#Akuma City AU

[miraculous-multiverse]

I’m glad you asked @tumblingxelian!

The Akuma City AU comes from a prompt by @natedogx15 in which Nooroo, in a poorly thought attempt to escape from Gabriel, uses his powers without him and accidentally unleashes thousands of butterflies all over Paris, creating hundreds of Akumas who begin causing havoc all over the city. To make matters worse, Marinette, Adrien and Master Fu are amongst the victims of Akumatization.

Months later and the entire city has been quarantined by the army, which managed to (barely) contain the expansion of the butterflies, and is a battleground between them, the so called independent Akumas and the subjects of the Akuma Queen, Princess Justice (aka Marinette), who managed to rally together all the less destructive Akumas and proclaimed Paris as her kingdom.

Things look pretty dire, but there’s a glimmer of hope in all of this… sorta.

See, when Master Fu was Akumatized he managed to resist long enough to tell the Kwami to run away and hide because he was afraid of what his akumatized self would do with them. Some of them eventually decided to come out of hiding in order to find wielders that could help them stop the Akumas and save Master Fu… but unfortunately they were forced to settle on whatever they could find: four teenagers with their own demons who, with the exception of one, wouldn’t have been considered good wielders of their powers in any other situation.

Now, these four teens, Crimson Bug (Luka Couffaine), Ashera (Chloe Bourgeois), Hamelin (Sabrina Raincomprix) and Volpina (Lila Rossi), will have to learn how to work together and face their own demons in order to save the city… if they don’t kill each other first.

I might post more about this AU in the future, but if you want to know more feel free to ask! My aksbox is always open!

EDIT: Now with a part 2!

[four-white-trees]

Sunday Six - Back on my bullshit edition

So the election happened in the US and it was. bad. so to cope I made a police detective OC I'm hoping to smash into Akutsu 💀 idk if I'll ever post this if i ever even finish it but Akuma has gotten me through this week

Shoutout to @humbletaxidriver for letting me yap and contributing some ideas and also tagging everyone else @overdevelopedglasses @jichanxo @passthroughtime @skysquid22 @mike----wazowski @ikainkspills

Akutsu was usually found around Shichifuku street in the early evenings, and that night was no exception. The late summer sun had fallen behind Tokyo's skyscrapers, casting Kamurocho in a beautiful polluted glow. Akuma saw him and a group of about nine men, none of whom reached his shoulders, loitering in the big parking lot next to Kanrai.

Judging by how sweaty and flushed everyone was, they'd just finished a round of basketball. The ball rested forgotten in a dirty corner of the parking lot. Akutsu was leaning heavily on one of the few cars left in the lot, his tank top pulled up to wipe at the sweat on his brow. Akuma couldn't help but get an eyefull of his thick waist. The line of tribal tattoos seen on his arm and left connected here, long, sharp shapes inked to the skin along his side and curved over the pad of fat on his belly.

Akutsu let his shirt drop, falling back over his waist, and his eyes met Akuma's across the lot. Akuma attempted his boyish smile, hoping to disarm any potential hostility from the man Akuma was meant to be investigating, but before he could so much as lift his lips, Akutsu had crossed the ten or so meters between them in a few long strides and threw his fist right at Akuma's head.

Akuma's own instincts were the only thing that saved him from getting his face caved in, as he dropped low and dove out of Akutsu's reach. Akuma didn't have time to wonder why he'd been attacked so suddenly - but he didn't need to.

Akuma had been upwind of Akutsu when he approached, so he hadn't been able to smell him. But now, with the big man upon him, he caught it: that wild, feral scent, deeply musky and decidedly inhuman. In a split second Akuma noticed his long, sharp nails, the way his pupils had shrink to long vertical slits in his bloodshot eyes, the sharpness of his teeth that he bared at Akuma.

Akutsu wasn't just a former yakuza, not just a shady businessman trying to take the reins of Kamurocho’s drug trade. He was something more.

Just like Akuma himself.

[sillysiluriforme]

MASTER POST !

QUESTIONS FOR THE AU WILL BE ANSWERED AT @laterreurofficial PLEASE SEND THEM THERE !

COMMISSION INFOS

#mlb la terreur :

"Trapped by a quarantine in a city rots from the inside out, Ladybug and her friends continue the fight against an invisible enemy." "La Terreur is a campy retelling of miraculous ladybug with a focus on world building and horror."

#MLB miracle exposure syndrome :

"Acute miracle exposure syndrome, also known as miracle sickness or corruption poisoning, is a collection of health effects that are caused by being exposed to high amounts of magical energy in a short period of time. Symptoms can start within a week of exposure, and can last for several years. Early symptoms are usually-" [part of the La Terreur AU]

#il te voit :

"The terror isn't the akuma attack, it's how you live after. Catch a glimpse of how the city is handling their new butterfly enthusiast." [part of the La Terreur AU]

#mlb redesign :

"What if the outfits were cuter... what if the weapons looked cooler... what if Tikki actually looked like a ladybug..." [part of the La Terreur AU]

#LT character bio :

"Meet the's story's cast !" [part of the La Terreur AU]

#ancient kwamis :

"Most miraculouses haven't been able to resist the test of time, but it'd be fun if they all did, right ? This series takes a closer look at those artifacts." [tangibly related to the La Terreur AU]

#mlb la terreur fics:

"What it says on the tin !" [part of the La Terreur AU]

CO-CREATOR OF MLB LA TERREUR :

@clemnoir @gaussiansphere @needlebeetles @wisteriasymphony

[chocostrwberry]

Sentimaggedon!!

Sentimonster designs I came up with bc I was thinking about Argos’s debut in my AU! Bc I’m dumb and I haven’t thought too deep about him as a character to the story yet-

They were originally suppose to all be based on the seven deadly sins, especially Gasumptious (gluttony) and Elvy (envy). But I also wanted to branch into maybe Felix’s other hidden emotions, like his deep love for Kagami and his fear of being replaced by Adrien (Bride and Athazagora).

Argos becomes an official enemy when Dragonbug tells him they need to be destroyed. He defends them, saying they’re just “infants” and can learn how to behave properly with time. But a frustrated and exhausted Dragonbug she tells him they aren’t like humans and are created for one purpose: to serve and destroy. This hits home with Argos, and he develops a fear and hatred for Ladybug and swears his loyalty to Madame Morphisa afterwards in order to take her down and prove just how monstrous he can be.

I’m still kinda trying to find a way to make this concept work in my au. He promised to serve her in exchange for the peacock miraculous, and she wants him to use it to take Ladybug’s miraculous. In a novice attempt, he might have just starting creating multiple sentimonsters that he thought were harmless enough (something she did NOT expect), but they quickly spiraled out of control. It’s much easier to make sentimonsters based on others emotions, because you can predict which one you will create it off of. But instead, he chose his own, which makes it more difficult to tell how the sentimonster will act. I think it would show the aspect that these creatures do have a mind of their own, compared to previous Mayura sentimonsters who were easily controlled by their akumas!!

Red Moon

Red Moon is obviously already canon, but her power is instead hypnosis. If you get caught in her light, you stop whatever you are doing to stare at her. The streets of Paris become like a statue exhibit: countless of unlucky citizens are bathing in her glow, staring at the beauty of the red moon.

Gasumptious

As he devours, Gasumptious grows bigger and bigger. He’ll eat anything, so beware! After finishing most of the city, Gasumptious sits atop the Eiffel Tower and gnaws on its metal posts.

Elvy

Elvy lives in the sewers. She can control water and uses it to drain you of happy memories, which she keeps in floating green orbs and guards for herself.

It’s so silly to me how the manifestation of Felix’s jealousy of Adrien is fought and defeated by Chat Noir, who is Adrien ehehehheeh.

She also sounds like a Pokémon!! Probably like a Lapras, or the one that trills really pretty

Athazagora

A timid creature, Athazagora took over the catacombs, and hides in the shadows. You can hear the creaking and rattling of its wooden limbs in the dark as it stalk you. If you can’t escape, it envelops you in its cloak of darkness, never to be seen again.

Bride

The supposed advisor of Argos. She never leaves his side, and is always whispering something in his ear. To protect Argos, she showcases her ability to turn her arm into a long spear/sword, incredible strength and mobility, and that her body is made of an indestructible crystal.

