#Shadowing Bourgeois!AU

[sweetcloverheart]

Heeeey time for more Chloe in Megapolis goodness

So last we left off, Chloe basically realizes that her dad has left her to fend for herself alone in a foreign country with her sorta-mentor/kidnapper

She totally doesn't take this personally as a deep betrayal. She definitely doesn't cry for a week straight about it. She absolutely doesn't start throwing herself into her magic training and getting more violent in her fights with Team MK to cope (and so not clinging to Macaque's approval during their magic training sessions like she does with her mom). She's completely fine and claiming otherwise is ridiculous - UTTERLY RIDICULOUS

(Pollen tries to comfort her, but she's limited in what she can do when Chloe's being so volatile, and the other kwami don't know/trust Chloe well enough to approach)

Macaque does glean what the issue is, but since this is pre-redemption, his answer to her distress is to put all her anger and betrayal into training and use it to strengthen herself to take revenge and ensure no one can leave/betray her like that again and what do you mean he's projecting this is valid advice and totally not him acting out his own betrayal by Sun Wu Kong on this 14 yr-old French girl SHUT UP

(He occasionally hears Lady Bone Demon approaching with his powers and every time he does, Chloe's fate is...not a good one He tries to pretend not to notice how much the idea unnerves him)

Things come to a head in "Shadow Play" with Chloe acting in the background (Taking the place of snack lady) while Macaque sets up things for his trap. MK holds a (somewhat stilted due to Chloe's grasp on the language still being mid-beginner but a lot better than when she first arrived) convo with her where they both vaguely allude to their own issues and give each other minorly helpful advice

Of course, the fight breaks out (And poor MK is devastated the girl who gave him a discount on snacks was Evil Bee Girl all along!) and Macaque does his whole "You're like me and don't care about anyone" spiel before MK points out Chloe and both of them immediately try to downplay it - No, this is just my evil henchgirl whom I'm using to menace you I don't care about her and her wellbeing or feel fear over not being able to keep her safe and no this is just the guy who kidnapped me that I'm using to get more powerful I don't feel a sense of belonging from him showing me actual understanding I never got from other adults in my life I'm not lying fuck you fight me damn it!

Of course, like canon, MK wins and pins Chloe while Macaque breaks the lantern and after he panics over how he's actually becoming fond of of the blonde and is actually concerned for her (and once again hears his inevitable confrontation with LBD) he just...leaves Chloe behind without a word

(This definitely hasn't just made her abandonment issues ten times worse)

[shtern-and-art]

Welcome to the little AU I like to think about, where Viktor and Jayce both live in Zaun, and Arcane is actually about class struggle and oppression. Let's start with Jayce's backstory (you can find Viktor's here).

First of all in this house we fully accept the theory that Jayce and his mother are not from Piltover. They moved there to live with Jayce's dad when Jayce was still a kid (most likely from Ixtal). We appreciate and dig deep into mixed immigrant kid Jayce Talis narrative (yes, there will be more posts exploring this theme in canon later). 

With that in mind, let's begin.

THE PILTOVER DREAM

- Let's imagine that house Talis was a bit further on the decline when Ximena and Jayce moved to Piltover. Couldn't keep up with the capitalist progress and the demands of high society anymore, losing even more of the status and wealth each passing day.

- They already downsized to owning only one factory somewhere in Zaun already. And eventually Jayce's dad had to sell it, too, to close the last debts.

A fun point to think about, because it was either leaving his grandchildren paying off the failed business expenses decades from now, or losing everything right now, and living in poverty, but without that shadow over the family. Let's not think too deeply about aggressive business takeovers and monopolies of Piltover, it'll get too sad and aggravating fast.

- Eventually, and rather fast in the grand scheme of things, Talis and his family moved to Zaun. Where he continued working as an engineer at the last Talis factory he had to sell. How about that turn of events, huh.

- Now imagine you and your mum escape poverty, get to the bigger, shinier city in another country to reunite with your dad... but end up spending only a year there at most, before you all have to move to the local poverty capital. And all the kids there look at you like "ew, you're one of those bourgeois bitches".

- So yeah, Jayce's formidable years were not as fun, not a lot of friends made between his autistic straightforwardness and the shadow of Piltover making up an imaginary chip on his shoulder.

- His dad had a nicer official job, too. Gained somewhat of a passable, if not overly friendly, reputation. Worked hard, and didn't complain or bring up any hazing. He needed this job and this reputation, after all.

"It's complicated" status on LinkedIn.

- He taught Jayce what he could in the late evenings, and let him rampage through the family's library before starting to slowly sell it off.

- Nice times didn't last long, though. Couple of years after the move to Zaun, Jayce's dad passed away at work, in a gruesome accident. Crushed to death while fixing up the broken machinery. The funding of the factory was dropping even more rapidly now, and it was not possible to keep up with all the safety protocols anymore.

- His family received a small compensation (he wasn't following the safety protocols, after all), and had to size down again, and move even deeper in the undercity.

- Ximena had to take on more work again, just like when Jayce was a (smaller) child. But now she couldn't take some of the finer, less stressful jobs, because of the missing fingers. This stuck with Jayce. This character will remember this from now on and forever.

But hey, at least there's no need to go into the mountains on the regular despite the weather conditions, right? Ha ha.

JAYCE (AND TALIS)

- Jayce stopped using or mentioning his last name even before his father's death. Though it stopped haunting him with biting remarks from the peers only after him and Ximena moved again.

- But Jayce still had his ambitions, his -dream-, his drive, the sleepless nights, and the remains of his father's library.

Never really leaving the bottom of the pit, ground 0, from the start, did make him even more passionate about harnessing magic and improving the lives of the workers.

- But let's be real here, he is kinda selfish about that. About his passion.

He could've gotten a job as an assistant in some repair shop or with a local mechanic. Be safer, have better chances of the job and salary growth. Of supporting his mother.

- And oh Jayce is all about that, that is also his big goal in life. He moved out and got a job (way too early) in his teens, to take some pressure off Ximena.

- But he got a job in the formerly Talis owned factory. The same one his dad died in.

- Because, you know. If Jayce wanted to make progress in his research, he needed access to the industrial forge and the finer quality equipment.

- So small repairs stayed as just a side gig, while teenage (maybe he was around 14 or something?) Jayce began the fast journey to permanently fucking up his back doing manual labor.

- And yes, his official position was linework, loading and/or (later in the timeline) smithing. Because they couldn't hire an engineer, no matter how promising, without papers confirming proper education. It was a proper Piltover factory, after all. They gotta do things the right and legal way.

- Instead of Kirammans, Jayce got the shift manager that lets him tinker with his own stuff at dead hours, because Jayce is a good boy who's ready to work two jobs, one under the table, all for under the table scraps pay.

