Feb 9
By Elena
seen from Uruguay
seen from United States
seen from Italy
seen from United States
seen from Russia
seen from Canada
seen from Serbia
seen from United States
seen from Serbia
seen from Serbia
seen from Norway
seen from United States
seen from Canada
seen from Australia
seen from United States
seen from United States
seen from Germany
seen from United States
seen from Serbia
seen from Germany
By Elena
The witchy mouse, Souris Blanche
My absolute favorite so far of these redraws. I mean, fuck, you'll see why seeing the original. Speaking of
The original
I present the ever perceptive mouse, Juleka as Souris Blanche
Touched up the proportions, the coloring, and giving her the black lineart treatment.
Here's the original:
A Sister's Revenge
I had no place in this fight. I wanted no part in it. Until you made things personal.
You attacked my brother, my twin. You tormented him, plagued his mind with his absolute worst nightmares. But no more.
I will protect those I love from you. Sleep with one eye open now, Papillon. I'm coming for you next, mother fucker.
Made a little icon for @authorambermkestner after she fell in love with Juleka's Souris Blanche design
Miraculous AU - Chapter 13 - Perception
Beginning || Previous || Next
Juleka stepped out into the night. She took a seat on the deck then reached into her pocket. She pulled the silver pendant necklace out and held it up. Anxiety filled her as she examined it. She just had to put this one and she’d meet the kwami. She’d become a hero, like Alya and Marinette, maybe. More importantly, it brought her closer to saving her brother. She took a deep breath, moved to put it on, but stopped.
Juleka hesitated. Was this the right choice? She didn’t have any interest in being a hero or creating a team like Rose and the others did. She only wanted to help her brother. To shed his burdens and protect him from the butterfly bastard. But once she did that, what then? Would she just use this power to keep her family safe? Was it worth the risk to her loved ones? She was about to put the necklace back in her pocket when she remembered Alya’s words: “You’re not alone.”
Juleka sighed. She wasn’t alone in this, was she? This wasn’t just her fight. Marinette was at the forefront, with whoever Chat was, fighting against the butterfly man for whatever reason. Alya likely accepted the call to action without a hint of doubt despite having no need to fight. Regardless of their motivations, they still fought a battle that they didn’t need to, and they were on her side. She wasn’t alone.
Juleka took a deep breath. She steeled her resolve and put the necklace on. A white light emitted from the necklace as a ball of light appeared in front of her. She shielded her eyes until it faded to reveal a mouse kwami.
“Um, hello. I’m Juleka.”
“Greetings, Juleka. I am Mullo, the kwami of perception.”
“Nice to meet you. Uh, if you don’t mind, I have some questions.”
“Of course.”
“So, did I pass your test?”
“I’d say so.”
“So, why test me exactly?”
“There’s a lot of reasons. First, I believe your brother to be a good pick for the snake, despite being infested. Second, I believe you would be a good pick for my powers. But the biggest thing is you know the ladybug holder.”
“Why is that a big deal?”
“The ladybug and black cat are the greatest of all kwamis being creation and destruction. And I figured it’d be safer near them. With all of us, I’m sure the snake should feel safe enough.”
“Speaking of, what do you offer?”
“Like the others, I have two powers to offer, but also a Miraculous. For your solo powers, there is Perception and Bend. Perception gives you godlike senses, allowing you to hear, smell, and see things regardless of distance, so long as it’s on this planet at least. And Perception lasts for a minute. Bend allows you to manipulate the perceptions of others and even yourself. This could mean things like making yourself invisible to others, create flawless illusions in the minds of others, and even allow you to look into the minds of others.”
“No way.”
“Yes way. And an important note with Bend. It’s not like other greater powers that once activated, it consumes four uses of power, and lasts five minutes. It consumes one power per minute it is active. If you wish to change how you’re manipulating perception before a minute is up, it’ll consume another power and reset the timer. Understood?”
Juleka nodded.
“Now, the Miraculous requires the pig, kwami of ignorance. With it, you can create an area where reality is bended to how you wish it to be perceived. Alternatively, you can focus it on a single person and create a new reality for them. The downside is those affected by this Miraculous will only ever perceive the new realities and be forever blinded to the old one.”
“That seems… extreme.”
“As it must be. Miracles require a cost. To create, you must destroy. To see all, you must lose all. To know all there has been and will be, you must lose your mind. To save a life, you must take a life. For every miracle, a cost.”
“Oh.”
“Don’t worry. You can’t use this power unless you have the pig, and I haven’t felt their activation.”
“That’s good at least. So, what do I do to active your necklace then.”
“Juleka, if you wish to accept me and the duties I’ve taken to aid the snake, simply say, ‘Mullo, get squeaky.’ To de-transform, say, ‘Mullo, quiet down.’”
“Um, what if the snake doesn’t choose my brother? What do I do then?”
“Well, we’ll cross that bridge when we get to it. First comes attracting the snake. The wolf is active, now I just need to be. So, do you accept?”
Juleka took a deep breath, then stood up.
“Mullo, get squeaky.”
Mullo disappeared into the pendant. It turned white with five pink mice chasing each other in a circle. The string that held it turned into a pink choker that now supported the pendant.
