Chapter Six:

Breathe in, breathe out. Breathe in, aaaand out, Marinette told herself, trying to calm down. It might not be that bad?

She hesitantly clicked on the link.

Ladybug: A Different Person!?

Alya Césaire here.

We all know Ladybug, the polka-dotted sidekick who makes bug puns at any opportunity and constantly flirts with Chat Noir.

We also all know about Ladybug's bad luck. Whether it's just barely missing a target or taking a wrong step and falling off a building, embodying such an unlucky animal has definitely rubbed off on her.

But all my loyal Noir News followers also know that she always bounces back, gets up, and goes back to helping defeat the akuma alongside Chat Noir.

However, just this Thursday, after taking a short fall, Ladybug remained on the ground. When she got up around five minutes later, she swung away.

She left Chat on his own.

Of course, Chat Noir was able to use his Collar Charm and defeat the akuma without her. But Ladybug never does that!

So when I saw this, I was puzzled. I've made sure to record every akuma attack on scene (only the best for Noir News!) and I'd never seen Ladybug act this way before. As soon as Chat Noir used Miraculous Allay, I ran home to research.

The fall wasn't enough to cause any brain damage, judging on the speed Ladybug fell and the impact rate. We've seen her flick off worse injuries from heavier blows.

I was really confused as to why Ladybug had acted that way. However, after the latest attack with Train Wreck, it all made sense.

During that attack, Ladybug acted odd. She used her typical nickname for Chat, and threw in some puns here and there, but when it came to using Haemolymph, she completely changed her typical way of conjuring it, and then was almost amateurlike with actually using it.

I ran home to rewatch the video I'd recorded, and took a closer look. Sure enough, Ladybug seemed weirdly… different.

So here's my theory.

When Ladybug fell, she must've sustained some injury that would disable her from properly fighting (maybe she pulled a muscle or something?). Not wanting to slow Chat down, she left in search of someone else to don the responsibility.

She then found someone and taught them to the best of her ability so that Chat could have a partner while she was temporarily injured.

Ladybug probably wasn't planning on another akuma attack so soon, so when Train Wreck announced his presence, New Ladybug was left to do the best she could. Less than a day's worth of training wouldn't have helped her much.

Hopefully the original Ladybug will be back as soon as possible. Who knows, the New Ladybug could've only been a one day thing!

I'll be sure to try to score an interview with whichever Ladybug happens to be on the scene next time.

Stay tuned, fellow Noirs!

-Alya Césaire

Marinette stared at the screen and groaned. Alya knew that Ladybug was a different person.

Tikki fluttered over. "Whatcha up to?"

Marinette gestured to the screen. Tikki skimmed through the article and laughed. "Told ya she's a smart one."

"What am I going to do?"

Tikki tilted her head. "Roll with it."

"What!?"

"You fake some small injury and tell everyone you had a replacement yesterday. Alya'll be too proud to argue otherwise, and Chat will probably do the same. He most likely thought something was up, you haven't exactly done a spectacular job acting like Ladybug, so this'll count as a valid excuse."

Marinette stared at him before breaking into a smile. This could work… with a little research.

She pulled up a page on minor injuries and scrolled through. What could've stopped her from being able to fight properly? A fractured ankle takes far too long to heal, a bruise I would've been able to withstand...

Around fifteen minutes later she came to the decision that a strained muscle would've been the best. It typically healed in a couple days, could be caused by landing badly after a fall, and was a relatively common injury.

But where? She always used her dominant hand for her yo-yo, and since the video of her fleeing the scene was up for evidence on Noir News, she couldn't have "injured" that one. Her feet she'd have used just as much and just as eloquently on camera.

Marinette turned her left hand around, looking at it.

She had originally been a righty, but being Ladybug had caused her to become more ambidextrous. She doubted anyone had noticed, though.

She'd just say her left hand's tendon had been strained. That would work; both hands were needed for her superhero alter-ego.

Having decided, she signed off of the computer and got up from her seat… to find an annoyed kwami waiting for her.

"Hey kid. I'm hungry. That advice was worth at least a couple danishes."

"Right, right!" she exclaimed, opening the latch and heading down the stairs.