- And when I say "moved out", I mean Jayce is living in prime real estate of a big industrial crate that got written off from the factory he works at. It's propped somewhere really close by to it, in the back alleyways that never see the sun.

Very practical of him, can catch more hours in the factory, and not worry about traveling back and forth, cutting down his research and work time.

- Only a few people in the factory know he's the kid of the Talis. Jayce puts a lot of effort into not bringing it up. No need to complicate things, and make more obstacles for his actual work and life goals.

- Jayce still signs every page of his research, though. But only with his last name. He thinks he's being bitter and conspiratorial about it. 

THE INCIDENT x1: THE CRASH

- But guess what. Nice times didn't last long, yes. After (at most) a year and a bit at the factory, the disaster struck.

Jayce was working his usual late hours all alone, fixing some heavy machinery that broke down for the third time that week, when some very out of date mechanisms gave out and very unfortunately crushed Jayce's leg way ahead of the schedule.

Oh, Jayce almost dying on company time, just like his father before him. And in an eerily similar fashion, too.

- He didn't die, though. He was brave, and (after waking up) put his bone back into its place, and (after waking up after -that-), asked the shift manager for his non-mandatory monthly couple of days leave. Like a champ.

- He was still young, and stubborn, and terrified by what happened, and of the look the shift manager gave him after dropping Jayce off at the crate.

So he laid there on the floor (no carpet in the crate) in a daze of pain and delusions, not thinking about how this injury may cost him this job and the chance of continuing his research. Like a champ. Until the night of his last day of leave.

- And when no new miracle came through, Jayce gathered all the scrapes he could reach to make a makeshift splinter and a crutch. Maybe even from the hammer prototype handle. And set out on the long trek to the local meat vendor guy.

People at the factory mentioned him sometimes as some sort of underground doctor that helps out factory workers that can't afford visiting a proper clinic. And asks a reasonable price, it seems.

- Neither gods nor Jayce know how he managed to get to this guy's place on his own, but it took a lot of hours.

- Imagine Jayce, already pumped full of not approved for humans painkillers slumped over the metal table, doing his best puppy dog eyes like "Can you do something quick? I have to make it to the morning shift, dowctor 👉👈"

And the local butcher shop surgeon going "Yeah, me too, boy".

-

Doctor: How did you get here, boy? Jayce: Hamner ✨✨✨✨✨*

His Best Friend.

*that's Jayce throwing up over the surgery table.

-

- Yes, Jayce's vague hopes of getting a really good splinter went out of the window real fast.

The doctor, looking at the cracked open leg with big signs of infection and pieces of bone all over the place: “Meh, not today. Not gonna perform a puzzle. You clearly won't be paying for the extra hours, and my slop coffee's getting cold.”

- Jokes aside, he did explain to Jayce that trying to fix his leg will take a long time and probably multiple surgeries, and even with all that it will never work properly again. He will not be able to get back to his previous work for a long while. Most likely – at all.

- And Jayce couldn't have that. So he swallowed his initial panic and agreed to the amputation. Because he may have a shorter recovery time, if he's lucky. Because he can start walking again in a shorter span of time. If he's lucky. Because, sure, he can't afford the prosthetic, but he can figure it out, he can make something himself, whatever, crank it, chop it off, boss.

THE FOLLOWUP

- And, well. Jayce did eventually figure it out.

He probably had to move back in with Ximena for a while, while he recovered, and build his new leg with some input from the back alley doctor. It was quite simple and basic, his first model.

- Jayce had to keep building new ones over the next few years, as he grew older and bigger.

- He did return to the factory as soon as he could (perhaps a bit too soon, even), and continued his research.

- Jayce tried to not draw attention to his missing leg. There were plenty of amputees on the job, but all of them got their work injuries way later in life, and had plenty of strength and experience backing them up. Jayce didn't have any of that yet, only the vague rumors that he's an outsider following him all his life. So he kept quiet, and to himself. A perfect cog in the machine.

- Meanwhile, his continued research of body augmentation and prosthetics got him into a new side gig.

As payment for his operation, the back alley surgeon got Jayce to work on prosthetics for his other clients.

As in, after their operations and/or amputations, the doctor would refer people to Jayce. For a reasonable fee, of course.

- The problem in Zaun lies not only in the low life expectancy and the amount of severe injuries in the workforce. Prosthetics can make life bearable for most. It's in the prices, too.

Can regular old uncle Fedya from the nail making factory get a pair of relatively ok working fingers to keep sorting nails 16/6 after he got his hand stuck while cleaning a press? Without going into lifelong debt? Much to think about.

- The market of prosthetics is monopolized by that sickly cat chem-baron that Sevika cut into pieces. But that will happen in the future, back then he was still very much alive and ready to absorb or eliminate any competition.

- So Jayce worked on the downlow, and never took money for his work.

- And even with that he eventually ended up on that baron's radar. The fact that he did his prosthetics for free made it even worse, actually. Hah.

- But Jayce's patients didn't rat him out. The earliest ones, at least. Maybe later the back alley doctor made the rule of blindfolding patients before Jayce will work with them. Just in case.

- Sometimes families of the people Jayce helps pay him back in food. Sometimes they bring supplies for the secret lab he definitely doesn't have, shhh. Such a bright gentleman can definitely find some use for all this toootally useless junk they had lying around. He takes it, or they throw it away, you know. Or whatever. 

THE OVERVIEW 

- I think it will be fun to have Jayce be a silent mechanic with no name.

The patients for prosthetics never see his face, or hear his voice much. Or at all. Jayce learned to work in silence. He never leaves signature markings on his prosthetics and machines. He learned to linger in the shadows and not draw attention to how he looks or moves. To who he is.

The need to fit in and being needed forced Jayce into another version of the same rigid mold.

- Jayce has unchecked social anxiety, and gets nervous and uncomfortable when too many people pay attention to him. Or just being around big groups of people for long periods of time. He, unlike the Arcane!Jayce, was not prolongedly trained to stomach it. Social events tire him 10 times faster.

- He doesn't ask many questions, he's just there. Slouching, to occupy less space with his (smaller and shorter than in Arcane, but still) giant frame, and also because of the back pain.

- And yes, almost 10 years of hard labor starting from teen years (with not much proper training, too!) got Jayce chronic lower back pain way earlier than his coworkers. It mostly bothers him at night though, so it's alright, hahah. Doesn't impact his work much. Still easy to hide, so it's basically neglectable. Ha ha.

- Jayce doesn't keep up with his appearance that much. Looks somewhat like a stray dog. Unkept, and sometimes grimy from work, but mostly clean. Hair reaching the chin, pulled into a half ponytail, Vander-style. It's only long enough for the layer of soot to protect from the fire and metals.