Juleka transformed as her hair turned white and the purple turned pink complete with mouse ears. Her bangs swept away from her eyes that turned pink with magenta pupils. Her clothes changed to a white midriff halter with the same mouse symbol on it and pants with tears in the pants. White formed from her wrist to her bicep that ended with a pink cuff and had holes in them. On top of the white sleeves, a pair of pink fingerless gloves appeared on her hands. The exposed skin of her shoulders and stomach covered in a pink fishnet Her shoes became white platform boots with a pink trim and platforms. A pair of strings hung from the boots like chains next to the mouse symbol. A pink whip wrapped around her and trailed off into a tail.
Juleka’s eyes widened as she looked at herself. She ran up to the railing and looked over in her watery reflection. She smiled and waved at this version of herself. She should show the girls, but it was late. Alix would have snuck out, but she didn’t want to deal with that. Rose was likely sleeping, and she should leave Alya to rest. Although, Marinette might be out as Ladybug with Chat. She took a step back and listened. She could hear a lot in the city, but she couldn’t hear Marinette.
“Perception,” Juleka whispered.
Noise assaulted Juleka’s ears and her vision overwhelmed with endless scenery. She shut her eyes and clutched her head. She worked to sort through everything until she heard Marinette’s voice. She focused and saw Marinette as Ladybug, taking a stroll with Chat along the Seine, further up the river.
Juleka opened her eyes as she focused on Marinette. She jumped from her home, onto the bridge. A small laugh escaped her as she landed. She burst into a sprint. She was fast, but not as fast as Louve. She was able to use her whip to swing around, but not in the same way Ladybug could with her yo-yo as she needed momentum. She made it to where Ladybug and Chat were walking, stopping along the ramp.
Juleka started to say ‘Marinette,’ but stopped herself. “Ladybug!”
Ladybug stopped and looked around until she saw Juleka. She approached as Juleka jumped down to join them.
Ladybug smiled. “The mouse looks good on you.”
“You know her?” Chat asked.
“Yup. We’re friends outside of being heroes, and as heroes now.”
“Well then. What shall we call you?” Chat asked.
Juleka looked at herself, then at them. “Souris Blanche.”
“Pleasure to meet you, Souris. Quite the team we got, eh, Bugaboo?” Chat said.
Souris stepped forward while she looked around. “Actually, about that. We were kinda talking today about maybe setting up an official team. Well, one of our friends did at least.”
“That may not be a bad idea,” Chat said.
Ladybug nodded. “I’ve thought about it after I left, and it might be a good idea. We’ve already got me and Chat, as well as Louve and you, Souris.”
Souris looked away. “I don’t think I’d be a hero, Ladybug. I only really accepted this to save my brother.”
Ladybug’s breath caught. “What’s wrong with Luka?”
Tears fell from Souris’ eyes. “He’s infested with Whispers, at least he’s gotta be by now. And Alya said once he’s infested, he’s primed to be transformed into a monster.”
Ladybug shook her head. “How is that possible? Luka never seemed to… I mean he always seems so happy. What’s plaguing his heart?”
“An old crush he had. I thought he had gotten over it, but it seemed it lingered enough to be taken advantage of.”
Ladybug hugged Souris. “It’ll be ok. If we can’t find the snake in time and he is transformed, we’ll help him. You have my word.”
Souris hugged Ladybug back. “Thank you. I hope we find the snake before then.”
“If you don’t mind me asking, what’s the deal with the snake?” Chat asked.
“Oh, he’s the kwami of health, so a healer of sorts. He’s the only one capable of purging infestations.”
“But he doesn’t trust humans. At least not since the Black Death. So, he usually doesn’t choose a holder until the wolf and mouse do. And apparently the mouse helps to assist the snake. So, we maybe have a chance of getting the snake to accept a holder,” Souris added.
Chat’s eyes widened as he let out a breath and looked away. He ran a hand through his hair and ruffled the hair on the back of his head. Souris raised a brow as she observed his posture. His back was slightly curved to that almost made him look like his was slouching. One leg was straight, while the other was slightly bent. His other hand sat at his hip, almost like he was trying to put it into a pocket that wasn’t there. It was like the poses she studied during her own practices.
Ladybug had approached Chat, reassuring him. His pose changed slightly as he moved the hand that he ruffled his hair with to rest on his neck. He looked at her, tilting his head slightly to the left, away from the hand on his neck. Both looked practiced, practically perfect. Almost like he was an actual model.
“Are you a model?” Souris mumbled.
Chat startled, his eyes widened, his cat ears perked up, and his tail shot up.
Ladybug raised a brow. “What happened?”
Chat smiled nervously and waved his hands in front of him. “It’s nothing. Just thought I heard something. These cat ears are really sensitive after all.”
“Are you sure?”
“Oh yeah, for sure. Probably also just tired is all. We did have an exciting day after all.”
“We can call it an early night, if you’d like.”
“We don’t have to. I’m not that tired.”
Ladybug put a hand on Chat’s shoulder. “It’s ok. You put in a lot of work today and I’m not about to ask you to push yourself just spend time with me.”
Chat’s cat ears drooped. “I don’t mind it. I enjoy your company.”
