Grayling

by TheBrcklayer

Summary:

Adrien had never felt right with herself. That her body was wrong. Faced with an absent, possibly transphobic father, what's a girl to do?

And then, just like that, she discovered the power to take control over her life. To make a change in it. Of course, just like Gabriel, she may not know when to stop...

At least that Marinette girl's cute...

Notes:

• For kopycat_101.

Okay so... whooof, this one was a fun one to write, nerves are a bit of a jumble right now but here's hoping! This one's dedicated to Kopykat, given they've been one of my closest friends in the fandom for a few years now. Here's to you bestie.

Not to worry anyone, this one WILL be finished unlike all of the other projects I tend to start. I've had all 16 chapters written over several months, and they will be posted every other day.

Chapter 1: I Want To Break Free

It started so simply, funny how the smallest things have large-reaching effects. Like, appropriately enough, the flap of a butterfly’s wings in China setting off an earthquake elsewhere.

Spring brought with it, of course, spring cleaning and several things Gabriel wanted out of the house.

“...honestly, I’ll never understand dad,” Adrien mused, having been allotted the task of helping carry some boxes outside. “Some of these clothes are still perfectly good, aren’t they?”

“Although…” she mused to herself, running her hands across some of the fabrics, sighing. Older smells rose from them, from happier times that her father had desperately tried to forget. “...I think I might know why he’s so intent on getting rid of some of these…”

It’d been a few years since… since… Well, since it happened. Her father poured himself into his work and tried to forget. For the first year or so, he’d constantly been smelling of wine and collapsing in his study from sheer overwork.

Hi… her mother had been his whole world, and something had broken inside her father upon her passing. He smiled less, and tried to… well, Adrien wouldn’t say he was trying to erase her from his memory but pictures of her mother appeared less.

Faced with a distant parent and a personal assistant turned bodyguard turned… Well, god knows what she was to Gabriel really, Adrien focused on the work. The modelling. It wasn’t always happy work, not really, but it was just something to do. Something to get her mind off everything else.

Give her a focus, a drive to just do something. A temper boiled beneath the surface, and Adrien had taken boxing lessons. Many a punching bag found itself smashed to the floor, sand spilling out.

Her father didn’t know about who she really was, and it was likely that Adrien would never tell. It was too nerve-wracking, her courage failing her every time she dared think about it. She had article after article prepared because of course, she did.

It was a perfectly normal thing, they said to her. And there were plenty of LGBTQ+ people in the fashion community. They went together like bread and butter.

But still, the frustrations continued to mount and at times Adrien just wished she had more freedom. That she could liberate herself from all this.

Of course, her father wouldn’t dare give her any real freedom. Why would he? The world took his Emilie from him. So why would he risk it doing the same to his only son? No… his only daughter.

To the world, she was the perfect son. But in reality, she was the darling daughter struggling under all of the pressure and just barely managing. Almost on the verge of cracking.

She needed an out. Bloody knuckles and busted bags only went so far. Little did she know, fate was preparing something just for her. 

Not really watching where she was going, more lost in her own head, the set-up was perfect. She tripped, the box tumbling to the grass. Nobody had seen the accident, but what had been seen at least to Adrien’s eyes was a strange brooch shining in the sun. Twinkling like starlight.

Even stranger, a book lay on the ground with its contents open to the world. Strange characters, almost like from that of a comic book, lay within with an even stranger language detailing them.

Now it must be said, Adrien was fluent in quite a few languages but this? It was beyond her. It didn’t look like any language she’d ever seen, maybe Chinese was the root but it was different somehow. Like it had branched off into its own language, with characters not really resembling anything. Almost like a code.

She knew she had to get this out of the public eye, and quickly grabbed the book and the brooch and rushed out of view.

Finding her favourite spot on the grounds, under a tree she’d climbed many times when she was young, the girl began flipping through the book. Though she couldn’t understand a word, the contents were obvious. It was all about superheroes because what else would these people in colourful costumes be?

“...why would my father even have something like this?” Adrien wondered to herself. She paused over a figure, dressed in dark purple with an equally classy cane grasped in hand. It seemed to be calling out to her. Like a sort of sign, in hindsight she realized.

 “...I can’t be seen reading this,” she said, upon realization. Her father had obviously worked hard to keep this secret, and though he’d apparently forgotten about it… “I gotta find somewhere private to read this, study it.”

Making her way back inside the house, she tapped a brick and the wall partially gave way. Because, obviously, when you were rich and you were designing a mansion you had to give it secret passages right!? 

Her father didn’t know that she knew, but it had allowed her to sneak around the house many times. And soon she’d made her way back to her room, out of the view of prying eyes.

Throwing open the book again, Adrien flipped through its pages and once again found herself staring at the sharply-dressed man. Hey, she couldn’t help herself, he was intoxicating. And… and… The Brooch, her eyes widened in realization.

The man was wearing it!

Fishing it out of her pocket, she pinned it to her shirt. Gabriel branded of course because of course he wouldn’t let his son secretly daughter wear anything else. A part of her wondered if this was all some sort of elaborate prank, but then again her father had never been known for his great sense of humor.

“He used to laugh more…” she thought, remembering some of the great pun wars. “But then Mom…”

She sniffled a little, not even realizing she was crying until a small voice said: “Hey, don’t cry. It’s over, I’m sure whatever it is that it’ll be alright…”

The voice was soft, sweet and comforting like a lullaby and Adrien looked up to see this little fairy-like creature fluttering and flittering around her in concern. Drying her tears, she gaped in shock.

Then shock was overcome by another emotion. “SOOOOOOOO CUUUUUTTTE!”

“You okay?” the little fairy asked, resembling a moth or a butterfly now that she thought about it a bit more. “You… I saw you crying and I couldn’t help but worry. Is everything all right?”

“I…” she wanted to say it was, but well… “Of course it isn’t, if it was I wouldn’t be crying would I?”

Adrien watched the little creature shrink away from her and winced. “I… see, yes I suppose that was a bit of a dumb question now wasn’t it?”

“I’m sorry, I’m just frustrated. That’s all,” Adrien wiped her tears away again. “It’s… it’s been one of those days, I suppose. No, one of those months.”

“Go on, it’s okay, you can tell me about it,” the pink little thing perched herself(?) on her shoulder. “It’s what I’m here for really, to help guide my holders towards happiness. So talk to me, Master.”

“Your… holder? A-And I’m sorry, Master? I mean, I don’t want to be… I’m not anyone’s master!” Adrien sputtered in disbelief, not really sure what was going on. Oh, her head was starting to hurt just thinking about it. “...Just what are you anyways? Why are you calling me your master? Like you’re my servant?”

“My name is Nooroo, I am a Kwami, and obviously you’re my Master because you are wearing my Brooch. Oh, it’s been such a long time since I’ve been free,” the now-named Nooroo, whatever a kwami was, flew about the room in a happy daze. “...I remember faint images, vague ones really of another man. Deciding if he should use me or not. Then a long sleep, and now you.”

“...Sorry, this is all a lot to take in,” Adrien said. “It’s just, one minute I’m cleaning out my father’s things and the next I found your brooch and this book and now I’m talking to you.”

“The Grimoire!” Nooroo dashed to the book, eyes wide in shock. “Oh, you found it, thank you thank you thank you, kind sir.”

Adrien flinched. “It’s not… I’m actually not, please don’t call me sir.”

Nooroo looked briefly confused before his eyes widened in shock. He gasped. “Oh, I’m sorry young mistress, I didn’t know. Many apologies.”

“...Yeah, I know, you wouldn’t be the first. My own father doesn’t know, how pathetic is that huh? I want to work up the courage to tell him, but… but every time my nerves get the better of me.”

Oh, she was crying again with Nooroo wiping her tears. She didn’t even know why she was bearing her soul to this little pink thing, this kwami. It’s just… she felt safe, she supposed around the little butterfly creature. Like she could trust him. Tell him anything.

“I… see,” the sprite said, his eyes wide in sympathy. “You’re not the first, believe me. I’ve had others you know, those who’ve never felt comfortable in their own skin. It’s always a… process, really, getting them to where they need to be. Oh, I suppose Tikki’s always been better at this but-”

“Sorry, Tikki?” Adrien asked, still a bit bewildered by all of this. All of this new information.

“The Kwami of Creation,” Nooroo said, yeah that makes sense she supposed. No it really didn’t.  “All of us kwamis were based on concepts you see. When one comes into being, so do we. I, for example, embody Transmission.”

“...and that helps the world how?” because obviously, the brooch being in a book about superheroes meant there was some connection.

“I, you see, us kwamis were bound to items of great power -call them Miraculous- to help the world. I’ve always been a fairly desira…” Nooroo suddenly seemed to pause, as if he realized he really shouldn’t be speaking.

“...You’ve been a fairly desirable one, why?” Adrien asked, realizing what he was about to say.

“I… I really shouldn’t say, but on the other hand, I guess I have no choice now that you’re my mistress…”

“I promise,” Adrien said, her eyes warm and trusting. “I won’t make you say anything you don’t want me to.”

“Oh, if that’s the case… yes, I’m sure I can trust you,” Nooroo said. “I’m sorry, it’s just in the past, well, my powers have always been desirable. Plagg -that’s the one who embodies destruction- has always called me gullible. I suppose that’s true, I’ve at times blabbed about my powers without stopping to consider who I’ve been talking to.”

“Hey, don’t worry,” Adrien said, as she soothed the kwami running her hand across his head. “I won’t use them for evil, in fact, why would I even want to? I… simply just, well I’m just curious more than anything else.”

“I… Well, basically you can use me to create superheroes, I empower people. I transmit your desires upon them, I guess in a way,” Nooroo explained. “...and oh, I’m already sensing waves of strong emotion from this entire city. Frustration, love, loss… Oh… Oh, I see, that’s you.”

He looked a bit teary, actually.

“...Yeah, I guess that seems fair,” Adrien admitted. “I’m stuck with a father I can’t confess to, Mom’s dead and I’m trapped in this damn house. Yeah, I’m plenty frustrated and honestly I… I just want a bit of freedom, is that all?”

“Well…” Nooroo seemed to smile, though he still looked sympathetic. “I suppose you could use me as an out. I can give you the powers to liberate yourself, in fact I… I might be able to change you, just a little, and it won’t be outside of your costume but-”

Adrien pulled Nooroo tightly to herself, whispering; “Thank you thank you thank you!” over and over again.

“I’ll take it,” Adrien rasped out, her voice reeking of desperation. “Whatever the cost is. Oh god, I hope you’re not like an Incubator or something because honestly? I’m at my wit’s end.”

Nooroo snuggled closer. “No cost, no deals or anything like that. What you see, is what you get.”

Adrien cried again, not that Nooroo could really blame her…

 

-----

 

They kept talking and indeed the bond between kwami and her holder grew. Adrien had never quite worked up the courage to use her powers though the temptation was slowly growing.

In her off time, Nooroo gently told her about as much of his powers as he could. The little spirit still wasn’t sure if Adrien had decided to become a hero but he was obviously holding out hope for the possibility.

Half of the time though, they bonded over… other things.

“...well, this is just simply insulting,” Nooroo remarked, faintly horrified by the false mascot on the screen in front of him. “Hiding behind a cute appearance and wishes and yes now I understand why you were worried about my intentions.”

The blank beady eyes stared out at him, from the screen and though the creature said he was emotionless? Nooroo begged to differ, it was like he was looking into the face of true evil, monstrous sadism disguised as gratitude.

“...This… worries me, this show, honestly,” Nooroo went on, and Adrien looked at him, confused. “Think about it, Mistress. What if people are now naturally distrusting cute things thanks to him? What if while trying to convince new holders, kwamis always have to deal with people worrying about… well, worried they’re going to turn their holders into monsters! The sheer gall of this Incubator, possibly ruining a sacred bond between kwami and humans!”

It was cute really, how the little sprite puffed up like a balloon in squeaky-voiced rage. Actually, come to think of it, Adrien didn’t even know that Nooroo actually could even get mad.

“And another thing…” he went on. “The whole entropy thing is, in a word, nonsense. That’s not how it works, and in any event, how does this little white rat not know he’s actually not speeding up the heat death of the universe?”

Adrien figured that she should probably step in, and shut off the TV. Next, she began rubbing her kwami’s head in a soothing motion.

“I’m sorry about that Mistress, but it’s a reasonable concern,” Nooroo flushed, rather embarrassed with himself. “Especially if this show is as popular as you say. Even you asked me about what the possible consequences of our deal were. For… For the Maker’s sake!”

“...right, well next time I’ll pick out a more traditional magical girl anime, there’s plenty of them which are still popular these days. Amongst us weebs and all,” Adrien said. “...like maybe Cardcaptor? CLAMP works are always classics, right?”

“I assume their mentor mascot isn’t secretly evil right?” Nooroo asked, and his mistress nodded. “...well then, K. I approve already. It’s… as I believe you say, it’s lit fam.”

Adrien started giggling, unable to keep the laughter from bubbling up from her throat. “...K, I’m sorry Nooroo, but please. No slang, it… yeah, it really doesn’t work coming from you.”

“You know,” Nooroo noted, observing the wall-to-wall magical girl merch in his holder’s room. Really, it was a wonder that nobody in her house had worked out that he really wanted to be a she already. “...with my powers, you too could become a magical girl young miss.”

Okay, he was totally ‘cribbing’ a bit from All Might’s famous quote a bit but hey it was a good one.

...and it appeared by the look on her face, his holder knew exactly what he’d said. She sighed. “I know I can, and I know you promised to magically change me but… it’s just a lot to take in, y’know?”

She fell flat on her back into her sheets.

“Like, actual freakin’ superpowers. The kind I dreamed about, and here they are, yeah, sure in front of my face but… well, it’s just… I dunno,” Adrien said. “It’s a lot you know?”

“Well, you don’t have to decide immediately,” Nooroo smiled reassuringly. “I, for one, am glad that for once I am not called out as desperate measures. That for once, there’s no great evil threatening the world.”

“Well, I dunno, math exists.” Adrien deadpanned.

“You know what I mean,” Nooroo said. “It’s just… Well, time and time again, I’ve always been at the center of a calamity. Either helping to stop it or… being the source of it.”

“It’s never been your fault you know,” Adrien soothed. “It’s always been your holders, not you.”

“Yes, but… Maybe Plagg’s right, you know? I am the gullible one, I should be able to recognize these sorts of people by now and keep them from fully accessing my power. It’s always been down to our own choices in the end, you see?” Nooroo remarked.

His holder looked confused.

“Let me explain,” he said. “Perhaps I should have said earlier, but power must be given willingly. Yes, we can tell you the transformation phrase but we have to tell you it. We have to have some part in whatever we do, and if we were forced something always would go wrong. Use me as an example, because I’m used to it. Say I was forced into evil, something would go wrong. Say… our powers being less effective than they normally would be. Say having a lack of control over what villains we create.”

“Ah, I see,” Adrien nodded along, the young girl comprehending. “Like there’s a safety lock, holding back the really dangerous stuff.”

“Mhmm, basically,” Nooroo said, fluttering next to her. “And honestly, I’d be happy if you took up my powers. Not that I’m trying to force you into it, don’t misunderstand. But I honestly believe that I could be able to help you.”

“Alright, it… might be nice actually,” Adrien said, finally relenting and thinking of what Nooroo was offering her. A chance, if only temporarily to be who she wanted to be. “Let’s do it.”

“Then all you have to do is say the words,” Nooroo said. “They should come naturally.”

“Alright. Nooroo, Wings Rise!” Adrien said, power rushing through her and her whole body changing. Her figure shifted, becoming more feminine and her hair lengthened. 

“...wow,” Adrien whispered, checking herself in the mirror. She wore a fairly pretty dress, looking like something from one of her father’s most expensive lines and… she looked gorgeous. She had breasts! And… and her face? It… it didn't look so masculine! Even the stubble was gone. 

“I’m… a girl,” she whispered, tears pricking at her mask. “A real girl.”

She knew as soon as she dropped the transformation, it would be back to normal for her. But for now, she’d just bask in the moment.

Emotions rushed over her, coming hard and fast. For a moment, she wondered if Nooroo’s powers had something to do with her. That they affected her own emotions.

Then it hit her, it was coming from the city. Adrien threw open her own window and rushed out onto the balcony feeling a wave of exhaustion come up over her.

Someone tired and beaten down by the exams.

Then came the frustration of a wife with her husband always coming home late. Possibly thinking that he was cheating on her.

The misery of a broken heart, fresh from a breakup. 

Adrien would have nearly collapsed from the sea of negative emotions were it not for one thing. That small light of hope, of a heart beating frantically as someone raced to confess to their crush.

Adrien fell back in her bed as she released the transformation, her body resuming its ugly hateful masculine state. “There… there was so much,” she whispered. “So much pain.”

“Such is the way of the world today, alas,” Nooroo agreed with a weak little nod, munching on a grape. “And yet, that is why we are here. To improve one’s lot in life, if only for a time.”

Part of Adrien wondered if the little sprite had manipulated her, making her see just what the world needed.

“Did… did you know?” she asked, she had to know. “About how much of it there was?”

“Yes,” Nooroo admitted, honestly. “What you just experienced then, even if only for a few moments? It’s what I experience every hour of every day of every week of every month of every year. Negative emotions are always the loudest, but the positive ones shine like a star in their darkness.”

“I have to help them,” Adrien decided. “Not just the ones who need minor improvements, the ones who are generally happy. The ones who could make great superheroes. The ones who are so tired and worn down. It’s… well, it’s my job isn’t it?”

“I wish it weren’t so, but a proviso. Pick your targets carefully, otherwise…” Nooroo trailed off, unsure if he should really say.

“Otherwise what?” Adrien asked.

“You may not be able to control them,” Nooroo said. “Your powers can bring them back into line, yes, but there’s only so much you could do without resorting to outright torture. So please, be wary.”

“I… I will, don’t worry,” Adrien nodded. “...and thanks, Nooroo.”

“You’re welcome Mistress, but… you know, I can only do so much,” the little sprite said. “One day soon, you will have to tell your father. I’m quite sure he’d be accepting of you as you really are. The fashion industry, as I understand it, is very LGBTQ+ friendly, is it not?”

“Yeah, but… every time I do, every time I think about it anxiety takes hold of me,” his mistress whispered. “...Believe me, I want to tell him so badly but…”

“In your own time,” Nooroo said. “It used to be easier, you know. Handling all the negative emotions. Back when Duusu and I were together, we used to be two of a set you know? But… alas, her last master, she got cursed. We didn’t notice at first, she fell slowly into a sickness no doctor could cure.”

Something seemed to flash in Adrien’s eyes, recognition. “This sickness… did it start with coughing?”

“Yes, how did you…” Nooroo heard a choked sob and then he realized. “...oh my, your mother… I should have seen it before. That’s why… I knew you looked familiar but by the maker I never realized…”

“I don’t hate you, you know. At least not completely,” Adrien said, her eyes glazing over as something darker took over. “But… just tell me this, if there was a way to bring her back, should I take it?”

“Now now Mistress, please just reconsider…” Nooroo stammered. “The thing you’re asking for, there’s always a price.”

“But my mother would come back, right?” Adrien asked, in a soft broken tone. “...right?”

“Yes, but someone else would lose their mother in turn, and ask yourself this,” Nooroo advised. “Is that really a fate you want to force on someone else’s family?”

There was a long silence, and Nooroo wondered perhaps if he’d gone too far.

“No… it’s not,” Adrien finally answered. “But all the same, this city needs me and honestly you’re quite right. There’s way too much negativity in this world nowadays. It’s up to us to provide a bit of light.”

Nooroo smiled in approval.

“Even if we must work from the shadows,” Adrien said, that dark look back in her eyes again. “People need the freedom to vent right, to lash out? Well, we’ll give them that. We’ll just let them vent, and if they get too out of control, we’ll just simply reign them in right? We have the power to do it.”

Nooroo didn’t like the tone she’d taken, but all the same, he nodded. “Y-Yes, we do.”

“Good, it should be… liberating,” Adrien decided, her voice one of finality. She’d made up her mind, and there was no stopping her now. “Well, no reason why we can’t simply start now, eh? Nooroo… Wings Rise!”

And again the power washed over her as Paris seemed to shake in terror a little bit, want and desire to come to the forefront. While it didn’t face a supervillain this time, in his place there was a girl with nothing to lose and everything to gain…

Chapter 2: Spread Your Wings

“Trashmaster, the city doesn’t appreciate you. Well, I feel your pain, and honestly, I empathize. You are neglected, lost and now, without purpose. Please allow me to help you find a new one.”

Personally and privately, a part of Adrien knew what she was doing was wrong. Maybe she was lashing out at the world which had been so cruel to her. Taken her mother away from her. Choosing the first ‘out’ she had been given, without considering the consequences.

She’d seen the disappointed look Nooroo was giving her, the kind of look someone gave whenever they had faith in someone. But that faith was slowly turning out to be misplaced, bit by bit.

It was hard not to feel bad whenever a tiny, and frankly adorable fairy was giving you a look like that.

“There’s no fine print to read with me, no price to pay in exchange for your power. All I’m asking you is… well, don’t you just want to go a bit apeshit? I mean, it’s simple really. You cover the city in garbage, they’ll be sure to ask for you back.”

Honestly, she didn’t see why any of this was wrong. It was the job of the Butterfly to help out those who were tired and beaten down, frustrated with themselves and the world. 

All she was doing was helping people to realize their desires, was that so wrong?

Now yeah, there were certain things she couldn’t or rather wouldn’t do. Help with. Not often, but occasionally in her searches she found someone a threat to the populace at large.

She took note of their name, and sent it off to the police along with a concerned tip from an anonymous citizen. 

It made her feel a bit better about herself, honestly. Be able to pat herself on the back every morning when she woke up, thinking what she was doing was right. While she never had long to search, thanks to her father’s schedule she managed to find a few people every now and again. She made her time work for her.

Already, she’d created two… well, she couldn’t or wouldn’t call them villains. The first was someone frustrated with the sheer inability in anyone in Paris to be able to drive properly. Road Rage, she’d ‘creatively’ codenamed for him.

Next thing Paris knew, someone was barreling through the streets with wheels on fire and engine roaring. Their car, a shifting mass of metal, reshaped into something ghoulish. Think ZZ’s Stand, the Wheel of Fortune. His power? To instantly clear everyone out of his way and organize the packed streets.

The second was Mr. Pigeon, obsessed with... Well, you can probably work it out for yourself. Go on, take a wild guess. Soon Paris had gone to the birds, now practically ruled by the pigeons, roo roo. Adrien as Grayling just thanked whoever was listening that she didn’t have to be near him while she worked her magic. 

That man had been truly bird-brained and honestly probably played way too much Hatoful Boyfriend. At least if you asked her.

Both times, once they’d vented properly, Adrien had relieved them of their powers.

Rumors were already starting to circulate through Paris, about someone who worked from the shadows who could grant power beyond one’s wildest dreams. Because, clearly these supervillains but not supervillains were coming from somewhere right?

It was honestly a pretty weird feeling, if Adrien had to be honest. Being… acknowledged like this, treated as some apparent mythical figure who could grant wishes. Like a genie, really.

“It’s really simple, honestly,” she continued speaking to her new target. “As I said, create enough trash and then clean it up. People will be sure to acknowledge… your prowess I guess? Seems like a pretty fair bargain if you ask me.”

There was a rush of emotion, approval and acknowledgment coming through the bond as power was gleefully accepted.

Like a butterfly bursting free of it’s cocoon, the newest totally not a supervillain emerged ready to fly. It wasn’t a very inspired design;, it was basically a dude wearing a garbage truck as a backpack.

But hey, sue her. She hadn’t really inherited her father’s sense of design. And honestly, it kinda looked pretty cool from a 14-year-old’s perspective. Also, and if it was ugly maybe there was less of a chance people would trace it back to her.

After all, who would expect the daughter of Gabriel Agreste to be terrible at designing? Who indeed?

She released her transformation, once again her boyish shape returning. Unfortunately, as much as she would have liked to have watched the show, she didn’t really have the time. Unfortunately, her father had plans for her today so there wasn’t much she could do. Instead, later she’d check up on the man, see how things were going.

Ask for his powers to be returned once he’d probably vented his frustrations, had a proper way to channel that rage. 

Admittedly, a better girl would have acted as a therapist towards the frustrated citizens of Paris but honestly? Adrien had been told to hold it all in, conform for so long and never make a scene she empathized with these people.

She had so much boiling rage that wanted to bubble to the surface, she shared an equal amount of frustration at the world. At the injustice dealt to people.

So to that end… she elected to live vicariously through these people she supposed. Oh, her fists was shaking. 

She couldn’t punch the wall, shouldn’t punch the wall. Too much to explain to her father, he’d hate having to rebuild the wall and clean up his daughter’s bloody knuckles.

Conform, conform. Never act out, restrain oneself. Be the perfect son.

It was amazing how she hadn’t snapped yet. Or maybe she had, and her whole rebellious phase as a not supervillain was proof of that.

Maybe…

“...are you sure about this, Mistress?” Nooroo asked. “Just letting Trashmaster rampage a bit?”

“Well, it’s not like he’s going to knock down a building or anything like that,” Adrien reasoned, ignoring the horrified look at her inability to apparently care. Her apathy. “Look, he’s not going to cause too much trouble, I can feel it. And if, and only if things get too bad I’ll take his power away from him. It’s as simple as that.”

“You shouldn’t have given him power in the first place, at least not like that,” Nooroo said. “The butterfly, it's not meant to be used like this.”

“I know it isn’t, and… if it helps, a part of me does hate myself for using it so carelessly,” Adrien apologized. “It’s just… well, for so long I’ve been told to conform. Be the perfect so… daughter. That’s what this is really, a spout of teenage rebellion.”

“And by engaging in it, you terrorize Paris in the process?” Nooroo said, his tone still dripping with disapproval. “There are other ways to use the Butterfly, other paths you might be able to take.”

“Perhaps,” Adrien said, nodding in admittance and acknowledgment. “Perhaps I am being a bit of a brat. But…”

“But?” Nooroo waited on an answer, perhaps more patient than she would have been.

“But I guess I’m just angry, not sure at who. Not you, not anymore anyways. Maybe at my father, maybe at the world for taking my mother from me,” Adrien whispered. “So I rage at it.”

“Mhmmm, perhaps. I suppose it could be worse,” Nooroo did agree. “You could be acting as a full on supervillain, instead of a childish prankster.”

“Never, I would never,” Adrien said, somewhat horrified. “I could never!”

“There’s hope for you yet then,” Nooroo said. “Now you should really get going, I believe you have a photo shoot you must make!”

Ah yes, welcome back to reality.

“Don’t trudge,” her father said as she walked out of her room, head hung in acceptance of her fate. “You are an Agreste, so keep your head high.”

“High enough to thumb my nose at everyone else?” the sarcastic part of her thought. “Yes father.”

It sounded recorded, but from a certain point of view it probably was.

“Show me more respect,” her father said, having heard the displeasure in her tone. “You are an Agreste, you have certain standards to meet. I refuse to hear my son sound like a disrespectful brat.”

“Not your son,” Adrien repeated to herself. “Not now, nor will I ever be.”

“Yes, father,” the response was again recorded over many repeats, practically worn out. It was all Adrien could do to keep it at the bare minimum of what could be considered respectful. “I’ll try to, father.”

“See to it that you do,” her father replied, his tone a warning. He sighed. “I thought I raised you better, Adrien. Where has this sense of disrespect for me come from?”

“When you started being a shitty, controlling parent. I… I can’t even call you father in good conscience, some days,” Adrien thought to herself. “So here’s an idea, let me out of the house and stop treating me like a doll and maybe then I’ll show you the respect you think you deserve.”

Until then, alas she wouldn’t expect to think of him in high regards.

“I’m sorry father.”

“You should be,” Gabriel said. “You are an Agreste, you are-”

“Raised to a higher standard, yes yes I know,” Adrien sighed, unable to stop the groan from seeping into her voice. Her father raised an eyebrow. “Apologies, but I’ve heard it before.”

“And yet it’s not sinking in. Perhaps I should hire you an ethics tutor, maybe then you’ll learn some manners,” her father said. “For right now, I don’t see you as the little boy I raised.”

“That’s just it father, I’m not the little boy you raised, not anymore,” Adrien said. “I’m growing up.”

“And yet you still sound like a child,” her father replied. He sighed. “I… understand perhaps I am a bit strict, and yes you’ve heard this before but as an Agreste there are certain standards placed upon you. You are not part of the lower class, and I understand how this sounds but perhaps think of how it reflects upon-”

“You?”

“Yes, me if high society saw you acting like this,” her father went on. “I could lose important business deals with fashion houses all over Europe.”

He walked to the window, gesturing out of it over Paris.

“We’re not like them, Adrien,” he went on, not really noticing the flinch his daughter gave at the name. “We’re of a different breed. Life is different for us, my son. We’re judged differently, compared to those, forgive me, beneath us.”

Sometimes Adrien thought that if her father’s business went under. That if they lost all of their money then things would be better. She was admittedly horrified by the intrusive thoughts when they came, but a part of her still agreed with them.

If her father’s whole empire collapsed, and suddenly he was forced to live with those he called beneath him… well a part of Adrien was forced to admit that she wouldn’t mind it. 

“I’ve always been especially proud of where we are, my son,” her father continued. “I was working in a sweatshop several decades ago and now look at me. No, at us. I just want to provide you with a good life, Adrien. That’s all. So please, make it easier on me.”

His words were incredibly manipulative, shrewd like a true businessman. He was tugging at her heart, trying to play upon the daughterly love that still existed for him. A part of Adrien was actually pretty impressed with how low he was willing to sink.

The other part just wanted to call for Nooroo and punch him in the face.

“And yet if only you were as good at being a father as you are being a pain in the ass. Honestly, I’m actually impressed. Whenever I think you can’t find a new way to drive me up the wall, hello again you manage to surprise,” Adrien thought to herself. “You should win an award for your C-minus parenting style. It should go in every father’s help manual! How best to lose your only daughter!”

A part of her knew she was being too hard on him, that her father was just trying to parent the best he could ever since her mother passed. That there wasn’t a guide to this, so he was just improvising the best he could. But that still didn’t excuse all of it. 

“Now you have a photoshoot to get to, and I wouldn’t want you to hold up your photographer. Vincent’s paid by the hour and I’d have for him to have to demand more than I’m honestly willing to pay him,” her father said. “Make me proud, son.”

And even as a part of her yearned for his approval, another part wondered why she felt like she’d never be free.

 

-----

 

As always, her father refused to show up at all for the entire thing. He said that he approved of what his son was doing, but he refused to show it. If her father actually gave a damn, he’d be watching her. At least trying to fake his approval.

“Spaghetti, Adrien!” her usual photographer shouted, always with his obsession. “You look like you aren’t excited to eat your spaghetti! Show some enthusiasm, come on boy!”

It was hard to show some enthusiasm when you were actively being misgendered, you clown.

“Pick that frown upside down,” Vincent encouraged, his camera gripped tightly in-hand “Your fanbase wants to see you happy kid, do you think that they want to see you all depressed like some ironic sad clown? Pick it up, boy! Show some SPIRIT! Imagine yourself eating a bowl of hot, home-cooked SPAGHETTI!”

...seriously what was it with this guy and spaghetti? Like really, was that all he thought about? Did his diet solely consist of spaghetti? (Probably.)

“Just think about it, show some smile. You’re like the sun, Adrien! Shine like it, shiiiiiinnnnneeee like it!” Vincent encouraged, and his silliness eventually got to her. She cracked a grin.

Vincent was like a shark who sensed blood, or maybe spaghetti. He at least sensed a smile and with camera at the ready flashes erupted like fireworks. The camera went off again and again, the air starting to smell of smoke.

“I’m sorry, it’s just… well, I guessed Father would be here, watching,” Adrien said. “I mean, I don’t know what to expect from him by this point. He never shows up to watch anything.”

“Your father is a very busy man, Adrien,” Vincent said, though his face showed sympathy. Vaguely, Adrien remembered a similarly absent father from his photographer’s life. “He… he does have a fashion industry to attend to, as you know.”

“That’s still not an excuse,” Adrien said to herself, her inner voice almost a hiss. “He could at least be bothered to pretend he cares. Show himself from time to time.”

Perhaps being around Nooroo had changed her, in another life she supposed she might hold onto that false reality that her father really gave a damn. But here she held no such delusions.

Her father’s soul was as cold as ice, and although she remembered her mother being warm like the sun, apparently she hadn’t melted her father’s frozen heart enough. Brought in the spring thaw.

“Ah well, I suppose all of the encouragement in the world won’t change a thing will it?” Vincent realized. “You’re not going to be able to smile unless you want to eh? Take five for a moment, okay kid?”

Adrien was grateful for the relief.

“Santo cielo, questo ragazzo... mi farà impazzire il povero vecchio…” his photographer muttered to himself, wiping the sweat off his brow. “Devo pensare a qualcosa, capire come salvare questo servizio fotografico. Altrimenti, il suo vecchio avrà la mia testa.”

“...you looked miserable, you know that right?” said a voice, female. “I thought models were supposed to smile more right?”

A bottle of water was being offered, and Adrien graciously took it. The owner was about her age, with the bluest eyes she’d ever seen. It was like she could get lost in their innocence.

“Yeah, well, apologies for disappointing you. I guess I’ve been distracted,” she said. “Had a lot on my mind lately.”

Adrien didn’t know why, but she felt like she could talk to this girl about anything.

“You did have a very pensive look on your face,” her fellow girl admitted, sticking out a hand. Laying on a nearby bench was a journal and notebook, decorated in ladybugs. “You look like you need a friend. Name’s Marinette!”

Marinette, huh? Such a beautiful name.

“These yours?” Adrien couldn’t help but to ask, flipping through the notebook. She couldn’t help herself, and… “Oh wow, these are nice. Like, really nice. I haven’t seen stuff like this except from my father.”

“Oh eh-heh-heh-heh these are nothing and get your nose out of there. They aren’t for you!” Marinette laughed nervously, swiping her notebook back from her. She was flushing a bright red. “...still, do you really think so? They’re nothing really, just idle doodlings.”

“Well if these are just doodles, I’d really love to see what you’re like when you’re really focused,” Adrien replied, noting her cute laugh. “Like swear to God, those are really good.”

“I… well I’m not sure, some of these…” Marinette said, flipping through her designs. “Oh, some of these are crap. Like they’re terrible. I wouldn’t have my worst enemy model them!”

She couldn’t stop herself, it just kinda slipped out. “I’d model them.”

“But some of these are for… and you’re a,” Marinette babbled pointing at dresses before dawning realization set in. “Ohhhhhhh, I see.”

“Crap, was I that obvious?” Adrien whispered. “Look, I’m sorry, but please don’t tell anyone. Not even my father knows!”

“Your father?” Marinette said, pausing. “...wait, are you? You are! You’re Adrien Agreste!”

She quickly stopped herself.

“Oh, I’m sorry, that’s probably not your name anymore, is it? Please forgive me!” Marinette pleaded.