- He is mostly going by Jay in this timeline. At first, he did only at work, to have more distance from his family name. But then it just stuck.

Only his mum (and later Viktor) calls him Jayce.

- Sometimes Jayce traded various knick-knacks at Benzo's. He didn't always have the money to buy things, but Jayce can barter for stuff and do little repairs.

- And no, he's not gonna stay for a full-time job, thankyouverymuch. Jayce is -very- into 16-hour shifts and his damp crate in the alley. He's all good

- Yeah, put the box of discount parts near the door, Ekko. It's for the stray.

- The back alley doctor is a big, intimidating looking guy, who runs a meat selling or other kind of food shop. With the vibes of that food stand guy from Arcane.

(To the reader: if someone knows a character from the league that would fit the bill, then do tell. I will gladly adjust and implement more canon stuff).

--

NEXT UP:

Viktors bio / the story

[aidanchaser]

ive had kind of a bummer week so i started a new project to get some creative hits before going back to work on longterm projects. here's a snippet of the 1920s AU i've been playing with~

It wasn’t snowing, though it certainly felt cold enough to. Marinette pulled her collar closed against her throat and cheeks, keeping herself as snug as she could. She had some privacy in the dark alley that guarded the back entrance of the Lucky Lady, but the click of her lighter must have attracted attention from the street. She saw the white suit jacket and vest that was becoming painfully familiar approach. Her mask was still in place, but she did not need him getting too close. She could not risk Adrien Agreste getting a decent look at Ladybug. She stepped back into the shadow of the alley, and he took the hint, coming to a stop when he was at arm’s length from her “Pardon me, mademoiselle,” he said, voice soft enough to wring out Marinette’s heart, “but do you happen to have a light? I seem to have left mine in my coat pocket.” He sounded like the boy who had abandoned her, not the man who had returned. His voice was gentle, uncertain. There was none of the swagger she’d seen in the young man in her shop that morning, nor the cold grin he’d sported when he’d entered the Lady Luck. She took a drag on her cigarette to steel her nerves, then handed him her lighter. She risked a glance at his face as he lit his own cigarette, careful to keep her own face in the darkness. “What happened to your coat?” she asked. “I gave it to a gentleman who looked like he needed it more than I did.” The tip of his cigarette glowed orange, and he returned her lighter to her. His eyes looked warm in this dim light. She tucked her lighter back into her coat. “And what happened to your date?” “I called her a cab. I was hoping to chat with you before returning home.” Marinette could not stop a sneer from crossing her face. She hoped the darkness hid that, too. “What business do you have with me?” “I heard a rumor that if a gentleman is down on his luck, you’re the lady to see.” “I’ve been known to reverse fortunes,” she murmured. “From toppling those on thrones to lifting up those in the gutter. You don’t strike me as a man in a gutter.” He turned his head to blow a lungful of smoke away from her. The street lamp glinted off of his hair, creating a golden halo. “One man’s heaven,” he shrugged, and let the rest of phrase disappear behind a rueful smile.  Everything about it prickled against Marinette’s skin like a bed of needles, but she did not want to waste an opportunity here. Max had told her that they would need more information, so she was going to get it. “What do you want me to do?” “Only to tell you that, if you’re interested in toppling thrones, my father has staked a lot of his reputation and finances into this one sale.” “Mayor Bourgeois is the one selling.” Adrien shrugged and extinguished his cigarette against the wall. “I just balance the books. That’s all I can tell you.” “How do I know you won’t use this for your own gain? You just want me to take down your father so you can take over in his place—is that it?” The self-deprecating smile vanished. He let out a deep breath, and the warm air of his lungs collected in front of him as surely as if he had taken another drag on his cigarette. “Do it right, and there won’t be anything left for me to take over.” He tipped his hat to her. “Thanks for the light.” And he turned back to the street. Marinette waited until he had rounded the corner and was well out of sight before snuffing out her own cigarette and hurrying back inside. She could already hear Max and Nino warning her it was a trap, but she felt recklessness curling inside her chest. She had to know what else was hidden in that art exchange, or it would burn her alive. She had to tear down Gabriel Agreste, and if Adrien came tumbling down with him, well, she wouldn’t complain about that.

[booksrbetterthanpeople]

Total Drama AU

Alec: This... Is Total Drama Island! I have gathered thirty teenagers looking for their fifteen minutes of fame for a chance to compete in many grueling challenges, all for the chance to win the grand prize of one million euros! Many will succeed, many will fail and get sent home in the Loser Chute until there's one left standing! Who will get sent home in shame? And who will go home with all this cash? *Holds up a suitcase full of money... Only for it to get swept away by the strong gust of the blades of a helicopter flying overhead* ... Shit... Find out right here! Right now! On Total! Drama! Island!

*Conmercial Break*

Alec: Welcome to Total Drama Island! It’s time for you to meet our contestants! First up are the residents of the infamous Akuma Class! All but two of them have been akumatized! First is plucky hopeful fashion designer, Marinette Dupain-Cheng!

Marinette: Do I have to jump out- *Chef pushes her out the helicopter* AAH!

Alec: Fashion model/all around nice guy, Adrien Agreste!

Adrien: *Jumps out of the helicopter* SUCK IT, DAD!

Alec: Super hero super fan! Alya Césaire!

Alya: Wait! I gotta protect my phone! *Gets pushed out of the helicopter* NOOO!!

Alec: The mellow deejay, Nino Lahiffe!

Nino: *Holding onto to Chef* I don’t wanna die, man! *Gets grabbed by the back of his shirt and tossed out of the helicopter* I WANNA LIVE!

Alec: Prissy little dictator, Chloé Bourgeois!

Chloé: This wasn’t in the contract, you jerk! *Gets pushed out of the helicopter* SABRINA!

Alec: And her assistant, Sabrina Raincomprix!

Sabrina: I’m coming, Chloé! *Jumps after Chloé* Wait! Why is that my title?!

Alec: The emo side of Tumblr, it’s Nathaniel Kurtzberg!

Nathaniel: *Gripping onto the sides of the doorframe as Chef tries to push him out* YOU CAN’T MAKE ME! I DON’T WANNA!

Alix: Watch your ass, Nath!

Nathaniel: Alix, NO! *Alix pushes him out and jumps after him*

Alec: And roller skating powerhouse, Alix Kubdel! Next it’s everyone’s favorite Himbo, Le Chein Kim!

Kim: I’ll show you guys how to dive like a boss! *Prepares to swan dive, only for Chef to push him out* DAMNIT!

Alec: Science wiz, Max Kanté!

Max: *As he’s falling* This has to be illegal!

Alec: Lovable sunshine girl, Rose Lavillant!

Rose: *Doing aerial spin as she falls* I’m flying!

