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queer-as-used-by-tolkien · 5 months

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SEASON 5 ENDING SPOILERS

ok yknow what - more thoughts about the ending of S5 and why I was so thrown by it

Cat Noir wasn't there!!! CAT NOIR WASN'T IN THE GRAND FINALE DEFEAT OF HAWK MOTH?? HOW IS THIS REAL??

That's one thing.

The other thing is how ambiguous Gabriel's feelings toward Adrien actually ARE. does he hate him? see him as someone to be controlled? as a power play? what's up with the pancakes and the 'call me dad' then??? is it just for show/a ruse/a trick/a trap that'll get revealed?

I could see a real change of heart happening when he realized he was dying. if he didn't also continue browbeating Adrien about being with Kagami and not Marinette.

he didn't HAVE a rich-person superiority complex UNTIL season 5, either, so that came out of nowhere.

his attitude towards Adrien doesn't seem to have changed at all WHAT DO THE PANCAKES MEAN THEN?? Even Nathalie is surprised by this! it is never explained!

Then Ladybug comes in with "Nathalie is dying, you're dying, how much sacrifices are you willing to make?? Adrien has moved on, but you're about to DESTROY him! Nathalie is dying! You're dying! Giving his mother back won't help anything!"

and this works?? for some reason?? looking back I suppose the pancakes DID mean he cared for Adrien?????? and the Kagami thing was the one and only thing he put his foot down about?

IDK this needed to be foreshadowed a LOT better. we needed to really see him, telling Emilie or Nathalie "wow... I've been treating Adrien so poorly lately... I should be a better dad... this is really important to me. like even to the point of like. half the reason I'm bringing Emilie back at all is for him!" And guess what? He DID tell this (or most of it) to Adrien! And I didn't believe him! Why? BC HE'S LIED TO ADRIEN BEFORE. He's also manipulated Adrien's friends (and anyone, really!) just to get an akuma victim. (don't tell me this wasn't what was happening WAY BACK IN THE BUBBLER.)

honestly I've NEVER been sure whether Gabriel's concern for Adrien is real. it seemed real in Santa Claws. It seemed very much less real in The Collector. It seemed less and less real with every alternate reality where Adrien/Cat Noir was akumatized because Gabriel found out his identity.

APPARENTLY IT WAS REAL THO? just twisted?

like - the one time Gabriel saw Adrien, just Adrien, and DIDN'T akumatize him! and the time Adrien was in danger and Gabriel gave different instructions to an akumatized villain! the moment Gabriel realizes he's Cat Noir he becomes fair game??

Anyways this. all helps us with not knowing until the last moment what Gabriel is gonna do when he has both Miraculouses to make a wish. but it's NOT WORTH THE AUDIENCE CONFUSION!

and then we have a timeskip to 'happily ever after' basically and the main focus is the environment!?!? and the political system?!?! SINCE WHEN WAS MYLENE THE MAIN CHARACTER OF THIS SHOW?? SINCE WHEN WAS MS BUSTIER THE MAIN CHARACTER?? got me really questioning also bc all this good stuff is too good to be true??? what's the catch?? is Hawk Moth ruler over all Paris or smth?? the whole show is legit about balance, does that only mean balance when it comes to Miraculouses? what's the downside to all this utopian stuff??

we see ?Emilie? I thought?!?! existing? (but apparently it was Amelie??) and that's about ALL the closure we get for ANYTHING

WHAT EVEN HAPPENED THEN? WHAT WAS THE WISH? I thought Gabriel wished for Emilie to be brought back! and the sacrifice was (plot twist!) HIMSELF since he was dying anyway??? BUT NO APPARENTLY THAT WAS AMELIE SO WHAT DID HE EVEN DO? Did he sacrifice himself so NATHALIE could live (I don't remember if she's around but she might've been) for Adrien, and Gabriel could be reunited with Emilie in death??

I COULDN'T EVEN TELL IF MARINETTE AND ADRIEN WERE STILL THE HOLDERS OF THEIR MIRACULOUSES??? WAS THAT WISHED AWAY?? ARE THEY NOT NEEDED ANYMORE BC IT'S HAPPILY-EVER-AFTER PARISIAN UTOPIA NOW?? GABRIEL TALKED ABOUT MAKING MULTIPLE WISHES WHAT DID HE EVEN DO???

and! lastly! and most importantly! WHY DOESN'T ADRIEN KNOW ANYTHING? WHY DOESN'T CAT NOIR KNOW ANYTHING? WHY WASN'T ADRIEN/CAT NOIR THERE FOR THE ACTUAL LEGIT FINALE OF THE SHOW?!?!?!?!

instead we get unified Plagg and Tikki FOR LADYBUG??

IS THIS NOT A TEAM EFFORT?

HAS IT NOT BEEN LADYBUG AND CAT NOIR AGAINST THE WORLD FROM SEASON 1, EPISODE 1? WAS IT NOT INTENTIONAL IN S5 WHEN THE MIRACULOUSES WERE LOST AND IT WENT BACK TO BEING A PARTNERSHIP INSTEAD OF A TEAM???

HOW IS ADRIEN/CAT NOIR NOT THERE FOR THE FINALE!?!?

just. for real guys

legit

endings need to be decisive. NOT vague and ambiguous. not this way.

TL;DR Adrien/Cat Noir needed to be there, and we needed much more clarity on Gabriel/Hawk Moth's motives/intentions. also the ending/epilogue needed. uh. much better prioritization lol.

#miraculous ladybug #mlb #adrien agreste #gabriel agreste #marinette dupain-cheng #hawk moth #ladybug #cat noir #monarch #legit y'all I just call him Hawk Moth #never did like bothering with him changing his name whenver he got new powers #it's a little teensy bit of a stretch whenever Ladybug unifies with another kwami and goes AHAHA I AM DRAGON BUG NOW or whatevs.#and it makes sense differnet holders of the same kwami have different names #e.g. Cat Noir and Lady Noir and Kitty Noir (clearly the 'noir' caught on and is memorable lolz)#and Ladybug and Scarabella #and Aspik and Viperion #etc. all makes sense perfectly #but the main villain changing his main title from season to season is just. ugh #IDK most of the time in S5 he's JUST Hawk Moth but his suit is still different??#nathalie sancouer #emilie agreste #s5 #miraculous ladybug season 5 #mlb s5

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frickingnerd · 1 year

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Miraculous Masterlist

Adrien Agreste / Chat Noir

↳ Masterlist

Luka Couffaine / Viperion

↳ Masterlist

Felix Fathom / Argus

i hate everyone (but never you) - oneshot

fake dating felix fathom - headcanons

yandere felix fathom - headcanons

being in a poly relationship with felix and kagami - headcanons

Marinette Dupain-Cheng / Ladybug

first date with marinette dupain-cheng - headcanons

Kagami Tsurugi / Ryuuko

being in a poly relationship with shadybug and claw noire - headcanons

being in a love triangle with shadybug and claw noir - headcanons

can't stop thinking about you - oneshot

secretly dating kagami tsurugi - headcanons

being in a poly relationship with felix and kagami - headcanons

Chloe Bourgeois

jealous chloe bourgeois - headcanons

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miraculousfanworks · 1 year

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Fanfiction Prompt

Luka and Adrien find themselves muttering "second chance" reflexively every time they or someone nearby makes a mistake or does something embarrassing. Somehow it starts to spread among their friends and classmates and eventually becomes a meme across Paris.

Prompt by techRomancer

#miraculous fanworks #miraculous ladybug #ml #miraculous #mlb #writing prompt #prompt #miraculous prompt #ml prompt #adrien agreste #luka couffaine #aspik #viperion

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ninadove · 7 months

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🐝 Collateral Damage

“Do you ever think about the times you failed?”

The moment chosen was surprising: a quiet sunset, spent gazing into the vermillion water and listening to its lapping against the hull.

The question itself, however, had long been expected.

“Often,” Luka responded, honestly. “You?”

“I try not to.”

Adrien’s inner melody had always been complex, much more than one would have guessed from simple observation. Lately, it seemed to always be playing in a minor key.

