Strike At Midnight || Luka Couffaine

Chapter 1 ❧ Forget

Miraculous Ladybug theme by NateWantsToBattle and Cristina Vee.

•●•●•●•●•

"Poor girl- losing her parents in the Midnight incident." The male social worker says, leafing through thin file of documents. "Selene LeClaire..."

"She hasn't even taken her PSLE," A woman, the child's temporary guardian whispers.

"She won't have to. Her parents, thankfully, left a will. It also gave instructions for her custody."

"To who?"

"Emily Agreste. She's not a relative but a close friend of Mrs LeClaire. What's important is that the child assimilates into France as easily as possible. You said she can speak French?"

"Yes, I've been teaching her. She knows a few basic words, but it's going to be a big change for her. She may experience some culture shock," she replies.

"I'm afraid that can't be helped. The child has no relatives and if you think about it, it's best that she detaches from Singapore as soon as possible. A new environment may be just what she needs to cope."

The man and woman spoke in hushed voices in the living room but the child hiding by he doorway heard them all the same. She stares down on the floor quietly.

A small creature hovers closer to her. "It's all right Selene. Just remember I'm here with you every step of the way. Besides, I heard Paris is gorgeous!"

"Grimm, I miss mom. When is she coming back?" Selene asks the bat kwami as she pads back to her room. The kwami hesitates. Her father was confirmed dead, but her mother was still missing. Selene holds onto that hope.

"I don't know, Selene," Grimm says dejectedly. Selene smoothens out crumpled newspapers littering all over the floor. Their headlines are bold and glaring - full of big words she could not quite comprehend, but she knows they did not mean well.

"The Last Battle of Chiroptera."

"Midnight Incident: Hero Vs. Villain."

"Peace in Singapore, Memorial for Superhero Chiroptera."

"Midnight Incident left 234 dead and 53 missing."

"Chiroptera died a true hero."

•●•●•●•●•

Miraculous! Simply the best!
Up to the test when things go wrong!
Miraculous, the luckiest!
The power of love, always so strong!

•●•●•●•●•

My father was a real life superhero. I watched him on the news all the time- saving lives, protecting the country and fighting an infamous villain. He did that all while trying his best to be a good father. He wasn't there for me all the time but I can recall the countless times he'd tuck me into bed. From the moment I was born I knew the consequences of having a family member as a superhero.

I knew that his love was genuine enough.

My mother was similar as she was busy quite often. I think she was a biomedical scientist. I'm not so sure. Maybe I should have taken the liberty to know everything about my parents. She was French and told me wonderful stories about France. Although she didn't have superpowers of her own, she was the cunning strategist who seemed to be the only one who could talk a superhero down- especially my dad.

Father's kwami, Grimm, was practically my best friend. Despite that Grimm has a deep, dark voice and narrow eyes, I thought he was the cutest creature in the world.

Every summer, my mother and I would fly to France for a summer camp. She said it was an educational journey for me but really, it was a chance to get in touch with her best friend Mrs Agreste. Emily Agreste was a kind woman who always had a tin of warm chocolate chip cookies she shares with me.

During summer camp, I spent my time being a bothersome troublemaker to my teachers and peers. My partner in crime was none other than Adrien Agreste, Emily's son. We would always go running off, going who knows where and doing who knows what without a care in the world.

But I never returned to summer camp after the Midnight Incident. It was the final battle between my father and a dangerous supervillain who has been a long-time hindrance in my home country. The supervillain was defeated but not without a bang. The impact caused the all the surrounding infrastructure to collapse onto itself. The incident left many casualties and damages to both citizens and properties.

My father was defeated and my mother was nowhere to be found.

When my dad's identity was exposed, the public kept considerate as a last show of gratitude for the hero who died for them. Despite rescue efforts and huge contributions from the community, little was left of the certain district. Only the kwami miraculous, a ribbon with a yellow bead had been found in the rubble and was delivered back to the LeClaires- to me.

And suddenly, I walked aimlessly, without any real intent. I lost stability and felt displaced.

However, there was one thing I couldn't understand. How come my parents didn't make it but this sole miraculous did? It wasn't fair. I would rather have a dad who wasn't a superhero if it meant I'd see him more often and that he'd be here with me longer.

It wasn't fair. I didn't need the bat miraculous. Instead, I needed my parents. Was I supposed to be the next superhero that would one day sacrfice my life for others?

I refuse.

•●•●•●•●•

"Selene, do you know the Agrestes?" Dacia asks me slowly. She accompanied me all the way to the airport. I was nervous to fly all by myself.

I nod, feeling complacent to just about anything.

"That's good. They'll be with you from now on." She says as I spot a familiar face from the distance.

"Mrs Agreste?" I say. There was no doubt. It's her but what's she doing here? I thought I was supposed to meet her in France.

"Hey there, little moon," Emily greets using her own nickname for me. "I thought you wouldn't like to fly alone."

"So you came all the way here?"

She opens her arms and I tentatively walk into her embrace. "Of course. I'd just see you a little earlier than expected. Is that so wrong?"

"No..."I bury my head into her neck and eventually return her warm embrace. "Thanks Mrs Agreste."

"You can just call me Emily," she says with a sweet and comforting voice. It reminds me of mom. My heart aches at the sad notion.

"Thank you, Emily."