Ladybug blushed and hugged Chat. “Thank you, but seriously, don’t push yourself. We can always hang out tomorrow. Take it easy.” She grabbed her yo-yo, threw it, and was gone.
Chat sighed as he watched Ladybug leave. Souris stepped forward and stared at him.
“You’re a model.”
Chat’s ears twitched. “What makes you say that?”
“The way you stand is like you’re posing, practiced and perfect like you’ve done it many times and it’s subconscious.”
“That seems like a bit of a stretch, don’t you think?”
Souris blinked. “Answer two questions of mine and we’ll see.”
“Going to try guessing who I am? I don’t think two questions will be enough.”
“Then let me prove you wrong. Are you a teenager that’s about sixteen or seventeen?”
“Yes.”
“Is green your natural eye color?”
“Not this green, but yes.”
“So, let’s see. You’re about my age, a model based on that every time I’ve seen you, and not just in person, you’ve been posing in one way or another almost like you’ve been doing it for some time now. And the mask and hair threw me off just a bit, I’m starting to recognize your face. Your voice is a little harder for me to pinpoint as, if I’m right, we only met once prior to this.”
Chat crossed his arms and eyed her suspiciously. “Who do you think I am?”
“You’re Adrien Agreste, aren’t you?”
Chat’s cat ears and tail twitched. “You figured it out from all that?”
Souris thumbed the pendant. “I guess I’m a good pick for the kwami of perception, don’t you think?”
Chat grinned. He uncrossed his arms a little, letting his left elbow rest on the back of his right hand. “I’ll give you that, you are. But seriously, how’d you know I was a model?”
“I’ve kinda studied modeling and you are a big name, so y’know.”
“Why study modeling? Aren’t there be more interesting things to study?”
Souris played with her hair as she looked away. “Promise you won’t laugh?”
“I promise.”
Souris sighed and sat on a nearby bench. “I want to be a model one day, so I’ve been studying the industry and practicing when I can. I haven’t had a chance to step into the industry, but I might on a smaller scale.”
Chat sat next to Souris. “Yeah? What is it?”
“Well, my friend, Marinette, is an aspiring designer. We’ve worn some of her designs before, and I know she’s happy with that, but we all know she’s hoping for more. So, Alya has been pushing for her to make a website and I volunteered to model for her.”
Chat’s smile and gaze softened as he looked at the river. “A website is a good idea. I hope she gets into the industry. I’ve seen her designs and they’re quite good.”
Souris eyed Chat as she rested her chin on her hands. She knew that look anywhere. “Did you want to spend more time with Marinette? You seem quite attached already, which isn’t too surprising. She tends to attract people to her.”
Chat sighed. “I wish, but I wouldn’t be able to as Adrien. And I don’t think I could hang out with her when I’m Chat.”
“What about modeling her designs? I know she still needs a male model.”
Chat considered, then nodded. “Maybe, but how would we even propose the idea?”
Souris smiled. “Mullo, quiet down.”
Mullo appeared from the pendant and transformed Souris.
Juleka took her phone from her back pocket and handed it to Chat.
“I can work something out. I would just need your number to contact you. Plus, for the team thing they’re putting together.”
Chat smiled and took the phone. “Y’know, for someone who doesn’t think they’ll be a good hero, you sure are pushing the idea of this team.”
Juleka shrugged. “My girlfriend wants to help us, so it’s the least I can do. Plus, it saves them a little of a wait. And don’t worry, we’ll try to keep your and Ladybug’s identities a secret from the two of you.”
Chat chuckled as he finished adding his contact information. “Well, I think I already know, but it would put her mind at ease.”
“You know already?”
Chat nodded and handed back Juleka’s phone.
Juleka grimaced as she took her phone. “Are you going to say something?”
“I want to, but my kwami told me that hers holds her to a different standard. So, I guess I’ll wait until she’s ready or unless something else happens.”
“Well, for appearances, we’ll keep it separate. I won’t tell the girls or Ladybug about it just to be safe. At least until you’re both ready.”
“Thank you. Well, I’m going to head off. Prowl the city a bit before I head home.”
“I’ll see you later.”
“Of course. And, hey, if you ever want a night to practice your modeling, I’d be happy to help.”
Juleka’s eyes widened. “Yeah, of course. I’ll let you know.”
Chat smiled and waved, then headed off.
“Let’s head home. Mullo, get squeaky.”
Mullo disappeared into the pendant and transformed Juleka, who headed back home.
~~
A butterfly sat on a streetlight as it watched the cat and mouse heroes from afar. Once both had left, it made its way back to its master. It slipped through the walls into the dark room filled with purple orbs as the man worked. The butterfly landed on his index finger.
“Ah, which do you have to add to?”
The butterfly flew up and searched the orbs until it found the one it was looking for. The man lowered it to him, revealing a teenage boy with black and blue green hair, dressed like a little wannabe groupie. The man’s Whispers had worked well, but the boy resisted, slowing the progress.
The man assessed the current plague this boy suffered. He tsked at the simple, buried unrequited love, then turned to the new butterfly. He looked into it and saw a girl with black and purple hair, similar to the boy. Siblings, he assumed. This girl spoke with the holder of the black cat but looked to have a kwami in her possession too. He watched the silent exchange until the girl transformed into a mouse themed punk.
