My Miraculous, UNLOCK! A PSL for a Ladybug in Japan.

[amu_chan]

After settling in, Tom and Sabine would have given Marinette a surprise gift, since they could tell that she hadn't fully wanted to come overseas on this trip. So once they were settled in they gave her an envelope. Inside was a concert ticket for the next night and some spending money to buy herself either something to wear for the concert, or cloth if she wanted to make something herself, since the air B&B they were staying at had a sewing machine. They would be at the concert too, since it was a strange city in a foreign country and all, but they assured her they would be sitting several rows back.

They totally weren't going so Tom could spy on if she was flirting with any Japanese boys, NOPE! Not at all. She can't prove it.

Anyway.

So she would be given an afternoon with some money and a map to wander if she wanted to, so long as she was home in time for dinner. There might have been threats that if she was late coming back for dinner they would spend the whole concert glued to her side, but that was probably a joke. Right?

It was cold outside, late December snows keeping some people indoors, so the streets weren't too crowded, but that made it that much easier to catch hints of conversations from the people who were out. Teenagers and kids were talking about school, and sports, and the upcoming concert which seemed to be a big deal. The two main acts were a boy band called Darts and a singer named Utau. There were subtle advertisements here and there, but at least one shop window had a pair of posters for them. Darts was all cookie cutter boy band, and on the young side. Nothing like the energy someone would get from a Jagged Stone poster. It looked like SAFE had been the key word for the design team.

The poster for Utau however....

The girl in the poster couldn't have been older than sixteen or seventeen, and the babydoll black dress and the blond pigtails should have made her look soft and safe as well. Should have made her look young, even with the tall heels she was wearing. But there was nothing comforting or cookie cutter about the poster of her. Everything from the look in her eyes to her stance seemed to act as a warning. Or maybe that was just because Mari knew Chloé. Just from the image she seemed to have all the attitude Chloé tried to have. But what held people going by was the expression on her face. The eyes. Where all the boys of Darts were smiling brightly at the camera, and thus the passer bye, her violet eyes held a challenge, her lips a slight down turn that might remind one of Gabriel Agreste at his more irritated. As though the photo shoot, or perhaps the audience, was a waste of her time.

In fact, some of the people passing by would comment, and Mari could hear them, about how she was so pretty, why wouldn't she smile, or about how her music was so good you almost didn't care that her poster looked like it hated you. A few guys starred dreamily at the poster, though.

One boy, maybe 19 or so, stopped near Mari, eyeing the poster for a moment, his eyes cool, his face blank, hands in his pockets. Unlike everyone else, he hadn't bothered with a winter coat, wearing an all black outfit with small silver crosses here and there. He had short dark blue hair and for some reason might aaaaaalmost remind her of Chat, though there was no logical reason for it. Tikki, however, would sense something from him. The boy didn't seem to notice Mari at all, however, and would turn and walk off again after only a moment, seeming bored.

And he wouldn't be the only one Tikki would sense something odd about. Not five minutes later, three girls would be passing, huddled in their jackets. Two of them looked about a year or two younger than Marinette, the third looked a year or two younger than that. The youngest looking one had brownish hair in pigtails that DID make her look younger, but the barrettes might have something to do with that. Big red bows. She was also bouncing a bit as she walked, and all her mannerisms made her seem young. Of the other two, one had shockingly pink hair with a red X hair barrette over one small lock that was pulled up over the rest, and bored seeming gold eyes. She was hunched into her black and red jacket against the cold. The third had long purple hair Juleka would have loved and kind eyes, along with small kind expressions. She moved with a gentle grace, small fluid motions, and her jacket was well tailored to her and looked very feminine in style and cut. Very well made. The other two were clearly wearing off the rack coats, hers looked custom designed for her.

The youngest was talking animatedly. "Are we going to Utau's concert this time too, do you think? Should we ask Kukai and Tadase at school tomorrow?"

"Do we have a choice, after last time?" The pink haired one grumbled.

