#kwami switch

Adrien sighed as he looked at himself in the mirror that resided in the men’s locker room. He ran his fingers through his hair once more, smoothing it down in the back. 

This was the first time that he was lying to his father about where he was, if you didn’t count the akuma attacks that pulled him away to become Coléoptère Rouge. Tikki floated up next to his shoulder pressing, her little pad of a hand against his bare shoulder.

“You don’t have to do this, you know,” she told him with that reassuring smile of hers. 

“I know,” he responded - still looking at the white tank top and blue basketball shorts (that he had borrowed from Kim) in the mirror. “but I want to.”

Before Tikki could respond, Nino came bursting into the locker room and she quickly flew into his bag that laid at his feet. Adrien leaned down to grab it as Nino bounded up to him - dressed in a similar outfit. The only glaring difference was how his bright red cap was still a part of the ensemble. 

“You ready, man?” he asked, clapping Adrien’s shoulder. He looked over and smiled at his best friend.

“Yup!” Pause. “What exactly are we doing again?”

Nino just laughed, leading them out of the locker room and into the courtyard where there was already a crowd of teenage boys. All dressed in white shirts and shorts. 

“This is the Track Team tradition! The Course de Couleur!” 

“Yes, but you haven’t exactly told me what we’re doing yet.”

Nino sighed good-heartedly “Basically, the art kids come with all their extra paint. And while we run the track, they throw it all on us.”

Adrien blinked. “So basically they’re just going to throw paint at us.”

“Yup.”

He grinned, “Sounds fun!”

-

There were a lot of art kids, Adrien found out as he readied himself to run. When Nino had talked about the kids in the different arts, he imagined a few scraggly teens with dyed hair and bright clothes - and that they wouldn’t be strong enough to get enough paint on him. 

He was dead wrong. There were a few with dyed hair and bright clothes, but that was the minority. But there were tons of kids, enough for them to cover each side of the track. And with paint cans scattered among them. He was going to get absolutely covered in paint.

“I’m going to need to shower at your place before going home,” he said to Nino - who was tying his shoes.

“Of course, man.” 

Adrien hadn’t told his father about the little tradition that Nino said he had to come to, knowing that it was probably nothing that he would be allowed to do - especially when he was barely able to join the track team at all. So he just told him that it was the first of track practice. 

Their coach stood off to the side, a large hunking man with the name of Coach Lawerence. He stared at all the boys, his large mustache twitching occasionally. Adrien stretched out his arms one more time before shaking them out and readying himself at the white line. 

Everyone else got ready next to him, and Coach Lawerence started counting. 

“Ready...set-” 

He blew his whistle and the Course de Couleur had begun. 

-

Adrien was in the front quickly, dodging whatever paint he could. But still, paint flew all around and he was bound to get hit. It wasn’t long before he had paint sliding down his cheek and matting in his hair. 

Unfortunately, Tikki’s luck wasn’t with him, as after the second turn - his slid on some paint and landed flat on his back. His shins and shoulders felt painfully sore from the rough material of the track. 

He slowly blinked his eyes open, moving himself up so he was leaning back on his elbows. And right before him, was an angel. 

She wasn’t an actual angel, because he didn’t think that angels wore paint covered pink jeans and had ripped and doodled on gray t-shirts that read “Francoise Dupont Art”

She looked down at him, looking freakishly tall at his angle.

“Are you alright, man?” she asked, a brow raised. Adrien didn’t answer and her brow raised even higher. “Or.. are you just lying there for fun.” 

Adrien felt his ears burn and he just hoped that the rest of his face was pale as he stood up. Looking down and realizing just how covered in paint he really was. The girl was standing off to the side, on the grass. He smiled nervously.

“Uh, hi - sorry about that-” he tried to explain that he didn’t mean to make a fool of himself right in front of her, but everytime he looked at her he found something new to notice.

