"This is Nadja Chamack reporting live from Collège Françoise Dupont where Rena Rouge and Ladybug appear to be battling a large chicken—" Behind Nadja, Rena Rouge goes flying across the screen.
Plagg and Wayzz each slowly jam crackers into their opened mouths.
Fù walks into the bedroom and pauses, taking in the two kwamis floating in front of the television eating the animal crackers Marinette left for them. It's been two weeks since he started searching for a partner for either of them and he had far more luck carrying all his groceries in public transportation without any bags ripping. Fu's personal connection with Wayzz might be compromising his ability to neutrally find someone he deems good enough for his long-time partner. As for Plagg, he can't find anyone the black cat will view as an equal. The only person Plagg actually seems to like is Alya and Trixx is just as, if not more, difficult to find a partner for so he can't afford to have Alya and Plagg partner up because he'll be in the same boat trying to find a new partner for Trixx. Besides, as much as Trixx fusses, they like Alya more than they'd ever let on. A Guardian's intuition is never wrong is what his mentor often told him.
Fù checks the time. 10:33am. "Is this live?" Plagg and Wayzz nod wordlessly without bothering to turn around. Fù sighs. "Hawkmoth has been relentless these past few days. I fear it won't be long before the girls burn out."
"You're not giving Snacks and Als enough credit. They've been going at this for, what, thirteen straight days and are still keeping up with their boring, non-superhero, school stuff? They've got this in the bag."
"But for how much longer though?" Wayzz asks, "they've—wait." He does a double take at Plagg, "'Snacks?' Who—I thought you were calling Marinette Sunshine?"
"She's Snacks since she keeps bringing us snacks. I mean..." He holds up a cat shaped animal cracker, "who comes up with this kind of stuff? It's adorable." With a sigh, Wayzz shakes his head. "You guys need to relax. Hawkjerk's gonna realize his little puppets aren't a match for our dream team."
"Which means he'll just bring forth more akumatizations."
"Were you always this much of a worrier, Snappy?"
"My worrying is justified."
"Is it? Did all your years of being active and not doing anything make you forget no kwami can stay transformed forever? If anyone is in danger of burning out it isn't the kids, its Wings. We got another day, two days tops before Wings is unable to merge with his Miraculous."
"This is the first I'm hearing of anything like this, Plagg. What will happen to Nooroo then?"
"What will happen is Hawkmoth won't be able to create akumas for the next three days while Wings is recuperating. Maybe four. Six if we're lucky but luck hasn't exactly been our best friend in the past few weeks."
"And a weakened kwami can't be forced into their Miraculous." Wayzz finishes. "Plus, Hawkmoth won't risk losing what power he has so he won't put Nooroo's health in jeopardy."
"Or he would. Especially if he has the book, but he's not gonna push Wings too far past the brink of exhaustion."
Fù taps his chin. "I see. But if the girls are battling Hawkmoth's akumatizations daily, it stands to reason Trixx and Tikki are also at risk of burning out. Same as Nooroo." He sighs. "I must renew my efforts to find you both partners. Perhaps I overlooked someone."
...
Everyone's talking about Ladybug and Rena Rouge when Nino walks back in the building. He was on The Eiffel Tower a few weeks ago when two colorful blurs sped past him making their way to the top but he didn't think to take a picture or do much else besides clean his glasses and gawk while wondering if he was seeing things.
When he saw them the second time – technically the first – they looked so cool battling what looked like a walking pile of mud. He actually did snap a picture of them that time; several, in fact. Not that he was the only one. You wouldn't think you'd see something like that outside of television or video games but there they were in an old-fashioned cool ass looking standoff.
Over the course of the past week or so, they've been popping up more and more. From helping against Hawkmoth's latest akumatized victim to doing the menial, stereotypically "heroic" tasks of saving cats from trees. Today's victim was a student who turned into a chicken because Kim called him a chicken for backing out of a dare last minute. Needless to say, Kim was his first victim then it was pure overkill as innocent students were turned into bite-sized chickens. Nino was only saved from being turned into a chicken himself because Ladybug appeared out of nowhere then vaulted herself at him getting him out of the way of the poultry-based blast. Nino could swear the damn thing clucked as it was being fired.
Ladybug was definitely stronger than she looked as she carried him to safety and told him to stay hidden before jumping back into the fray as Rena Rouge created illusions around the chicken confusing him long enough for them to pop his beak off releasing the akuma inside. Once Ladybug purified the akuma half the student body returned to their normal forms.
Admittedly, Nino was one of the many who swooned when Rena Rouge and Ladybug blew the crowd a kiss before disappearing.
