Hey everyone! I am here with another old fanfic from my files...But this one is special because this is technically an old prototype of "The Melody of Your Heart". Also, you guys get to cringe at my writing from 2021. But there is more to this story...
This is another fanfic from Lukanette June 2021 and the this fanfic prompt was "Reverse" and I was like "Why not write a fanfic where Luka is the hero and Marinette is the civilian." And...I originally wasn't going to post this at all because I felt this fanfic sucked and I felt making Luka a hero and Marinette a civilian wasn't very innovative...Granted Miraculous likes to think it's a girl-empowering show just because Marinette is the main character but Miraculous is really the most misogynistic girl show I have ever had the displeasure to watch.
But I remember when I finished this fanfic and considered making it multi-chapter but decided against it because I didn't believe in myself...Then I wrote Vipernette with "The Melody of Your Heart" and then felt that fanfic was dying to be to continued...But I wanted to show you guys what that fanfic originally was...I hope you guys find some enjoyment out of it. Thank you for your continued support.
Disclaimer: Miraculous Ladybug belongs to Thomas Astruc and ZAGToon. This is just a fanfic written by a fan.
Luka Couffaine was an ordinary teenage boy who lived in a boat and lived a mundane life until he met Master Fu in the park when he was just innocently playing his guitar.
Master Fu presented him with the miraculous of the snake, and Luka felt drawn to the bracelet and the little snake creature that inhabited it.
He wanted to say no, as his life was already complicated enough, being the oddball poor boy who lives in Paris, France. But Master Fu gently handed the miraculous to Luka and said, "You are destined for greatness, Master Luka."
Luka always hoped he was destined for greatness because he would love to believe that he would reach greater heights one day than simply living in a boat. Although being a part-time superhero may have been too great of a task for just him.
He had to make many excuses for his mother, the captain of the Liberty boat. She wanted to find Viperion lurking in the waters.
But Luka wasn't a water snake.
And his sister Juleka couldn't shake this feeling that her brother was acting differently, so Luka had to keep on telling her it was growing pains. So many growing pains!
Especially since the press questioned if Viperion was either friend or foe. Luka internally groaned, wondering why he was a snake superhero when a snake seemed like a more menacing creature than a heroic one.
It may have been cultural and age differences, but Master Fu said this was the correct path. So Luka felt he needed to prove that he was a gentle garden snake rather than a dangerous cobra.
Amidst all these complications, his miraculous partner Sass was one of his best friends. Sass was always there to provide gentle guidance when everything became too much for Luka. And it was fun when Sass perched on top of Luka's guitar. Sometimes while Luka played guitar and Sass would play on his tiny harp.
Then there was school, Luka had his friends, and Marinette Dupain-Cheng, his best friend. He could always talk about anything with her, and he was always there when she needed to cry. And in Luka's eyes, she was the prettiest girl in school, much more than the popular girls.
He thought he merely loved her as a friend, but things became different when he became a hero. She looked at Viperion with such wonder in her eyes.
Luka walked into the school newspaper room, and it was bustling as usual.
"You guys, we need to finish this Viperion story before the weekend!" Alya cried as she ran around the room, making sure everyone was working diligently.
Luka stood blankly, having to pretend he had no comment on the snake superhero.
"We're working our fingers to the bone to make a much less biased article on Viperion than the adult news press, believe me!" Marc said as he sat beside his boyfriend Nathienal as the two of them were busy drawing and writing on computers.
Everyone was too busy working to notice Luka. Still, he was more focused on Marinette, painting a full-body portrait of Viperion with watercolors. Luka smiled to himself and just watched her for a moment.
"That's a great painting, Marinette," Luka said.
Marinette put down her paintbrush and turned to him. "Thank you, Luka!" He smiled at him so sweetly and then cleaned off her paintbrush with a rag.
Alya then walked over, smirking. "Girl, who truly have it bad for Viperboy!"
Marinette blushed to herself. "Hey, he may have scales, but he is so gentle, like a beautiful garden snake."
