Reminder to readers, the Miraculous powers will be based on my ideas for what they are and, not canon. I do hope readers will read and review it.
Marinette was at her home and lying on her chase. She was trying to come up with a new design idea but her brain wouldn't focus on it.
Instead, all she could think about was how overwhelmed she was by having to carry most of the weight for the duo.
Both Adrien and her had lots of responsibilities. School, obligations to their families, and normal activities. The truth was, Adrien had a lot more responsibilities and commitments than her.
Adrien's modeling duties had lessened but not enough for him to help her and Master Fu with getting the Kwamiis' magic back. They all knew that Monarch had probably replaced the plushies with something else.
Fu, his wife, and Marinette spent hours researching the topic. They were also working on different strategies to help reveal Monarch's identity. Lastly, Ladybug handled most of the meetings with the French government over the terrorist attacks.
Without a team to help carry the weight, Marinette felt she was drowning without a life ring in sight. Sighing, she put her sketchpad down and then faced the two Kwamiis. "I don't understand why being a duo is harder this time."
"What do you mean?" Tikki asked as she took a bite out of a cookie.
"In the beginning, when it was just me and Chat Noir fighting against Hawkmoth, we struggled but always won. Now that's back to only us fighting Monarch and, I'm not certain we can win."
Divva put her tomato down before gliding over to Marinette. "The difference is experience and personal growth. You've become a remarkable heroine while having a supportive partner you trust."
With a simple flap, Divva landed on the girl's shoulder. "Monarch has grown and is used to working alone save the occasional help from Mayura. Since you started your team and training sessions, your partner and you are a little off in your rhythm."
"Divva's right, Marinette," Tikki said as she came to rest on the girl's other shoulder. "I'm sure that the next time you face Monarch, it won't feel as difficult."
They're right of course. Adrien and I are a good team. I only wish I could come up with a solution to how we can equally carry the weight of stopping Monarch.
At the Agreste mansion, Sniffer and Plagg were listening as Adrien practiced talking to his father about making him a part-time model. Plagg had asked why he didn't want to tell the guy that he wanted to stop being a model completely.
"If I tell my father I don't want to model at all, he'll revoke one of my privileges as compensation for the company losing money without me as the face of the brand," Adrien explained.
Sniffer tilted his head. "So, you're going to try asking for something the "right way." One of my previous owners had a stern mother, so she always tried to ask in a way that would make everyone happy."
Adrien nodded as he went to that part of his speech. "Alright, this is my reasonable compromise."
"Father, I understand I'm an integral part of the company's reputation. I must continue to uphold that reputation. However, I need more to devote to my studies to earn my diploma."
"Therefore, I'm willing to be a part-time model if you allow me more time for my studies." The boy grinned and asked how he sounded.
Sniffer suggested that Adrien stress the word need to show how serious he was. Plagg told him to stick up for himself. He had to present himself as an equal to his father.
The blond went downstairs and strolled into his father's atrium. Gabriel glanced up from his work, surprised to see his son there. "Adrien, aren't you supposed to be studying right now?"
"I am studying, Father. However, I need to talk to you about something," Adrien stated calmly. He didn't give his father a chance to blow him off as he continued speaking.
"These past few months have shown me that a change needs to be made to my schedule. Specifically, my modeling schedule." The teenager laid out his argument and offered up his compromise.
Adrien watched his father's body language knowing every tell he had. He could see how tense his father was and that he was trying to find an argument against Adrien's wishes.
Finally, Gabriel pinched his brow in defeat. "Very well. I'll change your hours so you can work part-time," the man said. He saw a grin starting to develop on his son's face.
"However," Gabriel added. "If I do this, you will need to do something for me to compensate for the company's dip in profits without you working full-time."
Adrien kept his facial expression neutral. He wanted to scowl because once again, his father made the conversation about himself. Still, if it would give him more time to help his lady, then he was for it.
"What do you need me to do, Father?"
"I'm working on a joint project with Mrs. Tsurugi's company. A few things need to be worked out. Once, everything is in order, I'll let you know."
