#celestial guardian miraculous

[rosie-b]

🦮 fill this empty space (ask game)

(link to the summary)

This turned out to be... longer than a snippet, and like the summary, angstier than I expected. It's been that kind of week ig! But there's a promising ending because I needed one :)

It had been a warm summer day when the old Marinette died.

The new Marinette woke up surrounded by golden light, soft, green grass, and the soft murmurings of a stream in northern France. It was perhaps the best way for her rebirth to happen, in a calm, relaxing environment far from the place she somehow knew was home.

She met her family there. They already knew her, and called her "maman," or "ma femme," or "my lady."

Marinette was no one's lady. She never had been, but according to video evidence and the testimony of her husband and children and best friend, that was one of the many roles her past self had filled.

Marinette did not know how to fill any of those old roles anymore. But because of the secret, magical way she'd chosen to lose her memories, she couldn't let anyone know this fact. She had to study years worth of business lessons in mere weeks, preparing for her return to Paris and the international company she would soon be in charge of running again.

At least her past self had accounted for this new Marinette's incompetence. But no one else seemed to see that she wasn't the same woman she had been once, back when a kwami lived in her purse and villains of the day (and year) kept plaguing Paris.

Adrien, the man past-Marinette had married, professed to still be in love with her. He saw some of the differences between the new Marinette and the old one, but claimed they weren't nearly as big as Marinette thought they were. And he chose to spend most of his time around her, so maybe he was right. He whispered praises for each small thing she did, both when they were alone and in public; took the time to learn her new habits; made her fresh coffee for when she woke up two hours after he did; stayed out of her bed to help her feel comfortable.

Marinette could see why her past self had loved him. It was something both halves of her were beginning to share, a love for this man who found a way to bring joy to her life even when it had been turned upside down.

But it didn't change the fact that the new Marinette was not the same woman he'd married. That fact was written into the vows Adrien and the past Marinette had exchanged; the way they had split up their chores; the daily schedule that Adrien still remembered while the new Marinette did not.

To Marinette, this new self of hers was nothing more than a facade made to cover the void her past self had left behind. She was thirty years old and as empty inside as a newborn baby, with no memories to guide her through this unfamiliar world.

Marinette was an icon, the magazines said. A paragon of virtue in an age of corruption, one half of both Paris' favorite couples, a woman who managed to be a world-famous CEO and an attentive mother at the same time.

That wasn't the new Marinette's reality. She didn't even know her children's middle names, though she was learning their favorite desserts, sports, and hobbies.

Most days, it was like learning a foreign language, and it felt just as isolating when she got something wrong or tried to remember something she thought she knew but actually didn't. Sometimes, this new life of hers was crushing, a drain on her already empty self, taking the last bit of Marinette out of her.

But not always.

As out of place as Marinette felt in her own life, the people in it still felt right somehow. They'd been there for her when she woke up; they were there to hug and comfort her when she cried in the night, to help teach her about her own life and tell her about theirs, and to listen when she said she felt different. They loved her, that much was clear, and they promised to love her no matter which Marinette she was; the old one with all her memories or the new one just fumbling through life.

And somehow, even though she claimed not to feel anything more for them than for other strangers at first, Marinette still loved them back. Their presence soothed the ache she felt in her chest, the one she felt when she couldn't remember, and she found herself more than missing them when they weren't there. She looked forward to hearing about their day, to learning their middle names; she held on to the facts they told her about themselves like sweet gifts of gold and honey, like they were all she needed to survive, to fill the empty space her memories had left behind.

The new Marinette was not the old one, and she never would be.

But maybe that was okay. The new Marinette had her own space, too; it began here, in this remote, rural town near the seashore, and it would expand back to Paris, to the place where the old Marinette had lived.

Marinette's home had always been her family, the people she loved. That was something she knew without having to remember it, and something she was more sure of every day.

So she studied the journals her past self had written, re-learned how to design, baked bread beside Adrien, sang songs with her children and stayed by their side. If her mind was an empty slate, then she was going to fill it with love, the same love she'd chosen before and was choosing again.

And someday, this new Marinette would feel whole again.

Thanks for the ask! I hope you enjoyed <3

[amusingmyselfsblog]

If there’s a new competent celestial guardian in Paris, why are we trusting Marinette with the mother box? Just hand it over to him for safe keeping while ladybug learns how to be a guardian. I think leaving it with Marinette is a huge mistake.

[neoncherryblossom]

Fu was a child, when everything burned down in front of him.

Fu was 186, when he began building up the pieces again.

He was going to be a better mentor than the Guardians. He wasn't going to ruin Marinette and Adrien's childhoods, he wasn't going to burden them more than they need to be.

He wouldn't.

(Fu, generational trauma and his life, from using the Peacock to falling to its use, and how he turned into the people he used to despise.)

[eldritch-spouse]

I slam the door with frustration, spooking the angel patiently waiting by the door. I haphazardly throw my coat on the floor before grabbing the celestial’s hand and stomping into the living room. Forcing him to sit on the couch, I turn on the tv for noise and hastily unbutton his suit. “I need you now. Had a bad day and you will help me relieve stress.”

In different years, Belo would find this way of life to be slightly insulting.

He's a warrior after all, a power. His kind belongs outside, patrolling, securing the well-being of lessers, fighting for the honor of their Highers and holding the safety of Eden on their shoulders.

Ah, but those days are gone. Long gone. His vision glazes sometimes, wet and torpid eyes lamenting the fate of many of his brethren. They, unlike him, didn't have the fortitude to handle their own abandonment, the newfound fruitlessness of their very existence.

It's one thing to never know what the meaning of your existence is. It's another thing to have that meaning embedded in your very core and never be able to fulfill it again. Sometimes Belo envies that freedom, that ambivalence of simply existing because you can, because you were made.

Also unlike him, his kin did not have the miraculous luck to find someone like his Lady. His Lady-Worship, his beam of light in a universe ready to swallow him in its poisonous darkness. The guiding hand in a world so new and so different, so degenerate. So horrid! As amazing and radiant as you are, Belo shudders when he thinks about how you made it this far intact without a celestial by your side.

With new meaning come new duties, understandably.

As Belo still needs to learn quite a lot to understand the symbolism of this new age, he worries himself with protecting your sanctum, making it the best version of itself, and keeping it painfully, effectively warded against all threats- Especially that fiendish "neighbor" you have, what disgusting absolutely abhorrent lifeform it is! Noxious creature!

But alas, your benevolence knows no bounds. Not only have you welcomed him into your life, you refuse to let that wretched pest meet its end. Truly, you are too good for this lost planet.

Now.

Back to his current task.

The sanctum is spotless, but alas, Belo was never taught how to prepare meals for lessers. It was not the type of discipline delivered to his cast. A guardian would know this, even a principality! But not him, not a power. Unfortunate and unacceptable- He must show adaptation and flexibility unlike ever before!

Which is why that uhm... Digital movie playing contraption you have comes in so very handy.

He never thought he'd be learning to cook from lessers, but here Belo is, hoping against all odds that he doesn't ruin the eggs this time. It's not that he can't handle objects in a gentle manner, it's that he's never had to taste things. Therefore, he doesn't know how to create the correct flavor.

And Lords forbid he ever present his Lady with something foul-tasting!

The power is sure he's got it down correctly this time however. Belo has just finished putting the eggs on the plate he intends to present you with, when he stills.

An acute sense of alertness and hearing means a lifeform like him is always aware of the movement around your apartment complex. He knows when your neighbors leave and arrive, which parts of their homes they're in... This also means that he knows when you're nearby, having memorized the noise of your vehicle -Such a shame that he can't accompany you to some locations- And the jingle of your mildly irritating keychain.

The angel scrambles to put everything together, wanting to be at the door with his offering in full display, so eager to see you-

The door rips open.

Only a nick of time allows Belo to secure his painfully crafted work of mediocre culinary, lest it be swatted to the ground. Sharpened eyes spare you great concern.

His Lady exudes frustration. Although his rank is not the most emotionally attuned, Belo senses a cloud of negativity choking you, your glorious features drained and tense. He's overcome with emotion.

" My- My Lady! Whatever happened today? Did you get hurt? Who d- "

The force with which you grip his hand is surprising for a human, dragging the angel only because he always allows you to. The food lies forgotten on the nearest surface. It's by his ever subservient attitude that you can toss Belo to the couch too, his silent confusion following when you activate the bigger display box.

" I need you now. " You begin, patience depleted. " Had a long day and you will help me relieve stress. "

He squawks the same way he does whenever his Worship starts these encounters without proper warning, wings fluttering and fur fluffing in a mixture of shock and anticipation. He fears that a part of him may enjoy getting pleasurably surprised more than any self-respecting angel should.

" But... " He knows it's not a good idea to challenge you, trembling as the last of his covering is undone. " You should eat b-before I service you, my Lady, many hours have passed- "

" I'll eat when I can't feel my legs. " The snarl you give Belo sends shudders down his spine, and he bashfully, albeit inwardly happily, readjusts to spread his legs for you.

" Excuse me but that hardly sounds healthy... "

His cock pokes out a furred slit, beading and twitching to interest. Although Belo becomes uncomfortably erect the moment you recklessly undress before him. It was not, as a filthy demon would put it, a slutty display. It was raw need, irritation and pure dominance. It was a side of his Worship he had yet to witness.

Belo refuses to ever admit it aloud, he cannot, he will not! But... But oh, the sins of the flesh. No, when provided by the superiors, they are not sins, they are gifts. They cannot be wrong. It's not wrong for Belo to enjoy your physical rewards for his work, but it is perhaps sinful of him to lust for more, to so eagerly hope that you'll allow him such pleasures when he performs certain tasks.

He does not touch his aching length because he's not allowed to. His pleasure is for you to decide upon, of course.

The angel prepares to slide down on his knees when you shove him back on the cushions by the shoulder.

Three eyes blink at you. " Am... Am I not to service you, my Goddess? "

You usually enjoy the touch of his fingers upon your most intimate zones, for training him is easy, and Belo adored the sounds of your approval. You did also curiously enjoy grinding over his face, a sensation that often left him pointlessly thrusting against nothing.

None of that today, it seems.

" Shut up. "

He was about to reply with a reflexive 'Yes, my Lady' before catching himself.

When you straddle him, the celestial only tilts his head, figure heated, but never expecting you to simply line him up with your entrance and slam yourself down.

Had he not been in the midst of breathlessly throwing his head back, Belo would have died from worry. As holy as you are, you share the stature of humanity, and Belo knows -F-From common sense, of course!- That his organ is not the same size of a human's at all.

He tries to articulate his concern, but the squeeze of your core around him is hypnotic and sickeningly euphoric. Belo can only hold onto full hips and cry his delight while you mercilessly hammer down on his cock, milking all the pleasure you can from him.

His melodious whines and resounding moans -Something he ought to control- rise in intensity as Belo loses himself and begins rutting senselessly, the tip of his dick nuzzling spots that make the two of you go stupid.

" Don't you dare cum yet! "

He wails, physically wails, body trembling so hard it almost spasms in his effort to reign his movements. " N- Never, never my Lady! I'm good, I'll relieve you- I'm good! "

And as if to confirm it, your serious complexion finally morphs into a self-satisfied grin, all lidded eyes and gentle, mocking affection.

He's the one that's not getting any relief soon.

[lukaslosteyelashes]

Why is it important that Luka trained with Su-Han

Luka found out Ladybug’s and Chat Noir’s true identity in "Whishmaker". He might feigned ignorance for a short amount of time and also tried to play it cool, but knowing this secret surely weighting on him.

He not only has to play the therapist to basically everyone and be emotionally there for them and give them advices while he just wants to play his music; but he also have to be careful with his emotions if he is not intending to get akumatized and spitting out Paris's iconic superhero duo's civil identity.

Just look at what happened in "Migration".

He almost got akumatized because he felt that what happened between Kitty Section and Bob Ross was his fault. Not only that, but his emotions also told Monarch that he knows Ladybug's and Chat Noir's identity. And because of all that he couldn't calm down to resist the akuma, the only way he saw to escape from that dreadful situation was to break his precious guitar. At the end of the episode he had to flee Paris; he didn't trust himself, his emotions enough to stay, he was afraid that Monarch might try to akumatize him again. Furthermore, he wasn't safe from other akumatized villain's attack either, he couldn't became Viperion, and he didn't want to rely on Ladybug and Chat Noir to protect him.

That's what so frustrating in akumatization. People can't feel their negative emotions and they have to bottle it up or forcefully resist them, which is really unhealthy. Our emotions, be it positive or negative, they're essentially not our enemy we just have to find methods to deal with them.

And that's where Su-Han comes in the picture.

Do you remember what he did in "Furious Fu"?

"My anger is mine, but I'm not my anger."

This dude just got snaped back to existance into a time when everything is completely different from his time, and the first thing he did was to search for the Miracle box. A dutiful guy, indeed. Obviously, he was angry at Fu for a lot of thing, but as soon as he saw the Akuma, he didn't fall into despair or started panicking. No, instead he started chanting the line above to himself, as if he was casting a spell that chases off the butterfly.

What I think he actually did, was that, he controlled his emotions. He accepted his anger, not suppressing it and transformed it into protective barrier, instead of letting it take a hold of him. This method looks more effective than Ladybug's Magical Charms that Shadowmoth easily overpowered.

So, there's a boy who can't seem to cope with his strong emotions; what could be the best solution for him? Mastering the ancient teachings of a guy from an ancient time (I know he's actually not that old). I can't imagine how could they've met or if they know about each other (that Luka's the Holder of that Snake Miraculous and that Su-Han is a celestial guardian of the Miraculous); but Luka's time in Tibet could be very important for his character. He could've learned, not just kung-fu, but also how to repel Akumas, and knowing this technique allows him to return to Paris and become Viperion again since the chances for him to get akumatized lowered.

Last but not least, his Holder friends could take lessons from him for free (he might as well charge them tho) to further decreasing the possibility of any Holders getting akumatized. Jagged, Penny and Fang also learned kung-fu, and they might as well learned the Akuma repelling stuff too, how cool would that be! They could also open studio or something where they could teach those things.

Anyways, I really hope we'll see more Luka in season 6 and that he actually learned how to repel Akumas.

[runawaycatwalker]

Part 30. The Return

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Description below the cut

Nathalie scrolls through photos on her tablet.  The pictures of Adrien have all been replaced by a white void.

Nathalie (internally): Aside from a few unprofessional photos, it seems Adrien has been wiped from the record.

Nathalie looks off to the side, frowning in anticipation.

Nathalie (internally): Gabriel won't be pleased.  Any moment, he's going to burst through that door and—

Gabriel bursts open the doors to Nathalie’s room.

Nathalie (internally): Nathalie!

Nathalie (aloud): *sigh* Yes, sir?

Gabriel: I need you to arrange an immediate flight!

Gabriel prances about in dancing delight.

Nathalie: A... flight?

Gabriel: My akuma found Adrien!  And then she immediately lost him, but I have my son's last known location now!  And!  We went near that area when we were all travelling the world!  It'll just be one quick trip to grab him, and he'll be back where he belongs!

Nathalie revolves what she knows around her head before coming to a decision.

Nathalie (internally): So, Adrien is retracing our footsteps?  He knows something about Emile, so is he just looking for answers?  Or is he seeking something we missed that could help her?  Regardless...

Nathalie (aloud): I'm coming with you.

Gabriel waves his hand indignantly.

Gabriel: Absolutely not!  You aren't fit for the expeditions we used to go on anymore!  You can't jeopardize your health traipsing up mountains!

Nathalie looks at him with steely resolve.

Nathalie: It's Adrien.  I'm coming, Gabriel.  You're going to have me there at your back whether you like it or not.

Gabriel adjusts his jacket in defeat.

Gabriel: Fine.  I won't waste any more time arguing with you.  You may come.

Nathalie: Very good, sir.  I'll make the call.

Gabriel looks down at Nathalie appreciatively.

Gabriel: Your loyalty is truly admirable, Nathalie.

Nathalie: ...  I do what I must.

Cut to the rooftop where Chat Noir once prepared a candlelit surprise for Ladybug.  A “Find Adrien” billboard is on display there (the spot where Adrien was once depicted replaced with white void), with all the lights that would illuminate it broken except for the one on the end.  At the dark end of the billboard, Chat Noir sits on the ground, waiting.

A close-up of Ladybug’s feet ‘plop’-ing to the ground.  Chat Noir turns his head to look behind him in excitement.

Chat Noir: M'lady!

Ladybug holds up a warding hand and holds tight to her yo-yo, making Chat stop his attempt to greet her in its tracks.

Ladybug: Stay back.

Chat Noir: M'lady?

Ladybug grips her yo-yo in her hands.

Ladybug: I need to know that you're not some sort of trick.  I need to know you're you.

