A/N: I started writing this story before the Paris special came out, so I've created my own version of their characterizations. Essentially this is an alternate version of those alternate versions (yay for multiverse!). You don't need to watch the special to understand this story, and the only spoilers this fic contains for the special is the fact that certain characters exist (I watched the special part way through this and incorporated character names and a few minor bits).

When I started this one, I wasn't expecting it to turn into the longest fic I've written so far. It really grew into something beyond what I expected, and I'm really quite happy and excited to share it. It is a bit darker than my other works, but I hope it's a good journey. Bit of a slow burn to start, but I'm looking to update a couple times a week (once a week at minimum).

Enjoy!

A loud crack echoing through his room startled Adrien from his desk chair. He leapt up as the smell of ozone permeated through the room, and nearly called for his transformation before he saw the shimmering blue square standing upright in the middle of his room.

A figure stepped through in one graceful motion.

Adrien's eyes widened. "... Ladybug?"

But no, he realized. Not Ladybug.

Not exactly.

While the woman sported a black and red spotted costume and twin buns like his partner, the differences made it clear he was dealing with someone else.

Black was the predominant color to her suit, buns sat high atop her head with sharp red ribbons twisting around them, and though her face resembled the Ladybug he knew, lipstick so deep red it was nearly black adorned her lips, highlighting the sneer that was very unlike his lady.

Her eyes were also a fiery red.

She stood with a hand on her hip as she looked around his room in distaste. "Get the name right; it's Shadybug, and what kind of villain's lair is this?"

Villain's lair?

Adrien's eyes went to her ears, noticing the earrings that looked just like the ones he knew. His confusion coalesced into anger as he took a step closer. "What have you done to Ladybug?"

The woman - Shadybug - finally looked at him, her eyes trailing him up and down. "There's no way you're a villain."

Adrien's confusion returned, though he remained tense. "What? No, I'm not. What are you talking about? Who are you, and why are you here? Where's Ladybug?"

Shadybug sighed, her head lolling back to look at the ceiling. "God, I hate explaining things. I'm so fucking glad the glorious carrot crusader sent me here instead of where I wanted."

Bewildered, Adrien watched her march over to his couch.

What in the world was happening?

Wait a minute, carrot crusader? "Did…did Bunnix send you here? Are you from the future?" That could explain how she had the ladybug miraculous, at the very least.

Shadybug snorted as she lounged against the arm of the couch. "Sorry, Blondie, but I'm not even from your universe."

Adrien gawked at her for a moment before his excitement started bubbling from within. "Wait, you're saying that there's actually a multiverse? Are you serious?"

"Don't expect me to explain it, I don't know shit about fuck. All I know is that things were getting awfully dull in my world because my partner and I are too fucking good at winning, and our little warren warrior came to me with blah blah preservation of timeline crap, and that there was another universe I could help out with. Because apparently whoever holds the ladybug and cat miraculous here are terrible at their jobs."

Adrien bristled at that. "Hey–"

The spotted woman interrupted him with another sigh. "Whatever, this is tedious. If this isn't a villain's lair, then where am I, and who are you? Wait a minute…" Her eyes narrowed on him as she stood straight, striding over to him. Adrien took a startled step back before nearly tripping over the chair behind him.

Paying no heed to personal boundaries, Shadybug went right up to him, eyes fixed on his own from less than a foot away. Adrien's heart skipped a beat as his gaze dropped automatically to her deeply-stained lips. Her hand reached up, threading through his hair on the right side and causing him to suck in a surprised breath. He felt the redness creep along his neck and into his cheeks as the chains rattled around the part of his mind in which he had barred away his feelings for Ladybug years ago.

What is wrong with you, Adrien, he lectured himself firmly. This isn't your Ladybug, and she's only touching your hair. Get a grip.

He then noticed she was pushing his hair away in an odd way, before she finally let him go. "You're Adrien Agreste, aren't you?" she asked, taking a step back.

"Uh…yeah. Do you…know Adrien in your world?"

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, unfortunately."

