Lantern’s Light
So I am following @multifandomscribette advice and just making a quick one-shot and not worrying about bigger projects. Marinette joins a Lantern Corps. But is green really her color? That is the real question.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marinette was having the worst day of her life. Lila, the liar, had made good on her promise and then some.
The Italian had twisted everything she could to turn it against Marinette. Whether it was her friends, educators, or family. New friends, like Alya demanded evidence even though she herself never looked into things or fact checked the lies Marinette pointed out. Old ones, people she thought knew her since diapers were now branding her of bullying and harassment. Not a single person in her class thought she was telling the truth.
They were all knelt down in the front of their profit praising her glory. Never once seeing the altar standing upon a pile of lies and deceit.
What did the young heroin get for trying to confront the liar? Her educators expelled her from school finding her guilty of cheating, theft, and violence against others. The accusations were all brought up by none other than Lila. She always had some kind of evidence so her claims were never baseless, even if they were false.
The cheating? Test answers found in her bag. Her hard work and hours of studying to get a perfect score are seen as proof misconduct instead of reward for her dedication.
The theft? A fox pendet that wasn’t hers in a locker that was. A locker, just like all others in the school, that wasn’t locked. and a pendet that fell out as soon as the door was opened. The question of what thief would leave their pilfered loot in a place that could easily compromise them was never asked.
The violence against others? Lila’s wrapped knee and limp. Garnered from being pushed down a flight of stairs. Right. In front. Of the. Principal's Office. Funny thing is how no one bothered to check to see how bad the injury was, instead they just wrapped it up without question. Another funny point is how no one noticed how quickly the limp disappeared when she accused Marinette of theft.
Refuting these claims was pointless, because she was the only person defending herself. Adrien, the one person she thought she could count on in her time of need said nothing. He was cowed into silence by his father standing behind him and his own passive nature around the man working against him. It hurt her to know that he would do and say nothing around his father.
She was expelled, but it wasn’t the worst the young bluenette had to deal with. No, the worst was what she was currently dealing with.
“I thought we raised you better than this, Marinette!” Her mother shouted.
“Maman, Papa I didn’t do those things.” She tried to defend. “Lila is trying to frame me!”
“Why would she do that?” Her mother asked.
“Because I called her out on all her lies. So she promised to make my life miserable.”
“Marinette Dapain-Cheng,” Her father’s voice was stern. “I will not have you lying in this house. You are already in a lot of trouble.”
“But I am not lying!” she shouted.
“Just like you didn’t steal from that girl or push her down the stairs.” he countered.
“I didn’t do any of those things.” She tried.
“Enough,” his voice raised but didn’t yell. He didn’t need to. The simple fact of him raising his voice was enough to stop most in their tracks. She was no different. Her teeth clicked as her mouth slapped shut.
“Enough of this Marinette. Your classmates had already tried to warn us that you were bullying the poor girl. Trying to get us to stop you from doing something regrettable. We didn’t want to believe them. We shouldn’t have to.”
“Papa,” Marinette’s voice wavered. She didn’t know how much more of this she could take.
He took a breath, “We’re so disappointed that they were right.”
Marinette gasped.
“You… you believe them, Her!?!” She was close to hysterics. “She is-”
“No. no more!” He commanded.
“Go to your room until we figure out the proper punishment.” Her mother ordered.
“Punishment!?!”
The teen’s world was shattering, crumbling to dust, and she couldn’t get her feet under her. She didn’t know how. Marinette truly had no frame of mind to understand all that was happening. Never before had anything like this happened.
“Go.” Sabine, her mother’s voice was fierce.
Tom, her father’s voice was just as commanding,“Now.”
As numb as she was she still filinched, and said something she never would have thought she would to them.
“Yes Sir, Yes Ma’am.”
Not Maman and Papa or Mom and Dad but Sir and Ma’am.
It was forign to her tongue. Just as it was to her ears with how hollow her voice was.
