Chapter Text
It had been like any other day for Marinette Dupain-Cheng; wake up late and run as fast as humanly possible to school, make it into class just as the final bell rang, trip over Chloe’s foot as she launched herself into her seat beside Alya, give her wonderful friend a cheeky grin and half shrug, turn bright red as the perfect Adrien Agreste caught her eye with a small smile before turning in his seat, spend the rest of the day day-dreaming about said small smile and beg Alya for her notes before happily making her way home and cracking on with a tonne of homework.
Oh, and spending her lunch break fighting a crazy akuma lady, who had been annoyed to find a curly hair in her sandwich. The café (crazy akuma lady had been eating in) had quickly been doused in burning bleach as a purple butterfly had infected the irate woman, turning her into Inspector Sandwich. The fight hadn’t lasted long as Ladybug and her ever faithful Chat Noir used their super powers to calm the situation and free crazy akuma lady in the record time of eight minutes.
Alya had managed to get some amazing clips for her blog and Marinette had been quietly pleased with her and Chat’s effortless teamwork.
All in all, a fairly normal day which Marinette rounded off with a relaxing patrol with her energetic kitty.
They had just completed a full circuit of their usual spots when a scream shattered their mischievous smiles and moment of peace.
As Ladybug, Marinette’s body sprang into action as a huge dose of adrenalin pumped itself around her body. A sense of foreboding washed over her as she and Chat raced towards the sound of someone in distress.
As they dropped down into a dark alleyway, Marinette felt her stomach flip and her heart quicken. Standing with her body pressed against the wall and a knife held to her throat, was none other than her vivacious best friend Alya. Her phone was held in one hand as she desperately held onto her attackers armed wrist.
Chat shot a quick nod towards her Ladybug self before both charged at the assailant. Using her yoyo, Marinette ripped the filthy bastard’s knife hand away from Alya as Chat hit the man’s feet out from under him. Within seconds, Chat used his baton to deftly knock the man unconscious. It was over in a blink of an eye but Marinette could feel her hand shake as she reached out to the usually bubbly girl.
Alya took a shuddering breath as Marinette pulled her into a strange half hug, which she quickly disguised as a check for injuries.
“What are you doing in a dingy alleyway all on your own?” Marinette said in her strongest Ladybug voice.
“Tracking you!” Alya replied, looking somewhat sheepish. “You always take this route on a Thursday and I generally get lots of great photos for my blog”.
“Down a dark alley?” Chat snorted, leaning against his baton which he had extended to look like a cane. “Somewhat risky for a few pictures”.
“I was cutting across,” Alya sighed, rubbing her throat. “I can’t always keep up with the pair of you so I use as many short cuts and alleyways as possible when I chase you down.”
Marinette groaned, reaching a red covered hand to her forehead. “Alya, that is so stupid. We would let you take as many pictures as you want if you ask us. Dark alleyways and short cuts in the middle of the night are not the way to go about getting new stuff for your blog!”
“I know it’s probably not the best idea,” Alya shrugged, “but I have the best Ladybug blog for a reason. I get quality content!”
“Your safety is worth more than a blog,” Marinette countered, crossing her arms and frowning. “Who cares about images and footage of us if you’re going to get yourself killed!”
“I wasn’t getting myself killed,” Alya said with a casual eye roll and another gentle prod of her throat. “I had the situation under control.”
“Really?” Marinette replied, unfolding her arms and pulling Alya’s fingers away so she could get a closer look at the thin blood line left across her best friend’s throat. “Because it looked an awful lot like he was about to slit your throat.”
Marinette gave the bastard passed out on the floor a quick nudge with her foot.
“He just wanted the phone.”
“Were you going to give it to him?”
“Of course not!” Alya laughed, holding the phone up as if it was the most precious artefact in the known universe. Which to Alya it probably was.