Principal Damocles had everyone exit the school and then had all the teachers inspect the building before deeming it safe to return to. Nino had to wonder why he didn't ask Ladybug or Rena Rouge to search the building as it would've gone a lot quicker but the less time he had to spend in class the better.
"Nino!" Kim and Max jog over to him. "I'm so jealous! Ladybug held you." Kim takes a deep breath. "At first I felt really bad for causing the school's first akuma attack but then it got Ladybug here so quick I couldn't find it in my hear to feel bad."
"You should feel bad." Max chastises, "it was very unpleasant being in the body of a tiny chicken." He turns to Nino, "but I'm also jealous Ladybug held you."
"What did she smell like? Did she smell like a ladybug? What do ladybugs smell like? I can't believe Paris has superheroes now. Isn't that just the wackiest thing you've ever heard?"
"Kim, dude, breathe." Nino laughs patting him on the back.
"Could you see into Ladybug's helmet?" Max asks.
"Uh, no. There was this bright red light around the eye area. I kinda went blind for a second when she spoke to me."
"She spoke to you?!" Kim fans himself, "what did she sound like?"
"Kind of like one of those sentient killer robots in the movies that like to crush buildings."
"That's so cool." Max and Kim swoon.
"Nino, are you okay!?" Lila and the rest of the class run over to him, "I couldn't tell which chicken was you."
"I didn't get turned into a chicken, Ladybug saved me."
The class gasps and gushes. Considering how they all ran off after watching Kim get blasted (him included) it's no surprise the majority of them missed it. "Seriously? You're super lucky Kim's mistake didn't put you in harm's way." Lila glares at Kim who returns the glare.
"I'm just glad Ladybug saved us when she did, I was allergic to myself." Sabrina says with a sniffle. "I should probably go to the nurse."
Kagami puts a hand on the small of her back. "I'll take you."
"Thanks, Kagami."
"Be back soon, okay?" They nod at Lila as they walk off. When Marinette runs over to the group Lila looks her over. "Where were you?"
"Gee. Good question. Maybe you don't remember me running after someone tried using me as a human shield?"
"You ducked and I got turned into a chicken!"
"Sounds like karma's almost as big a bitch as you." Marinette smiles sweetly at her and gets a glare in return. "Ladybug got me out of the way before I got turned into a chicken."
"Did you happen to get close enough to smell her? Or hear what she sounded like?"
"What she smelled like?" Alya asks, "is that a serious question?"
Kim nods. "Damn right it is. I wanna know what my future wife smells like."
"My future wife's definitely Rena Rouge." Juleka says with a nod, "she looks like she has the sexy hair flip down pact."
"All her hair is in the helmet, how could you possibly know that?" Lila asks.
Juleka shrugs. "I just do."
"How do you know her hair is long enough to do the sexy hair flip?" Ivan asks.
"You don't need long hair for the sexy hair flip." Mylène replies. "But I mean, why do we have to choose which one we like the best? They're both incredible superladies." There's a course of disagreeing murmurs and boos. "I don't wanna pick a favorite! I like them both."
"We know they're both incredible badasses but you gotta have a favorite, Mylène. It's like not having a favorite cake flavor." Lila folds her arms over her chest with a huff. "I think we should do something to thank them for saving us. Like throw them a party or something."
"Wow, Lila. How incredibly selfless of you to suggest." She flips Kim the bird.
Alix laughs. "I'm all for picking a favorite but you guys are already picturing your weddings when you don't know what either of them looks like? People only wear full face covering helmets when they wanna hide."
"They kind of look like motorcycle helmets so maybe they're wearing them to protect their faces." Max reasons.
Mlle. Bustier approaches the group. "Oh good, you're all—wait..." She does a headcount, "where are Kagami and Sabrina?"
"At the nurse, Mlle. Bustier." Lila replies, "Sabrina's allergic to feathers and stuff."
"Goodness! She never mentioned that before. Everyone head to the classroom. I'm going to check on Sabrina."
"Yes, Mlle. Bustier." The class dutifully returns to their classroom. If it were anyone else asking, they probably would've stuck around in the hall but Mlle. Bustier is easily the best teacher in not only the school but the whole country. It just seems wrong to disobey a direct order from her.
"What's up, Max?" Kim asks turning around in his seat. Mlle. Bustier likes to mix things up every now and again so she has students swapping seats to foster positive energy or whatever crap she tried to sell them on. She won't sit Marinette near Lila again though, found out the hard way what happened when she did the first time.
