Notes: A shout out to zoe-oneesama for all her brilliant ideas (more to come)
Disclaimer: I don't own the Miraculous franchise
Miraculous Universe
Ch. 6: The First Akuma
It was the summer before lycée was to start. Most of the students were taking it easy, but as they all hung out in the park, Aurore was restless.
"What's on your mind, Aurore?" Chloé asked, "I realize that sounds like a trick question."
"I, and Mireille, entered into a contest to see who would be picked up to become a future weather girl. If I win, and I'm sure I will, I'll be one step closer to becoming a weather girl full time, just like I always wanted."
"You've certainly got what it takes," Alix said.
"I know. There's one thing I'm an expert at, and that's the weather."
Kim piped up, "I thought Alix meant the fact that you're a bubbleheaded, bleached blonde."
"HEY!" Aurore protested, "My hair is NOT bleached! I'm a natural blonde. Plus I'm pretty."
"How do you feel about it Mireille?" Marinette asked.
"To tell you the truth, I only really entered the contest at the behest of Aurore. She said it would help me get out more. I don't expect to win. I wouldn't know what to do if I did."
"The thing is," Aurore continued, "We're the last two contestants, and the winner depends on how many votes they get. They'll announce it soon. All you have to do is send a text."
By the end of the week, everything Aurore mentioned came to pass. She and Mireille stood onstage awaiting the results. The host, Alec Cataldi, kept going back and forth, discussing things with his superiors. Finally, the votes were in.
Alec was now front and center, "And the winner is...Mireille Caquet!"
"I am?"
"She is!?"
Alec rudely shoved Aurore off the stage, "You only lost by about a million votes or so. No need to be a sore loser."
Aurore wanted to scream, but seeing her friend up there, awkwardly waving at the camera, she couldn't ruin her moment. Instead, she ran to find somewhere to cry.
"I can't let anyone see me upset like this."
She settled for hiding in a restroom stall. She completely broke down sobbing.
"I couldn't have lost by that much! I want to see the results! I should've won! But...I can't take it out on Mireille. She's my best friend. It's all just so frustrating."
Meanwhile, at the Agreste mansion, Gabriel was going over some designs, while Nathalie was looking at news articles on her Pad when she got one for the weather girl contest.
"Victory by a Landslide"
"Gabriel, I think this might be the opportunity you were waiting for."
He glanced at the article.
"A million votes? No doubt this is another publicity stunt by Alec. They cause an unlikely result, someone discovers the mix-up, the studio apologizes, and all Alec gets is a slight reprimand. Still, we can use this to our advantage. Let's go."
"Actually," Nathalie said, "Give me five minutes."
She ran out of the room. Gabriel went to his lair. As she said, it was about five minutes. She walked in holding a bag. Gabriel was already in costume.
"What took you?"
"The Grimoire shows the Butterfly user needs an actual butterfly to send their chosen champion power. It's not very clear if you can use anything else, so I went to the park real quick and caught a butterfly."
She pulled a jar out of the bag to reveal a butterfly. Its wings were red, white, and black, with large spots.
"We'll just have to figure something out later," Gabriel said, "Open the jar."
She did so, giving it a shake to coerce the butterfly to come out. To their surprise, once out of the jar, it landed on Gabriel.
"Well that's convenient."
"It must be a side effect of your powers," Nathalie said, "Maybe it does have to be a butterfly. By the way, have you thought of your evil villain name yet?"
He gave her a look, "You've been watching those movies with Adrien, haven't you? If I must, then I'll keep it simple. I am...Le Papillon."
"Yeah, that's pretty simple."
Gabriel ignored her and focused on his Miraculous. He could feel strong emotions from everyone in the city. He then focused on the negative emotions. After a few seconds, he found his target.
"I can feel her sadness and anger. What a perfect target for my Akuma."
"Akuma?"
"Yes, I checked the notes. That's what it's called when I charge an object with my power. By the way, is there a limit to what kind of powers I can give them?"
"This grimoire is vague on a lot of things, but it does say that you can't copy the power of another Miraculous."
He held out his left hand, and the butterfly flew over and landed on it. He placed his right hand over the butterfly and began charging it with power. He moved his hand away. The butterfly was slightly bigger, and it was now black with glowing purple highlights. Now that it was an Akuma, it started to fly toward its intended victim.
"Good thing you installed a sunroof in your basement...I mean evil lair."
"It was for this small garden I planted to remember Emilie, but I'm glad there's another use for it. Fly away, my little Akuma, and evilize her!"
"That's a made-up word."
"Technically, all words are made-up, Nathalie."
"Oh, don't fall back on that excuse, Gabriel."
The Akuma flew towards the TV station. It was surprisingly fast. Once there, it squeezed through the vents until it finally reached the restroom Aurore was hiding inside. She didn't notice it merged with her umbrella. As it did, the umbrella turned black. Suddenly, she a heard a voice in her head. The outline of a butterfly appeared on her face.
"Bonjour, Aurore."
"Huh? Who's there? Where are you?"
"Permit me to introduce myself. I am Le Papillon."
"The Butterfly? That's not very scary."
"It doesn't matter. I can feel your righteous indignation."
"My what?"
"I know you're upset. You've been cheated out of what should've been an easy victory. Cleary this contest was rigged."
"Rigged? Why would they do that? Still, that has to be the case. I couldn't have lost by that much. I have the knowledge. I have the looks. I have the better fashion sense. I have an umbrella with me almost all the time."
"How right you are, my dear. That's why I'm going to help you."
"Help me? How can you do that?"
"By giving you the power to take revenge and discover the truth."
"That would be kinda cool to make them tell the truth...but revenge? I couldn't do that. That would make me a bad loser."
"Come now, Aurore. If it makes you feel better, don't think of it as revenge. Think of it as...punishment. The world deserves to know the truth about this contest. They won't listen to you normally because you're just a teenager. With my help, they'll have no choice but to listen."
Aurore seemed to be losing herself to his power.
