In this chapter:
Marinette goes to Master Fuu's.
Nino chats with Adrien.
The afternoon was warm, Marinette finished to plan her agenda for her homework during the next week. Spring break is nice, but teachers tend to leave them way too much work to do during those periods of time. She also had a new design she's been working at. She wants this dress ready by the end of next week, so that she can wear it on Sunday's picnic.
"I think my schedule is done." Marinette smiled proudly to herself. "I think we can get going to Master Fuu's, Tikki!"
The red kwami floated in front of her and nodded. "It was good that you could leave school early because of Spring break." Marinette took her pink purse and waited for Tikki to jump in. "Let's go Marinette."
The girl went down the stairs and kissed her mom and dad good bye. "I'll go stretch for a while! I'll be home for dinner." Marinette grinned at her parents and sprinted out of the bakery's door.
There was something festive in the scenery. The bistros were full with people hanging out, drinking their coffee while reading, that sight that Paris gives to their tourism. The streets were vivid and Marinette had to be careful to avoid bumping into tourists. You could feel Spring in the air, people were out walking, gathered around the parks and its fountains. It was always amusing for Marinette to look at the fashion differences that cultures bring to Paris.
That woman over there was from Spain, and that is even a designer's purse, it could be an Agatha Ruiz' perfectly. That other guy had to be from the US, that type of t-shirt and the backpack he's wearing said a lot of it. There was this family walking towards Le Louvre, they were somewhere from the Caribbean, probably. Even if Paris was getting warmer during Spring, people that are used to 28⁰ C and up, tend to wear warmer clothing than anyone from the Northern hemisphere. Besides she's been following some fashion designer's magazines from England, and there's been several articles about the new faces from the Caribbean and the choice of colors and cuts were very similar to what they were wearing.
After passing le Louvre, Marinette kept going forward, she sat down at a bench at the Jardin des Tuileries. She grabbed her notebook, dribbled some ideas, wrote down some others and took her time to breath in all the flower's scent. She made sure that no one was nearby and brought up her purse. "Tikki, there's no one here, take a look!"
Tikki's head popped up from the purse and saw the garden's flowers. "This place is beautiful Marinette!" Her eyes were wide open and a spark of hope, love and creation could be read all over her face. "This is the first time that I come here!"
The young designer smiled at her kwami "It's been a while since I haven't come around here. I think the last time was during the summer before I was chosen." She held her sight up, glaring at the tree tops. "I guess there's been so much going on during this last years that I haven't really think about wonder around to watch people pass by as I used to…"
Tikki sat back inside the purse and glanced at Marinette with pride. "You have grown a lot since the day we met." She giggled.
"I am glad to be recognized by you." The girl answered with a smirk. "Imagine if after all this time, you were still trying to beg me to be a proper Ladybug." Marinette giggled too. "Well, it's been nice to let go like this for a while. Let's go to Master Fuu's now."
Tikki nodded once more, she was happy that Marinette was so full of life and so open to it. Enjoying people, gardens, the life that a city and its citizens can bring to it, is part of what makes her such a great creating power holder.
The Asian shop was opened as usual. Marinette let herself in and the bell ringed letting the owner know there was a visit. The old man showed up greeting the girl and asking her to come on in.
"Hello Marinette" Master Fuu smiled to Marinette.
"Good afternoon Master Fuu" the girl answered.
"Would you like some tea?" Master Fuu asked.
"Yes, please." Marinette sat down in front of the small tea table. "Oh, hello Wayzz!" she smiled as soon as she was able to spot him.
Wayzz arrived flying from his hidden place "Hello Marinette, Tikki!"
The red kwami got out of her holder's purse and hugged the little turtle. "Hello."
Master Fuu arrived with a couple of tea mugs. "Here you go." He sat down in front of Marinette, sipped some tea and looked at the girl. "Tell me young woman, to what do I owe the pleasure of your visit?"
Marinette took a sip of her tea and nervously placed the mug on the table. "Well, first of all, I wanted to ask if you have had any improvements with the potions." She keep her gaze down to the table and started playing with her hands.
"I have done some progress indeed. I only need a couple more ingredients to start testing with Wayzz." He looked at his kwami, who started floating right next to him. "And I hope that Tikki can join us too." He looked at Tikki and smiled. "But I find you quite unease Marinette, there is something troubling you besides the potions." He took his tea once more, and drank another sip. He placed the tea mug in front of him and with a warm gesture he approached Marinette. "Do not look down young one, there is nothing to be ashamed about the doubts that you hold. Please let me know what is that I can do to help you."
Marinette looked up at Master Fuu's eyes, there was so much kindness and understanding reflected in his expression, that she grabbed a deep breath and slowly let the air out. Her face showing confidence and determination this time. "I apologize Master Fuu, I am curious of course, about the potions, but that is not the main reason why I'm here. "
The old man glanced at her proudly, he simply nodded.
"There's been some concerns between Chat Noir and me, there are several things that I have kept secret from him, besides my identity. I would like to know if I can tell him about you, or about the other kwamis." She remained silent, her hands in a fist over her thighs. Her expression firm and expectant for an answer.
