Vlog For Me

by ghirahim

Alya Césaire's lived a normal life, until she came to Paris and got introduced to its superheroes... and supervillains. Now, this budding journalist is gonna become the city's leading expert on the supernatural – I mean she might as well; not only is she a hardcore superhero fan, but she's developed the uncanny/unlucky ability to always find herself in the middle of magical brawls.

4. blackberry clobber

Sat, Sept 12th, 2020

The Luckyblog took off as soon as Max officially created it. Apparently, Alya wasn't the only citizen to record footage of Lady Luck and Karma over the course of the past week and a half.

Max moderates what goes on the website and what doesn't. Nathaniel's drawings of the duo are on the front page, and there's a page dedicated to other fanart – that Max also moderates. He claimed it's a full-time job (and Alya believes him, she saw some of the stuff they didn't post on the website and all she could say about them was yikes), but his robot companion Markov was more than up to the task.

Armed with her phone and its one terabyte of memory, Alya puts a plain white shirt on then loosens her hair from its ponytail.

"Where are you going?" Etta asks, sitting on her bed.

"Birthday party for Alix and Marinette. I don't know Marinette but Alix tells me she's cool, so this'll be a good opportunity to make a new friend." Alya stuffs her keys and wallet into her pants pockets then picks up her gift boxes. "Need me to bring you or El anything?"

"No. We're good. Have fun." She slides off Alya's bed then hugs her sister.

Alya pats her on the head then leaves.

Just as she leaves her building, a navy towncar pulls up and the back window rolls down. "Thank goodness I caught you!"

"Chloé?" Alya walks over to the towncar. "What are you doing here?"

"Please don't tell me you're going to Kubdel and Dupain-Cheng's joint 'party?' I mean, how poor are you that you can't even afford your own birthday party?"

"I don't think that's the reason they have a joint party."

"Doesn't matter. You are way too good for that. XY and Bob Roth are staying at Le Grand Paris this weekend. We can have them give us a private concert!"

"I'm good. You should come to the party."

"I don't care how good their pâtissèries are. The reason I don't go there on weekends or Wednesdays is because she'll be there behind the counter with that dumb look on her dumb face."

"How about we go to the party for a bit then we can go back to the hotel?"

"Seems fair. Just a bit. I can snag a pâtissèrie or two when no one is looking." The window rolls up then Chloé opens the towncar. "Let's go. To the..." The blond shudders, "Sabine & Tom Boulangerie Pâtissèrie."

"I'm curious. What's your beef with Marinette?"

Chloé groans closing the door behind Alya as the orange-haired teen takes a seat, "she's a meddling goody-two shoes! That's my beef with her. If she'd fall in line like the rest of the school we'd have no issue but she's determined to make my life a living hell. And Kubdel is satan herself, in case you were interested in wondering." Alya nods with a hum.

There are streamers and party favors decorating the building and the entire block. (How tacky. Isn't Dupain-Cheng supposed to be some kind of designer or something?)

Chloé exits the towncar after Alya and looks around. She doesn't see Dupain-Cheng or Kubdel, maybe she can sneak some—

"Chloé? What the hell are you doing here?"

The blonde glares at the tall brunet glaring back at her. "If you didn't want people showing up you should've made the event private." She pushes past the boy to a table.

The boy lets out a heavy sigh, "sorry, that's my fault." He turns to her, "Chloé tried to get me to not show up, but I wanted to see Alix so I suggested we stop by for a bit then go back to Le Grand Paris for some private concert with someone named XY?"

"Chloé probably showing off because you're new. XY's not even that great. I'm Kim." He gives her a wave. "I'd be careful if I were you. Chloé seems to only have two attitudes toward people: adoration or hatred."

"Got it. Thanks for the heads up."

The brunet looks over her shoulder at something. "Anytime! Help yourself to whatever." Then he runs off.

Shrugging, Alya walks over to where Chloé is. The blonde is stuffing pâtissèries into her purse. "You know you look really suspicious, right?"

"We've spent enough time here, right? I'll call my towncar—"

"Hold your horses, Girl, at least let me wish the birthday girls happy birthday."

Chloé rolls her eyes, "fine. I'll be here." Alya nods then jogs off.

"Oh dear. I was hardly expecting to find the mayor's daughter stealing our homely pâtissèries."

Chloé turns to the large, normally jovial man staring at her with a rather out-of-place neutral expression. "Can you steal something that's free, M. Dupain?"

"No. I don't suppose you can, Mlle. Bourgeois." Chloé smirks then picks up a profiterole from the croquembouch tower. "We may not be as cultured as your family but even I know it's considered bad taste to show up to a party, uninvited, and take as much food as your purse can carry; all the while not bothering to give the birthday girls – the whole reason for the party – a gift."

The blonde's eyes narrow. "You have a point. I'd hate for people to think the Bourgeois' are... uncultured." She takes her wallet out of her purse shaking off the crumbs. "I'll just give them a little pocket change. A thousand euros a piece should suffice, right?" Before Tom can open his mouth, Chloé takes out two cheques then hastily scrawls on them. "A shame they discontinued the 500 euro note." She hands the cheques to Tom. "Anyway, there's my gift. Now if you'll excuse me, there are pâtissèries I have not tried."

✍ ..

Marinette and Alix stare at the cheques in Tom's hand. "'Pocket change?'" They repeat.

Tom nods handing them each a cheque. "If she considers a thousand euros mere 'pocket change,' I am rather curious about how much she considers a lot of money."

Alix holds up the cheque to the light, "you only do that with fake notes, Alix." Marinette whispers.

"Oh."

"Are you two alright? Birthday party serves no purpose without the birthday girls." Tom furrows his eyebrows as they exchange a brief glance. Must be that best friend secret communication thing. Sometimes they can even read each other's minds without making eye contact. It's as impressive as it is... disturbing.

"Papa, can Alix stay here?"

"For the sleep—" Marinette quickly shakes her head, "of course she can. For however as long as she needs to. Is... did something happen at home?"

"I-I—" Alix sighs, "I got caught in a time loop where my papa and Jalil sorta competed to kill me... if that counts?"

"They what!? A time loop!?" Tom massages his temples, "this is why I don't touch magic. Just give me good ol' physical carnage. This magic stuff hurts my head. Isn't this the sort of thing one presses charges for? We have Vinh. Although she's the Bourgeois' personal lawyer she does pro-bono as well. I mean I've always known that man was neglectful but to try and kill you!? I don't even care the reason! He's not getting within a kilometer of you. Neither is your jackass of a brother. Give Marinette your house key and the two of us will gather all the stuff you can't live without when we know neither of them will be there."

"Damn, M. D, I wasn't expecting full-on rage mode."

"You're like a daughter to me, Alix, and a sister to Marinette. I'd put my life on the line for you—" He pauses, "something tells me I already did." He sighs, "magic." He grumbles shaking his head. "Take as much time as you two need. I'm gonna conflab with Sabine."

"Bàba." Both Marinette and Alix shake their heads at him.

"What? Your fashion judges can talk fancy but I can't? That's terribly biased!" They both laugh as he walks down the staircase.

"See? I told you they'd be cool with it, and even if they somewhere weren't you had Vinh and Kim as option two. Even Mlle. Sasha would've let you stay." Marinette puts a hand on your shoulder, "all of us want you out of that toxic environment. I'm just glad I didn't have to invoke the rite of favors to convince you to stay."

Alix playfully shoves Marinette.

✍ ..

Sun, Sept 13th, 2020

The electronic billboard lights up and there's a blonde in a black and white pinstripe romper walking to the centre of the billboard. "Greetings all, Queen of Fashion: Audrey Bourgeois here. Fashion is never-ending. Always evolving. Thanks to the introduction of Lady Luck last week, polkadots have been trying to make their way into high fashion." The woman pinches the bridge of her nose, "I wholly understand 'imitation being the sincerest form of flattery...' but while the outfit somehow works for the hero there hasn't been a single replication to do the look justice. So here I am, on September 13th 2020 at 1:46pm, calling upon all designers of every skill level to prove me wrong. Make that high fashion red and black polkadotted outfit paying homage to our new hero. We're going to do things a little old school. Submit your looks by physical photo and mail them to Le Grand Paris Château and address them to me and polkadots. I look forward to being blown away." Then Audrey disappears from the billboard and some soft drink ad pops up.

Alix is laying on the chaise tossing a volleyball in the air. Thankfully, she doesn't take up much space (there's a short joke that's just not in her heart to make) so Marinette only had to rearrange enough space to fit a bed for her. They hadn't started yet so Alix shared Marinette's bed with her last night. Marinette is biting her lip and the pencil in her hand. Alix spares a glance at her best friend, "you gonna enter?"

Marinette screams spinning in her swivel chair accidentally throwing her pencil across the room that Alix catches with ease, "I don't know! She's specifically asking for designers, which... you know – I am, but 'high fashion' isn't what I excel at. Not that 'high fashion' is even an accurate category of fashion. What does it even mean? Fashion shouldn't be horded by a single group of people based on how much money they can shell out!"

"You should add that to your entry."

"I-I don't even know if I'm entering! Audrey Bourgeois is impossible to impress! She's always 'looking forward to being blown away' and she never is! Never, Alix! The only record of her not saying something vaguely mean was when—"

"'She discovered Gabriel Agreste at some one-off contest she put together because the masses were starting a fashion movement.' I know, Marinette. You've told me this story so many times I feel like it's playing on loop."

