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b4civility · 4 years ago

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August,7

fanfic based on the “teenage love triangle” on Folklore, “Betty”, “August” and “Cardigan”. Still releasing new chapters, stay tooned!

[NO WARNINGS]

summary: Betty doesn’t realize she is touching James the first time she does so. James doesn’t realize she is everything he wants the first time he paints her sink red. Alisson doesn’t realize she wasn’t part of the plan. August slipped away like a bottle of wine, as quick as it could,staining everything it reaches.

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Chapter 1: Betty

Whenever I have to pack, my head gets cloudy. Always seems like I got everything I need, except that the Object That I Take For Granted But Actually Use Everyday stays behind, like a bath sponge or a coffee pot. I know this will happen, but get a bit of a headache every time trying to fight it. All the boxes in mu checklist are checked, but this anxious feeling still buzzes inside my head.

‘Check under the bed to see if there’s something there’, mom says.

I check. There is, but nothing that belongs to me.

I am moving from a house of girls to another house of girls, but at least I get to have the unspoken individuality of my belongings, the entitlement to my schedule and to have “ I would rather not talk about it” or “I want to keep it to myself” as a legitimate answer this time around. My sisters are pretty sad about it- Skyler says she will miss my closet the most. “ So I am supposed to buy my own earrings now? How much do they cost? Do you try them on at the store? Is it ok if I get them wet by accident or will they be totally ruined?” she shoots at me as I finish packing my jewelry. “ Did you not care to not spill water on my earrings when you wore them?”, I ask, but she just looks away and plays with the ones that are in her ear, that are, too, mine. They are the silver with some dark green balls at the end. I stole them from a fancy boutique when I was 14, igniting my addiction to this accessory. I stole a couple more until the guilt finally kicked in,and then became an expert on finding cheap and not that bad ones at Aliexpress. I’ll just let her have it, looks better with her short hair than with my long one. Even though we have the same kind of curls, mine weren’t as defined as hers when I had short hair. A little bit shorter than the earrings, makes her look so edgy. She loves it.

Eliza, in the other hand, despites my wardrobe, but worships my baking skills. One Sunday or the other we bake together, she makes sour doo biscuits and I bake a cake. This is our stack for the week, and then we try a different recipe for the dessert that day. We have a nice dynamic in the kitchen by now-she hates making cake but loves eating mine and I feel the same way about her biscuits, ans since both of us have a sweet tooth, baking is taken very seriously under this roof.

The four of us get in the car, I get the backseat since Eliza is our official DJ (not that we gave her the title, rather she took it),plus, mom likes her by her side. Never have I ever sat behind the wheels when the entire family was in the car, for some reason mom would always get cautious about it when I asked if I could drive in these situations, even though I have been each and everyone’s chauffeur at some point.

Tomorrow, at this very hour, I would be waking up to none of them. The closest thing to not being a sister I ever had was before I was seven, when Skyler wasn’t born yet, the bedroom was all mine and dad only had one volleyball player in our backyard. The closest thing I ever got to not being a daughter when he left. I was 12, Skyler was 5 and mom was in no condition to deal with her and our loss at the same time. Grandma was around a lot for the next 2 years. I couldn’t say the same about our mother, even up to this date.

So I was reading her body expression, her smile at what my sister was saying about the music she chose, her thin neck, blurred by some hair strands that got out of her pony tale and eventually felt on her shoulders covered by her green cardigan, and how easily breakable her peacefulness appeared. Not because of my departure,no, she has been looking like this everyday since that last day. I don’t believe the other two ever notices that, not when they got their hands full with the colossal mess they make to get their older sister’s attention. It does work, I’m even moving houses because of it;college is just a social-acceptable excuse.

Three hours later we have completed our journey from Mendax to Verum, the college town just 20 minutes away from campus. Five other girls were to live with me, none that I have met yet, but their facebook page tells me I got another Political Science major in the house, two English majors, a biology southmore and soon-to-be-graduated journalist. I sort of hoped I was going to be the first one to arrive so I could get my stuff in place first, not have all the stubbornness that run through my family’s DNA thrown at them as a first impression and possibly bake a Homecoming/Welcome/If My Words Fail Me At Least I Have This Going For Me cake. Plus, I own Eliza this last/ first moment, so I’d ask for her help.

The house was unapologetically pink. The pastel tone suited the wood-revested building very well, so much it felt like Barbie Dream House: College edition. The family house energy of it, the immense porch space, the spacious interior corridors,two livingrooms and the hugh gress space in the backyard were the opposite of what you would expect of a college girls’ residency, yet everything you wish they all looked like. Besides, this was a very prospect location for an off campus party, so I think I got the upper hand with this one.

“ You are in a Barbie movie scenario for your entire graduation. I’m so jealous I can’t barely put it into words” Skyler said, staring at it, blinking as if she was waiting for it to disappear the next time she opened her eyes. “ Yeah,I will be sitting at the porch waiting to see if Ken shows up anytime soon,too.” I answered as I stood next to her, holding boxes. “Yeah, be sure to look very carefully for him at the massive Homecoming barbecue you guys are going to be having in this abnormous big backyard of yours”.So it was that obvious.” But don’t get attached to the first cutie you see, ok? Someone better could be just around the corner... ”. I don’t even want to imagine how her college years are going to be like. Probably a little cooler than mine; she always knows how to make a fun moment even funnier. Is it legal to bring your underaged sibling to a uni party?

“Don’t worry. I’ll keep you in mind whenever I get more-than-two-dates invested in someone here”

Did Skyler really thought that my next romance would just fall into my backyard, like that?

Chapter 2: James

The sound of the wheels rolling on the concrete always get people looking, even when you are far from them. Anyone in top of a skateboard becomes a model in a suburban street, whose streets turn into a red carpet filled with paparazzi. I try to say something like “good morning” or “hello” to whoever I am passing by in an attempt to make my politeness overcome the annoyance of the loud noise, and convince myself that it works. Somehow, I often end up in a situation where it would be better not to be seen: whether is when I am riding my board and I get loud or in places I shouldn’t be attempting to land a trick at, or when I am pointing my camera at someone, trying to get a picture without them noticing. As if it isn’t happening for the hundredth time, I awkwardly pause, try to wave at them so I don’t come out as a stalker and gesticulating an apology all at once. People generally frown and move some place else, as a anyone in their right mind would. But only my headphones come with me for the ride when I know I will be taking The Pink House road. Two years ago I was riding by for the fourth time in the same week - ok, that was pretty stalker-y - getting shots of the house, the thing that struck me at first, and then the feature that actually grabbed my attention: the girls. There were four college girls living there, all who seemed so bubbly,so full of life, so enjoyable to the eye, so hot. By that time I had the count in my head, and one of them was missing. Didn’t mind much, got some rather good photos of Claire, the only one that I(oddly,but actually) knew. We made out at a uni party that I had sneaked in to the year before. As soon as I looked forward, A bloody face jumped in front of me,screaming, scaring me enough so that I felt in the concrete, scratched an elbow and hurting my feet.

“THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU DON’T WEAR PROTECTION PADS!!!!! AND ALSO WHEN YOU ACT LIKE A CREEP FUCK,BASTARD!”