Nino was fortunate enough to be paired with Alya today but with Mlle. Bustier out of the room, he's currently sitting on Max and Mylène's desk with Kim. Kim spent the entire time they got back into the classroom complaining about how unfair it was that he was seated beside Lila. "I was just thinking..." He glances across the room and the others follow suit, "Ladybug and Rena Rouge got here so fast. Do you think they have the school bugged?"
"Was that a pun?" Kim asks and Max gives him a flat look.
"Don't be ridiculous." Mylène says with a laugh.
"I was thinking about that too but I was also thinking, maybe they were already here." Nino, Max, and Mylène turn to Kim. "Picture this. We're eating lunch with freaking superheroes when they're not all superpowered up."
Max fixes him with a look, "that actually makes sense. Word spreads so fast around this school anyone attending it while part-time superheroing would undoubtedly wanna conceal their identity."
"Yup. There's one more thing too. Ladybug and Rena Rouge came to Paris around the same time as a certain other cool ass individual in this very room." The three of them turn to Alya who is seated right where Mlle. Bustier placed her only she's sitting next to Juleka and Rose is leaning against the desk.
Max scratches his head before they all turn to one another. "You don't really think she could be Ladybug or Rena Rouge, do you?"
"Why not? The only person I know cooler than Alya is Nino and he doesn't have the body to pull off a bright catsuit. No offense man."
Nino laughs, "I think you're wrong, man. I can definitely pull off a bright catsuit."
"Yeah. Okay. Maybe. But what I meant was, you don't have the same body type as Ladybug or Rena Rouge. There were... body parts rounder than others." Mylène pinches the bridge of her nose, "I'm trying not to sound like a pervert."
"You're failing spectacularly." Max tells him.
Before they could ponder further on this wonderful coincidence involving Alya, Rena Rouge, and Ladybug's arrival to Paris, Mlle. Bustier returns with Sabrina and Kagami. She starts writing on the board and the class wordlessly goes to their seats for the day.
Nino spares a glance at Alya. She seems the right height and size to be Ladybug but mechanical lilt aside she doesn't have the same speech patterns or pitch as Ladybug. Then again, that could be the whole point. Maybe the helmet does more than just blind you when you try to look into it. It could alter voices entirely. It wouldn't be much of a secret identity if you can easily determine the human bits of a mechanical voice. But Nino's spent a lot of years around auto tune and voice altering devices and you'd need practice (or a magical helmet) to change the pitch of your voice that much. Ladybug's mechanical voice is too high to be Alya's. It would be easier for someone with a higher voice like Sabrina or Lila or Rose or even Marinette to match Ladybug's voice. Not that he can see any of them as a badass yo-yo swinging superhero. And he didn't hear Rena Rouge speak so he can't determine the closest match to her voice.
Damn Kim for making him think about this.
"Is there something on my face? You keep staring."
"S-Sorry." Nino could swear her hair moved briefly so he takes his glasses off and cleans them. He finds himself doing that a lot lately.
"Sorry you're staring or sorry you got caught?"
Nino chuckles as he puts his glasses back on, "sorry I got caught."
Alya smiles at him, and he can feel his insides slowly turning to jelly, "smooth. No wonder you're the most popular kid in school."
"In the whole school? Nah. I don't think so."
"I think the modesty adds to your charm."
Lila looks over at Nino and Alya laughing. Half the class is already partially in love with Alya and the other is head over heels for Nino. If the two of them end up together they might be in the running for cutest couple in school alongside her and Agreste Jr if he ever makes it to the damn school. What the hell is taking him so long? No other new kid showed up in their class since Alya's arrival and there hasn't been any word either.
School's been as boring as it's always been – except for the superheroics that went on earlier. Questionable taste in animal themed outfits aside, if she can get saved by Ladybug or Rena Rouge the way Nino or – she shudders – Marinette was it'll instantly boost her popularity. Hell, if she can get visual proof that'll skyrocket it. She can't exactly tell people Ladybug saved her because they don't trust her word on something this major after Marinette called her out last year but a picture – you can't fake that. Well, you could but it'll take effort and patience she doesn't have.
All she has to do is cause an akuma attack. Doesn't seem too hard. Just do what Kim did. Piss someone off until a purple butterfly appears. She glances around the classroom and her eyes land on Marinette thumbing through her phone in one hand and writing down something in the other. Huh. She had no idea Marinette was left-handed.
Kim looks her over, "you're planning something diabolical."
"Oh please. You can't even spell diabolical."
"Don't need to spell it to know what it means." Lila rolls her eyes, "don't think for a second we're gonna let you get your claws into Alya. In fact, we're still trying to break Kagami free from whatever spell you have her under."
