He hasn't slept in two days. Not even a quadruple shot of espresso combined with two energy drinks is enough to keep him from nodding off every few seconds.
With Tikki and the magic earrings, Tommy can't afford to be careless. Which sucks because Tommy's default mode is carelessness. It's the reason why he's been in so many juvenile detention centres around the world.
He doesn't know what Monarque wants his Miraculous for, and Tommy has no intention of handing them to him and finding out. If Monarque wants to go the cliché supervillain route of "wanting to rule the world" or whatever, Tommy wants no part of contributing to it.
Having to care sucks. Damn that butterfly asshole!
Tommy feels his eyelids drooping closed then Tikki gently patting his face. "I'm up!" He shakes his head downing the rest of his coffee. He has to keep moving. Tossing the empty can in the garbage, Tommy keeps on walking.
Tikki flies in front of his face and he stops walking. "Tommy, you can't keep this up! You're going to literally drop from exhaustion, and if you drink anymore caffeine your heart just might stop! Let me take you to the Guardian? I'm sure he'll allow you to rest for as long as you need." With all the madness in the hypermarket, Tommy managed to discard the prison uniform (that he may or may not have lit on fire in the trash), grabbing up a new outfit and stuffing a backpack full of clothes and food, walking right out the exit doors before anyone got to their senses. The cameras were taken care of so he didn't have to worry about being caught and lots of shit got destroyed and no doubt looted so no one would be looking for the shifty-green-eyed, white-haired kid. But he grabbed a hat just in case.
A knit cap because he's seen superheroes try to go "incognito" by wearing a baseball cap and a pair of aviator shades then are genuinely surprised when they get discovered.
"The old man." Tommy murmurs. He did see Tommy in his prison getup yet still (foolishly) decided to give him an untapped source of power he's very likely to misuse. Honestly, not the greatest decision on Fù's part; desperation of the situation be damned. Fù'd probably make that whole "I saw something within you" argument. Him? Him! Thomas W. Shepherd. An ordinary Jersey trash bag whose own parents gave up on. Given superpowers. Willingly! He always thought to himself if he had any sort of superpower he'd use it to fuck with people around him just for laughs. Maybe he can make that a reality? "Guess I got nothing to lose. Lead the way."
Tikki beams then nods flying under his hat.
It would've taken just five minutes on the metro to arrive at Fù's HQ, which turned out to be a comic bookshop of all things (huh. There's an irony in this, isn't there?), but he surely would've fallen asleep once he sat down so he braved the half hour walk with Tikki spouting all sorts of random albeit interesting facts about the Miraculouses.
Tommy tries to projects as much casualness as one can when pumped full of caffeine and nearing 60 straight hours of being awake, as he enters the shop.
Other kids around his age are engrossed in reading or just enamored with looking around.
If he were more coherent, he'd look around some.
Fù is behind the counter dealing with a customer; a girl, seemingly around his age, with a Majestia t-shirt and long dark brown hair.
Most of if not all of the other Miraculous users from the other day had to have seen Fù for him to pass on a Miraculous to them. (Tommy remembers him just casually handing out a Miraculous later revealed to be the cat without bothering to look at the kid, so he doesn't know if the Cat knows who Fù is.)
All the news coverage from the other day is shrouded in mystery. People just assumed Monarque got bored then left because he didn't find what he was looking for. Some said he wasn't there at all and the whole thing was a set-up to take the heat off the newly re-elected mayor.
Until that overly dramatic asshole attacked again, no one would know of the six of them. If Tommy's lucky, Monarque will resurface after he's had a nap and a hot shower that's lasted for more than five minutes.
Fù bags the girl's purchase sending her on her way. She thanks him profusely before exiting the shop but not before giving Tommy a curious glance on the way out.
Tommy approaches the counter, pausing when he sees a Majestia vs Captain America comic on the shelf behind the counter – from the fucking 1950's. In one of the juvie's he was in in California (don't ask him how he got there, because he has no idea), they constantly spoke about how the government did Captain America dirty once the serum began to deteriorate his mind making him of no further use to them. Then they literally iced him until they could find a cure. (Some say he's still frozen some 70 odd years later!)
Majestia was a product of the "upgraded" drug that made Captain America, but she also lost her mind then disappeared. Rumored to be iced as well.
Didn't stop people from making comics about either of them, though.
"Pardon me for saying this..." Tommy looks down at Fù, "but you look like shit."
Tommy smiles, "you're clearly not the benevolent type, are you?"
Fù returns the smile, "that all depends on the company. Now, I appreciate you stopping by. I have something in the backroom I'd like you to take a look at."
Tommy tilts his head to the left in confusion until Tikki pats him on the head through the hat. "Ah... right. Thanks."
"No, thank you." Tommy hoists his backpack over his shoulder then walks past Fù to the backroom.
He walks down the corridor. To the left is a room and to the right is a staircase. Tikki lifts his hat and flies out of it. "The spare room is the last room on the right, next to the bathroom."
Nodding, he treks up the stairs. There's a small, extra floofy brown and grey cat napping on a stair. Tommy tip-toes around the cat and Tikki is making a weird face as they pass by. "Please tell me that cat is magic?" Tommy whispers.
"To be determined." Tikki whispers back.
🐞/🐈
"Wake up, Kit." Brown eyes flutter open and Billy blinks for several seconds and Plagg comes mostly into focus. "We're gonna work on your magic!"
"Wha—?" The brunet yawns, "I wanna enjoy the next week before I have to go to school."
"You've had two days off to 'enjoy your week.' You don't wanna show up to another fight unprepared. You, in particular, can't be caught off guard again." Groaning, Billy reluctantly gets out of bed and heads to the bathroom.
After showering, he looks at his reflection in the mirror and squints. Is—he runs his tongue along his incisors hissing when he cuts his tongue. "Ma mouf!" He sticks his slightly bloody tongue out and opens his mouth wider.
"Your incisors are growing in. Totally normal." Plagg floated in the sink taking her own shower while Billy took his. Plagg took some toothpaste on her paw and started brushing her teeth. (Billy made a note to pick up one of those doll sized toothbrushes for Plagg to use.)
"'Normal?' Normal?! Nothing about this—" He points at his mouth, "is 'normal.'"
"This is why I told you we need to work on your magic. There are side effects to using the Miraculous, like there are side effects for any magical artifact. Completely normal side effects. Also some completely abnormal but I haven't noticed any of those yet. Because our RNA merges when we fuse, you will develop cat-like tendencies."
Billy gasps bringing his hands to his cheeks, "Plagg, will I start licking myself clean in public?!"
"Only if you're dirty." The brunet thumps his head against the mirror. "D-Don't get discouraged! You won't ever do it around anyone you don't trust implicitly."
"Great, so only the people I 'trust' will find out I'm a freak."
"If they know you and you trust them, there's a pretty high chance they already know you're a freak."
Billy sighs lifting his head from the mirror, "you got me there." He puts a towel on his head to dry his hair as he gets dressed. "What sort of magic do we need to work on?"
