A/N: This story is set after the events of Mayura and is canon with the series.

Italics are used to show emphasis as well as words or names meant to be read as their original French.

Chat Tales

Chapter One: First Trick

Introduction

Following yet another endless day at school, his eyelids heavy and tired, Adrien stumbled into the Agreste Mansion, trudged his way up the many steps leading to his room, all the while carrying a backpack that seemed to grow heavier with each passing minute, passed by his father's office to make sure the man knew his son had returned, entered his bedroom, closed and locked the door behind him, threw his pack onto a nearby chair, and flopped down atop his bed. Another lonely day had passed by, most likely leading to another lonely night. Hawk Moth had yet to surface since Mayura's attack, and crime seemed to have reached a momentary decline. Though the thought of Paris being safe from harm gave him comfort, the young man couldn't help but feel the weight of repetition and loneliness on his shoulders.

Having made up his mind, Adrien called Marinette and Alya and made plans for the next day. Even if they weren't all on the best of terms for the time being, a meeting would break the dull cycle and allow for a chance to make things better. For tonight, though, Adrien was alone and lonely.

"I hate seeing you like this, kid," Plagg declared as he floated out of his partner's book bag. "There's gotta be something you wanna do."

"No, not today, Plagg," Adrien groaned, barely lifting his face from the blankets he had dove into. "We're all gonna do something tomorrow. I'm just too tired and down to do anything tonight. I think I'm just gonna get a shower, make some dinner, and go to bed early."

"Wow, you are old," the feline Kwami lovingly teased his friend. "Honestly, that doesn't sound half-bad. Why don't you grab me something while you're in the kitchen, and we can have dinner together in here?"

"Sounds like a plan," the blond young man finally smiled. With Nathalie asleep, far too many nights were wasted dining alone. Having Plagg to talk to was truly a blessing. Gabriel would most likely be working through the night yet again, so there was no point in sitting at the large, empty dinner table.

Stepping into his shower, Adrien dropped his towel outside, closed the sliding glass wall, and turned the water on. With a hiss, lukewarm water sprayed from the nozzle, wetting down the young man's flawless blond hair and soaking his body. The warm embrace was a great comfort as the waters washed away hours of sweat and tension. Under the bathroom lights, Adrien's toned and lightly muscular body glistened as the hundreds of tiny droplets ran down his shoulders and chest. Steam began to fill the air, creating a barrier between the blond and the world around him, even through the glass.

Having lathered his thick, full hair with a luxurious shampoo that seemed to eliminate every trace of dirt and grime, Adrien closed his eyes and smiled gracefully as the stream of water washed over his face. The young man gently stroked his hair back until it lay smooth and flat atop his sweet head, sending suds and small splashes of water onto the floor below.

Once his body had been thoroughly washed and rinsed, Adrien turned up the hot water and let out a heavy sigh to release the day's struggles and worries into the air. In the robust, heated water, the young man felt a deep feeling of relaxation flood over his entire being, slowing his heartbeat and steadying his breath. Crossing his arms over his tight chest and gently clenching his shoulders, the blond turned his back to the stream of heavenly hot water as his mind, finally at peace, began to wander. In those blissful, silent moments, the people of Paris, at one time or another, came to wonder the same thing: Where does Chat Noir go when he's alone?

Chat Tales

"What's up, Master?" Chat Noir asked as he and Volpina entered their master's apartment. "You said you had something really important to tell us."

"Is everything okay?" Volpina added, her voice growing concerned.

"Yes, my students," Master Fu answered with joy in his calm voice. "I have discovered a Miraculous I thought lost to time. Marinette has agreed to become its first host in order to wake deh Kwami inside."

"Whoa," the feline Miraculous exclaimed. "That's really cool of you, Marinette. What animal is it?"

"To be honest, I don't know," Marinette answered as she carefully removed her earrings and set them into her master's hands. Tikki floated to her partner's side to act as moral support. "Not even Tikki or Master Fu seem to know what this Miraculous is."

"It was so long ago," Tikki confessed. "I haven't seen the Kwami for decades. They've been asleep this whole time."

Master Fu removed the newly discovered Miraculous from a small, metal box and held it up to his student. Slowly reaching her hand into the holding place of the sacred item, Marinette pulled out what looked like a white tiara.

"…Interesting choice," Volpina declared as she sat down next to Chat. "I can't wait to see what kind of powers a Miraculous like this has."

"I think we are all very curious, Volpina," the old master declared as he sat down beside his students. "Whenever you are ready, Marinette."

Marinette closed her eyes, nodded her head, and gazed down at the tiara before reverently placing it atop the crown of her head. With a sparkle of glistening white energy, a small Kwami as white as snow, female in appearance, and beaming with two large, aqua-blue eyes uncurled itself from its resting position, extending two long rabbit ears and wagging a small, supple white tail.

Turning around, the rabbit Kwami gazed at her new partner and smiled. "Wow," she happily declared. "I've been asleep so long…My name if Fluff. I am the Kwami of the Rabbit Miraculous. And you must be…Marinette."