*cue witty transition phrase*

Adrien woke up to the sound of his alarm and rolled out of bed. He was about to make his bed when he was hit with the events of yesterday.

He told himself that Ladybug was fine and forced himself to take a shower.

He had just finished when Plagg zipped through the bathroom wall, just as unconcerned about privacy as usual, with his paws on his hips. "Hey kid. We're all out of camembert."

Adrien just sighed, trying to wrap a towel around himself. "I know you can eat cheddar or brie, Plagg."

"And if Tikki only likes camembert too?" Plagg shot back, grumbling.

"Yeah right. She's a ladybug."

It was then that the kwami herself appeared.

Tikki took a quick look around before shooting Plagg a look. "No, I don't like that disgusting cheese you're addicted to."

Plagg just shrugged. "Your taste buds just aren't as refined as mine."

Tikki rolled her eyes and Adrien had to hold back a chuckle.

"Alright Tikki, what do you eat?"

"I'm partial to any kind of sweets," she replied. Tikki then tilted her head. "Though I doubt you have any… fruit will be fine."

"Yeah," Adrien acknowledged shyly, "the whole sugar thing doesn't exactly work with a model's diet."

"I figured."

Plagg, seemingly annoyed that he was being ignored, huffed and teleported off, probably to the cheese cabinet.

Tikki turned to look at the empty space where the cat kwami used to be and smiled at Adrien, "I'll leave you to get ready," before zipping off.

Adrien threw his usual outfit on, combed his hair to its usual state, and headed out.

Plagg was in the midst of a pile of brie, cheddar, and swiss. Tikki was nibbling on an apple.

Adrien grabbed his homework pile, put it in his backpack, and glanced at the time. He still had twelve minutes until he needed to head down to Gorilla.

His mind, previously distracted with the chores of the typical day, wandered back to Ladybug.

He waited a couple minutes to let the two kwamis finish their snacks.

"I'll be right back, Tikki. Plagg, claws out!"

Plagg groaned as he was sucked into Adrien's ring. Tikki looked up at him. "Tell me how she's doing," she whispered.

Adrien nodded, feeling his transformation finish and preparing to take to the rooftops.

He'd be back, but he needed to make sure Ladybug was still okay first.

On the flip side, Marinette…

…was all but prepared for the akuma attack to happen. As soon as she heard the crash, she yelled "Spots on!"

When she arrived at the scene, she found Chat already there.

"Finally!" he yelled, dodging the latest akuma's… lasers?

"Missed me, m'lord?" she quipped as she landed, winking.

Chat glanced in her direction, looking wary at first, but eventually he turned back to the akuma and sighed. "He calls himself LaserWar, and seems to be based off laser tag. I can't seem to figure out where the akuma's hiding..."

"Maybe his laser gun?" she suggested.

"Probably," he replied, glancing up at it. The gun was outlined with streaks of lightning, glowing eerily, its lasers seeming particularly dangerous.

LaserWar noticed the addition to the playfield and aimed his weapon at her. "Don't worry Ladybug, you'll be out in no time!" The laser beams flashed towards her and she quickly jumped out of the way.

"Sooner or laser," she quipped, "one of you will realize that's not going to happen."

The akuma roared an insult back, but Ladybug wasn't paying attention to him; the reason being that, out of the corner of her eye, she'd noticed Chat Noir ducking into a back alleyway.

Trying to recall her mental image of Paris, she noted that the street looped around back to… oh.

Knowing she'd need to keep LaserWar's attention in order for Chat's plan to work, she quickly tossed out a taunt. "Playing with cat toys, huh? Sorry, not my type."

LaserWar arched his back, eyes flickering with anger. "My laser guns are WAY more complex then those… things!" he yelled, shooting another round of laser flashes at her.

She dodged them with ease, keeping one of Chat's cheeky grins on at all times. "Playing a game of tag, then?"

"NO! Laser tag requires strategy, regular tag's just childsplay!" LaserWar insisted.

Ladybug just kept grinning as she dodged his blows, checking Chat's progress as subtly as she could. He was almost there…

When a purple butterfly image appeared in front of LaserWar's eyes, Ladybug mentally cursed. Just her luck.