She turned and headed to her room. She wasn’t sure if she bumped into anything or not. Her body jerked a few times like she did, but she couldn’t feel any pain.
‘No that’s not right’ She thought as she got to her room. ‘It hurts. It hurts so much.’
The invisible strings holding her up finally snap, and she falls to her knees.
Tears are running down her face as she sobs. Each breath is rugged and a mix of being too deep and too shallow at the same time. Her chest is hurting so much.
The fabric of her shirt is straining in her grasp. She was grabbing at it like a lifeline. Like it was her own heart she was holding. Trying desperately to stop it from shattering into nothing.
‘Why does it hurt?’ she thought or asked aloud she wasn’t sure. ‘Why does losing everything you love have to hurt so much?’
She continued to cry harder and harder.
It should have been no surprise that something velvet in color came flying into her room and talked to her.
The voice wasn’t masculine like she would have expected however.
Instead, the voice was feminine and level.
“Marinette Dupain-Cheng of Earth. You have great love in your heart. Welcome to the Star Sapphires.”
“Marinette, are you alright?” Tikki asked.
The little god was obviously worried for her chosen. As she should be with Hawkmoth trying to akumatize her.
Coming to her senses, the teen tried to fight off the negative emotions Hawkmoth was trying to use against her.
‘Wait,’ she shook her head, ‘This isn’t right.’
Looking over her own emotions she couldn’t find any negativity.
“Please, Marinette!” Tikki shouted in desperation when Marinette didn’t answer.
‘Oh Tikki,’ Was all she could think when she looked at her friend.
Tikki’s eyes were full of fat tears. Her antennae were low and sagging. Her normal bright cherry red color was duller and a deeper maron red. Her entire body screamed worry.
“I’m okay.” She answered. “I’m okay Tikki. Hawkmoth isn’t in control.”
Tikki zoomed to her face quicker than lightning and hugged Marinette’s face.
“I was so scared.” She cried.
The teen hugged back, cupping the little god against her cheek. “I’m okay now.”
Was she?
She enjoyed the hug for a moment to address her feelings she found out that; Yeah, yeah she was. She was okay.
“When that thing came in I didn’t know what to do.” Tikki explained. “When it turned you into a crystal I was so afraid.”
She was still crying so Marinette wasn’t sure she heard properly.
“Wait? An akuma turned me into a crystal?” she asked.
She was confused. ‘Could hawkmoth do that?’
Tikki pulled away from the hug, “No, it wasn’t an akuma.”
She pulled Marinette’s hand in front of her face. “It was this.”
On her hand, on her left index finger, was a ring. It was a metallic steel pink with a star similar to the cardinal points of a compass at its center. It had a brilliant sheen to it.
Her awe at the peace of jewelry was short lived when she took in the rest of her hand. It was gloved in a material much like her miraculous costume. It was from fitting and a striking chromatic magenta.
Her eyes traced down her arm. Hand to wrist, wrist to forearm. The glove stopped just below the elbow. Leaving her bicep bare.
That led her to take in her entire outfit. Which, from what she could make out, was a stark contrast to what she was wearing just moments before.
She quickly rushed over to a mirror, and the Marinette that stood before her something to behold.
Gloves on both arms up to the elbow. Bare biceps. The rest of her was breathtaking for a lack of a better word. Her shoulders were just barely covered. The material went up to her Adam's apple on her neck. Her body was mostly covered in the same material as the gloves. There was a small oval window that showed off her stomach, starting at her sternum and ending just below her bellybutton. Below her navel was a pink star much like the one on the ring. The side of her hips were bare. It felt very risqué to the very modest Marinette, but it complemented her figure nicely. Her legs were mostly bare as well, her calves being covered by the criss-cross straps of a pair stylized gladiator sandals. She nearly missed that her back was bare by a larger oval window, as it was covered by her hair.
Her everyday pigtails were gone. Her hair was now loose and freely draped over her back. Where her hair normally stopped at her shoulders, it was now at the small of her back. Her natural blue transitioned smoothly into a vibrant pink.