Chat Noir looks at Ladybug with a need to fulfill her every request.  Ladybug’s head is shown from behind as the free parts of her hair blow in the wind.

Chat Noir: What do you need me to do?

Ladybug: I need you to remember.

Ladybug, eyes still obscured by blowing hair, holds up yo-yo defensively.

Ladybug: What conditions did you give the Celestial Guardian for relinquishing your miraculous?

Chat Noir: Hmm.  I don't remember giving him my conditions.

Ladybug: That's your answer?

Chat Noir holds out his hand invitingly.

Chat Noir: Well, I don't count telling Su-Han to 'come and get it'.  You're the one I gave my conditions to: That if I have to give up my miraculous, I will.  But only if you ask me to.

Ladybug rushes Chat Noir with a hug, throwing his arms around his neck, as he embraces her with a smile.  Images of them together are shown in the background: Ladybug smiling as she hugs Chat and he nestles his face in her hair; Chat holding Ladybug up in the air in front of him as she holds his face in her hands; Chat Noir swinging Ladybug in a circle as she grabs onto him and lets her legs fly outwards around them, Chat smiling as he holds Ladybug close.

Ladybug: That's right, Chat.  And I never asked you to.

Chat Noir: You would have.  I know you've given other heroes exceptions before, but me?  You'd never.  I knew it the moment Mayura recognized me: I'd have to go.

Ladybug and Chat cry in each other’s arms.

Ladybug: But I never even got the chance to say goodbye.  You were just gone and I had no idea if I'd ever see you again. I’ve missed you so much, Chat.

Chat Noir: I’ve missed me too.

Ladybug boops Chat’s nose with a teasing glint in her eye.  Chat gives her a playful grin.

Ladybug: Hold on... did you just say you missed you too?

Chat Noir: Hey, I'm very missable!

Ladybug: Ha!  You dork...

Chat Noir: Always your dork, m'lady.

Ladybug take’s Chat Noir’s hand and pulls him towards the railing, pointing behind herself at Marinette’s balcony.

Chat Noir: But shouldn't we be getting out of the open?

Ladybug: I'm already ahead of you: Marinette Dupain-Cheng is spending the night with a friend, so she’s letting us use her room.

Chat Noir pulls his hand out of Ladybug’s.

Chat Noir: Wait.  What are the odds that Marinette is actually Mayura?

Chat Noir looks away in panic, grabbing at his bell with one hand and touching the back of his neck with the other.

Ladybug: What?  None.  She can't be.

Chat Noir: 'Can't' in that you wouldn’t have expected it of her?  Or 'can't' as in you’ve seen Marinette and Mayura in the same room together?  And there wasn't a chance of it all being an illusion or a fake or—?

Ladybug: Kitty!

Ladybug holds Chat Noir’s hand in front of her (interlocking her fingers in his) and looks directly at the viewer with complete reassurance.

Ladybug: I am 100% paws-itive that Marinette is trustworthy.  Yes, she's not allowed to be a temporary hero anymore.  But she's safe.  I never would have entrusted her with saving our kwamis if I wasn’t absolutely sure she was on our side.

Chat Noir collapses into Ladybug’s arms as she looks at him with concern.

Chat Noir: Thanks for reassuring me.  I never wanted to doubt her.  It’s just... hard to go back to trusting people when I know I'm wrong about somebody.

Ladybug touches Chat’s face and shoulder comfortingly.  He holds onto her arm with both hands and looks into her eyes, comforted by her support.

Ladybug: I'm glad you still know that you can always trust me.  You ready now?

Chat Noir holds up the trapdoor to Marinette’s room, following Ladybug down as she holds his hand with both of hers, smiling up at him.

Chat Noir: After you, m'lady...

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

[marinettesaltprompts]

True Holder Turnabout

I'm imagining a new variation of the "True Holder" scenario. Sure, as *always* Adrien isn't Plagg's "True Holder" and gets to suffer realizing he was just a patsy this whole time. But this time, *Marinette* gets to get some of the same medicine.

Because *she's* Plagg's True Holder. *Not Tikki's*.

*

In hindsight it should have been obvious. Her plans were almost always massively destructive, often needlessly so. And she handled Plagg's power almost as well as Chat Noir did despite having it for mere minutes to his months.

But she’d *always* struggled with her Lucky Charm. From the beginning she'd *never* been able to create what she wanted, but just got seemingly random objects that she had to desperately guess how to make do with. Sure, her problem solving skills were *creative*, but her actual use of the power never really improved- even after Fu trained her as a holder.

Meanwhile *everyone else* who handled Tikki's power or a copy of it did either as well as her, or usually *far better*. All those Akumas who copied her power- they could summon whatever they wanted on command. *Even Chat Noir* had gotten exactly what he wanted on his first try, something she'd not been able to do... *ever*.

The only thing she’d been able to do that they couldn’t was make Magical Charms, and Shadowmoth had broken through those within a *month*.

But while Marinette comes to terms with her new reality, Chat Noir has his own harsh truths to face. Alas for Chat Noir, his relationships with Ladybug and Plagg were built on lies and he no one's True Holder- or least he’s not willing to stay and find out if he is. The revelations of how he's been manipulated apparently so utterly disillusioned him that he doesn't even bother showing up in person to give up the ring. And with their friendship having long since been overshadowed by Ladybug’s authority, there’s nothing stopping him from vanishing from her life without a word- quite certain that she wouldn’t actually care.

So Marinette has to accept the abrupt final loss of her one-time partner even as she comes to terms with Tikki not really having been her Kwami. At the same time…

She has to accept working under a new Ladybug. A new girl from across the sea, found and trained by The Order to truly be a great Ladybug.

And it truly is "working under". Because Marinette may have gotten away with commanding her team before, but as the Black Cat? Well she has to follow whatever plan the new Ladybug comes up with in the battlefield and with Su-han now actually exerting his authority as the Celestial Guardian she's no longer really the boss of the Box behind the scenes either.

It's a reset of sorts. Back to the pre-Miracle Queen status quo, even if Marinett keeps the box in her room now.

Except now *she's* the put upon Black Cat.

At first, it's kind of liberating. She doesn't have to plan things out anymore, she just follows orders and has a bit of fun with her Miraculous. But what shine there is wears off fast.

The New Ladybug is far, far more effective with Tikki's powers and her tactics than Marinette ever was, and it hurts to see how easily Paris moves on from her old persona. To be so easily replaced and outclassed by some new girl who actually got to be trained by The Order instead of Fu, who was just an initiate. Her charms are exactly what she wants, her plans are simple, creative and rarely risk collateral damage.

*Her* Magical Charms aren’t broken by Shadowmoth, so the Villain can’t reuse victims. Instead he has to spin the wheel with new ones whose powers were far from consistently dangerous, and less potent than a trained and refined powerhouse like Stormy Weather or even Mr Pigeon with his steadily increasing skill with his abilities.

Alya isn’t Rena anymore, but that’s nothing exceptional for the old team. Marinette friends and temp-heroes were unceremoniously benched when the New Ladybug took contro and any chance that they’d be allowed a Miraculous again went up in smoke the second The New Ladybug learnt that most of their identities were known to Shadowmoth.

Instead, the New Ladybug has her own team. One that seems to be made up of adults or teenagers who Marinette doesn’t know, because why share that information?

It's hard having to constantly obey plans she isn't privy to the full details of, to have to sacrifice her body and mind whenever the New Ladybug is in danger.

(Marinette never realized how hard it was to lose her mind. To *die* and act like its nothing. Chat Noir had never complained, but it was anything but easy.)

Information is on a strictly need to know basis, and Lady Noire doesn’t *need* to know, so it’s not offered. The New Ladybug also has firm professional boundaries, and really- she doesn't seem to exactly hold her predecessor in high esteem.

There's plans to find Shadowmoth happening behind the scenes, Marinette's sure of it. The New Ladybug and Su-Han appear now and then to take or return a Miraculous from the box- but they don't tell her anything. And Marinette learns not to ask when The New Ladybug bluntly asks her why *she* never tried to find Shadowmoth with The Miraculous herself.

And when she brings up the fact that *she's* the Guardian of the Mother Box as a point of contention? Because the Miraculous and Kwamis that are being taken and lent out are *her* responsibility;

The New Ladybug looks her in eye and demands to know *how* Marinette gained that *responsibility* of the Mother Box. Because the story she knows is one about a girl who *failed upwards* after leading her worst enemy to her master.

Marinette has to learn how to live as The Black Cat. To be "another cheese on the board", to be left out, to be used and only included at The Ladybug's leisure.

She has to learn to accept being replaced as Tikki's holder by a "better girl" who was "always meant to be The Ladybug".

She has to accept that this is her life now. And as she has to accept that her bond with Tikki was never what she thought it was, as she gets used as a pawn on the board again and again, left out of plans and vital information that effects her and *dammit she deserves to know*;

She comes to understand why Chat Noir (whatever his real name is) didn't want to stay on as a holder.

Even if it meant losing access to the Miraculous forever.

[talonabraxas]

Four Guardian Kings in Tibetan Buddhism

Celestial Buddha Spiritual Wheel

Tibetan Buddhism is a rich and diverse tradition that incorporates a wide range of deities, practices, and beliefs. Among the prominent figures in Tibetan Buddhism are the Four Guardian Kings, also known as the Four Great Kings or Lokapāla. These powerful beings play a significant role in protecting the Dharma and ensuring the well-being of practitioners. In this article, we will delve into the world of the Four Guardian Kings, exploring their roles, symbolism, and significance in Tibetan Buddhism.

The Origins of the Four Guardian Kings

The Four Guardian Kings are not exclusive to Tibetan Buddhism; they are also prominent figures in other Buddhist traditions. According to legend, these divine beings first appeared in the Buddhist narrative shortly after Siddhartha Gautama, the historical Buddha, achieved enlightenment beneath the Bodhi tree. The story goes that each of the Four Guardian Kings individually offered a black bowl made of precious gemstones to the Buddha. Miraculously, these bowls merged into one, creating the iconic black bowl commonly depicted in the Buddha's lap.

Guardians of the Cardinal Directions

Vaishravana ( རྣམ་ཐོས་སྲས་)- Protector of the North

Vaishravana, also known as Kubera, is the chief of the Four Guardian Kings and the protector of the north. He is associated with wealth and prosperity. Vaishravana is often depicted wearing heavy armor and holding an umbrella or pagoda in his right hand. This symbolizes his role as the ruler of rain, ensuring agricultural abundance.

Virudhaka (འཕགས་སྐྱེས་པོ་)- Guardian of the South

Virudhaka, the Guardian King of the South, is responsible for promoting the growth of roots and overseeing the wind. He wields a sword in his right hand, signifying his fierce determination to protect the Dharma and the southern continent. Virudhaka's appearance is striking, with a blue complexion and a fiery red chin-strap beard.

Dhritarashtra (ཡུལ་འཁོར་སྲུང་)- Keeper of the East

Dhritarashtra, the Guardian King of the East, is a god of music. His symbolic weapon is a stringed instrument, and he is known for his harmonious and compassionate nature. Dhritarashtra uses his musical talents to convert others to Buddhism. He is often depicted as a white deity with closed eyes, lost in the melodies of his lute.

Virupaksha (སྤྱན་མི་བཟང་)- Sentinel of the West

Virupaksha, the Guardian King of the West, is known for his all-seeing vision. His symbolic weapon is a snake or red cord, representing a dragon. Virupaksha serves as the "eye in the sky," identifying those who do not believe in Buddhism and helping to convert them. He is often depicted in red, holding a stupa in his left hand and a green serpent in his right.

[flightfoot]

ML Fanfic Recs for 2023: 20K - 40K words

So I’ve been going through and adding particularly good fics I’ve read throughout the year. Only Complete fics, of course. Enjoy!

Alliance!Adrien’s AI is self-writing, enabling him to grow and change and adapt. As he learns and starts analyzing some of his own systems, he finds some disquieting correlations. Why are there such strong connections between akuma attacks and the Alliance network?

Fu keeps on trying to give Marinette Miraculouses. Marinette refuses to cooperate.

Chat is happy with the person Fu chose to succeed him as Guardian, but confused. Why did he choose Multimouse?

One of Hawk Moth’s akuma attacks ends tragically, with many dead, Adrien in critical condition, and Chat Noir MIA. Alya’s prepared to go to extremes to save the people she cares about, if it comes to it.

In Kuro Neko, Adrien decides to seal off his more rebellious, wilder side, in order to make himself into the perfect partner for Ladybug. This has unintended consequences.

Chat Noir suddenly turns on Ladybug, joining up with Monarch as Cat Walker. Marinette’s devastated. At least she still has Adrien by her side.

Nino offers to fake-date Adrien in order to get the paparazzi off his back. He starts to wish it wasn’t fake.

All this and more below the break!

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The Ghost in the Machine by @jheqiawrites

As part of this function, Adrien knew about Monarch, the akuma butterflies, the victims, and, of course Ladybug and Cat Noir, the heroes of Paris. He was authorized to contact the Ladyblog as well as the citywide alert system if one of his platforms was active during an akuma manifestation, allowing his friends to get somewhere safe until Ladybug and Cat Noir could deal with the situation

While the necessity of these functions was disconcerting, it was programmed to be his routine so he gradually grew used to the inconsistencies. After all, humans tended to be selfish, highly inconsistent, and often flighty, but once you had observed them for a while an intelligence such as his could begin to see the patterns.

That is until she came online.

This is just a beautiful, though bittersweet story. I adore how Alliance!Adrien grows and changes throughout the story, how he develops as a person. He starts off not being able to figure out what he’s feeling, needing to make new modules in order to try to process the emotions he has welling up, and not totally understanding his own reactions. But as time goes on he grows and gets a better handle on himself. This isn’t an “evil AI” story, he’s just a person who’s slowly figuring out who he is and how to handle himself. 

Not that it’s entirely about Adrien Alliance figuring out his own emotions, there’s other things going on as well. He’s worried about why there seems to be weird surges in the Alliance Network right before akumas attack, for instance, and why the details about the reason for that seem to be hidden from him, making him more paranoid about the Alliance system the more he looks into it...

 It’s just... it’s really good and absolutely worth a read. 

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Thanks, But No by @pauliestorylover

For every miraculous that Fu cupped in his palms, an image of the same blue-eyed girl flashed through his mind. Marinette Dupain-Cheng was born to hold the miraculous—she resonated with every single one of them far better than even the late Celestial Guardian, and it was Fu’s duty as the last Guardian not to allow such talent to slip through his hands.

Too bad Marinette wasn’t on the same page.

Or; au where Master Fu keeps throwing miraculous at Marinette hoping one will stick, Marinette goes around handing out miraculous like candy, and Wayzz has never seen anything so ridiculous in his millennia-long lifespan.

This one’s fun. Everyone except for Adrien ends up with a different Miraculous than in canon, and it’s really interesting to see how they all adapt. Marinette’s thorough noping out is pretty funny too, and there’s some sweet bits of Adrino and Alyanette in here!

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The Power of Love by @nedjsmlfavs

In which Ladybug announces that she’s pregnant via her long term boyfriend and Chat Noir is a supportive partner. After all, he can hardly be upset when he’s been dating his Princess for years!

A different take on the show’s tagline (“The Power of Love Always so Strong”) written for Valentine’s day 2023.

This is just a sweet, fluffy fic about Ladybug and Chat Noir finding out they’re having a baby, revealing to each other, getting married, and becoming parents. Gabriel actually tries to do better here, as he does actually care about getting to know his grandchild, and realizes that he can’t undo this timeline without undoing his granddaughter’s existence as well. 

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Radio Silence by @into-september

When an inexplicable change between Marinette and Adrien brings the two closer than ever, Alya is left on the outside of a secret too confounding to be about cheesemaking or puppy love.

[No S4 AU]

This is a wonderful Alya-centric fic, with her just being baffled by Marinette’s and Adrien’s newfound closeness. But it’s not all about her being puzzled by the Lovesquare. Things really get rolling when Lila makes her entrance and Marinette and Adrien are particularly hostile to her, with Alya being confused about it and thinking there must be a misunderstanding here, somewhere, even with Lila saying something she KNOWS can’t be true - partially because she doesn’t want to believe she’s been fooled all this time.

But this isn’t a saltfic. Alya’s treated like a full person, and her perspective and thoughts are given credence. She and Marinette talk things out in depth, with both of them feeling badly for accidentally hurting the other person, and reassuring each other (Marinette also told a lie, though unbeknownst to Alya, it was connected to her being a superhero. Alya, however, didn’t know that, and just knew that Marinette lied to her for no clear reason), and they make up. It’s really nice and treats the characters with love and respect.

It’s got a lot of similarities to The Investigation by @11jj11, so if you liked that fic, you’ll probably like this one too.

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I’ll give myself a name (something stupid and pretentious) by @bbutterflies

Nino looked at the number and didn’t recognize it. Usually he wouldn’t answer, but he had nothing better to do – and could still really use a distraction – so he did. “Hello?”