“No, it’s okay, I… admit I haven’t really given it a whole lot of thought honestly,” Adrien said. “Like, it’s not like it matters. Even my own father doesn’t know so why would the world?”

“Well, that surely can’t do,” Marinette said before ripping a slip of paper out of her journal. “Here, my phone number. Call me later, maybe I can help you pick out names?”

Adrien’s eyes watered, before she hugged her. “I’m sorry, but… thank you. To have someone to talk to about this…”

“Hey, shh, it’s okay…” Marinette said, wrapping her arms around the sobbing girl. “God, I can’t imagine what it’s like, you having been so alone all this time… Well, that changes today, you have a friend now.”

“I don’t even know why I’m talking to you,” Adrien blew her nose. “We only just met. It’s just… well, I guess I feel safe around you? Not even with Chlo’, did I ever feel this safe. I’ve never felt good about talking to anyone, I suppose.”

“Yes, well, given how isolated you surely must have been…” Marinette realized. “...wow, your father’s an ass. And I used to look up to him, to boot! Like I thought he’d be my gateway into the fashion industry at one point. Such a foolish dream I know…”

“No, it’s not foolish and honestly with designs like these you could at least get your foot in the door,” Adrien said. “My father… with him, you take the good with the bad. And there’s a lot of bad, believe me.”

“Mhmmm, I suppose…” Marinette said, nodding. “Truth be told, I haven’t had much luck making friends either. No thanks to Chloe, I guess. I guess because we’ve both lived incredibly lonely lives, that’s why we clicked.”

“She knows a Chloe too? Could it be? Nah, it can’t be…” Adrien thought. “I’ve always known Chlo’ to be very forceful about her opinions but would she really…? I suppose I should talk to her.”

Oh, that was going to be ‘fun’ really.

“I guess we can be lonely together then, mhmm?” Adrien said. “You being the silver to my gold? Because my father said I shine like the sun?”

“Excuse you, I shine plenty brightly myself!” Marinette said, gently shoving her away. “My papa always said I was his little star!”

She smelled like a bakery, all warm and loving. Fresh flour was on her clothes, though she tried to hide it. All in all, Marinette gave off a very pleasant image and Adrien looked forwards to spending more time with her. Girl to girl.

“My father’s probably going to deny you access to me, I should warn you. He’s always been very protective over his ‘son’. His masterwork, even if I really wish he wasn’t,” Adrien sighed. “It is what it is.”

Marinette’s eyes watered with sympathy, before they hardened. “I don’t suppose you’d be opposed to me smacking your father over the head?”

“You’d probably get a restraining order filed against you,” Adrien noted. “Making it harder for you to see me. My father, as I’ve found out, has always been a bit of an ass. Oh well, shouting at the wind won’t change the direction in which it’s blowing.” she said bitterly.

Perhaps speaking of the wind was like asking for things to happen directly on cue. She didn’t notice it at first, it built itself up until it was impossible to ignore like day-old food or a dead body.

Then it hit her, an undeniably foul stench as if the sewers themselves had decided to rise up in rebellion.

“Ewwwww, what is that smell? It smells like… like…” Vincent stammered struggling to find words, clutching his nose as his expensive camera hit the ground with a clatter. “...oh, I have nothing I can say to describe such a smell. Just run for it Adrien, escape! This stench… whoo, it’s a killer I don’t doubt!”

Adrien was probably inclined to agree, it smelled like all the worst smells in the world combined. She dared to cast a look towards the direction the very smellable stink was coming from. A mountain of trash was sliding like an avalanche towards them.

“AHAHAHAHHAHA, FIRE ME WILL YOU?” said Trashmaster, Adrien on some level regretting everything. “Well how do you like now, huh? This whole city is about to be buried under garbage and I won’t help you clean it up!”

“Marinette, run!” Adrien shouted, before noticing her friend was practically petrified by the smell, frozen in fear. Grabbing her by the wrist, she pulled her along.

“Damn it! Oh yes, sure, give a bitter man the power to throw trash around the city. What’d you expect to happen?” Adrien thought to herself as she fled to the safety of her bodyguard’s car. “Clearly, you are a girl of high intelligence and deserving all the adoration that you get.”

Her bodyguard understandably drove with a lead foot, desperate to get away from that awful disgusting smell. 

“Right, uh, mental note. Listen to Nooroo more often. Clearly, the centuries-old butterfly god knows more than you. Well, you caused this mess so chances are it’s on you to clean it up right? Well, nothing for it then. Adrien, you idiot, time to deal with a problem of your own making.”

Making an escape turned out to be easy enough, as the Gorilla rounded a corner. Adrien saw her chance, and was soon walking down into a subway station.

“Not going to cause too much trouble huh?” Nooroo remarked, with a ‘look’ as he turned her own words back around onto her. 

Adrien sighed, alright that was okay. She admitted she deserved that. “...a part of you is enjoying this, isn’t it?”

“Well, I hesitate to say ‘yes’ even if this basically is proving me correct,” Nooroo remarked. “Look, I get it. This is teenage rebellion, wanting someone to notice you even if you’re only feared by Paris. But you’re still feared for a reason.”

“...yeah, maybe you’re right,” Adrien admitted. “I… I just want to help people, you know? Let them vent their frustrations.”

“And that can be done, but you have to guide them through their troubles. You can’t just leave them alone,” Nooroo said. “Let them do whatever they want.”

“My hands were tied this time, remember?” Adrien said. “My father needed me for a photo shoot.”

“Then you need to plan your extracurriculars, or whatever we end up calling whatever this is, around your life,” Nooroo gently instructing, not really sounding mad per say. Just tired. “Think ahead.”

“...is this your version of that ‘Think, Mark think!’ meme? Because it sorta sounds like that,” Adrien said, conceding the point. “But yes, you’re quite correct. I didn’t think. I’m an idiot and I’m sorry, okay?”

“I’m not the one you should be apologizing towards,” Nooroo said before wincing. “I’m sorry, that was spiteful of me.”

“No you’re right, a part of me deserves this. It’s a wake-up call really,” Adrien said. “I’m not even mad. Maybe I'm feeling a bit foolish but I’m not mad about it. Honestly, I want to thank you.”

“While I doubt you’ll give up your little rebellious phase anytime soon,” Nooroo conceded. “You need to think more about what you do while helping people vent. You may not call them supervillains but…”

An explosion, along with screams apparently just in time to emphasize the little sprite’s point.

“I would.”

“...and you know what?” Adrien acknowledged, pinning on the brooch to her shirt. “So would I. Nooroo, Wings Rise!”

Power washed over her, her costume forming around her as fabric wrapped around her body. The connection was re-established.

“What do you think you’re doing, Trashmaster? This is not what I asked of you!”

“Like you said, you said I could basically cover the city in trash and then come back to save it!” the villain because Grayling could call him no less laughed. “You weren’t specific on when I should stop now, were you ‘Master’ hmm?”

“...yes, I suppose I didn’t, exactly. That was on me, I set the bar too low for myself. Of course, now that I’ve made this mess I guess it’s time for me to clean it up!”

“Go ahead and try!”

Grayling tried to break the connection, and recall her butterfly but found resistance. She swore under her breath, her father frankly would have been appalled at the language used. Good.

“What are you doing?” someone shouted from outside as Grayling looked up, recognizing that voice. No, surely she wasn’t serious. “Like, look at this. Look at this mess!”

She was, spoiler. Grayling, watching from a rooftop just simply stared in slack-jawed disbelief and perhaps amazement as tiny sweet little petite Marinette advanced on the villain. Apparently, she wasn’t paralyzed by the stench any longer.

“Seriously, what do you hope to achieve? Because Paris is supposed to be beautiful, a city we can be proud of,” Marinette said, gesturing around her to the piles of trash. “...right now, I only see a garbage pile and honestly not much to be proud of. I’d ask if that was the case with you, but given you caused this travesty I think I already have my answer, yes?”

And Adrien's heart? Just skipped a beat. In hindsight, she would swear up and down the Seine that was what happened. Like here was one of the sweetest girls in Paris, confronting a supervillain with indeed no powers at all!

“...wow…” Grayling whispered to herself before she smacked herself back into sense. “Right, enough oogling the girl. She’s in danger, and it’s your fault!”

“But it’s a glorious mess and the city dump will gladly take me back when I dispose of it all! So…” Trashmaster shouted before lobbing garbage at Marinette, who let out a scream. “DON’T GET IN MY WAY!”

Grayling’s cane sliced through the ball of trash, with impossible speed. She leap-frogged forwards, kicking the villain square in the face off his throne.

“Now really, is that any way to treat one of your… subjects I guess,” Grayling said, eyeing the throne with a distinct look of distaste. She tapped her cane against her hand. “...right, well, considering nobody else seems inclined to stop you I guess I will. I suppose you’re a villain alright but to paraphrase a line the difference between you and I? Well, you’re not a super one. You lack… Well, quite simply, the sheer presentation!”

Her long golden hair flowed in the wind, like a goddess descended from heaven.

“Now along with you, little lady,” she said to Marinette. “I’ll take care of this, don’t you worry.”

She threw in a wink for good measure. 

“R-Right,” Marinette said before scampering off with a shout of: “Thanks!”

Then she stopped to shout back at her: “...wait, what do I even call you?”

The name came to her instantly. “Grayling!”

With that the villain turned unexpected hero flew into action.

“City sanitation is going to have a field day with all this, but they should all get a hefty pay raise so trade-offs right?” Grayling remarked as she continued cutting through trash bombs. “Always look on the bright side of life, really.”

She drew back her fist and punched Trashmaster into a nearby alleyway. Once they were out of sight, she whipped him across the head with her cane into unconsciousness. Then, the butterfly was recalled and panting and sweating Adrien released her transformation.

“I… I don’t think all of that was strictly necessary, but well I feel a debt to that girl. I couldn’t just leave her to be buried and… maybe yeah I did want to show off just a little,” Adrien admitted as her kwami nibbled on a grape. “I guess it’s the model in me…”

 

-----

 

From another alleyway, an elderly man had seen everything Marinette had done. He’d frowned, so the butterfly was in bad hands now. Well, a champion would have to rise up to meet it. And he thought he’d found one.

Notes:

Gaaaaaaaaaaayyyy

Chapter 3: The Millionaire Waltz

“I’m really sorry, Milady, that you had to go through that,” said the hero(?) as she gently set the girl down on her balcony. “It seems people don’t understand proper villainy these days.”

Marinette would admit, she screamed at first when the girl picked her up and took her on Grayling Airlines over the city. 

“Oh, and I suppose you would?” she said, poking Grayling in the chest. “Mhmmm? As much as I appreciate you saving me, I’m not sure I, in the long run, would want to be friendly with someone who self-identifies as a supervillain.”

“Oh, well…” Grayling chuckled. “I don’t see myself as a supervillain, per se. I guess you could call me a liberator. People just need someone to help them. I’m a hero actually, at least from a certain point of view.”

Marinette’s jaw dropped, taking a few steps back in shock. Sputtering incoherently, she finally managed to force out a: “From a certain point of… Oh no, don’t you pull that Obi-wan crap on me!”

She was pointing at her, eyes sharpened in rage with a fire burning within. Grayling found herself blushing at just how fierce this tiny Chinese girl really was.

“It’s true! I’m just helping people through their frustrations, basically serving as their self-appointed therapist. That’s pretty heroic, right?” Grayling said, sitting on a deck chair. “Haven’t you… you know, ever wanted to get mad, just scream at the world? That sorta thing?”

“Not mad enough to literally trash half of the city! No, not that mad!” Marinette said, whirling on her. “Or did that part just somehow escape your notice? Fine, you see yourself as a hero, but if that’s what you really are, then you’re pretty bad at it.”

“Just doing whatever I can for people, and hey, in a few days Paris will be as clean as a whistle so all’s well that ends well, right?” Grayling shrugged before sighing as she got up, and walked to the railing and rested her arms on it. “In my defence, I… underestimated how crazy Trashmaster really was. I didn’t realize he’d go that far…”

Marinette snorted. “That’s your excuse? Really? When half of the city’s buried under a mountain of garbage, that’s really your best defence?”

“Okay, yeah… it’s a pretty terrible one, all things considered…” Grayling admitted with a sigh, running her hands through her hair.

“Ya think?” Marinette shot at her before she sighed as well. “...Look, I’m sure you think you’re doing a good thing, and maybe ‘from a certain point of view’ you are. Ugh, I can’t believe I had to quote you there. But if you want my advice, stop with the chuunibyou crap and can the melodramatics. If you want to be a real hero, you should actually apply your powers elsewhere. Put them to actual good use.”

“Chun… Chuunibyou?” Grayling gaped, sounding somewhat offended. Good, Marinette thought with a satisfied grin. “Is that really what you think I am? Someone acting out teenage rebellion fantasies?”

“I call ‘em like I see them,” Marinette said with a shrug. “Honestly, you so scream ‘teenage edgelord’ to me right now.”

“Excuse you, I’m doing important work!” Grayling said in reply, still sounding fairly offended.

Marinette gave her a look, the kind of look you’d give someone if they just walked in with a very smelly fish. “Uh-huh.”

“Y-you gotta believe me!”

“Teenage rebellion, just saying,” Marinette said. “Look, I’m not going to try and understand what’s going on in your life that led you to suddenly say ‘yeah, I’ll become a supervillain, then maybe people will listen to me!’ but… I’m sure there are other ways to get people to pay attention to you. Again, I’m running with the assumption that’s what this all is, a cry for attention.”

“I suppose, it’s just…” Grayling sighed. “Look, I’ll promise you to reign my creations in. I won’t have them go too far. ...Honestly, I’m not sure why I’m not just flying off like a good little butterfly and why I’m still sitting here talking to you. I guess you’re that sort of person, one whom I feel I can trust.”

“Great, a supervillain feels they can trust me,” Marinette deadpanned, with a scoff. “I feel so honored. Isn’t this a school night, don’t you have somewhere else you have to be?”

“...I wish,” Grayling muttered, a little bit more of Adrien peeking through than she would have liked. Marinette looked at her quizzically. “...Sorry, just personal things. Maybe you’re right, maybe this is just an extremely extravagant act of teenage rebellion against my father.”

“Ah, it’s like that is it?” Marinette realized. “...y'know most people dye their hair, stay up late, or wear a whole new set of clothes. Not do all of this. Not reinvent themselves as a supervillain.”

“You haven’t met my father,” Grayling sighed. “Nothing less is bound to get his attention.”

Something was familiar in her eyes, although Marinette couldn’t exactly place what.

“In any event, people will talk the longer I stay here. I’m sure you don’t want to have to explain to your parents why you’re talking to a costume-clad fool on your balcony!” Grayling chuckled. “I suppose I’ll be seeing you again?”

“God I hope not…” Marinette muttered. “Once was bad enough!”

“You wound me!” Grayling said, faking being shot in the heart. “'Till the next time!”

Surprising even herself, the supervillain kissed her on the cheek before leaping off into the night. Marinette, for her part, was left sputtering incoherently before shouting: “THE NERVE OF THAT GIRL!”

She steamed and she seethed, wondering who the hell that girl thought she was just reaching out and kissing her like that! And who the hell was she showing up in such a beautiful costume? One that wrapped her thighs in lacy tights under such a wonderfully pleated skirt, her eyes hidden behind a mysterious mask like it was the Italian Carnival?

Marinette, with a groan, fell back on her bed. An odd little sound, almost like a whine escaped her as she realized. “...Fuuuuuuck, I’m so bi.”

 

-----

 

Internal crises and realizations aside, Marinette tried to make it through the rest of the week. Not thinking about Grayling, not thinking about her shapely thighs. Not thinking about her god-given golden locks.

Not thinking about anything relating to her!

Really!

“You okay?” Alya was waving a hand in front of her face. “You seem distracted. I’ve been trying to talk to you for the past five minutes and… well! Snapping my fingers and everything. It’s like your mind is lost in outer space.”

“Sorry, it’s been a… long week,” Marinette sighed as she fell back in her chair before taking a bite of her sandwich. Swallowing, she said: “Like… really long.”

“I heard you got caught up in Trashmaster’s attack, that someone in a costume saved you,” Alya said, practically squeeing in a fangirl-gasm. “A real-life superhero! What is your life, girl?”

“Cursed!” Marinette replied, shortly with no small amount of bitter sarcasm. “It’s cursed, that’s what it is.”

“...I’m sorry, but cursed? That’s not exactly the term I’d use if I met a real-life superhero girl! I’d be over the moon!”

She’d only met Alya a few days ago, right at the start of school when she, in a moment of glorious fiery passion, had stood up to Chloe. This unassuming, glasses-wearing girl had enough of the Queen Bee’s brattiness and had put her foot down saying ‘no more’ and refused to budge.

While it was doubtful Grayling was any sort of superhero, maybe Alya was. After all, not all heroes wore capes and honestly maybe some of them came in button-up shirts with an eye for reporting.

Marinette felt cowardly, ashamed of herself. She should have stood up to Chloe years ago, and then along came this girl, who held no such fear, and Marinette even felt inspired. 

Perhaps she should have taken the initiative a long time ago.

“Not sure she’s really a superhero, honestly,” Marinette said. “After all, isn’t it a little too convenient that she shows up right when the Trashmaster does? Who’s to say that she didn’t create the villain and conveniently show up to stop him when the time is right. When all eyes are on Paris?”

Alya was giving a ‘look’. “You make it sound like she’s Chloe, girl. Mind, say you’re right. Do you have any proof?”

Well, showing up on her balcony and basically admitting it certainly counted as much. But obviously, Alya probably wouldn’t believe her. Or if she did, she’d just grill her. Honestly, Marinette didn’t think Alya should know. Otherwise, she’d seek the girl out and put herself in danger all for the sake of a good story.

This was the girl, after all, who admitted had been bouncing in her seat considering interviewing the Trashmaster! No, better to keep her in the dark for as long as possible.

“Not… really? Just idle speculations. Observations really!” Marinette laughed nervously. “Eh-heh-heh…”

“You make it sound as if you’re trying to be me!” Alya snorted before sighing. “But… if you’re right, and this is still an ‘if’.,but if you’re right, bitch wouldn’t surprise me if she turned out to be an actual supervillain. Queenie’s already got an ego the size of the moon.”

“...no, it’s not Chloe,” Marinette said after a moment of consideration. “If it was Chloe, she’d waste no time in letting us know. Shout it from the rooftops and all that.”

“Sooooooo, not her then,” Alya said, miming checking something off a list. “Gotcha. ...you know, it’s disappointing really.”

“Eh?” Marinette asked, stunned and turning to look at her. She’d been considering taking another bite of her sandwich before Alya’s statement caught her off-guard and it dropped from her hands.

“Yeah, I mean I’d honestly kill to score an interview with a supervillain, y’know? Well, maybe not literally kill, but you know what I mean, right?” Alya asked. “Like get inside their head, see what makes them tick.”

Marinette scooched herself away from her friend a bit, with a stunned look on her face. “...You’re sorta crazy, you know that, right?”

“Come on, it’d be the interview of a lifetime!” Alya exclaimed, before taking a sip of her drink. “Look, I’m just sayin’, our world’s become like something out of a comic book lately. Come on, you’re not the least bit curious about why these people do what they do?”

Oh, she already knew why Grayling did what she did. The extreme version of a teenage rebellion. Hardly very impressive as supervillain motivations went.

“I’m worried about you,” Marinette said. “I just don’t want you to do something too crazy in search of a story, that’s all.”

“Chilllllaaxx girl! If things get too insane, I’ll back off,” Alya held her hands up, reassuringly, before scanning the cafeteria. “Hey, that guy over there. He looks a bit lost, doesn’t he?”

Marinette followed her gaze and her jaw dropped. No, it couldn’t be! Adrien?

“Girl,” she quickly mouthed to Alya.

“Wait, he looks like a guy, why are you…? Ooooooh,” Alya’s eyes widened in realization. “I see, gotcha! Sorry!”

“...Crap, I really shouldn’t have said that. Outed her, I mean. Oh my god, she’s going to be so mad at me…” Marinette panicked even as Alya waved her probably former friend over.

“Hey girls,” Adrien said as she pulled up a chair, sitting next to them. “Marinette, what a pleasant surprise!”

“A-Adrien, what are you even doing here?” Marinette squeaked out. “I thought you were homeschooled. Well, I assumed you were, given how strict your father is. Was I wrong? Did you just transfer here or something?”

“You two know each other?” Alya asked, raising an eyebrow. “Something I should know about? Secret rendezvous in the night perhaps? Oooooh, a forbidden romance? Spill it!”

Both Marinette and Adrien blushed. 

“No… it’s nothing like that, we only met… Well, yesterday actually. We got talking while I was taking a break from a photoshoot, that’s all. I guess we sorta… clicked?” Adrien hastily explained.

“A photosho…” Alya paused before she slapped a hand to her face in realization. “Oooooh, that’s why you look so familiar. You’re Gabriel’s kid, aren’t you?”

“Unfortunately,” Adrien muttered, too soft for most people to hear. In a louder tone, she said: “Cinderella’s come down from her castle, really. I may or may not have snuck away when my father wasn’t looking.”

“Oooooh, sunshine child has a rebellious streak!” Alya cackled. 

“My father’s probably going to have my head isn’t he? His dau… son, suddenly growing a spine, deciding for himself what he wants,” Adrien said, obviously and understandably hesitantly. “Becoming his own man.”

“Hey, it’s okay, you can be honest with us,” Alya said, having spotted a way to save her friend. She grasped Adrien’s hand gently, who looked confused. “Hey, it’s okay. I noticed your little slip-up. You can be whoever you want around us, we won’t judge.”

“...Oh, I suppose I did slip-up a little bit, didn’t I? My father doesn’t know, so please don’t tell him. I’m not really sure how he’d take it,” Adrien sighed. “I… I wish I could tell him, but I have to be the perfect son. The perfect son. Not…”

“Here,” Marinette said, quickly writing something on a napkin with a spare pen she always kept on her just in case inspiration somehow struck her at an inconvenient moment. “My Discord username. Contact me later and I’ll get you an invite to the local support group, okay? All the LGBTQ kids in Francois-Dupont are in it.”

“T-Thanks,” Adrien said, her eyes a little watery. “No really, thank you.”

“Anything for a friend in distress,” Marinette said kindly. Alya was soon to join in with a nod.

“Yeah, we got your back for this, girl!” she said, laying a supportive hand on Adrien’s shoulder. "I’m in the group as well, pan as fuck here. Actually, if you need help picking out names…”

Adrien smiled appreciatively before she sighed. “M-Maybe not right now. I still don’t know when I’m going to work up the nerve to come out, you know publicly. Or if I even should at all…” 

Any further discussion was cut off by a familiar, and completely unwelcome screechy voice. Not the voice of an angel, but perhaps the voice of their complete opposite. At least that was Marinette's answer if you were to ask her about the subject.

“Hey! Watch where you’re going, you big oaf!” Chloe snapped, whirling on Ivan. A tray, along with some spilled food, lay near her feet. “You could have crushed me!”

“Oh boy…” Marinette sighed. “Looks like she’s on the warpath again.”

“Again?” Adrien asked, surprising and sounding somewhat worried. “But Chloe…”

“You know her?” Alya asked with a bit of surprise in her voice. All the while she was watching Chloe knock Ivan’s tray out of his hands. 

“There, how do you like it?” the girl shouted at him in a petty fit of temper. “Honestly, while the food here isn’t good, a queen requires her sustenance!”

“I… yeah, we were childhood friends. I thought…” Adrien sighed sadly. “I’ll have a word with her. Later.”

“Well, I hate to burst your bubble but…” Alya said. “I’m not sure she’ll listen to anyone.”

Adrien’s eyes hardened. “She’ll listen to me.” She softened before saying: “...After all, she always has before.”

Tragically, it didn’t really sound as if she believed it.

“I’m sorry about her,” Marinette said, walking over to Ivan. “She’s been exceptionally bad this week. I think Alya telling her off put her in a bit of an 'off mood’ really. Here, let’s go get you another tray, okay?”

“Ha! I bet the big ape is just going to smash into someone else!” Chloe called, needlessly cruel. “Just watch him! The guy’s sooooo clumsy, it’s almost like watching a rodeo clown!”

Adrien could feel the raging emotions, the anger, the frustration, and the humiliation from being yelled at in public radiating off Ivan.

It would be easy to slip away, transform into her other self and send out a butterfly. But she found her feet glued to the floor in shock.  She’d heard every word of what Chloe said and her eyes were wide.

Chlo’, she thought with a sad expression. When had she gotten so cruel? Or… was she always like this and I’d somehow missed it? Or worse, Adrien thought to herself, had she just pretended that she’d never been like this. Have I willfully ignored my best friend’s acts of spite.

“Stop it, Chloe!” Alya said, apparently more courageous than her as she got up and walked over to the blonde. “There’s no need to be so mean! What crawled up your ass and died anyways?”

“People have to know their place, that’s all,” Chloe sniffed. “Do yourself a favor, Cesaire, and don’t get involved. Goodness knows you don’t want me as an enemy.”

Adrien could stand by and watch no longer. Her body moved without thinking and soon she was face to face with her oldest, and for a time, only friend.

“That’s enough, Chlo’. That is enough. A-An enemy? That… What’s happened to you Chlo’? You sound like your mom,” she said, noticing the blanch of shock. “...We grew up together, so what happened?”

“Oh Adrien…” Chloe whispered, somewhat sadly before her gaze hardened. “You’ll come to find out that the world isn’t quite so forgiving. That it tramples the weak underfoot.”

“Like you’re doing?” Adrien said, her voice equally hard.

“I’m preparing these kids for what awaits them. That’s all,” Chloe said with a shrug. “Anyone who gets in my way, who tries to stop me, they’re an enemy, simple as that.”

“I doubt that Alya or Ivan sees it that way. I sure as hell don’t,” Adrien said. “You’re not helping anyone Chlo, you’re being cruel! You’re being a bully. I… I don’t… I don’t approve.”

“Well guess what, I’m not exactly searching for your approval, Adrien,” Chloe said, refusing to meet her eyes. “I’m only in this because if nobody else teaches these kids what life’s really like, then I suppose I have to.”

“You really see yourself above everyone else?” Adrien gaped, her eyes somewhat misty. “Then I’m sorry Chlo’, but until you get better…until you be better, because I know you can, then I don’t want to be seen with you.”

With that, she marched off, apparently missing the heartbroken look that crossed her former friend’s face.

Adrien sat down at a table, taking a shuddering breath as she tried to hold back the sob. 

“Hey, so Chloe was your friend right?” a voice pulled her out. “...Wow, I’m… I’m actually kinda sorry for you. I saw what happened, and if you ask me, you need some new friends. The name’s Nino, by the way.”

The boy stuck his hand out, and Adrien found herself taking it. “Nino, huh?”

“Yeah, and honestly right now I think you could use a new friend or two. So, what do you say?” 

Adrien thought of Marinette and Alya. She thought of Chloe, whose heart had hardened. “...Y'know, I think I’d actually like that.”

“Cool.”

“Cool.”

 

-----

 

Returning home, she was greeted by her father and Adrien sighed. Oh, now she was in for it really...

“I assume your intent was to send me a clear message?” her father asked from atop the stairs. “Well then, message received. It’s clear you cannot be trusted with your own personal responsibility.”

“So, you’re going to keep me locked away from the world then, is that it?” Adrien said, suddenly feeling that confidence again. “Like I’m a glass sculpture?”

“You are my son,” her father said, walking down to meet her. “I see to it that you don’t… break, to continue the analogy. I’d advise you to stop this childish rebellion at once.”

“Or what? You’ll lock me away from the rest of the world? It’s not like you’re already doing that,” Adrien said, scathingly, pausing a minute to ‘think’. “Oh wait, that’s exactly what you’re doing father. I want to be a normal teen, with normal friends, who goes to a normal school. That’s why I ran.”

“But that’s it, isn’t it?” her father said. “You’re not a normal teen, you’re my son. You’re my heir. I… can’t let you be taken from me, not like your mother was.”

He ran a hand through her hair, even as Adrien shuddered. Son. Son. SON. If she could work up the courage to speak… tell her father that she wanted to be someone else… Oh hell, that’d just make her father even more protective of her, wouldn’t it?

But at least she wouldn’t be lying to the world anymore, lying about who she really was.

“I understand, I really do, but I just can’t allow you to be out in the world. Not yet at least,” her father continued. “It’s too dangerous for you. Just yesterday, there was an actual supervillain in Paris.”

“Nobody could have predicted that father!” Adrien sputtered. “You shouldn’t use it as evidence to prove your point!” Willfully ignoring the fact that, admittedly, she was the sole reason there was even a supervillain yesterday at all.

“All the same,” Gabriel went on. “All the same, I don’t want to risk you getting caught up in something like that! How do we know that Trashmaster was it? How do we know they’re not the last? Tomorrow, even, another supervillain may appear! They may go after you. I can’t risk it. I’m sorry, son.”

“And they may not,” Adrien pointed out. “It’s luck of the draw.”

She realized, too late, that probably wasn’t the best response. That she was digging her hole deeper.

“So what, you want me to take a bet on pure chance? Is that it?” Her father snapped before sighing. “I just can’t… I can’t risk you.”

“I know, so you’ve said. But what about my choice in the matter?” Adrien asked, tearfully. “Do I even have a choice?”

“Perhaps you do… If it makes you feel better, I’ll send you to a private school, not a public one, but a school nonetheless. That way, we both get what we want. You get to be a normal boy and I’m assured of your safety. Perhaps you’ll even make friends.” her father said concedingly. 

Adrien thought she was getting off easy. But there was that old saying; If you wanted to make God laugh, tell him your plans.

“Speaking of friends, I heard you had an argument with young Miss Bourgeois. Care to explain?”

Adrien swallowed. “She was being a bully father. Tormenting others all in the guise of preparing them for the world.” 

She bit back a snarky remark of how that sounded suddenly so familiar.

“Mhmmm, perhaps I’ll tell her mother to have a word with her,” Gabriel said before pausing in thought. “...No, that's a bad idea. Her mother rarely remembers her own name. Alas, her father then.”

Good idea on paper, but probably terrible in execution, Adrien thought to herself. Her father always bowed to Chloe’s wishes if she remembered right. Given her newfound attitude…

“Are you sure that’s a good idea, father?” she dared to ask. “Sorry, it’s just… Chlo’, right now, I’m not sure she’ll listen to anyone. Not even… not even me.”

“It’s an act of childish rebellion, same as yours. She’s just struggling to find her place in the world, don’t worry son,” her father said, reassuringly. “Everything will be alright soon, just you wait.”

As Adrien walked to her room, she thought to herself about how if only she could believe that…

 

-----

 

Marinette wanted to collapse on her bed; today had been so exhausting. Everything with Adrien, with Chloe, and with Alya… Aaaaaagh.

“Hold on…” she paused, seeing a little jewelry box on her nightstand. Octagonal shaped, big enough to fit a pair of earrings. “...What’s this? Did mom buy this for me?”

She opened it up, curiosity getting the better of her as a little black comet rocketed out of the room and raced around her bed. Finally, she got a good look at the tiny black blur which now resembled a little cat and it was… eating her doorknob?

“Hey! I was just hungry! Steal a guy away from his meal, why don’t you?” the little cat creature whined even as Marinette felt a familiar rush of power from him in his indignation.

The air crackled with a very familiar magic. Marinette’s eyes went wide.

“Oh hell.”

Notes:

Sorry Marinette, no way you're getting out of this one. Claws have gotta come out.

And well, Gabe's trying to be a good dad anyways. Points for effort?

Chapter 4: Stone Cold Crazy

Francois Dupont was a mess of emotions, a burbling sea of hormones and relationships and stress. Inside the academic walls were students galore with tons of friendships and rivalries, some more showcased than others. 

If you told them that they’d be expecting supervillains throughout the year, they’d laugh in your face. 

And yet, Paris, in only a few short weeks, had rapidly succumbed to that reality. Butterflies, once a beacon of good luck, had now been perverted into a symbol of fear. Something the people kept an eye on the sky for, all thanks to their mysterious master. Nobody knew their name, but someone was working from the shadows to subvert their very lives.

There was a certain energy about the city now, and yeah, sure life continued as normal, but there was an undercurrent of fear. It threatened to burble to the surface and erupt in a powerful burst of terror.

But when there are supervillains, there are superheroes. And apparently, Marinette had just been drafted.

...If anyone had bothered to warn her that with that responsibility came an extra little annoyance.

“Girl, you stink, and as your best friend I’m entitled to tell you that. I know you work in a bakery, but...” Alya wrinkled her nose. “Really, Camembert? I respect you for your choices, but I’m just going to respect them from over here, alright?”

“So Dupain-Cheng, you finally smell like you should!” Chloe couldn’t resist the mockery, as always. As if she even could resist. “Whooof, I’m not sure if you’re trying to make a point or something, but if this is a new form of perfume then I can’t say I really approve! You’re a public health hazard, I think I might faint!”

Marinette was tempted to raise her middle finger in a certain gesture.

“Do us all a favor and skip class today, before we all faint from the stench!” the blonde continued. “Because, like yikes, I’m not sure if I’ll be able to last the day!”

“Well, if you faint, maybe you’ll have to be dragged to the nurse’s office and we’ll be free from having to listen to you,” Alya deadpanned. “It’s not like your expensive perfume is any better!”

“Excuse you, this is Chanel! At least pretend to have some taste, Cesaire!” Chloe barked back at her. “I don’t know who raised you, but clearly they aren’t people of any form of refined taste!”

“Just ignore her, Alya. She just wants to be the center of attention,” Marinette advised. “If you block out her howling, she’ll stop barking at you right?”

“I’m not a dog, Dupain-Cheng!”

“Funny, I could have mistaken you for a bit-” Marinette started to say, before sighing. “...oh, I’m ignoring my own advice I suppose. Not going to rise to your challenge, Chloe. So just…”

She waved the girl off.

“Just bother me later, okay?” Marinette said, her tone exhausted. “We’ll do this dance later.”

“You’ve grown a bit of a spine Dupain-Cheng, I can respect that,” Chloe said. “That’s why I always hated you, you just rolled over and took it. Now though, maybe you’ll actually be interesting to talk to hmmm?”

“I have your approval now huh?” Marinette said, her tone thick and heavy with a sarcastic drawl. “Great. I feel so honored.”

There came a dark little chuckle from inside her purse, before a snarfing sound. Marinette resisted the urge to roll her eyes. Her little gremlin was just as much of a pig as a real cat was.

“I hope you pigging out doesn’t affect my superpowers,” she whispered to her kwami. “I’d hate to be facing down one of Grayling’s villains and my powers suddenly give out on me because you’ve got a stomach ache.”

Another dark chuckle. “Chillax, okay Pigtails? I need the energy! I’m a growing kwami. Besides, you think mustering up the strength to indulge in the powers of destruction can be done on an empty stomach? No! I need cheese! Nice and stinky, incredibly gooey, cheese!”

“Yeah well, if the cheese melts all over my phone, I’m denying you it for a week okay?” Marinette said, her voice barely higher than a whisper. “So eat it fast, and please don’t go too fast and barf all over my phone either okay? My parents would kill me if I had to buy another so soon!”