Marinette's eyes widen then she glares at Alix, "too soon."

The pink-haired teen snickers, "look, alls I'm saying is: You fail at 100% of the tricks you don't try, so enter the damn contest and end 'high fashion' once and for all."

Marinette frowns, "I'll enter... only if you help me."

Alix hums, "I don't know anything about fashion, sad considering how long we've known each other, but if that's what it'll take; I'm game." She sits up, "wait, did Chloé's maman say it was one something? We gotta head to the park for the roller derby tryouts at two!"

Marinette springs out of her seat, "then I have to meet Lady Luck at Arc de Triomphe for four!"

Alix jumps up, "roller derby. Make your contest outfit a roller derby outfit inspired by Lady Luck and Karma! Can't understand why everyone's up Lady Luck's ass and forgetting how much of a badass Karma is but I guarantee you'll be the only one who uses both."

"You're biased. You're only Karma's number one fan because Karma is me."

"Wrong. I was a fan of Karma before you told me, and you are Karma, not the other way around. Karma wouldn't exist if Marinette wasn't already such a badass."

"Alix!" Marinette blushes.

"Let's get our skates~"

Alix taught Marinette how to skate when they were seven years old. Marinette found out skating was one thing she could use her clumsiness to her advantage. When they saw the commercial for the roller derby team tryouts for girls ages 14-17 they literally jumped at the chance; having both turned 14 yesterday.

By the time they reach the park with their skates in hand, there's a decent size group under the roller derby tryouts banner. Alix recognizes the tall purple-haired girl who got possessed by an akuma earlier in the week and beside her is a blue-haired guy with a guitar strapped to his back and a bespectacled grey-haired woman decked out in pirate garb minus the hat.

The purple-haired girl blows some hair out of her left eye then skulks over to the group the same time Alix and Marinette do.

"This is quite the turnout." A woman with long black hair tied into two braided twintails says into the megaphone. "Let's see how good you skate~"

Alix glances at the purple-haired girl putting on her helmet then putting her long purple hair into a ponytail.

"You'll be skating in twos along the pavement." The woman says.

About twenty girls hurriedly skate over to the pavement. As Marinette is tying her skates, Purple-hair is looking around like she'd rather be anywhere else. "How much do you love me?"

"With all my heart." Marinette replies unblinkingly, still tying her skates.

"I see a girl from our class—"

"Go ahead." Marinette interrupts, "I'd probably just make her even more nervous with my rambling." Alix hugs Marinette then gets up skating toward the girl.

As Marinette gets up, she hears someone gasps then turns to see Sabrina coming to a stop in front of her. "Marinette?! W-What are you doing here?" Marinette gestures to her helmet then skates, "ah. Right. Walked into that one. I guess my question would be why are you trying out for roller derby?" The orange-haired girl snorts. "Don't you cause enough destruction just walking?"

"You're gonna be the first person I ram." Then Marinette skates off toward the group.

With a huff, Sabrina skates after her. And that's only because they're heading in the same direction. Her father's damn fiancée—the word makes Sabrina gag. Anyway, the woman was trying to ruin Sabrina's life so she needed something to vent her frustration. She was going to invite Chloé once she saw the commercial but that billboard of Tante Audrey came out a few minutes later and Chloé threw herself headfirst into designing.

Sabrina wouldn't be surprised if Chloé hadn't realized she left the hotel.

She doesn't have the heart to tell the blonde her design won't impress her mother because Chloé spent her whole life emulating her mother's style, so everything Chloé will create will be something Tante Audrey already saw.

Things were still a little... weird between them since the damn feather fell in her takeout container. To be indirectly possessed (by a feather of all things) wasn't like what Chloé went through, but it was still scary having your agency ripped away from you like that. (When she saw a blue bird yesterday morning, it made her throw up.)

As the first two skaters lap around the pavement, the rest of the girls are standing on the grass cheering them on. Juleka is holding her left arm with her right hand. This was a bad idea. The Captain said it would be a good idea to "interact" with her peers outside of school. Thing was, Juleka didn't want to interact with her peers inside or outside of school. Unlike her brother and mother, she relished being alone and playing her guitar. Her brother Luka was a social butter—uh... he was someone who could gather a crowd of people together whether it be through his music or his appearance. Juleka's heard the giggles and whispers about all the things people wanted Luka to do to them while playing his guitar. It made her want to buy noise canceling headphones and wear them whenever she and Luka went out together. While Luka was nowhere near as extroverted as The Captain (a fact their mother was disappointed in), he still knew how to converse without feeling like he was gonna throw up. Unless he does feel as bad as Juleka and not only hides it well but has yet to share the secret with her.

Captain Anarka "Anarchy" Couffaine had one rule about their houseboat Liberty. "Live your best life and cause as much chaos as you could." If one wanted to get technical, that was two rules but that wasn't the issue.

This issue... while these weren't considered "rules," Anarka wanted her kids to play music – like her – and be loud – like her. She also wanted the three of them to have a damn decent photo but they were cursed. Juleka hadn't told her family about Karma and the picture they took together. She'd ask for a second picture with the feline superhero before getting her hopes up.

Juleka wasn't loud by any stretch of the imagination. She couldn't even play the guitar loud.

The purple-haired teen was doomed to be a tall mousy goth girl constantly overlooked, fading into the background. Her mother knew this yet persisted trying to get her to do things outside her comfort zone. And Juleka Piper Couffaine didn't have a big comfort zone to begin with.

The tiny pink-haired teen in her class skated over to her and introduced herself, then asked if she minded if they skated together. When Juleka said she didn't mind, the girl nodded then didn't say anything else. It was almost as if she knew Juleka was a second and a half away from barfing if forced to make small talk.

The girls go skating by twos, Juleka hears her family cheering for her when it's her turn alongside the pink-haired girl. It's clear the girl – Alix, she said her name was – is slowing down for Juleka's benefit.

Learning how to skate was another activity her mother forced her into, to "break her out of her shell." At least there, she had Luka beside her.

"Are you kidding me?!" Juleka goes to stand on the grass next to Alix as an angry man with his equally angry son are standing in front of the black-haired woman. "Refusing to allow my son to join the roller derby team is sexist!" The man bellows.

The woman rolls her eyes, "it's not sexist, Monsieur."

"Bullshit! Not letting someone join a sport you would benefit from having in him due to their sex is sexism!"

"You can't be sexist against men." One of the parents call out.

"Who says?!" The man sneers. "Oh I see. You have your feminist garbage going on, huh? That's why my son can't join?"

"Your son can't join because you're a jackass." The man balks, "furthermore, roller derby isn't a sport that males are involved in. Period. End of discussion. It's hardly sexist given the amount of sports women are exempt from. Anyhow, I'm sure there are plenty of sports he'd be welcomed where they'd benefit from his presence." The son bristles. "Now get out of my sight before you're escorted out."

"You really think—" A group of tall, buff women on skates surround the man. "I-I—" He pales, "you haven't heard the last of me! I'm taking this straight to Mayor Bourgeois!" Then he and his son scurry away. The women skate over to the girls who cheer.

"As you probably realized, this is what roller derby will do to you!" The girls squeal in excitement, "meet my old roller derby team from America, The Hell Rollers. My name is Camilla Hombee—"

"W-Weren't you the president of the united states!?" A girl gapes out.

"Yes, I was." The group murmurs excitedly to themselves. "Served my two terms too."

The girls cheer, "will you run for mayor?" A parent asks, "Mayor Bourgeois' six years is almost over and we'd do well to have someone else in office." The crowd murmurs their agreement.

"We'll see. For now, I'm just trying to empower young ladies through some roller derby!" The crowd cheers loudly. "Everyone here is now part of the team, if they choose. All of you can skate and that's pretty much fifty percent of what's needed to play the sport. Next week we're gonna meet at the skate part to work on learning the rules of the sport. I'm going to pass out a sign-in sheet. Please put your name, phone number, and email or instagram or however other way you can be contacted."

Juleka watches Alix and the tall blue-haired girl jump up and down which is impressive as they are standing in the grass while wearing skates.

Catching her mother clap excitedly, Juleka signs away her life to roller derby. She was half-expecting that sexist prick to be possessed by an akuma or feather but he didn't return by the time everyone was finished signing the sheet and exchanging contact information.

Just to avoid questions from her mother, Juleka exchanged contact information with Alix and her friend Marinette. Plus another girl, also in their class, Aurore. Luka excitedly clasps on the shoulder as they exit the park.

"Marinette!" Aurore skates over to the blue-haired girl, "thank goodness you're here! I was gonna swing by the boulangerie pâtissèrie to commission you. There's a weatherperson contests coming up next weekend and I have to enter!"

"Who are you competing against?"

"Dozens of other kids around the city..." She takes a deep breath, "including Chloé." The blonde sticks out her tongue shaking her head, "why am I even doing this to myself? I'm not a masochist! This competition will be just like two years ago and the No Beans About It spokesperson add."

"It won't—"

Frowning, Aurore points at the digital billboard by the park's exit with Chloé's (condescendingly) smiling face on it holding a can of No Beans About It coffee. "She bribed her way into the competition then threatened the judges for looking at the other contestants with her standard my maman is The Queen of Fashion and my papa's mayor bull!"