Plus, he can make multiple sentimonsters bc he’s a sentihuman himself (Other people can’t. You can only make one, kind of like how the Butterfly miraculous can only Akumatize one person at a time, unless they share an object. Current excuse I’m going with that makes semi-sense HEHEHE) . So Lila totally wants to use that to her own advantage!

Ofc he fails, but she’s impressed with his resolve (and the lengths he was willing to go, albeit unintentionally), especially after sharing her goal of destroying Ladybug. Lila was feeling the effects of unification and now has a willing minion to do her bidding whenever she pleases.

If I decide to go with this plot, Lila has to end up forgetting Felix because of the curse. But she doesn’t care: all she really needs is Argos. I might need to retcon her revenge against Felix because of this but idm! It wasn’t very important to the plot anyways!

I was considering having Dragonbug in this episode, since she could use Perfection to snipe Red Moon out of the sky! The lucky charm would be like a wand that creates a sticky translucent web to keep the sentimonsters secure so they can go find their amoks.

And a sentimonster I never ended up including, Ava. I just didn’t have a reason to put her in there but I liked the yin and yang style of her design!!

[laterreurofficial]

does…. does Gabriel hold some sort of sway over the Dolls Magazine? Or like, own it? Originally, I thought some of the more grim stuff on the covers were just normal satire of early 2000's dieting and misogyny culture but with Estelle's cover having things like 'don't hide from Akuma attacks', Lila getting an exclusive, and Alya as 'the Lady blogger' being shown in not her best light I'm starting to think that Gabriel is purposely running some kind of psyop on the youth of Paris to deliberately make them more vulnerable both mentally and physically to akuma's. you're less likely to have the higher functions to think about resisting an akuma if your brain doesn't have the calories, I suppose. and like, Adrien's on every cover, which I first shrugged off as just him being famous but with how it's in the same spot each time I'm now starting to suspect that's intentional.

Also! I absolutely love everything about this AU! y'all have created something really amazing, everything from the writing to the art to the character studies are just perfect!

Lastly, I adore how the magazine is called Dolls. Idk if that's a real magazine brand you're satirizing or not, but it feels very apt considering the Senti-kids are essentially treated as just dolls for their creators/parents.

You got it! He's a shareholder and creative consultant for DOLLS, courtesy of his """good friend""" Mr. Caquet. Gabriel has amassed a looot of "good friends" who owe him one in some way or another.

The name DOLLS is based on the Australian teen mag DOLLY. Take a look at some of the older covers the tone is so flippant I love it.

It's really convenient for Hawkmoth when news outlets act ambivalent about holders or state conflicting guidelines on what to do during akuma "events" (you have to say "event" and not "attack"), because then it sows mistrust, and when people are confused they get scared and start to make bad decisions!

Then they get hurt more often, one thing leads to another and next thing you know it's been almost a year in the exclusion zone and the country is in shambles.

Sure, Ladybug and Co. always beat the akuma, but at the end of the day they're still stuck within arm's reach in a city Hawkmoth has full control over. Eventually they'll get tired or lose their homes or just... die.

He's patient. He'll wait.

[starsfic]

AU where Gabriel starts with the Ladybug and Marinette starts with the Butterfly.Instead of letting any of the other Miraculous out, she decides to create akuma based on the Miraculous wielders. They're not perfect, being based off Nooroo's descriptions and eventually on incomplete Grimore translations, but they're better than letting King Beetle know the other Miraculouses are in the city.

Meanwhile Marinette's class is very confused about why they're being accused of being superheroes. They're getting akumatized and have no memory about it.

Marinette is trying to keep this battle as quiet as she can, even if her methods make her poor classmates freak out bc they wake up in random places, but eventually Gabriel is gonna force her out into the public eye.

Chat Noir is also there, as backup to the akumas, but eventually he gets replaced with an akuma bc he tries to get pushy about their relationship.

[flightfoot]

Do you have any good fic recs on Ladynoir. Them just hanging out or being angsty? They don’t have to be long either

Hopefully these fic recs work out for you!

Veritas by writer_slk

The latest akumatized villain is filling the mouths of its victims with criticisms and complaints. If left unchecked, every relationship in Paris will be put at risk. While Ladybug and Chat Noir are trying to stop the villain, Ladybug learns something about her partner that she didn’t want to know and then says something she didn’t mean to say.

---

Imaginary Friend by Engineerd

Alya went back to typing on her screen. “You’re right,” she agreed. “All that pressure? No wonder Ladybug made herself a boyfriend.” “Chat Noir is not her boyfriend,” Marinette scoffed. In which Ladybug summons Chat Noir as her lucky charm one day. (She keeps summoning him.)

---

The Son of my Enemy by Saccha

Cat Noir never wanted to be a villain, but he doesn't have a choice. Ladybug wishes she could save him. A reverse love square, villain!Cat Noir AU.

---

you deserve to be loved and you deserve what you are given by thescuttlebug

Marinette is terrified, suddenly. She’s not like this. She’s not this kind of alpha, to get her head turned by any pretty pheromones she trips over. She’s not--she’s not disloyal, she’s not inconstant. Chat smells like moonlight, like the sudden shock of night air and the terrifying rush of leaping out into the empty dark, like deserted city sidewalks and unfamiliar corners: something midnight-metallic, something strange, something wild. Nothing like Adrien. Not a single note in common. She’s not like this. She’s not like this. He smells-- He smells-- “Ladybug,” Chat croaks, still staring at her. He smells stray.

---

Evergreen by tanyatakaishi

Everything was gone. The entire cityscape had been obliterated, leaving them in a valley of trees. Blue mountains, peaks dressed in snow, stretched tall in the distance and at their foot lay an array of vineyards, miles wide with no civilization in sight. AKA: two heroes lost alone in the woods with no cheese.

---

As the dust settles by Pengirl91

After Ladybug lost everything and yet her partner stood by her, she realized what she had been trying to lie to herself about for months. She is undoubtedly in love with him. The only problem is that she's terrified of what that could lead to and there's a monumental task ahead of them before it might be safe to act on her feelings for him... more than she already has. Post Strike Back with my hopes, wishes, and predictions for season 5 as I wait with great impatience. Now complete.

The meat of this story is mostly a SentiAdrien fic. Adrien discovers that Gabriel is Hawkmoth, so Gabriel orders him to stay silent about what he found out, as well as giving orders to help him with plans to obtain the Miraculous he needs. Luckily, he doesn’t know that Adrien is Chat Noir...

---

I (Wish I) Knew You by @buggachat

University has been hard on Marinette. Making new friends and maintaining her grades is a lot easier said than done when she has to disappear at odd times to fight akumas. She's struggling, and with Alya away with family and Adrien painfully out of reach, she's never felt lonelier. If only she could talk to someone who really understood her struggles... but it's not like Chat Noir would know anything about loneliness. Right?

Nice aged-up Ladynoir fic here! Marinette’s struggling with losing friends and lovers because of her flakiness due to her superhero activities, until at last she breaks down. Thankfully, Chat Noir’s there at least - and it soon turns out he’s got problems of his own that he’s been hiding.

There’s some fluff and angst, it’s mostly just the two of them navigating life, dealing with their feelings and talking things out.

---

To Have Loved by @trishacollins

Adrien struggles with the loss of children he never had, with a life he remembers living but that wasn't real. The only person who understands him is Ladybug, his wife and his children's mother. Sleeping alone is such an empty feeling. Together, they might make a start at healing. Or they might just make a new disaster.

I love Jubilation angst. Depending on how "real" that timeline felt, waking up could be devastating - and Chat WAS certainly devastated in that episode. It's akin to the Pevensie kids in Narnia growing up, becoming rulers, and then tumbling out of the wardrobe a couple decades later, the same age at which they left. Of course Ladybug and Chat Noir would cling to each other afterwards, the only other person who remembers that imaginary timeline.

That's not all this story entails, however. Gabriel isn't too happy about Adrien sneaking out as much as he has been, and he WILL get answers, one way or another...

---

in which chat noir comes up with an awesome gift for ladybug by @mixelation

If his Lady wants ultra rare Adrien Agreste merch, then that’s what his Lady will get! Written for the Miraculous Ladybug Secret Santa exchange.

