Between Generations

Prologue

2038

The small platform descended into the room. It clanged underneath the Dark Collector as it stopped, and he stepped off. The circle window on the opposite wall cast a moonlit shadow across the empty floor, and glinted on the stand at the center of the room. Faint rings of dust outlined an empty space on the stand where a book used to lay.

Dark Collector walked alongside the dimly lit glass caskets lining the walls, gazing inside of them. He smirked.

A little creature slipped out of his jacket. "Master?"

"Yes?"

"What are you planning to do with them?"

The corners of the Dark Collector's lips twitched. "Nothing. They won't stand in my way now, my little kwami. I've only scratched the surface of the Miraculouses' potential, even used one myself, but now that I have the knowledge..." He held out a tablet, flipping through photocopied pages. "I can use them for greater things. But not yet."

The little kwami gazed worriedly at all of the sleeping figures. "Master...some of these people have children. Why would you sacrifice their lives?"

The Dark Collector chuckled. "You have such little faith in me, Nooroo. I'm not planning on sacrificing them." He stepped closer to a glass enclosure directly underneath the circle window, set apart from the others. "I'm almost ready. I've collected all of the jewelry." He moved so he was just inches away from the glass dome over the sleeping woman's face. "And you, Ladybug, will be at my mercy."

Ladybug's thin blue hair was crystallized with stars. Her eyelashes rested peacefully on her cheeks, porcelain from years away from the sun. Ice spread across her red suit, intricately frozen into shapes. A small puff of fog came out of her nose every now and then.

"In just a little while, you'll awake, and realize that you were far too late."

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"Daddy, will you tell me a story?"

The little girl's father chuckled, and pulled the princess covers tighter over the girl's body. Kim tickled her cheek with his index finger. "And what kind of story would you like to hear, citrouille?"

The little girl's chubby face squinted in concentration. "Um..." She gasped, and her eyes flew open. "Tell me a story about Ladybug and Chat Noir!" she squealed.

Kim hesitated. He glanced behind him, where a petite young woman with short pink hair waited in the doorway. Alix's face wore an identical look of nervousness. After a moment of silence, she nodded.

"Alright. Time for the story of the mighty Ladybug and Chat Noir, huh?" Kim tickled the little girl's arms, and she shrieked with laughter.

"Yay!"

"Okay, now where to start?" He squinted and tapped his chin. His daughter laughed. "I suppose I'll have to start from the beginning."

For centuries, there have always been Miraculouses, special jewelry which gave power to the chosen person. But with the Miraculouses, there came the Guardians, protectors of the jewelry.

Twenty-two years ago, Ladybug and Chat Noir became Paris' defenders. Now, Ladybug was the bravest, boldest superhero anyone had ever seen. Not that there had been very many superheroes then. Her fellow defender, Chat Noir, was the most loyal partner Ladybug could ever wish for. They both battled countless akumas together with Ladybug's Lucky Charm and Chat Noir's feared Cataclysm. They kept this up all the while keeping up their semi-normal lives, school, friends, and even crushes. I'd explain to you what that is, my citrouille, but you're a little young for that.

Ladybug and Chat Noir battled the akumas, which were the evil work of Hawk Moth, another Miraculous holder who unfortunately decided to use his powers for evil. He evilized pure white butterflies to--oh, should I not tell her about that? Sorry honey, it seems that your mother is worried that you'll get nightmares. Maybe another time we can talk about that.

Anyway, Ladybug and Chat Noir had always been told by the Guardian of their time that they could not reveal their identities to anyone, including each other. Well, of course, eventually they did to their friends...and to each other.

They were happy. They got married, and everyone was overjoyed. Hawk Moth had been defeated, and Paris was safe. They were surrounded by their friends, who were getting married themselves.

Until six years ago, they disappeared.

After Ladybug and Chat Noir's disappearance, other Miraculous Holders started disappearing as well as the years passed. Rena Rouge. Carapace. Queen B.

No one knows why they disappeared. It's been the biggest mystery of the decade. Where did they go? And why did they disappear?

"She's asleep now," Kim chuckled, his own eyelids drooping. "I guess I must've bore her to death."

Alix rubbed his shoulders, and guided him out of the room. She turned off the lights. "The memories are coming back now," she murmured as they pulled up the covers. She took Kim's hand and held it tightly. "I haven't thought about them in so long."

"I know. Me too. I miss them," she said. "And to think...Chloe's been missing for three weeks."

He sighed, staring at the ceiling.

"Try to sleep, honey," Alix said. "There's only so much we can do."

But even after she fell asleep, Kim's mind flooded with questions. Questions that had arisen again every time one of his friends disappeared. If Hawk Moth was in jail, who else on earth could have anything against Paris' defenders? The pure-hearted Ladybug and Chat Noir?

And why?

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