We all know that the previous Ladybug holder before Marinette was an Egyptian person but we don't know if there ever was an Egyptian slave or prince of the Black Cat holder of that time.
Instead of the hero names we all know, but this is Egypt. There were no actual ladybugs in ancient Egypt. So instead, I call it Red Scarab. As well as the other I call it Black Sphinx. The characters are the same but their names are different this time.
Characters belong to (c) Zag.
-----------------------------------------------------
Long ago in a world of Ancient Egypt, the pharaohs of time enslaved the people to build temples, statues, pyramids, everything to be remembered throughout time and centuries to go, until all hope was lost to the slaves. They hope for a miracle to happen so the children do not suffer the same fate.
For the past 4 centuries, Pharaohs passed this destiny to their children, to theirs, and the next, until one did not want to follow his ancestors' way but to bring peace together. The slaves that became hopeless and lost, prayed to their God for a miracle to save all slaves from suffering more before their children came next, to theirs, and to the next that came before them. Until one was brave and fearless.
The gods of Egypt were worshipped long enough until one greedy pharaoh became insane, driven into madness and greed in search of The Book of the Dead to revive his dead queen. But there's a terrible price to pay if he did try to revive his wife. The gods feared for their mortals and so, they summoned Bastet and Khepri to find a way to prevent this pharaoh from unleashing horrors in Egypt before it was too late. But they require two people to grant their powers. They need two people who are pure and not greedy for power but to use their power for the greater good.
Right now, the slaves are being forced to build a statue of the pharaoh today. And course, his queen who happens to be dead but was forced to build another one.
"Speed up the process!" The guard whipped them.
One was a girl who stood up to others, even if she got a punishment from them but she would always escape without getting her limbs chopped off for penalty. But she had some scars from the whippings.
However, she remained strong. She was forced to dig in the sand for minerals and such until she found something miraculous like earrings of the scarab.
"What's this?" She picks it up.
She had to hide them before the soldiers saw what she had. She hides them in her skirt.
"What are you doing? Playing in the sand?" The soldier yelled.
"I just...need to catch my breath" The girl panted.
"Back to work, useless brat!" The Soldier yelled before striking a whip.
The girl yelps and keeps working.
-
At the temple, a boy is being pressured too much by his father to one day become the pharaoh but the prince wants to decide his own future to bring his people and the slaves together.
But now he's being forced to practice his combat with his cousin to get stronger, fierce, and less hesitant. They first turn around and then turn back clashing their daggers at each other. The prince briefly pushes him back before being shoved back and caught by the throat by his cousin before they resume practice. The Pharaoh watched alongside the cousin's mother. The prince managed to push the cousin aside and resumed fighting until he sent him to the floor. The cousin lifts his mask off glaring at the prince for doing the same.
"If it were real, Anubis would claim your soul" The prince taunted his cousin.
"As if, let's not scar our faces," The cousin said.
"Agreed" The prince tries to stab him but the cousin kips up to his feet to dodge and resumes fighting.
It got intense for the Pharaoh and the cousin's mother. They kept going until the prince won. The cousin refused to lose again as he kept trying again until the prince pinned him against the wall roughly.
"I'm like the cat, you're like the bird of Horus. Cats eat birds" The prince taunted.
"Curiosity killed the cat" The cousin taunted back.
"Too bad the bird lost, as I brought my satisfaction back," The prince said.
"Next time I'll be the one to impress the gods," The cousin said in defeat.
"Enough, the winner has been decided" The pharaoh rose.
"I'm tired of winning just to impress you, Father" The prince muttered and left the room since he'd had enough of defeating his cousin.
"Adrien has changed since his mother's passing," The cousin's mother said.
"He's being overly dramatic as always. Just like his mother" The Pharaoh said, nearly embarrassed in front of everyone because of Adrien walking away.
"My sister wasn't always like that," The cousin's sister said.
"Make sure he doesn't get foolish with himself" The pharaoh ordered his nephew.
"Yes, uncle" The cousin nodded.
Adrien hates to impress his father too much just because he likes perfection but Adrien does not want to follow his ancestors' way so he can become pharaoh to make slaves build his statue. Never in a million years. He only wishes to rule fairly and with freedom, not for greed and power his father did to cause misery to the slaves. His mother never wanted this but was forced to follow the laws or get executed.
"Oh Mother, if you have seen how it has come," Adrien said.
"You do know you upset your father again, right?" Felix came into the room.
"Like always" Adrien turns around.
"I don't blame you but you are strong-headed like your mom. I love it you know" Felix said but was startled by the panther growling at the imposter, "Agh! Wrong scent! Wrong scent!" He begged to live.
"Plagg, I'm right here. The real me" Adrien snaps his finger to get the panther's attention.
"Sheesh! Are you sure you like Bastet's children than Anubis' dogs?" Felix asked.
"Of course, cats symbolize birth," Adrien said.
Petting Plagg like a good big kitty he is, cuffing his master with affection, "Good Kitty" He scratched his chin.
"You do know your dad hates felines. Obviously, I know why you don't like jackals because they talk to the dead" Felix hands him grapes.
"Exactly. Anubis is the lord of the underworld and it has the gates for dead people to be judged whether their heart is light, they pass, if it's heavy, they get eaten by a vicious monster. I believe my mother passed because she had a good life with me but never liked to see slaves suffer more" Adrien said, whether a myth or not, the underworld is a scary place for dead people to go to.
