"I know you're afraid." Mylène speaks with eyes full of pity, "But I'm more afraid than you are. We'll get through this. Or maybe not."
Her hands were shaking, making her forget what she said just a few seconds ago. Her legs were also shaking.
Her heart was beating wildly. As if alerting her that fear was coming for her. Getting closer... CLOSER...!
She faces her companion with a look of determination, "We can't let fear win. We're going to look fear straight in the eye, and say-!"
"BOO!"
Mylène screams and loses her balance. Luckily for her, she falls on her bed. After a quick breath, she glares at the culprit, "Mullo!"
The Mouse Kwami laughs in amusement, "What? You were going to say something to fear."
Mylène continues to glare at her Kwami, "You could've said something encouraging to your partner for a change."
Of all the Kwamis she could have been partnered with, it had to be the one with the power to multiply, and a prankster.
She and her friends were to perform in a play dedicated to the French Miraculous Superhero Team. Mylène plays the role of one of the civilians who refuses to lose hope and inspires others to stay strong and remain strong in their trust for their heroes.
And as usual, she's practicing not to feel nervous for when she performs on stage.
And the little being who was SUPPOSE to help her practice not be afraid, was just messing with her!
"Mullo. This is a big deal for me." The teenage girl starts to freak out, "It's a play dedicated to the heroes of Paris. THE, HEROES, OF, PARIS! I can't just freak out on stage, or everyone will start throwing tomatoes at me and my friends!"
Mullo chuckles then sighs nostalgically, "Yeah. That's the best part of every terrible show. The sad part is when the tomatoes aren't available when it happens."
Mylène slightly growls at her Kwami. The door to her bedroom suddenly opens and her father appears.
"I know you're nervous about performing on stage with your friends in front of more than a hundred people, but maybe you could tone it down a bit?" Fred asks his daughter.
"Sorry Dad." Mylène apologizes with a nervous smile, glancing at her Kwami who was hiding behind a framed photo of her and Ivan.
As Fred was closing the door behind him, he asks, "By the way: Did you already finish our spinach casserole? I could've sworn we had enough left for two plates."
Once her Dad was gone, Mylène narrows her eyes at Mullo.
"What? I left a piece a cake for him." Mullo points out.
Oh she did.
About the size of... 2 fingers.
Mylène sighs, "I have got to get this right. I cannot freeze on opening night."
After taking a deep breath, Mylène once more spoke her lines.
She imagines herself in an Akuma Attack: A giant Akumatized villain was destroying buildings and setting fire on everything that was getting on his/her way.
She imagines her fellow civilians, scared... confused... hopeless...
But not her. She is one of the slivers of hope in the midst of darkness.
She imagines the heroes looking at her with eyes and smiles full of assurance. Even if they don't... even if it's just a play... It was enough to give her strength.
And even in the face of evil, she will never-
"Boo!"
Once again, Mylène screams. This time, her back collided with the wall, which she uses as a support to not lose her balance.
She looks at her laughing Kwami in disbelief, "Seriously?!"
Mullo stops laughing as she wipes an imaginary tear away, "Boy! With shtick like that, you guys are sure gonna bring the house down! Hope their hospital insurance is covered!"
The Kwami continues to laugh, unaware of the increasing irritation on her Holder's face.
"Oh! You guys should definitely be a circus troupe." Mullo suggests, "You'll definitely get a lot of laughs from the heroes. Before they're hospitalized!"
Has she forgotten that her Holder is a hero too?!
Just what's wrong with this Kwami?! She's supposed to encourage her Holder, not insult her Holder and her friends.
She's just laughing in the air. And cracking jokes... And giving headaches...!
THAT'S... IT...!
"Mullo!" Mylène snaps at her Kwami, "I don't know if you have terrible tastes in modern plays, but my friends and I worked hard just to make this play a success. I don't know what's going to happen on opening night, but I'm definitely not gonna freeze up on stage, make a fool of myself in front of everyone, and make them throw tomatoes at me and my friends! We are not going to let fear win! We're going to look fear in the eye, and say... 'Take a hike!'"
"Bravo! Encore!" Mullo claps her arms together with glee, "Keep at it, Kid. Then you'll be the Star of Broadway for sure!"
...
Mylène's brain: Did... she just praise me?
...!
Mylène's brain again: Oh no.
"You did NOT just reverse psychology me." The teenage girl sasses at her Kwami.
"Oh, I, DID!" Mullo boasts proudly, "Really, Girl. You have got to stop being a mouse. And I don't mean jewel-related. Those critics can take a hike for all we care. And if they get Akumatized, you can show them who's boss, all over again."
Mylène continues to glare at her Kwami. She then grabs her by one hand, then extends the index finger of her other hand, and pokes Mullo on the (where it was normally supposed to be) nose.
"You, have, got, to, stop, encouraging me, like, THAT!" She pokes the Mouse Kwami on the (where it was normally supposed to be) nose every comma pause.
She releases Mullo. Mylène sighs, before smiling in amusement.
Which, also has a bit of annoyance on it.
Every time she gets nervous, or gets a panic attack, Mullo has to snap her out of them.
By pretending to be insensitively unsupportive.
Something she still can't stop falling for every time she starts freaking out.
And she keeps reminding herself on her phone every time.
Which she forgets. Every time.
Still... if her little Kwami went through all that way just to get her to woman up and face her fears (in the not-so softest and gentlest way possible), then that means she really does... care about her Holder.
A heart-to-heart talk works too...
"Mullo..." Mylène remarks, "You're one messed-up Kwami sometimes."
"Aww!" Mullo's eyes glitter as she hugs her Holder's cheek, "That's the best compliment anyone could give me!"
Mylène sighs, "And now I know."
One messed-up Kwami.
...
With a big heart.
...
"Mylène, have you seen my macadamia nuts?!" Fred asks from outside her room.
Mylène could only look at her Kwami with annoyance while Mullo gives her a toothy grin.