Here's a summary/breakdown of the random Miraculous Ladybug dream I had a few days ago... (Set post-season 3/Miracle Queen)
Marinette and Luka go missing after meeting up at a small recording studio to work on something for Kitty Section's new track (another customer renting one of the other booths becomes akumatized and uses his powers before they can react).
The following day, the class notices Marinette is absent/Jukela shares that her brother never came home last night, and that they were supposed to meet up the previous day, leading them to speculate that the two have run off together and eloped. Adrien isn't sure why the thought bothers him so much.
After school, a breaking news story reveals that several hundred people have gone missing since the previous day. The police notice the only thing the missing people have in common is that several of them worked in a specific area of town. When the citizens working in that area were questioned, they all mentioned that the crew from the afternoon shift (who were now missing) had left their jobs unattended mid-task, as if they had simply vanished into thin air. Everyone wonders if it's due to a new akuma, but there's been no sign of who or what it could be.
Alya uploads a video on the Ladyblog asking for people to come forward if they notice anything amiss, as well as calling for Ladybug to make a statement confirming whether an akuma is the cause. Adrien transforms and scopes out the area, but comes up with nothing, and is unable to contact Ladybug. He wonders if she was fighting the akuma alone, but got caught up in whatever caused the disappearances. His only consolation is that Luka and Marinette are also missing, which means Ladybug might be able to have Viperion and Multimouse aid her.
The next day, Alya, Nino, and Adrien visit the bakery to check in on Marinette's parents. While sitting down with them, Adrien excuses himself to use the bathroom. After doing his business, he passes by the ladder leading to Marinette's room and Plagg darts out of his pocket and phases through the trapdoor. Adrien reluctantly follows in order to wrangle his kwami, and finds Plagg hovering near Marinette's bed. He tells the kwami off for being a pervert but Plagg ignores him and orders Adrien to open the drawer of the nightstand. He begrudgingly does so, discovering the drawer is much shallower than it first appeared, due to a false bottom compartment. Annoyed that Adrien is taking so long, Plagg lifts the thin plywood of the false bottom and reveals a very familiar polka dot box. Adrien pulls the box out and wonders why Ladybug would leave something so important with Marinette, even if they're good friends. Plagg points out that she wouldn't (it's as close to the truth as his magic will allow). Numb with shock, Adrien brushes his fingers over the box, causing it to open. The surprise snaps him out of it enough to examine the contents, noting that all of the other kwamis' accessories are still there, including Sass's bangle.
Alya and Nino go upstairs to find Adrien so they can leave and discover the entrance to the trapdoor is open. Furious at the invasion of Marinette's privacy, Alya storms up the ladder and catches Adrien snooping by the bed. Adrien fumbles the box, trying to hide it away again before they notice, but his bad luck kicks in and one of the accessories falls on the floor. Alya pauses mid-tirade as she recognizes Trixx's necklace. Nino yanks Adrien away from the nightstand, demanding an answer for why he's up here, snooping through Marinette's stuff. Adrien's other hand is still on the handle of the drawer, so when he's pulled away, the whole drawer comes out. Alya rushes to rescue the necklace, catching the drawer frame awkwardly enough that the contents spill out onto the floor. Nino turns his attention to Alya in order to make sure she's okay, but ends up voicing his thoughts aloud when he asks 'why does Marinette have Wayzz's bracelet?'
The trio reconcile their superhero identities, as well as the knowledge that Marinette is most likely Ladybug. Adrien admits that he's Chat Noir, and that his kwami was the one who led to the box's discovery. Alya and Nino forgive him for the breach of Marinette's privacy and the conversation turns toward the disappearances. Adrien notes that Ladybug's earrings aren't there, so Marinette must have had them with her when she went missing. When Nino brings up the possibility of other heroes being there, Adrien points out that everyone else's miraculous are still here. Alya suggests that they team up with the other wielders, but Adrien admits that he only knows the identities of Viperion and Ryuko, and that one of them is among the missing. He explains Ladybug's rule of not knowing the wielders' identities, and shares her concerns about it. He shares that after their identities were revealed, Ladybug decided it was too dangerous for them to continue being heroes, lest Hawkmoth use their families against them. Reluctantly, they agree to put the box back for safekeeping. Adrien tells them he'll keep them in the loop if he finds anything, and the trio head home.