Master Fuu sighed. "I knew that it would come to this sooner or later." He grabbed his mug and had some more tea. "My dear Marinette, the time has not come to reveal myself to the cat holder…" He paused. "Yet." He placed the mug once more on the table and stood up, waking patiently to the Chinese gramophone where the other miraculous were guarded. "The time will come in the future for this revelation, so I requested my identity to be kept a secret… " He turned to Marinette "As you know, the kwamis do not have the knowledge to read the guardian's book, and Papillon doesn't know that I exist. If by any unfortunate fate he discovers who I am, I will be targeted by him."
His concerned regard made Marinette's own stubbornness to low down. "I understand Master Fuu, it's just that… " Marinette released a loud sigh in defeat. "I… It's just… We are supposed to be a team… we know that we are not supposed to know our identities and we trust each other." She looked down to the mug. " I know a lot more about the miraculous magic than him and I don't feel that it is fair…" She finished closing her eyes, she felt her efforts were in vain.
"Look up ahead Marinette, as Ladybug there are still several steps to fulfill your journey. You must be patient until the time comes." He sat once more in front of the girl, to resume his tea. "And don't be cheerless, as your time will come too to learn who Chat Noir is." He finished with a big smile.
"I would love that day to come." A wide smile beamed from her face. "Also for Rena Rouge." She shyly took her mug back and let the smell of the tea to relax her.
"About Rena Rouge." Master Fuu begun once more. "Tell me about her, why did you pick her to be the fox wilder?"
With this, Marinette fueled up, the enthusiasm as she talked about her friend Alya was plausible from her voice. Master Fuu was very interested in Ladybug's words, he could understand the criteria why Alya was chosen for the task. She also mentioned the Ladyblog, and how the fox holder's been taking information down that could lead people to Ladybug and Chat Noir's identities.
The afternoon passed by and Marinette had to be home for dinner. She decided to transform, so she could enjoy the city in Spring this Friday. It was a beautiful cloudscape above Paris anyway. When she arrived home, she got ready for dinner and went back to her room to think things through… A lot has happened this past two days, and she still didn't know what to think of it. There was Chat, Master Fuu, Alya and Adrien… Her head was going to blow… She took her notebook and went to the balcony to kept sketching, she did left some drabbles from this afternoon in drabbles after all.
Adrien closed his room's door and let himself collapse on the bed. Face down on his pillow. Plagg opened the mini fridge and took his most precious camembert to eat it up in chunks.
"Aaaahhh!" A muffled scream could be heard from the pillow.
"Calm down kid! You'll see that she looooves you back, and you won't have to worry about kissing her in class" Plagg's mischievous grin was replaced with a frown when the same pillow that was drowning the blond's screams flew right up to the black kwami's face.
"Just shut up! I told you that she doesn't like me like that!" He sat on the bed, he picked up his phone and toyed with it in his hands. "I just… ah! I really don't know what to think!" He dropped himself back to his bed, placing his phone over his head, at his eyes sight. "I am in love with Ladybug and I trust her, and she's beautiful and… man…" He let his arms fall flat next to his body. "I've been thinking about Marinette since that fight." His right arm moved to cover his eyes. "And I've been so happy to see her lately…" He sat down again. "But I am in love with Ladybug, right?" He pleaded the black kwami to answer back to him.
"Hmm.." Plagg muttered while eating his cheese.
"You're helpless!" Adrien took his phone back and texted Nino.
"I'm home now." He looked at the screen in relief when he saw that Nino was writing back.
"Mon pote! How was the job?"
Adrien was able to manage a smile behind all his frustration. "It wasn't that bad…" He took a deep breath. "I've been thinking about the Princess…" Adrien knew that Nino was going to bring it sooner or later, so, why not eat the ugly toad first.
"I didn't know you had it so hard mon pote! I knew you liked her, but wow!"
"Hum… Nino knew I like Marinette? Do I really?" He thought before writing again. "What do you mean? I'm in love with my Lady!" Besides, as he mentioned to Plagg, Marinette is his friend, he shouldn't be seeing her like that, so he added "She doesn't see me like that either…" There were so many thoughts and emotions bottling up… Maybe he can go out to run as Chat later.
"Keep saying yourself that…" Adrien frowned to Nino's comment, this was just what Plagg said. "And just because you like the Lady, it doesn't mean you can't like the Princess." He blinked at the comment. It explained a lot of what's been going on. "You had a big fight with the Lady, remember?" Adrien frowned once more. "Don't make me write it mon pote, you're smart! You can figure it out!" Nino added.
"I'll go for a run tonight. Maybe it'll help me to clear out my head." He glanced over his room looking for Plagg. "My dad is not at home, I'll be able to go to the movies with no problem." He stood up and glared at his phone expecting Nino's response.
"Ok mon pote! I'll be there at 1 tomorrow." Adrien smiled at the comment. "You still have to tell me why the Princess is a Princess ;) " He shook his head and rolled his eyes.
"Sure, sure, I will tell you the story." He chuckled. "See you tomorrow!"
Adrien placed his phone on his desk when Natalie called him up. Dinner was ready. "Alright Plagg, I hope you liked your cheese. I'll grab something to eat myself, wait for me here." He stepped away from his room leaving a grumpy kwami floating out.
"Just figure it out already…" Plagg muttered to himself and continued munching his precious camembert.
Notes:
I will give Nino and Adrien something to talk about.