Alix chuckles at the blonde's perfect imitation of Chloé.

"Come over tomorrow after school and we'll work on your outfit."

Aurore hugs the blue-haired teen, "you're the greatest, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Seriously. At least I'll look cute when I lose." Alix barks out a laugh as Aurore releases Marinette and skates off.

✍ ..

Karma scrambles to climb the top of Arc de Triomphe. She should've known her clumsiness didn't take a break while transformed.

A portal opens and Bunnyx steps out. Before she opens her mouth, Marinette—Karma—jumps to her feet hugging the Avatar of Time. "Don't get all mushy, KarmicKitty. I... I wanted to let you know I appreciate you. Always have. Always will."

"Same for me."

"When we get our matching tattoos, make sure you don't wear a low cut shirt. I mean, we won the lawsuit but still."

"Huh?"

"Something Future You wanted me to tell you."

"Future ...Me!?"

"You didn't think I was the only one who is still at this gig four years later, did you? Why do you think I call Lady Luck 'Minibug?'"

"Four years!? Y-You're so... tall!"

"Mini-Me gushed at that too. But you get taller too so..." Bunnyx scoffs, "never got my moment in the sun next to you. But I'm taller than Future Kim and Future Nath." She pumps her fist in the air. "Okay, Kim and I are the same height but..." One shoulder shrug, "semantics."

"W-Why would I be wearing a low-cut shirt to begin with?"

"To impress a certain someone." Bunnyx points to her mask, "I was waggling my eyebrows but remembered you can't see them. She's gonna be alright, you know. Okay, you're worrying about more than one person. Minibug and Mini-Me are gonna be okay. Next time I see you I'll bring a picture of the three of us. Don't wanna spoil the rest of the team... because the members and powers and everything aren't set in stone."

"So there are things you can't talk about."

"Everything I say has already happened. It's etched in – let's say – bookmarks in time. You offering me a place to stay after the time loops bs? Always happens in every timeline. Though I have never, in any timeline, figured out how they stopped altogether." She shrugs. "The tattoos happen – the pred... sub... the shit that happens before it? Not set in stone. So no low-cut shirt."

"But if it's gonna happen what's the harm?"

"You really want some creep ogling your goodies so hard he screws with your tattoo? And... you know—" Bunnyx gestures to her chest.

"Good point. But if I'm not wearing the low cut shirt and he screws up anyway..." Karma moves her hands in a seesawing motion, "I don't know what to say. You know me as well as I know myself, so you'd know as well as I do that if I'm trying to impress someone I'm gonna fail spectacularly."

"Not always." Bunnyx winks at her.

"When do we find out who Lady Luck is?"

"That is not set in stone. I mean you always find out but—" Bunnyx makes vague hand gestures, "even I can't predict a timeframe."

"You came here knowing I'd be early."

"Now you're catching on." Bunnyx releases her. "You're a good, Kit, Karma. Gotta go." She kisses Karma on the forehead then opens a portal. "...See you tonight." Then she jumps in the portal.

A few seconds after the portal closes, Lady Luck gracefully lands on the Arc.

"Now you're just showing off."

She takes a little bow and Karma chuckles. "Have you been here long?" The Avatar of Destruction shakes her head. Before Lady Luck can open her mouth, a portal opens underneath them and they fall in.

Lady Luck gracefully lands on her feet while Karma flails a bit and lands in a crouch.

"Greetings, Lady Luck. Greetings, Karma." Karma gets to her feet and the both turn around to someone dressed as a horse who is bowing. "You may call me Cosmic Colt."

"Must we?" Lady Luck elbows Karma, "ooh... wasn't supposed to say that out loud. Sorry."

To both girl's surprise, Cosmic Colt chuckles. "No harm done. My kwami insisted on a flashy name as well as an alteration. I delivered on both accounts. In any event, as I'm certain you realized, I am the one who handed you your Miraculouses—"

"Are you also responsible for distributing Mme. Mite and M. Méfait's Miraculouses?" Lady Luck interrupts.

"No. They were stolen from my partner..." Cosmic Colt clears his throat, "the only bright spot in this horrible scenario is that they are being used together so we won't have to look in multiple places when we retrieve them." He takes a knee setting down a large octagonal box. Lady Luck and Karma hesitantly approach. When Cosmic Colt opens the box it separates and splits in two directions. The side on the left has five spaces on the outer side with two spaces in the centre. The side on the right has six spaces on both the outer and inner sides.

Four spaces are empty on the side with seven spaces that make up the colors of a rainbow, while three are missing from the side with twelve spaces. Each of the nineteen spaces from the two combined box sides are a different color. "This is my Miracle Box. Guardians from The Miraculous Order are taught in pairs."

"I don't think we're gonna like how this story ends..." Karma mutters.

"I was fortunate to have my partner beside me in life and in training. She guarded the Miraculouses you two wield, as well as the Miraculouses of M. Méfait and Mme. Mite. The entire half of her Miracle Box was stolen due to my carelessness and still she—she only blamed herself." Cosmic Colt sighs heavily, "it took us... a while but we thankfully managed to secure all the missing Miraculouses. However, the peafowl and butterfly were later lost in the chaos."

Karma eyes her partner folding her arms over her chest. "Where is your partner?"

"She is..." The man absently turns the ring in his hands, "she is... at our homebase." Karma and Lady Luck share a glance and the former gives a one shoulder shrug. "Up until two centuries ago, the usage of Miraculouses were more common. Unfortunately, as a result more and more people attempted to steal the power and use it for personal gain, which caused an increase in corrupted Miraculouses. In order to combat this, The Order decided to hide away the Miraculouses from the world and train less Guardians to protect them."

"How does a Miraculous become... un-corrupt?" Karma asks.

"I will let you know as soon as I become aware."

"You don't know?" Lady Luck hisses.

"I am essentially 'new' at this gig. It hasn't even been fifty years since I became a Guardian." Karma whistles, "neither my partner nor myself have seen a corrupted Miraculous in person, therefore we have yet to see the reverse corruption process. I would imagine it is the opposite of the corruption process but that's a vague answer."

"What happens to a Miraculous when it becomes corrupt, then?" Lady Luck asks, "or have you not seen that either?"

"You are not the first ladybug to doubt her power or destiny, Lady Luck." Karma eyes her partner who bristles. "Nor the first to shield yourself behind a snide, lackadaisical attitude."

Lady Luck's eyes narrow. Karma quickly looks between the two of them. "H-Hey! Let's talk about what's missing from—oh. Is that a rabbit face? That's Bunnyx's Miraculous, right? In the white space?"

Cosmic Colt shakes his head then his eyes snap up toward Karma. "Y-Yes, it is. Apologies. I was ...distracted. The other missing Miraculous is my partner's, the ox."

"Ox?" Karma eyes the half on the right. Twelves spaces with a rabbit, an ox, a horse are all missing? "These are the zodiac animals. Huh... and I'm the cat."

Lady Luck gives her a strange look, "are you referring to Fruits Basket?"

"You've seen that anime?!"

Lady Luck clears her throat, "without a school to attend, I have had... free time."

"Do you need other recommendations? Are you watching the reboot—"

Lady Luck clears her throat again, a bit louder this time, "we can speak more on the subject later." Karma nods happily. "If those are the zodiac animals, what do the others represent?"

"Wǔxíng and yīnyáng."

Karma pumps her left fist in the air, "thank you māmā for teaching me Mandarin." She whispers, "I don't recall any wǔxíng tale being about animals."

"The Miraculouses have existed since the dawn of time. Tales involving them have... changed." Cosmic Colt clears his throat, "in any event, I will tell you two about all the Miraculouses under my care, as well as everything I know that the butterfly and peafowl are capable of."

✍ ..

Alix spits her soda out in front of her as a portal opens in the air, throws Karma out, then closes and disappears. Karma manages to land on her feet in front of Alix. "Well... that was odd."

Karma blows out a breath, "I'll tell you all about it. Be right back. Claws in, Plagg." Alix shields her eyes as a black light engulfs Karma's body, and when it disintegrates Marinette is left standing there with her kwami floating near her head. She gives Alix a two-fingered salute before climbing down the fire escape.

Alix climbs back into the bedroom the same time as Marinette pops open the trap door. The blue-haired teen collapses on the chaise. "You found the Guardian?"

"He found us. Told us all about the nineteen Miraculouses he had in his care, including yours."

Alix takes her pocket watch out from under her hat, Fluff floats out of her hat as well. "During your maman's pregnancy, she and your papa met with the sages. They sensed you were the Time Avatar and sent for them, giving them my Miraculous to give to you on your fourteenth birthday. While the Kubdels were hailed for being 'ahead of their time,' the pocket watch you received from your papa is not the one he received from his papa."

"Did me being the Avatar of Time kill my maman?"

Fluff looks down frowning, "I honestly don't know."

Alix sighs heavily and Marinette puts an arm around he shoulder drawing her near. "Hey, wait—! If... If I didn't get the same pocket watch as my old man. A-Are you saying there are fake Miraculouses out there?"

Plagg picks up Alix's soda then takes a gulp full. "There are." Fluff replies, side-eyeing the cat kwami as he belches, "there is one fake Miraculous for every real one out in the world. It's something the sages devised in case of theft. Hasn't always worked but with my Miraculous, it had."