This was really sweet and I love how mixelation wrote Adrien's internal narration! You really viscerally understood his thoughts and feelings. It had some of the intimacy of a first person perspective, but well, in third person.

---

Mamma Mia! by @ladynoirfanao3

When Marinette discovers she is pregnant, she is distressed to realize any of the three men she slept with in the recent past could be the father; Chat Noir, Ladybug’s partner and ex with whom she had gone through a tearful breakup - the mysterious Cat Walker, Ladybug’s rebound - or Adrien Agreste, Marinette’s current boyfriend. Bit of a twist on the base concept of Mamma Mia, where she doesn't realize all three potential fathers are, in fact, the same man.

So this is a fun little fic. I loved seeing Adrien and Marinette independently wrestle with the situation - Adrien, with maybe being the father of his former girlfriend's children (but maybe not), and Marinette, with needing to tell her former and current boyfriends that they might or might not be the father, and having to deal with a potential change in their relationship because of that.

Oh yeah, this fic is rated M, but the sexual content is relatively mild. The foreplay is detailed, but the actual sex is just implied.

---

Bend the World Around It by @kasienda

“Tell me it was real." She can’t look at him. She can barely stand the pain in his voice. She definitely can’t face it. “It wasn’t.” He shakes his head, and turns to her - his eyes swirling in their intensity. “That’s not what I meant and you know it. Tell me that you were there. We were there together, having the same dream.” She squeezes her eyes shut. She wants to lie to him. She needs to lie to him. But she can’t. Lying would be like it never happened. But it did happen. And if it’s all they get to have, she wants him to know it. “I think we were having the same dream,” she whispers, unable to meet his eyes.

So this is an adorable Jubilation aftermath fic, with Ladybug and Chat Noir both mourning the loss of what only they remember, of a dream that never was. And them deciding that screw it, it may not have been real to anyone else, but it was real to them. They remember those years together, and they want to live together, if only during the times when they can afford to be missing from home. They remember being happily married, and crave that life.

---

(Drag) Kings And Queens by @entity9silvergen

Marinette sees one of her commissions on drag performer Chat Noir and a friendship is born. If only she could get her girlfriend Adriana to go to one of his performances… Adrien plays with a new side of himself through drag with some help from his new online friend Ladybug. If only his newfound confidence could help him work up the courage to tell his boyfriend Marino about it… Closeted T4T Drag AU based on buggachat’s tumblr post with lots of extra identity shenanigans.

So like entity says, this fic is based on one of @buggachat's tumblr posts.

Though it actually manages to be even MORE queer since both Adrien and Marinette are trans.

It's an utter delight! The drag performances are a treat, and I love the identity shenanigans XD. It's just a lot of fun.

---

Phantom Pains (and other hints of you) by @buggachat

She couldn't remember anything. Not where she was going, where she'd been, why she was in this stairwell, or even her own name. But as she watched the blood pool at the base of the steps, she at least knew one thing for certain: the corpse was hers. Getting used to being dead was going to have its growing pains. — “Well, unlucky lady,” Chat Noir greeted with a bow, “Can I get your name?” “Didn’t we just talk about this? I told you, I don’t remember it.” “And I told you,” he reminded, “that you can just pick whatever fits you best.” — Ladybug and Chat Noir may not remember who they once were, but at least the two lost souls can find comfort in each other's company. But as Ladybug starts uncovering more and more memories of her life, letting the past go doesn't seem as easy as Chat Noir claims it to be.

So this is a beautiful, sweet, tragic love story of two lost souls wandering around with each other, yet with Ladybug still desperately wanting to be found, to remember who she was - and wanting to know why Chat so adamantly wanted to stay amnesiac. It's got some neat worldbuilding, and some fantastic prose. It's just a really nice little story!

[mlbigbang2024]

ML Big Bang 2024 Fic Recs

Miscellaneous

This collection of fics were recommended by the contributors of the @mlbigbang2024 for their favourite fics of 2024 (posted in between Nov 2023 and Dec 2024)

General and Teen and Up Fics

What If... Ladybug and Chat Noir had to go on a Miraculous scavenger hunt? (Rated: G)

By Booksforthelost

Tags: What-if, AU - Canon Divergence, Turtle Master Fu | Jade Turtle

Summary: When Master Fu is robbed, Ladybug and Chat Noir find themselves in a race against their enemies to recover the Miraculous.

Read on Ao3

What we liked about it: It displays what happens when nobody knows each other's secret identity but work together to stop Hawk Moth. Also, scavenger hunts are very fun!

A Swing and a Miss (and a Kiss) (Rated: T)

By @coffeebanana

Tags: PRPR, mutual pining, canon divergent

Summary: Adrien derails a game of ping-pong with a single sentence: “If I make this next point, my lady, you have to kiss me.”

Read on Ao3

What we liked about it: Just two kids being super awkward and kissy kissy meow meow.

The Terror (Rated: T)

By @gaussiansphere

Tags: psychological horror, la terreur au, using a miraculous has side effects

Summary:

Something is rotten in the city of Paris.

A general lockdown has been imposed as the entire world scrambles to make sense of the images of magic and monsters trickling out. Here, all powers have a price, whether they come from the ring on your finger or the voice in your head.

Read on Ao3

What we liked about it: Based off the Tumblr comic by @sillysiluriforme , La Terreur, of the same name but in English. Fleshing it out and adding more psychological horror. Things are bad (but it’s okay! (I think))

Meditations (Rated: T)

By @bittersweetresilience

Tags: experimental style, poetry, epistolary

Summary: Félix reflects on fathers, and on monsters, and on dying.

Read on Ao3

What we liked about it: I cry thinking about this. It’s so rare we have something so experimental in the fandom. Poetic, epistolary, reflective. It’s a treasure

The Best Worst Day Ever (Rated: G)

By @fandomofone

Tags: awkward flirting, Plagg is so done, fluff and angst

Summary:

Riding high after Hawkmoth’s latest defeat, Adrien’s promising day begins to unravel when he arrives at school and discovers that Chat Noir is apparently a laughingstock following the previous day’s fight against Malediktator- and he has no memory of it. Feeling somewhat hurt and embarrassed, Adrien questions Plagg and is shocked to learn that the source of all his woes may be… his Lady? As if that’s not bad enough, Marinette unwittingly gets roped into his miserable day, and a misunderstanding between them leaves Adrien anxious about the future of their friendship. Can this day possibly get any worse?

Well, there is still patrol duty with Ladybug to look forward to...

Read on Ao3

What we liked about it: This is a cute little Adrienette fluff piece that fits snugly between episodes! It occurs after Maledictator, and I just love the adorable idiots. 

Not Quite Right (Rated: T)

By @ladynoirfanao3

Tags: Marichat, protective Adrien Agreste | Chat Noir, identity reveal

Summary:

When Marinette wakes up one morning, she can’t help but feel that something is just a little bit… off. No one else around her seems to feel the same, however, and she is forced to shake off the strange feelings.

It proves to be more difficult than she imagined, especially when an akuma attack leaves her feeling helpless as she watches Chat Noir and Ladybug arrive on scene.

Read on Ao3

What we liked about it: It's like it's on the tip of your tongue, but you can't tell what it is

Mature and Explicit Fics

Voyage! Tales of the USS Miraculous (Rated: M)

By @uptoolateart

Tags: AU - Star Trek Fusion, But can be understood even if you don't know Star Trek, PTSD

Summary: Almost four years since the brutal battle at Wolf-359, Captain Marinette Dupain-Cheng – one of the youngest Captains in Starfleet history – has been assigned command of the USS Miraculous.

Her first mission with her new crew is to investigate a distress beacon from the most dangerous region of the Alpha Quadrant – the Neutral Zone. But what they discover is just the beginning of an exploration into the strangest world Marinette has ever visited – her own heart.

* A Star Trek crossover written to be understood even if you aren’t familiar with the Star Trek universe *

Read on Ao3

What we liked about it: Such a fun and clever crossover with Star Trek - it fits perfectly in the ST universe, and can also be read fandom-blind. The characters have such different histories but are still so clearly /them/. It's funny and cute, with a healthy dose of angst and hurt, too. There's a very interesting undercurrent of mystery, adventure, and discovery. 