“It’s not good to repress these memories,” the older boy said, leaning against the railway. “They’re like waves — you can’t fight them, so you might as well let them wash over you.”

“25,913 waves,” Adrien reminded him, his laugh catching in his throat. “I don’t exactly have time to process them all.”

Luka bit his lip, tapping his fingers against the warm metal.

“You know, I’ve watched you die 68 times.”

“You did?”

“Only 43 of those were erased from the timeline.”

“Oh. Sorry about that.”

Adrien scratched the back of his head, fleeing his friend’s gaze.

“I guess I have a pretty impressive track record in this department too, don’t I.”

“If you keep this up, I might just reach 25,913 Second Chances too.”

The younger boy’s head retreated between his shoulders, as if he had just been scolded; Luka found himself reaching out, placing a soft hand on his friend’s arm.

“That’s not a record I’m excited to break,” he joked. “Promise me you’ll be more careful?”

Adrien gave him a tired smile, resting his hand on top of his.

“I can try.”

Ask game here!

Now on AO3!

#Thank you for the ask! 💖 These two absolutely need to talk #miraculous ladybug #adrien agreste #aspik #chat noir #luka couffaine #viperion #lukadrien #nina writes #ask games

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wetzelpretzel · 8 months

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Sass and his gummy snakes 🐍

#miraculous lb #miraculous fandom #miraculous fanart #miraculous ladybug #miraculous aspik #aspik #viperion #miraculous viperion #sass #miraculous adventures of ladybug and chat noir #miraculous sass

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pegabugladybee · 2 years

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Have some of my mlb twitter au

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cassarilladraws · 1 year

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Change Things Up

Lukadrien Fluffuary (using this prompt list) Day 20: Stealing/Wearing Each Other’s Clothes Prev | Next Read it on Ao3 Words: 1349 Rating: T Tags: Kwami Swap, Post-Reveal Lukadrien Chat Noir leaned on his baton thoughtfully. “We should swap." “Huh?” Viperion raised an eyebrow. “Swap what?” “Miraculous.” “Really? Where’s this coming from all of the sudden?” “I was just wondering what you’d look like with mine and thought ‘hey why should I wonder when I could know?’” Chat Noir shrugged nonchalantly. Viperion hummed as he considered it. “Well, now I’m curious too.” The black clad hero laughed and grabbed his boyfriend by the hand. “C’mere then.” He pulled him into a nearby alley. They both detransformed in the secluded spot. Adrien started to take off his ring and Luka reached to his bracelet. “And just what are you two doing?” Plagg asked with his paws on his hips. “We’re only trading for a little while.” Adrien reassured his kwami and handed him a slice of Camembert for good measure. “Don’t worry.”

Luka gave Sass a hard boiled egg. “Do you think our kwamis have the smelliest favorite foods?” Adrien took note of the snack Sass ate. “I wouldn’t doubt it.” Luka rolled his eyes. “You love us.” Plagg wrapped an arm around Sass who nodded in agreement.

“Yeah, yeah…” Adrien shook his head with a smile. They did. Their lives were better with the kwamis in them, even if they did have to mask interesting smells with their cologne. Miraculous jewels were swapped between the couple. “Ready?” Adrien said excitedly. “Yep, whenever you are my muse.” Luka replied with a smile. Then, Adrien hesitated. “Last time I really didn’t want to look too much like Chat Noir…” “So you were bald instead. Certainly a choice kid.” Plagg teased. Adrien pouted at him. “You know that the Miraculous reflects what the wearer wishes.” Sass cut in. “If you’d rather your look be different than before, it certainly would be.” “Thanks Sass.” Adrien nodded before transforming. Luka followed suit. The magic washed over them both. Aspik now stood where Adrien had been. This time his hair was exposed. It looked the same as it did as Chat Noir the only difference being that the blonde faded into blue tips at the end. “That’s a nice touch.” The temporary cat Miraculous holder reached out to touch Aspik’s hair.”You look amazing.” “Thanks.” Aspik blushed at the complement. Then he looked at the hero Luka had transformed into. His hair was still black that faded into blue. His cat-like eyes were blue. On his head were cat ears identical to the ones Chat Noir had. The top of the suit, however, was quite different. It looked like a biker jacket with zippers and buckles that reminded Adrien of something a rockstar might wear on stage. His gloves were black with claws forming on the ends of the fingers. The pants were black as well and on his feet were combat boots. The toes of the boots were silver and had lines to suggest cat paws, just like Adrien’s were as Chat Noir. His tail was identical to Chat Noir’s. “Wow! So do you.” Aspik winked at him before making his way to the rooftops above. Luka grabbed the baton from behind his back and extended it. He managed to get above the rooftops, but he was further up than he meant to go. Ten feet above his desired height, he wobbled on the end of the baton. “It takes some getting used to.” Aspik called out from the rooftop. He jumped up, grabbed his boyfriend and the baton and lowered them down. “I had plenty of time to practice with your miraculous…before I realized I needed to be Chat Noir in the situation.” The temporary feline hero frowned at that. He knew that his previous time as Aspik had taken a toll on Adrien. “Hey, you don’t need to beat yourself up over that.” “I’m not! Really. I was just saying. This isn’t my first time using this Miraculous!” Aspik’s smile was genuine and it eased Luka’s worry. “The fact that I’m using it again without merging it with another kinda says a lot don’t you think?” “I guess it does.” “Plus, that whole situation lead to me realizing that this Miraculous was meant for you. It led to me suggesting it for you. Which led to us seeing each other more. I think it was meant to happen. So we’d end up where we are now.” Aspik glanced to his boyfriend’s tail, noticing that it was moving around. He narrowed his eyes mischievously. “So, you have a name to go with the look, handsome?” Luka hesitated for a moment, but blurted out the first thing that came to mind. “Minuit Chat.” “Midnight Cat? I like it.” Aspik walked around him and took in the details of the suit. It certainly flattered Luka. The snake hero did have a plan in mind. He flirted shamelessly. “Now, I’m quite a fan of Viperion myself. But I gotta say you can pull off anything. Consider this snake charmed.” Minuit Chat laughed at the pun. He was feeling quite confident in his boyfriend’s gaze. “There’s only one Chat Noir. The best holder of this Miraculous to ever live. Plagg said it himself. So, obviously a lot of this is inspired by you, babe. ” “Is it now?” Aspik stopped in front of his boyfriend and walked closer flirtatiously. He knew the effect Luka had on him as Chat Noir and wanted to let Minuit Chat know how it felt. “You are incredible, m’love.” Aspik’s gloved hand reached up to caress Minuit Chat’s cheek. “I adore you.” When the blonde leaned in he heard a soft rumble coming from Minuit Chat’s chest. “Wh-what?” The cat hero sputtered and jumped back, cutting off the noise in his surprise. Aspik laughed at his reaction. “Kind of a strange feeling isn’t it?” “Oh!” Blue cat-eyes widened in realization. “I was purring!? You made me purr! I couldn’t help it I just—“ It took Aspik a moment to get his laughter under control. “You don’t have to explain it, or be embarrassed. If anyone gets it, it’s me. And from this purr-spective I have to agree with you when you say it’s really cute and endearing.” “I just wasn’t expecting it.” Minuit Chat tilted his head. “It really is just a natural reaction for you isn’t it? Not that I ever thought otherwise when you told me so. It’s just interesting to have it happen to me.” “Yeah, a natural reaction that has started happening to me even outside of the suit. But that’s just because I’ve been Chat Noir for over four years now. I don’t think it’s going to effect you quite like that. Unless we make this kwami swapping thing a regular occurrence for a long time.” Minuit Chat took a step forward. “I like that I can make you purr even outside of the suit.” “I know you do, m’love.” Aspik winked. “But right now. It’s my turn. So come here kitty.” He grabbed Minuit Chat’s suit and pulled him close. “Love you, my muse.” Minuit Chat tilted his head and leaned in for the kiss he knew was coming. When Aspik’s lips crashed into Minuit Chat’s it didn’t take long for the purring to start back up. Aspik felt arms wrap around his waist as his own hands found their way into his boyfriend’s hair. Adrien felt a familiar sensation in his chest. Yes, Luka was the one using the cat miraculous right now. The guitarist’s purring was loud and it made the blonde happy to have that effect. But Adrien had been Chat Noir for too long. There was no use in trying to hide it and he didn’t want to. So instead, he pressed harder into the kiss. The purr in his own chest rumbled in harmony with his boyfriend’s. When their kiss ended they stood in each other’s embrace. As soon as their eyes made contact they both burst into amused laughter. “Guess we could say that kiss was purrrrfect?” Minuit Chat teased. His tail flicked behind him. “Pfft. You have some nerve stealing my heart and my lines!” Aspik retorted playfully.

