#people keep saying the mouse miraculous...

[angel-of-the-moons]

A Rose Under The Moon

Moon Knight System (Marc/Jake/Steven) x Fem!Reader

TW/CW: Pet death, grief

A/N: Yeah I cried writing this btw. I love cats so much and like this shit hurted :'D

Taglist: @bad4amficideas @my-secret-shame-but-fanfiction @shirukitsune @lokisremainingsanity @mundivagantsoul @furblrwurblr @zoleea-exultant @latenightcravingz @daygirl26 @thelastemzy @leahnicole1219 @marsmallow433 @crazyunsexycool

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Chapter 8:

Everybody Loves Cats!

It was a full day after Puck made her miraculous reappearance, and you were delighted for her sweet fluffy company. She was such a cuddly little bed partner, and whenever the stress of the day became too much, she knew exactly what you needed.

She would roll over and show her belly, stick her tongue out at you with her eyes as large as saucers, or do… that weird thing cats do where they’re chill one second and just hurl themselves off into who-knows-what and it never failed to make you smile and cheer you up. Puck was more than content to receive chin scratches and some of her chicken-flavored dreamies that she went nuts for.

Oh, and her mouse stuffed with catnip. She adored that little thing. She would carry it around and make little noises with it (when she wasn’t sitting in the windows chirping at birds) and bat it around like she was playing her own private sports-game. Ah, cats.

They always had a way of making you feel close to your parents; your dad in particular. He always had cats around, as long as you can remember. You remember seeing his eyes light up when he would bring home a fresh little stray after he brought them home.

Your father had a particular soft spot for elderly cats. As a little girl, you once asked him, “Daddy, why don’t you ever get kittens? They like to play! Old kitties just sleep.”

You remember him smiling as he pet one of the said elderly cats, Cleo, he named her. She was a large, fluffy monstrosity who seemed to eat up snuggles like you saw squirrels eat acorns.

He gave you a look that had infinite depths of patience for your little girl questions; and chuckled. “Well, honey. You have to think of it from their point of view.”

Cleo stretched her paws up to his shoulder and bumped her head against his jaw with a tone-deaf purr.

“A lot of people abandon their older pets in favor of new ones.” He held up a finger as he educated you. “For example, say one family wanted to gift their son or daughter a cat for Christmas, but they already had one. That cat was older, couldn’t keep up, and had no teeth and the child just didn’t engage with that cat as much as they used to. So… they take their old cat to a shelter and leave them so they can get a newer or younger cat. Just to do it again when the same situation arises… or worse.”

“What could be badder than that?” You asked, already feeling sad for the metaphorical cat your dad was speaking about.

“Some people are extra mean to their pets.” Your father sighed, stroking Cleo’s fur as she turned in his lap, rubbing her whole body against his belly as he twisted his desk chair to fully face you. “Some people, who are like that, will take their kitties and just… leave them somewhere. So they get lost and can’t find their way home.”

“That’s so mean!” You whined, already feeling tears of frustration at such a mean thought. Were people really that mean to their kitties? And their puppies?

Your dad nods with a soft hum, smiling softly as Cleo leans into your face, sniffing you. Her creamy orange fur begging to be touched, you give in and sink your short, pudgy fingers into her soft fur, giggling when she made a loud “mrrp” noise and leaned into your touch.

“Someone did the same thing to Cleo, y’know?” He says to you quietly. “They were mean. They taped her up in a box and just left her by a dumpster.”

You gasped, offended; because Cleo was a good kitty! Why would anyone do that to Cleo? Yeah she was silly and didn’t play very much, but she was nice! She liked kisses, and even stranger, she liked to hop in the shower with your dad! Kitties don’t normally like water!

“But why?” You ask, your tiny voice squeaking with emotion as Cleo happily cuddled into your awkward pets.

“I don’t know. Maybe they got a new cat and didn’t want her. Or maybe the partner of somebody didn’t want her around. Or… they’re just not a nice person, honey. We just don’t know.” He sighed deeply, looking down at you with a saddened expression. He hated having to explain others’ cruelty to you. You shouldn't be so exposed to these things, but… it was better than lying to you. And that hurt him worse.

“But. It worked out in Cleo’s favor.” He smiled again at you as you leaned into his lap, tipping your head forward with a giggle as Cleo headbutted you softly, rubbing her fluffy cheek on yours.

“She’s got us, she’s got a belly full of food, and a nice cuddly home.”

“Is that why we have Chester, too?” You asked him.

Your dad nodded, looking over at the black cat who slept soundly in the windowsill, his fur almost glowing orange as the sun’s rays hit him. He wasn’t as old as Cleo, but he was getting up there in kitty years. “Yeah. We especially love black cats, okay? They’re very special because people are mean to them, too.”

You frowned up at him. “But why?”

“Some people consider them bad luck, or evil. So people hurt them… or just abandon them, like Cleo. Somebody left Chester in his carrier outside the pound. They were…” His mouth twisted as he tried to think of a way to explain what was going to happen to one of his furry companions. You were so young, you shouldn’t have to grasp the concept of death, but he had to find a way to explain it.

“They were going to put him to sleep if nobody adopted him.”

“But why? He can sleep by himselfs.” You retort.

You dad rests his hand on the top of your head, a pained smile on his face at your innocence.

“Putting an animals to sleep means…” He sighed. “They go to sleep forever. They don’t get to wake up again.”

“But don’t they get hungry? Chester always wakes up when he’s hungry…”

“They don’t feel anything anymore. They just get sleepy, fall asleep… and don’t wake up.” Cleo hopped onto your father’s desk, casually batting his mouse off the pad so she could sit on it for whatever reason as your father scooped you up and pulled you into his lap.

“But why?” You ask again.

Oh, the endless who’s, what’s, and why’s of a learning mind. He loved talking to you, but it was hard to, on this subject.

“Do you remember when your grandma passed away? When we had to put her in the casket and in the ground?” He slowly asked.

“Yeah…” You frowned, clinging to his shirt. You barely remembered it. You were little when it happened. Sure, you weren’t that much older, now. You were a whole eight years old, now. Grandma passed away when you were four.

“You remember how I told you she couldn’t come back?”

“Yeah…”

“It’s like that. Only for pets. And it’s not… it’s not natural.”

“But why do they have to do it? Why can’t they find homes?” You ask, looking up at him with watery eyes.

That almost happened to Chester? Chester was your best friend, he snuggled you to sleep every night, gave you kisses with his scratchy tongue, would sit on the bathroom counter when you took a bath… and would sometimes help you sneak snacks when you weren’t supposed to.

“Some places can’t afford to take care of an animal for a long time. Or, if the animal is very sick and won’t get better, it’s the more humane option instead of just leaving them in a cage.” He says gently, rubbing your back. “Or… if they’re old. Like Chester and Cleo.”

“I don’t like that.” You say stubbornly.

“I know, baby.” He chuckles softly. “So, now do you understand? Why we love old kitties?”

“Yeah! Just cuz they don’t do the flippies that the kittens do doesn’t make ‘em boring.” You pout. “And they don’t bite.”

“Some of them do.” Your dad reminds you with a chuckle.

You watch as Cleo licks her paws, a rather happy and content look on her face as her fluffy tail flicks around. Suddenly, another question pops into your head.

“Daddy, why do you like kitties so much?” You ask, reaching out to scratch Cleo on her chin, earning a happy noise from her.

“Well, it’s just… in the family, kiddo. My mom always had cats, my grandma always had cats… your great auntie, Ellen, she has cats.” He chuckled. “I don’t know why so much as I just do. Always have. And now, I adopt older cats so they can live their old fluffy lives in peace.”

“Yeah… okay.” You say, satisfied with that answer.

“And remember what I said, Lil’ Bit?” Your father asked, pulling a book from the edge of his desk. On the cover of this book, there were pictures of a thing that looked like an alligator, there was a kitty, and pictures of different kinds of fish on it. You can make out a few words, "Myths and Beliefs".

He flipped the pages until it opened to a page with pictures of different kinds of cats, including…

“Daddy!” You gasp, pointing at the book. “That’s a kitty mummy!”

Your father chuckles. “Yeah, the ancient Egyptians believed cats to be protectors and good luck charms. They would even dress their cats in jewelry. The reason that cat was mummified was probably because their owner wanted their pet to come with them to the afterlife.” His finger scans the page to a highlighted passage.

“Some of them believed that their gods could inhabit cats and other animals to check in on humans.”

“That’s weird.” You pout stubbornly, not understanding.

Your father, ever the patient man, laughed softly as he kissed the crown of your head. “Maybe so. But I like to think that owners loved their pets so much, that their pets are probably happy and waiting for them to meet them in the afterlife later.”

“...So will I see Cleo one day?” You asked.

The moment the words left your mouth, your father felt his heart lurch in his chest. He certainly didn’t expect that question to come out of your mouth. The weight of it almost knocked him out of his chair, if it weren't for your weight grounding him, he would have. He couldn’t even fathom being in a world without you, he didn’t dare imagine what it would be like to lose you.

But… he couldn’t leave your question unanswered.

“Yeah. One day, in a very long time. I’m sure Cleo, when she’s there, will be waiting for more scratches. Chester too. So remember, even if they pass away… you’ll see them again. It’ll just take a while.”

“What are my two favorite scholars discussing today?” Your mother’s voice rang out as she kicked the snow off her boots and set them in front of the fireplace to dry.

You slid off your dad’s lap and ran to your mom as she put her coat on the peg by the door. She turned and caught you mid-leap and spun you around, planting ice-cold kisses all over your face, leaving her bright red lipstick marks in their wake.

“So! What were you two talking about?” She hummed, walking over to your dad as she balanced you on her hip.

Your father adjusted his glasses and set the book down, leaning up to give your mother a sweet kiss.

“Oh, you know. Just about cats and the afterlife.” He grinned.

“Oh, but of course!” Your mother snorted. “A totally normal and reasonable topic for a child to learn about at eight years old.”

“Mommy!” You say, tugging her sweater impatiently.

“Yes, my love?” Your mother smiled down at you, her smeared lipstick at the corner of her lips. The rest of it was currently on you and four father’s faces and lips.

“Did you know that ‘gyptians mummied kitties?” You say, bouncing as you explained. “Oh! And–and that they gave ‘em fancy necklaces?”

“Why, yes. I did know about that. But why don’t you give me a refresher course while your dad and I start making dinner?” She hummed.

“Okay!” You chirped, hopping back down onto the floor, stopping to pet Chester as he slowly sidled up next to you, his sleek black tail wrapping around your small leg as he looked up at you, giving you a very slow blink.

“And daddy said I can see Chester and Cleo one day in the aff–after–afterlife, too!” You stumble the words out innocently as Chester walks with you into the kitchen.

“Oh… did he, now.” Your mother said, squinting as she slowly turned her head to look at your father.

You didn’t hear the rough swallow he made, but he definitely flushed and tugged at his shirt collar awkwardly.

“Ah.. well… you see...”

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You sighed nostalgically as the memory finished playing out. You gently held the book in your hands as you remembered that day. It was the very same book your father had read to you that day. Newer, and less-used of course, but it was still the same one.

God, you remembered how sad you were when Cleo died. You were only ten years old when she passed. You’d come home from school to your dad, his eyes red and puffy, holding onto you tight as your mother spoke to you softly, telling you that Cleo had “left”. You knew what that meant. You remember telling your dad what he told you, about seeing them again one day, and that seemed to make him smile at last.

But when Chester died? Oh, how that broke your heart. You had just turned sixteen, three days after your birthday, to be precise. You were sitting in your bed, legs crossed as you read your textbooks and jotted down notes for your schoolwork.

You didn’t think twice when Chester curled up next to you, purring as he closed his eyes.

You were so engrossed in your work, that you didn’t notice when he stopped purring. You only realized something was amiss when you reached down to pet him, only to find him still. Deathly still... but still warm.

You panicked and tried to wake him up, before shouting for your parents. Nothing could have been done. Chester decided to spend his last breaths snuggling you in your bed, his favorite cuddle spot. He wanted you to know that he loved you that much.

You were beside yourself for months. Until one day, on your walk home, you found a little cat. Small, but not a kitten; she was very malnourished and flea-infested. Solid black, just like Chester.

She was snuggled up tight against an old mailbox, shivering and wet from the rain, meowing in such a heartbreaking tone. You scooped her up on instinct and whisked her home.

You’d named her Nibbles. On account that she liked to nibble on people’s shoelaces.

You had Nibbles for several more years, until she passed away from feline leukemia, just before you moved to London. You loved her well, and she was with you when you lost your parents, comforting you when you were at your lowest.

You swallowed the lump in your chest and sucked in a breath as you put the book back into place on the shelf. You didn’t even notice your eyes were filling with tears until your vision blurred, and when you blinked, fat tears rolled down your cheeks.

Puck sat at your feet, a paw on your shoe and meowed up at you questioningly.

You sniffed hard and scooped up the furry little critter, nuzzling into her fur as you tried to push the feelings of grief away.

Puck leaned up and licked your salty tears, her tongue scraping your skin in a comforting way as she purred unusually loudly.

It takes a few minutes and you finally smile, kissing Puck on her tiny furry forehead. “I needed that. Thanks, you fluffy little terrorist.”

Puck purred happily and hopped out of your arms, satisfied at her job well-done and scampered off to the front of the store as the front door’s bell rang.

You take a deep breath and make sure your face is clean of any evidence of your tears and headed up front to see a young man, looking around curiously.

“Hi! Welcome to Here Today Books!” You chirp, “What can I help you with, today?”

“Um…” He says awkwardly. “I’m looking for a book.”

You can’t help but chuckle, hands on your hips. “That checks out!” You joke playfully.

“Oh! I… right.” He says, rubbing the back of his neck shyly. Aw, was he blushing? “I’m… I’m studying and, uhm…”

“Well, I have plenty of textbooks on a myriad of subjects. You looking for anything in particular?” You ask him politely.

He nods twice, “Yeah, um. It’s… for a history course. My professor told us to pick a civilization to write an essay on. And, it’s kind of hard to find the books on the subject I need because of the topics…”

You smile politely and wait for him to finish. Something about this young man told you he was painfully shy, and didn’t like much social interaction. Not unlike Marc, but he carried himself with a few degrees more of anxiety and social awkwardness than Steven did.

“Er…” He floundered.

“Let me guess… it’s ancient Egypt, isn’t it?” You grin.

“H-How’d you know?” He said, blinking at you.

“I have a friend who’s obsessed with it. I know quite a bit about it, myself. Is there a specific topic in particular you want to start with?”

