For those wondering, there is a reason these two miraculous gems are in America right now. It has to do with the current guardian, and will be explained in the origin story.

Also, I noticed while writing this chapter another reason why I left this fic behind. I can't say I actually like my writing. If you guys have any cristism, or advice, please, feel free to leave it in a review!

Lastly, this is my first fic. So ideas are welcome! You have an akuma you think would be vool? Tell me. You have an OC you might want to see in this story? I can try.

- Chapter Two: Bug's Nest: Part One -

"Bryden, you're gonna be late for school!"

Bridget Agreste's voice echoed up the staircase leading to her son's bedroom, hands on her hips as she shook her head at this habit of waking up late.

It was nothing new, but she'd still swing her spatula around with flare as if he were in front of her, when he was instead clicking the snooze button a floor above.

Teenagers.

"Tikki!"

Bryden flew out of bed, his ash auburn hair sticking up in every way as chocolate orbs settled on an alarm clock which read much later than it should. His face was a shade paler then usual, quickly kicking the blanket off his frazzled frame as he pulled his uniform tightly to his chest, ducking into the hallway bathroom.

"I thought I told you to wake me up,"

The teen nagged as his red friend zoomed out of seemingly nowhere, giggling as she did so.

"I tried, but you were out of it. Besides, you could use the rest. Last night... it was something."

At that, all of his annoyance was gone. His kwami cared for him deeply, he knew that. She was kind of like a weird, cute, bug mom.

If Trevor ever met her, he'd more than likely refer to the situation as an anime.

The night before there had been a shooting. Unlike when someone was corrupted by an akuma, Lucky Charm wouldn't fix the damage done by the criminal. As Tikki once described it, her power could only reverse what was caused by unnatural evil, but those robbers weren't possessed and forced to hurt anyone, they did it out of their own selfish desire for wealth.

All through the moonlit dark, he had been kept up with nightmares, images of Kitten being shot flashed before his eyes. Her small, dainty figure crashing to the cold ground, blood pooling around...

"Bry!"

Tikki snapped him from his day-mare, motioning to the crumpled unform still in his arms.

"You have to go to school! If you're late, your reputation will be almost as bad as Lizzie's."

Kwami aside, his red mom friend was still in fact a girl, and so dressing in front of her was wrong. The only girl a man should show his bare body to was his mom in more youthful years, and his wife. Or long time girlfriend, as forcing marriage on a woman was wrong in this day and age. Well, any day and age. But he lived in this era, and it was wrong. Or boyfriend. His stressed, inner monologue of ethics to distract himself from the fact his perfect attendance was probably down the tubes didn't exclude men. Boys. Best amigo bro people.

His bike flew down the city sidewalk, swerving between stilled cars and slow moving ones to enhance the speed of his trip, saftey damned if it meant making it before the first bell. Besides, it was like a mild leveled puzzle, judging the speed of the cars, his own speed, and taking things like circumstance and turn signals into consideration.

Soon enough the highschool came into sight, rubber burning as the eldest Agreste child parked his ride, chaining it to the metal rack as he pulled his backpack off the handle bar. He was on time, but it seemed that everyday he was calling is closer and closer.

"Every day, your clothing is a little more wrinkled."

Teased a voice to his right, Bryden suppressing a groan as he slowly spun to face she who shall not be named, a fake smile plastered to his face as she parked her own cherry red bike beside his. Teased wasn't quite the right word, as her speech was as icy and foward as her piercing gaze, but he could pretend.

Mai Rinn Sinclair was an arrogant, spoiled brat. Her nickname dubbed as the 'Ice Queen' fit her cold, prideful personality to a tee. She wasn't as menacing as Hawk Moth, but his Aunt Mari didn't call her an 'American Chloe,' for nothing. The way she flipped her long, waist length jet black braid radiated a sense of superiority, authority.

"Thanks,"

Came his sarcastic response, never any good with witty comebacks. That was Kitten's thing, his specialty more genuine speech. But, if he were to tell Mai what he really wanted to say, his dad would not only kick his ass, but it would go against every code of ethics he stood for.

With his father a decorated cop and detective, and Mai's father a feared, but respected lawyer, she was a bregrudgly a large part of his life. At least, their parents were close enough in the line of work that when she was younger, Mai would often be left at their house for days at a time, when her own father was too busy with work to take proper care of his little princess. She was more tolerable back then, a midget who rarely spoke to him or his sisters, seeing herself above the Agreste swine she saw them as. It got worse as they got older, and the princess actually managed to befriend the youngest, Elizabeth. He wasn't sure if her pride grew, or that was when he began to notice it, but it was hard to even be in the same room as her without getting annoyed. It didn't help that her aloof, unconcerned personality caused multiple people to get corrupted, making his and Kitten's job all the more difficult.

His childhood enemy.

Satisfied with his clipped response, Mai walked past him without another word, not sparing him anther glance with her iced, steely grayish blue gaze.

Rolling off his annoyance, the auburn haired boy made it to homeroom just as the first bell rang, him taking his seat next to his seatmate, and acquaintance, Harmony Lee.

