim being Alix's minion!"

"G-guys!? W-wait!"

"Kim, just think of this as your gift for Alix! You did say you actually wanted to gift her something."

". . . fine, I'll be Alix's servant . . . I am in as well!"

Marinette couldn't see their exuberant faces, but she can clearly hear the excitement as her classmates all agreed on this plan of hers. Even Kim agreed with his role in their way of cheering up Alix later. She found herself smiling more as she could clearly tell her optimism even had a certain someone concede.

"Ugh . . . this is ridiculous, utterly ridiculous . . . but I guess it wouldn't be so bad to have another much better party than this picnic . . . fine, I am all for it, th-that is unless I have something better to do of course, which I totally could have!"

"What she means is we are in too." Even someone like Chloé Bourgeois could not get away with looking all indifferent about being reluctant since her best friend / secretary Sabrina could understand Chloé-speak and gave the interpretation of what the blonde heiress actually meant. With everyone in their class agreeing, they all started finding themselves enjoying the picnic again with the semblance of the mood it was in prior to the incident, now more so with the added talking of what they could do for the upcoming party for Alix and the like.

Things could have been at peace for all of them there.

Sadly, not all peace lasts for them or for the citizens of Paris.

An hour later, they all received a notification on their phones or similar devices. It was from their classmate Alya's hit website Heroes' Scene. And while the site is great for communicating and posting great things regarding the heroes Chat Noir, Lady Fairy, and the myriad of cool Champions the latter summons in her stead, the notification dropped them to the site's other main point: Asura Alerts. And judging from the video that was posted with the attached message, one thing became crystal clear.

An Asura was on the loose.

"O-oh my god, you guys! The video is from Alix!"

While the video itself did not specifically show who the videographer was as it took note of the new Asura's appearance and style of attacking, the message attached was from a user Alya, and many of the others knew was exactly from their currently missing but downhearted birthday celebrant. The message, read out loud by Alya, is as followed:

[ Heroes' Scene: Asura Alert!

Asura I caught on camera is dangerous! It looks like it targets people and then like steals their souls or whatever, leaving them frozen like statues. Video shows it being super-fast or even teleporting so please be careful. Don't know where it's going but it looks to be going along the ways of the 16th or even 7th arrondissement (administrative districts used in large French cities). Not sure! Stay safe! Call police! ] – AK_ASkaterGirl

Everyone who saw the message immediately got another follow-up Paris-wide news update from the Paris Police, of which Sabrina's father is one of their chiefs.

[ Warning! Evacuation centers around the 7th arrondissement have been compromised! Asura collectively attacked those in that center! It is heading to the 16th. The warning is to hide out in smaller groups until Asura has been taken care of! We repeat, stay hidden in smaller groups! ] – Parisian Law Enforcement

As everyone started panicking amongst themselves about what they needed to do, Adrien stepped up to calm them down. In the suit or out of it, Adrien Agreste was still doing what he could to help in his own ways.

"Okay guys, listen up! We saw the news from the site and the police. The Asura is dangerous, and it seems that staying all together just gives it more victims to do what it does. The area for the most part is empty right now, I say we all hide in certain parts but in groups not more than 2 or 3. I am sure the heroes will come and rescue us if we all stay calm and hide somewhere say in the Palais de Chaillot." Pointing to the building in front of the Trocadéro fountains where they were close to, everyone agreed with the plan, and not a moment too soon.

Growls could be heard, as well as screams of panic being severely interrupted into an eerie silence. It became known that the Asura had made it to the general area, most probably feeding off of the victims in its path. As everyone hid in their small groups, some took risks to peek at the creature. They all saw that the creature from the video, now preset, had the fire on its lamp-like structure now filled up the entirety of the glass, with even some of jutting out from the long spout. With another growl, the Asura began stalking the area looking for new prey. It became a vicious game of hide and seek, but the hiders hoped to never be caught.

'This . . . is bad.'