Her face was the most commanding however. She had a tiara-like metal circlet resting at her hairline. It framed her face down to her jaw line. A branch lined her cheekbone, while another snaked up the top of her ear. Making a lazy S of the two branches. Her lips were colored in a way that brought attention to them. It wasn’t lipstick, just her natural color made to stand out more.
And her eyes.
Her eyes had a glow, a fire, to them that was indescribable. The navy blue she had since birth was replaced by a scarlet fire liking at the edges of her eyes.
She was stunned, awed, and confused.
“Wha..?” Was all she got out looking herself over.
“When that ring came into your room and landed on your finger it trapped you into a crystal. And when you came out you looked like that.” Tikki explained.
“What did Hawkmoth do to me? I can’t feel his influence.”
With a shake of her head Tikki says, “I don’t think it is Hawkmoth, Marinette. This feels different than an akuma.”
The teen looked at the ring, “If it isn’t Hawkmoth then who is it? Am I in any danger?”
“Negative Sister. You are in no danger at the moment.”
The femine voice was back, and it made Marinette jump when it spoke.
“Who are you?” she asked.
“The Sapphire Power Ring of Sector 2814.” The voice paused for a moment, “You may understand it better with the term: Lantern Ring.”
“Wait, like the Green Lanterns?” She knew about the Green Lanterns most people did. There were more than a few on Earth and they were part of the Justice League.
“Similar in a way. But, unlike the Green Lanterns that use the power of will the Star Sapphires use the power of love.”
“Love?” She shook her head. “Not too many people love me right now. Wouldn’t you want someone else?”
“Negative. The Sapphire Power Rings seek out bearers who truly know love. Those that have lived in its comfort and have also been spurned. To become a Star Sapphire a bearer must know both what it is like to be loved and lose that love, as to better help her spread love across the universe.”
“Marinette Dupain-Cheng of Earth you have come to know love in its entirety. All your life you have enjoyed its warmth, and recently you have known the pain of losing that love. The kindred spirit of friendship, the passion of attraction towards a mate, and most painful to you the familial bond from your parents. Each lost to you, but each one made to make you stronger. Will you help spread love throughout the universe and shield others from heartache?”
The ring’s neutral voice was calming. It didn’t hold any emotion in it other than the leveled calm it spoke in. Even still Marinette heard the passion behind it. She wanted to accept. With the ring’s calming voice and her own emotions back under control it sounded like the best thing in the world. ‘The ring did say universe, so I might need to rephrase that.’
She looked up at Tikki and she got worried. “What about Tikki? What about Paris? Hawkmoth still needs to be dealt with. I can’t leave them, especially Tikki. I can’t abandon her.”
Speaking of Tikki, her brow furrowed “Marinette, who are you taking to?”
“Wait,” she looked to her friend. “You can’t hear it. The ring is talking to me.”
“The entity known as Tikki; The Kwami of Creation is still bound to you. As her power aligns with that of love that the Star Sapphires seek to spread throughout the universe.”
The ring actually spoke out loud this time so they both could hear. Tikki actually jumped a little when she heard it talk.
‘Good.’ the teen thought seeing the reaction, ‘At least I am not crazy and hearing voices.’
Marinette took a breath with that. “Good I don’t know what I would do without Tikki.”
It continued to speak out loud. “As for the villain Hawkmoth this power ring can assist you in freeing your home from his tyranny. Warning:” It cautioned. “Ring’s power is less than 5%. Recharge is required if you wish to use its power to its fullest.”
She asked reflexively, “How do I charge the ring?”
“Recharging a ring requires a Sapphire Battery. Locating… Found… Sapphire Battery is in a nearby pocket dimension.”
“Huh…”
‘Pocket dimensions, those are a thing now I guess’ The teen looked at her friend. ‘Well magic is real so why not sci-fi?’
“What do you think, Tikki?”
