Imposter Syndrome (A Miraculous AU)

Debut

Pallas POV (Day of the Butterfly Blitz)
I lay on my back, my eyes closed against the chaos that had overtaken the world, the ringing in my ears deafening and my pain immense. I fuzzily recalled the pillar of flame that knocked me back into the the roof of the building that I was on. Despite it being grayed out and muted in my blurry memory I knew that it, and all the others like it were vibrant and unnaturally colored. The ringing in my ears began to subside and I opened my eyes to see my partner standing over me with a hand outstretched, my sister at his side the unnatural purple and green flames dancing across her aquamarine suit giving it an iridescent sheen. I took my partner's hand admiring the way his black cape-like cloak fluttered in the wind caused by the flames, exposing its rarely seen gray lining. Another column erupted a short distance away from us as my other teammates, their gold, blue, and green suits battered and bloodied by the fight that had just ended before all hell broke loose, came to stand by us as I rose. I leaned against Chat's shoulder for support as I stared at the war torn city before us. A siren filled the otherwise somehow silent air with its banshee like wailing. The city was bathed in the unnatural but almost hypnotic glow of the purple and green columns of fire and the giant iridescent butterfly phantasmal image that hung in the air over the city. It floated there, a brand of light on the crimson sky and the visage of our rapidly approaching doom. Chat D'ombre "My god... he finally pulled it off..." looked down at me from my left and Quetzalcoatl "W-we weren't ready-!", my sister and closest friend and ally second only to Chat D'ombre stood at my right as Melodie "W-what do we do?!, Kid Mime "How did this even happen...?", and Gavroche "This.... Isn't what I signed up for...."flanked us.
"I assume you have a plan my heart?" Chat asked me. My lips quirked up slightly into a small smile at the pet name that once embarrassed me. I once again looked over my teammates, both my family and my dearest friends, before turning my eyes forward glowering as one of the many blimps that were acting as the sources of the flames rose in front of us, an emblazoned butterfly on its side. I felt molten hot rage buildup inside me, burning with a heat that put the burning city to shame, as I stared straight ahead at the brand and in a dark tone that I was unaware that I could even use I stated, "Win." And with that I launched off of the roof allowing my mind to wander back to where it all started.

(11 months earlier)
"Remember Bridgette, Voltaire Academy is a prestigious school and I expect you, just like Kagami, to excel." Mrs. Tsurugi said in a harsh tone. I nodded, rolling my new name around in my head. Bridgette, Brrrrridgette, Bridgette! "Hey can you believe that we have real names now Luuck?!" I thought to my earrings as my excitement filled me like hot air in a balloon. Luuck rolled his eyes, I don't think I'll ever understand how he does that, and responded.
"Yes, I can believe it since we've had them for a month now!" I giggled and shrugged at the grumpy response as I readjusted the white jacket of my school uniform. It had been a bit of a shock the first time I discovered that I didn't have to look like Ladybug, that I could manipulate my and Luuck's Amok through intentions. I remember looking in the mirror at the small, mask-less face and the tiny hands, that were so sensitive without the barrier of the suit. I remember tearing the ribbons out of my hair, letting it fall long against my shoulders as I stared at myself in my new red dress with its black v-shaped belt, the belt of course being a clever way to hide the scrap of cloth that held our amok. Kagami had jumped at the opportunity to help me with my hair, muttering something about sleepovers and having so much fun. I remember trying a series of different kinds of hair styles before Kagami finally ended up tying my hair back into a pair of twin braids that hung against my back. Now I shook my head, watching the braids swing back and forth with pride.
"-Bridgette are you listening to me?" Mrs. Tsurugi barked, pulling me out of my reverie.
"Yes Tsurugi-San." I murmured using the honorific that Kagami had taught me and crossing my hands in front of me respectfully. The woman scoffed and half-asked half-ordered, "How many times do I have to tell you to call me mother." I felt tears welling up in my eyes and I heard Luuck mutter, "Here we go again....." I ignored him and walked over to the blind woman, pulling her into a hug.
"Thank you... mother for being so kind to us and giving us a home and a future when most people would have turned us out." I said through my tears as I remembered how she and Kagami had helped me in the past month.
Flashback
Kagami led me inside off of the roof and brought me straight to her mother.
"Okay, go ahead and explain to us what the situation is." She said with a soft smile. I recounted everything since our birth, even going into detail about my earrings and my conversations after getting his permission to talk about him. There was a long quiet pause after I finished explaining everything. I shifted uncomfortably in the heavy silence before Mrs. Tsurugi finally spoke.