"Yeah...they'll have to listen. Wait, I don't have to hurt my friends, do I?"
"Of course not. I'm leaving everything in your capable hands. However, in return for my support, I have one simple request."
"There's always a catch."
"If at any point a superhero shows up to stop you from accomplishing your mission, I want you to defeat them and take any accessories they might have on their person."
"Why?"
"It's a special item called a Miraculous. It's what gives them their powers. Take that away, and then they can't stop you."
"Oh...yeah, that makes sense. So what kind of power are you giving me exactly?"
"I can't think of any more appropriate power than the ability to create and manipulate weather however you like."
"That does sound awesome. Do I get a costume?"
"Of course, Aurore. I'll even let you help design it."
She closed her eyes as she was enveloped in purple energy. When it faded, her blue dress was now black, the edges resembling a cloud, with a purple lighting symbol in the middle. Her blonde hair was now black and white. Her flats were now thigh high white boots with dark purple leggings. She was now wearing white opera gloves. Her eyes were covered with a black mask shaped like thunderclouds. She was also a whole foot taller.
"I look good."
"A magnificent creation, Aurore. Now for a name."
"My name is now...Climatika!"
"Brilliant! Now go forth, my champion. Show them all who the real weather girl is."
Aurore now had a sinister smile on her face as she kicked the stall door open. She headed for the roof, and then leapt into the air. A strong wind lowered her to the ground. She held her head high as she descended outside the building. The crowed was murmuring amongst themselves.
"Who's that?"
"Is this another publicity stunt?"
"Nice costume."
"Attention, citizens of Paris! I am your new weather girl, in more ways than one! Things are about to get very cold this summer! My name is Climatika!"
She flew back into the air, and with a wave of her umbrella, caused high winds to blow everything away.
"I won't rest until everyone pays for tricking me! That type of behavior leaves me cold."
As she said that, snow began to fall.
Meanwhile...
Marinette was visiting Fu as usual. They were sharing a meal and watching TV.
"I can't believe Aurore lost. I thought she'd be a shoe-in."
Suddenly, a news report came on.
"This is Nadja Chamack. Don't be bemused, it's just the news. It seems a teenage girl in a costume, calling herself Climatika, is responsible for the odd weather occurrences. She's focused primarily on the news building."
The camera zoomed in on Climatika.
"Hey, wait a minute. That's Aurore!"
"I knew this day would come," Fu said.
"You did?"
"Yes, Marinette. I have seen this power before. Your friend is being manipulated by someone else."
He reached into a cabinet and pulled out a suitcase.
"You're not leaving are you?"
"Oh no, I just need to get something."
The suitcase looked big, but the inside seemed like it didn't hold much. He removed the inside to show that it was actually holding a wooden box.
"That's so pretty, Master. What is it?"
"This is called the Miracle Box. It's meant to keep the Miraculous inside."
"The what now?"
"Do you remember when I told you about that ancient temple that was destroyed years ago? I was there as a boy years ago. When the temple came under attack, the guardians gave me this box and however many Miraculous I could grab before it was too late."
He opened the box, and Marinette was mesmerized by the ornate jewels it held.
"These are the Miraculous. Each one gives you superpowers, a costume, and a special ability."
"Are you going to use one to stop Aurore?"
"I'm too old for that sort of thing, Marinette. You'll have to do it."
"ME?! I don't know how to be a superhero!"
"But you are a good person. I realize this is a lot to ask. You're still so young. However, I trust you."
Marinette tried to find words, "As someone once said, this is heavy."
"I am sorry about this, Marinette. Maybe you're right," he said, stretching to his full height, "I should do this myself."
"No wait! Aurore's my friend. If someone has to save her, then I couldn't live with myself if I didn't try."
"I'll try and explain quickly. Your friend is affected by the Butterfly Miraculous. An item called an Akuma has possessed something on her person and made her a supervillain. You have to destroy the akumatized object, and when the Akuma emerges, purify it, otherwise it could multiply. You'll need this."
He handed her a pair of earrings that were red with five small, black spots.
"This is the Ladybug Miraculous. Put them on, concentrate on making yourself a costume, and then say, transform me. The costume comes with glamour, so no one will recognize you."
"If you say so," she said, putting them on, "Transformez moi."
She was enveloped by a red light. She was now wearing a red and black outfit. The red parts had small, black spots on them. A red mask covered her eyes. Her pigtails had come undone, so now her hair was at her shoulders. Her shoes were now boots. She was wearing fingerless gloves. She looked in a nearby mirror.
"Wow, I am good at this. Although...do you think I can take her on by myself?"
"Don't worry. I already have a plan to find you a partner. Just try to get used to your new abilities and stall that girl until he arrives."
"He? You have someone in mind already?"
"You could say that, yes. The two of you will balance each other. Before you go, your special power is called Lucky Charm. It will use the Ladybug's power of creation to make an object that will help you in the fight. It might not always be clear how it will help, but you're very smart. I know you can figure it out. Since you're still young, if you use you this special power, you won't be able to use it again unless you de-transform and re-transform. As you can imagine, that's rather inconvenient."
"Does it have any other powers?"
"Even I don't have all the answers. For all I know, there could still be secrets to be unlocked in the future. Now you'd better sneak out and get to the TV station."
"Right. Oh, real quick. What's with this yo-yo?"
"That's your weapon. You can also use it for transportation."
Marinette looked skeptical, "Okay..."
She snuck out through the back door, while Fu grabbed another Miraculous and went out through the front. The entire sky was overcast, and it was very windy. Fu made his way towards the Agreste mansion. Marinette, meanwhile, attempted to work her yo-yo. The first time, she threw it and it came off her hand, so she had to retrieve it. The second time, she threw it and it came back to hit her in the head.
She sighed, "Third time's the charm."
She threw the yo-yo and it wrapped around a nearby chimney.
"Hey, I got it that time...!"
She was dragged through the air.
Meanwhile...
Nino and Alya were at Le Grand Paris of all places. Zoé had brought snacks for everyone.
