I was never one to dwell on the weather, its impact was inconsequential to me. Today, though, the storm wasn't just in the sky. It was in the heart of Paris, and I could feel it building.
Aurore's jealousy, her bitterness, had been simmering for a long time. I had seen it before.
When I was watching the weather channel, I recognized clearly the way she desperately craved attention, the way she wanted to be in the spotlight. It was only a matter of time before Hawkmoth took advantage of her emotions and turned her into Stormy Weather. And when that happened, I knew I needed to be ready. Not just for the calamity thats about to occur, but for something more. Her.
The storm was coming, and so was my chance to impress.
-------------------------------‐--------
The school day ended almost as soon as it began with Adriene and Marinette's gazes lingering on me for its entirety, the sky darkening ominously. I was a bit on edge knowing the powerhouse I'd be facing but I couldn't run from this, all I needed was to wait for the right moment.
My eyes drifted to the window attempting to get the perfect timing. Outside, the clouds had thickened significantly, and the wind had begun to howl through the streets of Paris.
Packing up and leaving quickly for my mission I set off to the weather girl competitions building. escaping the targeted gazes of the two heroes.
-------------------------------
A couple minutes later..
I found myself in some courtyard, near the same spot Aurora held the competition, it was sort of a miracle I'd managed to find her here by chance. Just from a glance I could tell, She had been tense, and angry, her eyes laced with held back tears. every word she muttered to herself spoke with the bitterness of defeat. He knew exactly how she felt; I'd felt the bitterness of being unsuccessful for far too long, and it was time for the both of us to change.
I was prepping to confront her when a surge of energy seemed to engulf her. A dark presence filled the air, Wind fluttered through my hair from it's sheer force.
An Akuma must've gotten to her while I was distracted. I can't say I'm surprised though, in fact it was expected. But It couldn't be normal the way Aurore transformed, she was a different beast.
Aurora stood before me, her body crackling with energy as ice and wind swirled around her. Her eyes were wide, pupils dilated with rage, and for a moment, she seemed almost unrecognizable. But beneath that fury I still saw something sorrowful deep in her eyes.
"Why does the world always reject me?" she shouted, her voice a mix of irrational irritation and pain. "I deserve to be seen, to be heard. But no one ever listens."
I watched her carefully, since now, the storm that raged inside her.
'I'll make new meaning for her life, she'll be apart of my show'
"I understand how you feel," I said coming out of hiding, my voice the calmest it's been yet high enough to be heard over the wind, almost soothing over the blowing noise. "I know what it's like to feel invisible. To feel like you're not good enough." I didn't completely but I understood somewhat. This i believe was the best course of action to ease her grief.
Stormy Weather turned her gaze toward me, her icy powers pausing for just a moment, as if taken aback by my sudden presence, and words. Her expression softened almost unnoticeably, the storm momentarily clearing in her eyes, revealing a glimpse of the girl beneath the villain.
"Who are you, Why are you saying this to me?" she asked, her voice, uncertain and tinged with hurt. "Even if that where true. Everyone else... they, don't have any faith."
"They see what they want to see," Luka replied, taking a slow step closer. "But I see you. I see the person behind the storm. And I think you're tired of hiding behind it."
Aurore's gaze seemed full of doubt and confusion mixing with anger. It was clear that the Akuma had taken hold of her emotions, but in this moment, I saw her vulnerabilty as clear as the sky. I wanted to reach her, to offer her a way out, but I couldn't. Not yet. Not until I understood her completely.
Her eyes narrowed, but there was something softer in them now. "And what would you have me do?" she asked, her voice tinged with sadness. "Give up the power? Let everyone walk all over me like I don't even exist?"
I paused, then stepped a little closer, lowering my voice to almost a whisper.
"Not give up the power," I said. "But, let go of the blame. You don't need to be perfect, or a storm to be noticed, Aurore. You already have everything you need inside of you."
For a split second, there was silence. The wind howled around us, but it felt distant, like it was part of a different world. Aurore's sky blue eyes searched my own, and for the briefest of moments, I thought she might see something she had been missing all along.
"You think I can stop?" she whispered, almost to herself.
"I think you can be more than just the storm," I answered, voice more confident than soft. "You can be the calm before it."
It was then that a frosty chill ran through the air. Aurore took a step back, her powers surging again. The Akuma was strong stronger than anything Luka could contend with by himself. But in that brief moment clutching her head, she had looked at me, like I might understand.
But I could see, with the dark tornado of purple, the storm was coming.
As Aurore, now fully transformed into Stormy Weather, lifted her hand, staring at my right preparing to unleash her powers on the heroes who'd seemingly been secretly lying back watching me, my own heart pounded around my chest. There was something about this girl. The way she had the power to destroy almost everything in her way, but she was still weak. I know though, in time, she would see that she didn't have to fight alone, but under me instead.