So this chapter is kind of a side chapter that I almost wanted to make a whole separate story because it seemed like an interesting idea but since it has been taking me so long to get chapters out for this story, I didn't want to let myself jump into a new project like I have let myself so many times before. Several things inspired this extra chapter, and I hope you enjoy it. It turned out to be unreasonably long so I'm going to break it into two parts. This part is almost 12,000 words coming at my 4th longest chapter, the 1st being chapter 56 at 19,600 ish words.
The idea: Ladybug and Chat Noir face a new villain. A young scientist who was criticized for his dedication to researching alternate dimensions becomes akumatized into "Nexus." With the promise to prove the existence of other realities in exchange for Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous. In their fight, Nexis gets the upper hand, knocking our Heroes through a portal to a world that seems the same but turns out to be very different.
Enjoy!
OoOoOoOoOo
"Phillip!" A middle-aged woman called out from the kitchen. She was a pear-shaped woman, who stood on the shorter side. She removed her apron that had been protecting her light blue button-down and khaki capris, grabbed the roast she had made, and cut it into slices on a platter, bringing it to the dining room table. "Time for dinner!"
Phillip, a twenty-six-year-old college student trots down the steps of his family's home and makes his way to the dinner table where his, mother, father, and younger brother have seated.
"It's so good to have you back home, sweetheart!" Philip's mother gushed. Philips rolled his eyes but smiled.
"It's just for break mom. I'll be back, hunkered down in my lab by next week. Really I should still be there now, but, I know how bad you wanted a visit." Philip help out his plate and his mother placed some pieces of roast onto it. "Besides, if there is one thing I did miss, it's your home cooking."
Philip's father, silently watched his eldest son for a moment while he cut into his dinner over his wire-rimmed glasses.
"How goes things at the university anyway son? Not wasting away all the money it took to get you there I hope." Nelson, Philips's father, asked casually.
Philips gave a tight-lipped smile. "Of course not. And it's going great. I'm doing very well in all my classes and my research is-"
"Research." Nelson scoffed. Philips's father was... old-fashioned to say the least. It wasn't that he didn't believe in science or the process that science needs to develop, but in his eyes, when you go to college, no matter what degree you go after, you should go for the one that can lead down the best career path. Science had an immaculate amount of potential as far as well-paying careers went and when his son had claimed to show interest in Astrophysics, Nelson saw great potential for him.
The problem was that Philip's area of interest in that program quickly narrowed down to the existence of dimensions carrying other realities. Not other planets or universes, but different variations of the same place, Earth. It almost wouldn't bother the older man, except for the fact that his son had become so obsessed with the topic that he hardly made time for his family. Being the family-oriented man that Nelson was, this rubbed him the wrong way.
"Yes, dad, my research." Philip shot back in annoyance. "It's very important."
Nelson let out a deep chuckle. "That is where you and I have to disagree, son."
"Well, your not a scientist so..." Philip mumbled, pushing his food around with his fork. Mary, Philips's mother, took in a sharp breath and attempted to change the subject.
"Charles and his team won their Rugby tournament last week!" Philip shifted his gaze to his teenage brother and gave him a wide smile.
"Hey! Congrats man!" Charles gave a half-smile and nodded at his brother before shifting his eyes back to their father who seemed in deep thought, twisting his college pinky ring absently. The three other family members exchanged glances before Mary spoke again.
"So, Philip, besides your academics, how is school going? Make any new friends recently? Maybe a girl?" She asked, wiggling her brows at him. Philip flushed at the question and shook his head.
"Uh..heh, no mom, no girls. Not like that anyway..."
"Maybe you find a girlfriend in another dimension," Nelson spoke again before shoving a fork full of potatoes in his mouth.
"Nelson!" Mary scolded, but her husband paid her no mind as Philip shot his father an unamused look.
"What is your problem?" Philip asked his father. Nelson raised his brows at his eldest son.
"Me? No, I'm not the one with the problem. You're the one researching nonsense."
"It's not nonsense!" Philip argued only to get another hearty laugh from his father.
"Is that so? Tell me oh genius son of mine, in all the research you have done, all the time you have committed to your little theory, have you found any real, concrete evidence on any of it? At all?"
"It's not that simple! There are variables to cover, limitations to-"
"It was a yes or no question." Nelson interrupted. Philip bit the inside of his cheek, his leg bouncing under the table as he gripped his knee.
"No." He answered flatly.
"Why do you think that is? I mean, you can't be the only person who has ever tried looking into this right? Isn't it odd to think no one has any real evidence to prove anything of the sort exists?"
"Space is a vast and endless place that continues to expand every second-"
"Yes, a fact that really doesn't make any fucking sense but that's just my point." Nelson retorted.
"Just because something hasn't been discovered yet, doesn't mean it doesn't exist!" Philip argued.
"You're right." His father agreed, catching Philip by surprise. "Just because something has not been discovered yet, does not mean it does not exist. You are correct on that front. But son, that could be said about anything. Unicorns and God have yet to be scientifically showcased, but hey, just because we haven't discovered them, doesn't mean they don't exist right?"
Philip gritted his teeth and growled in frustration. "That is not the same thing!"
"How?" His father asked. "People believe in God. Some anyway. They have no way to prove such existence but they wholeheartedly believe it to be true. You have no way to prove such existence, but you believe it to be true. How is it not the same? Because you eventually will be able to prove it? You don't know that."
"Do you even have the smallest understanding of what an amazing scientific find it would be, to discover there was even a possibility of an alternate reality? It's important!"
"No!" Nelson slammed his fist on the table, making his family members jump slightly at the force. "This is important. Your family, your life, this reality, this world. This is the one that matters! This is the only one that matters! Do you realize that while you were huddled down in your little lab, you missed calling your mother on her birthday? Your brother had a meeting with his counselor, he's doing so well, that he might actually get to skip a grade! You are so caught up looking into the possibility of other realities that very well might not even exist! That you are completely missing out on the one that does. The only reason you're even here now is that your mother had to practically beg you over the phone."
Nelson's tone, cut Philip like a knife as his eyes shifted to his mother and brother who looked back at him with sad eyes. Philip rubbed his face before abruptly getting up from the table and leaving the dining room. Mary looked at her husband with a frown to which he returned.
"Don't look at me like that." He told her. "He needed to hear it."
OoOoOoo
In his room, Philip screamed into a pillow in frustration. Rage boiled inside him and he didn't know where to direct it. He was angry at his father for belittling his passion, angry and his mother and brother who agreed with him, even if silently. And he was angry at himself because even if he didn't want to, he understood exactly what his father was saying. He couldn't give up though! Space and alternate dimensions had been his dream area of study since he was a child. He was supposed to give all that time up? None of this would matter if he could just prove his work! He could bask in the glory of his find, spend more time with his family, prove his father wrong and move on. He just didn't know if he would ever actually be able to do it..."
OoOOOoO
Hawkmoth smiles as he shifts through all the negative emotions he is able to sense, searching for the perfect one. There, in the midst of it all, someone stands out.
