Miraculous Ladybug: In Reverse!

Origins Part 1

Knock-knock.

Adrien groaned at the noise, reluctant to even open his eyes to a new morning. "Adrien, come on sweetheart, it's time to get ready for school," his mother called. Much like a cat, two glowing, green eyes opened slowly. That is, until he reached for his phone and saw the time. "8:20! Maman, I'm going to be late for the first day!" He began to run around his room in a frenzy, frantically putting on jeans and t-shirt before searching for his hoodie.

The loving woman merely giggled in response to her son's antics. "Well, I might have.... Possibly.... Set your clock forward about half an hour!" She burst into a fit of laughter, and Adrien could not help but stop and laugh along with her. Her smile was so contagious. He loved his mother very much.

She calmed down, saying, "I just didn't want you to be late for your first day back. You should be very excited for this year! New opportunities, new friends, new girls...." His mother poked his sides, teasing him as he flushed red. "Yeah, but there's also Chloe to think about. She's been in my class for four years now! Four!" She hummed in thought. "Yes, I suppose that is a bit unfortunate. Did you ever figure out why she dislikes you so much?" The blonde shook his head in aggravation. She sighed, "Just do the best you can, Adrien. I'm sure you'll make closer friends this year."

As Adrien finished his breakfast, his mother called out, "Gabriel, come say goodbye to your son before his first day! I want to take pictures!" A series of loud noises followed from his father's designing room, and the mother and son simply continued getting ready for the day as if everything were perfectly normal. "Oof!" The man finally emerged- or rather, fell out of the doorway into the kitchen- covered in many swaths of brightly-colored fabrics with his nose buried in a sketchbook of designs.

"Goodbye, pere! See you this afternoon!" He hugged his father goodbye as his mother took pictures. The man slowly looked to his son, and shouted, "That's it! Thank you, son! A celestial theme! Because you're my sun, eh?" His mother groaned at the pun, temporarily ceasing her picture-frenzy. His father continued, "But, really. Have a good day, and this afternoon I'll need you for help in the shop, alright? And don't worry about Chloe. If anything happens, I'll save the day as Super Designer!"

They all shared a quick laugh before Adrien pecked them both on the cheeks and headed out for a first day at school. Little did he know, he would be in for a whole lot more as the day went on.

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Marinette Dupain-Cheng ran quickly, her feet pounding against the sidewalk as if her life depended on it. If I can just make it to the school before they even notice I'm gone, she thought. The school is in sight- I'm so close! It's going to be okay! She reached the base of the stairs of Collège Françoise Dupont, the school she hoped to finally attend. She was well-known globally for the many competitions her mother had forced her to participate in, so she had tried to show instead her aspirations as a fashion designer (against her mother's interests) by wearing one of her most recent designs, a gently draped pink dress with a v-shaped neckline and a golden belt.

She was about to run up the stairs when she looked out at the street and saw an old man with a cane dressed in a red tourist shirt stepping out into the middle of a busy road. With a deep gasp, she ran to his side and pulled him out of the street as fast as possible, cane and all. It was just in time, as well- a green light was displayed soon after, and the streets of Paris were filled with morning traffic. Her heart was pounding with a rush of fear and adrenaline as she turned to the old man. "Are you alright?" She asked, shouldering her bag. She thought she had felt a tug on it, as if it had suddenly gotten heavier. The old man noticed this, his eyes full of mirth, and the areas around them crinkled as if he was suppressing a laugh. "Yes, thank you, my dear. But it seems someone else would like your attention more than me, at the moment," he answered, pointing behind the young girl. She took a deep breath, as if she knew exactly who was behind her. She turned around, and to her immense disappointment, she was correct. Nathalie, her mother's assistant, was there to take her away from her one chance at freedom.