Swan Lake: Chapter One

The light illuminated through the window in sprinkling showers. A girl sat on her cherry blossom swivel chair, eyeing the forest beyond the village. People were gathered in corners, selling merchandise and delicate herbs to traders from several kingdoms surrounding this tiny patch of land. She looked at the joyful laughter of kids playing to couples who walked side by side, hands intertwined.

''Marinette, can you help deliver the biscuits to your sister?'' Tom called.

''Yes Papa.'' called Marinette calmly.

She walked down the stairs, smelling the sweet aroma of strawberry cupcakes. She grabs hold of the creamed-colored bag and walked out into the bustling square.

''Marinette!'' a girl called, riding on a beautiful white horse.

''Hi Bridgette!'' Marinette waved at her and held out the pouch of goodies.

''Thanks'' smiled Bridgette.

Marinette smiled back until a moving figure caught her eye. The creature cast its stone glare at the innocent girl before dashing back into the shadowy forest.

''Is something wrong? Do you need me to bring you back before you get lost?'' Bridgette asked before Marinette turned her head.

''Oh…uh…no thanks Bridgette!'' she waved pleasantly and started walking back to the bakery.

''Why was that cat just staring at me?'' she kept that thought in her head as she looked out the window, sighing to see happy couples savoring the warm weather and fluffy clouds dancing into any shape.

''What's with the long face, sweetheart?'' Marinette's dad, Tom asked as he put a tray of buttery croissants on her bed.

''Papa, what did true love felt like when you met Mom?'' she said, gazing outside the rectangular window, crisscrossed with iron bars.

''Why?'' Tom asked, unsure of his daughter's requests.

''My heart never felt that way…and I like to know.'' She murmured sadly.

''Do you know that there's different kinds of love, Marinette?'' asked Tom redundantly.

''Yes'' Marinette replied curiously.

''It's your choice on how you want to feel IF you meet someone special.'' Tom said and left the room, closing the door quietly so he won't interrupt her thoughts.''

''It's my choice on how I want to feel…'' these thoughts racked against her brain, pushing the strange cat out of her mind until a mew came downstairs.

''Huh?'' she looked down until piercing green eyes met hers.

The cat scowled when she just sat there nimbly and waved a paw at her to follow. It reluctantly started walking when the girl toppled downstairs and out the door.

''Uh…where are we going strange cat?'' Marinette replied, shuddering as she lost sight of her village.

''Quit calling me 'strange cat' kid, and start walking before WE actually get there'' the cat stubbornly said and continued walking.

''Eeek!'' Y-you're a talking strange, black cat!'' Marinette screamed until the cat angrily shush her to stop.

''If you don't stop screaming, we'll both be found by Hawkmoth.'' hissed the feline aggressively.

''H-h-awkmoth!'' she let out a cry.

''Ouch!'' ''Hey! What did you do that for?!'' asked Marinette, rubbing her scratched ankle.

''So YOU COULD BE QUIET!'' it shouted, shaking the canopy of trees.

''Ok,ok, just tell me who you are and why you brought me here!''

''Fine. My name is Plagg and it's my job to fetch a girl from the village occupying the aura that Tikki possess. So when I saw you disguised as a cat, I though you looked pretty weak and clumsy.

''Hey!'' the girl glare at him sternly.

''My opinion. So I decided to follow you after that Bridgette girl left and waited for you follow me.

''But why do you want me here?!'' Marinette screamed in bewilderment.

So you could be Ladybug…

To be continued….