"How exhausting it can be to constantly have your life work criticized and belittled by those who are closest to you. Fly away my little Akuma, and evilize him!"
OoOoOo
Adrien gave a dazed smile to his computer screen as Lucy spoke about a project she was working on. She was so excited about it that it warmed Adrien's heart. She was so beautiful when she spoke about the things she was passionate about.
"Am I boring you?" Lucy spoke through the screen with a small chuckle after noticing Adrien sigh. Sitting up straight, Adrien shook his head wildly.
"No of course not! I was admiring you."
"Admiring me huh?" Lucy asked with a smirk and raised brow.
Adrien could feel the heat creeping into his face. "Not like admiring-admiring but-" As he tried to think of a way to explain himself, Plagg flew in front of him, making kissy faces at the screen. Adrien glared at his kwami, swatting at him to get out of the way.
"Are you alright?" Lucy questioned his motions, unable to see the tiny creature on camera. Adrien gave a nervous laugh.
"Heh, I'm fine! Just a bug!" It was then an Akuma alert popped up on the screen beside Lucy who patiently waited for him to finish. "Oh perfect."
"What?" Lucy asked, knitting her brows together.
"Huh? Oh, I said, oh perfect!" Adrien repeated in a sarcastic tone. "Nathalie just sent me a message and I have some things to do for my father now. I'll have to talk to you later."
"Oh, alright! Chow for now then!" Lucy said, offering a small wave before disconnecting from the video chat.
Adrien groaned and dropped his head on the desk. "So dumb."
OoOoOoO
After transforming, Chat met up with Ladybug near the Eiffel tower to find their latest akumatized victim standing in the street. His glowing blue eyes stood out against his grey-colored skin, his dark hair slicked back and shiny. His outfit looks like that of some kind of futuristic-looking astronaut, mostly while with gold accents. On his arm was what looked like a small computer, similar to one that had been seen on Prime Queen, the main difference being that whatever it was he was typing in was being projected above his wrist.
"Ah so lovely for you to make it Ladybug and Chat Noir. You just in time to witness the greatest scientific advancement of our world!"
"Your power isn't science, it's magic! You're not proving anything this way!" Ladybug argued. The man only smiled.
"Science and magic often come hand in hand Ladybug. Ladies and gentlemen!" He shouted, jetpacking to a nearby roof. "My name is Nexus! And today we will see the existence of our world in new forms! And in doing so, perhaps we can find a better world! One with less pollution! Less hate! Less ignorance! One we can make our own."
"You know that almost doesn't sound like that bad of a plan," Chat muttered to Ladybug.
"Of course, odds are these realities will have a lot of duplicate people so, some adjustments to the population will have to be made!"
"And there it is." Chat pouted as Ladybug rolled her eyes.
"There is only one reality I care about! And that's this one!" Ladybug shouted. Nexus scoffed at her.
"It's funny, you sound just like my father. But why settle for one life, when I can choose from an infinite amount?" With a few taps of his fingers, a portal behind him opened. The bright purple insignia of Hawkmoth glowed across Nexus's face, making the villain pause.
"What about the miraculous! We had a deal!" Hawkmoth hissed in Nexus's head, but the akumatized villain only smiled.
"Don't worry Hawkmoth, you'll get your miraculous. I have a plan of my own."
"Ladybug! Please save our son!" A woman, Nexus' mother, cried running up to the duo. Her husband and younger son followed close behind. "His name is Philip White and I swear he's a good boy!" Her husband placed a hand on her shoulder and gave it a squeeze.
Ladybug's eyes softened at the woman's distress. "Don't worry ma'am, we'll get him back to you."
As Nexus went to go through the portal, Ladybugs yo-yo wrapped around his arm to stop him.
"Not one more step!" She shouted tugging on the yo-yo. Nexus wrapped the yo-yo tighter, tensing his arm and planting his feet to resist her pull.
"You're right, how rude of me. After you Ladybug." Nexus replied with a smirk, yanking hard on the yo-yo and pulling Ladybug off her feet, and tossing her into the portal.
"Ladybug!" Chat shouted, quickly running toward Nexus, armed with his extended staff. Nexus remained passive to the charging Chat and simply backed into the portal. The heroes were doing all the work for him.
OoOoOoO
Ladybug hissed as her head slammed against a nearby wall as she rolled on the ground from being tossed through the portal. Nexus stepped through a moment after, taking a side step to the left to avoid Chat Noir who quickly followed, hurdling in blindly. He quickly went and helped Ladybug to her feet and the pair glared at Nexus.
"Not even hoping dimensions will stop us from taking you down Nexus." Chat called out. But Nexus kept his confident composure.
"You see, that is where you're wrong. You can't de-akumatize me here. I'm in control. So much so, that I will even tell you where my Akuma is, in case you haven't figured it out yet."
"It's the computer pad on your wrist!" Ladybug snapped, to which Nexus nodded.
"Very good. You see, this little device is what opens the portals. You break it, and we are all stuck here."
"Then we will make you take us back!" Chat argued.
"And how exactly do you plan on doing that?"
"So glad you asked!" Ladybug smirked. "Lucky Charm!" Ladybug tossed her yo-yo into the air and down came a silver class ring that read class of 77. Ladybug and Chat looked down at the ring curiously before Ladybug quickly shifted her eyes around her environment to find a way to use it. The only thing that lit up, besides the ring, was Nexus.
"I...I don't...?" Nexus tilted his head, looked at the ring several feet away, and knitted his brows.
"Interesting." He spoke softly before smiling at the two heroes once more. "Well, let me know when you figure that out or, I don't know...are ready to give up your miraculous in order to get home. Whichever comes first. Until then I have my own agenda." Without a moment to lose, Nexus quickly jetted away. Chat attempted to go after him but was stopped by Ladybug.
"Shouldn't we follow him?" Chat asked his partner. Ladybug didn't look at him as she shook her head no.
"There isn't a point right now. We can't defeat him if I don't know how to use my lucky charm. When it glowed so did Nexus. He is the problem, but somehow he is also the solution. Until we can figure out how we are just wasting our energy. He's akumatized. He won't be hard to find. Let me charge up my Kwami and then we will scope this place out. It looks like Paris, but if we are in fact in another reality then it's bound to have differences. If we can figure out what those differences are and what Nexus wants from this personally, then we should be able to defeat him."
Chat nodded determinedly. "Sounds like a plan."
As Chat waited around the corner, Ladybug quickly popped into an ally and transformed. Marinette opened her bag, handing Tikki a treat. "What do you think Tikki?"
"I think that we need to be careful," Tikki answered, nibbling her macaron. "If this really is another reality that means there most likely will be alternate versions of you and Chat Noir. It's probably best to avoid running into them."
"You're probably right. I wonder what we are like here." Marinette thought aloud.
"I'm sure we will have a chance to find out, but we should keep the focus on the task at hand. Figuring out where Nexus went, and how to get him to bring us back to our own dimension so he can be de-akumatized."