"My family stole the fake Miraculous of the rabbit and passed it off as an heirloom?" Fluff nods, "those... assholes!"

"Wait, if you or the sages or whoever gave M. Kubdel the real Miraculous – does he know about you?"

"No. I mean, yes." Fluff frowns, "he knows about the existence of kwamis and the existence of me, in particular, but he and I have never met. The sages didn't trust him, and rightfully so all things considered, so I was released from my Miraculous. That... as it turns out, clouds a kwami's connection to its Miraculous. Wasn't able to properly watch over Alix because of it. Anyway, the reason for your repeated deaths was to recharge my Miraculous. Your family stole my Miraculous' power and you had to pay the price for their greed. Being a Kubdel and the Avatar of Time was... ironic to the sages."

"So they sadistically allowed Alix to die more than fourteen times?! That makes them as big a bunch of assholes as Alix's family!" Marinette yells. Beside her, Plagg nods in agreement.

✍ ..

Tues, Sept 15th, 2020

As Max adjusts his schoolbag, Markov happily chitters beside him. "Update completed." Markov's eyes flash grey before turning back black, "my update has determined the possibility of alerting civilians when there is an amok or akuma attack."

Max pauses in putting his shoes on to look over at Markov, "how?"

"Based on my analysis of Alya Césaire's footage on the Luckyblog regarding the three possessions she was present for, there is a significant albeit brief decrease in air quality when one becomes possessed. However, I believe if I can be recalibrated to pick up magical energy, it might prove more useful."

"Uh..." Max scratches his head, "I don't think that's something I'm capable of doing for you, I don't know the first thing about detecting magic let alone how to locate it. And I absolutely have no idea how to locate anyone with the ability to find magic." With his mother already having left for work half an hour ago, Max locks up the apartment and heads to the station. Instead of stopping, the metro zooms past everyone waiting. The other people waiting begin murmuring to one another as they look around. Markov beeps then turns to Max with an image of Lady Luck and Karma swinging after the metro.

"Attention patrons—" The intercom crackles to life, "—this is station master Melvin. As I'm certain you just saw, the brakes on one of the metros stopped functioning. Don't worry though, Lady Luck and Karma were informed of the situation and should be in the process of stopping the metro."

Max glances up at Markov who shakes his head.

Everyone else in the station murmurs excitedly.

The intercom crackles on once more several seconds later, "attention patrons, this is station master Melvin again, I've just been informed that Lady Luck and Karma managed to secure the metro before a crash could occur." The other people in the station begin cheering. "Another metro should be arriving at your stop within the next ten minutes. Have a good day."

When Max enters François Düpont, there's this crowd surrounding a brunette, in an olive green shirt that matches her eyes and a pair of blue jeans, who is sitting on a staircase. "It was so terrifying! The metro had to be going at least 300 miles! People were screaming and holding onto each other. Out of nowhere in true superhero fashion Karma just like burst through the train doors!" The crowd gasps excitedly.

Max spots Alya among the crowd happily holding up her phone like a professional reporter. He makes his way over to the orange-haired girl. "What's going on?" He whispers.

"Lila was on the metro this morning! The one that lost control of its brakes? Did you hear about it?"

Max nods, "I was there—" Alya gasps turning to him, "in the station, not on the metro." She visibly deflates as she nods. "Lila, what else can you tell us? I need this for the Luckyblog." It could be Max's imagination or his glasses are in need of cleaning, but an almost predatory look crosses the brunette's face for a fraction of a second before she smiles brightly.

"The Luckyblog, you say?" She gracefully gets up from the stairs and the crowd parts as she steps down the stairs over to Alya. "I'd love to be on your blog! I owe Lady Luck and Karma my life after all."

"See you in class, Max." He waves as the two girl start walking arm-in-arm, "do you think an akuma was involved?"

"Oh no! This was a totally different entity..." Max and Markov exchange a dubious glance as the rest of the crowd scatters.

"Kubdel, don't let me catch you in my halls with skates again!" Damocles yells.

Max turns around from his locker just as Alix stops in front of hers. The pink-haired teen opens her locker retrieving a pair of sneakers from the top compartment. She sets the sneakers on the floor then jumps out of her skates and lands in the sneakers.

Markov chirps happily floating over to Alix, "that was impressive. And I caught it in real time."

"Heya, Markov." Markov preens as Alix pets his head. She turns to the left, "hi, Max."

"Hi." Alix ties her skate laces together and puts them on her backpack, then she starts subbing things from her bag to her locker and vice versa.

"Alix, you were involved in the creation of the Luckyblog—" Markov begins.

"Not really." Alix interrupts.

"—irregardless, do you know how I can be recalibrated to sense magic?' Blinking, she looks up at Markov. "I believe that upgrade can help me assist Lady Luck and Karma in terms of alerting Paris whenever there is an akuma or amok attack."

"Okay... I get why you wanna do it but magic doesn't—" She abruptly stops talking and her eyes widen, "I know who you can talk to."

"You do?!" Max asks.

Alix turns to him beaming. "I do! Meet me here after school. I'll even skip art club for this~" Whistling, she closes her locker, hefts her backpack over one shoulder, then walks down to another locker opening it.

When Max enters the classroom, Lila is sitting on a desk talking about the metro while the majority of the students are surrounding her. Max walks past the crowd and heads to his seat. Markov floats over to him a few seconds later. Max gives Markov a questionable glance as the robot floats down to the desk.

Chloé and her pale, nasally friend walk into the classroom laughing. They both abruptly stops walking upon seeing the crowd, "what the fuck is all this?" The blonde yells. The crowd dissipates as nonchalantly as they can before Chloé marches up to the brunette. "You've got some nerve putting your ass on my desk."

"I was just telling the class about the metro incident this morning."

Chloé's eyes narrow, "the what?"

Lila gasps, "how did you not hear about the metro incident? It's all over the news!"

"Does it look like I—" She points to herself, "frequently traverse to metro stations? I don't think so." She huffs, "and regardless of what happened it doesn't justify you sitting on my desk!"

"I—"

"How'd you like it if I rubbed myself all over your desk?" Chloé pulls the brunette off her desk then pushes her to her desk. "Stay there." Grumbling, the blonde takes some sanitizer out of her purse and sprays the desk.

"Wow. Is that necessary? It's not like I have a contagious disease or anything!"

"Oh you have one, alright. It's your ignorance and I don't wanna catch it." Chloé sprays the seats for good measure then takes some paper towels from Professeur Bustier's desk and wipes down the desk and seats. "The next time you cross me, Sausage Hair, you're gonna regret being in this class."

The brunette gapes, subconsciously stroking the front bits of her hair – that kind of do look like sausage links.

Professeur Bustier walks in the classroom. "My goodness, what a morning! Is everyone alright? Did anyone happen to get stuck in the station due to the metro incident?" The professeur sets her briefcase down nodding at the hands raised, "I'm glad you're all alright and able to be here today. Now everyone, please take your seats." A few students squeak in the classroom before the professeur closes the door.

Chloé props her face with her right hand, eyeing that girl chatting up Adrien. Chloé is very protective of her naïve best friend, and a girl like that will take advantage of said naïvety. Out the corner of her eye, she sees Dupain-Cheng with a sketchbook in her notebook. Oh please, that little ploy didn't work last year. What makes her think it'll work now?

Before Chloé can open her mouth, she stares wide-eyed at what the blue-haired teen is sketching. It looks like a romper but with shorts and it's black with red polkadots and there's a helmet with cat ears that are red in the middle. Is that an inverse of Lady Luck's look—for her mother's contest!?

With the blue-haired teen distracted, Chloé subtly takes her phone out of her purse and snaps a quick picture of the sketch pretending like she's looking through her phone. As much as she hates to admit it, doing an inverse look is pure genius. And when her outfit is twice as good as Dupain-Cheng's she'll win the contest for sure! Unlike her father, her mother won't automatically pick her as winner once her name pops up. Something about in-epti-tude and... a bunch of other big words Chloé didn't know the definition of.

Once class ends, Lila waits for everyone to exit the room before making her way to the professeur's desk. "Professeur Bustier, what is the school's policy on bullying?"

"It's not tolerated." The redhead recites, "why?"

"I believe I'm experiencing bullying... from Chloé Bourgeois."

"Oh." The professeur frowns, "are you certain?"

"What?" Lila deadpans.

"Are you certain?" The professeur repeats, oblivious to the brunette's change in tone. "Mlle. Bourgeois is very... particular. Not to mention her being possessed by an akuma had to be a harrowing experienc—"

"Are you..." Lila takes a deep breath, "I'm sorry." She pauses to take another deep breath. "Are you seriously justifying her behavior, Professeur? She's terrible! Worse than any akuma!"

"I don't believe that. No one is truly terrible—"

"I don't even know why I bothered." The brunette grumbles walking out of the classroom, oblivious to the professeur gaping at her retreating form.

Because it's too much of a hassle hopping on the metro to go home then come all the way back, Alya stays in the building or goes to Le Grand Paris with Chloé and Sabrina for lunch. Today, she opted for the former. She's sitting in the art room giggling to herself. Lila gave her permission to upload the interview onto the Luckyblog. Now all she had to do was wait for Markov to scan the recording and it'll be on the website.