Alec: Dark and brooding queen of darkness, Juleka Couffaine!

Juleka: *Falling without a care* I’m not brooding.

Alec: Tough guy with a heart of gold, Ivan Bruel!

Ivan: Myléne! Hold onto me!

Alec: And his mousy girlfriend, Myléne Hapréle!

Myléne: Why did I agree to this?!

Alec: What a bunch of weirdos, right?! Next up is the class with only three akumatized students! We’ve got future author, Marc Anciel!

Marc: *Gets pushed out of the helicopter* THIS CAN’T BE SAFE!

Alec: Aspiring actor, Jean Duparc!

Jean: *Backflips out of the helicopter* This is how you make an entrance!

Alec: Little Miss Perfect, Aurore Beaureal!

Aurore: I HATE YOU, ALEC! *Jumps out of the helicopter and slows down her descent with her parasol*

Alec: You too! And the girl in her shadow, Mireille Caquet!

Mireille: SHUT UP! *Jumps out of the helicopter*

Alec: The lesbian your parents warned you about, Reshma Leghari!

Reshma: Was that necess- *Gets pushed out of the helicopterI AAH!

Alec: Tough Shorty, Ismael Prisk!

Ismael: *Flips Chef off on his way down* FUCK YEAH!

Alec: Pacifist Bodybuilder, Denise Cabello!

Denise: You suck, Alec! *Jumps out of the helicopter*

Alec: Tech nerd, Simon O’Connor!

Simon: *Chef throws him out of the helicopter* Denise! Avenge me!

Alec: Spunky Black Sheep, Cosette Bellamy!

Cosette: *Kicks Chef in the shins* SUCK IT! *Takes Zoé’s hand and they jump out of the helicopter together* YEAH!

Alec: And the King of New York, Zoé Lee! Right after them, Lacey Greene!… Who is scaling out of the helicopter. Great.

Lacey: What? You gotta stand out if you wanna win this thing!

Alec: Well, if that’s all-

Vivica: Ahem!

Alec: Oh, right. Vivica… I forgot her last name, but she’s a musician.

Vivica: Ugh. *Jumps out the helicopter*

[butterpony100]

Ok I have just reached the episode “queen banana” and I’m here to rant about the atrocities that are Chloe Bourgeois “character arcs” cause she deserves better, and how my personal take would go (this is just mostly me ranting and rewriting this dumpster fire to sooth my anger at the writers cause chloe deserved better

The first few seasons has many episodes showing that Chloe was a bully, but also someone with layers. Someone who was raised with no expectations about how she needed to act or who she needed to be with others. As the episodes went on, we were showed how she came to realize that not everything could be handed to her, no matter her schemes to get what she wanted. She was learning that sometimes she needed to give in order to get.

And then- she just regressed to who she was before?? No- she was actually made worse than she was previously.

Now I will not be blaming characters like Zoe for this change, despite her rushed introduction, she has no part in this. The only ones we can hold responsible are the writers who, despite months and even years of planning, apparently had this atrocious character assassination planned from even as far back as “queen wasp”.

So instead I’m changing that cause that’s bs

In season three, Chloe is forced to accept that she messed up her chance to be queen bee, but it’s still a hard pill to swallow. Instead of obsessing over getting it back like in the show, she puts in renewed effort to her personality change (with mixed results). We’d have Zoe introduced in the season 3 finale of miracle queen instead. Chloe would see her half sister, effortlessly kind and considerate, and able to make friends with ease, become frustrated. In those around her and herself. The catalyst to her becoming queen bee would be that she wanted to prove she was “worthy”. Worthy of what? Not eve she is really knows. All she knows is that she’s of no use to any one around her. The rest of the finale kinda goes the same but with a different version of Chloe when deakumatized. She would be drained and upset, mostly at herself, and instead choose to silently go home after returning the bee miraculous when the dust settles. When she gets home, she and Zoe talk. About how Chloe isn’t used to meeting expectations and how Zoe herself has always been forced to meet them. Both begin to teach eachother the benefits of both reaching expectations and letting go of others opinions. We cut Sole Crusher from season 4 completely and have a desperate plot of Zoe getting akumatized to be given a charm by lady bug. Banana queen would change that Chloe, rather than wanting to kick Zoe out of the movie, just wants to be in the movie. The movie has been in production by the class for months and Chloe’s initial reaction left most of them iffy about her joining (she said the same thing that they recounted in the episode) and she would say “well yeah I said that but I didn’t mean it.” And the whole class would be like “ehhhh…” Zoe and Adrien would eventually convince the class to give Chloe a chance. Of course, once the production is underway, Chloe’s old personality slowly resurfaced and similar events from the og episode occur. In the end they go through with their original script like in the episode, and Chloe gets pretty mad, mostly hurt and upset. Later, adrien mentions the promise they made and how he wasn’t sure they could be friend anymore. Chloe would be more visibly upset by his words and, while still dismissing him, would be mush more distraught by the time shadow moth contacts her. Zoe still becomes the new holder of the bee miraculous, but I imagine at some point in the future of this au, Chloe will be able to wear a new miraculous and be given a second chance, just as soon as she finishes her own journey of learning who she is.

Im thinking of calling this au “Sour to Sweet”, and basically reworking Chloe from the ground up with the crumbs of character development the show actually gave us. I’ve also fallen in love with Zoe despite only having her for two episodes, so she’ll probably play a big part as well.

If you have any ideas, feel free to share!

[nomournersnofunerals-rpg]

200 ans après la création du Shadow Fold…

Un pays scindé en deux par un épais brouillard surnaturel, déchiré par des conflits sanglants. Une ville au bord du chaos, nécrosée par la camarde et l’avarice. Une nation à l’aube d’une nouvelle ère, plus violente, plus fervente. Belligérants comme spectateurs de guerres qui n’en finissent pas, de fureur contre la différence, dans un monde où cabale, science et superstition se mêlent et sont autant de mots pour le divin que pour ces quelques uns doués d’une magie toute particulière.

À Ravka, les traversées successives du Shadow Fold grâce aux Grisha, les victoires plus fréquentes contre Fjerda et le traité, bien que fragile, avec Shu Han, réconcilient doucement le peuple ravkan avec ses magiciens. Les Grisha sont de plus en plus tolérés dans la société ravkan, bien que les préjudices et le blâme soient encore profondément ancrés dans la vie quotidienne et toujours fortement ressentis à mesure que l���on s’éloigne de la capitale ou du front. Un équilibre précaire pour la dynastie Lantsov qui tente d’apaiser les tensions alors que les mots dissension et rébellion bourdonnent à travers le pays. Certains Otkazat’sya reprochent à la couronne les avantages accordés aux praticiens de la Petite Science, rappellent à qui veut l’entendre que l’un des leurs est à l’origine de la sombre fracture de leur nation. Les Grisha qui jouissaient jusqu’à alors du choix de s’engager dans la Seconde Armée sont désormais confrontés au service obligatoire. Mais la rumeur court d’un sanctuaire dans les entrailles du Sikurzoi, un refuge gouverné par et pour les Grisha.

