Marinette awoke to the sound of her phone ringing. The alarm. Oh great. And she been having such a wonderful dream. She was a famous fashion designer, with her own brand, and married to a real prince charming, with three beautiful children. She yawned, and reached out her hand, groping for the device which had ended that dream. Once he closed her fingers on it, she quickly shut it off, and almost went back to sleep until she happened to chance a glance at the screen and saw the time. Her eyes widened, and she sat up quickly, gasping in shock.
"I'm going to be late for school!"
She immediately got out of bed, and landed onto the floor, wobbling as she tried to steady herself, before hurrying to her drawers to get something to wear. She rummaged around in each one, getting undressed as she tried to pick out something to wear. In the end, she put on a pair of shorts, a shirt and jacket, and went over to the mirror to look herself over. Her face was clear of any freckles, much to her satisfaction. Her bluebell eyes matched the colour her smooth long hair. Deciding to go for her preferred style, she tied it up into long, elegant pony tails, and smiled at the result.
Then a strand of it stuck right up. She tried to smooth it down with her hand. It just sprang back up. Exasperated, Marinette tried again, only to have the same result. She sighed, and gave up. That one piece of hair always bothered her. It never stayed down, and sometimes she swore it had a mind of its own.
She looked herself over in the mirror, and nodded. This would do for her first day back at school. She picked up her shoes, got some socks, and started down a set of stairs. Her father was a baker, and so her family lived in a three story building, with the bakery on the ground floor. The second floor was the living area, while the top, which was the smallest floor, had been converted into Marinette's room.
Her mother was already down there, cooking something in a large pot. A temp A bowl of baozi was already on the breakfast, so Marinette got out a plastic bag and took a few, dropping them in. "Morning, mom!" Marinette shouted quickly as she headed to the door, hopping along as she tried to put on her socks. Her mother was about to return her daughter's greeting when she saw how much trouble she was having.
"Slow down, Marinette! Here, let me help you." Her mother moved the food off the stove to a burner she wasn't using, and hurried over to help Marinette. She arrived quickly enough to be able to prevent her daughter from falling over. She bent down, and helped her daughter put on her footwear. "You know, Marinette, you really shouldn't try and rush things. It's just your first day back. It won't be too bad if you're late. I'm sure tons of kids are late on the first day back at school."
Marinette sighed, laughing lightly. "I know mom, but I'm not other kids. I actually want to get to school on time." Once her mother had finished, Marinette started to walk to the first floor of the bakery.
Her mother sighed. "Marinette, I know how stressful the first day of school can be, but you need to take things slow. I mean, you've forgotten your schoolbag!"
Marinette was stunned, and quickly reached hand behind her back, looking over her shoulder. The moment she did so, she discovered her mother was indeed right.
Her mother immediately started upstairs. "I'll get your schoolbag, Marinette. You get some breakfast." She left no room for argument, and Marinette just sighed, walking over to the table and taking a seat. She got out a bowl and served himself some of the baozi. As she ate, Marinette thought over what her mother told her. Maybe she had been too hasty in trying to get out the door. She couldn't help but laugh at her current situation. That's me…klutzy old Marinette!
Her mother came downstairs shortly afterwards, schoolbag in hand. Marinette finished eating, and took care to get the straps on her schoolbag adjusted so that they fit snugly. Once she did that, she turned to her mother. "Thanks mom! Just imagine how embarrassing it would be if I had turned up to school on the first day without my bag?" Chloe would never let me hear the end of it, she mentally added.
Her mother giggled. "Oh, I'm sure it wouldn't be too bad. Now, you better get going. You did say you didn't want to be late, remember?"
Marinette nodded, and set off, taking her mother's advice. Once she reached the bakery on the bottom floor, she found her father already downstairs. The two exchanged greetings, and she was given a box of macarons. She couldn't help but feel elated when she noticed that her father had chosen a design Marinette herself had created to use on the treats. After being told to give them out to her class, Marinette nodded, and left the bakery, on her way.
Adrien Agreste was standing outside his father's office. He was awaited inside, and that both terrified and thrilled him for the exact same reason.
He was finally allowed to go to school. After years of being cramped up in this lifestyle, Adrien Agreste was finally being allowed to do something he had always wanted, and not what his father demanded of him.
Taking a deep breath, Adrien raised his hand, lightly knocking on the door. He heard what sounded like a drawer opening and closing before he got a response. "Come in," his father's voice instructed. Adrien opened the door, taking slow, tentative steps inside.
His father was seated behind a desk, his focus on the computer before him. A large picture was behind him. It was a painting of Adrien's mother. He couldn't help but feel touched to see it, watching over him. He was typing something, probably a memo to an associate of his. Adrien quietly shut the door behind him, and stood up straight, keeping a firm grip on his backpack. He didn't want to disturb his father from his work. That was always a bad idea.
Eventually, Gabriel Agreste finished what he was typing, and turned his full attention to his son, his hands folded in front of him. "Adrien," he began, his serious and reserved demeanour dominating his words, "I see you have chosen your own outfit for your first day at school. Not the one I had laid out."