“Heh,” Plagg chuckled. “So the blonde, the one that’s screeching so much. You want me to go and destroy her homework? All it’d take would be one little tap. Just a finger!”

“Mhmm, tempting but… no,” Marinette whispered back. “I don’t hate Chloe that much to see her flunking.”

“Oh, so you and her are best buds? Is that it?” Plagg asked. “Have to admit, the definition of friendship must have changed in the past few hundred years since I’ve been out of the box.”

“A few… a few hundred years?” Marinette gasped, her eyes widening in shock. “It’s… it’s really been that long for you?”

Plagg yawned from inside her bag. “Aaaaaagh, those old farts in the Order said I was too dangerous to be let out! Cowards! I’m me, remember? I mean sure I’ve made a few mistakes here and there but I’m just the cutest little kitten!”

Marinette debated making a snarky little remark about how this cute little kitten controlled the power of destruction itself. There was probably a reason why he was so rarely let outside. Just a hunch.

“Heh, but I’m out again. Guess this Grayling chick, she’s the real deal huh? Poor Nooroo, damn it. It’s always him who has to suffer thanks to human greed…” Plagg said, and the inside of Marinette’s bag crackled with a dark energy. 

“Plagg!” his holder quickly warned.

“Whoops, sorry! Temper got the better of me there,” Plagg said, before sighing. “So you met the chick on a rooftop for a late-night rendezvous huh? What were you doing huh? Consorting with the enemy? Kissing?”

“Ewww, no! The girl’s way too infuriating for that. Way too arrogant!” Marinette said, and now that they were out of earshot they could safely speak. “Can’t believe I didn’t take my chance, and pluck her Miraculous straight off!”

“It’s okay Pigtails, you didn’t know. We all make mistakes right?”

“Yeah, but not ones like this…” Marinette whispered. “I should have known, I could have stopped her reign then and there.”

“Relax kid, okay? I’m sure you’ll get another chance. The thing about villains, especially the arrogant ones. They slip up, thinking they’re soooooo superior,” Plagg explained. “That’s when you punch ‘em right in the kisser! Bang, zoom, straight to the moon!”

“If you say so…” Marinette said, before sighing. “It’s just… I was hoping this year was actually going to be relatively normal y’know? I didn’t ask to get involved in battles with super villains!”

“That’s the thing, honestly. You holders never do. They’re always reluctant to be heroes, and you know I think that’s the best part,” Plagg said, floating up on out of her purse, now floating around Marinette’s head. “You never ask for power, and as… and as someone who knows what it’s like for greedy types to go and seek him out for wicked deeds? I couldn’t ask for anything more.”

“But still, I’m only 14. Why do I have to be the one doing this?” Marinette asked. “Why not an adult?”

“That’s the thing, huh, isn’t it kid?” Plagg mused. “Well, it’s like this, see? There aren't many who'd want to restrain themselves when using my power. It’s easy to fall into temptation. Better to find someone who wouldn’t jump at the possibility, than to find someone who’s just that little bit too eager.”

“If you say so…”

“Hey, I’m a millennia-old god. I like to think that I know what I’m talking about!” Plagg said with a wily grin. “Besides, if you don’t trust in me, which you totally should by the way, trust in the Great Guardian. He’s never made mistakes.”

Privately, Plagg wondered if the Guardian had this time. Okay, sure Grayling wasn't a fantastic person, but she had apparently saved his holder from a villain of her own making.

“I suppose…” Marinette sighed before laughing. “So this is my life, now, huh? Me, a hero!”

“Better get used to it, kid!” Plagg said before checking her watch. “Now shouldn’t you be getting to class? I think the bell’s about to ring!”

Marinette let out a yelp of realization, before quickly ushering the little god back inside her bag as she made a run for it.

Finding Alya, the two quickly were rushing to their next class. “Whew, I was getting worried about you there for a sec, girl! Like I was thinking you’d gotten lost!”

“Nope, I’m good. Just needed to handle something,” Marinette replied with a smile. “I’m okay, it’s been handled!”

“So what about that ring, huh?” Alya asked. “I gotta ask, I’ve been eying it and I’ve never seen anything like it. Where’d you get it, and can I get one just like it?”

Before Marinette could come up with an excuse though, there was shouting from up ahead. “Hey, watch it you big oaf!”

“Oh no…” Marinette’s heart sank.

“You’re like a bull in a china shop!” Chloe was shouting at Ivan, who was clearly struggling to keep it together. “Always managing to knock something over! You could have ruined my pretty face if you’d been more of an oaf!”

“Chloe…” Marinette began to walk up, with a warning look on her face.

“What, you’re really going to defend this galoot?” Chloe snapped, pointing at Ivan. 

From further back in the crowd that was beginning to gather, both Adrien and Nino watched.

“Dude,” here Adrien tried to ignore the shudder, the feeling of wrongness gripping her heart like a vice. “Looks like Marinette’s finally had about enough of Chloe. You think we’re going to see a cat fight?”

“I don’t know…” Adrien replied, honestly hoping it wouldn’t come to that. Marinette was far too nice of a girl to get sent to detention because of starting a fight. “I hope not. You think we should step in?”

“I dunno, Chloe, if you ask me, deserves to get taken down a peg!” Nino said. Emotions were starting to flare up, Ivan’s mounting frustration beginning to glow a hot angry red. Marinette and Chloe were both glowing a vibrant orange. “I know, I know, it’s not cool of me to say that but she’s been such a brat…”

“She didn’t always used to be like that…” Adrien tried to argue in her defence. “I… I just don’t know what’s changed.”

“Or if I’ve been just ignoring her attitude for far too long, pretending that it never bothered me. Not even for a moment. Honestly, I’m not sure which it is, or if I really want to know…” she thought, eying possible escape routes. It would be so easy to duck out, transform. Send out a butterfly.

“You really need to lay off Ivan, Chloe. He’s done nothing to you!”

“You don’t need to defend me, Marinette,” Ivan finally spoke, his fists clenching. “She’s right, I really should have been watching where I was going…”

“No, that’s Chloe talking!” Marinette argued. “She’s the one who’s in the wrong here, not you!”

Meanwhile, Adrien seized her chance, despite Nooroo protesting. “You don’t need to do this, you know.”

“Ivan’s been suffering under Chlo’s heel for too long, he’s tired and frustrated,” Adrien said, after calling for her transformation. “I’m just doing him a favor, that’s all. Helping him work this out.”

A hum came from inside her brooch, Nooroo sounded like he didn’t really agree with her methods. Even so, a butterfly was finding its way towards its target, and soon screams rose up from inside the hallway as a dark cocoon rose up around the young boy.

“Run, Alya!” Marinette shouted, breaking into a sprint realizing what was happening. “Go, hide!”

“What about you?”

“I’ll be fine, we gotta split up!” Marinette shouted even as a roar and a crash came from somewhere behind. Then a scream. “Go!”

And once she was safely out of sight… 

“Looks like I’ll be finding out what kind of person I am, sooner than I thought,” Marinette said to her kwami, while adjusting her ring. “Plagg… CLAWS OUT!”

 

-----

 

Power rushed through her as she raced across the rooftops, unable to stop herself as she let out a cry of utter jubilation. 

No, focus Marinette!

Smoke was rising in front of her, and she leaped from a rooftop and then swung from a lamppost to another building and raced up its side. Another leap to a rooftop, and she extended her baton to an impossible length making her rocket forwards over more roofs.

The ground was coming up fast, and Hēi Māo’s hand reached out to grab another street lamp before swinging from it to the ruins of a building. Racing along the top of an almost utterly destroyed wall, the heroine got her first real look at the villain.

Ivan…

The creature was a massive golem, and like every other obligatory King King parody she’d seen in her life, it had a thing for blondes. In one of its hands, clutched tightly was Chloe screaming her head off.

“UNHAND ME YOU BRUTE!” she was shrieking. “DO YOU EVEN KNOW WHO I AM?”

Something told Hēi Māo that, yes, the villain knew exactly who she was. And that was why she was even in this mess to begin with. The heroine knew she had to step in, ignoring the churn of disgust her gut made at the thought.

Oh well, nothing for it then huh? Here I go, then! Hope you’re watching Paris!

Hēi Māo leaped into action, kicking the monster in the back of the head. It helped to think of him that way, to keep herself from remembering who she was really fighting. 

The creature whirled around to look at her, with shocking speed for something so large. The sun was at her back as Hēi Māo leaped back into the sky, backwards toward a building. Her braid was flying in the wind, and this would be part of a now famous picture captured of her debut. One that showed off how truly majestic she’d apparently been.

Right now though? Hei Māo wasn’t thinking about any of that. She was just trying to survive even as Golem rushed towards her in a powerful punch.

Hēi Māo was spinning, flipping through the air, landing on a wooden beam. Taking a running leap forwards, she sprang from atop Golem’s head and landed on another building behind him.

A massive stony hand tried to swat her out of the air, and just smashed through a building with bricks and rubble flying every which way as a cloud of dust began rising into the air. Hēi Māo was coughing so badly, and suddenly she was flying through the air from a powerful punch.

A building was racing up from behind to greet her, and she thought fast. Landing on her feet as cats always did, the heroine pushed herself off the brick way as it began to crumble and rocketed back towards Golem. Her claws were extended, eyes narrowed into slits.

Her knee smashed into Golem’s chin, and he lurched backwards. Chloe was shouting encouragements, cheering on her apparent savior.

Marinette was well aware of the irony really, and wondered if the blonde would have been so happy if she really knew who was trying to save her.

She slid back on the concrete, dust under her paws gazing up at the giant in front of her. Extending her baton, she began spinning it like a cyclone as she rushed towards the villain.

Slamming the metal pole into the earth, Hēi Māo pressed a button and soon she was flying upwards with a fist drawn back. Slamming it into Golem’s face, he lurched back into a staggering motion.

Oh no!

Hēi Māo’s eyes widened, Chloe was falling. Golem had lost his grip on her, and the cat heroine raced to catch her.

“T-Thanks…” Chloe stammered out, blushing bright red. “...can I get some tips on how you did your hair? It’s great!”

Hēi Māo gaped. Really, that was what she was thinking about?

“Cat got your tongue?” Chloe smirked, flipping her ponytail. “I know, I’m beautiful. It’s almost a curse.”

With a sigh, Hēi Māo just dropped her unceremoniously into the street. And then was sent flying for a third time, having forgotten now that Golem had both hands free he could fight fiercer than ever.

Suddenly, she found herself in someone’s arms. Her partner’s. Plagg had said that the cat had never fought alone, and apparently as ever he was right. He was about her age, black hair tied back into a ponytail with fair skin.

“Caramba. Lo siento, llego tarde,” her fellow hero said, in an odd mix of Spanish and French. “I don’t know if you’d accept traffic as a viable excuse? S-Sorry again! Looks like you had it handled though, until he disrupted your flow a-and all…”

Dusting herself off, Hēi Māo chuckled. “Remind me to pay him back for that. I assume your kwami filled you in on… well, everything?”

“Villain turning people into other villains all across the city? Gotta purify the akuma inside whatever corrupted him into that?” the Ladybug hero said. “Sí, entendí la esencia del asunto.”

“What do I call you, like I gotta know!” Hēi Māo said, as they raced along the side of a building. 

“Fortuna,” the newly coined hero replied. “I-I know, it’s not a very original name b-but I didn’t have a lot of time to think of it, comprender?”

“My name literally means Black Cat,” Hēi Māo deadpanned. “I don’t think I really have any room to judge.”

“Point!” Fortuna conceded, scampering up the scaffolding of a building before leaping from it and letting his yo-yo fly. It wrapped around a wooden beam, and he swung just as Golem tried to smash him into a bloody pulp with his fist.

Once he was finished with the swing, he let go and leaped from another building kicking the villain in the chest. Chloe scampered away, into the shadows having seized her chance.

“¡Ay! ¡Apenas evité volverme como un insecto después de conocer una de las botas de mi madre!” Fortuna shouted, taking a shuddering breath. “That was, uh, close.”

“We have to lead him away from here, there’s way too many civilians!” Hēi Māo shouted back, pointing at the rapidly gathering crowd. “Go on, get out of here!”

“It’s Paris, I’m not sure there’s really any good places to lead him!” Fortuna pointed out, spinning his yo-yo in a circle of brilliant red light. “I’m open to suggestions, here.”

“Follow me!” Hēi Māo shouted back, running along rooftops as she raced for her life. “I know exactly where to take this!”

In the distance, a stadium and Fortuna gave a grin as he realized. The Parc des Princes, this was perfect! Just enough room to breathe without putting anyone in danger!

He was soon racing alongside Golem, with Hēi Māo leaping across rooftops just across the way.

A hand swiped through the air, trying to swat him like a bug although Fortuna leaped over that and was soon using a hanging planter to swing around a corner. 

A car came flying at him from behind, and the hero dropped under it, sliding along the street as the mass of metal flew overhead. 

Hēi Māo’s eyes widened, realizing how exposed her partner really was. She had to do something, and there was really only one thing that she could think of at the moment.

“Cataclysm!” she called out, and dark energy raced up her arm and manifested into a dark ball of pure rot gathered in her hand. Flying and flipping over Golem’s head, Hēi Māo slammed her palm straight into the street in front of him.

The very earth began to crumble, and crack and soon the massive villain was falling into the ground which threatened to swallow him up. Hēi Māo knew it wouldn’t hold for long, indeed he was already starting to climb out.

But it bought them the time that they needed. Latching onto her partner, she shouted: “Hold on, and hope you don’t hate heights!”

“Wait, wh… WHHHHHHYYYYY?” Fortuna shouted as Hēi Māo’s baton extended and shot them upwards. They were soaring through the air, up and over the stadium walls as the green of the soccer field beckoned from below.

“You… you could have warned me,” Fortuna panted, shaking a little from fright. “That was, uh, well I didn’t expect that!”

“I did warn you,” Hēi Māo was grinning, unrepentantly. 

“Pfff, yeah, you call that a warning?” Fortuna laughed. “Funny.”

“Well, I’ve been called a funny girl before,” Hēi Māo smirked back at him. “It’s a natural talent, I know. I’m just that charming.”

“Sure, just keep telling yourself that. Maybe it’ll come true one day,” her partner teased. “I’m sure one day you’ll gravitate from hilariously arrogant to just hilarious. Maybe I should do one of those pet shaming things, just for you?”

“Oh, so I’m your pet now?” Hēi Māo said. “I thought I was your partner. Heads up by the way, villain incoming!”

Sure enough, Golem was crashing through the wall with a roar of rage. Hēi Māo let out a little ‘meep’ sound.

“Lucky Charm?” she squeaked out.

“Yep, Lucky Charm,” Fortuna agreed. “LUCKY CHARM!”

Of course it couldn’t have been something simple, like a pickaxe. No, it had to be something completely obtuse, something so weird that clearly Fate had a sense of humor.

“What am I supposed to do with this?” Fortuna questioned, holding what could only be a laser pointer in his hands. “Like… this is a joke right?”

Then ideas came rushing into his mind as he studied the massive stadium, parts of it lighting up crimson along with the monster himself. 

“Hēi Māo, fetch!”

“I’m not a dog…” she muttered, even as her eyes narrowed into pinpricks spotting a little red dot. 

“Guess you really are my pet then,” Fortuna teased, all the while hoping that this mad plan would even work. “...come on, come on, just take the bait.”

This was humiliating really, Hēi Māo thought to herself. Come on, it shouldn’t be that hard to catch one little red dot! Come on, come here you jerk! 

She raced to where the red dot was, only for it to dart away. A massive stone hand smashed into the bleachers behind her, smoke beginning to rise. 

“Get back here!” Hēi Māo yowled, in spite of herself. “You shouldn’t be so hard to catch, you little…”

In spite of himself, Fortuna was giggling like an idiot from his perch. It was working! 

Fortuna watched as his partner leaped to the scoreboard, before she leaped to the bleachers again even as the scoreboard came down on top of Golem’s head with a CRASH.

Damage was all around him, and parts of the stadium were beginning to crumble… all around the Golem. 

“I know I really shouldn’t, but… I can’t help myself,” Fortuna uttered. “All according to keikaku. That means plan by the way. Huh, why do I think I should have some potato chips?”

A little black ball of paper rolled out of Golem’s now open hand, the villain lying unconscious. Waltzing over to it, Fortuna squashed the paper under his heel as a little black butterfly came fluttering out.

“I don’t think so…” he said, swinging his yo-yo to catch it. “Not today, little butterfly! Time to de-evilize! Ooooooh, I sound just like a magical girl!”

Still giggling, he tossed the laser pointer skywards and it exploded into a burst of energy as a healing wave washed over Paris. Streets rebuilt themselves, and brick and mortar stitched themselves back together as if time seemed to rewind.

“Good kitty,” Fortuna said as he petted her hair, Hēi Māo purring. “You know, I think this can work out.”

“Pound it?”

“Pound it!”

 

-----

 

“Superheroes, Nooroo! They rose up to stop me! Awesome! Awwwweeeesome!”

“I’m… I’m not sure that’s a good thing, Mistress.”

“But superheroes!”

Notes:

Can I just say, I hate writing fight scenes? Like seriously, I do. I just don't have the gift for them like some people seem to.

Oh well, hoping this one was passable.

Chapter 5: Teo Torriate (Let Us Cling Together)

Marinette supposed she was wondering if the world would stop turning on its axis or something, now that it had been one of their classmates who’d been turned into a villain. She knew it was somewhat self-centered of her, the dramatic thoughts of a teenager turned superhero.

Life went on, though not without a few changes. 

“Duuuuuuuude, you just turned into a giant monster and started smashing everything. It was… actually kinda rad,” Nino admitted before realizing who he was talking to and about what. “...sorry dude, I guess I kinda put my foot into it there, huh?”

“No, it’s alright. I remember bits and pieces actually, frustration and anger and now I feel… cleansed I guess? Like I was able to work some of it off just by smashing stuff?”

“Not sure if that’s a good thing Ivan, but, well whatever works for you I guess,” Nino shrugged. “Not sure I’ll be lining up to get myself turned into a villain just to vent basically.”

“Pfffft, forget the villain,” Adrien joined in, the girl having tied her blond hair up into a ponytail. Heartbreakingly, it actually resembled a shorter, somewhat messier version of Chloe’s hairstyle. “Superheroes, Nino! Actual, honest to god, superheroes!”

“Aaaaaaaah, you saw the news too!” Alya gasped excitedly, running up. “Like wow! I should have expected it, you know, but I didn’t expect it! Like whenever there’s a villain, heroes aren’t far behind! Maaaaaan, I wish I’d been there, just to get footage! Next time, though!”

“What makes you think there will be a next time?” Adrien asked, raising an eyebrow.

“Because, duh, obviously! Clearly, these two heroes sprang up in reaction to what’s been happening lately!” Alya said, barely stopping to catch a breath. “So the next time a villain appears, they’ll be there! And so will I, stopping to catch everything on film!”

“Uh, Alya, I’m not so sure if I’d be chasing after this kind of thing if I were you…” Adrien said, warningly. “You saw all the damage Golem did, what if the next one’s even worse?”

“Yeah, I’m with my dude Adrien on this,” Nino pointed out, nobody seeing the wince that the blonde gave. “That shit was crazy fam, not sure you should be putting yourself in the line of fire like that.”

“Chillax, okay? I’ll be careful. Besides, if anything gets too crazy, the heroes can save me! It’d drive my view count through the roof too!” Alya said. “Then there’s that whole cleansing light thing, like what is that? I swear I was just imagining it but…”

“It was like time rewound…” Nino said, in awe. “Suddenly, all that was broken was fixed. It’s like… it’s like… I mean I know what I want to say it’s like, but it’s not possible is it?”

“We live in a world where butterflies turn people into villains and heroes leap off rooftops,” Alya remarked. “I’m pretty sure you can say it, and it won’t sound too crazy by this point. Hell, I’m thinking it too.”

“It was like…” Nino breathed. “Magic.”

And Adrien’s world turned upside down.

 

-----

 

She knew she had to talk to someone, get some answers. And as soon as she was able, she seized her opportunity.

“Sooooooooo…” Adrien said, taking her lunch break as a chance to talk with Nooroo. “I’m not the only one using a Miraculous now.”

”I expected them to be brought out soon, for the Cat and the Bug to come into play,” Nooroo remarked. He raised an eyebrow. “You didn’t expect that you’d go unchallenged forever, right? That someone wasn’t watching?”

“I… I guess I never gave it a lot of thought, if I’m honest,” Adrien admitted. “But, ooooh, now I have someone to practice my evil overlord speeches with! To see if they sound suitably dramatic? Should I work on my evil laugh?”

“I thought you didn’t see yourself as a villain?” Nooroo said, concerned. “That you saw yourself only as a liberator. Paris’ personal therapist.”

“Yeah, well, I doubt they’ll see it that way,” Adrien said. “So if they’ll treat me as a villain, I might as well give them what they want. Of course, I’ll still be helping Paris though it’s issues, but I’ll just RP as a villain while doing it!”

“Take this seriously!” Nooroo said, his voice raising into a shout. “If they catch you, and they will if you’re not careful about it, they’ll take you away from me. Now I admit, you haven’t been the greatest mistress but you haven’t been the worst either. You’re just a girl who needs a bit of help, and I’d be happy to be your therapist.”

“I-” Adrien started, before swiftly being cut off.

“But if you don’t start taking things seriously, the next thing you know, the Cat and the Bug will be swooping down to take you from me!” Nooroo said. “We… we shouldn’t even be seen talking, not here at least. For all you know, Hēi Māo and Fortuna may even go to this school!”

“Crap, you’re right. I didn’t even think of that. Man I’m dumb…” Adrien muttered. “...still, their costumes are pretty sick right? Like I thought mine was good but they’re on a whole ‘nother level!”

“Yes yes, they’re good but less admiring and more worrying about how to keep yourself from being discovered,” Nooroo said, his voice somewhat shaky. “Perhaps it’s what you humans call Stockholm Syndrome but… you’re the best Mistress I’ve had in ages, I… I don’t want to lose you. Most humans, they only desired me for my power but you… you didn’t care. You just wanted a friend and… I’m happy to provide that for you.”

“Even if your motives for using me are rapidly turning less than pure. I understand your loss, Adrien it’s just… I wish I could help you more,” Nooroo thought. “I wish you would listen to me. My powers, they’re not meant to be used this way and there will always be a cost. Magic is a dangerous thing even at the best of times and playing with it always brings consequences.”

“T-Thank you,” Adrien said, her voice equally shaky.

“You know, it’s still not too late to back out. Change gears,” Nooroo advised, though doubting he’d be listened to anyways. “I know you won’t likely take my advice, but there’s more than one way to help Paris. You don’t have to use my magic in this way.”

“I… I’ve come too far, Nooroo,” Adrien said, taking a deep breath. Her eyes were filled with a certain frustration, and also a sadness. “Once I crossed that line, I’m not sure I can come back from it. I can’t step back over it. I am what I am now. I’m Grayling, Terror of Paris.”

“Is that really what you think you are?” Nooroo asked, an ancient wisdom in his eyes. “All that you can be now?”

More often than she’d care to admit, Adrien honestly forgot that Nooroo was so old. That he’d lived while entire civilizations died. In his eyes right now, it was clear that he was thinking of so many previous holders both good and bad. The ones he’d seen lived, and the ones he’d seen died.

And now he was looking at her with those very same eyes, perhaps judging on what type of holder she’d turn out to be. Already, Adrien knew that she’d disappointed her. Taken the faith that she’d be a good holder to him and shattered it completely. And every day, she knew, she became that little bit darker.

No, it was too late to turn back. For Nooroo’s sake, she just hoped that she wouldn’t step over that line any further. Try to help Paris with their issues as best as she could without becoming a full-on menace.

“I.. I don’t know,” Adrien finally said after a time. “I… I just don’t know. I guess I want to be a hero, but I’m just not sure I can anymore. I guess… sometimes good deeds can be done from the shadows, that even villains can be heroes from a certain point of view. I suppose that’s how I could see it.”

And yet it still weighed on her mind. That’s how she saw it, sure, but what about the rest of Paris?

“Hey dude, you look like you’ve had a lot on your mind lately,” Nino said as they walked to class. A breath of fresh air, the sun shining through the heavy darkness of today. “Something the matter?”

“I… no, it’s just been an exhausting day I suppose. School work and all that.”

“Okay, now I know you’re lying,” Nino said. “The schoolwork today isn’t even all that hard, I know you finished the last few classes with flying colors. High marks! So spill, what’s really bothering you dude?”

You calling me ‘dude’ for one thing, Adrien thought. 

“I guess… it’s just, this is our lives now huh?” she finally said, after a moment of thought on how to tell the best half-truth. “Superheroes and supervillains? So where do we fit into all of this? Do we just… go onto class as normal?”

“I mean, I guess?” Nino shrugged. “Way I see it, if we get involved, we get involved. No need to worry about all of this until it actually happens. Just go with the flow, right?”

“That’s a surprisingly relaxed way of looking at it,” Adrien remarked. “It’s honestly kinda… I dunno, how do I put it?”

“It’s okay, I know it might seem a bit weird,” Nino said with a laugh. “But the way I see it, there’s nothing we can do about any of this, so we just keep on truckin’ right? Admire everything from a safe distance.”

“Or a… not so safe distance if you’re Alya, apparently,” Adrien chuckled.

“Yeah, that girl’s all kinds of crazy,” Nino said. “I pity whoever ends up dating her!”

Oh, the irony.

“...so, what do you think about Paris’ mysterious benefactor, or villain depending on who you ask? I’m sorry, I guess I sounded like I admired them for a bit there didn’t it?” Adrien said, running a hand through her hair nervously. “Like… Oh, how do I put it?”

“No, it’s okay. I think I see what you’re getting at,” Nino said. “It’s not… Well, I suppose I do admire them on some level. They’re very mysterious, it’s hard to judge their motivations but from the sound of it, everyone who they’ve come into contact with? They honestly think they’re doing good in the world. Not sure the rest of Paris sees it that way, but… Well, that’s their choice.”

“You didn’t sound like that before…” Adrien was swift to point out.

“Yeah, well I guess I admit I was trying to conform? Not wanting to draw any extra attention to myself,” Nino rubbed his neck, trying to work out how best to put it. “Like, uh, maybe sure their methods are a bit drastic but clearly their heart’s in the right place!”

Adrien’s soul feels a bit lighter. She’s never had a best friend before, except for Chlo’, and even then she was now questioning just how much of their relationship had been real. What she’d ignored, pretended not to notice. She thinks to herself, maybe Nino can fill that void.

She’s had thousands of fan letters over the years. Or well, he -as Adrien likes to remind herself as she puts the perfect son away in a box- has had them. She’s never done much but answer a few politely, and none of these relationships ever feel real of course. Maybe here and now, there was one that did.

“Why’d you ask anyways?” Nino requests.

“Just curious, I suppose,” Adrien said. It wasn’t even a lie, she thinks to herself. “That’s all.”

“Oh, so you just wanted to start a conversation, that’s all?” Nino laughed, his smile so warm and pure. 

“Yeah, I guess? I really haven’t had much experience talking to people, so I don’t know how to start real conversations. Even with Chlo’, usually it was just smiling and nodding at times, no matter what. Helping her with whatever drama she’s crying over. Who broke up with who, that kind of thing?”

Again, this isn’t even a lie.

“She sounds… overwhelming,” Nino said before flinching. “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have gone there. I know she’s your other best friend, and even as bad as she is…”

“Honestly, right now, I’m not sure if I can really count her as my best friend,” Adrien said. “I… I just don’t know what’s happened to her, she used to be better right?”

She knew she was tempting fate.

“Maybe? I’ll take your word for it, but…” here Nino sighs. “Thing is, me and Mari? We’ve basically known each other since we were in diapers and… well, Chloe’s been a bit of a constant presence in her life. Our lives.”

Adrien had the decency to wince.

“I… see,” she says. “I… I guess I shouldn’t be too surprised, she and Marinette seem to know each other very well.”

“I don’t get it either,” Nino said. “Why she’s singled out Marinette so much. Kim, I have to introduce you to him BTW, says she’s jealous. That she sees what Marinette has and what she could have but I’m… well, it’s really hard to tell I suppose?”

“...I suppose it’s probably true, the jealousy thing I mean,” Adrien said with a sigh. “I… I really shouldn’t say this, but Chloe didn’t exactly have the best home life growing up. Her mom’s always off in New York and honestly I’m not sure she even remembers her daughter’s own name half the time!”

Nino winced. “That’s uh, that’s rough but if that’s true… wow, I guess Kim was right after all. Marinette… well, I’m sure you’ve seen her parents. If not, I really have to introduce you to them. We all love them.”

“I love Chlo’, I really do but… she’s exhausting. She’s, as I said…”

“Overwhelming?” Nino offered. “Yeah, I get that.”

“She’s the best friend I could have asked for, we both have equally crappy parents as it is so I guess we gravitated towards each other? If that makes any sense,” Adrien said, closing her eyes in memory. “I just wish… Maybe I should have been firmer on her, helped her to become a better person.”

“She’s made her own choices dude,” Nino said. “It’s her own fault, and if she’s lost your friendship, she has no one but herself to blame. You can’t force people to do what you want, that’s not how things work.”

“Yeah, well tell that to my father,” Adrien snorts. “That’s basically his entire modus operandi. His whole ‘shtick’, really.”

“Your dad sounds like a real piece of work!” Nino said.

“He is… After mom died, I think he changed. Tried to deal with it in his own way,” Adrien said. “Tried to hide me away from the rest of the world, as if that’d somehow protect me. Like I’m a doll that can’t risk falling off the shelf, if you catch my drift.”

“Oh shit, that’s, uh… wow, I’m sorry dude,” Nino said, and Adrien finds she can’t even be mad about the accidental misgendering. Nino feels so real, and so genuine.

Something she knows she hasn’t seen a lot of in her life. People always hide behind masks with her, putting up false smiles and presenting themselves to the world as friends. All because of who she was.

Adrien is many things, but she knows the one thing that she isn’t is stupid. Gabriel did make sure that her daughter could tell the false friends from the real ones. And sadly, the real ones are few and far between.

People who wouldn’t abandon them out to the cold at a drop of the hat, if suddenly all of their money vanishes. Sometimes Adrien wishes that it would, if only so her father would appreciate what he had more.

“It is what it is,” she says to Nino. “There’s not much I can really do about it.”

“Well!” Nino suddenly declares. “Because you’ve been stuck inside your house, I bet you’ve missed out on a lot. I think it’s my job, as your new best bud, to bring you up to speed.”

“No, no, you don’t have to do that,” Adrien said. “I can find this stuff out on my own time, you know?”

But Nino definitely disagrees. “So? Sure, you can experience a bit of stuff on your own, but better to do with a friend right? That’s what best buds are for!”

Adrien remembers times long since past, when she and Chlo’ were staying up late and watching old anime. Laughing, crying, at what the characters went through. There were magical girls, so many magical girls.

That actually, was how Adrien had started to work out something was wrong. That she’d been born in the wrong body. That she had gotten to thinking how pretty some of the costumes were, what it’d be like to wear them.

It didn’t come easily, at first. The realization. She’d never even said a word to Chlo’, doubting she’d understand. Maybe she should have. Maybe she deserved to know that her best guy friend was really a girl.

In hindsight, Adrien realizes, she’d been too afraid of changing things between them. There had been so many mistakes in their relationship. Things that they should have done. Things that she should have done.

Alas, there was nothing she could do about it now. She’d have to live with her own mistakes.

“So what’d you say huh?” Nino slings an arm around her. “Like, trust me, between you and me, I think we’re going to have a lot of fun!”

And Adrien smiles. She’d been given a second chance, and she should take it. “Yeah, I think I’d like that.”

Yes, she thinks to herself. Maybe having one real friend was a lot better than having thousands of fan mail. 

 

-----

 

“Hey Marc!” Marinette greets her cousin with a smile, finding him under his usual spot. Her, actually, judging by the wristbands she wears today.

It had caught Marinette by surprise of course, and as a cis girl there’s still so much she doesn’t understand and so much she knew she’d never understand. But she smiles and is supportive anyways.

“Still writing that story of yours?” she says, joining her under the stairs. Her cousin was jotting down something intensely, a fire in her eyes. “Inspiration’s apparently struck you I see!”

“Y-Yeah, well, things have changed,” Marc stammers out. Marinette knows whoever named her cousin apparently had a sense of humor, a love of puns. And no grasp at all of subtly. “It’s… oh, how do I explain it? It’s all a bit more real now I guess?”

She gesticulates, trying to make her point. Marc has always loved superheroes, read comic books intensely. It’s a dream, Marinette knows, of hers to someday write her own comic. Maybe someone day work for the big two. 

Stan Lee had been her cousin’s idol, and Marc had cried harder than anyone at his passing. She viewed her work as picking up the torch. Following in the man’s footsteps. Sadly, she has nobody to draw her stories with, no partners.

At times, Marinette offers to help, but Marc waves her off every time. Knowing that her talent was fashion, not action shots and that she’s already overworked as is at times.

“Oooooh, so you’re writing about Fortuna?” Marinette asked, peering over to see her work. “Someone’s a fangirl I see!”

“Yes, well, he’s so inspiring isn’t he? So brave and courageous!” Marc babbles. “Did you see him yesterday, taking on that villain?”

“Hey, he had a partner. Catgirl’s got my vote,” Marinette brags, trying not to sound like she’s preening. “Hēi Māo was the one who leaped into action first, anyways!”

“True,” Marc acknowledges, the girl smirking. “Did you see Chloe? I heard her going to Nathaniel to try and commission a poster. Which is weird right? Like you never see them talking!”

Marinette swallows. She knows Chloe has a bit of a crush on her from the sounds of it, or rather she has a crush on Hēi Māo. She tries not to think too much about that because wow there was so much to unpack there and no thank you!

“Personally, I would have just let Golem have her. I know, I know, don’t give me that look,” Marc said to her cousin. “She’s just so infuriating. She’s bullied you for years and I… I wish I had the courage to say something to her.”

“Trust me, you don’t need to get involved. I know how to handle her,” Marinette said. “She’s not so scary anymore. No longer the big fish in the pond, I guess you could say?”

She laughed nervously.

“I heard you stood up to her,” Marc says, the girl giving a smile. “I wish I had the courage to do that. It’s just… whenever I think about doing it, my knees go all wobbly and I start to choke. It’s… I don’t want to lie down and take it anymore.”

Marinette wrapped an arm around her cousin. She knew that because of who she was, the girl had long been a target for bullies. Sadly, despite all the advancements made, some things like bigotry and hatred would never be fully erased.

A thought occurs to her. Now that she’s a superhero, maybe she could help start to change it. She feels like a poser, she’s got the power to do some real good in the world now and until now all she’s thought about is punching villains.

When one of the saviors of Paris speaks out, people are bound to listen. Marinette knows she’s already made some traction. Alya had shown her the Reddit board devoted to her, and she’d nearly fainted then and there.

“Trust me, I’ve got your back cuz. As I always do,” Marinette smiled at Marc, placing a firm hand on her shoulder. “I want to shout to the world all about you. I want to say: “See this girl right here? She’s gonna change the world!”