Gabriel waited until Adrien was out of the room before calling on Nooroo. "Is something off with my son's emotions? His body language and tone of voice were different."
Nooroo assured his master Adrien was fine. "He was emulating you in the hopes you would take his request seriously. His dream was to attend school and if he doesn't pass the brevet, then he can't go on to high school."
Gabriel nodded thoughtfully. He had thought he had given his son enough flexibility in his schedule. If he was going to leave the business to his son one day, then Adrien did need more study time.
"Very, well then. You should eat while I prepare for my meeting. I'll need you at full strength to read Mrs. Tsurugi's emotions." Gabriel had tried to use his own empathic abilities before on the woman.
He had been shut out from her mind. According to Nooroo, Mrs. Tsurugi's mind was very disciplined. That's why it was hard to detect emotions from her.
Two hours later, Tomoe Tsurugi entered the mansion with her daughter. She instructed Kagami to go study with Adrien. Kagami did as she was told, wondering what type of project would include Mr. Agreste and her mother.
Tomoe took her seat before tapping the floor impatiently with her bokken. "Gabriel-San, I am a busy woman. What is this business proposal you have for me."
Gabriel dove right into his sales pitch. "As you know, there are already smartwatches available on the market. I have come up with a design for a smart ring that does much more than what a watch would do."
Tomoe remained stoic as she asked him what he meant. She was familiar with smartwatch capabilities. What capabilities was he talking about that couldn't be found on the watch or phone?
"Imagine this, you're walking along the street and suddenly you collapse. The ring could instantly bring up a full body scan of what was happening when that occurred. If you're unconscious at the ER and the doctors needed to know if you were on medications, the ring could give them the exact information."
Tomoe pointed out that there were already devices that did that such as glucose monitors and pacemakers. Gabriel then asked if those devices could remove stains from your clothes right after they happened
"Not only would it be able to get rid of stains, but it could also change the color or turn the clothes bulletproof if the wearer is in danger."
"An interesting proposal but not realistic at the moment. What else does your theoretical ring do?"
"Oh, I have plenty more ideas, but I think this one might stand out to you. Transferring power from one object to another."
Tomoe leaned forward slightly. "I'm not sure what you mean by that."
"Picture this scenario. You're walking home alone at night. Suddenly, you're about to be mugged. What if you transferred the energy from a nearby light into the ring to use it as a taser?"
"That's very intriguing. Still, you must have other ideas for this application."
"Many ideas. Like transferring power from a phone into a car or vice versa depending on the situation. Power from a computer to power rechargeable batteries. The power in a tablet could be used to power a defibrillator in a pinch."
Tomoe thought about it. It was tempting to partner with Gabriel on this project, but she wasn't completely sold. "Your proposal is promising Gabriel-San. However, I'm not sure if it is realistic."
"I suggest we make a prototype to test. If I'm satisfied with the results, I will help put your ring into mass production. Send your design specifications to my engineers so we can get started."
Gabriel agreed but had one more favor to ask. "The rings will need an interactive AI interface. Would you object to Kagami being the female model for this project?"
"Not at all. I would be honored for my daughter to be part of a momentous project, should everything go as planned."
A few days later, Ladybug and Chat Noir were on an early evening patrol. They had a specific task for this patrol given to them by Master Fu. They were setting up a magical defense grid.
Upon a suggestion from his daughter, Fu had created several plaques with a magic sigil embossed on them. Their job was to place them at strategic points throughout the city.
When a battle with an Akuma happened, the sigils would activate a magical barrier. The barrier would seal sections of the city off to keep the citizens safe from the fight.
There were still things that had to be worked out. Such as, how to let emergency vehicles through during a fight. How high and deep the barrier should go?
Master Fu and his daughter would continue to refine the grid until it was one hundred percent reliable. For now, getting the plaques in place was enough of a start.
Ladybug looked at the digital map on her yo-yo screen. "Hmm. According to this map, we need to place two plaques in this area. One at the school, and the other at the Grande Paris Hotel."