Adrien almost let out a groan, but quickly thought better of it. He needed to focus on making polite conversation. "I thought it would be best if I wore casual clothing for my first day, to fit in with the other students," he said. In truth, Adrien was wearing some of his father's designs, and was already being sold in all the top fashion stores across Paris, and would soon be available worldwide. He had chosen a black shirt with a green and blue strip across the chest, and wore a white jacket over it. To complete it, his pants were a shade of black, and the shoes were a matching colour.
Gabriel Agreste studied his son with critical eyes. "I would have liked you to wear something more fitting, but so be it. As this will be your first time going to a public school, I expect you to excel at your studies."
Adrien quickly answered with an, "Of course, father." Mr Agreste continued on, explaining how this arrangement would work. His bodyguard would drive him to and from school, and Nathalie would be handling his new schedule. Adrien was still surprised his father had been convinced to let him go to school. It couldn't have been just Nathalie who convinced him to do so.
Finally, his father finished his instructions, and stood up from his desk, walking over to Adrien. Much to his surprise, Gabriel Agreste put a hand on his son's shoulder. "Have a good day at school," he told him. Adrien was surprised, but didn't say anything for a second. Then he got his wits together.
"Goodbye, father," he answered, and quickly departed, opening and closing the door behind him. He let out a breath, and smiled. Now, he was free to go.
He quickly ran from the office to the front door. From there, it was just a matter of getting in the car with his bodyguard, the Gorilla. It was an affectionate nickname Adrien had given the large, imposing man. He really did look like a gorilla. As they were driven away, Adrien rested his forehead against the window. He knew this was going to be a very good day.
He was startled out of his thoughts by a vibrating in his pocket. He reached in, and pulled out his phone. When he checked the caller ID, he couldn't help but smile. He answered, putting it against his ear.
"Hello, little brother," a voice on the other end began. Adrien couldn't help chuckling. "You're only older by thirty minutes, Felix."
The small sigh from the other end could only belong to Adrien's twin brother. Despite this, Felix and Adrien Agreste were couldn't be more different. Whereas Adrien had a round and smooth face, like his mother, Felix's features were sharp and precise, taking after their father. Adrien was jovial and shy, ready to make friends. Felix was serious and reserved, focused on his work instead of social interaction. Some people found it impossible that the two were related, let alone twins. But that didn't matter to either of the brothers. They had grown up together, played together, home schooled together. Adrien couldn't imagine life without Felix.
"So," Felix began, "I really had to work my ass off to convince father to let you attend school."
"Thanks again, Felix," Adrien answered, elated. "I knew I could count on you."
"Yeah, well, you owe me for this," Felix replied, his voice as serious as ever. But, having grown up with him, Adrien caught the sarcasm in it. It was something you picked up when growing up a twin. "Do you have any idea how hard it was to get our father to relent?"
Adrien blew out a breath he hadn't known he was holding in. "I can only imagine." He thought back to his meeting with his father, and then another thought entered his mind. He had a faraway look in his eye. "If only mom were still here. She'd have convinced dad without any problem."
There was silence from Felix. When mom had disappeared, it had been hard for both of the brothers, especially for Adrien. He had been very close to their mother, and had been completely lost when she vanished. Felix had been there for him in those dreadful weeks.
"She would have," Felix ended his silence. "Anyway, I'm sure that you'll do wonderful at school. Be careful about making a first impression. You never know what the other kids in your school will be like. Understand?"
Adrien nodded, even though Felix couldn't see him. "Don't worry, Felix. I'll be fine."
"Very well," Felix replied almost as if he didn't believe him, "just try not to make a fool of yourself. I'll be returning from Brussels in one week's time. You and father had better make sure my room's ready."
"It is, it is," Adrien reassuringly told his brother. Felix often represented his father's brand at various fashion exposes across Western Europe. It was the main reason for him being in Brussels. Felix had developed a very dangerous sense of business smarts. Whenever something of dire importance came up that Gabriel Agreste himself could not attend to, he sent Felix with several associates to handle it. Do far, Felix had managed to help secure a number of very profitable agreements as well. Of the two, Adrien had no doubts which of the Agreste twins would one day take over the brand from their father.
"Excellent," Felix stated. "I look forward to coming home, Adrien. Now, I had best be going. Have a good day at school." And like that, he hung up. Adrien sighed, and put his phone away in his pocket. This was going to be good day, Adrien could feel it.
White, glowing butterflies fluttered and danced around a dark room. A door opened, and a man stepped inside. He strode forward, dominating everything, with a purple butterfly brooch pinned on his suit. The butterflies drew away from him, keeping their distance. The moment in arrived in the exact center of the room, a small purple blue came into his view. The blur was a small creature. It stared at its master with fear. "Please, master, I beg of you. Do not go down this path. It will only lead to pain and suffering."
The man swiftly raised a hand, causing the small creature to flinch. He lowered upon seeing its submission. "Nooroo," the man said firmly, "Dark Wings, Rise!" With a breath of resignation, Nooroo transformed into a blur, and flew into the butterfly brooch, seeming to become part of it. The butterflies swarmed over the man, covering him completely as a purple glow radiated from him. When the glow diminished, the butterflies slowly started to fly away from the man, going in all directions. The man had changed. He now wore a grey mask which covered his face, and a dark purple suit with a white vest. A cane had materialized in his left hand. He opened his eyes, and spoke. "From this day forth, I shall be known...as Le Papillon."