Marc flushed red. “T-Thanks…”

“Trust me, it’s all true right?” Marinette smiles.

“...you think the world’s ready for… for me?” she whispers, Marinette barely catching it. “If they knew…”

And suddenly Marinette realizes, eyes wide in shock. She barely dares to imagine, and then she laughs because of course she should have seen it! The way Fortuna held himself, or rather herself today, it had seemed so familiar. 

“Hey partner,” she says and Marc’s eyes go wide in realization. Marinette smiles, before letting out a teasing: “Meow!”

“No way…”

“I still haven’t forgiven you for the whole laser pointer thing by the way,” Marinette continued to tease. “You made your dear cousin look so foolish!”

“H-Hey, it’s what the Lucky Charm gave me!” Marc whines as Marinette goes on the offensive, tickling her. “S-Stop! Mercy!”

“Sorry, no mercy for you!”

There came a groan, Plagg popping out of her purse. “Damn it Pigtails, I thought we could keep this secret for a little while longer! You both have to be the worst at this that I’ve ever seen, blowing your secret identities the very next day! Secret identity! It’s literally in the name!”

And another voice joined it. “Oh hush Plagg, I think now they know who each other are, maybe their teamwork will shine even more!”

Marinette’s eyes widened as did Marc's at their respective kwamis. And then Marc moves, with a squeal of “Sooooooo cute!”

“Hey, let go of me kid! Seriously, I am the God of Destruction and Chaos! I caused the Black Plague, I killed the dinosaurs! I refuse to be hugged!”

 

-----

 

Adrien cleared her throat, even as butterflies wrapped all around the Eiffel in a swarm forming into her face. She gathers her courage. “People of Paris, don’t be alarmed. There’s just a few things I want to clear up…”

Notes:

Okay, so, fun fact, originally I did debate for a minute after making this chapter for the final pairings to be AdiNino and Chloenette.

Problem is, I can't always write Nino on the best of days and honestly, I didn't want the main pairing to be straight in any way. Plus, Chloenette just sometimes rubs me the wrong way. Unless Chloe were to take huge steps towards redemption and actually mean it, it just comes off as an abused victim forgiving their abuser.

But yeah, like here we stan actually supportive friendships and we know our man Nino would never let his best girl down. Don't worry, he'll know eventually, all in good time of course.

Chapter 6: More Of That Jazz

Notes:

Honestly, legit one of my favorite chapters I've ever written for this story.

“People of Paris, don’t be alarmed. There’s just a few things I want to clear up…” 

The voice rang out over Paris, people glued to their seats as the mysteriously and incredibly infamous figure finally spoke.

“I’ve never meant to cause you any harm, not really. I only came here to help, that’s all,” Grayling said, appearing to tug at the cravat on her costume. “So… so many of you with so many problems, all I want to do is help you with them. That’s all.”

Alya was frantically texting her best friend, telling her to turn on the TV right now. Like right now. Marinette dashed to her computer, and turned on the news and her eyes widened as far as they could possibly go.

“I’m sorry if any of you are scared of me,” Grayling went on. “I didn’t mean to cause you fear or any sort of distress. I’m only in this to help, not hurt. Maybe I’m not a hero, and maybe to you I’ll never be, but please at least let me prove to you that I’m not out to disrupt your daily lives.”

False words from a false hero, Marinette thought with a grimace. If she really meant what she said, then Grayling would be using her Miraculous properly. Not creating these Liberators, -as she’d started to call them- doing whatever she pleased with her abilities. There was more than one way to help people, though clearly Grayling hadn’t thought of that really.

“I… I admit I’ve made a few mistakes, not keeping my liberated citizens in line, I accept that,” said Grayling, again fiddling with her cravat. “So forgive me for that. I’ll make sure that whoever I turn next, they won’t cause so much destruction. I’m not a hero, but I don’t want to be a villain either.

“So, to that end, next time I give someone the power to work out their issues, don’t fear them. Help them if you can. That’s all I’m doing, just providing a free space for them to vent. The ability to work through their issues. Nothing more than that. I suppose none of you really believe me, I wouldn’t blame you. Trashmaster was a mistake, I accept that. Half of you have probably tuned me out. Well, let me prove it to you, okay? What I mean.

“Just… Just give me a chance, that’s all I ask. If that’s too difficult for you, well fine. I’m not in this to be liked. I’m only here to help.”

Now Marinette wanted to believe him, she really did. But… given all that she’d seen on the frontlines even, it was next to impossible. Although, then again, the girl had saved her. Maybe to prove a point, make sure that someone trusted her.

But even then, there’d been an aching loneliness in her eyes. A desperate call for a friend, just someone to listen to. Her fist clenched. And Grayling had decided if she was going to get the attention she wanted, she was going to become a supervillain. No matter what she called herself, how many excuses she made, that was what she was.

Good grief, Marinette thought to herself. And here I’d been hoping for a normal school year. And on top of all this, I still have Chloe to deal with!

 

-----

 

Honestly, she needed a patrol to really go clear her head. For a time, she wasn’t Marinette and behind the mask she became someone else. She felt, ugh, that word would be forever tainted to her now, but she felt liberated.

Some Parisians heard a joyful whoop from over the rooftops and if they looked up out of their windows some might have seen a figure in a black catsuit leap off one roof and flip to the next.

Landing in a roll, she ran across the rooftops with the wind in her face and heard a call from a few rooves away. Hēi Māo suppressed a sigh, she knew that voice. She’d used her patrol as an excuse to escape her problems as Marinette. Not deal with them any more than she had to.

“Hēi Māo~!” Chloe was calling out to her. “Why don’t you come off that hot tin rooftop and pay me a visit huh? I’ve got snacks!”

Chloe got more incorrigible the more you ignored her, the only way to deal with the girl was face her head-on. And at any rate, Hēi Māo was tired of having to run from her problems. Even if this one was making her want to stay her feet.

Putting on her best friendly face, the black cat heroine leaped over to Chloe’s balcony, and steeled herself.

“Chloe,” she said, her legs dangling over the side. Her ‘tail’ was absentmindedly flipping in the air, a claw tapping the railing. “You know you shouldn’t contact me, it’d put-”

“It’d be putting myself in danger?” Chloe snorted. “Please, I doubt that’s possible. Besides, what’s a girl to do other than contact her favorite hero? I just wanted to thank you, y’know. For saving me.”

Her face was flushing red again.

“You’re welcome,” Hēi Māo said, not really wanting to think about what Chloe thought of her. Not really trying to meet her eyes. “It was really nothing though, you were-”

-in spite of being a total brat!-

“-just part of the job, that’s all. I couldn’t really let Golem take you,” Hēi Māo said, eying the girl’s pajamas. Green and black! Not exactly being subtle, was she? “That being said, I’m not sure we should be seen talking.”

“Because of what might happen to me? You heard Graying, she’s not exactly a supervillain.”

“She’s terrorizing the city!” Hēi Māo stressed, one of her eyes beginning to twitch. Seriously, why was she one of the only people who saw this? “Sure, she dresses it up as wanting to help people with their problems, but… but you saw Golem.”

“I was in his hand, of course I saw him,” Chloe snarked.

You’re also the reason he was transformed at all, so why won’t you own up to that too?

“Exactly. He was on a rampage, you might have been killed if my partner and I hadn’t stepped in,” Hēi Māo pointed out. “Ask yourself, if someone truly has altruism on their mind, why would they stand by and let that happen?”

“I… I suppose everyone makes mistakes, right…?” Chloe stammered out.

Good grief!

“I say you should give them the benefit of the doubt,” Chloe said. “Who knows, maybe she’ll surprise you huh? It’s just… Well, before all of this happened, she saved someone. Someone who’s a terrible brat, and hardly worth my time, but she saved someone.”

Ugh, don’t remind me. Saved by a supervillain. Yeah, that’s hardly flattering.

“Maybe she’s not all bad?” the blonde went on with a shrug. “Just something to think about.”

Hēi Māo tried very much not to think about it, -barely escaping Chloe’s stammering request to sign something of hers- as she continued to bound across the city. Something caught her eye, standing just a few rooftops away.

Her eyes narrowed as she leaped towards the figure, pushing off a church tower and skidding to a halt in front of Grayling.

“Surveying the city for your next caper?” Hēi Māo deadpanned.

“Nah, it was just that home was getting a little too stuffy, that’s all. I had to get out of there,” Grayling said, striding behind her and the cat heroine was trying oh so very hard not to think of her hot breath on her neck. “I wanted to be able to breathe, that’s all.”

“I could capture you here and now, rip off your Miraculous and drag you to the police station,” Hēi Māo pointed out. “You know, for someone as smart as you claim to be, with big ideas and all that, you never really think too far ahead.”

“I imagine I’m pretty safe as it is,” Grayling said.

“You imagine?” Hēi Māo replied, raising an eyebrow pointedly. “State your case, you’ve got about five seconds.”

“That’s all I need. Let me lay it out for you,” Grayling said. “You’re still here, listening to me instead of trying to fight me so on some level you have to believe what I’m saying right? Secondly, even if you were to deprive me of my Miraculous, what would you even do with it? The police wouldn’t know how to handle a magical jewel, and even if they did, there’d be too much of a risk of it falling into the wrong hands. Someone else may take it, use it to dispense their own justice.”

“So I’d take it then. Keep it for myself.”

“Ah, but you’d be too tempted, I suspect. To use its power for your own ends,” Grayling continued, circling back around to look her in the eye. “Even now, I can imagine you’re thinking about how you could improve your own city with it. I know you love Paris, why else would you dress in costume and defend it from me if you didn’t?”

“That’s projecting,” Hēi Māo replied. “You’re projecting. You think everyone’s like you, that they’d take power so easily. Become greedy, want more and more of it.”

“That’s only what you think of me. I could easily take your Miraculous away from you, right now. And yet I haven’t,” Grayling breathed out, her hot breath again on her neck. “I simply don’t want more power. I’m happy with what I have.”

“Uh-huh,” Hēi Māo said, not really believing her. “Say I do believe you, how do I know you’ll stick to your word. How do I know you’re not just biding your time?”

Grayling placed her hands on the heroine’s shoulders and gave her best winning smile. No, Hēi Māo’s heart didn’t skip a few extra beats! Trying to keep the blush down, she muttered: “Personal space, please.”

“Just look me in the eyes, kitty,” Grayling pleaded. “Please. See that I’m telling the truth.”

Well, Hēi Māo wouldn’t deny there was a certain softness to them. That honestly, the villain’s eyes weren’t what she would have expected. They were longing, with a hint of desperation. Maybe a bit sad.

Indeed, as the villain had said, if all she wanted was power, that she could have had it by now. Grayling could have run off with her Miraculous, stolen it for her own ends and yet they’d been sitting here talking for several minutes and nothing had really happened. They hadn’t come to blows, at least not yet.

“Okay, I know a part of me is going to regret this but…” here, Hēi Māo gave a long deep sigh. “I do believe you, at least a little. I still don’t know what you’re truly after, what your game is but… I believe you.”

“See, was that so hard? I swear, on my life, that I’d never put the city in danger. I love it, just like you. I’m proud to be a Parisian, and… and that’s why it hurts so much to see people in pain, in agony,” Grayling said. “I want to help them. Make them be able to go a day without any pain. I want to help them.”

Hēi Māo crossed her arms. “Then why take up the mask and the cane?”

“Because sometimes you have to be extreme, to force your ideals into action. S-Sorry, I suppose that didn’t really help much did it?” Grayling laughed a little. “All I mean to say is… I’m here-”

“To help. So I’ve heard,” Hēi Māo said dryly. “Well, I suppose I’ll give you a chance. But step a toe out of line, and I’ll come running.”

“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Grayling replied. “So, for now, toodles kitty cat! I’ll send you a glass of milk!”

Hēi Māo growled to herself as the villain leaped away, flexing her claws. She was so damn infuriating! It would have been easier if she wasn’t so hot!

 

-----

 

“Something on your mind, Adrien?” Nino asked that next morning, as they walked to school. “It’s like you’re spacing out. Like you’ve got something heavy on your mind.”

“It’s nothing, I guess. Just… well, okay maybe it is something,” Adrien sighed. “I’ve just had a lot on my mind lately. My father… Well, he’s signing me up for another sponsorship.”

“You should really talk to him, tell him you don’t want this!” her best friend advised. Adrien snorted.

“Pffft, talk to my father. Tell him not to be such an ass and not to control my life,” she said. “He’s like a dictator at times. Emphasis on the ‘dick’ part. Only he ‘knows what’s right’ for me. At least, that’s what he’d say if you were to ask him. I’m like a porcelain doll.”

“That’s just wrong, you know that right?” Nino sighed. “I… I mean, of course you know that. That’s not what I meant. It’s just… God! Is this what being rich is like? Suddenly all that fame and power going to your head?”

The Moroccan boy paused, realizing who he was speaking to and flushed in embarrassment, “...er, sorry, I know he’s your dad and all but…”

“No, I’m happy you’re willing to speak your mind about what you think of the guy,” Adrien said. “Most people are simply afraid to. They’re so intimidated by what he might do, they bite their tongues. You simply don’t care.”

“Well, it’s what I’m here for,” Nino said, fist-bumping her. “By the way, I’m loving the whole ponytail thing you’ve had going on lately. A little act of rebellion?”

“Something like that,” Adrien smiled. “You wouldn’t believe how often I’ve had to do it quick and dirty in the car. My bodyguard, the Gorilla? He’s the only one who knows and he’s never said a word. I don’t think he can speak, actually.”

“Maybe you should go see Marinette, like my girl? She’s handy with the hair!”

“Your girl?” Adrien questioned. “Is she like, y’know, your girlfriend?”

“Hardly!” Nino laughed. “Okay, sure I had a crush on her once but that was a long time ago. Besides, I think everyone’s had a crush on her in this class. The girl is like a magnet!”

“A long time ago, huh?” Adrien thought to herself with a snort before speaking: “Sure, I’ll go ask her to see what she can do. Maybe not till later though, we need to get to class.”

The first few hours drudged by, without much incident. Weirdly, Adrien hadn’t even been tempted to even send out one of his butterflies to one of her classmates. It felt weird to think about, now that she’d looked them in the eye.

It felt… wrong to a certain extent. Like even doing it would be a betrayal of some sort. That being said, she still felt everything they did. The anxieties, the hormones and the little worries. It would have been easy just to help one of them through the day.

And yet still she relented, not sure what was really stopping her.

“Ooooh, yeah this was done in a rush, I can tell,” Marinette mumbled to herself, fiddling with her hair and tying the long blonde locks into something far more pretty. “Damn it, I wish you didn’t have to do this on the fly. Oooooh, how I want to smack your father.”

“Get in line,” Adrien said. “I’m pretty sure Nino’s got first dibs.”

A part of her debated sending a butterfly to Nino, just to give him the power to carry out her desires. It was tempting, Adrien would admit. But would it be a breach of Nino’s trust? Would he even accept?

“All the same!” Marinette took a tone that sounded frighteningly familiar, though exactly why Adrien couldn’t place it. “Your father deserves to know. I know it’s scary, but you should at least think about coming out to him.”

“You’ve met my father right?” Adrien said. “He’s got my whole life planned out, and I’m not sure there’s any place in it for a daughter instead of a son.”

There was a gasp of shock, and too late Adrien had realized that her best friend had been listening in.

“Oooooooh, wait, you’re…” Nino gaped, as he struggled to find words. “...damn, now I really do feel like an asshole. Me, accidentally, y’know… not getting your pronouns right and all.”

Anxiety flared up from him, shame as well. Guilt came off him in waves, like a tidal wave. Worries that Adrien wouldn’t keep him as a friend for being such a moron.

“Hey, it’s okay, you didn’t know…” Adrien soothed, her voice soft and warm. Relief began to filter off her best friend. “I should have said something sooner.”

“No, you should have waited till you were comfortable. I… I shouldn’t have been listening in,” Nino said, hanging his head. “It was obviously private. God, I feel like such an idiot.”

“Hey, stop putting yourself down, okay?” Adrien said, her hair finished and done up in a half-up bob cut making her kinda resemble a blond Amity Blight. Well, she had the shitty parent part down. “You didn’t know, simple as that!”

But did she have the dumb bisexual girlfriend?

“You’re way too nice, you know that dudette?” Nino said, taking to the new nickname as well as a duck would to water.

Adrien blushed, feeling so incredibly relieved. The paranoid part of her had wondered if Nino hadn’t really been so accidental with the misgendering. The paranoid stupid part of her she really knew that she should lock away in a dark closet.

She knew better. Nino was honest with himself about who he was, and incredibly kind. He accepted everyone, class race or gender. Seriously, his entire immediate friend circle was a half-Chinese baker girl, her and a complete himbo from Vietnam. The teen held no real prejudices and for that Adrien simply loved him.

Adrien. Adrien. Adrien. That name sounded so wrong the more she thought about it. It’s just… finding something to replace it was… well, it finalized everything. It made it official. It was saying to the world, yes this was who she was and who she wanted to be.

Her hands shook at that fact.

A firm hand rested itself on her shoulder, and a voice said: “Hey, it’s okay. We’ll figure this all out together, yeah?”

Adrien noticed she’d been doodling in her notebook, lost in her thoughts and already she’d come up with several possible names.

“Thanks,” she said. “Is… is there anyone else in the school I could talk to, anyone? Like, no offence, but as far as I know you two are cis and… and I’d like someone else’s perspective.”

“No biggie, I understand. There’s only really so much I can help you with,” Marinette nodded in understanding. “Go find my cousin, Marc? I think their pronouns are he/him today, they’re usually under the stairs in the courtyard.”

“I… thanks.”

“Here, let me walk with you dudette,” Nino said. “Not letting you leave my side! Always wanted another sister!”

Sister. Adrien felt so incredibly warm at this. In any event, Marc understood the situation immediately.

“Y-Yeah, that’s rough…” he said, Adrien honestly feeling incredibly jealous at how pretty he was. “I… I, yeah my cousin was right to send you to me. Forgive her, but there’s only so much she can help with, being cis and all.”

“Yeah…” Adrien said, not sure why she felt her heart skipping a beat at the thought of spending more time with Marinette.

“Well, wow, I'm helping Adrien Agreste. That is your name, or… or do you have something else picked out?” Marc said, some of his unease beginning to melt away now that he felt himself falling into familiar territory. “It’s… well, I don’t want to name you wrong or anything.”

“W-Well, I have a few…” Adrien said, handing over her notebook. In spite of herself, she peered over to see what Marc had written in his own. She knew it was wrong, but she couldn’t help herself. “...wait, wow, is this like a script?”

“It’s… it’s nothing really,” Marc said, pulling his notebook away. 

“Sure looks like something,” Adrien replied. “I mean, I only caught a glimpse of it, but that looks great!”

“Y-You think so?” Marc stammered out, his nervousness returning. “I-I mean I know Marinette keeps saying it’s something great but… I’m just not sure really…”

“I’d read it,” Adrien said. “Like, it sounds pretty thrilling just at a glance. Hey, you sure you don’t need a proofreader or anything?”

“You mean like you?” Marc asked.

“W-Well, yeah, it’s… well, I’ve had nothing better to do with my time than read through some of the stuff I’ve been sent online. I’m on a board, actually. Well, okay a board and Wattpad. I don’t know anyone really well but… I’ve offered my services,” Adrien began to ramble. “Sorry, was I speaking too fast? I kinda went off on a tangent there I guess…”

She ran her hand through some of her hair, idly twirling a stand or two.

“I’ll… I’ll think about it, thanks,” Marc smiled at him and yep he was definitely Marinette’s cousin. “It’s just… well all of this doesn’t mean a thing without anyone to draw any of this out. I mean, I suppose I could go the April Daniels route and write a whole book but…”

“But what?” Adrien pressed.

“Well, after Stan the Man passed I guess I just wanted to pick up the torch y’know? Maybe not get hired by Marvel, but follow in that same sort of spirit y’know?” Marc went on. “Be that guy for the next generation. Inspire a few peeps.”

“I think you’ll be able to do it,” Adrien said. “It’s nice to have dreams.”

“I know, it’s just… Oh Dios, es tan intimidante, ¿sabes? It’s a very…” here Marc gestured with his hand. “It’s a very macho blanco heterosexual dominated industry. Not sure I’d be able to cut it, romper el techo de cristal I guess is the saying?”

“There’s always indie comics. Self-publishing. Isn’t that how Spawn and the like got started?”

Marc wrinkled his nose in disgust. “Oh you so did not just compare me and my situation to all of the 90s.”

“Sorry.”

“But… I can kinda see where you’re going with this, so all is forgiven,” Marc shrugged. “I admit, I’ve considered the idea. It’s just, well, again I’d have to find someone to draw this y’know?”

“There’s an art club right?” Adrien said. “Here in the school?”

“There is, it’s just… Well, every time I think about even walking through the door, my legs seize up. I’m a coward. You can say it.”

Hmmm, maybe she could send a butterfly Marc’s way? Help him find the courage to take charge of his dreams? Who said butterflies had to make you go on a rampage after all?

...is this what she should have been doing all this time? Helping people work through their issues in a less destructive fashion? A part of her wondered if Marc would even accept, and how much agency he’d really have. If this was forcing it upon him.

Not that it’s stopped you before, a dirty little voice in the back of her mind stated sounding awfully like Nooroo.

“You’ll get there,” Adrien said to her friend. “I know it.”

“Aye… Si. Si tan solo pudiera creer eso. I’m not a brave person, I know there’s someone else who would argue with me but I’m constantly second-guessing myself,” Marc sighed. “Wondering if this is the right decision, or if this is.”

Adrien leaned over, and wrapped an arm around her friend before her eyes wandered back to her own notebook. Her eyes lit up as she spotted something. A cluster of names that felt… right in some way.

“Well, I know what is the right decision…” ______ said, pointing to one of the names. “What do you think?”

Marc leaned over, and smiled. “Now am I really the person for you to be asking that?”

Chapter 7: All God's People

Notes:

TW for Transphobia

______’s world was a mess, refusing to refer to herself as that name, and yet here was once again a reminder that to the world she was someone that she simply was not.

“______, I’m not quite sure I approve of your new hairstyle,” her father went on. “I’ve seen pictures of you on social media sporting… What is that, a man bun? I refuse to have my son looking like a hipster.”

Not your son. Not your son! Not your son! 

Her heart was pounding, and at times she felt like she was going to just burst from everything. Her father saw her as what he wanted to see. What the world wanted her to be. 

She should tell him, she knew. But anxiety gripped at her life like a vice. It said to her, conform and never speak out for the world may not like what you have to say. Your father’s word was law.

______ knew she was walking a very thin line, tiptoeing between happiness and disaster. That one wrong step off the wire and she’d come crashing back down to reality. That even daring to hope for a moment that her father would want her as she really was? That was asking for trouble.

Her father wanted the perfect son. Someone he could mold into the perfect clay doll, and place them on display like everything else he created. To her father, she was just a mannequin to model his latest fashions on.

Nothing more, nothing less.

“Is that what this is? An act of rebellion?” her father said, standing atop the stairs with hands behind his back. The sun shone through the windows on his glasses, creating the perfect mirror. “______, remember who you reflect upon.”

“You. I’m aware.” ______ said, not even bothering to hide the bitter sarcasm.

“Treat this with more seriousness!” her father barked. “Everything you do comes back to me. I… apologize if I’ve always sounded controlling, but my family is respected. I worked hard to get us to where we are.”

______ had heard this whole thing before, and could recite exactly what her father was going to say by word.

“I understand you’re a teenager, still trying to figure everything else out. But please, remember that,” her father went on, adjusting his glasses and still kinda resembling a supervillain. He said: “I know this all seems strange to you, unfair even. I just want the best for you, my son. I don’t want you to be ostracized.”

That was the thing though wasn’t it? She was neither her father’s son nor was she ostracized. Her classmates accepted her for who she was. They were happy to have her!

“That’s just it isn’t it?” ______ said, finally having had enough. “You say you’re looking out for me but how well do you know me? Really?”

“______! Watch your tone!” her father warned, though ______ was done listening.

“How well do you know teenagers?” she said, putting her foot down and not really caring for the moment whatever resulted. “That’s the thing, my class… They don’t care who my family is. They’re just happy with me as a friend.”

“This goes beyond your classmates,” her father said. “Assuming you don’t forget about them in a few years anyways.”

______ knew she’d never forget about Nino, or Marinette, or Marc! Her father was on a roll now.

“Society itself will be judging you harder than it would anyone else, because you are my-”

“I’m NOT YOUR SON!” 

It came out before she could stop herself, and ______ bit back a sob with her shoulders shaking.

“You keep saying and going on as to what I am, or what you think I am father, but I’m not. I’m not your son! I’m not a guy. I’ve been holding it in for so long, and… and I’m sorry I haven’t told you before but I am now,” ______ said, trying to keep her voice steady. “I’m sorry father, but I’m not who you think I am. Who you want me to be.”

“...”

“I’m not your doll, father. I just want some freedom to be me, and… and I’m not sure I’ll ever get that,” ______ whispered. “I’m sorry if I’m not turning out to be what you wanted, what you’re asking of me but I just… I just don’t think I can.”

“Are you sure?” her father asked of her, and for a brief desperate moment ______ felt a spot of hope. “Because you’re a teenager, and these types of things aren’t exactly easy to decide upon.”

Of course. Why should she have expected anything different? It wasn’t like her father to know anything outside of being an asshole. For him to treat this whole thing as anything other than an ‘issue’ was beyond him.

“Oh I’m quite sure,” ______ said, firmly her gaze hardening a little. “I’ve thought about it for a while now.”

“You’re a teenager, you don’t have the maturity to make these decisions. It’s something that might pass, that’s all. Trust me on this,” her father said, ______ gaping from the sheer audacity that he had. “Just a brief flickering moment of uncertainty of who you are, what your place in the world is.”

“My… MY PLACE IN THE WORLD?” ______ shrieked. “Father! I’ve bared my heart and soul to you and you think I’m uncertain about any of this! O-Of course, I’m not surprised. I don’t even know why I should be.”

“______!”

“Don’t call me that! I don’t like that name, I hate that name!” ______ practically snarled, the air beginning to crackle with something. Ancient magic. “It’s not my name!”

She threw her father a reproachful look over her shoulder, walking out and slamming the door loudly. Finding a place to cry in a corner of the front garden, the blonde curled up into herself and sobbed for a few minutes.

Nooroo was whispering soothing sounds, humming in an ancient language long since forgotten in an attempt to comfort her. The little fairy was fluttering above her head, and snuggling into her neck just to be there.

“Nooroo, Wings Rise.”

For a brief moment, a brief reckless moment she was transformed in full view of one of the manor’s windows. Nobody saw her for all she knew, but they could have. Grayling looked at herself in the mirror image of a pond. Reminding herself of who she was and who she could be.

“Wings fall…” ______ whispered before going to her phone.

“I told… I told my father. It just slipped out, before I could stop it.”

“Oh god… did he…? Tell me he didn’t react like I think he did.”

Marinette’s text came hurriedly, full of spelling errors out of worry.

“He thinks it’s just a phase, Mari! That just because I’m a teenager, that I don’t have the MATURITY to be certain!”

“The fu… Alright, that tears it. I don’t care how you do it but get out of that house. Come to mine. Like right this minute. Your father may be an asshole but I refuse to let you suffer over there any longer than you absolutely have to. I’ll tell my parents, they’re sure to understand.”

Another sob, this time a grateful one.

“My father’s sure to notice.”

“Let him! He probably won’t realize what he’s lost until it comes time for him to need you again. You’re a teenage girl, you shouldn’t have to be putting up with any of this. The photoshoots, the diet, none of that!”

______ forced a smile, Marinette refused to use her deadname. Maybe her cousin had told her that she was beginning to decide on something else. Maybe she’d worked it out for herself.

“Your father needs to work out for himself that you are not his doll. That you’re his daughter, and that he needs to treat you as such. That you don’t owe him anything.”

“That might take a minor miracle, I’m afraid. My father… he’s stubborn. Once he puts his foot down on something, he’ll refuse to budge.”

“Oh well, then if you lose him, I’m not sure you’d be that broken up about it. It is what it is.”

“Yeah, true. I just… well a part of me wishes that he could see me as I am. He didn’t always used to be this way. After mom passed…”

The weather apparently magically reflected her mood. She was walking in the cold rain now, her expensive shoes splashing in puddles and probably ruined. Not that she really cared, in fact a part of her was smiling in victory at how mad her father was going to be over this.

She’d always hated these shoes anyways, she wanted something a bit more… well, her. If she could have gotten away with it, ______ knew she would have worn heels every day. ______ grumbled something to herself, knowing that was probably a faint hope now.

That chasing her dream was going to be an exercise in futility. The harder she ran towards it, the farther it got away from her. It was like a chasm, her reality and her happiness.

“Stop making excuses. Your father is what he is. If he wants to be a pretentious asshole, that’s his choice. Nobody made him become what he is, he chose to be that way.”

At this, ______ smiled for the first time today. Marinette always spoke what was on her mind, not really caring for the consequences. If she saw an injustice in the world, she said something about it.

She was just like her in a lot of ways. Their Everyday Hēi Māo.

So that was how ______  found herself standing in front of the bakery, rain-splattered and soaked to the bone.

“Get in, get in!” Marinette quickly ushered her inside. “You’re going to catch your death of cold! And really, as much as it makes a good ‘hang in there kitty’ image, I just can’t watch you look so heartbroken.”

“Kitty?” ______ asked, eyebrow raised as she was quickly pulled inside. “I’m pretty sure there’s only one of those in this city and I know for a fact I don’t wear black leather!”

Now, a nice lace dress and some tights on the other hand…

“Your expressions, you sorta remind me of my grandma’s cat at times. All sad and wanting someone to hug her,” Marinette explained. “Take it as a compliment. Don’t worry, I’m sure you’ll be smiling again soon.”

“Yeah, I suppose…” ______ mused, exhausted from today. “Tell that to me again, sometime later, and maybe I’ll actually try and believe it. It’s just… today didn’t exactly go how I was expecting it to.”

Thunder rumbled low outside, the rain still smacking against the window as Marinette wrapped a blanket around ______ leading her upstairs. “It’s not your fault, you know. None of it.”

“So you’ve said,” ______ replied. “I just wish it was. So I could be able to do something to change it. Sadly, there’s not much that can-”

Before she could say anything else, a car smashed through the bakery window. Marinette shoved ______ to the floor as the rain rushed in. Standing outside, in a flash of lightning was an absolute wolf of a man.

“Oh my god!” Marinette shouted as the liberated soul, -for what could they have been?- howled to the sky.

______  knew who it was, and that this was entirely her fault. She could see herself now, accidentally letting a butterfly free. She could see that butterfly, finding its way to her father.

“I’m sorry, but you have to give me my daughter,” said her father, looking like he’d been crying. “I have to protect my cub!”

Oh, so now he decides to start referring to me as who I am! Yep, that seems about accurate. About how my luck generally goes. ______  thought to herself.

“______, run!” Marinette shouted, shoving her out a side door before Papa Wolf as ______ had elected to call her could see.

She was out in the pouring rain again, the storm continuing to rage. She could hear her father calling out for her, shouting about how he’d promise to protect her from the rest of the world.

“You still don’t get it, do you father?” ______ thought to herself, tears stinging the side of her face. “I don’t want to be hidden away from the rest of the world. For you to make my own choices for me!”

She was still running, until suddenly she wasn’t. Her feet held her in place as finally cowardice gave way to bravery. Marinette thought of her as someone’s pet cat. No, she’d be a lioness today. If she didn’t stand up to her father right now, she’d never be able to do it again.

“I can’t run from my problems forever. How can I be able to face myself if I just keep running. Sure, my father isn’t always the best man but he’s trying. I have to at least be able to look him in the eye,” ______ thought, pinning Nooroo’s brooch to her shirt. “Otherwise, how can I call myself an Agreste?”

“You don’t have to do this, you know. I saw what Marinette texted you,” Nooroo said. “You don’t owe your father anything.”

“I still have to do this, Nooroo,” ______ argued, thunder rolling again. “I’m an Agreste, and we don’t run from our problems. I know my father, and he’s never cruel. Not like this. I have to face him.”

“If you say so…” Nooroo said. “Your father already said what he thought of who you are now. I’m sorry, that’s not right. Who you’ve always been.”

“Maybe I’m setting myself up for disappointment, but I have to find out for myself. NOOROO, WINGS RISE!”

And power rushed over her, as her figure shifted. She was racing across rooftops, following the sounds of the battle. Grayling raced to the fight.

“Gabriel! I know you’re in there,” she shouted, watching a massive paw try to send Fortuna flying. The ladybug heroine dived under it, sliding down a rain-slicked rooftop. “Please, listen to me.”

“Take me to my daughter,” the Liberated shouted. “I have to make up for what I’ve done!”

A howl sent her sliding back. 

“Right then…” Grayling whispered to herself, using her cane to steady herself. She could barely feel the butterfly, it was like the connection had been severed. “Focus, damnit! Get your head in the game girl. You can’t panic, otherwise, you won’t be able to stop him! Reach out… find your creation!”

Except she couldn’t, and the massive wolf was racing towards her. A black figure darted in front of her, lightning flashing and illuminating her form. She was like a creature of vengeance, claws extended ready to avenge her threatened city.

“Wow… I can see what Chlo’ sees in her…” Grayling thought to herself as she watched Hēi Māo pull her baton in half. She used the two metal rods to hold back Papa Wolf’s massive claws. “She’s awesome!”

Wrenching her batons away, Hēi Māo in two swift movements slammed the tips of them into Papa Wolf’s stomach. The massive canine staggered back, Hēi Māo holding her weapons up like swords.

“What are you even doing here?” Hēi Māo turned back to look at Graying, her eyes shining in the lightning. Rain ran down her mask, down her suit. “He’s one of your creations, isn’t he? Or is this like Trashmaster all over again?”

“Not exactly. He was an accident,” Grayling said, her hand gripping her cane tightly. “I’m correcting my mistake.”

“GIIIIIIIVVVEE ME MY DAUGHTER!” Gabriel howled, bringing his fists down and both hero and villain went flying. Bony spines ruptured out of the canid’s back and impossibly large fangs were gleaming as the sun began to peek through the clouds.

Hēi Māo grabbed onto Grayling as they crashed through the skylight of a building. Glass shattered and rained down all around them as they landed in a warehouse.

Hēi Māo let out yelps of pain as they slammed into the ground, both rolling along it. Above them, looking down was their opponent. Papa Wolf had the sun at his back, a mountain of muscle observing the two battered Miraculous users.

He huffed, apparently judging them to be no threat before leaping off.

“Can’t… can’t you just take his butterfly away from him?” Hēi Māo demanded. 

“Not… not this time. I can’t… I can’t connect to it!” Grayling said. “As I said, all of this was one huge mistake! I didn’t even mean to create him, I promise!”

Hēi Māo’s eyes softened, placing a hand on the desperate girl’s shoulder. “It’s fine, hey it’s fine. We all make mistakes. Don’t worry, we’ll help you stop him.”