The laser themed supervillain threw a couple more shots at her before stopping to survey the area. Yep, definitely looking for Chat. Hopefully he won't…

As if psychic, he spun around right as Chat Noir reached him.

Chat opened his mouth to yell for his superpower, but Ladybug knew it would be too late.

Thanking Tikki's practice, she watched as the laser arched through the air in slow motion, aimed right at Chat's chest. She gripped tightly on her yo-yo as she scanned the area.

She quickly hooked it on a nearby lamppost, knowing it was the only thing that would get her there in time.

Using as much concentration as possible, Ladybug circled around to land in front of Chat, knowing full well the consequences that would happen if she failed, and trying to ignore how scared she was. What… what if…

But she couldn't bring herself to be distracted, so the ravenette pushed her thoughts back and hit the ground just as the laser hit - her shoulder.

(In laser tag, one of the "weak spots" are the shoulder pads, so this would definitely count as her being "out")

Chat's safe, he'll get me out of this was all she could think before, curse Hawkmoth's dry humor, a You Died! screen appeared in front of her and her vision darkened red.

The akuma wasn't even based on a video game, she fumed, watching the scene fade to black.

She was now completely surrounded in the darkness. Ladybug glanced around wearily, well aware of her childhood fears returning but trying to ignore them.

However, she couldn't help but remember the chilling distress she used to feel when she couldn't fall asleep; the familiar warmth of the bakery seeming cold without light echoing out from every corner.

It was the lack of familiarity, the boulangerie deprived of the comforting smell of bread baking, the quiet of her room without her papa's chuckles bouncing around the building, that had forced younger Marinette to run into her parents' bedroom to make sure they were there.

When she encountered the ladybug earrings and, after some confliction, decided to keep them, the comfort of the little kwami sleeping next to her had dulled the phobia. Marinette had thought she'd gotten over it, but decidedly it wasn't so.

Ladybug got to her feet, having somehow ended up on the ground, and walked around the dark room she appeared to be in. Being "out" certainly isn't very entertainingshe tried to joke to herself.

However, the cold seemed to wrap itself around her and she ended up sitting back down on the floor, shivering.

At once, a comforting crimson light seemed to wrap itself around her, spiraling until it reached a spot in front of her. Ladybug quickly covered her eyes.

Hello.

Ladybug looked up, and found the old woman standing in front of her, her scarlet red hair blowing in some non-existent breeze, her lips in a gentle smile. A peaceful glow eminanted around the woman, helping to calm Ladybug.

Chat's doing great, came the voice of the woman, the… akuma, I believe you call it, will be eliminated soon.

"That's… good," Ladybug replied, before becoming alarmed as she felt a familiar sensation. Her transformation was fading- but she hadn't used Lucky- er, Haemolymph!

Wait, what if Hawk-

Don't worry the woman echoed, I've blocked this area off from the Butterfly User.

Ladybug, now Marinette, breathed a sigh of relief. "Will I transform back when the akuma's defeated?"

Of course, the woman replied. I may be one of the causes of this situation, but I wish you no harm. I figured you could use some of Tikki's comfort. I know Trixx was always helpful with my own fears.

"Trixx?"

I used to be a Fox User.

So Trixx is the fox kwami... Marinette was trying to figure out what this meant when Tikki nuzzled her, showing a rare sign of affection for her new personality. Marinette leaned into the little kwami's warmth, and her racing heartbeat slowed down.

"Thank you."

No problem, Marinette.

"Can I ask why you're here? Why I'm here?"

I cannot give away all the answers, Ladybug. Some you must find yourself. But I can tell you this: heed my past words, and you will return in due time.

Tikki floated up from her spot on Marinette's shoulder, looking wary. "So you're the one who did the whole alternate-universe swap thing. What did you do with Ladybug?"

This world's Ladybug User is safe, have no fear. She's been keeping me company in the realm I inhabit until everything is settled.

Tikki still looked suspicious, but flew back towards Marinette anyways. "And just who are you?"

I am a Past Bestowed of the Blessing... and Nature's Sibyl.