Revealing Commission (Rated: E)

By @katieykat513

Tags: Aged-up, smut, identity reveal

Summary: Marinette: I'm poor! Adrien: I have money! Marinette: I can't take your money! what if I made fanart? Adrien: I can pay for fanart! Marinette: Uhhh what do you want? Adrien: NSFW ladynoir for no specific reason! Marinette: What is my life?

Read on Ao3

What we liked about it: The premise alone is enough said, but it also had some sweet fluff mixed in with the hilarity.

Mamma Mia! (Rated: M)

By @ladynoirfanao3

Tags: Cat Walker, unplanned pregnancy, aged-up, identity reveal

Summary:

When Marinette discovers she is pregnant, she is distressed to realize any of the three men she slept with in the recent past could be the father; Chat Noir, Ladybug’s partner and ex with whom she had gone through a tearful breakup - the mysterious Cat Walker, Ladybug’s rebound - or Adrien Agreste, Marinette’s current boyfriend.

But does she quickly discover all three potential fathers are, in fact, the same man? No, of course not; where would be the fun in that?

Read on Ao3

What we liked about it: What a better way to play with all the different tropes! Identity shenanigans galore. 

What We're Made Of (Rated: M)

By @uptoolateart

Tags: I have spent the last two years thinking of nothing but sentibeings, I'm taking the sentibeing idea as far as possible

Summary:

Humanity has just survived the apocalypse – with a little magic, and the help of several hundred senti-soldiers. Now, they need to figure out what to do with them…and what to do with the news that the Mayor of London is a sentibeing himself.

Meanwhile, Hugo, the twins, and other children of sentibeings have developed magical powers. But with the trauma of the war still fresh in people’s minds, prejudices are forming and tensions are riding high.

Now, Adrien, Marinette and Felix – and some unexpected friends – must band together again to face old demons and find a way to move forward at last.

Read on Ao3

What we liked about it: Cerebral, emotional, inspiring, and always inventive. I love it when a well-written story expands the lore in a creative, yet plausible way. There’s a direct line from canon to what this story and its siblings in the Breaking Free series do, and it’s a gift to the fandom.

[princess-of-the-corner]

Okay, I don't have a link yet for my Miraculous rewrite, but I have a synopsis!

Marinette Dupain-Cheng is a normal girl with a normal life—at least, that’s the image she likes to project. In reality, Marinette is the granddaughter of the Guardian of the Miraculous, magical jewelry that can transform its owner beyond their wildest dreams and, when combined, even reshape reality.

Adrien Agreste is a normal boy with a normal life-at least that’s what he wants. In reality, Adrien is a famous model for his father’s company and has remained isolated from the world for most of his life.

Alya Cesaire is a normal girl with a normal life, and that’s exactly what she doesn’t want. She has always idolized heroes like Majestia and wanted to fight evil like them. But with no powers, she’s stuck only uncovering evil through journalism.

Nino Lahiffe is a normal boy with a normal life and is fine with that. At least, that’s what he tells himself. In truth, he would love to be the hero, just once.

Chloe Bourgeois is anything but a normal girl with a normal life, and she revels in it. Her father is the most important man in the city, and her mother is renowned worldwide. Why would she care if her mother hasn’t shown up in seven years or if one of her best friends hasn’t been seen in five years? She’ll show everyone just how spectacular she is!

Five kids with differing stories, but when a mysterious supervillain starts attacking their city, they and others will each get their chance to be truly… Miraculous.

(Notable features of this AU include Chloe getting a redemption arc, a complete reworking of how Magic, Miraculous, and Akumas work, and making Fu a competent mentor.)

Oh hell yeah

[miraculous-multiverse]

Akuma City AU: The Heroes

For context

Crimson Bug

Real Name: Luka Couffaine

Miraculous Wielded: Ladybug

Luka was busy with his part-time job when the incident happened and managed to not be Akumatized by pure luck. He attempted to go back home to see if his sister and mother were victims of the butterflies but he got delayed by the numerous Akumas causing chaos all over the city and when he finally arrived he was too late and they were already Akumas. This caused him lots of guilt and drove him to try to help everyone in order to prevent others from suffering the same way he did.

He found Tikki as she was laying exhausted on the floor because she searched for a good wielder non-stop for weeks and brought her home despite not knowing what she was. She realized that he was a good choice for a wielder, told him everything about Nooroo and the Akumas and offered him the Ladybug Miraculous. He accepted and became Crimson Bug.

Obtaining the Miraculous led him to double down on his attempts to help everyone to the point that his own teammates are concerned about it and are afraid that he could get Akumatized. It leads him to stretch himself thin in order to help everyone and makes him constantly exhausted. This ends up with him collapsing on the ground mid-fight and having to be forced to spend some time off battle to recover by Chloe of all people. This leads him to a series of events that basically forces him to realize that he also needs help and actually starts his character development.

At first he got along horribly with Chloe due to her egoistical and self-centered nature and only worked with her because Tikki and Plagg forced him to but after she called him out over his tendency to put others above himself and surprisingly offered to help him assist others in need (claiming that she only did that because it was a good way for her to increase her reputation) he realized that there was more about her than it meets the eye and began to form a friendship with her.

He got along better with Sabrina from the start and attempts to be an older brother figure to her. She thinks that he’s using her as a replacement for Juleka but doesn’t have the courage to tell him.

Doesn’t get along at all with Lila because she’s a spotlight-obsessed asshole but is able to work with her once she undergoes enough character development to willingly become a part of the team and help them instead of opposing them.

Ashera

Real Name: Chloe Bourgeois

Miraculous Wielded: Cat

Chloe was making a mean prank to Marinette when the butterflies arrived and Akumatized Marinette into Princess Justice, who used her judgement powers to punish her for her “crimes”, mind-raping Chloe until she fainted. When she recovered her senses a week had passed and she was in her room alongside a bunch of doctors her father hired in order to help her recover. She then discovered what was happening in Paris and that her father put the entire hotel in lockdown in order to protect all the clients (and her). She spent the weeks following her reawakening complaining about being stuck inside the hotel with nothing to do.

One day, when she ordered a cheese platter for a snack, Plagg, who was still looking for someone worthy of his Miraculous, sneaked inside the building and ate it all, not realizing that Chloe was also in there. After being thrown a bunch of stuff by the scared teen, Plagg calmed down Chloe and explained who he was and what he was looking for, causing her to mistakenly believe that he choose her to become a superhero and save the city. Plagg began laughing at her face and failed to realize until it was too late that a very angry Chloe grabbed the ring and put it on, making her his wielder. Despite not being happy of this, he still decided to let her use it because he was sure that she was going to give it up after a couple of days, severely underestimating her stubbornness.

She's a terrible hero at first due to her tendency to rush at the Akumas without making a plan and her refusal to listen to her partner Crimson Bug because she's convinced that he wants to steal her spotlight... Shame that nobody likes her at first and at best people think of her as Crimson Bug's arrogant sidekick (something that angers her a lot). She starts to change when she begins to help Luka in his out-of-battle activities like distributing food to those in need (which she claims she's doing only to get some good publicity) she starts to become a better person. Slowly but steadily she begins to realize how much of an asshole she is and starts to search for a way to fix it, eventually becoming the ideal hero she wants to be but, despite finally getting respect and admiration of the citizen of Paris, it does not make her feel as happy as she believed she would be, which leads her to realize that the key for her happiness might be something else... but what?

She and Luka hate each other a lot at first, bickering a lot and nearly coming to blows multiple times (Plagg and Tikki basically have to force them to work together at first). It takes her starting to help him assisting those in need for their relationship to start to get better, eventually blossoming into a friendship. She still likes to tease him from time to time, but in a friendly way. She definitively doesn't have a crush on him and if you say the opposite she will deny it.

Her relationship with Sabrina starts as it is in canon and gets rocky the more Sabrina gets involved with their fight against the Akumas, with her being more willing to put her foot down and say no to Chloe. Eventually Sabrina tells her everything she never had the courage to tell her and Chloe admits that all the critics are right and that she's trying really hard to change and become a better person. This leads to them attempting to fix their friendship, but secretly Chloe hopes that when everything is over Sabrina could find a better friend than her.

She flat out hates Lila and she would have already scratched out her throat if Luka and Sabrina wouldn't have stopped her from doing that multiple times. Even later when she joins the squad they cannot be left alone in a room or else they would start to do more than throw insults to each other.