“I thought you’d rail on me for such a screw-up… What happened?” Grayling mumbled. “And who’s this we?”

“You thought my partner went down so easily? Hah! If you’re thinking of doubting her now, well man you got a lot to learn girl,” Hēi Māo said with a wily smile. “As for your first question, well I guess I’ve had to rethink what you’re like lately. I still don’t entirely like you, but maybe I am starting to trust you.”

“A hero trusting a villain?” Grayling said with a chuckle as Hēi Māo pushed them up and out of the warehouse with her baton. “Not sure you’re such a great defender of Paris then. My, if anyone ever found out that we had a relationship…”

“Ah ah, I’m not sure we’re at that stage yet!” Hēi Māo wagged her finger.

Grayling seized the opportunity. “Implying we will be someday!”

“Shush you!”

All the same though, Hēi Māo’s promise came true. Sure enough, Fortuna was swinging around from another building and flying into a diving kick towards Papa Wolf’s face.

Grayling suppressed a giggle as she realized the Liberated possessed tan markings around his face that resembled his father’s glasses.

“So I guess this is a thing now, huh?” Fortuna said, in perfect deadpan, as she landed beside her partners.

“Don’t grow used to it, bugaboo,” Grayling drawled. “Soon as we deal with this, it’s right back to business.”

“Fine by me.”

Hēi Māo didn’t look quite as pleased as her partner did at that thought, for whatever reason. Grayling swore that her heart beat a bit faster at the look on her face. Maybe, just maybe they could be friends!

“I have to have my daughter back, there’s still so much I have to tell her! She’s my little girl, and I can’t let anyone harm her ever again! Not even me…”

“Well maybe you should let your daughter make her own choices in life,” Grayling shot back. “Let her find out who’s worth keeping around. I know who you are, Gabriel Agreste. What you’re like.”

“Is it so hard to believe that a man could change. Just… just not even an hour ago, my daughter came out to me. I spurned her, drove her away just because I wanted her to be my son! Be what I wanted to be, not who she thought she could be.”

“Thought she could be?” Grayling dodged an attack, and was now holding back the wolf’s claws with her cane. “That’s the thing, you’re trying but you’re still not sticking the landing. You seem to think that your daughter being Trans is just a phase. That she’s not certain who she wants to be.”

The massive wolf drew back his fist, before a yo-yo wrapped around his arm and pulled him closer. He came down, crashing to the roof. “Alright, so I’ve made a few mistakes regarding her parenting.”

“A few?”

“When her mom died, I wanted to make sure she had everything she wanted while making sure nothing would ever hurt her. I was distraught, beside myself. I thought it was my fault when Emile died. That I’d done something wrong, that I didn’t protect her hard enough! My daughter…” here Gabriel wrenched himself free. “I DIDN’T WANT TO LOSE THE LAST PIECE OF FAMILY I HAD LEFT!”

“Father…”

“I know I won’t be winning any rewards for being the father of the year, that’s fine. I accept that. But… all the same… I want to do better,” said Gabriel/Papa Wolf. “I want my daughter to actually see me as someone that she can be proud of. No matter what choices she’s made in life.”

Grayling, Hēi Māo and Fortuna were racing across rooftops with their opponent in hot pursuit. And he was just as fast as they were.

“Is this where she is? Are you taking me to her?” Papa Wolf asked. “ARE YOU TAKING ME TO MY DAUGHTER?”

“He’s… he’s relentless!” Hēi Māo breathed.

“He’s a man on a mission. Él es ... está bien, es un gran idiota. But he’s trying to do right,” Fortuna said. “I still don’t like him, but… Maybe? Quizás pueda empezar ahora mismo. Maybe. But I think we need to make our stand right here. Encanto afortunado!”

And in front of her was a massive cannon. Fortuna blanched even as they muttered something under their breath. To Grayling, it sounded distinctly like: “Dios mío. Eso es un poco ... directo, ¿no?”

“Well, whatever works right?” Hēi Māo said with a shrug. “Keep him distracted, I’ll line up a shot!”

“I know I should feel proud of myself, for giving you the ability to make it up to your daughter, but I don’t,” Grayling said. “I didn’t ask for your permission, not like I did everyone else. I’m sorry.”

“You still gave me that chance that I needed. Maybe my daughter will hear this, maybe she won’t hate me,” Papa Wolf whispered, his soul laid bare. “It’s all I can do as a father but to hope for the best.”

“Yeah…”

And then… a loud bang as a cannonball whistled through the air before splitting apart into a massive net. It wrapped around the Liberated, entangling and ensnaring him. 

There was her chance, Grayling realized. She had to take it. Reaching out, she felt the faint stirrings of power. And she called out to it, bringing it back to her.

Dark energy bubbled around the Liberated, before melting away as Gabriel Agreste revealed himself to the world.

“Thank you…” Grayling whispered to Fortuna who only regarded her with a cold gaze.

“Let’s not make a habit of this, okay? Good intentions or not, you’re still a villain. Next time, we won’t be friends. I suppose I should ask you for your Miraculous, but something tells me you won’t give it to me. Go ahead and run, before I decide to change my mind.”

And Grayling sighed. None of today felt like a victory.

 

-----

 

“Father!” she said as she walked back into the manor. “I… I saw everything on the news.”

“Ad…” her father said, before catching himself. “So you did. I know it probably won’t mean much, but I’m sorry.”

Part of  ______ thought it was a ploy, a way to snake himself back into her good graces. But seeing the pleading look in her father’s eyes? No, she honestly doubted it. Here was a desperate man laid bare. And her father could be said to be many things, but desperate was not one of them.

“It’s a start.”

“I found this,” her father said, handing her a tear-stained notebook. The page it was open to was lined with names. Some circled out of popularity. “I see you’ve got a few thoughts in mind. Please, don’t go for Ariane. My daughter will not be named after a space rocket!”

______ snorted. “Don’t worry, I wasn’t liking that one anyways. How about Angelique?”

There was a haunted look in her father’s eyes. Unknown to her, Gabriel was remembering hours of Dark Shadows with his mother. Another blonde, far older than his daughter with eyes that could cut through concrete.

“That…” Angelique’s father croaked out. “That’ll do. I… do you want me to announce it on social media, or… or do you want to wait?”

Her father was hesitant, actually thinking this through. Angelique smiled. Good. “I think I’ll do it, actually. My fans deserve to hear it from the horse’s mouth, as it were. Thank you father.”

Notes:

Firstly, Papa Wolf is a huge whopping reference to the creatively named The Hanged Man from The Transitive Property of Equality by Bounemr. If you haven't read that story, go do it now. I promise you it handles this better than I do.

Also, the final name that ended up being chosen. Delfin (dfcfanfics here on Archive) were tossing ideas back and forth, me wanting to use Ariane after the rocket family, but then Dfc came up with this glorious suggestion.

"Gabriel will be a closet Dark Shadows fan and hear "Angelique" and go no no no no no. She's one of the primary cast of that show, a witch who torments the lead throughout the centuries."

Thanks, Del! *salutes*

Art done by: https://funneylizzie.tumblr.com/

Chapter 8: Too Much Love Will Kill You

Notes:

Now with art, done by the absolutely wonderful funneylizzie over on Tumblr, go on and hit them up. Show them some love!

Stepping out of the house now, Angelique felt liberated. She could hardly believe that was her name now, just even her own father saying it felt like a dream. No more worrying about if she’d be accepted or not. She was here, no more of that ‘the perfect son’ crap she’d have shoved upon her.

“You’re looking more and more like your mother every day,” her father said kindly, noting her ponytail now changed into an elegant braid. “I should have seen it before, I was blind to it. I’m… sorry for not seeing you as who you wanted to be, and only seeing you as what I wanted you to be.”

Her father was still apologizing, and every time he did it, it still felt weird to realize. Like a part of it felt just wrong coming from him, even with how grateful Angelique was for it.

“It was just a few days ago that he was refusing to accept me, staying stuck in his own reality. I… I’m still expecting this to be… well, I’m expecting to wake up any moment now and find out this is a dream. But so far… well, heave ho, onwards I go. So far so good. Let’s see if it stays that way.”

Her father chuckled. “Truthfully, your mother would have been happy having a daughter. If she could see you now… I guess I was always the stubborn hold out compared to her.”

“I suppose…” Angelique said, her fingers still hovering over the ‘post’ button. “Is it wrong to be this nervous? I know my fans have the right to know, but…”

“In your own time. If I could, I would announce it. But I don’t have the right to make that decision for you. Only you can do that,” her father said kindly. “Take your time. I know… not too long ago, I said you didn’t have the maturity to decide what you wanted. I apologize for that, because… well, clearly you’ve put a lot of thought into this. More thought than I had, actually.”

Pride was leaking from her father like a sieve, along with shame. Maybe she could do this, Angelique reasoned to herself. Her fingers were still hovering over the post button. It was tempting to press it, get it over with. Face the world with her secret long since kept.

No, not yet. It didn’t sound right, how she worded it. This could only be said properly. 

Angelique felt like a coward, backing down right when she was ready to jump into the pool. It felt like she was on the high dive board, taking things one step too quickly. That she needed to work her way up.

“No… not yet,” she whispered to herself. “It’s not worded right.”

Maybe later she’d think of a better way to put it.

For now, school.

“I wish mom were here…” Angelique said, before she could stop herself. “She might have known what to do…”

She very quickly saw the look on her father’s face.

“I-I’m sorry, father, I didn’t mean to imply…” the girl said rapidly. “I didn’t mean for that to come off as… you’re doing a good job, really, you are!”

“It’s alright. I know there’s only things that only another woman could understand,” her father said. “Things that only they know how to say, especially to a fellow young woman. I’ve… never been the best at emotions in this family anyhow.”

More shame, perhaps a bit of rejection.

“It’s okay father,” Angelique said. “You’re trying. I don’t mean to say you’re not as good as mom, nor am I saying you should live up to her example. You’re you dad. I’m not saying you’re not as good, hardly! I guess what I’m trying to say is, you shouldn’t try to be a copy of mom.”

Her father hugged her, and Angelique’s eyes widened. While she wasn’t exactly touch-starved, her father wasn’t exactly the warmest man in the world.

“It’s… difficult, though. Trying to raise you alone. Part of me always wondered if I should have hired a nanny, but I didn’t. I never had the courage to go through with it. Or rather…” her father sighed. “I guess I felt weak even considering the possibility. That I couldn’t raise you properly, that I needed to go to someone else to do that.”

Love.

“Perhaps I should have, as there’s only so much I understood. I locked you away from the world, just so it wouldn’t take you from me like it did my dear Emilie. That was wrong of me,” her father said. “I haven’t faced the raven in a lot of ways, I haven’t gone up in the attic in years. Too many painful memories. There’s plenty of stuff there that was your mother’s. Including, say, a few dresses you might like?”

Angelique’s eyes sparkled at the possibility. 

“You still have an hour before you need to go to school, go have a look if you want. You don’t need to, I don’t want to push you,” her father said. “My daughter should only look her best before her fellow peers.”

“No, I get what you’re trying to do. I admit, I should start dressing more like an Agreste woman now. I’m scared to come out to the world, and I guess I need that little push,” Angelique said. “As it is, I’m already wearing my hair like mom used to. A dress won’t hurt. My class should be the first to find out anyways.”

So that was how she found herself rummaging through the attic. There was a large massive window, overlooking Paris. Let a lot of light in honestly, and Angelique thought for a moment that if shutters could open on cue it would make a really boss lair.

“Just imagine me with a snap of the fingers as I walked into the lair. Window opens, and butterflies flutter about. It sounds so dramatic!” Angelique thought to herself with a laugh as she opened up a box with her mother’s handwriting on it. “I know, wishful thinking.”

She rummaged through it, continuing to search through the box. There were quite a few really nice dresses in here. Nothing her size yet though. The blonde sighed, with her luck the only thing in her size would be terrible to even look at.

Never mind being seen out in public wearing! 

“Hmmmm… maybe I should just dress a bit more punk? Go a bit gothic? Leather jackets and the like? My father might have a cow though,” Angelique thought. “There’s only so much I can ease him into!”

“Your life seems to have picked up lately,” Nooroo observed. “Your father accepts you now. And here you are, searching for dresses as you think about coming out to the world.”

“Yeah…” his holder said with a little smile. “It’s quite the change.”

“So you don’t need to continue rebelling anymore do you?” Nooroo said, and Angelique knew what he was implying. Master of the subtle push, this guy. 

“I know I should give it up… That wearing it isn’t healthy, and hell it sounds a bit like a drug when I put it like that,” Angelique said. “But I don’t want to lose you…”

“You wouldn’t lose me…” Nooroo nuzzled her. 

“Maybe… But there’s still so many people in Paris that need my help. I helped my father work through his issues, so it’s clear that my abilities work. Sure, I didn’t intend on it happening like that, but…” she paused to think. “I guess it reaffirms my quest? That it shows, however accidentally, the simple idea of being able to vent your problems works.”

Nooroo sighed sadly. “I’d hoped to convince you otherwise.”

“I know you did, and honestly I’m happy you think I’m going too far. That you want to keep me in check. And in some ways, you are. I don’t dare think of going just that too far, I don’t want to hurt you somehow,” Angelique said, kissing Nooroo’s forehead. “You’re my best friend. More than Nino, more than Marinette. Friends don’t hurt friends.”

“I suppose…” Nooroo said, though Angelique wasn’t sure that he entirely believed her. “Hold up, what’s that?”

“Mhmmm?”

“Over there,” Nooroo said, fluttering over to something peeking out of the box. With a gentle little tug, he was struggling to free it. “There’s something in here, Mistress!”

Angelique was swift to help, and soon found herself holding a little brooch resembling a peacock’s feathers.

“Hold on, that’s Duusu! That’s her Miraculous!” her kwami squeaked in shock.

Angelique recoiled at the sight, tossing it to the other end of the room where it landed with a small clatter. Her mother was dead because of this!

“I’m sorry…” Nooroo said, nuzzling into her for comfort. 

“It wasn’t your friend’s fault, I know. But why…” Angelique choked up. “Why did she have it?”

“I don’t know, I don’t know why your father had me in his possession either,” Nooroo said. “But Duusu… her miraculous. I think it’s broken. She’s broken. Just putting it on… I’m sorry.”

“Can we fix it?” 

Nooroo turned to her in shock.

“It’s not meant to be broken, your friend isn’t meant to suffer. She’s meant to be bonded with someone isn’t she?” Angelique said. “Can we help them? Nobody should have to suffer like my mother did…”

“Oh, Adrien…” Nooroo said. “You still want to help Duusu, and anyone partnered with her even after her Miraculous took your mother away from you…”

“As I said, it wasn’t her fault. I shouldn’t blame Duusu for… I don’t want to say my mother’s stupidity. She should have checked, she should have known! And yet…” Angelique was close to sobbing, curled into a ball. “Why? Why did she even have a Miraculous in the first place? I suppose I should ask my father, but I’m not sure that’s a can of worms I want to open.”

“You’re going to have to face him one day.”

“Not today though,” Angelique said. “God, I swear, just when I think I know the man, he comes around and surprises me again.”

“I’m sorry,” Nooroo said. “I truly am.”

“I know you are but… Oh crap!” Angelique checked her watch. “It’s almost time for school!”

She quickly dived for a dress, and held it up. “This one, you think?”

 

-----

 

“Gotta say, you’re rocking the dress,” Marc complimented, using he/him pronouns today. “Whoof, I’m actually kinda jealous. Perks of having a fashion designer as a dad though right?”

“I guess…”

“Whoa, hey you okay?” Marc asked, waving a hand in front of her face. “You’ve been kinda distant from me. You look… sad I suppose? You should be overjoyed, you’re coming out in public! Cause for celebration! Confetti, cheers, the whole nine yards!”

“Yeah, sorry, it’s just I’ve had a bit on my mind.”

“Did you have to get changed in the school bathroom? Does your father know?” Marc asked.

“No, that’s not it. I saw my dudette pull up to school, she was already wearing the dress. Clearly, she got changed in the car or and there’s only one other logical conclusion here…” Nino joined in. “Her father must know, my dudette can’t exactly smuggle a dress out of the house that easily no?”

Nino quickly looked to Angelique. “No offense.”

“Nah, I get you. He knows, it took him a bit of time but he’s cool with it,” Angelique smiled.

“That’s great!” Nino hugged him. “I guess your old man’s going to keep on surprising us. I thought he was such a hardass y’know?”

“Oh, he still is! That isn’t in doubt,” Angelique laughed before her smile faded. “I’m sorry, I’m just dealing with a bit. I found something out about my mother, I’m still trying to process it I guess.”

“Anything we can help with?” Nino asked.

“Not sure,” Angelique said. “It was just… Well, my mother wasn’t quite the person I thought she was. She’s like an onion I suppose, with more layers to her than I thought.”

“Ah, I see. It’s like that, family secrets huh?” Marc made a face. “God that sucks. Still, look on the bright side, at least you’re no longer in the closet anymore.”

“Yeah, all of Paris knows by now. I suppose I should have broken the news over Twitter, said it myself before someone took a picture of me and sent it to all their followers. And their followers can send it to their followers,” Angelique said. “I didn’t really think it through. Maybe I wanted it over with.”

“Yeah, I get that. Some people, they just want it over with y’know?” Marc said. “I was like that. I wanted to be out. Took a hell of a lot of courage to show up one day wearing a skirt and some lipstick, but I couldn’t keep hiding who I was anymore.”

“You’re a lot braver than you think you are dudette. Like my man Marc here said,” Nino looked towards his best friend. “You came to school like… well, like this. If I didn’t know better, I’d say you were born woman at birth. Errr… not to say you weren’t, but you know what I mean right?”

“Yeah, I do. Don’t worry, you weren’t putting your foot in your mouth,” Angelique said. “I guess on some level, this was the easier option. I’m not great with people, not like my father is."

“Yeah, but your father’s… well, your father is what he is, without trying to sound offensive or anything,” Nino said.

“You’d be surprised. When he can be bothered, he’s actually got quite a bit of charisma,” Angelique said. “You can’t be a successful designer without some way with words.”

“I like your new name by the way. Angelique,” Marc said, gesturing to the ‘hello my name is’ tag on his friend’s bookbag. “Rolls off the tongue.”

“My father looked a bit freaked out about it, I dunno why and maybe I was feeling a bit spiteful that day. So that’s why I went with it,” Angelique chuckled. “I know it sounds mean, but I was still in my teenage rebellion phase.”

“...mhmmm, my mama, she told me about a soap that her grandmother used to watch with her. Classic thing, at least according to my grandma. Had a scary woman named Angelique as a villain,” Marc said. “Get this, she was blonde.”

Angelique snorted. “...so I inadvertently gave my father childhood flashbacks? Uh, whoops!”

Nino snorted as well. “Okay, yeah, that’s pretty hilarious. I mean, dudette, you’re about as scary as a kitten.”

Angelique tried not to look offended. She had been trying to work on her stern Agreste look all week!

“Well, guess I’m a bit of a failure as an Agreste then!” Angelique joked. “We all have our scary looks all down pat!”

“Maybe it’s a glasses thing? Maybe they add to the whole, y’know, effect I guess?” Nino shrugged, before gesturing with his hands for emphasis. “Because, dudette, I’ve seen your father. Yep, it’s definitely the glasses.”

“Yep! Totally!” Marc chirped in agreement.

“So if I start wearing glasses…” Angelique theorized…

“Nope, sorry dudette, you’re still about as scary as a kitten,” Nino said. “And that’s the way we like our sunshine child!”

“100% of the votes are in, and they’re all in agreement!” Marc said, with a little nod.

Angelique was laughing, until she wasn’t. Chlo’ was walking up, and nervousness flooded her. Marc and Nino were standing in front of her protectively.

“You want to say something, you say it to us as well,” Nino said. “We’re not leaving her.”

The dig was obvious, and Chlo’ noticed it letting out a growl. Angelique felt like she should step in, saying: “Hey, it’s okay. You guys don’t have to… I can handle this myself.”

“All the same…” Nino started, before a stern look cut him off. Yep, she could master the ‘look’ if she wanted.

“Hey Chlo…” Angelique smiled.

“Damn it, I thought this would be easier. That I’d know what I should say. But… Goddamn it, you idiot. You should have trusted me,” Chlo’ was saying. “If I’d known that you thought of yourself as a… You shouldn’t have had to suffer alone! I would have helped you, moron!”

She wasn’t apologizing for her recent behavior, but Angelique knew that wasn’t likely to happen. Her former bestie never really did apologize for anything, for who she was. She was like that after all.

And now Chlo’ was hugging her. “Why didn’t you tell me? I would have happily helped you through it, taken you in as a fellow girl. You didn’t trust me?”

“No, I did!” Angelique said. “It’s just, every time I thought of it… my throat seized up. I’m sorry Chlo’, I should have said something sooner. I know you’ve always wanted another gal pal.”

“Damn right I did. Sabrina… She's nice but she never speaks her mind, she’s too much of a follower. I want someone I can bitch with, someone who isn’t afraid to call me out. Like you…” Chlo’ was saying. “You’re right, and there I said it. You’re right. I should have stopped.”

She was apologizing. Man, today was one of surprises. 

“I know you probably don’t want me back as a friend, that’s why I’ll endeavor to do better. To be better,” the blonde went on. “Until I can prove that I’m worthy to be the friend you thought I was.”

“Oh Chlo’... You don’t have to prove anything,” Angelique said, now she was sobbing as she held her tight. “Sure you stumbled a bit with other people, but that’s just it… I have been – and always shall be – your friend.”

“Star Trek? Really? You dummy,” Chlo’ said with a wet ugly snort, sounding a bit like an elephant. “You’re such a nerd! God, I can’t be seen with you now. Step away from me, Angelique! You’re tainting me with your icky nerdiness. Get it off! Get it off me!”

Angelique was laughing at the antics of her bestie. Yep, she was back to her old self and all was well again.

Chapter 9: You're My Best Friend

Notes:

Whoof, so a lotta things going on in this chapter.

Please do leave me a comment at the end, tell me how I'm doing. I know I'm probably preaching to the choir at this point, but please do.

“Annnnnnnnnd, twirl again for me will you?” Marinette asked, briefly looking up from her sketchbook spinning like a trained ballerina. Honestly, she wouldn’t be surprised if Gabriel had enrolled his daughter in classes. “And, mhmmm, perfect! Yeah, you’ve got this.”

She was shooting Angelique an ‘okay’ hand signal. “I have to admit, I’m impressed. Okay, I’m not surprised given you’re a trained model but I’m still impressed.”

“Yeah, my father… I think I knew the word ‘turn’ before I could even speak!” the blonde jokes. “He said I was always a natural for the runway.”

“I’m not sure how I feel about that to be honest, he works you to the bone!” Marinette said, with a frown. “Are you sure you’re okay with… no, what am I saying? I doubt he would have allowed you to even protest.”

“He’s getting better…” Angelique said, somewhat weakly.

“All the same!” Marinette barked, fury briefly overtaking her. Taking a deep breath, she quickly calmed herself. “...I’m sorry, I really should keep in mind that man is still your father. I may not entirely approve of him but I have to keep it in mind.”

“No, it’s okay. I… actually don’t mind you telling him off to my face, yes I said he’s getting better but you’re right… For the past few years I’ve thought similar things at times,” Angelique admitted. “...I’m still not entirely sure that this isn’t a dream I’ve yet to wake up from.”

“Well do you want me to pinch you to check?” Marinette chirped, raising her sketchbook. “Turn again, if you please.”

Angelique nodded, before doing so with Marinette walking up and then wrapping some measuring tape around her waist. “I… I have to thank you for doing this, by the way.”

“Anything for a friend,” Marinette said without hesitation. “I’m only sorry that I didn’t do this earlier. I admit, you’re a first for me. Commission wise I mean.”

“I’m assuming that’s not why you’re doing this, so you can knock this off your life goals. Do clothes for a trans girl,” Angelique said with a fairly wily smirk. 

“Shush you,” Marinette said gently shoving her away, before pulling the measuring tape upwards to get an accurate look at her height. “Like I said, anything for a friend. And you, Ms. Agreste, currently count as my best friend.”

“You’re my best friend too…” Angelique smiled. “Maybe even more than Chlo’ or Nino.”

Marinette blushed, stammered a little bit before she quickly regained her composure. “Oh yeah, I heard you two made up. How did that go?”

Here her tone was mostly even, though years of history between the two girls still betrayed her. To her credit, it was barely noticeable except for a minor growl in Marinette’s voice. It swiftly changed to that of a weary sigh.

“It’s okay Marinette, you don’t have to hide how much you dislike her. Chlo… she messed up with you,” Angelique said kindly, hugging her. “You didn’t deserve how badly she treated you. I’ve only heard bits and pieces of course but… Honestly.”

“It’s nothing, I’ve gotten over it. I’ve learned to accept that Chloe is just acting out in a cry for attention,” the girl said, her tone still even. “It hurts, but it’s nothing I don’t understand.”

“I wish you could see the side of her that I always saw. I know… I know it’s not likely for that ever to happen, Chlo’ hates feeling vulnerable. But… if you saw her the way I did…” Angelique murmured.

“Well, I guess you lucked out,” Marinette said, this time unable to disguise the hurt. “Maybe one day we’ll both grow up and mature to the point we can laugh over it over cups of coffee. But right now, all that pain… it’s still too fresh.”

Angelique was still holding her tight, and she was unable to keep herself from blushing at just how toned the blonde’s arms were. Clearly, the fencing lessons she took did her well.

“Stop it girl, this is no time to be drooling!” Marinette thought to herself. “...I’m sorry, I’m crying all over you right now aren’t I?”

“No, hey it’s okay,” Angelique said. “I’m still a bit mad at her too. I won’t forget what she’s done to you, and I’ll help her change. Okay? It’s my responsibility as your friend.”

“Oh Angelique…” Marinette whispered before pulling herself out of the girl’s arms. With a sniff, she said: “...right, sorry, we should continue. I think I’ve got a good idea of your measurements, and I think there’s plenty for me to work with. It shouldn’t take me long to come up with a few ideas, I should have something at least sketched in a few days okay?”

“I can’t wait to start transitioning,” Angelique admitted. “I still… I still don’t feel right. Like I can barely look at myself in the mirror some days. Going to school in one of my mother’s old dresses was the first step. I… I want to feel real y’know?”

“That’s the thing, you are real. Your body just hasn’t caught up to the rest of you yet, that’s all,” Marinette said, and before she could stop herself she kissed her cheek. “Don’t worry, you’ll get there.”

“Thanks, Sweetie.”

Marinette’s jaw dropped at her proclamation. Her brain basically blue-screened.

“Bwuh… HUH?” she managed to sputter out, almost incoherently.

“Alya said that’s your nickname. Because you bake such nice sweets. She said you should also go by honey and sugar!”

(Later that day, a fairly flustered Marinette would work up the courage to mention this to a ‘supportive’ Alya, who was howling. Damn it, she was such a Bi disaster.)

 

-----

 

“Wooooooooowwwwwww… Seriously, okay, yeah, I don’t get why your dad hasn’t retrofitted this entire room. Like wow, there’s so much awesome going on here,” Marc said, the boy scanning the room. Something caught his eye, and he was rapidly fishing some boots out of a box. “Ooooooh, okay, these are just sexy.”

Angelique’s eyes practically bugged out of their skull as she watched Marc pull some leather heeled boots out of a box. Were those… were those her mother’s? “...Marc, please don’t tell me those were my mom’s. I’m really trying not to think of her having a rebellious phase, wearing-”

“Pirate boots?” Marc smirked, trying them on with a slight little teasing smirk. “Oh, you think I can find a leather jacket in here as well?”

“Please stop, I’m trying not to think of my mother as a punk!” Angelique said, rubbing her forehead with a hand, trying to fight off the rapidly growing headache. “...you think she did it just to impress dad? Oh god, was my father drawn to her wild side?”

“Well, guys do tend to like girls who can kick their ass,” Nino replied. “Fact!”

“Please. Just stop…”

“Well, I’m going to go carry this stuff downstairs,” Marc said. “It’s a bit of a shame some of this stuff has to go to charity, but I think I understand your papa wanting to get rid of it. Too many memories, y’know?”

“Yeah…” Angelique said with a little sigh, continuing to search through the boxes for anything that her father might want to keep. Her eyes widened as she felt through a box. “Oh, hello, what’s this?”

It looked a bit like a diary, honestly. Curiosity overtaking her, she began to flip through it. Most of the ramblings inside looked like insanity and made little to no sense to her, but some… 

“Oh wow…”

“So what’d you find? What you got there?” Nino scooched over, looking interested. “Oh wow, you know some of these look like spells. They do, seriously! I know it sounds crazy but…”

Something nagged at Angelique in the back of her mind, something that she just couldn’t quite place yet. She could hear the fluttering of a butterfly’s wings, Nooroo just flying up above in the rafters somewhere out of sight.

A sharp gasp came from somewhere up above, her kwami sounding shocked. Nino peered upwards, looking a bit confused before shrugging it off. Angelique let out a relieved breath that she’d been holding. Oh, that had been too close!

She did not want to have to explain why she had a little butterfly god with her! 

Sure, Nino had sounded supportive of what she was doing as Grayling, but all the same, sounding supportive and actually going along with it were two separate things entirely. And yes, at times she had debated bringing her best friend in on the secret. 

Someone needed to know. Someone she could trust, say if she needed a quick escape to transform or anything. There were only so many times she could slip away by herself before she got caught.

“Well now that you mention it…” Angelique said to her friend. “Besides, it doesn’t sound that crazy when you consider what Paris is like nowadays. Right?”

“Yep!” Nino said while suddenly memories flashed through Angelique’s head, her mind jogged back as she realized.

“...so that’s why these look so familiar,” she mumbled to herself, remembering similar writings in a certain book. “...Mom, were you trying to translate this for yourself?”

“Mhmm?” Nino asked, looking concerned. “You okay there? You were muttering something to yourself there. Alright, I’ll bite. What are you hiding from me?”

“H-Hiding?” Angelique stammered out. “I’m not hiding anything!”

“Oh please, my girl,” Nino said sternly, striding towards her best friend and ripping the notebook out of her hands. Angelique tried to reach for it, probably not the best decision as it made her look even more suspicious. It was pulled away from her, and tossed behind Nino’s back. “You’ve been acting odd all week, really. Now fess up. Spill.”

“Look, I’ve just been going through some stuff, alright?” Angelique quickly said. “Finding all of… well, this?”

Here she gestured all around her to the cluttered attic. 

“It’s just been dragging up memories that I’m not sure I was ready to face. I can still hear her, you know? Mom’s laughter. The house was so happy back then… Dad was full of life.”

“Hey, it’s okay,” Nino hugged her. “Take it one step at a time, you don’t have to be up here if you don’t want to be. But, all the same, you can’t keep secrets from your friends you know? And I know that’s not just it.”

“Am I really that easy to read? I’m like an open book, is that it?” Angelique said, far more snappily than she actually intended. “Open to the world.”

“Well, dudette, you do tend to wear your emotions on your sleeve. You’re not like your dad,” Nino said, gesturing for her best friend to sit down next to him. “Not that it’s a bad thing, mind, but it’s really easy to tell when something’s bothering you. You know what I mean?”

“I suppose…” Angelique said with another sigh. “Honestly, I’m not sure how to put it.”

Tell him! her brain screamed at her. You know that Nino would understand everything that’s going on with you! He knows you, he’s your best friend. If you can’t trust him, well who can you trust?

Finally, with a sob, the dam broke. She was explaining everything. Her being Grayling, her mother dying from a broken Miraculous. The book she’d found alongside Nooroo’s brooch, and how it contained spells that her mother had apparently begun to translate before her death.

“Wow, that’s uh…” Nino started, before he was hugging her. “Damn, I’m sorry.”

“The worst part is, I don’t even know why my mom was translating spells! Did she want all of that power to herself? Oh god, does father know? Was that why he was getting rid of the grimoire and Nooroo? Did he not even want to be reminded of her?” Angelique was babbling. “...did he want to join her? Did she force him? Oh god, did he think about wearing Nooroo’s brooch?”

“Okay, okay, let’s think about this logically. I don’t think your father knew,” Nino said, reassuringly. “He wouldn’t have kept all of this stuff in boxes, just waiting to be thrown out so casually and by accident if he knew. He would have locked it away, so nobody else would have this power.”

“Yeah… yeah, you’re right…” Angelique said, taking deep breaths to calm herself. “A-And mom… Some of these spells, they look like healing spells. She must have k-known she was cursed, maybe she found the book to try and heal herself. T-That’s what I want to believe anyways…”

“Hey, for all you know it may be true,” Nino said, rubbing her shoulders reassuringly. “You never know.”

“You’re a good friend Nino, the best even. I can’t think of anyone else who would be able to put up with my shit,” Angelique said. “God, I’m such a mess.”

“Well, it’s what I’m here for right?” Nino smiled. “Just curious, but do you still have, y’know, the grimoire? At the very least, we should heal Duusu right? Because she’s suffering, isn’t she?”

“Y-Yeah, we should. I don’t know what my mom was doing with her, and something tells me I don’t want to know, but Duusu shouldn’t be suffering just because of what my mom may or may not have done.”

And so there they sat, reciting what looked to be a healing spell in the light of the afternoon sun. Duusu’s pin was floating, magical energy swirling around it before it clattered to the floor with a thud.

Before it had been crackling, sparking with magical energy and now it had fallen strangely silent. 

“...so is that it?” Nino asked, nervously walking to the pin, and picking it up. “Kinda anti-climatic at the end there, I guess I was expecting more panache or something.”

“Dude, it was crackling and floating, I’m pretty sure that’s panache enough,” Angelique deadpanned before her voice turned worried. “Did we do it? Did we fix it? Fix her?”

“Only one way to find out…” Nino said, pinning the Miraculous to his shirt. 

“WAIT! Are you… what if it’s still broken? Who knows what it will do to you!” Angelique shouted in fear. “Be careful!”

“Relax my girl, I got this. Besides, I was planning on wearing this anyways,” Nino said and his best friend’s eyes widened in straight shock. “What? You think I was going to let you face Fortuna and Hēi Māo alone? Nuh-uh! You’re my best bud!”

“You shouldn’t be dragging yourself into this, now they’ll be after you too. They’ll want to fight you, capture your Miraculous,” Angelique warned, her voice taking on a slight stammer. “J-Just think about this for a second!”

“I have thought about it, and standing around doing nothing won’t get any of us anywhere right?” Nino smiled again. “You want to bring your mom back right? That’s what all of this is for isn’t it?”

“Yeah…” Angelique said, shuffling her feet. “I guess I’ve been trying to deny it all this time, but I do want their Miraculous. I want to wish for my mom back, if only to ask her some things…”

Another sharp gasp, again from the rafters. Nooroo had been listening in on the whole thing.

“Y-You don’t need to do this,” the little god said, flying down to Nino’s face. “Angelique’s right, this is dangerous! You could be captured!”

“Hey little dude, you’re the one who’s been keeping my best bud on the straight and narrow right?”

“Been trying,” Nooroo muttered largely to himself. “Not sure how well I’ve succeeded to be honest.”

