Chapter 4

Riff Tide's Story

By the time Marinette had regained consciousness, she could see a couple new faces looking down at her with one of them full of concern and the other simply smiling at her. "A new arrival." says the short and lean girl that had been smiling at her, with blue eyes, a messy bob-cut pink hair with the right side in a side ponytail, wearing a black long-sleeved slate gray shirt underneath a dark brown tank top, each arm have a green scale pattern wrap around like snakes with the heads stopping at her wrists, black jean shorts with pink stitching and black lace at the cuffs, a black helmet with pink straps held against her hip, when the boy next to her places a hand on her forearm.

"Easy, Alix. She fainted." as the boy returns his attention to her as she wondered why this boy is worried about her, Marinette then recognizes his teal eyes. "Are you ok? Nothing hurts?" he asks as he gently held her. Now getting a new look of him, Marinette sees his new attire consists of a white shirt under a sky blue hooded jacket, black jeans ripped at the knees, a leather bracelet and two yellow and orange wristbands on his right wrist, his fingernails painted black, a silver ring on his left pointer, and red and black checkered sneakers.

"What happened?" Marinette asks, glancing around her to see more new people there to greet her. The way the boy is holding her caused a small blush to form on her cheeks.

"Well this call for a toast." one voice speaks up, causing Marinette to turn her attention to a short boy with dark skin, curly brown hair, brown eyes with black-rimmed glasses, wearing a light green polo shirt, tan and brown checkered jeans, suspenders, a blue watch on his right wrist, and light grayish blue sneakers.

The boy then clicks his tankard with his friend, a much taller, muscular boy with olive skin, dark brown eyes, his black hair with the ends dyed in gold, styled into a sharp quiff, wearing a red short-sleeved hoodie jacket, blue track sweatpants, and red, white and black sport shoes. "To the newlyweds." the taller boy says as he wraps one arm around Alix who joins his side.

At that word, Marinette grows confused. "Newlyweds?"

Then she hears a soft chuckle next to hear, from the boy holding her. "Did you forget? Back in the woods you said your vows perfectly." To show that she did, he shows her a gold band around his left ring finger then he shows her a beautiful diamond ring on her's. To see that she has indeed accidently marry this boy, Marinette smacks her forehead very hard, hoping that she is just having a bad dream.

"Hello!" a new voice speaks up as another boy, fairly short with turquoise eyes and messy red orange hair, his long bangs brushed over the left side of his face, wearing a red t-shirt under a gray dress jacket with a folded collar, folded sleeves and side pockets, purple jeans that are rolled up at the bottom, and his shoes are gray with white lace and a white section at the toes. Under his arm is a sketchpad and a packet of drawing pencils and pens. "Pardon me, gentlemen."

Once the boy stands before Marinette, he bows to her. "My name is Nathaniel, Nathan for short, I am the head painter. I will be painting your wedding portrait."

Having enough, Marinette steps out of the boy's comforting hold and steps away from everyone. "All of you, please stay back. Right now I need answers. What is going on? Where am I? And who are you?" she directs the last question to the boy that she had met in the woods while she was practicing her vows.

First the boy had given her a smile, saying that she has nothing to fear. "That's a long story."

"And what a story it is." a new voice speaks up and once everyone's attention is on her, the spotlight shines upon a girl with tan skin, short red hair, light teal eyes, many freckles on her face and body, wearing a red short sleeve shirt with open shoulders, white shorts and tennis shoes.

"In his heart he carries a tale of a passion for music and a desire for freedom." the girl continues as Kim stands beside her, taking one of her hands into his and kisses the back of her hand tenderly.

"Trust me, this story is going to be good as Ondine tells it." the short boy from before, Max points out.

With a single snap of her right hand, Ondine says to a few of her friends, "Hit it, girls." With that, they start a new song as one of them plays the piano as Ondine and the rest of her friends snap along before she starts to sing.

Hey, give me a listen

You all in cheer

All of you

You got an ear

I'll tell a story

Make you all cry

About our own jubiliciously

Handsome Riff Tide

Then the spotlight shines upon the boy as everyone in the room turn to see him take on the form of when Marinette first met him in the woods before averting back to his regular clothes.

Affect, affect, we all have it

But don't wear a frown

Because it's really okay

Soon the entire pub sings along with Ondine's friends. Watching everyone around her, Marinette notices that everyone have a strange mark of a dark, purple butterfly on their necks.

You might try and hide

And you might try and pray

But we all end up

The remains of the day

Then Ondine sings the main parts again.

Well, our boy was handsome and talented

Known for miles around

When a mysterious stranger

Came to town

She was a beauty

But down on her cash

And our poor darling

He fell hot and fast

When dear momma said no

He just couldn't

So our lovers came up

With a plan to elope

To show that he is indeed talented, the boy known as Riff Tide takes out his guitar from earlier and joins in on the song, Marinette once again captivated with his talent.

Affect, affect, we all have it

But don't wear a frown

Because it's really okay

You might try and hide

And you might try and pray

But we all end up

The remains of the day

Then the lights go out with a few lit candles here and there as everyone begin to dance around the pub as a few others keep playing to have the music of the story continue. Watching Nathaniel lead another boy with messy black hair, jade green eyes, thick eyebrows, pink lips and a slender face with a pointed chin in a waltz and Kim twirling Alix and Ondine a few times before they did the tango dance together and the trio appearing happy, neither girl showing any jealousy toward each other since they like the same guy, Marinette's attention is snatched by Riff Tide as he offers her his hand, offering a dance. Keeping her blue belle eyes set on his teal pair, Marinette slides her hand into his and they soon join everyone else in the dance. As she dance with him, Marinette couldn't help but be drawn to this boy.

Once the lights came back on, the dancing cease as Ondine continues the story with Riff Tide playing his guitar along.

So they conjured up a plan

To meet late one night

They told not a soul

Kept the whole thing tight

He had no need of anything much

But his cherished guitar

Then next to the graveyard

By the old oak tree

On a dark foggy night

At a quarter to three

He was ready to go

But where was she?

And then?

He waited

And then?

There in the shadows, was it the girl?

And then?

His heart beat with excitement

And then?

And then, hon, everything went black

Now, when he opened his eyes

He had a new form

The girl was gone

And he had a mark of the Akuma

So he made a vow

Hanging by that tree

Waiting for his true love

To come set him free

Always waiting for someone

To take him as her love

Cease playing his guitar, Riff Tide once again hold his hand out to her, and once again brings Marinette into a warm embrace, her cheeks turning pink as she becomes shy in his loving arms

Then out of the blue

Comes this lovely young maiden

Who he can now

Play his heart's melodies to

Now with her by his side

That's the story

Of our Riff Tide

With a smile at Marinette as everyone else finish the song, Riff Tide takes her hand and leads her out of the pub so he can show her around the Land of the Akumatized.