-*-
Meanwhile, Marinette and Luka find themselves trapped in a pocket dimension with the other people who have disappeared. Everything appears to be normal, so they finish out their day unaware, but when they try to return home, they discover that they're trapped. They can't leave the area and end up returning if they try to walk past a certain point (they can see beyond it, but can't continue without being turned back around). Marinette struggles to find a way to talk to Tykki alone so they can assess the situation, and Luka guesses the reason she's uncomfortable. Luka reveals that he already knows she's Ladybug, because 'their music is the same.' Together, they find a private spot and discuss things with Tykki.
They agree to have Marinette transform in order to lure out the akuma, who should have instructions to take Ladybug's miraculous and give it to Hawkmoth. Ladybug attempts to call Chat Noir, but he doesn't answer. She leaves a message and decides to go through with the plan for now. Luka positions himself on the roof of the tallest building within the bubble, acting as a lookout since they don't know where the akuma will be coming from. After an hour of acting as bait, even resorting to taunts and call-outs, the akuma still doesn't show. Puzzled, Ladybug swings around the entire bubble, but never catches sight of anyone who might be the akuma. She attempts to call Chat again, but he still won't pick up. She leaves another message with an update and wonders whether the messages are getting through at all.
At an impasse, Marinette and Luka agree to find some place to stay for the night and try to figure out another plan in the morning. Luckily, a small hotel was caught in the bubble, and most of the people who are trapped end up staying there for the night. There's a shortage of rooms, however, so friendly groups are given a single room in order to make space for others. Marinette and Luka awkwardly share a room for the night, washing up in shifts and dressing down as comfortably as they can, given the circumstances. When Luka offers to sleep on the floor without any blankets or pillows (which had been commandeered for larger groups prior to their arrival), Marinette allows him to share the bed. Noticing how uncomfortable she is despite her offer, Luka decides to compromise and sleep on top of the sheets so that there's a barrier between them. Feeling marginally better, Marinette rolls over to face the opposite way and squeaks out a goodnight, still nervous, but is somehow able to sleep.
The next day, after a small panic-attack on Marinette's part (when she wakes up to find Luka setting out breakfast in their shared room and her sleep-addled brain has to catch up), they settle down to discuss their next move. Since their attempts to bait the akuma didn't work, they decide to scour the whole bubble, one building at a time. In order to simplify the process, they decide to have Ladybug direct the citizens to gather in the hotel (after they've searched it) while she searches the rest of the area. They follow through with the plan, but are only able to get through half of the bubble by the end of the day. After letting the citizens know which areas have been cleared, Marinette finds a place to change back and heads back to the room with Luka.
They spend another awkward night together, and Luka comforts Marinette when she starts berating herself for not resolving the issue more quickly. He apologizes for not being able to help more without his miraculous, and she chastizes him for apologising for something he has no control over. The conversation leads to Marinette admitting that she feels lost in her new role as Guardian, and that it might be better to change up some of the old rules she'd been following. If the other wielders had their miraculous on hand, then they would always be at the ready in case of an emergency. Doing so would also allow them to practice with their powers and grow closer to their respective kwamis. She admits that the main thing holding her back from making the change is worry over someone else abusing their power like Chloe. Luka asks why she chose Chloe to be a wielder in the first place, and Marinette relates the story of how Chloe found it on her own. Luka points out that all the other people she's actually chosen have taken it seriously and have always returned their miraculous when she's asked for them back. He encourages her to trust in her partners, and in her own ability to judge a person's character. When she brings up the incident with Adrien, who had Sass first, Luka mentions that Adrien still respected her and returned the miraculous. Tykki reminds Marinette that it's okay to make mistakes, or to ask for help when she needs it. Marinette argues that she's still worried about what might happen if the wielders knew each other's identities (and laments that she has to choose new weilders due to the events of Miracle Queen), but that she'll consider lending out the miraculous on a more long-term basis. She thanks Luka for comforting her, and the two grow a little closer.