The man hummed. “Let’s look into the boy’s heart.”
The man looked back to the boy, exposing his vulnerable heart. He saw the unrequited love buried deep, just about dead. Annoying that the whisper would turn to that first, although it did some work and planted a seed of contempt for the feline hero. However, what lay bare on the surface was far more intriguing. The boy was the strong one of the family. Always stood up for the girl, the sister. Doing what he could to keep her safe and happy, even at the expense of his own. A true brother and protector, but something so easily exploited. A shame it wasn’t before, but he would rectify that.
The man lowered the original Whisper but didn’t remove it. He split the new one into two separate ones. The first half he molded into a Whisper to prey on the boy’s need to protect his sister, his fear of failing her, and her turning to the feline hero for protection. The second half he molded into his sister refusing his protection while she ran off to play hero that played into his fear of losing her forever. Before he applied the new Whispers, he took the original and reshaped it to feed on the seed of hatred for the black cat holder. Once he finished, he applied all the Whispers. The silhouette of the boy turned black as the new Whispers made quick work of him.
The man cackled. “You will be a marvelous creation, boy. Just a little bit longer. Let that contempt fester and grow.” He placed the orb in the top of his cane, so he didn’t lose it. He turned back to the other orbs and continued his work.
Miraculous AU - Chapter 25 - Dragon
Beginning || Previous || Next
Alix zoomed through the streets as she weaved in and out of traffic. She smirked at the bewildered looks of the drivers she effortlessly passed by. She turned a corner as a top of a building exploded. She skidded to a stop as a deafening roar thundered. Pedestrians and traffic stopped to gawk as a dragon fly up into the sky. All around her, people screamed as they ran and drove in the opposite direction the dragon flew.
Alix sneered and followed the dragon. She weaved between cars as she followed it from the ground. She followed it to the Notre Dame Cathedral where it perched atop the structure. She stopped and stared at the dragon. She considered her options when Queen Bee joined her.
“What’s the situation?” Queen Bee asked.
Alix blinked. “Chloe?”
Queen Bee rolled her eyes. “Yes. Now, what’s with the damn dragon?”
“Hell if I should know. I was just skating around when it emerged from a building. Didn’t do anything but fly over here.”
“We need to check it out. Here, I’ll get us up there.” Queen Bee held out a hand.
Alix took Queen Bee’s hand. “Voyage.”
The pair teleported into the Cathedral near balcony the dragon was perched above. Queen Bee gawked at Alix, about to remark, but stopped when a tiny, robed figure drew their attention. They hid and watched as it stepped from the dragon’s head onto the balcony.
“It’s just like he promised, Thorn! With you, I can make Paris my own kingdom, just like in my books. No strife, no heartache, just happily ever after. It’ll be perfect, won’t it?”
The dragon nodded.
The boy grinned and hugged Thorn. He turned from Thorn to the city. He held up his hands above him. A small orb formed and grew into an enormous ball.
Alix started towards him but was held back by Queen Bee.
“Let go,” Alix hissed in a hushed voice.
“What are you going to do?”
“Stop him. What else?”
“How?”
Alix kicked Queen Bee and sent her flying back. The crash alerted the boy. He turned as Alix rushed towards and kicked him off the balcony. She activated Defiance and skated down the building in pursuit of him. He turned and sneered.
“Thorn, kill her. She’s one of the knights he warned us about.”
Thorn roared and moved to pursue but was held up by Queen Bee. She used Devotion, but Thorn resisted and roared again. Queen Bee grimaced and jumped off the balcony after Alix. Thorn leapt from its perch after the girls. Alix turned back and held out her hand.
“I’ll catch you!”
Queen Bee took out her yo-yo and threw it at Alix. Alix caught it and pulled Queen Bee into her arms. Alix jumped off the building onto the ground opposite the Cathedral. Thorn caught the boy and landed near the entrance. Thorn opened its maw as flames burst from its mouth. Alix used Voyage before the breath could hit them. She teleported them to the park where Marinette and their friends
Alix collapsed as her suit fell apart. “Khaalki, dismount.”
Khaalki popped out of the goggles and landed on Queen Bee’s lap. Alix dropped Queen Bee as she transformed back.
Alix reached into her pocket and pulled out a bag of carrots. She fought to open it and thrust it at Khaalki. “Eat.” Her voice cracked at her command.
Khaalki placed a hand on Alix’s before she chowed down.
Chat, Marinette, and Lapine joined Alix and Queen Bee.
“What’s happened?” Marinette asked.
“Monster attack. A dragon and a boy. He wants to make Paris his kingdom. Something like his books and happily ever after.”
Lapine gasped as her eyes lit up. “You mean like a fairytale kingdom? That sounds amazing."
"What part of that is amazing? Who else besides you wants to live in a damn fairytale?” Alix barked.
“Besides, he’s looking to kill us. Someone warned him about ‘knights’ and will kill us,” Queen Bee added.
“Exactly! He needs to be stopped,” Alix said.
“But-.” Lapine started.