As I pointed my head to the sky, the bloody shadow took away the mask, to reveal the fourth girl missing. “I-I-I’m sorry… I didn’t mean to.. I was just… The house, I-”

“Oh God ,it’s a creepy kid”, she said, throwing a hand to help me get up. “ So just because you are a cute teenager you think you can spy on stranger’s house like that?!?”- she said I was cute- “Yo, it’s no stalker”- kinda was- “just a random kid with a camera. Partially broken camera, you might wanna pick that piece up”. That was the day I met Inez. We got quite acquainted since that day, and photographing a place that you are allowed in got boring after the first two times so we just became friends.

I searched for her, but instead saw a brown girl istead. A new girl. Someone I was not ready to see. I stopped breathing the second she raised her head and I could see her almond eyes better, the spark on her cheeks reflecting the sun. The next thing I knew I had my face on the concrete, with the same elbow scratched, again.

“Shit, are you ok? You're bleeding” she (yes, she!) said to me.

“I-I’m cool, I’m cool… you know,just...whatever, happens all the time and shit...” . My mouth doesn’t know how to work when my brain is in complete shock with the view, apparently.

“You should at least wash it, your elbow could get infected, come on inside” she said, as she held my hand and arm very softly. You could see she was trying not to touch the injury much, but I swear I wasn’t feeling my entire body.

Chapter 3: Betty

“I suppose we should have a first aid kit here, somewhere…”- he’s painting my sink in red as the water runs in the wound. What a way to start. “Eliza, Skyler, help me; you go look if you find anything in the bathroom and you, keep at the kitchen cabinets”.

“It’s on the upper shelf, actually”, he answers.

It was.What the fuck?

“So you live here now?!?!” I hear a voice from behind that isn’t my mother’s. It’s the biology major,even though she is blonder than her facebook pictures.

“I-I-I just… arrived…. I’m sorry he… I was just...” Was I ever going to come up with the right sequence of words to explain that I, a girl she never met, had got into her house with a bleeding,also strange boy and two teenagers running wild looking through her stuff? The chances are beyond unlikely,at its best.

“Not you, I was expecting you- I mean him”, she arched her eyebrows.

“Inez ! long time no see, girl!”, he replies with a sort of laughing, trying to lighten up the mood. I wasn't understanding one bit of what was going on.

“ You couldn’t wait for the party so you just brought it right in yourself, huh? Look at the mess you made in my kitchen! You know, I am leaving here next year so you better make a good impression of yourself for the other girls if you want to keep falling in our doorstep and getting aid”

“I don’t think I’m their first option but I can make it work, never smile at someone and didn’t get a smile back” he says softly, kind of taking advantage of it, as he smiles at Inez, and she tries to hold it, but smiles back. I smile a little bit too, but still- what the fuck is happening?!?!

“ You believe that your white teeth will get you anywhere, don’t you?”

“It got me aid the first time I ever felt in your doorstep. Also got you letting me teach you how to skateboard,which was super cool” he started sounding a little bit more teenager-y. How old was he?

“ I always wanted to skate, you just happened to have a skateboard”. The air in the room was decrisealing chaotic. What he did worked.

“Oh, like we were the only two people here, I am so sorry; hi, I’m Inez, welcome home,Beatrice!” she turns to me, shaking my hand, with a relaxed smile on.

“Thank you, you can call me Betty” He really softened the mood, the words even came out of my mouth normally.

“Ok, sure. I was meant to be here earlier but I had a salon appointment. But you met the house mascot already,so that’s one thing out of the list”- she points at this skater, sitting on the sink- “ This is James, he’s around more than he should. Do you need help? with the boxes?” And then I remembered of my sisters, running loose around the house and my mom, probably on the car outside.

“ My sisters and I got everything by the porch already, there aren’t many”

“Fine, I will just wrap up this skater’s arm in a band-Aid and then I’ll show you your room. Clem is your roommate. You are enrolled in political science too, right?”

“Yeah”

“Nice, I think you two will be quite a match then. James, get your board rolling outta here, you are done, you can stop scarring my new roomate.

“ Thanks, ‘Nez” he hopped out of the sink. “ It was never my intention to scare you. Nice meeting you, Betty” he gives me a quiet smile, looking into my eyes just for a second before looking at the ground. He ran a little bit down the hallway, got on the skateboard and went out of sight. He had this boyish posture, stubborn, unaware of his own size. His broad shoulders moved along with his waist as he strolled away. It was nice meeting you,too,James.

#folklore #taylorstans #taylor swift #original story #betty #august #cardigan #folklorefic august7

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inkgluttony · 6 years ago

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Mask Me Anything: Day 4 and 5

@starlettemagnechalastor

The night has come sooner than Bendy had thought. His tail twitched slightly as he walked down the halls in his suit gown (that was what he was calling it now), nervous. He’d probably stick out like a sore thumb. Even more so with a certain rabbit following him.

Oswald followed Bendy side by side, wearing a dark blue suit, bow-tie, and a mask shaped like the suit of clubs. It was rather strange to have the demon tower over him, but he’d seen stranger. He noticed Bendy frowning and nudged his side.

“Hey Bubba. What are ya nervous about? Yer a demon, ain’t ya? If anythin’, I should be the one scared outta my mind now.”

“... I don’t know... I... never been to an actual party outside the studio before. Well, not that I remember. And I ain’t like most demons. Either I’d die socially if people don’t acknowledge me or dear ol’ Demon Dad of mine finds some way to embarrass me.”

“Ah, don’t worry about it! We’re gonna have the best time of our lives. Us cartoons gotta look out for each otha’, right?” Oswald smiled. The Ink Demon smiled back.

“Fine. Just stick with the story. You’re a demon rebel rabbit in training... and my minion.” Just when the rabbit toon was about to protest, they made it to the Masquerade.

Continued Under The Cut...

The room was amazing if the two boys were to be completely honest. Extravagant with different shade of red. Curtained booths. Winding staircases. It was just like one would expect a dance hall from Hell to be like.

As Bendy slowly walked down the stairs in awe, Oswald took fast time to cheer and slide down the banister, hopping towards the center of the room.

“Now this is what I call a fancy party!” The rabbit cheered, going over to get some refreshments.

Meanwhile, Bubba had made it on the dance floor, apprehensive. He was out of his element. He expected any trace of Beelzebub to show up at the last minute to embarrass him. Possibly even staying. He expected very high class demons surrounding him like piranha. However, none of that happened. No burning signs. Most of the demons seemed normal enough. He would offer a small smile and a wave, but he stayed quiet. Bendy was thrown on a loop. He didn’t know what to do or say that he could or couldn’t do. He didn’t want to cause trouble or be a bother. And most likely, he was the only male wearing a ball gown.

Without a word, Bendy went to one of the booths and sat down with notepad and pencil in hand, writing down his observations...

The night continued on without a hitch. Oswald danced, ate, drank, and mingled here and there whereas Bendy stayed in his seat, already filling up half his writing pad with ideas. He did not eat nor danced yet. And Oswald noticed. The rabbit hopped to Bendy’s booth, putting his hands on his hips and tapping his foot.

“Hey Kingston! What are ya doin’ in the peanut gallery? Yer supposed ta be having fun!”

“I am having fun. Already, I have like ten cartoon ideas in two hours.”

“... Bendy, yer supposed to be goin’ outta the town. Yer the one who got invited, remember?” Oswald sighed. “Look, we might never get the chance to do this ever again. I don’t know exactly what went on with you and yer studio, but I do remember that they’ve been holding you back. Tonight’s the night ya shouldn’t hold back. So I want ya to go out there and dance!”

Bendy blinked through his ink covered eyes. “What’s in it for me if I do?”