"Just remember," Chloé said, "You're only here because Adrien is coming over."
"You're such a gracious host, Chloé," Alya said, brimming with sarcasm.
That's when the news report came on.
"Oh my gosh!" Alya exclaimed, "A real superhero and supervillain. Nino, we've got to check this out!"
"What are you, crazy? Go outside with this insane weather?"
"I made a superhero blog, Nino, I have to get footage of this. You can either come with me as my...protection, or you can stay here where it's safe."
Chloé and Zoé exchanged looks. They both knew what Alya wanted to do was nuts, but they also knew they couldn't stop her. So they simply awaited Nino's answer.
"I could never stay behind knowing you're in potential danger, Alya. I'll go with you."
"Thank you so much, Nino!" she squealed, giving him a peck on the cheek, "Come on! Let's go!"
"I guess you know exactly what to say to make a girl happy, Nino," Chloé joked.
"Be careful out there, Nino," Zoé said.
He nodded and ran to catch up with Alya.
Meanwhile...
Fu was still walking to the Agreste mansion. The wind certainly didn't help. It was nice to stretch his back though. He finally reached the mansion, so he leaned against his cane before he walked up to the gate.
*DING DONG*
"Who in the world is that?" Gabriel snapped.
"Calm down, I'll go check."
Nathalie, who had been watching the news report on her tablet, went back up to check the camera.
"M. Fu? It's still summer, you know."
"Yes, that's what I thought, but you see, I was out for a walk when this crazy weather started up. Do you suppose I could stay here until it dies down?"
Nathalie thought about it for a moment, "Very well. Come inside."
"Thank you very much!"
She opened the door herself.
"Goodness gracious. Thank you again. Do you mind if I say hello to Adrien?"
"Not at all. Feel free. I have to get back to work. M. Agreste is also busy."
"I shan't disturb you."
She disappeared back into the office, while Fu went up the stairs.
"Adrien, it's me. May I come in?"
"Master Fu? What brings you here?"
"My feet, but considering the weather, now I wish I had a car."
"I was just watching everything on the news. Isn't this what mom was always talking about? Isn't this just like that story you told me?"
"It's exactly like that, my boy. That's why I'm here."
"What do you mean?"
"Adrien, that story about the temple and the superheroes and such...did you believe it?"
"I know you wouldn't lie to me."
"Good, because the fact that this girl has been affected by the Butterfly Miraculous is proof."
"Butterfly?"
"This just in," Nadja announced, "It looks as though a superhero in a ladybug themed costume has arrived on the scene."
The camera zoomed in on said hero.
"Hey, you need to vacate the premises! In case you haven't noticed, things are starting to get really dangerous!"
"Whoa! A real superhero," Adrien said, "She's pretty."
"She also needs help."
"Is there another hero out there or something, Master?"
"I was hoping that would be you actually."
"Me? How would I do that?"
"With this," Fu said as he held out a black ring with a green paw print in the center.
"Is this one of those Miraculous things you talked about?"
"The Cat Miraculous to be precise. I realize this is a lot to ask of you since you're still a child, but -"
"I'll do it! What do I have to do?"
"I probably should've known you'd react this way. You put on the ring, concentrate on what your costume to look like, and then say, transform me."
Adrien tried to contain his excitement, "Transformez moi!"
A green light flashed and he was now in costume. It was a black outfit with gold trimming. He had gloves with claws, boots with silver toes, a long belt that wrapped around and trailed behind him like a tail, and his eyes were green and cat-like. A black mask covered his eyes, he had a small bell around his neck, and a pair of black ears on his head. He noticed he had a silver staff at his side.
"Is this my weapon?"
"Yes, and it can adapt to the situation. It's also used for communication. Your special power is called Cataclysm, which uses the power of destruction on anything you touch. You can only use it once per transformation since you're still a child."
"No one can recognize me, right?"
"Correct, because of the glamour. That should be everything. Get out there and help your new partner. Only together can you fix everything."
"Easier done than said," Adrien replied as he leapt out the window.
As he leapt from rooftop to rooftop, he kept alternating between running normally and on all fours. He stopped to check his staff.
"I wonder how this works?" he said as he pressed a button.
The staff extended to the ground, while the other end shot into the air, taking Adrien with it.
"I was not trying to do that! Although, now I get a great view. There's the ladybug girl and the weather girl."
He leaned forward and the staff started to tip over.
"That's one way of getting somewhere."
He pressed the same button to make the staff smaller. He kept looking at the ground.
"Time to see if cats really do land on their feet."
Meanwhile, Marinette was walking against the wind.
"What am I, a mime? Hey, what's that? Is that my partner? Is he dressed like a cat?"
She saw the new hero falling, so she used her yo-yo to make an improvised net to catch him by wrapping it between two lamp posts. The cat guy slammed into the netting.
"Thanks for the save, Spots."
"Are you my partner? That was a dumb question."
"Don't beat yourself up. This is new for both of us I'd say. What's your name?"
"A name? I hadn't thought that far ahead. I wish Alya was here."
"Hey, what are your names?" someone shouted.
"Alya? What are you doing here?" Marinette questioned.
"You know my name?"
"Uh...yeah, of course! You're the girl who does that blog."
"That's me all right! I'm getting a scoop."
"It's not safe here, Lois," Adrien said.
"Okay, I'll get back. Just tell me your names."
"Think of a good name. Chat Noir! No, that's too obvious," Adrien now stood heroically, "I'm...Matou Noir!"
"He sure answered that quickly," Marinette thought.
"What about you, ladybug girl?" Alya asked.
"Think of a good name. Ladybug? No, that's too obvious," Marinette finally thought of something, "I'm Ladybird!"
"Awesome! Real superheroes! I'm gonna go now. Please help out our friend up there."
As she ran the opposite direction, Nino had just caught up with her.
"Come on, Nino, we're leaving!"
He was too tired from running to argue and followed behind her. Ladybird and Matou Noir walked up to the news station. Climatika was covering the building in ice to prevent escapes.