“I can’t sense anything negative from it, but it did trap you in a crystal.”
“Should I use this ring's power??”
“I don’t know Marinette.”
The teen closed her eyes to think.
She weighed the Pros and Cons.
“Okay.” she nodded to herself.
When she opened her eyes her mind was made up.
“Um, Ring?” she asked. “I have decided to use your power. Can we get that battery somehow to get you recharged?”
“Affirmative. This ring has enough power to pull the battery out of its pocket dimension. All that is needed to recharge this ring is for you to recite the Oath and become a true member of the Star Sapphires.”
“Oh, what is the Oath?”
“For hearts long lost and full of fright,”
“For those alone in Blackest Night.”
“Accept our ring and join our fight,”
“Love conquers all with violet light!”
Marinette smiles, “That was beautiful.”
She liked how it sounded. Like it was a promise and a battle cry at the same time. It resonated within her and echoed what she has always believed. ‘Love can overcome any obstacle.’
She followed the ring’s instructions and pulled the battery out of its hidden dimension.
She put the ring to the lantern ready to become a fully fledged member of the Sapphires.
“For hearts long lost and full of fright,”
“For those alone in Blackest Night.”
“Accept our ring and join our fight,”
“Love conquers all with violet light!”
‘Whoa,’ she thought. Nearly tipping over. ‘What a rush. That felt amazing!’
“Marinette?” Tikki asked tentatively.
“I’m good Tikki, I’m great even.” the heroen balked at that. Her voice sounded different. Not like it was someone else's voice, it just that it sounded like her voice carried more power behind it.
“You are glowing.” Tikki said in amazement.
Looking at her hand she saw a soft glow like aura around it. She turned to look at the mirror again and saw the same violet light over her entire body.
Her eyes were an even brighter fire in them than before, and her hair was caught in a faint ethereal wind.
“Whoa,” because really, what else was she supposed to say?
“What do I do now?” she asked her ring.
"Do what you have always done in life. Follow your Heart."
Quietly she let out a, “Thank you.”
“Tikki?” she asked. It was a question that was never needed to be asked and the little god always had the right answer for.
With a quick zip to the new lantern she was hugging Marinette’s cheek with as much care as he tiny arms would allow.
The teen quickly hugged back with all the love she could muster.
Both shined brighter as their truest emotion came forth.
“Warning:” the ring spoke up, “Sensing large power dispersing over the city. Possible Akuma attack underway.”
“Thank you...” she said wiping the tears from her eyes “...Do you have a name I don’t want to call you ‘Ring’ all the time.”
“Unnecessary, my function is to serve you in your duties. A name would be pointless.”
“Well, I don’t see it that way. You are just like Tikki and I refuse to treat you any different than her.”
“Parameters set: Should it please you, you may address this ring by then name of its previous host ‘Ferris’”
“Welcome to the team/family Ferris.” She said and meant honestly.
“So Tikki?” She asked with a smile. “Should we go meet our newest akuma, and finally put a stop to Hawkmonth?”
The Kwami’s smile was just as wide. “More than anything.”
“Spots On!”
Her Ladybug transformation washes over her Sapphire uniform with some slight changes.
The pigtales are back and a bit longer. Her suit has larger black spots now, namely over the spots that were bare to the world in her other suit. The iris in both eyes were rimmed in a violet tinge.
Lastly the ring was still there. Still as lustrous as when she first saw it.
“Let’s see what Hawkmoth has in store for us.”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The trick was brilliant in hindsight. Mayura used an Amok to create a Sentimonster doppelganger of Ladybug to trick Chat into giving up his miraculous.
‘I am kind of surprised that they didn’t do it sooner.’ She thinks to herself.
‘But with how well it worked I can see why they didn’t.’ she snarks to herself.
The Sentimonster had gotten close to performing her task too before she showed up. It was a little harder to convince Chat that she was the real Ladybug with her new look and all. But it turned out alright. Mayura showed her hand too soon and tables turned quickly when Ladybug got the amok and freed the Sentimonster.