“You’ll get to donate our loot to that future orphanage. Also, I heard there’s pizza~” The demon perked up. Doing good AND eating pizza? He was sold.

“I’ll do it. But one dance!” He grabbed Oswald’s money and got up gradually from his seat, looking around. At the moment, the last song was just about finished playing. Bendy saw all the partners dancing with ease and mingling with one another. Why was he so sad? So afraid of expressing himself? Wasn’t he making progress already?

Just when he was about to give up, he heard another song beginning its instrumental. It was slow and steady. Kind of like jazz, but more upbeat. Bubba recognized this song right away. One of the perks of his deal with his fathers was that he was able to listen to different types of new music over the years using a special radio. Although, he preferred the 20s and 30s, the 40s and 50s had a few surprising good hits as well. And this was one of them.

Sighing and closing his eyes, the nine-foot-tall ink demon strut onto the center of the dance floor, glowing ink pooling from his gown and following him. He was unaware that he was currently the only one at the dance floor for this song. Bendy positioned himself for a waltz, holding air like he were to hold a partner. He took a moment, then began to sing as he started his dance.

“I put a spell on you

Because you’re mine”

Bubba’s voice was distinct and clear, a demonic rumble laced with something deep and smooth. He danced to the beat as orange ink swirled around him during his dance. The surrounding ink moved and took shape.

“You can’t stop the things I do

I ain’t lyin’!”

The ink formed multiple general figures paired up into dance partners that proceeded to dance. Bendy paid no heed. He crooned loudly, letting go with the flow of the music.

“I just can’t stand it babe

The way yer always runnin’ around

I just can’t stand it

The way ya always put me down”

The dance floor was mostly covered in dancing ink creatures. It took Bendy to notice, but when he did, he decided to play it cool rather than panic. Best to make a show out of it. He twirled and gathered up all the ink with his feet and tail, soaking it up with each twirl around the dance floor. Once the ink was gathered up and the floor was clean, he stopped his body, curtsied politely and opened up his glowing orange beady eyes, briefly wiping the ink off his face to show them as he smirked.

“I put a spell on you

Because you’re MINE~!”

Not waiting for a reaction, he walked up to the hostess, gave her $700, then headed to the refreshments stand. He had been holding back on his gluttonous urges for too long and he was getting a bit hungry. He was going to eat most of the remaining food if it were the last thing he’d do.

#IC #FundraisingMasquerade #Guest Muse: Oswald #((It's been a while but I've been busy))#((Wanted to add in my part before the event closes))#((Will draw something later))#((Feel free to interact with Bubba or Oswald))

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kathyprior4200 · 8 years ago

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“Royal Pain”- Miraculous Ladybug/Sky High fan fiction (incomplete)

(I do not own any of the characters. All rights belong to Disney and Zag Toons. No copyright intended.)

Chapter 1: The earthquake

Shock. That was the feeling that ran through the students and teachers at the local high school. It started out as a sunny day like any other in Paris, France. Marinette grudgingly rose out of bed with a yawn and a stretch of her arms. From outside her window, there was a spectacular view of blue sky, green trees lining the ground, and the Eiffel Tower in the distance, reaching proudly into the air. Her room was decorated in girlish colors of white and light pink, from the rugs, to her bed, to the walls, and even her computer. What stood out was a poster of her classmate and love interest Adrien. Short blond hair cropped his head and his grass green eyes were enough to make her heart melt. He wore a black shirt and a white jacket, with his right arm lifted behind his head in a model pose. She smiled and stared at the poster dreamily.

A squeaky voice came from her pink clap bag, “Good morning Marinette!” She unclasped the pouch and a small creature floated out of it. “Same to you, Tikki,” she smiled at her. Tikki had a round head, big blue eyes with eyelashes and little arms and legs. She was red with black spots like a ladybug with two thin antennae to complete the look. “Come on, you don’t want to be late for school, do you?” Marinette turned away from the poster after a moment and said, “No I guess not.” She went over to the bathroom to brush her teeth and comb her short black hair. Soon, she was dressed in her usual attire: pants, a white shirt with small pink flowers on it and a dark gray jacket. Just as she was finishing pulling her hair in two ponytails, she heard her parents call her from downstairs. “Marinette, breakfast is ready!” “Coming!” she called back. Tikki smiled at her one last time before flying into the pouch once more. She reached to her left ear to touch one of her circular ladybug earrings she wore. One never knew when the world would be in danger and she would need to call on her powers.

Her mother and father were smiling at her as she made her way to the table. Her father, Tom, had a big build with dark hair and a mustache. Sabrina had short black hair, a Chinese look to her appearance, and a sweet personality. A croissant, scrambled egg, two strips of bacon, and a glass of orange juice waited for her. “Good morning Mom,” she said happily, giving her a hug. She embraced her father before sitting down to eat her breakfast. “How is work coming along?” she asked her dad. “Great so far,” he replied. “Sold several rolls and croissants at the bakery yesterday. One woman bought a handful of pastries for her child’s birthday and the look on her son’s face was the sweetest thing.” “I’m so glad,” Marinette smiled, along with her mother. She finished her morning meal and grabbed her pink backpack by the door. “Bye, Mom, bye Dad!” she called. “Goodbye sweetheart, see you soon,” said her mother. “Be sure to help me at the bakery this weekend,” said her father. “We’ll do!” said Marinette, as she went out the door.

Soon enough, she arrived at the front of the school. “Hey girl!” rang a familiar voice. “Alya!” exclaimed Marinette, waving at her friend. Alya had reddish blond hair, black glasses and wore a plaid shirt. “How’s it going?” she asked. “Same as usual,” said Marinette. “I finally completed my science paper last night; not much fun. I also came up with an idea for boots for the winter.” She reached into her backpack to take out her sketchpad. It showed a drawing of black stylish boots with sparkles on the front and sides. Fake black fur lined the top edge. “Very fancy!” replied Alya, examining the drawing. “Do you think I should put fake fur inside to help with warmth? Or maybe tone down the sparkles? Maybe I should try making one for men…” “I think it is a great idea,” mentioned Alya. “You can always test them, or go back to fix it later.” “That’s the thing about fashion design,” said Marinette, “The ideas, and stress never end.” ‘So true,” Alya added. “Guess what? I got another glimpse of Ladybug for my Ladyblog…” “Yeah…” Marinette answered nervously. Alya continued, “She them came to me for an interview and then…” “Oh, it’s Adrien!” Marinette interrupted. A black limo pulled up to the curb and out stepped Adrien. Marinette found that she could not move her feet forward. “Go on, Marinette,” said Alya, giving her a playful push. “You are brave, you got this.” “Got what?” she asked, still blushing. Alya giggled and pulled her forward. “Oh hey Marinette,” said Adrien with a small smile. “Hi Adrian, it’s nice to see you again…I mean not again, since it’s the first time today…” Alya giggled again and Adrien did not mind her stuttering. “It’s great to see you too,” replied Adrien. “Would you like to hang out sometime?” Marinette asked. At this point, her cheeks were rosy pink. “I have fencing practice this afternoon, plus homework. We could try hanging out…” “Hi Adrikins!” The high-pitched feminine voice came from Chloe, Marinette’s self-centered rival.