"Yeah? Well, good luck with that. I was the first person to befriend Kagami."
"And she missed the whole thing with Nino too." Lila shrugs. "We'll just see how long you can play nice. Alya's been spending an awful amount of time with Marinette." Lila's eyes narrow.
Mlle. Bustier turns around and everyone quiets down, "class. In honor of our new superheroes saving us from..." She clears her throat, "what transpired earlier. Tomorrow is Ladybug and Rena Rouge day. Make sure you grab something orange for good luck."
Sabrina raises her hand, "why orange?"
"Well, because your uniforms are already red."
"Oh..." She slowly lowers her hand.
Marinette raises her hand, "are we supposed to do anything else besides have an orange thing, Mlle. Bustier?"
"Principal Damocles and our new mayor appear to be in charge of that so I'll have to ask the principal during lunch."
"Speaking of our new mayor?" Lila points at the door that has the principal and mayor are on the other side.
"Oh! Well this is a surprise." Mlle. Bustier walks over to the door and opens it. "Hello gentlemen, what can we do for you today?"
"I was just showing Mayor Bourgeois where his daughter will attending when she arrives from America in a couple of weeks. Mayor Bourgeois, Caline Bustier our most beloved teacher."
"You flatter me, Principal Damocles."
The mayor shakes her hand, "M. Mayor?" Alix raises a hand. "What are we to do about Ladybug and Rena Rouge day?"
"We're hoping our new heroes will make another appearance, although we hope none of you will cause any akumatizations." The class looks at Kim who slinks back in his seat then return their attention to the mayor. "If Rena Rouge and Ladybug are now calling Paris home, we want to have a nice welcome party for them."
"And if they don't show up?" Alya asks.
"Well, there is a good chance of that but we're just trying to thank them for all they've done the past week and today especially. So even if they don't show up it's still a party to welcome them to our city."
"Uh... does this mean we don't have class?" Ivan asks.
The class – the mayor and principal included – stare at Mlle. Bustier, "well, I wouldn't say that." The class groans. "M. Mayor, speaking of welcoming, I'd like to know more about your daughter so we can welcome her."
"Oh. Don't worry about that, Mlle. Bustier. No reason to go through any unnecessary trouble."
"It's not unnecessary at all. I know how difficult it is being the new student when the school year has already begun."
"I'm sure anything you do is fine. Now then, Principal Damocles, onto the next class?" The principal nods.
As they leave the classroom, Mlle. Bustier frowns. "I wasn't the only person who found that odd, was I?" Most of the class shake their heads in agreement.
...
"I can't believe the school's throwing Ladybug and Rena Rouge a party."
"What do you mean you can't believe it? That's literally the same thing you were thinking."
Lila shoots Juleka a look, "I know. That's why I'm saying I can't believe it. Well, everyone heard me say it first so it's not that big of a deal." Juleka and Sabrina exchange a glance. "Where's Alya?"
"She said she has to go babysit her little sisters." Juleka answers with a shrug.
Lila groans. "And Kagami?"
"Fencing." Sabrina replies. "I wanna watch one of her matches one day. I mean she's so graceful in class—"
Juleka elbows her, "sounds like you have a little crush."
"Who doesn't have a crush on Kagmi?"
Juleka shrugs her agreement, "true. I wonder what the mayor's kid looks like. I mean, the mayor himself isn't anything to write home about."
"Yeah but don't forget he bagged Audrey Bourgeois and even took her last name. If their kid is at least fifty percent Audrey then there's no problem. Our class will have four pretty transfer students in a row. Five if we ever get Agreste Jr.."
"Oh yeah. That's definitely happening." Sabrina says and Lila perks up. "I had to stay after school yesterday because my dad was giving this scary looking woman the tour of the grounds. She said she had to make sure it was good enough for Adrien. I think that's his name."
"Adrien Agreste? It's a what do you call it? When your first and last name start with the same letter?"
Juleka scratches her head, "damn. I know this one. An... ah—an alliteration."
Lila snaps her fingers at her, "that. Still, Adrien is a cute name. Mme. Adrien Agreste? I can get used to that. Let's just hope that picture you showed me was him and not someone else."
"What does it matter? I doubt he'll resist your charm."
"True."
"His dad is Gabriel Agreste who is an attractive man and his mom... uh, I don't know anything about his mom."
"His mom is that model and actress Emilie Agreste. I saw some of her work. I mean, two people that pretty must either have a really good looking kid or a really..." Juleka makes a face, "well—"
"Let's just hope it's a really good looking kid like the one in the picture?" Lila interrupts.