The following day, Marinette transforms and gathers the citizens together again before searching the other half of the bubble. Luka discovers the akuma still inside the recording studio and sneaks outside to flag Ladybug down. Together, they creep inside to observe the akuma and attempt to figure out where the akumatized item might be hiding. The akuma is lost in their own world, recording their music. Ladybug and Luka retreat to an empty booth and speculate as to why the akuma wouldn't go after her miraculous after all this time. Ladybug theorizes that the akuma's power has cut them off from everything outside the bubble, including communication between miraculous (which would explain the radio silence from Chat Noir, and Hawkmoth allowing the akuma to do as they pleased for so long).
They discuss how to proceed, since akuma usually act out if someone tries to take away their powers or impede whatever their goals are. Luka suggests that if the akuma doesn't feel threatened, there may be a chance to talk to them and better understand their motives, which could help narrow down the akumatized item. Ladybug is hesitant to put him in harm's way, but agrees that aggravating the akuma may lead to further complications (like the akuma walling himself off a second time, to where they couldn't reach). She agrees to attempt Luka's plan and remains out of sight, ready to jump in and protect him if need be.
Luka knocks on the door of the akuma's booth and strikes up a casual conversation. He's hypervigilant of any change in their 'music' that might signal an aggressive response, but maintains an air of calm and curiosity. The akuma is suspicious at first, but relaxes his guard when the topic stays on his music, and what he's trying to accomplish. When Luka offers to help, the akuma's wariness spikes again, and Luka notices they seem protective of their (insert item here), but after a tense moment, they calm down again. Luka stays and helps a bit to keep up pretenses before excusing himself to grab a bottle of water.
He fills Ladybug in on his findings and they decide to have him return in order to keep the akuma at ease and distract them while Ladybug sneaks in to destroy the akumatized item. While Luka is chatting with the akuma, Ladybug quietly enters the room and attempts to get close enough to retrieve the item. The akuma catches her and realizes that Luka was working with Ladybug all along. She quickly summons her Lucky Charm, before the akuma can use their powers again. Using the Lucky Charm, she's able to manipulate the akuma into attacking her, leaving Luka an opening to grab the akumatized item. He breaks it, Ladybug cleanses the butterfly, and then uses her Miraculous Ladybug skill to return the bubble to normal.
-*-
Outside of the bubble, the others are on their way home when the displaced dome flickers into existence, followed by a commotion when the missing people start reappearing. Adrien transforms and rushes over to the area, meeting Alya and Nino along the way. They spot Ladybug and Luka coming out of the recording studio and rush to greet them. Ladybug reassures them that Marinette is alright, and the trio admit to discovering her identity. Luka puts a comforting hand on her shoulder (giving away the fact he also knows), but Ladybug shakes her head and doesn't deny it. Choosing to put the citizens before her own troubles, Ladybug asks to meet up at the eiffel tower to talk later, then focuses on helping the citizens reorient themselves.
When they reconvene, Ladybug tells the story of what happened inside the bubble, and why her messages weren't getting through. When they ask about Luka's involvement, and how he found out about Ladybug's identity, Luka explains that he figured it out on his own. This bring up the topic of how the others found out, and they tell their side of the story, explaining what had happened with Plagg (while referring to Adrien as Chat, even though she can surmise Chat must be someone close to her, considering her parents let him in). She tells them that it couldn't be helped, and that any blame should be placed squarely on Plagg. Even so, the kwami was only worried about what might happen without Ladybug around, which is why finding new, permanent weilders is so important.
After settling that issue, Ladybug apologizes for hiding her identity from Alya and Nino. They express their conflicted feelings, but acknowledge that they understand her reasons for doing so. In an attempt to lighten the mood, Nino comments that Marinette will no longer need to flub for excuses when encountering an akuma in their civilian lives, and can just transform around them. Alya jokingly bemoans that she should have realized it sooner, considering how awkwardly disjointed some of Marinette's excuses were previously. Luka just smiles at Ladybug reassuringly, offering to help with whatever he can even if he's not Viperion anymore. Ladybug is relieved their friendship is still strong, even though this new dynamic will undoubtedly take some getting used to on all sides.