"Pallas is no name for a child, not to mention the fact that your earrings also need a name. I will get to work on the paperwork for your being inducted into the family in the morning, don't worry it will all be perfectly legal, but for now you aught to rest, you've had a long day." I blinked in slight confusion as Kagami lead me to a room and bid me goodnight. I was woken up the next morning by Kagami and lead into an office.
"I have the adoption papers set to be fast-tracked but first we'll need to give you a proper name and possibly find a way to get you some normal clothes." Mrs. Tsurugi said catching me off guard. I stepped forward and hesitantly asked, "Why are you helping us? I mean everyone else seems not to even trust us let alone be willing to help." She tilted her head inquisitively.
"Ladybug trusted you did she not?" I nodded mutely earning a sigh from Kagami.
"Mother is blind, you have to answer verbally."  She explained and I blinked in confusion.
"What does it mean that she's blind?" I asked not understanding.
"I cannot see anything, I was born without something that many people have and am therefore considered by some to exist outside the normal order of the world. In the same way that you are believed to exist outside of the normal order as you are not entirely considered human as a sentimonster. I am willing to trust, help, and welcome you because we are very similar to each other and I can empathize with you. Your very existence serves as a bridge between sentimonster and human, a being born of pure emotion is something that we can all learn from. Not to mention Kagami could use someone her age to spend time with outside of her small friend group." Mrs. Tsurugi explained. I paused for a long minute, running her words around in my mind. I'm... a bridge...? I thought
"Well little bridge, are we going to be staying here? If we are we're going to need to figure out how to get you some normal clothes." My earrings said and I paused as I pictured what I'd like to wear. I like dresses I think! I remember seeing a woman wearing a really pretty red dress when I was running around yesterday. And I guess I can't keep wearing that cloth as a wrist thingy, maybe it would make more sense as a belt? More than anything, no more mask around my eyes! I want to be myself! Not some Ladybug knockoff! I felt a rush of energy and heard a gasp from Kagami and I looked up at her.
"Your entire outfit just changed.... You... look nice..." Kagami said sounding stunned.
"Looks like you've got a new ability little bridge." My earrings said.
"There you go again calling me little bridge, I like that...." I said with a small smile, forgetting that we weren't alone.
"Who are you talking to?" Mrs. Tsurugi asked and I stiffened.
"It's okay Little Bridge, I trust them." He said and I let out a shaky breath.
"My earrings are alive like me." I told them earning a couple of confused blinks from Kagami and a long sigh from Mrs. Tsurugi who muttered something about yelling at her husband for turning down the commission back in London.
"If the both of you were made from the same Amok that might be why you have more free will than most Sentimonsters, the Amok might have been damaged during your birth. It's possible that you have some kind of ability to manipulate or affect your Amok, that would explain why you could change your appearance." She said with a serious expression.
"H-how do you know so much about these things?" I asked hesitantly.
"My daughter was Akumatized the first day we moved into the city, I have spent a copious amount of time since researching the Miraculous in order to make sure that we remain safe. As for your name, if you like the nickname 'Little Bridge' perhaps 'Bridgette' would be suitable for you?" Mrs. Tsurugi said with an awkward smile. I felt tears well up in my eyes as I considered the name. Bridgette......
"I-" My voice caught from the wave of emotions that were overwhelming me and I just nodded to Kagami.
"She likes it mother." She said coming over to wrap me into an awkward side hug and I wrapped my arms around her tightly crying into her shoulder. She leaned down and put her face by my ear and murmured, "You know ladybugs represent good luck, how would you like us to call you Luuck from now on?" I felt him blanch at the concept of him getting a name but he accepted it hesitantly and I nodded into Kagami again, crying tears of joy for both of us.
Flashback end
"You aren't listening again...." Mrs- er My mother said with a sigh. Kagami placed a hand on her shoulder and looked at me across the car.
"Look, just whatever you do DON'T mention the headmistress' height, do that and get good grades and you'll be fine okay?" She said smiling. I nodded as stolidly as I could earning a scoff from Luuck who muttered something about a grumpy chipmunk. I rolled my eyes at him as Kagami turned her eyes to him.
"And Luuck, make sure you stay looking like the pearls unless you two need to change, we don't want any unnecessary questions." She said with a frosty glare.
"Yes ma'am...." He murmured and I relayed his statement to her. Just then the car stopped and I looked out the window at the building that we were parked in front of and my jaw dropped. It was a huge white building with arched windows and columns. I gulped as we exited the car and made our way up to the imposing structure. I surreptitiously grabbed Kagami's hand and she gave it a comforting squeeze.