Mayura was far more devious than they originally thought as she took back the amok and destroyed her creation.
Both heroes watched as the feather floated in the breeze.
While Chat Noir raged at the villainess she quickly institutionally reached out with her new powers to save the feather and hide it in a pocket dimension. It was that same time that Hawkmoth decided to show himself.
The fight itself was quick with both Mayura and Chat being held hostage.
Hawkmoth, the egotist, decided to monolog “...Transform into regular kids. So fragile and easy to break.”
She was about to yell ‘Release him’ fearing for Chat’s safety, but she remembered she had a trick up her sleeve.
“Oh?” She smiles wickedly at the man. “What makes you think that?”
“If you have noticed by now my powers have grown.” she draws attention to her new outfit. “I no longer have a time limit.”
It was a bluff. She was honestly not sure if she had a time limit anymore. But she knew she would be okay even if her transformation dropped.
He snarled letting her know that he bought the bluff. Which was good.
Up until he threw her partner off The Arc de Triomphe.
With a shout of surprise she decided to drop the act and play her hand.
Violet light shoots from her hand binding the villains pulling them behind her as she dives after her partner.
The self sacrificing dork let loose. “You had Mayura right where you wanted her. I could have managed myself. Why’d you do that?”
“Because we are Ladybug and Chat Noir.” She smiled at him, “Ladybug by itself doesn’t sound half as cool.”
She pulls him up to his feet. Letting him dust himself off. “Besides, I am pretty sure they are still where we want them.”
She turns his attention to the two villains bound on the ground next to them.
“Wow, you weren’t kidding when you said your powers have grown.”
“Something like that.” She chuckles, “How about we fix things up?”
~~~~~~~~~~~~
Not long after, the city was celebrating being free of the emotional terrorist and his cohort. There was already talk of it being a national holiday.
She wasn’t enjoying the festivities though. She had something she needed to fix still.
So here she was in front of her school with everyone of importance there. Her classmates, teacher, principle, and her parents. Next to her was The Sentimonster: Bugette. Turns out that Duusu could reactivate an amok feather and recreate a Sentimonster if the original item is still around.
Or rather, she was next to Bugette floating just to the left of a few inches off of the ground in her new uniform.
And Bugette was doing a great job of being in charge too.
“I have called you all here today, not to celebrate the victory we have achieved today. Instead, to discuss rumors I have heard coming from this school.” She sounded confident and official. “Those of bullying, theft, and violence.”
The principle spoke up, “I can assure you Ladybug, you don’t need to get involved. We have already dealt with the problem.”
She glares at him. “That may be, but I still want to investigate to ensure that it was handled fairly.”
Marientte couldn't be happier. She was already thinking back to when she had gotten Duusu to recreate Bugette. During the process she used a bit of her ring's power to help. Sharing memories with the Amok so the creation could be more independent. She also phased the Amok to rest right next to the Sentimonster’s heart so no one could ever destroy her again.
She almost missed Bugette introducing her with a step to the side, “That is why I brought in a friend to help in the investigation.”
“Thank you, Ladybug.” she dipped her head in respect. “Sorry I couldn’t make it here sooner. I was… off world when you called.” It was true in a way. The ring wasn’t available back then.
She saw the shiver that ran down everyone’s spine as she spoke. The power coming from her voice alone must be intense.
“From the sound of it I missed all the fun.” She joked.
“It is alright, Star.” Bugette said as if nothing was wrong. “You are here now and that is what matters. With your help we can make sure justice is served.”
“Lead the way Bugette.” She wishes Chat was here to be in on this too. But she understands why he isn’t.
As the pair are led through the school for their investigation, she gets to feel the catharsis of Bugette asking questions that no one ever did when she tried to defend herself. She also uses this time to test her new abilities as a Star Sapphire.
Finding fingerprints and checking matches, recreating scenes from earlier with energy constructs playing them out, and her personal favorite voice analisis used to check for any lying.
