Nebula - Adrien Agreste

Chapter 2 - Meeting the Kwami, Gulla

After helping Adrien get away from his disaster date, I decided not to go back. Not that mother would need me - she had plenty of workers there.

Taking out my house key I unlocked the door, pushing it open. This place had always felt too big for two people, and I had no idea why my mother wanted to live the life of luxury. I could see the appeal, I really could, but I would rather be a normal person. Maybe not struggling per-say, but well enough that I was living comfortably.

I face planted onto my bed, exhausted. I barely did anything today, it was just emotionally taxing and I was already over it. Being the new girl was not new to me, I have been moving schools since I could remember. Just being the new girl was always awkward. Like beginning a new life at a school you don't know. With people you didn't know.

Flipping onto my back I glanced around my room, pausing when I saw a box sitting on my desk. My eyebrows furrowed as I sat up straight. I didn't remember putting a box there. Swinging my legs over my bed I let them fall onto the floor with a soft thump. Walking over to the desk, I peered over the box. It had intricate designs on the top, and I was definitely intrigued. Did mom set this here for me? Though that would be the first. She never randomly got me anything.

Curiosity got the better of me as I opened the box. A bright light filtered out, making me shield my eyes from the intensity. My eyes widened when a black bat-like creature appeared out of thin air. It looked regal, and I was definitely a little freaked out.

"Ah, so you must be my new Miraculous Holder," the creature mused, making me jump back a bit. It could talk?! "Greetings young one. I am Gulla, your new kwami," the creature floated in front of me. I tried not to flinch back when it landed on my shoulder, glancing around my room. "Nice place you got here," they commented, stretching their wings.

I blinked at the bat-like creature incredulously. "Huh?" Was my intelligent response. "What the fuck are you supposed to be?" I demanded, swiping it off my shoulder.

Gulla flew backwards to avoid my hands, eyes twinkling in amusement. "I'm your kwami," it repeated, "and you are my holder," it was speaking like I was slow at learning, and I guess at that moment I was. This was too weird.

"Okay. What's that supposed to mean?" I was so confused.

"It means you're going to be the new hero of Paris, congratulations!" The bat spread it's wings.

I blinked at the creature, stunned. "Like... Chat Noir and Ladybug?" They were the heroes that saved Paris from Akumas. It was a confusing thing that was happening in Paris that I would rather just avoid explaining.

"Exactly like Chat Noir and Ladybug," Gulla nodded, a pleased look on it's face. "I'll grant you the power of Screech. It slows down opponents to make them easier to capture. All you need to do is say Screech Increase to turn into your alter ego, and than Screech Decrease to return as your civilian self. But be careful when you use the power. Upon using Screech once, you only have five minutes before you turn back to normal. No one must know of your identity," Gulla warned me, and I was still so confused. Gulla sighed when they saw my dumbfounded look. "If you want to test it out now you can. If that'll help clear confusion."

Clearing my throat I took the choker necklace out of the box. Without thinking twice I clapsed it on, the bat wing pendant dangling from the choker. I placed the box back on my desk and Gulla was watching me with an expectant look. What the hell was I doing? Seeing was believing, and I wanted to test and see if what I was experiencing was real.

"Gulla, Screech Increase!" A sort of tingling feeling erupted inside of me as light circled around. Suddenly I was transformed into a black skin-tight jumper with black combat boots. On either side I had bat-like wings attached to my arms. Looking in the vanity mirror in my room I had on a masquerade black mask covering my deep green eyes. My strawberry blond hair was done in a spiky pony tail with my bangs framing each side of my face. In my right hand was a black boomerang with purple rims on either side.

I looked amazing, and this definitely solidified that what was happening was real.

When I was done admiring myself in the mirror I took a deep breath. "Gulla, Screech Decrease!" And with that I was my regular self.

The Kwami raised an eyebrow at me. "So? Sufficent proof?"

"Yeah...." I trailed off, deep in thought. "Wait does that mean I have to help them when they fight off akumas?" That would be wicked cool. A great way to let out pent up aggression.

Gulla nodded it's head. "You also get to choose your superhero name, just as Chat Noir and Ladybug did. I will have to recharge after every alums fight, or whenever you use your powers. I require bananas as my recharge." I nodded my head. Okay, that made since. That was the most since that I've seen since meeting Gulla.

"Bananas to recharge after using power. Got it," I made a thumbs up at the kwami. We usually had bananas anyway, so that wouldn't a humongous issue. Though mother would be wondering why I was suddenly packing bananas as a snack for school, since I never used to do that.

Talking with Gulla a little bit I learned that it was female, and she was thousands of years old. I had no idea why that surprised me so much with how things have been going today. Not only did I help a renowned fashion experts son escape a date he was supposed to be on, now I was talking to some fantastical creature that probably shouldn't exist but does.

I was waiting for the moment that I would just wake up and this would all be a dream.

There was no way that I was about to become a hero of Paris. I'd lived in Paris my entire life, I was a nobody in the eyes of the people. I got into fights constantly, stood up for what I believed in, wasn't the most popular person in school. Even with my mom owning a popular restaurant that made her rich. Although I will admit that they probably don't even know my last name, let alone that my mother owns a infamous restaurant.

Gulla fell asleep beside me as the night went on; cuddled into my side. I smiled a little, already feeling that she was going to be a great comrade for me to have. A constant in my life, something that I desperately needed. Desperately wanted in my life. Everything came and went, and for once I just wanted something to stay normal.

Maybe this could be something that would stay with me, though I wasn't counting on it.