Chapter Text
Ever since the beginning of time, there have existed two forces: creation and destruction.
Creation came first, manifested with the very explosion that catapulted life as we know it. She created destruction.
Without destruction, there is no creation.
Without creation, there is no destruction.
A perfect balance.
These first two forces manifested into spiritual beings–gods if you will–untethered to one single body or being. With each new concept created in the universe (Evolution, Protection, Emotion, Intuition, Freedom), there created a new spirit.
These spirits had influence over their respective origins: real magic. Together, they gathered to watch the creation of life on earth, watching each species rise up only to be destroyed. They discovered the awesome powers they manifested, any use of them enough to unravel reality.
To control their magic, they tethered themselves to bodies, present enough in the world to watch the new evolution of homosapiens.
They watched them discover consciousness and thought, family and love, intelligence and intuition, empathy and hate, greed and selfishness, cruelty and manipulation.
To fight the evils of the world, some of these beings, these gods, these Kwamis, tethered their bodies to jewelry. They gave up their freedom to control their power.
They called these jewels miraculouses
When paired with a human user, these jewels gave incredible powers to protect from forces of evil. Throughout history, heroes have used these jewels for the good of the human race.
Two miraculouses, those of Creation and Destruction, are more powerful than the rest: the earrings of the Ladybug, which provide the power of creation; and the ring of the Black Cat, which grants the power of destruction.
Like the forces themselves, the users balance out each other. They must grow and learn with each other, using their powers conjointly for the good of all mankind.
For this tale, there is another miraculous you must know: the butterfly grants the user the ability to bestow powers to any human with powerful emotions. The user sends out magic butterflies–akumas–that entice the person affected to become the user’s devoted follower. The more powerful the emotion, the more powerful the akumatized’s powers.
Unfortunately, as easily as the Miraculouses can be used for good, they can be used for evil.
In another universe the guardian of the Miraculouses will lose the Peacock Miraculous.
In another universe, Paris will befall to Hawkmoth.
In another universe, Ladybug and Chat Noir, two teenagers, will rise to fight evil.
In another universe, but not this one.
In this universe, the Miraculouses move to the New World.
In this universe, the Peacock Miraculous was lost long ago.
In this universe, Amy Santiago and Jake Peralta are destined to carry the Ladybug and Cat Miraculouses.
In this universe, their fates are intertwined with the fate of the universe.
In this universe, they must learn to work together not for the fates of themselves and their precinct, but for the fate of New York.
This is their story.
~~~~~
To the Guardian of the Miraculouses, it seemed fitting that this day was a dark one. No one paid mind as they slipped through throngs of New Yorkers, pulling their hood taught around their face. The shadow moved with practiced stealth, barely a whisper to the peripheral. If only they knew what was about to happen.
“ They’re close, Master ,” a wizened voice belonging to the kwami Wayzz whispered in the Guardian’s ear. They clutched the two small boxes tighter in their palm.
“It is nearly time.”
There were shouts that grew louder with every fleeting step. But the Guardian had complete faith in his kwami; the kwami of Protection has a sense about these things.
The image distorted over the cup of steaming tea, Wayzz’s eyes widened.
“Master, the Butterfly Miraculous has awakened.” His voice wavered.
Knowingly, the Guardian set down the cup. “Is it time?”
Wayzz zipped to the window that was set ajar. His fear was tangible when he predicted, “A great evil will befall this city.” He turned towards his aging Master.
“But there is hope! There are holders, I can sense them.”
“Then we leave at once.”
The crowd began to thin out as the noise grew in volume. They quickened their haste as they reached the end of the block. Soon enough, the Guardian was confronted with a line of police tape, containing a small crowd away from where the clamor was greatest. Feeling Wayzz tremble in their hood, they did not hesitate to duck under the tape and slink into the shadows provided by scaffolding across the street from the scene.
“They are there, Master.” They could hear the relief that heavily coated Wayzz’s voice.
Sure enough, not ten yards away were two officers arguing vehemently. They were both clad in police vests with a large “99” embroidered on the back. The man, slightly taller with wild brown hair, was gesticulating towards the woman. The more he spoke, the more excited he appeared to get. By contrast, the woman grew increasingly frustrated in tone and had reached out to grab the man’s arm when he suddenly sprinted into the alleyway next to the scene.
“The Black Cat,” the Guardian murmured. “Brave and callous.”
The man had now ducked into what the Guardian assumed was a doorway. The woman watched him act with an astonished expression, bit her lip, and slowly followed him while unholstering her gun. She moved in a calculated path, ducking appropriately to avoid other officers, and entered the same doorway the man had entered.
“And there’s our Ladybug.” Wayzz’s eyes were shining with triumph and hope when the Guardian glanced down at him. “Calculated and cautious.” The Guardian’s eyes were black.
“They have much to learn before they can take on the Butterfly.”
“Of course, Master.”
“I hope with all my heart that they learn promptly–we don’t have enough time.”
“Master, the Miraculouses never chose wrong.”
At the reminder, the Guardian lessened their grip on the boxes. Instantly, they flew into a police car parked nearby, and the Guardian heaved a sigh of relief – and resignment.
“Wayzz, I am much too old for this work,” they admitted. Indeed, their duty had been looming over them like a dark cloud recently. They only clung to hope that some new Chosen would retrieve the one lost Miraculous.
“Master, I’m afraid we have to complete one last task.” The cloud loomed.
“Well?”
“The Butterfly is here.” Wayzz’s voice was not without remorse, but the kwami had always been more pragmatic than the old Guardian.
“Wayzz–”
“It is for the greater good, Master,” his kwami’s voice was laced with unusual anger. “We must break the object.”
Thunder crashed.
And the Guardian, who had learned a long time ago to resign themself to their fate, snuck into the building of screams and found the object. A locket, stained a deep purple, was fragile enough to break with a push of their thumb.
As the lightning struck, the old Guardian slipped back into the shadows and the purple butterfly freed itself from its cage.