Her dark locks were mixed with red, except there was one bright green streak under her left ear. Her jeans were patchwork, and looked handmade - doodled on with white paint. Her arms were almost completely covered in what looked like black sharpie, same with her gray t-shirt. She wasn’t actually freakishly tall, but instead being a few inches shorter than he was. She’d probably be shorter without her bright pink boots that looked to be platforms. 

As Adrien continued to babble, she just stared at him - her cherry covered lips never curving into more than a small smile. After a moment, her eyes flickered to the side before she took a giant step back. Immediately, Adrien was slammed into and once more ended up on the ground.

He seemed to forget that the run was still going on and he was still standing on the track. 

“Oh, man - I am so sorry-” Nino apologized as he stood up, his cap askrew on his head. 

“It’s alright,” Adrien groaned - standing up as well. Nino looked over and grinned.

“Oh hey little red!” he greeted the girl, bumping fists with her. Before Adrien could ask how Nino knew the angel-girl, he was shoved back onto the track. Nino running beside him as they got pelted with more paint.

-

After the race, when Adrien’s white t-shirt was probably permanently stained, and Nino and him were walking back to Nino’s place - Adrien brought it up.

“So who’s ‘little red?’” he asked, trying to be as nonchalant as he could be. Nino looked over and shrugged. 

“Just Marinette, she’s apart of the art program at Francoise Dupont.” 

“There are different programs?” Adrien asked, his brow furrowing.

“Yeah man,” Nino laughed. “We all have to take the core classes, like math and English - but everything else is up to us.”

Adrien nodded in understanding and Nino clapped his shoulder. “I’m sure you’ll understand when school starts up tomorrow.”

Oh right, school. Tomorrow. Actual public school. 

“Oh yeah,” Adrien grinned. 

“Good last day of summer?” his friend asked. 

Adrien nodded. “Definitely.”

Pause.

“So we have English and Physics together, right?” Adrien asked, remembering their schedules that they had shared earlier that week, at the first track meeting. Adrien had met Nino then, instantly clicking. 

Nino nodded. “Yup, I know a lot of the kids in those classes, so it’ll be a fun year.”

“Is..Marinette in those classes?”

Nino looked over, his brow furrowed. “Yeah, why?” Adrien stayed silent and slowly a grin began to spread across Nino’s face. “Oooohhh, Adrien’s got his first crush.”

Adrien couldn’t help the burn that spread against his cheeks, kicking at a stone on the sidewalk. 

“Don’t worry, this year is going to be great,” Nino reassured him. 

-

And when Adrien opened the door to classroom 211 to find Marinette doodling on a piece of paper in one of the desks, he knew that Nino was right.

“Oh Adrien!!!” A familiar high-pitched voice called out.

Adrien jumps up in his bed, a cold sweat forming on his forehead. Faintly, Adrien hears his alarm going off, but he ignores it trying to shake off the nightmare he had. 

That felt so real. Maybe it was a memory from when I got hit by an akuma. Adrien shakes his head. 

With a groan, Adrien gets up from his bed and heads towards his bathroom. Turning on the faucet, Adrien splashes cold water over his face and washes the sleep out of his eyes. He grabs the towel hanging right next to the sink and dries his face. Sighing, Adrien looks at himself in the mirror immediately noticing something off.

There right under his nose sat a nose ring that Adrien didn’t remember getting. Thinking back to the previous night, he tries to remember if he did anything that could’ve caused him to blackout. I remember going to Nino’s, but then an akuma interrupted us. Adrien frowns as his mind draws a blank on what happened afterward.

“Hey, Plagg,” Adrien calls out for his kwami. If anyone knows how he got a random nose ring, it would be Plagg.

To his surprise, a grayish-blue kwami with two light blue horns floated into his bathroom. “Who’s Plagg, master?” Frowning, even more, Adrien attempts to remember who this kwami is and why he is calling him master.

“Stompp!” Adrien exclaims remembering the kwamis name from the time when Ladybug introduced the two of them. “What are you doing here? Where’s Plagg?”

