//------------------------------// // 2 - The Feeling Someone's Watching // Story: Miraculous: Ride of the Gatebreaker // by Ponky //------------------------------// The storm raged all day and through the night. Marinette was glad for it; it seemed to keep the streets of Paris calm and safe from evil. She stayed home in her pyjamas, doodling raincoat designs in her sketchbook and putting a few hours into the new Ultimate Mecha Strike III DLC. When she closed the game on her computer, she hesitated before putting it to sleep. Pushing her mouth to one side, Marinette opened her internet browser and typed My Little Pony into the searchbar. Tikki yawned and floated casually out of Marinette’s nearby purse. “What are you doing, Marinette?” she asked. “I overheard Adrien say he watched a strange show this morning,” she said. “What kind of a strange show?” Tikki’s tired eyes struggled to focus on the large monitor on Marinette’s home desk. “It’s a cartoon called My Little Pony,” said Marinette. She smiled at her own words. “I had a couple of pony dolls as a little girl. I never saw the cartoon, though.” “Sounds cute!” said Tikki, spinning in place. “Yeah, it does…” Marinette’s eyebrows lowered. “I wonder why Adrien would watch it… whoa.” “What?” Marinette pointed to the search images on her computer. “That’s not how I remember them looking at all.” “Who?” “The ponies. Huh… looks like the series was rebooted recently.” She squinted at the screen between scrolls and clicks. “And… a bunch of its fans are adult males.” “Wow!” Tikki smiled. “You never know what’s going to resonate with people!” “Yeah, I guess so… why do they like it so much?” 🐞 “Because it centers on the characters, who are actually pretty interesting,” said Adrien, opening a streaming app on the sixty inch monitor mounted above his desk. “I’ll never get over how rad your room is, dude,” said Nino. His eyes flicked from the basketball hoop to the skateboard ramps to the bookshelves up along the indoor balconies. “Aw-hawesome.” “Ah, thanks.” Adrien sighed. “I’ve had it so long, I tend to forget it’s not… normal. Anyway, here it is.” Adrien pointed to the screen. Six colorful ponies surrounded a large, bubbly logo: My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic. “This is insane, bro,” Nino said, shaking his head. “I can’t even wrap my head around it.” “Okay, look, I was reading about Ladybug online,” said Adrien. “There are lots of sites about her, tons more than just Alya’s Ladyblog. And I found this forum where a bunch of people were speculating who Ladybug might be in real life, and someone used a meme with a pony’s face.” He pointed. “That white one. Her name’s Rarity. And, I dunno, it just made me laugh. It was a great face.” He chuckled. “They have huge eyes,” said Nino. “Yeah! They’re expressive. Then I started looking into where these memes were coming from, and there are a million of them. It’s amazing.” He opened a browser and clicked through several tabs of screenshots from the show. “And then I realized, the people making these memes? The people talking about this show? They’re like us. They’re guys. Adult guys.” “That still doesn’t make any sense to me, man.” “Well, me neither. Not yet. But I think I’m starting to get it.” Adrien switched the computer back to the logo. “I watched the first couple of episodes today, and they’re… good. Like, they’re pretty corny and it they’re clearly made for kids, but the characters are interesting and the designs are fantastic.” “All right, all right, you’ve convinced me,” Nino said, standing up. “I gotta head home, but for real? I’ll watch the show.” Adrien laughed. “You don’t have to watch it. I’m just trying to figure out what’s going on.” “I’m gonna watch the first episode tonight, and we’ll figure it out together.” “It’s a two parter,” said Adrien. “The first two episodes, then!” said Nino, saluting without looking back as he left Adrien’s room. “Peace!” Adrien smiled and swiveled to the screen. He closed all tabs related to ponies and found a large image of Ladybug swinging through the streets of Paris from the string of her magic yoyo. He shook his head at the silliness of it all, but sighed dreamily nonetheless. He swiveled again, watching the rainfall beyond his tall windows, and rested his chin in his