"Hmmm," the purple haired one said. "We probably should go. Let's bring it up at the meeting, alright?"

She looked like she was about to say something then looked around, scowling. She stared at Marinette for a moment then looked past her, before turning to the purple haired girl. "Where are Ran and the others?"

"I think Kiseki said something about training, they'll be along." And with that the three kept walking.

But not only would Tikki sense something odd from those three, the pink haired one the most, but.... something the pink haired one was wearing or carrying under that coat and scarf, hidden from sight, was something that Tikki would feel like a wave of power. As if she had just eaten one of the macarons with an enhancement potion in it. Something that girl had with her would make Tikki feel strong and amped up... but it wasn't any feeling she'd recognize.

Comments

[amu_chan]

"By Miraculous, you mean her egg?" she asked as the charas floated closely to Tikki to meet their new friend.

[coccinelled]

"The Miraculous is the item that holds our power? For me, it's my earrings. Without those, Tikki wouldn't be active to talk to me like this, or transform me. I need the earrings or I wouldn't have her support. The same with Chat Noir and his ring."

She explains, glancing and checking if Tikki might be able to explain, to word it better than she did. She's....never tried to explain before, to tell anyone else about this, so it is new for her. To talk about Tikki and the Miraculous.

[amu_chan]

"You... can't transform without your earrings?" Amu asked, wide eyed. "What if your ears weren't pierced?"

[coccinelled]

"I wouldn't be able to without my earrings, no. If my ears weren't pierced and I never wore the earrings, I'd never have known about Tikki and the Miraculous and probably just given them to a friend with pierced ears or went to get mine done."

They just looked like regular red earrings when she wasn't transformed, after all. Appearance wise there wasn't anything all that remarkable about them outside of her being transformed and thus the earrings getting the dots to show how long she had before she transformed back into her civilian appearance.

[amu_chan]

"But... isn't she part of you...?"

[coccinelled]

"I mean, I find it hard now to imagine being without her. But I could physically survive it? So in that sense, no? I don't literally need Tikki to survive, I'd be fine if I took off the earrings."

Which isn't to say of course that she wouldn't miss Tikki. Wouldn't probably still instinctively want to leap in to help whenever she could in such situations like with the akumatized victims. Because she would. And it would feel strange to not have the Miraculous and have Tikki at her side for support and guidance. But if it came down to it, she could physically survive without it. She had for years before she had been granted that responsibility.

[amu_chan]

"Then she is fundamentally different than our Charas. They are a part of us," Tadase said. "A piece of our hearts."

Amu nodded. "Su went missing once for a whole day, it was horrible," she whispered.

[coccinelled]

"Part of your hearts?"

That sounded like it would be all the more dangerous if something happened to theirs. To their -- Chara. She's glad Papillon only seems to strike around Paris and not farther out like here. At least in Japan they were probably safe from dealing with him and his attempts to steal Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous. But if he did find out about these Chara he would possibly be curious and ambitious enough to try investigate obtaining one somehow for himself.

[amu_chan]

"All kids hold an egg in their hearts," Tadase said softly. "The egg of our hearts, our would be selves, as yet... unseen. When we dream strongly enough of who we wish to be, our Charas are born of that dream."


Miki nodded, floating up to her. "Each of us represents our child's potential to reach their dreams. Like art, and athletics, and domestics for Amu."

"Nadeshiko wants to be feminine and graceful and able to protect her friends," Temari said, flushing lightly.

"Kukai wants to get better and better at sports and always play so that everyone has fun as a team! Win or lose!"

"And I'm just happy being the baby forever!" Yaya said happily.

[coccinelled]

"I wonder what mine would be. I do want to get into fashion, and have a family, a pet......"

Yes, she has already figured which pets and names for the kids and all. Already having fantasized about marrying Adrien. About hitting it big in the world of fashion. Fashion and design being something she was particularly passionate about, for all that she also obviously knows about baking from her parents, from her father having taught her.

