Kwami Struggle a miraculous ladybug fanfiction by @storiesunite

Chapter 5: Odd and Odder

Jean closed the front door, while slightly bobbing his head to the tune playing though his headphones. He had just gotten back from school. Setting down his back pack by the door, the kid bent down to fish his homework out.

His mother called from the small kitchen. "Welcome back ma cher!"

Jean remained quiet as the song swelled into the climax, passionately mouthing the words as he flopped on the nearby couch with homework in hand.

His mother came into the living room to tap her son on the knee with a wooden spoon. "Jean..."

Jean noticed his mother trying to get his attention and quickly pried off his headphones. "Oui, maman?" The worried expression on his mother's face caused Jean to fidget in concern. "What's wrong?"

The woman gulped. "Are you- using steroids?"

Jean got to his feet in confusion. "No. What makes you think that?!"

His mother took him by the shoulders and guided him quickly to a mirror. Jean's jaw dropped in shock. The woman folded her arms distrustfully. "Now I don't know what is going on here my boy, but you definitely look older."

Jean's mind was spinning with memories where random kids in classrooms, at lunch, and in the hallways kept giving him curious glances. He didn't know why he was attracting so much attention...but now it made sense- He looked about two years older than he was the day Ladybug and Chat Noir asked him some questions.

This wasn't normal...

***

Hawkmoth and Mayura woke up in each other's arms. They had both fallen asleep in the lair, being too afraid of leaving and attracting unwanted attention. Hawkmoth paled in anxiety as Mayura started coughing harder than before. She couldn't de-transform....and if left alone...the damaged miraculous would destroy her just like it destroyed Emile. Even with such tremendous power at his disposal...Hawkmoth felt completely helpless. 

No doctor in all of France would care to help her. 

Even in different countries she was bound to have a bad name- 

Nuru spoke up in telepathy. "If...if I may sir-"

Hawkmoth muttered absently under his breath. "Not now Nuru! Unless you have an idea to help perserve Natalie's health then don't bother!"

Mayura shivered as a bunch of periwinkle hued feathers sprouted from her back. She smiled weakly. "Good morning M-master."

Hawkmoth slightly frowned, feeling his insides shrivel upon hearing his assistant call him Master. For some reason...it didn't sit well with him. It wasn't long before was a soft burbling growl coming from Hawkmoth's stomach. 

How long had they been down in the lair?

A day? A week? It didn't really matter-

Mayura tried to sit up. "I'll make a sentimonster to fetch us something to eat-"

Hawkmoth gently held her back. His voice was firm. "Absolutetly not! I will not risk you hurting yourself further. I'll send an akuma to fetch something instead."

***

Ladybug and Chat were shortly on the scene of an wrecked resturant. An akumatized teenage girl who was wearing a uniform that matched the uniforms of the emlpoyees,  didn't even acknowledge the presence of the superheroes. She wasn't even hurting the patrons either. 

That was different.

A new tactic to get the miraculous perhaps?

Chat Noir dove into the ruined building and swatted the girl's hand away from a trembling employee. "Paws off!" 

The girl paused as the pink butterfly symbol appeared in front of her eyes. After a moment the girl front flipped over Chat and landed in the drive through window docking area. She grabbed as much prepared food within arms reach, stuffed it in a backpack then ran away.

"Lucky Charm!"

Apparently, one of the refrigerators was broken, so Ladybug used her lucky charm on that. One Miraculous Ladybug later the restarant was restored. 

Chat wondered aloud as they ran back to their safe house. "Have you ever seen an akuma that's only interested in food LB?"

Ladybug seemed just as bewildered. "No, I haven't....she didn't even mention our miraculous..." The more she thought about it, the superheroine could only draw one conclusion. Her voice became softer with sympathy. "Hawkmoth and Mayura can't leave their lair without risking their identities being revealed, because the change for them happened at home...so Hawkmoth sent the Akuma to get food-"

Chat finished quietly. "Because they were starving."

They both became somber as they walked into the warehouse that they had refashioned as their base. They had been given food by the Dupain-Chengs after a visit by LB, explaining that Marinette had been helping her during the most recent Akuma and, that she was trying to find her now, since the crisis was averted and Marinette went missing.

Tim and Sabine were very grateful to Ladybug for trying to find thier precious daughter and they showered her with backed goods for both Ladybug and Chat Noir to live on while they searched. Ladybug had a hunch that they also hoped that thier baked love would somehow find its way to Marinette, and the very thought of that made her smile.

They weren't struggling as much as Hawkmoth and Mayura were.

Ladybug silently wished that she could help them somehow. Even though they were the most notorious villains in Paris, they were still human beings just like her and Chat Noir.