Chapter 1:
It's a Hard-knock Life
Marinette's Pov
Marinette was cradled in a woman's arm, wrapped in a soft and comfortable white blanket imprinted with red and black dots. She gazed up at a plump round face, grey almond eyes staring straight head while tears trailed down her flushed pink cheeks. The loud squeak of sneakers treading along the stone pavement vibrated through the silent street which permitted the rats to scurry back into their drains before getting caught. It was the only noise that disrupted the peaceful urban existence of the surrounding Paris townhouses.
The road ahead was covered in a blanket of darkness that night had fabricated. The woman held a small metal torch in one hand, illuminating a ghostly yellow path, while she gripped her baby tightly to her chest that radiated heat and love. Suddenly Marinette was placed on a step. The cold was an unwelcome feeling and she extended her chubby arms upwards, grasping only air. Tears flooded her eyes and for a moment she saw little more than a blur. When her vision cleared her mother was no longer standing there but Chat Noir.
"Is everything alright milady? You look purrfectly ravishing tonight." Chat smirked, his green eyes glinting with mischievous.
She blinked furiously and the image changed. Hawkmoth materialized, leaning on his grey staff, his cold blue eyes burning into her own.
He inclined his head. "You have no one who loves you. You're just like me. Come join me. All you have to do is give me yours and Chat Noir's miraculous."
Hawkmoth then reached into his pocket, bringing out a white butterfly. Cupping it in his palm, a blinding silver light flashed. He then removed his hand, revealing a purple butterfly with patches of black dark magic. "Go my little Akuma and evalize her!"
The butterfly fluttered towards her and she shouted internally, powerless to stop it as she lay there, abandoned. No, no, nooo…
"Marinette, please wake up!"
Marinette opened her eyes sharply, her body coated in layers of sweat, lungs sizzling as she panted heavily for oxygen. Her heart thumped against her body, wishing to explode free from the tight sensation crawling in her chest.
"Quickly, get her asthma puffer."
Her eyes swelled a crimson red and she coughed violently, scrunching the brown stained bed sheets in her hand. The puffer was abruptly shoved into her mouth and she took a couple of slow and controlled breaths of air. Marinette relaxed, her head slumping onto her hard flat pillow, eyelids dropping shut.
"Oh no you don't girl."
Two strong hands clasped her ankles and managed to pull her halfway off the bed. Marinette moaned, muttering a few incoherent words along the lines of 'I will get up' and 'just a minute.' She dragged herself up and sat on the metal railing of her bed feeling confused and exhausted. She rubbed at her temple with the ball of her right thumb, forcing herself to think beyond the dream. Three familiar faces were gathered around her.
Alya, her best friend, had her hands posed at her wide hips, an imprudent scowl plastered to her oval face. Her long milk chocolate hair was cast down her back with a few strands resting neatly on her shoulders. Her square black glasses sat crooked on the bridge of her nose which she would constantly fiddled with in order to stop them from falling off.
"Remember what Miss Antoine said last night. We need to have our room tidy by eight thirty and then you have to deliver a present to Mr. Agreste" Alya said with a roll of her golden honey eyes.
Marinette sighed within while tucking a loose strand of blue hair behind her ear. "Why does it always have to be me?"
"That's because you're the only one that hasn't done something drastic while being over at the mansion." Alya responded, rotating around and walking over to her bed which she proceeded to make. She continued talking, "I got his assistant fired, Alix stole a whole game console….
"So worth it" Alix murmured.
"and Chloe attempted to kiss his son, Adrien."
"He was giving me all the signs. He's very handsome, don't you think?" Chloe pouted, twirling her long blonde hair around her fingers. An evil glint shimmered in her eyes and a smirk played on her lips.
Marinette didn't answer and instead stood up, heading over to a tall wooden wardrobe where she swiftly pulled on her customary clothing. She then used the mirror that was attached to the cupboard door to tie her hair into two low pigtails. Her pink pants hugged her hips comfortably, while a brown jacket sat on top of a loose white collared top which concealed her frail frame. The final touch was a circular trivial badge with the symbols PWRFH, Paris Wings of Refuge Foster Home, which was clipped onto the collar of her shirt.
Marinette stared into her reflection, barely recognizing herself. Dark bags hung under her blue belle eyes from the frequent late-night patrols with Chat Noir while her skin was like parchment. She looked like a wilted flower, shoulders sagging, arms limp at her side. Marinette turned away from her image flustered, tears stinging her eyes.
