Admittedly been working on this for a while since the concept was first developed, so here is my origin story for a crack au of an ML au:
Chaton had been napping alone in his bag. It was a good nap. His bag was very soft and comfy inside. Mama made it for him that way. But then he was awoken by the feeling of his bag being opened. And something falling onto his head.
It didn’t hurt. Whatever it was wasn’t heavy. But it was still a surprise. Mama wouldn’t just drop something in the bag like that without telling him. He looked over the item in question. It made a light tinkling sound when he picked it up. It was a chain that made a loop. And attached to it was a charm that was white and orange. What had Mama called something like this?
A neck lace? It was a lace around the neck, right?
It was neat though. It looked a lot like that one Miraculous Mama sometimes took. The Foxy!
He slipped the neck lace over his head and preened.
Now he was a Foxy, too!
He played with the neck lace a bit, enjoying the feel of it and wanting to see how it would look on him. Would Mama like it? Would she be impressed? Would she make him something to go with it? Like a hat! With lil Foxy ears!
He was so busy thinking and playing that he didn’t really notice the noises from outside his bag.
“Don’t worry, Lila, I have best friend privileges so I can check, but I’m sure it’s not in there.”
Not until the bag opened.
And suddenly—
Hand! Mama’s hand! Happy hand! Hand that pets him and sometimes gives him cookies!
Mama had made his bag special so she could take him to school. And while he did have to stay in the bag and couldn’t disrupt her classes, she would sometimes check on him and pet him.
He didn’t mind the bag. Just as long as he got to be with Mama.
And to show this, he grabbed her hand in his own plush hands and gave her a nuzzle to let her know he was fine.
“WHAT THE—?!”
The hand jerked away.
Why would it jerk away?
Mama loved his nuzzles!
He felt unsteady as the bag was lifted. And then turned upside down and opened widely, making Chaton tumble out and onto a desk.
He rubbed his head and looked up in surprise at the girlies who were staring at him and holding his bag and weren’t Mama. They had taken his bag! And kicked him out of his bag!
That was mean!
The girlies gasped and scrambled away from him with a scream.
He pouted.
That was even meaner!
You don’t scream at people! That was rude!
So was grabbing his bag and upturning it and making him fall!
He wagged his finger at them to let them know they were being naughty.
They shrieked again.
“What is that thing?!”
He wasn’t a thing!
He pouted more.
That was super mean! They were meanies!
He was adorable! Not scary! Mama said so!
…oh hey! He recognized them! The first girl was Mama’s Friend!
And the second was the Meanie Girl.
No wonder they were being mean.
Alya, for her part, was panicking.
First Lila had come to her claiming that she saw her grandmother’s memento in Marinette’s bag—which…Alya wasn’t so sure about.
Okay, Marinette had taken things before…usually at Alya’s own encouragement, but she wouldn’t just go stealing something like that for no reason. Knowing the girl, if she DID have it, she had probably just found it somewhere and decided to hold it in her bag until she could find the owner. That seemed like the sort of thing she would do. And the only reason Alya could think of that Marinette would take something as precious as Lila claimed it was.
But since Lila had already announced it was hers, Alya didn’t see any issue with checking Marinette’s bag for it just to reassure her it wasn’t there. If it was there, she could ask Marinette about it and act as a buffer and clarify what happened. She had a feeling Marinette wouldn’t respond well if Lila asked her herself.
Especially with the way she asked in front of everyone. Honestly, she would have preferred to do this privately or talk to Marinette first, but Lila was really adamant about the necklace. Alya just figured she would just check now and that she could smooth things over later. So she brought along Rose and Nino since they were both chill enough and would act as neutral observers. If the necklace was in Marinette’s bag, they at least wouldn’t jump to any negative conclusions.
But imagine her surprise when she found something inside the bag when that something grabbed her hand.
And that something was a doll.
A doll that was apparently moving on its own.
And staring at them.
Oh…oh boy…
She’d known Marinette to make traps before but this?
This was…something else.
Something like—
“Is that an akuma?!” Alya gasped. “Oh my god, it was in Marinette’s bag! Is Marinette akumatized?!”
Lila backed away, seemingly fearful. “She must be!”
Chaton frowned.
The girls were already mean! But now they thought Mama was a ‘kuma?
He shook his head furiously.
Of course she wasn’t! Mama wouldn’t do that! ‘Kumas were blecky and she didn’t like them!
And he’d never let a ‘kuma get her anyway! He was her protector! And he did a good job! He’d eat all those blecky ‘kumas if he had to!
Nino was observant at least.
“Wait…is he shaking his head?”
Chaton nodded.
Lila pushed Nino, making him stumble a bit. Who cares? Just kill it and let’s get out of here!”
Chaton started, pulling back in fear. His eyes grew wide and his mouth wobbled.
Nino stared. “Dude, is it crying?”
Rose gasped.
“Oh no! Don’t worry! No one will hurt you!” She reached forward and pulled the little guy into a hug.
“Rose!” Alya warned, trying to grab Rose back.
“But look at him!” She insisted, holding him tightly in her arms. “He was going to cry!”
“Akumas don’t cry!”
“Then he’s not an akuma!” Rose insisted, clutching the doll to her chest.
Chaton appreciated being held. It made him feel safer. But not as safe as when he’s with Mama.
This girl was nice. Maybe she’ll help him find Mama? But she was upset. He nuzzled her shoulder to make her feel better.
Rose practically glowed.
“Aww! You’re so cute!” She cooed, rubbing a couple fingers along his head.
Chaton smiled and pushed into the fingers, clearly enjoying the attention.
Rose gave a squeal of delight and started petting him more and—omigod, he was purring!
Alya looked close to screaming, even as she was moving for her phone. “Rose! Get away from that thing!”
The normally nice girl gave them a dark glare. Just daring them to try and take this from her.
Everyone immediately took a step back.
It seemed they would have bigger things story about than the living doll if they upset Rose.