"Hey, Ice Queen!" Noir shouted.
She whipped around, "My name is Climatika!"
"Whatever! I'm feline generous today, so how's about you call it quits right now?"
She had an unimpressed look on her face as she pointed her umbrella at him and fired a blast of wind at him, sending him flying. He repeatedly tried to grab onto something, but to no avail.
"I"LL...BE...BACK...!"
Ladybird tried something different, "Aurore, I know you don't want to do this."
"I'm not Aurore anymore! I don't have a problem with you, Red, but don't get in my way! This is for a good reason! This contest was rigged!"
"Can you prove it?"
"That's what I'm trying to do...by forcing them to admit it."
"There has to be a better way."
"Don't listen to her," Le Papillon said, "What does she know? Get rid of her!"
"You don't need to tell me twice, Le Papillon."
"Papillon?" Ladybird said, "It looked like she was talking to herself, but that symbol that appeared on her face, that must be the person who's using the Butterfly Miraculous."
Climatika began firing lightning bolts from her umbrella. Ladybird moved fast to dodge the blasts.
"Don't worry, partner," Matou Noir called, "I'm coming!"
Climatika quickly shot a blast of ice at the ground, causing Noir to slip and fall.
"That was more embarrassing than painful. Hey, wait, what happened to the Wind Witch?"
Ladybird looked around. Climatika had disappeared. In truth, she had noticed several signs and balloons with a picture of Mireille.
"Why don't any of these have my picture? There must be a reason. Enough playing around. Time to confront Alec!"
She flew back to the news building and shattered most of the glass so she could get back inside. She started hunting around for Alec.
"Come out, come out, wherever you are, Alec."
Alec was currently hiding in a supply closet. Mireille, meanwhile, was trying to get a better view of this supervillain that was her best friend. Climatika went from level to level in her search. Back outside, the new heroes were talking.
"We're not very good at this, huh?" Noir said.
"How can say that in such a nonchalant way? This is serious!"
"I know it's serious, but at least she's not going around destroying the city or something. It's just one building. Since we know she's in there, we can come up with an actual plan."
"You know what? You're right. Okay, so what we need to do is get her to come where we want her. Come on!"
As the duo ran in, they ran into Mireille.
"What are you doing out here?" Ladybird said, "It's not safe."
"She's my friend. I don't like not being able to help. She's searching every floor for Alec."
Suddenly, some of the screens came on. Climatika was broadcasting.
"I know you're following me, super dorks. I'm in the main studio. Come and get me!"
"Obvious trap is obvious," Noir said.
"You can help us best by finding somewhere to hide, Mireille," Ladybird said, "How about in that supply closet?"
"Yeah, I guess you're right."
As soon as she opened the door...
"Alec?!"
"Keep it down, Mireille" he begged, "I don't want her to find me! I didn't think it would escalate this much."
"So you did do something."
"Yes, fine, I admit it. The contest was rigged to get more attention."
"Now you've got too much attention, I think," Noir said.
"Once we're done," Ladybird said, "You'd better sort this whole thing out. Where's the main studio, Alec?"
"10th floor."
The heroes ran up the flights of stairs until they reached the room. The room was empty.
"Oh no," Ladybird said, dripping with sarcasm, "Where did she go?"
The lights turned off in response.
"Au revoir, losers!"
The doors slammed shut and she froze them over just to make sure they couldn't get out.
"Now that they're out of the way, I can continue the hunt. I'll head all the way to the roof again if I have to!"
Back in the room, it was pitch black.
"Now this was part of the plan, right?" Noir asked.
"More or less. I can't see a thing."
"Don't worry, because I can. The advantages of being a cat. Looks like she froze the doors shut."
"That presents a problem."
"I have an idea. Master Fu said we can use our power once, but we have to de-transform and re-transform to use it again. I'll use my power on the wall so we can escape, and then do a quick costume switch. What do you think?"
"I guess that's the best option. If there's nowhere safe for you to change, I'll make sure there's no one else around, and I promise I'll keep my eyes closed and covered. Secret identities and all that."
"Copy that. Cataclysm!"
Black energy was now surging from his right hand. As soon as he touched the wall, it disintegrated, letting light into the room.
"Let's keep moving, bug. I'll keep an eye out for a restroom."
They kept going up the stairs, stopping for that brief visit to the restroom.
"You good, cat?"
"Ready any time. Don't you think you should use your power already?"
"Good idea. Lucky Charm!"
She extended her yo-yo into the air, and a surge of red energy coalesced into a small towel that was red with black spots.
"Well, if she's making it rain, you have something to dry off with."
"You're cute, but it must mean something else. I just need a minute to think. Let's head for the roof."
Climatika had just reached the roof.
"I can't believe I couldn't find him anywhere! He must be on a lower floor. I just didn't look in the right place."
The heroes came running through the door.
"Not so fast, Snowflower!" Noir called out.
"For the last time, it's Climatika! Maybe getting hit by hail will make you remember!"
She fired a beam into the air, and large hailstones began to fall. The heroes quickly took cover.
"Hey, you oughta be careful. Those things could hurt somebody," he looked at Ladybird, "How about that plan?"
She did a quick scan of the area, tied the end of her yo-yo- to his staff, and then wrapped the string around the air conditioning unit.
"When I give the word, you pull on this. First, let's get rid of the hail."
"What are you gonna do?"
"Make her mad."
"I think she's already got that covered."
Ladybird threw her yo-yo and it wrapped around one of Climatika's legs.
"Now!"
Matou Noir pulled as hard as he could, which caused Climatika to be yanked to the ground. As she fell, she lost grip of her umbrella, which caused the crazy weather to dissipate. Ladybird snatched up the umbrella.
"Give that back!"
"Ready to play keep away, partner?"
"Yeah! Pass it here!"
Climatika flew into the air, but just missed it. Matou Noir caught the umbrella, but when he tried to break it, there wasn't even a scratch on it.