"I hope the plaques camouflage mode works. We don't want these to be removed unintentionally."
"We're closer to the hotel. We should head there first."
The two got ready to jump when the buildings started to rattle. Citizens screamed as loose pieces of molding or tiles came crashing down. The sound of cars being crushed got the heroes to look in the right direction.
The Akuma, Ikari Gozen, was galloping down streets near the public library. The duo hid the bag with the plaques before making their way over to the Akuma.
"It's time to make way for the future!" Ikari Gozen exclaimed as she swung her sword. It sliced the library in half. The top two floors came tumbling down.
The patrons were screaming they were going to die when they felt a jolt. Ladybug had formed a giant net with her yo-yo string to catch the upper half of the building. Seeing her, Ikari Gozen elevated her sword once more to attack.
Chat Noir landed on the Akuma's head. Reaching down, he started to claw at the Akuma's face. Since she was partially metal, it didn't hurt as much. It was very distracting on the other hand.
The centaur Akuma raised a hand to swat the cat hero away only to miss. He then attacked her ears to mess with her balance. When she tried to grab him, Chat Noir jumped out of the way.
He landed on Ikari Gozen's nose. The Akuma growled and attempted to shake him off. He refused to let go as he held on tight.
Ladybug was working as fast as she could to get people out of collapsing floors. She knew her partner couldn't keep the Akuma distracted much longer. Without anyone helping her, it was taking more time than usual.
"Stay calm but hurry! That's right, I'm getting you out of here," she told the patrons as she helped them get back into the undamaged part of the building. She lowered a mother down and then passed her child to her.
That's when the netted portion of the building started to give way. At the same time, Ikari Gozen had finally flung Chat Noir off her face. Her sword swung down to finish the job.
Ladybug tapped into her special ability quickly. She was sucking the luck from all around her and then pushed it into the net. The Akuma's sword bounced off the net.
Chat Noir was already using his special ability to cause great misfortune for the Akuma. The centaur's knees locked causing her to wobble. Ikari Gozen lost her grip on the sword which slid out of her hand.
It smashed into some buildings a few streets over. Wasting no time, Chat bounced up and over to his lady. Together, they finally got the last few people out of the building.
Ladybug released her yo-yo string and let the top half of the building come crashing down on the streets. It wasn't something she would normally do but she needed her weapon to fight Ikari Gozen.
The two heroes hurried in the direction the sword landed. The Akuma wasn't that far behind them. Ikari Gozen started to gallop and soon passed the heroes. The heroes tried to go faster but were unable to after maxing out their special abilities.
Ikari Gozen snatched her sword off the ground and swung it toward the heroes. Ladybug and Chat Noir roll out of the way. The Akuma tried to stomp them as they dodged her hoofs.
"My Lady, we can't keep this up. We need to retreat and recharge!" Chat Noir shouted.
"I know, Chat! We need a distraction first!" Ladybug yelled back. Her eyes scanned the area trying to find something that could cover them. She spied a fire hydrant and raced towards it.
"Trying to escape me, are you? I won't let you!" Ikari Gozen screamed. She raised her leg and brought her hoof swiftly down. Instead of crushing Ladybug, who had retreated, she crushed the fire hydrant.
Water shot into the air and struck the Akuma. Ikari Gozen started waving her arms around trying to block the water. The heroes quickly retreated.
Ladybug and Chat Noir found a public restroom nearby and de-transformed. Tikki and Plagg were struggling to hover.
"Kid, I'm starving! Give me some cheese already!" Adrien gave his kwami three big slices of cheese.
Tikki had dove into Marinette's purse to gobble down a fresh batch of cookies. Divva zipped out, not wanting to get in the way of a hungry Tikki.
"What is the situation? I couldn't tell while you were transformed."
Marinette quickly explained the situation, with Adrien adding that they had never defeated this Akuma without help.
Divva hummed after hearing the situation. "That is a conundrum." She tilted her head towards Adrien. "Would your new power help?"
"I'm not sure if Jinx would make the situation better or worse. I can't really control what bad luck they get. I'm not going to take a chance with an Akuma this size."
