Author's note: Thanks so much for your follows, favs, and reviews. You guys are miraculously awesome! Comments are greatly appreciated as always and of course, questions you guys might have. Also, am I keeping the characters ok in characters, despite it being an AU? Sorry, I always worry about that lol.
Enjoy my pretties!
Reviewers questions:
Cookiebook322: Thank you so much!:} I'm glad you like my idea. If you think I'm faltering in any way, please don't hesitate to tell me. As for putting Ocs in there, I'm not really sure. I might for maybe a villain, but if you had any suggestions, don't hesitate to share. Thanks for your insightful comment and it made me take into considerations of things I never thought of before.
Rose Tiger: Thank you!:} Sadly, our sweet Marinette doesn't pay for the dress because she thinks she had the right to have it. As for her parents, they might or might not find out. I have to make that a little of a suspenseful surprise.
Disclaimer: Don't own Miraculous Ladybug or Chat Noir. If I did, there would be a season 2.
Chapter 4:
The morning sun came winking upon the beautiful city of Paris. Owners of various shops began to open up and start a brand new day on this cold Tuesday. Tikki's Craft store was the first to open and Tikki was patiently waiting for customers to come strolling in.
Tikki drank slowly of her mug filled with hot chocolate while she re-read yesterday's newspaper. Tikki frowned heavily at the new criminal that called herself Ladybug. Tikki found herself a little tick off because Ladybug was her alter ego back in America.
"Hawk Moth must have secretly put that little info in the paper, probably to get a rise out of me," Tikki said with heavy annoyance.
She let out a sigh. "Well, no matter, this old Ladybug is long gone. If he wanted a new one so bad, he should have been Ladybug," Tikki giggled at the image of him wearing a black polka dotted bodysuit.
It was quite comical to imagine.
The last time she ever suited up as Ladybug was probably around eight years ago. It was during the time when the Akuma Mafia was settled in New York City before they made their way to Paris. She still remembered that fateful day at Notre Dame where she decided it would be the last time that Ladybug would prowl the night. However, she knew she was in the Mafia for life, no matter what she did, Adrien's mother even knew that before she took her own life.
Tears began to form in her eyes, but she brushed them away quickly. Tikki did not want to reminisce that tragedy, it was still hard for her to endure after all these years. Also, the woman wasn't just Adrien's mother, she was Tikki's very best friend.
"You look blue, Tikki. Is it because someone stole your thunder?" She heard a very familiar voice ask her.
Tikki toyed a ringlet of her red hair with hidden black highlights. "No Plagg, as a matter of fact, I am just ecstatic of the new recruit," Tikki replied indifferently.
"Liar, liar, pants on fire!" Plagg taunted.
Tikki glared at him. "If you came here just to annoy me, then show yourself out or buy something for once and get out!"
"I would buy something from you, but you don't have any edible stuff in here, particularly cheese for that matter." He said with a huff.
She crossed her arms. "Please enlighten me why I ever dated you, again?" She asked, but wasn't really expecting him to comply with an answer.
"You got tired of being a goody-goody-two-shoes, until I came in and made your life claw some!"
"As I said before, leave those cat puns to Chat Noir," Tikki retorted with an eye-roll.
"Well, I remember when we started to date, you used to love my cat puns!" Plagg said while wiggling his eyebrows.
"Yes, back then, before they became so aggravating and you became a jerk," She replied with an exasperated sigh.
"Also, your unhealthy obsession with cheese," Tikki shuddered at the thought.
"Anyways, off to another serious subject. Aren't you curious who this Ladybug is behind the mask?" He asked with a knowing smirk.
Tikki let out a defeated sigh. "Yeah, do you know who she is, Plagg?" Tikki found it quite strange that Hawk Moth had hired another young criminal to join him.
He does realize he's risking the lives of children, right? Then again, he made Adrien work with him at the tender age of twelve, so he probably never cared about the age limit. Not even when he was risking the life of his son.
Selfish jerk.
"It's the girl who came into your store the other day, Marinette, I heard," Tikki's entire body ran cold.
No, no, no. Tikki thought to herself in denial like a broken record.
"You're lying," Tikki said through clenched teeth.
"I am known as a liar, Tikki, but I don't lie to you," He said as he made his way towards the exit.
"Marinette is coming to the mansion to train around eightish, you might want to stop by and help her become the notorious Ladybug you once were," He frowned when Tikki looked down on the floor.
"I warned you, Tikki. We have the Akuma Mafia attached to our rear end, you always have to be cautious on who you talk to." He said to her sadly as he slowly opened the door.
"Wait!" Plagg heard her call out to him.
He shuts the door before he turned to stare at her with concern.
"Can I have a hug?" She asked him hesitantly while putting her arms out.
He made his way towards her before he put her in a possessive hug. He heard his Tikki trying to hold back her sobs, but she was failing miserably. He knew the guilt was eating her alive and he found himself enjoying it. He always liked her being dependent on him because he kept her together. Physically and emotionally. Plagg knew that she loathed needing him and she would be hating herself for it later. However, his Tikki would always surrender herself to him in the end.
Plagg let out a triumphant smirk because his devious plan led her to this state in his arms. Chat ending up in that particular tailor store was no coincidence, Plagg may have given him a suggestion on what store to steal a dress, which so happened to be where Marinette was. Also, he may have put a good word in for Marinette to join, besides Adrien trying to convince Hawk Moth to let her in. Adrien was a good at purrsuasion, but Plagg was better at it.
"Shh, it's okay, maybe you can talk some sense into her when you come over later," He said reassuringly while she nodded her head in response.