“Honestly, it’s okay,” Nino said, rubbing the little butterfly’s head. “You’ve been here for my girl when I haven’t. You’re cool with me!”

“NOOROO!” came a voice, a blue comet rocketing out of Nino’s Miraculous. The poor little kwami barely had any time to react before he was tackled into a box. “Oh wow, it’s been so long hasn’t it? Like I feel like it’s been for-evah! Of course it’s been forever, I haven’t seen you out of the box in ages, oh I wonder how much time has passed? So how’s Mistress doing? Is she alright, oh she looked terrible since…”

Duusu suddenly paused, rising up out of the box as she took in her situation.

“Oh… oh dear,” the little peahen said, though weirdly she looked more like the male of the species with her fan. “Mistress? ...is she… Oh no. MISTRESS!”

She was crying now as the realization hit her, and Nino scooped the little goddess into his hands trying to comfort her. 

“Hey, it’s okay, it’s alright. We’ll get her back, that’s why we fixed you. So you can help us get the new Ladybug and Cat’s help, right?”

“You… oh, I see. You want to make The Wish. Well, that’s… Honestly, I don’t see what your connection to Mistress is, are you her illegitimate love child? That’s weird, because Mistress loved her husband, she would never dare-”

“Nah, I’m not Mrs. Agreste’s son,” Nino hurriedly explained. “However, her daughter is right over there.”

“Oh… OH!” Duusu was zooming over to Angelique now. “You were just a little kid when I saw you last! How you’ve grown, wow you look like a chick about to leave hi… I’m sorry, her nest now!”

“You… have you seen me before?” Angelique blanched in shock, honestly not expecting that. She knew on some level that it had certainly been possible. Indeed, faint memories of a familiar brooch pinned to her mother were showing themselves. But all the same…

“Yes yes, of course. Mistress always ordered me out of sight, she didn’t want you to see me until you were old enough to understand. Of course, apparently…” here Duusu sobbed again. “That didn’t work out quite as planned I see.”

“I’m… I’m sorry to ask, but why did my mom have you?” Angelique said.

“Careful Angelique, you may be asking questions you might not want the answers to,” Nooroo said warningly.

“Yeah, I’m with the little dude on this. Careful, if you start down this road, well it sounds like there’s no turning back!” Nino added.

“She didn’t want power, if that’s what you’re thinking,” Duusu said, with a reassuring expression. “She just wanted a companion. She found me in a small shop in Tibet, she didn’t even know what she’d found until she put me on. I guess she didn’t realize. Not until it was too late…”

Here, the little goddess was beginning to get choked up again.

“Oh goddess, it’s all my fault!” the little peahen began to cry. “I took your mother away from you!”

“No, you didn’t…” Angelique rushed to reassure.

“But I did! I didn’t tell her about the curse! I should have, but every time I tried… I’m just as responsible for your mother’s death as the one who cursed me!” Duusu wailed, crying into Nino’s chest and unable to even look at Angelique.

“Hey, shh, it’s okay…” the blonde said, picking her up and looking her directly in the eye. “I forgive you. It wasn’t your fault that you got cursed, that the curse killed my mom. None of that was your fault, you understand?”

“Yeah, but still…” Duusu started, Angelique holding up a finger.

“No buts, okay? None of what happened was on you at all,” the blonde continued. “Now stop blaming yourself.”

“Okay…” Duusu said before perking up again, seemingly in the blink of an eye. If she wasn’t living emotion, both kids would have been stunned at this. “So you want my help to make The Wish huh? You’re probably the first person who wants that power for relatively benign reasons. Most of the people who want that Wish… they want to become gods or get rich or something. But you… you’re desperate.”

“I just want my mom back,” Angelique said evenly, trying to keep her emotions clear. “Nothing more.”

“There’s always a price… I’m assuming Nooroo already warned you about this right?” here Duusu looked to her counterpart, who acknowledged it with a nod. “But on the other hand, I’m not so sure you can be persuaded otherwise. Just the look in your eye, I can tell you’ve already made up your mind.”

“They have, yes…” Nooroo said. “I’ve been trying to convince Mistress otherwise, but as of yet, she has yet to listen to me. I was holding out hope that you might be able to do better…”

“It’s all done for love, don’t you understand? The love that of a daughter has for her mother. I can’t stop someone when that’s what it is. In fact, on some level I agree. I miss Emilie, I want her back just as much as her daughter does,” Duusu explained, Nooroo gaping. “I want the chance to apologize. It’s the only way I will ever feel right with myself.”

“Oh, Duusu…” Nooroo whispered, shaking his head. “So this is what we’re doing then? No changing anyone’s minds?”

“Hey, I’m with my bestie every step of the way,” Nino added, shooting Angelique a thumbs up. “Whatever happens, we face it together.”

“Oh Nino…” Angelique said, sounding close to tears.

“Hey, it’s true, isn’t it? We’re best friends, we’re basically welded,” Nino said. “Besides, I’m going to get superpowers! Superpowers! If that didn’t seal the deal, I don’t know what would!”

“You sound a little too enthusiastic about this…” Nooroo noted.

“Hey, I agree with my bud’s goals. People need a chance to stop and vent right? That’s what my girl’s been helping them do. You gotta get behind that on some level, right?” Nino asked. “Angelique… your Mistress? She’s on the level, man. Rad, right?”

“If you say so…” Nooroo said. “But I would be remiss if I didn’t warn you that once you start down this path, there’s really no going back. You’ve already been warned once, by your own best friend even that you’re going to be making some very powerful enemies. Fortuna and Hēi Māo, they’ll stop at nothing to reclaim me and Duusu.”

“Well, they don’t understand what we’re doing though. Our goals are nothing too bad, right?” Nino shrugged. “Now… is there a transformation phrase or anything like that? I mean, this is already out of an anime as it is!”

“It’s simply ‘Duusu, spread my feathers’,” the little kwami said, and then explained her powers. “Are you ready?”

“Totally, part of me has been waiting for this my whole life! Let’s boogie!” Nino grinned. “Duusu, spread my feathers!”

Magical energy washed over him, as his clothes transformed into a snappy tailcoat, over a ruffled French aristocracy-styled vest with his glasses transforming into a mask. Nino tossed his hat aside as it faded away.

“Okay, this is sick!” Nino said. “Like wow… Okay, just call me…”

The name came to him, feeling so right. He snapped his fingers.

“Roi Bleu.”

Now it was two against two, and Paris didn’t know it yet but things were about to get that little bit weirder.

 

-----

 

Unaware of the advent, Marinette continued on with her life. Though her day was about to be interrupted by an unstoppable force. A whirlwind about to sweep her away like a gale.

“Dupai… Marinette, we need to talk. Not here, somewhere out of sight,” Chloe said, tugging Marinette into an alleyway. “Before you get any funny ideas, no this isn’t me wanting to make out with you. Like ewww, I may be into girls but I’m definitely not into you.”

“Alright then, out with it.”

“It’s about Angelique, I think…” Chloe stammered before swearing under her breath. “She’s been acting kinda weird, sorta distant. I think she might be Grayling. Like I don’t have any proof but-”

“If you don’t, then don’t say it. Angelique’s not her. They’re two totally different people!”

“You need to listen, Marinette! Suddenly Angelique growing a spine at the same time that weirdo appears? It’s not a coincidence! Think about it!”

“Yeah, I have, and I’m sorry Chloe, but it’s not adding up. Two and two don’t make five.”

“Don’t say I didn’t warn you!” Chloe called as Marinette walked off.

Notes:

...so why didn't Marc come back? Uh... maybe he got distracted by all of Gabriel's designs, imagining himself in them?

I think that kinda says it all with how I've treated him in this entire story, really. Like I have him, I just don't know what to do with him, outside of being the Ladybug user. Sorry Kopy!

(Also, huuuuge thanks to Leo for the 'sweetie' gag.)

Chapter 10: Don't Stop Me Now

Notes:

Whoops, sorry! Legit forgot to update yesterday.

Chloe didn’t know when she’d started to suspect her best friend being the mysterious villain plaguing Paris.

Oh sure, she claimed she was liberating people and letting them go a bit apeshit just to work through their issues. But Chloe? Now she’d mastered the art of bullshiting people. She’d grown up with her mother after all.

Her father was a politician as well. She very well knew just when someone was telling a lie to appease someone else. It was basically in the job description.

So yes, she could tell Grayling was telling the people what they wanted to hear. It was pretty obvious when you thought about it. Questioning her motives, and suddenly she shows up to reassure you.

The populace were like sheep, easily frightened but easily reassured. Never questioning much. It was ridiculous, utterly ridiculous.

Maybe she should have explained herself to Dupain-Cheng a bit better, laid it all out. But then again, it wasn’t like the girl seemed like she was awfully in the mood for listening. Too much in love with Angelique, and please everyone could see it.

Shame she had such terrible taste in women right now, because right now her bestie needed a good smack to the head. Like Chloe was furious. “Oh, lose your mother and suddenly you take it all out on the city. Yeah sure, that’s healthy.”

Oh it made her want to punch something. Maybe the damn enabler who hadn’t put a stop to this. (Later, when Chloe found out the enabler was simply just a little peacock goddess, she settled for just smacking Lahiffe upside the head)

Obviously, she couldn’t go to the police. Like who would believe her? Might even call her crazy, and tell her to get lost. Now, admittedly, Chloe had been known for making scenes before so obviously there was that thing about the boy and the wolf and his sheep flock.

Maybe that’s why Dupain-Cheng hadn’t believed a word of it. Well that and she hadn’t offered proof. Of course, what proof did she have? No video, obviously. And as beautiful as Angelique looked, she was still nowhere near as cute as Grayling.

(What? She could find Grayling cute, she was about as sapphic as they came! Personality needed a bit of tweaking though.)

So… what was a girl to do?

She would wait, and she would pounce when the time is right.

 

-----

 

“You seem focused,” ‘Brina noted over lunch. “Like I’m almost concerned. Not to say you’re not usually focused but right now you seem more focused than usual. You’ve been staring at that wall for a good five minutes now, are you trying to make it burst into flame?”

Chloe angrily took a bite of her lunch, and chewed. Swallowing, she finally answered.

“Just thinking of how best I should smack a certain someone upside the head. Dupain-Cheng needs to open her goddamn eyes. Like seriously, I can see it so why can’t she?”

“Love is blind apparently,” ‘Brina commented, apparently mistaking her meaning. “I’m surprised you’re so onboard with it. Marinette wanting to date Angelique, I mean.”

“Well, there are worse choices… For Angelique. She’s perfection, and Dupain-Cheng isn’t. Way too klutzy for one, and she’s poor! Oh sure, she’s got a great personality but honestly let’s be real here, it isn’t great great. Not enough to sustain a marriage.”

Chloe took another angry bite, and another frustrated chew. Oh, if only it were as simple as that. Did Dupain-Cheng know that her crush was a supervillain in disguise?

Honestly, as heartbroken as she’d be to find out about it, Angelique should just go date Hēi Māo in her opinion. Enemies to lovers was a classic for a reason. Some cliches had staying power.

Wait, never mind, Chloe quickly decided. Hēi Māo was way too good for a supervillain. Oh good grief, why couldn’t Angelique stay consistent? Sweet and a little bit angsty in one moment, terrorizing the city in the next.

How the blonde longed for the days when Angelique simply wanting to come out to her father was the least dramatic thing about her! 

“The rest of the class seems to disagree, half of them probably have crushes on Marinette,” ‘Brina said adjusting her glasses. “Just an observation.”

“Including you?” Chloe looked towards her friend with a critical eye. Raising an eyebrow, she asked: “‘Brina? Go on, don’t lie to me. You know that you can’t.”

“Well I… she’s not bad,” her best friend admitted. “But not great.”

It was clear from her tone that ‘Brina was flat out and out lying through her teeth. Well, Chloe supposed she wouldn’t have that big of a brain aneurysm if she stumbled across the two of them in a closet playing a good old-fashioned game of tonsil hockey.

Even if her best friend deserved better. Really, she did! Dupain-Cheng was perfectly fine, okay really. But just that, only serviceable. Honestly, it said more about her class and how small their pool really was.

Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous. 

“Mhmm, if you say so ‘Brina…” Chloe said to herself. “In any event, I’m not betting on their relationship working out so well in the long run. So you should keep yourself open to the possibility.”

“Don’t get my hopes up Chloe,” her best friend said, adjusting her glasses again. “You’re only denying the inevitable. Angelique and Marinette are so into each other, even if neither realizes it yet. I’ve resigned myself to that fact.”

They were failing the Bechdel test so hard right about now.

“I’m keeping my options open, really,” ‘Brina shrugged. “In any event, at least it could be worse. You could be the one head over heels for Marinette.”

“Ewwwww, no! That’s disgusting, ‘Brina. Don’t even joke,” Chloe shuddered. “Yeah, no. Just no. There are women way prettier than her.”

“Like a certain cat?” ‘Brina grinned almost sadistically. “I know you just want to take her home with you… That you think she’s such a cute little kitty, and that you want to kiss her wounds all better.”

Yep, failing so hard.

“I have refined tastes.”

 

-----

 

The change had been slow and gradual at first, she wasn’t even sure when she’d started noticing it. The hatred for her class had started to fade away, and had been replaced with something a little less.

Oh sure, the rage and the fury was still there but it didn’t come like an inferno. She didn’t think above everyone else quite as much. Chloe knew something was different about her now.

Maybe she could pinpoint it to the city loving and appreciating a certain cat. Or more accurately, her actions. Chloe knew she was a horrible person, and at one point she’d taken a certain amount of pride in it.

Indeed, her mother had served as possibly the best example that people didn’t need to like you to follow your commands. Fear commanded just about the same level of respect as well. And yet despite being an utter terror to everyone around her, Hēi Māo had chosen to save her. Nobody had forced her, she just did it.

That cat clearly was too good for this world, she reminded Chloe of Angelique in that regard. So maybe that was it. Maybe that was the -ha- catalyst for it all. Her wake-up call that making people fear you only got you so far in life.

Because sure enough, Hēi Māo was the city’s darling. Oh sure, Fortuna had his fans but everybody simply loved Hēi Māo. Maybe it was because of the whole catgirl thing. The internet worshipped the ground nekos walked on. And now here was a real-life one.

But no, that wasn’t it, was it? No no no, Chloe knew better. Hēi Māo commanded a certain charisma. People were naturally drawn to her. Honestly, it somehow reminded Chloe of another girl in her life. Uncannily so in fact.

At one point or the other, she’d entertained the possibility that maybe they were one in the same. But no, the day after that whenever she saw Dupain-Cheng fall face first into the classroom reality slapped her in the face.

The two were barely alike.

Annnnnnnnnnnyways, she was getting off track, wasn’t she? Where was she going with this again?

Oh right, being less of a bitch.

Maybe nobody would believe her if she said was changing into a better person. Even if she screamed it as loud as she could from the rooftops. Very well then, she had to just simply show the world.

Say that yes, this was the new Chloe Bourgeois and she was here to stay and that if you didn’t like it? Well, you could just get the hell out of her way.

This queen had no place for idiots in her kingdom. She was intent on roaring like a lioness. And what better way to prove her point than to help unmask the local supervillainess?

Angelique needed to see sense really, that there were better ways to grieve than becoming someone that she simply wasn’t. Maybe it was futile trying to reason with her right now, but Chloe knew that as the blonde’s first and best friend she had a certain responsibility thank you!

Who had come to her aid when she cried at night about missing her mom? Who had groused with her over equally terrible parents? Who had bitched with her about stupid-ass plot developments in their favorite shows?

Certainly not Sabrina!

If she was going to change, she was going to do this damn thing right! 

So yes, she was focused. Namely, focused on saving her friend before she did something stupid.

Assuming she already hadn’t. 

“...so who’s the new guy?” ‘Brina had to wonder, the two watching a man in a snappy suit dance across the rooftops with a fan in hand. A massive -the hell, wait was that a dragon?- beast swooped down and the peacock dude leaped on top of it.

Riding it like some evil overlord maybe, because the villains always had to be the stylish ones apparently.

“An idiot,” Chloe answered. “Because they’re both going to get caught eventually, and why ruin their reputations just because they’ve got whatever goal in mind? I mean, sure the suits and the dresses are nice but they’re not worth getting thrown into juvie!”

Honestly, she’d totally forgotten what the latest Liberated was ranting about. She’d tuned most of it out honestly. It was always: ‘oh the world was cruel to me so I have to accept powers from an angsty teenager’ basically.

Really, that was always what it amounted to.

Chloe didn’t have to work out who the new sidekick was. Honestly, it had to be Lahiffe. The boy was always fawning over Angelique. Basically worshipping the ground she walked on. Well, she admired his loyalty anyways. Maybe not his brains though.

“You know, maybe we should run. I’m not sure standing so close to this is such a good idea, cool as it is,” ‘Brina suggested, hearing a roar cut through the air. “Just a thought. Bit of a working theory.”

Chloe was tugging her along by the hand, probably pulling so hard she might yank her best friend’s arm out of its socket.

A good thing too, as the balcony they’d been standing on was smashed to pieces as a massive dragon slammed into it. Glass shards flew like a million flechettes and they’d barely made it out the door just in time.

They’d heard the sound of a cannon, apparently the best way to slay a dragon. 

Another roar and oh apparently not.

Chloe spared a glance out the window. Yep, it was breathing fire now, and oh holy fucking shit was that Hēi Māo spinning her staff like a helicopter to block the flames? Okay, yep, it was. Wow, she got more badass by the day.

And oh yeah, they should be running now.

They were out the door, and ‘Brina let out a scream. A part of the building was falling towards them. Chloe was moving, her body reacting on it’s own. Yep, this was how she’d die, pushing her best friend out of the way of some falling building.

And she wasn’t dead, though she was certainly flying. Fortuna had swung in just in time, carrying her in her arm. ‘Brina was watching in awe, though she was soon finding cover.

“¡Dios bueno! ¡Eres una chica loca!” the heroine said, setting her down on a rooftop. “You almost gave me a heart attack!”

“Yeah yeah, I know. I’m truly magnificent,” Chloe preened.

“No es la palabra que usaría …” Fortuna muttered to herself before swinging off.

“My hero…” Chloe thought to herself, just before she realized something.

“HEY! HOW AM I SUPPOSED TO GET DOWN FROM HERE?” she shouted to the winds. “HUH?”

 

-----

 

So after that near-death experience, you would think that Chloe wanted nothing to do with superheroes and all that baggage. Nope, you’d be wrong. Saving ‘Brina just ignited even more of a fire inside the blonde.

And the urge to smack Angelique upside the head grew by the day. Really, having Lahiffe create a dragon? Oh, good grief. That was ridiculous. It was utterly ridiculous. She could see why they slotted together so well.

Neither one of them had a brain cell between them.

Okay, so maybe getting close to a battle between supers hadn’t been particularly smart on her part either but she wanted to see Hēi Māo! Fangirlism led one to do some truly nutty things. Was that so wrong?

It was horribly unhealthy of her, she knew. But she craved acknowledgement from her idol, and maybe a little bit more. Plus, she’d never gotten the chance to properly thank the girl. Especially as her idea of a thank you involved a big fat kiss.

God, her sapphic heart was pounding so hard right about now. It was a horribly delusional fantasy, Chloe knew. But a good one!

The girl was like stardust, entirely beautiful but also entirely unreachable. It tumbled and it spiraled down and oh god she was quoting the theme to that stupid Shonen that Angelique liked.

Ewww, what was so fun about muscle men pounding the shit out of each other with idiotically named attacks?

The only thing that went into overdrive with her was the desire to see the episode end.

In any event, she’d learned her lesson. Next time, she’d just wait until after the battle was over.

“Chloe Bourgeois,” came a voice from behind her.

“That’s my name, don’t start wearing it out. So what do I need to sign? Do you have a pen on you?” Chloe asked, beginning to turn. “...let me guess, this is for your granddaughter? Girls love me, they want to be like me but of course they never can be me.”

“Hardly. Nobody can be exactly like you,” the old Chinese man complimented. Well, Chloe thought it was a compliment anyways. She hoped it was. “That’s why you’re so perfect.”

“Yes, I am, aren’t I?” Chloe preened before her eyes narrowed. “But your point?”

“You want to save your friend, and yet you lack the power to do so,” said the man. “I think that can be amended, yes? Take this, it may serve you well on your journey.”

He was holding out a black box. 

“Alright, so what? Is it superpowers for a day? Is it a vial I have to drink?” Chloe guessed. “...this isn’t a prank is it? I know I’m a bitch but I don’t think I’ve warranted that yet.”

“I wouldn’t say it’s superpowers for a day. You need to think more… Long-term really,” the elderly man said, opening up the box. Inside, an utterly beautiful panjas bracelet. It seemed to call out to her. “Chloe Bourgeois, this is the Miraculous of the Tiger which grants the power of Influence. Use it well, use it wisely and the city shall thank you.”

“...wait, are you the mentor figure? The Master Roshi? The Splinter?” Chloe guessed. “...alright, I’ll bite. So what exactly have I done to earn this? I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but I’m not exactly a girl of upstanding character.”

“And yet you try so hard to prove others wrong. Roarr will serve you well I think. Have a very good day.”

With that, he vanished into the shadows. Chloe chased after him, but only found herself talking to a little tiger fairy thing.

“Cuuuuuuutttte,” she found herself saying, before she could stop herself. “Tiger tiger, burning bright in the night. Is that what he wants me to be?”

“No no, he wants you to save your friend. He knows you’re one of the only people able to do it. I don’t know if you’ve noticed,” Roarr said. “But Fortuna and Hēi Māo, they’re struggling. We don’t know where they found Nooroo and Duusu, but Grayling and Roi Bleu? They have to be stopped.”

“Trust me, nobody wants to smack Angelique upside the head more than me right about now,” Chloe said irritably before pausing. “But wait, if you know who she is… why can’t you step in? Why do we have to do it?”

“Ancient non-interference clause for Guardians. They can only do so much in the battles between Miraculous users. It is what it is,” Roarr shrugged. “No changing it.”

“Well that’s utterly bullshit, especially when they’re tearing apart the city in their little war,” Chloe grumbled, only half listening to Roarr explaining how her powers worked. Blah blah blah it basically went to her. “I suppose this is really some secret character development thing, to see how much I’ve changed as a person. Well, even if some weird old man is the only one to believe in me, I won’t let him down!”

Roarr was smiling, nodding in approval.

“Now Paris, time to see a real queen of the jungle. It shall witness the birth of the Golden Lioness!” Chloe crowed as she put on the bracelet. The transformation phrase came to her almost instantly, the blonde storing it away in her mind.

“I'm a tiger.”

Chloe waved the little fairy off.

“You are what I say you are. Now shut up and transform me. I have to go kick my best friend's ass. Angelique wants to play the villain? Well I'm not just playing hero, I will be her hero. Roaar, stripes on!"

And her power surged.

Notes:

Okay yeah, so Chloe as the 'Golden Lioness' -thanks Del!- was really a last-minute addition. I wasn't even sure if I was going to include it, if Crocoduel hadn't aired and *finally* showed off the Tiger's powers, I would have probably given Chloe another Miraculous.

What could have been eh?

Chapter 11: Somebody To Love

Notes:

Okay, so early posting today, but my update schedule got all messed up and honestly, I'm going to be very busy tomorrow so I figured I should get this one up and uploaded so it's one less thing to stress over.

Chloe would admit there was a certain sensation, a certain thrill that came over her as she leaped across rooftops and tested her powers.

But it was balanced out by the fear she bore for her best friend. What if she got captured, and her powers stripped from her? Okay, yeah, being Grayling was completely unhealthy but she’d still have to bear the shame.

Everyone in Paris would know their Golden Girl wasn’t quite so perfect anymore. That she’d been the one terrorizing the city for the past few months.

To say nothing of Lahiffe’s family.

Neither of their families deserved that kind of scorn. Oh god, was this what it felt like to be L? Slowly uncovering the truth bit by bit and forced to tell the Yagamis that their son was, in fact, a killer?

Okay, yeah no, Chloe liked to think she had more of a heart than L ever did. That being said, maybe lacking a heart would have been for the best right now…

She knew what people accused her of being. Completely cruel, not caring for anyone except for herself. A complete and utter spoiled brat.

All of which were completely untrue of course. The reason she was doing this was because she cared for her best friend. She wanted to give Angelique a good smack to the head, make her return to her senses.

Because no matter what she did, karma always found a way home to roost. Better it be her stopping Grayling quietly before the public knew and poor Dupain-Cheng’s heart was broken.

Oh, she was going to hate doing this. Why did being nice always have to be so haaaaaaard?

 

-----

 

Angelique is excited. Like right now she feels as if she’s on Cloud Nine, and she was utterly ecstatic. For once, maybe she was looking forwards to modeling.

And it was all thanks to Marinette.

She’d be wearing clothes designed all by her instead of her father’s usual branded attire. In a rare moment of mercy, he had decided to highlight young and upcoming designers.

Apparently, Angelique remembered that her father remembered Marinette’s name from when she’d designed that derby hat.

“Just stay still, you’re basically bouncing in place,” her friend lectured while styling her hair into a braid. “I can’t get anything done like this.”

“Sorry, I’m just excited, y’know?” Angelique admitted, rubbing an arm subconsciously. “Like for the first time in… oh, for the first time in a long time I’m actually looking forwards to modeling.”

“Well, I should hope so!” Marinette teased. “I’ve put a lot of work into these designs, I’d hate for you to back out now at the very last minute! I’d be sooooooo disappointed.”

Indeed, her best friend had been working night and day it seemed like to perfect her first real line-up.

“You sure you’re not nervous, Mari?” Angelique reflexively asked. 

“Well, no…” Marinette responded, almost too quickly. “Well, okay, maybe a little. This is NOTHING like Jagged Stone commissioning me for a pair of shades. This… this is debuting my first line up to the world and aaaaaagh I’m not sure if I’m ready…”

“Hey,” here Angelique turned back to look at her, placing her hands firmly on Marinette’s shoulders and looking her dead in the eye. Green met baby blue. “You’ve got this okay?”

“Y-Yeah,” Marinette mumbled, flushing a little. “Er, right, yeah, sorry. I just freaked out for a moment there. Like this is all so much. Your father asking me to do a whole line up for you and someone else to model.”

She fiddled with her fingers, before sucking in a breath and going back to styling Angelique’s hair. She was still talking all the while.

“I mean, I know it’s nothing as I’ve designed clothes before but this is the first time I’ve had to really work at it. That’s n-not to imply I don’t work at it all the time, I put my all into each piece but-” Marinette babbled before quickly realizing she was beginning to spiral. “Right, sorry, I’m supposed to be incredibly calm about all of this.”

Angelique thinks about the fashion designs Marinette had created, intentional throwbacks to centuries before. Using the materials she had on hand, some provided by her father, she’d created some elegantly crafted Victorian-style era outfits.

“All the same, I’m incredibly excited. Like I just about DIED realizing what was happening,” Marinette said. “I know I haven’t ‘made it’ exactly but I’ve clearly got my foot in the door.”

Here, she got up and walked to her closet before pulling out a truly beautiful dress that had Angelique swallowing nervously. It wasn’t that it was overwhelming exactly, she just didn’t feel feminine enough to be able to pull it off.

Marinette noticed the expression on her face, and sat the dress down before sitting down next to her.

“Oh, okay what’s wrong? You were smiling just a minute ago,” she said quizzically, before watching her eyes drift to the dress. The Eurasian girl let out a small ‘oh’ of realization.

“Yeah…” Angelique admitted. “I don’t feel like I’m ‘ready’ yet for that dress, y’know? I still feel, oh I still feel like I’m not a real girl yet.”

“Well I disagree,” Marinette said, totally refuting her. Hands on hips, she looked her friend directly in the eye. “Like, if anything, this dress will totally emphasize your femininity.”

“You think so?” Angelique asks, perking up.

“Oh yes, totally. Like I designed it with you in mind, as you girl are the star of all this,” Marinette said, nodding firmly. “Like the Princess has descended from her castle and is gracing us with her presence.”

How extravagant. So she was considered a Princess now?

“P-Princess?” she whispers to herself.

“I mean, I’m probably underselling it,” Marinette says, chipperly. “You are a true queen at times.

“Oh, okay now you’re just laying on the compliments…”

“Because you deserve them!” Marinette says. “I don’t know why you think otherwise and that’s bullshit by the way because you are as much of a girl as I am.”

Okay, now she feels a bit teary actually.

“If you say so…”

“If-If I say so? I am saying so, Angelique. So you don’t entirely look like one yet, who cares. What matters is what you feel right here,” Marinette said, poking her in the chest. “In your heart and in your mind you know that you are a GIRL therefore you are one. And now the whole world will know.”

With that, she all but tosses the dress at her.

“Now go, put this on!” the petite girl barks at her, like a drill sergeant. “Move it, march!”

Angelique hurriedly obeys her, suddenly wondering if this was what having a girlfriend was like. She pauses, even as she changes her clothes and drops her pants. Where did that thought come from?

Okay, maybe she was being silly. Marinette was just a friend, nothing more. A very supportive friend who happened to be with her every step of the way and okay was she making excuses now?

She pulls up her dress, feeling the ruffles and lace underneath her fingers. Marinette had a way of somehow making her feel very poor right now. Like this was classy.

She, okay yeah Angelique realizes that yes she feels like a queen right now. Just like Marinette said she was.

“So?” Angelique asks nervously as she walks out, still using a hand to grasp part of her dress. Just to continue feeling the soft material underneath her fingers. “What do you think?”

Marinette gasps. “Oh… Oh, now this is just perfect. See, what’d I tell you? You walk the walk, and you start talking the talk. You are looking more and more like a girl each passing day, the dress just brings out the beauty I knew was there.”

Damn it, she tells herself. She isn’t supposed to be crying right now. She’d barely started her transitioning and yet here was someone telling her that she was positively perfect in every way.

“Honestly,” Marinette said, looking her up and down. “I think if Chloe saw you, she’d be pretty jealous.”

Oh yeah, Chloe. They’d made up, but she still felt a bit distant from her somehow. Like there was something Chlo’ wasn’t telling her. 

A part of Angelique feels concerned, but she also knows that Chlo’s business is her own. If she needs help, she will ask for it.

“Like you are making a statement!” Marinette went on.

“Y-You think so?” Angelique stammers out.

“Oh.. oh yes, like,” here she made a chef’s kiss motion. “This is perfect! You look like just how I was hoping you’d look. Come on, turn for me.”

The Eurasian observes with an approving smile as Angelique did a complete 360 turn before frowning a little. Marinette walked up, and adjusts her dress a little before going to her desk and grabbing a fake rose. She with a little giggle fixed in the blonde’s hair before stepping back and observing her work.

“Perfect,” she repeats, like a goddess satisfied with what she has created. “Absolutely perfect.”

It wasn’t long before they weren’t alone anymore.

“Oh, okay, uh wow,” Marc said as she walked in, studying the dress and walking all around it. “This is what you’re going to be modeling? Or, well, one of the dresses you’ll be modeling anyway?”

The girl feels the fabric with her fingers. 

“It’s something isn’t it?” Angelique said, playing with the hem of her skirt. Her skirt, something she was still getting used to. “Like your cousin did good work.”

“She always does,” Marc compliments, studying the dress and obviously trying to imagine herself in it. “Like wow…”

She gets behind it in such a way so that if you didn’t know better, you’d assume she was wearing the dress.

Angelique would admit to being surprised by Marc jumping at the chance to model, she’d always assumed that the girl was too shy to even think about it.

While she had modeled for Marinette in the past, this was something different. This was a high-production photo shoot that would make it into all of the magazines. Audrey Bourgeois herself would probably be commenting on it.

“I know what you’re thinking,” Marc said. “That I’m not the type of person who you’d expect to model something.”

“Well, I-”

“I know you were thinking it,” the Latina said. “I admit, a part of me wants to back out now. But, well nothing in life worth doing is easy. And besides, my cousin needs me. She’s mi familia and mama always says that you never let them down.”

Mi famila. Those words strike a chord with Angelique.

She knows her father is getting better, but sometimes she still feels as if he let her down.

God, how messed up was that?

Nooroo nuzzles her comfortingly from inside her pants pocket, obviously sensing her distress.

“Anyways,” Marc went on. “I’m kinda curious as to what my cousin has for me, like she’s been very mum on that. She said she wanted to surprise me, well she’s certainly been keeping me in suspense.”

“Marc, oooooh you made it and just in time!” Marinette suddenly shouts, practically dragging the Latina off by her sleeve. “Trust me on this, you will be stunned and amazed at what I have for you.”

Angelique wonders if some pictures, before they hit official publications, will somehow find their way to Nathaniel. She knows that Marc is nursing a crush on the shy Jewish boy.

Everyone in their year could see it.

Well, if Marinette’s designs for Marc were anything like she’d just worn, well the redhead was probably going to turn even redder.

Poor boy, Angelique thinks. He probably won’t know what hit him.

“Marinette’s a nice girl,” Nooroo says, once Marc and her are out of earshot. The little fairy flutters about. “Honestly, I can see you spending the rest of your life with her.”

Angelique’s face lit up, and she whispers. “I… we’re only 14, ‘Roo.”

“At the moment, yes,” Nooroo does note and damnit if she didn’t have enough problems. Her own damn kwami was suddenly playing shipper on deck for her and Marinette. “But you’re already starting to realize it. I felt that rush of emotions from before.”

“Yeah, that was just a… it was just a stupid thought. Besides, I’ve got way too much baggage for her,” Angelique mutters. “She’s my best friend and I-”

“Don’t want to burden her? Well, that seems pretty stupid if you ask me,” Nooroo comments. “She knows what your life is like, well mostly anyways. You’ve basically laid your soul bare to her. Anyone else might have turned and ran at this point. If you’re asking me, you can’t choose anyone better.”

“I’m not asking you,” Angelique said, her voice still a mutter. Nooroo ignored her.

“Look, for once in your life, stop feeling sorry for yourself,” he said firmly. “Marinette cares for you, maybe it’s not love yet but if you give it a chance… Nothing ever worth doing is achieved by cowardice. If you stay your feet, and don’t leap for a change… Well!”

Angelique wishes she could come up with a response.

Nooroo quickly hid himself before Marc and Marinette return, with his holder looking completely lost.

“You okay?”

“Yeah, just, well I got lost in thought for a moment there,” Angelique admits. “It’s been that kind of day and-”

She briefly loses her breath and no she wasn’t blushing at Marc. The girl looked utterly stunning and yep yep poor Nathaniel was going to be in for a very ‘rough’ time seeing this.

Now, Angelique had thought she’d pulled off a dress fairly well but wow Marc made her feel a bit inferior. Now, to be fair, they’d always had a fairly ‘pretty’ appearance. Seeing them dressed up like this only emphasized this.

“Hey, don’t worry, once you’ve transitioned more,” Marinette said with a wink apparently reading her mind. “You’ll blow everyone away.”

Damn, maybe Nooroo had a point.

Angelique tries not to think about that, nor does she try to think about how her kwami apparently seemed to be very smug right now.

Great.

“Ooooooh, okay, get dressed. I want to see you two side by side,” Marinette said. “I want to see my girls looking like they’re ready to challenge the world. Break down doors.”