"Yeah. You really have nothing to fall back on since Nino was giving Alya heart-eyes all day long."
Lila runs a hand down her face. "Juleka!" Sabrina hisses.
...
Nino yawns as he walks down the street. Downtown is decorated with red and orange streamers, so if he had to guess he'd say Ladybug and Rena Rouge day isn't just a school thing. Store windows have a sale on red and orange clothing and accessories. Even toystores have Ladybug and Rena Rouge dolls.
He stops in a toystore and picks up a handsewn Rena Rouge doll. He passes an older gentlemen chuckling to himself at plastic dolls of the superhero duo. The man drops a turtle plushie from under his arm and Nino picks it up. "You dropped this dude—I mean sir."
The man looks taken aback then smiles. "Oh. Thank you, young man." He accepts the plushie, "may I ask you a question?" Nino nods. "Which is your favorite? Ladybug or Rena Rouge?"
"That's the million euro question, isn't it? I'm kind of a fan of both but I like Rena Rouge's colors more." Nino shrugs, "little things like that, you know?"
The man chuckles, "true. It is the little things people often overlook." He picks up a cat plushie and holds it next to the turtle.
"Trying to decide? I'd go with the turtle if you don't wanna get both."
The man nods with a smile, "good idea. Thank you."
"My pleasure, man." Nino picks up a Ladybug match to the Rena Rouge doll in his hands. There's no way he's not getting these. Since he got all in Ladybug's proximity he can point out the little flaws in the doll's design but he doesn't know shit about sewing so he can't fix said flaws. When she wasn't looking in his direction further damaging his eyesight, he notice the entire helmet visor and all – at least from what he could see from her profile – matched her suit exactly. The little helmet's visor doesn't have the same spots as the rest of Ladybug's mask, the same could (probably) be said about the design of Rena Rouge's helmet compared with the rest of her suit. He puts the dolls under his arm and inspects the rest of the dolls around the store. All of them are like that. Then again, there aren't that many people who have been in Ladybug's arms long enough to notice the eye area of the helmet so they're basically just picturing how they believe the helmet looks.
Oh well. Marinette's great at sewing. She fixed up his second favorite hat after he ripped it last year. If anyone can fix the little discrepancies in the dolls it's her.
...
"Ladybug and Rena Rouge day?" Fù asks. "What are you two going to do?"
The kwamis stare at Marinette leaning against the wall and Alya sitting in front of them. "I have an idea about that. Every time I create an illusion I get better at the length of time they can be around."
Tikki, Wayzz, and Plagg look at Trixx. "I honestly haven't noticed." They look back at Alya.
"If the school wants Ladybug and Rena Rouge they'll be there and my illusions will be of me and Marinette. It doesn't count as me using my powers for my gain~"
Tikki, Wayzz, and Plagg look back at Trixx who frowns. "Huh. Guess it doesn't. What do you know? Found a damn loophole." Alya pumps her fist in the air.
"I don't know." Marinette pushes herself off the wall. "Keeping them around for a while is one thing but what if someone tries talking to an illusion?"
Alya stands up and beams. "Trixx, let's pounce~" Trixx sighs heavily before merging with Alya's necklace. Marinette looks away as Alya transforms because she never realized how damn bright it gets. It's difficult to notice when it's happening to you but she can see it or not see it with Alya transforming. Alya unlatches her flute from her back then presses it against her helmet.
Marinette never noticed Alya's helmet has tiny speaker like holes around the mouth part, and she suspects she never would've seen it unless she was as close as she currently was. She also didn't notice it's practically impossible to stare directly into the helmet without going blind. An obnoxious orange glow is threatening to make her eyes bleed so she has to squint and look away to keep her eyesight in tact. There's a strange hollow melody before an exact duplicate of her slowly fades into reality. "Hi." The illusion says and Marinette jumps half a meter in the air. Tikki, Wayzz, Plagg, and Fù murmur in awe and applaud.
"She's good." Plagg says with a nod, "don't remember Dreams' last partner making his illusions talk. Do you?"
"Who'd remember something like that? It had to be at least three centuries ago." Wayzz rubs his head, "is century the right word? I forget."
"Make another one appear!" Tikki exclaims.
Alya blows into the flute, a different melody and an illusion of Alya appears. "'Sup." It says giving them the peace sign.
"How much can the illusions say?" Plagg asks.
"Guess that depends." The illusion replies and everyone turns to it, "she might have to keep playing the flute." They now turn to Alya who has the flute against the helmet's mouth part but no sound is coming out.