Hamelin

Real Name: Sabrina Raincomprix

Miraculous Wielded: Mouse

Sabrina was in miss Bustier’s classroom when the butterflies invaded the school and began turning the students and teachers into Akumas. She rushed in search of Chloe and found her unconscious on the ground with Princess Justice ready to cut her head off but she managed to distract her and save her “friend”, dragging her out from the school as dozens of Akumas caused havoc around her. They were then rescued by the police who took Chloe to the hospital and brought her to the police station where her father worked. Since then she had been living in it alongside the families of the other policemen who were brought there for their own safety.

At first her role in the team was to find and send useful informations about the Akumas and other stuff to Chloe but she eventually took a more proactive role in organizing plans, analyzing the Akumas in order to find out more about their strengths and weaknesses and making sure Chloe and Luka would cooperate. After she got her Miraculous she became the field leader of the heroes and the one who searches for and rescues civilians that are in the middle of a battle.

She got her Miraculous by pure chance some time after the other heroes made their debut: Mullo began visiting Plagg, Tikki and Trixx some time after they found their wielders in order to see if they were okay and to let them communicate safely with the other Kwamis. During one of these visits she met Sabrina and the two of them got along well (but neither of them wanted to become partners for their own reasons), until the day when one of Volpina’s revenge plans went very wrong and all of them got captured by an Akuma, forcing Sabrina and Mullo to join forces in order to save them, becoming Hamelin. While it was intended to be a one-time only thing Sabrina and Mullo joined forces a few more times until they decided to become permanent partners.

Her relationship with Chloe starts closer to the one in canon but slowly starts to change the more Sabrina gets involved in her fight against the Akumas and becomes more confident in herself. Eventually Sabrina gets enough courage to call out Chloe’s behavior towards her and gives her a massive “the reason why you suck” speech, which Chloe (who in the meantime underwent enough character development to realize how much of an horrible person she is) accepted and leads to them attempting to fix their friendship.

She gets along well with Luka and he tries to help her a lot, but sometimes she feels that he is unintentionally using her as a replacement to Juleka. Despite this, she doesn’t have the courage to tell him that.

Even if she doesn’t trust her at all, she still attempts to be friendly with Lila, if only out of pity because at one point she found out that since her mother got her job Lila has been a permanent New Kid, moving from place to place so often that she failed to form any kind of friendship.

Volpina

Real Name: Lila Rossi

Miraculous Wielded: Fox

She just arrived with her mother, the Italian ambassador of France, in Paris when the incident began and she has been stuck in town ever since because the army refuses to let her and her mom get out of Paris for safety reasons even if the Italian government is pressuring the French one to evacuate them.

Trixx found her and mistakenly believed her to be a good wielder only to find out later that he made the wrong choice. He still regrets it to this day but cannot do anything as long as she wears the necklace.

At first she uses her powers to make illusions of Akumas that she then pretends to defeat in order to become a famous hero but then one day she makes everyone believe that she’s fighting Princess Justice on top of the Tour Eiffel. Cue Ephemeral rushing to save his Princess only to find out that it was just an illusion, angering him so much that he throws Volpina down the building, forcing Crimson Bug and Ashera to save her. Following this incident her reputation takes a pretty big hit and she swears revenge on Ephemeral and the two heroes.

Her character arc is similar to that of Vegeta from Dragonball Z: starts as an asshole villain, becomes an antihero (more emphasis on the anti- part than the hero) loosely allied with Crimson Bug and Ashera, joins the heroes but is still very self-centered and willing to backstab them if it means proving herself the best and eventually becomes more heroic and capable of working in a team.

She dislikes Luka and Chloe a lot for the Ephemeral incident and even if she later joined their team she still dislikes them but at least doesn’t insult them directly.

She gets along better with Sabrina, but she doesn’t thrust her and only hangs with her out of pity since Lila has no friends. Lila knows this but is so desperate to have someone that listens to her that she doesn’t care.

[generalluxun]

Crossing Blades: An ML Fanfic Chapter 1 of 3

Next installment in my Chloe goes back in time AU! Link to AO3, then full text of the chapter below the cut.

Crossing Blades

The warning continued to blare on the ancient radio. It almost overrode the sounds of panic coming through the thin windows and walls of the backroom apartment. Wang Fu paced like a caged animal, twisting the bracelet on his wrist over and over. Beside him Wayzz hung in the air, concerned but silent.

Master Fu stopped in place, eyes narrowed at some unseen ghosts of the past, or future. “I must act. Wayzz, shell on!”

In a flash of green, casual clothing was replaced with armor and mask. Jade Turtle stepped up to the gramophone with determination in his manner. Tap, taptap, tap. Out came the miracle box.

Ignoring the two that remained on the top layer, he reached into a side drawer and took out the snake miraculous. He paused only once, turning away with the green band in hand. Is this the correct path? A life of running had not prepared him for a fight.

Without looking back, Jade Turtle closed the miracle box. The snap of the lid renewed his flagging conviction. This was right. He could bring things back under control and set them in balance once more.

If only he had looked back, he might have seen the fox tail necklace judder and bounce. He might have seen it hop from the box and hook itself to the back of his belt. He might have seen the little fox kwami blinking into existence, the culprit behind the jewelry’s odd behavior, then blink out again.

But, he did not.

-----------------

Ladybug ducked between two buildings. She had no idea if the narrow alleyway was a dead end, she just needed breathing room. Squads of black armored knights marched up and down the streets, attacking anyone caught outside at will. Dark clouds painted the sky, casting everything into deep shadows.

She believed the source to be at city hall, a new akuma -of course- but she needed more to go on. She also needed a partner. She was *this* close to wishing for the Miraculous thief to show up, just to have someone watch her back against the legion of minions this akuma commanded.

To think, this morning had seemed like such a big deal only a few hours ago.

“Good morning everyone. Before we start for today, it’s time to elect your class representative.” Ms. Bustier had spoken in a chipper but uncertain tone. She gestured to Chloé in the front seat, “Chloé, I haven’t heard from Sabrina yet, but can we count on the two of you again this year?”

“What?” a muddled reply came, “No, ugh. I don’t want to be stupid representative anymore. Someone else do it.”

That had brought Marinette out of her own thoughts. Chloé had been weird lately, but Marinette had had her own problems to deal with. However, passing up prestige, not being the bigwig in the room? That was something else entirely. Marinette looked down at the back of Chloé’s head. Was the ponytail frizzed today? There was body language there that felt off, the set of her shoulders wasn’t right. Marinette had gotten good at reading Chloé’s moods in self defense.

Ms. Bustier’s lips made a surprised ‘oh’ and she looked up,”Well does anyone else want to run for the position?”

The kind of absolute silence that can only come from asking for a volunteer echoed back at her.

Ms. Bustier clasped her hands and tried again, “Chloé, why not be representative again this year? You know the most about it. You’re right here at the front of the room too. If things are a bit hectic, I’m sure we can work something out…”

“I said No!” Chloé slammed her palms down on the desk and stood up so fast Sabrina fell off the bench as it moved. “If being at the front means I have to do it, FINE!”

She grabbed her bag and stalked back to the rear of the room. All eyes followed her but no one dared say a word. Rose scooted closer to Juleka. Ivan’s brows lowered as she passed. Nathaniel’s eyes began to widen as she approached his desk.

*Thump* She shoved her bag onto it. Nathaniel’s eyes darted, he seemed paralyzed. Chloé’s face flushed for a moment then she grabbed his sketchbook from the desk.”You sit in the front now!”

The hurled sketchbook opened in mid-flight like a wounded bird, flapping and spinning until it landed on the front desk then skittered off the other side to the floor. Ms. Bustier’s eyes tracked its entire flight. There was one more beat of silence then she looked up.

“Ms. Bourgeois, that is no way to-”

“I know I know. I suck, whatever. Shut up. I’m in the back now, I can’t be the rep. Someone else do it.” Chloé dropped herself onto the bench beside Nathaniel, who fell off the other side, scrambling to escape.

He scuttled down to the front. Ms. Bustier met him and handed him his sketchbook with a gentle, ”Please put this away during the lesson, Nathaniel.” before looking up to the back. “Ms. Bourgeois, see me after class.”