Marinette groaned again and dropped her inspecting hands with a shake of her head. What was she going to do with the crazy girl? She had spent over three years building her blog up to be an absolute masterpiece for any Ladybug or Chat Noir fan. Alya was rightfully proud of her work, but she drove Marinette mad with her reckless abandon. This was not the first time she had needed saving by Ladybug and Chat Noir. Marinette was also certain it would not be the last.
“I appreciate your concern,” Alya said with a sincere smile. “Seriously, I think you’re both amazing. I love the blog and I love following you both around. I can’t promise to never do this again, but I’ll try and be a bit more careful.”
Chat watched the entire exchange with a thoughtful expression before softly stating, “Ladybug really cares about you.”
Marinette gave him a cautious glance. “Erm, yes I do. I care about all the citizens of Paris.”
“But especially you,” Chat continued with a calculating look between the two girls.
He had been doing this a lot lately. Little pieces of information Chat had stored up during their time as partners had been leaking out of his mouth at strange moments. Marinette knew his desire to know her outside the mask and his desire to respect her wishes had been at constant war with each other since the moment they met. Unfortunately for her, Chat was clearly edging towards the desire to unmask as they got older.
Alya had turned to give him a smug look, “Well I have interviewed Ladybug loads!”
“I know,” Chat replied kindly, “I’ve read them all.”
“Speaking of interviews,” Alya’s grin spread even further across her face, “fancy giving me a tell all interview about the recent spike in akuma victims with ridiculous names and powers?”
“I think it would be best if we got you home,” Marinette huffed, moving to pull Alya into her strong embrace. “You need to get that cut looked at.”
“It’s just a scratch,” she laughed, gazing at Marinette with admiration. “I’ll be fine.”
“If you’re taking our star reporter home,” Chat said as he moved over the forgotten thug’s body, “I’ll get this scumbag dropped off at the police station.”
Marinette nodded, then paused as a sudden blinding hot pain shot through her brain. She gasped and pulled Alya tighter as Chat rushed to her side. Tikki let out cry of warning in the deep recesses of her mind.
“My Lady?”
Marinette tried to respond as a dizzying heat pulsed its way around her body. She blinked against the white light flitting across her eyes and lightly stepped towards Chat’s gentle grasp around her right hand. Alya continued to stand on her left but was now pulling her arm around Marinette’s waist. She leaned precariously as the world around her darkened. The sounds of Paris at night diminished into an unnatural hum. Even Tikki’s warnings of danger became hard to hear.
The last thing she heard as her eyes fluttered shut was the strangely comforting sound of both her best friends shouting her superhero name.
“Ladybug!”
~O~
Adrien paused in his attempt to pick the mugger off the floor as he caught the pained expression which had made its way onto his Lady’s face. Any plans for the man laying on the floor were forgotten as it became evident that something was seriously wrong. All colour had drained from Ladybug’s face as he leapt to her side and carefully took her hand.
“My Lady?” Adrien murmured with concern. He watched as she swayed dangerously and finally gave in to whatever pain was inflicting her. Ladybug’s eyes rolled as she fell into a dead faint.
“Ladybug!” He shouted at the same time Alya cried out to the heroine.
They moved as one to support her. Adrien gasped as a tingling began to creep up his arms. His heart quickened as he felt Plagg stirring somewhere in the back of his mind. Something was wrong, terribly wrong. Ayla let out a hiss as she evidently felt a similar sickening sensation.
A darkness fell over them and all of the air within Adrien’s lungs was squeezed uncomfortably out of him. His body felt like it was on fire and his hair stood on end. He tried to blink against the black force pressing against his eyes but it was no use. Adrien knew he must be dying. His body felt as if it had risen up and he was now weightless.
Then, as quickly as it had started, the tingling stopped and the darkness lifted. Adrien’s feet hit the ground hard and glorious oxygen filled his lungs again. The burning subsided and he could breathe again. Taking full advantage of this, Adrien took deep, shuddering breaths and pulled the warm bodies beside him even closer.
He blinked against the onslaught of his sight coming back to him and looked towards Ladybug and Alya. His Lady continued to slump against the two of them. Alya caught his eye in wonder.