"Yeah. Well, my father didn't like me very much. Even after one cobra bit him" Felix said.
"And I bet his heart is already eaten in the afterlife" Adrien looks out the window, "I don't want to be like my father, Felix. The slaves have suffered long enough. Their ancestors and now those today, they never got the chance to have a good life"
"I share your hatred of slavery, cousin," Felix said.
"What?" Adrien glanced.
"I hate slavery just as much as you do," Felix said.
"And I thought you would be against how I feel for them. I could never tell my father because he follows the stupid royalty rules and laws. Going against it is a death penalty or something" Adrien sighed that he's far too young to die with the 14 years he has lived.
"Sometimes rules and laws are like suffocating our lives to death, cuz. Slaves have tried to fight for freedom but they get their limbs chopped as punishment for a crime. Does that look like for the greater good?" Felix asked.
"No, if I become the future ruler, I'd grant them equality," Adrien said.
"I'm starting to imagine your future title as Pharaoh. Except you need a queen. Maybe beautiful than Nefertiti" Felix said.
"Yes, someone who loves me from the heart," Adrien said.
"Cuz, it's not gonna be easy because royal brats are always into themselves rather than caring for anyone," Felix said.
"Yeah, like the Queen Bee from Rome," Adrien said.
"Yup. We all know Chloe is so....ugh.....heartless and a brat! I could just feed her to the crocodiles" Felix still hates Chloe's selfishness.
"I've seen how she laughs at the slaves' misery," Adrien said.
"Tell me about it. It's like it's her only happiness rather than helping with kindness" Felix shuddered.
"Exactly. My father thinks she's perfect for my marriage. I rather let Anubis claim my soul and marry the dead" Adrien said, playing with his mother's ring she gave to him when he was a kid.
"Nobody wants someone like her," Felix said.
"Nope. I wish to talk to the slaves but every time I try, they fear me because I'm the son of the pharaoh. Obviously, my father has put them through too much misery for years" Adrien sighed that being scary can be very lonely.
"If only there was a way," Felix said.
-
Night approached and the slave girl was looking miserable from being overworked and in pain. She lay down in her tent, very exhausted.
"So tired and overly tormented" She complained.
"Girl, we'll get through. We all prayed to the gods for a miracle" Her best friend Alya said.
"Yeah, for 4 centuries. More like they enjoy 'mortals' suffering until they die" Marinette said while sulking.
"By Osiris, don't be so dramatic," Alya said.
"Let's just go to bed, Alya. Before we get another torture again or worse, become concubines to the prince. Royalties can be so disgusting" Marinette said.
"Rumors are going around that the prince is more sweet. He even snuck out to help our people" Alya said.
"Don't believe those rumors again, Alya. It's just to get the curiosity in us to one day fall into their trap" Marinette said.
"I mean it, he gave some food," Alya said.
"What?" Marinette said.
"He's nothing like our heartless pharaoh," Alya said.
"They are all the same. More like he's a brat" Marinette said.
"Never mind" Alya laid down.
Adrien was wearing a cloak to hide the features of a royalty prince to not draw attention. He saw the slaves sleeping in their tents, which barely provided shelter. If only he wished his people and himself could do some housing for them, they wouldn't have to suffer or get sick on cold nights. He walks past Marinette and Alya's tent.
Marinette woke up hearing his footsteps. She had her weapon and came out of the tent to find the intruder. Cautious she looked around and saw someone giving food to her people. Hearing her growling stomach, she felt hungry too.
"Um, excuse me" She calls for him quietly.
"Wahh! I mean no harm!" The stranger said.
"Sorry. I just saw you had food with you" Marinette said.
"Yeah, um, you famished?" The stranger asked.
"I am," Marinette said.
The stranger gave her a bag of fruits since she had only lived on water and bread.
"Thanks," Marinette said before munching hungrily on them.
"Whoa, you're definitely starving," The stranger said.
"You're the prince, are you?" Marinette recognized those sandals from the royalties of Egypt, "Why are you helping us slaves since your people have tortured us for centuries?" She angrily asked.
"Okay, okay. Yes, I'm the prince but I swear, I am not anything like my ancestors. If I was, I wouldn't be feeding your people food or letting them die of starvation" The prince puts his hood down to reveal his handsome face.
"Fair point. And thanks" Marinette said.
"No problem. I've seen what your people are going through. It makes me feel bad for them to be forced to do everything" Adrien said.
"I just hope one day someone will free us," Marinette said.
"If the gods can finally hear our prayers," Adrien said before taking his leave.
"Our prayers haven't been answered to the gods for centuries," Marinette said sadly before heading back to her tent.
The gods of Egypt have heard their prayers and they knew it was a matter of time before the heartless Pharoah tries to find the Book of the Dead. Bastet goddess knew she had to find the pure-hearted mortal to use the power for the greater good. She found a prince asleep along with his pet panther.
"He's the perfect one" She unleashed her goddess powers towards his ring to change it to something else for him to grant the power of destruction like black cats.
Khepri went to the slaves' territory to find a mortal to use the power for the greater good. He looked through the tents and saw Marinette's earrings.
"She's the perfect one. Yes! I can feel pureness in her" The scarab-headed god chose the girl and unleashed his god powers on her earrings. Marinette didn't wake up from the noise.