Chloe ran up to him and pushed Marinette out of the way. Her spectacled sidekick hastily wrote down the last answer to Chloe’s math assignment. “Hi Chloe,” said Adrien politely. “What brings you here?” “No need to get nervous around me,” she said sweetly, “Unlike some people around here…” She briefly glared at Marinette who clenched her fists. “So, do you want to go shopping this weekend, just you and me?” she asked with a flutter of her eyelashes. In the distance, Marinette stuck out her tongue in disgust. Adrien moved his head back as Chloe leaned closer. “I would…love to, Chloe, but I have…modeling to do.” “You always say that,” she mentioned. “I’ll come with you. It will be so romantic!” Marinette started to march forward, but Alya held her back with her arm. Just then, Adrien’s buddy Nino waved at him, while listening to music from his orange headphones. Clearly relieved, Adrien said, “I have to go. My friend is waiting for me.” He rushed over to him, leaving both Chloe and Marinette surprised and somewhat sad. The awkward silence was broken when Sabina tried to stifle a gasp. “Oh no…I don’t think got this problem right.” Chloe rounded on her friend, anger in her eyes. “You think that the problem isn’t right?! You were supposed to make sure that all the problems are right!” “I’m sorry, Chloe, I’m fixing it right now.” “You better! I want my weekend to be free so I can hang out with Adrien!” They continued on up the stairs, Marinette walking with Alya, upset. “It’s not fair!” growled Marinette with a stomp of her foot. “Why does she always get in the way of everything?” “It will be fine,” said Alya, putting her hand on her shoulder. “Call him after school and see if he would like to see you. I bet he would.” A small smile appeared on Marinette’s face. “Thank you, Alya.” “Anytime girl! I’ll show you my blog after class!”

Moments later, Marinette was staring out the window in her boring chemistry class. Her teacher was the main source of the mundane atmosphere, rather than the information itself. “Your projects will be due on October 4th in class,” she explained. “I expect an engaging presentation from each group and quality research papers to go with it. Mylene, no cell phones in class!” A short blond girl wearing a colorful hat, hid her phone out of sight. The teacher marched over and held out her hand. Mylene clutched her phone to her chest, not wanting to let go. “Don’t make me ask you again, Mylene. Pay attention in this class or go to the principal’s office. Rules are rules.” Sadly, Mylene slowly placed her phone in her hand and stared at the floor, sadly. “Being a dumb loser as usual, I see?” Chloe scoffed, enough for Mylene to hear. Sabrina giggled alongside her. “Shut up, Chloe,” Marinette shot back. “That’s enough,” said the teacher, a stern look on her face as usual. “Time to get back into focus. Now, reviewing the chemical compounds of oxygen, and hydrogen from yesterday, mixed with these new chemicals listed here…” Marinette drowned out the rest of the lecture. As strange as it was to admit, she missed transforming into Ladybug with Tikki to save the city. In fact, it had been months since she and Cat Noir had fought a villain, and the last time was against a selfish Volpina, who was Lila without powers. Marinette wasn’t sure who was worse: spoiled Chloe who adored Adrien, or lying Lila who wanted to get Adrien’s attention. “I have your lab partners listed on this piece of paper I am holding. Marinette will be working with…” ‘Please not Chloe, please be Adrien, please not Chloe, please be…’ “Alya.” The teacher stated. Marinette breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn’t Adrian like she hoped, but at least she would be working with her best friend. “Chloe will work with Sabrina…” Chloe’s face was in a pout, but she didn’t complain. Sabrina did not seem disappointed at all; she was used to doing her homework, sometimes on a daily basis. “Adrien will work with Nino, and Ivan with Mylene.” Nino and Adrien high-fived and Marinette saw Mylene and Ivan smile at each other.

The teacher stood at her desk, which displayed glass beakers and jars full of colorful liquids. She put on protective goggles and blue rubber gloves as she demonstrated the correct way to mix various chemicals together. “That is the correct way. Now doing something like this…” she opened an old bottle of perfume and hovered it over the round beaker, “…is not how it is supposed to be done. She briefly poured the contents in and added some drops of the perfume. The contents exploded with a bang, and the ground shook for several seconds. Then, just as fast as it came, it stopped. The class stared in awe and fear. Even the teacher was surprised at the impact. “Well, there you have it. Pages 15-20 reading notes are due next week and…” She was interrupted by another sudden shaking from the ground. This one started as a rumbling, but gradually seemed to get faster. It could only mean one thing…

“Earthquake!” screamed Chloe, causing the rest of the students to run around in panic. “Everyone calm down!” yelled the teacher over the noise. Ivan and Mylene were huddled together in a corner. “Everyone, get under your desks and chairs, fold your arms over your head and stay away from the windows. I will get the janitor and he will open the underground shelter behind the school.” The class did as they were told, and the teacher ran to get help. Glass beakers crashed to the floor, spilling liquid in huge glops. Oddly enough, Marinette was not terrified. She stood up and ran out the door. “Marinette, where are you going?” called Alya. “I am going to come back and help…er, get some more help! Stay there!” Marinette ran to a handrail to catch her breath. Other students and teacher were running outside to other shelters nearby. “Come on out, Tikki,” Marinette said, after looking around to make sure no one was watching. She opened her pouch and Tikki flew out of it. “What’s going on?” she asked, sensing her owner’s distress. “I don’t know,” she answered. “This villain, whoever it is, must be close by. You know what this means? Time to transform!” Her earring miraculous briefly shone in the light before she commanded, “Tikki, spots on!” The ladybug kwami flew into her earring before Marinette transformed into Ladybug. Her outfit changed from regular clothes into a skintight red body suit decorated with black spots. A red mask appeared around her eyes after she moved her hands. A matching yo-yo was around her hips, ready to use as a weapon, or to help with movement and reaching high places. She felt a familiar rush of confidence and courage that she didn’t seem to possess in her normal state. Feeling rejuvenated, Ladybug flipped over holes in the gym floor that were not there before, and rushed outside.

Ladybug looked to the left, and then to the right. Chaos was everywhere: cars were hoisted up by chunks of cobblestone rising, tree branches fell to the sidewalk with a loud snap, people were dodging pieces of concrete, raining from some buildings. No sign of a villain. ‘Did Stoneheart get an invisible upgrade?’ thought Ladybug, thinking of the Hulk-like villain made of rocks she had fought in the past. Before she could look further, she heard yells from inside the school. She raced back up the stairs, careful not to trip over the cracks along the way. She skidded to a stop when she saw the janitor and her chemistry teacher. The woman, usually appearing emotionless and strict to her classmates, now had a look of terror on her face. She held onto the handrail as the ground shook again, as if it were a lifeline. “Ladybug! You’re here!” called the janitor. “I need to get my keys, but I can’t get to my office.” There was a gaping hole in the floor that kept the janitor from getting to his room…and it was growing wider. The door was on the ground off its hinges from the force of the earthquake. “Leave it to me,” said Ladybug. Taking out her yo-yo, she took aim and threw it inside, where it wrapped around a pole that held up a rack of cleaning supplies. She jumped and swung into the tiny office space.