"Your main ability, like I told you, is destruction. You can invoke the power by calling 'cataclysm.' Whichever hand the ring is on will spark pure destructive energy. Anything you touch will be disintegrated instantly. But, be warned, you only have a minute to use the power before it cancels itself."
"And then what?"
"Then you could be akuma bait if you're not careful. Your power is on a five-minute timer. If you use it you have to wait five minutes before you can use it again and even then you can only use it four more times before you break transformation instantly. Once you're more adapted to your abilities, the timer goes away. And you can use more abilities. So far you—well you play video games so this should be easy to understand. You start off at level one with just your base ability: cataclysm. As you level up, you unlock new powers."
"More experience makes me stronger! It's like I'm a Pokémon... without the four move limit, even though there's still the PP issue."
"Uh... in a matter of speaking, yeah? Or it's more like you're your own video game avatar, except you don't get to choose your pre-set powers."
Billy's eyes light up briefly. "Awesome. Wait a sec...! What do you get out of this deal? Hardly seems fair that I'm getting powers and whatever from transforming."
"I get fed good cheese." Billy gives her an unimpressed look, "I also..." Plagg makes a face, "I see the world. I'm stuck in a damn box until I'm 'needed,' and the damn sages tethered us to our Miraculouses because 'we were too powerful to continue to be left unchecked.' Like, first they stuff our powers in fucking jewelry and tiny toy bodies then they dictate how we use our own powers!"
"Wait... huh?"
"Kwamis have existed since the dawn of time. Forgive my bitterness but humans have mucked up the world, since they showed up. They figured working side by side with beings more powerful than them that they couldn't see was 'dangerous' so they wanted to put themselves in the driver's seat. They manipulated us into believing we'd be better off with bodies. After all, we'd get to eat and feel things."
"They just wanted to control you."
Plagg nods. "We hadn't realized that until it was too late. Nothing that can be done about it now. All those sages who gave us these bodies are long dead, and why bother tormenting their descendants when they can't do a damn thing about it?"
"Either way, that's pretty fucked up."
"Yeah, it is. I've had holders disagree with that. They said the sages were right. Things humans can't control shouldn't be around. Like humans are the only creatures in the world."
"I've yet to see a true good side of humanity myself. I mean, from individuals – sure – there are some decent ones out there but as a whole?" Billy shakes his head making a face. "'Cataclysm,' huh? Should I practice using it?"
"I wouldn't recommend it. It's not something you can practice until you get the hang of. Plus, you have a lot of breakable objects in here. However, you can work on using your baton."
"Got it. Let's get something to eat first. I think I have a stick or something I can use like a baton."
As he walks out the bathroom door, his bedroom door opens. Plagg hides behind his head as Rebecca comes in the room. "Oh! You're awake." She stares at him, "...why are you awake?"
"I-I—uh..." Plagg whispers to him and it takes everything within him to not fully turn his head or turn his head at all because he feels Plagg's paws on the base of his neck, "wha—oh. Right... uh... I mean school. Right. Right. Yeah. I'm, uh, gonna have to get up early for that, right? Might, uh, as well work my way up to... that." He smiles so big it hurts his teeth.
They stare at each other for several seconds before Rebecca nods with a hum. "That's... a good attitude to have. A bit surprising but I'm not gonna question it. Hopefully, this school will be better than the last one."
"If not, we can always move across the globe again. Or do we have to wait three more years?"
Rebecca fondly rolls her eyes. "Blame your father for that. If he weren't such a good cardiologist he wouldn't be getting recommendations across the globe. Anyway, I'm glad you're awake. Your eye doctor called and said there's an earlier appointment, if we're interested. I told them we were but I should've asked first."
"It's fine."
"Let me grab my purse then tell your father we're leaving."
Billy nods then his mother leaves the room. He heads over to his computer chair and puts on the socks he had hanging against the chair back. "Guess we'll have to practice later, huh?"
Plagg grins at him, "not necessarily."
🐞/🐈
Alya walks into Le Grand Paris with a sigh. The orange-haired teen should've shot for Lune Collège of Arts last year like Nora told her, when the school first opened and they kept showing commercials and handing out brochures in the mail. But no... she said what the hell? François Düpont isn't far. Why not go there? Huge mistake on her part. The school didn't even have a good amount of clubs to choose from!
There was only a twenty-minute time difference on the metro in the opposite direction, and she wouldn't be in school with the reigning Parisian Bitch of the Year™ Chloé Bourgeois. The blonde was 1 – the (crooked) mayor's equally shifty, equally shitty daughter; 2 – Alya's schoolmate/last year classmate; 3 – one of the entitled pricks her mother – Marlena – answered to. The mayor owned slash lived in Le Grand Paris with his daughter and his wife was also there, albeit infrequently. In an attempt to most likely keep her from bothering him, the mayor let his fourteen-year-old daughter run wild talking down to the staff whether her father was in an earshot or not. (But she damn sure didn't talk down to Alya's mother – the orange-haired teen knew that much.)
When Alya went to school, the blonde was there. When Alya visited her mother at work, the blonde was there. Chloé even showed up in her nightmares from time to time. Alya was hoping against hope to visit the hotel without seeing the blonde or her father.
For the past year-and-a-half, Alya watched her mother – a woman of incomparable cooking prowess; winner of multiple James Beard Awards and countless other cooking accolades; a good friend of the fucking president of the united states! – squander away her talents cooking for the same pallid group of ungrateful, entitled, racist, misogynistic, white fuckwads with no taste or tastebuds to speak of that frequented this crummy hotel claiming to be "good friends" with the mayor. Alya suspects they're always here because they've been banned from every other hotel in the city.
According to Marlena, the first time the group came in all holier than thou, spewing their passive-aggressively racist bullshit, they all shut their mouths in disbelief when the chef de cuisine and sous-chef de cuisine for all the food they've been raving all night long were black women. Hell, the entire kitchen staff were people of color.
Ever since, they smartly kept their mouths shut in the chef de cuisine or sous-chef de cuisine's presence, other than to begrudgingly compliment the food. They must've had a sixth sense that Marlena Addams-Césaire wouldn't put up with their bullshit and the Le Grand Paris would be out a few regulars as well as a few employees.
Alya is honestly surprised these people haven't been poisoned yet. Everyone with common sense knows better than to talk shit about people preparing your food or doing your hair.
Occasionally, there was an actual celebrity staying at the second biggest and "most famous" hotel in the city. The only reason it was the "most famous" was because it was owned by the mayor who was almost always in the news for something negative. But they say there is no such thing as bad press or bad publicity, right? Alya got an autograph from and a couple pictures with Jagged Stone when he stayed at here for the annual music festival last year. He raved on every social media platform about how amazing Marlena's cooking was. He also might've offered to marry her or enter a polyamorous relationship with her and her husband Otis; Alya isn't sure which and every time she brings it up her parents blush and quickly change the subject.