Marinette smiled and nodded at her Kwami before transforming back into Ladybug and returning to Chat Noir. Chat smiled as she returned, placing his hands on his hips and puffing his chest out.
"So, what's the plan m'lady?"
"Let's scope out the area. See if we can spot any outstanding differences that might help us. We have to try and remain undetected. We might run into duplicates of ourselves or people we know and it could make things complicated. Especially if we look or act differently.
"Incognito lay of the land. Let's do it." The pair hoisted themselves onto the nearest rooftop, carefully jumping across others to not be noticed by civilians. The sound of bells grabbed Chat's attention as he took note of the familiar school building.
"Looks like school is about to end. We know most of the students at College Francoise Dupont. Maybe we should see if anything seems out of the ordinary there?"
Ladybug hesitated, knowing her double would more than likely be there and there was a risk they could be spotted...then again, it would be a good place to see any changes. Plus, maybe in this dimension she and Adrien could be...Ladybug flushed slightly at the thought. Perhaps if that happened to be the case, then physically seeing what could be would give her the courage to confess in her own world. Tikki's voice echoed in her head to remind her to stay focused on what was important, dragging her out of her little daydream.
"Sure, just be careful not to let anyone see us." She agreed, and the pair made their way to the school grounds, avoiding students and random civilians while making their way to the side of the building to peek into Ms. Bustier's class. Inside, both heroes could see some obvious changes. Rose's hair was longer, Juleka had her hair out of her face, and Chloe's usual posh style was more... grunge-looking.
"Do you see Chloe?" Ladybug asked, her eyes slightly wide. Chat nods silently.
"I mean... it's not bad, just different."
"Very different."
It didn't take long for them to spot Marinette. She looks mostly the same with the exception of her hair being out of its usual pigtails. What was out of the ordinary was that the spot beside her was now taken up by...Sabrina? While Alya sat beside Chloe. Alya's outer appearance had changed as well. Her hair was pulled back into a ponytail, her glasses a little more pointed than squared, and her usual orange plaid top now was red and black with long sleeves, tied around her waist with a black undershirt and jeans.
Ladybug and Chat Noir looked unsettled at the sight but continued to watch as Nino, who also looked fairly the same drummed on his desk. Chat's eyes scanned the room and soon found the familiar face of Lucy. Lucy herself looked the same, but her outfit had changed. Instead of the maroon top, dark jeans, and combat boots the two heroes had grown accustomed to seeing, she walked in a simple skater-style dress that's color closely resembled that of her usual shirt. Her overall appearance was slightly more feminine if anything, which wasn't really a bad thing, but it made Ladybug and Chat wonder how different her personality was, as well as everyone else's.
"Where is Adrien Agreste?" Chat asked, his brows knitted together, now noticing the empty spot next to Nino.
"I'm not sure." Ladybug replied, sharing his confused look. "Maybe in this reality, he never ended up going to public school?"
Chat's ears cast downwards at the thought that maybe his father never allowed him to attend school in this reality. If that was the case, he wouldn't know Lucy, Marinette, Nino, or any of his other friends. He would still be stuck at home...alone.
"Or maybe he's busy at a photo shoot." Ladybug then suggested brightly. "I'm pretty sure he had to miss school sometimes for those before." Chat attempted to perk up at the thought.
"Yeah, that's probably it."
"What is?" An unfamiliar voice questioned from behind the heroes, making the jump slightly. Quickly turning around, they were greeted with the questionable stare of a stranger. It was a girl around their age. She had short, pixie-cut blonde hair, and vivid green eyes with dark-coated lashes and eyeliner surrounding them. Her blonde structure was something to marvel at with her prominent jaw line and high cheekbones. She wore a black leather jacket that cut off at her rib cage with a white turtleneck tank under neither with dark jeans and black flats. She carried impressive height, nearly matching Chat Noir's 6'0 frame. (Because in the show he is listed at around 5'4 at the age of 14 so since these guys are roughy 16-17 in this story it's safe to say ya boy had a growth spurt. I would have Marinette around 5'7 in case you were curious)
"How long have you been there!?" Ladybug asked in a panic, getting a raised brow from the stranger.
"Not long. Couldn't help but notice two weirdos creeping in the school window and found it my civic duty to go investigate."
"Weirdoes!?" Chat croaked to which the stranger gave an amused look.
"Yeah. Nice bell by the way." She said, giving it a flick. Chat grabbed onto his bell and glared at the girl in front of him
"Who even are you!?"
"Who am I?" She repeated. "Who are you? Captain Spots and her side-kick ?"
"Captain Spots?"
"Side-kick?!"
The stranger let out a laugh at their reaction before crossing her arms and leaning her weight on her right hip. "Seriously though, what's with the get-up and why are you creeping into classrooms?"
"Were...just" Ladybug stuttered, not having a story planned ahead like she probably should have. She wasn't expecting to get caught this fast.
"We are just really big Chat Noir and Ladybug fans!" Chat answered quickly for her.
"Uh...okay..." The stranger replied, squinting at the two. Ladybug wanted to slap her forehead. They didn't know if Ladybug and Chat Noir called themselves Ladybug and Chat Noir here. The way this girl was looking at them made it clear she was confused and Ladybug did her best to think fast.
"Of the animals. I love ladybugs and he loves black cats. We thought, wouldn't it be cool to be a superhero with those themes? So original right?"
The stranger licked her lips and blinked at them. "You are pretending to be superheroes...and you named yourselves the literal things you are? Couldn't come up with anything better?"
"Compared to what? Mr. Jingles and Captain spots?" Chat sassed. The stranger held up her hands in defense.
"All I'm saying is it's not very threatening."
"It's not meant to be threatening, it's meant to give hope." Ladybug shot back. The strange raised her brows and nodded.
"Hmm. Cute. Well, I hate to break it to you but if you're looking for super villains you've come to the wrong place."
"Not a lot of akumatizations here huh?" Chat thought aloud, earning an elbow from his partner. The stranger gave him a blank stare.
"I don't know what that means." She told them before letting out a sigh. "Well, I've got somewhere to be, so...maybe go be weird somewhere else?" She stated, turning smoothly on her heel and heading toward the front end of the building.
"Wait!" Chat called out. "What's your name?!" The stranger spun around but continued on her way while walking backward.
"I'll tell you mine if you tell me yours!" The feline hero wanted to push but Ladybug brought her hand to his arm.
"Let it go." She told him. "It's bad enough we even had that conversation while we were supposed to be on the down-low. We don't need to draw any more attention to ourselves."
"Yeah, right." Chat agreed, though his natural curiosity made him want to place the mystery girl.
Ladybug let out a sigh and crossed her arms in thought. "We are going about this wrong. Clearly, there are differences in this reality but what matters is how those differences matter to Nexus."
"Was there any other clue on your Luck Charm? Chat asked, to which Ladybug thought on it. Closing her eyes, Ladybug pictured the ring in her mind, being that after she de-transformed it had disappeared.
"It was a class of 77' ring for business." Ladybug recalled. "ESCP was arched at the top."