There weren't any feathers or butterflies, so this wasn't the work of Mite and Méfait. Lila claimed it was a different magical entity involved, rather than just a faulty brake like the station master claimed. It's possible.

Alya knows a bit about trickster entities thanks to Nora, who named her kickboxing persona after the West African spider trickster Anansi. (Together they did research on all West African deities for the best name.)

That, along with the reported encounters she heard people had with the superheroes Majestia and Knightowl, made her want to become a reporter.

Majestia and Knightowl were clearly adult superheroes; yet Karma and Lady Luck appeared to be teenagers. Then again... magic. Then again... again, Alya doubted magic made them look as young as they are. Superheroics didn't seem to care what age you were as long as you could get the job done halfway decent, you kept your gig. [That explained why Sparrow was still a superhero despite his half-ass-id-ness.]

Alya wouldn't be foolish enough to post important information about the heroes that Mite and Méfait or any evildoer asshole sympathizers could read about and use to their advantage. However, if she did ever find out important information about the heroes she might faint from excitement.

The art room door opens and Kim enters with a sigh, shutting the door behind him. "Hiding from someone?" Flinching, Kim turns to her but remains splayed out against the door.

"I am. You know that swim champ Mortimer?"

"The one apparently named after a Greek god or something? In troisième?"

Kim nods, "yeah. That guy. I beat him in a swim race about a week and a half ago so he challenged me to a rematch then I beat him again." Alya whistles, "I thought that would be it but he won't leave me alone! Every day he sees me he challenges me to a swim-off! It's like being caught in a bad cartoon or something!" He runs a hand down his face, "worse of all, the swim professeur thinks I can go pro but I don't know if that's what I want. Sure, I like swimming well enough but..." He trails off with a sigh.

"You don't gotta decide now."

"Guess that's true... but I don't wanna be in the same vicinity as that dude. Maybe I'll join the art club. Everyone but Marinette and Nathaniel is short. I can reach high stuff off the shelves for everyone."

Alya snorts a laugh. "I should join the art club myself. I'm always here."

"Kim!" Mortimer screams, "Kim! I just wanna race!" Kim locks the door then crouches down. The bang on the door startles Alya; the black-haired teen presses his face against the door window and looks around as much as he's able before disappearing, screaming Kim's name.

"Whoa. That is just like a bad cartoon..." Alya takes her feet off the table, "he might be at it for a while. We still have an hour of lunch left." Groaning, Kim slumps to the ground. "I have some blackberries my ma packed for my lunch. We can share?"

"I have... an issue with blackberries." Kim says with a frown.

"Is it because they're not the right color? My sister's like that."

"Well there's that and they always get stuck in my teeth." Kim's stomach grumbles loudly, "but I'm not really in a bargaining position. You got yourself a deal."

Lunch ends then they head to Professeur Mendeleiev's for science. Or they try to except there's an akuma that's half fish – their top half – and half person – their bottom half – standing in front of the classroom. Alya can already guess who this is but she takes her phone out and starts recording all the same. "Kim!" It screeches turning to them, "now you can't get away from our race!" Alya zooms in on Kim's horrified expression.

"What the—" Alya angles her camera downward then has to make sure she didn't accidentally hit a filter or anything because water is filling up from the floor.

Professeur Mendeleiev bursts out the classroom door hitting the akuma, "everyone out, the school's flooding!" The students panic and start screaming as they run out of the building.

"Oh no, you two aren't going anywhere!" Alya turns around in time for the akuma to gather his bearings then grab her and Kim with its clammy hands.

"Eww!" They cringe simultaneously.

"Keep recording Unluckyblogger, I want Lady Luck and Karma to see this." Still grimacing from the clamminess, Alya reluctantly angles her phone at the akuma's face. "Hello ladies, I am Proteus and I'll drown François Düpont unless I get your Miraculouses! And you—" He turns to Kim, "you'll never run away from another race again!" Once he starts cackling, Kim cradles his face in his hands.

✍ ..

Marinette chokes on air and Alix pats her back. Lunch ended like five minutes ago and they were making their way back to the building when droves of students were running out of the building that started pouring out water. Alix suggested checking the Luckyblog and sure enough "Proteus" appeared.

"The school is flooded!?" Sabine asks as they re-enter the shop. Alix wordlessly shows her the live footage from the Luckyblog from her phone. "We should look into another collège." She mumbles, putting a hand to her head.

"We'll be upstairs." Alix says ushering Marinette up the stairs.

As soon as they're in Marinette's room, Marinette opens her purse and Plagg flies out. "Something is seriously wrong with the butterfly Miraculous user." He sighs.

Fluff lifts Alix's hat then floats out of it, "you know that the butterfly wielder has no control over the transformations. It's the affected soul that chooses what they appear to be."

"So someone deliberately decided to be half fish half person? And picked the fish half for the top!?" Alix asks. Fluff nods with a frown.

"Right. Time for my post lunch cardio. Claws out, Plagg." Alix looks away as Marinette transforms. Yet somehow she still has stars in her eyes when she opens them.

"I'll do the whole pillow cover for you." She clears her throat, "and I know how to perfectly imitate your voice."

Karma blinks at her, "h-how?! That—we gotta do a ventriloquist thing someday." Alix grins at her. Karma climbs out the balcony. Alix waves before she pole vaults off the building.

✍ ..

Kagami opens her eyes to see Tikki frantically waving her hands. "Wha...?" The blue-haired teen sits up and picks up her hearing aids from the table and puts them in. "What is it?"

Pausing, Tikki turns to her. "Your phone. There's an akuma at François Düpont!"

"Again? This makes the fifth of six akuma or amok attacks on the city that's come from there. Okay technically it is the fourth at the building as the second attack overall was a student who attended there but the attack happened somewhere else." Kagami sighs, "either way, is Bunnyx certain I should be attending this collège?" Kagami picks up her phone and sees the live notification from the Luckyblog. Odd. She... doesn't remember adding that app on her phone. She glances up at Tikki, "I believe there is something you neglected to mention to me." Before Tikki can reply, Kagami turns her phone to her. "It explains why you knew my phone was alerting me."

"It's a blog – whatever that is – about you and your partner. Says it also informs civilians about an amok or akuma attack. Seemed like a good idea to add it."

"How did you even bypass my password?"

Tikki shrugs, "I'm magic."

Kagami frowns, "right. Spots on, Tikki."

✍ ..

Lady Luck opens her eyes and scowls as she's floating upside down in Cosmic Colt's portal, "what... the fuck is going on?"

"You—" Another portal opens dropping Karma, "are in need of assistance to defeat this akuma." Karma shakily lands on her feet breathing a sigh of relief. Lady Luck is set rightside up; she does a double take staring at the bowing ox before them. "I am Bovine. I create the potions that kwamis need to power up. François Düpont is flooded, you won't be able to enter as you are."

"What about all the students?!" Karma asks.

"Fortunately, all but three students – including the akuma – have been taken out of the school by Cosmic Colt via portal." Bovine holds out two blue vials, handing one to each of them. "I need to know your kwami's preferred food of choice so that I may have Cosmic Colt drop off the appropriate items at your places."

"Huh?"

"There are power-ups available for your kwamis. Eight, to be precise. I will cook the potions into food for your kwamis for easy usage. Understand?"

"No, but do it anyway." Karma says locking her hands behind her head.

"Tikki has an affinity for sweets." Lady Luck states. "Cookies in particular. I don't have much of a sweet tooth so my mother has found my recent purchases to be... odd."

"There are savory cookies you could buy. Or even some pâtissèries you can make that aren't that sweet they won't arouse suspicion."

"I am incapable of baking. Plus, the hotel we are in doesn't have an oven."

"What if... I get your kwami's food for you? Like a weekly supply. We start patrolling the city for weirdness and I give you the snacks on Sunday to last you the whole week. Maybe about, uh, fifty things a week."

"Why so many?"

"Seven times seven is forty nine. If Tikki eats as much as Plagg does you're gonna need a lot of food. But if it's too much let me know and I'll downsize."

"That's very nice of you. I appreciate it."

Karma smiles at her before turning to Bovine. "As for me, Plagg'll eat anything. He gripes about not having whatever camembert is but he'll eat any food I split with him and then some. I guess you can make his potion from cheese danishes?"

"Camembert is an expensive and malodorous type of cheese. It's native to France."

"Is it? I've never heard of it."

"Then perhaps we can trade? Your pâtissèries for some camembert weekly."

"Sounds good." Karma gently shakes the vial, "do we... drink this?"

"Oh heavens no! We haven't tested its effects on humans and I doubt now would be the best time. You break transformation, give it to your kwami to drink, as you transform again say power-up aqua upon calling your kwami's name." Karma and Lady Luck exchange a glance and the latter gives a one-shoulder shrug. Two blacked-out curtains drape themselves over where the heroes are standing. "I already know your identities but you don't know each other yet. And to drop you off back at your houses only to bring you back again will take too much time."

"Very well. Spots off, Tikki." Karma squints in Lady Luck's direction and doesn't even see the flash of light Alix says happens when a transformation breaks. (These are some seriously powerful curtains.) She even pokes the curtain, pushing at it, and it does not move.

With a shrug, Karma utters, "claws in, Plagg."

Plagg flies out of her ring then sniffs the vial hesitantly, "eww... what is that?"

"The aqua power-up." Plagg looks around wide-eyed, no doubt trying to locate the voice. "Don't tell me you forgot my voice after just one century."