Thankfully, her favorite security officer was there and she gives Alya a salute as the teen walks by. Taking a deep breath and mentally preparing herself, Alya puts her hand on the kitchen door when someone loudly clears their throat behind her.
Groaning, Alya turns around to see Chloé standing there with her hands folded over her chest. (There wasn't a soul behind her when she walked down the corridor, she checked twice! And there is only one way in! And she did not hear anything while she was walking! Was there a secret door or something?) "What do you want?"
"Some unsanitary cretin not messing with my kitchen staff."
Alya adjusts the bag strap over her shoulder, rubbing her fingers along it to prevent herself from doing anything that'll get her mother fired. "If that's the case..." She begins calmly, smiling because you never let the enemy believe they have the upper hand, "I hope you weren't planning on entering the kitchen yourself."
Chloé's eyes narrow. "Why are you here?"
"I don't see how that's any of your business."
"My hotel. My staff. You'd damn well better believe it's my business."
Smile slipping off her face, Alya rolls her eyes, "ain't shit yours just yet but if you must you know my business, Your Royal Crankiness, I am having lunch with my maman. That a problem for you?"
"Not... necessarily. You're not using hotel resources, I hope? That can constitute a pay cut."
"I'll bet it does. We're not even eating here."
"Then you have no business entering the kitchen, do you?" The blonde makes a shooing motion, "go wait in the lobby. Go on. What are you waiting for?"
"You—" The orange-haired teen takes a deep breath, "no, you're not even worth it." She grumbles. Chloé side-steps out the way and Alya walks down the corridor. The blonde watches her go before glancing at the door then entering the kitchen.
"Mlle. Bourgeois!" One of the cooks greets. "To what do we owe the pleasure?"
"Where's Mme. Césaire?"
"Chef Césaire is washing her hands, preparing to go on break."
"Thank you." Chloé smiles at the chef before walking through the kitchen. She finds the orange-haired woman at the sink washing her hands. "Mme. Césaire, I require your input on something. I hope you have the time?"
"You require my input... now?" With a smile, Chloé nods. Marlena returns the smile but they both know it's forced. "I don't suppose you've seen my daughter, have you Mlle. Bourgeois?"
"No, I don't recall seeing Anansi in the lobby." Marlena turns off the sink then grabs a paper towel to dry her hands, all the while eyeing the blonde. "As I'm sure you noticed, we are in dire need of a pâtissièr. Given your connections, I was hoping you'd help us find the hotel's perfect match?"
"I'd have to get contact with some people no longer in the business, which I wouldn't dare do during work hours. Excuse me while I get right on that." Chloé narrows her eyes as the woman walks past her then clocks out. The other chefs, who had all stopped to watch and listen to the conversation, resume working once Chloé takes a deep breath then walks out of the kitchen.
Alya jumps out of the chair when she sees her mother approaching, "you... you're here! I thought for sure Chloé would try to keep you in the kitchen."
"She did." Marlena puts an arm around her daughter's shoulder, "what are you in the mood for eating?"
"I—"
The elevator doors open and Alya spots a woman wearing sunglasses with dark blue hair wearing a white business jacket with a red pencil skirt standing next to a girl with the same color blue hair wearing a red and white vertical striped polo shirt and a pair of black pants. They exit the elevator, the woman has a white stick – Alya realizes is a probing cane – guiding her and her arm is in the girl's. The woman seethes saying something rapidly in another language.
Alya locks eyes with the girl and they both look away at the same time.
Alya turns to her mother as the woman releases her hold. "What are you in the mood for eating?"
"Anything but French cuisine. I cook it all day, I'd rather not eat it when I don't have to. And I don't trust half the professional chefs in this part of the city." Before they can leave the hotel someone screams.
Alya and Marlena stop walking and turn around to see the woman with the probing cane being slowly enveloped in a thick, purple, bubbly ooze. The girl who was beside her is on the floor a few centimetres away looking at the woman in horror.
Alya rushes over to the girl and helps her up. "What happened?"
"One second she was ranting about the mayor and the next I think I saw a butterfly fly into her probing cane."
The ooze dissipates slowly and upward revealing a pair of knee-high steel-toe buckled boots, then a pair of black pants that tuck into the boots, a sword sheathed to the right of the belt, black body armor with a cape attached, and finally a head covered with a black helmet.
A butterfly mask outline appears over the eye part of the helmet as the woman unsheathes her sword and raises her masked head. "The wicked must be punished." Oh shit, that's Monarque's symbol! Alya remembers seeing it at the hypermarket the other day over Nora and the twins' eyes, and feeling it form over her own eyes. The girl Alya is holding onto says something in another language that has the helmet turning in her direction. Probably the same language the woman was ranting in earlier. "No need to worry, my darling daughter—" The woman replies in French, "my mind is my own. My sole purpose is to eliminate transgressors from existence. Cleanse the world. I. Am. Balance." Then she disappears in a flurry of smoke.
Alya gapes because holy shit she should've recorded that!
"Alya!" Marlena calls gesturing her over. Alya helps the girl up and they run over to Marlena.
🐞/🐈
Tommy wakes up to something repeatedly poking him in the face. "Wow. You are one light sleeper." Tikki flies in his line of sight, "we have an akuma loose at Le Grand Paris."
"Isn't that where the mayor lives?" Tikki nods. Tommy yawns then sits up. "Why are we planning on doing something about this? They're probably going after the mayor."
"We're not doing this for the target, whether it's the mayor or not... and it mostly like is the mayor." Tikki shakes his head, "regardless, we're doing this for those who'll undoubtedly get caught up in the destruction. Plus, individuals possessed by akumas are victims. We're saving them too."
"Not everyone deserves to be saved." Tommy yawns again, "how long was I out?"
"Three hours. If only there was some other way to deal with the akumas, you could've rested a bit longer but you're the only one who can purify them." He sighs, "if you don't purify an akuma and they're released from the body they're possessing, they'll multiply and infect hundreds of people at a time. Much like what went on in the hypermarket the other day."
"Did you get any sleep? You've been up right alongside me."
"I did get some sleep, yes, thank you for asking. We need to eat something before we transform." Tikki picks up the cloche on the side table, that most definitely was not there when Tommy laid down on the bed, and brings it over to him. Setting the cloche down beside Tommy, Tikki opens it revealing a pair of finger sandwiches. "How cute!" Tommy raises an eyebrow at him, "you probably shouldn't ingest anymore sugar."
"Fine." He picks up the sandwich and eats it. Tikki happily eats his sandwich as he floats in the air.
When they both finish eating they stare at each other, "I feel like I forgot to tell you something. Did I tell you about the lucky charm?"
"Uh... no? Also... what are you the... kwami of? The cat-boy said he has the power of destruction."
"Cat... oh." Tikki makes a face, "that's Plagg, kwami of destruction. She is the—" Tikki sighs heavily, "'yin to my yang,' quite literally. I am the kwami of creation. That's why Monarque wants our Miraculouses in particular. Every kwami has their match. And when you put those two together... along with several other magical steps I'm uncertain of, you can make your greatest desire come true. Or at least that's what I believe can happen? Sages withheld the wish information from kwamis."
