"Jasper, come on... You need to go to school, I'm sure you'll just blend into the crowd now!" A tiny voice drifted closer to me and I felt a gentle tug on my hair, trying to pull my face from the pillow. I let out a very weak, very hoarse groan and tried to swat my little Kwami away, but instead I got a slightly harsher tug on my hair.

Internally sighing, I sit up and glare at the gray and white, floating creature smirking as smugly as he could with his muzzle. Everyone, this is my Kwami, Neeks. He's centuries old and he dates even further back than Ancient Egypt. Apparently the local superheroes Ladybug and Chat Noir have kwamis younger than Neeks, but have still been a lot more active. He never told me the details, but apparently he had been out of action for many centuries until recently. Sometimes he says something about how no one was really worthy enough to be the next Wolven, other times he just... Looks sad. It makes me wonder about what happened, but I can't very well ask him. I know what it's like, having something personal that you don't want to share, only to have people asking you about it all the time.

"Come on, the second day is never as bad as the first!" He said softly, resting on my shoulder. I rubbed my throat and looked down, shaking my head. Yesterday was too much. Nathanael was nice, and he respected my boundaries, but all the other kids were too much. They kept asking questions, and crowding around me. The only other kids who didn't come near me were four of the kids in the front. I don't know their names, although the blond boy was practically everywhere I looked outside of the school; posters, magazines, ads- everything.

To be honest, I wanted to try talking to them. They seemed really nice, and they didn't crowd me like everyone else. The blond had even tried to calm me down with a smile when I walked into the classroom. It was a little unnerving to have my entrance to the class be recorded by the ombré haired girl, though.

The blonde girl, Chloe, was actually pretty scary. She wouldn't stop glaring at me and when I was surrounded by everyone she had tried to get me to talk, saying that I was lying about not being able to speak. No one else believed her expect for the girl who sat next to her in class. What was her name? Sabrina?

"Earth to Jasper! Get going, or you're going to be late!"

I look at my clock on my bedside and my eyes widen when I see the time. I only had ten minutes to get to school on time. Was I really moping for over an hour? I quickly got dressed and ran my hands through my hair, before grabbing my bag and notebook, motioning for Neeks to hide in my jacket's pocket. He flies in and I run out my door, waving goodbye to my mom along the way. I was really glad she chose a house close enough that on days like today I could run to school without a problem.

I run into the classroom right as the bell rings for class to start and sigh, although the sound only comes out in my head. I rush to my seat, ignoring the stares, and smile a greeting to Nathanael, who gives me a smile back. I flip open my notebook and go to one of my folded up pages, the folded part highlighted yellow, for easy access.

"Hi." It said, followed by, "How are you?"

"I'm fine, thanks. Are you okay? You just barely made it to class on time." He says softly, looking a little worried. I smile and nod, flipping to another folded page, this one highlighted light green.

"Thank you. I'm alright." Then to another page, this one blank. I began writing my response as Miss Bustier walked in, "I was running late. I didn't really want to come today, I don't want to get surrounded again." I showed him the notebook and he nodded, patting me on the shoulder before we both focused on the teacher.

Almost fifteen minutes after class started, the girl in the front with black hair comes in. What was her name?

"Marinette, late again, I see."

Oh, that's what her name is.

Class dragged by, and I was glad that when class was over, no one swarmed me. I waved goodbye to Nathanael after gathering my things, and started to leave the classroom when the ombré haired girl called out to me. I stopped and turned to face her, tilting my head to the side curiously.

"Hey, Jasper, may I ask you a few questions?"

"Alya, don't! Let him relax, okay?" Marinette smiled at me and I blinked before flipping open to a page that was kind of folded, but not really. "What do you want to ask?" I showed them as I walked closer. I noticed that the two boys that sat in front of Alya and Marinette stayed behind as well.

Alya seemed super excited that I stayed to ask her questions, but the teacher shooed us out before she could ask any. Outside the room, though, I let her ask a few questions, a little nervous now that she was recording.

"Okay, first off, why exactly can't you talk? If this is too personal, just let me know." Almost immediately, while I became more nervous, I flipped to the very first page in my notebook, both corners folded and covered in markers and highlighters. In the center of the page was one word, "Aphonia."

Around it I had placed smaller sentences and words, "Accident. Don't want to talk about it. Look it up. Scarred vocal cords. Can make certain sounds, but no words."

All four kids around me looked at the page and the blond boy seemed to be sad when he read it. "Alright... Have you heard of Chat Noir and Ladybug?" I nodded and started writing in my notebook again. "Yeah. Chat Noir is really cute and funny, in my opinion. Ladybug is cool, too." I wrote, showing her the page hesitantly. She nodded and was about to ask another question before the boy with headphones gasped. "We need to get to class, guys! The bell's about to ring!" With than, we split up and went to our next period, knowing we'd all meet up again in English and Physics.

The Akuma attacked during Physics.

I don't really remember much, just the deafening roar of a lion and Miss Mendeleev tell us to get out and go home as quick as we could. I moved on autopilot as Neeks lightly pressed himself against me to let me know he was still there, and I found a place to transform. Neeks flew from my jacket as he finished eating a piece of candy, and he flew into my necklace.

I closed my eyes and opened them once again when the transformation was done, feeling the mask on my skin and the ears and tail attacked to me. I could feel the pain in my throat disappear as the transformation fixed my vocal cords, and a laugh bubbled its way to the surface. I felt like screaming at the top of my lungs, just like every time I transform and can get my voice back. I missed these feelings that everyone takes for granted. I missed having to ability to voice my thoughts without pen and paper.