Adrien only wished that he was in a position where hiding was beneficial for him to transform, if not for the fact he may have inadvertently shot himself in the foot when he made that coordinated plan of hiding in smaller groups. Now, he was stuck with Rose and Sabrina who instinctively and immediately cling to him due to how calm yet brave he was when he said those plans and no one like Chloé could argue before they all scrambled with their own partners. In his defense, he did forget momentarily the part of where he would have probably used the panic to hide somewhere by himself to finally be Chat Noir, but he also felt bad due to the idea in his mind of leaving these classmates of his to be potential first outs due to not helping them.

Such was the conflict he was feeling. He didn't have the time to be there for his classmates as Adrien Agreste, but he was running out of time to plan out where to be alone so he can be Paris' hero and save the day.

But luckily, he had a plan in his mind to try and kill two birds with one stone.

"Guys, this is going to be risky . . . but I am going to need you guys to run and hide as soon as I say go, okay?" Understandably, his two terrified classmates whispered at him like he was insane. Which to be fair his plan was, but it was his only option.

Create a diversion.

"A-Adrien! W-what are you planning to do?" Sabrina whispered as he brought out his phone and began typing onto it. Rose was too terrified to even whisper but nodded to Sabrina's reply, nonetheless.

"Just run and hide when I say go, okay? I am going to give us some time." Readying his phone with the button to press. He psyched himself before clicking then launching the device as it began playing his usual ringtone at full volume.

"Go!" He gave his own whisper out his command as he could see the Asura's shadow launch itself to where he heftily threw his smartphone at. He could always get a new one anyway. Adrien was relieved when he saw his two classmates react to his order as they began sprinting, as quietly as they could away from the beast. Adrien was about to give himself a sigh of relief when he heard someone yelp and looked to see what happened.

It was Sabrina.

The poor girl tripped, she was on her knees and her glasses skidded away from her, rendering her visually impaired. To make matters worse, Rose chose to try and lift Sabrina up and help them both escape.

But it was too late.

With a growl, the Asura heard the yelp and was rushing to them, most likely using its teleporting move. Adrien in his hiding spot could only watch in horror, as the Asura was on all fours like an actual cat running towards his would-be prey without using its teleport technique. Guess even Le Paon saw a currently blind teenager and her classmate who was wearily helping her up was too easy. Adrien then and there was about to try and transform, even if it meant running towards his classmates while transforming.

When it happened.

Or rather when she happened.

"Plagg, Cl—"

Before he could finish his transformation order, he heard the resounding smack of something durable as Adrien saw a feat like no other.

He saw his blind friend and crush, a certain Marinette Dupain-Cheng, use her surprisingly sturdy white cane she uses for assisted walking to land a remarkably accurate strike to where its head would be. Maybe in her defense due to her blindness, she didn't know it had no head but just a torso face and a lamp, yet Marinette still swung her walking stick like a pro baseball batter as it shattered a good upper half of the glass of the lamp. The same lamp on top of the Asura as it now howled and pounced away from her a good distance in pain. Whitish blue wisps of fire started shooting out of its now exposed lamp part, causing the main fire to be smaller and darker blue, as though it was a cooler weaker flame. It was causing intense pain and even anger for the Asura as the typically sweet and kind blind girl Adrien knew managed to be a total badass and go toe to toe with the creature, hurting its body and most probably its pride.

And probably Le Paon's as well.

All while having saved her two classmates who have since broken out of their shock over seeing Marinette's feat and ran back into hiding. As Marinette seemed ready to make another strike, she was surprised when she heard the creature snarl back at her.

But something was off with it.

It snarled at her and gazed at her for a few seconds before it became astonished by the reckless civilian. As though it failed to do something to her. The blue sigil of the Peacock user manifested on the Asura's chest eyes as it bid its master's command, rushing towards the blind girl for her insolence.

Just what had happened for such a feat to happen like that?


Many minutes earlier, Marinette actually found herself in quite a predicament.