“Hey, Nino.”

Nino stood up quickly, chest tightening. He knew that voice. He’d been waiting to hear it again for over two years. “Adrien?” he whispered.

“Yeah. It’s me."

-

When Monarch is defeated (and revealed to be Gabriel Agreste), Chat Noir immediately goes missing. Adrien disappears not long after. When Adrien finally shows up in Paris again, Nino would do anything to make sure he doesn't disappear again.

Ah this is lovely, Adrien’s been in a lot of emotional turmoil since Monarch’s defeat, convinced that everyone would hate him, SHOULD hate him, for not realizing that his father was the villain, and should hate him even more for disappearing like he does. But slowly Marinette and Nino get through to him, convince him that they just want him back. 

And also Adrien and Nino smooch. Multiple times. So that’s a bonus XD.

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The New Guardian Is... Multimouse?  by The_Rabbit42

During the events of Miracle Queen, Master Fu passes on the role of guardian to a surprising successor... Multimouse! Marinette is frustrated, Alya is confused, and Chat Noir is oddly pleased. How will this affect Marinette's friendships and partnership on both sides of her identity? How will this affect Adrien's view of the girls in his life? And how long will they keep it together?

I adore this fic! It diverges from the season 3 ending, with Multimouse - who Chat knows is Marinette, becoming Guardian instead of Ladybug. Which leads to some ripple effects, like Marinette not confessing her identity to Alya, since she’s able to get some support from Chat when he drops by her house. Not that that stops tension from building between Ladybug and Chat Noir, since she won’t just let Chat go and get a Miraculous from Marinette during a battle, and she won’t tell him why, leading him to think that she just dislikes Marinette or doesn’t trust him to get Miraculous like she does. But even while all this tension is building between Ladybug and Chat Noir, Chat’s still able to talk to Marinette, air his feelings in ways he doesn’t feel like he should do with Ladybug, and it’s all a great, complicated situation that I thoroughly enjoyed seeing unfold!

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Two Steps Back (One Step Forward) by @buggachat

Sure, Adrien hadn't been texting her as often as he used to. And sure, Nino noticed it too. But just because Adrien had struggled with depression in the past, didn't mean he was struggling now. Surely, he'd tell her if something was wrong. Right?

Marinette just missed him, and she had a tendency to catastrophize. Surely, he was fine.

But if he wasn't... well, she wasn't above hopping on a flight back to Paris to make sure.

—————

Marinette's at an internship in New York, and Adrien has a depression relapse.

Once again buggachat comes out swinging with a fic centered around Adrien being super depressed and his friends charging in to help him, despite him not wanting them to because he feels like a burden. It’s not easy and Marinette goes through a lot of emotional turmoil, especially since his apartment is in bad enough shape that it can’t be changed to something that a human should be living in without also going shopping, but gradually she helps drag Adrien out of the hole he’s gotten himself stuck in. The emotions are on point and just... if you want to read a hurt/comfort fic with Found Family helping one of their own who’s struggling and doesn’t think they deserve it, this is a great fic to read.

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If only I could break free by megetstoread

It started with Adrien being upset about going away, but led to a lot of revelations.  

Another Sentiadrien fic here! After telling Adrien that he’s being sent to London, Gabriel takes advantage of Adrien being distraught to akumatize him. Luckily Ladybug’s right there and deakumatizes him before he can even do anything, but it shakes both her and Chat, leading to her allowing him to tell her a lot more about his home life than usual, and for her and Adrien to investigate to see whether there might be more to Adrien’s inability to stand against his father than just psychological abuse.

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Skinny Dipping in the Seine by whensparksfly

When Marinette and Chat Noir cross paths one stormy night, an unexpected friendship blossoms, and between the two of them they’re both able to admit what they’ve been looking for the most — freedom. Vowing to tackle all of the things they’ve never tried before, they set out on a series of adventures to complete their bucket lists.

Cute little Marichat fic here! Just Marinette and Chat Noir hanging out and doing things they’ve always wanted to do, like going to a rave or, well, skinny-dipping in the Seine.

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Nor No Man Ever Loved by @jheqiawrites

It starts with a gift to cheer up a friend, a friend Marinette's heart is trying to move on from. But when she is blatantly confronted with her feelings by the most unexpected person, Marinette's life takes a turn for the better.

Welcome to my Adrienette April story. It is based around Shakespeare's Sonnet 116: Let Me Not to the Marriage of True Minds. Each chapter will be framed around part of the sonnet and should be able to stand alone, though the story itself will all be tied together.

This is a nice little story, mostly focusing on Marinette’s perspective while being there for Adrien, WITH Adrien, while dealing with his father and the aftermath of his father’s takedown. We do get some perspective from Adrien though for things like his therapist appointments. I really like that it covered some of the therapy Adrien should have after this event, he needs it.

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Villainous Matchmaking by @nedjsmlfavs

When Chat Noir is tragically unable to attend an event with Ladybug, the mayor calls in a favor from a designer ‘friend’. Now she’s attending in style, on the arm of the hottest male model in Paris. Which would be fine if it weren’t for one, tiny issue: Paris’ favorite domestic terrorist now knows how Ladybug feels about his son. This leads him to his greatest plan yet, using Ladybug’s extremely obvious crush on Adrien Agreste to akumatize Chat Noir.

A Ladrien/“platonic” Ladynoir fic

This is adorable and hilarious. Gabriel keeps on “accidentally” releasing things which makes it looks like Adrien and Ladybug are a couple in an effort to make Chat Noir jealous, while Adrien and Ladybug ae just over-the-moon about getting to spend time together and finding out that the other person loves them XD.

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Vantage Point by @ashes-555

Most of the time, with more information, life get easier and things make more sense. But Alya discovers that sometimes, knowing everything is just plain complicated.

Alya POV fic here, which instantly drew my attention, I think most people know how much I love fics giving her some focus. 

This is set post-Gang of Secrets. Basically, Ladybug tells Chat that he can tell someone his secret identity, and he chooses Alya (he thought about telling Nino, but he didn’t want to rock the boat with Nino since he’s his best friend, and he figured Nino would let it slip to Alya anyway). Which leads to Alya just. Dying. As she deals with knowing the full truth about the Lovesquare and not being able to tell Adrien and Marinette that they’re chasing each other around in circles.

The fic soon changes gears, though, becoming a Hawkmoth Defeat fic, with Rena coming up with a plan to discover Scarlet Moth’s location, and then everyone dealing with the ramifications. 

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Justifying the Means by @ashes-555

When the worst happens, Alya finds that she may be willing to do the unthinkable. Is any sacrifice to big to make for her friends?

Once again, Ashes comes out swinging with an Alya focused fic! 

Basically, there’s a major, destructive akuma attack. During it, Ladybug orders Chat to cataclysm a building in order to stop from being trapped. Unfortunately the building collapses, injuring or killing a lot of people - unbeknownst to her, including Chat Noir. Gabriel releases the akuma, which means she has no way of fixing the damage, either.

A lot of of focus is placed on Alya and Nino worrying over Adrien, who was found in the wreckage barely clinging to life, in a coma, with the doctors unsure whether he’d make it. Shadow Moth takes advantage of their distress to make an offer: if he gets the Ladybug and Black Cat Miraculouses, he can make a Wish to fix everything, including saving Adrien. With as dark a place as Alya and Nino are in, they seriously consider it. Especially with how unhappy both of them are with Chat Noir supposedly “abandoning” Ladybug and Paris as a whole, and Nino being angry with Ladybug for failing (since Alya knows that Marinette is Ladybug, she’s far more understanding on that front).

I love how much credence Alya’s thought and emotions are given here, and that she doesn’t go for the more drastic option right away, either - she talks with Ladybug about it first, tries to do it her way. She understands the costs, but... her friends are important to her, and she’s desperate. I think this was a really good way to present a more antagonistic sort of Alya. She’s still very much herself here, and still considers Marinette her friend, willing to do things her way to an extent, and understanding why Marinette doesn’t want to use the Wish, even though she disagrees with her. Alya’s mindset, her emotions, her problems, are given respect and credence by the narrative. She’s still willing to talk things out, she’s still sympathetic to Marinette and the enormous trauma and guilt she’s going through, she just disagrees with Marinette’s approach. She wants her friend back.

If you want a fic that has some solid focus on Alya as a person, on her emotional struggles and mindset and just... dealing with things, I highly recommend checking out “Justifying the Means”.

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Would Trust You With Everything by @kasienda

Nino breaks off, tears streaking down his face. Adrien wishes he was here as himself instead of Chat so he could offer a hug.

“It’s not like I don’t think she deserved her privacy. It’s just it felt like I was her last priority. And if I knew why, then maybe we could overcome it. But when I don’t, I’m not willing to be her last thought. You know? I always put her first.”

“Yeah,” Chat agrees, able to relate too well. He always put Ladybug first too, and he’s not sure it has ever been the same for her. “I’m sorry you’ve been so alone through this."

“I haven’t been totally alone,” Nino disagrees, holding up his phone. “My best friend has been keeping me company virtually most of the day.”

“Yeah? It helped?”

“I don’t know if any of the stuff he sent helped, but like, given what I know he’s up to, he totally had to move heaven and earth to talk to me so much, and that really helped. You know, just knowing that someone was thinking of me.”

“I’m glad,” Chat Noir said. “I wish he could be there in person for you.”

Nino sighs. “Yeah, me too, but at least you’re here."

...

Season 4 au - canon divergent from Rocketear Rocketear led to DJWiFi breakup.

Ahh, Adrino my beloved XD. I love the identity shenanigans in this one with Adrien being around Nino as both Adrien and Chat Noir, and both of them vaguely describing their situations to each other. It takes Adrien a bit to figure out that he has a crush on Nino, but once he does...

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Dr. Walker & Kitty Hyde series by @pearl484-blog

Summary of the first fic, Rain Falls, Everybody Lies:

Chat Noir loves the rain. He loves the danger. He loves the excitement, and he especially loves how much Catwalker hates it. 

Jekyll and Hyde AU

Adrien AUGreste Entry 3: Rain

So like the summary says, and the title indicates, this series is inspired by the popular conception of Dr Jekyll and Mr. Hyde - not how the book actually goes, but how it’s portrayed in popular media, with Jekyll splitting himself in two, with a “good” side and a “bad” side. 

During Kuro Neko, instead of just changing his appearance through changing his mindset, Adrien took more extreme measures, sealing off his “undesirable” characteristics, his anger and sadness and all his sharp edges, into the ring so he could assume a more placid, genial persona that’d be more accepted - Cat Walker. 

But Chat Noir’s still there, taking over whenever Adrien gets too testy, and desperately trying not to be pressed out of existence entirely. With embodying Adrien’s sealed anger and snappishness and rebelliousness, he’s not too kind to the other heroes - he already felt looked down upon and ignored before this, and seeing them accept Cat Walker while he’s fighting for his life doesn’t endear them to him either.

The series isn’t unfair to them - this isn’t a case where one party is entirely in the wrong and another’s entirely in the right. Marinette, Zoe, Nino, and all the others - they did wonder about what was going on with Chat, but he wasn’t in a position where he could see it, and he did have legitimate questions about how much Ladybug would budge on things, if he’d told her what he was going through. It’s a series that emphasizes characters hurting and lashing out in some terrible ways, but that hurt still being respected, and working things out, trying to get everything to a better place.

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First Dance, Second Chance by @gabriel-agreste-has-no-rights

After fighting by Ladybug's side as Aspik, Adrien finally has an excuse to connect with her. But when Gabriel voices concerns about Ladybug during a charity event, Adrien realizes she might need him for more than just one dance.

Or, the one where Ladybug and Adrien work together to find out Hawkmoth's identity, while maybe squeezing in a date or two along the way.

Ladrien Hawkmoth defeat fic here! I love Ladybug and Adrien teaming up to figure out how to track down Hawkmoth and defeat him, and being super supportive of each other more generally. If you like Ladrien and Hawkmoth Defeat fics, you should check it out!

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The Great War by icebelle24

'And maybe it’s the past that’s talking, screaming from a crypt Telling me to punish you for things you never did So I justified it'

The unthinkable happens, and suddenly, Chat Noir’s allegiances change. Now Ladybug stands on the opposite side of the battlefield from the boy who was once her partner, left alone to make sense of an impossible situation.

At least she still has Adrien to give her hope. Or maybe things are not entirely as they seem.

I adore Ladynoir enemies au, and this is a good one. The reveal of what’s really going on is pretty great, everything makes sense. I love the pieces of Alya’s POV in this as well, as she’s trying to support Marinette through one of the biggest betrayals that could possibly happen, even while Marinette’s making some frustrating decisions that don’t make much tactical sense. Everyone’s pissed at Chat Noir (now Cat Walker) for apparently siding with Hawk Moth, and the subsequent frustrating inability to make any headway against him, as Ladybug always insists on fighting Cat Walker personally, and letting no one else take part. 

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The moment I knew (I’d no choice but to love you) by @bbutterflies

“He’s dating me,” Nino said, taking Adrien’s hand in his own.

Adrien could only stare back at him in shock.

“How dare you all force him to come out?” Nino continued, glaring at the reporters. “That was disgusting.” He pulled Adrien over to the car, guided him in, and shut the door behind them.

In the relative quiet and privacy of the backseat, Adrien finally processed what had just happened. “So… when were you going to tell me we were dating?”

This Adrino fic is delicious XD. Reporters keep hounding Adrien about his love life, so Nino finally gets them off Adrien’s back by fake-dating him. Problem is, Adrien’s actually been madly in love with Nino for years but has never been able to tell him. And now as they’re spending more time together, Nino’s beginning to find that he’s enjoying all these “couple” activities more than maybe he ought to if it’s entirely platonic...

If you want to see Adrien and Nino PINING for each other while “fake” dating (is it really fake if both parties want it to be real?) then you’ve come to the right fic!

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Evillustrator Reimagined by onewaywriteturn

A full, mostly-standalone rewrite of the episode "The Evillustrator".

Nathaniel never planned to tell anyone about his secret crush on his friend Marc, but his world changes when Chloe picks up his sketchbook and mocks his art in front of the whole class, inadvertently outing him as bisexual. Now as the Evillustrator, he has two objectives: to take vengeance on Chloe for what she did to him and to go on a date with Marc for his birthday.

At the same time, Marinette is already struggling to defend Sabrina from Chloe when she learns of the Evillustrator's crush on Marc, one of her good friends. And while getting Marc involved with an akuma fight is messy enough, the fact that Marc has secretly liked Nathaniel for a long time complicates the situation so much more.

If you ever wanted to see Evillustrator rewritten to focus around NathMarc, this is the fic for you! The two of them just PINE for each other so hard and are so convinced that the other person couldn’t possibly actually want to date them, even with Evillustrator making it uh. Exceedingly obvious XD.

[quindread]

Constanstine starts acting sober on important missions/meetings for the JLD; he has a sanity-potion dealer

Zatanna reports this odd behavior to Batman, they interrogate him when his veins are swamped with alcohol.

C: … I-I know what yer doin’ [hiccups]

Z: We care for your well-being. You have bouts of sobriety that you seem to have control over.

B: Are you on something new?

C: M’yeah… is called a pwoz—piss—poise! Poise potion, yeah das it!

B: And who makes this “Poise” potion?

C: My dealah, my busniz. G’way! [stumbles out the door]

Z: … That went as well as expected.

Sober Constantine is actually more reasonable. Batman catches him after a meeting.

B: [observes his brushed hair and very high-quality, new trench coat] You’re sober… Congratulations?

C: Uhuh. Did you need something? I have some business elsewhere.

B: With your dealer?

C: [affronted] Wha—Who in their right bloody mind would dare call Celest that?

B: You did.

C: ….

B: Who’s Celest?

C: Oh, fuck me!

Constantine gives him an address - it’s in Milan, Lombardy (Region of Italy). He specifically instructs him to come as a civ along with Red Hood and Robin with the threat that he will erase their memories if they so much as go into detective mode.

Bruce Wayne and his two wayward children enters the teahouse and is led by the hostess to a private room. They are served with tea and light snacks that they know even Alfred would more than approve of.

A door opens - they didn’t even know it was one with the way the molding blends into each other seamlessly. And out came one of the most enchanting woman Bruce has ever seen. He’s seen his fair share of attractive females but he has never been star-struck like he should be - as if he were back to his pre-pubescent days.

M: Constantine said you’d be here.

B: [realizes that this person was Constantine’s dealer and was 100% magic] You’re his dealer?

*Jason and Damian who saw the look on their dad’s face snicker at his opening line*

M: [raises and elegant eyebrow at Bruce] And you must be his work associates?

J: Something like that, lady. I’m Jason, kid’s Damian, and the one who can’t stop staring at you is our Dad, Bruce.

