start notes—
In which Ladybug has more in common with Robin Hood than Aladdin, and becomes the unwilling Disney Prince to Adrien's dream Disney Princess film.
(second part of day 20: fairytale, the aladdin au)
my tellonym: milkisande
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disney
don't sit there buggy-eyed,
i'm here to answer all your midday prayers.
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LADYBUG is strangely silent as Captain Sancoeur brings her to the prison chamber.
Even the soldiers are wary as they push her forward, wary of the fact that she may be planning a sudden or daring escape at any moment.
Escape, however, is the least of her worries.
Instead, all her worries go to the blonde-haired, starry-eyed young man who had just moments ago proposed to run away with her.
The man she, for all her cautionary and naturally distrustful character, had not only accepted, but actually found herself excited for.
The man who, of all things, turned out to be the prince of this damned kingdom.
(Maybe it serves her right, that the one time she thinks with her heart, she loses everything.)
She's pushed forward to go down a flight of stairs.
Ladybug only realizes a little too late that this isn't the way to the prison cells she's been accustomed to.
Instead, she's led to a dark and hidden chamber and thrown down to the floor, hands still bound together.
When she looks up, she comes face-to-face with the person she's resented for years.
King Agreste smiles, leaning down to face her directly.
"It's very kind of you to meet with me today, Ladybug."
She only glares.
"I have a proposal for you. Shall we begin negotiations?"
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As cruel as it may be, Ladybug has long since stopped believing in the existence of fairytales.
When the entire world is against you, so-much-so that you can only really depend on yourself, it's hard to think that a magical entity exists to solve your problems.
Not when there are children starving and dying in the streets.
Not when men resort to violence when not obeyed.
Not when she's wished night after night, on the godforsaken star for things to change; to get better, when things only ever got that much worse.
(Why spend your time on a pipe dream that will never come true?)
So when King Agreste tells her of a magical cave; one that has riches and treasures beyond imagination, of supernatural and otherworldly items that can make even the impossible real, her first response is one of pure skepticism.
And to some extent: 'Ah, so the king truly did become crazy after the queen died. What a tragic love story.'
But then, he promises her freedom.
The freedom she's craved for years, the chance to travel the world and no longer have to fear for her own life. The wealth that would not only let her sustain herself, but the children who have nowhere else left to turn.
If not for herself, at the very least, for them.
"Just get me this one lamp, and I promise to return to you all the riches and freedom you desire. I just need that lamp."
"What's so special about it?"
"Retrieve me that lamp, and I can promise the return of our kingdom to a Golden Age; including the protection of those street rats you call family."
"..."
"Then, shall I send you on your way?"
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King Agreste waits outside for him.
It is only the two of them who make their way to the desert, after the royal's insistence that the mission stay a secret. To ensure that nobody else dare take the treasures.
(Ladybug reminds herself of the selfishness and greedy nature of such leaders.)
How she wishes he were no longer king.
The question of whether or not she wanted the prince to take over, however, was one she decided not to think too deeply.
Besides, she's much too distracted upon her entrance into the cave.
Even the wealth of the palace could not compare to the sheer treasury that displayed itself as she continues to walk forward.
Rare jewels, silver coins, and gold that seemed to drop even from the ceilings...
This would be enough to feed a whole country, much less an entire kingdom.
However, she recalls King Agreste's words. "Take the lamp, first, and return it to me. After, feel free to take all the riches and gold that you desire. The cave is yours for the taking."
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Perhaps she's the fool for believing him.
To believe a king who had done nothing but cause his people's downfall; to think that he would truly ever consider setting her free and sharing a part of the wealth that he'd been so intent on keeping from the rest of the kingdom.
But Ladybug had assumed that he had at least the smallest sliver of kindness in his heart.
All King Agreste does is prove her wrong when he lets her hand go, leaving her to fall into the depths of the cave to her own demise.
(She's only too fortunate that a magic carpet takes a liking to her, ensuring that Ladybug survives.)
"I guess you can't get us out of here, now can you, carpet?"
The mystical piece of fabric makes almost humanlike movements, folding downward as if to say, "no, sorry."