Harmony was a gentle girl, a little flirty, but overall a good person. The way she scribbled her Yuri chibi arts on the side of her notebook was both cute and entertaining, the antics of her oddity bringing a small smile to his face. In a homeroom designated to the school's student council, Harmony was the treasurer. A math wizz, she could give anyone a run for their money when, it in fact, came down to money.

Behind them was his co-secretary, the girl who tied with him for votes in the election, Aubrey Galveston, along with his best friend of seven years, Trever McCoy. The human relations officer, Trevor was a ball of unmatched social sunshine, the 'prince,' of the school. With light, dusted blonde hair and an electric smile, girls and men alike fell at the metaphorical feet of the Prince Charming, rumoured so warm he could melt the iciest of souls.

As for Aubrey, she was a quiet girl, but feircly loyal and protective to a fault. The small female was incapable of lying, her in fact the one who helped him solidify his code of ethics. The African American girl offered him a hesitant greeting before diverting her gaze back to her work, meanwhile Trevor kept his back turned as he was locked in conversation with Mai.

In addition to being the most entitled girl in school, along with his sister's best friend; Mai was the council vice president, more or less confirming her title as the Ice Queen.

"Okay,"

Standing from her seat after a silent nod from Trevor, the Ice Queen herself stepped foward to address her subjects.

"In case you haven't heard, Tyler is out again, his mother is ill. So, like last week, I'll be taking the place as president until his return."

A nod throughout the room showed understanding, before Trevor turned to him, a bright smile gracing his princely features.

"Did you see the video?" He questioned, pulling out his phone to show his best friend the news. All over the LadyBlog, videos of the previous night made headlines, along with an article that only deserved an eyeroll.

'LADYBUG AND HIS CAT'S MASTER PET RELATIONSHIP REVEALED!'

That one...that one was just a headache. Kitten would probably find it hysterical though, so he knew to brace himself.

Attention was cut short as Aubrey scooted over, nearly squealing at the playing video. It was a slow mo of him holding his partner, looking pretty damn for a guy being shot at if he did say so himself.

"The way he protects her is so cute!" The pixie faced classmate fangirled, snatching Trevor's phone from his grasp as she nearly jumped up and down in her seat, ignoring a kicked puppy faced Trevor.

"Aud...my phone man."

He pouted, placing a hand under his cheek as he leaned against his desk with a sigh. "I wish Kitten and Ladybug could save me from my math test later. That would be some power."

Bryden cracked a smile at that, watching as his two best friend's held a banter over the electronic device. This was why he fought, to protect those smiles.

One in particular. Aubrey's sweet grin, squeal when Trevor reached for his things; Bryden could almost get lost in those hazel eyes of sunlight. The way her dark skin seemed to shine an earthly glow, lips a full, glossed set of perfection. Time seemed to move slower when she was around, her laugh enough to warm him on the coldest of days. As for his current drooling, it was probably good she was distracted with the school prince at the moment.

The homeroom bell rang, bringing the quarreling teens to a hault as the trio gathered their things; Harmony, Trevor, and Aubrey waving him good bye as they went their separate ways.

That only left him with one thing to handle, Mai.

Knowing her since they were children, him and Trevor both knew that an offer of help was seen to her as a blow to her pride, and as annoying as both found her, none could deny she held an incredible competence under pressure. Or in general. Still, he waited, Bryden waiting all until everyone else was gone before approaching her desk.

One hand placed passive aggressively on the wood, the other helping him block an attempted exit, his smile dropped as the two were left alone. It was her who broke the silence, gazing up at him with her cold stare.

"Isn't confining me here a violation of your ethical preach?"

They both knew she could pass him and he'd do nothing, but still, she didn't move.

"Yeah, yeah; whatever." Running a hand through his hair, he sighed, speaking both fast, and unneedingly loud.

"So I know it's against your code to accept help, but it's against my code to let a girl handle all this work by herself, so give me an assignment and..."

"No."

"I know you don't like help but..."

"Agreste, I said no."

"Well I said..."

"Well, you're a nerd."

He paused at her insult, delivering a glare. She wanted it this way? Fine.

"Well you're a workaholic."

"You're a mama's boy."

"You're a bitch."

"You're a joke."

"You're friendless."

"You're a simp."

"You're obsessive compulsive."

"Says the boy who literally has a word document of ethics he must follow on his phone, along with meticulously documenting every akuma attack, an intense diagram of calorie intake on his wall, a..."

"I LIKE BEING HEALTHY AND CONSCIOUS, THERE IS NOTHING WRONG WITH TH...wait, why were you in my room?"

"Liz and I needed your stapler." She spoke slowly, as if it were the most obvious thing, her tossing her hair like she did.

Holding up her hand in a stop motion, she gathered her books as she stood, deciding their conversation over.

"Before you offer me help, Agreste; help yourself. You look like shit. Get your work done, and then get some sleep. If you got hurt, your mother would cry."

As she left the room, he shook. Mai knew how to get under his skin in a way none other could, making his calm and reserved demeanour slip into a mess of discord and anxious fury. It was whatever. Sinclair wasn't worth the waste.

The day would be normal. He'd go to class, eat lunch, maybe go with his friends to the arcade. Bake some cookies for Tikki wouldn't hurt either, his supply running low.

Yet all those dreams were shook away quite literally in third period when the earthquakes began.