Luka remembered the first time Marinette and the others were in danger. He was disguised as Viperion, and Marinette looked at him with such a bewildered gaze. But Luka held his hand out to her and told her that he would get her out of the burning building safely.
Marinette didn't shudder in his arms. She seemed really comfortable. He saw sparkles in her eyes that looked like stars. And as Luka ran with Marinette in his arms, he knew that he loved her.
"He's a hero!" Marinette said as she put the finishing touches on her painting. "I know it in my heart."
Luka smiled at the beautiful girl. "I'm sure there are plenty of snakes with pure hearts." He wasn't going to say anything because he needed to keep a low profile, but he was so touched that she believed in him, believed in Viperion.
Marinette placed her hand on the Viperion painting where his handsome face is. "I want to see him again," she said to herself.
Luka blushed. This was the dilemma. The part-time superhero wished he could tell her that he loved her and he was the hero she adored so much. But he had a responsibility, and he had to put his duty over his heart and to keep Marinette out of danger.
Maybe it was better this way, and one day Marinette would find someone else she wouldn't have to idolize. There is no way they could be an average couple.
"Marinette! Don't forget to help us work on the Viperion comic tonight!" Nathaniel cried from the computer.
Marinette turned and smiled. "I look forward to it!"
Luka smiled and shook his head, and then everyone's phones made alert notifications. Everyone had their faces glued in their phones, and Luka saw the danger.
"City Hall is being held, hostage!" Alya cried.
On their phones, they saw Hawkmoth and his band of hypnotized captives attacking city hall.
"Oh no, Chloe!" Marinette cried.
Their phones showed the Mayor and Chloe were tied up and threatened.
Luka could waste no time and ran out in haste to find a place to transform. But Marinette heard him as he ran out.
Marinette ran out and followed Luka as he ran down the hallway.
"Luka, wait!" Marinette cried.
Luka felt his heart stop as he stopped at the sound of Marinette's voice. She stood right behind him, and he couldn't find it in him to face her.
"Luka! If you're going to city hall, then I should come with you!" Marinette cried.
Luka turned and placed his hands on her shoulders and gave her a pleading look. "No, Marinette, you need to stay here!"
"I can't leave Chloe in danger!" Marinette argued.
Luka sighed and took her hands. "Please don't do anything reckless, Marinette! I will be right back."
He released her hands and dashed as far as he could. Marinette was so dumbfounded she stood in her spot.
"Luka...Why?" Marinette cried.
Luka made it look like he ran out, but he really ran to the restroom closest to the school's exit so he could transform.
Sass appeared before him.
"Master Luka, transform!" His kwami cried.
Luka nodded.
"Sass! Scales! Sliver!" He cried as a green light surrounded him and transformed into his outfit with mint green scales.
Luka then used his magical powers to sliver outside the bathroom window and into the air. He saw city hall at a distance where light signals were being waved.
Luka flew quickly and landed in front of the city hall. He was greeted by hypnotized civilians stalking him with devious looks.
"We have been waiting for you, Snake!" The civilian cried the exact words Hawkmoth would usually tell him.
Viperion held up his mystical harp. "I don't want to hurt any of you!" He said as he strummed gentle tunes on his harp.
He strummed healing tunes, and the hypnotized civilians blinked and snapped out of their trances.
"Oh! Viperion!" Said one of the civilians.
"You saved us!" Said another.
Viperion brushed it off. "You're safe now. Get out of here."
The civilians nodded and ran away.
And Viperion was ready to go in and face Hawkmoth.
Inside the town hall, Chloe and her father were tied up as Hawkmoth loomed over them.
"I know the ladybug miraculous is specifically hidden inside City Hall. Now, where is it?" Hawkmoth said, smiling over his captives.
"I do not know what you are talking about!" The mayor cried.
"Yeah!" Chloe cried. "You're totally lame, MothHawk!"