He nods eagerly, “Yeah! Uh, I wouldn’t mind stuff on their myths, legends, and religions, if you got them?”

“Sure! I’ll just be a minute. Go on ahead and wait up front by the counter, for me.” You hum, turning to disappear into the depths of your shop.

He didn’t go stand by the counter, he just awkwardly stared at Puck, who looked at him from her cozy sweater-nest, looking at him through slitted pupils as the tip of her tail thrashed.

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You came back to see the man looking through random clearance books and upon noticing you, he smiled widely.

“Are those it?” He asked, gesturing to the two books in your arms.

“Yep!” You chirp, walking behind the counter. “Will these work?”

He slowly walks up to the counter, eyeing Puck nervously. “Uh–yeah. Definitely.”

“Perfect… that’ll be… ten pounds.” You say, typing it all in on the register.

The young man fishes out the notes and all too quickly shoves them into your waiting hand. He still hadn’t taken his eyes off Puck, whose fur was beginning to bristle as she stared at the man.

“Okie dokie. Come back anytime. I got plenty of books like this just gathering dust.” You chuckle, putting his “new” books into a canvas bag and handing it over to him.

His sleeve rolled up and you noticed a mark on his forearm. It was strange, but not the strangest you’ve ever seen. It looked almost like a–

Your thoughts were interrupted when Puck lunged at him, hissing and spitting, swiping her paws at him with claws fully out and open, her tail puffed out and stiff.

You gasp in shock. “Puck! Bad girl!”

You panic; trying to reach for Puck as the man frantically pulls away, now sporting a red scratch to the back of his hand.

“I’m so sorry! She’s not normally… She never does this!” You apologize profusely, afraid of the ramifications a complaint could bring should he report this little “incident”. Sure, it was minor, but if he was the type to make a big something out of nothing…

“It–It’s okay.” He says quickly, stepping away. “Cats don’t normally l-like me, for some reason…”

Puck thrashed in your arms, leaving small welts in your arms as she growled lowly in her little chest, staring at the man, her usually sweet and docile eyes full of malice.

“Puck!” You wince, trying to calm her down. “Stop! What’s gotten into you?”

The man scurries out of your shop finally, and Puck starts to calm down in your arms.

It takes a few minutes until the black ball of rage begins to settle, and you set her back onto the counter.

Her ears pin back and her eyes get large as she looks up at you, seemingly full of guilt at what she’d unintentionally done to you.

Her little nose touches the scratches she left on your arms and you sigh; “They’re just scratches, Puck… I know you didn’t mean it.”

You rub her chin to help ease her poor feelings at scratching her human. “Okay, okay… I forgive you. But no dreamies for you tonight, missy!”

Puck leaps off the counter, slinking off into the shadows of your shop and you're left with throbbing injuries to tend to with your tiny first-aid kit. You just couldn’t figure out why Puck was so upset about that guy. He mentioned cats didn’t like him, but why? You’ve never met a cat that didn’t like you.

What was his deal?

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Elsewhere, in their flat, Marc winced and dropped his glass of water, the ceramic shattering on the floor, making Layla jump.

“Gah! Marc! What’s wrong?” She asked him, carefully avoiding the broken glass as she moved closer.

“My fucking…” He groaned, looking down at his arms. He was wearing a simple cotton t-shirt today, so it left his thick forearms fully visible. “My arms! I don’t know!”

And Layla certainly saw the thin red marks up and down his arms. She clamped her jaw shut.

Oh, she knew all right. He just wasn’t ready to know.

Not yet, as Taweret told her.

Not yet.

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Chapter 9: Link

#a rose under the moon #moon knight #marc spector x reader #marc spector x you #soulmate au #layla el faouly

[miraculouslbcnreactions]

Do you think Gabriel and Tomoe trying to force their kids together when they never seemed to care about that before season 5 was too much drama? @tallwriter

Yes.

Here's a little writing tip: if you want to keep your audience emotionally invested, make the drama build and try to keep most of it tied to the plot. Miraculous is really, really bad at this. It has no idea how to build the drama up to a solid, satisfying, logical conclusion. Instead, it tries to keep people invested through extremely cheap, pointless drama that goes nowhere. I'll use season five to explain.

Season five's conflict is that Gabriel has all of the miraculous and the heroes want the miraculous back. Season five ends with that happening. But does anything in the season actually lead to that ending?

Here's a list of all (or at least most) of the multi-episode conflicts introduced and arguably resolved in season five:

Nathalie no longer blindly supporting Gabriel

Gabriel getting cataclysmed and slowly dying

Nathalie slowly dying

The reverse crush drama

Kagami having a crush on Adrien (and Marinette?)

Lila's lies and team up with Chloe

Gabriel and Tomoe wanting their kids together

Felix having the peacock miraculous

Marinette being unable to say that she loves Adrien

The senti plot

Adrinette getting together

The only thing on that list that kind of mattered to the final was Gabriel getting cataclysmed because it meant that he could die without it feeling like suicide since he was already dying. Everything else on that list could be cut and the ending would not meaningfully change because there is no story arc for season five. Stuff just happens.

This is what I mean by cheap, pointless drama. Season five doesn't care about setting up a good, powerful ending. It just cares about keeping you invested and asking "what's going to happen next?"

The is not how epic stories are told. This is how soap operas are told. The entire draw of that genre is melodrama. In other words, it's for people who enjoy drama just for the sake of drama. People who don't care if the characters are mostly shitty, awful people or if plots get dropped mid-season or resolved in wacky ways because the audience is not here to fall in love with the characters or to hear an epic story. They're here for the drama and that's about it.

To be clear, there's nothing wrong with soap operas. It's a massively popular genre for a reason. I'm sure that there are even standout examples that have fantastic plots, but that's simple not a requirement for something to be a good soap opera any more than a good romance requires the main couple to be healthy. The problem with Miraculous having a soap opera structure is that - as far as I can tell - Miraculous is not trying to be a soap opera. It's trying to be a serious narrative (which is why you have the writers claiming things like Marinette and Gabriel are supposed to represent individual creative spirit versus corporate greed), but it's failing and failing hard.

A show that was succeeding at telling a good, logical plot would have had multi-episode conflicts like:

Chat Noir and Ladybug figuring out how the miraculous powers are being given to people

Chat Noir and Ladybug trying to figure out if Tomoe knew that her rings got hacked/assuming the Tsurugi tech is behind everything and somehow infuriating the company, likely with Kagami's help

Chat Noir and Ladybug learning the truth of the butterfly and peacock and dealing with that/going to the mansion with purpose

Felix, Chat Noir, and Ladybug playing a season long game of cat and mouse

You know, stuff that would actually lead to the ending of the season instead of Felix randomly telling Ladybug what she needs to know right before the final without her actually doing anything to make that happen. (But don't forget that she's smart and clever guys. I promise you that she's smart and clever! The writers totally know how to write a smart and clever character!)

Another thing you may have noticed is that most of those suggested plot points build on each other. This is how good stories work. You should be constantly resolving subplots and, in the process of the resolution, you introduce new subplots. For example, they figure out that the rings are how the akumas are getting their powers, which leads to the investigation of Tsurugi tech. Two separate subplots that naturally link together to allow for a logical story flow while keeping things interesting.

This was a big problem with season four, which introduced the Ladynoir conflict that was just kind of there, looming over the story, but not doing anything for 20-something episodes. For all of season five's flaws, at the very least the writers kept things interesting. They just didn't keep it interesting in particularly talented way. It's all bullshit melodrama and, while I truly have nothing against soap operas, I'm not a fan of the genre.

All of the above is why I don't have any faith in the next season of miraculous. They writers clearly cannot handle conflicts that last longer than an episode because literally nothing they introduced set up the final. It actually weakened the final because season five spent a lot of time making Gabriel worse than he's ever been, which is not how you setup a dramatic, last-minute change of heart.

To end on a positive note, the one thing that I will give the writers some credit for is the reverse crush BS. Rumor has it that this season was originally supposed to have The Reveal and, if that had happened right after all of the crush stuff, then it would have been more satisfying than a reveal without the reverse crush.

While Adrien has always been a Marinette fan and him eventually developing a crush feels logical, Ladybug has been really anti Ladynoir for a while now, so having her backtrack that stance pre-reveal would have strengthened the reveal and the relationship that follows. It still will even though Ladybug's Chat Noir crush is now nothing more than a brief rebound that was quickly forgotten. That doesn't change the fact that it happened which means that we now know that she's okay with her and Chat Noir being in a romantic relationship no matter his identity when it previously came across like she was completely opposed to the idea until she learned that it was Adrien under the mask, which was something I always viewed as a terrible writing choice, so I'm glad they backtracked it instead of trying to solve it post-reveal.

#ml writing salt #ml writing critical #ml season 5 salt

[skz-vivi]

abilities and skills !

she can play the piano, the violin and the guitar.

she knows how to rollerskate and skateboard.

she has a diverse vocal range being the second deepest voice but can also direct her voice to go high.

she can fake cry on the spot.

she is very quick in learning choreos.

her dance style is having sharp, clean movements.

it isn't hard for her to think of a freestyle on the spot.

she is great with little kids.

her aim is very accurate which made her pique an interest in archey.

she can keep her eyes open for a long time without blinking.

she has really good reflexes and intuition.

it is really easy for her to win debates as she has very good thinking and argumentative skills.

interests, hobbies & habits !

she doesn't particularly watch anime but one of her favorite tv shows is 'the disastrous life of Saiki K'.

she’s very interested in fashion. she also likes to draw. by merging those two hobbies together, she sometimes draws clothing designs.

she goes crazy during karoake.

she is the biggest fan of sanrio and has lego pieces of hello kitty, kuromi, cinnamon roll, pochacco and chococat in her dorm.

once she falls a sleep, she'll be lost in a dream forever unless force is used to wake her up.

she tends to zone out a lot.

she adores baking (even though it may not always turn out cooked).

she loves watching kids shows like total drama, miraculous ladybug, victorious and more.

she can differentiate people by how they walk up the stairs (she used to sneak her phone a lot when she was younger).

her favourite youtubers are the beta squad.

she loves loves loves roblox and will never stop talking about it.

when eating, she either eats in humongous bites or stuffs everything down at once.

she has the habit of when someone asks her to do something, she says no but will do it anyway.

she is a foodholic and a sugarholic.

she owns a pink polaroid camera (gifted by hyunjin) she takes everywhere as she loves photography.

she tends to be quite sarcastic.

she has a habit of being loud in general: when talking, laughing, sneezing etc.

miscellaneous !

she auditioned online with tell me by wonder girls.

she joined jyp entertainment in 2019, when she was 18 years old.

she trained for 1 year and 4 months.

she is the 1st nigerian kpop idol.

she is called an ace, the nation's barbie and charisma queen by netizens.

her nicknames given by stay are 떡토끼 (mochi bunny), london princess, 별얼굴 (star face), jelly girl and chubs.

her nicknames give by her band mates are chatterbox, mimimimi (the cartoonish sleeping sound), mickey mouse and cheeks.

she is close with all of the groups under jype and she is also close with tomorrow x together's soobin, le sserafim's yunjin, enhyphen's jungwon, aespa's giselle, and soloist chaeyeon.

her role models are her parents, bang chan and Jesus.

she is a very strong Christian and reguarly goes to church.

her favourite colour is pink.

when she was younger, she wanted to be a paediatrician or an actress.

she has ranked on tc chandler's 100 most beautiful faces ever since she debuted. she ranked 86th in 2020, 63rd in 2021, 31st in 2022 and 11th in 2023.

pre-debut, her favourite kpop groups were: twice - her bias being jihyo; red velvet - her bias being joy; gfriend - her bias being umji and shinee - her bias being taemin.

motto: "love always".

ᰍ̠ - taglist! @mynameisnotlaura ‧ @alixnsuperstxr

send an ask or comment to join

ᰍ̠ - notes! insp by @skz-suki

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#stray kids 9th member #skz 9th member #stray kids #skz #stray kids oc #skz oc #kpop oc #stray kids extra member #stray kids ninth member #skz ninth member #stray kids addition #skz addition #9th member of stray kids #9th member of skz #stray kids female member #skz female member #kpop addition #kpop added member #kpop extra member #kpop female oc #stray kids female addition #skz female addition #skz extra member

[misrepresentedmorallygrey]

And Round 1 is Done!

PROPAGANDA

"Picture this: the love of your life betrays you and causes your death, then you're brought back to life later against your will and your lover is with your reincarnation. Anyone would feel bitter! She tries her best to keep living her half life and helping people. She's hated just because she's not the main character and gets in the way of the show's OTP."

"Kikyo was such an interesting character. She was murdered by the villain, who tricked both her and her love interest into thinking the other had betrayed them, brought back to life against her will only to find that fifty years had passed, the world had moved on without her, her baby sister was now an old woman, and she'd been condemned to an awful half-life in an unfeeling clay body where she was stuck in her worst moments and basically a vengeful spirit, but she eventually managed to move past it, gave up her one chance at getting revenge on her murderer to save the life of a child, and achieved some measure of inner peace before she died for good. But, she also has the misfortune of being the first love of the male lead, so of course the only thing anyone seems to care about is how she supposedly did him dirty and wasn't good enough for him. The whole fandom is chock full of meta posts about how she didn't trust Inuyasha enough and should have known he'd NEVER betray her like that. Meanwhile, Inuyasha fell for it just as easily when the villain framed HER for attacking HIM, but nobody ever tries to claim that HE didn't trust HER enough. (For further context, when she thought he'd betrayed her, she retaliated by pinning him to a tree and putting him in an enchanted sleep. He retaliated by destroying her village.) In at least 90% of the fanfics that she appears in at all, she's either the Bad Girlfriend or the Evil Ex, who either previously or is currently abusing the hero, or cheating on him, or trying to coerce him into turning human, or dating him for years only to break up with him by telling him he disgusts her because of his demon blood (huh???), none of which she did in the actual canon, solely so the preferred love interest can swoop in and kiss it all better. People will claim they're just making valid criticisms of her actions (which, to be fair, aren't always great), or saying she didn't properly earn her redemption (which is actually pretty standard for a shounen series) because she didn't apologize enough, but them multiple male characters who did far worse than she did somehow miraculously managed to escape the constant criticisms that she's subjected to, this despite having a so-called redemption that's literally just "He stopped eating people because he wanted to get into the heroine's pants", and remain very popular characters both in their own right and as alternate ships for the female lead. The double standards are so glaringly obvious, yet people will bend over backwards and jump through mental hoops that would give a gold-medal Olympics gymnast pause to insist that they're being completely objective and fair and that this isn't just about trying to score points in a ship war or holding female characters to completely different standards from male characters."