"Sugarcube?"

The cheery voice giggles. "Yup! Gouda to hear your voice, Your Cheesiness."

"Y-Yours too." The kwami chokes out. Marinette hums. So that's why Bovine did this. So the kwamis could talk to each other, no matter how brief.

"I'd hate to cut this reunion short but we have civilians to save."

"R-Right." The cheery voice deflates. Lady Luck sounds a bit... different when not transformed. Not that much different but Marinette doesn't recognize the voice anyhow. She has to wonder if she sounds any different transformed. She'll ask Alix.

"Spots on, Tikki: power-up aqua."

"Bye Plagg!"

"Bye, Sugarcube..."

Plagg sighs then turns to her. Marinette pats him on the head, "we'll find some way for you to see each other again." He blinks up at her then nods. "Plagg, claws out: power-up aqua!" She goes through the motions of her transformation except it feels like getting hit with a refreshing splash of water on a hot summer day. There are green scales on her suit and she has a mermaid tail. Hell, she even has gills. "Check it out, I'm a catfish!"

The curtains raise and Lady Luck's whole suit is redesigned: the whole thing is covered in scales; the black spots of her suit are now different types of black seashells with her tail being the inverse: black with red seashell spots.

"Ready?"

"Wha—?" A portal opens underneath them. "Aw, crap!" Then they fall through.

As soon as they fall through the other side of the portal they're submerged in water.

"I can't swim." Lady Luck hisses.

Karma grabs one of her arms, "maybe we can magically swim through magic water?"

They can't. And Karma isn't that great of a swimmer. It's like frantic paddling especially since she's still holding onto Lady Luck. Maybe she'll ask Kim for swimming lessons.

Karma manages to aggressively paddle them to the top where Lady Luck takes a huge gulp of air climbing onto a desk. Wait... a desk? Karma looks around noting they're in a classroom, a science lab to be exact, and most of the desks have floated to the top.

Karma paddles over to the desk, "now what?"

Lady Luck sits up then looks around, "something's moving on the roof." She easily (and surprisingly) pulls her partner out of the water, then grabs her by the waist and yo-yos out the window and they swing back to land on the roof.

"You know, I was getting tired of waiting." Lady Luck blinks then rubs her eyes. There is a half-fish, half-person sitting on a lawn chair holding a tall brunet in one hand and the recorder girl in the other. The half-fish person stands and the butterfly mask outline appears over their face, "do you have any idea how many students I've drowned because you two were taking your sweet time? Couldn't even challenge Kim either." The outline disappears, "but once I get your Miraculouses we're gonna have the best swim-off ever!" Rather than letting his hostages go, the fish person grows two extra arms to keep a hold of them.

"I don't even think we're dealing with a fish anymore." Lady Luck says making a face.

"I'm not just one fish, Mlle. Lady. I am Proteus and I'm every deadly fish known to man—" He paused then cleared his throat, "a-and women. And—" He groans. "people? Wait. That's not right. Every deadly fish known to humankind!" He breathes a sigh of relief. "Sorry. I'm striving for equality for everyone. Plus, I'm kind of a huge fan and—" The mask outline reappears over his eyes, "yes, Mme. Mite. I'll get the autographs after I retrieve their Miraculouses." He blinks, "b-but what are their Miraculouses? I don't think I've ever heard you say what they are."

"Looks like Mme. Mite doesn't have full control of the individual affected by her akumas." Alya whispers to the camera, turning it to her briefly before facing Proteus once more. "Is this recording live?"

Wait a minute... Alya's eyebrows furrow. What's the deal with Lady Luck and Karma's outfits? It almost seems like they're fused with a fish or something. Alya makes sure to zoom in and take in every detail of their new outfits as much as she's able. (She might need to get a different phone with a better camera. Or maybe just go old school and use a camera.)

Proteus is having trouble dodging Lady Luck and Karma's assault while still keeping a hold of them. He grows a third pair of arms and Lady Luck slices one at its seems with her yo-yo.

(Her yo-yo is shaped like a seashell! Alya internally screams.)

"Why don't we even the playing field?" Proteus lifts his free arms and the water level begins to rise. As Lady Luck looks around, she notices no other building in the vicinity isn't affected by the water.

"Lucky charm!" She yells before the water completely submerges her... again. A fishing net drops into the water in front of her. "Karma, can you use your ability?"

"My...? Oh."

Karma's face falls and Lady Luck blinks at her, "you... your kwami still hasn't told you about your abilities yet?"

"I..." Karma rubs the back of her neck, "I also haven't... asked? I'm still stuck on the batons, truth be told. Plus, we kinda haven't needed 'em?" She chuckles then clears her throat as Lady Luck narrows her eyes, "b-but I'll make sure I get some talking in tonight."

Lady Luck grips the fishing net. "Let's play!" Proteus screams swimming toward them with empty arms. Karma quickly looks up seeing two silhouettes above them. Lady Luck grabs Proteus in the fishing net redirecting him toward the top of the water.

He screams as he jettisons from the water then dives back into the water toward the two.

Karma hits Proteus with her fin as she tries swimming toward Lady Luck. "Maybe your lucky charm should've given you water wings instead."

As they try swimming away from Proteus he grabs them with his extra arms. "Why don't we go for a swim, ladies!" He cackles as he drags them deeper underwater.

"If you're trying to drown us, you'll be here a while. We have gills." Proteus abruptly stops and Lady Luck uses his surprise to use the end of the net's stick to jab him in the throat.

Karma winces as he starts wheezing. When Lady Luck pulls the stick away there's a pendant on the end of it. A purple ooze surrounds Proteus before it dissolves reverting him back to whoever he is. Neither of them have any idea. He frantically looks around before swallowing water.

The akuma flutters out of the pendant and Lady Luck's fishing net turns into the "miracle net" and she scoops up the akuma. "No more corruption for you, little butterfly." The net morphs back into the yo-yo and Lady Luck tosses the yo-yo in the air, "miraculous cure!" The water surges upward and before they can fall, tiny pink glowing ladybugs surround them then the entire building.

The water disappears entirely and the five of them are transported in front of the school. And their power-ups disappear in a flash of pink as well.

"I couldn't even record because of all the water!" The recording girl screams.

Karma holds out her fist and Lady Luck stares at it, "talk to your kwami." She says before they fist bump. After Karma nods, they both help up the previously possessed guy.

"O-Oh my gosh!" He shouts halting Lady Luck from yo-yoing away, "i-it... it's such an honor to meet you both!" He blushes, "T-Though I wish it weren't..." He sighs, "I'm... I'm so sorry I let my jealously get the better of me and—"

"Lady Luck!" The reporter girl runs over to her other side, eyes sparkling, "Alya Césaire: Luckyblogger. C-Can I interview you for the Luckyblog?"

The reporter girl retracts her phone as Lady Luck's eyes narrow, "you wish to interview me."

"Yes?"

"And what of Karma?"

The reporter girl does a double take, "w-what about Karma?"

The orange-haired girl flinches as Lady Luck takes a deep breath, "that's the problem, isn't it?"

"Wha—?"

"I understand your intentions were no doubt honorable creating the 'Luckyblog' but Karma and I are partners standing on equal ground. She's literally the only reason I'm involved in this. No interview inquiries about her mean none with me." Nodding at her partner, Lady Luck swings away. As everyone is gaping at where Lady Luck was just standing, Karma silently creeps away in the opposite direction.

✍ ..

"I... can't believe I just did that." Kagami unceremoniously collapses on her bed.

"You're a very passionate young lady. I think it's admirable standing up for your partner like you did."

Kagami grabs her phone and unlocks it opening the Luckyblog app. So Karma is pictured there with her batons and her colors were in the alternating letters of the website's name. However, most of the inquiries on the website pertain to Lady Luck.

Grumbling, Kagami sits up then scans the website from page to page. "This is ridiculous!" She throws her phone but Tikki flies over and catches it before it hits the wall. "What is wrong with people? Is Karma invisible to them? 337 questions about Lady Luck and four about Karma and they only ask about the nature of her relationship with Lady Luck!"

"You're biased." Tikki sets the phone down on the bed, "you don't want the attention as Lady Luck—"

"I'm used to getting negative attention, Tikki. I'm also used to obvious pity. This? This has nothing to do with me. It's completely unjust that Karma is brushed aside when we arrive and kick ass together. You... well I'm not certain if you see what I see when we are fused but..." She grits her teeth, "even that well-meaning girl just brushed Karma off. It's completely unacceptable."

"Remember what the Avatar of Space said, Duusu – the peafowl – is the kwami of emotions. Méfait uses people's emotions to get them possessed by an amok or akuma. I mean... wait a second. I'm guessing Méfait uses Duusu's feathers to locate an individual with a strong emotion then Mme. Mite uses the akuma to possess them? I believe that's correct. In any event, they'll use your anger against you and you absolutely cannot be possessed! Ever."

"In case you hadn't noticed, I have a fairly short temper."

"Yes, but you also have a blithely objective albeit jaded view of the world. It'll take a lot to get you truly angry enough to get possessed over." Tikki sighs, "like your partner not bein—"

"Appreciated to her full potential." Kagami takes a deep breath. "I suppose I cannot be faulted for the ignorance of others." Tikki gives her a flat look. "Whatever. I need to work on my meditation techniques anyhow." She picks up her phone and exits out the Luckyblog app then opens a browser to a fancy cheeses website.