"There is something you two should know." Alya lowers the flute from her mouth. "The kwamis told me if you two continue to fight Hawkmoth's akumatizations daily Trixx and Tikki will burn out just like Nooroo."
"Alight." Trixx flies out of the necklace and lands on Alya's shoulder. "What are we supposed to do then? We can't not fight akumas, no one else in the city can."
"I know. Which is why next time there's an akuma attack I want you both to use Plagg and Wayzz."
Plagg pumps his fist in the air, "hell yes. I call Als."
"No Plagg, you will be with Marinette." Both Plagg and Marinette sigh loudly.
"So I'm gonna be the one purifying akumas? Nice."
"Guardian Fu, how would that work? I mean, what will happen to Tikki and Trixx?"
"Nothing. You two are their partners but until I find partners for Plagg and Wayzz they should be getting in some experience. Plus it'll let Tikki and Trixx rest."
"So let's practice. Would my transformation phrase matter?"
"You can choose whatever phrase you'd like, just know their future partner will probably end up using it as well."
Marinette taps her chin, "okay but may I ask why I'm getting Plagg?"
"Because you are Ladybug. You should know the power of destruction as well as creation."
Marinette looks at Plagg who looks less than pleased with this decision, not that she's feeling any better about it. "Okay. Hopefully it won't come to this but okay."
"By the way, what's in the bag?" Alya asks.
Fù takes out four stuffed animal plushies and two boxes. "A toystore is selling Ladybug and Rena Rouge dolls. Plus, there are these adorable dolls I thought the kwamis would enjoy."
"I do!" Trixx says flying over to the stuffed fox.
"I'm kinda surprised you're into this sort of thing, Guardian." Plagg says inspecting the stuffed black cat. The stuffed animals are scarily accurate except the fox is brown instead of orange and they're obviously way bigger than any kwami Plagg's ever seen. A lot softer too. The dolls, however, are a little freaky looking. The girls wear helmet so it's not like anyone knows that their faces look like underneath but the helmets are very weird looking and the animal attachments look like they were an afterthought.
"To be honest, I wasn't certain of it myself until I saw them in a store window..." Fù trails off and the kwamis stare up at him. He didn't bother putting on his bracelet since his mentor told him Plagg should never be left to his own devices and leaving Wayzz at home was a far better option than bringing Plagg along with them. However, his ability to sense others auras didn't come from being Wayzz's partner, it came from years of training with the Guardian's Order. He was so caught up in the dolls that he nearly missed feeling an exceptionally soothing aura that felt as though it had the power to pacify Plagg. Unfortunately, there were so many people in the toystore that even if he were focusing it wouldn't be an easy task finding the aura's owner.
Not to mention he's never felt an aura quite like that one before and it could've just been the toystore itself that made that aura standout in the first place.
Marinette had a plucky aura that rivaled Tikki's in strength of will. Alya's aura was a mixture of many things: resilience, facetiousness, and inexplicable patience the likes of which Fù never thought possible, and given Trixx's often confrontational nature she was the best possible person for them. Plagg needed someone that either mellowed him out or, Fù sighs, was just mischievous as him and he honestly hoped he couldn't find the latter. It could simply be his connection but he felt Wayzz would work with just about any aura.
Finding Marinette's aura was easy, she literally bumped into him. Alya's was a bit harder given the size of the grocery store he met her in but her aura was reminiscent of a beacon calling out to him. He has a feeling it's only gonna get harder and harder to seek out more compatible auras.
"Is he alright?" Tikki asks nudging Wayzz. They're all staring at Fù who seems as though he's in a trance.
"I think he found one of us a partner."
"Yeah? Please be me. I'm not looking forward to temporarily partnering up with Snacks."
Marinette huffs. "I'm not looking forward to it either."
"Wayzz, can you sense auras too?" Alya asks.
Wayzz nods, "it's a technique taught to the Guardians to help them find Miraculous holders, but my limited aura sensing abilities comes from my master."
"But why do Guardians have kwamis of their own?"
"To have a better understanding of the Miraculouses." Tikki replies. "That and the book of kwamis usually help them out but Hawkmoth has the book and there really isn't anything we can do—"
"Safe from stealing it." Trixx interrupts, "but we don't know anything about this Hawkclown except that he is abusing one of my closest friends."
Tikki pats Trixx on the back. "We'll find a way to help Nooroo. We have to."
...
"Hey Marinette, got a minute?" Alix and Rose giggle to themselves as they make a less than subtle exit.
"Yeah. What's up, Nino?"
