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Chapter 4: Power and Responsibility
The moment I closed my bedroom door, the kwamis zipped out of their Miraculous like confetti spilling from a box. Tiny voices filled the room, each one carrying a different mood—curiosity, impatience, excitement.
I rubbed my temples. "Alright, team. Last night was fun, but now it's time to get serious again."
Tikki floated closer, ever the voice of responsibility. "Adrien, what are you planning this time?"
I held up the Rooster Miraculous. "Step one: science."
"Science?" Plagg yawned from atop my desk lamp. "Sounds boring. You sure you don't want to just eat some cheese and nap instead?"
"Tempting," I said dryly, "but no. If I'm going to protect the Miraculous and Earth, I can't just rely on powers. I need knowledge—deep, technical knowledge. Physics, chemistry, engineering, coding… stuff that can help me build what I can't imagine yet."
"Finally, something practical," Tikki said approvingly.
I slipped the Miraculous onto my finger. "Orikko, unify."
Light flared, feathers sweeping across my vision. In the timeless dimension, windows opened like pages of an infinite library. I guided them toward lectures, inventions, experiments—everything from Einstein's notes to Stark's earliest designs. The ability to instantly learn meant I didn't just memorize; I understood. Circuits made sense. Equations stopped being symbols and became patterns I could manipulate.
Hours passed in minutes. When I stepped back into my room, my mind buzzed like a living computer.
"Okay," I muttered, pacing. "That covers the brainpower. Now for the muscle."
I reached for the Peacock Miraculous. The feather shimmered in my palm. "If I can create a sentimonster that modifies my body—faster reflexes, better endurance—then I can…"
"Stop."
Tikki's voice was firm, sharper than usual. She floated right in front of my face, tiny arms crossed. "Adrien, you cannot do that."
"Why not?" I asked, genuinely confused. "It'd just be a training tool. Something temporary."
"Sentimonsters aren't tools," she said, voice heavy with conviction. "They're living beings. Creating them for the purpose of changing yourself, then discarding or destroying them later… that's an abuse of the Miraculous. Guardians don't use life that way."
The room grew quiet. Even Plagg, usually snarky, didn't make a joke.
I slipped the Peacock Miraculous back into the ring, sighing. "Alright. No sentimonsters. You're right. I'm the Guardian now—I can't set the example that these powers are disposable. Thanks, Tikki."
She smiled faintly. "I knew you'd understand."
"Don't get used to it," I muttered, but I meant it.
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If I couldn't cheat with the Peacock, then I needed another approach.
The Goat Miraculous gleamed in my hand. Ziggy perked up, eager.
"With this," I said, "I can create permanent objects—training tools, enhancements. Not alive, not temporary. Real things that stay even when I power down."
"That's a solid plan," Ziggy said proudly.
I hesitated. "But it's still limited by what I can imagine. Science takes me far, but I need… something more. Something magic. A bridge between the two."
My eyes drifted back to the Rooster Miraculous. "What if I used it to enchant an item? Not just instant learning, but embedding the power into something physical. A necklace, maybe. Something that could channel magic itself."
"Careful," Tikki warned. "Enchanted items are rare. Even Miraculous power has limits."
"Yeah, but limits are meant to be tested," I said, already picturing it. A simple pendant, glowing faintly with energy, bound not to a person but to knowledge itself.
I transformed again, brush in hand, and whispered: "Genesis."
With careful strokes, I painted the necklace into being, sleek silver with a crystal centerpiece. Then, with the Rooster's power, I imbued it: a charm of magical affinity, enhancing training beyond science.
The pendant gleamed faintly in my hand. My chest tightened with anticipation. This wasn't just about raw strength anymore. This was about building something sustainable—tools I could rely on without burning through the kwamis' energy constantly.
"Not bad, kid," Plagg admitted, nibbling on cheese. "Almost like you know what you're doing."
"Almost," I echoed.
---
By evening, I'd pushed my new training tools aside. Duty as Guardian was important, but so was keeping up appearances. And tonight was dinner at the Stacys'.
I tossed on a jacket and headed down the familiar street. When Gwen opened the door, her eyes immediately narrowed.
"You're late," she said.
"I was… studying," I said innocently.
She arched an eyebrow. "Studying? Since when do you study?"
I smirked. "Since now. Why? Jealous?"
She rolled her eyes and stepped aside to let me in.
Dinner was already on the table when Captain Stacy looked up from his seat. "Adrien. Good to see you. How was school?"
"Pretty good," I said, sliding into my chair. "Made a couple friends. Or at least, people who tolerate me enough to share a lunch table."
"That's progress," he said with a chuckle. "And Gwen tells me you've been paying more attention in class lately. That true?"
I grinned. "Guess so. Though honestly, the real entertainment wasn't the lessons—it was Peter's love life."
"Adrien!" Gwen's fork clattered against her plate.
Her father blinked. "Peter's love life?"
"Don't listen to him, Dad," Gwen muttered, cheeks pink.
I leaned back, deliberately casual. "Let's just say Peter's as oblivious as a brick wall. But I'll leave it at that."
Gwen shot me a death glare, but Captain Stacy chuckled. "Teenagers. Always drama."
"Exactly," I said, reaching for my water. "But hey, don't worry, Gwen. Your secret's safe with me."
Her face went crimson, and she jabbed me in the ribs under the table. I bit back a laugh.
Dinner carried on with lighter conversation after that—talk of school, neighborhood events, and the usual dad jokes from Captain Stacy. For a little while, it almost felt normal.
But as I walked home later that night, the necklace warm against my chest, I knew normal wasn't mine to keep.
I had tools now. Knowledge, power, plans.
The question was—would it be enough when the world started falling apart?
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