If Angelique felt like she was able to do that, well that was her business wasn’t it?

 

-----

 

“And… Okay, look at the camera,” Vincent urges, with Marinette off to the side and sending encouraging smiles at the two girls. “Ooooh, yes, Miss Marinette has done her work well! She is going places, you understand?”

Angelique realizes she loves hearing Marinette be complimented.

“She has a passion for fashion!” Vincent exclaims over the snap of a shutter.

The two girls were sitting on the side of a fountain, Marc dressed in darker hues and fanning herself with her face mostly obscured. In the picture, she would look mysterious yet approachable.

Marinette was now sending Angelique two thumbs up.

“Keep smiling like that, Angelique!” Vincent shouts, having taken to her coming out in stride. In fact, she swears the man had known right from the start. “You look like a star! Keep on shining like one!”

And this time, there would be no supervillain interruptions.

They change positions, Marc now sitting in complete tranquility under the tree with Angelique herself resting against the trunk. More camera flashes.

“No no no, wait,” Vincent suddenly interrupts. “Something is missing!”

Marinette looked worried before the man snapped his fingers.

“AH! I know, the designer deserves to be seen with her creations! Go get changed, you have a spare dress for yourself, yes?” Vincent asked.

“I… Uh, I don’t think this is-” Marinette tried to protest.

“Nonsense! I’ve seen how Angelique smiles at you, you bring out the best in the Sunshine! Go!” Vincent demanded. “There are three models here, and I refuse to leave one out. I have an eye for these things, you know.”

Marinette tried to protest but eventually she gave up.

Soon, she returns in what has to be the most stunning pink ensemble that Angelique has ever seen on her. It’s a tribute to her heritage, obviously, and it suited her well.

“Oh yes, now this is ART! See, I told you I had an eye for these things,” Vincent said. “The world deserves to see such a pretty face, and get to know the designer behind these incredible creations!”

Marinette was blushing. Yes, Angelique decides that she really likes to hear Marinette get complimented.

“I… okay, but this is still very unusual…” the girl said but not arguing the matter any further.

“Congrats, you’re a model now cuz,” Marc said. 

“I…. I guess, it’s just I always figured I’d be behind the camera. Not on the set itself…”

But shooting goes smoothly, and indeed Angelique feels a lot more comfortable with her best friend beside her.

She didn’t have to fake the smiles anymore, she honestly felt that for a moment everything was right with the world.

Maybe it was, she thinks as she laid a hand atop Marinette’s own and grasped it gently.

Here, in this moment, Angelique feels at peace. Nothing seems to concern or bother her and for a moment she forgets she’s waging a war on the city and chasing after two pieces of jewelry.

Maybe that’s how it should have been all along, she realizes. Her breath hitches as she realizes that maybe she didn’t have to be the villain. That right now, she has all she ever wanted.

And then she thinks of her mother’s smiling face and her father laughing in a memory of a better time. And then the rage and the heartbreak returns, and her grip tightens around her brooch.

No, not yet. She couldn’t give up her power just yet. There was still so much to do. She still had to get her mom back. No matter what it cost.

Chapter 12: I'm Going Slightly Mad

“SPACE IS NOT A DUMP!” the shouts rose up from the streets, marking the morning chorus. “SPACE IS NOT A DUMP!”

Hēi Māo found herself overlooking the gathering crowd, her ‘tail’ swishing back and forth in agitation knowing that right now it was the calm before the storm. Any moment now, a seemingly innocent little butterfly could fly into the crowd and touch someone’s soul.

She hated this, she hated having to be on guard for every little event in the city. Worrying over how emotions could boil over and create someone supposedly liberated from their frustrations.

“Damn it, I understand the mayor wants to clean up this city after Trashmaster but I’m not sure this is the way to do it,” the heroine said to herself. “Honestly, if it weren’t so dangerous I might be down there myself. Probably even leading the protests.”

“You’re a true paragon of justice, partner,” Fortuna said, the boy giving a small smile. Now she had her suspicions of course, but Hēi Māo would never dare voice them. It was better that way. “Hey wait, is that… I think it is!”

“Holy shit, you’re right. That’s Professor D'Argencourt!” Hēi Māo gasped as she watched the man march up the steps of the Hôtel de Ville while raising his fencing saber high above his head.

“Absolutely shameful! No king would dare ruin outer space for future generations!” her fencing teacher shouted through a megaphone. “Is this the example you want to set for the rest of Paris? Space is not a dump! Your subjects have the right idea, recall your satellites Mister Bourgeois!”

“Well, I’ll be…” Fortuna said. “Never knew he took such an interest in the environment.”

“I think it’s more likely he just wants to make his rival look back,” Hēi Māo said. “Remember, Mayor Bourgeois, cheated him out of the mayor’s chair. A D'Argencourt used to rule Paris, remember?”

“Yeah, as a tyrant. Let’s just hope that Grayling isn’t intent on making history repeat!” Fortuna remarked before his eyes widened. “Look out, butterfly!”

The Latino boy tried to swing and pull Mr. D'Argencourt out of the way, but it was too late. The crowd began to scatter as they realized what was happening.

“And… here we go!” Hēi Māo said with a sigh, as a literal white knight burst free from the cocoon with a familiar blue feather floating onto the Liberated’s saber.

“Very well then, if the current Mayor has failed to provide for Paris, I’ll have to just tear down his castle in a coup d'etat. Start again anew,” White Knight called, standing atop a rhino with cannons on either side of its saddle. “Have no fear Paris, your savior is here! Rhino Rampage, blow down his doors so I may depose this imbecile!”

“Now that hardly seems chivalrous,” Hēi Māo deadpanned as she leaped a parapet while looking down at the scene. “Aren’t knights supposed to be loyal to their kings?”

“Only if their kings prove themselves worthy of our loyalty!” White Knight shouted. “Mayor Bourgeois has been nothing but a failure. Relying on teenagers to catch a threat to his kingdom! Well, I won’t be so incompetent. Your Miraculous, please. I will uphold rule of law and use all of my power to defend Paris and her interests. You two knaves are but simple vigilantes!”

“Right, I’m not even going to begin to process the hypocrisy in that statement,” Hēi Māo muttered to herself. She said: “And if anyone gets hurt while you’re doing that?”

“Well, there are always casualties of war,” White Knight said. “Now enough chatter, have at thee!”

His sentimonster trained his cannons at both heroes, who both leaped out of the way as cannonballs ripped through a part of the roof.

“You know, for a knight, you don’t act like it,” Fortuna said as he swung by. “Are you sure white is really your color? You know, just having it shine doesn’t mean the same of your soul.”

He was running along the wall just as another part of the city hall’s wall exploded behind him.

“You know nothing of my quest, impudent brat!” White Knight snapped before he was promptly shut up and knocked off his ‘horse’ by Hēi Māo.

“Cat got your tongue? I know I know I’m awesome,” she bragged, extending her baton and spinning it. “That’s enough of that. You’ve had your little temper tantrum, now it’s time for you to go into time out okay?”

“Oh, so you think you can deprive me of my rightful quest?” the Liberated said in a challenge. “I see you bear arms at me. Now, are you worthy of your blade? Show me. HAVE AT THEE!”

Hēi Māo was personally thankful for all of those times she actually went to Mr. D'Argencourt’s classes, because his Liberated form proved to be a truly tough opponent.

She was barely managing to hold her own, the strikes coming fast and furious with the rapier licking at the leathers of her suit. It struck with the fury of a snake, the heroine clearly on the backfoot and on the defensive.

“You disappoint me, you are supposed to be one of Paris’ defenders! Her first line of defense against the terrors of the Lady Grayling and her knights!” White Knight said, practically proclaiming his statement. “Perhaps I am doing this city a favor by taking your Miraculous. Haha!”

“And yet you use her power freely!” Hēi Māo said.

“One must never look a gift horse in the mouth, no?” White Knight said. “Rhino Rampage, get her out of my sight. I simply can’t stand looking at this amateur. Oh well, I’ll send her flowers later!”

His sentimonster let out a bellow before charging right at the terrified teen. Fortuna, off to the side, was frozen in place not sure what to do.

And then just as Hēi Māo prepared to move, the Sentimonster dissipated into thin air with the feather returning to a familiar figure.

“I’m sorry dudette, I guess some people shouldn’t have this kind of power,” Roi Bleu said, the voice sounding somewhat familiar but she simply couldn’t place it. “As much as I’d love to see Mayor Bourgeois get knocked down a peg, I’d hate for you to get turned into a bloody smear in the process.”

“Agreed,” Grayling said with a nod as she called her butterfly back. “I’m sorry Kitty Kat, if I’d known what kind of ‘hero’ I had just created…”

Saved by her archenemies, Hēi Māo thought wearily. What a day!

“That being said…” Grayling continued leaping down from a building with her loyal guardian soon to follow. “I have to request that you give your Miraculous to me, Kit-Kat. I have need of it.”

And yep, things were back to normal it seemed.

 

-----

 

Grayling knew she had to act fast, she ‘saw’ through the connection what kind of monster she’d just created.

Another reason to keep a closer eye on these things, and another mistake. First, it had been accidentally Liberating her father and now it had been letting someone rampage out of control.

Was she really cut out for this?

Every one of her major Liberated it seemed were flawed in some way.

Perhaps if you wanted to get something done right, you had to do it yourself.

Very well then.

So be it.

“Again, I apologize for cutting in on this dance but clearly that guy wouldn’t keep off your toes,” she said to her friend. She didn’t consider her an enemy, she never had. Both of them had Paris’ best interests in mind, they just went about them in different ways. 

Perhaps in another timeline, they could have been friends.

“Maybe I’m a better dance partner?” she offered. Hēi Māo didn’t look impressed.

“Mhmmm, well if you’re offering…” she practically purred. “But I’m sorry, I’m going to have to pass on giving up my Miraculous. I’m afraid I’m not ready to leave this little masquerade ball just yet. I’d hate to leave the party early.”

“Very well then, why don’t you take to the dance floor again and this time with me,” Grayling challenged. “My friend and I have been wanting to see how well your dancing skills have improved. But not here, I have a better place for us. A more private ballroom.”

“Well then, you take the lead,” Hēi Māo said with a grin. “Just don’t step on any of my toes, okay?”

And so she led her and Fortuna across the city in a merry chase.

“See, I’m all dressed up for the ball,” Roi Bleu said, slicing through the air with his fan as Fortuna weaved out of the way in a spin. “You don’t have a rhythm for this dance do you? I’ve got to get down. Find a rhythm to pick me to catch the beat of this town.”

He raised a hand up to catch a kick, and then stepped backwards as the ladybug hero spun like a drill.

“Woah, you’re a very aggressive dance partner!” the peacock-themed villain said, holding his hands up defensively. “Maybe you’re a bit too fast-paced for me. I think I should duck out of this dance, eh dude?”

Meanwhile, Grayling and Hēi Māo continued to court.

“So who’s your new friend? I never got the chance to ask last time,” the cat heroine asked as she spun into a kick which Grayling blocked with her cane. “Honestly, he looks pretty snazzy. I approve of the costume at least. He looks better than you do!”

“Ooooooh, your words wound me,” Grayling said. “You’ve got a heart of stone! And a tongue like fire.”

Honestly, she was glad she’d recalled her butterfly. Her heart pounded at the possibilities of what her White Knight could have done if she hadn’t stopped him.

Marinette could have been in that building, or in that crowd!

She could have been run down or gored!

“I need to watch more carefully next time, when I’m choosing someone to Liberate,” Grayling thought as she fought. “I’ve been getting careless, sloppy even. My last few Liberated have been straight-up failures. They’ve done more harm than good. No wonder Paris fears me.”

She had to work on fixing that.

How could she be taken seriously if everyone was afraid of her?

“I’m sorry for whatever troubles I might have caused you,” Grayling said. “I didn’t mean to put you in danger. Neither of us did.”

“And yet you’re both still terrorizing the city, so tough shit,” Hēi Māo snarled, slashing at her with her claws and ripping through some of her costume. “If you were really sorry, you wouldn’t be using your Miraculous for evil!”

“Hey, my dudette only has the city’s best interests in mind. She’s giving Paris a chance to let out their emotions, instead of keeping them all bottled up inside!” Roi Bleu said. “Ask yourself, if you were in the same position, wouldn’t you do the same?”

Indeed, Hēi Māo seemed to pause a bit in thought. “I… I don’t know.”

“Exactly,” Roi Bleu said somewhat triumphantly. 

“But what I do know is,” Hēi Māo said, recovering. “Is that you two need to be stopped, for Paris to sleep soundly again! Yes, maybe I would help Paris like you two claim to be doing, but I wouldn’t have it be living in fear of feeling.”

Both she and her partner sent the duo reeling with twin punches.

“Nice work partner!” Fortuna shouted, high-fiving her. “Looks like we have you two on the backfoot! Now whatever you two think you’re doing, you think it’s for a good cause. But my partner is right. Paris is afraid of you and your Liberated. If you two haven’t seen that, well, maybe you two need to look just a little harder.”

He flipped forwards and sent Roi Bleu reeling with kicks, as he slammed into a chimney. The ladybug hero leaped backwards, and landed on the roof in a perfect three-point landing.

“Because right now… the only ones helping this city are us!”

Grayling could hear the beeping, and could begin to see one of the ‘wings’ on her brooch beginning to fold inwards.

They had to run, she knew it.

“Well, as much as I hate to cut things short…” she said, twirling her cane above her head with swarms of butterflies rushing in front of Hēi Māo and Fortuna. “I really have other things to attend to. Sadly, given how many fans I have, I can’t just focus on you. I’d hate to disappoint. It’s rude to show up late to anything!”

With the swarms to cover their escape, the two ran for it and leaped off the building and into the safety of one of Paris’ many alleyways.

“That…” Nino panted. “That was close. Still, we held them off!”

“Barely,” Angelique was swift to correct. “And even then, if we hadn’t gotten out of there when we did… Damn. Even with you by my side, bestie, we’re stuck at a stalemate. And they’re slowly closing the gap.”

“I still can’t believe we had to call back our champion’s powers…” Nino muttered.

“That was no champion of mine,” Angelique said, her voice barely better than a growl. “I’d underestimated how much rage Professor D'Argencourt held towards the mayor.”

“It wasn’t your fault…” Nino tried to say.

“But it was! And I should have checked, I should have read his emotions better,” Angelique said, her voice a horrified whisper. “Like, if Hēi Māo died, that would have all been on me! On me! I love heroes and just the thought of being responsible for… for one of their deaths… I-I’m not sure I could take it.”

She suppressed a swear. That would have been on her if that sentimonster had gored the heroine.

“God, I…”

And there was Nino, a firm rock in the raging sea. Just when she was about to get lost in her own head, he pulled her out of it.

“But you weren’t, and nothing happened. You managed to return the power to you, and prevented Hēi Māo from being killed. You’re a hero,” Nino said, laying a supportive hand on her shoulder. “They don’t see it yet, but they will.”

“I don’t feel like a hero though,” Angelique admitted. “My Liberated champions… almost none of them have gone right. Trashmaster, he did what he was told but he nearly killed Marinette in the process. I couldn’t even control my own father and now this…”

“Yeah, that’s annoying but so what, you’re still new at this. It’s like picking up a new video game isn’t it?” Nino said with a shrug. “You can’t expect yourself to be an instant expert.”

“I need to pick it up faster then,” Angelique said as they went into a hurried walk, the blonde just having this ‘feeling’ she couldn’t place. That they were being watched. “Both Hēi Māo and Fortuna have mastered their powers.”

She clenched a fist in frustration and took a deep breath to calm herself.

“I suppose…” Nino said before taking a nervous look backwards.

“Something wrong?” Angelique asked, concerned.

“Hey, is it just me or…?” Nino said, his voice a bit of a frightened stammer. “Like I feel like there’s eyes on the back of my skull. Like I’m being watched.”

“Oh good, you’re smarter than you look Lahiffe,” came a mocking tone, and something leaped out of the shadows down into the alley below. “I was beginning to wonder when you’d notice.”

Angelique’s breath caught in her throat, she knew that voice. She dared to whisper out a nervous: “Chlo’, is that you?”

“In the flesh,” said the blonde as she strode out of the shadows, with a distinct sway in her hips. Angelique swallowed as she eyed the bright bodysuit her friend wore. “Of course, considering we’re using our codenames right now, I guess I should properly introduce myself eh Grayling? Call me the Golden Lioness.”

Angelique swore, she knew!?!

“Of course I know, you’re so obvious,” the heroine said. His childhood friend, now with a Miraculous. Angelique’s head spun. “You both are. Honestly, Lahiffe, what with you calling Grayling ‘dudette’ right and left I’m surprised nobody else has figured it out.”

“So you’re uh, here to what? Turn us in?” Nino asked, somewhat fearfully.

“Of course not. Who’d believe me if I said anything? I gotta admit, you mask well,” Golden Lioness said. “If I ran to the police station saying Angelique Agreste and her best friend were Grayling and Roi Bleu I’d be laughed out. I’d suddenly be treated as a crazy person!”

So this was it then, she was here to steal their Miraculous. Angelique braced herself for a fight, she hated having to do this but if she had to…

“Ooooh, you’re so tense. Don’t worry, I’m not here to fight. Not yet at least,” the heroine clarified. “I’m here to give you one chance. Just one. Let’s be honest, you’re being utterly ridiculous. And completely childish. Your ideals of justice? Well, they’re to be expected of a fourteen-year-old girl. They’re the ideals of a child.”

As ever, Chlo’ was utterly savage with whatever she disagreed with.

“Do Hēi Māo and Fortuna know?” Nino asked. “That you’ve come to give us this chance?”

“Oh hell no, they don’t even know I exist!” Golden Lioness laughed. “Like I said, you have one chance. Then I get nasty.”

“I’ve come too far to turn back now, Chlo,” Angelique said, unable to meet her eyes. “I’m sorry.”

“Well then…” Chlo’s eyes were a bit misty before they hardened. “Then I’m sorry. I’m sorry for everything that’s coming next, Grayling. I’m glad you made up your mind for me. I’d been conflicted about fighting you. I’m glad you settled the matter.”

And with that, she leaped off leaving Angelique to reflect on the matter. Suddenly, she just got the feeling she’d made a terrible mistake. That she, in a moment of weakness and stupidity, had made a terrible enemy for herself.

And it hurt so much.

Chapter 13: It's A Kind Of Magic

Notes:

So, yeah, as we're nearing the end, I think I'm going to pick up the pace a little update-wise. I've got another big project waiting in the wings anyways. (It's super gay, obviously!)

Marinette felt confident right now in saying everything was right in her world. Yeah, sure, Grayling and her new partner were still a… concern but aside from that?

Well, everything seemed to be blossoming for her. Indeed, her heart just beat that extra little bit thinking of Angelique. At the start of the year, she’d just seen her in need of a friend. That she was just a lonely little girl unsure of her place in the world.

A place that Marinette knew she had helped find her footing in.

She knew she was crushing hard on the blonde, that compared to the sexy as hell but still dangerous option of her archnemesis she felt safer. Marinette rightly knew that maybe it was just that, a crush that would blow over in a few weeks. That maybe her hormones would point her off in someone else’s direction.

And yet…

And yet!

Yet despite all of this, Marinette wanted to at least tell her. Follow this path and see where it led. Maybe it would lead nowhere. Maybe the relationship would blaze for a few weeks and then fizzle out and die soon afterward.

Or maybe it wouldn’t. Maybe sparks would fly.

(Marinette liked the second option personally)

So she gathered her courage and went for the phone, hoping and praying that Angelique would pick up. That she wouldn’t just get ahold of her father’s secretary.

She needed to tell the blonde, she needed to at least get all of this out and Marinette hoped that none of this would make their relationship too awkward.

Plagg had said: “So what if blondie doesn’t return your feelings? Kid’s got a lot of baggage anyways, she’s probably way too high maintenance. Better go with a safer option, try the Couffaine kid. She likes fashion, you like fashion. You’re already a perfect fit.”

Obviously, he was no help. Marinette had deprived him of his precious cheese for the rest of the day for that remark.

And yet absolutely none of her anxieties had factored into account the possibility of Angelique herself showing up on her doorstep. She was pursing her lips, looking about ready to bolt.

And finally, the blond gathered her courage stammering out: “I… I like you okay? I’ve been trying to say it for a while now, and I’ve never been able to work up the courage.”

Marinette, for her part, had been rendered practically speechless, only managing out a dumb little ‘uh?’ sound.

“I… I guess I should have said it before,” Angelique rambled, rubbing one of her arms nervously. “I really should have a-and when I saw White Knight nearly run down Hēi Māo I-I guess I got to thinking. What if that had been you? What if he’d run you down before I got a chance to-”

And Marinette did the only thing she could think of at that moment, and leaned in and kissed her.

 

-----

 

Marinette wondered if she was dreaming, because she had to be. What had happened last night simply couldn’t have been real.

And yet, here she was looking at her texts with Angelique -all of which had gone on late into the night- and every one of them seemed to point to yes the kiss had happened.

Oh…

Oh! Oh okay. So this was happening.

She felt lighter than air now, practically gliding to her closet. She felt like wearing something nice now, just because Angelique might see her in it.

“Okay, just don’t become one of those mushy couples who can’t go five minutes without kissing. Because ewwwwww I’m not sure I’d be able to stand it!” Plagg whined from somewhere nearby.

“And yet you’re already pretty disgusting yourself whenever you get your hands on Camembert,” Marinette couldn’t resist sniping at him. “I’ve seen you with it and I think I have nightmares about it now.”

“I have an obsession, so sue me!” Plagg said. “It owns my heart!”

“Yes, I’ve seen your obsession and I’m horrified. I think you’ve ruined the cheese forever for me,” Marinette said. “So good job!”

Plagg just cackled as he floated off and through a wall.

“Now what to wear…?” Marinette mumbled to herself as she dug through her closet. It had to be something nice, it had to be something her girlfriend(!) would notice her in.

Her girlfriend, Marinette could scarcely believe she was thinking that! Her girly whirly girlfriend, she thought with a giggle.

“Ooooooh,” Marinette said to herself digging out a white little blouse, covered in small polka dots. “This looks cute.”

She held it up in front of her, while also in front of a mirror and smiled to herself. Yeah, this would work!

A ping from her phone, and the girl smiled. It was from Angelique. 

“Did you sleep well Princess?”

Princess! She was calling her Princess! Oh, she could die happy now.

That was it, her life was complete. Forget fashion, forget all of that. Someone thought that she was their Princess. 

Oh, okay, yep, Plagg was right. They were going to be one of those mushy couples. Hopefully he wouldn’t be too disgusted and keep her from transforming.

Oh… oh god, Angelique didn’t know and Marinette knew she was going to have to keep secrets from her now.

Damn!

Unless… no that was stupid. Could she? Should she? Marinette knew the reason why her parents had been married so long was that they communicated and never kept secrets from one another.

So, should she bare it all? Tell Angelique that she was one of the defenders of Paris?

Did she ever have the right? Secret identities were just that, secret for a reason. While she hated thinking about the possibility, what if Grayling learned and used Angelique to get to her?

Oh dear, she’d have to think about this…

But for now, well, that was a decision for another time. 

“Yes, very well. I was thinking of you, my star!” she quickly texted back, because Angelique did light up her life like one.

And she was telling the truth. Unlike the last few nights, she had slept soundly. No anxieties, no worries on if Angelique would return her feelings.

“Don’t be late for school! I’d hate to see my girlfriend get detention for being tardy!”

Marinette let out a shriek as she looked at the clock. Oh shit! Well, it seemed some things never changed!

The school would go ballistic as soon as they realized Paris’ heartthrob was taken. Hah! 

Ooooooh, she’d seen some of the upperclassmen guys leering at Angelique, like she was a trophy to be taken.

Her inner kitty had to suppress the urge to tear them apart, the blonde was hers damnit!

Throwing a denim jacket over herself as she walked out the door, it seemed like every part of Paris sung for her. As narcissistic as it sounded, well it seemed like the birds were singing just for her in ‘La Vie En Rose’ like she was in a Disney movie.

Totally unrealistic of course, and so utterly self-centered to even think that, but right now Marinette felt like she was on cloud nine.

A feeling that only increased as school let out and she found herself hand-in-hand with Angelique.

The two shared quick, chaste kisses in the afternoon sun, apparently unable to let the other go.

Pulling away, Marinette gently bumped her forehead against Angelique’s own.

“Did you see Alya’s face this morning?” the girl giggled. “I think she freaked when you walked in and kissed me on the cheek. I think she blue-screened.”

Angelique chuckled. “You know once she recovers she’ll be all up in our faces, demanding to know what the hell happened and how she missed a story like this.”

“Well, I guess she isn’t as good at reading people as she thinks she is,” Marinette said, sending a mental apology to her friend. “I’m still having a hard time believing this is real, y'know. I want someone to tell me I’m awake right now. I have to be dreaming right?”

“It’s real,” Angelique said, giving her a little pinch. “You’re not dreaming.”

“I know,” Marinette said, briefly meeting her lips again and nearly melting on the spot. “And that’s the best part!”

 

-----

 

“So, are you two mushy enough yet?” Plagg asked, watching his holder gaze longingly at her phone wallpaper, a picture of Angelique smiling in the sun.

“Oh hush,” Marinette said. “You just have no appreciation of romance.”

“Au contraire, Pigtails. I believe in romance, I romance my cheese! I kiss it and fondle it and hug it tightly before I devour it,” Plagg said, unashamed.

“And I’m disturbed now, thank you,” Marinette said, turning back to look at him and blinking rapidly. “Thank you, as if I didn’t have enough nightmares about you and your cheese.”

“But wait, there’s more!” Plagg grinned, knowing exactly what he was doing and loving it. “I’ve written compositions about my cheese. I have love songs for them.”

“You…” Marinette held up a finger before deciding not to argue the point. “Oh never mind.”

“I bet Angelique’s writing songs about you~! The girl apparently owns a piano, at least that’s what I’ve heard Baseball Cap say,” Plagg remarked, leaning over her shoulder. 

“Y-You think so?” Marinette asked, unable to stop the stammer.

“Oh please, the girl’s a romantic. And for the longest time, she’s been trapped in her room with little else to do,” Plagg said. “I don’t doubt she’s learned the art of poetry. Who knows, maybe she’ll send you a little song or two!”

Oooooooh, Marinette knew she would probably just about die if her girlfriend really did that. Her eyes drifted back to the photo.

Just… wow. Now Angelique always looked really radiant, and Marinette was personally ashamed of herself not for noticing sooner. But now those winning smiles would always be directed at her and her alone.

Just… wow.

She knew she was repeating herself, but it was totally worth it. Angelique. Agreste. Was. Her. Girlfriend!

How did this even happen to someone like her?

For a moment, she thought of Grayling’s teasing smile and her eyes that hinted at danger and yes her heart did flutter. But then she thought of Angelique and it skipped a beat or two.

There were two blondes in her life, but only one she would even think of calling her own.

Honestly, speaking of blondes, Marinette was actually pretty surprised Chloe hadn’t said a thing.

Then again, Chloe seemed to rarely speak to her at all nowadays. This was, at first, a nice change. But now Marinette was honestly a bit worried.

Chloe had seemed convinced that Angelique was in fact Grayling and that spending time around her was dangerous.

Was she right?

Or was it just another ploy to have Angelique all to herself?

Honestly, Marinette didn’t know what to believe.

Yeah, a part of her wanted to eye Angelique a bit closer now and a part of her knew she really should just in case but… but what if she didn’t like what she found?

Did she even want to look closer?

Honestly, Marinette wasn’t sure if she did…

Trying to put these thoughts out of her mind, she dialed Angelique’s phone number. Right now she just needed her girlfriend. Maybe they could order a pizza, and watch a movie.

Just put their troubles aside for the moment.

“Hehehehe, you’ve got it baaaaaaaad don’t you Pigtails?” Plagg said, unable to suppress a smile. “I mean, I knew this already, but you haven’t even been apart for two hours!”

Marinette just hoped he’d be able to keep his mouth shut when Angelique was over. After all, she would not have her cover blown because her kwami couldn’t shut up and stop teasing her for five minutes.

Briefly, she wondered what Angelique would look like with a Miraculous before quickly quelling those thoughts. No, that was going down into dangerous territory.

Best not to think about it.

At least, not until she was emotionally prepared to face a truth she may not even want to face.

“You alright?” her girlfriend asked.

Perceptive as ever, apparently. Or maybe she was just that open as a book.

“Eh, it’s been a long week. You… well, you’re a highlight obviously,” Marinette lied, somewhat worried about how easily she could do that with her girlfriend. “It’s just been exhausting, that’s all.”

“Hey, just relax. We’ve got pizza and a movie and honestly, you don’t have to think about any of that for a few hours,” Angelique said soothingly, popping in the disk. “Okay?”

“Okay…” Marinette mumbled, somewhat content to watch Chadwick Boseman debate morality with a guy named Killmonger.

“Heh, you think Hēi Māo feels threatened by Chadwick? Like suddenly all of her fangirls are flocking elsewhere,” Angelique teased.

“Please, Black Panther’s fictional. Hēi Māo’s real,” Marinette said, trying to keep from accidentally outing herself. “Therefore she’s better.”

“Ah, but Black Panther’s an Avenger, and Hēi Māo isn’t,” Angelique challenged, before taking a smug bite of her pizza. “So therefore…”

“Yeah, but Hēi Māo saves cities in the real world! So there!” Marinette said before quirking an eyebrow. “Are you sure you should be eating that by the way?”

“You ordered it!” Angelique pointed out.

“Yeah, but I bet your father is going to be furious~!” Marinette said, not really caring. Her girlfriend may have forgiven her father but she hadn’t.

“Ah, well, I work out. I have my ways,” Angelique said with a little secretive smile and a mischievous glint in her eyes. “I take a several-mile run every day if I can.”

“Ah, but then how come nobody sees you?” Marinette was swift to point out, the movie temporarily forgotten.

“It’s a big city! There are places nobody knows about!” Angelique said, somewhat defensively.

“Hah, yeah it is, and therefore you’re more likely to get caught,” Marinette said.

“Ah, but you’re just asking because you want to see me in workout clothes all over Facebook and all over Twitter,” Angelique said. “Me, sweating up a storm…”

“Narcissist,” Marinette said half-heartedly shoving her away with a big red blush all over her face. “You’re as bad as Chloe some days, I swear!”

“Ah, but I don’t see you disagreeing…” her girlfriend said, before smiling. “Actually, I want you to see me in workout clothes. To see how sexy I am. Like, for once, I’m starting to feel more feminine.”

“Oh…” Marinette said. “Well, trust me, no matter what your mind keeps telling you, you’re plenty pretty to me.”

“T-Thanks,” Angelique stammered out, somewhat nervously. “I know I’m a girl and my mind and now even my body is starting to catch up with that but… Body dysmorphia is such a bitch.”

“Hey, shh, you’re a girl and you’ve always been a girl. Don’t let anyone tell you differently,” Marinette said. “I will keep on praising you and telling you how beautiful you are until the end of time if I have to.”

Angelique sobbed softly.

“Hey, now none of that. A girl as pretty as you shouldn’t be crying,” Marinette said, dabbing at her eyes with a napkin. “Now now, you’ll ruin your makeup!”

“Sorry, it’s just when you tell me that I’m a girl, I can’t help it,” Angelique said. “When you tell me, I can’t help myself. You’re the best girlfriend ever…”

“Awwwwww…” Marinette said. “Trust me, once you finish transitioning? Well, I’m sure even Grayling won’t look as pretty as you!”

“Grayling? You think she looks pretty?” Angelique said, her eyes sparkling with mirth.

“Well, yeah, and it’s probably the mask right? It gives her such a mysterious vibe,” Marinette explained. “Well, okay her clothes are nice but it’s the mask that does it for me.”

“Well, y’know, I’ve heard certain cosplay shops sell outfits based on her,” Angelique said, the movie now officially forgotten and a dull humming in the background.

On the screen, cousins fought violently and a chest riddled with scars was exposed.

“I’m sure I could model one for you!” Angelique teased.

No, her heart did not skip a beat at the thought.

“I’ll… I’ll think about it,” Marinette said, a bit too hurriedly. 

“Am I flustering you Princess?” her girlfriend asked with that damnable mischievous smile back on her face.

“You wish!” Marinette lied, wrapping an arm around the blonde and snuggling in close. She’d at least want to see some of this movie tonight. “You and your ego!”

They stayed there for a while, just cuddling and enjoying each other’s company. As the moonlight filtered in through a window, nothing was wrong in their world.

Yes, this was what Marinette knew she wanted. Something to hold onto in this world, and come back to after a long battle. This was why she was fighting now, to protect not just Paris but her lovely girlfriend.

The person who’d stayed beside her every step of the way, and who held her hand when things got too difficult. Some days, Marinette just wanted to curl into a ball and cry at the thought of facing Grayling.

Then she thought of Angelique and how that smile was waiting for her. How she was cheering her on, encouraging her. 

And that gave her strength.

Honestly, she knew at some point in the movie she’d fallen asleep against her girlfriend and woke to find her gone.

Somewhat worriedly, she climbed up out of the couch cushions and wandered through the house. She could hear whispering, coming from her room. Curiously, she climbed the stairs and just put her ear against the door.

“I need to tell her soon, ‘Roo. I can’t just keep it bottled up all inside, she has a right to know!”

“Yes, I understand Mistress. It’s a lot to think about, but well there are no secrets in relationships. If anyone should know who you really are, about your double-life, it’s her.”

Marinette suppressed a gasp as it hit her. No!

She knew what she’d just stumbled across. Who Angelique had been talking to. Chloe had been right all along!

“Oh my god, my girlfriend… Angelique, she’s Grayling! I… I’ve been fighting her this whole time…”

Notes:

Dun-dun-duh! Yep, this is how I roll! *rolls around* Turn your heart to mush with a bunch of fluff and then rip it out of your chest!

Chapter 14: Hammer To Fall

Notes:

This? This right here is one of my favorite chapters I've ever written for anything Ladybug-related. Ever.

Betrayal, that was obviously the first emotion that she felt.

Hurt and possibly heartbreak as well.

She felt like such a fool. There had to have been warning signs, something that she should have paid more attention to!

Chloe! Chloe had warned her, and because she’d been blinded by her own damn hormones, Marinette thought to herself, she hadn’t stopped to really think.

No, it wasn’t that, she reasoned. Chloe had offered no proof, she’d basically barged into the courtroom offering accusations and pointing fingers.

Marinette of all people knew just how good the glamours were. Apparently really good, given what she saw Angelique as. 

Goodness knows what she saw her as whenever she was Hēi Māo, probably some supermodel or something. Probably someone like Liu Wen or Ming Xi.

Damn, well maybe she should ask Plagg to really glam her up next time she transformed, if you could look like your ideal self.

“I need to talk to her,” Marinette said, looking out the window and gripping the windowsill. “Officially.”

“Now now, you should really try and think about this,” Plagg tried to warn her. “You’re not thinking straight, you’re hurt and you’re angry. Stop before you do something stupid!”

Marinette’s fist clenched.