"Smart choice, kid. Hey "cousin" what help can you provide?" Plagg demanded.
Divva replied her offensive power was Enlightenment. Her defensive one was Unseen. She thoroughly explained what each power did.
The heroes agreed her offensive power was the one they needed. Transforming once more, Divva held on tight to Ladybug's hair as they jumped back into action.
Ikari Gozen had caused more damage during their respite. "Come out of hiding, heroes! Otherwise, I'm going to demolish this entire neighborhood to build my company's newest tower!"
"Over here, Ikari Gozen!" Ladybug shouted from the roof of a nearby building. "We are not going to let your rampage continue!"
"You think you can stop me? I'm more powerful than you think! Improvise!"
Ladybug and Chat Noir gasped as the Akuma's sword changed into a giant glue gun. They came out of their stupor in time to avoid being glued to the roof. They took off with the heroes glancing back a few times to make sure they avoided the glue.
"How is she using Mullo's magic?" she frantically asked her partner.
"It seems Monarch's already found a new method for using the Kwamiis magic. We need to end this before it gets worse," Chat Noir replied.
He looked over to his lady's hair as the kwami stood up. "Divva now is a good time to use your power on us."
"Got it. Enlightenment!" the little kwami shouted as her she waved her arms around. Instantly, the two heroes were bathed in a golden light.
Enlightenment power was to help others know how to solve a problem. The answer to stopping the glue gun was to make the glue backup in the gun.
Ladybug called for her Lucky Charm and it was a fishing rod. She looked around and figured out what to do.
"I'll draw her attention while you use the rod to prevent her from squeezing the trigger fully. When I give the signal, you'll release your line. The glue should spatter in her hands, giving you a chance to Cataclysm it."
The plan worked perfectly and Ms. Tsurugi was restored to normal. They searched her, but couldn't find anything that could contain Mullo's magic.
They watched her leave before heading back to do their original job. With Ms. Tsurigi's back to them, they didn't see her smile slightly. The test run to see if magical energy could be transferred was a success.
In her bunker home, Ning was feeling a bit under the weather. After returning Su-Han to his prison, she had come home. What happened in Paris had been horrible.
Her supervisors were rightfully afraid upon learning the full extent of Monarch's powers. She was prohibited from any missions for the next two months to focus on finding ways to prevent Monarch from becoming a global threat with his new powers.
A few days ago, she started feeling run down. Her mind was fuzzy at times. Her body's response times were a few seconds slower. Ning decided to rest for a few days and see if that helped.
It wasn't helping as much as she hoped. Ning was slowly starting to feel better yet she was still weak and lethargic most of the day. Even forty-five minutes under her sunlamp fail to give her an energy boost.
Ning was wondering if this was a side effect of Monarch's attack on her. A person didn't get impaled with sin energy every day. She would have to contact her father later to see if he had information that could help her.
She propped herself up against her pillows as she reviewed a section in one of the books her father had gifted to her. Specifically, the section on charms, talismans, and amulets.
The words charm, amulet, and talisman, have been used interchangeably for centuries. While each one is a magical object, they are not the same thing. There are distinct differences between the three of them.
A charm is an object imbued with magic for a specific intent. Good luck charms include; shamrocks, a rabbit's foot, or even currency. Charms come in many different shapes and designs.
The shape of a charm matters because it helps focus the intent. An example is having a charm shaped like a horseshoe. The strength and speed of the animal are embedded into their shoes.
Thus, the charm intends to grant the wearer those powers. The charms are considered, "lucky" because the magic helps a person accomplish their goal quickly. Charms gain more magic when the wearer believes they helped them succeed.
Amulets are a different type of magic. Amulets usually are pieces of jewelry or small objects that can be carried discreetly. The magical intent of an amulet is to protect a person or an object.
The design of the amulet is almost always a geometric shape, such as an oval or a triangle. Each shape has its own symbolism in sacred geometry. For example; an oval charm represents fertility and rebirth, while the number of points on star shapes can represent many different things.