He holds out a Rena Rouge and a Ladybug plushie, "since you're the sewing expert I thought I'd ask if you can help me with the helmets. Well, Ladybug's helmet. I mean you're the only other person I know who saw it up close, right?"
"I, uh, I didn't see her helmet up close." It's technically not a lie, although she has to wonder how she didn't blind herself when she was staring at her reflection in the mirror when she first transformed.
"Oh. Well I did and the eye part has the same design as the rest of it and I guess Rena Rouge's would be the same, right?" Marinette shrugs, "anyway, can you work your sewing magic?"
"Sure, Nino. I mean, I'll try." She accepts the dolls.
"By the way, I'm digging the orange scarf. Thanks again."
Marinette's blushing by the time Alix and Rose run back over to her. "How can he be so cool and sincere at the same time?" Alix asks.
Marinette snaps out of her daze. "Excuse me for a second." Rose and Alix exchange a glance as they watch her run off.
Alya sent her a text before school saying her parents forced her to stay home because she caught a cold. Marinette felt partially responsible since it was her idea for them to start nightly patrols in case Hawkmoth decided to start something. Though thinking back on it she might've screwed them over by letting them both transform when there wasn't an akuma attack. She had to wonder how would Alya's plan work if Alya wasn't around to initiate it. After that text she hadn't heard from Alya, neither had the rest of the class who looked more than forlorn by her absence and pretty much flooded her inbox with texts stating they missed her. And just how the entire class got Alya's phone number in the first place is baffling.
With Alya not in the building Marinette heard her classmates theorize she could be Ladybug (and a few of them even correctly thought she was Rena Rouge) because they arrived in Paris around the same time. She was certain Guardian Fù hadn't taken that into account when he chose Alya to wield Trixx's Miraculous but it is an amazing coincidence.
The class thought about other transfer students and even some people outside of their class being one of the superhero duo and it was a little bittersweet to be overlooked as a potential candidate when she truly was Ladybug but there's no reason to compromise her secret identity to boost her ego. No one would believe she was Ladybug anyway even if she took off her helmet to show the world. Plus, if everyone is looking at transfer students they definitely won't suspect her.
Her phone starts buzzing and she takes it out of her purse.
Unfortunately she couldn't keep the picture Alya took of the two of them on the Eiffel Tower on her phone (she did save it on a flashdrive though) so they took a similar picture just not decked out in their superhero attire.
Alya's text stated Nora finally left the apartment so she was okay with still using her illusions to show up in the school. She'd obviously only need one illusion now or maybe just use a Rena Rouge illusion so she could recuperate at home.
Being the leader sucked. Everyone's busy decorating so she slips out of the building to call Alya. "What'll it be, Boss Lady?" Alya's hoarse voice greets.
"I don't want you to get any sicker and people kind of already think or rather hope you're Ladybug." Marinette sighs as Alya laughs herself into a coughing fit, "it's really not that funny. If you don't show up for school the day Ladybug and Rena Rouge have been invited it'll only prove them right."
"Then video chat me."
"W-What?"
"Video chat me. I'll have an illusion of myself on the video chat meanwhile you know who will visit the school and feed them some bull about Ladybug patrolling the city then when you give me the okay I'll make an illusion of you too."
"Are you up for it?"
"I guess we'll find out." A high-pitched scream comes from the building. "What the hell was that?"
"I'm about to find out. Meet me at the school in five?"
"You got it."
After more than five minutes of searching for a secluded room to transform into, Marinette finally transforms then starts running down the halls ignoring the gaping students, cheering, and bright flashes from phone cameras.
She turns a corner and nearly bumps into an unfamiliar body in a black catsuit. Looking up, Marinette blinks at the cat ears poking out of the helmet. Oh no. No freaking way. "Rena?!"
"Actually I'm Chat. Chat Noir." Marinette stares at the glowing ring with the paw insignia on Alya's left hand. "Plagg's idea."
"What about Trixx?"
"Yeah, um..." Alya—Chat—clears her throat, "yeah, about that? I lost my necklace."
"You what!?"
"Look. I had Plagg, Wayzz, and Trixx all with me."
"Then where's Wayzz?"
"Um—"
"No. You didn't. You lost both of them?"
"Easy, Ladybug. I'll get 'em back. In my defense, I'm still sick and clearly am not firing on all cylinders." Marinette sighs. "Let's deal with this whatever is going on first, okay?"
"Fine."
"Cool. Gotta admit, this feels a little weird but I'm not hating the difference."
"I'd say you shouldn't get used to it but you might have to."
"Ouch."
"She's just jealous. And besides, whoever Dreams ends up harassing will gladly give them back to you guys."