Kairi Propaganda

"The Kingdom Hearts game series is about Mickey Mouse battling the forces of Darkness with an alliance of fashionable anime boys. Kairi is a major character, and one of the few female characters. She is part of a trio of childhood best friends, with the protagonist Sora and their other friend Riku (who had a villain arc and then a redemption arc). Though Kairi is constantly and clumsily sidelined by the canon narrative, she arguably has more backstory going on than any other major characters. She is a refugee from another planet. She implicitly lost her beloved grandma at five years old in the traumatic destruction of their hometown. She was kidnapped and experimented on by an evil wizard-scientist—she escaped thanks to having a magic charm that basically teleported her to her soulmate(s). Then she had to adjust to living on a new planet and being adopted by a new family. In the very first game, when she's 14, she turns out her pure heart is one of 7 in the entire universe to be free of Darkness—she shows a full emotional spectrum of fear, sadness, frustration, defeat, but she isn't vulnerable to corruption. In KH2, she becomes one of the Chosen Ones who wield a magical weapon called a Keyblade. She loves her friends very much, and she has the unique talent to instantly recognize them even when they've been transformed into monsters. She has saved them several times with nothing but the Power Of Love in her heart randomly manifesting in, like, telepathy and teleportation and resurrection—she doesn't even consciously know that she has powers, her love is just so great that it's accepted as a tangible force of nature. She is frustrated and ashamed by her role as a damsel in distress, and she wishes to be stronger and combat-capable so that she join her male friends on their adventures instead of waiting around where it's safe. Also she was kidnapped by an evil assassin clown who's ten years older than her, and then they became friends. NOT ONLY does the fandom plug its ears and claim there is nothing interesting about this character and no potential in her story—Kairi has been demonized by the fandom for about 20 years. Somehow Kairi is useless and boring while also being a Mary Sue at the same time. She was called a bitch and a slut and a whore. She was hated for wearing too much pink and wielding a girly weapon with a floral design. She was criticized as a slut for wearing a short skirt, and for THE PLAYER being able to manipulate the camera into a contrived angle to look up her skirt to see her panties in the first edition of KH2. You can find nearly 20-year-old fanfiction and fanart of her being twisted into an evil schemer driving her friends apart, and of her being gleefully brutalized and insulted. Haters STILL comb for every crumb to make elaborate anti-canon theories about why she's an agent of evil, even though canon has FIRMLY ESTABLISHED for TWENTY YEARS since the very beginning that she's THE ONE CHARACTER incapable of growing Darkness in her heart. The theory is that she exists only as a puppet sent by the main villain to sabotage her friends (the plot for two out of the four main female characters) for all ten years of their friendship. The theory is that she's been using her powers to force her friends to love her—and their Power Of Friendship that is the EMOTIONAL BACKBONE OF THE STORY, and THE MAJOR FORCE OF GOOD IN THEIR UNIVERSE, and THE MOST CONSISTENT MOTIVATION FOR THE HEROES is all Just Misdirection LOL building up to a shitty Plot Twist. The theory is that she's secretly a custom-manufactured Chirithy (a cute talking animal companion that serves and guides humans)—and not a human girl with her own natural feelings and aspirations. AND THEN after stripping her of every important trait and role, these fans claim they're making Kairi more important and interesting than she is in canon. I don't know what causes the fandom to so desperately hate a sweet 14-year-old girl who literally canonically never did anything wrong."

#round 1 #round 1B #females fucked over tournament #inuyasha #kingdom hearts #kikyo #kh kairi #fun fact: Kairi was the last character to be submitted

[gale-gentlepenguin]

What Miraculous would i give to each Strawhat?

Luffy: Monkey. Obviously the Monkey sounds like a gimmi. But I think Luffy would make the most out of it, its basically an equalizer. Plus he is so unconventional I can see him being great with it. if not the monkey, I would say the Ladybug (The yo-yo extending and getting a random item that only Luffy's imagination would be able to use.

Zoro: Most people would think I would say Dragon because its a sword. But I actually think Zoro would be best with the Cat. Its incredibly straight forward with its power, gives him an edge if dealing with special abilities of incredibly tough defenses.

Nami: I want to say Cat because (Cat burglar) and she would be able to use it effectively, But I have to say either the Fox miraculous (cause she is tricky) or the Dragon miraculous because her effective use of the electric power.

Usopp: Usopp is someone that would be able to use ANY miraculous effectively. But I am giving him the horse miraculous. Portal for trick shots and to help him get good distance.

Sanji: I think Rooster, since the power he could give himself is invisibility with it, and Sanji would be able to make the most out of it.

Chopper: I am giving Chopper the Turtle miraculous or The Rabbit miraculous. The turtle because he could make barriers while he heals his team, or the Rabbit so he can go back in time and help his team before they get hurt too bad. Plus he would be smart enough not to use the rabbit stupidly.

Robin: With Robin's intellect, I think the Mouse miraculous would be great for her, as she could make copies of herself and coordinate. Plus if she is allowed her devil fruit powers the synergy is crazy. If not the mouse than would say the Bee, because she only needs to make contact and that would be an insta win for her.

Franky: I think the butterfly might be best for him. He is all about upgrading things and providing support, the butterfly would let him give his crewmates a boost in power if they want it, something i assume Zoro and Luffy wouldnt accept, but the others would. If not the butterfly than the Ox, reinforce that super durable body.

Brook: Give Brook the Snake. He already had a second chance at life, I think the power fits him the best and he can keep retrying if the situation gets dire, plus he is the fastest in the crew, 5 minutes is a LOT of time for him. If not the snake than I would say the Peacock, lets him create a companion so he is never lonely.

Jinbe: I gotta give Jinbe the tiger. Because 1, its a reference to his first captain. 2. He could really use it the best with his Fishman Karate. 3. TIGER SHARK JOKE

#strawhats #miraculous ladybug #one piece x miraculous

[aidanchaser]

Nino Does the Math

Summary: Nino does his best to account for all the miraculous in the wake of [season 5 finale events]. He comes to a startling conclusion about his best friend. (Contains spoilers for Season 5 of Miraculous Ladybug, up to the finale Re-creation.)

Word Count: 2k Rating: G

Nino was the first person to figure it out.

Of course not everyone was going to be able to keep their identities secret. Friends trusted each other, and partners had a hard time keeping secrets from each other. There was a reason he and Alya had known about each other for as long as they had. That, and Nino liked to be aware of all the players on the field.

As far as Nino could piece together, Juleka and Rose had told each other right away. Mylène and Ivan had told each other fairly quickly as well, though Nino thought that was more by accident than intention. He assumed Marc and Nathaniel had told each other at some point, but he couldn’t say when or how. And of course everything had only unraveled from there.

No one had explicitly told Nino who they were. But he figured that once Rose and Juleka knew about each other, Mylène, Alix, and Alya had been looped in shortly after, because that first week after Hawk Moth's defeat, he may have glimpsed a group text on Rose's phone with emojis identifying everyone’s superhero identities. At least, he guessed what the fox next to Alya’s name meant, and he could extrapolate the pig, tiger, mouse, and bunny icons from there.

Nino wasn’t great with secrets, but he’d never be so brazen as to put emojis next to people’s names. Alya being nicknamed “rusée sexy” in his phone was entirely unrelated to her heroic identity.

He’d found out about Ivan and Luka after a practice with Kitty Section. Adrien stayed late after practice more often than not these days, and so they spent more time sitting on the deck of the houseboat just hanging out. Rose and Juleka had left the guys to have some of their own time when Ivan had said, “Oh, Mylène just texted about an akuma attack at the park. I’d better go.”

Luka had quirked an eyebrow. “To… help her, right? Make sure she’s not hurt.”

Because the park was not near the Seine. They were probably safe where they were.

But Ivan said, “Yeah, and if the akuma did hurt her, they’re going to regret it. They can just try to get through me and my invincible shield.”

So Ivan was Minataurox. And that might have been all Nino had learned that day, even as all four of them stood and scattered off of the deck of the ship if he had not heard Luka mutter from below deck, “I swear, Sass, we need to be on all the time if we’re going to keep them from telling everyone everything.”

So Luka was Viperion.

Then Kim had told Max and Nino one day while they were studying in the library. Nino didn’t think Kim had meant to tell them. Kim had just said, “I’m so tired of math. I wish there would be an akuma attack so I could get out of here.” And it would have been easy to write it off as school being canceled to protect students from the akuma if Kim hadn’t added, “Fighting bad guys is way more fun than doing math.”

Max had, unhelpfully put in, “Based on the frequency of akuma attacks since Hawk Moth’s defeat, there’s only a 17% chance of an akuma attack before lunch. But there’s a 78% chance of an attack after school, which I do always appreciate.” And that comment, too, could have been written off like Max was grateful their school days were not interrupted so often, if he hadn’t added, “It gets to be so challenging balancing school work and fights with akumas.”

Nino had said nothing. Well, he’d meant to say nothing. Instead, he’d said, “At least we get to spend more time with our friends.”

It wasn’t a confession. And, in his defense, he wasn’t entirely sure who Max and Kim were when they put on their masks. He just knew they were some of Paris’s heroes.

Then, that same day, as he’d passed the art room in search of Alya and Marinette, he’d been surprised to see Sabrina hanging around Marc and Nathaniel. After her fall out with Chloé, she had some trouble finding a new friend to follow around. But as Nino stood in the doorway of the art room and thought about it, Marc and Nathaniel, who were artists before they were producers, probably appreciated having Sabrina to manage the menial tasks of producing a comic, and Sabrina was someone who liked to feel useful.

“I just don’t know how useful I am,” Sabrina was saying, “certainly not compared to you two, who can do just about anything you want.”

“I can’t make magic happen,” Nathaniel shrugged. “I just draw.”

“And I just have to use my imagination,” Marc added.

And it could have been about anything. It didn’t have to be about miraculous powers. But then Nathaniel had said, “You mean use your imagination to have any power in the world you could possibly want.”

And Marc had said, “And you mean draw anything into existence—Hey, Sabrina, don’t feel down about yourself. Isn’t your power the one that was used to steal all the Miraculous from Ladybug? She probably really trusts you if she’s given you something like that.”

Nino ran the numbers. Math wasn’t his favorite thing, but he had a knack for investigation. Though he wasn’t 100% sure about Pegasus and King Monkey, he could make a guess based on what he knew about Max and Kim. And of course Argos was Félix; everyone knew that. That left Vesperia and Ryuko, and of course Chat Noir and Ladybug. That also left Chloé, Lila, Marinette, and Adrien as the only students left in Mme Bustier’s class without miraculous.

Chloé had had her chance and ruined it. Lila was never going to get one of those chances, and Nino was grateful for that. And he only knew Marinette had gotten a chance because on patrol one night, he had overheard Chat Noir say to Ladybug, “Hey, are you not planning to give Marinette the Mouse again?”

And Ladybug had stammered something like, “Of course—I mean, why wouldn’t I—You’re the only one who knows, I suppose—so…”

Not that Nino had seen Multimouse in any fights since that conversation, but Marinette was busy and scatterbrained, so maybe she always found out about the akuma attacks too late to help.

Every student—every student who mattered—in Mme Bustier’s class was a hero. Every single one except Adrien.

Nino felt like he should say something, but he wasn't sure how to bring it up.

They often studied at Nino’s place. Adrien had more space and more games, but Adrien insisted on going to Nino’s. Nino didn’t blame him. Adrien had spent a year cooped up in his giant mansion; it was no wonder he wanted out as often as possible.

And one day, as silence stretched out between him and Adrien, Nino thought there might never be a better time to bring it up. He still hesitated, unsure where to start, unsure how it might make Adrien feel. Maybe it was best that it stay a secret.

“Hey, man…” And maybe there was something in the tone of Nino’s voice, or something on his face, but Adrien actually set aside his book and looked up from Nino’s desk.

“What is it?” Adrien asked.

Nino’s leg bounced against his mattress and he tapped his pen against his reading assignment. “Nothing… never mind…”

Adrien hesitated, but when Nino said nothing more, he opened his textbook up again.

After another minute, Nino couldn’t help himself. “Hey—remember when I told you I was Carapace?”

Adrien didn’t look up from his book this time, but the corner of his mouth seemed to tighten. “And that Alya was Rena Rouge? And Alya knows who Ladybug is?”

Nino winced. “Yeah…”

“What about it?”

“Er—Nothing…” Nino wasn’t sure how to parse Adrien’s tone. He sounded a little bitter or even annoyed. Was it possible Adrien already knew he was the only student who hadn’t been given a miraculous?

Adrien turned the page in his book, but it was slow and careful, more like he was trying to appear engaged with his homework than actually doing it. “Is this the thing Ladybug’s been trying to tell me about all month?”

“What?” Nino asked.

“Ladybug. She keeps finding me and starts to say something, but changes her mind.”

“Oh…” Nino frowned. He wondered if there was a miraculous he hadn’t accounted for. Maybe Ladybug had more than he was aware of. “Maybe.”

Adrien looked up from his book and quirked an eyebrow.

“I mean,” Nino searched for the right words. “Do you… want to be a super hero?”

The hard look on Adrien’s face gave way to a grin. “What, do you think I’m jealous of Carapace?”

Nino shrugged. “There’s a lot of new heroes out. I thought maybe… you might want to be one of them. I mean, you’re not, right? You’d tell me if you were.”

“Yeah, of course,” Adrien said, and buried his face in his homework once more.

There was another stretch of silence between them. Adrien didn’t turn a page in his book once. Nino watched him carefully.

“Do you think that’s what Ladybug wants to talk to you about? She’s trying to give you a miraculous?”

“Maybe.” Adrien’s fingers tapped against the cover of his book. “It didn’t go so well for her the last two times she’s tried to give me a miraculous, though. Maybe that’s why she’s nervous about it.”

“Two times?”

“Oh… She tried to give me the snake miraculous once.”

“And you never told me? Dude!”

Adrien laughed, but it was high-pitched, nervous. “I didn’t really think you’d want to hear about 25,000 times I failed Ladybug.”

“Oh, man, I’m sorry.” Nino got to his feet and kicked aside a pair of jeans so he’d have a clear path to Adrien. He leaned against his desk. “Do you want to talk about it?”

Adrien shook his head. “It’s fine, Nino.”

“It’s not fine! Everyone in our class has a miraculous except you, and that’s not fine. I’ll say something about it to Ladybug.”