#Lukadrien #Adrien Agreste #Luka Couffaine #Miraculous #Miraculous Ladybug #Chat Noir #Viperion #Aspik #Plagg #Sass #Adrien and Luka #Miraculous fanfic #Cassarilla writes #Lukadrien Fluffuary #Fluffuary2023 #Prompt: Stealing/Wearing Each Other's Clothes #Miraculousfanworks

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milarqui · 7 months

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Scarlet Lady: Desperada

Directory | Silencer

Wishing to relax after the absolute mess that was dealing with Bob Roth the previous day, the girls had agreed to join Kitty Section at the Liberty and just enjoy the afternoon, listening to the group practice for their future record.

For Marinette, though...

“Orange juice, Luka?”

“Thanks, Ma–Ma–Marinette.”

… it was just another stressful thing on top of all previous stress.

Because, after Luka's confession, she just didn't know what to do.

“Eheheh!” she tried to laugh, her cheeks burning up at how close Luka was. “You're really hot–” SHUT UP! “uh, tall!–” SHUT UP! “uh talented! How long have you been playing?”

Luka gave a soft laugh.

“Since I was in diapers,” he replied, taking off his guitar and carefully hanging its strip over Marinette's shoulder. “Wanna try?”

“Oh! S–Sure! Heehee!” she stammered, as Luka gently grabbed her left hand.

“Put this hand here...”

“H–Here?”

----

The feeling of being a third wheel was mighty amongst the girls as they saw Luka giving Marinette a too close lesson on guitar playing – and the awkwardness peaked as the last people meant for this encounter entered the room.

“Hey, guys!” Adrien said as he put his bag on the floor.

“Adrien, Kagami!” Mylène exclaimed, part in shock, part in happiness.

“Your parents let you out?” Alix asked, grinning.

For all answer, Adrien turned to his partner, and it was obvious they were both struggling not to break down laughing.

“Wait, you mean this isn't fencing practice?!” Adrien asked, acting shocked at the 'sudden twist'. “Oh no, Kagami, we messed up the address!”

“Dear me, it would seem so!” Kagami replied, holding her face in fake distress.

“Pft,” Alix snorted, rolling her eyes, “okay, guys.”

Then Adrien saw Luka's hands-on lesson to the blushing Marinette, and suddenly the sunshine boy was in the middle of an eclipse.

“What's going on there?” he said in a deceitfully tranquil tone, while Kagami looked at him as if he were a bomb about to explode.

“That's what we wanna know!” Alya exclaimed.

“We're not co-captain anymore, get lost!”

Everyone looked away at the sound of Anarka Couffaine shouting, shocked – mostly because everyone who knew her had barely heard her this angry.

“But we played so perfectly together!” a man said. A voice everyone found very familiar.

“What–?” Kagami said, shocked.

“Up deck!” Juleka pointed out.

“Let's go!” Alix added, and everyone ran for the door.

Well, not everyone – because Marinette collapsed on the closest couch, mentally exhausted, and Adrien stayed behind to make sure his classmate-slash-friend-slash-crush was alright.

“UGHHH~” Marinette groaned, feeling like her face was ready to be used for cooking.

“Marinette? What's wrong?” Adrien asked with worry.

“Oh, Adrien. Luka confessed to me and I... I...”

Adrien felt his eye involuntarily twitching at the idea of someone else confessing to the girl he liked, but held on her knee-jerk reaction as Marinette's face turned devastated.

“I'm trying so hard to be normal and it's! Not! WORKING!”

“Oh, boy,” he mumbled as Marinette began to cry, and he sat next to her as she covered her crying face.

“I'm not trying to date Luka but I'm not trying to ruin things with Luka and I keep overthinking everything and I don't know what to do!”

Now knowing that Marinette was really in a bind, he knew he had to park his feelings aside and be the friend she needed, so he put a hand on her shoulder and gently squeezed.

“Just... talk to Luka,” he suggested.

“Talk?” she asked, rising her face.

“Tell him what you told me. Luka's not the kind of guy to hold it against you.”

“True,” Marinette admitted, a couple of tears still on the corner of her blue eyes.

“More than anything, he'll appreciate your honesty.”

“Yeah...” She sniffed, and gave him a trembling smile. “Thanks, Adrien.”

----

After recovering from her cry spell, the two of them ran outside, where they found Mme. Couffaine in a screaming match with...

“I'm no one's back up plan, skipper!”

“It's not like that! You're the only one I want to play with, Nanarky!”

“Jagged Stone?” Marinette said, a bit shocked.

“'Nanarky'?!” Mylène asked, shocked that their favorite singer was speaking so casually with their host – and that said host was answering in kind.

“You don't fool me, pirate! I bet you threw your guitarist overboard! Again!”

“Nooooooo!” Jagged Stone said, unconvincingly. “I didn't, I swear! She, uh, sailed away!”

“LIE BETTER!” Mme. Couffaine replied, clearly angry.

Jagged looked over the people on the Liberty, and smiled.

“Marinette! My awesome designer!” he cried out. “Do you play guitar?”

“Uh, no–” she timidly replied, and Jagged shook his head.

“Bummer. Do you know one? Like one in a band on a houseboat with blue hair?”

“Uh, yeah! Exactly that!” Marinette replied, turning to Luka with a smile. “Wow, so specific!”

“You rock, Marinette!” Jagged said, pointing at Luka. “So, you up for it little dude–”

“Jagged Stone! I finally found you you hack!”

Of course, there was only one person in the world that could have uttered those words.

“Chloé?!” Adrien said, shocked.

“HACK?!” Jagged Stone fired, annoyed.

“I demand reimbursement for the shoes your stupid lizard ate!”

“Ugh,” he said, but he kinda acknowledged she was right, “send the bill to Bob Roth. Stop hounding me.”

“HEY.” Everyone turned to see someone else had arrived on scene, and was standing at the prow of the Liberty. “Jagged Stone is my target.”

“What?!” Chloé yelled at being ignored, but Adrien was more aware of the situation.

“Akuma!”

“Vivica?” Jagged asked, surprised.

“There ain't no more 'Vivica',” the Akuma said. “There's only Desperada now! You fire me and try to replace me with a school kid?!”

“Vivica, you're only two years older than him,” Jagged said.

Luka and Juleka looked at each other, feeling awkward and hoping no one noticed that Jagged shouldn't have known Luka's age.

“Back off my kids, ship rat!” Anarka furiously shouted at Desperada, who gave a smirk.

“Then I'll get you first!” she said, and strummed her guitar – and Anarka, after being hit by a projectile, disappeared in a cloud of golden smoke, as a sticker with her face appeared on the guitar.

“Ahh!” Mylène screamed in fright.

“Desperada always hits her targets,” the Akuma declared, and she started to pluck her guitar again.

“Ah–!”

“No–!”

Juleka and Rose, despite the former's attempt to push her out of the way, were soon taken out as well, while Marinette angrily glared at the Akuma before ducking away.

And Adrien, who could tell who was the Akuma's target right now, grabbed Luka's hand.

“Quick, let's get outta here!” he said, pulling his friend-slash-romantic rival out of the way.

----

As soon as she found a safe place, Marinette took a breather while Pollen came out of her bag.

“It's that time again, My Queen!” the Bee Kwami declared, while Marinette kept glaring at the Akuma.