À Kerch, les canaux de la capitale sont gorgés d’un infâme sang mêlé, marchands et gangsters gisent dans les manoirs et sur les pavés glissants, fauchés par la caneuse autant que par la cupidité. L'assassin ne discerne ni la fortune ni l’autorité, l'amoral unique point commun de ses victimes. Malgré la menace, les bourgeois se disputent les postes vacants au sommet de l’oligarchie guillotinée, assoiffés de toujours plus, d’argent, d’influence, de contrôle. Dans le Barrel, dans l'cœur faisandé et criminel de la capitale, on se fout de la mort, elle est éternelle compagne, presque amante, on ne croit pas que ce soit l'œuvre d’un seul homme. On se méfie des autres gangs, on se méfie même des siens, le bras de fer est sanglant, à coup de lame ou de revolver.

À Fjerda, au-delà de l’étendue glacée du permafrost, les tambours des célébrations résonnent à travers la cité fortifiée de Djerholm, le Roi est mort, vive le Roi ! Tove Grimjer succède au paternel fauché par l’âge et la démence. Oriflamme de son puissant royaume, le fils prodige de la dynastie implacable et puritaine reprend les rênes avec la ferveur de ceux qui sont venus avant. Le roi-guerrier pieux, qui a fait ses classes et ses preuves au sein des redoutables Drüskelle, renforce les règles des anciens : disparité des sexes, dévotion au pouvoir militaire et aux avancements technologiques, combat toujours plus féroce sur le front dans l’éternel conflit contre Ravka et assauts furtifs au sud de leur frontière, dans ce pays qui ose considérer en égaux des êtres contre-nature. Les Grisha fjerdan n’ont d’autre choix que de fuir ou de se cacher, ne peuvent faire confiance ni à leur voisin ni à leur propre sang, leur sorcellerie est une abomination, la découverte mène à des exterminations systématiques ou des procès absurdes. On raconte qu’on entend l’écho de hurlements incessants sous le bastion du Palais de Glace, où les gardes empilent les corps mutilés des exécutés dans le brasier qui jamais ne cesse au cœur de la cour, alors qu’on tourne l’oeil, qu’on ignore l’évidence des expérimentations.

[thirdtidemouse]

(In response to your losing your rant post.) If you ever get up to or feel like ranting about the art stuff and Kaisa’s interests in that again, I’d be very glad and also interested to read it. :) Art theory is great.

aww im thrilled someone is interested!!! i will have a go at rewriting some of it. just for you anon. i might do one about johanna, who's more inclined to illustration - like i said in previous posts kaisa is more anologue photography/fine art, and i embarrassingly don't actually know many photographers, but i have some more conceptual artists she would enjoy too.

long rant with pictures below, about artists, which you should totally read even if its boring because i would be soo happy (just kidding):

starting off with photography though:

Man Ray. these are 'rayographs', a cameraless photography technique, now more well known as photograms.

photography without cameras?!?! crazy!!!! Man Ray pretty much pioneered this technique into modern popularity with his much more surreal style, after William Fox Talbot was printing pieces of flora in the 19th century. photograms happen when you take an unexposed piece of photography paper, place objects on it in a darkroom, and quickly flash it with light. once developed, the shadows of the objects will be left white, and the exposed parts of the paper will turn black, leaving these beautiful imprints behind.

kaisa absolutely loves the darkroom, the more hands-on the technique the better (she might smell like chemicals). photograms work best with translucent objects. rubber gloves, strips of film, marbles, lightbulbs. as much as she loves black-and-white, these totally magical photograms by photographer Anne Hardy definitely would inspire her. i hope you can imagine some of the stuff she comes up with. it literally looks like magic.

if you haven't checked out @/hilda-the-librarians-wife 's hospital au, then first of all please do, but second of all can anyone else see the parallel with this artwork and pathologist dr kaisa underhill?!? these look microscopic, or like deep-sea fauna. this feeling of a glimpse into another world, which is something wife mentioned about cells and microscopy, is what i think kaisa would be fascinated by.

i'll mention some older art before i move onto installations - i dont know a whole lot about art history this far back, but i'm sure plenty of people will recognise Francisco Goya, so i have to quickly mention him. long painting below:

also known as the guy that did saturn devouring his son, goya's 'black paintings' (many of which were painted directly onto the walls of his home) bring that heavy nightmarish feeling that i think that moody moody bitch would love. i love goya's dog, the first painting. it is very imposing. and look at those depictions of witches - a little on the nose, but those dark, crowded scenes are just so much to take in!

now onto another quite macabre artist, Louise Bourgeois. you might again recognise her stuff - her spider installation, named Maman, went a bit viral at one point i think. the spiders were not a one-off thing and they crop up a lot as symbolism for, alongside other things, mothers and maternity. for context, she was born to antique tapestry repairers, and a lot of her work reflects on her childhood. these spiders, both threatening predators and industrious repairers, sometimes guarding hoards of eggs, give way to these ideas of maternal care and mending/weaving. her work carries themes of family, motherhood, abandonment, and fertility.

she describes these structures pictured above as 'cells'. a lot of her work is in cages. i really like the room made of doors, ghostly clothing hung up on cow bones barely blocking the view in. look at the tiny bed atop the tiny spiral staircase. it does a great job of making you think about who might sleep there.

i think kaisa, having a relatively lonely upbringing and complicated family, would both connect with Bourgeois' work and appreciate the unsettling nature of it ^_^

one last installation artist, because i'm a sucker for an immersive experience. this ones a doozy, probably a long one - Mike Nelson. i'm including him because of all the exhibitions i've visited, his Extinction Beckons genuinely scared me. not in some deep existential way, i was just truly unsettled. his stuff isn't nearly as dark or spooky as Bourgeois or Goya, but the way you are totally dunked headfirst into his imaginary parallel worlds really puts you off balance. and by god i think kaisa would love that.

i will describe to you, if you are at all bothered, some of the features of that exhibition!

the first i'll say is longer, the deliverance and the patience.

if you can imagine a large gallery room, please then imagine a set of constructed rooms within it, like a big box with an entrance and an exit. when you enter, the door shuts behind you; the ambience is literal nonstop creaking of doors and floorboards, from the other visitors wandering the structure out of your sight, interspliced with the humming of electric fans. the room you are in feels like the no-turning-back point. the next door invites you in.