Ladybug looked around the area and spotted many things; a small desk chair and a computer to the right, a closet consisting of mops, buckets, cleaning solutions, and a large sink. On the wall, hanging from silver hooks were… “The keys!” Ladybug exclaimed, running over. ‘Which ones?’ she frantically asked herself, as she looked at the different keys of many shapes and sizes. Ladybug heard a noise from above and looked up. Black cracks snaked across the ceiling, like angry tree branches. Wasting no time, she grabbed all the keys and ran back to the hole. She held the keys tightly in her hands and ran as fast as she could. Time seemed to slow down as she leaped across the hole. She landed safely on the other side and handed the keys to the janitor, before he rushed outside. Ladybug led her teacher back to the classroom, before the floor collapsed where she had stood moments before. With the superhero leading the way, the teacher regained her composure. They hurried back to the classroom, only to find that the desk had been thrown in front of the door, blocking their way. Yells and pleas for help could be heard from the classroom. Ladybug turned the doorknob as hard as she could, but the door would not budge. She tried pushing the door and kicking it, but it remained in the same place. Even worse, she did not see any of her scared classmates get up to lift the desk out of the way.

Adrien waited outside, searching for signs of a villain. He had rushed out soon after Marinette, much to Chloe’s horror. He did not see any villains anywhere, nor Marinette. What was going on? He heard a rustling sound coming from a nearby trash can and went over to investigate. The shaking of the ground made him stumble and fall, but he quickly got back up. A foul stench reached his nostrils and he plugged his nose. Floating from the trash can was another creature similar to Tikki. This one, however, looked like a black cat, with bright green eyes, a tail, black pointed ears, and three antennae protruding from his face. The rotten smell had come from a piece of Camembert cheese that the creature was eating in delight. “Plagg!” Adrien exclaimed, shocked and disgusted at the same time. “I was wondering where you were.” “For your information, I was in here enjoying my favorite food. You are missing out,” he replied without a care in the world. Adrien let out a frustrated sigh. “You are missing out on an earthquake that’s going on right now, with my classmates in danger and…” Another spine-shattering shake caused Adrien to hold on to the trash can for dear life. “We have to figure out where the villain is and get everyone to safety!” “Can I enjoy my lunch in peace first?” Plagg asked. “Not until we save everyone, buddy,” Adrian replied. “Plagg, claws out!” “But I am safe in here…” cried Plagg as he was sucked into Adrian’s black ring that displayed a glowing green paw print. Adrien’s outfit changed into a black body suit, complete with a tail, black cat ears, and a black mask around his eyes. His silver staff weapon was by his side. The feeling of freedom and confidence spread through him like adrenaline, moving him forward back to the classroom inside.

“Hey m’lady!” he greeted, as he arrived. “Cat Noir! Thank goodness!” said Ladybug. “Glad to see you, your presence has got me shaking all over,” joked Cat Noir. Hiding a blush and a giggle, Ladybug said, “No time for puns! The class is stuck inside and the desk is blocking the way…” “Cataclysm!” shouted Cat Noir, before giving Ladybug a chance to finish. He placed his hand on the door and dark bubbling energy spread from his hand. The door and desk were engulfed in darkness, then fell away completely with a crumble. “Everyone, follow me to the shelter, hurry!” called the teacher. The students came up from the floor and hurried after their teacher, some stumbling and leaning against the handrail, or the wall for support. Mylene sang her childhood song, “Smelly Wolf” to calm herself down, much to Chloe’s annoyance. She suddenly shrieked as the floor collapsed from under her feet. Ladybug tossed her yo-yo, hoping it would catch her. Thankfully, Ladybug’s yo-yo wrapped around her arms, stopping her fall. “It’s okay, we got you,” said Ladybug. Ladybug pulled her up with the strong as steel yo-yo string and Cat Noir helped lift her to the ground, safe. Together, they quickly joined their classmates and teachers outside.

Ladybug weaved her way through the crowd of students, (not hesitating to elbow Chloe in the rib along the way) and met up with the janitor. He was fumbling with the lock on the trapdoor, a desperate look on his face. “I tried every key that I have, and the lock is stuck. We have to get in!” “Have you tried the other underground shelters?” Ladybug asked. “All full!” he cried. Sure enough, the other staff and students were safe down below in other shelters around the school. Ladybug wondered why she had not noticed them before. The world was falling apart around her; she was running out of time.

“Lucky charm!” cried Ladybug, throwing her yo-yo in the air. A red and black object fell into her hand. “A paperclip? What am I supposed to do with this?” “I don’t think that is for homework assignments,” said Cat Noir half-heartedly, trying to lighten the situation. In Ladybug’s mind, the paperclip and then the lock flashed red with black spots, as if leading her to a clue. “I’ve got it!” she said. She broke the paperclip so that a sharp end stuck out from the rest. She stuck the point into a hole in the lock and fiddled. “Come on, come on!” she muttered. The school was starting to crumble and many of the students ducked as bricks started to fall. “Got it!” she said triumphantly as a loud click sounded. Cat Noir and Ladybug held open the doors as the class rushed down the ramp into the dark space. Thankfully, there was just enough space for everyone to fit. “Miraculous ladybug!” cried Ladybug, throwing the paperclip into the air. It disappeared into a sea of dark pink sparkles. Ladybug breathed a sigh of relief, thankful that everything would magically be back to normal like always. Yet, the shaking continued, and the school was crumbling fast. “Get in, Ladybug!” someone yelled, awakening her from her state of utter shock. With no other choice, Ladybug followed Cat Noir in. Together, they closed the trapdoor just as the school walls crashed to the ground.

Everyone huddled close as the ground shook some more. Beeping sounds came from the superheroes’ miraculouses, signaling that they were detransforming. They went into separate corners and transformed back into their regular selves and clothes. “Better get you some food after this is over,” whispered Marinette to a tired Tikki.” “Thanks a lot, Adrien, you made me miss my happy meal,” grumbled Plagg. “Keep it down,” replied Adrien with a sigh. “Adrien, Marinette!” said Nino. “You are safe! How did you get down here?” “We followed all of you here,” replied Marinette. “Where is Ladybug and Cat Noir?” asked Ivan. “They, um,” stuttered Marinette. She moved her lit up phone and came across a hole in the wall, big enough for a person to crawl through. “They crawled through there…to check to see if any other people were outside.” “Wow, they are amazing!” said Alya. “I wish I had gotten this on my Ladyblog!” “They are so brave,” sighed Chloe. Any other conversation was drowned out by the noises of the earthquake. The ground and the walls shook some more, and several people were worried that the ceiling would collapse on them. Then, at last, an eerie silence followed.

Chapter 2: The aftermath

��Is…is it over?” Alya asked to no one in particular in the pitch black.

“Yes, I think so,” said Nino.

“Gross! There is dirt all over my skirt and shoes. I’m blaming you, Marinette!” scoffed Chloe.

“I didn’t do anything,” Marinette replied coldly.

“Can we go home now?” whimpered Mylene.

“I can’t believe we survived that,” mentioned Ivan. “That was awesome!”

“If you mean almost getting crushed to death by debris or falling into a hole, than yeah,” remarked a gothic-like student, Violet; sarcasm in her voice.

“Will everyone please stop fighting and be patient?” asked Adrien. Everyone recognized the popular teen’s voice and became silent.

The chemistry teacher used the opportunity to turn on a flashlight. It lit up her face in a creepy way, as if she was going to tell a ghost story. Of course, that was the last thing on her mind at the moment. “All right, I want all of you to be quiet and stay here for a few more moments. The janitor and I will go up first to make sure it is safe. If so, you can call your parents and go home. The room filled with relaxed sighs. “You still have your assignments to do, do not forget.” Just like that, the positivity of the students vanished. She slowly opened the door. The bright light from the outside world was blinding, and several students closed their eyes. The teacher left the shelter, with the janitor following behind.