“Does Hawkmoth never sleep?!”

----

“C'mon, Chloé, you gotta transform,” Tikki tiredly said.

“This one looks really annoying,” Chloé replied. “But I have to avenge my shoes, so–”

Tikki rolled her eyes. Figures that that would be her goal.

----

“You probably got fired over your stupid hair!” Scarlet Lady shouted, and she began to run to a side as Desperada fired her musical bullets, which all hit the ground right next to her feet.

“GRRR!” the Akuma growled over her failed attack. But then another guitar started to sound, and Desperada turned to the source. “Another guitarist?!”

She started to shoot at him, while he remained in place, making his solo.

“LUKA!”

Before Desperada realized it, a large rope twisted around her waist.

“AH!”

“HYAAAAAAAH!” Marigold mightily yelled, and pulling from the rope she tossed the Akuma far away enough that none of those present could see her. With danger temporarily out of the way, she smiled at the boys and waved them towards what she had found. “Down here, quick!”

“Ew, the sewers?!” Scarlet Lady said with a disgusted tone, but Marigold paid her no mind and pulled the manhole cover before forcing the Ladybug heroine in.

All while Luka turned to Adrien.

“Did Marigold just kill Desperada?” he asked, shocked, and Adrien shrugged, before they followed Marigold inside. As soon as they closed the cover, the two boys started to huff from running.

“That was very reckless, but very brave,” Marigold encouraged them, ignoring Scarlet Lady as she skipped around in disgust. “Thanks.”

“N–No problem,” Luka replied between huffs, as he recovered his breath.

“You guys should hide while we find Chat Noir,” she suggested, immediately grabbing Scarlet Lady by the face before she could do what Marigold knew she would do.

“Nooo!” Scarlet Lady whined as she tried to reach out to them.

“Sure thing, Marigold,” Luka said, and both of them went off, eager to be away from the Ladybug heroine.

----

As soon as he got Luka into a closet, Adrien started to do a run around to find a different passageway that would lead to where Marigold and Scar were waiting.

“Chat got your tongue? Leave a message!” he heard his own voice say.

“Dammit, where are you?” Scar complained; she must have called him to his baton-phone.

Time to hero, he thought.

“Plagg, Claws Out!” Soon, he was once more clad in leather. “I'm here!”

As he turned the corner, Marigold and Scar looked at him.

“Chat Noir!” the former said.

“Why are you sweating?” the latter asked, disgusted.

He laughed. He wasn't going to tell them he had ran all the way around to avoid being tracked.

----

As soon as she recovered from being flung around, Desperada ran back to where she had found that boy, but by then there was no one around, as they had either taken refuge elsewhere or just hid.

“I'll find that brat guitarist sooner or later, you bugs!” Desperada yelled into the empty air.

----

Good thing I'm not claustrophobic, Luka thought from within the locker Adrien had told him to go into. There was literally nothing for him to do right now.

Perhaps he could think of a song to make for Marinette...

----

With no ideas to pull from, Scar used Lucky Charm, which took the form of a bronze dish.

Or, rather...

“A gong?” Marigold realized.

“You know what that means, Goldie!” he said, winking at her.

“You're going to get another Miraculous aren't you?!” Scar said, and Chat Noir looked at her, surprised that she had actually made the connection. “You are going to give whatever-it-is–”

“The Snake, probably,” Chat Noir suggested.

“– to my Adrien!” Scar continued. Chat Noir held the instinct to tell her that he wasn't hers, but instead chose to help avoid the potential problem.

“Wuh – Agreste? I don't think–”

“Actually...” Marigold said, blushing, “I think Adrien would make a good hero.”

Stunned at Marigold's words (and feeling a bit of a flutter in his heart) Chat Noir looked down with burning cheeks.

“... I'll find him while Scar recharges and you fetch the Miraculous,” he conceded.

“YAY!” Marigold cheered.

Splitting up to do their parts, Chat Noir found a place he was certain he wouldn't be seen in and detransformed.

“Claws In.”

“This'll never work,” Plagg warned him as he reappeared.

“You know that, I know that, but do they know that...?” Adrien asked.

“You're just soft because your honeybug recommended you,” Plagg deadpanned.

“Shush. Why're you worried, Plagg? For you it'll be like no time at all,” Adrien replied with a chuckle.

“I guess.” Plagg didn't look excited.

“And this'll get Adrien Agreste off the Hero roster.”

Plagg tilted his head in askance.

“Uh, how?” he asked, and Adrien gave a smirk that wouldn't be out of place in a cat's face.

“By being such a nuisance I never get called on again.”

Plagg felt a sweatdrop at the back of his head. Which was weird, because he didn't sweat...

----

We did all agree on Adrien...

But Luka distracted Desperada...

But Adrien saved Luka...

But Luka –

“Marinette? The Akuma?”

Marinette shook herself off. Oh, right, she was still at Master Fu's parlor.

“R-Right! Thank you, Master!”

----

“It's that it?” Scarlet asked as soon as she arrived with the Miraculous.

“Yeah. Where's Chat Noir and Adrien?”

“Here! I'm here!” Adrien said, and Marigold quickly put her hand exactly where it had to be.

“Mon Prince~” Scarlet said, attempting to grab Adrien in a hug, only for Marigold's hand to hold her in place, well away from the boy.

“Adrien!” the Bee Heroine exclaimed, ignoring the irritant behind her. “Where's Chat Noir?”

“Oh, uh, he had to check on the civilian thing he ditched,” Adrien replied. “But he said you needed me?”

“Yes!” Marigold said, offering the box. “Adrien Agreste, this is the Snake Miraculous, which grants the power of Second Chance. You will use it for the greater good–”

“Let me give it to him, Marimold!” Scarlet yelled.

“Omigod, let me finish!” she replied with irritation as she struggled to keep her away from Adrien, who was now awkwardly waiting.

----

Alright, time to start faking this, he thought, and he opened the box. With a flash of light, the Snake Kwami of Intuition appeared.

“Oh, woooooow,” he said, trying to look like he had never seen something similar.

“Greetings,” the Kwami said, “my name is Sass, and...”

“Are you, like, some kind of genie?” he asked, playing dumb, but Sass' judging look told him that the Kwami wasn't falling for it.

“... I am a Kwami,” Sass replied, unimpressed. As he put on the Ouroboros bracelet, he noticed Plagg hiding at the wall, and he really looked unhappy.

Sorry.

“Sass, the transformation phrase, please,” Marigold kindly asked, and Sass sighed.

“Guess we're doing this. Right. Just say, Sass...”

“Scales Slither!”

He quickly noticed the difference as he transformed: while the feeling of leather was similar, it wasn't the smooth touch of his Chat Noir suit, but slightly rough, much like a snake's scales. The full black was partially replaced by aquamarine. The mask covered more of his face, and his hair felt wilder than normal. As the transformation finished, a name came to mind.

“Call me Aspik,” he told Marigold. “I won't let you down, my Queen!”

“Ha! I know,” Marigold replied, smiling.

“Adrien~ I believed in you first!” Scar said, but he scoffed.

“I don't care.”

Finding the ladder going up, Scar quickly went up first, while Marigold looked back at him.

“If anything goes wrong, Second Chance will let you go back to the time you used it.”

“Got it,” Aspik nodded. “Second Chance.”

As Scar left, she made a sigh.

“Finally out,” she said. “Where is she?”

She quickly got her answer, as a musical projectile hit her in the back.

“Ah–”

“Oh no!” Marigold exclaimed.

“Second Chance!” Aspik said, grinning at the sight of Scar being in distress. And, as he reappeared in a minute before... he realized something.

Every time he had wanted to do something to Scar, he had held back because he knew he would have to deal with the consequences.

But, here and now?

He could do something... and then use Second Chance to undo it.

And he could do it... as many times as he wanted.

It was a bit of a jerk move, but, honestly, after dealing with Scar for months, he felt he had the right be a bit of a jerk.

Time to have some fun!

----

He tripped her.

“Ah–!”