*Bruce grumbles and Marinette smirks*

M: I’m Marinette. It’s a pleasure to meet you.

D: [gestures at Bruce] Pleasure is all his, Marinette.

B: [red at the ears] Their Grandfather thought them better, I swear.

M: Mhmm. I guess he didn’t teach them how to not die then?

The guys: ….

Jason gets a more potent version of the potion Constantine consumes - it’s a prescription that he has to come for every month. Damian gets a charm; ear cuffs because he does whatever her wants, a spontaneous orbital piercing is nothing. And Bruce gets Mari’s number.

(Tim also gets forwarded in his fave fashion label’s waitlist from the near thousands to the fourteenth - his first consultation coincides with Jason’s next appointment.)

AN: Some posts/fics call Mari Celestial Guardian. Idk where and when that happened - I have abandoned canon a long time ago. These are all pulled from my days in the maribat blackhole (still kinda stuck there). I basically pulled this out of my archives so they at least get the chance to see the daylight.

Addressing Brucinette: I have a whole re-written MLB plot in my archives where everything is more brutal and the miraculous aren’t actual pieces of accessories. Like there’s an initiation to the order and stuff like that. I normally don’t enjoy aging up characters in crossovers but Brucinette just works. I have a secretary AU somewhere (it’s tragic and I’m considering scrapping it if I find it). And I also have deep-rooted issues that wants me to write Good!Dad Bruce who has Mari breathing down his neck when he so much as raises his voice at his children (Muminette/Mominette is another breed scary). And those tropes where Mari sees right through Brucie? Has a second sense for the when the batkids are in/causes trouble? Love those. I WILL FIGHT FOR THIS SHIP. (Jk people are free to dislike this. I get it.)

[missterious-figure]

The Legend of the Aurora Dragons

In the coldest regions of the world, amidst towering mountains and endless snowfields, there exists a creature of breathtaking beauty—the Aurora Dragons. Known far and wide for their shimmering, iridescent scales, these majestic beings shift in color as light touches them, dancing between hues of pink, blue, and purple like the very auroras that grace the night sky. 

It is whispered among the northern tribes that when the Aurora Borealis illuminates the heavens, it is not just celestial light but the dragons themselves, gliding gracefully across the sky. Their forms blend with the light, their wings outstretched as they soar through the frozen night. Only those who look close enough, and with eyes unclouded by doubt, may glimpse their radiant forms.

Legends tell that where the blood of an Aurora Dragon touches the earth, a miraculous ore grows—one imbued with the light of the auroras. Whether it be grass, stone, or barren ice, these glowing crystals rise from the ground, pulsing with the colors of the heavens. It is said that those who find and hold such a crystal are blessed with untold power, yet few are brave or lucky enough to witness such an event.

The origins of these enigmatic dragons are shrouded in mystery. Some believe they once lived among the stars, radiant guardians of the skies. In ancient times, they were thought to be dying stars, whose light had not yet faded, casting themselves down from the heavens before their time. Upon their fall, they took the form of dragons, their celestial essence preserved in the ever-shifting light of their scales. 

Their eggs, too, are a marvel beyond compare, resembling glowing gems—crystalline orbs that emit soft, colorful light, reminiscent of the auroras themselves. It is said that when these eggs hatch, they do not simply crack open like those of lesser creatures. Instead, they burst into a radiant flash of light so blinding that no mortal can look upon it. In that moment of brilliance, the dragon emerges, fully formed, while the egg itself dissolves into nothing, leaving no trace of its existence.

Aurora Dragons are said to be beings of pure light, able to harness and manipulate it for their own purposes. Some believe that when all the colors of their flames unite, a portal to another realm may open—a realm where light reigns eternal and darkness has no hold. Yet, this remains a tale unproven, a rumor passed down through generations.

Though their true nature—whether kind or cruel—remains a mystery, the people of the northern lands revere these dragons. Each year, they hold grand festivals in their honor, believing that the sighting of an Aurora Dragon brings good fortune, health, and prosperity. Offerings are made, songs are sung, and fires are lit, all in the hope that these celestial creatures will look kindly upon them from the night sky.

(Aaaaand das what I got for now! I may reblog if you are to answer this and add the abilities this dragon species got! Hope ya have fun reading!)

OMG!! The writing!? IT WAS SO GOOD! It really felt like I was reading some old scroll or book or something!! Damn!

The dragons themselves sound really cool! And beautiful! Wow! The wording was wonderful, and it was an effective way to go into the dragon's lore!!

[ilikekidsshows]

Hey, just as a thought experiment: imagine you were the Celestial Guardian overlooking Marinette (Su-Han was never sent due to Cat-video addiction).

At this point: Marinette has quite the collection of failures- not the least of which is somehow managing to lose Tikki and Plagg at the eleventh hour and get the Universe destroyed and rebuilt to Gabriel Agreste's as yet undiscovered wish. She has consistently broken the basic rules of The Order, not the least of which is knowing who the Miraculous wielders are (until Luka revealed his deception, there was nothing to prevent Chat Noir from just disappearing one day adding Plagg to the list of lost Kwamis).

She has failed her basic mission as Ladybug to retrieve the lost Miraculous, and there's over 300 actually trained (as opposed to whatever Fu the initiate was able to teach her) candidates for the Box in the Temple who would presumably do at least as well as Fu's apprentice as Guardian of the Motherbox.

Why, as her superior, would you allow her to continue being either a Guardian OR a Miraculous holder at all? Because the only reason I can think of from an objective standpoint is that she's great at figuring out Lucky Charms and making workable tactics from them, but even if she'd been a perfect leader and holder before her fuckup with Gabriel I don't think I could ever trust her not to make a similar mistake against with the next Butterfly villain.

Or Argos, if he decides he's evil again tomorrow.

---

Even the Lucky Charm excuse is a weak one, because the Lucky Charm tends to adapt itself to the way the holder thinks, otherwise it would be useless as a superpower unless it was being held by someone obsessed with details. That's why so many evil Ladybugs get giant swords or big guns. The reason Marinette‘s Lucky Charms are so convoluted and need multi-step plans to implement is because that's how Marinette thinks. That's why Lucky Charm is such a fitting name instead of the ability being called “Win Condition” or something. It gives you guidance in how to solve a situation, but the clue has to be solvable or it's useless.

So, yeah, from a logical standpoint, Marinette is easily replaceable, and replacing her would be the wisest move here. Of course, there's the whole thing where the entire Paris team would need to be replaced then, because they all worship her and would hate me for it. But, like, even if I wanted to keep her on due to not wanting to remake the whole team from scratch, I still wouldn't have her be in charge of the Box, considering she thought putting the Miraculouses in cloud was a good idea. Like, in my job you aren't allowed to put anything in cloud due to how unreliable and leakable cloud spaces are.

But, yeah, even from the perspective of canon, it's really weird that there's supposedly an entire temple full of experienced, wise Guardians who let Marinette keep going with only Su Han’s word to go by. Like, what is Su Han putting in his reports to make Marinette seem even slightly fit for the job? He said he was going to go get reinforcements during season 5 but nothing came of that. Maybe it's typical off-screen limbo for Miraculous or maybe the rest of the order died from irrelevancy.

[sassyduckqueen]

Miraculous: Rise of Anatis Chapter 77

So this is the second chapter inspired by miracle queen but more focuses on the guardian aspect of that episode. It gave me quite a bit of trouble when trying to write it but I'm happy with how it came out. It's quite heavy and deals with themes around death and grief, which we will be seeing a lot more of in the next few chapters. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it :)

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Chapter Seventy-Seven: Assassin Bee

"Excellent," He smirked, holding up his cane as it opened and an akuma flew out, landing in her miraculous. "Assassin Bee, I am giving you the power not to just control three minds but all minds. You will rule over Paris and use Parisians as your personal army. All I ask in return is for you to use them to capture Anatis, Lady Noir and the mage then bring them to me,"

"As you wish, Hawk Moth," She declared, causing the purple smog to cover her form. The purple smog cleared, revealing her akuma form. She was one of the more prettier akumas that Hawkmoth had made but also one of the more scarier. She was clearly wasp themed and seemed to be similar to Queen Wasp, Chloe's Akumatized Hero form. Her hair was similar to her ponytail, only bigger and more curled. It was black with yellow swirl in the ponytail and she had a black ribbon that resembled an antenna tied around it. She had two strands of hair that framed her face as well. Her skin was yellow and her lips were black. She wore a black suit with yellow markings, resembling a wasp's pattern. The outfit had shoulder pauldrons that resembled a double shoulder design. She had a golden belt with a red gem in the middle and it had an outer skirt that resembled wings as well. She wore thigh boots with a yellow heel and a yellow strap on the top. She had yellow fingerless gloves that were worn over the black suit. She wore a mask with a wasp pattern on her face and finally her eyes were insect-like with a hexagram pattern that was dark grey in color. Hawkmoth smirked as he held the Eastern Miracle Box in his hands. While they had the Western box, it turned out they couldn't open it. Dr Mila seemed to have put a spell on it so that only she could open and since they hadn't captured her, they couldn't open it right now. However, Su Han was using the magic he knew to try and undo her spell. It was quite the eye opener for Hawkmoth as he saw how weak Su Han truly was. Maybe he didn't understand magic that much but he was certain that if Su Han was the real celestial guardian, he would have been able to open without any trouble. Hawkmoth already knew he was a fake but this truly confirmed it. He turned to Assassin Bee and held out the box to her.

"Use it well, Dearest Assassin," He smirked, holding it out to her. She took it and smirked before turning into a swamp of wasps and jumping down to the entrance of the Trocadéro gardens. She reformed and straightened up, causing the civilians there to begin to panic and run off. Her smirk widened, enjoying their fear as an idea popped into her head. Right now, she didn't care for heroes or villains. She didn't care for her master or for his goals. All she could think about was how she finally had real power. Hawkmoth had given her the ability to take control of anyone she wanted. She was no longer just a worker wasp or a drone. She was now a queen. She stretched out her hands, summoning her swamp of wasps as people ran from her.

"Sting them! Sting them all!" She commanded, ordering them to sting anyone in their paths. The only people she ordered them not to sting was Hawkmoth, Mayura and Su Han  Since Hawkmoth had given her real power, he was safe and Mayura was his partner plus she was sick. Assassin Bee couldn't see her being useful. Her master wasn't so lucky. She wouldn't spare him from her wasps and as for Su Han, she needed him to undo the spell on the other box. As soon as he is done with that, she'll take over his mind too. "Make them mine!"

The swarm of wasps descended down onto her master straight, the smirk that was once on his face as he realized she wasn't going to spare him from her mind control. He went to disappear into the shadows as soon as he realized she wasn't going to spare him but it was already too late. The wasps moved fast and stung him before he could even activate his power. His eyes turned completely yellow and empty, causing him to stand still with his arms by his side before the swarm of wasps flew up and dispersed all over Paris, stinging all who they came across. Assassin Bee walked over to her former master.

"My, my. How the tables have turned," She smirked, satisfied with his mind control. She couldn't help but feel happy as he had always been hard on her and made sure she knew she belonged to him. Not just that but her mother did the same thing. She was only good because she was under their control but now all of Paris would be under her control. She smirked even more. "Drone!"

"Yes, Ma'am," He answered in a cold voice.

"I'm not your only apprentice," She states, coldly. Another reason why he treated her awful was because she was the youngest of his apprentices but also because she was of the Bourgeois family. The Bourgeois family was one of the founding families, along with his family. However, he considered her a bastard child as he put it. In other words, she wasn't a pure 'Bourgeois' and therefore not a pure member of the founding families and he made sure she knew that. She had to work harder than the others and nothing was ever good enough for him. Because she was weaker than him and knew she was liable for any punishment, she had to repress her emotions plus there were the 'special' classes. Deep in the back of her mind, she knew what they were. Brain-washing but she couldn't break free from it. She narrowed her eyes at him. "Order them to come here,"

He nodded and sent out a message to the other apprentices. A few moments later, he opened up a shadow portal for them to come through but the moment they crossed over into Paris, a number of her wasps descended on them, stinging them and turning their eyes the same yellow as her master. Su Han looked at her in shock as Hawkmoth jumped down and stood next to her. Assassin Bee grinned in glee as her master and the other assassins were now at her mercy.

"Excellent work, my dear," He smirked before looking at her. "Or should I say my queen?"

She smirked before turning back to the people of Paris. Almost all of them had been stung by now.

"People of Paris, listen to Assassin Bee's first order!" She called out. "If you see the bug or the cat, capture them and bring them to me!"

She laughed evilly as the order echoed through the mind of the Parisians before she turned to the mind controlled assassins.

"As for you lot," She declared, looking over at them. "My first order is for you to bow to me!"

She smirked as they all bowed to her without question, making her smirk.

"I could definitely get used to this," She smirked, clearly enjoying the power but Hawkmoth cleared his throat. "What is it?"

"As glad I am to see you enjoy yourself, my dear," He stated, not actually caring for her newfound freedom. "Anatis will come and ruin it. He always does and while your new subjects will try their best, you should plan for it in case he gets past them. May I offer some advice?"

"Yes," She nods, after Hawkmoth is experienced when fighting Anatis.

"Call for his allies. After all, you have the miraculous right now and we can use it to find out their identities,"

"Oh yes. Break down his team," She grinned, turning from the assassins bowing to her. She held out her hand out again. "People of Paris! Listen to my next order!"

She paused, waiting for everyone to be listening.

"From now on, no one will have to keep their identities a secret!" She declared. "All miraculous holders! Come to me!"

~At Fu's Apartment~

"L-Luka, look... look after the kwamis... for me...." She gasped, making him nod.

"I p-promise," He whispered as the light left her eyes and her body went still. He sniffed as tears rolled down his face, keeping hold of her hand as he leaned over and gently pushed her eyes down so they were closed. "I'm so sorry I failed you..."

He wiped away his tears as he whispered the transformation words, turning back into Anatis.

"But I will get the kwamis back and save Master Fu," He answered as her body began to disappear. He wasn't really surprised by that. She had lived for centuries after all. It made sense she was using magic to stay alive. He stood up as she completely faded away, wiping away his tears as anger began to settle. He turned and ran towards the hole in the building before jumping out and swinging into the city. He landed on a building as he saw citizens running from swamps of wasps before going still when they stung them. He narrowed his eyes and swung towards the Seine as the wasps began to chase him. He ate the green macaron as he did before diving into the water. As he suspected, the wasps had the same weakness as Queen Wasp' ones did. They couldn't go in the water. The swarm flew off as he took out his yoyo and texted a warning to Lady Noir before he swam off. He would deal with the wasps later. Right now, he needed to hunt down Hawkmoth and save Master Fu and the kwamis from him. "Hold on, Master Fu. I'm coming,"

He swam through the water at a fast speed, thinking as he did. Hawkmoth must of had a bigger plan all along and that was to go after the guardians. He must have planned to use himself as a distraction akuma to force Anatis to get his allies but instead of Luka himself getting infected by the akuma, Felix did. Regardless, he still had to get his allies thanks to Felix being an extremely difficult akuma, leading Hawkmoth to find the guardians. The whole ordeal had left him with more questions than answers. It seemed Felix was a mage but he didn't want to deal with that right now. Then there were the questions on how Hawkmoth followed him? And why kill Mulan? Shouldn't have he abducted her like he did with Master Fu? He may have been a bit distracted but he didn't notice Hawkmoth or Mayura following him nor did his empathy alert him. Even with his magic weakened, his empathy still should have worked since he had it even before his magic was awakened and he would have heard Hawkmoth's or Mayura's song plus he should have picked up on her illness. He didn't experience any of them, meaning neither of them had followed so how did they know? As he swam, he racked his memory of going to the apartment. Unable to recall anything, he came to a stop and took a deep breath before closing his eyes as he got a feeling of what to do. He needed to view the memory but not just remember it. He needed to relive it. He needed Feng's power but he couldn't just activate it as his own due to his magic being weakened. As the true celestial guardian and the 'mage', he could tap into his past lives and use their powers as his own but it requires a lot of magic to do so. However, Feng had taught him of a system he had come up with in case of any of their magic being too weak to use them as their own ability. Regardless of how weak his magic is right now, he still has a connection with his past lives. That was something that would never go away and since they all have that connection, they could share their own magic across the different lives including his. To use it, he just needs permission and once granted, whoever he called on would grant him access to their own magic, effectively sharing it with him.