"I am," the raven-haired young woman answered with a smile. "I'm the keeper of the Ladybug Miraculous, but I was chosen to be the one to awaken you, Fluff. It's an honor to finally meet you."

Volpina tightly clenched her hand over her mouth, though she could not conceal how terribly she was blushing. Finally, she released a lovesick squeal and stomped her feet at a furious speed. "She's so cute!" she cried out. "She's just adorable!" Master Fu simply nodded his head, eyes closed, and smiled.

"Okay, Marinette," Fluff spoke up, her young voice filled with energy. "If you call out, 'Fluff, Fluff Out!', that'll let you transform into the rabbit Miraculous!"

"Alright!" Marinette passionately exclaimed as she focused her energy and ambition. "Fluff, Fluff Out!" The Kwami closed her eyes and merged with her Miraculous, bathing Marinette in a heavenly white light.

Restfully floating in the warm, transformative embrace of the Miraculous Light, Marinette opened her eyes as the holy energy merged with her transcendent form. The rush of power was intense and inspiring, ending with a small burst of light as Marinette entered into a proud stance to display her new Miraculous form.

Once the lights faded, Master Fu and his students removed their hands from above their eyes and took in the sight. Suddenly, all three opened their eyes as wide as physically possible as their awestruck expressions froze. After what felt like an hour, Master Fu blushed heavily, pretended to cough, and covered his mouth while closing his eyes. Volpina tightly pressed her crossed hands over her mouth, blushed, and, against her will, released a shrill giggling fit. Chat, on the other hand, dropped his jaw and smiled with the glee and excitement of a schoolboy as his heart began to pound.

Blinking in confusion, her mouth open slightly, Marinette released a higher-pitched, "Huh?" before looking down at herself. The sight immediately forced the young woman to gasp as her new form came to light: Her neck covered only by a snug, white choker with a little bell at its center, the young Miraculous saw her fully exposed arms frame a seamless, sleeveless, strapless black bodysuit formed just below her chest and almost dangerously high-cut at the waist, with a utility belt hanging by her hips, her hands draped up to her elbows in solid-white gloves, and her completely naked legs meeting a pair of black high-heel slippers. Looking up, Marinette's face quickly became as hot and red as a raging fire, especially once a pair of black bunny-ears extended from her long, loose, and flowing hair around the tiara. Letting out a shrill gasp, the rabbit Miraculous sharply turned away in embarrassment, only to hear her allies gasping and giggling even more. Despite the overwhelming sense of terror that threatened to consume her body, mind, and soul, Marinette glanced back to see a puffy, white cotton-tail wagging ever so slightly atop the small section of her posterior that her costume covered. "Fluff!" she cried out in horror and rage. "What did you do to me?"

Master Fu quickly picked himself up and excused himself from the room while Volpina ran to her friend's side, failing at her attempts to contain her giggles, and placed her jacket around the embarrassed young woman's shoulders. Chat, however, remained perfectly still in his seated position, unable to look away or even blink, and not willing to move a muscle.

"It's not that bad," Volpina assured Marinette, her voice calm and sympathetic. "It's actually really cute. I mean, you're covered and everything. It's nothing to be ashamed of."

"Well, that's easy for you to say," Marinette declared as she attempted to flatten her ears, only for them to spring up again. "I am never volunteering to awaken another Kwami as long as I live."

"I don't blame you," the fox Miraculous warmly agreed. "Chat, you wanna help out or leave the room or…anything?"

After an awkward silence, the feline Miraculous finally gathered the strength to speak. "…Um…" he nervously stuttered. "I don't want to move from this spot…I'm afraid that, if I do…I'm gonna lose control and try to chase you, Marinette. It's the cat in me."

"It's the devil in you I'm really worried about," Marinette shot back, still blushing like a schoolgirl.

Chat remained in his self-imposed time-out as Marinette and Volpina made their way into another room for Marinette to power down in. Once the door behind the young women had closed, the young man continued to hold his breath until he heard the lock click, let out the heaviest sigh of his life, felt his heart nearly puncture his chest as it viciously pounded, and let his tongue dangle in awestruck ecstasy. "This is…the greatest day…of my entire life," he joyously declared. Not long after, a rush of cold water came pouring down upon the Miraculous as he desperately attempted to settle himself down and escape from his own thoughts. As he began catching his breath in his master's shower, Chat heard a tapping sound that caused his eyes to open.

Turning away from his hot shower, Adrien looked to see Plagg pressed up against the glass wall of the shower, scribbling something in the layer of fog, and panting. Reading the poorly-written message, the blond young man rolled his eyes, nodded his head, turned off the water, wrapped himself in a towel, and stepped out. "I seriously doubt you're actually starving, Plagg," he declared with a chuckle.

"I am, Adrien!" the Kwami whined. "You fell asleep in that shower for almost five minutes! I almost died!"

"Sure, Plagg," the blond young man answered. "Come on, I'll make you some dinner. Just nothing with rabbit in it."

"…Huh?" Plagg replied, only to be met with an awkward silence and some nervous giggling.