"So... if I just straight up steal my cat teammate's Miraculous I can make a wish come true?"
"In a manner of speaking?"
"Huh. I guess Fù picked right when he took a shot in the dark. There isn't anything I really want and I certainly don't have some big great desire in the grand scheme of things." He hums, "what would you wish for?"
"Me? I-I don't know. I guess I don't have any big desire in the grand scheme of things either. Not that I think kwamis can wish for anything. Oh! But that did remind me that we need to get you some identification."
"That is not a good idea. What if someone sees my name and turns me in? I'm a fugitive and a foreigner."
"I'm the kwami of creation, remember? I can make you whatever form of identification required."
"Bitching. Gotta clean up for my photo after we deal with this akuma. Spots on, Tikki."
🐞/🐈
Billy did not realize his suit had some sort of Power Rangers morpher hanging off the left side of his suit. Curiosity may have killed the cat but satisfaction brought it back, as they say. When he picked up the hexagonal device, he was met with static that made him—thanks to his hypersensitive cat ears—cringe. When the static fizzled out and brought nothingness, Billy noticed there were little different colored triangles in the hexagon. Each with an unrecognizable symbol on them. Billy figured this must be a communication device for the team. The red space was the ladybug, the turquoise was the snake, the green was the turtle, the black was him – the cat, the grey was the mouse, and lastly the brown was the horse. (Why his space was there was... interesting. It might be one of those things where he could see himself in the chat.)
Frowning, he hit all the buttons. He came home from the eye doctor to discover no change in his eyesight. Which was a bit of a relief because they got worse two years ago; hence his need for glasses full-time rather than just reading.
When he got home, he barely had time to take off his shoes before he overheard a newscaster talking about a helmeted sword-slinging assassin searching for the mayor and his wife the International Queen of Fashion: Audrey Durand Bourgeois. Billy wasn't as avid a follower of Audrey Bourgeois as he was Janet van Dyne, but he'd be pretty bummed if some powered-up assassin killed her. Her backpack collection was the sole reason Billy even knew of her existence.
Instead of trying to sneak out of the house and creating all sorts of problems for himself when his family couldn't find him when they ventured to his room, he simply (and calmly) told his parents he was going to get some extra reading done at the library before school started. As it was in the opposite direction of Le Grand Paris, they let him go and told him to be extra careful.
Honestly, he didn't think they'd let him, but hey. He transformed in an alley – which, cliché. Then noticed the morpher thing on his belt. But it wasn't in the front like the Power Rangers morphers and it didn't have that cool animal coin in the centre. Come to think of it, it also reminded him of a digi-vice.
The green triangle lights up before the turtle appears in the space. "We have a communication device? This wasn't on my suit the other day."
Soon everyone else's spaces light up and they appeared on the screen.
"Is anyone near Le Grand Paris?" The mouse—correction: Southpaw—asks. "I'm there but I can't do the whole evildoer fighting pose by myself."
"I can be there in a second." The horse says.
"I say we all enter at once." Billy suggests, "we can pose—" Southpaw pumps her fist in the air, "and take care of the akuma. Or at least assess the situation."
"That alright with you, Bug?" Turtle-girl asks.
Ladybug-boy groans, "this again? I told you, I'm not 'lead' material."
"Red." Southpaw reminds him.
"Let's take turns leading and see who is the best at it?" The horse recommends. "We'll put the Bug first—" Ladybug-boy groans, "then take it from there."
Everyone stares at the ladybug expectantly and he sighs heavily. "Like Cat said, meet up at Le Grand Paris. But let's do the roof." Everyone nods then their spaces glow before their screens fade.
Southpaw is on the roof looking at her communication device.
"Yo!" Billy greets. And damn, he needs to come up with a name.
"Yo. These devices have wi-fi. I'm looking at what's going on inside. 'Balance' is sparing the pure of heart, turning them into her minions and she's smoting? Smitting... no, smiting! She's smiting everyone else."
Billy massages his temples then startles when four consecutive thumps land on the roof.
A scream has the six of them looking down and to the left where a blonde is staring at them for several seconds before her eyes roll in the back of her head and she faints. They stare at her for several seconds longer before turning back to one another.
"Time to huddle." Ladybug-boy says and the team complies. "Does anyone know what the hell is going on?"
"I do!" Southpaw raises a hand, "the akuma is called 'Balance' and she's knocking out whoever she thinks is 'bad' and turning whoever she thinks is good into her posse who are also knocking out 'bad' guys."
"Thanks for that." Southpaw beams. "Let's go make ourselves a dramatic entrance~"
One by one, they hop down the roof and onto the penthouse suit's balcony side-stepping over the unconscious blonde. The turtle-girl picks her up and puts her in a chair, putting her head on the table before they walk in the suit and go to the elevator.
Once the elevator opens on the ground floor they jump out the elevator with their weapons at the ready.
The akuma clad in all black and wearing a motorcycle helmet, slightly turn their helmeted head toward them. When they turn around fully, the butterfly mask outline is over the eye part of the helmet. The akuma grips their sword. "Minions, deal with the intruders then find my daughter." The minions – all also clad in all black though missing the cape – charge in their direction.
"W-What do we do!?" Southpaw yells.
"Subdue them." Turtle-girl replies.
"What does that mean?!"
"It means knock 'em out but don't go super crazy about it." The horse answers.
Southpaw trips up a minion with her jumprope and they crash into another minion on their way to the ground. She grimaces, "t-too much?"
"Not at all." The horse replies with a smirk.
Southpaw brings her hands together, "I got this. Go after Balance." Before anyone can question she starts jumpropping then in a flash of grey she splits in two, then she splits again, and again, and again only she begins decreasing in size with every other split. By the time she's done she's half her normal size with a dozen copies. With a battle cry, they begin tripping up all the minions.
"Guess her power is multiplying..." The horse mutters.
"She's getting away!" Someone yells.
"Fuck me." Ladybug-boy sighs as the akuma disappears in a plume of smoke, "Let's split up, gang. Turtle, Cat, you're with me. The rest of you help Southpaw." Admittedly, Billy's a bit surprised they follow the order without complaint. They did unanimously elect him as leader, so why wouldn't they follow his order.
They run down the corridor after the akuma. "What's the plan?" Turtle-girl asks.
"'Plan?' I'm making this up as I go a—" He gasps then stops running causing Billy and the turtle to do the same. "I gotta use my lucky charm." The yo-yo begins glowing pink then expands into a red and black polkadotted stick of some kind in his hands. "W-What... the fuck... is this?"
"A weirdly shaped crowbar?" The turtle guesses.
"No." Billy shakes his head, "that's a steering wheel lock."
"A—What the fuck am I supposed to do with a steering wheel lock? I don't have a steering wheel!"
"Maybe not but the akuma is dressed like a biker."