And this time, when Adrien laughed, it sounded genuine. It was one of those rare Adrien laughs, raw and unpracticed. There was always a small pause before it forced its way out of his chest, loud and unfettered, and it made Nino’s heart sing every time.

“You don’t have to do that,” Adrien said.

“Are you sure?” Nino asked. “I bet Rena would back me up.”

“I’m sure.” And Adrien’s smile looked real. It was one of his soft ones, that crinkled the corners of his eyes only slightly. His practiced modeling smile was ironically more visible in the shape of his eyes, the perfected picture of happiness. But his real smiles were a little sad, and sometimes Nino wondered if they would always be that way.

“Nino?” Adrien lifted his eyebrows, but the small smile didn’t budge. “You’re staring. Do I have something—”

“No—No—” Nino ran his hand over his face and looked around his messy room. He didn’t know how to say, “Do you think you’ll ever get over your mom and dad being dead long enough to actually be happy?” He didn’t think there was any way to say that. So instead he asked, “Do you want to get out of here? Hunt down some ice cream or a movie?”

Adrien hesitated. He counted up the pages left in tonight’s reading. “You don’t have patrol with Ladybug tonight?”

“If Ladybug refuses to give you a miraculous, she’ll just have to accept that Carapace has to split his time between her and his best friend.”

Adrien hid another smile behind his hand, but Nino saw it wrinkle the corners of his eyes rather playfully, even as Adrien looked back down at his book.

“Yeah, okay, ice cream sounds great.”

Nino grabbed his wallet and scrounged through his laundry for his cap. He had just had it when he and Adrien got home, so what had he done with it?

Adrien put his books into his bag slowly and carefully, like he was stalling while Nino’s search transitioned to a frenzy. As Nino finally found the red cap peeking out from beneath his bed sheets—how had it gotten so thoroughly buried while he was doing his homework—Adrien cleared his throat.

“Um—Nino?”

“Yeah, man?” Nino adjusted his cap and double-checked his reflection in the mirror.

“It… means a lot that you said something.”

“Oh, for sure, man, any time.” Nino lifted his fist to Adrien and, with a smile that wasn’t quite sad or bitter, but was something else, something Nino couldn’t quite name, Adrien knocked his fist against Nino’s.

“But I am going to say something to Ladybug,” Nino said as he opened the door for Adrien. “Really, I am.”

“Please don’t,” Adrien laughed.

“I will. How can she put you into the same category as Lila and Chloé? It’s just rude is what it is.” Nino closed the door behind them, but he didn’t stop his tirade. He meant it. His best friend deserved to be a hero like the rest of them, perhaps more than the rest of them. And, even more important than that, the more Nino talked, the happier Adrien’s smile seemed to be.

#ml fic #adrien agreste #nino lahiffe #adrien and nino #ml s5 spoilers #ml s5 finale spoilers #ml s5 #miraculous ladybug #miraculous ladybug fanfic

[imthepunchlord]

Do you think Marinette's mental state would've been better in season 4 if she actually brought a different kwami with her to school alongside Tikki? It certainly would've been interesting the shennigans they would bring (since they're new to everything, most of them), especily since they would bring a different perspective of Marinette's relationships and point of view regarding Hawk Moth.

Of course, that would be if they didn’t behave like a bunch of childreen and had different personalities.

It WOULD be funny if people keep seeing Ladybug using two kwamis at once while Hawk Moth keep getting frustrated (unaware she's doing it to make him make mistakes and lead her to him).

Adrien's throwing hissy fits though while Su-han actually using the staff to try to help Marinette (ya know, being an actual mentor)

Now, I'm going to work off this like the kwamis don't have a child's mentality, as the writers have given that to them... yeah they're no help; which is a shame as they could've been the most fascinating characters in this show, playing off their unique experiences and animal stereotypes and mythology.

But yeah, it would've helped if she had another kwami with her outside Tikki to hear what they have to say. Chances are very good that kwami won't have the same views as Tikki or are able to look upon things with a new perspective and can see how things are where Tikki has become blind to it.

Though any specifics will depend on the kwami.

Ones more chaotic or mischievous like Mullo and Trixx (or should be anyway), should promote her to be more self prioritizing. For Mouse/Rat, it should be about YOUR success over others, and with Fox, it should be ME before others as foxes do what they do for themselves first. It'd honestly be my stance on why trickster based miraculous (Cat, Fox, Mouse, ect.) are pretty popular with Marinette, it is a clash of morals as she's more for others, but that is something she needs to learn, to put herself first, to say no and put down limits/boundaries.

But there could also be some issues to arise with those that should be more duty oriented and diligent, like Stompp and Kaalki. They are tied to hardworking animals that are for servicing others before themselves. They could recognize that Marinette is near her limits, but they could also agree with Tikki's views and stance. At most, their additional miraculous power will help take the heat off of her.

And that's just mentioning a few. It will help overall, but how much will depend on the kwami. Some are more likely to recognize than others that she needs to self-prioritize and let some of that responsibility go as it's literally crushing her.

Honestly, she should have received a 2nd miraculous when she started to regularly see Fu, not just for a boost of power and assistance, but we see in canon that there are no issues for users to use 2 miraculous at the same time. I was actually talking with ML buddies last night and Horse was brought up as the miraculous for her to have received given that would've saved her a lot of time traveling between Fu and whatever situation was going on.

But that's in an ideal world. These writers don't want her to have any help. That's why kwamis, who should have unique wisdom and guidance to share, are reduced to children. Why Fu hardly knows anything about being a Guardian. Why Su-Han was no help when he showed up and is still very absent. Marinette is not allowed to have actual help and guidance, cause Thomas has this idea that suffering = growth. It can never be easy for her.

#ask Punchie #ml salt

[beezonia]

More reign of mouserink stuff here

Mouserink often uses her multiple selves to spot any suspicious activity around Paris or potential akuma victims

She’ll then notify her allies in case it could ruin her/their long term goals

She’s known to be slightly manipulative and cold but she is in charge so it’s to be expected

But Mouserink can be kinder to those who get on her good side

Whoever she works with ends up having a mutual goal, she wouldn’t work with them if not

Mouse is definitely two steps ahead of most people and shadowmoth knows someone is working in the shadows to also stop him

It becomes a game of cat and mouse really

Mullo and Nathalie are extremely close, and the kwami knows when she’s overworking herself

Hence Nathalie being dragged away from her work to spend time with her friends and family more often

Lila does end up with the miraculous of the shark as Mouserink gives it to her as a sign of their alliance

Here Lila realises that mouse could end up getting her what she wants quicker then shadowmoth could and decides to maybe double cross her if mouse pisses her off enough

Lila may become head honcho under mouse for a bit, depends if she keeps her promise

The girl (about 18/19 in this au) really does like to have power in her hands

She’s narcissistic and bitchy not really friend material because she will not hesitate to rat you out

Which is exactly what mouse needs from a right hand and it’s why she comes to Lila in a state of despair

Lila fell for it let’s say

-

Nath in this au technically has a smaller miracle box with four other miraculous which were found on an earlier journey to Tibet with a few hunter friends of hers

But it isn’t clear on how she got the mouse miraculous yet (spoilers)

Mouse dishes the ones she has as a sign of trust and also as a test to see who will potentially use the power to betray her

There are about 4 potential holders I have ideas for

This does not include Lila (I’ll go over her at some point if ur interested)

So the ideas I had are:

miraculous of the spider

miraculous of the shark

miraculous of the kangaroo

miraculous of the hyena

miraculous of the dragonfly

These soon form the guild of Mouserink and honestly some of them have semi decent relationships but some just want to rip each other apart

Yeah that’s all for now really pls lmk if you want more!!

#reign of Mouserink au #rom au #miraculous #miraculous ladybug #miraculous au #miraculous ladybug au #nathalie sancoeur #mouserink #lila rossi #kwami swap #kinda #also I have some kwami ocs coming

[intercoursefluids]

Well That Happened: Pamphlet

This is the pamphlet that Damian and his family receive in Paris, the next chapter should hopefully be posted very soon after this one

I wasn't sure how else to add all of this information so I decided this was easiest for me

The War:

4 years ago a man who went by the name of Hawkmoth declared war on Paris, France. He has since changed his name several times, including Scarlet Moth, and most recently, Shadowmoth. Shadowmoth demands that Piáo Chóng and Chat Noir hand over their ‘Miraculous’. Paris as a whole has decided that he should not receive said ‘Miraculous’ for a number of reasons. The most prominent being we do not know what he would do with said power. As a result, many people came together and formed ‘The Court’, following ‘The Princess’ and her example of fighting back in any way we can.

The Court:

Groups of people who came together in one organization dedicated to keeping Paris thriving amidst the War against ShadowMoth

Miracle Warriors:

Those who were gifted with magical jewelry to fight against ShadowMoth. No one knows how they got their ‘Miraculous’ and if asked each and every Warrior simply says it showed up in their homes. No Warrior is obligated to reveal their identity, do not pressure them, they have more than earned our respect and trust. Miracle Warriors are the leaders of their respective squadron.

Miraculous:

The magical jewelry that both the Miracle Warriors and ShadowMoth use to fight.

Huts:

Huts are a Base-of-Operations during battles, they can be peoples homes or even stores that are left standing, they are mobile and rarely ever found in the same place twice, The NetWork is used to find where they are.

Shellters:

Shellters are official places to hunker down in, typically found underground or very high up, there are two at the eiffel tower, one is beneath the tower itself while the other is at the observation deck.

The Network:

A secure line created with the help of Crafters and funding from the people of Paris, it is shared through Walkie talkies, an app you can download on your electronics, and comms for those going into battle. If requested you can have Sprinters, Scouts, or Conductors to personally deliver news to you. Typically only happens if you are unable to use the other mentioned methods.

The Princess:

The Princess, also known as Marinette Dupain-Cheng and the former leader of the Mouse Squadron. Princess founded The Court, taking people under her wing during fights and protecting them. When asked, she would teach people all that she knew.

 Princess is the only Parisian to have never died in an attack. She is the only known living human being that knows all of Miracle Warriors secret identities, and not by choice.

When a Warrior dies in battle, she has managed to find their body, strip them of their ‘Miraculous’, and resume the fight in their stead, she always returns their ‘Miraculous’ to them after the fight.

Princess is the true Jack of All Trades, if she shows up at a Hut, Shellter, or Battle, refer to her judgment.

Do not let her size or age fool you, she has survived more than any of us can imagine. She knows what she is doing.

Miracle Warriors And What Powers They Have:

Piáo Chóng - Ladybug leader/founder: Lucky Charm and Purification

Chat Noir - Black Cat leader/founder: Several Cat-like abilities and Cataclysm 

Carapace - Turtle leader/founder: Shellter and Prolonged Apnea

Rena Rouge - Fox leader/founder: Illusion and Reality

Queen Bee - Bee leader/founder: Venom and ‘Hive-mind’

Viperion - Snake leader/founder: Second Chance and Infrared vision

Ryuko - Dragon leader/founder: Elemental Mimicry and Fire Breathing

Pegasus - Horse leader/founder: Voyage and Nearly 360 Vision

Bunnix - Rabbit leader/founder: Burrow and Incredible Prediction

Polymouse - Mouse leader: Multitude and Quick Adaptability

Squadrons: 

Ladybug:

Led by Piáo Chóng, those who work under the Ladybug are typically the Healers or Crafters, the Healers work as nurses and/or doctors either out on the field or inside the Huts and Shellters. Crafters create objects to help improve the situation, they have been know to build boats, stretchers, or even makeshift shelters out of the rubble found during battles, Crafters are the ones who came up with the idea for ‘The Network’

Black Cat:

Those who work under the Black Cat are known as Demolitionists and Guards, the Demolitionists clear paths and help the Wayfinders with their jobs. Guards act to protect civilians and Ladybugs, they help the Sprinters with transportation in risky areas as well

Turtle:

Those who work under the Turtle are most commonly found as Knights and Guards for the Scouts, though several have been found protecting Huts and Shellters. Knights are the ones who fight, they get people out of bad situations be they magical or otherwise, the Turtle Guards, much like the Black Cat Guards help with transportation of the injured or frightened. Turtles came up with the idea of ‘Shellters’ hence their name

Fox:

Those who work for the Fox are Overseers and/or Informants. Overseers risk their safety to get as close to the fights as possible and take video evidence of them so that the Planners and civilians, Knights and Miracle Warriors know what they are up against. Informants focus on what is happening around the fights, they look for patterns between attacks and provide information to the Agents in an attempt to help unmask ShadowMoth

Bee:

Those under the Bee typically work as Caretakers, caring for children, elderly, and severely mentally and physically disabled people during attacks, Caretakers can often be seen helping out the Healers when they have time. On the flip side, some under the Bee work as Agents, dedicating themselves to unmasking ShadowMoth and any other corruption that has taken root in the city.

Snake:

Those under the Snake are often seen as the odd ones out. These people have learned to trust their instincts and have been rewarded greatly for it, working as Soothsayers to attempt to predict which way the battle will turn and supplying this information to their Planners so that something can be taken into effect. They typically work on backup plans just in case but their work is incredibly valuable to the Huts.

Dragon:

Those under the Dragon help train others to prepare them for their specialties, be they on the front lines or working behind the scenes most everyone has worked with or under a Dragon at some point. Surprisingly enough, Dragons have done valuable work as Caretakers, the no nonsense attitude many of them seem to naturally sport has been noted to help calm down those who are panicking, oddly enough.

Horse:

Those under the Horse are some of the most valuable members The Court has. They are known to work with the Scouts to retrieve supplies, find injured and/or lost civilians and discover new places to set up shop as Travelers. The Sprinters are the ones who go out into the field to either deliver information to other Huts/Shellters or supplies to anyone who needs it. When injured are found they work with the Crafters, Guards, and Scouts to bring them to safe locations where they will be treated and taken care of by Healers and Caretakers until the battle is over.

Rabbit:

Those under the Rabbit work closely with those under the Snake, Horse, and Mouse as Wayfinders and Conductors. As Wayfinders they work with Travelers and Scouts to find clear paths or let the Demolitionists know if a path needs clearing, they also help Sprinters return to their base or the nearest one in cases of emergency. As Conductors they ensure the Planners’ plans go as smoothly as possible. Conductors used to work as The NetWork, along with Sprinters before it was officially digitized and still perform their old job when The NetWork goes down

Mouse:

Those under the Mouse are rarely seen alone, they typically operate in pairs or groups of three. They work as Scouts and Agents. Scouts retrieve supplies for Huts and Shellters, they work with Overseers on occasion to help warn others of what is coming and help with evacuation when needed. Scouts are generally seen as a Jack of all Trades, helping where they are needed. Agents on the other hand, are almost never seen. If you are lucky you may be able to spot one or two as they travel but they are typically invisible unless you know where to look. Mouse Agents are similar to Bee Agents, dedicating themselves to unmasking ShadowMoth and uprooting corruption in the city. However, Mice have a more, hands-on approach in comparison.