An honest to God hiss was her answer to that.

Ms. Bustier quickly replaced the serene mask she normally wore, “So, it appears the field is indeed wide open. Would no one else like to take the reins and lead our class to the future?”

Alya’s elbow dug lightly into Marinette’s side. “You should do it,” her friend whispered.

Marinette bit her lip. It would be work, more work on top of Ladybug. She didn’t want to let anyone down either. She was always late, even before the miraculous. Surely someone else could do it, right?

“I don’t have time. Why don’t you try it?” Marinette whispered back.

“La-dy Blog,” Alya sing-songed. “Come on, maybe you could get Adrien to be your assistant.”

That sparked a whole ball of feelings. Imagined black cat ears popped into being atop Adrien’s head in Marinette’s mind. Adrien, Cat Noir, a chance to be partners again?

“Mylene!” Alix broke the silence that had settled again.

The redhead gave the girl beside her a friendly shove.

“You’re always into political stuff. Why don’t you do it?”

Mylene smiled for a second before shrinking in her seat. “I umm, don’t know. I’ve never actually been in charge of anything before.”

Alix leaned grinned down at Ms. Bustier, “I nominate Mylene! We can do that, right?”

The relief was clear on the teacher’s face, “Yes! Yes of course, nominations are allowed, though they need to be accepted.”

“Cool. Then that. I nominate. Come on, Mylene. Show us what you got.”

After a look towards Ivan, and another downcast fidget in her seat, Mylene finally nodded.

Marinette sagged with relief. That was taken care-

Alya’s voice, “Well, I nomi-”

A storm of images hit Marinette. Pressure, uncertainty, working with Adrien, not working with Adrien. Mylene working with Adrien, of all the oddball things.

She shot to her feet, “I nominate Alya!”

There was a general classwide blink.

Ms. Bustier nodded, “Alya, would you accept?”

Alya missed a beat, but recovered. “Yeah, sure. That way we get an election, right?” She leaned around Marinette, “We’ll highlight important issues with our speeches, right Mylene?”

Mylene brightened, “Yes, of course!”

There was a general murmur of excitement. Marinette took her seat again, giving Alya a smug look before whispering, “Beat you to it.”

Alya raised an eyebrow. “Girl, I was gonna nominate Adrien. You already said you didn’t want to. I figured it could work the other way too.”

Marinette’s triumphant smile melted into sadness. She slumped face first onto the desk. Alya patted her gently on the back.

“I dunno what about Mr. Modelpants does it for you, but I was trying to help.”

Marinette mumbled against the wood, “You got my vote.” She pushed herself upright and looked down to the row in front of them. “He just seems… nice. I think he deserves a chance.”

Alya’s snort was anything but subtle, “A chance with you, that is quite a reward.”

Marinette went instantly red. “I didn’t- I mean-”

Alya laid a hand on her shoulder, “Relax, girl. I got you.”

“You can speak at my funeral when I die of embarrassment,” Marinette groused.

“I will move the crowds to tears.” Alya nodded solemnly.

Much needed giggles slipped from Marinette’s lips. A sharply cleared throat cut her reply short though.

“Miss Cesaire, you will be ready to deliver your speech in the morning?” Ms. Bustier asked pointedly.

Alya saluted. “Yes Ma’am.”

At the time it had all seemed so important.

Breather over, Ladybug considered her options. She wasn’t even sure where the akuma was. City Hall seemed a good bet. The roving packs of armored warriors were a risk. One on one, she trusted her miraculous enhanced reflexes, but five on one? Ten? She wished for Cat Noir. In a moment of weakness she even felt she would settle for the thief. She needed someone to watch her back. She needed a partner.

A flash of motion -above!- Ladybug lashed out and dodged.

Spang!

Her yo-yo rebounded off the wide-brimmed metal hat of a green glad warrior. “Hold, Ladybug! I am ally, not foe!”

Ladybug kept her yo-yo at the ready. “Ally? Who are you?”

He raised his head, revealing the green mask and a smile. “I am the Guardian of the Miraculous. You may call me Jade Turtle.”

She sized him up quickly. Her height, her age? It was impossible to tell much from behind a mask. He held himself with poise, but also hunched like his namesake, as if awaiting a blow. “Guardian? What is that? Do you know what’s going on?”

He bowed his head a fraction, “I do, and I will share what I can with you once the crisis has passed. I have brought you the means to garner an ally in this battle.”

He unhooked a small box from his belt and opened it. Inside lay an unassuming bracelet of Jade.

“This is the Miraculous of the snake, which holds the power of intuition. It will allow the wearer to loop time, up to five minutes, to find the correct path to victory. Give it to one you trust.”

Adrien. The name popped instantly into Ladybug’s mind. She could have her partner back. She reached for the box but paused. “Will you be fighting with us too?”

Jade Turtle shook his head, “I am here to reclaim what is lost. I expect the black cat will make an appearance, and I will be ready. It is vital the miraculous not fall into the wrong hands.”

Ladybug took the box. Something nagged the back of her mind, but it didn’t translate properly and only, “Are you sure?” left her lips.

Jade Turtle nodded and ran his fingers along the brim of his metal hat. “Yes, almost as sure as I was in choosing you to be Ladybug.”

With that he turned and vaulted up out of the alley to the rooftops.

The box was heavy in Ladybug’s hand as her eyes lingered after the only person with any answers to her questions. Adrien. I can get this to Adrien. No rooftops for me though. I can’t risk being seen and followed.

Ladybug checked the end of the alleyway and then scurried back towards school, and she hoped, an ally.

--------------------------------------

Jade Turtle moved quickly as possible, keeping to the shadows. Avoiding being seen was still an ingrained habit. That which was not known could not be pursued, much less caught. The city swarmed with units of armored knights marching in formations. They were a concern, but also, he suspected, the perfect bait. His instincts proved correct. Commotion, running soldiers, and sounds of battle drew him to his quarry. 

The new holder of the black cat stood in a swath of carnage. Fallen knights littered the ground like leaves, but there was a lull. Only one knight still stood, sword held robotically en garde against her.

Jade Turtle's eyes scanned the scene quickly. He broke cover, “No! Wait!”

Too late. The black cat moved, slipping the knight's stiff guard and lashing out. Claws tore metal and everything beneath with equal ease. The knight crumpled into the pile.

“You! You! They are being controlled by the akuma! They are innocent people!”

She seemed to register only slowly. Feline disinterest painted across her sharp features. “Who are you supposed to be? Sewer Hat Boy?”

He raised his own guard as he approached. He knew better than to trust the languid curiosity in those mismatched eyes. “My name is unimportant. My purpose is to reclaim the black cat from you. You are not the one destined to hold it.” He directed a pointed glance down to the fallen bodies. “And you paint yourself unworthy by deed as well.”

She tilted her head slowly, then kicked the body at her feet. “They’ll be fine once stupid Ladybug does her thing. As for my miraculous, oh just you try to take it.”

Jade Turtle steeled himself and dropped into a fighting stance. “As you wish. These bones may be old, but they know many secrets.”

With the moment at hand Jade Turtle hesitated, how best to attack? He must strip the ring from her hand. Protection would be the key. He cou-

There was no warning in her eyes, no tension in her stance, none of the things he had learned to look for. She dropped into a hunched run, legs powering her into a lurching drunken charge that devoured the space between them.

Jade turtle jerked backwards. A clawed swipe slashed through the air where his throat had been. Another lunged for his eyes.

Block. Block. Redirect. Turn. Clear roo- no she was on him again. Catch. Twist. Her whole body moved as bonelessly as her namesake, spinning her whole body in the air around the pivot of his wristlock. Her claw toed boot scored lines in his metal hat.

Jade Turtle tried to disengage. He just needed space, time. She dogged his every move. He was being chased again, chased across the street just as he had been chased his whole life. Flashbacks warred with reality. His foe lunged and it wasn’t a child, it was a grown man in a black leather uniform with a very different meaning. Jade Turtle had been helpless then, he wasn’t now.

He lashed out and struck the man a deeply deserved killing blow to the sternum. Contact evaporated the memory. The child collapsed the ground in its place, but rebounded impossibly.

“So that’s how it is…” She gritted through clenched fangs. “Cataclysm!”