“You’re damn right I’m hurt and I’m angry. She should have told me,” Marinette whispered, trying to fight back the tears that threatened to fall. “I would have… I would have understood. At least, I’d like to think I would have…”

“Just stop and breathe right now kid,” Plagg said soothingly, rubbing up against her in an attempt to comfort his holder. “Angelique’s going to come in here, any minute and you can’t let on that you know. Just…”

Whatever he had to say next, he didn’t get the chance to say.

“Just what Plagg?” Marinette hissed out at him. “Try and enjoy my date? After what I’ve just learned? No, I’m sorry Plagg, I can’t.”

“For what it’s worth, I’m truly sorry kid,” Plagg said. “I wanted you to be happy.”

“It’s okay, you didn’t know. But happiness apparently isn’t in the cards for me,” Marinette said, shaking her head as a tear rolled down her face. “I’m the Black Cat now. I’m the embodiment of bad luck. It seems, a lot of bad luck at that.”

She sniffled a little, before wiping the tear away and removing all emotion from her face. She needed to keep herself calm and her head clear for what came next.

“Plagg…” she said. “Claws out.”

She felt the transformation take her, and she was Marinette no longer. As the mask slipped over her face, she’d gone from a teenage girl living in the happiest time of her life to the avatar of destruction. Hēi Māo, defender of Paris.

For better or for worse.

It was time to put an end to this. Grayling’s reign of terror would end tonight. No matter what it ended up costing her.

Out one window she leaped and then ran along rooftops racing to another nearby window on the opposite end of the building. 

“Angelique,” she said, trying to keep her voice even as she strode out of the shadows, eyes shining in the darkness. The blonde backed up, apparently stunned.

Well, she had plenty more surprises in store for her tonight.

“H-Hēi Māo,” Angelique said, sounding actually a little bit starstruck. Which was weird, considering who she really was. Indeed, there was a bit of a pink blush creeping up onto her face. “It’s… it’s actually kind of an honor.”

Hēi Māo had to stop herself from throwing her girlfriend -though for how much longer she didn’t know- up against the wall and ripping that damn brooch off her. She couldn’t believe she hadn’t seen it before.

Angelique had probably been carrying it around in her pockets every day. Oh yes, she could easily see her now, slipping away and putting it on whenever she pleased.

“Grayling,” Hēi Māo quickly corrected herself, she needed to stop referring to the girl as Angelique. It was obvious which part of her life she valued more. 

“You… you know?” Angelique stammered, staring. Hēi Māo was still partially obscured in shadow, her tail flicking about angrily. Her ears lay low to her hair, and her eyes were narrowed.

“Chloe told me,” Hēi Māo quickly lied, slightly uncomfortable with how easily she was able to think up a lie like that.

She knew she should be waiting, calling up Marc and facing Grayling together. But she had a chance right now, to end all of this. Catch Grayling by surprise and steal her Miraculous. 

This could all end tonight, she might never get a chance like this again! Maybe she was starting to sound obsessed, Hēi Māo knew. But there she was, looking the villain square in the face.

Was there any shame on Angelique’s face? No, none at all. Just surprise at all at being found out. No guilt, just surprise. She believed what she had been doing was right! 

Hēi Māo knew she had to put a stop to this.

“I’m sorry, but I can’t let you. I’m so close, I’m so close don’t you understand?” Angelique asked, no she begged desperately. She was pleading to her. “I just need your Miraculous, and Fortuna’s!”

“And I need yours, and obviously I’m not giving mine up. You lied to me!” Hēi Māo shouted, finally losing her temper. “You lied to me! I trusted you!”

She lunged and Angelique reacted. She didn’t know why exactly fury had consumed the hero of Paris. Everything happened so fast, she knew she had to defend herself.

Hēi Māo had knocked her to the floor, her brooch flying under a door and fury and heartbreak in the hero’s eyes. 

Angelique rolled, pinning the hero under her. She grabbed her in a hold, and locked herself into it. Finally, several agonizing moments later, Hēi Māo’s breathing had started to slow.

But…

“Cataclysm!”

The floor gave out from under them, and they tumbled into another room. Wood and plaster fell all around them, the remains of the hallway above. There were plenty of rentable apartments in this block, this was obviously one of them.

A part of Angelique, the part that wasn’t grabbing a vase to whack Hēi Māo across the face, wondered why the hero had found her so fast. How she’d known exactly where she was.

She’d seen the look in her eyes, that sheer unadulterated rage and humiliation. Smashing a vase across the heroine’s face, she watched as Hēi Māo went flying into a chair at the opposite end of the room.

The cold logical part of Angelique knew that it probably wasn't a coincidence that Hēi Māo had arrived so quickly to the Dupain-Cheng household. And then she saw the ring fly off the heroine’s finger.

How the chair tipped, and Marinette slammed headfirst into a wall. Blood pooled from her head as Angelique whispered out: “Oh… Oh god…”

What had she done?

She rapid-fired a text to Nino, to get here fast. She didn’t explain why. She needed help. 

“Please… Please,” Angelique whispered as she checked to make sure Marinette was still breathing. She’d done this, this was her fault.

She whispered a thankful prayer to whatever deity was listening when she saw the slow rise and fall of Marinette’s chest.

Relief, and then a bit of rage. How could Marinette do this? She knew she wanted the Black Cat!

She should have avoided all of this song and dance and just given it to her at the start!

“Why…?” Angelique whispered. “She should have known…”

“But she didn’t,” came a nasally little voice, and a black cat creature floated in front of her with tiny eyes narrowed into a glare. Obviously Marinette’s kwami.

And tiny as it was, the feeling he was giving off? Well, Angelique was taking a few nervous steps back and getting the sense that maybe she shouldn’t push her luck. That pissing him off was probably a bad idea.

“Instead of blaming your girlfriend,” Plagg said. “Maybe you should take a good long look at yourself. Marinette did nothing to you. You picked up Nooroo’s brooch, you decided to terrorize the city.”

She was poking at Angelique’s chest, and her shirt was threatening to burn itself away. It bore several scorch marks already.

“This?” Plagg said, gesturing behind him to Marinette’s unconscious form. “This is all on you, kiddo. Time to wake up and face reality.”

“I…” Angelique sighed. “Maybe you’re right?”

“Maybe? Ha! Maybe’s got nothing to do with it, blondie,” Plagg snorted. “I know I’m right. The only reason Marinette came after you as Hēi Māo for one reason and one reason alone. She loves her city, and you’ve been terrorizing it in, what?”

He shrugged.

“I can only guess a fit of childish temper, it’s not my place to guess. Or know,” Plagg said. “Marinette on the other hand… Well, she has a right to know. So instead of trading punches, why don’t you act like proper girlfriends and just sit down and talk? Who knows blondie, maybe you can salvage what’s left of your relationship eh?”

Marinette moaned in the background, and began to stir.

“Oh look at that, she’s waking up,” Plagg said. “If you want to talk to her, well talk to her. Or don’t. It’s your choice. Me, I’m going to go find my cheese.”

He floated off, up into the ceiling as Marinette tried to pick herself up off the floor and clutching her head.

“No, don’t, just… Here, let me help,” Angelique said, helping her to another nearby chair. “You need to stay still, I think you’ve got a concussion.”

Marinette chuckled darkly, thankful nobody lived in this apartment judging by how apparently nobody had come running to see what all of the commotion was about.

Her parents wouldn’t arrive anytime soon either, given they’d decided to go out on a date of their own so she and Angelique could have some privacy.

“First you try to kill me,” Marinette said. “Then you’re suddenly helping me. Can’t a girl make up her mind?”

Okay, so she was bitter. Angelique supposed maybe she deserved a bit of that. It wasn’t exactly like she’d been the best girlfriend lately.

As much as she hated to admit it, Plagg’s words had hit home. “You… I, yeah I don’t really have a defense here do I?”

“Not really, no,” Marinette said with a shake of the head. “And… for that matter, neither do I.”

“You? You were just trying to protect your city, that’s what Plagg said. That’s the only reason you’re wearing the ring, right?” Angelique inquired. “To protect the city from her. No, from me.”

“And I should have given you a chance to explain,” Marinette said, still clutching her head. “Owww, okay, yeah, respect where it’s due, you can really pack a punch. Even when you’re not transformed.”

“Yeah, my father wanted to make sure I could defend myself. He got me a bodyguard, you’d like him. He’s very kind, probably one of the few reasons I’m still sane. He knew by the way,” Angelique said, probably babbling because of how nervous she was. “That I’m Trans, not that I’m Grayling.”

“Well, respect to the bodyguard then,” Marinette said, with her girlfriend pulling up a wooden chair from near the kitchen island. Sitting down next to her, the blonde laid a supportive hand on her arm, as if to say: ‘I’m here now.’

“Did… did Plagg say anything else?” Marinette asked.

“Only that we’re both idiots,” Angelique said. “H-His words, not mine. He thinks we should have been talking, instead of fighting.”

“Yeah, he’s probably right. He usually is,” Marinette said. “Thousands of years old and yet I rarely listen to him. Damn, I really am a bit of an idiot.”

Angelique said nothing. She wasn’t sure if she was even supposed to. What was she supposed to say, that she agreed? Probably not.

“I should have given you a chance to explain,” Marinette admitted, not wanting to meet Angelique’s eyes out of shame. “I’m sure you have your reasons for being Grayling, and I doubt it’s just because you want to look hot as hell.”

“I… no, it’s not just that…” Angelique mumbled, not sure where to even begin.

“Kudos to your kwami and his glamour though,” Marinette said. “Like, it’s a really good glamour.”

“It’s…” Angelique said, looking at the floor, with her cheeks coated in red. “It’s how I want to look. Like how I really want to look.”

“Maybe someday…” Marinette said, and now she was the one with a gentle hand laying on her arm.

“Yeah… maybe someday,” Angelique said. “I… I suppose I should just come out with it, shouldn’t I? I’m doing this for my mom.”

“Your mom?” Marinette asked, pausing as she remembered old news reports of Emile Agreste’s mysterious disappearance from public life.

“Yeah, she… I just want her back,” Angelique said, her eyes watery. “I… She fell ill, and then she just didn’t get better. I just… I just want her to hold me again, for her to see me as I am today. Is that so wrong?”

And then, she realized, Marinette was hugging her.

“Hey, shh, it’s okay…” Marinette said, rubbing her back. “I’m sure she’d be proud of you and… And I don’t fault you for any of it, I don’t think anyone would. I… well, if my mom passed, and I knew there was a way to get her back, I’m not sure that I wouldn’t be doing the same things you are now.”

Angelique fought back another sob, before finally giving up and letting out a wail as the tears came. Finally, finally everything had been laid bare.

“Hey, shh…” Marinette whispered, still holding her tight. “It’s okay, I’m here.”

They stayed like that for god knew how long, just crying and taking comfort in one another.

“I… I guess I should turn myself in, right?” Angelique asked. “Face judgment? I’m… I’m a supervillain, and we all need to face justice at some point right?”

“No, not yet. I-I need to think, and I’m not sure you’ll be facing much punishment, as what am I supposed to do? Ruin a 14-year-old’s life?” Marinette asked. “Maybe, yeah maybe we can talk to the Guardian, Plagg told me about him. See what he says.”

“T-Thank…” Angelique hiccuped back another sob. “Thank you.”

Too late she realized that they were no longer alone.

A blue blur swept into the room, ripping Marinette’s ring off the ground and Angelique let out a gasp.

“Nino?” she asked, and Marinette’s head whipped around to see the peacock user standing on the other side of the room.

“Nino, give it back, now,” Angelique said. “Just toss it over here, the fight’s over.”

“I’m sorry dudette, I really am,” Nino said. “But you want your mom back right? And now we’re halfway there to getting her back! Wow, I guess I shouldn’t be surprised it was you Mari. It kinda all fits.”

“Oh great…” Marinette muttered. “Nino, please, we don’t have to do this.”

“Your mother’s just two earrings away, you wanted my help and now you’re backing down?” Nino asked. “Angie, please, just let me do this. Nobody’s going to get hurt, all I have to do is get the Ladybug earrings from Fortuna, and then this whole thing will be over.”

“It’s already over Nino,” Angelique said. “I’m giving Nooroo back to the Guardian, and you should give back Duusu as well. Have them go to people far better than us, who’ll use them wisely.”

She nervously stepped forwards, not wanting to fight but if she had to so be it.

“We can’t back out now dudette,” Nino said. “And honestly, I’ve kinda grown way too attached to my little dudette Duusu just to want to give her up.”

“Nino, please…” Angelique pleaded. “I don’t want to fight you, there’s already been way too much of that. I’ve hurt my girlfriend, and I don’t want to hurt you too!”

“Don’t worry, you won’t,” Nino said with a smile, the peacock wielder with his back to a window. “We’ve come too far to just quit now, and don’t worry, this will all be over shortly. Soon you’ll be in your mother’s arms again.”

And then Angelique realized he was holding Nooroo’s brooch as well.

“Just to make sure I get the earrings, you understand right? I don’t want to fail when we’re so close,” Nino said empathetically. “Now if you excuse me, I’ve got to see someone else. I’ve got a hot date!”

“No!” Marinette shouted, running towards him.

“Nooroo, Duusu, unify!”

And with that, he leaped out the window and into the night.

“Fuck!” Marinette swore as she watched the peacock user leap off.

“This is my fault,” Angelique said to herself. “I never should have brought him into this, he’s… well, he’s not mad with power but I don’t think he’s going to stop until he’s brought my mother back. No matter who stands in his way.”

God, she loved her best friend but this? All of this was going too far.

And yet… She knew a few minutes ago she probably would have been doing the exact same thing.

So now what?

“If… If I hadn’t called him for help, he might not have found the brooch,” Angelique said. “This all would have been over.”

“No, for all you know, Nino would have still done this,” Marinette soothed, rubbing her shoulders. “You’re his best friend, this isn’t even about power. It’s because he cares for you. It’s because he wants to see you happy.”

“And yet now he’s going to probably tear this city apart because he wants those damn earrings,” said another voice, and both Marinette and Angelique whirled around to see Chloe, suited up and ready for action.

“So,” the blonde heroine said with a chuckle and a smirk. “Are you ready to see things my way?”

Notes:

Next time, a night at the opera. Because it's not over until the fat lady sings~!

Chapter 15: Who Wants To Live Forever?

“Let me ask you this, cappie,” Plagg said, as he and the now newly re-named Shadowtail waited atop the Arc De Triomphe. “Say you achieve your goal, what then? Are you going to just give up the Miraculous? Because the power to create sentient life, ooooh, it’s pretty tempting isn’t it?”

Shadowtail, his costume simply consisting of a nice suit with purplish coattails like feathers said: “I’m only doing this to bring back my best bud’s mom, and then I’m giving all of this up. I’m not suddenly going to go mad with power if that’s what you’re thinking.”

“Oooooh, restraint. Good to know you’re thinking this through, but have you really? What about-”

Shadowtail waved his hand, and Plagg suddenly found himself without a mouth. Honestly, the peacock user wondered how Mari was able to stand any of that. She’d always been incredibly patient.

“Enough distractions, this is it right? This is the climax, the final song before curtain call,” Shadowtail said, sounding like he was mostly trying to psyche himself up. “I have to drop the bass, give the audience one hell of an encore before I wave goodbye to the crowd. Here’s hoping I get a few roses tossed my way, and close out my show to rave reviews.”

Unfurling his fan, he let a beautiful blue feather float out of it and let the winds gently guide it back towards him.

“No telling if this will work, or that I need to input some sort of cheat code but I can’t think of anything better to draw out Fortuna and take their Miraculous,” Shadowtail said as the feather landed on his cufflinks and was somehow absorbed into them. “Boo-yah! Just wait Angelique, I’ll have your mother back with you shortly!”

A massive form bubbled up behind him, and soon the screams began. Showtime.

 

-----

 

Marc looked outside her window, and her jaw dropped as she saw what could only be Gamera stomping through the city and breathing hot blue flame.

“So much for being a friend to all children huh?” she said to herself, her eyes drifting back to her phone, where a rapid-fire series of texts had explained exactly what was going on. What was at stake.

A familiar spotted box lay just out of sight, hidden away. Master Fu had recently retired as the Guardian and now it was her turn.

She needed to get a Miraculous to Marinette, the team needed to be at full strength if they were to have any chance of stopping this.

Hearing the screams start to rise up from the burning city, Marc wasted no time in grabbing a bracelet from inside the Miracle Box.

This was it, and now she needed to run.

 

“Tikki, Spots On!”

 

-----

 

This wasn’t her usual power, but would do in a pinch. She missed the familiar feel of Plagg’s energies, and her finger felt incredibly naked without his ring on it.

She couldn’t hesitate, neither of them could. One mistake, and Roi Bleu would have both the ring and the earrings.

He could make a wish, bring back Angelique’s mom. A part of Marinette, now calling herself Shell Shock for the time being, wondered if she should just let him. 

She was wondering would it really be so wrong to just let Angelique be in her mother’s arms again after so long.

No! She had to put a stop to this, all of this. The past was the past, there was no changing it. You could only look forwards to the future.

Besides, if the wish was made, there would always be a price. An equivalent exchange. Someone else would lose their mother and maybe this whole thing would start over again.

She had to break the cycle before it really began.

And so she ran, with an unlikely ally by her side. She’d never liked Chloe, but for now the power of the Tiger would be her ally.

Honestly, there was no time to be picky about who she fought alongside with. So even Chloe Bourgeois would get a chance to be a hero tonight.

They all had to be heroes. To quote a movie, now for wraith, now for ruin, and the red dawn.

Marinette leaped, using her shield to smash through a wall and run through the attic of a building. There was no time to worry about property damage, if everything worked out well the Cure would fix everything in the end.

She was sliding down another rooftop, using her shield like a sled before planting her foot to slow herself. Another foot slammed into the shield, flipping it back into her hand. Leaping to the next rooftop, she could see the massive sentimonster stomping through the city streets.

A kaiju, of course it had to be a kaiju. Because this battle wasn’t going to be hard enough.

Fortune and Golden Lioness were by her side, on the edge of the roof and unable to tear their eyes away from it in a mixture of horrified awe.

“Well, you know what they s-say right?” Golden Lioness asked, uncharacteristically nervous. “Go big or go home.”

“Apparently really big,” Shell Shock said. “...well, if you didn’t need any more confirmation it’s Nino… He’s always been a really big movie buff.”

“Let’s just be careful, from the looks of things he’s been backed into a corner. He’s gotten desperate,” Fortuna said to a nervous nod from her partner. “Hey, Mari, it’s okay, we’ve got this right? This isn’t any different than normal, really. It’s just us against another supervillain.”

“Yeah, but this time we’re fighting our friend…” Shell Shock whispered, her fists clenched. “I just want this to be over, I want to go home and finally be able to wake up and not think about another supervillain for the rest of my life.”

“Well I hate to break it to you,” said the Golden Lioness, not haughtily but brutally honest all the same. “But I doubt it’ll just end there. There’s always going to be someone, rushing to fill that void.”

“Chloe!” Fortuna hissed, noticing her partner’s sad, weary expression.

“What?” Golden Lioness said, still watching the Gamera lookalike run amok. “Just telling it how it is.”

“I know,” Shell Shock said. “I know… But for now, we only have one supervillain to worry about.”

Her expression hardened.

“Let’s get to work.”

 

-----

 

It didn’t take long for the sentimonster to notice them, eyes narrowing at the sight of the three heroines running towards them.

A massive claw came rushing down towards them, intent on splattering them into a bloody smear or throwing them to the other end of the city.

Whichever it was, honestly none of them wanted to find out. The monster roared above them, and as all three heroes leaped out of claw range, it spun.

One massive tail came speeding towards them, and all three leaped over it as a building went crashing to the ground in a cloud of dust and smoke.

Alright then, well if they weren’t going to be able to go around it… Then they would just have to go through it.

“From turtle to turtle, I gotta say, I think I’m probably the one more popular with kids,” Shell Shock snarked, even as she watched her partner rush up the beast’s arms. “On your left by the way.”

Fortuna kicked it square in the head and the kaiju lurched backwards as Fortuna flipped backwards and landed on one of the few buildings that were still standing.

“You know, I used to like turtles. I had a few growing up, because I was always allergic to cats,” Fortuna said. “I always picked out names for myself, cutesy ones like McSnurtle. You, I think I’m just going to call annoying as hell.”

“Awww, you’re allergic to cats, cuz?” Shell Shock said. “And yet all this time, you never complained once when I was around!”

“Yes, but you’re a very special breed,” Fortuna teased. “Perfect for any household!”

“I don’t think this turtle is suitable for any household though, you wouldn’t even be able to fit him through the door!” Shell Shock said. “Plus, those tusks, yeah that’d probably freak out the parents. So much for bringing him to show and tell!”

“I dunno,” Fortuna said as the monster stared them down, eyes flashing with rage. “If I had a giant mutant turtle, you know the first thing I’d do is bring it to my classroom, show it off to all my friends!”

Shell Shock chuckled to herself, yeah that sounded about right. She looked up at the monster, subconsciously flexing her ‘claws’. She felt naked without the power of destruction at her beck and call.

If she was wearing her ring, it would be so easy to defeat this amok. Leap towards it, shout out: “Cataclysm!” and watch it rot and blow away as ashes in the wind.

Instead, she was constantly playing defense. She hated it, she hated having to be on the backfoot here. And oh yeah that glowing throat didn’t look good at all did it?

Flames erupted from the kaiju’s mouth, and the heroine hoped and prayed her next move would even work at all.

“SHELL-TER!” the heroine called, a green bubble enveloping her and her partners. Shell Shock slid backwards slightly, her shield battered by the torrent of flames. Like a tidal wave, they washed over her.

Finally, the flames subsided, and Shell Shock desperately tried to ignore the beeping of her Miraculous.

“Run!” Golden Lioness shouted, grabbing her by the hand and dragging the heroine along. Racing inside a building, it was all they could do to outpace the kaiju as it dug its hand inside the walls.

They rounded a corner, the sentimonster ripping and tearing into the side of apartments trying to pull them out.

Fortuna leaped over them, kicking down a door into a stairway and all three quickly hurried down flight after flight of stairs.

Desperately trying not to think about the crashing and smashing coming from above them. The horrible ripping and the tearing.

Soon, they were out on the street, looking back up at the sentimonster who apparently hadn’t realized they were well out of sight.

“Uh, dude?” came Nino’s voice, from somewhere above them. “They’re right there. Get those earrings!”

“Aw, hell…” Golden Lioness sighed to herself, her shoulders slumping in resignation. “Lahiffe! Get your sorry ass down here so I can kick it properly! Don’t hide behind your movie monster! Right here, right now!”

“Who are you? My mother?” Shadowtail asked.

“No, but I’m about to become a lot scarier than she’ll ever be!” Golden Lioness shouted, pointing down at the ground to emphasize her point. “Remember the alleyway?  I gave you your one and only chance, and well, now here comes the pain!”

“Chloe, dudette, don’t you get it? I’m doing all of this for Angelique, we both want to see her happy right?” Shadowtail pleaded, looking down at her from atop a roof. “You’re her best friend, so you gotta back me up on this!”

“And get people caught in the crossfire while you use a wish that may not even work?” Golden Lioness asked. “No, I’m sorry, but I can’t let you do that.”

“But you remember Emilie, you have to right? Don’t you remember how happy you and Angelique were with her?” Shadowtail asked. “My dudette, she told me how your daddy used to bring you over for playdates!”

The heroine fought back the tears, the memories flooding into her mind. Emile’s warm smile, the laughter as she chased a younger Chloe around the house. She’d been far more like a mother than her own had ever been.

And then the rage came. How dare he? He was using her own memories against her, just to try and sway her to his side.

Nobody controlled Chloe Bourgeois, nobody told her what to do. NOBODY!

She snarled, letting the hunt begin. Racing up the side of a building, she leaped in front of the sentimonster’s face and let out a cry. For the past few weeks, her frustration and her rage had been building and building. Tears racing down her face, all of that bottled-up emotion finally came to a boil.

 

“CLOUT!”

 

Her fist slammed into the giant creature and it tripped and then tumbled slamming into the street as dust rose high into the night sky. Then the street gave way, and a massive sinkhole opened up with the sentimonster falling inside.

Golden Lioness stood on top of its belly, letting out a roar of victory towards the starry skies.

“And now for you,” the heroine said, her partners having only been able to watch in awe.

Her Miraculous was beeping out a warning, but the tiger heroine was too pissed off to care. If this was fiction or fantasy, some dark presence would have been the reason for Lahiffe spiraling.

Except, this wasn’t fiction or fantasy. This was reality.

Except, Lahiffe hadn’t spiraled into insanity. He honestly believed he was doing Angelique a favor by Wishing her mother back. And maybe on some level, he was right.

But Chloe knew there was going to be a price for this Wish. And so she couldn’t let him make it.

She leaped up to face him, with Fortuna and Shell Shock right behind her.

“There’s three of us and only one of you,” Shell Shock said, her eyes kind compared to the Golden Lioness’s own harsh ones. “Please Nino, or whatever you’re calling yourself right now, give up. Just take off the peacock and the moth brooches, please.”

Her Miraculous was continuing to beep, just three minutes left in her transformation.

“I don’t pretend to know what Angelique wants, but I doubt it’s us beating up her best friend. So… please,” Shell Shock whispered, no she pleaded. “Let’s just end this. Break the cycle. I don’t want to fight any more of my friends tonight.”

“That’s just it though,” Shadowtail said. “You have the earrings, I’m so close, I’m so close!”

He attacked with a wide slash that all three ducked under, cleaving off part of a water tower and the wave threatened to wash all three heroes away. Indeed, Golden Lioness smacked into a chimney. The water ripped through the brick, and Shell Shock saw her rival tumble down into an alleyway below.

“Please dudette,” Shadowtail said, another slash blocked by Shell Shock’s shield. “Just give them to me!”

“You want them?” Fortuna asked, leaping out from behind her partner. “Come and get them!”

She was spinning her yo-yo like a frail and it was all Shadowtail could do to keep just out of range.

The yo-yo shot towards him, intent on smacking him into the forehead and knocking him out with one clean shot. Shadowtail sidestepped before he ducked under Shell Shock’s shield, thrown like a discus.

The shield bounced off a chimney on another roof, before flying back to its owner. She ducked under the shield, and it bounced off another chimney and then the remains of the water tower.

Shadowtail slid under it and his fist collided with Shell Shock’s face, as he whispered an apology.

“Sorry dudette, really not wanting to hurt you.”

He heard the hum of the shield flying back to him and leaped over it as it returned to Shell Shock’s hands.

She let out a cry, charging at him like an American pro linebacker.

Shadowtail sidestepped, and his foot shot out to trip her. The heroine slammed face-first into the roof and now there was one.

“Lucky Charm!” Fortuna shouted, and to her surprise…

“A photo?” she blinked, seeing a picture of happier times between Nino and Angelique. “What am I supposed to do with this? Start a photo album?”

But Shadowtail had seen it too, and shakily took it from her hands. He remembered this photo, taken early on during his best friend’s transition. It had been taken just after she’d started styling her hair, changing her publicly used pronouns.

She looked like nothing else in the world could shake her, like everything was going to be okay.

To his surprise, Shadowtail hadn’t even noticed the tears falling. “This… she wasn’t even thinking about her mother when she’d had this taken. She was just happy to have supportive friends and family.”

And then both moth and peacock were ripped away from him, and he felt his transformation fall.

“Exactly, that’s all I wanted. I don’t know when I’d forgotten,” Angelique said, stepping out of the shadows. “But right then, right there? I was so happy. My dad supported me, you supported me.”

“Y-Yeah, we did…” Nino said to himself. “I just wanted… I just wanted to help y’know?”

He looked out over the city, his city. Smoke rose from ruined buildings, and sirens wailed.

Was it worth it? If his beloved city got destroyed in the process, was it worth any of this? His friends had been battered, by his own hand no less!

If Emilie ever came back, learned of what had transpired just to bring about her return, she’d hate it. Because one life for Paris was hardly a fair trade was it? 

“Fuck…” Nino said to himself. “I’ve… we’ve been going about this all wrong haven’t we?”

“Yeah…” Angelique admitted. “Marinette… she said that I might be the only person you’d listen to, or even able to get close to you. That’s why I came.”

“Well, Marinette’s usually right. That’s why she’s our Class Prez!” Nino said. “And, well, she’s right again. We’ve been beating up on each other, all just because of some damn jewelry. I want to stop, I want it all to just stop. I want our class to go back to the way it used to be.”

He was faintly aware of Angelique hugging him. “Me too bud, me too. This whole thing, it’s tearing our friendships apart. Nothing’s worth that, not even my mom.”

And Marc and Marinette were hugging them as well. 

“Yeah…”

 

And there came a familiar cry.

 

“MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!”

 

The battle was finally over and as a warm cleansing repairing light washed over it, Paris could sleep soundly now.

Notes:

So yeah... a sentimonster version of Gamera. Nino's a movie buff, of course he would. Admittedly I'm somewhat worried about this falling into the Scary Black Man stereotype, but then again Nino's not really a traditional supervillain here is he?

He just wants to help his best bud, bring back her mother. Indeed, when faced with the fact he's hurting his friends, he gives up. Honestly, that's what I've liked about writing this story. Nobody's been traditionally evil, nobody important anyways. They've been desperate, stupid even, but never evil.

They just want something, their mother or to be understood or to be seen as a real girl. I love morally complex characters like that.

Tomorrow... the finale, and thanks for all of you who've stuck with me on this story. Stuck with me this far. I love y'all.

Chapter 16: Any Way The Wind Blows~

Notes:

Okay, first off, thanks again for sticking with me to the end. I love y'all, like seriously y'all are the best readers and author could ask for.

Secondly, I've got a playlist for this story. Check it out, will you?

4 years, that’s how long it had been.

Hēi Māo sighed to herself as she dropped down from a vent in the ceiling, using the shadows as her ally and the choking darkness as her cover.

She swung to an outstretched pipe in the ceiling, and leaped to the top of some metal shelves, barely making a sound. Cats were never heard unless they wanted to be, and they always landed on their feet after all.

It’d been 4 years since Angelique left Paris, on a ‘vacation’ to the countryside to visit her grandmother. At least, that was the official story.

Hēi Māo silently crawled along the top of the bookshelf and overlooked her prey, her tail flicking dangerously back and forth.

The warehouse was mostly dark, except for a single swinging light illuminating a clandestine meeting below. Gunrunners, already cashing out for the goods.

Since the strange, quiet disappearance of Grayling, other villains had risen to fill the void. Darker, more dangerous ones.

The curtain had been cast aside, the veil been pulled away and the existence of magic exposed to the world. Nobody could deny it anymore. The masquerade had been dropped.

Of course, most of these villains never lasted too long. The partnership of Hēi Māo and Fortuna endured, and grew stronger than steel. They’d started out a bit clumsily, but they’d since been forged in fire.

But regular crime still skulked in the shadows, hidden away from the bright lights of the city. Criminals hid in the dark, which was unfortunate for them given that’s where she did her best work.

She prowled, watching the proceedings below and still finding her mind wandering. A part of her wondered what it’d be like to have a little white butterfly watching her back.

It had taken a few weeks to get used to the idea of never worrying about another Liberated ever again.

Slowly but surely, the reality had settled in though. The Moth and the Peacock were lying in the Miracle Box, resting and recharging their powers.

Her ears twitched, watching a particularly illegal shotgun modified beyond reason be brought in, and shown off. Excited whispers came from below.

She needed to make her move and soon. Anyways, Angelique. She’d been sent off to her grandmother just to be out of sight, out of mind. Kept out of trouble.

Her father hadn’t been particularly pleased, obviously, and so off his daughter went to the countryside. Apparently, the grandmother was a particularly strict practicing Catholic.

It wasn’t ideal, but the punishment wasn’t up to her. Ideas had been floated around of course, of Angelique having to pay back to the city, compensate it for her ‘reign of terror’. But that would mean her identity would have been exposed.

And neither Marinette nor Marc had felt particularly right about ruining a fourteen-year-old’s life like that.

Her claws flexed anxiously, she needed to make her move and it needed to be right now! Enough thinking about past loves, it was time to get to work.

A gunshot went off as soon as she landed in the middle of the meeting, and Hēi Māo felt the shots hit her like a truck. But they utterly failed to do much other than make her stagger a little bit.

She really had to love magic sometimes, okay she loved it all the time. While she wasn’t quite bullet-proof, she was really close to the next best thing.

“Hello boys and I’m sorry to drop in like this but I had a question really,” Hēi Māo said, looking like a cat ready to pounce upon a mouse. “Is this a guys night type of thing, or can anyone join?”

Guns were raised in her direction and she vanished back into shadow.

“Did you see her?”

“Where’d she go?”

“Get a light on her, shit get a light on her!”

Then one of the men was dragged off into the dark, screaming.

One of the flashlights caught the shadow of movement, and shot up to the rafters where the Avatar of Destruction was on the prowl.

She, with a yowl, leaped down back into the chaos with claws extended and eyes flashing.

Angling herself so she’d kick one of the thugs in the stomach, Hēi Māo watched him tumble away and picked his fallen rifle up off the ground. Raising her knee, she snapped it in half in one single swift maneuver.

At eighteen, Hēi Māo was at the top of her game and by day she was a fashion designer in training and by night she was the terror of criminal scum everywhere.

She was conquering both arenas and yet a part of her still felt incredibly empty. As much as she hated admitting it, a large part of her still carried a huge torch for Angelique Agreste.

She knew she should give up on her, the likelihood of her teenage crush ever returning was incredibly low by this point. Except that was just it wasn’t it? It hadn’t been just a simple crush had it?

Her heart still ached remembering her. Some might have said she was too young to understand what love was. That she’d just been a hormonal teenager.

Then if that was the case, why did she still cry whenever she thought of loves lost?

She’d watched all of her other dreams come true, and yet none of them had involved Angelique.

Maybe someday.

Morning came, the yellow sun rising over Paris and she trodded down into the front room of her parents' bakery. As it did every morning, yummy and refreshing smells of pastries greeted her.

But there was a new smell amongst it, vanilla perfume. Her eyes widened, she recognized that brand.

Her eyes drifted to the front door, she dared not to hope. It couldn’t have been. And yet it was, and she rushed into Angelique’s arms kissing her passionately.

She looked impossibly beautiful, with long luxurious blond locks, her arms traveling down to feel the girl’s waist. It had been altered, changed into something she would love to wrap her arms around and hold tight.

The kiss continued, lingering on Marinette’s lips long after she’d drifted away. 

“Marry me?” Angelique asked, and another one of the heroine’s dreams came true.

“Y-Yes,” Marinette whispered through happy tears. “Yes!”

 

fin

Notes:

All's well that ends well right? I'd like to imagine from here on in that these two have a happy life together. Not without troubles, of course, but mostly happy in all the ways that matter. Three kids, and a hamster as well.

Also, this piece of art was basically used as what I imagined Angelique to look like at the end. But yeah, this story's been a ride, a commitment to write and honestly? It's been the fun kind. And really, isn't that what it's supposed to be? Fun? (Along with super gay of course.)