Ladybug sighs, before retrieving the lamp she had hidden in her satchel.
"All this for such an old lamp, huh? Lucky for me, I managed to swipe it away without him realizing. Serves that king right, for tricking me." She looks down, eyeing it with sudden curiosity. The lamp doesn't look to be anything special, especially when compared to all the jewelry that surrounded him. "Wonder why he was so obsessed with this…"
Curiously, she rubs at it, as if to remove the dirt and reveal its true worth.
And it does reveal itself:
In the form of a towering red creature, flowing out of the container after years of being left untouched.
It bows to Ladybug, black smoke covering the mythical spirit.
"My name is Tikki, and I am the djinn of this lamp. For having freed me, I grant you three wishes."
The djinn smiles.
"Choose wisely."
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"You're unlike the djinn I've heard from stories."
Tikki looks at her confusingly, as they settle down upon the desert.
"What do you mean?"
"You're… sweet?" Ladybug tries to explain, visibly struggling. "Most genies are typically depicted as cunning and evil, to trick humans into their own undoing." She pauses. "But you helped me escape the cave without using a wish, and you don't seem to hold any ill intent at all."
"Human's depictions of the mythical are often wrong," Tikki only explains. "They fear our power, and therefore often represent us as beasts and the like." The djinn shakes their head. "We never resorted to trickery. Humans are the cause for their own destruction."
Ladybug nods.
She can see that.
"So, have you thought about your first wish?"
"I want to fix this kingdom. To bring an era of peace and prosperity for the people."
"An admirable goal, but you must wish more clearly. History tells me such idealistic wishes are more prone to do evil rather than good."
She pauses.
Then, what would be a good step to take in ensuring King Agreste's loss of power?
(She doesn't want to resort to cruel tactics to lead to his demise. Ladybug would never stoop to his level.)
Her mind races back to a young man, who would likely take the throne should the king be led to his downfall.
Her mind races to the moment their hands touched, to the hopeful smile on his face when speaking to her, and to the promise of a future where they'd both be free of the cages they were trapped in.
King Adrien.
However, she remains to be unsure of his true intentions.
She's only ever known him for an hour, at most. (A few minutes, at the very least.)
And he not only hadn't known what was going on in his kingdom, but planned to run away as well—
It's hard to trust someone like that.
"Then maybe you should guide him."
Ladybug looks up, evidently surprised by the sudden interruption.
"Sorry. Djinn, remember? Supernatural powers."
"Of course," she nods, though still confused. "But what did you mean by guidance?"
"I don't believe the prince is evil. He just needs someone to guide him to the ways of the world. Maybe you could be that person."
She scoffs. "I doubt a peasant like me could ever come close to such royalty. We only ever met because he was running away. King Agreste will only allow a princess to come near him."
"Do you wish to be a princess?"
Ladybug laughs. "It's only every young girl's dream. Of course I do."
(Or did. She has no time for such fantastical wonderings anymore.)
Tikki smiles.
Wait.
"Then, your wish is my command."
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Captain Sancoeur announces her arrival.
"King Agreste, the Princess has arrived."
"The Bourgeois? I've only sent the letter yesterday, to arrive so quickly…"
"No," she suddenly interrupts, before timidly gesturing outside the window.
A grand festival, of sorts, is being thrown outside the palace streets.
In the middle of it all, a mysterious and beautiful woman dressed head-to-toe in a silken garment of red, carried upon a carriage.
The king makes eye contact, and the woman only smiles.
(For some reason, an uncomfortable pit forms at the bottom of his stomach.)
"... who is she?"
"Princess Marinette, and she's come to ask for your son's hand in marriage."
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end notes—
okay so i have once again went ham on storytelling & didnt even get to the part where they meet :^)) so would anyone like this to be a full & separate au ? been getting some comments that it shouldnt just be part 2 and i think itll be fun to write aksksk pls leave comments down below ;n;
i hope this still counts under the disney prompt coz i basically referred to the original aladdin movie for A Lot (unfortunately w/o abu, iago, or aladybug's interest in wooing adrimine) lmaosks but yes
thank you for reading! ( ´ ∀ `)ノ～