She got hit by Desperada.

“Second Chance!”

----

He shoved her.

“Wuh–!”

She got hit by Desperada.

“Second Chance!”

----

He used her as a shield.

“Ad–!”

She got hit by Desperada.

“Second Chance!”

----

“Aspik...?” Marigold asked, shocked.

Alright, perhaps this one was too hard.

Who cared?

“Don't worry. You won't remember this. Second Chance!”

----

"Hey, Scar, guess what, I'm not just Adrien Agreste, I'm also Chat Noir, your 'sidekick'!"

Scar's face suddenly twisted into horror as the two images clashed against each other.

"YESSS, THAT'S THE FACE I WANTED! SECOND CHANCE!"

----

“If anything goes wrong, Second Chance will–”

“Sass, Scales Rest.”

Marigold gave a gasp of surprise as Adrien detransformed.

“I'm so sorry, Marigold,” Adrien apologized, returning the box with the bracelet. “It didn't work, no matter how hard I try. I just... can't protect you two.”

“No! We can try again!” she said, but he shook his head.

“Um–! N–No, I've been trying! Like, 25,913 times!”

“Oh no!” It must have been tough for Adrien, trying for so long without success! “Adrien, I'm so sorry for putting you through that!”

“I–It's okay.”

“We'll figure things out,” she encouraged. “Don't take it to heart, okay? We chose you for a reason, don't forget that!”

“U-huh,” Adrien replied, but he clearly was feeling guilty over what had happened.

----

“So what do we do now?” Scarlet asked, clearly irritated that she wouldn't get her way.

“Relax. I know just who to go to,” Marigold replied.

“Marigold?”

The Bee heroine turned to the voice.

“Luka! Right on time!”

“I was looking for Adrien, have you seen him?” Luka asked, worried.

“Yeah, he's right–”

And she turned to where Adrien was.

Or where he should have been.

Because now there was a vacuum in the form of her friend.

“Huh?! Where'd he go?!”

“He was right here!” Scarlet wailed.

“Guys!”

And, right on time, Chat Noir returned from whatever thing he had been doing as a civilian.

“Chat Noir!”

“Why are you sweating again?!”

“So–So much running,” he puffed.

As much as she wished to check on Adrien, Marigold knew the Akuma remained the priority, so she turned to Luka, offering him the Miraculous.

“Luka Couffaine, this is the Snake Miraculous, which grants the power of Second Chance. You will use it for the greater good and then you'll return the Miraculous to me. Can I trust you?”

“Absolutely!” Luka replied, and gingerly picked the box and opened it – causing a flash. “Wow!”

“Ah, another one,” Sass said, and Luka was clearly confused.

“Huh–?”

“Greetings. I am Sass and I'll be your Kwami.”

“A 'Kwami'?” Luka asked, pronouncing the unfamiliar concept.

“Alas, we have no time for explanations,” Sass said. “All you need to say is, 'Sass...'”

----

“Scales Slither!”

----

“Looks like Desperada is sniping from the Eiffel Tower,” the newly minted Viperion said after a quick look.

“Let's take away her vantage point with Chat Noir's Cataclysm!” Marigold suggested.

“And how are we supposed to find the Eiffel Tower from here?” Scarlet Lady pointed out, to which Marigold pointed at a sign. “Oh!”

Eiffel Tower zone: Wear a hard hat in case of Akuma MANAGEMENT

“Yeah,” Chat Noir said, slightly embarrassed.

“Hm,” Viperion hummed, giving an amused smirk at Marigold. “You guys destroy the Eiffel Tower so often it's a work hazard zone.”

Marigold grumbled, whistling away her awkwardness.

“I mean, technically the Akuma destroys it, not us...”

And, as if to contradict her...

“Cataclysm!”

----

The heroes jumped into action, ready to stop the Akuma... but they ran into their own problems.

Like Scarlet Lady tripping and smacking Chat Noir, leaving them open to Desperada's attack.

“Second Chance!”

----

Or Scarlet Lady setting herself up for getting hit by Desperada's weapon.

“Second Chance.”

----

Or Scarlet Lady just bantering with the Akuma and getting distracted enough that she got hit. Again.

“Second Chance...”

----

“Could you maybe chill the FUCK out?!” Viperion asked, irritated with Scarlet Lady... who didn't know what was going on.

----

As Desperada tried to recover her wits, she saw Viperion playing his harp, sticking his tongue at her.

“YOU–!”

“You're OPEN~” Marigold declared as she entangled Desperada's left arm with her top.

“AH!”

“You're surrounded~” Chat Noir said, as Viperion grappled her other arm, forcing Desperada to her knees.

“AGH!”

“You're done~” Viperion finished, as Scarlet Lady struck the Akumatized guitar with her yo-yo, breaking it and freeing both everyone that had been trapped and the butterfly.

“AGHHHH!”

----

With Vivica now restored, and the air filled with ladybugs, the heroes split their tasks.

“I'll escort Mlle. to the houseboat while you return the Snake,” Chat Noir said, leaning on his baton while Vivica smiled at him.

“Sure,” Marigold agreed. “Let's go, Viperion!”

“Hey!” Scarlet yelled. “I'm coming too! Show me where you get the Miraculouses, Bumbling Bee!”

Marigold smirked.

“Sure.” And she opened the manhole cover. “You just have to come down here with us.”

“EWWW! Oh, look at that, timer's going off, byeeee!”

And Scarlet ran away as if she had a bird flying to eat her.

Marigold and Viperion had a bit of a laugh before the latter detransformed, and Luka returned the Miraculous.

“You were great, Luka,” Marigold praised him.

“We make a good team,” Luka replied. “Thanks for not actually taking me to the sewers.”

“I agree. Most new sssnakes have to use Sssecond Chance many more times or ssselfishly,” Sass said, flying next to Luka. “You're certainly a bright, caring young man. A perfect snake!”

Luka blushed and looked aside.

“Aw, geez.”

“You're right...” Marigold said, causing Luka to blush even harder.

“Marigold, you too?!”

----

Back at the houseboat, when confronted with the young guitarist, Jagged Stone knew he had to fix his mistake.

“Sorry, Vivica. Eating my cereal and drinking Fang's milk wasn't a good enough reason to fire you,” he apologized. “You can come back if you want, I'd love to play with you.”

“Me too!” Vivica cheered. “I'm in, Jagged!”

The girl left, happily humming a song as Jagged Stone and Anarka Couffaine looked at her fondly... before the latter looked at him with an ominous glare.

“You fired her on purpose to play with our kids, didn't you.”

Just like that. A statement of fact.

“I don't know what you're talking about.”

Just like that. A terrible deflection.

----

“Orange juice?”

Penny looked up from her tablet and saw Juleka holding two glasses of oh-so-inviting juice.

“Oh, thank you, Juleka,” Penny said as she picked one of the glasses, slowly sipping it and letting it help her relax: after the mess with Vivica and the Akumatization, that kind of thing really hit the spot.

“Maman and Papa think they're being slick, huh?” Juleka asked.

“Mhm,” she agreed, still drinking.

“Funny they think me and Luka don't know.”

“Yup, hilarious,” Penny replied, taking another sip.

“Well, at least we get a cool step-manager.”

The resulting spurt covered a good part of the deck in a sticky liquid that took a while to clean up.

----

Marinette took a deep breath and sat next to Luka. She really needed to follow on Adrien's suggestion.

“Luka?”

“Hm?”

“I'm sorry for being so weird lately.”

“Hey, I like Weird Marinette as much as Put-Together Marinette. And Passionate Marinette, Justice Marinette, Designer Marinette–”

“Okay, okay!” Marinette interrupted, struggling (and failing) to keep her cheeks from flushing.

“I'm just glad you didn't become Avoiding-Me Marinette,” Luka replied, smiling. “I didn't tell you how I feel to put pressure on you. I told you so you know how important you are to me.”

Marinette sighed in relief. It was just as Adrien had said.

“You're important to me too, Luka!” she said, smiling. “And I'll never run from being your friend!”

