"That's a very nice doll Marinette." Mylene said.

"Thank you." She said.

"Did you make him Fu?" Juleka asked.

"Not exactly." He said.

"Marinette, Juleka, Mylene." Rose called. In her basket were flowers she was giving out to everyone. She gave Juleka a violet, Mylene a daffodil, and Marinette a lily. "Come on, their doing the Christmas waltz."

"We're coming." Juleka said.

"Ivan, did you save a dance for me?" Mylene asked.

"Don't I always?" He said spinning her around.

But Marinette just stayed with her doll. She didn't know why she cared so much for this little toy but she did and that's all that mattered.

"Don't worry, I'll take good care of you." She said. "And I'll make sure that no one ever hurts you."

Fu smiled at this. When the waltz ended it was time for everyone to go home except for those attending the Christmas breakfast tomorrow morning. They would be staying the night in the guest rooms.

Before going to her room Marinette made a little bed and tucked her doll into it. She made extra sure that he would be safe and warm. "Sleep well fair prince." She kissed him on his fabric forehead.

Then upstairs to her room she went, where she changed into a long white night gown and went to bed. Though her sleep was quite uneasy mainly because she was so excited about tomorrow. She never did sleep easily on Christmas Eve night. But another feeling was bothering her.

Fear and worry for her little doll. She knew she shouldn't be too worried, after all he was just a little toy made up of fabric and stuffing but still she couldn't help feel like there was something different about that doll, almost human like.

Unable to sleep, she put her red shoes on, lit a candle, and crept downstairs into the main hall. She was careful not wake anyone. The tree was still lit up and really stood out with all the other lights in the house off. Then she noticed a group of moths around the doll trying to eat through the fabric.

"Hey! Leave him alone!" She rushed over to the tiny bed and swatted them away. "Shoo! Shoo! Go away!" She picked up the doll and checked for holes. Good, she had gotten to him just in time.

"Oh my poor brave solider." She said cradling him in her arms. "You're not safe down here alone. I'll stay with you til morning." She snuffed out her candle, climbed on to the couch, and laid down with the doll tucked under her arm. She soon fell asleep.

An hour later Master Fu appeared, he walked over to the couch.

"Tonight is the night your highness." He whispered. "Her kindness is enough to give you life but only true love can turn you back to who you once were."

After that he disappeared in a puff of smoke. Shorty after the grandfather clock chimed and golden dust fell on top of Marinette causing the couch and the girl to unknowingly shrink as she slept. She got smaller and smaller until she was about the same size as her doll. In a flash of light the doll changed into a living boy though his solider outfit, cat ears, mask, and tail remained.

He blinked and stretched. "I'm...I'm alive? I'm alive! I can't believe it." He stood up and looked over at the sleeping girl. He smiled at her and began to stroke her hair. "Sweet dreams lovely princess. I shall protect you and make sure no one disturbs you while you sleep."

Marinette smiled in her sleep and nuzzled into the hand cupping her cheek. He then stood watching over her protectively. But a couple minutes later a hole opened in the wall, from it mice and moths began to enter the room.

Determined not to let these vermin harm his sleeping beauty, he pulled out his sword and began to fight them off.

"Seize him!" One mouse ordered.

Marinette awoke to the sound of swords clashing. She yawned and looked around, now becoming aware of her new size.

"Oh my!" She gasped. "I'm...I'm small. What happened?" Then she saw the fight happening. "I must be dreaming."

She rubbed her eyes and blinked a few times.

"Back! All of you!" The solider said swinging his sword. But he was outnumbered, one large rat knocked him down and hit his arm, it looked like the end for him. Thinking fast, Marinette ran to the candle she left on the floor and pushed it on top of the rat.

"Chew on your tail! Not my friend!"

"Retreat!" A moth cried. They all ran and flew back into the hole.

"Thanks." He said getting up. "Are you alright?"

"I think so but seeing you and all this is giving me doubts about my brain." Marinette said. "Are you...really my doll?"

"Yes though I'm much more alive and I have skin now."

"I must have lost my mind."

"I can assure you Marinette you still have your sanity."

"How do you know my name?"

"I heard it. I may not have been able to move or talk when I was that lifeless doll but I could still see and hear very well."

"Who are you?"

"I don't go by my real name anymore."

"Then what do I call you?"

"Cat Noir." He knelt down, took her arm gently, and softly planted a kiss on her hand. "At your service my lady."

She blushed. "So what was with the whole battle between the moths and mice?"

"Those ugly things work for the moth king."

"Who's he?"

"A gloomy and evil man who resides in the coldest and darkest kingdom in the world. He also cast curses and spells on unlucky souls like me."

"You mean you-"

"Weren't always a doll. He used to be  the benevolent king of another kingdom, one warmer and happier than his."

"What happened?"

"Well the king had a queen who he loved more than anything in the world, they had a very happy marriage and their joy only grew when the queen gave birth to a son. For awhile it seemed that their happiness would last forever until one winter's night when the queen became sick...She died."

"That's terrible."

"It gets worse. After the death of his queen the king went made from grief so much so that he distrusted everyone and saw them as an enemy even his own son. So when it was time for the prince to take his place the king had discovered how to use magic so he cursed the prince. Which ever comes first."

"That's terrible. How could he do that to his own son?"

"In his mind the prince wasn't his son anymore. You must understand he was very ill and mad. Anyway he would have made the curse permanent if Master Fu didn't interfered."

"Master Fu?"

"The royal magician and clockmaker, he too knew a little magic so he cast a spell on the king, he turned him into a dark and disfigured creature known as the moth king and he will remain that way until the prince dies or until his curse breaks."

"So what happened to the prince?"

"Well thanks to Fu the curse he's under can be broken."

"How?"

"The prince must defeat the moth king and recieve a kiss from a fair princess who loves him before the Christmas after his fourteenth birthday otherwise he'll be cursed forever. Fu and I were sent to find a princess who could end the curse but no luck. That's also why we came to this party, we had heard about Chloe and hoped she'd be the one."

"Well she is pretty."

"Yeah but she's too mean and selfish. A kiss from her wouldn't break the curse it would cast another one probably worse than the first one."

Marinette laughed.

"Will those mice and moths come back?" She asked.

"Probably, their leader is very persistent."

Suddenly a rumbling noise was heard.

"Oh gosh! What was that?" Marinette asked.

"That would be my stomach." Chat answered. "I haven't eaten in two years and I'm pretty hungry."

"Oh! Well I'm sure we can find you something. Come on." His stomach growled again. "Dear lord, sounds like a bear in there."

"Sorry, It didn't do that for two years but then again I did have stuffing for a belly."