“But nothing, we can’t take any chances,” Alix remarked.
“And we can’t let this stand. No matter what that boy’s reasons are, he needs to be stopped,” Queen Bee added.
Lapine shrunk back and her ears drooped down. Marinette moved to comfort her when the ground shook violently. Marinette fell to the ground while Chat and Lapine maintained their balance. Screams pierced the air as they turned and saw a massive dragon that peered down at them. Chat’s ears pinned back, and he hissed. Lapine’s ears shot up and she jumped back. Alix transformed back into her hero self and Queen Bee stood. Marinette stared up at the beast in awe and terror as an idea ran through her head.
“You thought you could run, but I-,” the boy started.
Marinette jumped to her feet and waved her arms. “Hey. Little boy? Excuse me?”
The boy blinked and looked at Marinette. “Can I help you?”
“Is that a real dragon?”
“Yes?”
“Can I touch it?”
“Marinette! Now is not the time!” Alix yelled.
“But, dragon!”
The boy’s expression softened. “Do… do you like dragons too?”
“Of course! They’re magnificent. Who doesn’t love dragons?”
The boy’s face brightened. He went on about dragons and fairytales. As he did, Marinette glanced back at Chat and nodded towards the dragon. Chat activated his Destruction and crept towards the dragon. It noticed and roared. Chat dove for it, but the boy cast a spell. It hit Chat and put him to sleep. The dragon took Marinette and Chat in its claws then extended its wings. It flapped them and created a strong wind that knocked the heroes back. It roared and took off for the skies.
Louve and Juleka returned as it flew off. She dropped off Juleka and ran after the dragon. She heard her friends call out for her, but she ignored them. She had to get Marinette back. Chat could come later, but she had to get her friend back first. Chat was already transformed, but Marinette wasn’t and couldn’t transform so freely as they all did.
Louve followed over the rooftops as she pursued the dragon. The boy that rode it turned and casted spells at her. She dodged them as she leapt up a section of taller buildings onto the dragon. Armored claws covered her right hand, and she dug them into the dragon’s scaly hide. It screeched and lurched to knock her off, but she didn’t budge.
“Give back my friend, now,” Louve growled.
The boy scoffed. “Such a beastly girl. I won’t let you have the princess.”
Marinette frowned. Princess? She wasn’t a princess. She was a knight. She moved to say so but watched as Louve lunged at the boy. He teleported behind her and hit her with a spell. Louve didn’t fall unconscious but was throw off by the dragon and plummeted. Louve was caught by Alix, then dropped when they were back on the ground.
Alix watched as Louve’s body twitched and convulsed. Louve screamed as her body morphed from human to a wolf person. Queen Bee, Lapine, and Souris joined them and gasped.
“Louve, are you alright?” Lapine asked.
Louve looked up in a nearby window. She gasped when she saw her beastly appearance. “That little brat! What the actual hell?”
“What do we do?” Souris asked.
“We need to destroy the dragon. The what you call it has to be there,” Queen Bee said.
“Yeah? What makes you so sure?” Louve spat.
“We heard the brat say with it, it can turn Paris into his own fairytale kingdom, kinda,” Alix said.
“But isn’t Chat the only one that can destroy where the akuma is?” Souris asked.
“I think so. I’ve only seen him destroy the objects,” Louve answered.
“So, we need to get Chat. But how do we wake him up?” Alix asked.
They all turned to Lapine.
“Oh? Oh! Um, well, if it’s what I’m thinking, it’s the sleeping beauty curse. So, he’d need to be waken by love’s kiss.”
“What kind of love?” Louve asked.
“Well, typically in fairytales, its romantic love. Although in more modern retellings, they have explored familial and platonic loves. So, we may have to resort to the latter two, unless any of you know who Chat loves?”
“Marinette,” Queen Bee said.
“Ladybug,” Louve said.
“Well, at least Marinette should be with him, right?” Lapine remarked.
“What if Marinette can’t do it?” Souris asked.
“Well, does Marinette love Chat back?”
Louve considered, then sighed. “She does, but she’s afraid of those feelings. She doesn’t want to repeat what happened years ago.”
“Then, what should we do if she fails?” Souris asked.
“I can try. Chat and I go way back,” Queen Bee declared.
“And if you fail?” Louve asked.
“Then I guess we’ll see, won’t we?”
“Fine, whatever. First, we need to find them.”
“He might have gone back to Notre Dame. That’s where he was before,” Alix said.
“Alright, we head over there. Alix, would you teleport us near the kid? Take him and the dragon by surprise.”
“Gladly.”
“Good. We need to get the kid and his pet away from Marinette, get her out of there with Chat if possible. Bee, will you get Chat while I get Marinette? Souris, Lapine, can you distract the kid and the pet with Alix?”
They all nodded.
“Good. Let’s go.”
~~
Marinette stood off to the side as she watched the boy moved Chat. They had arrived at Notre Dame at the top of the building. He had transformed the room into a bed chamber. He worked to place Chat perfectly like he was a princess that awaited his knight. Once Chat’s powers wore off, the boy placed a red rose in his hands, then looked at him.
“Should he have a crown? He looks like he could be a prince, right?”
