Even before the sun was up, the city noises started abruptly outside the tiny apartment window. Or perhaps they had never truly stopped. The honking of horns, the chatter of people, the wind blowing around the metal beams supporting a building under construction. None of it was new to the girl who slept peacefully in the room though. It was all normal for her.
"Gwen…" a tiny voice whispered from across the room. It was strange, all other loud noise from outside did not even stir the girl, however this tiny voice did. The figure in the bed re-positioned itself and showed that there was some form of consciousness forming.
A small sigh and the voice came again "Gwen, you have to get up. You don't want to be late today, right?" The voice was still barely above a whisper but it got closer to her ear, making her frown in her sleep and slowly stretch.
The sleepily girl, known as Gwen, slowly sat up and rubbed her eyes while yawning. "I'm up Sage, I'm up."
The girl wrestled off her bedsheets and stood up, giving a more prolonged stretch then before. "What time is it?" Gwen asked curiously, looking around the room for her friend.
The room was small and simple, a carpeted floor, tan walls, simple bedding, small bookcase, equally small desk, closet, and barely any posters. It provided the necessities for a comfortable living space but could be seen as cramped at times.
A small brown blur rushed past Gwen's face and landed on the desk. Papers, knick-knacks and other objects were strewn here and there on every inch of the desk's surface. A hairbrush here, a small tissue box there, homework assignments everywhere. To Gwen, it was organized clutter. She walked over and picked up the hairbrush while she smiled down at her friend.
"It's about 6 o'clock, exactly the time you wished to wake up at," Sage replied.
Sage was no bigger than a regular mug. She had a head larger than her own body and large black eyes that peered at Gwen with curiosity. Her back end produced short, beautiful feathers, as did the sides of her arms. Two antane sprouted from the top of the little creature's head and made perfect swirls at the ends.
Sage was a kwami, a mysterious being that had appeared to Gwen a little under a year ago. This strange kwami was able to grant Gwen powers that she could never have dreamed of having. The powers of the wise. The powers of the intellect. The powers of the owl.
Gwen proceeded to brush her light brown hair and get changed at the same time. She hopped around the room as she tried to multitask. Eventually she gave up and put the hairbrush down as she got into her clothes. A sporty honey colored t-shirt and a cute light blue pair of overalls. Gwen was particularly fond of this outfit for reasons she could never quite put into words. She then picked up a black choker with a feather charm on it and clasped it around her neck. A cute accessory that held her much loved powers.
Satisfied with her outfit, she went back to her hair which she tied in two braids that hung just a little past her shoulders. She smiled at herself in front of a small mirror on her bookshelf, pleased with how she looked.
"Do you have everything?" Sage asked, zooming around her head as Gwen grabbed a book off her shelf and added it to the open suitcase on the floor.
"I just have to grab my toothbrush and shower things and then I should be good! This is so exciting! I've always wanted to be an exchange student, and in Paris no less! I can't wait!" Gwen hurried out of her room to gather the remaining items.
Her family lived in a small apartment just outside New York City. It was cramped, only having two bedrooms, a bathroom that one could barely take two steps in, and a kitchen that flooded into the living room. The three family members made it work though. Luckily Gwen was an only child, if they had tried to fit another person in here it would have disastrous consequences no doubt.
Gwen walked into the bathroom and snatched up the mandatory items. She could hear her parents stirring in the other room, they would have to be heading out to work soon. The thought that her parents would have to continue their normal, everyday lives while she was in Paris made her smile even more from excitement.
She went back to her room and put the items into her suitcase. She then zipped the luggage closed and stood over top of it proudly.
"What time is it?" Gwen asked Sage, who was currently finishing eating a bag of chips Gwen had left out for her last night.
"Ten after six. Don't worry, you still have plenty of time. Isaac said he'd come around six thirty to make sure you both get to the airport on time. But, well, knowing him he might be a bit early."
Gwen let out a small groan. Of course Isaac would be the one to ruin her happy mood. He had no excitement what so ever. He barely said anything and was very blunt when he did talk. It didn't help that he wasn't attractive (okay, well at least in her eyes he wasn't, but that was probably because she saw him for who he truly was.) Plus, he acted more like a scolding mother at times then a friend.
"Come on Gwen, I know you're not his biggest fan but the two of you have to work together. You are both miraculous holders after all."
"I know, I know. I just wish it didn't have to be him. There are four of us that patrol New York, why is it him that has to come with me? Actually, why does anyone have to come with me at all? I should be fine by myself!"
"Wanting to be independent as always…" Sage sighed as she flew over to Gwen. "Isaac is your partner, he always has and always will be. Besides, you weren't the one who got to choose who went with you. That was the school's choice. You're lucky it is him though, if one of the other two went it wouldn't work out as well. Black Swan needs to stay here since she's the only one who can purify the akuma, and Daredevil is just as reckless as you. You two would not be a good combination together. That's why Isaac is the best partner for you, the two of you balance each other out. It would be bad if you went alone too, if you got attacked in Paris no one would be there to have your back."
"I thought you said that there were miraculous holders throughout the world though." Gwen complained.
"Well, there are. But I don't know exactly where they all are. It's safer this way Gwen. And hey, think of it this way! You have always said you want to try and be better friends with him, this could be the perfect opportunity! You'll both be in the same class and you'll probably be the most comfortable around each other due to the different culture and all that."
Gwen paused for a moment, thinking this over. Then, the bright smile returned to her face. "You know what! You're right! I'm going to have that cold stare turn into one of respect and happiness whenever he looks at me! We're going to become best friends and even better partners after this trip!"
'It is astounding how quickly her mood can change from defeated to determined after just a few words.' Sage thought as she gave a small sigh. 'But that's what makes her so unique.'
The doorbell rang at that moment, causing Sage to zoom into the pocket of Gwen's overalls. The pockets were baggy and big, which made it a perfect hiding spot, and no one would be the wiser.
"Can you get that Gwen?" Her mother exclaimed from the bathroom.
"Yep!" Gwen replied cheerfully back as she rushed from her bedroom to the front door. She was not surprised to find Isaac standing behind it. Just as Sage predicted, he was early due to his constant want of being punctual to everything.
Isaac could be described as attractive to a select type of people. He has black choppy hair, that was parted neatly on either side of his face. Dark brown eyes that seemed cold and distant at all points of the day. And about a half a head taller than Gwen. He was definitely the type of person one would label as "intimidating" or "mysterious." Why some of the girls at school liked him, Gwen would never know. To her, he was dull and standoffish, the type of person she wouldn't normally hang around due to her opposite personality. Yet, here they were. Both ready to fly to Paris for an exchange program, and both holders of miraculous'.
Today, he wore his standard outfit of a grey t-shirt and dark blue jeans. The only splash of color came from the red scarf he wore at all times (yes, even in the summer). He also wore a bracelet that was made of glossy black beads, with the bead in the middle depicting five slash marks that were bright yellow. The slash marks, Gwen had noted when she first saw it, looked like those that a claw would make.
"Hello Isaac!" Gwen said in the cheeriest voice she could muster. After her talk with Sage, she was still a little annoyed that it was Isaac of all people. But she promised herself she would try her best.
"Gwen." He said, his voice deep and showing no emotion as he inclined his head to her. "Ready?"
"Almost! Just let me grab my stuff and say goodbye to my parents! You can head down to your car without me, I'll be there in a little bit!"
Isaac gave a nod and then walked off down the hallway.
Gwen sighed, if he was only going to say a couple words to her each day then this truly was going to be a long trip.