this is where the atmosphere sets in for good. this is what you are greeted with, as you walk in from the door on the right hand side of the picture:

maybe i'm just a big baby, but i jumped. i think it was the gargantuan shadow on the wall, from the single lightbulb on the light fitting - it was definitely a figure, arms raised. this is an ugly ass room. the claustrophobic paint colours, doors either side of you, and nonspecific shrine on the far wall, all make for quite an uncomfortable feeling. you're in, and you have to push on. no one inhabits these rooms, all of the people present are visitors, and you expect none of them - despite the noise, it feels like you're alone, as if the only other humans in the building might be scare actors in a haunted house.

each door is a guess and each room is different. this one is a waiting room, without patrons, yellow wallpaper and advertisements; this one is the entrance to a seedy club, smudged mirrors and posters; this one is empty; this one is the captain's bar on an old ship, windowless like the rest of them; this one is empty; this one is empty. whose sleeping bag is this? whose are these cigarette butts? who will turn off the bare lightbulbs when we leave? there are large chunks missing from the drywall in the corridor. there is no one around the corner. the door handle is a shotgun, bolted vertically against the wood.

everything here is so old, like a domestic museum; there is writing everywhere. most of it is in a language you can't read.

the deliverance and the patience dunks your head into a different world, one without people, and then pulls you back out the moment you step out the peeling wooden door of the exit, leaving you feeling like you've invaded someone else's domain.

here's some more:

i, imposter (the darkroom) - in this picture above, you can walk into that tunnel! when we visited, my brother made the apt comparison of a slaughterhouse - animals are sometimes herded through curved corridors to prevent them from panicking when seeing the full road ahead. the door at the end is unlocked, but shut, and heavy - when you crack it open, the deep red light that emits from the room inside is less than reassuring. it's a darkroom - only red safety lights are lit, it's all factory-like with sinks and paper hung up to dry. it doesn't feel unlike a secret lair.

i am going to go to bed, and i don't have the energy to fully go into the amnesiacs - they are a fictional biker gang of Nelson's, made up of gulf war veterans, each having chunks of their memory lost to PTSD. he shows us their belongings, their home, their 'hide', their mindscapes, all through found object sculptures, in typical Mike Nelson fashion. they are more like approximations - a motorbike's handlebars are a pair of horns. more importantly, like any other work of his, they are infused with memory. this constant presence of someone, sometimes the artist, usually the character, sometimes the people who owned these objects before him.

back to kaisa, this is what i think she would be drawn to in his art. this total immersive experience, this otherworldly material. in this au, i think she loves art that is: transportative, textural, moody, surreal, unsettling, nostalgic, immersive.

i might do johanna if i have the energy. if you genuinely read to the end, i dont believe you!! thank you so much!! i'm sorry i went on for so long! i am a freak nerd about this! i'm sorry if you hate conceptual art. i hope i have convinced you to hate it less? i love you. if you have any ideas/corrections/anything at all send me a message or a comment or an ask. have a great day!!

[maestro04yayyy]

Antivillain au!

Cw: homophobia and violence(it's not much i think but there is)

Chloe entered the diner.

She has never been here before but chloe bourgeois couldn't be there, but chloe bourgeois couldn't like girls either.

That's why she prepared a "costum".

Free is still laughing at it, saying how it won't fool anyone.

He doesn't know how oblivious parisian can be.

By the way her costume is just what she wears when she wants to relax in her room, which is a chat noir themed hoodie and pantsuit, they are both black with green paws along the sleeves and cat-acalysm is written on the right side of the pants, along the leg and pun master is written on the front of the hoodie.

Oh and the hood has cat hears obviously.

She also has her glasses and her hair are loose.

"Welp now is time to flirt and see if my charm works on girl too"

Chloe now enter the diner and it's kinda empty, there is only a woman at a table and a-

Wait is that juleka!!!!!!

What is she doing here and why is she so pretty in that working uniform.

No chloe stay focused!! You are on a mission and your target is juleka, who she never noticed how tall she was or how red her eyes were like little rubies, shining and her pale-nononono chloe i said stay focused!!!! You have to make sure she doesn't recognize you and stay cool!!! You are going to make that purple haired goddess blush!!!!!

Oh no, she is looking at me!!!! Have i been staring?! I don't know!!! How much have i been in there? Oh god my face is probably all red!!!! And Free cacklying in my pocket isn't helping.

"What can i do for you?" Juleka asks and my god she can talk!!!!!! Chloe never heard her talking!!!! Why her voice has to be so so so chloe doesn't even know how to describe it but it's making her going crazy.

That's when juleka smirked.

She leaned on the counter to be at eye level with chloe, her copper red eyes boring into her soft blue.

"I would suggest a dessert for such a sweet girl like you"

"I-i-i.." chloe isn't blushing, nope absolutely isn't and she also isn't about to say something stupid or embarassing at all.

And nobody can say the opposite because right when she was about to say exactly what would have made juleka blush and cause HER a gay panic, the woman at the table decided to interrupt them.

(She will thank her later)

"You two should be ashamed of yourself!!!! Sinning so clearly in the kiddle of the day like some-some pervs!!!!"

(Or maybe not)

Chloe could see the woman red with anger still yelling at them but chloe honestly didn't care much about what she said.

She lives with audrey bourgeois after all, words can't do much to her anymore.

But she saw juleka freeze and lose all her confidence turning in the silent mumbling shadow she is in class, her eyes looking down and hugging herself.

And that hurt.

And that made chloe angry.

She smiled and apparently that was enoughy to make the woman shut the fuck up.

Free said to show when I get angry and point it to the source and destroy it.

Time to do it.

Chloe punched as hard as she could the woman in the face.

The sound of flesh being hit was so satisfying, almost as much as the sound of her nose breaking under her fist.

She could also she hear juleka saying something in surpsise but couldn't make out the words, her blood was pumping and her heart was too loud for that.

She woman had flew back hitting the table with her back.

She was still yelling something at her, so chloe took a step toward her to make her shut up again.

Chloe was still smiling.

Then she saw a black butterly and she stoppef smiling.

The akuma flew right at her victim who accepted the deal in a second.

(Who is the sinner now? Making deals with a super villain)

"Well...fuck" chloe ran toward juleka and scooped her up in her arms.

"Sorry princess but messed up and now is time to run" and so she did.

She opened the door with a kick(she always wanted to do that) and runned as fast as she could in the streets of paris, the akuma screaming behind her and juleka moving in her arms.

"Don't move or I am going to fall!!!!"

"Just put me down!!!!"

"Nope i am faster, this is saf-oh god ehat was this!!!!!"

Chloe just avoided a huge pillar of lightfalling from the sky

"Just my luck, she can attack from the distance" chloe grumpled.

Juleka mumbled something

"What?"

"It's all my fault...."

Again, what????