“I suppose he does. Looks more like a rogue to me. Maybe a rebellious prince?”
“Aren’t the rebellious princes the villains though?”
“Not always. Sometimes they just want to be free to be themselves, like some princesses.”
The boy hummed. He created a small crown and placed it on Chat’s head. “There. Now for you, Princess.”
Marinette puffed up her cheeks and crossed her arms. “I’m no princess.”
“But you’re nice like the princesses, and kind. So, you’re a princess.”
“I don’t know if that really makes me a princess.”
The boy ignored her. A pink orb appeared in his hands that he tossed at Marinette. She watched as her clothes transformed into a magnificent pink ball gown with sheer pink gloves and a golden tiara.
Marinette marveled at the gown. “I… think I can make an exception.”
The boy grinned, then headed out to the balcony. “Now then, I’m going to transform the city, before those evil knights show up.”
Marinette joined the boy. “Why do you want to transform the city? What will you make it?”
“I’m going to make it into my kingdom. The kind from a fairytale. It’ll be a kingdom of goodness where there will be no fighting. No one will yell at each other, they’ll all get along, and no one will hate each other. It’ll be perfect!”
Marinette looked down. “It sounds like a dream.”
The boy blinked. “You sound sad. Why? Isn’t this what everyone wants?”
“Maybe, but it’s not what I want.”
“What? Why? My kingdom would be perfect. Everyone would love each other. There would be no hatred or fighting. Only peace.”
“And it sounds like a dream come true. A perfect fantasy.”
“But?”
Marinette sighed. She thought back to when she lived in her dreams. When she fooled herself into believing she loved Adrien, and he loved her. The wild fantasies she conjured and how she had all but abandoned reality. It was wonderful to live in those dreams, but they couldn’t last. Eventually, she was shaken awake and made to see the cold, harsh truth. To the true reality she lived in.
Marinette sat on the floor. “Dreams can’t last. They always come to an end.”
The boy sat beside her. “Are you ok, Princess?”
“Oh, you don’t need to worry about me. I’ll be fine.”
“Did someone ruin your dream?”
Marinette gave a sad smile. “I wouldn’t say ruined. They just… woke me up.”
“Did you want to wake up?”
“No. Not really. Only because I dreamed of my Prince Charming. Only in my dreams could he love me. But I was awakened to the reality that he never would.”
“Do you ever have dreams like that again?”
“No. But, I don’t allow myself to dream like that.”
“But, why not? Isn’t that what princesses dream of? Love? Their knights in shining armor?”
“Some do, but not this one. Only because I don’t want to only live in my dreams. Not anymore.”
“But in dreams, everything is perfect. And I have the power to make dreams come true, just like in fairytales. I could make it, so no one ever fights, like in my dreams. And I could make your Prince Charming for you, just like your old dreams. I could make everyone’s dreams come true and everything would be perfect. Just like in fairytales.”
Marinette smiled. “You were taught to dream, weren’t you? Was it your parents?”
The boy looked down. “Mom did. She used to read me fairytales at bedtime when I was younger. Then she met Dad, and she hasn’t had the time for me anymore.”
Marinette frowned, then smiled. “Which fairytales were your favorite? I’m not as big a fan of fairytales, but I love stories with heroic knights that go on impossible quests. Bonus points if there are lovers in distress and dragons.”
The boy’s face brightened. “I like those ones too. I also like the stories with princesses like Cinderella. She’s so sweet and kind even with a family like that. How does she do it?”
“Because she is that kind of person. Because she was loving and sweet. She was rewarded for staying true to herself and not giving into wickedness.”
The boy blinked. He looked up at the dragon, then at Marinette. “Did I give into wickedness? Was I wrong to accept this?”
Marinette hugged him. “Why did you accept this?”
“I wanted the fighting to stop. I didn’t want to hear my parents fight at every hour. I wanted to get away from it, to escape. He told me he’d give me the power to make everything a dream. And I accepted.”
“What happened after that?”
“A butterfly appeared and landed on Thorn. He became a real dragon, and I can cast magic.” The boy paused. His eyes widened as his expression fell. “But Thorn destroyed the apartment when he grew to his full size. Everything is ruined and… and.”
The boy teared up. He cried and clung to Marinette. She patted his head and rocked him. She hummed a lullaby to put him at ease. The dragon stirred as the air charged around them. She looked up and saw her friends appear in the room.
Souris took the whip from her hip and grabbed hold of Marinette with it. Souris pulled Marinette into the room, away from the kid. He yelled and stood, but Alix charged at him. Alix knocked him off the balcony and jumped off after him. Souris ran up, cracked her whip at the dragon, then jumped off with Alix. Lapine blew a raspberry at the dragon, then followed Souris. The dragon roared and lunged for the trio and the boy. Marinette started for the balcony but was held back by Louve.
“Please, don’t fight him. He’s just a boy,” Marinette plead.
“Sorry, girl, but it can’t be helped. They need to distract it while we get you and Chat out of here.”
“But-!”
Louve scooped up Marinette and jumped out a window. Queen Bee followed with Chat in her arms. They crossed the Seine and ran a few blocks before they hid in a back alley. Louve put Marinette down, then did a quick survey of the area.