It’s Stompp’s turn to frown at Adrien looking just as confused as he feels. “I’m your kwami. I transform you into Taureau Noir. Master, how do you know Plagg?” He questions.

At the mention of Taureau Noir, a rush of memories flood Adrien’s mind. Flashes of him as an ox themed superhero fighting alongside Ladybug remind him of his alter ego. The memories start to overwhelm Adrien and he stumbles, quickly grabbing the counter to steady him. “Right, right, you’re my kwami.”

“Master, how do you know Plagg?” The kwami nervously repeats, afraid to upset his master.

Adrien opens his mouth to respond only to struggle to answer the question. Scowling, Adrien tries to remember how he knows Plagg.

Plagg, Plagg, how do I know a Plagg? Maybe he was a cat? Yes, a cat!

“He’s a cat, I think. Black. I must’ve used to have him as a child,” Adrien states. “Why do you care about a cat?” Adrien asks it with a colder tone than he meant, and by the nervous sputtering from his kwami, Stompp noticed it too. “Sorry, I didn’t-but why do you want to know about a cat?” Adrien repeats in a softer tone.

“I...I was..uh...just curious...be..because you umm seemed to think uhh...that Plagg was here,” Adrien considers the response and accepts it. 

Instead of responding, Adrien nods and moves to go get ready. Stompp breathes a sigh of relief. “That was close.”

—

“Good morning, Adrien,” Nathalie greets him in the dining room. She is looking at her tablet, typing away at something as she approaches him. Adrien looks up from the bowl of cereal he was eating.

“The only thing on your schedule today is Chinese lessons at 5. Please be back here by then,” Adrien looks up at her confused. 

“There’s nothing else?” Adrien questions. He at least expected fencing or some photoshoot to take up his afternoon along with Chinese lessons.

Nathalie looked up from her tablet in surprise, which turned into horror as she examined his face. She quickly disguised her scream with a cough. “No, after you had a….conversation with your father last week, he decided to lessen your workload.”

Adrien tries to remember the conversation Nathalie is referring to. All he remembers is vague yelling at his father-something he normally wouldn’t do for fear Gabriel wouldn’t let Adrien go to school anymore.

“Oh, right,” Adrien responds staring at his plate. That’s weird. I think I’d remember an argument with Father better than some vague memories. Especially, if it let me be free of all my other activities. “Thank you, Nathalie.”

Nathalie exits the dining hall, but not without taking another look at Adrien’s face. “Gabriel’s gonna flip,” she grumbles under her breath.

“Stompp, do you know why Nathalie looked at me like that?” Adrien asked his kwami, who was in his bag munching on some kale chips.

“You don’t normally wear the nose ring in public, master,” Stompp informs. The kwami tilts his little head. “Why did you wear it today?”

“Why not? I can do whatever I want,” Adrien snaps, surprising both himself and Stompp. The poor kwami shrinks down back into Adrien’s bag, munching quietly. Adrien didn’t know why he snapped. All he knew was that he didn’t want to admit that he forgot what he normally does. With that, Adrien quickly finished his cereal and walked out front to get in the car.

Unfortunately for Adrien, the car wasn’t outside like it normally was at this time. Shrugging, Adrien decides to wait for Gorilla. I hope everything’s okay. Gorilla isn’t normally late like this. 

While waiting for Gorilla, Adrien thinks back on all the strange events he’s had this morning. First, it was a weird dream, then the strange thought of Plagg the cat, and now the nose ring. It was all very weird to him.

“Yo, Adrien!” A male voice yells bringing him out of his thoughts. Glancing across the gate, Adrien spots Nino waving his hands. Adrien walks up to the gate to meet him and as he does the gates open.

When Adrien gets a good look at Nino, he’s surprised by the boy’s wardrobe choice. Instead of his usual eye t-shirt, Nino is wearing a plain black shirt with a blue and red plaid flannel tied around his waist. On his red hat is a picture of Taureau Noir.