"ESCP is probably the school," Chat added. "But I don't think Nexus is old enough to be in the class of 77'."
"You're right. But he definitely recognized it. We should look into that school."
"M'lady, do you think maybe we should proceed in our civilian form? To stand out less?"
"How? We have other versions of ourselves in this world, if someone sees us who knows our faces they might think we are them. Plus, we can't know each other's identities which we definitely will if we de-transform."
"We will need old-fashioned disguises!" Chat answered confidently. Ladybug quirked a brow. "You know, like in the movies. A hoodie, some sunglasses. Maybe a wig if you wanna go the extra mile."
Ladybug gave him a skeptical look. "Chat...I don't know..."
Chat shrugged. "I'll go along with whatever way you wanna do it M'lady, but it took ten minutes for us to be spotted by one person. And if we have learned anything it's that whatever Ladybug and Chat Noir are running around in this world, if any, then they clearly go by other names and look entirely different from you and me. We stick out like this, and that's the opposite of what we need."
"Yeah, no, you're right." Ladybug agreed. "But we still need to be careful. Let's try it your way, split up, and meet back at the park near the fountain."
The pair then went their separate ways in search of a way to be disguised without their disguise. As Chat scooped out a nearby department store, he couldn't help but notice the Agreste mansion off in the distance. His fingers twitched as he felt the desire to check on his double. He knew it was risky, but before he could talk himself out of it he was leaping in its direction.
When Chat got to the window he was greeted by the familiarity of his room. There were some differences. Lack of a foosball table and basketball hoop. The color scheme was pretty much exactly the same though there did seem to be more books on his shelf than he remembered, taking the place of what was video games in his real room. On his desk, out in the open, was a framed picture of Lucy. Chat's heart hammered in his chest at what that could mean.
Of course, it could very well just be a photo. At the very least it meant he and Lucy were still somehow friends in this world. Something that gave him great relief. However, to have the photo so out in the open, front and center for anyone to see. That was something Chat couldn't help but find significant. It wasn't like the group photo he had in his own room. This was a solo photo of Lucy. That had to mean something.
Chat glanced away from the photo to his computer screen. Currently, they remained back and in sleep mode. He wondered if the screen saver was still of his mom. He wondered if in this reality she was still...Chat snuck into the empty bedroom. He told himself he was just going to snag a hoodie and some sunglasses, maybe even a hat as well, carefully making his way into the bathroom. His eyes immediately are drawn to the sink counter. The bathroom looks much like his own in terms of style.
Like his, this bathroom had two available sinks. Something he never understood the point of but never put too much thought into, figuring whoever built the home figured the room was large enough to accommodate more than one person in the bedroom. The thing that was different about the setup was that both sinks looked visibly occupied with clutter. Not an obnoxious amount, but definitely more than anything that had ever been on his counter back home. It had a few lotions, body sprays, a face cleanser, a small black makeup bag, some hair ties, and clips. All things he didn't use with the exception of a lotion and cleanser, but even those he stored away in his own bathroom.
No, this clutter was that of a girl. And as Chat examined the area more it was then he spotted not one...but two toothbrushes. Chat's eyes widened as he rushed to the counter and picked up one of the body sprays and brought it to his nose, taking in a whiff. He put the spray back quickly as his mind raced and his heart beat quicker. This...this was all Lucy's stuff. Dashing over to the drawers that held his clothes, Chat found many things that looked familiar but also an abundance of items he didn't recognize. However, it was in the bottom drawer that he found clearly feminine clothes.
This could all only mean one thing. Lucy spent a lot of time in his room. So much even, that she had her own drawer and counter space. A toothbrush could only mean one thing. She has slept over before. The realization filled Chat with astonishment while also unreasonable and somehow primal jealousy. He couldn't imagine any reality where his father would allow anyone into their home much, let alone sleepover. Especially a girl. Before Chat could ponder on it further, the sound of the bedroom door opening took him from his thoughts. Quickly, he snagged the items he was looking for and went out the bathroom window, heading for the park.
OoOoOoOoOo
Ladybug was finding herself in a similar state of disarray as she opened her bedroom hatch. Peeking inside, and seeing no one around, Ladybug jumped down onto her bed and looked around. Her room looks very similar to the one she was used to but the first and most obvious difference was the lack of photos of Adrien on the wall beside her bed. There were still a large number of photos with most of her class. But besides having a lack of Adrien photos, there was also a lack of Alya photos as well. Instead, it seemed this version of Marinette did not only sit beside Sabrina but was close friends with her as well. She noticed that among the photos, she still seemed to be friends with Lucy, finding her in a few of them. One even had that girl that she and Chat had talked to outside of the school. Ladybug's eyes widened at the abundant amount of Luka. Not only Luka but Luka and her together. As it would seem, in this reality she and Luka were an item as well, and considering these photos were still up, she had to assume they still were. She climbed down to the main bedroom area while looking around curiously.
As Ladybug scoured her room for the things she needed, another change came into view. The spot where she kept her fake sewing kit to hide the miraculous box was nowhere in sight. The sight made her nervous. A number of variables came into her mind. This reality version of her could have hidden the miracle box somewhere else, or she supposed there was always the possibility that Fu never needed her to become the guardian as he was still active. However, there was also the other dreaded theory in her mind, and that was that in this reality, she simply was not Ladybug.
The hero swallowed hard at the thought. She couldn't imagine a life where she wasn't Ladybug. It was part of who she was. If this Marinette was in fact not Ladybug, then who was she? As she glanced back up at the photos a realization hit her on how much easier her life must be. She still had friends, and still seemed happy. She wasn't secretly in love with Adrien Agreste and she still had Luka. But if she wasn't Ladybug, then who was?
The sound of voices and footsteps getting closer to her bedroom hatch door made Ladybug jump, quickly taking her items and making her way back up her bed and out her balcony hatch, yo-yoing off the balcony and heading for the park.
OoOoOoOoO
Marinette sat on a nearby bench, bouncing her leg anxiously. She felt nervousness run through her at the thought of her little disguise not being enough to conceal her identity. She also worried that she might recognize Chat as well which would be just as bad. She hadn't done much to herself, snagging a gray hoodie and the only pair of pink sunglasses she could find. Soon a body took a seat beside Marinette, making her body tense.
"Lovely day is it not, M'lady?" The person spoke, and Marinette immediately calmed at the recognition of Chat's nickname.
"Lovely day indeed, Kitty." She replied. Chat himself wore a white hoodie of his own, his hair pushed back and hidden in a matching cap beneath his hood while plain black sunglasses cover his eyes.
"Alright, now what?" Adrien asked, to which Marinette cleared her throat.
"Right, well. While I was waiting for you I did a little internet search for the school we need. Looks like it is a university some miles north of us."
"Walking distance?"
Marinette scoffed. "Not really. Instead, I tried to look into graduating students of '77, hoping that public record would help but with only a last name it was kind of a bust."
"But we don't have just a last name. We have a first name too." Adrien spoke. "Nexus name is Philip."