"Feng... lend me your sight," He whispered, holding his hand to his heart. For a second, nothing happened but then he felt a rush of magic flowing through his veins and his eyes turned silver. Feng had granted his request. He closed his eyes and recalled the memory but this time he used Feng's vision ability to view it as if he was reliving it. As he ran through the buildings toward Fu's new apartment, he came to a stop and stepped into a third person view instead. He observed his past self going to the apartment but didn't follow. He looked to the rooftop and to the streets for Mayura or Hawkmoth but neither showed up. He frowned but his answer soon came. From the shadows, a miraculous holder manifested as he entered Master Fu's window. No wonder why he didn't see nor sense him. This man was themed around a cobra and Anatis felt a memory from Alpheus. The Cobra miraculous. Hera had successfully stolen it as revenge, along with the peacock when Alpheus rejected her but during one of their battles, she lost it and Alpheus was never able to recover it. Toutai took on the task to reclaim it and did but of course then he was murdered. Su Han must have passed onto one of his cultists and now it's resurfaced once again. Anatis made a mental note to investigate its resurgence, along with the Swan Miraculous and the Crocodile Miraculous. He didn't want to pressure Snapp but he would need answers. He frowned deeply as he watched the man pressed his finger to his ear.

"Hawkmoth, Mayura," He stated, making Anatis frown. "I have the guardian's address,"

So that's how they knew. They used someone who's miraculous was stealth based, had him followed at a distance and waited til he was inside before revealing themselves. He frowned and watched as Hawkmoth and Mayura arrived. As usual, Mayura was sick, coughing before the Cobra teleported them into the shadows. He closed his eyes and felt the scene shift before opening them. Now he was back in Fu's apartment, watching himself explain the whole situation with Simme before Red Moon bathed the room in red light. He frowned as he noticed Mulan's expression change to shock and realisation then acceptance. He frowned as he watched himself leave with the dragon and the octopus miraculous as Mulan stood by the window, looking at Red Moon. Her expression could only be described as acceptance and relief. Anatis frowned even more as he realised she had expected it. She knew she was going to die. He jumped as Hawkmoth and Mayura appeared thanks to the Cobra before they all began to engage with the guardians. Mulan gave it her best but she ended up being stabbed by the Cobra as Hawkmoth went after Fu with Mayura. Anatis frowned as the Cobra looked at her.

"You should have expected this, traitor," He stated, kneeling in front of her. "I have something very important to tell you. That girl you've been 'helping'... she is my apprentice and she will kill your apprentices. Slowly and painful. I'll make sure she drags it out and when they beg her for release, she will deny them,"

"Y-You're a monster," She gasped, making him smirk before he stood up and took both of the boxes. Mulan tried to stop him despite her injury. She drove at him and he kicked her before stabbing her again, causing her to slump against the wall. "A-Anatis... w-will stop you and s-save those ch-children... a-all of them,"

"Such misguided faith," He chuckled, grabbing her hair. "Anatis is weak and hasn't got what it takes to fight me and Cicada. In fact, he will be her first kill. We will get rid of him and Paris will fall,"

He shoved her head back and got up, disappearing into the shadows with the miracle boxes and leaving Mulan to bleed out. Anatis felt an anger in him that he had never felt before as the memory faded. He took a deep breath and swam off, determined to find him and this Cicada. He frowned as he thought about it. Cicada. Why did that seem familiar? He sensed someone coming close to him, causing him to take out his yoyo as a black figure swam towards him. Upon seeing her braid and the green on her outfit, he felt relief flood through him.

"Lady Noir," He gasped, swimming towards her. Her eyes lit up as she saw him and she swam over. He hugged her, causing her to hug back.

 

"Annie," She gasped, gently rubbing his back. "Whatever happened, it's ok alright? We'll go to Master Fu and Master Mila and get some mir-"

"We can't," He gasped, looking at her. She frowned and looked at him. He looked down to the side. "I'm... sorry. I'm so sorry, Kitten. This is all my fault. I failed,"

"Annie, it's ok," She gasped, taking her hands in his. He looked panicked and broken. The sorrow in his eyes was insane and he was in clear pain. She knew straight away something had happened. "What is it?"

"Master Fu and Master Mila..." He muttered. His eyes fill with tears. "I... I was too late. Hawkmoth has Master Fu and Master Mila... She's gone, Lady Noir and it's all my fault,"

"Gone?" She asked as he nodded. For a second, she didn't get it but then she realised. She covered her mouth in shock. "Oh no,"

"S-She was stabbed and I found her but I was too late and I couldn't heal her. I couldn't even summon a lucky charm," He gasped, moving his arms around his waist. "And Hawkmoth took Master Fu and their miracle boxes. I failed. I've failed,"

"Annie, listen to me," She gasped, stopping him from grabbing at his hair. "You haven't failed,"

"B-But,"

"No buts, Mister," She declared, looking at him with determination. "Failure only occurs when we give up and we can still win this! We'll rescue Master Fu and the kwamis and defeat Hawkmoth and Mayura and Su Han for good measure! We can do it!"

She held up her arm like one of those posters from the 1940s but seeing her unwavering faith in him made Anatis believe her.

"You're right," He nodded. "We can do it!"

 "That's the spirit!" She grinned before going serious. "And once this battle is over, we'll honour Master Mila too. She will not be forgotten,"

"Thank you, Kitten," He answered, nodding. She swam closer to him and pressed her forehead to his as she held his hand. He closed his eyes and the two floated there for a moment before the sound of banging interrupted them. He frowned, causing Lady Noir to take out her baton and extend out of the water, using it to look around. She saw lots of wasps and a number of civilians were looking around as if looking for something. She zoomed in and noticed their eyes were yellow and emotionless. She frowned as the banging noise continued. She moved her baton in the direction of the Trocadéro gardens which was where it was coming from before seeing a girl who resembled a wasp. With her yellow skin and look, she knew she had to be the akuma. Before her were a number of what appeared to be civilians and a miraculous holder bowing to her. She frowned deeply as it seemed odd that the akuma would only make those ones bow to her but one of the more concerning things was this akuma was holding the miracle box in her arms. Still needing to see the full picture, she looked up as the noise wasn't coming from them. She gasped as she saw the moth sentimonster trying to break Master Fu's shell-ter. Hawkmoth was on the roof with him. holding Mayura in his arms and it seemed Su Han was there too. He was kneeling before something and had his hands out in front of him. They were glowing with a dark light, making her frown deeply too. She quickly turned to Anatis.

"They have Master Fu and the akuma has the Eastern Miracle box," She gasped, causing him to look through her baton. "And that Su Han seems to doing something as well,"

"He's trying to unlock the other miracle box!" He gasped, pulling away. "Mulan must have placed a spell on it to lock it,"

"That's clever but there's also a sentimonster and Mayura's there as well as Hawkmoth," She gasped, making him frown deeply. "And that akuma seems to be controlling the civilians,"

"She must be Cicada," He muttered, making her raise an eyebrow.

"Cicada?"

"I'm guessing she must be a miraculous holder but she is the apprentice of Mulan's killer," He answered, closing his eyes. Lady Noir frowned deeply. "I don't know if I can hold back if I fight her. I know she didn't kill her but..."

"I understand," She answered, nodding. She knew she should discourage him but she also felt rage and she wasn't sure if she would be able to hold back herself. The girl was training under a killer. She herself could already be a killer and then there's the want for vengeance. Her master took theirs. It would only be fair if they took his apprentice from him. The two remained silent, knowing that they were both thinking the same thing. An eye for an eye. 

"... Let's focus on saving Master Fu..." Anatis stated, making her nod. "First we need to get pass those wasps-"

He cut off as his yoyo vibrated, causing him to take it out. He read over the message before closing the yoyo.

"Atratus just messaged me. He asked us to come to the sewer but told us to stay in the water," He explained, making her blink. Ah yeah. She hadn't really met him yet. "He was the one who helped us with Party Crasher and explained about Felix being an akuma,"

"Oh, that guy!" She answered, nodding. "Can we trust him?"

"I think so," He answered, nodding. Trusting him, she nodded and the two of them swam off to where Atratus had told them to meet him. They were deep into the sewers before poking their head up. Atratus was leaning against the wall and behind him there were the miraculous holders they had chosen including Chloe, Rose and Ondine. The only one who wasn't there was Felix but that was given, considering he was unconscious in hospital. Even Adrien and Kagami were standing there. All of them have the same yellow eyes. There were also a number of wasps trapped in midair. However, a wasp flew down from above but before it could sting anyone, Atratus sprayed it with bug spray, causing it to fall down dead, joining a small pile of wasps. He also noticed a number of lit candles. "What's with the candles?"

"Citronella," He answered. "Wasps hate it and the rare one that comes over gets sprayed. I don't usually kill wasps but these aren't natural,"

"And our friends?"

"I've trapped them in a time bubble using my Temporal Hiatus ability and my natural magic," He explains before one of them blinks. He took out his staff and tapped it on the floor. "Temporal Hiatus!"

A red light spread over them again, trapping them and the wasps back in paused time.

"But as you can see, I have to keep using it," He stated, making them frown deeply. "Which is why I sent you a message. We need a plan,"

~Back at the Trocadéro gardens~

"I don't get it!" Assassin Bee demanded, slamming her foot down. Despite giving the order, none of the miraculous holders had turned up. She was sure that they had been stung. They had to be so why weren't they here? She huffed before turning to her minions that were bowing to her. "Fine! Since I can't use your allies against you, I'll use mine! Drones!"

"Yes, your majesty!" The assassins said in union as she walked over to them.

"I'm upgrading you to soldiers for my army against Anatis!" She declared, holding out the miracle box. "Take a miraculous each!"

They grabbed a miraculous and put them on, causing the kwamis to look around in panic. Her allies had picked out the fox, the snake, the monkey and the horse miraculous. She smirked and narrowed her eyes.

"Kwamis, I order you to tell them your transformation words!"

The kwamis looked at each other and tried to resist but unfortunately, the curse they were under couldn't be stopped.

"T-Trixx, l-let's strike," Trixx gasped as Kaalki tried to resist.

"Xuppu, strife time," Xuppu gasped.

"Kaalki, full dart,"

"S-Sass, Serpent Slither," Sass confirmed his transformation words. The assassins in turn used them to transform, though there wasn't much difference in their outfits. They had become slightly more themed with each miraculous but other than that, they were still the basic assassin garb they had already been in. Assassin Bee smirked.

"You were once above me but now you're my royal guard!" She declared before looking to the sky. "Anatis and Lady Noir, your allies may be safe but I will still use your own weapons to defeat you,"

~Back to the Heroes~

Anatis frowned deeply as he looked at the temporary heroes. All of them looked terrifying with the yellow eyes but especially Juleka. She didn't look like herself at all. There was no shyness in her face but also no other emotion there either. Then there was her song. Like the other heroes, the music within them had been overtaken by Assassin Bee's heart song. It was so loud and it made Anatis want to cover his ears but it also helped him understand her a bit better. Her song was calling out to be acknowledged but also to not be tormented. She wanted to just be herself yet she couldn't. He frowned though. She was part of the bad guys so why did her heart song sing of freedom? Did she pick that life or was she forced into it?

"What happened?" He asked, choosing to ignore the song right now. He couldn't do anything about it yet.

"Your allies were on the way to join the new akuma as she has managed to take over the minds. Luckily, I was able to trap them with the help of the Rabbit Holder,"

"Bunnyx or Sir Rene?"

"Both," He answered. "Do you have a plan?"

"... I don't know," Anatis admitted, looking down. "... It's my fault. All of this is. I should have-"

"Anatis," Atratus stated in a firm voice. "This isn't your fault and even if it was, you can't change the past but we can save the future and we're going to need a focused Anatis to do that so head in the game ok?"

"Atratus is right, Annie," Lady Noir gasped, gently taking his hand in hers. "None of this is your fault,"

"Thank you, Kitten," He sighed before nodding and taking a deep breath. "Ok, we have to assume that the reason why our friends were on their way to the akuma was because she planned to use them to fight us,"

"Hawkmoth would have also found their identities," Lady Noire points out, making Anatis nod. "Luckily, we have our own connections,"

"You can thank me later," Atratus stated, making Anatis nod. He would have to find a way to thank him properly. One of the controlled blinked again, causing Atratus to use his ability again. "This is getting tiresome. Tell me, Anatis, what is that you have in your yoyo?"

Anatis blinks before he remembered. He didn't get a chance to return the Dragon or Octopus miraculous. He took out his yoyo and pulled out the two miraculous, making Atratus raise an eyebrow.

"Well, that helps, doesn't it?" He answers as Anatis thought about his opinions. He could use the Octopus miraculous to free everyone but that wouldn't solve the root problem. No, they would have to take down Assassin Bee, the senti-monster and Hawkmoth to save Master Fu and the miracle boxes so the Dragon miraculous would be the best move.

"I have a plan," He answered, putting it on and causing Longg to manifest. He took out a cookie and gave it to him before looking at the other two. "I will merge with the dragon miraculous and use water dragon to keep the wasps at bay. With those at bay, we take down the new holders and reclaim the miraculous. The snake miraculous is the one we'll want to take out first. Once you've got it, merge with it. We could do with a second chance. Once we've done that, we'll fight Cicada, save the hostages and then fight Hawkmoth and Mayura, rescue Master Fu and save the kwamis,"

"Sounds like a plan!" She declared, making him nod as Longg declared he was ready. "But what are we going to do with the wasps out there?"

"I have a plan for that as well," He answered before closing his eyes and holding out his hand. They felt the air change as he opened his eyes, causing them to turn silver. "Alpheus, please lend me your magic,"

For a second, nothing happened but then they heard the sound of something hitting the water nearby and the roads.

"It's raining!" Lady Noir gasped, making Anatis smile. "We can leave the water and put the plan into action,"

"Impressive," Atratus states, nodding before turning to Anatis and Lady Noir. "But you better hurry. The rain won't last forever,"

"Right, let's go," He replied, nodding before the two of them dived back under and swam out of the sewers. They broke the surface and dived out, calling off their aqua forms as the rain kept the wasps in that area away from them. They landed on the bridge before Anatis held out one hand, summoning a red orb then the other, summoning a yellow orb. He brought his hands together and closed his eyes. "Tikki, Long. Unify,"

A bright gold light surrounded him before spreading down his body, changing his outfit. His hair grew a little bit longer and wilder, his ears turned pointed and he gained four red and black horns with gold details. Two were curled and large and two were small. His mask still had its ladybug pattern but gained a golden outline and two black triangles. His eyes remained blue but turned into lizard-like with slits for pupils. The whites of his eyes had turned blue too. His outfit had gained golden details on the neck and zipper but had also split into two. The left side was black with red spots and the right side was red with black spots. His right glove and boot was black with a gold trim and his left glove and boot were red with a gold trim. The boots travelled up his legs and torso, resembling two dragon tails. One was red and the other was black. Both with a gold trim. On his side was his yoyo and on his back was the dragon's sword. The dragon miraculous had turned into the zipper of his suit as his earrings remained in his ears. He turned to Lady Noir.

"Looking good, Annie," Lady Noir grinned.

"Call me Zhuyin.... Atratus was right. This rain can't last forever so let's go," He declared as he looked up, causing her to nod and for the two of them to jump off and heading to where Cicada was. As they got closer, the rain began to slow down. Zhuyin took out his yoyo and spun it. "Water dragon!"

He used his yoyo to surround them with a water bubble before they landed on the ground and he extended it, slamming it into Cicada and throwing her against the wall as it trapped the hypnotised citizens with the miraculous in the bubble with them. She got up and narrowed her eyes at them.

"You must be Anatis," She declared, getting Hawkmoth's attention.

"And you must be Assassin Bee," Zhuyin answered, spinning his yoyo. "Though you can call me Zhuyin right now,"

"Well, Zhuyin, your name won't matter when I rip those miraculous from your ears!" She hisses as Hawkmoth looks down at them.

"Merging Miraculous again?" He smirked as the sentimonster slammed against Master Fu's shelter. "That won't save you this time, you know. Or your master. In a few minutes, when the guardian is too weak and his shield is broken, I'll force him to tell me your secret identities and not to mention, we've nearly unlocked the western miracle box. Soon, Mulan's death will be for nothing and even better... it will all be your fault, Anatis,"

Zhuyin glanced down, making Hawkmoth smirk.

"After all, you led them all to their own doom,"

"You're wrong!" Lady Noir shouted, stepping in front of Zhuyin. "He did not lead them to their doom! You did! The only one to blame here is you! You're the one who wants to harm people! You're the reason why Master Mulan is dead!"

"Such belief in your partner," Hawkmoth chuckled as Mayura smirked. "I guess you make up for his lack of self-belief,"

"You're damn right!" She hisses. "I don't care if Annie doesn't believe in himself because I believe in him! And I'll believe in him even more to make up for it!"

"Lady Noir," Zhuyin whispered as Master Fu managed to turn his head.

"Listen to her, Anatis!" He gasped. "He's trying to use your insecurities to divide and weaken you! Don't listen to him!"

"If you think you can divide us, you're wrong!" Lady Noir answered, turning to Anatis and holding up her hand. "I'm always on your side, Annie. Me and you against the world!"