Ladybug-boy looks up from the steering wheel lock patting the Turtle on the shoulder, "you're better leader material than me."
"Oh. While we're on the subject, I've decided to go with the name Aegis."
Billy and the ladybug exchange a questioning glance and the latter shrugs. "What does that mean?" Billy asks.
"The long and short of it is: protection. Which is what my power stems from."
Billy's not-just-for-show cat ears twitch, "I hear something" He starts walking toward the source of the noise and his teammates follow behind him. Inside the fitness centre there is a small door behind the weight rack. Billy opens the door and two girls tumble out of it. And how he managed to hear... whatever he heard on the other side of the door was... astounding.
The orange-haired girl gasps as she gets to her feet, then helps up the shorter blue-haired girl. "Oh my God. Oh my God." She rambles, "s-superheroes." She whispers. "Y-You guys must've dealt with Monarque at the hypermarket!"
"If you are here to help you should know my maman is... the akuma. The entire ordeal was—" The blue-haired girl frowns, "I'm thinking she was deliberately pissed off so she could transform."
"Wouldn't be all that surprising if the mayor was in cahoots with Monarque, he pisses people off all the time. That's like... gotta give Monarque his pick of the litter, right?" The bespectacled orange-haired says.
"It makes sense." Billy agrees, "Monarque arrived as the mayor was reelected."
"Plus..." The orange-haired interrupts, "it's not like we have much else to go on currently."
"Unless it's the opposite..." Turtle-girl says, "and Monarque is against the mayor, hence the appearance coinciding with the mayor's reelection."
"Alright." Ladybug-boy sighs, "we'll figure it out. You two stick close to Aegis—" He gestures to the turtle.
"Why?" The orange-haired girl asks. "Because she's a girl?"
"No. Because she's the one with the protection powers."
"Oh. I see. My mistake then. What do we call you?"
"My name's still pending."
🐞/🐈
Château park was where Monarque first showed himself. No akumatization just... a kaleidoscope of butterflies forming into his face, declaring his reign of terror onto the city until he gets the ladybug and cat Miraculouses. Fù would've reacted then but it was over before he got the chance to. Next, Monarque hit the hypermarket with a mass akumatization. Now, he's at Le Grand Paris with just one akuma. He's sticking to public locations. The kwami of emotion is gonna need a large audience full of emotions to sense and manipulate in order to get stronger.
The five remaining kwamis inch closer to the radio listening to the sudden news broadcast. Witnesses said a tall, blue-haired, blind Asian woman was akumatized upon exiting the hotel's elevator.
Hopefully the team is either already there or making their way there. Fù sighs; if only he were able to transform to lend them assistance. The Miraculouses Fù has in circulation will have to do. He senses great power and potential within the team, they just have to trust in themselves and unlock it.
"You say the team should trust in themselves, so you gotta trust in them." Fluff says. "They may be kids but they're powerful. I can feel it." Fluff pats their chest.
Fù nods. "Guardian, what are we gonna do about the ladybug Miraculous wielder? A child all alone in a foreign country? His sleep was so fitful." Duusu frowns, "I don't need Nooroo's ability to decipher feelings to know there's a lot of loneliness in that one."
"There is plenty of space for him to stay among us, if he desires. If not, I'm certain we can come up with a solution he can benefit from."
"I like 'em!" Xuppu exclaims. The other kwamis nod in agreement. "Hope he decides to stay. Ooh! By the way, are you also going to look for a suitable predecessor? N-Not that I'm saying you should stop doing what you're doing! They say you never work a day if you do what you love!" The monkey kwami rambles.
"I have thought about a predecessor, yes. I just have not come across them yet."
🐞/🐈
The akuma was scarily light on her feet. She didn't even need the minions to give herself the advantage. Apparently, "Balance" could throw their equilibrium outta whack with just the tip of her blade. Naturally, they reconvened.
Ladybug-boy – name still pending – still hadn't figured out how to use his "lucky charm" that his magical yo-yo turned into a magical steering wheel lock. (Yeah. Alya doesn't get it either.)
Alya saw the remaining members of the team, and found out they were all animals. Well, she supposes it would be even stranger if only half of them were animals as opposed to all of them.
From what she's seen: the turtle was easily the most competent team member who could protect herself and others with a bubble shield. The group unanimously picked ladybug-boy as their leader even though he vocalized he didn't want to be. The mouse was easily the most excitable member and she could multiply herself; which Alya has seen her do... multiple times. The snake was just hanging in the back plucking their harp. (It looked like he was watching their every move but Alya had no idea what his abilities were.) The horse Alya honestly kept losing track of but according to the team she had teleporting powers or something close to that. The cat was using his baton to parry "Balance's" attacks but she was too quick for him to try and attack.
The eight of them were in Aegis' shield that "Balance" was starting to wear down.
"Here's the—what the hell?"
"What is it?" The horse asks.
"You're... You're polkadotted." He looks down at the steering wheel lock in his hands, "so is this..." He raises his head looking around, "and Southpaw." His giant bug eyes don't blink at the same time. "I think this—" He hefts the steering wheel lock, "is telling me what to do, sort of." He gives it to Southpaw, "I need a portal and some mini Southpaws."
Southpaw beams at him, saluting. "You can count on me."
"Ready whenever you are, Grey." The horse says. Southpaw keeps jumproping until Alya can no longer see her.
"I'm thinking while Southpaw dog—mouse piles 'Balance,' we either clock the akuma over the head with the steering wheel lock or use it to bind her hands together."
The horse makes a circle with their horseshoe and a portal appears near her leg. "In you go." Alya squints to see dozens of miniature Southpaws jumping into the portal. Once that portal closes, she lifts the horseshoe in the air and makes another circle then a different portal appears right over Balance's head and all the Southpaws fall out of it.
"Get off me, you disgusting creatures!" Balance hisses.
The horse creates another portal and jumps into it; meanwhile, Aegis pops the shield then frisbee's her shell shield at Balance hitting her in the stomach. The horse starts drawing multiple circles and her teammates are popping in and out of the portals wailing on Balance. Finally, The Horse forces Balance's hands apart with the steering wheel lock.
The cat has Balance's sword in their right hand that glows with this hissing, murky energy and the sword splits in two. Everyone gasps as a butterfly flies out of the sword. Balance falls to her knees and a purple ooze overtakes her body transforming her back into the woman. The steering wheel lock flashes pink before turning back into the yo-yo and zipping right into the ladybug-boy's arms. "Gotta catch that thing." He swings the yo-yo, and surprisingly manages to not hit anyone, then the yo-yo's face somehow becomes a net and scoops up the butterfly before the yo-yo shell covers the net. "Caught it." There's a pink line in centre of the yo-yo that ladybug-boy traces, "no more chaos or corruption or whatever from this little one. I release you." A translucent butterfly flies out of the now opened yo-yo.
Alya scratches her head. Cool, but she really doesn't know what the hell just went on.