"Yes, but he is too young to have graduated in '77." Marinette countered, but Adrien grinned.
"Correct, but Nexus recognized the ring, right? So maybe this version of him will too. Obviously, we don't have the ring anymore, but if we find this reality's Philip and inquire about it, maybe we will get some answers."
"Alright." Marinette nodded. "But how do we find Philip? We have no idea what school he attended."
"Same way you find anyone these days." Adrien pointed. "The internet."
Marinette and Adrien quickly pulled out their phones and proceeded to try and look up Philip White. The name, though not as common as some others in the region, still lead them to a number of people who carried the name. The lack of information they had on the guy made the search all the more difficult. Things that might give them hints like knowing where he grew up, went to school, or even his actual age was information they didn't have. They attempted the popular platforms such as Facebook and Twitter, with no luck and soon, Adrien found himself simply googling Philip White with words like scientist, alternate reality, and space, until there, in the middle of a bunch of other answers, Adrien found an article headline "Space engineer Philip White has meltdown after failed program launch."
"Ladybug, take a look! I think this might be our guy." The pair huddle over the phone and Adrien clicks the link where they are taken to a local college news site. The photo of Philp was hardly recognizable, being that they had only ever seen him as Nexus, but this man did have similar facial features to the villain they knew. Plus, reading the article, it was clear this Philip also had a scientific fascination with different dimensions. Apparently, he had designed a program that was supposed to be able to use satellite technology to record interfaces around black holes. A long story short, it didn't work and the school defunded the program.
"Think that's our guy?" Adrien asked.
"That's what it looks like," Marinette answered. "Do you think he still goes to that school?"
"If his work is as important to him here as it is back in our world, then I think it's our best bet."
"Alright, let's get to that school."
The pair stand and hastily start their power walk out of the park. As they are about to round the corner, crash. Adrien is nearly knocked off his feet as he slams into another person. A set of arms reach out, quickly to steady them both and Adrien is brought face to face with Lucy. Marinette quickly shoved her hands in her pockets and brought her head down, walking away from the scene and placing herself behind a nearby bush.
"Oh, shit! I'm sorry." Lucy apologized. "I- hey," She paused, looking around. "Wasn't there someone with you?"
Adrien looked around and found Ladybug had made herself scarce and shook his head. "Uh, nope. Just me. I mean, maybe someone just happened to pass while heading in the same direction." He covered, to which Lucy seemed to brush off easily.
"Right, well, anyway. I'm sorry, I didn't even have a chance to react when you came around the corner there."
"No, it's my fault, honestly!" Adrien spoke. "I was walking too fast and wasn't paying attention."
Marinette rolled her eyes at the interaction from her place in the bush. Her expression quickly shifted to worry as the girl she and Chat had spoken to earlier made an appearance.
"Sorry, I'm late." She spoke with a small smile to Lucy, who smiled back.
"You're right on time actually," Lucy replied before turning back to Adrien who now seemed a little edgy at the sight of the taller blonde. "Anway, you are obviously in a hurry. I'm sorry, you're sorry. We both should be more alert, yes?" Adrien nodded quickly and as if instinctively, held out his hand to shake hers.
"It was a pleasure to meet you, miss..." Lucy gave a surprised "Oh." before hesitantly taking his hand.
"Lucy." She confirmed, then angeling her body slightly to gesture to the girl beside her. "And this is Adrian. Nice to make your acquaintance as well-" Lucy waited for him to give his name.
"Erm, uh..Gabriel." He stuttered out, blinking rapidly as his brain processed the new information given to him. "I'm sorry, did you say Adrian? Like...Adrian Agreste?"
Adrian gave a tight smile, and Lucy let out a small chuckle. " The one and only." Oh, if only she knew. "A fan I take it?"
Adrien nodded slowly. It was now he was able to better take in the appearance of the girl who had his name. He didn't see it before. Maybe too caught off guard by her existence at their first meeting. It was why her eyes seemed so familiar, her hair, her bone structure. She looked like him. A large part of her appearance, much like his own resembled that of their mother. Yet, simultaneously, her presence...her stare...that was all Gabriel Agreste. It was now that Adrien regretted giving himself his father's name.
Lucy cleared her throat at Adrien, or Gabriel's as she now knew him, gawking. "We gotta get going. Nice to meet you, Gabriel, hopefully, next time it will be under less painful circumstances." The girls walked past Adrien who felt frozen in place. Once out of earshot, Marinette came out of the bush and stared after the pair with wide eyes.
Adrien shook his head. So that's why his father let Lucy stay over. Because in this reality, he was a daughter, not a son. Kind of messed up, but he didn't have time to dig into that emotionally.
"Okay. So, Lucy and Adrian Ageste are friends in this reality too. That's familiar. Right?" Marinette, who had not taken her eyes off the pair raised a brow.
"Uh, yeah, except that Adrian is a girl now and by the looks of it, she and Lucy are way more than just friends!"
At that Adrien spun on his heel to bring his view back to the park, quickly spotting the two girls near the fountain. Their hands were clasped together as they spoke, both smiling at the other.
"Maybe they are really good friends?" Adrien tried to suggest, only for his theory to get shot right out as his female counterpart and Lucy leaned forward and engulfed in a kiss. "Or their...girlfriends."
It was a strange and conflicting feeling that came over Adrien as he stood watching the two. And anyone who took note of him or Ladybug at that moment would probably think they were some kind of stalkers, creeping on the couple. His eyes strained on the way the taller blonde's hands shifted from Lucy's grasp and to her waist, pulling her closer while Lucy brought her own hands up Adrian's back.
Marinette pulled her eyes away and shook her head. Even as a girl, Adrian was in love with Lucy. If that wasn't a sign, she didn't know what was. She looked over to Chat, whose mouth was still slightly a gap as he continued looking at the two girls. Marinette groaned in distaste.
"Oh, God. You're attracted to them aren't you?!"
"Huh?" Adrien tore his eyes away and looked at Ladybug who stood with her hands on her hips, looking at him disapprovingly. "No! Of course not- well, I mean, you have to admit, Adrien Agreste makes for a beautiful woman." He admired to which Marinette scrunched her face.
"Of course, hey, you wanna just forget the whole Akuma situation and go talk to them? See if they'll make a kitty sandwich with you?" She mocked. Adrien's eyes widened as he tried to dismiss her.
"What!? No! Of course not. I would never-" His eyes cast back to the couple, pausing for a moment as the image floods into his brain. He quickly shakes his head. "I mean...no! No, I definitely would not do that."
"Wow," Marinette replied flatly. "You know, I always took you for the gentleman Chat Noir. Cheesy and dramatic, but a gentleman nonetheless. Now...now I am seeing a whole new side of you. One I wish I hadn't."
As she made her way past him, Adrien tried to reason. "Wait! Come on LB, it's not like that! I'm just-she just- ugh. Forget it."