"Thank you, Lady Noir," He smiled, clapping his hand against hers. "You always know what to say,"

He turned to Hawkmoth.

"A clever plan but I couldn't care less what you think of me," He answered, taking out his sword and pointing it to him. As he did, Su Han stopped working on the box and gasped in shock. "Me and Lady Noir are a team and together we will take you down!"

"Welcome to your doomsday, Hawkmoth!" Lady Noir grinned, making Hawkmoth growl.

"Assassin Bee! Show these fools who is the true ruler!" He shouted, noticing Su Han staring as Assassin Bee ordered her soldiers to attack. "Shouldn't you be working on that box?"

"She put a spell on the box that I can't undo," He explained. "She made it so only herself, the Celestial Guardian or his reincarnations can open it,"

"Is that not you?"

"I am only it in name. Not in anything else," Su Han answers, his eyes glued on Zhuyin as he fought against three of the other holders. Lady Noir was fighting the snake holder but the way Zhuyin was fighting. The stance, the way he held the sword. Su Han narrowed his eyes. He watched as he flipped his sword to his spare hand and spun with it, knocking back three of the holders. "That boy. He's Anatis yes?"

"Yes... why?" Hawkmoth asked as he dived forward and darted. Even Hawkmoth had to admit it was impressive. He had no idea that Anatis had such training in swordplay. He had always assumed that Lady Noir was the one who could use a sword. Speaking of her, she manages to take down the snake miraculous, allowing Zhuyin to grab the snake miraculous. He chucked it to Lady Noir before going back to fighting the other holders. Su Han narrowed his eyes as he watched. "Assassin Bee, be careful!"

"I got this," She answered as she watched. She already knew the plan was in action and she would win. Lady Noir put on the bracelet, causing Sass to manifest. He tried to apologise but she shook her head and gave him a smile before offering him food. As she did that, Assassin Bee frowned and her mind briefly drifted to Stingg. She shook her head before holding out her hand. "That won't help you defeat me, Lady Noir!"

"Call me Lady Cobra," She answered, holding her hands. "Plagg, Sass, unify!"

A green light caused Assassin Bee to cover her eyes. When she uncovered them, Lady Noir's form had changed. Her ears were the same but she had gained some teal details on her suit, making it resemble her Queen Cobra look. Her boots had yellow and green diamonds on boots and the green detail was now more yellow. She had two large diamonds on her hips that were both yellow as well and her mask had become a blended version of her usual mask and her Queen cobra one. She had a yellow and green diamond in the middle of her chest and her eyes were more snakelike now as well. Her hair was still in a long braid but it resembled her Queen Cobra hair more and it faded from black into teal green. She didn't even spare Assassin Bee a glance as she flicked back the bracelet and activated her second power.

"Second Chance!" She declared, causing Zhuyin to smirk and Assassin Bee to narrow her eyes.

"Drones! Stop her!" She declared, causing the monkey holder to charge at her as Anatis fought against the fox holder. She dodged and side stepped the horse user before seeing a second fox trying to sneak up on Zhuyin. 

"Zhuyin! It's an illusion!" She called out, causing him to nod and swipe the illusion away as she did the same thing. However, the monkey holder suddenly caught his yoyo and pulled Zhuyin to him. He punched him as Lady Cobra charged towards them. However, she was grabbed by the fox and held back as the monkey pressed his summoned item against Zhuyin's yoyo. The water shield disappeared and the wasps descended onto Zhuyin, stinging him. His eyes turned yellow and he dropped his sword, slowly standing up. She struggled against the fox as Assassin Bee laughed.

"Finally! The bug is mine to control!" She laughed, tilting her head back. "I'm finally fully free! Zhuyin! Bow down to your queen! Drones, bow down to your new master!"

"Master?" Lady Cobra questioned before really glancing at them. She noticed that they are all in the same style of clothing. She realised that their movements were practised and trained. These weren't ordinary civilians. They were trained fighters. The Yǐnshēnyǐnbì. She struggled against the fox as Zhuyin, the Cobra holder who she realised was Mulan's killer and the others began to bow towards Assassin Bee. Su Han jumped down and glared towards them.

"Ask him who the mage is," He demanded, making Hawkmoth look over and Assassin Bee to nod.

"Zhuyin, who is the mage?"

"I-" He started but before he could answer, Lady Cobra was able to free herself enough to flick back her bracelet, bringing her back to the save point,

"Zhuyin, they're illusions and Yǐnshēnyǐnbì!" She declared, ignoring the monkey and running straight towards him. "She didn't pick- ah!"

A portal opened beneath her feet, causing her to fall into the dark depths of space. If she didn't think they were trained assassins before, she did now. No one normally would drop someone into space, even if they were mind-controlled. She took a deep breath and flipped back her bracelet, going back to the save point. She ignored the monkey, jumped over the portal and held up her fingers as she activated her screech power. She tapped her throat and let out a screech that broke the illusion and knocked the monkey holder back. She took the chance to grab his arm before pointing.

"Zhuyin! Opening! There!" She gasped, making him nod and open a hole in the water. She kicked the Monkey's pole up and towards Assassin Bee, who caught it and glared at her.

"You're going to need to do better than that!" She glared. "Cobra! Kill them!"

Before the Cobra holder could make a move, Lady Cobra twisted the monkey's arm, using it to throw its item straight at Assassin Bee. It landed right in her face, turning her miraculous into a small bell and causing the wasps to burst into confetti. Zhuyin threw his yoyo and wrapped it around her waist, pulling her towards them as Lady Cobra rushed towards her, tapping the bell with her cataclysm. Assassin Bee fell to her knees as she turned briefly back into Cicada then finally into Zoe as her miraculous crumbled to the ground. Zhuyin and Lady Cobra turned back into their normal forms before Anatis caught the akuma and purified it. With Assassin Bee no longer active, the controlled regained their selves, blinking and looking around confused. Zoe slowly scoped up the broken pieces of her miraculous and looked down at it sadly but before she could do anything else, the Cobra holder stalked towards her and grabbed her by her hair.

"You little brat!" He growled, throwing her to the ground and taking out his weapon, ready to attack her. Maybe even kill her but before he could, his weapon was knocked out of his hand by Anatis' yoyo before it wrapped around Zoe's waist and pulled her into the air. He caught her and placed her carefully on the ground before narrowing his eyes as the Cobra turned and went to stalk over. Anatis stepped in front of Zoe in a protective stance. "Get out of my way before I kill you like I did with Mulan,"

"No," Anatis replied before his eyes turned silver. He quickly glanced around and saw some loose ropes near a building site. "Mih dinb sepor,"

The ropes glowed before coming to life and aiming at the Cobra. It binded around him and made him fall on the ground, causing Su Han and Hawkmoth to look at him with surprise. Anatis walked over as the man glared at him.

"Go ahead," He smirked, gesturing to his fallen weapon. "Avenge your master,"

"She wasn't my master," He stated, picking it up. As soon as he did, the other The Yǐnshēnyǐnbì assassins blocked his path, ready to defend the Cobra. Anatis frowned at the corruption Su Han had caused to the once good and loyal group. He looked at the weapon in his hand as he weighed up his options. "She was my friend... but I'm not going to kill you,"

He casted it aside, shocking almost everyone there. Apart from Lady Noir.

"And it wouldn't be justice if I took your life. It would be vengeance and would make me no better than you," He declared, making Su Han's eyes widen once more. Those words are almost identical to what Toutai had said the night he murdered him. Anatis moved his gaze from the Cobra to Hawkmoth. "It's over, Hawkmoth. Your villain has being defeated,"

"Yet I still have the miracle boxes," He smirked, holding up the eastern box as the assassins freed the cobra holder. "I made sure to grab it off Assassin Bee in case you defeated her and don't forget I have the guardian too. It's only a matter of minutes until that shield breaks down and then he'll be mine to question. Not to mention I have a celestial guardian and his guard helping me out as well. You may have your tricks and whatever you did to the Cobra but I have the upper hand. Yǐnshēnyǐnbì, take them down!"

The other holders surrounded Anatis and Lady Noir as Zoe hid behind them. Lady Noir's ring beeped, making her frown as Anatis glanced at her. Hawkmoth laughed as he heard it.

"Even better! Your stupid cat's time is almost up!" He laughed as Mayura and Su Han smirked. "You're on your own! Checkmate, Anatis!"

"I still have a move left!" Anatis declared, hiding the fact that Hawkmoth's comment got to him. He knew he was on his own. Lady Noir had used her power and the miraculous had being stole. Atrutus was busy keeping their friends safe and Mulan was gone while Fu was captured. He threw up his yoyo, changing his outfit. "Lucky charm!"

The magical swarm summoned a small key with a keyring attached to it. Anatis caught it and glanced around in his luck vision. Only nothing lit up. He began to panic as he continued to look. The banging of the sentimonster echoed as Hawkmoth laughed, making him feel worse as he couldn't see anything.

"Annie?" Lady Noir questioned as his panic became visible.

"I... I can't see how to use it," He gasped, looking at her with fear. "I can always see it but I can't! There's no solution!"

"That's because there's nothing you can do!" Hawkmoth declared, laughing. "My plan is perfect! You can't beat me!"

"Ignore him!" Lady Noir declared, glaring at him as Anatis looked around. Finally, his luck vision kicked in and lit up Master Fu's cage... and only that. Anatis frowned with confusion for a moment before it suddenly clicked what it meant.

"No..." He gasped as he looked towards Master Fu. "Master, you can't!"

"It is the only way forward, Anatis," Fu answered, holding back the cracking of his shield. "I return to you what is your birthright. You will be a glorious guardian and I believe you will become the best celestial guardian we've ever had. It was an honour to serve as your master, Kāimíng yī,"

He let go of the shield and bowed before holding up his arms as Sass and Longg called out to him. Su Han stared in shock at his words, especially his use of calling Anatis Kāimíng yī. It was what the Order's members called The mage. It meant enlightened one and was a sign of respect.

"I, Wang Fu, hereby relinquish the miracle box and on behalf of Hua Mulan..." He declared, beginning to glow. "I name Anatis the new guardian!"

The moth sentimonster literally broke the shield as he spoke but it was too late. The light faded away from Master Fu and he fell to the ground, causing Hawkmoth to call out as the miracle box lifted out of his hand and began to glow with a white light so bright that it encompassed it. Su Han, Hawkmoth and Mayura watched in awe as the box began to change. The simple octogonal design disintegrated and morphed into a different form. As this happened, the assassins who had been given a miraculous by Assassin Bee began to glow, causing them to panic and try to back away, confused by the sudden light. Beams of light suddenly shoot away from them and into the morphing box, returning the miraculous to it and turning them into their normal forms. The only ones not to return were the Cobra's, Hawkmoth's and Mayura's... though Anatis wasn't sure why. However, it might be because they inherited the miraculous technically speaking or are viewed as true holders by the spiritual powers. While evil, Hawkmoth and Mayura did know what they were doing with their powers after all. Meanwhile, Su Han watched in shock as it happened. He had begun to suspect the boy to be the mage but this confirmed it. He narrowed his eyes and pointed at him.

"Kill him!" He ordered, causing the assassins to look over as he pointed frantically at him. The only assassin that remained with a miraculous was the Cobra holder but the others surrounded them as well. However before they could make a move, the box finished morphing and dropped down, back into Hawkmoth's hand as he stared at it. Gone was the old look and in its place was a beautiful carved music box. It had taken on a rectangular design, with a flattened top and the Order’s symbol carved into it. Metal workmanship decorated the lid’s corners, matching the intricate clasp. Carved meticulously into the wood were the images of the Chinese zodiac animals, all racing each other around the box’s edges. As the box fell back into Hawkmoth's hands, the light above them didn’t disperse. It pulsed once, knocking him, Mayura and Su Hand back before it blasted into the air before separating into several directions, each with one destination as the assassins and the heroes looked on in awe. One beam hit Mulan’s former box, and in the same flash of light, it also changed form. When it faded, the Western box now held a more rounded shape, with a brass sun placed on the lid and the symbol of the Order engraved on its core. The sides held countless stars, and the shapes of the Western constellations encircled it. Just like the Eastern Box, it had transformed into a music box. Both boxes also had one other thing in common. Sat inside the keyholes of the boxes sat a single, simple key. Hawkmoth sat up, along with Mayura as The cobra helped up Su Han, who slapped away his hand. "Kill him now!"

The Cobra nodded and turned to Anatis as Hawkmoth picked up the miracle box and tried to turn the key but it refused to budge.

"What did he do?!" He growled, glaring over at Anatis.

"It's simple," He answers, holding out his yoyo. "He passed the title onto guardian onto me,"

"I was able to open it even when he was a guardian!" Hawkmoth growled. "I should be able to do the same here!"

"No... because I'm not a normal guardian," He answered, looking at them. "I am the true Celestial Guardian! The current reincarnation of the grand mage Hua Feng and those boxes belong to me!"

He threw his yoyo, hitting the box out of Hawkmoth's hand as Lady Noir jumped up and swiped the Western Miracle Box. She jumped back down as Anatis wrapped his yoyo around the Eastern box and pulled it to him.

"One chance, Hawkmoth," He stated, looking at him. "Return yours and Mayura's miraculous to me and hand yourself in,"

"You think I'm actually going to do that," Hawkmoth stated coldly. "How disappointing,"

He picked up Mayura and jumped onto the Sentimonster, ready to retreat. Su Han glared at Anatis, wanting to order his assassins to kill him but he also knew what Toutai had been like, even before he had been revealed to be the Celestial Guardian. He was a prodigy in everything that had been taught. Fighting, potion making, medical training. He knew this boy was already gifted, being able to use the ladybug and keep Hawkmoth on his toes but now he knew that he was the next celestial guardian. The boy would undo his wish and reclaim his title but Su Han knew he wouldn't be able to kill him here. He shouldn't have even ordered his assassins to try but he panicked. However, he wasn't going to let that show right now. He took a deep breath and called back his assassins before narrowing his eyes as he looked towards Anatis, who met his gaze with no fear.

"This isn't over, boy," He declared, also jumping down to the Sentimonster. The three of them flew away and Lady Noir gave Anatis the Western box before chasing after them as the assassins also left, apart from the Cobra holder. He stepped forward and narrowed his eyes.

"Traitor, I order you to come and accept your punishment," He demanded, making Zoe slowly get and go to walk over to him. However, Anatis stopped her by putting his arm out as he held both of the boxes in his other arm. "You do not have the authority to sto-"

"I don't care," He answered, making the Cobra holder snort.

"You know she is going to kill you once I have... fixed her," He answers, making Anatis feel sick. 

"Fix her?!" He snarled, making Zoe flinch. "and then make her kill me?! You really think I'm going to let you do that?!"

"You are powerless to-" The Cobra started but before he could finish, Anatis held out his free hand as his eyes glowed silver as Longg flew next to him, hissing softly.

"Alpheus! Lend me your power!" He called, making the Cobra blink before a sudden gale began to push against him, increasing in strength until he was taking off his feet and slammed into a building. He slowly got up and looked over at Anatis, who was still standing protectively in front of Zoe while glaring at him. With his glowing eyes and harsh glare, the Cobra found himself feeling fear for the first time in his life. This wasn't just some miraculous holder. This boy actually could seriously harm him or even kill him. "I will give you one chance to leave. Next time, I won't be as compassionate as I'm being right now,"

The Cobra didn't need to be told twice. He jumped away and into the city, making Anatis let out a sigh as Lady Noir returned. The gale turned into a breeze that helped her land before she turned to Anatis.

"You good?" She asked, making him nod before she frowned. "They got away,"

"I'm not surprised," He answered before he threw his yoyo and jumped away, landing on the building where Fu was lying unconscious. He had detransformed and Wayzz was watching over him with worry on his face. Lady Noir landed next to him with Zoe in her arms before she put her down. Both girls looked over at Anatis as he put down the boxes and gently lifted Fu into his arms. "Master Fu... Please wake up,"

His voice wasn't harsh like it had been when talking to the villains but it was soft, gentle and broken. Like he knew he wouldn't wake up or if he did, he wouldn't be the same but he had to try. He had to hope that he was the same. Slowly, Master Fu opened his eyes, making Lady Noir let out a sigh of relief as Anatis helped him sit up. Wayzz zoomed behind Anatis as Master Fu blinked and looked around in confusion.

"Master Fu," He stated, looking at him. His silver eyes shone with worry.

"Such pretty eyes," Master Fu stated, making him frown before he looked over at Lady Noir. "And such lovely costumes. Are you going to a party?"

"No, not a party," Anatis answered, making Fu look at him confused. He had a feeling he knew why but he didn't want to voice it. Unfortunately, Master Fu did.

"I don't mean to be rude but who are you?" He asked, making Lady Noir gasp and Anatis look down. "Oh, I'm sorry. I just can't seem to remem-"

"It's ok," Anatis smiled softly, though it was clear he was upset. "We're friends, sir,"

"Oh," Master Fu nodded as Lady Noir clicked her fingers.