✍ ..

Fri, Oct 2nd, 2020

"Lady Luck and Karma—"

"Karma and Lady Luck—"

"Lady Luck, of course with Karma—"

"Once again, Lady Luck and Karma—"

Groaning, Émilie throws down the remote and massages her temples. "This is your weathergirl, Chloé Bourgeois, with the weekend forecast." The blonde looks up at the television seeing her goddaughter pointing to the map of Paris on a green screen.

"Wait... what? Gabriel!? Gabriel, when did Chloé become a weathergirl!?"

Gabriel comes into the living room with two mugs, "what?" He turns to the television and sees Chloé prattling on. "No idea. What time is it? Shouldn't she be in school?" He sets one mug down in front of his wife and the other in front of him as he sits down.

The doorbell rings and Gabriel groans before getting up and heading to the front door.

He's hardly expecting Audrey to be on the other side. She takes her sunglasses off. "Gabriel! Where is she?"

"Émilie?"

"No. Charmainé Cloris." Beaming, she holds up a photo. Gabriel squints at the black and red polkadotted romper with a red collar. "I can't believe my previously thought talent-less daughter produced this! I am losing my mind over it." She barrels into the house and plops on the couch next to Émilie. "Look at this. Can you believe my daughter made this?"

"Honestly? No."

"Neither can I!" Audrey sinks back into the couch, "she's a finalist in the little competition I made a few weeks back." Audrey takes another photo out of the manila folder in her hands and hands it to Émilie, "this is my other finalist. Marinette Dupain-Cheng. I'll admit, it's not what I think of when I hear high fashion but, evidently, 'high fashion' isn't really a thing. I got an article about it. The girl's got guts, I'll give her that and this... although the outfit speaks Lady Luck it also doesn't. It's interesting."

Émilie stares at the black jumpsuit that has cherries all over it. "Is this... a roller derby outfit?"

"They call themselves blackberry clobber. Obviously she modified the uniform to be cherries rather than blackberries but the damn thing is genius. And get this, Camilla Hombee is in charge of the team."

Émilie frowns, "Camilla Hombee. She was as terrifying as she was beautiful." They both sigh heavily and Gabriel stares at the two of them.

✍ ..

"Go, Marinette!" Sabine cheers. Beside her, Tom enthusiastically waves a banner in his hands. On her other side, Kim and Vinh were cheering loudly. Mme. Camilla Hombee paid Marinette for the creation of their team uniforms and told them Marinette and Alix were the best skaters on the team and that Alix was tiny but a powerhouse. (Sabine believed her; Alix could lift Marinette over her head with ease. Given they lived in a time with superheroes, supervillains, magic, and time loops; Alix being born with super-strength was hardly surprising.)

Sabine saw Alix's father and brother among the crowd. They've been trying to get in contact with Alix, especially after Tom and Kim finished getting all of Alix's stuff out of the apartment last week. Surprisingly, Alix didn't have a lot of stuff. It was less than ten boxes of stuff, they put neatly in Marinette's closet. According to Alix, all she needed was her skates. They just... didn't realize just how many pairs of skates Alix Kubdel had. At least two of her boxes were nothing but skates. All gently used.

The most surprising thing about roller derby was the tiny, pale orange-haired bespectacled girl Sabine had often seen in Chloé's company was working in tandem with Marinette. Honestly, Sabine had no idea how this sport worked but it was entertaining to watch.

Chloé glowers at her hands. It was hard to check her nails with this damn terrible lighting. Sabrina sending her an invite to a roller derby match she was participating in was surprising. Being on the same team as Beauréal, Dupain-Cheng, and Kubdel was even moreso.

Sabrina had skated up to her before the match started and started babbling about one thing or another; Chloé doesn't remember. But what she does remember is seeing Dupain-Cheng completely changed her outfit idea from a few weeks back! It's a good thing the only thing Chloé stole was the idea to do the inverse polkadot colors. She didn't make the romper with shorts like Dupain-Cheng did and her romper was sleeveless with a red collar.

Dupain-Cheng's outfit wasn't even high fashion, Chloé doubted her mother would consider it.

"Isn't this exciting, Chlo?" Adrien asks.

"Of course it is, Adrikins." She tonelessly replies trying to turn her phone screen to her nails so she can clean her cuticles. She felt a hangnail but she couldn't see it.

As the teen beside her gasps, Chloé boredly looks over to the rink where Sabrina – meek and tiny (though not as tiny as Kubdel) – Raincomprix brazenly shoulder bashes a much larger girl distorting her momentum. Chloé's jaw drops. The large girl catches herself before she can faceplant onto the rink. She bares her mouthguard shaking off the hit as she skates off. Sabrina speeds up to catch her. Chloé stands, "ram her again, Sabrina!" The blonde blushes then abruptly sits down.

Chloé huddles closer to Adrien who has a rulebook in his hands, "hits from behind are illegal." He whispers.

Chloé makes a face, looking down at the rulebook before glancing up at the rink again. "Wait! What's happening?!" She shouts as everyone gets off the rink.

"They're switching." Adrien replies. "Now it's the blackberry clobber girls turn to select the jammer. That's the one who scores. The girl Sabrina bashed. While the other team has their blockers try to prevent the jammer from scoring by lapping them." Chloé nods. She doesn't understand it but as long as Sabrina's team wins. "Marinette already went up a few minutes ago—" Oh good. Chloé missed that. "Looks like they're picking Alix."

Chloé scoffs, leaning back in her seat. "This should be interesting."

Alix Kubdel is small. Like she hadn't grown after école primarie, small. But thankfully Chloé didn't know her then. Didn't matter how small she was though, the little freak was strong. She arm wrestled a freakishly muscle-bound boy in troisième last year and won.

So Chloé was hardly surprised when Alix came up that no one was able to catch her or ruin her momentum by bashing her. (The blonde begrudgingly applauded along with the crowd.) Alix was damn near untouchable on skates and was prone to physical contact. This sport was cultivated for her. Damn. Now she's sorta bummed out she missed Dupain-Cheng flailing all over the rink.

The ref blows the whistle, "winner: Blackberry clobber!" Eleven girls skate onto the rink waving at the cheering crowd. "And let's give it up for peach meringue bandage!" The other team, with fourteen girls – Chloé counted – skates onto the rink hugging and high-fiving the other team. "Don't forget to check the scheduling for next Friday's match. Thank you all and have a wonderful evening!"

Adrien gets up as the crowd starts leaving but Chloé pulls him back to his seat. "We'll wait for the commoners to clear out before making our way to Sabrina." He nods.

"Jules! You were awesome!" Luka hugs his sister over the railing. "Introduce me to your team!"

"Half your team is gone." Anarka says with a frown.

"The league only allows fourteen competitors." Juleka replies, "some girls were cut." Juleka was surprised when she breathed a sigh of relief that her name wasn't called among the group of girls no longer on the team. She spent the past two weeks building a camaraderie with Alix, gushing about how awesome Karma is. Sure, Lady Luck was cool too but Juleka preferred Karma – for obvious reasons. One being breaking her family's photo curse. After the first team photo, they took after cuts and Juleka wasn't obstructed by anything she screamed and dropped her phone, cracking it.

She took some pictures with Alix, Marinette, and Aurore afterward and sure enough she was clear in all of them.

"Juleka!" Luka looks up at the blue-haired goddess skating in seemingly slow motion over to the railing. When she reaches the railing time resumes normally. "All of us are gonna grab a bite to eat at this new 'scratch-made' restaurant Adélaïde's parents own."

"I'll—ow!" Juleka turns to her brother who gives her a knowing look, eyes quickly darting to—oh. She chuckles, "this is my brother Luka. Luka, this is Marinette."

The goddess extends a hand Luka (eagerly) shakes, "nice to meet you."

"Nice to meet you too." She even sounds heavenly. Juleka subtly elbows him and he (reluctantly) releases Marinette's hand.

"Let me ask my maman if I can go." Anarka grabs her daughter and they give the duo wide berth.

"You were incredible out there."

"Yeah? Thanks. The team is great. Hell, the whole league is great."

"Are all the teams named after fruit?"

"Yeah! Aside from the two teams today we also got raspberry chocolate scuffle, banana split knuckles, lemon uppercut, and grape jab. So far there are only six teams in the league but we're hoping to expand to eight by next year. Mme. Hombee is really passionate about roller derby."

"I can see why. It's amazing."

Juleka skates over to them grabbing Marinette's arm, "we're all good. See you at home, Luka."

"Bye Luka. Nice talking to you."

"Maybe we can talk more after your next match?"

Marinette smiles and nods, "I'd like that." Juleka rolls her eyes pulling Marinette along.

"Please don't tell me you have the hots for my brother?"

"W-What? We just met! I mean, sure he's absurdly cute but... we just met." Marinette squirms, "do those gauges hurt? I've always felt weird looking at them. Like there's a giant hole in your ear. I mean, I have my ears pierced but you can't see the hole and it's certainly not seeable through it."

"Luka's got all sorts of piercings... if you're interested." Juleka waggles her eyebrows. "Too young to get a tattoo though. Maman said she'll do it herself but—" Juleka sucks in a breath.

"Your maman sounds amazing. You gotta introduce her to the team."