“What the fuck was that?” She panted, holding Ladybug with a shaking arm.
“I don’t know,” Adrien replied truthfully, eyeing his surroundings with cat like curiosity. They were no longer in the standard Paris alleyway. Gone was the collection of dustbins and Alya’s attacker. In it’s place seemed to be an abandoned warehouse. It was just as dark and dingy. It also seemed to scream danger.
Ladybug groaned between them and shifted against their bodies.
“Bugaboo,” Adrien cooed, as relief coursed through him. “Are you okay?”
“I – I think so,” she stuttered, moving to lean into him. Alya let her go with a gentle pat on the shoulder.
“We’ve somehow been transported away from the alleyway,” Adrien noted, pulling Ladybug into a careful embrace.
“Into a pigeon invested shithole,” Alya replied, wrinkling her nose and slowly moving in a circle to take in the expansive room. It was derelict and filthy.
“Incoming,” Plagg noted wearily through his and Adrien’s connection. Ladybug’s Kwami must have given a similar warning as she straightened in his arms and gave a quick glance around them.
Chat held his baton in preparation for whatever or whoever was about to join their party. What he was not expecting was a rush of black energy, much like his Cataclysm power, and purple pulsing light swirling menacingly in front of them. Within seconds the strange magic had cleared, leaving behind a startlingly familiar young woman. She smiled knowingly at them, brushing her blue-black hair out of her eyes and standing tall.
Beside him, Ladybug gasped.
“What a treat,” she grinned, her voice unmistakable; sweet and soothing. “This was not what I expected when I was alerted to a magical anomaly.”
She took a step towards them as Ladybug took her own step backwards.
The young woman moved with a self assured confidence he had never seen her have. She cocked her hip at Ladybug’s obvious distress and raised an eyebrow.
“M-Marinette?” Alya stuttered, sounding unsure.
“In a manner of speaking,” the woman laughed, putting her hands on her hips and eyeing each of them with interest.
Adrien frowned, trying to pinpoint what exactly was wrong with the Marinette standing in front of him. She was clearly older; a woman stood before him with a slightly fuller figure and not an ounce of baby fat on her pretty face. Marinette’s adorable cheeks had gone and in their place was a strikingly beautiful woman. Her unique hair had grown longer and she now wore it in a smart ponytail, high on her head. She wore skin tight black trousers and a black tank top. A tailored jacket with what looked like metal armour covered her shoulders, just as dark as the rest of her outfit. Sturdy boots completed her look. It was hard and unforgiving; nothing like younger Marinette’s style.
This Marinette’s confidence also shone against her powerful outfit. There was nothing nervous or cute about her. She oozed certainty. Adrien wasn’t sure whether to be impressed or worried.
“Be cautious,” Plagg warned.
Older Marinette’s eyes glittered as she caught him giving her the once over. Her grin grew even wider as she concentrated on him.
“Hello Little Kitty,” She practically purred, placing a hand on his chest. “Look at you!”
A strange expression passed over her face, making Adrien feel strangely warm around the collar.
Ladybug finally seemed to pull herself out of whatever uncertainty had gripped her. She rushed forward, pushing Adrien out of the way and staring Older Marinette down.
“What is going on?” She hissed, holding her yoyo tightly and placing herself between Adrien and Alya. “Why are we here?”
“Easy Bug,” the woman smirked, placing a hand out in front of her in a casual manner. Black and purple sparks lazily swirled around her elegant fingers. It was a clear threat.
“You’re older,” Ayla remarked with a hint of excitement in her voice. She was clearly unconcerned by the seductively dark woman standing in front of them. “Like, how much older are we talking?”
The mysterious Marinette chuckled, waving her hand around just as casually. The sparks quickly extinguished. “I’m twenty-three.”
“Twenty-three!” Alya exclaimed, “Oh my god girl!”
She rushed forward, grabbing Marinette’s shoulders and giving her an excited shake. Marinette now stood slightly taller than Alya, and her presence seemed to completely overpower the cheeky teen.
“Look at you,” Alya continued to gush, “You are a stunner!”