"How the fuck is this your fault?" Chloe avoided another pillar, at least the akuma is slow, going is getting further and further away.

"If-if i didn't flirt with you she wouldn't have start yelling and she wouldn't have had to defend me...."

"Oh so it was you all along!! You are the one who taught people honophoby and that instilled in me the urge to kill useless idiota" chloe said with the outmost serioussnes.

That made juleka laugh, and god that was the best sound she ever heard.

It was so distracting that she almost hit a signal.....almost luckily.

"S-sorry you are right i am being stupid, i am juleka" she said

Chloe smiled, thank god she run a lot, but where the fuck are the heroes she can't go on for much longer.

"I am...Emelie, yes emelie also tonbe precise i didn't punch her to defend you, i did it just because I wanted to"

"Thank you anyway, it was amazing to see" wait is she blushing? Why? Chloe wasn't doing anything.

She wanted to say something amazing like she was about to do back at the diner but saw chat noir.

"Welp time to say goodbye" chloe winked and throw juleka, chat caught her surprised.

"Heyy what are you doing?!! Wait juleka? Chloe!! Chloe what are you doing!!!"

That might be a problem but chloe honestly didn't care much about it, she turned around, facing the akuma still a lottle behind.

And she started running toward her.

She could hear multiple yelling behind and above her, uhh ladybug was here too.

She avoided pillar after pillar of light, getting closer and closer.

She was still mad at her, she made juleka sad, she chased them around paris and now chloe was hot and sweaty when she just wanted to relax and flirt with a cute gir.

She was destroying that bitch.

She rolled her way out of a pillar of light but it still managed to burn a little her clothes and her hair.

Somewhere her glasses had fallen too and now everything was blurry and unclear but chloe continued to step forward until she was near enought to see the fear in the akuma's features.

Chloe smiled widely, showing her all her theets.

And punched her, she akuma fell to the ground with a scream of pain.

But chloe wasn't done yet, she sat over the akuma and punched and punched and punched, again again and again. Without rest, without mercy, she would have punched until her fists would turn to dust.

Sadly a familiar yoyo wrapped around her right wrist stopping her.

"Chloe, that's enought! She already turned back" ladybug said.

Chloe looked down at her and she was right, a normal woman, face destoried and bloody was on the ground under her.

Chloe stood up, she felt good, her hands hurted but in a good way.

That's when she was tacked in a hug.

It was warm and calming and safe and a lot of other things chloe isn't familiar with but loved anyway.

"You are an idiot chloe, that was dangerous" juleka whispered in her ears.

"Yeah for the akuma" chat joked than looked at chloe.

"also I love your outfit, it's purrfect"

Chloe smirked," it's a dress worth of her meow-jesty"

She could hear juleka's groan so close to her, that made her blush but she probably is already red with all the exercise.

Ladybug casted the cure and was surprised to see the woman still had her nose broken.

The woman immediatelly started to tell the geroes how they should punish and juleka for sinning and god she has never seen them so angry, chloe wanted to laugh.

"Do you need a passage on the chloe express to go back to work: she asks.

"I think I will walk but I could use some company if that's ok"

Chloe nodded and they started walking before the heroes stopped them.

[i-like-anything-water]

(Kicks down the door) I HAVE RETURNED!! WITH CHLOENETTE!! Sorry about the door.

Since you like Kimetsu No Yaiba (or at least very passionately ship two members of the cast), I had a thought for an AU: The Demons from KNY have resurfaced, and the legendary breathing arts have been revived to fight them. So a new generation of Demon Slayers have risen! Although, I don't think anyone expected Chloe Bourgeois, bratty self-proclaimed Queen of Paris, and Marinette Dupain-Cheng, self-proclaimed normal girl with a normal life, would find themselves drafted into the fight.

(Bratty attention hog getting dragged into a shadow war that she's not supposed to let people know about and nervous wreck with self-confidence issues but is secretly badass make for an excellent team!)

SHINOMITSU MY BELOVEEEEDDDDD

i actually have had plans in having crossovers for my main three ships and i haven't given up on the idea....just too swamped with stuff i can't seem to sit down and write something.

i've already thought about their possible interactions so far and Shinobu does not take any of Chloe's shit lol. they'd make an interesting pair to write. the AU seems fun and interesting tho! would def read if someone were to write it

[saemi-the-writer]

∇ for Alya and Chloe

∇ -. old age/ageing headcanon

Sorry Anon, I hope you don't mind if I do it for my Miraculous team AU/fanon version of the characters because honestly, at this point of the story, I have a hard time imagining how any character will age ^^;

So Miraculous Team verse:

Alya

She will have a flourishing and fulfilling journalism career just like she dreamt it. After some extreme reports, she will settle back in Paris and will become the editor-in-chief of her own newspapers. After years of journalism, Alya will decide to slowly retire, entrust her newspapers to trustworthy people, and become an author. Her children's books will become especially popular in Europe, and some of her stories will become best-sellers internationally to the point they get (animated) movie adaptations - that she will closely supervise!

As for her relationship status, I can see her either staying single and living happily, being the "cool aunt" and "fairy godmother" of many children (both related and not); or married (not sure with whom yet though!) with 2 or 3 adopted kids.

Alya and Marinette will still be very close/best friends after years and a mentor for new Miraculous users (when she chooses to stop being one herself). Also close to her own family, her parents would be worried sick for her during her "journalist of the extreme" years, but still very proud of her.

Chloé

Choosing a career will be quite a challenge for her, it might take some time for her to know what she wants to do, what her skills would allow her to do, and so on. For about 5 years, she will be a food critic for a famous guide (think of the equivalent of the Michelin Guide), travelling around France. It will be a very good experience for her, but after having various stomach problems and her liver protesting, she decided to change her career path and take care of her health.

Chloé will travel with her girlfriend, then wife, Kagami around the world both for the latter fencer career, and to assist her in her other job. After a while, she will become an event planner and will enjoy it a lot, making some important events for people unforgettable (in a good way!).

She and her father will mend their bond in a healthy and loving way, Audrey Bourgeois merely a shadow of their past. She'll become one of the biggest fans of Zoé and a huge supporter (to the latter embarrassment and joy), advertising her little sister's movies and claiming loudly: "It's my baby sis!! Look! Isn't she cute? And talented? DON'T YOU DARE SAY NO!!!"

[sweetcloverheart]

Sup, here's more Shadowing Bourgeois AU

So Mac's fled and Chloe's abandonment issues have just taken another major hit to the kneecaps as she "captured" by the heroes

(And by captured, I mean taken to Pigsy's for noodles because she immediately ragdolled the minute Mac disappeared and she realized she had been abandoned by a trusted adult figure AGAIN and MK kind of got worried and decided food was the obvious solution here).