"You're gonna wanna retract that statement once you meet her."

Marinette laughs.

✍ ..

"I can't believe your papa of all people just went off on my old man!" Alix laughs, doubling forward putting her hands on her knees. "I was sure he was gonna get possessed by an akuma!"

Marinette laughs, about to put the key in the boulangerie pâtissèrie (her parents were taking a calming stroll at the park to prevent being possessed), when she sees a woman in an all-too-familiar black and gold romper with the patented cursive A on the back of the left pant leg to the right of the shop.

Alix follows Marinette's line of sight at the woman just as she turns to them. She takes her sunglasses off (though neither of them are sure why she's wearing them when it's past 8 and the sun has been down for about an hour or so). "Finally! I've been waiting here for five whole minutes! Is there any particular reason you are closed so early?"

"Roller derby. My parents closed the shop to watch my match. There's a sign on the door—"

"I'm perfectly capable of reading, Darling. I saw the sign. The sign that neglected to mention when the shop would be open again and who to call in case of an emergency."

"An 'emergency' that you need a boulangerie pâtissèrie for?" The woman raises an eyebrow at the glowering pink-haired teen. She turns back to Marinette.

"Where can I find a Marinette Dupain-Cheng?"

"Uh... I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

"Are you?" The blonde looks her over (and Alix grits her teeth because that expression alone just pisses her off). "Well, I'm certain as you know just by looking at me. I'm Audrey Bourgeois: International Queen of Fashion. Ironic as it sounds, I have selected your anti-high fashion look as a finalist in my polkadot high fashion competition." Marinette's jaw drops. "Oh Darling, that is most unprofessional. Not to mention utterly unbecoming." She gently puts a gloved hand under Marinette's chin closing her mouth. "You'll report to Le Grand Paris Château tomorrow at noon to replicate your outfit for me. Your angry pink-haired assistant is also welcomed. And just remember: professionals are never late." The chauffeur gets out of the car with Audrey Bourgeois' face on it and opens the door for Audrey Bourgeois. She gets in the towncar, closing the door herself; the chauffeur nods at them both before scurrying to the driver's seat then driving off.

"This is a good news, bad news situation huh?"

Marinette snaps out of her stupor, "I'll say." She shudders, "just the way she speaks alone reminds me of Chloé."

"Well she had to get her bitchy attitude from somewhere, right? Might as well be hereditary."

✍ ..

Sat, Oct 3rd, 2020

"Chloé, you look so professional!" Sabrina squeals. The blonde turns to her adjusting the lapels of her baby blue suit jacket. "Doesn't she look amazing, Mylène?"

"Hm?" The rainbow-haired teen startles then nods, "y-yes. She looks incredible." She sighs internally. She'd rather be anywhere but here but as long as her grandparents are working with the Bourgeois' she's doomed to be here. Pretending to give a damn about whatever they're doing.

Sabrina helps wrap Chloé's hair into a neat bun and the blonde puts on a pair of glasses with the frames that match her suit. "Alright girls, it's time to win us a contest."

When her mother told her she was a finalist, Chloé was hardly surprised but she put on a surprised face. As she exits the elevator with Mylène and Sabrina following suit, her heart drops into her stomach when she sees who her mother is talking to.

"Oh, it's Mari—" At Chloé's glare, Sabrina begins coughing.

"It's utterly unacceptable that she is here. Imagine being a finalist in a competition created by Audrey Bourgeois, standing next to Dupain-Cheng."

"Chloé, she made our team's uniforms. She'll hella talented." Chloé gives the orange-haired teen a deadpanned stare, "but you're much, much better!"

Huffing, Chloé walks – more like stomps – over to her mother. "Ma—uh... Mme. Bourgeois." She salutes, "Chloé Bourgeois, reporting here for designing."

"I like your energy." She pats Chloé on the shoulder causing the blonde to frown. "Marinette. Charmainé Cloris. The rules are simple. You have three hours to replicate your design outfits in front of me. There is every fabric known to humankind in my travel cart but there's a limited quantity on everything so first come first serve. Remember to represent the polkadots and do Lady Luck proud."

"Um, what about Karma?"

The blonde pauses then turns to the pink-haired girl, "I'll hold another contest to represent Karma." The pink-haired teen scowls. "Look, no one was showing up with anything in basketweave patterns so I didn't make a contest for it! Polkadots aside, Lady Luck's color scheme is better anyhow. Green? It's so two years ago." Alix grits her teeth but Nathaniel holds her back. "Now, when the timer hits zero you shop for the materials you need then begin designing."

Before either of them could open their mouths the timer dings with a big red zero on it. Marinette and Chloé exchange a quick glance before dashing off with their "assistants" behind them.

Audrey sighs, "I love fashion." She goes to take a seat.

The travel "cart" was more like a mobile walk-in closet. While Chloé was grabbing up everything in her path, Marinette was more meticulous about her materials. Marinette called Kim to be her second assistant but Kim nominated Nathaniel instead; figuring he would be a better fit. Marinette had no problem with the idea, Nathaniel was one of the most creative people she's ever met. Even if they really have never spoken to each other without Alix or Kim around. Or... maybe they haven't spoken to each other ever.

"Out. Out." Chloé dumps all the stuff in her hands into Sabrina and Mylène's then grabs more stuff. The blonde looks around. All the fabrics are one color. How the fuck is she supposed to do a polkadotted challenge without polkadots?! Her eyes widen. Wait... she's not supposed to make polkadots herself, is she? Oh thank goodness this isn't live.

She sneaks a glance at Dupain-Cheng delegating to Kubdel and... whats-his-face-not-Kim to grab certain fabrics.

As soon as she figures out how to DIY polkadots, she's gonna crush this competition!

Chloé exits the travel cart then drops her fabrics down on her workstation, "how the hell do you make polkadots?" She whispers.

"I thought polkadots were pre-made?"

"Evidently, they aren't in this competition, Sabrina, or I wouldn't be asking."

Mylène happens to take a peek over in Marinette's direction. The blue-haired teen and her assistants, she recognizes Alix easily but not the redhead, calmly exit the travel cart and Marinette holds up a dark blue fabric to the light. Chloé is so going to lose. And Mylène is never gonna hear the end of it.

Chloé screams running her hands through her hair ruining her bun. Rolling her eyes, Audrey gets up from her chair then walks over to her daughter's workstation. "Let me guess: You stole someone else's design and had one of my tailors make the romper for you?"

"I-I... I didn't steal anything but ...yes to the last bit."

"Okay. Fair. If you didn't steal the design idea Charmainé Cloris Abbyegael Blayre Bourgeois, what material is your dress made of?"

Chloé gulps, "huh?"

"Materials, Dear. Fabrics clothing consists of? Don't you know the most basic of fashion terminology?"

"Of course I do! I learn from you!"

Audrey irritably taps her foot, "did you? Well, you clearly haven't learned enough! I should've known better than to put my hopes on you. I was so excited. Actually proud of you for once." Chloé gapes at her, "did you steal that girl's design?" She jerks a thumb over in the blue-haired teen's direction.

"I told you I didn't steal anything."

"Based on what I see before me, I refuse to believe you came up with that design all by yourself. Serena."

"U-Uh... it's Sabrina."

"Not the point!" The orange-haired teen snaps her mouth shut. "Did you see my daughter come up with this romper design?" Sabrina looks between Chloé and Audrey. "Well!?"

The orange-haired teen meeps. "No. B-But! I didn't see her not come up with it!"

"There you have it. I believe in layman's terms that means you forfeit and Mlle. Dupain-Cheng is automatically the winner."

"Like hell she is! I can come up with something twice as good as her!"

"I doubt that very much. Jean-Jacob—" The man opens his mouth but Audrey holds up a hand, "I don't need your life story. Clear Charmainé Cloris' workstation. She's done here."

"You can't do this to me!"

"The hell I can't! I will not have you riding on my coattails expecting to get a free handout in the fashion world, Charmainé Cloris! My empire is too important to ruin with your inadequacy!"

"Bet you 200 euros she's getting possessed again." Alix whispers to Nathaniel.

"Bet her maman gets possessed instead." He whispers back. They stare at each other before shaking hands.

"Your empire is more important than your own daughter!?"

"You're both of equal importance but I made this empire on my own and no one will destroy what I've created! Family or no family." They both glare at each other with Marinette, Alix, Nathaniel, Sabrina, and Mylène looking on. Alix divides her attention between looking at the staredown that'll undoubtedly create an akuma possession and the akuma in question approaching.

Chloé screams, "fine! I don't need this. I'm out of here!" Huffing, she storms out the building.

Audrey rolls her eyes, "she's so damn dramatic." She sighs heavily. "Mlle. Dupain-Cheng, please continue working. You have two hours and forty-five minutes remaining." Marinette nods then continues to work on her outfit.

✍ ..

"What do you mean 'no?'"

"Chloé didn't prove to be an efficient possession and Audrey is no longer angry enough."

Émilie sighs, "I'm starting to lose so much patience you might as well possess me with an akuma."

"These things take time, Love."

"A month of fighting children, Gabriel. Children! We—Something has to change. I refuse to have my dreams shattered by a brightly-colored insect and mangy, flea-ridden pest!"

"Our dreams." Gabriel amends.

Émilie smiles sweetly at her husband. "Of course, Love."