OoOoOoOoOoO
When they arrived at the university, everything seemed normal. Young adults zoomed across campus, making their way to their next classes, and none of them paid much mind to Marinette and Adrien as they headed for the main office to snag a map. When the pair entered, finding a directory was simple enough, but the campus itself was on the larger side and figuring out where exactly they needed to go was a little more challenging. Fortunately, a friendly admin popped his head over the desk.
"Is there something I can help you two with?" The man asked. He was a thin, bald man who looked to be in his 40s.
"Uh, yes actually, we are looking for the science labs," Adrien spoke, earning a raised brow from the man.
"Well, we have quite a few of those, which one are you referring to?"
"Um, the...particle physics lab?" Adrien spoke slowly. Unsure what the lab would be called nor what lab Philip would be in if at all.
"Right...It's in the east wing- might I ask, are you two here for a tour perhaps? I'm sure I can find someone who-"
"No!" Marinette interrupted. "Not here for a tour. We...just started is all. Still figuring it all out."
"Ah," the man replied. "I see. Yes, well, you'll want to go down this hall to your left and follow it to the elevator signs. Labs are on the third floor, there will be signs to direct you."
"Thank you, sir," Adrien spoke, as he and Ladybug left the office and headed for the elevator. The man at the desk watched them curiously as they did.
OoOoOoOO
The way to the lab wasn't overly complicated. Directional signs hung at the end of each hallway making finding the labs easier than either of the two heroes expected. When they finally reached the room they had been looking for, Marinette and Adrien poked their heads inside noticing a few students working in different areas of the room. As they scanned the faces, Chat soon pointed in the direction of the one he recognized.
"I think that's him over there!" Adrien whispered. Marinette nodded and the pair made their way inside of the classroom, quietly making their way over to a focused Phillip.
"Excuse me," Marinette spoke up, but Phillip didn't spare her a glance, his eyes strained on the computer screen in front of him. This man looked as if he had missed a few nights of sleep. His hair was tussled, he had dark circles under his eyes and his clothes, a white ab coat, covering a stripped sweater and tan khaki pants, were wrinkled in a way that looked slept in. Marinette cleared her throat and spoke a little louder. "Excuse me."
Phillip, taken out of his zone, turned his head to acknowledge the girl beside him. His brows knitted together as he took in her appearance, as well as the boy standing beside her.
"Can I help you?" He asked with a suspicious tone.
"I hope so," Marinette told him. "Have you had any run-ins with anyone...odd looking?
"Besides you two?" Philip asked looking both the teens up and down. "No. Why?"
"It's kind of hard to explain. How about this ring?" Marinette asked, showing him a sketch she had drawn out of the object. " Do you recognize it?" Philip took the sketch and examined it, his face clear with recognition.
"I do." He answered. "It's a class ring. What about it?"
"Does it mean anything to you?" Adrien asked, to which Phillip narrowed his eyes.
"Who's asking?"
Marinette sighed. This would be so much easier if she could just be Ladybug.
"I-"
"We are Ladybug and Chat Noir. We came from an alternate reality and you are our only hope to getting back home."
Marinette looked at Chat wide-eyed as did Phillip.
"Are you fucking with me right now?!" Phillip fumed. "Do you think you're funny?!"
By this point, the few other students who had also been in the lab turned their heads to the commotion. Marinette laughed nervously, elbowing Chat in the ribs.
"Of course not!"
"She's right!" Adrien went on. "It's not funny, because it's not a joke. We are from another reality and that's how we know that you have some connection to that ring. You're supposed to be all about this stuff right? You believe in an alternate reality and now when someone from one needs your help, you're just gonna turn them away? Even if you don't believe us, is it worth the risk?"
Phillip continued to look at the two teens, calculating all the variables in his head before speaking again. His head-turning to the group of other students looking at them. "Fuck off!" He cursed, making them turn away awkwardly. Philip brought his attention back to
"Ladybug and Chat Noir, huh?" The pair nodded. "And what exactly does that mean?"
"In our reality, we are superheroes." Chat answered
"But not here?"
"It doesn't appear that way." Ladybug responded meekly.
"Hm. And what? A super villain sent you here?"
"That is correct," Chat added.
"Who is it?"
"It's complicated-"
"You," Chat Answered honestly. "You're the villain. Nexus is what you're going by."
"Nexus," Phillip repeated slowly. "Huh, ominous enough I suppose."
"So you believe us?" Ladybug asked hopefully.
"I don't know," Philip replied honestly. "Kind of a far-fetched story. But your right." He said, looking to Chat. "I am all about this stuff, and it's not worth the risk of ignoring."
"What does this ring mean to you?" Ladybug asked again.
"It was my fathers," Phillip answered, pulling the ring out of his pant pocket.
"Do you know where we can find him? If it's his ring, he's probably a key component to getting out of here." Ladybug went on, earning a dark chuckle from Phillip.
"Yeah, you can find him a few miles north of here at the Parisian cemetery of Saint-Ouen. He died four months ago."
"I'm so sorry." Ladybug apologized.
"It's fine," Phillip explained. "We weren't on the best terms."
Ladybug frowned at her sketch, not understanding what to do next.
"I'm sorry I couldn't be more help."
OoOOooOoOooO
Leaving the university, Marinette and Adrien took a seat on a nearby curb.
"Well, that was a bust," Adrien spoke. "Now what?
"I don't know," Marinette answered solemnly. "There is an answer, but I feel like I don't have all the pieces."
"It's getting late," Adrien told her, noting the setting sun. "I don't think we have ever had a person be Akumatized this long."
Marinette felt frustration run through her veins. Chat was right. They had never had a fight with an Akuma last longer than a few hours. "I think we are going to have to sleep here." She admitted. "We can regroup tomorrow. Maybe I can use my lucky charm again and it will give us some insight into what our next move should be. Nexus is being quiet if he is here. Then again he might not be here at all."
"He has to come back eventually though right? The deal with HawkMoth is power for our miraculous. If Nexus doesn't keep up his end of the bargin..."
"Hopefully. Or maybe he found our miraculous somewhere else. We have to hope that this place will give us answers tomorrow. Until then, we need to figure out where we are going to go to rest. It will be no good if we exhaust ourselves by staying up all night."
"Yeah, your right. I'll meet you at the Eiffle tower in the morning. We'll use your lucky charm if nothing else comes to mind. We are gonna get out of this Bugaboo. I know it."
Marinette nodded. "Tomorrow."
"Tomorrow."
OoOOOoOoo
Adrien found himself sitting above his own home that night. He planned to slip in and use one of the spare bedrooms to rest. Knowing that home like the back of his hand, slipping in and out undetected wouldn't be any trouble. As he sat there, watching the sun begin to hide behind the horizon, Adrien thought about the life his female version led. He didn't know much about her, which felt odd to think about because in technical terms they are the same person. But this version of him...she was different. He could see it in her face. Adrian held confidence that he lacked. Confidence that stopped him from pursuing a proper relationship with Lucy the way she had. He wanted to know where she got it from. Maybe it was easier for her. She didn't seem to have the weight of keeping a secret identity on her shoulders the way he does. Adrian was free to make honest and open relationships in a way that he felt he could not.