During the panic dash and group up to hide from the Asura, Marinette instinctively grabbed one of her classmate's hands and made a quick beeline to the building where they could hide from the Asura. But it was when she and her partner stopped that Marinette found herself in a stacked situation.

Firstly, she grabbed a classmate's hand to hide due to immediately following Adrien's advice because she was thinking more like a citizen who needed to stay safe, and not a special sort of citizen who needed to have used that panic to hide by herself so she can transform into a truly special being in need for the fight, AKA transforming into Lady Fairy. Secondly, through sheer luck on her end, Marinette despite being blind managed to panic grab her classmate's hand and hide in one of the many areas of the Palais de Chaillot with no stumble; the problem lies with who she grabbed whose arm, and it didn't take long for Marinette to know when they made it well known, even if it was in a harsh whisper.

"What was with that mad, literal blind, dash, Dupain-Cheng!? That was utterly ridiculous and utterly dangerous for you to not only do but also drag me along with you like a rag doll!"

Third and lastly, Marinette was now stuck hiding with a certain Chloé Bourgeois, whom she grabbed when running and hiding. A certain Chloé Bourgeois who will probably make it extremely hard for her to leave alone so that Marinette can transform into the person Paris and Chat Noir needed the most right about now. If it wasn't evident from how the blonde heiress was already still holding onto the Eurasian girl's arm as to keep them both hidden from danger.

Marinette was in quite a predicament indeed.

'Oh shoot! I need to get away from Chloé so I can transform, but it's not like I can just sneak away when there's an Asura on the loose, let alone Chloé will want someone to be with her.' As though she read her thoughts, her companion looked to the blind girl and let go of her arm, huffing indignantly over finding herself in this situation with Marinette Dupain-Cheng of all people.

"We just need to stay here until our beloved heroes take out the Asura. This is utterly ridiculous, but this is the only way. Let's just follow Adrikin's advice and stay together hidden for the time being, Dupain-Cheng. Understand?!" The way Chloé was handling the situation reminded Marinette a bit of when she indirectly saw how serious the blonde heiress can be when she needed to step up and act, even when not necessarily needed for her to do so. She remembered seeing through her Champion how she helped out during the crisis in Le Grand Paris, all the while her possibly having had to juggle being sort of a caterer to a guest in the hotel. For all the snootiness and above-it-all personality one Chloé Bourgeois totes around publicly on a daily basis, when she needs to step up to the plate, she actually takes action.

"O-of course, Chloé! I-I guess I am just worried for everyone else if they're staying safe as well. Like Alya or Adrien . . . especially Alix." Marinette voicing out her worry over everyone caught the attention of her hiding partner as Chloé merely sighed as the two girls settled in the contemplative silence before giving some sort of reassurance.

". . . Let's just think first on getting out of here without that Asura turning us into one of those statues . . . even if we're all worried for her . . ." Cringing at catching herself in the last part, Chloé looked to her hiding partner as she saw that acting like her usual persona wasn't going to work and decided to divulge in a bit of a heart to heart with Marinette. If any other person would have seen this supposed sudden change of Chloé, they would be shocked.

But Marinette was not like other people.

". . . You know, I do kind of understand what Alix is going through."

". . . Chloé?"

"I-I mean if the mother I truly, truly loved was missing from my life, not knowing if she's really dead or alive would severely wreck me with the uncertainty of it all. Oh hell, after 5-6 years many would consider that missing person dead. For Alix's case, if she just already knew what happened to her mother, she could have a peace of mind and not overly latch onto the hope . . ." Marinette was so amazed by how the blonde heiress managed to concisely describe her views over what she saw was their classmate's issue that she almost did not catch the last murmured bit.

". . . at least she still loves hers even if she's missing. I know where Mother's always been, but she never bothers . . . so why bother also . . ."

Marinette couldn't even try to console Chloé before a yelp from somewhere close to where they were hiding broke their talk. Based on how she knew Chloé was taking a peek and her resulting gasp with a babble of a name, Marinette already felt a sense of adrenaline pool inside her. Her fight or flight responses were kicking in, and she knew where she was going to be leaning in on this scenario.