“Good,” he nodded, before his smile became a bit naughtier. “That said, I'm gonna compliment you a lot more to bring out Blushy Marinette.”

Oh.

Oh no.

“NoOOOOOO!” she wailed.

----

Adrien watched from afar as Marinette – completely red in the face – slapped the air next to a laughing Luka, and he sighed in relief.

“Whew. At least they're not dating,” he said out loud.

“This time.”

“Ah, Kagami!” Where did she come from?!

“Marinette can choose whomever she wants to date,” his friend said, “yet you don't make yourself a known option. Why?”

Oh. That. His life second's major irritant.

“There's an obstacle,” he said, crossing his arms. “A big, tall, annoying, dumb obstacle with bad fashion sense and is so selfish!”

Kagami patted his arm.

“I understand. Your father is a difficult person to overcome.”

“Eh?”

I meant Hawkmoth...

----

Ikari Gozen

@zoe-oneesama Adrien better make a move soon, lest he lose his chance with his Princess!

That's 453 pages, 180836 words, 974597 characters!

#scarlet lady the novel #fanfiction #milarqui #long post #marinette dupain cheng #marigold #adrien agreste #chat noir #aspik #luka couffaine #viperion #desperada

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runawaycatwalker · 2 years

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Part 10. Successors in the Sewers

<<First | <Previous | Next>

Description below the cut

Viperion stands at the bottom of the ladder to the sewers.

Viperion: Sass, scales—

A close-up of Viperion’s eyes as he hears something.

Adrien, still sleeping on the ground, jolts awake.

Viperion (voiceover): —wait, who’s there?

Adrien clambers to his feet as he grabs his backpack of cheese and Plagg gets sucked into his ring.

Adrien (under his breath): Plagg, claws out!

Viperion finds Catwalker pleasantly waving at the opening of a sewer tunnel, Catwalker’s still flailing tail being the only sign of how close a call this was.

Viperion: Oh, you must be the new Chat Noir that Ladybug told me about. Catwalker, right?

Catwalker bows to Viperion.

Catwalker: Viperion, your reputation precedes you. Shall we go assist Ladybug with—?

Viperion: We just beat the akuma. I’m just here to—

Catwalker: —To give the miraculous back. Yes, of course.

Catwalker holds up a closed hand as he looks off towards where Viperion came.

Catwalker: If you don't mind, I think I should wait for Ladybug with you. She'll want to hold me accountable for not showing up on time.

Viperion: You already fought one akuma today, Ladybug won’t blame you for missing the second one.

Cut to the image of Ladybug angrily waving her arms and jumping towards Chat Noir, who stubbornly pouts.

Catwalker (voiceover): That's no excuse. Skipping battles was one of the reasons Chat Noir earned Ladybug’s wrath in the events leading up to the first time I ended up with his miraculous. I cannot afford to repeat his mistakes.

Cut back to Viperion folding his arms and leaning against a wall, one eyebrow raised.

Viperion: You don’t have to compare yourself to Chat Noir, you know.

Catwalker: As the one filling his shoes, yes I do.

Viperion puts a hand on Catwalker’s shoulder in camaraderie. Catwalker feigns a “gasp!” at what he supposedly learns.

Viperion: I might know something about what it’s like to replace another hero. Most people don’t know this, but I was actually Ladybug’s second choice to wield the snake miraculous.

Catwalker smiles sincerely at Viperion.

Catwalker: I can’t imagine anyone being a better wielder than you.

Viperion: Thanks for the compliment. But I know who my predecessor was...

Cut to the image of Aspik posing heroically, with the faces of Adrien and Chat Noir on either side.

Viperion (voiceover): ...and he definitely could have been a hero under the right circumstances.

Cut back to Viperion strumming his lyre.

Viperion: I think I had an advantage in my first time loop that my predecessor didn't: Chat Noir wouldn't arrive until after I got the miraculous. The first snake wielder must have been working with an incomplete rhythm section—and it's nearly impossible to get into the groove until all the players are there, you know?

Cut to the image of Aspik frustratedly resetting a time loop.

Viperion (voiceover): But it wasn't his fault that he couldn't figure out how to beat the akuma without Chat Noir. And it wasn't Chat Noir's fault that his civilian identity got in the way of his being a hero. So why should it be your fault that you've hit some logistical hurdles getting here today?

Cut back to Catwalker, forlornly looking at his miraculous.

Catwalker: It's not just that. Even when I am there... it's like I make about as much a difference with saving the day as your predecessor did. It's the same problem: Chat Noir is supposed to be here. But he isn't coming back this time.

Viperion smiles encouragingly as he holds his lyre against his shoulder.

Viperion: If it weren't for my predecessor suggesting me to Ladybug, I wouldn't have become Viperion. And if it weren't for you, Chat Noir would be completely vulnerable to Shadowmoth right now. You both have already made all the difference. And I'm hopeful that you both will prove your worth as heroes yet again.

Catwalker points a finger at Viperion.

Catwalker: I hope you're not thinking of resigning and giving your miraculous back to the other guy.

Viperion: Not at all. I do want him to come back, but something tells me that a different miraculous would be a better fit for him.

Cut the image of Snake Noir wielding both the black cat and snake miraculouses.

Catwalker: But if something ever happens to me? He's still the one I'd trust most to use my miraculous right.

Ladybug comes down the sewer ladder. Viperion waves while Catwalker stands at attention.

Ladybug: Hey, Lu—! Catwalker?? What are you doing down here?

Viperion: Catwalker thought this would be a quiet place to transform, but he didn't know I'd already called dibs.

Catwalker gives an elegant bow.

Catwalker: Ladybug, I apologize for not arriving in time to fight the akuma. It will not happen again.

Ladybug waves her hands about placatingly.

Ladybug: It’s not your fault! I’m the one who said you should go get some sleep!

Viperion cheerfully cups his hand to whisper at a perplexed Catwalker.

Viperion (sotto voce): (Told you she'd understand.)

Ladybug places a reassuring hand on Catwalker’s shoulder. Catwalker stares into Ladybug’s eyes in vulnerable incredulity.

Ladybug: And honestly? I'm just glad you came back at all. I got worried when you didn’t show after... you know... everything with your mom? I thought you might have...

Catwalker’s smile oozes with kindness.

Catwalker: I haven't left. I’ll be by your side as long as you still have need of me.

Ladybug smiles offers her fist out for a fist bump.

Ladybug: I still need you. Oh, and since I had to run out on you before we could do it last time... Pound it?

Ladybug and Catwalker fist bump.

Catwalker: Pound it.

Below is the same image as above, only without text:

#runaway catwalker #catwalker #viperion #ladybug #adrien agreste #aspik #chat noir #snake noir #viperion: little does he know that we both replaced the same guy #catwalker: little does he know that we both replaced the same guy and i am also that guy #sorry this took longer than expected #i started working on this and realized that it might be better to post a different comic first #ultimately decided that i should post this one first #plus i did a bunch of plot reworking #overall i'm happy with what i've got in the works #probably won't try to scar anyone for life for at least another 20 pages #so that should be nice #also i'm retroactively adding textless versions of the comic under the read more since i continue to be terrible at balloon placement #so if that's been an issue for you that should help

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fyon-luna-13 · 2 years

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Bruh I just realized that Luka was LB's literal second chance to get it right.

#viperion #aspik #snake miraculous

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miraculous-prompts · 2 years

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Write an Angsty Pre-Reveal, Post Hawk Moth defeat, Pre-Relationship Senti!Rich Kids AU fic featuring Aspik hanging out with Viperion

#ml #fic prompt #Adrien Agreste #Luka Couffaine #Aspik #Viperion

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lovesquareshippingtrash · 2 years

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How Desperada Should Have Ended!

Marinette did nothing wrong, but Adrien definitely needs therapy now.