The sight of a black figure jolting away from his home caught Adrien's eye. They widened at the sight of another black cat-themed person landing on another nearby building.
"No way," Adrien muttered to himself. "Plagg! Claws out!" Plagg, who had been resting peacefully inside of Adrien's pocket flew out with alarm at his random summoning before disappearing into Adrien's ring.
Chat Noir tried to remain a safe distance from the female version of himself as they made their way across several buildings and felt he was doing a pretty good job of it too until he lost sight of her. He slowly made his way across the most recent roof too with a raised brow.
"Where did she go?"
"Boo." A voice went inside his ear with an insouciant tone.
Chat jumped away, instinctively going into a defensive stance. The glare that he had directed at the voice-only lasted a moment as his eyes took in the figure in front of him. It was in fact his female counterpart. He supposed if he had not seen her leaving the Agreste home that it would be entirely possible the person he was looking at was a different woman entirely, which would have been a strange coincidence. A female version of him that is not Chat Noir, while also meeting this world's Chat who also happens to be female. No, this was definitely Adrian Agreste.
To say her outfit differed from his own was an understatement. Besides the color as well as maybe the material, it was nothing like his own. She wore headgear, covering all of her hair, though he could see small stands beginning to poke out. It covered her head and strapped under her chin while a large set of green-tinted goggles covered her eyes. The tint was light, and Chat could see her eyes easily behind it. He couldn't quite tell the color but assumed them to be green as well, her irises slit in a cat-like fashion much like his own. Her bodysuit seemed to all be one piece, unlike his, having boots and glaves that in theory, he could remove. She also didn't seem to have a tail, or belt representing one. However, the largest and most obvious difference in their costume design was not only her lack of a bell but the way her zipper rested in the center of her chest resulting in a plunging nack line. It was distracting, to say the least, and Chat didn't know if it made it better or worse being they were technically the same person.
"Don't you know it's rude to follow a lady around at night?" Her stance remained unthreatening as she placed a clawed hand on her hip. Chat lowered his weapon and placed it back in its hold but kept himself alert. He didn't know what to expect from this reality.
"You wanna tell me how you got that?" She then asked, gesturing to the ring on his finger. Chat eyed her uncertainly.
"Not really." He answered.
The female pouted. "Come now, don't be a sourpuss. What can I do to...purr-suade you?" Chat's eye twitched at the pun. Is that what he sounded like?
"What's your name?" Chat asked. "What do I call you?"
"What's in a name?" She answered, strutting toward him. "Chat Noir huh? How long did it take you to come up with that one?"
"So you've heard of me?" Chat smirked only for his female counterpart to chuckle.
"Hm, something like that." Chat was quickly realizing that this version of him was going to play hardball with him. She wouldn't give him anything to go on if she didn't have to, thus Chat played the only card he had on her.
"I've heard of you too." He informed her. The woman rolled her eyes, walking away from Chat her tone uninterested.
"Have you now?"
"Who hasn't heard of the famous Adrian Agreste." With that, she paused and turned back to face Chat. The look of horror to have had her identity found out that Chat had expected to see was nowhere in sight. Instead, he was greeted with a small look of surprise only to be followed by a wide Cheshire cat smile.
"Well now," Adrian spoke. "That's not very fair, is it?" She crossed her arms and made her way back to Chat. "You gonna tell me your name now? Your real one? Purrty please?"
Chat gave her a hard stare. "I don't think so." Adrian's smile remained as she gave a small nod.
"Fine. But I did ask nicely." And in that second, Chat found himself kicked into a nearby chimney wall. He groaned and pushed himself off it, quickly pulling out his baton, extending it, and charging at Adrian. She quickly moved out of the way, using her own baton to swipe under Chat, sending him somersaulting across the roof. From his knees, Chat went to rise again, only to lift his head and immediately be whacked in the face by Adrian's metal baton again, knocking him on his back. Before he could do anything about it, Adrian had grabbed his right-hand wrist and flipped him to his stomach, pinning his arm behind his back while straddling him from behind.
"Cata-!"
"Go ahead, I dare you." Adrian hissed from above. "See if that stops me from putting it out on you. Have you ever been hit with a cataclysm before? Your suit won't let it kill you, but it will hurt like hell. And in case you didn't realize," She lowered her lips to his ear. "I have that power too. If one doesn't kill you, maybe two will get it done?"
"You would kill me for trying to protect my identity?!" Chat shouted. "Would you not do the same to try and protect yours?!"
"Comming from the guy who somehow already knows mine? I think killing you is exactly how I would protect my identity. But alas, you know who I am is not why you are in this predicament right now." Chat attempted to get out of her grasp again, only for Adrian to huff in annoyance, twisting his arm painfully in order to unclench his fist. Chat could do nothing, as Adrian slipped off his ring and forced him to detransform.
Adrien groaned and turned over to sit on his butt, leaning back on the palms of his hands. He glared at the woman in front of him who raised her brows.
"Claws in." She stated evenly, and in a blink was back in her civilian attire with her very own Plagg by her side. The pair looked at one another as Adrian's Plagg flew towards her male counterpart in shock.
"Whoa, you guys could be twins! How freaky is that?!"
"Freaky." Adrian agreed. "Who are you?" Adrien weighed his options. He could try and lie his way out of this, or he could be honest. As he took in her calculating stare, a part of him felt that if he did in fact lie, she would know, and now she had his ring. As much as he hated it, Adrien had no choice but to play by her rules.
"Adrien Agreste." He answered.
"Is that supposed to be a joke?"
"No." He replied. "I'm you. Or your me...we are different versions of each other..." He tried to explain. "I'm Adrien Agreste from another reality."
"Plagg," Adrian called out, making her Kwami float back over to her and away from his examination of the guy who shared his holder's face. "How likely is his story?"
Plagg shrugged. "Unlikely but not impossible. Space and time operate in junctions that are nearly impossible to understand. A multiverse is entirely possible. However, this specific scenario...1 in a trillion."
"Why are you here?" Adrian then asked as Adrien got up from the ground.
"We got trapped here by a villain named Nexus." Adrian gave him one more look over before taking the ring in her hands and tossing it back to him.
"You're giving it back?" He asked in surprise.
"Why would I keep it? I already have one." Adrien shrugged.
"I don't know. Double the power of destruction?"
"Do I look like a super villain to you?"
"No, I guess not," Adrien answered honestly. "But you don't look like a hero either." She raised a brow at this.
"And what does that mean?" Adrien shook his head.
"No, I mean. It's not your appearance...I just mean...well you did threaten to kill me. Heroes don't kill."
Adrian squinted at him. "You were a sheltered child weren't you?"
"Were you not?"
"Clearly not as much as you."
"Of course not." Adrien huffed. "Listen, maybe you can help. If You and your Ladybug help me and my Ladybug, maybe we can find and take out our villain faster and get out of your hair and your universe."
Adrian nodded. "Umm, sounds like a solid plan except, I don't have a Ladybug."