"I don't need my umbrella to fight you."
She turned to face Ladybird and blew a shot a stream of air from her mouth, blowing the hero back. She then ran towards Matou Noir. Her right fist was charged with electricity, while her left fist was now covered in ice. The cat hero tried to dodge every punch.
"Hey, bug? I'm getting tired!" he shouts as he tosses her the umbrella.
She tries smashing the umbrella, but to no avail.
"I can't break it either! Hey, Snow Princess! You want this?"
"I've had it with all your nicknames!"
Ladybird throws the towel in her face.
"Hey!"
Sidestepping the villain, she then uses her yo-yo to tie up Climatika, while Matou Noir knocks her over with his staff. While the villain struggles to escape...
"Why can't we break this stupid umbrella?" Noir asks.
"Maybe that Akuma thing protects the item from being destroyed easily," Ladybird said.
"Well then, it's a good thing I had a recharge. Cataclysm!"
She tosses him the umbrella, and he catches it with his right hand, disintegrating it. The Akuma emerged from the remains and was weakly flying close to the ground. Climatika stopped struggling, so Ladybird called back her yo-yo. A wave of purple energy washes over the villain, and she was now back to being Aurore.
"What happens now?" Matou Noir asked.
"I have a feeling I'm supposed to do this," she threw her Lucky Charm into the air, "Miraculous!"
It fell back to the ground.
"Nothing happened. What did I do wrong?"
"You've never done this before. I'd hardly call it wrong. Anyway, Master Fu said only together can we fix everything."
"He told me that we balance each other out."
"Creation and destruction...yeah, that makes sense. So maybe we both need to say it."
"Do we have to hold hands or something?"
"I guess it couldn't hurt. We better do it fast. That Akuma thing is barely moving, but we can't let it get away."
Noir grabbed her left hand, while with her right hand she threw the polka-dot towel in the air.
"Miraculous!" they both shouted.
A wave of magical energy washed over the entire city. Any damages that occurred were fixed, while any debris or lingering weather effects were dissipated. The butterfly fluttered past the heroes, now back to its normal colors.
Ladybird smiled, "Bye bye, little butterfly."
Matou Noir let go of her hand and looked down at the city.
"Wow, it's almost like nothing happened. That was cool."
"Yeah, I guess it was. Merci, Chaton."
"Chaton?"
"You don't mind, do you?"
"Not at all, Bugaboo."
"Oh no, that one's not gonna work."
"Sorry, we're still workshopping nicknames."
That's when they heard a faint groan. Aurore was trying to get up.
"Hey," Noir said, "Take it easy. Let me help you."
Ladybird noticed the umbrella was restored. She handed it to Aurore.
"Thank you, but what happened," asked Aurore, "Where am I?"
"You're on the roof of the TV station," Ladybird explained.
"I can't remember anything. Well, maybe bits and pieces. Did I do something bad?"
"Um...not really, no," Noir hesitated.
"Whatever you did isn't your fault...or at least not entirely. You were upset, right?"
"Yeah...I didn't want to admit it. I lost the contest to be weather girl. I didn't want my best friend to see me get mad about it. I don't blame her for anything."
That's when the door to the roof opened.
"Mireille?"
"Aurore! You're okay!" she said as she hugged Aurore.
"I'm sorry if I did anything to you."
"You didn't do anything to me...you did scare that Alec guy though. He deserves it."
"I'm happy you won the contest, Mireille."
"I wanted you to win, Aurore. I even voted for you. Turns out the contest really was rigged."
"Why would they do that?"
"That's a good question. Probably as a publicity stunt. Obviously it backfired on them, but it doesn't really matter. As soon as I found out, I sent the message to everyone. Now Alec and the studio are in trouble. They'll do anything to smooth this over. That means you can finally achieve your dream. You're the new weather girl!"
Aurore thought for a second, "No."
"What?"
"We're the new weather girl."
"What do you mean?"
"We can take advantage of this to make it so we can share the position. As much as I want to be the weather girl, the only thing better than that is doing so with my best friend."
The friends hugged as they headed downstairs.
"Well," Noir said, "I guess we better...uh oh."
"Uh oh?"
"The police showed up down there."
"I think it'd be best if we had a talk with them."
"Well then let's get down there fast."
He extended his staff as far as it could go, and then slid down it like a fireman's pole.
"Off we go, old chum!"
"Old chum?" she repeated, obviously confused.
As soon as they reached the ground, he shrank his staff back to pocket size. Brigadier Raincomprix walked up to the heroes.
"Eye witnesses have been informing us of what happened. Sorry we couldn't be here sooner, but the weather, especially the black ice, prevented us from reaching the building."
"We appreciate the thought, Officer," Ladybird said, "But considering magic was involved, I'm not sure how much you could do, apart from helping civilians."
"Magic? I find that a bit hard to believe, but considering what we just witnessed, I guess there's no other explanation. So who are you?"
"My name's Ladybird."
"And I'm Matou Noir."
That's when Aurore and Mireille walked out of the building. Aurore looked a bit scared, but spoke up anyway.
"I was the one who caused all the weather, Sir."
"That's not entirely true," Ladybird explained, "Someone was using her to cause all this trouble. She can't even remember what happened."
"I swear I tried to fight it, but I suddenly just felt really angry."
"Some jerk by the name of Le Papillon was behind this," Matou Noir added, "They have some kind of superpower that turns people into supervillains, whether they want to or not."
"Well," Roger continued, "Seeing as this whole situation is a bit beyond a police matter, and everything's back to normal, more or less, I guess all we can do is get back to business as usual. Do you think this'll happen again?"
That's when Alya came running up, with Nino close behind.
"Young lady, you should stay back."
"But the danger's gone already."
"It's okay, Officer," Ladybird said, "I'm sure she just wants to ask some questions. Feel free to add this to your blog."
"Yeah," Noir said, "Maybe this Papillon will see it and give up."
Alya started recording.
Ladybird continued, "I was going to say that we have no way of knowing what this Papillon person wants. No demands were made or anything."