Hawkmoth was unphased by the Mayor playing dumb and Chloe throwing sass.
"Hmm," Hawkmoth moved closer to Chloe. "Maybe if I marry off the Mayor's daughter to my son, you have no choice but to confess all your secrets."
Chloe gagged. "I am not up for marriage!"
"Hawkmoth, you scoundrel! Leave my daughter out of this!" The Mayor cried as he tried to free himself to punch Hawkmoth himself.
Hawkmoth flicked the Mayor on his head to knock him on his back, laughing at the flailing Mayor.
"Daddy!" Chloe cried.
"I think you better think about your decision," Hawkmoth said. The fiend turned away from the Mayor and his daughter. "Viperion may be visiting us soon."
Hawkmoth closed the door behind them, leaving them in the dark. Chloe continued trying to break herself free from her restraints since her father didn't seem very motivated.
"Chloe!"
Chloe took a moment to listen to the familiar voice but then she heard the sound of crashing metal. A familiar pig-tailed girl broke the vent door and crawled into the room.
"Marinette!" Chloe cried.
Marinette smiled down at her friend. "Don't worry, Chloe, I'm here!"
Marinette climbed to the ground and quickly ran to the Mayor to untie him.
"Bless you, Miss Dupain-Cheng!" The Mayor cried.
With the mayor free, Marinette went to untie Chloe as well.
"You're a lifesaver, Marinette!" Chloe cried. "But you're just here to meet Viperion, aren't you. I felt this would be my turn to get his attention."
Marinette finished untying Chloe. "Just get out of here! Viperion will take care of the rest."
Chloe breathed out. "Alright!" She grabbed her father's arm to lift him up. "Come on, daddy, let's get out of here!"
Chloe opened the door and helped her father get out. Marinette lagged behind slightly, determined to get to the bottom of all the evil attacks in Paris and get the true story of Viperion.
Viperion ran inside the city hall building and got a glimpse of hypnotized civilians making a mess of everything as if searching for something.
Luka raised his harp and strummed some tunes to get everyone's attention.
"I don't think that's going to work," Cried a menacing voice.
Hawkmoth appeared from the shadows and grinned at the snake boy. He waved his hands and manifested more akumas to keep the hypnotized civilians under his spell.
"You are outmatched, little snake boy," Hawkmoth said.
Hawkmoth pointed at Viperion. "Get him!"
And the zombified city hall employees ran after the boy. Luka didn't want to fight civilians, so he grunted as he pushed the captives away from him. Then he pulled the switch on his bracelet with a click.
"Second chance!"
Luka appeared again from the entrance. The hypnotized employees still ran after him, but this time he ran from them to gain some vantage.
But Luka took a breath and realized he had to be calm, even if it felt like the entire world was against him. He strummed his harp for the akumas.
"No more evil-doing for you little akumas," Viperion said.
The akumas started to change back to normal, and the hypnotized employees were coming to their senses. The ones that did look absolutely terrified.
Hawkmoth tapped his staff on the ground and chuckled. "I can always make more akumas."
Viperion glared at him, and the freed employees ran away, screaming for the door.
Hawkmoth walked toward Viperion with a grin and a glint in his eye as akumas surrounded him. He pointed his staff at Viperion, and Viperion kept his guard up.
"You save these people at the cost of your life!" Hawkmoth said as Viperion was being cornered.
Just then, the announcement speaker screeched.
"It's over Hawkmoth! Surrender now before the police show up!"
"Chloe?" Viperion cried.
Finally, Hawkmoth was a bit intimidated. Neither he nor Viperion knew how Chloe was freed.
"Oh, Viperion! Sweet, handsome snake prince. Please play your song on the speaker to purify our city hall," Chloe said through the speaker.
The speaker! Viperion realized as he quickly used his air snake power to float to the speakers on the high ceiling.
"It's over Hawkmoth!" Viperion cried with his harp in hand. "Hear my song!"