Adrien blinked at her. "You don't...you don't have a Ladybug? Who purifies the Akumas?!"
The woman shook her head. "I don't even know what an Akuma is."
Adrien brought his hands up to his face and gave it a rub while trying to collect his thoughts.
"Wait...so you don't have Akuma's here...or a Ladybug...? Why did Master Fu give you a miraculous then?"
"Master Fu?"
"The guardian of the Miraculous! Master Fu! Have you really not met him yet? He's the one that left you the miraculous in your bag. Unless you got it another way? I assumed our situations can't be that different."
"Master Fu, the guardian of the miraculous," Adrian repeated. "Never heard of him. And I didn't find my Miraculous in my bag, it was given to me."
"By who?" Adrien asked in confusion. His female counterpart looked at him and shrugged casually.
"My father." Adrien's eyes widened at her admission.
"Your...Gabriel?! Gabriel Agreste, your father gave you the cat Miraculous?!"
"Yup," Adrian answered. A chime from her pocket snagged Adrian's attention. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her phone, curing under her breath. "Crap. Listen, Me. Can I call you me? I am now officially late for my date so were're gonna have to talk more later."
"Date? With Lucy?" Adrian raised her eyes from her phone to him.
"You have a Lucy too, huh?" Adrien smiles a little, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, then you understand why I can't keep her waiting. Claws out!" Adian called, transforming back into her suit.
"Wait!" Adrien called out before she could get off the roof. "Does she know? That your...ugh. What is your hero name?"
Adrian smirked. "No. She doesn't know. It's best that way. And I don't have a hero name. I'm not a hero after all. But you can call me Felidae."
Felidae then jumped to the next roof, leaving Adrien behind to think about the information he had just learned.
OoOoOOoOoO
Elsewhere, Marinette found herself sitting in the bedroom of someone she never really expected. Sabrina. After making a pit stop at her house and sneaking a few items while her family and she assumed her alternate self ate dinner, Marinette quickly made her way to the ginger girl's house. Despite the risk, Marinette felt short on options and had come to Sabrina, playing the part of the Marinette she knew. Fortunately, Sabrina seemed none the wiser and happily let Marinette inside.
"I'm so happy your dad didn't mind me staying the night on a school night," Marinette said, as Sabrina brought out some snacks.
"So long as we get our homework done, go to bed on time, and are ready for school in the morning he doesn't see a problem with it." Sabrina smiled. "But I have to be honest. It caught me by surprise to see you coming over so spontaneously."
Marinette let out a nervous laugh. "Oh! Well, you know! I just wanted to hang out...with my BFF!"
Sabrina let out a small giggle. "Well, you're always welcome here!"
While Sabrina made her way to the bathroom to change into her Pjs, Marinette took the opportunity to look around her room. It was neat and tidy, consisting of light blues and purples. Very Sabrina-like. Achievement certificates hung on the walls along with some animal art. Her four-post bed looked comfy with its large powder blue comforter and an excessive amount of pillows. On her dresser, a few framed photos of Sabrina and her dad sat. One frame consists of a woman Marinette had never seen before, a single portrait of a woman she could only assume was Sabrina's mom. On the wall, several unframed photos were pinned in a collage fashion. Many of which contained herself and Sabrina. Buried slightly under more recent photos was one that looked like it was from primary school, except this one was of Sabrina, herself, and Chloe.
"Where did the time go right?" Sabrina suddenly said from beside Marinette, making her jump a little.
"Huh? Oh, ye-yeah."
"I sometimes wonder what it would be like if we had all stayed friends."
"Friends with Chloe is hard to imagine in any reality." Marinette thought allowed.
"And yet we were," Sabrina spoke thoughtfully. "Then Adrian's mom died and everything changed." Marinette knitted her brows.
"Why?" It was Sabrina's turn to look confused.
"You know why." She went on. "Adrian was Chloe's friend long before we were. When her mom died, she shut a lot of people out, including Chloe. I mean...Marinette, you were there that night. You heard what Adrian said. She shut Chloe down and now Chloe shuts everyone else down." Sabrina explained, earning a thoughtful look from Marinette. "It's like she thinks if she acts as distant from everyone as Adrian does that they will somehow be friends again. Now the only person she talks to is that Alya girl."
"Right...Alya. She seems..."
"Nosey is what she is." Sabrina scoffed. "Did you know she publicly unmasked Nathaniel on her stupid blog?"
"Nathaniel? On the Ladyblog?"
"Ladyblog?" Sabrina laughed. "That's a weird title. But no, you know the one. She calls it Daily Dose. Anway, it turns out Nathaniel was the one submitting those drawing of Cat Woman. He was trying to stay anonymous but as always Alya went out of her way to figure it out and outed him on her blog. Now everyone is questioning him about his sightings.
Marinette blinked at her. "I'm sorry, Cat Woman?" Sabrina shrugged.
"I mean, that's what some people call her at least. No one knows what her actual name is. Hardly anyone ever sees her but she has been spotted here and there, usually at night. Gosh, I swear you live under a rock sometimes Marinette."
Another nervous laugh left Marinette. "No, right. Cat Woman, I remember someone mentioning it now. I just...wasn't sure if that was her official title. And your sure she is in fact a she?"
"All I'm saying is that if she is actually a he, then he has some bazongas on him," Sabrina said, making a gesture at her chest.
"Right..." Marinette replied slowly. "We'll, yeah, that's not cool of Alya. Superheroes take their identity very seriously. If Nathaniel does happen to know anything, he's going to be pressured to answer people's questions constantly."
"Superhero?" Crooned Sabrina. "I don't think she really fits that description, and as for Nathaniel, I'm pretty sure he has no idea what her identity is." Marinette licked her lips and crossed her arms as Sabrina took a seat on her bed, leaning back on the palm of her hands.
"What do you mean doesn't fit the description?"
"Well, it's not like she's out there beating up bad guys."
"Then what is she doing?" Sabrina shrugged.
"Breaking and entering mostly it would seem."
"What!?" Sabrina gave Marinette a duh look.
"Marinette, come one. Catch up will you? The few times she has been spotted had been in high-end antique and Jewelry stores."
"So she's a cat burglar?" Marinette rolls her eyes. "How clever."
"That's just the thing." Sabrina went on. "Nobody knows for sure. Cat woman has been spotted breaking and entering sure, but as far as any reports go, she has never stolen anything."
"Then what is she doing?" Sabrina shrugged again.
"I don't know. But if I had to guess I'd say she's looking for something."
"Looking for what..?" Marinette thought aloud to herself, but Sabrina answered anyway.
"For the amount of trouble. Whatever it is must be important."
Alright! Well, that's Part 1 of this chapter! I hope everyone is finding it interesting and are eager to see the rest on how it pans out. As always, making original villains is always a challenge and this one was no different. Remember to comment below and let me know what you think! Chow for now, and as Always I will see you in the next chapter!
Also, happy Pride month, because as you may have noticed. It got a little gay. I hope you're here for it.
