The previous few hours had been a whirlwind of confusion and wonder. Tonya Tabbet, just your seemingly regular ninth grader found herself in possession of a Miraculous, and the master of a slightly terrifying but equally fascinating little snake by the name of Ossar. It’d all started yesterday after school when Tonya arrived home to find a small ornate box perched upon her pillow. It’d been a quiz day, a bad quiz day, and she was exhausted from her own lackluster performance and doubly so having to encourage a friend who was suffering similarly. Seeing the little parcel Tonya cheered up, thinking it was a gift from her father. Just the thing to brighten up a moody day. Excited at the promise of a surprise Tonya took the little box in hand and raised it to eye level, trying to guess at the contents within. It had to be some sort of necklace, or earrings. “Thanks dad,” she called. Tonya wasn’t sure whether her father was home or not. She hadn’t seen or heard him when she came inside, so he must’ve left it earlier today. Flipping down the small latch Tonya popped the lid open eagerly.
“Agh! A snake!” Tonya released a horrified scream launching the box and miniature multicolored serpent from herself, not even seeing the matching necklace fly off under her bed. The tiny creature twirled through the air a startled hiss escaping its throat before it vanished from sight. For two heartbeats Tonya remained frozen before she grabbed the nearest weapon, her bedside lamp. Clutching the light with tightened knuckles Tonya shuffled away from where the snake had vanished, unable to keep a slight tremor from her voice. “What kind of cruel joke, who would leave a snake in my room?” She said aloud.
“Only a spring cloud blocks the sun, but all you can see is the potential of rain.” A hissing voice from beneath the bed spoke up. Tonya watched in open mouthed terror as the snake rose from the far end of her bed, floating on its own volition. There was no denying where the voice was coming from either, so Tonya did the only sane thing she could think of and launched the lamp she was holding straight for the hovering snake. The serpent phased straight through the illuminating projectile allowing it to shatter upon the opposite wall. Tilting its head the snake released a low hiss of, was it amusement? “Peace Tonya, lest you wake the worrying souls below us. Within this structure lies a hundred who must never know. For everyone’s safety. Especially yours daughter of Tabbet.”
“Who, what…. Why?” Tonya stuttered flinching away as the snake moved closer, it winding body twisted and turned in mystifying fashion before it deposited the discarded necklace into Tonya’s hand.
“Relax and breath Miss Tonya, I am Ossar the kwami of Deception and I serve you. All shall be explained to the fullest. You must simply open you mind to the possibilities.”
Follow this reassurance Ossar slowly coxed Tonya to sit down, and explained in his smooth, hissing way the importance of her new powers and responsibilities, and the Miraculous and kwami that accompanied. It took the better part of three hours before Ossar’s final words faded and Tonya started to jump less at the sight of him. Then in a swift flick of his lithe body Ossar vanished inside the Miraculous, his final instructions being to, “Wear the Miraculous and think upon what I have told you.” Gathering up her stuff Tonya cleared away the destroyed lamp and left her apartment in a rush. Ossar had said that the necklace would give her powers and a suit should she wish to try them out, but she didn’t feel quite ready for that yet. Besides she needed to mull this over for a while, and she needed a new lamp. The mall it seemed was the place to go.
Walking the few blocks to get there Tonya arrived in good time making her way towards the furniture store when she heard yelling, perpetuated by a few screams. Turning Tonya watched in confusion as a group of people ran past closely followed by five marching, glassy eyed weirdos.
“What’s going on?” Tonya asked, at this point in the day she was willing to believe anything. If the five marching weirdos told her there was an alien invasion going on, she probably wouldn’t have been surprised. Instead of answering two of the five grabbed ahold of her arms while the other three marched off. “Hey, let me go freaks!”
“Cease struggling ma’am. You have been acting out of turn, and you shall be punished accordingly. Come with us.” Bodily lifted between the two teenagers Tonya was lugged off kicking and yelling towards the center of the mall where none other than a uniformed Mr. Johnsen stood, surrounded by a small army of similarly glassy-eyed weirdos.
“Another delinquent sir.” The teenager holding Tonya’s right arm snapped to attention, giving the teacher a sharp salute. “Awaiting your discipline.”
“I’m not a delinquent!” Tonya struggled on in vain, thoroughly outraged. “Let me go, you can’t do this, tell them to let me go Mr. Johnsen.” Her eyes landed on the riding whip clutched in Mr. Johnsen’s hand and Tonya’s face went pale. What had they been saying, punishment? Discipline? Redoubling her efforts to escape the vice-like grip of her captors Tonya jerked and pulled in every which way yelling desperately. “Help! Somebody help me!”