The blue-haired girl helps her mother up, putting the now cracked probing cane in her hand. "I have the worst headache." She groans. "What a mess. I need to lay down."
"Do you need assistance with anything?" The snake asks. "You kinda kicked our asses, I bet you're tired."
The woman chuckles, "I believe I will take your kind offer, though exhaustion is not my reason. I am in my prime, young one."
"We've noticed."
The snake waves to the team as he helps the woman and the girl – who nods her thanks at them – leave the hotel.
"Okay, so... what are we calling the team?" Alya asks.
"We'll... have to get back to you on that one. Guess we're gonna 'bug out' now."
"I'm Southpaw—" Alya does a double-take because she hadn't seen her grow. The cat grabs her by the waist, dragging her off as they leave the hotel. "Remember this masked face!"
🐞/🐈
"This is Nadja Chamack with a TVi exclusive news break." The woman pauses, gripping her microphone tight. "One word: superheroes." She takes a deep breath. "In case you missed them due to being possessed and frothing at the mouth at the Supergalaxy hypermarket, we have footage, grainy footage but footage nonetheless, from Le Grand Paris of six costumed individuals taking down a butterfly possessed woman. This incident, according to the timestamp on the camera, occurred one hour ago. Let's show the clip." The woman points to something off-screen then the camera cuts out showing grainy bits of footage from earlier.
Ramone runs a hand down her face but Johnny perks up at the broadcast. "Superheroes." She mutters. "Why is it always superheroes?"
"What are you complaining about superheroes for? I seem to recall a certain someone having the biggest crush on Storm and Wasp."
Ramone clears her throat. "They were both powerful women of color who became even more powerful then became superheroes. And it's not like you didn't have the same crush on them!"
Johnny shrugs locking his hands behind his head. Ramone could swear she saw an extra bracelet on his wrists but he moves his arms out of her line of sight too quickly for her to confirm. Speaking of which, she needs to blend her bracelet in with her ensemble so it doesn't look out of place. Jewelry was always Johnny's thing, not hers. Her jewelry almost always got lost when she went surfing or swimming so she just stopped wearing jewelry altogether. Minus the newly acquired nose ring, they both got to celebrate their fourteenth birthday. Ramone doesn't care what anyone says, he copied her. He's been copying her their whole lives with him being born second and all.
"Superheroes..." They turn back to their great-aunt shaking her head, "they didn't have 'em running around all willy-nilly in bright tights when we was growing up. Captain America paved the way for all this and they dogged him, moving onto the first shiny white-passing doll they could get their grubby, crooked hands on only to have her turn out defective too." The woman hums. "You two went to that hypermarket the other day. Were you affected?"
"Yeah..." They both reply then turn to each other with narrowed eyes. Ramone saw Johnny have the butterfly outline over his face, holding onto the afflicted outfit the butterfly entered, but unlike everyone else she passed he was seemingly rooted to the spot. Johnny wasn't so overcome with emotion that he was sobbing uncontrollably holding onto himself for grounding nor was he ripping apart whatever piece of the store he could reach. They had seen people get instantly affected once the mask appeared over their eyes yet Johnny wasn't.
The cat and ladybug were too light-skinned to be Johnny and the other two members were female so either Johnny was the snake – who she couldn't see very well because he was hanging back like he was trying to figure out a puzzle or something – or she's merely paranoid. But Ramone did not see Johnny when she returned to the spot he was somewhat stuck in nor did she run into him as she ran around the hypermarket.
On the other hand, the cat mentioned his family was in the hypermarket and he (thankfully) hadn't run into them and they weren't at the last place he saw them. So she's back to the paranoia angle. This is Johnny, her twin. They've spent eight-and-a-half-months in the same womb, even if they were in separate eggs. If he had superpowers he'd tell her. Maybe not in front of the great-aunt they didn't know they had until their grandparents' death last year but he'd tell her. Because she'd... tell him. Aw fuck.
They continue to stare at each other suspiciously as their great-aunt continues to shake her head at the news broadcast. Which one of them will crack first?
🐞 /🐈
In hindsight, borrowing a book on magic and a book on how-to-use particular weapons might not have been the smartest thing Billy did.
However, in retrospect, there are lots of non-smart things William Kaplan will confess to doing.
The day after the akuma attack, after having one weird-ass dream, Plagg told him he could train with his powers while sleeping. Plagg also pointed out if the ladybug miraculous wielder or any other member of the team were asleep at the same time they could train together.
"Sugarcube's real insistent on the training." Plagg told him, "ladybug miraculous holders that don't take their training seriously usually end up dying pretty young. You know, I don't think Sugarcube ever had a boy ladybug before."
"Never in the history of history? You said kwamis existed since existence began!"
"And each time Sugarcube would be paired with a girl. If he wasn't with a girl, he was paired up by people who weren't defined by a single gender, or he'd occasionally get individuals outside the heteronormative binary but not once before now has he been with anyone who identifies as male."
"You keep saying 'he.' If this 'Sugarcube' is a boy, why wouldn't he be paired with a boy?" Plagg shrugs. "How do we even know 'ladybug boy' is a boy?"
Plagg shrugs again, "we don't, and we won't know unless they tell us." Billy hums, "kwamis are monogendered – I suppose you could say, I don't think I mentioned that before..." Billy shakes his head, "right. Knew I forgot something. Being around humans for so long kwamis have specific gender pronouns we'd like to be addressed as."
"What are your pronouns?"
"They and also she." Plagg gives him a toothy grin, "now that we got that out of the way, focus on harnessing that reverse luck energy."
"'Reverse' luck? That's what we're calling it?" The upside of the sleep training was Plagg got to walk him through everything. The downside was he didn't have the ring as foci for his magic. (Not that he knew how to use the damn thing so maybe it wasn't too big of a downside.)
"My Kit's get a little... catty when I call it 'bad' luck. So it's reverse luck. Much how destruction is the antithesis of creation."
"So I have powers of destruction and bad luck?"
"They go hand-in-hand. You have powers over bad luck, doesn't necessarily mean it's your bad luck."
Billy facepalms. "Then I'm essentially a walking hex." He pauses, "hex...? Hey, I think I found my superhero name!"
"You want to be known... as 'Hex?'" Billy nods enthusiastically. "I like it. Double meaning." Plagg gasps, "looks like someone's trying to wake you up."
"Wait, where are you?"
"Hidden and safe. Focus on waking up."
Billy's eyes flutter open. His face is smushed into the pillow and he hadn't taken his glasses off. He forgot he fell asleep on his stomach. Now that he's thinking more about it, he doesn't remember falling asleep to begin with. Billy turns his head to the left to see his father standing there. "Are you alright?"
Yawning, Billy sits up. "Guess I was tired." He adjusts his glasses, making sure he hadn't broken another pair this year.
"You know you can't nap in school, right?"
"Not even during lunch?"
Jeff chuckles, "you got me there. Just got an e-mail from the school stating the first day is also picture day for your student identification cards." Billy grimaces. He's notoriously unphotogenic no matter what country he's taking pictures in. He might even be cursed. Maybe that's why he was given the bad luck Miraculous?