"I wonder what she got Mr. Agreste this time" Marinette uttered bravely, wary of her friends seeing her upset. The last thing she needed were questions that she couldn't answer. It's not like she could tell them about the recurring nightmare she's had for the past six months or that she secretly hopes that her parents will reclaim her despite it being 16 years. To top it all off, she defiantly couldn't tell them that, along with Chat Noir, they were Paris's only hope in defeating Hawkmoth.
"A new game console" Alix quipped as she brushed her short pink hair.
"Hmm. Maybe chocolates or cookies" Chloe guessed, who was sitting on her bed painting her toe nails pink.
"Where did you even get that nail polish?" Alya asked.
"Alix stole it from Miss Antoine."
"She better not give him any sort of sweets. I hear the Agrestes are on a strict diet. Vegan!" Alix responded, popping up and stealing the nail polish back without Chloe noticing.
At that exact moment, Miss Antoine screamed in displeasure, a door slamming shut downstairs. Footsteps started padding up the stairs which creaked under the weight of her anger.
"15 seconds. Everyone needs to make their beds fast" Alya ordered looking up at the clock, fear shining in her eyes, while she commenced picking up tossed clothes from the ground as she had made her bed already.
Marinette hurried over to where she slept but tripped over a loose floor board, sending her spiraling toward the ground. She went down with a loud thud, groaning as her nose absorbed most of the impact. A tiny whimper escaped from her mouth. She would have to ice it later if Miss Antoine would allow it. The amount of times Marinette's clumsiness had resulted in an ice pack being pressed to some part of her body was getting ridiculous.
A shadow appeared outside of their door, blocking the hallway light and sending the room into blackness. Everyone quietened, no one daring to speak. Marinette's breath hitched in her throat and Alix audibly gulped. Keys rattled and then a sickening click as one was inserted into the lock. The door knob turned and there was the monster they had all come to know. Miss Antoine, the actress in waiting who should have easily landed the role as the Wicked Witch of the West in the Wizard of Oz. There was only one problem, she was a terrible actress who auditioned for roles that never fitted her personality, that is, evil.
Miss Antoine was a skinny middle age woman who went through boyfriends as fast as Marinette battled Akumas. Her long blonde hair was clipped into a messy bun and her skin was coated in a fake spray tan leaving it a dull brownie orange. She was dressed in tight black pants and platform shoes that made her even taller than she already was. A tight red top revealed everything, exploiting her flat stomach and a lot of cleavage. Too much.
Her cool grey eyes lowered to the ground where Marinette lay and irritation flashed in her eyes. "Get up, I don't want you to make the floor dirty."
Miss Antonie pursed her lips, scrutinizing Marinette as she hauled herself up. Heat pricked her eyes, but she refused to cry. She would not let anything get to her. She was ladybug, strong and fierce. Miss Antoine would not have the satisfaction of making her cry.
"Jack is coming over tonight. I want you to finish all your school work and then clean up the house. If it isn't spotless, there will be no dinner." Miss Antoine snarled, turning away from them. "Marinette come with me."
Marinette kicked the floor in frustration, hands plunged deep in the pockets of her jacket. She followed her guardian grudgingly, her feet scraping along the floor boards. In making her way downstairs, she observed the mess that her friends would have to clean up. Water was spilled on the ground, empty wine bottles, a smell wafting from the bathroom and discarded food wrappers along with a few moldy pizzas. Miss Antoine was the definition of a pig.
Marinette wanted to help her friends. They would have a hard time finishing their school work let alone the house. If only Miss Antoine would agree to send them to school instead of home school. But, Miss Antoine told them over and over again that she didn't trust them for she feared that they would run away. She had a fair point. Marinette would have run away if she hadn't been picked to be ladybug last year. Paris needed her.
Marinette was so lost in her thoughts that she bumped into the back of Miss Antoine.
"I'm sorry," Marinette said, adopting a fake voice.
Miss Antoine growled and turned to face her, holding a bouquet of red roses in her hand. "I need you to give these to Mr. Agreste in person, not his assistant! And don't come back until you get him to agree to come here and see me. Afterward, I need you to go grocery shopping. Here's the list."
A long sheet of paper was pushed into one hand while the flowers were thrust into her other. Marinette couldn't wait to get out of this dump that was her home. No that was wrong. It wasn't her home. It was her prison. The front door beckoned her and she didn't wait any longer. She practically ran out of the house, leaping down the front steps.
Tiki came blasting out of her inside jacket pocket. She was a small creature, resembling a ladybug. She had a big head, slim body and vibrant blue eyes full of life. So unlike her own.
"It's alright Marinette. Look on the bright side, at least you get to go out today as you and not ladybug" she chirped, snuggling into the crook of Marinette's neck.
"I guess" Marinette responded with a sigh, tilting her head up to the sky and letting the sun ray down upon her. Maybe today will be a good day. Maybe.