He’d lost control! Dodge. Dodge. Stagger. Dodge. Dodge. Backpedal. Something in that heterochromic gaze dredged up every fear from his two centuries of running. He couldn’t- he needed- She wouldn’t give him room.

“Protection!”

Instinct took over when reason fled. He met her next swipe and caught her just inside the wrist. The turtle Miraculous did the rest. A bubble of Green around that black death-clad hand.

He panted, keeping her wrist held firmly. ”Now… I’ve got you. Surrender. You can not-”

The Cataclysm vanished.

Motion.

Jade Turtle flinched and it saved his life.

Her free hand came around, sparking with destruction. It met the dipping edge of his shield hat and blasted it apart in an instant. The feedback robbed him of his senses and strength. Jade turtle fell. He sensed more than saw the shadow looming over him.

“Five minutes left to show you just how big of a mistake you’ve made.”

----------------------------------------------------------

The difference five minutes could make; a million times over.

“Adrien!”

Adrien skidded to a stop at the sound of that voice. He cast a quick glance back over his shoulder, it looked like he had finally lost them. He turns his gaze skyward just as Ladybug landed beside him.

She unclipped a small box from her hip as she straightened up, holding it out.  “Am I glad to see you! I looked at your house first and you weren’t there, so then I checked the school. You weren't there either, so I tried all the streets in between and-”

She paused, withdrawing the box slightly.

“What are you doing out here?”

Adrien looked down, rubbing the back of his head. “Well, I thought, I mean I hoped, maybe I might still be useful. If I could, maybe at least find the akuma and report back.”

Or find Chloé and get the cat back. Or anything just to not be a disappointment. Well, not a disappointment to her. He was pretty sure Alya and Nino wouldn’t be happy with him for running off. He had glimpsed Nino running after him, even.

Ladybug made a soft sound in her throat, “Adrien, you’re amazing,” his heart swelled, “I don’t want you to be running around without a miraculous though. It’s dangerous out here. It’s a miracle you haven’t been caught and turned into one of these knight-zombie things. That’s why-”

Adrien looked up, sure the axe would fall now. He couldn’t account for the color on Ladybug’s cheeks, or the softness when she held the box out again.

“That’s why I’ve got something for you. It’s the snake Miraculous. With it you can help me again. We can defeat this akuma, get back your miraculous, and stop Hawkmoth!”

She’d laid out the snake’s powers. Sass had been more reserved than Plagg, but polite. When Adrien had transformed into Aspik he’d thought he’d caught Ladybug giggling behind her hand, but she flashed him a big smile nonetheless. She even rubbed his new costume’s smooth head ‘for Luck’. The plan was simple, split up and circle City Hall north and south. See what could be seen and meet up on the other side.

That had been less than ten minutes ago.

It had been months ago.

Aspik had spotted Chloé midway through his sweep. She ran on rooftops, wielding the power of the black cat, his power. The power he’d lost. He had the perfect chance to get it back, as many chances as needed. Aspik had activated Second Chance and altered his course. He couldn’t fail.

Reset. Come from the right. Reset. Try the left. Reset. Try reasoning. Reset. Threatening. Reset. Bargaining. Reset. Fight. Reset. Angry. Reset. Screaming. Reset. Go for the ring. Reset. Go for a knockout. Reset. Try to call Ladybug. Reset. Ladybug arrives on her own and catches a cataclysm. Reset. Reveal who he is. Reset. Again. Reset. Again. Reset. Reset. Reset. He’s hanging over the edge of a roof, danglinging from her grip on his wrist. The last light is blinking on the bracelet. He can’t reach- She smirks and twists the bracelet for him. Reset. Reset. Reset. Something is happening. Reset. The world feels thin. Reset. Spots at the edges of his vision. Reset. No, spots in the sky. Reset. Destruction. Reset. Cataclysm lingering. Reset. Wearing away these five minutes like a thread pulled back and forth through the eye of a needle too many times. Reset. He can’t fail! Reset. He has to prove- Reset. To Ladybug. Reset. He is-

Falling…

He can’t remember what he said this time. He can’t remember who threw the first punch. A thousand thousand truths overlap and spill out, covering his senses.  There’s only one consistency. He lost, again.

Aspik hits the pavement hard. A storm of black lightning tears at the sky for three, two, one. The snake Miraculous chirps one last warning and powers down. The storm vanishes. Time, no longer abused, marches on. It leaves him behind again. Chloé didn’t even spare him the benefit of a backward glance this time. Would it have even mattered if she did? Would seeing him defeated by her hand again have been the right or wrong thing to do? Would it have made her pause? Would that have been what made her give it back?

He feels numb. The street is a too-hard bed but he feels like he could sleep for a decade if he just closed his eyes. The overcast clouds no longer threaten the end, but are still a reminder of the akuma at large.

“Adrien!” Nino’s voice is so out of place it takes a moment for Adrien to recognize it.

Adrien turns his head, still not ready to move beyond that, to watch his friend rushing headlong down the empty street. Nino? Why are you here? It’s dangerous. Too dangerous.

“Dude! Are you okay? Can you stand?” Nino drops to one knee and tries to haul Adrien to his feet.

The answers quickly present themselves. No, and No. Adrien is beyond exhausted. His legs won’t hold him. He stumbles into Nino. His throat feels like sandpaper. “What are you doing here?”

“Looking for you, dude.” Nino loops Adrien’s arm over his shoulders and tries to take on more of the weight. Adrien’s legs still aren’t cooperating.

Ha. Hero saved by a civilian. But then, what’s the difference? Adrien found the strength to push Nino off gently, but not the strength to keep standing once he had. He sat down hard, but pulled the Snake Miraculous off his wrist.  A weary Sass sprang into being, hovering low in the air.

Nino blinked, ”Dude?”

Adrien waved him off with a floppy hand. “No time. Ladybug needs help. Defeat the Akuma. Tell Sass ‘Scales Slither.’ Bracelet resets things. Five minutes tops. Help Ladybug.”

Nino’s eyes darted between Sass and the bracelet Adrien was holding out in a trembling hand. Shock and fear each had a turn, but determination was right on their heels. He took the bracelet from Adrien’s hand, “I’ll try.”

Adrien remembered, “Get the cat back for Ladybug, if you can.”

Sass managed to perk some, and the transformation worked. Snake-clad Nino turned in the direction Adrien pointed, but before leaping away called back over his shoulder, “You have so much explaining to do, dude.”

And with that, he was gone.

Adrien fell back onto his back, ready to let the darkness of sleep take him, hopefully before more knights showed up.  Instead a new, high pitched, scratchy voice reached his ears.

“Hey. Hey you. I’ve got a proposition for you. We can both help each other out.”

[stareyedmoonchildworks]

Late Night Ideas: Daminette Soulmate AU II

Disclaimer: this is in no way related to my other soulmate au.

Basically, everyone is given the first initial of their soulmates' name on their wrist at the age of 12, but only upon touching your soulmate do you get to see their full name.

Think about it.

The boys are doing some recon in Paris, especially after seeing a video sent to the JL, which wasn't taken very seriously. (Side eyeing you Booster Gold.)

Anyways, they explore the city during the day, acting like tourist asking locals for their stories, and even getting some background on LB and CN. All the while, they are unknowingly passing Marinette in each place they go to.

It's pure coincidence, really. Like first time was when they pretended to be interested in getting Damian enrolled in Collège Françoise Dupont. Dick got hungry, and Tim wanted coffee, so naturally, they stopped by Marinette's family's bakery. Dick orders as Marinette's leaving, never really making contact with any of them.

Then, as they are taking a tour of the school and asking questions. Marinette is there hanging out with Adrien, who she's cool with by now. They have more of a best friend/sibling dynamic now.

Then tye next is out an about like them questioning the pigeon guy and Marinette had been their for a while now sketching away. The next a the Louvre and she's hanging out with Alix or something. So on and so forth.

You know the always within proximity but never getting the chance to meet kind thing. That is until Marinette trips or something, and her art supplies falls and it's the Wayne boys help her pick them.

Damian is holding out a few pencils for her. She's not really paying attention and embarrassed over the ordeal. She's just graving and going. Just when you think their hands are going to meet and lock eyes; feeling that click sand seeing each other's name slowly reveal itself, it doesn't happen.