Taglist:

@dontbenddontbreak

@Its-maemain

@toodaloo-kangaroo

@doll246

@Jennifer-rose123

@razzledazzle247

@Vroomtaka

@rosesandsailboats

If you want to be added to the taglist please specify on if you want to be tagged for a specific story or my writing in general

#wellthathappened #maribat #ml x dc #marinette x damian #dc x mlb #mlb x dc #maridami

[gelu-the-babosa-multiversal]

MLB X RESCUE BOTS AU

Designs sketches for the heroes. Thank you @multi-fandom13 for helping e with this trash :D

An AU where Msr. Neederlander was going to be a guardian like master Fu, they even trained together once in their youth before the accident happened. But after Fu caused the deaths of all the guardians in the temple she never saw him again.

Msr. Neederlander saved the Chinese miraculous, but the butterfly and peacock miraculous still got lost. After Neederlander managed to escape a horrible fate she was found and rescued by people who luckily were nearby, she went all around the world to find any other survivors/guardians who could help her... but there was no one left... no one else than her and Fu (who did not want to cooperate and just wanted to keep hidden). Eventually, she came to terms with herself and accepted that there was nothing else she could do, so she decided to keep hiding the rest of the miraculous while living a semi-normal life on an island called Griffin Rock... where nothing was normal.

Everything was... to say the least, normal. It was at least nice for Msr. Neederlander to have finally found a place where she could live and have a family. Also, she had in her company her granddaughter, Rosita Neederlander.

And even though Mayor Luskey was a disaster in his position, she still enjoy all the moments and people she got to witness. Well, until the tragedy happened...

After the incident with the other doctor many people got hurt, some more severely than others, and so, she could not let this pass again.

It took her a while (well actually no), but she chooses the candidates to hold the miraculous of the dog, ox, horse, and mouse! Her granddaughter was out of the mix as she was already chosen to be the next guardian after Neederlander. She could not choose an adult also, as... they were some very questionable people on the island, except for Chief Burns but she knew that he had some other issues to deal with... *cough* the Bots *cough*

So Msr. Nederlander chose fourth kids that she got to know the most of all on the island aside from her own family. Those kids were:

The youngest son of the Chief police and future member of the Rescue Team, Cody Burns as the holder of the dog miraculous. He can now experience what a true hero is like. His hero name comes from a race of dogs Cody really likes, Foxhound!

The only daughter of the mysterious owner of the Pynch industries, Priscilla Pynch the little princess who would be the owner of the ox/bull miraculous (she wanted pink but no one discus with Msr. Neederlander). Even when she did not look very feminine, she still chose a cute name for her hero persona, Lady Tour!

The brilliant daughter of the lead scientist of Griffin Rock, Frankie Greene would also join them with the horse miraculous. She is considered the leader of the team as she is the smartest of the group. Frankie chose to name herself after the Greek god of horses, Posiden!

And then, we have a lonely nice girl that is a prodigy with plants, Nancy Morrison as the holder of the mouse miraculous will multiply her help to everyone. She named herself after her favorite plant, IberiMouse!

#post #my stuff #my wrtitng #transformers rescue bots #rescue bots #tfrb #tf #rb #maccadam #transformers #miraculous ladybug #mlb #ml #crossover #au #part of the multiverse #cody burns #priscilla pynch #frankie greene #nancy morrison #msr neederlander #rosita neederlander #oc #(kinda?????) #master fu #dog miraculous #ox miraculous #bull miraculous #horse miraculous #mouse miraculous

[uptoolateart]

Miraculous and the Rules of Romance

So, here’s another one I drafted months ago and realised I really ought to post before things get super out of date after season 5 begins.

As a writer, I love analysing story elements and structure, and how it all comes together – or how people choose to subvert the ‘rules’. And one of the things I find so much fun about ‘Miraculous’ is the way it plays with the rules of romance, which I’m going to explore here.

Character Tropes

In your typical romance story, you tend to see the same types of heroes and heroines, e.g. the alpha male and the brainy mouse, or the femme fatale and the nerd, and so forth. The fun comes from pitting these tropes together and exploring the sparks that fly from their interactions. Something I think ‘Miraculous’ does so well is that the dual identity thing allows our hero and heroine each to embody multiple tropes at once.

Being more specific, Marinette is a brainy mouse and the fearless independent woman (Ladybug). Adrien plays at the alpha when he’s Cat Noir, and there’s an edge of the clown. But as Adrien, he’s the beta, who usually gets stuffed into the friend zone while the alpha wins the girl. If you ever read ‘The Mortal Instruments’, think of Simon versus Jace and you’ll know what I mean. ‘Miraculous’ is intriguing for selecting the beta as the male love interest over the alpha alter ego – although I have said before that a large part of Adrien’s journey is to become the alpha and define this on his terms, i.e. using his natural kindness as his power.

These kinds of tropes hark back to things like ‘Pride and Prejudice’ and ‘Gone with the Wind’. The latter illustrates the idea of the love triangle perfectly. Rhett is your classic alpha male, while Ashley is the beta. Although Ashley is the war hero, he comes home a broken man and becomes subservient to Scarlet. His part in the story is by and large his struggle to define himself as a man, which we could say applies to Adrien, too.

Like Adrien, Ashley is the eldest / only son of a rich family where he is destined to carry on his father’s legacy – but he turns out not to have the constitution for it. This leaves him feeling like a failure, forced to be taken care of by a woman. In the Civil War times, and the 1930s when ‘Gone with the Wind’ was written, this would have been hard to swallow. (Sadly, there are many who still find it difficult today.) Adrien is more modern than that and happy to take instruction from a female – Ladybug – but he still battles with role as the chosen son. (I’m going to talk about the theme of masculinity in a future post.)

As Cat Noir, Adrien becomes more like Rhett. Because he never appears to take anything seriously, no one else takes him seriously, until it becomes clear with time that he is more sincere than he seemed. In ‘Gone with the Wind’, this revelation comes too late and with tragic consequences. In ‘Miraculous’, Adrien is learning these lessons sooner and we’re seeing it play out for the best.

Obstacles

Romance is at its most tantalising when the couple haven’t got together yet – you spend the whole time waiting for them to hook up. To give a personal example, it’s almost a matter of cruelty that I’ve been left waiting for the third book of Cassandra Clare’s ‘The Last Hours’ trilogy for two years and counting. Come on! That cliff hanger at the end of book 2…! I know James and Cordelia get together in the end. That’s the rule. But it’s still physically painful watching the dramatic irony and the constant near misses. But it is exactly that that keeps us reading. We can’t put these stories down until we’re put out of our misery.

Every time we think Adrien and Marinette are about to come together, they get blocked, and this is part of what keeps us watching. And because we are told repeatedly that ‘those two were made for each other’, the obstacles have to be kept creative and even tragic, to keep the story spinning and the tension high.

If only…!

When I say ‘tragic’, I mean all the ‘if only…’ moments. Think of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ – if only the nurse had delivered the message in time…! In ‘Gone with the Wind’, if only Scarlet had just told Rhett what she was feeling…! In ‘Miraculous’, we seem to get these moments in every single episode. How many times have our beloved heroes been on the verge of some kind of revelation, only to have it interrupted at the crucial point?

What we’re seeing is that a big part of these romance stories comes down to communication. Things unfold the way they do because people fail to talk to each other. Marinette does not talk to Adrien the way she should, for instance. Ladybug doesn’t talk to Cat the way she should. Um…there’s a lot of her just not talking to people when she should.

It’s a kids’ show, supposedly, so of course they have to come together, after all this drama. I like to think that by the end of season 4 we saw them learning to communicate – at last. With that as the foundation, who knows? Maybe we’ll finally find out their hamster’s name! I’d love it if they had the same name in mind. Any suggestions??

Until next time….

#miraculous ladybug #chat noir #miraculous fandom #miraculoustalesofladybugandcatnoir #cat noir #miraculous cat noir #mlb #mlb fandom #marichat #ml fandom #mlb meta #mlb theory #mlb thoughts #ml theory #ml thoughts #ml meta #miraculous meta #miraculous theory #miraculous thoughts #cassandra clare #the last hours #gone with the wind #adrinette #mlb adrien #mlb marinette #miraculous marinette #ml adrien #ladybug and chat noir #mlb chat noir

[19thsentry-blog]

In The Shadows

Miraculous Ladybug Fanfic (Lukanette Endgame)

Chapters

Prelude | Chp 1 | Chp 2 | Chp 3 | Chp 4 | Chp 5 | Chp 6 | Chp 7 | Chp 8 | Chp 9 | Chp 10 | Chp 11 | Chp 12 | Chp 13 | Chp 14 | Chp 15 | Chp 16 | Chp 17 | Chp 18 | Chp 19 | Epilogue | Worlds Not Our Own | Timeline

Chapter Seventeen: Reversal (AO3 Link)  

Chapter Snapshot

Amélie laughed once, amazed he even had to ask. "She was mine before she was ever yours. We shared everything, and I had to know I wasn't pregnant, you git." Not knowing about such an incredible and magical part of her sister's life, the Peacock and the Butterfly brooches, would have been absurd. Making the assumption that they were now Gabriel's was common sense.

His hands were drawn behind his back, and she saw him grip them tighter, his shoulders drawing up. "Of course," he acceded. Another victory in her column--Emilie had never told him about using the Miraculous to give her sister a son. It had been a secret only between the two of them, as so many things were. It was evident he'd only found out after the fact. "You know then, precisely what is wrong with Nathalie."

Amélie walked towards him, turning her eyes up at the recreation of her sister and her bright eyes, of her soothing smile. Emilie had given her a son without ever asking if she should, had risked everything without knowing what would happen, and that sacrifice was one Amélie was now paying for. Loss. Feverish, intense, painful guilt. "If you care for her, why let her use it still?" she asked, but she knew the same question rattled around in that minuscule brain of his, probably echoing in the empty expanse he called a head.

Ladybug was sitting on the dark brown sofa in Luka's basement apartment. She was trying not to think too hard about where she was, but the CRT television stared at her like an ancient reminder. After they met up in the alley, she suggested helping him get cleaned up, and he led her back to where he'd been staying. Luka had taken her down a nice street and stopped by a simple little house in the middle of the burgeoning neighborhood. He led her down the simple little concrete steps near the back, wiped his feet on the simple doormat outside the simple wooden door, and walked inside to the simple trappings of a simple old man's basement. 

A man who happened to be her grandfather. Whenever she found out who controlled karma, or fate, or destiny, whatever it was--she was going to punch them straight in the mouth. She was actually romantically attracted to things like fate; especially when a beautiful boy was staring at her like cupid had shot him through with about thirty arrows and was saying that meeting her was fate and that getting a job close to her house had been fate, and that all the times they had met and fallen in "L" word was fate. 

Well, that was very nice, but fate also made her run into an old man and help him across the street; it upended her life, it caused her no end of grief, it caused her to fight with people she actually loved, and it made her feel like she wasn't in control. Ladybug knew it was just a matter of time before she fell in love with fate again, but right now, she was too miffed to think it would be any time soon. 

Mullo kept bringing her odd curiosities she found enchanting, like a flower she'd stolen from outside, a shiny gold guitar pick, or cheese from the fridge. Ladybug and Sass shared a look--because it was pretty clear the little mouse was trying to butter her up. 

"And this is our old key. It's not very pretty, but Luka keeps it anyway, and I like it, too," Mullo said, nearly talking to herself at this point as she dropped the key in Ladybug's lap. Ladybug wondered when Luka would get out of the shower, because if he took too much longer she had a feeling he was going to find her buried under a pile of Kwami junk. 

Ladybug smiled awkwardly, picking the key up from her lap. "Er--that's very…" she looked over at Sass, who slithered his tongue out uncertainly. "Nice?" 

"I think so," Mullo said, dropping her lap and going for the cheese. "I like to remember. It's hard to remember." 

Ladybug flipped the key around in her fingers, examining the worn edges of its teeth and the scratches on its surface. She wasn't sure what it was like for a Kwami when their Miraculous was broken. Tikki told her that the Miraculouses were created to help give the Kwami's form--to provide them with an anchor. But if the Miraculous was destroyed, or the Kwami was sick enough, they wouldn't die; they would simply be back to their natural state. All power, no corporealizism. Maybe for Mullo, life right now was like getting stuck between the two states, constantly fighting the rift widening between the two.

Well, if there was one thing she was good at as a Guardian, it was taking care of the Kwamis. This was clearly important to Mullo. "What does it unlock?" she asked. 

Mullo beamed from behind her piece of cheese. "Our apartment, in London." 

It seemed years ago now that Luka had offered to take her on a day trip to London and show her around--her heart had nearly exploded at his soft eagerness to take her somewhere, just the two of them. Well, it wouldn't have been just the two of them. It would have been her, Luka, and three Kwamis hidden on their person, hidden from each other. The whole memory had a sepia tint to it, and it made her sad to think about, so she stopped. Still, she couldn't hide her curiosity. Luka was old, old, and that meant he had to have so many other memories (plenty of lovers, too, no way someone as attractive as him wouldn't). Ladybug swallowed down inadequacy that threatened to crush her and went back to the task at hand. 

She prompted Mullo to keep talking. "London, huh?"

"London was the most fun. I was lost for a long time, and then Luka found me, and he brought me home to Wesley. There was always music, and we would watch TV, and I would hide Wesley's things and he would get so mad," she giggled to herself, rolling in Ladybug's lap. Her whiskers twitched with each giggle. 

Ladybug forced a smile, because it did sound pleasant. It sounded normal…as normal as life could be with a Kwami. "And Wesley, was he nice?"

"We always played together," Mullo continued, now picking up the golden guitar pick and staring at her reflection in it, occasionally making a funny face just to see it reflected back. "He was mine." 

It should have clicked earlier, but she'd only heard Viperion, no, Luka, talk about him once. He'd called him Wes, hadn't he? She had felt sorry for him when he told her about the past Mouse holder. His body still held tell-tale signs of grief, even then. Maybe they had shared something deeper, especially with how Mullo talked about him. 'He was mine,' the mouse had said, with such conviction no one could tell her she was wrong, even though this person had only transformed using the Miraculous once. 