"True." Ladybug's tilting her head to the left. "By the way, did you know you can talk to your kwami telepathically while transformed?"
"I—no. I did not know that."
"You know, I wouldn't be too surprised if someone was just screaming just to scream to see if you'd show up."
"Please, Rena—uh Chat, don't joke about that." This was gonna take some getting used to. Hopefully they can find Wayzz and Trixx, otherwise The Guardian's gonna take their kwamis and find someone more trustworthy, auras be damned.
Walking around the school as Ladybug was weird. Marinette hadn't paid too much attention to it while trying not to get turned into a chicken yesterday or a few minutes ago when she was running but walking? It just felt odd.
"It's Ladybug!" Someone screeches and a gaggle of their peers came rushing down the corridor and simultaneously froze when they spotted Chat beside her fiddling with a baton? She didn't know what it was but it definitely wasn't in Chat's hands a second ago.
Marinette immediately recognizes Kim in the crowd being one of the tallest students in the entire school then sees him get shoved out of the way as Lila merrily bounces over to them. "Ladybug! Rena Rouge! On behalf of Collège Françoise..." She trails off finally taking stock of Chat, "you are not Rena Rouge."
"Nope. Chat Noir." She gives an exaggerated bow.
The crowd look among themselves before someone blurts out, "you're not replacing Rena Rouge, are you?" They ask on the verge of tears.
"Nope. Ladybug's got a bunch of partners." The crowd gasps.
"How many?" Someone else shouts.
"Uh, a bunch? Superhero stuff, can't divulge fully."
"We heard screaming." Ladybug thankfully deflects, "is everyone alright?"
"Oh yeah. Yeah. Sure. Except..." Lila points up and the crowd follows the motion and sure enough there's a purple butterfly floating in the air only it's a butterfly the size of a person.
"Holy fuck!" Chat gasps.
"Where did that come from!?"
The purple butterfly mask hovers over an actual purple butterfly mask which is a headscratcher but Hawkmoth's overly annoying laugh echoes through the building. "Ladybug and... and..." The butterfly tilts its head briefly before shaking it, "no matter. I will—"
"'Seize our Miraculouses.'" Ladybug and Chat Noir interrupt, "we get it."
The butterfly's eyes start glowing and fucking lasers shoot out of them and the crowd effectively disperses. "Well, that's certainly new." Chat says.
"Did anyone see how this happened?!"
Kim pokes his head out from behind the bleachers, "no. Sorry, Ladybug."
"Chat—"
Chat twirls the baton, "I'm... ah—" Alya folds her arms over her chest, "Plagg, what can you do? You know, what's your general vehicle for destruction?"
"You can create cataclysms with your hands but you can destroy just about anything so don't go waving them around."
"Good to know. And
cat-acylsms? The irony is not lost on me." She can feel Plagg mentally shrug."What's the deal with the stick-thing?"
"Dunno but I like it."
...
"Two akuma attacks in a row? This better not be a habit!" Principal Damocles yelled as he ushered the students. "Come on. Come on. We are going to have akuma attack drills starting Monday. Let's go. Everyone out."
"Nino, are you alright?"
Humming, he stuffs his left hand into his back pocket thankful the uniforms had them. "Yeah, Kagami. I'm good. I tripped over something as I was coming down the stairs is all."
"You really should be careful. I can't think of how many people would be broken-hearted to hear you injured yourself in such a Marinette way."
"Don't let her hear you say that."
"Did you happen to see Lila and the others?"
"No. I just saw the butterfly and kinda hauled ass away from it."
"So did I."
"Maybe we'll see her outside?" Kagami nods then pats him on the back before she continues walking.
He makes a showing of heading out the building as well and when Principal Damocles is distracted by several students approaching him, he slips down an empty hallway. The small fox thing and turtle thing poke their heads out from under his hat. "Smooth." The fox says airily, "no wonder everyone is in love with you."
Nino looks up at the fox looking down at him, "and just what are you two again? And why did you come out of jewelry?" The last thing he was expecting was to trip over a bracelet tied up in a necklace with a hook like pendant attached to it, and he definitely did not expect tiny animals to pop up alongside them.
"We're Kwamis. I'm Trixx and he's Wayzz. Since I'm in a generous mood I decided to bestow you with amazing power." He almost misses the turtle shaking its head, "all you have to do is say let's pounce."
"Let's bounce?"
"No." Trixx sighs heavily as they tie the necklace around Nino's neck, "let's pounce with a p."
"Let's pounce?" The necklace starts glowing and Trixx flies into it. "This can't be happening."