She's Sunshine, She's Grace, She'll Punch You in the Face

Chapter 27: Ladybird

Marinette had just finished dinner and was now sitting down with Tikki to change up her costume before her first patrol. "I think we should incorporate more black." The bluenette told her kwami. "Something a little more stealthier is what we are going with." She paced around her room for a moment before she came to a sudden stop with an idea. "I know. Why don't we keep the theme going that the rest of them have?"

"What do you mean by that?" Tikki questioned her holder.

"They all have some sort of bird or bat theme. We can go along with that, you know? They can call me Ladybird." Marinette smiled at the idea. "I can definitely remember that name. It's already so close to the one I had."

"That's a great idea, Marinette. Do you already have an idea of what it will look like in your head?"

"Yes. I wish I could draw it for you so you can see." She frowned at the thought of her ruined sketch book.

"You don't have to." The red kwami informed. "As long as you desire to look like that deep down then it will happen. Your original look isn't something I came up with. It was all you."

"So, I could change my look the entire time?"

"Yes." Tikki nods. "But deep down you never wanted to."

"I guess you're right." She smiled at Tikki. "So Adrien always wanted that ridiculous bell?" Her kwami nods. "That boy is something else." She shakes her head.

"Tell me about it." Plagg rolls his eyes from across the room.

"You were always the more practical one." Kaalki agrees.
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"Hey, little lady." Dick greets Marinette when she meets up with everyone in the Batcave. "Did you get your whole suit situation settled?"

"Sure did. It was a whole lot easier than I thought it would be."

"Well you better suit up." Barbara rolls away from the Bat computer. "We do briefing in 5."

"Okay." She looks around the room at everyone looking at her expectantly. "You ready, Tikki?"

"Whenever you are, Marinette." The kwami smiled.

"Okay, Tikki. Spots on."

After the light of her transformation faded, everyone looked at her new outfit with appraisal. Across her chest is what looks to be an outline of a bird with its wings extended out and was red with black spots. She also wore what looked like all red boots that went up to her knees and red gloves that went to just below her elbow. The rest of the outfit from the neck down was all black. Her mask was the only other thing to show her red with black spots, only this time the mask wasn't as rounded as the one before. It had a similar shape as the rest of the bat crew, pointed almost like a bat's wings. Her hair was no longer in pigtails and was now in half up half down space buns. The only thing that actually remained the same was the yoyo that was hanging around her hips.

"Wow, Pixie-pop. Now you totally fit right in." Red Hood gave her a high five.

"Thanks. I had a little bit of inspiration from all of you though." She pointed to the symbol on her chest.

"Have you decided on a name for yourself?" Batman asked.

"Yeah." Marinette smiled brightly. "Ladybird. I think it's fitting."

"Okay then, Ladybird. It's time for your first briefing. We will all meet with Oracle at the Bat computer."

"Oracle?" She looked confused.

"That's me." Barbara waved her over. "Code names only while suited up."

"Okay." She walked over to the Bat computer with everyone else. "Got it."