"Thanks for the heads up." Billy takes his glasses off and rubs his eyes.
"You sure you're okay?" Billy nods still rubbing his eyes. "What did you pick up in the library?"
The brunet freezes, "huh?"
"You were in a rush to head to the library. Must've been important, right? You weren't near the hotel where that 'akuma' was, were you?" Billy shakes his head.
His father is looking at him with such an innocent, interested look. "Puberty." He squeaks out then immediately mentally facepalms.
"Oh!" Jeff blinks, "you...oh. You're hitting—You hit puberty? T-That's gre—"
"I don't know if I did! I mean, I don't think I did. I just want to ...be prepared." How could anyone expect such a disaster to be a superhero? If the ground could magically swallow him whole now that would be great.
"Okay. You don't need a book for that. I can answer any questions—" He pauses, "okay... nearly any question. You know what? The book might be a good idea but if you need any clarification on anything let me know."
"Will do."
As his father leaves the room, Billy bangs his head on the desk. Plagg flies over to him. "Kit, that was painful to watch."
"It was painful to say!" Billy mutters. With a heavy, sigh he reluctantly lifts his head. "I don't do so well being put on the spot. I freeze up and my mind turns to mush." He stares at Plagg, "I don't suppose you can help with that, can you?"
"If you are asking me if I can magically make you no longer awkward, the answer is no. That is... outside my realm of expertise. A power all its own I am unfamiliar with, and tampering with it will cause ill-advised side effects. I mean, I've been with awkward humans before, never with one so aware of their awkwardness though."
Sighing, Billy locks his hand behind his head. "School is gonna be a disaster."
"Maybe but we'll get to navigate it together." Plagg grins toothily at him. "Just a heads up though? I haven't been around teenagers in a while so... my advice may not be the best... decade wise."
"Good to know."
"Ah." Plagg waves him off, "it'll be fine." Billy raises an eyebrow, "what's with the look? Would a face this precious lie?" Plagg points at her face beaming.
"Yes it would, without remorse."
"Alright it would, but not to you! I want what's best for my Kit." Plagg pats him on the head. "Let's cause some trouble in the best of ways~ And the best way to do that is to establish a look." Plagg flies over to Billy's closet.
"Huh?"
"You know... how you want to be perceived."
"I don't wanna be perceived at all, if I can help it."
"Unfortunately, Kit, you can't. That's why you need a look. A style all your own that people who pass by you will say ah I get that. You know?"
"Honestly? No."
"Well, what do you usually wear to school?"
"When I wasn't in uniform I wore character shirts and jeans."
"Uh-huh and how has that been working out for you?"
"Considering the amount of bullying I've endured all eight years of schooling, I'd have to say not well."
"Then let's change up your look!" Plagg excitedly starts throwing clothing out of the closet.
"Wait, wait! What are you doing?"
"Reorganizing your closet to reestablish your style! You weren't kidding about the character shirts. Superheroes, video game characters, cartoon characters. There isn't a plain t-shirt in this closet. That's it. We need an emergency shopping trip."
"We wha—?"
Plagg flies over to Billy's face, "shopping. Haven't you heard the expression 'clothes make the man?' Unfortunately, in my experience, humans are incredibly judgy and they box you in a personality solely based on their first glance of you. It's only when you build friendships and form bonds when the box expands."
"But I don't care what I'm perceived as."
"Which is great! You're gonna need that self-confidence. I don't think school stopped being hell in the past century or so. Your it's whatever attitude strategy hasn't worked out for you if you keep on getting bullied, and ignoring everyone around you isn't gonna prevent bullying either. Neither will trying to fade in the background. Some people just get off on making others feel bad simply because they can, they're sadists who thrive on making others miserable, or their inferiority complex wants them to make everyone feel worse than they do."
"Then what do I do?"
"That is the million euro question, isn't it? Again, in my experience, you get completely ignored if you are average." Billy blinks at Plagg. "People who do shit great are acknowledged and revered. People who do shit bad are ridiculed and harassed. If you're not too good or too bad, history has a way of overlooking you."
"So all I have to do is not be the worst or most obviously dressed kid in the school?"
"Pretty much."
"That sounds so shitty but you have a point. In my second to last school, we had to wear uniforms so there wasn't a lot of bullying until the school laxed on the rules and allowed kids to 'customize' their uniforms with their own personal touch. They quickly revoked that rule when students began getting bullied for adding comic or video game character pins to their clothing and backpacks. I started realizing the way I was dressing or the lack of emphasis I put into my clothing was getting me picked on but they made me feel comfortable and I was able to withstand the bullying. Or I thought I was able to withstand it."
"Then let's find you comfortable average clothing. Something that doesn't drastically change you but makes people not bother to notice the kid in the Captain Britain sweater."
Billy resists the urge to look down at his sweater. "Captain Britain is a national treasure!"
"Please. The man walks around in tights of the UK flag. Lame. If you want a superhero to devote yourself to it's gotta be Black Panther."
Billy gives the kwami a deadpan stare. "Really?"
"Yeah. All cat superheroes are awesome by design and by default! But based on the comics of him I read?" Plagg does the chef's kiss gesture, "best of the best." She nods to herself, "I also like Black Cat."
"Of course you do. I'm guessing Jungle Girl and Tigra are at the top of your list as well?"
"I don't like Jungle Girl but yes to Tigra. Now, we want comfort and style. Oversized hoodies but not too big and fleece." Plagg sighs in content, "you need some fleece. If not for yourself then do it for me. I love nestling in soft clothes."
"Right... I'm gonna need to have you around me all the time because of Monarque. You should have a say in what clothing you get nestled in."
"Thanks. Now, I need your measurements. Stand up then stay still."
"Why do you need my measurements?"
"We're gonna make you some new clothes."
"Make?"
"Kit, I'm magic. I can conjure clothing."
"This I gotta see."
🐞/🐈
"I'm telling you they all jumped on the balcony! Came out of nowhere!" Chloé excitedly claims. "I fainted and one of them put me in a chair. I wish I would've seen them in action but the video clip wouldn't play." She sighs.
"Superheroes sound as utterly ridiculous as this clown hiding in the shadows sending butterflies after people. Butterflies! One of the world's most beautiful creatures... being used for evil! It's sickening. This whole thing is just—" Audrey trails off with a sigh. "Still not as bad as New York. You can't go to a hot dog cart without dodging some supervillain's robotic army's death beam or what have you."
André stares at his wife in surprise, "you went to a hot dog cart?"
"Naturally. I'm a native New Yorker, André. My parents knew the hot dog vendors by name."
"Your parents don't remember my name!"