Things are going purrfectly. He thought to himself with a dark chuckle.
XOX
I stared dumbstruck at the training room and the people in the training room. It's like I stepped into a whole new world. Are these people even human?! I saw one girl swinging from the ceiling and hanging upside down like a bat.
"It's improper for a lady to have their mouth open, Princess," Chat said to me with a chuckle.
I blushed at this and fiddled with my hands. "Sorry, it's just a lot to take in, they're just…"
"Intimidating?" He asked with a smirk.
I looked away from him. "Relax, Purrincess. Show that radiating confidence of yours and you would fit right in," He said as he strolled in first.
I noticed everyone stopped what they were doing and stared at Chat with a hint of fear in their eyes. Soon after, I followed right behind him with my head held up high. I ignored the curious glances and glares being directed at me. Being Ladybug, gave me an advantage than being the flustered Marinette.
Chat Noir stopped in front of a giant balance beam. A smile came upon my face because I loved doing gymnastics. I don't know how to explain it, but it made me feel free and it was sort of therapeutic.
"Do you wanna give it go?" He asked me, but it seemed more of a statement.
I nodded my head furiously.
I climbed onto it and took a deep breath as I balanced my clumsy feet.
"It's important to always keep your balance, you will need to benefit this exercise because it will help you with assignments for the future…" Chat said, but his voice seemed so far away like a lost ship.
"Always look up, never down, think of yourself that can defy gravity…" His voice was hypnotic.
I found myself doing good old back flips before I put my hands on the balance beam and let my feet stand upright.
I could feel my heart beating in adrenaline, it was a very wonderful feeling.
"Well, I guess the new recruit is not afraid of heights," I heard a new voice that almost distracted me from my balance.
I jumped off the balance beam and turned to face this new person. My eyes bulged slightly when I recognized who it was. Magician of Misfortune. He could disappear himself during a scene of the crime without a trace. He always made grand entrances for his crimes and knew had to make a mind-blowing disappearance.
"Who are you, newcomer?" He asked curiously. His tone of voice seemed inviting and friendly.
"My name is Ladybug, and I'm already familiar with who you are," I said with a breeze. If I was back as Marinette, I would have been tongue-tied at the spot.
I put my hand out before he took his hand in mine to shake.
"Ladybug, I hope to see some very bad things from you in the future," He smirked at me deviously.
I smirked at him back. "I start on Saturday night and I don't think you will be disappointed," Where in the world did this confidence within me come from?
"Well, when you finish your first assignment. How about I take you to the Eiffel Tower and we can…. Ow!" Chat hit the poor magician behind the head.
Poor guy.
"Sorry, Ladybug and I are partners in crime and we stick together like yarn and catnip. So I purrfer to not be the third wheel in the activity you plan for my partner."
Okay, he really put that cut pun a little too far. Also, I feel like there's a double meaning behind their conversation, but I couldn't put my finger on it.
"I can always make you disappear," He retorted while rubbing his sore head where Chat dug his sharp claws in.
"Quit being jealous, Kitty, he wants us to become friends," I said like it was the most obvious thing in the world.
"Believe me, Ladybug. He would love to get more acquainted than that beautiful intelligence of yours," Chat said before he pulled me away from the glaring magician.
"Chat, come on, he was just being… welcoming," I would have said nice, but I felt like that would be the wrong thing to say in a room full of bad guys.
"Are you really that naive, Ladybug? Well, you are my purre princess." When he said pure, minus his cat pun, a light bulb clicked in my mind. Also, when Chat whispered to me about the magician making my v card disappear if I had gone to the Eiffel Tower with him.
My face was red as a fat tomato. I've never been so mortified in my entire life. Basically, that pervert magician takes girls there for activities and games. And no, I'm not talking about video games.
Far from it.
"You need to not be so trustworthy, Princess. Think back to when your parents must have told you about no talking to strangers," He informed me like I was a small child.
"Well, you're a basically a dangerous stranger, so how can I trust you?" I retorted back strongly.
He looked thoughtful for a moment before a hidden smile formed. "You may not really trust me," I scoffed at him before he glared at me.
"But, I believe trust is earn, and I don't trust you that much either," I don't know why, but it sort of hurt when he said that.
How strange.
I glanced at him before I smiled slightly. "Well, if you're willing to give it a shot, then I'll try to make you trust me also,"
Before he could reply, murmured whispers among people halted him. I looked to see what the commotion was before I stopped dead in my tracks.
I rubbed my eyes to make sure my eyes weren't playing tricks on me. What I saw was another version of Chat Noir and Ladybug. They looked straight at us and I felt my confidence went straight out the window.
This other Ladybug looked like she was staring straight into my very soul and she looked vaguely familiar.
"Ladybug, may I please have a word with you?" The other Ladybug asked me, but it seemed more like a polite demand.
In a daze, I followed her, but I made sure that Chat followed right behind me. However, it seemed my luck was not in my favor anymore.
"Alone," She said without looking back.
I glanced at Chat and saw that he had his hand behind his neck... conflicted.
Adrien did that too when he was nervous.
How funny.
I gave Chat a reassuring smile. "I'll be fine, Kitty, I'm sure she'll fetch you the moment she's done with me,"
Chat nodded, but he showed me by his expression that he knew I felt uneasy.
We haven't really worked together yet, but he could already see through my body language. It's a little unnerving, but kind of nice.
I took a deep breath and I continued to follow her.
Wondering what this Ladybug wants to talk to me about?
Dun, Dun, Dun, sorry, had to put a mean cliffhanger.
~Thoughts of who this other Ladybug is and thanks for reading~