“What’s up, dude?” Nino raises his hand for a high five, then notices the new piece of jewelry adorning his friend’s face. “Woah, dude, when’d you get the nose ring?”

“Oh, this? It’s fake. I guess I wanted to give my father a little scare. I guess you could call it a little act of rebullion,” Adrien scratches the back of his head, hoping Nino would accept his answer.

“Oh nice,” Nino shrugs and starts walking. At first, Adrien didn’t move thrown off because Nino didn’t react to his pun, then realizing Nino started walking Adrien quickly ran to catch up. Looking back at the mansion, Adrien expected Nathalie or Gorilla to come after him but neither of them did.

“Wait, Nino, I’m supposed to wait for my driver,” Adrien says apologetically, once he reaches Nino.

Nino pauses, staring at Adrien. “Dude, what are you talking about? You haven’t had your driver drop you off at school in three years.”

Adrien blinks, not expecting that response. Did I really forget two years of my life? Maybe there's still an akuma on the loose.

“Oh, yeah, I know,” Adrien fakes a laugh. “I thought Nathalie mentioned something about Gorilla taking me to school this morning.”

“Gorilla?” Nino questions. “Do you mean Simon?”

Adrien fakes another laugh. “Yeah.”

An awkward minute of silence passes as the two walk. “So, did you hear what Sexy Noir did yesterday?” Nino scowls, breaking the silence.

“No, what did he do?” Adrien scrunches his eyebrows trying to think of what he could’ve done yesterday to cause this reaction from Nino, but sadly, coming up with nothing.

“He let Alya give him an interview and was practically flirting with her the whole time,” Nino grumbles. “I mean, it’s already enough that every girl adores him. Why does he have to go and flirt with the one girl I actually like?”

Adrien shrugs not paying too much attention, trying to remember the interview with Alya. It’s not like him to go flirting with girls who aren’t Ladybug. “Maybe he saw you struggling to ask her out and decided to give you a little push. I mean Alya isn’t going to be single forever.” 

Another frown finds its way to Adrien’s face as he reasons Taureau Noir’s actions. For some reason, it sounded like something that Adrien would do, yet it’s something he wouldn’t think of doing.

“Woah, dude, I know in your weird rich boy brain that might make sense, but for some hero who doesn’t know me, I doubt it,” Nino sighs. “Let’s stop talking about my problems. How was your night after you left?”

Continuing to walk, Adrien and Nino chat about random things going on in their lives. The walk was very enjoyable, but as they got close to the school someone just had to ruin it. 

He forgot they passed Lila’s house on their walk to school each morning. Most mornings Lila tended to arrive at school late claiming one of her many fake diseases kept her from arriving on time. Usually, their teachers believed her, but most of the class had learned-after a very tense ‘conversation’ with Adrien- that she was a manipulative liar. The details of said ‘conversation’ Adrien can’t quite remember, but he does remember how it ruined all of Lila’s credibility. All things considered, Adrien was surprised when she joined them on their walk.

“Good morning, Adrien, Nino,” Lila greets, a sickly sweet smile on her face. Instead of giving a polite smile like he normally would, Adrien scowls, giving Lila a nasty glare.

“What do you want?” He responds coldly, not particularly caring how she reacts. Woah, where did that come from? Am I normally this cold?

“What makes you think I want something?” Lila fakes a pout. “I was only just coming to tell you that I’ve changed for the better,” Adrien scoffs, frustrating Lila. “I’m serious! I’m not going to be in class today because I’m helping out at the animal shelter.”

“Ah, I see. Have fun convincing the dogs you aren’t an evil snake,” Adrien waves, leaving Lila behind stomping her foot in anger.

“Dude, I don’t like a liar as much as the next guy, but why are you so mean to Lila?” Nino questions, glancing at Adrien.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean for a dude who puts up with Chloé, you can’t seem to even be friendly with Lila.”

