FANART

by flik98 on tumblr!

post/154695475356/fanart-for-the-fanfiction-echoing-balance

"There's someone here to see you, sir," Nathalie's voice rang out through the door to his office.

"Who is it," Gabriel asked aloud, focused on the page below him.

"Ah… he says he's an old friend, sir."

An old friend? Gabriel frowned, then instructed, "Let him in."

The door opened in that instant and there he was, old Fu coming into his office, that ever present smile on his lips. Turning to Gabriel, the old turtle greeted, "L'ange."

Gabriel tensed for a moment, before relaxing. That's a name he hasn't heard in a long time. Not since...

Fu crept closer, continuing, "You've grown so tall and poised and collected, Duusu did well in guiding you." And she did. Last time Fu saw the peacock, he was a stumbling, awkward chick that struggled to string words together before his own partner. A chick that didn't have the elegance and grace peacocks are known for.

And now here he was, proper and stern and unafraid.

He's come far from what he used to be.

Sadly, there were some advice Duusu never had a chance to give the hero.

And same to Nooroo, lost before he could even be returned, and scaring the partners into hiding away from the world.

"And you haven't aged a day," Gabriel noted as he looked over the old man, drawing Fu back to attention.

Fu's smile grew. "Comes with being a turtle," Fu waved off, taking a near seat with a sigh. "Have you been enjoying your retirement, L'ange?"

Gabriel said, "It could be better."

Fu agreed.

Monarch should still be at his side, and yet she disappeared, much like the butterfly miraculous had been lost, all because of her jealous, petty Champion.

One who now had the butterfly.

Something L'ange was still so bitter about, and unnerved enough to cling to his miraculous despite his retirement.

It was one of the reasons why Fu went ahead and sought new heroes.

It was time for new heroes, untouched by a bitter past.

If L'ange found Hawk Moth…

"So, what brings the great Guardian Xuanwu to my doorstep?" Gabriel asked.

"I'm here to see you officially retired," Fu told him.

Gabriel paused. "You're here to take the miraculous?"

"More specifically, here to tell you that I shall have it soon, the book has been returned as well. Thank you for finding it."

Gabriel gave a start. "He took it then?" he asked.

"Tikki, the ladybug kwami, was very encouraging of this."

"...And Duusu is already gone, isn't she?" Gabriel turned to him, frowning. "What do you mean you'll get her soon?"

With an amused smile, Fu answered, "There was a mix up."

Gabriel ran a hand over his face. Then he spared a glance towards the portrait of his wife, grimacing. "Why did you choose him?"

"Great heroes usually make other great heroes," Fu said. He stood. "I'm here to make you aware L'ange. Don't be too hard on the boy when he returns. Enjoy your retirement. We may see each other again."

He left the retired peacock alone, returning home to await the return of the miraculous.

Maybe it was being an akuma before, but Fenice found that she was moving easily over the roofs, the suit feeling like a second skin, the trail she ran familiar. Like she raced this way before. Maybe she went this way as an akuma.

Probably.

She stopped, looking out, considering the city.

To get what she wanted, she had to appeal to this city, and to it's heroes.

She can come in, claim she came from Italy to help them fight against Hawk Moth. She'll wait till there's another akuma and-

A yo yo slammed at her feet, jerking Fenice to a stop.

She whipped around, seeing Ladybug and Chat Noir staring down at her, grimaces on their faces.

"I'm here to help!" Fenice cried, hands up, "I'm the peacock hero Fenice, from Italy, and-"

"That's enough Lila," Ladybug cuts in. "Give up the miraculous, nice and easy."

Fenice goes stiff.

How did Adrien get to them so quickly? He was only aware of the book, not her having the jewel, by the time he did, Chat Noir and Ladybug should be far out of his grasp.

And yet, evidently, he discovered it gone.

And knew what it was.

"Aren't you curious as to why Adrien had this miraculous?" Fenice called out.

Chat twitched, then declared, "I'm not sitting through this again." She jumped up, coming straight for Fenice. Giving a start, Fenice scrambled back, narrowly avoiding the baton Chat swung at her. Blue eyes locked on the peacock, Chat dove at her, swinging the baton at her. Fenice struggled to dance away, avoid those fast blows from the agitated cat. She caught sight of Ladybug coming up behind her, ready to join the fun.

Stressed at how easily overwhelmed she was, Fenice summoned, "Peacock Sight!" Her green eyes glowed a pale light, and before her, Fenice saw what the heroes were about to do.

She sidestepped away, just as Ladybug threw his yo yo out, accidentally snagging Chat's baton as she slashed at the air and unintentionally reeled it out of her claws and smacking it right against his head.

Caught off guard by her taken weapon, Fenice struck Chat, kicking her legs out from under her.

There was a beeping from her miraculous, but Fenice ignored it.