[amu_chan]

Miki nodded. "I could tell. MAybe your egg will hatch soon."

"Or maybe it is shy, because of Tiki," Su said in her high pitched voice. "Or maybe she thinks you're not ready yet. Or maybe," Amu grabbed the green little chara quickly, her hand over Su's face and body.

"That's enough cheering up the new girl," Amu said sharply.

[coccinelled]

"Hm? Or maybe what?"

It might be because kwami were different that she doesn't have a chara. Maybe she would have figured getting one if she didn't have Tikki. Or just that there might be something else to it that they hadn't mentioned. The way Amu grabs the chara like that has her curious, if not possibly also worried a little?

[amu_chan]

"Never mind Su. Sometimes she doesn't know when to shut up," Mau tried to shove the chara into her bag, but it flew free and hid behind Nadeshiko's hair.

[coccinelled]

"No, it's okay. What did she mean? Why else might I not have my chara yet?" Marinette isn't mad. She's more curious than worried or anything, as she herself debates possibilities, at least from what little she knows of how this works. Maybe since she is still young and things might change in her desires, if not because she already has Tikki that she doesn't have her own.

[amu_chan]

Su floated over to Marinette. "Maybe because You have Tikki your Chara doesn't want to be born," she said.

Ran pushed Su lightly out of the way and shook her head. "Or maybe she feels like you don't need her because of Tikki."

[coccinelled]

"I guess. That's what I was wondering, when you were talking about how you got your chara. I already have Tikki, so maybe that was why. Still, I guess...like I said, I'm still figuring this out, how to help since things are a little different, but. If you need me. You have my number, while I am here with my parents at least."

That was the main reason for the reveal. Mostly. She smiles to Su, handing Tikki another cookie as she munches on some snacks herself. This was....nice. And important. To make friends. To spend time with them like this.

[amu_chan]

"Well, I don't think any of us are going to say no to help."

"I'd like to know more about this Papillion so we can figure out if he's working with Easter."

[coccinelled]

"Good. I figured as much. But well. What do you need to know about him? I can try explain what I've figured out so far, but it isn't much."

She has never actually encountered the guy himself, outside of illusions, and even then. It was difficult. She was wondering at one point if Papillon was Gabriel, but she has since dismissed that idea after all.

[nadenagi]

"Well," Nadeshiko said, getting up to refill everyone's tea. "How many of these Akumas can he make at once?"

[coccinelled]

"Usually it's just the one at a time. But he can manage more. That's why I went to...er, my mentor? And got more Miraculous to give to others when necessary so they can help Chat Noir and I."

So it was complicated. She isn't sure what the actual limit might be. If there is one, in how many akuma he could make with Nooru. If he reached that limit yet or not.

[amu_chan]

"You can choose who gets one of these Kwami things?" she asked, stunned.

[coccinelled]

"I have done, yes. It depends on who I trust and know, who I give the Miraculous to. Or who my mentor did, in my cast at least. And I guess Chat Noir's too, probably. It was just the two of us for a while."

Before Papillon managed to figure out he could more effectively use his Miraculous. Before he started throwing more difficult opponents at them in his increasing desperation and desire for their Miraculous.

[amu_chan]

"Very different than for us," Nadeshiko said softly.

"Wonder what would happen if someone with a Chara got one of those Miraculous things," Yaya wondered as she licked chocolate off her spoon.

Amu shook her head. "Not me, I have enough headaches as it is."

[coccinelled]

"I don't have any others to give to you to test the theory. I only have my earrings at the moment with me. But it's....nice? To know we're not alone. Even if the chara, what you deal with, is a little different."

She isn't sure she will even mention this to even Chat Noir. Maybe Master Fu. Without naming names or maybe neglecting to mention she revealed herself to them in Japan like this, but still. This was reassuring and encouraging enough, to know there were others out there.

[kiddy_king]

"If you win, in Paris, what are you planning to do with the Embryo?"