#Miraculous #Ladybug #Cat Noir #Desperada #Marinette #Adrien #Vivica #Aspik #Luka Couffaine #Viperion #Adrienette #Ladrien #love square #shipping trash #fix-it fic

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zoe-oneesama · 1 year

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Kwami Swap Master Post

Marinette:

Cat: Maotif (Lady Noire Variant), Original Design Fox: Huli Rouge Turtle: Bi Xi Bee: Marigold (original post), Marigold redesign, Marigold Chinese, first sighting Butterfly: Mariposa Peacock: Plumette, Belle Blue, Belle Blue with Chloe Snake: Serpentine Dragon: Snapdragon Horse: Yili Monkey: Surili Rabbit: Lucky Rabbit Mouse: Multimouse redesign, chibi Pig: Piglette Tiger: Báihŭ

Adrien:

Ladybug: Original Design Fox: Malin Rouge Turtle: Michelangelo Bee: Buzzy Bee Butterfly: Ombre Snake: Aspik Redesign Dragon: Dracon Pig: Hogwash

Alya:

Ladybug: Ladybird, Heroes Day, first sighting Turtle: Koki Marina, hair options, first sighting Bee: Myèl Jaune, first version

Nino:

Cat: Cat Scratch Fox: Fox Trot, first sighting

Chloe:

Ladybug: Scarlet Lady, Heroes Day, first sighting Cat: Chartreux Butterfly: Monarch Peacock: Blue Blood Rabbit: Satine Random Sketches

Lila:

Ladybug: Harlequin Coccibella and Bella Stella, Bella Stella, Harlequin Fox: Good Fox Volpina Bee: Miele and Regina Butterfly: Farfalla Rabbit: Leprotta Good and Evil Mouse: Multi Topi Rooster: Fenice Pig: Good and Evil (unnamed) Dog: Cucciola Ox: Dominataur Goat: Caprascuro

Sabrina:

Cat: Bob Cat Fox: Kit Bee: Andrena, first sighting Peacock: Mystique Mouse: Comousiner Rooster: Favorelle Dog: Miss Hound redesign, Original Design Phalène Ox: Blue Belle Goat: Chevron

Luka:

Cat: Cat Sith Fox: Zorro Turtle: Heavy Metal Bee: Aristaeus Snake: Viperion Redesign Rabbit: Hoppollo

Kagami:

Ladybug: Lady Tentou Cat: Kuro Neko, first sighting Fox: Kitsune, many chibis Turtle: Kame Verte, many chibis Bee: Mistubachi, first version, many chibis Dragon: Ryuko redesign, first version, many chibis

Mylene:

Ladybug: Lady Beetle Mouse: Polymouse Redesign, Original Design Sourette Rooster: Gold Wing Dog: Ultimutt Ox: Buckaroo Goat: Brebisou

Ivan:

Cat: Wild Cat Bee: Killer Bee Mouse: Rat Trap Rooster: Spring Chicken Dog: Bull Terror Ox: Minotaurox Redesign Goat: Battering Ram

Nathaniel:

Cat: Picatso Fox: (currently nameless) Mouse: Microdent Rooster: Caladrius Dog: Painted Dog Ox: Battle Bison Goat: Caprikid Redesign

Rose:

Ladybug: Dotted Lady Fox: Foxy Bee: Bumble Bee, first sighting Rabbit: Bun Bun Pig: Original Design Miss Piggy Tiger: Unnamed

Juleka:

Cat: Panthera Noir Bee: Yellow Swarm Peacock: Sweet Pea Pig: Unnamed Tiger: Purple Tigress Resign, Chibi, Original Design Tigresse

Max:

Ladybug: Spotted Guard Bee: Yellow Guard Horse: Pegasus redesign

Kim:

Cat: Hell Cat Bee: Roi Abeille

Alix:

Ladybug: Beetle Bug

Gabriel:

Cat: Black Plague

Nathalie:

Fox: Jackal

Jagged Stone:

Bee: Sting

Aurore:

Fox: many chibis Turtle: Shellegant, many chibis Bee: Miss Sting, many chibis Dragon: Pleut Blue, many chibis Rabbit: Lapin Royal

Ondine:

Turtle: Tortue Marina

Marc:

Mouse: Tiny Mouse Rooster: Rooster Bold Redesign Dog: Furmidable Ox: Oxenfree Goat: Goat Gruff

Zoé:

Ladybug: Coccecilia Cat: Dandy Lion Fox: Fox Glove Turtle: Shellonia Butterfly: Gladiolus Peacock: Poinciana Snake: Hydra Gea Dragon: Drakanthus Horse: Peony Trail Monkey: Simia Rabbit: Cotton Tail Mouse: Rodendron Rooster: Chick Pea Pig: Pigsqueek Tiger: (unnamed) Dog: (unnamed) Ox: Moobloom Goat: Fauna

Emilie:

Butterfly: Unnamed

Very Old Season 1 Kwami Swaps Compiled for Marinette, Adrien, Nino, Alya, Chloe, and Lila

#kwami swap #kwami swap master post #my art

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nobodyfamousposts · 2 years

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Why Scarlet Lady Is Better Than Canon: Desperada

Can we take a moment to just appreciate how @zoe-oneesama vastly improved Desparada?

There are so many things to love about this episode. Aspik and Viperion's redesigns. Jealous Adrien. Blushy Marinette. Aspik's redesign. Actual follow up on the previous Luka confession in Silencer. Seeing Scarlet taken out by the akuma. Aspik's redesign. Viperion's snek tongue and hilarious expressions. Seeing more family interaction between Jagged and Penny with the Couffaines. Aspik's redesign. There are SO many reasons to love this episode, but there are also reasons it's better than canon and these are in part due to the issues with the canon version of the episode in the first place.

First off, canonically speaking, despite Desperada being meant as Luka’s breakout hero episode and an Adrien-focused episode, we don’t get the necessary focus on either of them as the the narrative ultimately gave the focus and lesson of the episode to Marinette for “choosing wrong” and “not being able to see past Adrien to choose Luka”, which runs counter to the general rule of the series in that she’s SUPPOSED to be choosing Adrien in all things. So ultimately, what should be an Adrien and/or Luka episode feels very watered down because Marinette is thrown into it where she doesn’t need to be to shoulder the blame for anything going wrong.

Secondly, for a Luka hero debut episode, Luka does very little. We see that he’s great with the Snake and was clearly the “right choice all along” to use it. Which is fine. But much like Carapace in Anansi and King Monkey in Partycrasher, there isn’t much in the way of focus on him or buildup to him becoming a hero. In Luka’s case, he’s played off as the second choice to Adrien, which would set the precedent for canon as a whole if canon hadn’t already made that point clear all the way back in Frozer. And that only makes it more depressing how canon seems glued, nailed, and riveted to this as a plot point.

Third and most important in regards to this particular essay, Adrien’s use of the Snake is problematic. He’s shown to be doing it because he’s psyched that Ladybug chose him as a civilian even if that means abandoning her as Chat and LYING to her about it. Other than a few snide comments from Plagg in the moment which could be easily attributed to his own jealousy in the matter, this is never addressed or brought up again. We never see Adrien learning from how things go wrong or learn how to plan accordingly, he just seems to try different random things without considering why they fail only to be surprised time and again when each of his following plans also fail. Because of this as well as his determination, he says he was reliving the same five minute time span for months in a self-perpetuating hell of failure before he finally acknowledges that he isn’t fit for the role. This could have been a great character developing moment for Adrien as he’d have to use his ability as the Snake to actually be the planner for once or gain knowledge about Hawk Moth and Ladybug that can tie into future episodes. But because they focus in on him wanting to prove Ladybug’s faith in him right (and because of Thomas’s “Rule” that Marinette must always be the one to learn a lesson each episode), it comes off as being Ladybug’s fault for choosing him over Luka rather than the fact that it was his choice to forego his role as Chat to be a temp Snake hero—and that between him and Ladybug, HE was the only one at that time who had reason to know why it would be a bad idea.

Ultimately, depending on how you look at it, this results in making Adrien appear either very devoted to the point of codependent or just very foolish and selfish for being so intent on keeping this lie going that he would rather repeat thousands of loops of failure to keep misusing the Snake Miraculous for arguably selfish reasons.