"S-Sabrina—"

"Sorry Chloé but help her when I go." Not even having a full moment to process what Marinette said, Chloé could only gasp as her blind hiding partner fully rushed out of their hiding spot like a woman on a mission. Only did she hear Marinette's command that she had a full realization.

"Go!"

With the way Marinette was running, she was almost going to intercept the Asura making a mad dash to Sabrina who was on the floor while Rose was helping her up.

But Marinette did more than just an interception.

"Ha!"

Stopping just where she was absolutely sure she needed to be, Marinette didn't even need to think twice as she swung her white cane at just where she needed to hit. Maybe call it heightened other senses due to her disability or due to her having been passively using Miraculous magic, but Marinette was surprisingly confident about how her strike would make a hit to the Asura, despite not knowing what it looked like, how big it was or how it was positioned. She did not care as she gave it her all in that mighty swing, batting away a fastball with ease.

And by the sounds of glass shattering in front of her and an immensely guttural animal howl of pain, she was right on the money. Hearing her classmates shuffle away behind her, hopefully to safety, Marinette could hear the creature growl at her from the distance it staggered away, as though it was trying to intimidate her or something. It was not attacking her during those few key moments but something about how it sounded after made her think it was disappointed.

As though it failed to procure or produce a supposed result out of the brave blind teenager.

'. . . Could it be?'

But before she could fully grasp what potential find she got from that brief interaction, Marinette realized internally the situation she placed herself in: A random blind Parisian girl whom many who knew her would say wouldn't ever hurt a fly not only ran to successfully hurt and stagger a ferocious Asura but said blind girl seemed to have readied her cane as though she was up for Round 2.

That would make a certainly interesting read, but right now Marinette Dupain-Cheng was too focused running on adrenaline and her need to help to notice.

The real question now is:

Even as a badass good girl, who moonlights as a mysterious fairy-themed superhero, who can save the civilian currently known as Marinette Dupain-Cheng from a now heavily hurt and heavily pissed-off monstrosity?

Only time could tell.


Endnotes (References & Ramblings)

Regarding Adding additional information mid-story. I hope you guys don't mind me using parenthesis to shortly describe a new non-English word. Like how I gave a short description of what the breakfast food the Kubdels were eating. These may or may not appear often in the story just to save myself the trouble of adding it here, where it's lengthy enough as it is.

Regarding Headcanons (HCs). Even when I was watching Season 01 of the show as it was still airing, I had a bunch of HCs about what to expect. Such things like who is which character or even what character will get what in terms of story progression (ex: who Hawk Moth was prior to the reveal, who would get the other Miraculous jewelry from the ones shown that were not of the Chinese Zodiac ones or what powers would the other jewelry possess), etc. As such, I will most likely add those various HCs I have throughout the story, since this is an AU where lots of things are no longer compliant to the canon, so why not right?

- I will say the way I added the whole Mme. Kubdel HC is solely for this story. To the best of my knowledge, there is yet to be any mention of Alix's mom in Canon, so I decided to add her here.

- I hope I also did a decent job with how I tried to blend a story narration within the story to help better visualize it. It's hard to write a flashback when it's someone in the story while writing it.

Regarding the Asura. I hope I did okay in introducing the Asura for this Chapter. Flauros is one of the demon Dukes of Hell from the Ars Goetia (the same source I used for Furfur, Aurore's Asura) but its basic design was heavily based on SMT / Persona's rendition of Flauros. I tried to differentiate it enough by changing some aspects. The main difference it being that I heavily based the Asura with that of a cheetah instead of SMT / Persona's use of like a leopard. Originally, I was so fixated on finding a cheetah-based reference from myth or fiction that fit certain concepts, but I couldn't find one that was good enough. In the end, I went with the idea of Flauros, who from Ars Goetia I could work with its concepts, but I also really liked SMT / Persona's design that I decided to at least tweak it into what it is now: a cheetah humanoid-like monster with time essence stealing powers.