I rushed out of my hiding spot and towards the Akuma attack, smirking slightly when I saw Chat was already there. "Would you like help, kitkat?" I asked, trying to sound more snarky and confident than I really was as Chat was knocked back against the side of the school building by a man dressed like a lion. Why he was, I'll probably never know. He wasn't so much a talker as he was a growler or a roarer, as he snarled at me and moved to attack just as I made myself known.

Before I could dodge, a yoyo wraps around the lion-man's waist and pulls him back, making me frown. "I could have dodged that, you know!"

"No, actually, I don't!" Ladybug said with a sigh as she comes over to the rail I was on, Chat joining us a moment later and he smirked. "Nice to see you again, Wolfy."

"It's Wolven, Chat Noir."

Chat looked like he was about to respond but another growl snapped my attention away from the other superheroes and to the lion-man.

"Catch me up here. Why is this man in a lion suit?"

"He's an actor. One of the parents of another class' student, and my guess is someone made fun of his latest acting job." He said as all three of us jumped out of the way of the lion-man's claws. I smirked and laughed as I landed on all fours on the ground. "You guys come up with a plan, I'll take care of this kitty cat in the mean time."

"What? How? You don't even have a weapon!" Ladybug said skeptically, a small frown on her lips. I smirked and laughed again. "Just trust me, little bug."

"Stop ignoring me!" The akumatized man snarled, and I walked closer, my tail swishing around playfully behind me. "I'll be your opponent, Lion. Ready to play with a dog?" I growled softly and I faintly heard Neeks in the corners of my mind.

Be careful, don't bite off more than you can chew, Jasper. You're still getting used to your powers.

I gave a tiny little nod and I rushed towards the man, clenching my hands into fists and allowing metal claws to come from the metal plates on the back of my hands. I bounded towards the man as he came charging at me with his own claws, and together we began a dance.

Swing. Duck. Sidestep. Jump. Attack.

Swing. Dodge. Jump. Block.

Adrenaline of a fight I had never felt before pumped through my veins, all my senses were both heightened and dulled. I barely remember getting scratched on my arm by his claws, I barely remember hearing Ladybug yell at me to move out of the way, I barely remember yelling at her where the Akuma was. I remember strong arms grabbing me and moving me out of the way as Ladybug's yoyo breezed past my ear, a polka-dotted mouse on the end, watching as the lion-man's pupils grew wide. I looked up and saw Chat holding me, his own eyes growing slightly wide.

"Hey kitkat, don't start playing chase on us now, okay?" I tapped his cheek and his green eyes snapped towards me. He laughed nervously and smiled widely. "Oops. Sorry."

I felt my feet touch the ground once more and watched as Ladybug tore the small pocket-sized lion in half and capture the Akuma. She threw the mouse in the air and we watched as her cleansing magic got to work, fixing the damage done to the school and the city.

"So... When do you guys usually do patrol and how do you do it? I'll help you." I looked up at Chat since he was a bit taller than me by an inch or two, and then to Ladybug, who didn't seem all that happy I was there. Not that I minded her reaction or anything.

"Why should we let you join us? How do we know you aren't working for Hawkmoth?"

"Ladybug, he's been helping us, and he has a Kwami just like us! I think that's proof enough!"

"His miraculous was almost clawed off! If he's working with us he shouldn't have let it be that easy to take!"

My miraculous did what? I looked down and saw that one of the two chains I used to keep my miraculous was on had been sliced. Well, I guess I need to get a new chain now.

"Oh... Well, to be honest, I've only had my miraculous for around a month, and back where I used to live, I never had akumas to fight. This is all new to me. Let me show you that you can trust me. I'll help with patrols and tell you anything you want to know, just... Let me help you with this. I don't want to lose this... Amazing freedom." I felt like I was rambling again, but hearing my own voice again was something I couldn't stop listening to. It's been three years since I last heard it.

Chat and Ladybug glanced at each other and Ladybug sighed. "Alright,fine... Meet us at the Eiffel Tower at 8:00 tonight. Okay, Wolven?"

I smiled and bowed. "You've got it, Ladybug." Her miraculous beeped a warming, and she ran off after waving. I look back to Chat Noir, who was about to leave, and grab his hand. "Wait, please. Chat, why did you... Why do you trust me so much already? Ladybug's right, I could be working for that man, Hawkmoth. Maybe I lied about having a Kwami. Why trust me so soon?"

He looked at me and seemed to think about his words before he smiled and pat me on the shoulder. "You're face when I met you yesterday. It was so excited and so happy to be out there, fighting, talking about the Kwami's... And my Kwami said that he recognized your Kwami. He was a little wary, but he trusts him, so I figured I can trust you. Are you not okay with that?"

I quickly shook my head. "No, no! I'm okay with that! Thank you, Kitkat... I'm glad you trust me. I'll see you tonight,then."

With that, we went in separate directions, and as I hid in an alleyway near my home, wondered if I would have to tell them my identity. Part of me hoped they wouldn't because I knew they'd be freaked out by me in some way, with my white hair and red eyes, or the fact I can't talk. The transformation disappeared and I caught my little gray and white friend in one hand while clutching my burning and sore throat with the other. The pain always come back worse that before, because I always forget how it feels to have the pain in my throat constantly there.

I walked into my house and waved to mom, hugging her gently in greeting before going to get a small cup of ice water to help soothe the burn. I went to my room and Neeks flew from my jacket pocket and rested in my head. From my candy bowl on my dresser, I grabbed a peppermint to give him and he gladly accepted it, nibbling on the treat as I started on homework, waiting for the time to patrol with a mix of nervousness and excitement.