Duusu said she'd see for seven minutes.

The jewel just had to keep count for her.

Jumping up, she cackled as the yo yo slammed into Chat's forehead as the cat hurriedly got up. "Ow!" Chat snapped.

"Sorry!" Ladybug called.

Fenice cackled as she fell away from them, her eyes bright as she smirked. "That's the best you two got?" she mocked.

Another series of beeps sounded off.

With the expected growl, Chat dove at the peacock. Fenice moved, sliding her foot out and tripping Chat and nearly sending the cat over the roof.

When Ladybug threw his yo yo to catch the cat and reel her back, Fenice kicked the device off course. With a grin, she followed it and kicked it back at him.

Another sounded.

Ladybug caught it, grimacing.

"You can't do anything against me," Fenice mocked. "I can see everything you're about to do. Like Chat about to dive at my back while my focus is on you."

Ladybug grimaced.

Fenice grinned. "You can't stop me. Not when I can see what you're about to do! I know it before you even do!"

Fenice blinked at another sound off, but ignored it.

It wouldn't matter if she could see the future once she beat these two pests.

Then she'd just go after Adrien.

She won't need to know the future to go at him.

As she turned to slash her fan at Chat, with razor edged feathers ready, Fenice was surprised when she was awash in blue light, and there Lila on the roof, holding nothing while a little blue kwami tumbled down, right into Chat's waiting claws.

Duusu gave her a sharp look.

Chat turned to her as well, tail twitching.

Lila stiffened.

Ladybug grabbed her shoulder with a firm grip, leaning over with a tight smile, he asked, "Peacock miraculous?"

Adrien returned home with a heavy sigh, tired from facing Lila twice in one day. First as an akuma, then a peacock villain.

He's hoping that'll be it.

That this won't ever happen again.

"Adrien."

The blond stopped, turning to see his father peered down at him from the upper foyer.

The boy stiffened.

Did his father discover the miraculous and book gone?

Already?

Adrien scrambled, trying to come up with a plausible claim. His mind flew frantically as his father came down, coming near him. Adrien stiffened, meeting his father calculating stare. He was surprised when all he got was a, "Welcome home."

Ignoring Adrien's gape, he walked by, heading for the dining area. Adrien did tense when Gabriel stopped. Not turning to his son, Gabriel said, "And Adrien?"

"Ye-yes?"

"If there's a concern, next time, please come to me about it."

"O-ok," Adrien uttered.

Satisfied, Gabriel left his son alone, continuing on his way. Adrien peered after him, surprised. Tikki peeked out of his jacket, sharing her holder's surprise. "I thought he'd be more upset," Adrien whispered.

Tikki considered the way, head tilting about. Then she shook her head and settled back in his pocket. "Can I take a warm bath tonight?" the kwami asked aloud.

"That sounds like a great plan," Adrien agreed.

Yes, warm bath sounded amazing.

Sitting down on a beam on the Eiffel Tower, the transformation fell and Marinette leaned back, staring out at her city, petting Plagg as he settled on her lap. Beside her was a bag of cookies, ready for their snack night.

Not too long, Ladybug zipped up, settling down beside her. With a quirky grin, he teased, "A princess out of her tower?"

She stuck her tongue out at him. "A cat will go as she pleases, My Lord."

He grins, leaning into her space. "I think I like being called My Lord. You should do it more often."

She snorts and pushes his nose. Rolling it, he eased, "You'll be My Lady."

"I'm always going to be your lady."

"Always," he confirmed, grinning at her. Then he held up a packet, "And I got some nice, expensive Camembert for the lad-"

"CHEESE!"

Plagg tackled the packet, stealing it away from Ladybug. "Hey!" Ladybug cried, going after the kwami. "Plagg no! That's not for only you! Give that back!"

Marinette leaned against the beam, nobbling on a cookie as she watched the show of the hero chasing the kwami.

It looks like Snack Night was going to be loads more fun and interesting hence forth.

Xuanwu is the "Black Turtle" and one of the Four Symbols of Chinese Astrology. Xuanwu is also a god known as the "Dark Warrior" in Taoism, and has been represented as a turtle as well. Thus far, it's seemed like a fitting hero name for Fu.

And Echoing Balance is done! I finally got a chapter kwami swap AU done! I suppose more could be done with it, but I'm pretty done for now. Maybe more in the future. Maybe. Probably. Kwami swaps are fun.

Thank you everyone for reading and giving this a go! It was a lot of fun feeling out possible changes to ML if Marinette had Plagg and Adrien had Tikki. Something I'm hoping will happen in show, or at least see Mari-Plagg and Adrien-Tikki interactions.

JReB should be updated soon! And hopefully RoM, but it's coming slow... but it's coming! Gradually.

I'll see you in the next update or next story!