She grabs the ends of the pencils and hurriedly shouts a thanks to the boys as she was in a hurry to get somewhere. Nobody thinks much of it.

Then, later that evening, there's an akuma attack. The boys were out prior to doing some discrete patrol hoping to catch a glimpse of the heros and maybe do get their statements only to be caught in the middle of it.

There is some tension between Ladybuy and Rodin, especially when they had to make a strategic retreat together with the rest. Dick was able to have them set it aside for after they defeated the akuma.

Fun times people. Fun times.

The akuma is defeated. Lucky chatm is cast, things are talked over, negotiations are made, and hand shakes are shared.

Now, because of miraculous magic, it kinda buffs the whole dramatic soylmate meeting scene, but it doesn't stop the name from forming.

When they return to their place of living and get out of costume; both Damian and Marinette are very surprised to see each other's name delicately scribed onto their wrist.

That's all I got, but if anyone wants to run with the idea, then be more than welcome to. Just be sure to give credit.

[sillysiluriforme]

That one post, about how everyone has an akuma mark- that wouldn't be the case, and if anything that makes it worse. An akuma (or two) a day for several years is 1,000 people, maybe 2,000. Paris has a population of 10 million. So not that many people. But consider the suffering. Being a non-akuma'd person knowing your life is forever changed, possibly in quarantine forever, all because a small handful of people couldn't keep calm. (we know it's not their fault, but blame must land somewhere and hawkmoth is distant and unseen...). To watch as your future, or your children's future crumbles, because no one in or out means limited opportunities. There'd be riots (and more akuma possibilities). But to be one of the targeted? To have the suspicion (because akumas do strike twice, thrice, or more...) and the blame (if you'd just stay calm, if you just said no...). To lose an entire day of your life, watching as everyone you loved looks fearfully or angrily towards you (what did you do? what did you say?), to lose your job (what if it happens again? or was it because of your job?). To watch everything get worse, because of course: Any disruption to Paris would be Catastrophic. The paris region produces a GDP of 1 TRILLION dollars. 1/3rd of France's GDP. A day's disruption could cost billions of dollars. Even if property gets repaired, time still moves forward- a day not worked is a day where things dont get done. Things like road maintenance, court dates, repairs to water pipes, electrical generation, surgeries, and so on. Critical workers would need to get a suicidal level apathy towards akumas, because if they stopped work everytime one appeared then lives would be lost to power shortages, lack of medical care, and water. All the traffic supplying goods every day- even if they don't get inspected going in or out, any changes to that would raise prices in a heartbeat. Refrigeration becomes unreliable, as powerlines could be cut whenever. Education goes rock bottom, as who can focus when something's happening every day? Desperation rises, as there's nowhere to go, goods are more expensive or unavailable, jobs are in short supply because so many places go out of business, or outright leave.

God, forget the holders, forget the akumas, forget the reality warping little-g gods, the sheer decay of Paris would be enough to make this AU nightmarish. If Paris remains under akuma quarantine for long enough, the effects would become exponential. As businesses leave, the money disappears. Goods become critical, as a city that big needs an entire nation to feed it (but without the money, who would bother selling to Paris?). Infrastructure becomes abandoned, as cost cutting and triage prioritizes only critical locations. The government moves elsewhere (how could they function otherwise?) taking jobs, money, and focus away from the city. Homelessness, joblessness, poverty become the norm, as with inconsistent power and deliveries, how can businesses operate? Hawkmoth is murdering the city of love, over his own doomed love.

Paris becomes a colossal burden on the french economy, a nightmarish battleground and a looming threat to the world. The country is left with a hellish choice: Let the city sink on it's own, or be dragged down with it?

[YOU FUCKING GET IT ANON. YOU EXACTLY GET IT.]

[natedogx15]

A small idea for an AU that I had: Noroo uses his powers without Gabriel in a desperate attempt to create a champion that could save him and accidentally akumatizes half of Paris. Fu is one of the unfortunate victims but he manages to let the Kwami escape before he falls under the effects of the Butterfly Miraculous.

Now gangs of Akumas roam the city, some causing chaos, others want to achieve their goals no matter what (like Furious Fu, who wants to gain back the Miraculous to reshape the world in his image) and other ones, led by the so called Akuma Queen Princess Justice and her loyal knight Ephimeral, want to find and save Noroo no matter what.

In this chaos, some individuals find the Miraculous and start using them to achieve their goals, be it saving their family from akumatization (Luka), becoming famous (Chloe) or committing lots of crimes

This is an awesome idea for a dystopian adaptation of Miraculous Ladybug! Imagine the city suddenly being overrun by superpowered beings and monsters, and people randomly getting Miraculous while needing to fix everything while Master Fu is incapacitated. Having our main two possibly leading the charge in the city would also be amazing.

Imagine if the United Heroez saw this and sent their Miraculous users to help. We could get an unexpected team-up plus plenty of chances for original Miraculous users. Season one of this au could end with Furious Fu being defeated and he reveals to the Miraculous users who he is.

Plus, it gives a better chance for Gabriel to be found out. He might not be able to hide in his base for long due to the Akumas hunting him down. So, he might be on the run while making his own Akumas to try to get control of the situation if he can't control the ones Nooroo made.

You could even introduce characters like Kagami or Felix as people the Kwami found to be their wielders while on the run in their desperation.

[scoutartzz]

i also want to write a ficlet or oneshot for this au

i was told its blurry and hard to read so! translation! (LV = Loveybug, CN = Chat Noir, CW = Cat Walker, and LB = Ladybug)

top right: LV: Do you not trust me? I knew it. It was a bad idea. I’m awful.

top middle: LV: Good evening~ CW: uhm. Loveybug. The akuma? LV: heh heh, oops!

mid middle: LV: I’m the new ladybug holder!

mid right: LV: Chat Noir… Cat Walker… CW: ?!?

bottom left: LV: I can’t help it. This city, these people, I love them all so much CW: *doki doki*

bottom middle: CN: YOU ARE NOT. AND NEVER WILL BE. MY LADYBUG. LV: Sorry Chat Noir. Guess I should go. (SHIT SHIT SHIT SHIT HE HATES ME DISASTER disaster disaster-) CN: no… stay. (SHIT SHES CUTE / REMINDS ME OF MARI AHHHHHHHH)

bottom right: LB: Because I can’t express my feelings, I hurt Chat Noir and he rejected me.

[gee-arid]

I just.. really like comic book covers. okay?

In my au, Marc starts off even more reserved than canon, he starts with his Beta design- or a version of it i guess. He gets a make over after being inspired by Nath/Rouges, and probably encouraged by Plagg.

Extra elaborating on how id change the episodes below.

During Origins/Stone heart, they dont fuck up because Alaise Rouge forgets to purify the akuma, but because he *cant reach it* in time.

This is because (and dont hate me on this hot take) Nathaniel sucks balls at teamwork. He'd describe humself as a lonewolf- or.. bug i guess. Atleast at first. And Marc conceeds too easily.

Rouge, though hes not called that in the begining (he also sucks ass at names too, so he puts it off as long as possible, probably introduces himself as Bug Boy, gets cringed at by local hobbyist author nameless-cat-boy who have not met out of costume yet, and promptly keeps that shit to himself) is a bit of a prick, he doesnt work in a team, and hes up front about it. I dont need your help, i dont work with other people. Excetera, excetera.

Understandably putting Marc off from the hero biz- until its shown on live TV Rouge *ahem* sorry 'Bug Boy'... is unable to catch the akuma on his own. The ladybug is able to scrape by a win and free the akuma- and despite saying he works alone, he was only able to win because Alix was there to help, same as canon. Though she doesnt have any super hero powers to help corner the escaped butterfly, and with the ladybugs current users weapon being a hammer, he cant quite reach the bug that flies.

Both of our heros have an "oh fuck-" realisation moment.

The ladybug apologises after a long scolding by Tikki, and the cat works up his nerves to try again after encouragement by Plagg. Both are off to a bad start with one another and their relationship isnt that great in the beginning, but they know that the only way to help the city is together.

So reluctantly they work together to neutralise the threat and announce their partnership and loyalty to the people of paris.

And things move forward.

essentially the dynamic is:

Here they are alone:

Oh and heres my first idea- abandoned-