He's the greatest wizard in all the seven kingdoms. He possesses the most powerful magic the world has seen in centuries. He's stopped wars, advised kings, almost became a king at some point. He's done everything the common man dreams to do - short of getting married - at the meager age of seventeen. He's a cat.

Okay, back up a bit. He wasn't a cat when he was off doing his wizarding things, but he sure is a cat now. Or is he?

He looks behind him, swishes his tail, feels the pointed ears perched upon his head.

Yes, he's still a cat.

Well, no, technically from a magical standpoint, he's not a cat. He's a person taking on the appearance of a cat. Because that's how curses works.

Speaking of curses, he still wonders why he would be cursed. Sure, as the most powerful wizard in all seven kingdoms, there had been many cursing attempts on him before, but no one had ever been smart enough to curse him in his sleep before.

Well, at least the Monsieur Curse-Man left him a note. Something along the lines of "Hahaha, you're cursed. To break the spell, you need true love's kiss. But you cannever speak of your true identity!" The letter had been signed by someone by the name of Papillon and Adrien can't help but wonder…what does this Papillon want?

Surely he doesn't want to advise kings. Kings never even wanted advice: they just held such courts for the sake of tradition, not because they wanted to be told -advised - what to do. If a king had his mind set on something, then he'd hear from no one else. Kings are petulant children.

Well, Papillon surely possesses more intelligence than desiring to advise a king, so why would Papillon curse him, then?

At the back of his mind, something tingles, a memory trying to resurface. Now that he thinks of it, this Papillon sounds somewhat familiar. Somewhat.

But as for breaking the curse…that would raise a multitude of questions. If a human fell in love with him in a cat form, that would make them a participant of bestiality. And if he fell in love with a cat while in his cat form and transformed back into a human, that would make him a…participant…of bestiality.

He shudders at the thought.

He paws at the rough dirt beneath him. His fur is mangy and dirty; he looks like any stray cat found anywhere. Ignoring the bestiality, how would he get so much as a ladybug to love him in this state-

Suddenly, he feels a sharp pain. It begins in his heart, spreads to all his limbs within seconds. Like something ripping him apart, trying to reform him again, then trying to split him further apart. Tearing through all his muscles, traveling up and down his bones as if to fracture them as slowly, as painfully as possible. He moans, meows, screeches into the distant sky, but it is night, no one but the moon to hear his pain. And soon, there is nothing to witness him there.

Marinette blinks. Looks down. Flips through her scroll, traces every word of every step. Looks up. Looks down. Looks up. Blinks.

She did everything right, so how did it turn out like this?

She was supposed to get Adrien Agreste. The Adrien Agreste. As in the youngest, greatest wizard. And also the hottest. As in the prodigy Adrien Agreste. As in her idol Adrien Agreste. As in the guy who's supposed to be summoned by her - however illegally - see her, and fall in love with the girl who's finally found him after he's been missing for months.

This is a cat.

Marinette anguishes at her failed abilities. She knows she shouldn't have expected much - she's a novice. She's literally only begun her magic career two months ago. And without a formal teacher. Or any teacher, honestly.

This is a cat.

She couldn't even summon a regular guy that happened to go by Adrien. No, she couldn't even summon a person.

She looks at the cat, glares at it a little. But it stares back at her, tilts its head slightly, purrs. Intelligence shines in its eyes, and it seems to be drinking in her presence as it sits patiently, every now and then swishing its tail.

This may be a cat, she thinks, but it sure is a cute cat. And, judging by its fur, it's probably a stray, nowhere to go.

Marinette sighs. This is a cat: definitely not Adrien Agreste. But she can't just leave it alone after summoning it.

Well, every good witch needs her familiar, right?