hand. “Not tonight, m’lady,” he said. “But I’ll see you again soon.” “Blyech! You’re so sappy when you think you’re alone,” said Plagg, Adrien’s tiny kwami. The jet black creature with cat-like ears crawled out of one of Adrien’s shoes near the foot of his bed. “Eugh, Plagg! What were you doing in there?” Adrien asked. “Napping,” croaked Plagg with a lethargic grin. “I don’t know why, but I feel ― yaaawn ― extra tired today.” “It’s the rain,” Adrien said, stifling a yawn of his own. “Makes me sleepy, too.” “So no superheroing tonight?” asked Plagg as distant thunder rolled over Paris. “I don’t think so.” Adrien plopped onto his bed with a sigh while Plagg zoomed around his headboard. “Which means no Ladybug.” “Yaaay!” Plagg backflipped several times. “That means more My Little Pony!” “Ugh, no!” Adrien rolled his eyes. “I really don’t understand why you love it so much.” “They’re just so cuuuute!” said Plagg, squeezing his own cheeks. “And the pink one makes me laugh!” “Pinkie Pie.” “See? You like it! You even know their names!” Adrien’s cheeks went pink. “It’s fine. But I don’t wanna watch anymore.” “Fine, I’ll watch it by myself.” Plagg zipped through the air to Adrien’s desk. “If you look over my shoulder, I won’t complain!” “Over your shoulder?” Adrien laughed. “I can barely even see you from here.” “Hey!” Plagg stuck out his tongue and started Episode 3. 🐞 “Do you ever get the feeling somepony’s watching you?” asked Pinkie Pie, glancing sharply over her shoulder. “Um… sometimes, yes,” said Fluttershy. “I love it when somepony’s watching me,” said Rarity, sipping at her tea. “It usually means I look spectacular.” “Don’t you mean ‘fabulous’?” Pinkie Pie asked. “Oh, darling, I’ve realized I use that word far too often,” Rarity said with a frown. “I’m trying to broaden my vocabulary, as it were.” “Then you should stop saying ‘darling’ so much, you two-dimensional ninny!” Pinkie shouted. Rarity gasped and brought a hoof to her mouth. “My word, Pinkie! What a harsh thing to say!” Pinkie snorted. “Oh, I’m just teasing, Rarity! How would anyone know it was you talking if you didn’t say things like ‘darling’?” “Umm… pardon?” Rarity blinked, unsure if she should be offended. “Hi girls!” Twilight called out several seconds before she landed at the table behind Fluttershy’s cottage. “Gosh, it sure is a gorgeous day!” “What food have you got?” blurted Rainbow Dash, zooming in behind her. Fluttershy smiled. “I made a garlic pasta. I think you’ll like it, Rainbow Dash.” “Yyyyes!” Rainbow grabbed a bowl already prepared for her and breathed in the scent of the green onions sprinkled over the top. “How did you know I was coming?” “Because Twilight said she’d fetch you,” said Rarity, “and when Twilight sets her mind to something, it may as well have already happened.” Rainbow frowned briefly, but soon shrugged with a nod and dug into her food. Twilight guffawed. “Why is everypony saying such nice things about me this week?” “I must say, there’s something different about you, dar―Twilight,” said Rarity, stealing a glance at Pinkie Pie. “What do you mean?” Twilight asked, blinking adorably. “You just seem so confident,” Fluttershy said. “It’s nice to see.” “Yeah! You’re really coming into your own!” Pinkie jumped ten feet in the air and landed in a perfect hug around Twilight’s neck. “I’m so happy that you’re happy!” “Wow… thank you!” Twilight said, giggling. “I guess I do feel sort of… chipper! Hee hee!” “Where’s AJ?” Rainbow asked, her mouth full of bow-tie pasta. “She should be here any minute,” Fluttershy said. “Y’know what’s weird?” Pinkie suddenly asked. Her head popped up from her hug with Twilight like a jack-in-the-box. “Nothing bad has happened for a long time.” “What do you mean?” “Like…” Pinkie began to count on her hooves, which multiplied impossibly. “No parasprites, no dragons, no changelings, no monsters, no hatred, no foalnapping, no feeling like you don’t belong, no robots shooting lasers out of their eyes, no aliens attacking from space, no―” “We get it, Pinkie,” said Rainbow Dash. “It’s been… quiet.” “It’s been nice,” added Fluttershy. “I’m inclined to agree,” said Rarity with a fluttering laugh. “All’s quiet on the western front! Isn’t that what they say? Anyway, I rather like the lull in our adventures.” “It’s given us time to