"Don't be nervous Little Bridge, this school isn't as scary as it seems." She said giving my hand one last squeeze before bidding us farewell and walking off to class. Mr-Mother and I made our way to the main office and were immediately ushered into the Headmistress' personal office. The walls were covered with modern looking shelves that were filled with weird looking trophies and accolades. The headmistress was a smug looking old lady who started talking to M-mother, I'm never going to get used to that, from across a large red colored wooden desk.
"I can't tell you how pleased I am to have both of your daughters attending my school Mrs. Tsurugi. If I may however, I was unaware that you had two daughters may I inquire as to why she has not been previously enrolled?" The headmistress asked in a sickly sweet tone.
"Bridgette has been homeschooled, just as Kagami had been, I simply felt that it would be important to allow Kagami to find her footing before sending her sister. Besides there was some important information to cover in terms of, ahem, adjusting that Bridgette was having some trouble with." Mother said in a severe tone that I recognized as her way of reminding me to stop looking around and to pay attention. I stopped looking around the room and turned my attention to the headmistress who got down from her chair and disappeared behind her desk. My eyebrows shot up as she came around to greet me. One of the first things I realized about myself was the fact that I was small, I was shorter than both Kagami and Ladybug from what I had learned and I was much shorter than Chat. However the headmistress was about a head shorter than even me!
"Remember Bridge, don't mention her height! That was the one piece of advice that Kagami gave you, DON'T BRING IT UP! If you wouldn't treat your adoptive mother weirdly for being blind don't treat her weird for being a little person!" Luuck berated me. I paused before thinking back, "Well that's rude!"
"No you idiot, that's the proper term! We read that article remember? About the actor?" He yelled back and I jolted at the memory.
"Oh right!" I thought before a familiar cough ended our conversation. My eyes shot up to my mother who had a disapproving expression.
"Is there a reason you were staring at me girl?" The headmistress asked sharply. I fumbled for an answer.
"I was just thinking about how much of an honor it is to meet someone of your stature, your reputation for having a commanding presence certainly proceeds you, my sister has discussed what an impressive leader you are. I'm afraid I was a little intimidated and wasn't sure about what to say ma'am." I murmured with a sheepish smile. Behind her I noticed mother facepalm slightly and I knew I had said the exact wrong thing.
"'Someone of my stature' you say?" The headmistress asked in a frosty voice and I cowered internally.
"Dammit Bridgette...." Luuck sighed and I bit my lip to stop the shameful tears from escaping my eyes.
"I'm sorry..... I'm just really not used to talking to people... I really did mean it in terms of your reputation... I'm sorry." I said in a choked voice as I lowered my head. The headmistress looked me over with a cold, critical eye. Before looking back at my mother.
"Your other daughter seems to have more control over her emotions. Is there a reason for that?" She asked in a judgmental tone. Mother rose and placed her hands on my shoulders.
"The isolation of their childhoods have had adverse effects on their personalities. Kagami became closed off and distant, I had a hand in that as I raised her to be strong and stoic like I am. Meanwhile Bridgette more closely resembles my husband, more open and expensive. She feels very deeply, I thought she would do well in the acting creative track, it would be a good way for her to express her emotions." She said from behind me and I watched the headmistress shift from cold and critical to nervous and embarrassed.
"Of course, I will get the paperwork ready. Bridgette will be in Kagami's home room with Ms. Germain. I'll send for someone to lead her to the classroom while we handle the paperwork." She said hurrying back to her desk.
"Of course." Mother said in a cold tone. The headmistress made her way to an intercom thing and asked for her assistant to call the class president down from Madame Germain's home room. After a minute of awkward silence there was a light rap at the door which swung open to reveal a willowy girl with a long blond braid with violet eyes. She walked right up to me and gave me a warm smile.
"Hi, I'm Allegra Baudelaire, you must be Bridgette!" She said holding her hand out to shake. I took it and grinned at her.
"That's right! It's a pleasure to meet you!" I said shaking her hand enthusiastically. She smiled at me and then the adults before gesturing for me to follow her.
"So back in the office my mother mentioned the 'acting creative track' would you mind explaining what that means? Her and Kagami have been discussing it for weeks and every time I've asked about it Kagami has just winked at me and I'm honestly getting scared...." I said as we climbed a marble-like staircase. Allegra laughed and said, "The school requires that all students be a part of a creative track, this allows us to get a well rounded education. I'm in the music track myself, and Kagami is in the dancing track. If you're joining the acting track then you'll be with my friend Claude, if your mother wasn't already finalizing it I'd warn you to change it while you can."