Um…so I've got some bad news *laughs nervously*.
I have a consistent ability to confuse myself and those around me with how I mess up basic technology. I have no clue what I did, but remember that poll where I asked you when you thought Adrien and Marinette would have their first kiss? I don't actually know who voted what. Complete blank. I know how many voted, but I don't have any names. So please, if you voted, put your answer in a review this time. And if you didn't vote, well, luck's on your side, you got a second shot. Sorry guys! In case you need a reminder, the episodes in question are, in no particular order:
Lady Wi-Fi
Timebreaker
Dark Cupid
This'll be some filler to give y'all time to vote. Hope you enjoy it nonetheless!
As always, please enjoy and get your vote in (again)!
"Okay, so what's up next?" Alya asked, tossing some popcorn in her mouth. Everyone was comfortably situated on their bean bags, small bowls of popcorn on their laps. Plagg had grabbed a large amount of Camembert, while Tikki had simply stuffed a cookie in her mouth before leaving the kitchen. Both were lying comfortably atop their holder's heads.
Marinette turned on the television. "I thought I saw Stormy Weather start to load before we got up." The episode selection blinked onto the screen and she quickly skimmed the list. "Yeah, it's Stormy Weather."
Before she could click on it, though, the screen cut out, a loud whine filling the air. Everyone cringed, some crying out in surprise. "Eugh, make it stop!" Chloé yelled.
As though by command, the static cleared to show QuickestSecret. "Sorry," she said distractedly, fiddling with something offscreen. Something sparked, and she yelped, quickly drawing her hands back. "Okay, I just did a thing with no idea how to fix it!"
"Um, what's going on?" Adrien asked.
"Right, sorry. So there's something I kept from you guys." QuickestSecret eyed whatever had sparked warily, then returned her gaze to the camera. "Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir has a theme song."
"Wait, really?" Nathaniel said. "How come we didn't see it?"
"I cut it out because Ladybug and Chat Noir's identities would be revealed too early. Not fun. Anyway, the reason I didn't just put it in the selection with a side note is because I wanted to ask if you wanted the show version, extended version, or both."
"Is there a difference?" Nino asked.
"The extended version just has the lyrics with clips from the show, which I'll cut out so you don't get spoilers. The show version—the one that plays before an episode—has some of its own animation to go with it."
Marinette glanced around at her classmates. "I kinda want to see them both," she said hesitantly. "It's your guys' vote, though."
"Uh, hell yes!" Alya grinned.
"Count me in," Nino nodded. Everyone else agreed enthusiastically.
"I had a feeling y'all would say that, so I already have the extended version queued up and ready to go. I'm reuploading every episode with the intro as well." QuickestSecret gave a thumbs up. "Anything else before I get out of your hair?"
Plagg raised a hand. "Are Marinette and Adrien singing?"
QuickestSecret shook her head. "Nah, the creators got professional singers."
Plagg clutched at his chest. "Thank Camembert. I don't know what Marinette is like, Tikki, but I've heard this kid in the shower. Not pretty."
Everyone laughed as Adrien scowled. "Thanks."
"No problem."
QuickestSecret calmed herself before attempting to speak. "While that was a nice zinger, Plagg, I believe the singers are Brittnee Belt, impersonating Marinette and the writer of the theme himself, Cash Calloway, impersonating Adrien."
"Who now?" Rose was confused.
"They're from my dimension, and they're pretty good. You'll like the song, I promise." QuickestSecret's eyes widened before grinning. "Oh, by the way, how are the Whacking Pillows?"
"Certainly makes things interesting," Adrien remarked. Various agreements floated around the room.
QuickestSecret winked. "That was the idea." Something beeped offscreen and she leaned over to look. "Oh, good, the video is fully uploaded. Marinette, once I leave, the extended version should be third on the list while the show version has been added to the rest of the episodes, starting with Stormy Weather. Have fun, guys!" And she was gone.
Marinette picked up the remote again and maneuvered the selection to 'It's Ladybug - Extended'. "Everybody ready?"
"Let's do this thing!" Kim yelled. Everyone laughed.
Marinette smiled. "All right, then." She hit play.
Brittnee (speaking): In the daytime, I'm Marinette,
Just a normal girl with a normal life.
"Yeah, because kicking ass as a superhero every other day is totally something that happens to all of us," Juleka said sarcastically.
Marinette giggled. "At this point in my life, I'm pretty sure that is my version of normal."
Brittnee (speaking): But there's something about me that no one knows yet,
'Cause I have a secret.
"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" Max said, waving his hands. "Can I hear that section again, please?"
"Um, sure." Marinette rewound to the beginning. Everyone listened as Brittnee said her lines for the second time. "What exactly are you looking for?" Ivan asked as Marinette paused after the verse.
"Okay, so the wording in the second half is 'But there's something about me that no one knows yet, 'cause I have a secret'." Everyone stared at Max blankly. He sighed. "Yet. But there's something about me that no one knows yet. Implying that sooner or later, everything will be out in the open."
Alya gasped. "Ohh my gosh you're right!"
Max smirked. "As usual."
"So did the creator think that something like—" Alix gestured around the room. "This would happen?"