just… be friends,” said Fluttershy. A huge smile stretched across Twilight’s face. “You’re right! And that must be what you’re all noticing in me. I just feel like your friend again.” She sat on her haunches. Her voice took on a somber tone. “I guess becoming the Princess of Friendship just seemed like such a big responsibility. All of the craziness that comes with such a big change… I was worried nothing would go back to normal.” She sighed. “And, maybe it won’t. But at least there are moments like this, where I get to forget I have wings and a horn, and I can just… be your friend.” “That’s how it all started, after all,” said Rarity with a small tear in her eye, “and how it ought to be.” “I love you girls so much!” blathered Twilight. Rainbow made a disgusted face as the others rushed together for a cooing hug. She focused on licking the last green onions from the bottom of her bowl. “I know it won’t stay like this,” said Twilight very softly, “but I wish it would forever.” 🐞 When Marinette walked into class the next morning a full ten minutes early, she was surprised to see Adrien and Nino already at their desk. “Dude, not kidding!” Nino said, holding one hand over his heart and the other a ninety degree angle. “It’s the best show I’ve ever seen in my life.” “What are you talking about?” Adrien asked, bewildered. “It’s cute, sure, but it’s just for kids!” “Nuh-uh, man,” Nino said, shaking his head. “The lore, the tragedy, the character arcs… this show is freaking gold. I love it!” Nino tipped his cap with a smarmy grin. “You’re looking at a one hundred percent converted brony.” “Oh my gosh,” said Adrien, smacking his own forehead. But he was smiling. “Did you say… brony?” Marinette caught herself saying. She nearly panicked, and very nearly buried her head into the nearby trash bin when Adrien’s clear green eyes met hers, but she managed to stand up stiffly and smile at the two. “Uhh…” Adrien glanced at Nino unsurely. “Heck yeah!” said Nino, pulling out his cell phone. The photo on his lock screen showed the six main characters, all smiles and colors. “Adrien introduced me to the best show ever!” “I-I’ve seen a couple of episodes myself,” said Marinette, smiling shyly. “You have?” asked Nino, nearly vaulting over the desk. Adrien, too, changed pace, smiling slightly. “Yeah!” she said, waving her hands near her shoulders. “Nightmare Moon, tickets to the Grand Galloping Gala… I thought it was really sweet.” “Oh my gosh! You’re so awesome, Marinette!” Nino said, slapping his knee. “I swear, you’re, like, the most surprising girl ever.” “Uhh… thanks?” Marinette grinned awkwardly. “You really liked it?” asked Adrien. “Yeah! It was… like you said, it was cute,” she concluded. “Guys! Guys! Wait!” Nino beamed and beckoned both of them closer while he found something on his phone. “This is the best timing ever. Look at this!” He flashed a shiny poster at them from the screen in his palm. “There’s a brony meetup happening right here in Paris this weekend! They’re meeting at the Eiffel Tower. We should totally go!” Adrien and Marinette looked at each other with wide eyes. “Uhhh…” Just then, Alya walked into the classroom behind Marinette. “Hey, girl! Look who showed up even before me!” “Alya!” Marinette said, turning around with a smile that was much too wide. “Would you like to come to a fan meetup with the three of us?” Alya reeled. “The… three of you? Fan meetup? What are you talking about?” She gasped. “Is this about Ladybug and Cat Noir?” “No, it’s about My Little Pony!” Nino said. “I’m a brony!” “Oh, really?” Alya’s enthusiasm didn’t skip a beat. “I saw a few bronies commenting on my Ladyblog the other day. They were so nice to each other, it was amazing. I’d love to see what they’re about if there’s a meetup going on soon.” “Yes!” Nino nodded hard. “All right! This is gonna be so fun, you guys!” Marinette and Adrien weakly chuckled together. But as the seconds passed, Marinette’s face slowly changed from hesitant to overjoyed as she realized what had just happened. As she and Alya took their seats, she grinned maniacally in Alya’s face and whispered, “I’m going on a date with Adrien!” “Kind of,” Alya tacked on, “but good for you, girl!” “Eeeee!” Marinette clapped her closed fists together and sighed at the back of Adrien’s head.