"So yeah," Noir added, "Odds are Papillon will try something else at a later date. But don't worry, we'll be there to help."
"That's right! We're not going anywhere."
"Thanks a lot," Alya said, "My friends aren't going to believe this. Quick picture, please?"
The pair did a quick pose.
"Thanks again. Come on, Nino. We've got to get back to the hotel."
"But that's no fair. You took a bike, while I had to walk and/or run the whole way!"
"We'll let you handle things from here, Brigadier Raincomprix."
"I appreciate that, Ladybird."
"We better get going. Au revoir pour le moment!"
"What she said."
With their yo-yo and staff, they went a few miles away, and then stopped on the next roof.
"I can't believe it. I did it. No, we did it!"
Matou Noir smirked, "Yeah, we are pretty awesome. Looks like everything turned out all right in the end. Well, it was fun working with you, but I better get going. See you around, Ladybird."
"Likewise, Minou," she said as she swung away in one direction.
"Minou?"
He shrugged, and then sped off in a different direction.
Meanwhile...
Back in his lair, Gabriel had de-transformed.
"That was an interesting test, Nathalie. Just as I predicted, the heroes emerged to face the threat. We just need to find out who they are, and more importantly, get our hands on their Miraculous. Let's get back to work. It's best to wait for another opportune moment."
Meanwhile, Matou Noir made sure no one noticed when he leapt back into his window.
"I saw everything, Adrien. You and Ladybird did a fine job. Very clever name, I must say."
"Thanks, Master Fu. I'm still excited over it. De-transform."
Adrien was now back in his regular clothes. The ring was now a normal-looking silver color.
Adrien noticed the change, "Well that's handy. Let me know when you need me again."
Adrien was about to take the ring off, but Fu held up his hand.
"I gave it to you to keep, Adrien."
"Wait, really? Are you sure?"
"You never know when we might need a hero again. Besides, it's probably for the best that all the Miraculous I'm guarding aren't kept in the same place. By the way, you didn't happen to find out the name of the Butterfly supervillain by any chance?"
"Goes by the name of Le Papillon. Not very creative. Didn't even make any demands."
Fu looked thoughtful, "Well, I'd better get going."
"Wait a minute, Master."
He hesitated, "Yes?"
"Father paid you to translate that grimoire. You said it was from that temple and that it's about the Miraculous. Do you think...he could somehow be Le Papillon?"
"Adrien, we shouldn't assume anything, and far be it for me to make disparaging remarks about your father. It could just be a coincidence. However, I believe we should keep an open mind."
"If it is him, should I really keep this Miraculous?"
"I know it sounds cliché, but right under his nose is the last place he'd look."
"Especially if I'm the one holding it. He barely pays attention to me unless he wants something."
"I'm sorry your relationship is so poor."
"It's okay, Master. I've still got you."
Fu chuckled, "Indeed. Until our next lesson, Adrien."
After a while, Fu finally got back to his shop. Marinette was there waiting for him.
"You did a fine job, Ladybird."
"I'm sure anyone could do it, Master."
"I suppose that's possible, but I picked you for a reason. I know you and trust you. That's why I want you to keep that Miraculous."
"Seriously?"
"Who knows when this villain will strike again? Was your friend okay?"
"Yeah, but she can't remember much. She vaguely remembers hearing someone talking to her in her head. Le Papillon was the name. Straight to the point, I guess. Anyway, I'm not sure if I can do this again."
"I certainly don't want to force you, Marinette."
"On the other hand, if Le Papillon does cause trouble again, knowing that I could've done something when someone's in danger...I don't think I could live with that. I'll do it."
"Thank you, Marinette."
"I really ought to get home. My parents are probably worried about me."
"I called them to reassure them you were safe here."
Marinette let out a sigh of relief, "Thank you so much. In that case, is there anything else I should know about all this Miraculous stuff?"
"Are you sure you want to learn now? I don't want to overwhelm you."
"I've made up my mind, Master."
He smiled, "Very well."
He got the Miracle Box out of its hiding place and opened it up.
"That box is bigger than it looks," Marinette said, "It seems like there should be a lot more inside."
"There were many more Miraculous long ago, but now I only have ten: Ladybug, Cat, Turtle, Fox, Bee, Tiger, Dragon, Snake, Horse, Rabbit."
"And each one does something different?"
"Correct. If the need ever arises, it's possible to use two at once. I've even seen three used at once, but any more than that is too much."
"Master, do you think it's best that me and my partner keep our identities secret from each other?"
"I think for the moment that would be best. If in the future you trust each other enough to do so, then I won't stop you."
"Okay...what about revealing out identities to someone else, like a close friend?"
He though for a bit, "First, I'll say that being a superhero isn't easy. It's a big responsibility. It can be very stressful."
"You think I don't know that? Alya is always telling me about comic books and movies where stuff like that happens."
"That being said, if it makes things easier for you, then don't hesitate to share your secret with a trusted friend."
She gave him a hug, "Thank you, Master. By the way, since there are more Miraculous, do you think there could ever be more heroes?"
"I think you and you partner should spend more time together first. However, I certainly wouldn't count it out in the future. Now you really should get home and relax. The next time you visit, I'll explain all the Miraculous I have to you."
"Now that you mention it, I'm feeling pretty hungry. Until next time, Master."
As soon as Marinette got home, her parents scooped her into a hug.
"We're so glad you were safe with Master Fu," Sabine said.
"I'm sure you saw the news, Marinette," Tom said, "Real superheroes and supervillains."
"Yeah, it sure is crazy. Now how about dinner? I'm feeling really hungry."
"That sounds like a good idea. Wouldn't you agree, dear?"
"Sounds good to me, Tom."
Adrien, meanwhile, was trying to leave for the hotel.
"Adrien," Gabriel said, "Where do you think you're going?"
"You said I could go to the hotel and spend time with Chloé."
"After what I saw on the news? Out of the question."
"If you were watching the news, then you saw that everything was taken care of."
