“I have a near perfect GPA, but that apparently means nothing if my shorts are too short.” (From Chloé)
@changedchapters // meme (accepting)
“Aren’t you basically on a full-ride scholarship anyway, Chloe?” This wasn’t meant to be a pointed comment - she and Adrien had both received scholarship grants from their chosen university (which just-so-happened to coincide), and with that sort of thing came a number of conditions. Adrien was pretty thrilled to be earning his degree in his own right (never mind the years of economic privilege that had allowed him the time and space to study in - this was as close to earning it on his own that he could get, given the circumstances), personally, though Chloe had been having trouble managing the strict conditions … pretty much from the start. She wasn’t used to playing by the rules. That wasn’t fair - the rules were ridiculous, actually, she could wear short-shorts if she wanted to, who was the university to have an opinion on her clothing? But she stomped her foot like that, like she was owed something for her perfect GPA, which … she had already …. received…. in the form of a scholarship.
Adrien offered her his hand, anyway. “Come on,” he said, “I can support you if you want to talk to Diversity & Inclusion. Your lecturer shouldn’t have opinions on how short your clothing is in the first place, it’s not his body to be talking about. Father and I ran that whole body-positivity and consent campaign, last year,” this was a lie: that had been Adrien’s idea, and Adrien’s implementation, and Adrien’s work, “we know all the ins and outs of the different legal obligations, you’re right, they shouldn’t be making rules about it. You should bring me a pair tomorrow, we can match!”
@changedchapters sent: “You sent me to get intel on our enemy, and I’m telling you, our enemy is here.” (To Gabriel from Nathalie)
More than once Gabriel thought his son might be Chat Noir, but with some of the things that happened, it had appeared that it was not the case. How he wished to be wrong.
“This changes everything. We’ll need a different strategy now.”
@changedchapters asked: “you’re going to have a bruise.” (From Haruka)
hurt sentence starters
Usagi pouted at her reflection, or really, the gigantic red mark that took up the entirety of her forehead. A bruise?! There?!?
A whine left her as she poked at it, cringing as she felt the dull ache intensify just the slightest bit.
“But Haruka-chan,” She whimpered, fully aware that there was nothing Haruka could actually do to fix her problem. Even if she could, this was, as usual, something Usagi had brought on herself by not being careful enough, “I can’t go outside with a giant bruise on my forehead!
[meme]: send 📺 + a question, and my muse’s shadow will answer it! [Still Accepting]
***
The environment was in ruins, pieces of broken buildings and monuments lay strewn over a beaten path. One could describe the scene as post-apocalyptic and something seen only in films and movies. There were no distinct colors in this environment, mostly the various shades of browns and blacks that came with wastelands. There were no humans within sight and the only reprieve from the continuing pattern of destruction was the random butterfly symbols imprinted upon buildings and flat surfaces.
Every so often one would see a small brown box that didn’t look like it belonged here. If you were to open the box you would see strange jewelry ranging from a hair comb to a fox shaped necklace. These pieces of jewelry would be in various states of disrepair some were cracked, others were fractured, and some faded to dust upon the slightest touch. At the end of the path sat a lone figure, with destruction strewn all around her. She made no moves to leave her current position. This figure appeared to be Ladybug but different, much, much different. Her hair was freed from the signature ponytails, she wore shackles around her arms and legs and a tight metal collar around her neck. Her costume had numerous tiny cuts mostly located on her back and mask but they were still a significant number strewn across her entire body. Sitting in her lap was a very strange oriental box with a familiar pattern on top. That same pattern that the boxes who housed the destroyed jewelry on the way here had.
“I’m guessing you have questions for me since you came so far.”
“How do you feel about being Ladybug? “
A simple question that had not such a simple answer. At this point she finally opened her eyes, to reveal that where her normally blue eyes were, an unsettling gold replaced them. She didn’t make another movement after that as she thought about the best way to answer.
“It depends on what day of the week you catch me and if you want to hear the truth. On most days, to most people, the answer is simple and to be expected. I love being Ladybug, I love helping out and protecting Paris. But here’s the thing... that’s just one huge coverup to hide a much deeper problem. “
A hollow laugh came from the Shadow as a twisted and broken grin came onto the heroine’s face as she continued to giggle like a maniac.
“It’s a huge half-lie! They don’t know what’s going on behind the mask, behind the Akumas, behind anything. All they know about are the recorded battles and whatever theories Alya comes up with! They don’t realize the responsibilities and the sacrifices made to keep up with this enchanted world they live in. They always assume any damage caused by Hawkmoth will be fixed by the end of the day so they get careless and ultimately hurt.
I loved being Ladybug once I got over my initial fear. I loved the freedom, the ability to help, the ability to see the city I love from a different angle. Then things took a turn for the worse.”
The manic giggling came to a stop as the Shadow straightened her back and looked at the other. All signs of the previous carefree attitude were gone.
“But it’s not like anyone else can know. I’m Ladybug, I’m supposed to be perfect. Which meant taking on all these new responsibilities without batting an eye. Now if I hadn’t lied and told everyone I’m 2,000 years old that should have been fine. But really? I’m just a 13-year-old girl who just so happened to help an old man in the street at the right time.
Not to mention that I’m responsible for ensuring that the world doesn’t end in ruin. I wield the power of creation, my job is to not only balance out the powers of destruction but to make sure that the rest of the world does not fall out of balance. Though did anyone think just for one second that the reason the world might be destroyed is that you left a single girl in charge of the planet’s future? Just imagine the stress of having to carry that thought alone on top of everything else a superhero has to do. Not to mention all of the civilian duties I can’t randomly stop without drawing attention.”
With that all said and done, the Shadow tilted her head to the side as she gently bit her lips. She carefully put the chains keeping her wrists bound together on top of the box as she made direct eye contact with her guest.
“So to answer your question truthfully on days where I can pretend that the only responsibilities I have are to capture the Akuma of the day and fix all the damage from the fight, I enjoy being Ladybug. However, on whatever days I can’t do just that I hate being Ladybug. I hate being Ladybug out of fear of failing everyone and being the catalyst of a new world where evil wins. Though it’s not like I can give this burden to anyone else. It’s not pride that’s keeping me here, it’s a desire to make sure no one else has suffer the burden of the entire world on their shoulders.”
I’d like to think so. I mean in prior relationships I had been willing to forgive people who had really hurt me. Probably to my detriment, but it was ok for me I guess. I’m much happier with someone who, kid you not, is my kitty. <3