Using his sound wave power, Viperion played his melodious song that charged into the speaker for the entire city hall to hear. Hawkmoth grunted as his akumas were fading, and the rest of the captives were coming to their senses.
Hawkmoth grunted as the lights in city hall were flickering back on. He was never strong in the light.
As Viperion played the final chords, the lights flicked back on, and everyone was safe. Hawkmoth stood frustrated in defeat, and Viperion landed in front of him, intent on unmasking him and turning him in.
"Surrender," Viperion cried.
Hawkmoth snarled. "I'm not finished yet!"
The man ran past Viperion, practically knocking the young boy back. Hawkmoth ran further inside the building into the shadows. Viperion wasn't sure what he was going to do, but he had to run after him.
"Viperion!"
The snake boy turned to see Chloe and her father coming his way.
"Viperion, young man!" Cried the mayor.
"Miss Chloe! Mayor!" Viperion cried as Chloe ran into his arms.
"Viperion, thank you for saving us!" Chloe cried.
Viperion noticed that Chloe still looked a bit distressed.
"But Marinette! I am not sure where she went!" Chloe cried.
"What?!" Viperion cried as his heart nearly stopped.
Just then, on the TV screen. Hawkmoth appeared smiling maliciously while clutching Marinette's arm. They looked as if they were in the records room.
Marinette was in danger, and Viperion was trembling.
"I have a new captive now!" Hawkmoth said. "Surrender the miraculous of the ladybug if you want her safe!"
"Oh no! We cannot risk Miss Dupain-Cheng's life!" Cried the mayor. "We should surrender!"
"No!" Viperion cried. Vengeance was in his eyes. "We can't surrender!"
Viperion pushed the switch of his bracelet once more, and Chloe was amazed by the glowing green energy around him.
"Second chance!" He cried as he was transported back to when he finished his song on the speaker. This time he ignored Hawkmoth and flew for the records room before Marinette could get there.
He flew as quickly as he could and found Marinette walking through the hallway alone.
"Miss Dupain-Cheng!" Viperion cried.
Marinette gasped and turned around, but when she saw Viperion before her, her face turned red. "Viperion!" She said in a whispered cry.
Viperion ran to her side. "Miss Dupain-Cheng. You can't be in here. It's dangerous!"
Marinette shook her head. "I came here to free Chloe and the Mayor. But I also came here because Chloe told me the miraculous of the ladybug is hiding here, so we need to find it and hide it somewhere else."
Viperion was stunned. Marinette did some daring things in times of danger, but this was a whole new level of bold.
Viperion breathed out. "Alright, but you must not leave my side, Miss Dupain-Cheng."
Marinette took his scale studded hand. "Ok, I won't. The miraculous is in the records room!"
They heard a crack which caused the two of them to hurry into the records room while Viperion locked the door behind them. Marinette opened a few specific records cabinets and dug her hands in them.
"It's not here!" She cried.
"Huh?" Viperion cried.
Suddenly, Viperion could feel in his snake senses that a crash was coming. He ran to Marinette and shielded her with his body as a bomb went off, destroying the door. Hawkmoth appeared from the shadows of the smoke.
Hawkmoth chuckled as he gave a menacing look to Viperion and Marinette. Viperion still shielded her, not wanting that old man to touch her again.
"I knew the miraculous was here!" Hawkmoth cried triumphantly.
"No, it isn't!" Marinette spat.
"The mayor must have moved it somewhere else now. Leave all of us alone!" Marinette cried as her bluebell eyes glared at the pathetic man.
"I think you're lying!" Hawkmoth cried. He pointed his staff at Marinette's glaring face. "But I can get the truth out of the mayor with you as a hostage!"
"No!" Viperion cried as he grabbed Hawkmoth by the arm.
Viperion's mint green eyes were filled with rage as he clutched the arm that touched Marinette in the other timeline. Hawkmoth tried to shake off the snake, but the snake's grip proved to be too strong.