Clearing her name was nice and it was healing a pain she had been ignoring for a while.
It came to a head when Lila shouted, “Why are you even here. That girl bullied me, made me feel unsafe here at school. I had to get her out of here before she actually hurt me.”
The Italian was crying by the end of her rant. ‘She is a good actress.’
“Hey Bugette, she is lying.” The lantern whispered just loud enough for everyone to hear.
“Thank you Star,” Bugette smiled kindly back at her. “But I already know.”
She smirked when the crowds gasped.
“How do you know that Lila is lying?” One of her classmates asked.
With the briefest of looks and slightest of nods from Marinete, Bugette glares daggers at the group.
“Because I never bullied Lila, and the only mean thing ever did to her was try and expose her lies. And because of that she promised to make my life miserable.”
She stands firm, “I know Lila is lying because,”
Pausing briefly to mutter ‘Spots off ’and have her suit start to detransform.
Bugette declares “I am Marinette.” As the last of the transformation washes over her face.
Marinette watches from her spot as everyone tries to either apologize to Bugette or try to yell or punish Lila.
She closes her eyes over what Bugette was going to say next. It was something that her and Bugette agreed to when they made this plan.
They would expose Lila and show everyone what Marinette already knew, but it was Bugette who had the final say on how she handled things after that.
“I can’t forgive you.” she said as tears gathered at the corners of her eyes. “Not yet.”
Marinette pulled her into a side hug, as it was just as much for Bugette as it was for herself.
“You all turned your backs on me even though some of you knew me for years. You knew I wasn’t capable of what she was accusing me of.” She choked up. “And, yet you all believed her.”
“You doubted me when I tried to tell you the truth, never once did any of you try to look into her claims.”
“You truly thought I was a monster. And for that I can not forgive you.”
Bugette then turned into Marinette’s chest and cried. The lantern and kwami hugged her as she weeped.
“Sorry I wasn’t here sooner Bugette.” She appologized to herself “But, I fear if I was any sooner the truth would have never come out.”
She meant it too. She wasn’t sure if things would have turned out like this if the ring didn’t find her.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Marinette sighed as she looked down at Paris. Floating above the streets higher than she ever thought she would be before.
A fond smile played at her lips.
It had taken a while to get everything sorted out, but like most things in a post-akuma Paris things have finally settled.
Gabriel and Natalie were behind bars.
Lila was back in Italy in a very strict private school.
She had become the next Guardian of the Miraculous.
Emilie Agreste was awakened from her coma and was now taking care of Adrien. (who knew that all she needed was to be stabilized by The Guardian’s magic and a little extra ‘oomph’ from a power ring instead of a reality altering wish)
She decided to give out some of the Miraculous. Even though Paris no longer had its own supervillain, there were still others out there waiting. And Paris needs its defenders. America might have the Justice League. Paris and France had the Miraculous Team.
The Parisians couldn’t be prouder to have Viperion; the snake, Ryuuko; the dragon, Queen Bee; the bee, Chat Noir; the cat, and Bugette: their ladybug to protect them. Along with them were newly minted peacock and butterfly. Though nameless right now they wanted nothing more than to show how their powers can be used for good instead of evil.
And from now on, an occasional Star Sapphire to help anytime she is in the area.
After all, Marinette had a promise to keep, an Oath to uphold, and stars to see.
She would be back, Earth was her home. Until then she stole one last glance at her home.
She wished the heroes luck. Congratulated the happy couple and leaders of a new super team. And promised to come back.
With Tikki floating next her, and the miraculous box in its own pocket dimension. She prepared to visit the stars.
“For hearts long lost and full of fright,”
“For those alone in Blackest Night.”
“Accept our ring and join our fight,”
“Love conquers all with violet light!”
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
A special thanks to everyone who put up with my crap for the last couple of months
multifandomscibette @musicfeedsmysoul12 @fanfiction-salt @gajer-1226 @kpohe8
