To Be a Hero | MLB

11: The Kwami

Later that night, I'm working on my French Literature homework on my bed when my phone beeps. It's a tone I've never heard before, so naturally, I pick it up.

It's another akuma alert, but this time, the reporter is talking about some... hoarder, I think she said? Behind her is a live video of a metal man surrounded by swirling objects. Paris' superheroes, Ladybug and Chat Noir, are on the scene, trying to attack the metal man but seemingly making no progress. Their hits don't look like they're hurting the metal man, but his flying objects keep swatting the heroes around like flies.

"It looks like Ladybug and Chat Noir are having some trouble with this villain—Preserver, he calls himself."

I nearly set my phone down, knowing the heroes will win anyway, no matter how difficult this villain may be. According to Antoine, they've saved Paris almost two hundred times—why should tonight be any different?

Then I see Ladybug and Chat Noir fly out of the video frame. Angry, Preserver flings a stray park bench toward the camera, and the video goes dark.

"Um..." I mumble to myself, confused. My mom and brothers are watching the news in the family room, and I can hear them expressing their concern. I'm about to press my ear against my door to hear exactly what they're saying, but I hear a tap on my window. I turn and have to do a double-take when I see Ladybug—the actual Ladybug, wearing her iconic spotted jumpsuit—dangling outside my window.

I hurry over and open the window to her, letting her inside my room.

"I... what?" is all I can say.

"I'm sorry but we don't have much time for explanations. You may not know me very well, but I'm Ladybug, one of Paris' superheroes. And right now, I could really use your help."

"My help?"

She smiles tightly. "Yeah. Preserver is proving to be a really difficult villain, and Chat Noir and I could use an extra set of hands. And powers. So..." She takes her magic yo-yo and it slides open, revealing a bright white opening inside. She reaches in and pulls out a small loop earring decorated with five bright blue gems, then holds it out to me. "Victoria Moreau-Stewart, here is the Miraculous of the Parrot, which grants the power of sound replication and amplification. You will use it for the greater good. Once the job is done, you will return the Miraculous to me. Can I trust you?"

I just blink at her. "I'm sorry, what?"

She places the earring in my palm. "Here, just take it."

I hold the earring up to look at it, and suddenly, a bright sphere of light emerges from within. I hold up a hand to shield my eyes from the light, and after a few seconds, it dims.

I squint at the air in front of me. A small bird-looking creature is floating in front of my face, and for a moment, we just stare at each other. Then the thing speaks, saying, "Oh, hi! I'm Lorri, your kwami! I'm so excited to meet you! Oh, I've been waiting forever for a new owner, and you look really nice, so... oh my gosh... this is going to be so fun!" The kwami babbles on for a minute while Ladybug tries to get her to calm down.

"Lorri, we really don't have time. There's a villain on the loose!"

Lorri spins back to me, her bright blue wings fluttering. "Oh no, that's horrible! Okay, owner—"

"Tori," I interject.

"OOH, Tori and Lorri, that's fun! Okay, Tori, just put on the earring in the box and say, 'Lorri, time to talk!' to transform. Then you'll be a super cool superhero with my powers! And when you're done, say, 'Lorri, time to rest.'"

I glance at Ladybug, and she motions impatiently, waiting for me to follow the kwami's instructions.

Not wanting to disappoint a literal hero, I check once to make sure my door is still locked before clipping on the dark blue cartilage earring and saying the "magic words," kickstarting this impossible adventure.