"Annie, you haven't used the charm," She gasped, making him remember the lucky charm in his hand. He took it out and looked at it. He had a feeling that it won't fix this but he needed to fix what Assassin Bee. The assassins may have awakened after she lost her powers but he didn't know if the rest of Paris had. He threw it up into the air.

"Miraculous Ladybugs!" He declared, causing it to burst into the magical swarm and go around Paris, fixing stuff. It came back and wrapped around Zoe's hands before disappearing but it didn't touch Master Fu. Lady Noir looked at Anatis as he frowned. They both knew it didn't work but he decided to ask just in case. "Mister Fu... do you remember us now?"

"I'm sorry to disappoint you but this is the first time I've ever seen you two in my life," He answered before smiling. "But that magic trick was amazing. Shame, you had to throw away that keyring though. It would have gone lovely on my own key set,"

He took out a matching set to show them but didn't just pull out the keys but a piece of paper. He opened it up and read it.

"Oh," He gasped before looking at Anatis. "I think these keys belong to you. Strange, I thought they were mine,"

"What makes you say that?" Lady Noir asked.

"Because of this note," He answered, handing it to them. It read please return these and the turtle bracelet to the boy dressed as a ladybug. He looked at Anatis before handing him the keys and Wayzz's miraculous to him. "That must be you,"

"Thank you," He nodded, taking them. "Do you need us to take you anyway, Mister Fu?"

"Well, I do need to meet a lovely lady at the train station but I'm not running late," He chuckled, making Anatis feel relieved. It seems Master Fu had planned out a retirement plan so he would be ok. He couldn't help but wonder if his past lives had helped to make sure he wasn't homeless or lost. It seemed like something Feng would do but he wasn't sure. Still it gave him a sense of relief that he would be ok. "Well, I better be off. It was nice to meet you both,"

With that, Master Fu wandered off as their miraculous beeped. Anatis nodded to Lady Noir before she grabbed Zoe who gasped and he grabbed the boxes. The two dived off the buildings and headed to where Atrust had been keeping the holders, only to find the area completely empty apart from a single candle with a piece of paper under it. Anatis placed the boxes down and picked it up, reading it. It simply had two words on it. Best outcome. He sighed and nodded before putting the note back down and disappearing behind a wall as Lady Noir placed Zoe down and ordered her not to peek before she disappeared behind a wall. Zoe stayed on her knees and looked at the miraculous in her hand. It was repaired and she could take advantage of the two heroes hiding but she owed Anatis a debt of life. He had stopped her master from trying to kill her as she was certain he would have ended her life even if he claimed he was going to have her retrained.

"Anatis... what do you intend to do with me?" She asked. Her 'sweet' voice was no longer there. No point in pretending. 

"What do you mean?" His voice replied as a pink light flashed, followed by a green light.

"Are you going to kill me or punish me?" She asked.

"No," Luka replied from behind the way as he gently scratched Longg's chin as Tikki ate a cookie. "Your master mentioned fixing you. Care to explain?"

"... those trained by the Order are put through a certain amount of programming and training to make them the perfect soldiers for the cause," She explained, making him frown. "Our goal is simple. Protect the Celestial Guardian and take out any threat he wants... but Su Han isn't the true celestial guardian is he?"

"No, he isn't," He answers. "Why were you trained by them?"

"All the families give up one child to be trained," She answers, making him frown. "It was meant to be Chloe instead of me but her father interfered and she failed the first test anyway,"

"I'm sorry," Luka replied, frowning. "Can I ask what families?"

"The five founding families," She answers. "The Agreste family, the Graham de Vanily family, the Tsurugi Family, The Bourgeois Family and finally the Kubdel family,"

"And each family has to give up a child to the order?" He asked, frowning. He knew Alpheus didn't have that rule and the family thing seemed odd too. He would definitely have to investigate it.

"Yes but the Tsurugi family had already given one and the Agreste family refused with the order's approval and the Graham de Vanily family has no children to give," She explains, making Anatis frown.

"But isn't Felix a child of the Graham de Vanily family?" He asked, making her snort.

"That child was born out of wedlock," She explained, making him frown. "He is not worthy of such a role,"

"And the Kubdel family?"

"They do not work for the order anymore," She hissed, making him frown as Longg and Tikki looked at him with concern. "If I see them, I shall stain the street with their blood,"

"Ok then," He answered, closing his eyes and listening carefully to her music. There was a song there but it was being overpowered by the Order's music, making him frown before he gently reached into his pocket and took out the octopus miraculous. He now knew why he grabbed it. He slid the bracelet on, causing Kraak to manifest. "Hello,"

"Hello, young holder," She smiled, bowing. "I'm Kraak. To use my miraculous, all you have to say is Kraak, unleash,"

"Thank you, Kraak," He answered before holding up his arm. "Kraak, Unleash!"

Kraak got sucked into the miraculous, charging it up. He swiped his hand across his face, causing the mask to manifest in a light blue light and his eyes to resemble an octopus'. He tilted his head back, causing his hair to change into yellow and black while gaining a small ponytail in the back of his hair. The light blue light faded down his body, creating a light yellow shirt and black pants before his boots manifested, resembling classic pirate boots. His belt appeared in a light blue glow before a tail coat that resembled a pirate jacket appeared on him. It was dark grey with a bright blue ring pattern on it. Finally he gained fingerless gloves and the flexible claw appeared, attached to his belt. He turned to Tikki, causing her to zoom over and hide in his new hair style. He stepped out, making Zoe look over at him.

"Are you going to kill me now?" She asked, coldly. "The only reason why I'm not trying to kill you is because I owe you a debt of life but-"

"I'm not going to kill you," He answered as Lady Noir stepped out. Plagg had recharged. He walked over to Zoe and knelt down so they were eye level. "I don't think you're actually a bad person, Zoe,"

He gently placed his hand on his heart.

"I can feel what you truly want. I feel it now and I felt it when you were Assassin Bee," He continued. "You long for one thing,"

"And what is that?" She sneered.

"Freedom," He answered, making her eyes widen and look at him. "The ideology of Su Han is stuck in your head like a song on repeat but it's time for the record to stop playing. I'm willing to give the freedom you crave and a new beginning but you only get one chance. Don't waste it,"

She blinked as he held up his forefinger.

"Mind break," He whispered, causing his finger to glow a very light blue before he gently pressed his finger to Zoe's forehead. Her eyes glossed over in the same shade before shattering, causing her to blink. "Zoe?"

"Anatis... I mean... you are Anatis right?!" She gasped. Her voice sounded the same but the coldness was gone. He nodded before she quickly got to her knees and bowed to him, making Lady Noir look at him. He shrugged. "I'm so sorry! I've been trying to stop myself for years but I couldn't. I was too weak-"

"Zoe... it's ok," He stated, making her look up at him as tears rolled down her face. He stood up and held his hand out to her. She looked at it before slowly taking it, causing him to pull her to his feet. She wiped her tears away. "I am going have to take your miraculous,"

She looked at the miraculous in her hand before she slowly handed it over to him.

"Thank you," He answered, making her nod. "Zoe, your life is back to being yours,"

"What if I get brain-washed again?" She asked as he felt something around him. It felt warm and familiar like a warm fire that kept the cold from taking over the bones. Finni. He must have been listening in.

I am going to borrow your body for a second. Is that ok? He asked, making Luka nod. He felt Finni briefly taking over before his eyes glowed silver and opened on their own. His hand lifted and he gently placed his hand on her forehead as well. A soft golden light appeared from his hand, making him blink as he watched. "Zoe Lee, I share this gift with you so you may never lose your mind again,"

The glow disappeared and Luka felt Finni leave, causing him to stumble forward a bit.

"What... what was that?" Zoe asked. "It felt warm... like a hug,"

"It's a protection spell," He explained. "You're completely free... now let's get you home,"

~Later that Evening~

"So what was that earlier?" Lady Noir asked, sitting next to Anatis as he placed the octopus miraculous back in the box. "And I don't mean your octopus form,"

"Finni," He answered, making her look at him. "He asked to use my body so he could give Zoe that spell. First time I've ever literally done that,"

"Oh wow... so Finni can possess you?"

"With my permission," He explained, nodding. "It makes sense. Finni is part of me as I am part of him. I hope he'll be able to teach me that spell but right now, I don't have enough magic to use it. I think that's why he took the front seat. I can't use my magic,"

"You were able to use it in battle?"

"Feng lent me his earlier," He explained. "It's slowly recharging but... spiritually I'm weak at the moment,"

"Maybe there's something in Feng's diary that can help?" She suggested, making him frown.

"I can only read it with my spirit eyes and honestly most of it doesn't make sense," He answered, thinking back to how he was reading it. He could read most of it now and there were only a couple of pages left empty but most of what was written were riddles, the odd akuma, some rambles about the end of time itself, something about reality and the ghost festival but then for the last ten pages, there's only one repeated phase. The truth is coming. Even Feng had foreseen Truth. "I thought it would be something helpful but he always writes in riddles,"

"Sounds about right," She giggled before gently placing her hands on his. He looked at her and smiled weakly. "You'll be ok,"

"Thank you, Kitten," He nodded before standing up. "I better get the kwamis settled. See you soon?"

"Yeah. Are you sure you don't want me to look after a box?"

"For now, I think it's best if I keep them all together," He answered, nodding. Though he appreciated the suggestion. She nodded back and offered him a hug. He hugged back before he stepped back. He threw up his yoyo and summoned a backpack before placing them in there. "I'll see if there's a way to connect the boxes to our weapons so both of us can access them,"

"Sounds good to me," She nodded before he swung off and she headed home too. He swung across Paris before landing through his porthole. He took off the bag and took out the boxes before detransforming. He carefully placed them on his shelf, next to Tikki's and Snapp's beds, where Snapp was snoozing before he took out the Wasp Miraculous. He put it on, causing Stingg to manifest.

"Mi-Mistress, I... you're n-not my mistress..." Stingg gasped softly. "I-is she..."

"She is alive," He answered, making the little kwami gasp in surprise. "And free. With assistance, I freed her and made sure Su Han could never control her again,"

"M-my mistress is free," He sniffed. "T-thank you,"

"Your name is Stingg, yes?"

"Y-yes," 

"And what's your concept?"

"D-Domination,"

"Then I, Luka Couffaine, give Stingg, the kwami of Domination, permission to remain outside of their miraculous, even without a holder or a miracle box," He declared, causing the miraculous and Stingg to glow before it disappeared. He took off the miraculous, causing Stingg to gasp as they didn't disappear. "Welcome to your new home, Stingg. Tikki will give you an update on the rules and I'll sort out a bed for you as well in the morning,"

"A-are you ok, Master?"

"Just call me Luka," He sighed before sitting on the bed. "And not really. Master Mila is dead and Master Fu has no memory of any of this. I can't even cry about it or there's a risk I'd get akumatized,"

He looked down as the kwamis began to manifest.

"Anyway... I'm tired..." He whispered, kicking off his shoes and curling up on his bed. He really wanted to cry and let himself feel his grief but he couldn't. He felt so alone. He curled up and closed his eyes as he felt the kwamis flying next to him, gently hugging him and chasing away his loneliness. "... Thank you..."

"Sleep well, young guardian," Vernn stated. "We will be right here,"

~Luka's Mind Hut~

"Luka," Toutai's voice echoed as he gently leaned over the younger mage, who was curled up on the floor. Toutai gently placed his hand on his shoulder, causing him to jolt awake and look around wildly. He didn't think he would have seen him here today, given his lack of spiritual energy but here he was. It can't have been easy for him, considering Feng's energy had long since run out but he pushed through. Toutai frowned as he took a good look at him. He looked tired and drained. Like he was close to giving up. Seeing Toutai, the alert look slowly disappeared. "Luka... are you ok?"

"I..." He started but before Toutai could say anything, tears began to roll down Luka's face. Though he quickly wiped them away. He was clearly trying to hold back his tears but Toutai shook his head.

"Let it out, Luka. There's no akumas here," He reassured, causing Luka to look at him before he began to cry, covering his face with his hand. Toutai moved his arms around him and gently rubbed his back.

"It's ok,"

"I f-feel so alone, T-Toutai," He sobbed, looking up at him. "I... I couldn't save them. I tried but it was too late. I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I should have being able to save them,"

"It's ok, Luka," He reassured. "You didn't fail,"

"B-But Master Fu and Master Mulan... I let your wife die," He sobbed, covering his face again. Toutai let him cry it out, waiting patiently until he had calmed down enough. "Y-you must hate me,"

"I don't hate you, Luka," Toutai reassured

"But I killed Mulan..."

"No, you didn't," He explained. "Firstly, it was that cowardly snake and secondly, she already knew it was her time. My last parting gift to her was a warning of what was to come and when she would finally meet her end. It was fate. You couldn't have stopped it,"

"B-but,"

"Think of it this way, Luka. Instead of death, it was release," He stated, making Luka frown. "She had lived an unnatural life for at least a hundred years. Maybe more. For us, that is normal but she wasn't a spirit. Neverending life for a mortal is a curse but she finally was able to make peace with her pain and is finally able to move to the afterlife,"

"S-so you're not mad?" Luka asked, wiping his eyes. 

"Of course not," Toutai smiled, gently patting his hair. "I'm very proud of you, Luka,"

"Y-you are?" He asked, confused. "Why?"

"Because you passed my test," He stated, making Luka blink. "My trait is compassion. It allows me to use healing magic via touch. The trial you faced today was my trial and you passed,"

"I did? But..." He asked, confused. "How?"

"You could have killed that cobra, let him harm Zoe or even leave her to her fate as a slave to Su Han," He explained, making Luka look at him. "You did not. You chose to protect her from his wrath, you chose to spare his life and when it came to breaking Su Han's influence on her, you chose to do it in a gentle and reassuring way, making sure she wasn't afraid even though she was your enemy. That is compassion in its purest form. Compassion for our friends and family is easy but compassion for our enemies... that's something that most people can't do. Not just that but you stayed with Mulan when she was dying. You could have just left to fight but you saved with her in her last moments and I know you plan to make sure Master Fu is cared for,"

He nodded. He planned to contact Marianne. He hadn't really thought about contacting her since he had met her but he had also come to terms with the fact that he was a witch now. Not just any witch either but the mage. However, he would worry about his own problems once he was sure Fu was ok.

"My point is your compassion is strong and you passed my test," He smiled, making Luka nod. "Only one more test to go now,"

"Khnurn's right?" Luka asked, causing Toutai to nod. "... Can I ask what to expect?"

Toutai's face fell a bit, making Luka frown.

"Is that not allowed?"

"It's not that," He answered, taking a deep breath. "Luka, Khnurn's trait is honesty and I'm afraid that means that his test is going to be hard. You'll have to face the Truth,"

"The Truth... as in..." He whispered. "C-can't I prevent that?"

"I'm sorry, Luka but I can't answer that," He answered before gently placing his hand on his shoulder. "Just remember no matter how alone or vulnerable you feel right now, you're not alone. You have friends, family and allies who care deeply about you,"

"T-thank you, Toutai,"

~A Couple of Days Later~

"Thank you for helping me, young man," Fu stated as Luka carried his suitcase to the train station. He had already gone to Fu's locker and used the key to grab what was in there. Fu had left him a letter and the translated version of the grimoire as well as ingredients and other things to help, like a list of the kwami's favourite foods but he would sort them out later. Right now, he wanted to make sure Fu reunited with Marianne. He wasn't sure if he remembered her but she had agreed to look after him. The train doors opened and she stepped out, causing Fu to gasp in surprise and awe. Though his memories were gone, the emotion of love clearly wasn't. She walked over and smiled softly at him.

"How incredible," He gasped, looking at her like she was the most precious thing in the world. "I've only just first laid eyes on you and yet my heart is beating like I've known you for a long time,"

"You should always listen to your heart," She smiled, gently taking his hands in hers. For a moment, they stared into each other's eyes before she smiled softly. "Why don't you go and settle down? I have something to say to this young man,"

"Of course," He nodded, turning to Luka. "Thank you for your help, young man,"

"You're welcome," Luka nodded before Fu disappeared on the train. "Thank you for coming so soon. I'm sorry I haven't contacted you until now, Ma'am,"

"It's ok," She smiled, gently taking his hands in her eyes. "I know it's hard to come to terms with having magic naturally but you don't need to face it alone. You can contact me but also I wanted to give you something,"

She took out an envelope.

"Since I can't always be in Paris, this is the address of the acting grand mage," She answered. "He can help you,"

"Thank you," He answered, taking it. "Please take care of him, Marianne. Fu... he taught me so much,"

"I will," She promised. "And don't be a stranger ok,"

"I won't," He answered before the final whistle blew and she went on the train. He looked as they took a seat by the window and waved at him as the train departed. He waved back before walking out of the train station and back to The Liberty. Juleka and Rose were practising some music and waved at him when he came back on board. He gave them a small wave but didn't bother going to see what they were doing as he headed back into his room. He frowned as he saw a note on the deck, causing him to pick it up and read it.