Adrien shrugs. “She threatened Marinette. Why should I be friends with someone who does such horrible things?”

When did that happen? I wouldn’t put it past Lila, but why do I know it happened.

“Woah, really!?” Nino exclaims shocked by the revelation. “That explains so much! She threatened your little crush, so you crushed her,” Nino frowns a bit. “Though, I’m not sure Marinette really appreciates it.”

“Wait, what crush?” Adrien looks at Nino confused. “I don’t have a crush on Marinette.”

“Sure,” Nino drawls. “And I don’t have a crush on Alya. Dude, every time you look at her you get these goo goo eyes. You are so whipped and you two aren’t even dating.”

Adrien’s face turns bright red at Nino’s teasing. “It’s not like she’d give me the time of day anyways.” Remembering all the times she’s stuttered around him, Adrien frowns.

“Well, you could change that’d you just apologized for that gum incident,” Nino reminds him. I didn’t apologize for that? Weird I thought I did.

“You don’t think it’s too late?” Adrien asks hopefully.

“Nah, I’m sure apologizing will definitely get you some points in Marinette’s book,” Nino grins. “Who knows, maybe it’ll help me get closer to Alya.”

—

Adrien curses Hawkmoth and his horrible timing. He had been planning on talking to Marinette during lunch, but an akuma decided lunch was the perfect time to go on a rampage. The victim appeared to be an art student from the school.

The akuma was a girl with bright purple hair in a messy bun with paint brushes sticking out in different directions. The loose strands were longer and acted as tentacles moving the akuma around. She was wearing a dress that resembled an art smock with paint stains all over it. On her wrist, she had a charm bracelet with different colored paintballs and a paintbrush.

At least it wasn’t during class this time.

As students started running out of the building, Adrien ran into the janitor’s closet.

“Stompp, Horns up!” Adrien yells calling for his transformation.

In a flash of dark blue, Adrien transforms into Taureau Noir. His transformation reveals him in a dark blue suit with black padding covering his chest and thighs. On his feet, he is wearing dark brown boots with fur on the top that resembles hooves. His shoulders have silver pads and a fur hood sits behind them. A dark brown belt and whip, his weapon, sit around his waist and two horns adorn his head, giving off Ox vibes.

This feels a bit different.

Shrugging off the weird feeling, Taureau Noir climbs through the window in the closet. Even if no one saw me go in, it’s better to be safe than sorry.

Standing on the roof of the school, Taureau watches as the akuma stands in the middle of the courtyard, slinging gigantic blobs of paint at fleeing students. The students who were unlucky to get caught in the blobs were stuck unable to move.

“WHERE IS MARINETTE DUPAIN-CHENG!?!?!” the akuma roars.

Taureau spots Marinette trying to sneak up the stairs at the same time the akuma does.

“THERE YOU ARE YOU LITTLE BRAT!” The akuma throws a paint blob towards her. Taureau immediately acts, diving to save the bluenette.

For a split second, their eyes meet and Taureau notices a slight blush grace Marinette’s features. Not looking back towards the even angrier akuma, he jumps from roof to roof until they reach Le Grand Paris.

“You’ll be safe here, miss,” Taureau gently lowers Marinette onto the roof.

“T-thank you, Hot-Tau,” Marinette’s and Taureau’s faces both turn bright red. “I-I didn’t mean to say that. It’s some stupid nickname my friend, Alya, made up. I mean you’re a hero you shouldn’t be subjected to random girls calling you hot. Not that you aren’t. And I’m rambling, sorry,” Marinette buries her face in her hands.

“Ah, it’s umm it’s no problem! Thank you for the compliment,” Taureau turns in the direction of the akuma. “Stay here until Ladybug and I have defeated the akuma.” With that, Taureau leaves a flustered Marinette and heads off to go do his duty.

—

“Nice of you to join me, Bugaboo,” Taureau greets the spotted heroine. He’s standing on the edge of a roof prepared to quickly dive to save a civilian who fell in the akuma’s path. 