The space got silent again. Some students were anxious to get home to see their families. Others were scared at what damage and potential dangers lay beyond the trapdoor. Marinette squinted in the darkness. Was that Alya and Nino holding hands? ‘It would be cute if they were,’ thought Marinette. ‘Or maybe my eyes are playing tricks on me.’ “I’m hungry” moaned Nino. “I was going to eat my lunch, but I think someone threw it away!” “Oops,” said Chloe rudely, loud enough so that he could hear her. “That rotten, evil brat,” growled Marinette. “If only I could find her in the dark.”

After what seemed like an eternity, the chemistry teacher came back. “It is safe,” she said, but her face showed deep concern. One by one, the students filed out, staring at the ground as if it were made of glass and would shatter any second. Marinette squinted in the sunlight, waiting for her eyes to adjust. When her vision cleared, a horrible sight lay in front of her. What was once a proud high school, with arched windows, a clock tower in the center and a glass structure on the roof, now lay in large scattered pieces on the ground. Desks, tables, lockers and other items were knocked over. Cracks and holes littered the sidewalk and street like gaping wounds. Surprisingly, only with a few dents here and there, the Eiffel Tower nearby was still intact.

At once, several students jumped for joy and chanted, “No more school for us!” The more mature ones, however, looked on in disbelief. Police cars and ambulances arrived at the scene, checking on the students and searching for survivors among the rubble. Thankfully, no one appeared to be badly injured. Not long after, parents came in cars, trucks, and other vehicles to pick up their kids. All the teachers chattered nervously amongst themselves. “Mr. Damocles,” asked Adrien. “When will the school be back open?” “Hopefully soon once it gets fixed,” he replied, stress evident in his eyes. “It will take a while, I’m afraid.” ��He’s right,’ thought Marinette. ‘Without school days, I won’t be able to catch up with homework! Well, at least I can spend more time with Adrian…wait, what if his father homeschools him and forbids him from seeing me? He will only see Chloe and they will fall in love, and he will forget that I exist and then…’ She slapped her hand to her forehead. “I really need to stop worrying so much.” She peaked into her pouch and saw Tikki, still exhausted. “I’ll get you some food soon,” said Marinette.

She looked up and saw Adrien. “Hey,” she said, nervously rubbing the back of her neck. “Hey,” said Adrien, not as nervous, but outgoing like he was earlier that morning. “So…are you doing alright?” “Yes, I’m fine,” said Marinette. “Same here,” he said, even though they both knew they were emotionally drained from the previous events. “Well, that was something you don’t see every day,” mentioned Marinette, referring to the earthquake. “No kidding,” he said. “I am glad that everyone is alright. I will miss all of you for a while.” “I will miss you too,” said Marinette. “Why do your parents have to be so strict?” “I don’t know,” he sighed. “It is hard to understand them, especially my father. Ever since, my mother disappeared long ago, he has not been the same.” They stepped over a large crack in the sidewalk and waited. “You are not going shopping with Chloe are you?” Marinette asked. “Good heavens no,” said Adrien with a brief grin. Marinette couldn’t help but smile herself. “Even if I wanted to, my father probably would not let me out of the house, especially after what happened. It’s not that he is over-protective, he just…wants to keep me in line when he is not busy at work.” Imagining what it may have been like for Adrien; feeling lonely, even with his popularity as a model, feeling like his father never cared about him…it was too much. She was tempted to give him a hug, but she didn’t want to make the situation more awkward than it already was. “Just so you know, I am here for you if you feel lonely. You are one of my best friends, and I am so lucky to have a cute…I mean cool friend in my life…you know just as friends.” She smiled nervously again. “I’m lucky to have you as a friend, too,” said Adrien. As they looked into each other’s eyes, the rest of the world faded away. For a moment it was just the two of them, and everything was quiet, peaceful, the sunlight illuminating each other’s faces. They leaned in, faces inches away…

“There’s my father,” he said solemnly, breaking the trance. “We will keep in touch,” said Marinette, trying to hide her disappointment. “Of course. See you around,” he said with a wink before jogging to join his family. Marinette blushed at the fact that Adrien had just flirted with her. The black limo glided smoothly on the clear areas of the road. Marinette watched as Adrien met with his father’s black-haired assistant, who gave him a nod. There was no definite reaction from his tall, blonde father, but in his face was a mixture of fear and relief that his son was alright. She would not be surprised if Adrien’s household had an elaborate underground basement with bunkers and survival items in case of an apocalypse. Adrien and his family got in the limo. Adrien smiled apologetically at Marinette through the window before the limo drove out of sight. A dreadful thought crept to her head that turned to panic. ‘My parents!’ thought Marinette. ‘I better go see if they are alright!’ With her backpack still on her back, Marinette made her way back home.

Anxiety spread through her veins as she walked along the street. Usually around this time, people would be hustling and bustling around the city. Fashionistas would show off their colorful outfits, shopkeepers would sell their latest products and dogs would happily walk alongside their owners. Now, however, the place was deserted, save for families tending to their children, handymen and women already at work, planning on how to repair the streets, windows, and buildings. At last, Marinette saw the familiar white building with a bakery in the front that was her home. Thankfully, there was little damage, but her heart dropped when she saw a gap in the bakery store window. She rushed inside into the living room.

Books, picture frames and other items were scattered on the floor and several dents had damaged the wooden floor. Marinette’s mother was busy picking up the objects that had fallen and rearranging the furniture. “Marinette, sweetheart, thank goodness!” she exclaimed as they rushed in for a hug. “It was pretty scary,” said Marinette, “but thankfully, there were shelters that I helped…the teachers help lead the students to. It will take a while for the school to be repaired, though. And I still have homework to do!” “Oh dear, I’m so sorry,” said her mother. “At least you are safe now.” Marinette quickly got to work, helping with strengthening up the room. “If only you were this dedicated when it comes to cleaning your room,” mentioned her mother. “Mom,” she groaned, rolling her eyes like the adolescent she was. “How is Dad?” Marinette asked. Her mother looked concerned. Marinette looked around. “He’s not…” “No, he is alive,” said her mother, followed by a sigh of relief from Marinette. They walked into the bakery and Marinette could tell that this was the area that took the most damage. Along with the gap in the window, pastries of all kinds were sprawled on the floor, flour coated wooden surfaces like frost. Her father was resting on a chair in the corner. “Dad!” exclaimed Marinette. “Marinette, you’re alright!” Marinette hugged him and he winced in pain. “Are you alright?” she asked, pulling back. She looked at his left ankle which was in a cast. “I twisted it when I tripped over a crack in the floor.” Marinette could see the dangerous crack he was talking about. “After ducking under the table, trying to get away from all the glass, you mother rushed in and helped me move to a safer spot in the living room.” “It could have been much worse,” mentioned her mother. ‘No kidding’ thought Marinette. Her father looked around the place with stress in his face and demeanor.

“I am afraid that it will take several days of repair to get this place running again. I hope that we can make more fine desserts to lift the spirits of our customers.”

“I’m sure we can,” Marinette said with hope in her voice, putting a hand on her father’s shoulder.

“Marinette told me that her school was damaged by the earthquake and that it would take a while to get it repaired as well.”

“I’m sorry to hear that, Marinette,” he said.

“And I still have homework to do too!” she groaned.

“You will be fine,” said her mother. “We all will. All we have to do is work together and get through this. That’s what families are for.”

“Yes, you’re right.” Marinette added, feeling comforted by the presence of those she loved.