Once things have been smoothed over, they agree to keep her secret and offer support however they can. Thoroughly drained, Ladybug bids them goodnight, knowing she still has to get through a tearful reunion with her parents before she can rest.
-*-
Everyone has a moment of reflection about the day's revelations. Marinette texts Luka to thank him again for the support, let him know that she got home okay. Alya and Nino try to reconcile the fact everyone in their main friend group are/were superheroes, but that Marinette still doesn't know Adrien is Chat Noir. Adrien frets about how to act around Marinette now that he knows she's Ladybug, when she's still unaware that his civilian self knows/doesn't know that he's Chat.
-*-
The following day, Adrien, Alya, and Nino wait in front of the school for Marinette to arrive. They talk for a bit about how to interact, and Alya asks about whether Chat's feelings for Ladybug are true. Adrien admits he's had a huge crush on Ladybug since Stoneheart, but isn't sure what to do since Marinette always seems so awkward around him, despite being one of his best friends. Alya and Nino share a look, but try to be encouraging- letting him know that Marinette cares about him a lot, and to try to show her that she's special to him. Adrien is hesitant to do so, since he's not sure how Marinette feels about him, especially since the class seems to think she's interested in Luka. Marinette arrives before Alya and Nino can reply. Adrien resolves to ask Marinette about her feelings later, as Chat.
Marinette notices Adrien is acting a little strangely, but is too wrapped up in dealing with the post-reveal aftermath and brainstorming candidates for miraculous to do much about it. When she catches a moment where she's alone with them, she lets Alya and Nino know she plans to duck out right after school to focus on superhero things. Once at home, she transforms long enough to leave a message for Chat asking him to stop by later that night to talk things over.
-*-
While Marinette focuses on planning, Alya and Nino let Adrien know why she left, then try to talk to him about his crush again. He says he'll think it over, but has to run to fencing practice.
Adrien's mind is obviously somewhere else during practice, so Kagami cajoles him into talking. He gives her a vague outline of his predicament, taking care to dodge around names or anything that would implicate their superhero identities. Kagami realizes this is most likely about Marinette, and bluntly tells him to weigh his options- pursue someone who hasn't made up her mind (Marinette), someone who has (her), or don't pursue either. She then leaves him with his thoughts, and he spends the rest of the afternoon mulling over his relationship with Kagami, and what may have happened in the bubble between Marinette and Luka.
-*-
That evening, Marinette jots down ideas in her journal while she waits for Chat Noir to show up. Once he does, they chat about the other miraculous for a bit before the conversation turns to their identities. Chat admits that he was surprised to discover her identity, but that looking back on Marinette's involvement with akuma, he shouldn't have been- that she was just as brave and resourceful as Ladybug even as a civilian. He expresses embarrassment over his actions during the Evillustrator and Weredad cases, and Marinette admits to rolling her eyes behind his back several times. Chat mentions wishing he could take it back, knowing what he does now. When Marinette points out that she's had her fair share of embarrassing moments, he explains he was referring to his declaration that he wasn't in love with Marinette. At first she's a little flattered by this statement, but quickly points out that he truly didn't feel that way about "just Marinette" at the time, and that he should reconcile those feelings before confessing his love now that he's found out she's Ladybug. If he decides that he feels the same way about all of Marinette, not just Ladybug, then she'll accept his confession. Chat asks if that means she'll choose him over Luka, which causes Marinette to consider her own feelings. She admits that she's unsure about who she'll choose in the end, since there's still a different boy she's trying to get over. Chat is jealous, but tries to comfort her, telling her that whoever the other guy is, he's missing out.
-*-
(That's it, folks. I assume a lot of character growth and relationship drama ensues, but the end pairings and such are up to you. I just wanted to jot down the core idea from my dream and fleshed it out a bit.
Feel free to run with it and write a fic or draw fanart or whatever, just link it back to this post/dm me so I can see them. :) Have fun!)