“Sorry, Tau, I got a bit preoccupied,” Tau takes a glance at Ladybug’s face, noting the slight flush on her cheeks. “What seems to be their issue?”

“I’m not sure. She’s just been slinging paint, looking for a girl from Francois DuPont. Don’t worry I’ve made sure the girl is safe,” Tau doesn’t notice how Ladybug’s cheeks turn red at his comment.

“Any idea where the akuma might be hiding?” Ladybug watches the akuma as she goes on her rampage through Paris.

“I’d guess it’s in that charm bracelet on her wrist,” He points it out to Ladybug. She nods getting a good look at the charm bracelet.

“LUCKY CHARM!!” Taureau looks at Ladybug in surprise, shocked she would use her lucky charm this early in the fight. “What am I supposed to do with a pair of gloves?”

“You didn’t want to try interacting with the akuma before calling on your lucky charm?” He questions, watching as she looks for a way to stop the akuma.

“What? You don’t trust your fighting skills?” Ladybug teases.

“Pshh-no. I just mean wha-“

”I GOT IT!” Tau is interrupted by Ladybug figuring out how her lucky charm works. “Let’s go defeat this akuma!” Ladybug jumps off the roof and Tau follows suit, not really knowing what to do, but trusting his Lady.

—

“MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!!” Ladybug yells while throwing the red gloves with black spots in the air. The magical ladybugs clean the paint the akuma was throwing, releasing those who got trapped in the paint. 

Surprisingly, the ladybugs start swirling around Taureau Noir. “Woah!” 

Ladybug, who was right next to him, takes a step watching as the ladybugs cover his entire body. A bright flash of white light blinds Taureau, causing him to stumble and fall. He tries to close his eyes to block out the light, but it doesn’t do much as the light still pierces through his eyelids.

As the light clears, Adrien feels someone poking at his side. “Chat! Chat! Are you okay?” Groaning, Adrien opens his eyes to see Ladybug looking at him concerned. “Oh thank goodness! You’re okay!” Ladybug wraps her arms around him, squeezing the air from his lungs.

“Wow, m’lady, what did I do to deserve this lovely reaction?” Chat asks once Ladybug releases him. She scrunches her nose at the nickname.

“You got hit by that akuma. You were acting really strange. It was almost like you were a different person,” Ladybug recalls the strange Chat and how he was so different from how Chat normally was. Chat frowns remembering the odd day he had been having. “He was kind of rude-“ 

A beeping from Ladybug’s earrings cut her off. “Oh, I should get going,” Ladybug helps Chat off the ground. “You can get home or wherever you need to be?”

“Don’t worry Bugaboo. This Chat is feline just purrfect,” Ladybug groans at the nickname and swings away.

—

Adrien lies awake in bed, staring at his ceiling. Plagg is curled up next to him, snoring quietly.

Adrien was having trouble falling asleep due to the early weird day he was having. When he got back to his room, he immediately looked up the akuma battle from earlier. Unfortunately, there hadn’t been any videos, but Alya had set up a public forum on the Ladyblog for people to document what they experienced. Most had said the people that got hit by the akuma's blast seemed meaner than they normally were. While that was on par with how Ladybug describe Chat, he couldn’t find any evidence that anyone blasted traveled to some parallel universe. Adrien suspected that people were being smart and not saying how they probably traveled to another universe.

However, the strange experience refuses to leave Adrien’s mind. Adrien tries to chalk it up to the fact that he’s glad he didn’t turn out like the alternate him and wants to avoid becoming like that. But Adrien really knows what’s keeping him up: his crush on Marinette. 

It wasn’t until he was in the other universe that he realized he has a massive crush on Marinette. He had noticed that he had feelings for her, but he thought he was just projecting his feelings for Ladybug onto his everyday Ladybug. After his little adventure today, he realized that those feelings he had were separate from Ladybug.