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 he could feel it building.
Aurore's jealousy, her bitterness, had been simmering for a long time. Luka had seen it before.
When he was watching the weather channel, 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 his chance to impress.
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The school day ended with Adriene and Marinette's gazes lingering on him, the sky darkening ominously. Luka had been slightly on edge, waiting for the right moment. His eyes drifted to the clock—perfect timing. Outside, the clouds had thickened, and the wind had begun to howl through the streets of Paris.
Leaving quickly for his new mission he set off, escaping the targeted gazes of the two heroes.
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A couple minutes later..
Luka found himself in the courtyard, near the same spot where Aurore had been moments before. She had been tense, angry, every word she spoke laced with the bitterness of defeat. He knew exactly how she felt; he had been there, lost in his own bitterness for far too long.
Then came the surge of energy. A dark presence filled the air, and Luka immediately recognized it as the akuma. It wasn't a surprise he had expected it. But what caught him off guard was the force with which Aurore transformed.
Stormy Weather stood before him, 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, Luka saw something else, something fragile.
"Why does the world always reject me?" she shouted, her voice a mix of fury and pain. "I deserve to be seen, to be heard. But no one listens."
I watched her carefully, with a flicker of ambition in my eyes, and something else.. He had been where she was once in his past life, lost, searching for meaning. He could see how vulnerable she truly was behind the storm that raged inside her.
'I'll make new meaning for her life, she'll be apart of my show' Luka thought.
"I understand how you feel," Luka said coming out of hiding, his voice calm yet high, almost soothing, despite the chaos swirling around them. "I know what it's like to feel invisible. To feel like you're not good enough." He didn't but believe i'd be the best course of action to get closer to her.
Stormy Weather turned her gaze toward him, her icy powers pausing for just a moment, as if taken aback by his 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. "Everyone else... they, dont have any faith."
"They see what they want them 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 flickered, doubt and confusion mixing with the anger. It was clear that the akuma had taken hold of her emotions, but in this moment, Luka saw the crack—the vulnerability in her. He wanted to reach her, to offer her a way out, but he couldn't. Not yet. Not until he 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?"
Luka paused, He stepped a little closer, lowering his voice to almost a whisper.
"Not give up the power," he said. "But maybe let go of the anger. You don't need to be 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 them, but it felt distant, like it was part of a different world. Aurore's eyes searched his, and for the briefest of moments, Luka 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," Luka answered, his voice soft yet confident. "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, she had looked at him, not as a villain, but as someone who might understand. It wasn't much, but it was a connection. And for Luka, that was enough for now.
The storm was coming, but I knew that this was just the beginning. He didn't need to rush.
As Aurore, now fully transformed into Stormy Weather, lifted her hand, preparing to unleash her powers on the heroes who'd been secretly lying back watching him, Luka's heart pounded in his 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.