The amount of magic found in an amulet is equal to the power of the shape. If the amulet is damaged in any way, the protection will become weaker. Destruction of the amulet will result in the protection magic being lost forever.
Talismans are very different than charms or amulets. Talismans are objects that are magically infused with energy to draw, attract, increase, enhance, and amplify other energies and influences.
Talismans can either be jewelry or magical artifacts. While amulets can be small objects the difference is that talismans are always designed to look like magical objects. These include; wands, hats, and, even mirrors.
Because they are designed to appear as magical objects, talismans are usually protected by powerful wards or spells. Some talismans even have a conscious of their own that allows them to choose who uses them.
While the differences between the three items are vital, there is two weakness they all share. Firstly, their power can be drained through either destruction or stronger/darker versions of the items themselves.
This is especially true for items that come in sets. Since the overall magic is spread across the set, the magic decreases when one is damaged. When that happens, the user of the set will get weaker.
The way to fix this situation is to regain what was lost. This can mean fixing one part of the set. Other times, the magic must be restored to the original objects. It is important to note the original object will always have a stronger connection than what is being used to contain the stolen magic.
Once the magic is restored to its proper place steps can be taken to prevent drainage from happening a second time. This includes destroying the alternate container and capturing and or defeating the being who caused the draining.
When finished with these tasks, then the item must be consecrated to ensure the magic is sealed again. There are several different methods for consecrating the three objects. Depending on the age and original location of the item will determine what method to use.
It is a good idea to use a secondary method to prevent the situation from occurring again. One method is to create rules that must be followed to use the item. Another method would be creating a locking mechanism that only allows certain individuals access to the power.
The three items second weakness is improper care. If these items are not maintained properly then they can essentially die. Maintenance includes the following; cleaning the item monthly, inspecting it for any damage daily, and lastly, recharging the item weekly.
If the user fails to do this the magical item will lose its potency. The longer this goes on the more the magic dissipates. Powerful talismans and amulets have lost their power for good because of poor maintenance.
This concludes the explanations for these three items. You can find more information on how to make charms, amulets, and, talismans in the spell creation section of this book.
Ning closed the book having found the answers to her questions. With the Kwamiis forcefully losing most of their magic, it was affecting the magic in the Kwami Charms. With her charms weakened, her body was weakened.
She needed to alert her father about her discovery. Glancing at the clocks on the wall, she realized she would have to wait a few hours before she could call him. Putting the book aside, she snuggled into bed to take a nap.
In the Kwami World, the distressed Kwamiis were each hugging one of their "cousins." They weren't in jeopardy of a physical death. Still, having almost half of their magic taken away made them very weak.
Physical contact with another Kwami helped boost their immune systems, while at the same time, balancing their energy. The "cousins" had come up with a hugging schedule because they would need to rest after boosting the others' powers.
Jill was holding onto Wayzz. The turtle kwami was depressed from being away from the Celestial Guardian. As the Kwami of Sadness, she was doing her best to make sure it didn't consume him.
"Oh Jill, I can't stop worrying about Master Fu. I know he now has his wife for emotional support. However, that was my role for decades. It seems wrong to be in here when he needs me out there."
Jill stroked his head and squeezed him tightly. "I know it's problematic to be away from your wielder. You haven't abandoned him by taking care of yourself. As you said, his wife is there for him."
"Remember, he wanted you to feel better. That's the mark of a good friend when they put your needs above their own. You need to think less about your wielder and more about yourself."
"She's right "brother," Pollen told him as she appeared above Wayzz. She was holding tightly to Queen's long ponytail. For the first time in days, she felt like herself.
Queen agreed with her. She told him that even royalty had to trust others to watch out for them. "I haven't been bonded for very long with Prince Ali and I miss him. I understand my bond isn't as strong as yours and I'm not missing half my magic, making it impossible for me to symphonize with you. Still, all of us have spent time away from our wielders for health reasons at least once."
Wayzz knew in his heart they were right. He shouldn't feel ashamed for taking care of himself. He couldn't let his fears for Master Fu stop him from getting better.