"They don't? Huh. Odd." André massages his temples. Why is he surprised? Audrey's parents hate him. "Anyway, this whole superhero bullshit is ridiculous! Just... utterly ridiculous! Why did Paris decide to have superheroes and supervillains now? I spent twenty-three years of my life dodging supervillain attacks just going to school! Beauty School was just the worst! Half the classes were canceled on a semi-regular basis because Doctor Doom wanted to throw a tantrum! And that was before online classes were a thing! They had to put our classes in a safehouse bunker when alien attacks started up in the late 90s. I've never—I swear it's like this shit follows me around!"
"Were there supervillains in Italy?"
"Yes!" Chloé says excitedly. "I saw Knightowl and Sparrow!"
André nods slowly then glances at Audrey. "They're superheroes from New York. I'm guessing they were on vacation?" Audrey gives a one shoulder shrug, "Red Rooster was there too. Then again, it was Fashion Week in Milan when we saw them, so I'm not surprised superheroes turned out. Janet van Dyne never stopped doing fashion when she was a superhero and now she's President of the United States. She was the Queen Bee in beauty school—"
Chloé screams, "you never told me you knew Janet van Dyne! I love her!"
"You—Is that why you're so obsessed with stripes?"
"Wasp has such a perfect outfit!" Chloé sighs dreamily. "Janet van Dyne is the greatest fashion designer ever."
"You know I'm a fashion designer too, right?"
"Y-Yes?" Audrey stares at her daughter who plays with her ponytail, avoiding eye contact.
"Dinner is served, Mme. Bourgeois. Courtesy of Chef Césaire." Their butler announces rolling a tray with several cloches on it over to the kitchen table.
Audrey opens her mouth then shuts it. "I see. I don't mind conceding to Janet van Dyne and I wouldn't say we were on the best of terms, in case you were hoping for an autograph or something." Chloé sighs. The butler puts a large cloche in front of her. "Thank you." He nods, then gives André his cloche. "If you did one thing well, André, it was hiring Marlena Césaire. Can you imagine if Hyatt Regency Paris Étoile grabbed her? We'd have to go out of business! There'd be no way we could compete!"
"I'm surprised someone as utterly exceptional as her isn't running her own restaurant somewhere—" André and Audrey pause then stare at Chloé who lifts her own cloche, not noticing their stares of bewilderment. "I also don't understand how that... pest could be her daughter." The blonde scoffs.
"You've been having problems, Princess? Why haven't you said anything?"
"I'm not having 'problems,' Papa. I'm having a problem. Singular. And it's something I can handle. Don't you worry."
"That's my girl. Deal with this pest problem swiftly." Chloé beams at Audrey. "Wait." Audrey's eyebrows furrow, "isn't Marlena Césaire's daughter an amateur kickboxer? I... believe in you, Chloé, I truly do but don't do anything foolish like picking a fight with someone who gets paid to fight. You don't want to have rhinoplasty. Not the safest of surgeries. You can ask your aunt. Her nose—" Audrey brings her hands apart in the shape of a circle. "It was a mess."
Chloé shakes her head, "no. I wouldn't mess with Anansi, maman. Please. I have common sense. It's her other, utterly irrelevant daughter."
André puts a finger to his lip, "other daughter... other daughter..." He gasps, "I knew those were devil children! What have those little monsters done to you!?"
"What? What little monsters?"
"Marlena's twin daughters! The two little devils that smugly utterly destroyed the lobby during career day? The things I saw in the bathroom I cannot un-see!" Audrey and Chloé exchange a concerned glance.
"Wait, no. It's not them. Ah. Ha! That just proves how irrelevant she is." Chloé pumps her fist in the air as her parents stare at each other in confusion.
🐞 /🐈
"Spots off." The suit dematerializes from the boots up until Tikki barrel rolls out of his left earring. "You sure about this?"
Beaming, Tikki nods. Tommy eyes the kwami suspiciously. "Come on! What do you have to lose? You're in a new city. A fresh start! Superpowers! Plus, Master Fù will need some help around the comic book shop once school starts up. Speaking of which—"
"Nope. I'm not going to school. I stopped in fifth grade." Tikki taps his mouth humming. "But I will pretty myself up for my id photo." Tommy takes a deep breath then tries to be as inconspicuous as one can exiting an alley then walks into the comic book store. If nothing else, he left his backpack here.
Tommy slips inside the store but the damn door chime which Tommy hadn't noticed sounds like some kind of laser, alerts people of his presence. People stop what they're doing and stare at the door for about a second or two when they notice him then resume what they're doing.
Tommy heads to the cash register but it's empty. He looks around the store from where he's standing but doesn't see Fù. Curiously, he decides to check the whole shop. There is quite the collection for such a small shop. Tommy freezes, then rushes over to pick up the comic with a ladybug hero on the cover. Their outfit is so much simpler than Tommy's. It's simply a plain red and black polkadotted outfit throughout. No wings, no antennas. Their hair is black held up in a high ponytail with a red ribbon that looks like a pair of ladybug wings. The comic cover simply says Ladybug.
"That one—" Tommy jumps at Fù's voice, "is said to be based off a true story." He narrows his eyes at the smiling man.
"You don't say."
"If you have time, there is something I would like to discuss with you."
"I've got nothing but time."
"Wonderful. We close in an hour." The Sailor Moon clock atop the back shelf reads 6:24pm.
Tommy busies himself with reading the back cover of everything that sounds interesting and at precisely 7:30pm Fù rings up his last customer closing the shop.
As he locks up the shop, he rapidly moves his hands around and the top lock pulses then the overhead lights shut off.
He gestures for Tommy to enter the dining area and the teen does. "Tea?"
"Uh, not yet. Why did you give me this Miraculous?"
"You were there."
"Are you serious? That's the worst reason I've ever heard to give someone the kind of power you gave me!"
"And just what kind of power did I give you?"
Tommy gestures to Tikki sitting on his left shoulder. "The power to run around the city in elastane!"
"Elastane is quite the durable material."
"It—" Tommy shakes his head, "that's not the point! You're telling me you gave a kid you saw in a prison jumpsuit the power to create things out of thin air because he was there!?"
"Is it truly that surprising?" Tommy gapes at him. "Listen, Thomas, the world doesn't always make sense. I speak from experience on that front..." He mutters. then clears his throat. "The gist of the situation is: I have limited foresight abilities. I saw a worthy ladybug Miraculous wielder with green eyes at the hypermarket and I acted accordingly. Do you have any idea how uncommon green eyes are? Because I did not before last week. Three percent of people in the world – the whole world – naturally have green eyes."
Tommy and Tikki both share a glance then the latter shrugs. "So I have green eyes, that doesn't make me 'worthy.'"
"No, it doesn't. Worthiness is something you prove. I have spent my entire life studying the human spirit and believe me when I tell you, your spirit is strong. Honorable. Genuine. Untamed. You have something in you I have not seen in quite some time. Your soul is a good match with Tikki's."
Beaming, Tikki nuzzles Tommy's cheek. The teen groans, "I just knew you were gonna pull some 'hero within' shit like this."
"You have foresight abilities as well then?" Tommy scowls. "Have you given any thought to your living situation?"
"What living situation?"
"Exactly."