Viperion unleashed his flying power and pulled Hawkmoth out with him breaking the window in the process. Marinette watched them fly away, but this time she couldn't follow her precious Viperion.
Luka flew in the air, this time, the devilish old man was his captive, and this hawk and moth hybrid was unable to fly.
Viperion's fangs showed as his eyes glinted anger toward Hawkmoth as he dangled him the air.
"Don't hurt her! Don't hurt any of my friends! Any of the people of Paris!" Viperion cried.
Hawkmoth said nothing as helpless being dangled by the grip of Viperion.
"I will reveal you!" Viperion cried as he reached for his mask, but Hawkmoth hit the snake boy in the face with his staff causing the hero to drop the villain.
Hawkmoth was falling to earth, and Viperion was determined to catch him. But Hawkmoth had a blank face as he accepted his fall and vanished in a flash of akumas. Viperion landed on his feet and took out his harp to play and quick tune to purify the remaining Akuma back into bright white butterflies.
The thing is, though, Luka tried his second chance multiple times to try to reveal Hawkmoth. But each time was a failure, as if the Universe wouldn't allow him to know yet.
Luka turned back and realized he had to go back to Marinette. But he had to attempt a second chance to make a timeline where the records room and the window were unharmed. It was the most frustrating part about being the snake miraculous hero, reliving an event a hundred times for the best outcome.
But when Viperion returned to see Marinette safe in the records room, it all became worth it. Her bluebell eyes glimmered for him.
"Viperion!" She cried. Her voice was so lyrical, calling for Viperion.
Viperion smiled at her.
"You always make sure we get the best possible outcome. I can't imagine how hard that can be," Marinette said.
Viperion flexed his hands. "Anything to protect the people of Paris."
"But you work so hard. I can take you to a cafe with me. Or an amusement park. And there is this most beautiful garden…" Marinette was so hopeful as she gave those suggestions.
"Miss Dupain Cheng…" Viperion said.
"Please call me Marinette!" Marinette cried. "You don't have to be so formal with me!"
Viperion smiled. "I can't afford to take breaks. What is most important is getting you home." He said as he offered her his hand.
Marinette took his hand and held it close to her. "Viperion, you shoulder so much responsibility, and you deserve more. I just adore you so much!"
That last line she said so boldly, sadly Viperion wasn't allowed to be bold.
Luka couldn't help but blush behind his mask as Marinette was moving in to kiss him, and he didn't feel like stopping her. A girl like Marinette placing her warm lips on his cold lips and placing her warm, soft hand on his cheek.
Luka enjoyed it so much he almost wanted to protest as Marinette broke the kiss and rested her nose against his. But Viperion gently moved away and turned his back to her.
"Miss Dupain Cheng," he said sternly but gently. "This is far too complicated for us to be together."
Viperion turned back to face her, but Marinette said nothing. Although there was disbelief in her eyes.
Viperion moved closer and gently took her hand. "Now, I must take you home."
Viperion carried Marinette bridal style and gently set her down on her balcony. Marinette didn't want the snake boy to leave. She wanted to explore the world with him, but Viperion smiled at her as he sat on the railing.
"Marinette Dupain Cheng, please be careful next time. I wouldn't want to lose you," Viperion said.
He knew he shouldn't confess his feelings, but he figured saying that was harmless enough.
"Ok," Marinette said as Viperion gave her one more enchanting glance before taking off in the sky.
Marinette watched him go and then opened up her tiny purse and pulled out the ladybug miraculous earrings she kept hidden this whole time.
"Now, I will keep them safe."
Viperion flew back to city hall to check up on Chloe and the Mayor. They stood by the entrance and were pleased to see their hero.
"Viperion!" Chloe cried as she ran to him and threw her arms around him.
"Thank you for saving us again," Chloe said as she gave Viperion a quick kiss on the cheek.
"Yes, you did an exceptional job young man," the Mayor said.
"But I must give some unfortunate news," the mayor said in a bit of distress.