All of a sudden something clicked for Marinette. "So… the flower… my eyes… I'm under some kind of spell, aren't I? And you've been in my situation before?"

The spell is not commonly known, referred to some as Nature's Grace, or the Blessing of the Flowers more informally.

"Is there some kind of prophecy I need to complete?" she asked. "Another spell needed to return?"

The problem lies within, and the solution will be found there as well.

Marinette just shook her head, confused. "What problem?"

Ah, the same question I asked myself when the flowers first came to visit. You may be used to more prominent issues, Hawkmoth, for example, but smaller problems lurk too, and it is Nature's responsibility to solve those unseen.

I must go soon. The spirit world does not bond well with the world of the living, and even Nature itself cannot hold the barrier open for too long.

Look in the past, and you may just save the consequences of the future, Marinette… Ladybug.

With this, the elderly woman started to vanish, the crimson light from before appearing again to help assist.

Marinette was about to wave goodbye, still puzzled over the meaning of the woman's words, when she realized she'd forgotten a common formality.

"What's your name?" she found herself inquiring.

The woman, about halfway gone, smiled. You may call me Kókkini, Ladybug.

The red light shaded the rest of the woman's body in crimson, and then, just as suddenly as she'd appeared, Kókkini was gone.

"Do you know anything about a Kókkini?" Marinette asked, turning to Tikki.

The kwami shook her head. "Only Trixx would remember all of her cubs."

Suddenly, Marinette felt herself transforming again. Chat must've purified the akuma, she realized.

Sure enough, soon the black room faded and she was overwhelmed with light. Ladybug blinked a few times to regain her focus, and saw Chat Noir looking down at her, concerned.

"You okay?" he asked, extending an arm to help her up.

"No need to bee worried, m'lord, no laser could shock this bug!"

Chat shook his head and raised his arm for a high five. Ladybug obliged, and both yelled, "Victorious again!"

Ladybug was preparing to swing off when she remembered the plan she'd spent all day figuring out. "Hey, Chat?" she asked.

Chat looked back towards her, alarmed at her sudden change of tone. "What is it, Ladybug?"

"Just wanted to let you know that I pulled a muscle during that fall Thursday. Landed on it wrong.

"I enlisted the help of one of my friends to serve as Ladybug during Train Wreck, so sorry if they caused you any inconvenience."

"Oh, oh! No, not at all!" he replied. "They actually did great, considering!"

Ladybug couldn't help but smile at the praise, even if it was technically unintentional.

"Well, now that's all done and said, hive gotta go see a certain reporter. Bug out, m'lord!"

"Bye, Ladybug!" he called as she swung away.

It didn't take long for her to find Alya, who'd hidden a couple meters away to catch the footage of the akuma attack.

"Oh! Fancy meeting you, Ladybug! Time for a quick interview?"

"Actually, I beelieve I do!" she replied, landing in front of the reporter.

"Great!" Alya smiled, her posture changing to that of a qualified interviewer in mere seconds, a formal smile on her face. "There are some rumors that there might have been a Ladybug swap. Can you confirm?"

Ladybug gave herself a Chat grin and winked. "Maybe so. During Thursday's akuma attack, I mite have pulled a muscle," she hinted, rubbing her right hand's tendon to further carry out her act.

As expected, Alya's eyes immediately widened. "Really!? Er-" she composed herself. "How did you handle this situation?"

"I handed off the suit to one of my trusted comrades. Shout out to them," she gave the camera a finger gun and wink combo, "for doing a pawsome job alongside m'lord!"

Alya smiled. "And who might this helper bee?"

Ladybug grinned sneakily, concentrating as much as she could on imitating Chat. "Sorry, Mlle. Reporter, but even puns won't get me to spill. All superheroes hive their secrets."

Her smile wobbled a little at Alya's disappointed frown, but Ladybug knew she needed to keep up her act. She prepped her yo-yo and called "Gotta fly!" as she swung home.

Once there, Ladybug detransformed.

Marinette looked around her comfy room, taking in the warm glow. She heard her papa's belly-laughs echoing downstairs and smiled.

Even in another universe, her parent's patisserie would always be home.