Over the next several days, Marinette was busy at work, rearranging the bakery, guiding her father from sofa to chair and back again, and cleaning the rooms with her mother, (except her bedroom, of course.) Not long after, the bakery was back in business, this time with Marinette and her mother taking customer’s orders. “I’ll have deux croissants, and a clafoutis, s’il vous plait.” “Coming right up!” said Marinette. She carefully pulled out the crescent shaped rolls from the oven and wrapped them up. The cake piece with berries baked inside came soon after. “Merci, Marinette!” the woman beamed, before giving her money and leaving. Marinette’s father looked on from his chair, his foot now in a boot. The pain did not stop the warm feeling he felt, watching his daughter grow up. “I’m so proud of you. Marinette.”

Doing her homework was the hard part. Somewhat traumatized by the earthquake, her friends and classmates had kept to themselves, either lost in their lives, or fear of another disaster. The longer she worked on her chemistry research, the less motivated she felt. Pulling out her notepad, Marinette began sketching more ideas for clothing and hats. Hours later, wads of paper were piled up in the trash, and a tired Marinette lay on her bed. The feeling of shock during the earthquake was long gone, but boredom had taken its place. Most of all, Marinette felt lonely. It settled in her stomach like a hunger that she could not fill. She stared at her poster of Adrien again. ‘I wish we could see each other again.’ Several times, she checked her phone to see if Alya wanted to work on her project, but there was no reply.

“Is everything alright, Marinette?” The voice came from Tikki, who had been fed enough food several days ago. “Yeah, I guess,” Marinette answered, staring at the ceiling.

“You still have plenty of time to get your homework done, even without Alya. Maybe you can get a head start.”

“I would if I were more motivated,” said Marinette. “And if the subject were more interesting.”

“I’m sure you can figure something out,” said Tikki.

“I just want life to go back to what it was before. I miss seeing all my friends, I miss becoming Ladybug, I miss…Alya and Adrien.”

“Wait a second!” Marinette said, sitting up. “Why didn’t the Miraculous Ladybug work and repair everything? It always works after I do my lucky charm.” “I don’t know,” replied Tikki. “You are not sick, are you?” Marinette asked.

“No, of course not. I have lived for thousands of years, and the charm always works. Maybe because it only works if you are fighting villains and not natural disasters.”

Marinette sighed. “Well, at least everyone is safe now. Hopefully, I won’t have to worry about any more villains or disasters for a while.” “How am I supposed to further my education without going to school?” she asked. “The school should be open in a few months, Marinette. Just be patient.” After a moment, Marinette slumped in defeat.

“You’re right. I have to get through this. If only I could become Ladybug again and maybe go to school…wait…”

With an idea forming in her head, Marinette rushed back to her laptop and started typing. “What are you doing?” asked Tikki, now curious.

“What if I don’t have to miss out on anything? I could learn more things, while also being Ladybug!”

“So…are you saying…” Tikki asked confused.

“I could go to a secret superhero school!” Marinette exclaimed with excitement.

Tikki looked stunned. “But Marinette, you already do fine, fighting villains on your own, plus you are a great student!”

“Yes I know, but I could help save the world again and be better prepared. Plus, Cat Noir could decide to go there!”

“Your parents still need your help,” Tikki countered. “They would never let you go to another school by yourself!”

Moments later, in the living room, Marinette explained her idea, obviously leaving out the superhero part. “That’s sounds like a great idea,” said her mother. “Going to a nearby school as a transfer might help you get caught up.” “We still need as much of your help as possible,” added her father. “My foot is getting better, but an extra helping hand would not hurt.” “No problem!” Marinette stated. “Do you need any help signing up?” asked her mother. “Which school do you plan on transferring to?” “I’m still looking,” Marinette said. “Okay, just let us know if you need any help,” said her father. “We’ll do!” Marinette called as she went back upstairs to her room. Tikki floated out of the pouch again. “Well that worked out better than I thought it would,” she said. “Come on, let’s go school searching!” beamed Marinette.

In a white, gated mansion, across from the Eiffel tower, Adrien sat on a white couch in his room, throwing a basketball in the air and catching it. A rock climbing station stood next to a library on the second floor. A Foosball table, an arcade station, skateboard ramps, and a basketball hoop were also present. Fencing banners and trophies decorated the room. Here, Adrien had everything a teenage boy could dream of…yet he could not have been more miserable. Now that Adrien was off from school, waiting for it to be repaired, he went back to his daily schedule his mother gave him. One could imagine the most mundane lecture in school, and it would not compare to the lessons his father gave him. The Agreste mansion, seemingly pleasant to visitor’s eyes, felt like a cage to Adrien, albeit a comfortable one.

At this moment, his ‘lessons’ were over and now he had free time to himself. He placed the basketball down and walked over to the window. The sky was now cloudy, with shades of white and dark gray. The leaves blowing in the wind hinted at autumn around the corner. Adrien closed his eyes, as if opening them would make his friends and loved ones appear.

He and Chole were still close childhood friends. He almost regretted not going shopping with her during the weekend. Then again, the earthquake had disrupted the normal routines of everyone who had witnessed it. Chole was also very clingy towards him; something he was glad he did not have to deal with at the moment.

Nino was fun to hang out with, as usual; he wished he could hang out with him more. If anything, he was the closest guy friend Adrien had. Adrien wondered if he would mix a track about the earthquake once school got back in session.

Marinette and Ladybug. He was starting to miss them, especially Ladybug. Once again, he had flirted with her in front of the blocked classroom, and was pleased that he had managed to make her blush. While he had cleared the path, Ladybug helped out the rest of the way. Thankfully, he was able to transform in the shelter just before time had run out. He looked for Ladybug afterwards, but she was nowhere to be found. Then there was that moment when they were waiting for his parents to pick him up. Marinette had comforted Adrien about life with his parents, and he had appreciated the genuine act. As pretty as Marinette’s blue eyes were when he stared into them, it was awkward at the same time. If both of them were in a trance at that time, Marinette was deeper into it. Certainly, they were best friends, but…did Marinette have other feelings for Adrien?

Last, he thought of his mother. He still remembered the beautiful blonde hair, he pointed chin and her bright green eyes. She never would have disappeared for no reason. He missed her very much; even more, he longed to have a closer relationship with his father. Yet, with her gone, he could not see the distance between him and his father closing anytime soon.

“Why so bored?!” yelled a black blur that suddenly appeared in his vision. Adrien yelped and stepped back. His wide eyes narrowed when he saw Plagg floating in the air, laughing his giant head off. “Plagg, for the love of Paris, stop scaring me like that!” Plagg loved to play pranks on Adrien. “Hey, I was bored too! What else am I supposed to do?” Adrien sighed. “I don’t know, go eat your smelly cheese somewhere?” “I already had some,” he remarked, patting his belly. “Though that does sound like a good idea.” Adrien rolled his eyes. “I’m going to my room. I can’t take this anymore.” After watching some fencing matches on his laptop later on, Adrien was still as bored as he was before. “Hm” he thought out loud. “I wonder if there are any schools for superheroes around? I would love to spot Ladybug at one of them.” “Who needs more boring homework?” Plagg asked with a yawn. “We have everything we need right here!” He spread out his little arms, referring to Adrien’s home. “Maybe you do,” answered Adrien, “but right now, I want to see if there is a way to climb out of this boring hole.” “You know, I could just fly out of it,” Plagg remarked. Adrien ignored him and began his online search.