"Honestly, the chances that he or she knew about this are pretty slim," Sabrina pointed out. "I think it means that the creator has plans to reveal your guys' identities in a future episode."
"Makes sense." Adrien shrugged, but Marinette sat bolt upright.
"Oh God, I just thought of something. Adrien, who was the last akuma we fought before ending up here?"
Adrien started to answer but stopped, growing confused. "I…I don't remember."
Marinette looked around with a grim expression. "QuickestSecret said that the show was fairly new, with bits of Season Two being released at a time. So it's obviously not over yet. That being said, if we're here, what happens to the show? Does it stop? What about the creator's? What do they do?"
The room was silent. Everyone glanced at each other nervously. Nobody had thought of this aspect of their entrapment.
Nino was the first to speak up. "I'm not gonna to lie: that is a bit messed up. But if QS is the one who brought us here, she probably has a plan." He got to his feet and yelled to the ceiling. "Oi! If you heard me once, you should be able to hear this, right? What the hell is going on?"
"Babe, c'mon," Alya gently tugged her boyfriend back to his seat. "It's pretty clear that QS comes and goes as she pleases. She's not going to answer if she doesn't want to." She then addressed everyone. "How about we try to forget this for now and keep going, and if QS shows up again, we confront her?"
Hesitantly, everyone agreed. Picking up the remote, Marinette closed her eyes a moment. I hope we're doing the right thing.
She hit play.
Brittnee (singing): Another day, I'm back at school,
I think about him, he's so cool.
"Thank you, M'Lady!" Adrien grinned.
Brittnee (singing): He looks at me, I look away,
But does he see me anyway?
"Wait, what? Why would you think that I pass over you?" The smile slipped from Adrien's face. "Even before I knew you were Ladybug, you were—and still are—one of my best friends."
Marinette shrugged. "There are tons of people who are more interesting than me. You're a model. You meet icons every other day. I'm just the girl who lives above a bakery."
"Okay, number one: you are not any less interesting than the people my father has me work with. You are Ladybug. We probably saved their asses at one point. And number two: you don't live above just any bakery." Adrien smiled dreamily, zoning out. "You live above the best bakery in Paris. I can still remember that quiche…"
Marinette laughed and booped his nose, bringing Adrien back to reality. "Thanks, kitty."
"Anytime."
Backup (singing): Oh-oh-oh!
Brittnee (singing) He's got me spinning round!
Backup: Oh-oh-oh!
Brittnee: My feet are off the ground!
"Is Marinette's entire section about how she loves Adrien?" Chloé demanded. "That's lame."
"I'm not complaining," Adrien said, placing an arm around the red-faced bluenette and drawing her close.
Backup (singing): Oh-oh-oh!
Brittnee (singing): And when the sun goes down,
That's when I become…
Chorus (singing): Miraculous! Simply the best!
Up to the test when things go wrong!
Miraculous, the luckiest!
The power of love always so strong!
"That fits the show so well," Myléne commented. "Ladybug and Chat Noir are always there to save the day, and each other."
"All they need is their love for Paris and each other!" Rose said happily.
"Well, I don't know if that's all we need," Marinette said jokingly. "Our weapons are pretty sweet."
Cash (singing): I am a cat, just chillin' out,
But in the night, she's all that I think about.
I feel so strong, when she's around,
She picks me up, when I am down.
"If Marinette's singing about how much she loves Adrien, makes sense that Adrien would do the same for Ladybug," Ivan said.
"Well, his feelings were pretty obvious from day one," Alya pointed out.
"True."
Backup (singing): Oh-oh-oh!
Cash (singing): Oh no, you'll never know!
Backup: Oh-oh-oh!
Cash: My love can only grow!
The class awwed, with Rose and Alya being the loudest. Hell, even Chloé couldn't suppress a smile.
Adrien gazed down at Marinette, secretly proud of the knowledge that he was the only one that could make her blush like that. He pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
Backup (singing): Oh-oh-oh!
Cash (singing): And when I see her smile,
That's when she becomes…
Chorus (with Cash in background): Miraculous! Simply the best!
Up to the test when things go wrong!
Miraculous, the luckiest!
The power of love always so strong!
Kim gestured to the screen. "This answers the question of if a song can be even more epic when it's slowed down."
Juleka nodded emphatically. "I got chills."
The music picked up again and everyone quieted to listen eagerly.
Chorus: Miraculous! Simply the best!
Up to the test when things go wrong!
Miraculous, the luckiest!
The power of love always so strong!
MIRACULOUS!
The song crescendoed with a final guitar chord. The room was silent as everyone digested the abrupt ending.
Then Alix shot up off her beanbag. "THAT WAS FUCKING AMAZING!" she yelled, fists in the air.
The room erupted with cheers and enthusiastic clapping for the glorious song. Nino shouted something about making the remix when they got back to Paris while Ivan, Nathaniel and Rose were screaming the chorus. Even Chloé was grinning excitedly.
Adrien glanced down at Marinette, his arm still wrapped around her. "What did you think, M'Lady?"
Marinette stared at the screen, a small smile on her face. "I think I want to hear that again and praise Cash Calloway's name."
"I'm with you, girl!" Alya snatched the remote from beside her and started rewinding to the beginning. "Encore!"