Louve returned. “It’s safe.”
Marinette nodded. “Tikki, spots on.”
Tikki materialized and vanished into the earrings, transforming Marinette.
“Thank you, Louve. Um, what happened to you?”
“Stupid brat cursed me. Just like kitty cat.”
They turned and watched Queen Bee put Chat down.
“What do we do?”
“You need to wake him up,” Louve said.”
“Me? Why me?”
“Because according to Lapine, it will likely need to be romantic love. If that fails, then we can try other kinds of love,” Louve explained.
“But I… I can’t. I shouldn’t. We aren’t-! We don’t-! This isn’t-.”
Queen Bee scoffed. “What is wrong with you? Don’t you like him?”
“I… I suppose I do. I do care about him. And I suppose he’s good-looking. But I don’t really know him. I can’t really-.”
“What does that matter? When has it ever mattered in those stupid kid stories? Or even in romance in general? People are always falling in love without knowing the first thing about each other.”
“I suppose, but maybe we should try the other loves first, right? Bee, you’re friends with him, right? Maybe you could wake him up?”
Queen Bee growled. She spun on her heel and knelt beside Chat. She planted a kiss on his cheek and waited, but he didn’t wake up. She stood and faced Ladybug.
“Wake him up. Now.”
“But-!”
“But what? What the fuck is wrong with you? You like him, and he likes you, so why fight it? Why reject each other?”
“I don’t want to repeat-.”
Queen Bee screamed. “Ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!”
Louve stood between Queen Bee and Ladybug. “Relax, would you? We’ll find another way. Don’t push-.”
Queen Bee laughed. “That’s rich coming from you! All you ever do is push, push, push! Shouldn’t you be the one pushing your friend towards the man of her dreams?”
“Hey, who are you to assume that? Besides, shoving her isn’t the way to overcome the past.”
“Oh, who fucking cares what happened in the past? It’s done! It’s over! Move the fuck on! What really matters is the here and now. Don’t let your past define your present. Learn from it and move on.”
Ladybug stared at Queen Bee from behind Louve, who relaxed a little. Louve tilted her head as she looked Queen Bee over.
“Chloe-,” Louve started.
Queen Bee ignored Louve. She fought back tears as she looked at Ladybug. “Because if you don’t, I won’t forgive you for this, Marinette, or him. You both have an incredible opportunity before you. An opportunity some people would kill for. A chance at the greatest joy life can offer. Something that will always come so easily to people like you two just for how you were born. So, take that chance. Take the chance on love.”
“But-.”
Queen Bee turned away. Tears fell from her eyes. “He loves you. Marinette stole his gaze, but Ladybug cemented his feelings. Please, if you love him, then don’t hold back. Don’t fear what happened in the past. Look to what could happen in the future. Don’t hold back.”
Ladybug placed a hand over her heart. “What about you? Would you ever-.”
Queen Bee glanced back. “I’ll never be able to love him like that, Ladybug. That’s my fairytale curse. One I was born with.” She turned away and left.
Ladybug was confused by Queen Bee. Louve watched with a certain curiosity. Something gnawed at Louve and she looked away.
“Are you ok, Louve?”
“We’ll see. Anyway, you should wake Chat up. We have a monster to deal with.”
“But-.”
“Look, this will be the only time I’ll say this and if you tell anyone, I’ll deny it. But Chloe is right. You’ve had time. You healed from that. I mean, it’s been two years, girl! It’s time to put the past behind you and look to your future. If you don’t, you’ll miss out on what’s right in front of you.” Louve looked to Chat as she said it.
“I’m scared.”
Louve hugged Ladybug. “And that’s ok. Just remember, you’re not alone. We’re all here, for both of you. Never forget that.”
Ladybug gave a slow, uncertain nod.
Louve nuzzled Ladybug. “Take your time, but don’t take too long, Princess.”
Ladybug growled. Louve laughed and ran off. Ladybug sighed and knelt beside Chat. She wasn’t sure if she was completely ready for this. In doing this, she couldn’t deny her feelings, could she? She couldn’t deny that she felt more for him than any boy before. Even more than what she once felt for Adrien. With these feelings did come that fear of backsliding, but Queen Bee and Louve were right. She needed to stop allowing that to hold her back.
Ladybug looked at Chat and took his right hand. She ran her thumb across the black cat ring and sighed. He was real. What developed between them was real. Everything could change or nothing at all. She could backslide, or she wouldn’t. She wouldn’t know unless she took that step forward. And it was long overdue, wasn’t it?
Ladybug adjusted her stance to mirror a knight bowing before their lord. She smiled and pressed her forehead against Chat’s hand. “It’s time to wake up, Prince Noir.” She kissed the back of his hand and looked up.
Chat’s eyes fluttered open. He yawned and stretched, then looked at Ladybug. “Ladybug? What happened?” He paused and looked at her holding his hand. “Why are you-?”
“Had to wake you up somehow, Kitty. Do you remember?”
Chat scratched his head. “I think I am. What happened after I fell asleep?”
“We were kidnapped by the dragon until we were rescued from our tower.”
“How were you captured?”
Ladybug smiled and booped Chat’s nose. “I think we both know that answer.”