�|�+�H

#sky high #miraculous ladybug

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thatcartoonnetworkblog · 8 years ago

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I feel like I should write about the blogger a little.

Hmm, well, I’m a guy in my mid-20′s, and a film student in my last semester of college. I really want to write and direct movies of my own, but there’s always something about animation that brings me back.

I’d say that my first love would be Disney, my second love Warner, and my third Hanna-Barbera/Cartoon Network. Like practically every child of the 90′s, I grew up with my favorite Disney tapes on a loop again and again, but one thing about me is that I became so fascinated by Disney’s history, and tried to collect and see every animated movie they’ve done, and a good deal of their live-action stuff.

I remember on a somewhat rare appearance by my father, he was taking us to Toys R Us to buy us a tape of Peter Pan, as per my mom’s request. While that was one of my favorites and I did want to finally own a copy (this being a new release, finally exiting the Disney Vault after a couple of years when we were lucky to find it to rent), I tricked him into buying us Fun and Fancy Free instead, which just came out, and I was curious to see what Jiminy Cricket was like as a host. My mom wasn’t happy, even though I did end up enjoying the movie, and she got us Peter Pan a couple of days later herself. So it was basically a win-win. And I remember being similarly excited when The Black Cauldron and Saludos Amigos were released, so I could finally see these and find out why they were vaulted for so long.

I also remember being excited to finally get Disney Channel as a full-time channel. I loved when we got our weeklong previews every one or two times a year, and getting to watch Disney Afternoon series as well as classic movies and shorts on there. But when we got it... I ended up being disappointed.

Shows like DuckTales and TaleSpin had moved to Toon Disney, which we had yet to get, the studio’s older films were relegated to late nights, and their core schedule consisted of live-action shows that didn’t interest me for the most part, and Playhouse Disney, which I was a little too old for at that point. Around that point, their only animated series was The Proud Family (I got the channel somewhere between the time Lizze McGuire and that started), which I tolerated, but never particularly enjoyed. My attention was more tuned to CN and (to a lesser extent) Nickelodeon. Even when Kim Possible, which I thought was an improvement aired, it wasn’t enough, and I never really connected to the channel aside from Boy Meets World and the handful of times I could stay up for Vault Disney.

That’s about all my Disney-loving self could really accept. I did eventually get Toon Disney, though, and I really liked it in its first few years, as I even liked a lot of their One Saturday Morning shows, but the more that their older series were being taken off for repeats of their Disney Channel cartoons and for Jetix, the less I was into it. I kind of zoned out by the time it became Disney XD. Gravity Falls and Star vs the Forces of Evil are good shows, though.

I was more of a Nickelodeon fan when I was a bit younger, and really liked it in the early 90′s. Their live-action shows were clever and creative, and even today I still enjoy Pete & Pete, Clarissa Explains It All, and the game shows. But I’m a cartoon person at heart, so those are what stick out to me. I wasn’t born when the first 3 Nicktoons aired, and was probably a little too young to watch and appreciate Rocko’s Modern Life as it premiered, but from 94-96, I was really into all of their Nicktoons, including the aforementioned 4. I’m not sure if it was because I was losing interest in the network itself, or if the shows being made at the time didn’t appeal to me, but I wasn’t into most of the shows made from Angry Beavers on, not even SpongeBob, and I still kind of am not. What really killed interest for me was how reliant Nick was becoming on Klasky-Csupo, whose later shows were never as creative or enjoyable to me as Rugrats or Real Monsters (give or take As Told by Ginger). Invader Zim was the next Nicktoon that I really got into, and I don’t care if it’s the edgy choice, I really liked the show, and it was one of the last that I ever got into (I’m not as in love with Avatar: TLA as the rest of the world, but I recognize it as a great show, and I recently got into and really dig Harvey Beaks). It was my favorite Nicktoon for a while, but I think Rocko edges it out now.

I lost interest in Nickelodeon around that time because I discovered Cartoon Network, which for me, was perfect. A channel entirely devoted to animation, including some faces I was familiar with, like the Looney Tunes (which I had grown to love via Nickelodeon and VHSes, but really fell for and started to idolize these cartoons now), The Flintstones and Jetsons, and Scooby, and some I wasn’t as familiar with, like many of Hanna-Barbera’s other creations, and their newer works, like 2 Stupid Dogs, SWAT Kats, and Dexter’s Laboratory. Fitting the decade’s rise of animation at the time, these new series were edgy within tasteful regions, and had good characters that made me feel welcome. They were different from the older shows, some of which had fantastic comic timing and colors that popped out, but also kind of complimented them at the same time. It was a good fit.

But I especially fell in love with the channel when they started to integrate more originals. Johnny Bravo and Cow & Chicken were worthy follow-ups to Dexter’s Lab, being similar in energy but standing out in many other ways. The Powerpuff Girls was another great addition that I instantly started to like as much, if not more, than these 3, and by the time Ed, Edd n’ Eddy hit, I was completely in debt to CN. This one especially looked and felt different from their other shows. Dexter, Johnny, and PPG had old-school designs, and while EEnE had its own retro vibes, the designs and characteristics were more modern, and instead went for Warner and MGM-esque expressions and movement, as opposed to the other show’s Hanna-Barbera/UPA inspired-aesthetics. Right away, I could tell that it was different from the others shows, which we really needed.

And of course there was Toonami! The first year or two of its existence wasn’t too exciting, when it was just HB’s action shows, and a couple of 80′s shows they owned. But when they started to integrate more anime into the network, and replaced Moltar with TOM, Sara, and a backstory, that’s when it became worth watching. Adding the DC shows was an additional great touch, as it was a perfect addition to Turner and Warner’s new-found synergy. Getting to watch Batman: TAS, along with Animaniacs and Freakazoid! on Cartoon Network was perfect.

I’d say CN’s peak was the Powerhouse era, which was 1997-2004, with around 1999-2002ish as the absolute best. Besides some great bumpers and ads, this was a great time to watch the network. The originals were great, while the best of the classics were still being aired, as most else were moving to Boomerang. You were bound to find something good on the network. I’d say that absolute peak started to end when Dexter’s Lab returned after its hiatus, with weaker writing and production values, and was increasingly going down when the post-movie Powerpuff Girls episodes were aired, and had the same problems. Moving The Flintstones, The Jetsons, and even eventually Looney Tunes to Boomerang were additional lowblows that were signaling a change that I wasn’t crazy about.

Not that the City Era wasn’t great in an aesthetic style. I really like the look of those bumpers, and the way that all of these characters fit together. Ed, Edd n’ Eddy, Billy & Mandy, and Kids Next Door were still airing new episodes, and some of their newer shows were showing interest like Foster’s Home and Megas XLR. But their newer shows after these were for the most part getting a little lamer, their old shows were all but gone, and Toonami became a weekly block, instead of being on 5 or 6 nights a week. Things weren’t the same.

Then CN Real was happening, and... yeah. Things have definitely changed since then, with 2010 introducing some great shows that have impacted the network in a great way. And they’ve made some great stuff since.

I made this blog, as well as unofficialcartoonnetwork, to celebrate the network from all ages and periods, not just be a nostalgia hound. I still love Hanna-Barbera, but I keep up with most of the new shows, too, and I think there’s room for everything. Animation appeals to me for all of the wonderful things that can be expressed through it, and I like there being communities where we can appreciate this. I hope my followers can find something in common with that here, even if our experiences are different.

#my ramblings #cartoons #animation #television

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