This is the first story I've published for this category, but there is another one I've written, which will be added in a few hours. If you have not watched the new special with Shadybug and Claw Noir, I recommend doing so before this story goes any further, as there could be potential spoilers.
If you want to see more, please make sure to review so I can decide whether or not to continue it.
Enjoy!
Something wasn't right.
According to Alya, the change had been subtle at first, but gradually became noticeable with each passing day.
On the first day, Adrien wore a new black cat jacket Marinette supposedly made for him. He kept the cat-eared hood on the entire day, rudely snapping at those who attempted to take it off or ask questions. Like breaking from a trance, he'd quickly shake his head before apologizing for his behavior, firmly insisting that he just wanted it on since it was so comforting.
As for Marinette—the very same day—she came to school with a new pink streak in her bangs. Her ponytails were replaced by two buns that complimented her lovingly. Her classmates believed she changed her looks just to prove Lila wrong, who said she looked a lot like the hero Ladybug. Some ridiculed Marinette for being so spiteful and going to such 'extreme' lengths to make Lila seem like a bad person, ignoring the teen's grumbles that she didn't want people to think of her as Ladybug.
The next day, Adrien's blonde locks were swept all over to the left while his right side had a faded shave. His friends had the opposite reaction as they did with Marinette; praising him for the sudden change in looks to rebel against his father. Adrien denied that claim. Just like Mari—what he suddenly decided to call Marinette—he didn't want people thinking of him as Cat Noir, like Lila had.
Although they found his reason sensible, Adrien questioned why they didn't feel the same for Mari. Of course, they had no answer, resulting in an unspoken tension within the class. Afterwards, they would try having a polite conversation with Marinette, but Adrien would forcefully remind that they hadn't apologized to her yet.
And none of them ever did.
It was strange, for him to call her Mari but still refer to her by full name when speaking about the creation of his jacket. Some noticed, but brushed it off like it was no major detail.
Days passed by with the dynamic between the couple seeming to have changed. They were no longer a stuttering, blushing mess around each other. From the moment they arrived at school until the moment they left together, they were constantly inseparable with no room to breathe. The verbal connection they had morphed into a physical connection. A single look or touch displayed all the emotions that were previously only known by talking.
One of the most noticeable changes, which admittedly took a few days to notice—
Marinette was no longer a complete klutz.
Just like with her words, she no longer tripped over her feet. She could actually balance a plate of pastries or anything else without dropping it. She could even run, walk, or jog a fair distance without falling miserably.
In fact, her classmates realized this only when Mari started walking on the railings on the upper floor of the school building. Adrien held one hand for safety as she balanced on the rails with the grace of a ballet dancer or a tightrope walker. The class was completely stunned when they realized what they were watching.
With those example, there was also the subtly new looks of Ladybug and Cat Noir. Ladybug now had a new pink streak in her hair while Cat Noir's hair was a lot shaggier with a leather jacket being added to his outfit. During the fights with akumatized people, Ladybug was a lot more hesitant to act while Cat Noir was more forceful and serious. Some claimed they lure the villains away from the Eiffel Tower, maybe to protect the new statue dedicated to them?
When he learned that two of his friends appeared to have changed overnight, Luka Couffaine agreed to return from his travels to help discover the reason for the transformation.
The evening of his return to France, Luka and Alya waited in the terrace of the bakery for the lady in question to return from her nightly patrols. Hours later, when both Ladybug and Cat Noir arrived, they were about to transform back until they noticed Luka. Getting into a defensive position, they demanded to know who he was.
Alya smacked herself in the forehead. "Oh I'm such an idiot," she scolded herself. "I should have known. You two are the Ladybug and Cat Noir from the other universe."
"The thing is, the real Ladybug and Cat Noir know who I am," Luka revealed, "and I know their true identities. My question is who are you? Where are the real Ladybug and Cat Noir?"
The imposters shared a look, as though they were silently deciding whether or not they should be trusted. Sighing softly, the fake Ladybug confessed, "They're dead."
"Not 'dead' dead," the Cat Noir quickly clarified before a misunderstanding could be made. "More like . . . stuck? We know how to free them. It's just a matter of finding my Ladybug's lost lucky charm."
"Start from the beginning," Alya demanded forcefully. "Why were you two posing as the real Ladybug and Cat Noir?"
"Why should we tell you anything?" alternate Ladybug challenged with a light glare. "It's not like you would believe us. You didn't in our universe. Why would now be any different than before?"
"Because we will listen," Luka promised, "and we want to help save them if we can. They're our friends too."
Sharing another look with her partner, the Ladybug sighed in defeat. "It started in our universe with a bully named Cerise," she began. "Or, as she's still known here, the pathological liar, Lila Rossi."