Compare with Scarlet Lady, which has Adrien keep misusing the Snake Miraculous for blatantly selfish reasons.

“But Nobody!” I can hear you say, “Doesn’t that make him worse?”

To which I say, “Yes. Which is why it makes him BETTER.”

As we can see from this comic, Adrien is fully misusing the Snake Miraculous for petty revenge and he is enjoying the HECK out of it.

Is it wrong? Definitely.

Do I blame him? Not at all.

Let’s bear in mind that per Zoe, Adrien has been suffering as Scarlet Lady’s “sidekick” for 8 months by this point. That’s almost a year of having to fight akumas mostly on his own or with unexpected civilian help (which is an issue all its own) while dealing with a bossy and antagonistic “hero” who spends more time on her phone than actually helping with the akumas. Made worse by this girl taking advantage of his state after the fight to give out a false narrative of how SHE saved the day without anyone to point out otherwise.

Dealing with Scar has had such a profound effect on him throughout the series. We can see it in the way that Adrien has been more stressed. His response to Fu upon discovering him. And the way he has been untrusting and resistant to actual help when it finally arrived in the form of Marigold.

Just because Marigold finally showed up to give him a real partner does not mean that his suffering was over or in any way healed. At best, it gave him someone to share in his misery of dealing with Scar and be a support for him in akuma fights/heroing who wasn’t a civilian. Or more accurately, who wasn’t a specific civilian girl he has a crush on…as far as he knows, at any rate.

What it comes down to is that Scar has been a constant source of anger, stress, and resentment for Adrien. Her treatment of him is downright abusive in every way, and Chat has been in the incredibly unfortunate position that there hasn’t been anything he could do about that. Or at least not anything that wouldn’t end up only working to her benefit or making things worse for himself and the city. Even after discovering Fu and being told she was never actually meant to have been the Ladybug user, he was still stuck dealing with her. He really has no choice but to stick it out and let her continue as she is, because the consequences otherwise would be too dire.

This is why the Snake Miraculous is such a game changer…because it is the one miraculous that lets these consequences be thrown right out the window.

This is his one opportunity, perhaps the only time he has or will ever HAVE the freedom to say and do whatever he wants to Scar and not have to worry about the potential aftermath.

No worries about Scar being unable or unwilling to use the Cure.

No issues of Hawk Moth or the akuma getting the Miraculous.

No fears of Scar throwing a tantrum or doing anything to make him look like the villain to the city.

No concerns of Scar trying to run away and potentially losing the Ladybug Earrings.

Five minutes of pure consequence-free actions, where he can do ANYTHING to inflict a fraction of the torment Scar has caused him, to be repeated as many times as he wants!

Ladies and Gentlemen and People of all types: This is Adrien Agreste with a Revenge Boner.

The introduction of the Snake Miraculous gives Adrien the power he’s lacked in his relationship with Scarlet Lady. And now that he’s on the superior end of the power disparity with the freedom to do and say whatever he wants to her with no consequences, he’s taking full advantage of it.

This is a stark contrast to Canon Adrien and how he handled his time as Aspik. This makes Scarlet Lady Adrien exceedingly more selfish compared to the angst-fest that was Desperada in canon. But it is also more enjoyable because of it.

In terms of the Scarlet Lady narrative itself, this is catharsis for Adrien. After everything Scar has put him through, he’s able to get that sweet, sweet payback and see all the ways he can torment her. This is only part of what all that past mistreatment from Scar has been leading up to. This becomes a matter of both continuity, cause and effect, and character building.

Remember the old writing advice of “show, don’t tell”? Yeah. This is Zoe SHOWING you just how much Adrien hates Scar by this point.

In terms of comparing the two episodes, what we have is a difference between an angst-filled self-imposed helplessness versus the aforementioned catharsis. See, this version works better because it makes it clear that Adrien is the one with full control in the situation and what he is DOING with that control. He controls how long the loops last. How many times he goes back. When he stops looping. And most importantly, what he does in those loops.

In canon, part of Adrien’s angst over his time as Aspik is supposed to be over all the times he tries and fails to save Ladybug, but it’s undercut by the fact that his suffering is almost entirely self-inflicted. Both by lying to Ladybug in the first place and then by putting in so much effort to keep the lie going that he would rather allow Ladybug to be taken out several thousand times than simply tell her the truth.

While the narrative seems to want us to believe that Adrien has no real power in this situation, Adrien is the one with the control in each of the loops. He just using it in the worst ways and CONTINUING to keep doing so even when he knows it won’t work. In this sense, his repeated attempts don’t come off as heroic so much as frustrating. And also hypocritical because they’re trying to beautify his actions to hide that they’re ultimately self-serving. When his “suffering” is self-imposed, the angst comes off as pretentious.

Scarlet Lady avoids this because Adrien has no such angst. He’s having the time of his freaking life. Is he a jerk for it? Yes. Is it wrong? Also yes. Should he be called out for it at some point in the future? Definitely. But this is mitigated not only by the power of Second Chance, but also by the fact that it was implied if not outright stated from the start that he had no intention of actually defeating the akuma as Aspik and fully planned to do whatever was necessary to avoid being called on as a temp hero again in the future. This tells us that Adrien’s actions weren’t planned for a specific victory outcome the way Canon Adrien did. It wasn’t that he actually intended to use the Miraculous against Scarlet Lady from the start, but that he realized after that first time seeing Scarlet taken out that this would be a perfect opportunity to let out his unresolved animosity towards her. The way that a lot of people would do if such an opportunity ever landed in their lap to torment their tormentor and get away with it. This makes Adrien incredibly selfish and it makes him all the more real and human because of it.

Then there’s the matter of Luka. In canon, he’s clearly chosen second to Adrien and this should be an issue. However, other than the narrative pointing at Marinette being at fault for choosing Adrien over Luka twice in situations that Luka should be viewed as the “clear better fit for”, nothing is done with it.

In Scarlet Lady, Zoe sidestepped the issue of who would play with Jagged while also pointing out the ridiculousness of firing Vivica in the first place over incredibly stupid reasons. It makes what was an episode that made Jagged look incredibly immature and selfish instead appear much more endearing as it was revealed he did it intentionally to spend time with his kids and both his ex and his kids are fully aware of this. Of course, it was still a jerk move of him to do this to Vivica, yes. But it was endearing and I don't feel what likability Jagged had in season one drop like a boulder.

So instead of the canon narrative of Luka never being good enough compared to Adrien and this somehow being Marinette’s fault, Zoe changed the focus for Luka on how Marinette is responding to his confession the previous episode. This works even better in that it shows continuity is a thing, as is character development. It made the side issue of the episode that Marinette doesn’t know how to respond to this—which makes sense in light of her being a girl who has never been confessed to, now being confessed to by someone she considers a friend and she doesn’t want to ruin that. It handled the situation maturely in the end, and Zoe did a wonderful job showing Marinette’s uncertainty and her reactions as her emotions are still a mess while also showing Luka’s concerns when they’re finally able to talk things out. It was a lovely end to the episode that really felt like a step forward: Luka is shown being more proactive in regards to his feelings compared to canon, Marinette is also coming to terms with her feelings, and Adrien fully admits that Hawk Moth is the only reason he isn’t being forward with his feelings for her.

See what this is? Progress. Slow and simple forward steps that make it feel like things are moving instead of being stuck at a standstill until plot requires them to jerk it forward. This is something Miraculous canon desperately needs.

In conclusion: The Scarlet Lady version of Desperada is an improvement to the canon version because it ultimately puts the onus of control in the matter of the “failed loops” on Adrien where it should be (even if it’s played for laughs), takes the responsibility of “choosing wrong” and Adrien’s failures to defeat the akuma off of Marinette (who had limited control of the situation in comparison to him), doesn’t throw in Luka as a second choice for Adrien with no relevance of his own except that he's second choice, and makes the episode as a whole more enjoyable and less of an exercise in frustration.

#ml analysis #scarlet lady #scarlet lady is better than canon #ml salt #adrien salt #for zoe #you know why #have I mentioned aspik's redesign?

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