"...Oh." Adrien tried not to feel disappointed by her statement. That would be ridiculous.

She pursed her lips as she looked him up and down once again. "You don't look anything like him."

"Uh…" He wasn't sure how to respond to that.

Something sly slid into her gaze as it moved a little slower, a little more deliberately over him. "Mmhmm, that was a compliment. I like this whole innocent boy next door vibe you've got here."

Nope. Nope nope, bad idea. Focus, Agreste.

He cleared his throat. "So, is your partner coming to help? Do you…" Do you know he's me? Is he me in your world? He cut himself off before finishing the thoughts, not wanting to reveal his identity.

Shadybug glared at him. "He is not coming. I don't need his help; he'll just get in the way."

Adrien resisted the urge to defend his potential alternate self, again .

A knock sounded on his door. Adrien leapt forward to shove Shadybug across the room and into his bathroom, miming at her to be quiet and ignoring her look of outrage before shutting the door in her face. "Come in."

Nathalie opened his door as he casually walked over to his desk. "Hey Nathalie. What's up?"

She eyed him. "I thought I might have heard voices."

He shrugged. "I had a video playing on my phone."

Nathalie's expression cleared. "You didn't come down for breakfast, so I wanted to check on you and remind you of your lessons after school. Also, your father was expecting your review of the latest design file this evening."

"I know, I'll get to it. Thank you, Nathalie."

"He doesn't approve of you missing items on your schedule. Make sure you eat something before school."

Adrien hid his irritation behind his obedient mask. "I will."

Nathalie turned and left the room. When the sound of her footsteps had faded, Adrien's bathroom door swung open. Shadybug looked very perturbed as she walked out, though her eyes were on the door. "Who's the bitch telling you what to do?"

"Don't call her that," he hissed, taking her arm to drag her across the room behind his skate ramp, hoping it would help block the noise. "That was my father's assistant. She's a friend."

"How old even are you? Why are you still letting your dad boss you around? Sounds like a real drag."

Adrien sighed. "I'm 18, and I'm working on getting out. Just waiting for the end of the school year and I'll be on my own. He's been trying to get me interested in taking over his business, but it really isn't my thing."

"Tell him to fuck off."

Adrien snorted. "I wish." He glanced out his window. Looked like it might rain. "I need to get going." He hesitated. "If you need a place to stay until Ladybug and Chat Noir show up, you can always stay here. I get a lot of privacy; no one ever enters without permission. And you can always leave through the windows if you need to."

Something uncomfortable worked its way into her features and Adrien panicked. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to be weird. I just thought it might be helpful, if you didn't know anyone else."

The look passed as she scrunched her face up at him. "How can you be so…nice? You'd be eaten up alive in my world. I'm not used to people offering me help like that, that's all."

Adrien didn't know what to say. People…weren't nice to her? That sounded terrible. He put his hand up on her arm, but she flinched and jumped back.

Sadness filled him. He'd have to show her that people in his world were kind and thoughtful, most of this time. If she hung around, of course. "I have to go to school. I'll see you again, I hope? Maybe I can help you find Ladybug and Chat Noir later."

She glared at him again. "I don't need your help either, Buttercup. I'll find them." She walked confidently over to his window, sliding it open. "Later." She dropped out of view. Adrien walked quickly to the glass, glancing outside and confirming that she'd disappeared before shutting the window.

Plagg peeked out from his pocket. "I don't like this."

Adrien's eyes lingered on the buildings, trying to catch a glimpse of where she'd gone. "She…sure is something different."

Plagg eyed his holder. "She seems like trouble."

"You heard her, she's here to help us. It would be great if we could finally take down Shadow Moth for good." Did his heartbeat speed up slightly at the thought of seeing her in action in a battle together with them?

Perhaps.

His Kwami groaned. "I know that look. It took you two years to get over your crush on one Ladybug, you know."

Adrien waved the Kwami off, who scoffed but disappeared into hiding as his holder headed for school.

A/N: Leave me a review if you liked it! It's the only way I know people are reading now that FFnet stats seem long-term broken.