"It'll have to be another day."
"Adrien," Nathalie chimed in, "I think it best you reschedule. It would put us at ease after what just happened."
Adrien sulked, "Yes, Père."
Back at the hotel, Chloé and Zoé had been watching the news.
"That's so awesome!" Zoé said, "Superheroes in Paris. Who woulda thought?"
"It certainly, what was that phrase you used? It came out of left field."
Alya and Nino had finally returned.
"Saw you on the news, future reporter. Looks like you got some footage for that blog of yours."
"You can say that again, Chloé."
Nino was stretched out on the couch, trying to catch his breath. Zoé handed him a bottle of water. That's when Chloé got the phone call.
"There you are. What's the hold up? He did what? I see... Okay, Adrikins. Don't worry. There's still some time before school starts. Yes, I know. Goodbye."
Chloé looked ticked off.
"What happened?" Zoé asked.
"After this whole weather and superhero thing, Gabriel won't let Adrien come visit today. I hope he really meant it when he said we could reschedule."
"I can kinda understand where his dad's coming from this time," Nino said, "But it's not the first time he's made Adrien reschedule, and it won't be the last."
"Lahiffe," Chloé said, "You and me, we have nothing in common, save for one thing. We both care about Adrien. We'll have to work together to make sure he gets the most out of lycée."
"On that we can agree, mec."
"Good...now get out."
"Say what?" Alya said.
"I said you were only here because Adrien was coming over. Now that he's not, you can go."
"Chloé, there's no need to be rude," Zoé said, "It's not their fault what happened. The least we can do is treat them to dinner and give them a ride home."
Chloé sighed, "You're lucky my sister is such a nice person."
Later, back at Marinette's house, she was talking with Socqueline on her cellphone, who was gushing over the new superheroes.
"Honestly, you're almost as bad as Als. Speaking of which, she's calling now. Talk to you later. Hey, Als. Yes, I saw the whole thing."
"They let me post a picture and a video for my blog, girl!"
"I hope you weren't too reckless just to get a look at them."
"Who me? Never."
"Uh huh...and what about Nino?"
"Nino got plenty of exercise thanks to me."
"Help me, Nette," he said in the background.
"We'll let you relax now, girl, but we'll talk more tomorrow."
"Sounds good to me. I'm feeling kind of tired right now. I did some exercising myself."
"Good for you, girl. Talk to later then."
That's when Marinette seemed to realize, what about the earrings? She went over to the mirror to check. They now looked like ordinary gold studs.
"I guess that's why my parents didn't say anything. I'll go talk to Master Fu tomorrow. I need some rest."
She passed out on her bed.
The next day...
Marinette showed up to see Fu the next day as planned. Although once she got there, she realized she probably should've messaged or called first.
"Hey, Marinette."
"Alya! What a pleasant surprise. What are you doing here?"
"Well, you mention him so many times, plus I've met him once or twice, so I thought I'd pay M. Fu here a visit. He's very good. Sorry, I can't stay and chat, but Nora's watching the twins until I get back. Mom and dad are both still at work, and Nora can't stick around all day. She's got another match to train for. Call you later!"
Once she left, Fu switched the sign to "Out" so that they had a bit of time.
"Good to see you, Marinette. Now you'd better get into costume, because I invited your partner as well."
"Do you think he can make it?"
"Oh, I made sure to ask."
Mariette transformed just as a knock was heard on the door.
"Meow!"
"Please come in," Fu answered.
In strode Matou Noir, "Hey hey, Ladybird. Bonjour, Master Fu."
"I'm glad I got both of you here. I thought it would save time. Let's get right to business."
He placed the Miracle Box on the table and opened all the hidden panels. He pointed to a hexagon-shaped bracelet, "This is the Turtle. It's the Miraculous of protection. It allows you to create a protective barrier almost anywhere. The weapon is a shield."
"That sounds really useful," Ladybird said.
Next was a necklace that looked like a tail, "The Fox Miraculous grants the power of illusion. It's weapon, a flute, allows you to create an illusion of whatever you need, but if anything touches the illusion it dissipates."
"Could come in handy," Noir said.
The next Miraculous was a bit more obvious, as it was a small hair comb that had a bee on it.
"I know what you're thinking, but remember, the Miraculous automatically disguise themselves when not activated. The Bee is the Miraculous of subjection. Its power is to paralyze your enemy temporarily. The weapon is a spinning top, also called a trompo."
"A top? While mine's a yo-yo? Who's idea was that?"
Fu shrugged and simply said, "They may be considered toys, but they're very old, as are the Miraculous."
"Oh, well I guess when you put it like that..."
Fu picked up the next trinket, a panjas bracelet with a paw print adorned gem connecting the chains, "The Tiger Miraculous. Its weapon is bolas, and its power grants you Clout. By that I mean...I believe the phrase is, a megaton punch."
"From one cat to another, I gotta say that sounds fun."
Now he held up a choker, "The Dragon Miraculous. It allows you to become and create lightning, water, and wind. The weapon is a sword."
Marinette rolled her eyes, "Of course it is."
"I guess you could call it the perfect storm."
Up next was a sea green ouroboros bracelet, "The Snake Miraculous. It grants the power of Second Chance, meaning you set the timer, and if anything goes wrong, activate it, and time is reset. You retain all your memories so as to fix the problem. However, as time is involved, you must be very careful with it. The weapon is a lyre."
"Duly noted," Noir replied.
"These glasses are the Horse Miraculous. It gives you the power of teleportation. The weapon is a horseshoe."
"That one actually makes sense," Ladybird commented.
"This is the last Miraculous I have at the moment. This pocket watch is the Rabbit Miraculous. It allows complete control over time travel."
"Doesn't that kinda make the Snake Miraculous redundant?" Noir asked.
"It's true they're very similar, but the Rabbit doesn't have the same limitations as the Snake. It's much more dangerous. No one should ever meddle with time travel if they can help it. It causes too many problems."