Team MK's trying to figure out what to do with her because no one knows who she is or where Macaque got her from and Chloe straight up REFUSES to say because while dealing with Mac current abandonment of her sucks, it's not enough to make her want to confront (nor confirm) her father's actual abandonment either.

Pollen (and some of the other kwami) sticks by her side throughout of course because well, it's Pollen! She wouldn't abandon her queen during such a terrible time! Chloe isn't in the mood for the comfort and is extremely snappish over it, but the fact that she doesn't completely push Pollen away means...something good at least?

At the very least, she puts forth the argument Macaque must of had a reason to leave like that. He stuck with her this whole time until now and trained her after all. If they did find him, they would definitely get their answers

Meanwhile, the other Kwamis are pretty happy to see Ao Lie and the other companion's descendants looking happy and hale, but they're definitely surprised by MK and his abilities. It's strange that a human(ish creature) could have somehow gained/developed the exact same powers as the Monkey King while not being his direct descendant. Xuppu's just happy to have another monkey around to hang with

(While it's clear to them some sort of cosmic tomfoolery is going on, they aren't really able to pinpoint the exact sort since it's something that goes beyond them and their roles as concept deities. All they can really confirm for themselves is that MK is not human)

Not much changes after this - MK discovers LBD and her plan, SWK returns, MK loses his powers, and is forced to flee with the group+Chloe to track down the Samadhi fire rings to stop her.

(Meanwhile in Paris, LB and Chat have to put a pause on their never-ending fight with Shadowmoth and Chelone (Turtle!Lila) to deal with the mysterious ice that's shown up and trapping people. Once Su Han and Fei show up with news that an ancient evil has awakened in a metropolitan Chinese city and that they need to go contact actual Chinese gods for help, it's off to adventure! They eventually run into Nedzha, who tells them about how SWK is trying to steal the rings, and agree to help out.)

(Shadowmoth is also curious about this mysterious ice and gets contacted by a man calling himself a servant of someone calling themselves "Lady Bone Demon", who would like his cooperation in her plans to "better" the world...)

(Elsewhere, Bunnix recovers from her banana peel incident and moves to correct the timeline, only to step on a rack that suddenly materializes in the burrow)

[imsparky2002]

For the Creepsters AU, maybe you could do some incorrect quotes from The Loud House?

Chloe: Psst! Over here!

(The Trio come over to a person hiding in the shadows.)

Chloe: Hey. I'm going to help you. Not because I like you, but because I'm tired of always being overshadowed by Lila.

Adrien: Wait, is this Chloe Bourgeois.

Chloe: Do you want the info or not!

MVB: Sorry, proceed.

Denise: Guys! Thorne's hugging someone! Get the camera!

MVB: Cadet Kagami, do you copy?

Herushingu: Copy!

MVB: It's time to put Operation: Destroy Those Meddling Creepsters And Think Of A Shorter Operation Name into action!

Marcula: I literally vant to suck your blood.

Lemme know if you have extra quotes in the reblogs and replies. Also make sure to post and ask to share the content. @artzychic27 @msweebyness

[buzzrgeois]

                                                 Human behave yourself,                                             You have burst at the seams                            Let it all fall out                                        open your mouth

                                         Semi-Selective AU Chloé Bourgeois Rp Blog                                                   Written by Shadow Chellen sideblog to @cookieofearthbread

[booksrbetterthanpeople]

So in your Boyfriends Whenever AU, Bustier becomes a criminal in the future. Could we hear what her crime is and how the boys try and secretly take her down in the present?

Nathaniel: Hey, wanna check out that movie that’s coming out in a few months?

Marc: *Putting on chapstick* Ready when you are.

*They kiss and are teleported to an apocalyptic version of Paris with Akumas running everywhere, random fires are being started, and people like Andre Bourgeois, Bob Roth, Damocles, Audrey Bourgeois, and Thomas Astruc are in chains*

Nathaniel: What the hell is going on?!

Marc: I don't know!

Dark Cupid: HEY! I FOUND THEM! *The rest of the Akumatized Akuma Class surround them*

*Marc and Nathaniel hastily kiss and go back to the previous timeline*

Nathaniel: What the hell was that?!

Marc: How should I know?! Wh-why were they all Akumatized?! What did Shadow Moth do?!

Nathaniel: I don't know!... Dark Cupid sounded like he was hunting us down... Do you think Shadow Moth knows we're time travelers?

Marc: No... No, of course not... Maybe.

Nathaniel: That doesn't make me feel better!

Marc: Well, I'm scared!

Nathaniel: So am I! That happens like four months from now! Can we stop screaming?!

Marc: Okay!... So how do we prevent that future from happening?

Nathaniel: We just... We do nothing. Okay? If we just relax and go about our days like normal teenage time travelers, we will be fine. So... Be normal, all casual.

Marc: Yes, we're fine... You're still nervous, aren't you?

Nathaniel: I still am.

*The next day*

Mme. Bustier: Today, class, I was going to go over the new book we were going to read, but because Damocles is a fucking coward and gave into complaints from parents who were so butt-hurt about me teaching about a book with a queer couple!... We'll instead be studying the very controvercial Briar Rose.

Nathaniel: Okay, I get her anger, valid.

Mme. Bustier: And since the mayor cut funding to promote Bob Roth's lousy new music video for his clearly abused son, there will be no field trip for us this year, or new textbooks!

Nathaniel: Getting kinda fired up.

Mme. Bustier: Now if I can just rant about how much of a bastard bitch Audrey Bourgeois and Thomas Astruc are.

Nathaniel: Okay, she did something.

*After class, Marc and Nathaniel meet up in the courtyard*

Nathaniel: Hey, I gotta pause time for a sec. *Kisses Marc; time freezes around them* So, Mme. Bustier's kinda fired up. And don't get me wrong, I get where she's coming from, but some of the stuff she said... Has me worried.

Marc: Nath, you don't think-

Nathaniel: That she's the new Shadow Moth, is trying to oust corrupt people from the city, and she sent Akumas to capture us when we jumped so she can use our powers? Yes. I swear to God, if those two fucked up somehow.

Marc: Nath, our heroes are a stalker designer and an obviously malnourished model... Of course they fucked up! Should we just… You know? Take their Miraculous?

Nathaniel: Remember what I said! We do nothing! Nothing at all! If we take them, Shadow Moth may do some shit, then Mme. Bustier c-could get the Miraculous somehow, and we’re hunted down by our own classmates! It’s simple as that!

Marc: It’s really not. But if you’re right and Mme. Bustier is the next Shadow Moth, shouldn’t we try to stop her? I mean, we are here to ensure your class aren’t totally screwed over in the future.

Nathaniel: Well, what do you suggest?

Marc: … I have no clue. We are so fucked.