"We were indeed tasked to hide the ladybug miraculous in city hall, and we hid it in the records room where no one would suspect. But the ladybug miraculous has truly gone missing."
Viperion stepped up. "I'll find it. It couldn't have gotten too far. Even Hawkmoth couldn't find it."
Chloe still held on to Viperion's arm, but Viperion gently had to free himself as he was about to leave.
"I need to go!" He cried.
"Wait!" Chloe cried, reaching her hand out to him. "At least let me buy you dinner, Viperion! You must be starving."
"Sorry, Miss Chloe, I truly have to go. That miraculous cannot end up in the wrong hands," Viperion flicked the switch on his bracelet and disappeared in a flash of light.
But Viperion searched the entire city to no avail for the powerful ladybug miraculous.
The next day of school, Luka needed to recharge desperately. He sat alone by the fountain and played his music, drowning out all people and getting into the zone.
But then he felt his tune soften as he felt the presence of a certain girl with pigtails.
Luka opened his eyes and saw Marinette had a pleading look in her bluebell eyes.
As happy as his heartstrings were to see her, he felt weird looking into the eyes of the girl who kissed him when he had his superhero persona on.
"Hello Luka, I hope you are not interrupting anything," Marinette said.
Luka rested his guitar on his lap. "No, I wasn't busy."
Marinette bashfully looked down. "I-I wanted to ask…."
Luka didn't want Marinette to think she was burdening him.
"You can ask me anything, Marinette," he said.
Marinette took a breath. "I wanted to ask if you could go to the garden with me. Everyone else is busy."
Luka gave a soft smile. "If you want to Marinette, I will go with you."
Marinette clapped her hands together. "Yay! Thank you!"
After school, they walked side by side to the garden they spent time in since they were children. It was the perfect place to get away from the bustle of the city. Marinette took out her phone and snapped some photos of the flowers while Luka couldn't help but smile down at her.
She commented on how happy she was that spring was coming and the flowers were showing their blooms.
"I feel change is coming for all of us as well," Marinette said. "And it will all be beautiful changes." Marinette sounded so sure.
Luka couldn't help but wonder, but right now, he felt like he was still in act 1 of his superhero legacy, and part of him was afraid of what was to come. Especially since Marinette was in love with Viperion.
Marinette gently moved the flowers and nearly yelped.
"What's wrong, Marinette!" Luka cried as he ran to her side.
Marinette was silent as she lifted the plant again.
"Oh, Luka!"
Luka wasn't sure what she was referring to until the tiny creature moved from under the plant.
"Luka, it's a garden snake. He is so beautiful!"
Luka blinked as he saw the adorable garden snake with mint green scales. Marinette offered her a gentle hand and told the snake that she was friendly, but the snake didn't seem interested.
Luka held out his hand for the garden snake, and the little snake lifted his head and slivered on Luka's arm. As if the snake knew Luka by heart.
"Luka, he likes you!" Marinette cried. "It's like you two are connected!"
Luka smiled down at the little creature, and then he and the little snake turned when Marinette held out her phone to snap a photo. Then Luka placed the snake back in the garden and thought about Viperion for a moment.
This moment was so poetic if only she could see through his mask.
But it was too risky.
Suddenly both their phones went off in another alert. Marinette's smile turned into fear as she worried what terror was after Paris now.
Luka looked at her as she felt so helpless watching the scene on her phone. He pulled down his sleeve to reveal the glow of his bracelet.
Marinette, I vow to protect you no matter what!
So yeah...I hope all of you enjoyed it.
Now for some sneak peeks! I'm probably not going to add a friendly rivalry between Chloe and Marinette but...Something I was originally going to add to this is Chat Noir being Luka/Viperion's friend and being in a relationship with Kagami. That may most likely be in The Melody of Your Heart...And then my reader base will promptly ditch me because of my habit of adding Adrigami to my fanfics...Oh well.
I am working diligently on the third chapter of The Melody of Your Heart. I will see you guys then. Thanks for reading!