Ladybird spoke up, "So what do you mean exactly? Is it the kind where you go back in time, change something, and it affects the future? Is it the kind where it was meant to happen anyway? Or is it the kind where you go back to the past, but if you change something, all it does it make an alternate timeline?"
"Uh...I honestly don't know. Please just make sure no one ever uses it...unless it's a severe emergency."
"I understand, Master. I don't like the idea either."
"As I was saying to Ladybird yesterday, it's possible to dual wield Miraculous, but it's best to save that for another time. We also agreed that you two should keep your identities secret from each other for now, but I see no reason not to share with a trusted friend. This is already a stressful job, no need to make it worse by having to lie to everyone. I also agree that in the future it would behoove you to pick worthy candidates to wield other Miraculous, or in case of emergency, your own Miraculous."
"It's okay to tell her what we talked about, Master."
"If you insist. Ladybird, keep in mind this is just a theory, but we have reason to believe that Gabriel Agreste could possibly be this Papillon character."
"Him? I know he's not the most upstanding guy, but what makes you say that?"
Fu brought out the copies of the manuscript.
"This is a project I was doing for M. Agreste. His wife found an ancient grimoire that pertains to the Miraculous, and he asked me to translate it for him."
"What did he say when you asked him why?"
"He claimed it was for curiosity and sentimentality. I don't disbelieve that, but I suspect there's more to it than that."
"And you went through with the translation because you didn't want him getting suspicious."
"Exactly right. As I said, though, it's just a theory. So please be careful."
As always, summer just flew by. What was odd, at least to Ladybird and Matou Noir, was that Le Papillon had yet to do anything since his first "appearance" with Aurore/Climatika. Marinette was glad, of course, but just to be on the safe side, she would go out at night and early in the morning to do a patrol. Thankfully, her partner had the same idea. She remembered the first night. She was running across the rooftops, trying to avoid any lights. She stopped on one roof to rest and get a better look around, when he showed up.
"Bonsoir, My Lady."
She looked around, but didn't see him. He then appeared from behind a chimney, a big smile on his face.
"Likewise, Minou. I hope you've been keeping out of trouble."
"Who, me? But of course. Anyway, I'm glad to see that great minds think alike."
"One of the reasons I go out on patrol is to think."
"About what?"
"Well, for one thing, why Le Papillon hasn't done anything else yet? For another, if Gabriel Agreste really is Le Papillon, why is he doing it? What does he hope to gain?"
"Until we get any new information, My Lady, all we can do is speculate, and that can drive people crazy."
"You've got a point there. Besides, as it is, school will be starting soon, which means a busier schedule."
"My schedule is always pretty busy, but I'll always make time for this. I couldn't leave you out on your own alone."
"You're so thoughtful, Chaton."
As they made their way across the city, they passed by a particularly loud nightclub. Some of the patrons were fighting outside. A few policemen arrived to break up the fight.
"That place sure seems to be popular," Noir said.
"I'm glad the fight was broken up."
A little later...
"I just thought of something else, Chaton."
"Do tell, Mlle. Scarlet."
"Master Fu said some of the Miraculous were missing. I wonder if we'll ever find them? I mean, if we wanted to, how would we start?"
"Maybe they'll find a way to be found."
"Do you think we should be using two Miraculous at once?"
"Maybe after a while, but we've just started. There's still lots to learn."
"I guess I just want to be prepared. I'm glad you're here with me. I can't imagine what this would be like if I had to do it alone."
"I can't say I'd like the idea of doing a solo act either. I can't stand being alone. I mean, I enjoy some private time like anyone else, but being alone for too long makes me feel...trapped."
"Boy, does that sound familiar," Ladybird thought to herself.
"On a more upbeat note," Noir continued, "I was thinking about something else. In the Miracle Box, our Miraculouses were on a yin and yang symbol. Obviously, being creation and destruction, we balance each other out."
"I think I know what you're about to ask. I know about the whole yin and yang aspect. You looked up what exact opposites they stand for."
"Exactly, and if we could apply those opposites somehow."
"Well, since you're destruction, that means you're the yin half. Yin also represents the moon, wetness, the dark, and the cold."
"So logically, since you're creation, you're the yang half. Yang also represents the sun, dryness, the light, and warmth."
"Well, Master Fu did say even he doesn't know all the powers the Miraculous hold."
"Could be worth experimenting at some point."
"There is one thing I'm wondering though."
"What's that, My Lady?"
"There's one aspect in which we're both the same. You're a black cat who embodies destruction, probably because black cats are often seen as bad luck, but there are plenty of other cultures where a black cat is seen as good luck."
"I thought of that too. I figured I'm both good luck and bad luck. Good for my friends, bad for my enemies."
"Now me, ladybugs are associated with good luck. I'm not sure how that equates to creation."
"Well, ladybugs, or coccinellids to be more scientific, are also associated with love, fertility, and prophecy. They're even important in some religions. In a way, I guess your Lucky Charm could be prophetic."
"It gives me what I'll need, but I figure out how to use it. That's actually pretty clever."
"Love and fertility could be seen as a form of creation. If you don't mind my saying, you're a lovely lady. Is there a special someone in your life?"
"Oh, uh, thank you. I don't get a lot of compliments like that. No, there's no one at the moment. With all these new developments, I'm not sure how I could fit in the time now."
"I think, if you really care about someone, you'd try to explain things to them. If possible even make it up to them if you accidentally miss out or break an appointment."
"You sound like you know what you're talking about."
"Do I?" he looked off into the distance, "Yeah, I guess I do. We should head back."
"Good idea. Same time tomorrow?"
He held out his hand for a handshake, "I wouldn't miss it."
They shook hands, but then he raised her hand, bent over, and gave it a kiss. He gave her a wink as he leapt into the night. Ladybird smiled and shook her head.
"We haven't even known each other that long, and already he's acting chivalrous. Some of the things he said...they reminded me of...is it possible? No, it couldn't be. Could it?"
She put the thought out of her mind and headed home.