The attachment Mullo showed wasn't a surprise to her. That was how all the Kwamis were; even when Marinette didn't allow her temporary heroes to keep hold of the Miraculouses, they still showed a strong bond. Trixx would puff out her chest at the sight of Alya in a picture or on the computer screen and say, "that's my holder." And really, humans weren't much different. She had spent just one day with Luka in New York before laying in bed the next night, thinking about him as "hers". Some connections just came so lightning quick that you didn't know what to do with them. The problem was, those ties could just as easily be broken in the same amount of time.

Mullo looked up at her from her lap with big pink eyes anyone could get easily lost in, and Ladybug had a feeling she was about to find out what Mullo had been trying to butter her up for. "I can still be helpful--but Luka won't let me. You will, right? You'll find me a holder?" 

Sass flew to her in a second. "Mullo, you know if it wasn't broken--" 

Mullo sniffled miserably, ignoring him. "I was there the whole time and he didn't use me, and now he's all hurt all over. I can still help." 

Ladybug gathered the Mouse Kwami in her hands, now understanding just what the problem was. "Mullo," she started gently, "I know it's hard to feel like no one can depend on you right now, but it's not your fault. We're going to get you all fixed up soon. I know it's hard to wait, but it's important that you do." She tugged her bottom lip into her mouth, pressing her teeth into it. It wasn't a very convincing argument, but it was about all she could do for the moment. 

The door to the bedroom clicked open and Luka stepped out in jeans and a T-shirt with the word "Ramones" stamped on it, a towel around his shoulders to catch any water droplets from his hair. A burst of longing ran through her, but it cooled to melancholy when Luka's sapphirine eyes met hers, eyes telegraphing a sense of wariness where before it had been openness. He looked better after a quick shower, but already she could see an angry purple bruise blooming on his cheek and another on the curve of his neck. 

"Everything alright out here?" 

Three heads nodded quickly, caught in the act of something that made all of them guilty even though they didn't quite know why. None of them had Luka fooled, but he didn't say anything about it, just sighed quietly and walked out into the living room with a first aid kit in one hand. He settled next to her on the couch, and it dipped slightly under his weight so that she nearly bumped into him, but she made sure that didn't happen. Ladybug--Marinette--was very used to being in the same room and sharing the same space as someone who didn't really want her back, and she really wasn't sure she could handle that again. Enough things in her life had already imploded tonight. 

"You can de-transform if you want," Luka said, clicking open the first aid kit on the coffee table. "No one would see you here." 

"I'm good, thanks," Ladybug said quickly. De-transforming made it real, and it also presented the unnerving scenario of sitting in her grandfather's basement when he didn't know it. And then she might have to explain the awkwardness, which would be… nope. Safer as Ladybug. 

Instead, she watched him bandage up his knuckles with quick efficiency and started to wonder what she was really doing here. She had offered to help him patch himself up, but he really didn't need her help, and she wasn't ready for a heart-to-heart or any rejection. 

Luka's dark blue hair hung over his eyes in wet strands, an occasional water droplet falling as he worked on his hands. When he was done, he closed the lid on the first aid kit and rested his hands on the cover, tapping them softly on the hard plastic. "We should talk--" he started. She almost interrupted him then and there because the last thing she wanted to do was talk about anything at all; she didn't have it in her. "--about Félix." 

Ladybug blinked. "I…huh?" She had been so focused on her own personal turmoil that she had forgotten about her Ladybug problems, which was funny, considering she had refused to change back to face the music. Although maybe this was the music. Maybe he just wanted to keep it professional, and that's what this was about. 

"He told me tonight why he really wanted the Peacock Miraculous." 

She felt Ladybug clawing back through and raised an eyebrow. "I thought you were too busy punching each other to death."

Luka ran a thumb over the clean, white tape over his knuckles. "It was after that. Remember when I told you earlier that his aunt was the one who had the Miraculous before?" 

Ladybug nodded, the giant painting of Adrien's mother in Gabriel's atelier coming to the forefront of her mind. 

"He said she…made him."

She couldn't stop her mouth from dropping open. "Is that…is that even possible? I mean, I always kind of thought of those things as…" she didn't want to say the word disposable, but that's the word that came to mind. 

Whatever Luka was about to say was interrupted by a trilling sound. It confused both of them, and they stared at each other for a moment before Luka turned to find where it was coming from. He leaned over the arm of the couch to reach around the lamp on the side table next to him, pulling his phone loose from the charger he had put it on when he got home. Luka stared at the number on the face of his ancient phone with suspicion before flipping it open to answer it.

She could tell he didn't have time to say hello, although it had been primed on his lips, but she couldn't hear what was being said. The more the other person talked, the stormier his eyes got until his mouth was pressed into a thin line. 

"You think it's Trajkovski?" he asked, voice firm. 

She wondered who that was--Luka's life was a mystery to her; there was so much of his life that she'd never be a part of. It felt like Luka was a million lightyears away from her, and she hated it. 

He was nodding, then his eyes seemed to go slightly soft. "Are you hurt?" The voice answered, and he leveled it with one of those quiet sighs, the same he'd given her and the Kwamis when he'd come out of the bedroom. "Don't," he said. "I--we'll figure this out." Luka's eyes flicked up to her then, and she realized she was part of the 'we'. Which meant this was business. She wasn't sure that made her feel any better. 

Luka hung up and reached over the couch arm to find the end of his phone charger, which had fallen on the floor. She tried not to stare at how his shirt rode up over his back, averting her eyes until he fell back on the couch and looked at her despondently. 

"Bad news?" she asked, prepared for the inevitable. 

"I'm going back to New York." 

"What?!" Of all the things she expected him to say, that wasn't one of them--by the look on his face, he hadn't been expecting her response either. 

He shook the surprise off and kept going. "Adrien and Félix were in a car crash. Not the accidental kind. Félix said Adrien was kidnapped." 

Ladybug started to wonder if the earth was flipping magnetic poles, or if Mars was in retrograde, or maybe it was just a full moon; whatever it was, the entire universe had set out to make this one of the worst days of her life, and it was succeeding. "I--but--why New York?" 

"We're both pretty sure that's where they took him. They must have thought Adrien was Félix and grabbed the wrong guy."

That seemed to be the theme of the day. "So…that was Félix on the phone? How does he even know your number?" There were probably more important things to ask, but she'd get to them in a minute. She had to wonder if Luka had given it to Félix, even before he'd given it to her (which was a pretty stupid thing to fixate on). 

Luka shrugged with a wry smile. "Who knows." 

"You just finished beating the crap out of each other, and he calls you for help? Am I the only one that finds that weird?" If the news didn't involve Adrien, she would've already easily dismissed it as some weird Félix-ism that she wanted no part of. But it did concern Adrien, and at the very least, Luka was taking it seriously. 

"Maybe, but he knows I wouldn't say no," Luka said. "Especially if Ian is involved." He read the confusion on her face and explained further. "Back in New York, when I was trying to get money to buy information on a cure for Mullo, Ian's was a job I took. He wanted me to watch out for his nephew while he was in town." 

"Is that why you were together at the hotel?" she asked, a long-lost mystery finally solved. 

He raised his eyebrows in surprise. "I didn't realize you knew about that." 

"I was trying to find you, remember?" 

Something flashed on his face, but it disappeared quickly, too soon for her to try to figure out what it was. "Right. But yeah, that's how Félix and I met. It wasn't the last time I saw Ian, though. Turns out, after a month of spinning my wheels trying to figure out who had their hands on a magic cure, it was him the whole time. He's working for people--not great people. Long story short, if the people who kidnapped Adrien are involved with Ian, they could hurt him." 

"Okay, so that cements it then," she said, picking up the items Mullo had dropped in her lap and setting them on the coffee table. Luka watched her when she stood, head tilted like he couldn't figure out what she was saying. "I'm going with you," she clarified. No way was she going to let another one of Félix's uncles hurt Adrien, and she definitely wasn't going to let them hold her partner hostage. Already it was a bad situation, but if they somehow found out about the Cat Miraculous, the destruction would be catastrophic. 

She expected he would put up a fight, but he didn't. Luka nodded and stood with her, rubbing the ends of his hair with his towel before throwing it on the couch's arm. "Well, that's good. I was going to ask you if I could borrow the Horse Miraculous to get there anyway." 

"I need to go home and grab some things," Ladybug said. It would be easy enough to sneak into her room via the patio, and she still had her cover story going with her parents that she was staying with one of the girls. Depending on how long this took, she might need to plan for contingencies, though. 

"Whatever time you need," Luka said. He was looking down at the guitar pick he'd taken from his pocket, turning it over and over between his fingers. "They probably won't land for another 7 or 8 hours."

Ladybug shook her head. "I'll be back in a few." 

It was cold when she stepped outside--she could feel the sting of it on her cheeks and chin, where her suit didn't cover. Ladybug raced home, and when she snuck through the attic door and quietly stole into her room, she immediately went to the closet to grab an overnight bag. Of course, the Kwamis were on her instantly, and she told them what was going on in hushed tones. "If something happens, call me with the phone I leave here for emergencies. If I can't get away, I'll… I'll text Alya to come get you guys," Ladybug said, placing Kaalki's sunglasses on her head. If Adrien and Luka already knew her identity and the earth hadn't blown up, well, who could stop her from spilling the beans a third time. 

Given the fact that Plagg had once caused the dinosaurs to go extinct, none of them argued with her sense of urgency or tried to hold her up, but they did share a group hug that made her feel marginally better. Packed and ready to go, Ladybug escaped back to her patio and stopped to silently think of her parents, wondering how they would feel about all the burdens that had slammed themselves on their daughter's shoulders. Even if they couldn't wish her luck, she at least could count her blessings that she had parents that loved her as much as they did. And while she was going down that line of thinking, at least her uncle never tried to kill her. Small victories. 

Ladybug slung the overnight bag more carefully over her shoulders and began making the way back to Luka. Around ten minutes away, she flipped open her yo-yo and dialed Alya. She never thought too hard about the magic circumstances that let her make calls from the yo-yo and have it show up as Marinette, or how she could call Chat Noir as if his staff had some kind of number associated with it. If she wanted it to do something, the magic figured it out, and that was good enough for her. 

Alya picked up on the 5th ring, grumbling. "Marineeeeette, why?" her voice croaked out. 

"What?" Marinette asked defensively. "It's only 10! When did you become an old lady?" 

"Since I got no sleep last night after Juleka's party because I was worried about my clueless best friend," Alya said with a groan. "Didn't you have a date tonight? Are you already home?" 

"Uh, well, about that…I need you to cover for me for a bit. I told my mom I was staying with you tonight--and before you say anything this isn't about Luka!" she had to shout over her friend's immediate freakout moment. "It's a really long, long story, but can you just pretend I'm with you until I give you the all-clear? It might…be awhile." 

"Well first off, I do not believe you about this not being about Luka, and second off, you know I will. But seriously, you aren't going to get secretly hitched, are you?" 

Marinette sighed, hoping the heaviness of it conveyed everything she couldn't say. "No, I promise. Hey, Alya?" 

She heard Alya shift on her pillow. "What?" 

"You're still you, right?" It was a dumb question, but after the day she'd had, she really needed to know someone wasn't hiding some massive secret from her...that she didn't already know about.

"Yeah, girl, I'm still me," Alya said. 

Marinette nodded to herself. "Just. Just checking. I'll call you later, and thanks for worrying about me." 

"That's what I'm here for," Alya huffed with love. 

Ladybug hung up the yo-yo with a soft smile on her face. It was time to go be a hero, or whatever it was she was calling herself these days. She pre-emptively transformed into Pegabug and made quick time of the rest of her journey. Luka was waiting for her outside the basement apartment, a duffel bag slung over his shoulder. She dropped in front of him and started to blush; he was smiling at her. 

"Been a while since I've seen you like that," Luka said. 

She wasn't sure what to say to that, so she indelicately skipped over it and hoped he wouldn't notice. "Where do you want me to drop us off at?" 

"Near JKF Airport. Félix said there's a private jet scheduled to arrive around about the right time." He caught a look at her prompt scowl when she heard Félix's name. "He told me--over the phone," Luka clarified the question she didn't ask. 

Marinette turned her back, and Pegabug opened the portal. Life was getting pretty shitty if she was jealous of Félix now. The portal brought them to the back of a big, brick building, and once she was sure Luka had followed her through, she took a deep breath and de-transformed. Marinette thought she might have heard a sharp intake of breath, but when she turned to look at him, his eyes were astutely anywhere but on her. Suddenly the cute heels with the thin strap that ran around the ankles seemed like a mistake--they had to walk around the big building to get to an expansive parking lot with several hotels looming around it like tall weeds poking their way through the concrete. 

They were both tacitly walking to the hotels, although neither of them had agreed that's where they were going until they got to the sidewalk. Luka broke the quiet first, cementing their plan to action. "We should get a room. Would be good to have a place to put our stuff. Maybe sleep for a few hours. I guess we could've done that in Paris, but--" 

"We don't know how long we'll be here," Marinette finished. Besides, she would rather be in a hotel room in New York, feeling like she was doing something to find Adrien, than be trying to sleep in her grandpa's basement with Luka in the next room, feeling useless and stupid. If she was going to feel stupid, she at least wanted to be able to argue she was trying to be proactive by being in place before the plane arrived. 

Luka nodded and steered them to the closest hotel. He was quiet, and was looking tired, Marinette thought. His skin glowed in the moonlight, but the bruises Félix had dealt on him were darkening with each passing hour. Even his leather jacket looked worn; the longer she stared at it, the more scratches she saw imprinted in the deep black leather. They must have been quite a sight, walking into the hotel--Luka looking like he'd done a round with a bear and Marinette carefully prepared for a date night. The hotel staff must have seen weirder, though, because they didn't give them any second glances or long stares. 

A young woman with tightly pulled back blond hair and thin wire glasses tapped at her computer keyboard, pausing only to readjust her white button-up shirt cuff around her wrist. "We have a few rooms still available, one with a queen bed and one with two full-sized." The smell of her coffee reached Marinette's nose, making her feel even more exhausted. And really, really hungry. 

"We'll take the two fulls," Luka said, pulling out his wallet. 

She nodded and tapped at the keyboard a few more times, giving Marinette enough time to stealthily open her purse and worm her international credit card out. It only had 500 euros of credit, but that would be more than enough for the night. Besides, she'd initially got it for any emergencies that cropped up while she was vacationing in New York, and this felt like that qualified.