Dearest Luka,

I had to borrow the Rabbit Miraculous for a short amount of time

Due to a dangerous situation. Please do not worry.

I have plenty of carrots for Fluff and she will be returned to you

soon.

Stay strong

Sir Rene

Luka sighed and put the letter down before sitting on his bed as he thought about everything that had occurred. In less than 24 hours, he had lost two of the most important people in his life and had become the guardian of two miracle boxes, setting his path on becoming the Celestial Guardian in stone. He knew life was never going to be the same again. The Truth was coming and he wasn't sure if he could stop it. He put his hand on his head and took a deep breath.

"The future isn't set in stone," He whispered to himself. 

~Hawkmoth's Lair~

"I told you not to let her wear it again!" Su Han shouted as Gabriel paced. Nathalie's health was far worse than it had been. She was now bedbound for the foreseeable future and was constantly sick. He had the best doctors look at her but they didn't know what it was. "When I told you that, it wasn't just because I dislike the woman. She can never wear a miraculous ever again!"

"It was fixed!"

"Yes but her soul was still being damaged by it when it was broken!" Su Han shouted, pinching his nose. "She can never wear one again or she will die. Do you understand?!"

"I see," Hawkmoth frowned before he decided to change the subject. "Have you found out anything about Zoe?"

"She is defective," He answered. "I don't know how but that bastard of a mage not only freed her from her training but made it so it can never be done to her again,"

"Mage? So Anatis is the mage,"

"Yes," Su Han frowned. "Your plan to akumatize him is pointless and now he has two boxes. We'll have to have him killed. It isn't the first time I've killed him after all,"

"Killed?!" Hawkmoth growled. "No! I need him alive!"

"What?! You only need his and that mangy cat's miraculous!"

"I want him alive so I can make him watch as I make a wish!" He growled, making Su Han roll his eyes. "He has humiliated me enough. I deserve to make him suffer as I tear apart the world he loves so much!"

"You are a man-child but fine. Have it your way," Su Han declared, leaving. Of course, he wasn't going to keep his promise. The Mage would be dead before the next Ghost festival. Otherwise, all the hard work he put into stealing his wish would be undone. The Yǐnshēnyǐnbì were stood outside, waiting for him. "The boy you saw in battle. The child of the beetle. I want him dead,"

"Yes, Lord Guardian," They all declared before jumping off. Su Han smirked.

"You may be using the Ladybug in this life, Mage but that won't save you,"

[redtippedfox]

Random Timey Wimey fact of the day #2

Marinette is nicknamed Creator of Heroes by the Miraculous Order because she has created more hero’s than the celestial Guardian has in the past 300 years

[celestiall0tus]

Calm Before the Storm - Chapter 5 - Deadly Sins

Beginning || Previous || Next

            Wayhem sighed as he scrolled through the latest from the Agreste brand. He smiled seeing Adrien as radiant and dazing as ever. Though a pang of sorrow hit him as he wished he could have seen Adrien outside of the lovely photos. He had been able to get peeks at Adrien whenever he saw Adrien around, but never had the chance to speak with him like before. It was like Adrien couldn’t see him anymore.

            “Do you want that to change?” Adrien’s voice asked.

            Wayhem gasped and looked around his room. Chills ran up his spine as the air chilled around him. He moved to stand when an imitation Adrien manifested in his room. He screamed and fell back.

            “Who are you?”

            “I’m a friend that can give you exactly what you desire most, and the power to achieve it.”

            “I… I don’t know what you mean.”

            “Oh, Wayhem, I can see right into your heart. You long for him. The boy with hair of sunshine gold, fair and beautiful skin, a voice of angels, all wrapped up nicely with those piercing, hypnotic eyes. But it doesn’t just stop there. Oh, no. You want to know his touch, his embrace, his everything. I can see it. I can feel it.”

            Wayhem blushed. “N-no. No! I don’t want all of that. Well, maybe a little, but… he’s just… just a friend.”

            “Aww, poor thing. Why deny yourself when you could have so much more? Especially when he needs your help.”

            “He… he needs me?”

            “Oh, yes. Adrien has lost his way as he chases that which is lost to him. Would you not want to help save him from himself? Would you not want to show him something better? Something newer?”

            “I… I suppose? And you could help me with that?”

            The imitation Adrien smirked and held out its hand. A belt chain materialized in its palm.

            “What’s that?”

            “A special jewel. With it, a covenant is forged, and a bargain made. Will you accept?”

            Wayhem considered, then took the belt chain and put it on.

            “Good. Shall we get started?”

            “Uh, how do we get started?”

            “Simple. You need only utter the phrase, ‘Libidine, lust.’ Only then will everything be sealed and I yours to use as you wish.”

            Wayhem hesitated. “I… are you sure this will help Adrien?”

            “Of course. I wouldn’t have any reason to lie to you.”

            Wayhem gulped. “Alright. Libidine, lust.”

~~

            Su-Han stopped to rest. He and the remaining Guardians were almost back to Paris. He hoped that they were not too late and they would be able to assist in stopping Hawkmoth. He lamented his missed opportunity when Hawkmoth, or rather Shadowmoth, seized all the miraculous from the temple while he was away. He would be sure to set things right this time. It was his duty as the Celestial Guardian.

            “Your guardianship means nothing anymore, old man,” a man’s voice hissed.

            Su-Han jumped to his feet. “Who’s there? Show yourself, coward!”

            A moment passed before a purple demon kwami materialized.

            “What the-? What kwami are you? Why are you roaming freely? Who was your Guardian?”

            Superbia laughed. “I belonged to no one. Your precious Mage felt it too dangerous to allow me and my fellow sins, and even loathsome virtues, to be created. At least, not without figuring out how to tamper with what we are.”

            “If that is all true, then how do you exist now?”

            “Why, because of Velze. Dear Daddy was brought back. He stripped all mortals of their dominion over us kwamis while giving all kwamis a physical form to inhabit.”

            “What? You lie!”

            “Lying is for the weak, and I am not weak. Everything I say is true. Anything that you once were is a mere memory. You are nothing. Even those teens could beat your sorry butts now. Granted, they all have our favored siblings. Shame. Daddy wasn’t supposed to have any favorites, but we know better.”

            “But… what about Hawkmoth?”

            “Oh, handled almost a year ago. See, you took too long and left everything to a bunch of teenagers that allowed your powers and rights to be stripped away. Now all kwamis are free to roam around and cause all sorts of mayhem as they please. Including little Plagg. My, I wonder what he’d get up to first now that he can use his powers without consequence.”

            Su-Han’s jaw dropped. “What? They didn’t! They wouldn’t!”

            “Oh, but they did. All kwamis are free and you have nothing. Now the world will fall to ruin and there’s nothing you can do about it. Unless.”

            “Unless what?”

            Superbia’s eyes lit up. “Let’s make a deal. You can become my holder, and you’d get access to the greatest of all powers.”

            “But… a Guardian is never meant to use a miraculous,” Su-Han argued.

            Superbia shrugged. “Suit yourself. I’m sure the others will understand.”

            “What others?”

            Superbia didn’t answer, but clapped their hands. Su-Han watched as the remaining four Guardians emerged from the shadow, transformed into demons.

            “What did you do to them?” Su-Han demanded.

            “I didn’t do anything. They made the choice. They choose power and a return to the true order. You can join them. You can gain the power of a kwami and return everything to how it is meant to be. That is, if you’re not scared.”

            Su-Han considered. “This is wrong.”

            “Oh, please. You mortals have such polarizing views. There is no true right or wrong. You allow such ideas to keep you from doing what you feel is good. So, what do you feel is good, Celestial Guardian?”

            “I… I want to keep Order. That is my job.”

            “Then what do you feel you should do?”

            Su-Han reconsidered. “Where is your jewel?”

            Superbia held out his hand as a pair of earrings materialized. Su-Han took a deep breath and put them on.

            “What is your phrase to transform?”

            “Utter the phrase, ‘Superbia, Pride,’ and this covenant will be sealed.”

            “Superbia, Pride.”

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[mymiraclebox]

Miracle Boxes - The Order Generation

These are the third and current iteration of the Miracle Boxes, stretching into the modern day, marked by the forming of the Order of the Guardians and their quest to seek out all Miraculouses. Because of this we see the most change in what Miraculouses are in each box, and unevenly distributed numbers across the Boxes.

The Miraculous War was started by the Guardian of the Successor Box, wanting to unite all Miracle Boxes under one organization. Some Guardians and their holders joined him, forming the Order of the Guardians, while others were declared as rogues and were forced into hiding.

Kwamis had little say in their fate during this time, as the Guardian of the Successor Box had claimed the earthly Soul Gem, using its magic to bind kwamis to any commands that was given to them. The only comfort the kwamis had was that Order of the Guardians were indeed mostly using their power for the protecting of the world, though at the price of the kwamis' freedom.

---

The Forgotten Box - Hidden (Free) Panda Crow Unicorn

While there has been no change what was once known as the Secret Box, on earth this Miracle Box has truly earned the title of "forgotten", being mostly unknown to the world of the magic. The first Celestial Guardian felt that control of this Miracle Box was his birthright, and went out of his way to suppress knowledge of it when he could not find it, leading to only a handful of people knowing of this Box. However with the right questions anyone could learn of this box by forcing a kwami to reveal what they know.

The Mother Box - Tibet to Paris (Order) Ladybug Black Cat Dragon Cobra Rabbit Bee Butterfly Dog Fox Goat Horse Monkey Mouse Ox Peacock Pig Rooster Tiger Turtle

With the Guardian of the Successor Box being one who who formed the Order of the Guardians and started the Miraculous War, it was natural that this Miracle Box became the one with the most kwamis within it. Taking several kwamis originally from the box, he arranged them in the upper box meant to loosely model the concepts of Yin-Yan and Wuxing. For the lower box he took all the kwamis from the Zodiac Box, with them of course being modeled after the Chinese Zodiac. With this box hosting the only two Alphas the Order has, it is fiercely guarded.

The Wandering Box - Wandering the World (Free) Wolf Platypus Phoenix Kangaroo Octopus Sheep Snow Leopard

When the Island Box was first invited to join the Order, this Guardian did not realize what was she was walking into; and upon learning what the Order had done to the kwamis she attempted to back out, but the Order did not just let them walk away. Only managing to escape with three of the twelve Miraculouses she had come with, the Guardian managed to keep the two Alphas of her box. But that only put a bigger target on her back. Knowing that no place was now safe for her, this Guardian took on the habit of constantly being on the move, wandering about the world to protect her Miracle Box, along with taking in other kwamis that had been displaced from their home Miracle Box thanks to the Miraculous War.

The Reclaimed Box - Tibet to Jordan (Free) Pterosaur Tuatara Komodo Parrot Thylacine

The Guardian of the Zodiac Box was the first Guardian to join the Order, though all the kwamis they had once protected were removed from their box, instead their box became home to other Miraculouses they claimed from around the world. While the original Guardian was content in this new found order, their successor was not. Unhappy with the way the kwamis were being treated, this apprentice betrayed the Order, smuggling all the kwamis in the Miracle Box out. He was on the run for many years with the Order hunting him down, and while some Miraculouses were lost in his flight, he still managed to keep the box he reclaimed safe from the Order's hands, along with five remaining kwamis.

The Direction Box - Tibet to New York (Order) Thunderbird Bear Beaver Bison Cougar Coyote Deer Eagle Falcon Goose Locust Otter Owl Rattlesnake Raven Salmon Woodpecker

There were few kwamis actually in the Perennial Box when the Order came to claim the Miraculouses in the Americas, rather the kwamis were living all across the continent among many different people. The Order was able to overpower and take lone Miraculouses, but word spread and the remaining holders began to seek out their Guardians. The Guardian of this box had his last stand in what is now the Navajo Nation, but he knew it was a war they could not win. The remaining kwamis told the Order that they would come, only on the condition that their Guardian kept his title, which was honored. The Order modeled the upper box based their own interpretation of the Medicine Wheel they saw many groups using, and the lower box based on what they believed to be this continent's zodiac, though it actually had little basis in the actual cultures they warred with.

The Hidden Box - Mexico (Free) Firefly Raccoon Feathered Serpent Spider Axolotl Jaguar Llama

This was the Miracle Box initially targeted by the Order when they first came to the Americas, their first attack allowing them to claim half of the Miraculouses within the Box. The Guardian of this Box's escape was narrow, managing to get the Alphas within to safety and to stay in hiding with the Jaguar Miraculous. Becoming impossible to track, the Order turned their attention to the other Miracle Box on the continent. This Guardian also became the shelter for other kwamis on the continent fleeing from the war up north.

The Stranded Box - Brazil (Free) Dinosaur Snail Bat Binturong Blackbuck

Like the other Miracle Boxes in the western hemisphere, the Tropical Box was not spared from the Order's attack; resulting in the death of their Guardian and all Miraculouses within being seized save for the Snail Miraculous, this kwami managing to flee before the Miracle Box itself was claimed as well. This Miracle Box went without a human caretaker after the death of the last Guardian, rather the Snail kwami choosing to avoid humanity in favor of seeking out fellow kwamis. Their numbers are few, and they remain hidden together in the Amazon Rainforest, helping humans when they can, but waiting for a chance to fully return among humanity.

The Enduring Box - Zimbabwe (Free) Griffin Penguin Chameleon Giraffe Gorilla Isopod Okapi Secretarybird Squirrel Zebra

The Order of the Guardians took the Miraculous war to Africa, just like they had in the Americas, the battle for the Miraculouses being just as fierce. While many Miraculouses were lost from the two African Boxes, just as many were reclaimed as well. While their sister Box had been lost, the remaining holders of the Jungle Box managed to drive the Order of the Guardians out of Africa entirely; leaving this box as largest Miracle Box outside the Order's control. Though the free Miracle Boxes don't have an organized group, the Guardians of the Enduring Box are seen as the natural leaders among those who remain outside of the Order.

The Cycle Box - Tibet (Order) Grim Qilin Dragonfly Frog Camel Cheetah Crocodile Elephant Hippopotamus Hyena Jackal Ostrich Pangolin Rhinoceros Scarab Tortoise Vulture

With the Desert Box being the last Miracle Box the Order was able to claim, they were faced with the reality that they were unable to find any Alpha kwamis outside of the Ladybug and Black Cat. So instead Order of the Guardians placed the kwamis of Light and Darkness within this box, declaring them to be an Alpha Duo, a lie the magical world came to believe. The rest of the Miraculouses placed in this box were meant to be modeled after the natural cycles of the world; with the upper box hosting kwamis meant to symbolize day, night, and the three Egyptian seasons; with the lower box embracing the rest of that ancient calendar.

The Season Box - Tibet (Order) Kelpie Aurochs Lynx Ant Crab Dove Elk Gecko Hedgehog Ibex Lion Moth Mouflon Polar Bear Scorpion Seahorse Swan

With their Guardian willing joining the Order of the Guardians, the kwamis of the Constellation Box remained the same as before, their powers now being used against their will to attack other Miracle Boxes and to bring their fellow kwamis under the control of the growing Order of the Guardians. The twelve original kwamis lay in the lower box, based on the western zodiac. Meanwhile the upper box hosts kwamis taken from other boxes, who are meant to symbolize the passing of the seasons.

The Drifting Box - Tonga (Free) Coral Dolphin Jellyfish Narwhal Ray Seal Shark

Like their fellow kwamis around the world, the ones that were once in the Arctic Box fell victim to an attack by the Order with little warning. With all Miraculouses within stolen save for the Narwhal and the Seal, their Guardian cast the box into the sea in a last desperate attempt to protect them. The title 'drifting' was one truly earned, swept away into the sea for many years. Though washed ashore multiple times, the remaining kwamis did not find someone they found worthy until they encountered more of their kind in the tropics, living without a Miracle Box until they were found at sea.

The Frozen Box - Russia (Free) Yeti Red Panda Moose Quail Stoat Wolverine

In the early days of the Order of the Guardians the Mountain Box was numbered among them, their Guardian too wishing to create organization among those who were duty-bound to protect the Miraculouses. But when she saw that this Order was only creating war she knew that she could not stay. There was no epic betrayal or running away in the night, this Guardian simply went on a mission with the Miraculouses she was assigned in tow, and never came back.

---

The Order Generation is the generation of Miracle Boxes that stands today in modern times. But with the Order of the Guardians having been destroyed by Feast nearly a century and a half ago those in the magical world are looking forward to a change. However there are some kwamis that think that this new beginning should be a world without humanity.

---

The Mage Generation of Miracle Boxes

The True Generation of Miracle Boxes

...A new generation?