Adrien couldn’t argue with that. She was breath-taking in more ways than one.
Ladybug made to move forward but paused as Marinette pulled Alya into a hug.
It was such a strange sight to see. Adrien was so used to Alya being the more dominant member of their friendship. His image of them always included a loud Alya supporting her somewhat nervous friend, always pushing Marinette forward and being a caring support.
The older Marinette was obviously more dominant, without even really trying. Her mere presence was awe inspiring.
“Why are we here?” Ladybug snapped, folding her arms protectively. She was still stood slightly in front of Adrien. He could tell by her body language that she was deeply uncomfortable.
“Relax Ladybug,” Marinette smirked, “I won’t give away your little secrets. Although I’m guessing Tikki won’t be able to keep you suited up forever.”
“Tikki?” Alya asked, spinning round to look at Ladybug. “What’s a Tikki?”
“She’s the luck god who gives me the power to transform into Ladybug,” she replied dismissively. “We aren’t staying long enough for my transformation to wear off. Tell us how to leave.”
“How do you know about Ladybug’s Kwami?” Adrien asked with interest. He knew Marinette and Ladybug had interacted before but he hadn’t been aware of any closeness between the two. Adrien had always thought that perhaps Marinette was a fan of Ladybug and fittingly styled her hair in the same manner as the masked beauty.
“How do I know about Ladybug’s Kwami?” Marinette laughed, tapping her chin thoughtfully. She glanced towards Ladybug. “You will be staying a while. I can’t send you back to your time without help. We’ll need to talk to Fu.”
“You know Fu?” Adrien asked, becoming increasingly confused.
“What’s a Fu?” Alya said with as much confusion.
Ladybug placed her head into her hands. “This is a nightmare. We can’t be stuck six years into the future.”
“Well believe it,” Marinette cackled. “A few things have changed around here.”
“Evidently,” Alya beamed, obviously impressed with the Marinette she saw before her. “How did you get a power?”
“It’s a long story,” Marinette replied, her eyes darkening. Adrien felt the hot feeling around his collar again. “A mangy cat couldn’t mind his own business.”
Ladybug bristled beside him. “You shouldn’t be telling us anything!”
“Sorry to burst that innocent little bubble Bug,” Marinette said, rolling her eyes and motioning for them to follow her towards the closest exit. “You are going to see the future without much help from me. You’re walking through it.”
She pushed a rusty, old door open with a strong hand and led them out into the street. The area looked entirely deserted. Buildings were crumbling wrecks. Car shells smoked around them and Paris seemed eerily quiet save for an odd scream in the distance.
“Welcome to the future,” Marinette grinned, waving her hands around theatrically.
Adrien, Ladybug and Alya all stood with their mouths open, taking in the desolate scene in front of them.
“What the hell happened,” Alya breathed, “It looks like a war zone.”
“I suppose it is,” Marinette shrugged, beginning to walk confidently down the road in front of them.
The three teenagers glanced at each other before cautiously following her.
“I don’t like this,” Ladybug said, frowning as she picked her way across burnt and destroyed debris. “I don’t like this at all.”
“Well you’re going to have to get used to it for the time being,” Marinette called out, seemingly far too cheerful about the situation.
Adrien placed his hands out to helpfully guide his Lady over a pile of bricks. Alya had already rushed forward, trying to catch up with her best friend.
“You might want to consider having a conversation about your identities too,” Marinette said, throwing a grin their way. “Chat Noir and Ladybug will not be able to keep their masks for too much longer and I can assure you, they are not heroes here.”
Adrien glanced uneasily at Ladybug. She looked extremely pale as she pulled her hand out of his.
If Ladybug and Chat Noir were no longer heroes, what had happened to them?
This entire situation felt wrong. The Marinette before him was not the sweetie pie he knew. The Paris they were walking down was not the one he was had walked a thousand times. Adrien could feel Plagg worrying around his mind and his Lady looked scared for the first time in years.
They were in trouble and he didn’t know what to do.
~O~