The woman at the counter confirmed the total, and Marinette slid her card onto the counter while Luka was still counting bills. "Thank you," she said, taking it and starting to type the numbers into her computer. 

She could feel Luka's eyes on her, but she didn't look back. She doubted he was flush with cash right now, and if he argued with her, she could just claim it as pride or something, which wasn't far from the truth. Marinette didn't want to feel like she was using him.  

"Here's that back, and your room key. The wifi password is in the pamphlet. We have continental breakfast starting at 5:30 a.m., and check out at 11 a.m. Have a nice night." 

Marinette grabbed her card and shoved it back in her purse while Luka grabbed the room key, thanking the woman at the counter. Someone else walked into the lobby, so they cleared out of the way and headed for the elevator at the end of the hall. The hallway was quiet, the paint on the walls looking worn, and the doors they passed had seen better days. Not that it mattered; Marinette had seen better days herself. Who was she to judge? 

Marinette readjusted her bag on her shoulder and cursed her shoe choice for the second time that night while they stood in the elevator. Luka had offered to carry her bag for her in the parking lot, but she'd declined because she was feeling stubborn. She regretted it now. Mercifully, their room was just three down from the elevator, so relief was on the way. Luka stuck the pamphlet in his mouth while he slid the room key into the door. He paused for a second, hand on the stainless steel door handle, and it looked like he was having some kind of major flashback before he shook it off and opened the door for them. 

The only light in the room came from the lamp on the nightstand, giving Nathalie's face a yellow sheen that did not suit her, highlighting the beads of sweat on her forehead. Her room was a mess, Amélie noted, books and papers everywhere, and two cords ran across the room and attached to the mounted TV above the bed. Twin Egyptian black cat statues sat regally on each side of the door, gold collars gleaming dully. Gabriel sat on the side of her bed, head in his hands; his gelled hair began to loosen, leaving a few gray strands to hang over his hands.

Amélie watched them from a wooden-backed chair in the corner, likely where Nathalie ate, she supposed, given the tilt of the mounted TV and the small table next to her. The children were out of the house, safe, surely having arrived at the hotel an hour back. It would be better this way. She long suspected Gabriel of being a fool, but he seemed intent on reaching new heights, stoking her fury along with him. Nathalie's lips parted feverishly, a childish moan escaping from her lips. Amélie watched, half cloaked in shadow, as Gabriel turned to her, grabbing her hand and brushing her bangs from her forehead. It made her want to heave. Nathalie's eyelids fluttered open, glassy-eyed and pained, and she looked about the room, gathering her bearings. They shared a lover's moment when her eyes met his, a deep, soulful look, one full of unspoken emotion. 

"Well," Amélie said slowly, the words sardonic on her tongue, "you certainly gave us a fright." 

Gabriel shot her a look that suggested he could kill her where she sat, if he had the stones for it. She rather doubted he did, so she continued on. 

"I really have to wonder what it was you were after." She leaned her cheek on her hand, one finger tapping her cheek. "Did you find it, darling?" 

Nathalie's hand flew to Gabriel's jacket cuff, restraining him before he could come to stand in front of her to glower. He settled for staring at her from afar, stilled by his harlot's hand. "Gabriel, would you leave us for a moment?" 

"Nathalie--" he protested immediately, ice blue eyes wild with fear and anger.

"Please. And then, it may be best to…." Nathalie left the sentence unfinished, raising her brows at him instead. More unspoken language. Gabriel's mouth pressed firmly into a thin line, but he nodded like a good boy, straightened his jacket, and stomped out of the room. 

Nathalie waited a few moments after the door finally shut before she spoke, voice hoarse. "I'm not as foolish as you believe me to be." 

"I've never once thought you a fool," Amélie said, dropping her hand to rest off the side of the round table. "You're rather clever, really. You have him entirely wrapped around your finger in such a way he hardly realizes it." She stood, drawing up to her full height, coming to stand at the end of the bed. "You'll still never have him the way she had him."  

"I've never pretended to be Emilie. I've always known a losing battle when I see one." 

Amélie raised a neat brow, examined the trembling in Nathalie's hand, the wavering of her eyes--a melting glacier, once grand and impassive, now reduced to a puddle. "And yet you stay. Do you like the pain?" She truly was curious, staring down at this woman, what she would gain from staying with him. He would never give her what she wanted, so why work with him, under him, for him? Why devote herself so entirely? 

Nathalie's eyes grew hard. Her left hand flew to the dresser on the side, and she used it to pull herself up slightly. "I didn't feel pain, not until you--" she rasped. 

Amélie meant what she said. Nathalie was clever. She knew she'd been played from the moment they'd spoken earlier, and yet still, she ran to him anyway, and Amélie needed to understand why. "You can't blame me," Amélie said stiffly. She took a turn about the room, stepping over open books and discarded papers. "The pain was always there, dear. You aren't as untouchable as you think you are. So, why play second fiddle? Do you have so little confidence in yourself that you don't believe someone could want you?" 

Nathalie was spurred into a coughing fit, her chest working dreadfully as it begged for air. Nathalie slouched when it was over, a hand on her chest. "It's not in my nature," she said, voice bearing the flags of exhaustion. "I'm loyal to a fault. I don't stray." She smiled then, utterly ugly and worn, no further pretense to be had. "We all want the same thing, you know. Gabriel is waiting for you in the atelier." With those words, Nathalie sunk further into the sheets, turning from her. 

Hardly the resolution she'd been looking for, but she went along with it anyway. Amélie left, walking down the hall with her arms crossed, heel clacking along the marble hallway. What were they playing at? Why play supervillain? Why bother with the charade that they weren't in love, that they weren't moving on? It was maddening. The atelier door was open, and she strode through it without pause. Gabriel's head snapped up at her from behind his pompous pedestal. 

"Are you quite finished?" He snapped at her, eyes glowering.

Amélie tilted her head. "Are you?" They both let the challenge sit for a moment, waiting to see who would break first. 

As usual, it was Gabriel. He turned from his pedestal and looked up at the great portrait of Emilie he had hung upon the wall. "You've known the whole time, haven't you?" he asked. His voice was still steel, but it held little bite. 

Amélie laughed once, amazed he even had to ask. "She was mine before she was ever yours. We shared everything, and I had to know I wasn't pregnant, you git." Not knowing about such an incredible and magical part of her sister's life, the Peacock and the Butterfly brooches, would have been absurd. Making the assumption that they were now Gabriel's was common sense.

His hands were drawn behind his back, and she saw him grip them tighter, his shoulders drawing up. "Of course," he acceded. Another victory in her column--Emilie had never told him about using the Miraculous to give her sister a son. It had been a secret only between the two of them, as so many things were. It was evident he'd only found out after the fact. "You know then, precisely what is wrong with Nathalie." 

Amélie walked towards him, turning her eyes up at the recreation of her sister and her bright eyes, of her soothing smile. Emilie had given her a son without ever asking if she should, had risked everything without knowing what would happen, and that sacrifice was one Amélie was now paying for. Loss. Feverish, intense, painful guilt. "If you care for her, why let her use it still?" she asked, but she knew the same question rattled around in that minuscule brain of his, probably echoing in the empty expanse he called a head. 

Gabriel said nothing. He stepped forward, holding both hands out to the portrait, pressing on it with his fingers. She hadn't expected the floor beneath her feet to move, and she wobbled at the feeling of their slow descent. He remained impassive, eyes glowing as they passed beneath the floor and into the darkness. Shortly the elevator shaft became bright again, and Amélie could see the sickly gleam of grow lights against lush green fauna and flora blooming in the expansive steel cavern. 

Amélie glared at him, having regained her footing. "Is this where you go to possess Paris to attack children in costumes?" she asked, not even bothering to hide the contempt in her voice. 

He ignored her still. When they reached the bottom, he stepped out onto a catwalk that spanned the length of the room. She followed him, temper growing shorter and shorter by the second until they stopped by a large pod at the far end of the room, standing amid a circular platform covered in grass. "You know of the Miraculouses," Gabriel started, "incredible jewels that give the user powers beyond their dreams. The Miraculouses of creation and destruction are the most powerful. Not always because of what they can or cannot do." 

"And is that why you've taken up your thrilling little hobby down here? Power?" She wanted him to feel foolish--it was all so banal. Men would always crave power above all else. They had no originality, always falling into the same traps, just to be left with nothing at all. Unless, of course, they were very, very lucky. But luck always had a way of running out. 

Gabriel carried on without really hearing her. "When fused together, the Ladybug and Cat Miraculous can do the unthinkable." He walked up to the pod, placing a hand on it. "With it, the wearer can create a new world. Erase all that's come before and rewrite it, just as they wish." The outer shell of the pod slowly began to roll away, the humming of the machine the only sound in the cavern.

There, clothed and surrounded in white, lay her sister--the very being that had come into the world with her. It almost looked as if she was sleeping. Amélie's mouth worked soundlessly, her heart twisting viscously in her chest, and that feeling she had earlier of wanting to throw up came back threefold. She could hear him transform into his pathetic excuse for an alter ego, but she simply didn't care. "I--I thought--she's dead, Gabriel." 

"No," he said harshly. "She's alive. But she'll never wake." 

This was worse, Amélie thought, than believing her dead, because there she lay, not even able to pass on properly--never able to wake, never able to move and sing and dance or act or take pictures or laugh ever, ever again. "Why? Why keep her here? This isn't right; she should--" Amélie swallowed, her throat fighting her the whole way. "--she should be free, not this." Of all the fates in the world, her sister should never be left to rot in a pod. Emilie had been life, she had been Spring; seeing her lifeless but still living, still where there should have been movement, it was too much to take. 

"We can rewrite the world, Amélie." His voice was dark, greedy, and she knew the painful need in his voice, the flash in his eyes, because she saw it every time she looked in the mirror. "We can change it back to what it should be, better than that, and we can finally have her back." 

It was an insane idea. It was horrific. If Emilie was here, she would have stopped it in an instant. She would have pulled her away, would have talked sense into her. But Emilie wasn't here. She was. And Amélie was selfish, and she was tired, just enough that she might let herself be played the way Gabriel wanted her to be. Even as she deliberated, he called a butterfly from the leaves of the tree that surrounded them, held it in his hands, and she knew what it was he wanted. He would use her like he used everyone else.  

Amélie let him. She drew him into her mind as the black butterfly fused with her bracelet--the one Félix bought her for Christmas so long ago. She let him try to shape her, to craft her into his creation. And while he whispered demands in her ear, Amélie drew close to him, allowing the first tendrils of dark power begin to seep through her fingers.

"In exchange for this power, we can finally change the world back to what it needs to be--" he said.

Amélie put a hand on his shoulder. "The world will be as it should be," she agreed, "but I think you've had enough chances."

With a quick, brutal motion, Amélie ripped the Butterfly Miraculous off his chest, relishing every second of his pained scream as the power drained out of him. Amélie looked down at him, this pathetic shape of a man who had a year to get the job done, and had yet to seal the deal. Who had stolen her sister, who had turned her nephew into a shell of a boy.

"It's my turn." 

#in the shadows mlb #alternate universe #lukanette #marinette dupain cheng #luka couffaine #*chanting* #sharing a hotel room sharing a hotel room shARING A HOTEL ROOM #felix graham de vanily #alya cesaire #nathalie sancoeur #gabriel agreste #amelie graham de vanily #Nat's Monster In The Box

[zestydistress]

Coffee cakes and new faces

-_-_-_-

A lanky mouse covered in ashes and bruises pushed with all his might against the glass door leading into a warm cafe, but it wouldn't budge. He kept trying but it only opened when a human pushed it, quickly helping his shorter friend up and hobbling inside before it closed on them.

The sky-eyed mouse bit down on the scruff of his friend's neck and dragged him up with him as he clawed his way to the top of the chair, and then to the top the table. He gently set him down as softly as he could and quickly went to the counter to get some napkins and order some coffee.

Meanwhile, the one who looks like he has a serious case of pink-eye was just putting pressure on his sprained ankle as he mumbled what would have been incoherent gibberish to anyone who wasn't close enough.

"Failure, failure, failure. I have to conjure up a completely new plan. What could I be missing? My calculations always add up..." He continued to murmur under his breath, it was just half hearted noises akin to words as his mind ran a mile a minute.

The lanky one soon returned with a couple napkins and a few ice cubes in his mouth, he spit them out on 2 of the 4 napkins and wiped his friend down to clean off the soot and little bit of blood. Leaving the wrapped ice on his ankle, he picked up the other tissue-ice cube and cleaned himself as well.

"Well then, what do we do before we go back to the lab, Brain?" His blue eyes held a curious gaze, and Brain knew he wouldn't be able to get to planning until they get back to the lab, as that was how it always was. He'd try to take over the world, fail, endure the walk back to the lab and hold any conversation the taller one wanted, no matter how inane his questions could become.

"The same thing we do after every plan, Pinky," the bulbous headed mouse opted to tying the melting ice cube and damp tissue around his leg instead of holding it there.

A voice shouted from behind the counter before Pinky could ask his question in return: "Caramel Cappuccino for a 'Pinkie' and a Latte with sugar for 'Brian?'" Pinky's ears perked up at this, quickly jumping off the table and onto the chair then slid down the leg and running off towards the barista.

Brain sighed as he stared after his friend, still trying to calculate the reason for his failure. He can't even blame Pinky this time because he did everything he asked him to, but it still ended in failure. He couldn't comprehend why, but he had to correct his mistakes or else he'll never be the ruler of earth.

Brain turned back towards the chair his partner sat in front of but instead saw an elderly squirrel standing with her arms crossed, and smaller squirrel right next to her. "Th' kid wanted to talk to ya, for some reason."

Brain raised an eyebrow at the squirrels, "Yes?" "I saw you on the TV!" The kid exclaimed as he rocked on his heels.

"Oh? And what was I doing?" He quizzed, showing a hint of amusement at the kid, but mostly just exhaustion. "The people on the news were saying that we need to keep an eye out for you and another mouse!"

Brain grew more confused as he glanced up at the kid's guardian, who seemed to be attempting to eye the menu from this distance but gave up quickly, perhaps due to her worsened eyesight.

"'Ey Skippy! Go help that short punk with those drinks, poor kid looks like he's struggling." She pointed towards The moronic mouse who has been trying to carry both cups at once but kept falling(miraculously keeping it from spilling.) She turned back to him and slid him a couple of bucks with a wink "get yourself a snack too, we're gonna be here a while if luck has it our way..." She grumbled the last part.