Chat grimaced and looked around. “I don’t know what you mean?”
“Don’t worry, it’s ok. I should have been more like the rest of you and hid it a little better. Instead, I made it painfully obvious, didn’t I?”
“Maybe to your friends, but it wasn’t that what I caught onto.”
“Oh. Well, we can talk about it later. Amongst many other things.”
“Like what?”
Ladybug squeezed Chat’s hand. He looked down and blushed. “I think you know.”
“Are you… sure?”
“I am. Are you ready to talk about it?”
Chat nodded.
“So, how about tonight? Our usual spot and time?”
“Maybe a little earlier? I’ll be training with Mayura tonight.”
Ladybug nodded and pulled Chat to his feet. “Should half an hour earlier be good?”
“It will.”
“Excellent. Now, we have a dragon to slay.”
“Where is it?”
“Notre Dame Cathedral. When we get there, I’ll keep it busy while you destroy the dragon. That’s the real monster.”
“Not the kid?”
“No. The kid got some powers from it, but the dragon was what was transformed by the akuma. He told me as much.”
“He could have been lying.”
“I don’t think he’d have lied to the fair princess,” Ladybug said with a wink.
Chat grinned. “Playing the part of purr-incess, Lady Knight?”
“Only a little. You played it better between the two of us. We may have both needed recusing, but you needed love’s kiss to wake up.”
Chat’s face flushed red. “Kiss?!”
“Don’t worry, Kitty. Just a peck on the back of your hand. Now, let’s go. We’ll talk about it more later.”
~~
The battle between the heroes and the dragon raged on. Souris and Queen Bee kept the dragon busy while Alix and Louve ensured the boy didn’t get near the dragon. Souris used her whip to muzzle the dragon. Queen Bee used her yo-yo to tangle the wings. Lapine bounced along the sidelines as she recorded everything for Louve. A whistle sounded from above. Souris and Queen Bee looked up. Ladybug and Chat fell towards them. They landed beside the dragon. Chat activated Destruction, but Ladybug held up a hand.
“Hold a moment.”
“What do you mean, hold a moment?” Queen Bee yelled.
Ladybug looked at the boy. “I’m sorry. I know what it’s like to want to live a dream. To want everything to be a dream. It’s warm and inviting. Nothing could ever seem to go wrong. And you hate when you need to wake up from such pleasant dreams.”
The boy blinked. His jaw dropped and his eyes were glued to Ladybug.
“Reality hurts, but by living in a dream, you only hurt yourself. You become stuck and fixated that it keeps you from moving forward. Past the pain, past the truth. I know this has been a dream, but please, you need to wake up.”
“But, if I wake up, I’ll be alone. I don’t want to be alone. I don’t want to go back to the fighting. I just want to dream.”
Ladybug ran to the boy and pulled him into a hug. “You’ll never be alone, not truly. We’re here. We’ll help you.”
Tears filled the boy’s eyes. He blinked and they fell. He cried and clung to Ladybug. She turned and gave Chat a thumbs up. Chat nodded and ran along the length of the dragon. Chat dug his claws into the dragon’s hide as he ran. The dragon writhed in agony as it broke apart into ash and dust. A butterfly emerged, then fell apart. The boy’s tears dried as he fought to stay awake.
“He had warned me about you animal knights. I was scared, but now, I’m not. Thank you.” The boy fell unconscious.
Queen Bee approached. “Here, I’ll take him to the police.”
“Wait.” Ladybug looked to the pile of dust that was the dragon. It had been the boy’s toy, now it was nothing. “Hey, Chat?”
Chat joined Ladybug. “What’s up?”
“I know there wasn’t any real damage done to the city, but can we use our Miraculous for something rather small? I want to make something for him.”
“But why?”
“That dragon was his toy, probably his favorite. Now, it’s gone. I want to give him something back, so he won’t have lost everything.”
Chat smiled. “Of course.”
“Lapine, you have snacks for our kwamis?”
Lapine nodded. “Fluff, rest.”
Fluff emerged from Lapine’s earrings and transformed Lapine.
Rose took off a backpack and rummaged through it. She pulled out a baggie with cookies and a container with camembert.
“Excellent. Alix, will you take us to a safe location so we can let our kwamis recharge?”
Alix smirked as she swiped the snacks. “Of course.”
Ladybug nodded. She handed the boy over to Queen Bee and approached Chat. They used their Miraculous and with it, Ladybug created a new dragon plushie for the boy. She placed it in the boy’s arms. She gave a thumbs up to Queen Bee, who nodded and left. Alix rolled over and handed Ladybug and Chat their respective snacks. She put her arms around them with a smirk.
“We’ll see you girls back at the park. Voyage!”
From a Tiger to a Mouse.
Juleka is one of many characters that hasn't changed much. She's still quiet, shy around new people, and an aspiring model. The minor changes I made was making her perception as all hell (because the quiet ones are usually the most observant) and adding some witchy elements, inspired by my sister.
The mouse has been rewritten. It's not the kwami of multiplication, but instead perception. It's powers allow Juleka, known as Souris Blanche, to see and hear everything in the city along with manipulating perception and how things are perceived.