"you got it aunt Slappy!" Skippy saluted her with a smile, then snatched the money before living up to his name and skipped away towards the counter, Brain's ears flinched and pinned back for a minute as the screeching sound of a chair being pushed out registered in his mind.

"Eh, what's got you and the other twerp on the news? Heard something about the government or something?"

"I'm a genetically altered lab mouse bent on world domination, and that must have been about our latest attempt at overthrowing the American judicial system." Brain sighed, resting his elbow atop his criss-crossed legs and massaging the bridge of his snout.

Slappy folded her arms on the table, raising a questioning eyebrow. "That's a mouthful. What's your name kid?"

Brain really wasn't in the mood for small talk, so he decided that watching his friend and the young squirrel would be more beneficial than just talking to this old kook face to face. "My name is The Brain, and I'm actually quite old for my species, I've existed for over 27 years and my design's age is 2¾."

Slappy must have been thinking the same thing, or she just didn't want to be in the middle of a conversation when the other 2 got back, but she just muttered an "alright then." And didn't say anything else.

Pinky was dragging a paper bag which seemed to be filled with pastries and baked goods by his teeth, and Skippy was carrying 3 caffeinated beverages and one plastic bottle of almond milk.

Pinky once again latched onto one of the chairs, this time the one Brain sat in front of, and crawled up the side, placing the bag down atop the table they stood on. "Egad Brain!! this lovely kid came up and helped me carry the drinks! Then he paid for some snacks and they put them in this delicious bag! Oh my mouth was watering just dragging it over here! Can he stay with us while we have our coffee? Oh please say yes Brain!"

The rose-eyed mouse knew he wasn't going to get out of this without the other begging with crocodile tears. "Fine, fine. But I want my coffee before I have to engage in any more social interactions. I already have an oncoming migraine thanks to you and your nonsensical babblings."

The squirrels weren't as bad as Brain thought, and they agreed to meet and have brunch at least once a month; Though it had to be a weekend because the scientists aren't dumb enough to not notice the mice disappear from the cage.

#pinky and the brain #brinky #its brinky subtext #gay #Distressed Ghost Posts #slappy squirrel #skippy squirrel #they're brunch besties

[pens-and-paperbacks]

"Nobody wants to work! Everyone is so lazy! No one has any work ethic!"

That's all a lie and I'm sorry you've been made to believe that. The truth is people are applying and many people have great work ethic or can be easily taught but the jobs they're forced into are so trash that if they had the choice, why would they ever actually apply there? Why would they want to work there?

My current workplace, a gas station, is sitting on at least a dozen applications but my boss won't hire any of them because, "they're welfare fodder, they've only kept a job for six months or less." We're finally hiring someone in now because, "they looked put together and have a nice looking car," but only because one of my coworkers is leaving, having out in a notice a month ago which my boss hasn't forgiven her for and is spiteful about. All of this doesn't even touch the HUGE mouse problem we had for MONTHS, the heavily leaking ceiling with a huge hole over its door, or the mold that's just everywhere throughout the fridges and the ceiling tiles. And even THAT doesn't touch on the surprising amount of racist and homophobic comments I hear from customers (or employees/my boss sometimes) here and there.

At another job I worked from the stores opening, through orientation, and watched everyone that had miraculously lasted the first two years leave because two of my managers had an affair, lied about it to everyone, fired someone over seeing their text messages and kept messing up our supply orders. When my actual boss finally stepped in he was so out of touch with what actually needed to be done in the store that it caused worse problems. I also heard at some point, when people had to take on second jobs, that this boss was flat out doing everything he could to get rid of people because, " they were making another job their priority instead of this one."

The second job I had to take during the one mentioned just above (because I was one of those people not getting enough hours) was flat out a horrible, toxic work environment. Everyone had a bad attitude, did not want to be there and even if it seemed like they were having a good day, one wrong work or work slip up made their mood flip on a dime. I had to flat out ask to not be put on the schedule with one of the employees because they were that mean to me, and I can get along with anyone so that's saying something. The labor cost they had was absolutely ridiculous there (meaning they could only keep so many people on at a time to afford being there, possibly only two even during a lunch or dinner rush with a fully packed drive through and lobby) and when one manager decided, "I have to send my help home and work by myself for an hour, otherwise I'm gonna get yelled at about the labor cost," and singlehandedly handled one of those lunch rushes on their own. They were written up for it. They left that morning after signing that paper because, despite not being allowed to be there on your own as an employee, our boss was adamant about labor costs and could have covered for her or not told anyone. If she hadn't have some what she did, she would have actually been yelled at. It was an incredibly disrespectful move done in the name of corporate.

The one job that paid me well did so because they appreciated my work and everyone else kept leaving. I saw three raises in three months because I was essentially THE kitchen manager. That was great. Thing was, even though the people I worked with and for were good to me, it was a bowling alley/restaurant/arcade/bar where you were expected to prep, cook, take reservations, set people up on lanes via computer, serve people if your manager was busy, do light maintenance on the bowling machines and arcade machines, keep up with dishes and get the end of the day cleaning done which sometimes meant vacuuming the carpet across all eighteen lanes of customer seating and cleaning the tables/chairs stationed there too. All of that, despite the raises, was done for minimum wage starting and the place was almost always packed. I'd often get asked to stay because they kept a few employees that while good at their job they just missed shifts constantly because they knew they could, since this job had on-call shifts too. There were nights my husband picked me up that I was so sore and overworked that I would get in the car and just start sobbing. I wouldn't stop for ten minutes or more, either until we were mostly home or we got something to eat since I was normally too hungry to keep crying.

The very first job I ever got was at a pizza place. Over all it was the most laid back, despite being run by one of the Mafia families in town (of which there are a few but tbf they're very low key). The problem there was that the boss was a fucking scumbag who thought that in his case the Mafia status made him a big shot. It didn't. On a side note, his self important scumbag attitude made the other families in the area see him for the joke he was. He would make passes at the waitresses in exchange for streak dinners and money, only ever hire girls who were cute/pretty as waitresses so he could have a chance at doing so with someone cute/pretty. When we had a lot of money coming in he would spend it on improving the bar that was attached to the restaurant, as in getting new flat screen tvs or new glasses, some trivial thing that he didn't actually need. Not the kitchen ware that needed fixing, which at one point caused me to get a third degree burn because someone ended up running into my arm with boiling hot lasagna out of an oven we didn't normally use. There was also a point where I had to deliver a pizza to him, which he ordered drunkenly and over the phone while he was in the bar only twenty feet away, but when I went to deliver it to him and grab a jug of wine I needed for the restaurant, his grandson (very politely) had to stop me from doing so because his grandfather was doing something with a woman in the backroom of the bar in the middle of the day.

Currently, I have to move out of my house and in with friends a state away with my husband because even with two people working nearly 40 hours each at a minimum wage job still isn't enough to live and thrive off of. It's nothing we can make an actual life off of. We have to leave our house behind for a season, get new jobs and save money in this new place, just so we can afford to come back and fix up and sell our house/land. Our combined income is about $30,000 flat, in a small town where everything was just affordable enough to get by. It isn't anymore.

I sent out five job applications in one month only to hear back from one with a no, the others ghosted me completely until just the other day, literally the month after.

"No one wants to work! Everyone is lazy! No one is applying!"

You don't know how bad it is and has been even before COVID. Add inflation onto the long list of fucked up, unprofessional or flat out cruel things that can be done or said in many workplaces, which you have to deal or else your fired, on top a work chore/task sheet that probably keeps you overworked and exhausted the entire week/month/year and I ask you-

Would you want to work?

#jobs #working #work experience #part time work #workplace #full time work #theyre all right #i DONT actually want to work anymore #i DO want to stay home and do nothing #after 10+ years of this bullshit im pretty done #honestly i just want to be a content creator and make that my job because i cant stand being around people anymore #this job has made me hate all physical interaction #its made me hate the general public #people show up here at 7 when we open and i just dont even feel normal about it anymore #i just feel rage #if one more person says no one wants to work im going to spit in their face i swear to fucking christ #ive been wanting to make this post forever and just havent been able to #now im sitting at work because you know i only get two days off a week so im always here #and im spening what little free time i have venting before i pop #i hate this place and im stuck here until august #i just want out of here so i never have to look at these people again #i hate this town

[pvfelinettes]

Concept art for what I’m calling the Double Bug AU! In essence, in this AU Marinette has a twin sister named Brigitte and the pair trade off Ladybug duties based on availability. Misc notes under cut

I’m working on how to distinct Marinette and Brigitte in terms of design and personality. For the moment, Marinette gets to keep her canon blue-black hair and bright blue eyes, while Brigitte’s hair is a brown-black of otherwise about the same hue and her eyes are a darker blue. Might wind up giving them both brown eyes though since they deserve it 😊

Since the extended universe of ML makes it clear that superheroes are a known quantity in canon, I figured that some of the kids would have the silhouettes of their superhero outfits in mind, although likely with different color schemes/powers in mind lol. Most notably, Marinette and Brigitte designed each other’s outfits, since they figured that if one of them became a superhero, having the other’s design sense would help obfuscate that to their associates.

Despite this, Brigitte is not generally a fashion designer. She’s still an artist, but she doesn’t set out to draw outfits like Marinette does. She also focuses more on comfort than how she looks at school most days, although she’ll dress up when she feels like it.

When not wearing the Ladybug Miraculous, Marinette or Brigitte will usually wear another pair of earrings that looks pretty similar to the Miraculous’ disguise form on them, to keep people from noticing anything fishy about their jewelry choices.

I like this outfit as a concept for the Cat Miraculous, but I don’t know if I want to keep it for this AU (or for Adrien in general, as it seems a bit more prim than his general fair). I’ll keep thinking on it.

Adrien is not a love interest for either Cheng in this AU, so his story arc (should I write it instead of just vibing about it) would be learning to see things a slightly more realistic light-- he has a tendency to view the world through anime tinted glasses and at the start it causes him to simply expect that one of the girls will eventually fall in love with him as they work together. This mindset isn’t healthy for anyone involved but he gets better

Felix Sphinx (PV!Felix) exists in this AU and is Marinette’s endgame romance because I say so. It’s my AU and I do what I want and what I want is for Felix to be a guy from one of the other classes who Marinette likes and thinks is cool. He’s a little snippy and incredibly blunt and at several points he wields the Bee Miraculous when applicable.

(Alya and Nino still exist and wield their canon Miraculouses but I didn’t feel the need to overhaul them in any way here)

Sabrina and Nathaniel are Brigitte’s endgame romances. She has two hands and a type lmao. Nathaniel’s already her friend at the start of the year (art buddies) but Sabrina probably has an arc about having an identity outside of Chloe first.

Sabrina getting the Mouse for the first time would probably be the midpoint of her arc-- she’s independant enough that she won’t go running to Chloe to spill the beans/hand over the Miraculous, but she doesn’t have the internal feeling of power to stand on her own without her. Spending some time as a hero on the occasion... doesn’t fix that on it’s own, but it helps.

Mouse keeps its canon powers but Tiger gets invisibility instead of wimpy cataclysm.

I don’t know what anyone’s hero names are yet. I’ll work on it.

#miraculous ladybug #marinette dupain cheng #adrien agreste #sabrina raincomprix #nathaniel kurtzberg #felix sphinx #kwami swap #felinette #digital art #art #artposting #Double Bug AU

[3-frogs-in-a-trenchcoat]

Monarch ability predictions

I saw the trailer for evolution and there’s no way gabriel can wield all those at the same time, thats too much power

master fu confirmed that marinette has been the only one to successfully wield most of the miraculous at once and even then that was while using the power of the mouse miraculous. So how is it that such an uninventive man, to say the least, can wield all of them at once? The answer is: he isn’t

Let’s take a closer look at his suit:

For one, all the miraculous he is wearing are of equal standing, ie no cat or ladybug miraculous (duh). Unclear whether this makes them easier to wield at once. Now this could just be a matter of character design but apart from the colors on his jacket (which could be there simply as a butterfly miraculous outfit change) and the ridiculous amount of accessories, there is no indication of a merge with another miraculous beside the rabbit, where we see the umbrella. also, during the transformation we only see the butterfly and rabbit qwamis be absorbed into their respective miraculous.

If he was merged with the rest of the miraculous why do we not see the corresponding weapons? Again, all these miraculous are of equal standing so why is there an indication of the rabbit but not anything else? Because he’s mearly wearing them, not activated them

Reasonable, but starts to fall apart later in the trailer, where he has at least 5 in use at the same time: the bee, unidentified miraculous with a pole-like weapon (likely the fox), and the turtle. Curiously, the shield seems to be malfunctioning, suggesting a limit to the amount of miraculous that can be used at the same time and that the turtle was the last of these to be activated.

he has two more different miraculous, albeit the fox seems to be deactivated. There's the dragon and a second unclear one. This is at least 6 miraculous at the same time. Bear in mind that adult users like shadowmoth aren't limited by a one-time use or a time limit. He can use all these powers how many times he wants, unless the last ones activated are malfunctioning.

right now it doesn't seem as if ladybug and catnoir have any advantage. Their one ace in the hole, bunnix, will be used in one episode (su-han will chicken his way out somehow watch) and even if they manage to retrieve the rabbit, they cant use it every time. the way I see it, there are two ways to solve this overpower: either there's a present and clear limit on how many miraculous he can activate at a time (he's using 6-7 rn), or the complete physical and mental effect of wearing so many will come into play much later. in this scenario, which is what I'm gonna bet they're doing, not all the miraculous will work as well (evidenced by the turtle shield glitch) or for a shorter amount of time (bunnix cant be paralyzed and out of play that long bc she has to give CN the rabbit miraculous). If Emelie is how she is rn because of a damaged miraculous, I really wanna see if prolonged usage of so many miraculous will have a similar effect. I think the first couple of episodes are bound to end in stalemates for both parties

also, it'll be interesting to see why, if there's a reason, gabriel keeps the butterfly as his base miraculous. Now that he has most of them he's likely gonna stop sending akumatized people on his behalf and do much of the fighting himself. Now that he has the upper hand, he'll definitely want to show it off and take the ladybug and cat himself, it's the how he works and we've seen it before. He likes to take credit for his work, it could play a hand in his eventual downfall, given it's one more miraculous in use along with the others that tactically doesn't work as well anymore now that shadowmoth is expected to take the field more. Then again, it could just be for the aesthetic.

#miraculous ladybug #miraculous season 5 #miraculous season 5 trailer spoilers #ladybug and cat noir #gabriel agreste #shadowmoth #monarch