Chapter 21: Through the passage of time
Author's note: Sorry for being gone for a while, I've been finishing up my costume course modules for the year and deadlines meant I couldn't write. (Take this advice and take it to heart, never choose embroidery for a final piece, it takes so long to achieve so little.)
This is going to be another time skip chapter in order to show that time has passed and the Champions Lady Nymph makes along with a few story beats, rather than exhausting myself in trying to write and stretch out a chapter for each. This chapter will focus mainly on the character interaction and story, so you won't be getting any Champion fights this time around with who gets turned into a Champion only mentioned in passing
Marinette frowned as she read over what she had written for the third time.
Her class had an essay due the next day, and while she had finished hers, she was still trying to perfect it. It was one of those situations where she knew that there was an issue with her work when she read it as a whole, but her brain refused to identity the exact problem and allow her to fix it.
Which was why she was currently working from college instead of home, hoping the educational setting would kick her brain into finding the issue.
"You need a break." Nooroo suggested.
The library was empty save for them, so he could be out in the open as long as they kept an eye on the doors.
"But I haven't done more than a few grammatical corrections." Marinette bemoaned her lack of progress.
"Sometimes it takes stepping away from an issue and returning to it with a fresh mind to solve it." Nooroo said wisely.
Marinette sighed. "I guess you're right." She said, pushing away from her work.
Pushing herself out the library door to get some fresh air, she spotted the fencing club down in the courtyard. Half of the people there were dressed in regular clothes save for a chest-guard and helmet.
"Oh, yeah, Adrien mentioned that try-outs were today." She hummed.
"My previous wielder was a fencer." Nooroo commented, sitting on Marinette's lap to stay out of sight of the people in the courtyard.
"Really?" Marinette was interested.
Nooroo nodded. "Quite a few of my chosen were fencers or swordsmen in someway. Some already knew how to wield a sword while others learned after I was given to them, so they could use my weapon better." He explained.
"But your weapon is a cane." Marinette was confused.
Nooroo giggled slightly, realising that the subject of Lady Nymph's weapon was never really addressed due to her position.
"There's a rapier inside of the cane." He said.
"Oh." Marinette said, making a mental note to check out her cane the next time she transformed.
Turning her attention back to the fencing club, Marinette spotted Adrien amongst the team as expected, and recognised Lila's clothes on one of the potential recruits. Marinette took note that Lila had been trying out a lot of new activities lately, which she took as a good thing.
Adrien looked up from the teammate he was talking to and spotted Marinette, smiling and waving up at her.
As Marinette waved back, Adrien started to walk up the stairs towards her.
Nooroo was quick to hide in Marientte's purse before Adrien reached her.
"Hi, Marinette, I didn't expect to see you here." He said. "Cheering on one of the potential recruits?"
"How do you know I'm not here to try out myself?" Marinette raised an eyebrow.
Adrien just smiled good-naturedly, knowing she was joking.
"But no, I'm just here trying to do work." Marinette said. "Thought I'd take a break and watch the fencing team for a while."
"Ah." Adrien said in understanding.
"Fencing looks really interesting, though." Marinette said. "I'd definitely be down there with the recruits just to give it a try, if I could."
Adrien hummed, trying to think of how to respond. Thankfully, Marinette spoke again.
"So, any favourites from the recruits so far?" She asked.
"No." Adrien shook his head. "Try outs haven't started yet. Though, that hasn't stopped some of them boasting about how the spot 'will be there's for sure'. Especially Lila." He couldn't help but add the dig at the girl he was forced to work with.
"She been saying she already knows how to fence or something?" Marinette frowned.
"No." Adrien admitted. "But she has been saying that 'her parents said she always has a knack for picking up new activities quickly'. Basically saying that she'll pick up fencing and become a pro within a day."
Marinette rolled her eyes along with Adrien.
"My comfort is that Mr D'Argencourt doesn't care about boasting and will only choose the actual best." Adrien said.
"Well, maybe Lila will have the pure talent to be on the team." Marinette teased.
"Please don't joke about that." Adrien moaned.
Marinette laughed and soon Adrien was laughing as well.
"Agreste, if you're quite done flirting!" Mr D'Argencourt called up from the courtyard.
Both teens quickly blushed at being called out and all the eyes that were suddenly on them.
Without a word, Adrien went back down the stairs to join his team, hiding his red face behind his mask.
It took a minute for Marinette to get her face back to normal, not helped by Nooroo's chuckling, before she was able to watch the fencing practice without issue.
She couldn't help but laugh a bit herself, in pity, when she saw that Adrien was paired with Lila. While both individually were her friends, it was no secret that they hated each other, though their interactions could best be described as 'civil hatred'.
Marinette ended up focusing on Lila and Adrien's fight out of all the students. Surprisingly, Lila did pick on the basics of fencing without too much issue, though was clearly still just a novice compared to Adrien, who was forcing himself to go easy on the new recruit.
"Wait, why does Lila get the point, Adrien hit her first?" Marinette questioned when she saw Lila get a point.
"The rules of fencing can be a bit hard to understand if you don't have experience." Nooroo said. "When one side has priority from taking initiative, the opponent can only parry or riposte, any other action doesn't count even if the opponent touches the attacker first."
"Everything happens so fast, how can people tell?"
"Sometimes they can't, that's why abstaining is an option."
Their conversation was interrupted by a figure in red appearing at the entrance to the courtyard, demanding to be part of the fencing team and challenging Adrien to fence.
"Looks like the open spot on the team has just been taken." Marinette commented when she saw how skilled the mysterious fencer was.
Marinette watched as the fight progressed, moving so fast that she couldn't keep track. Then, the two fencers unhooked from the scoring box and began moving more freely, fighting towards the stairs and then up them, clashing blades all the way.
"Uh, oh. Better get out the way." Marinette said when she noticed the fight progressing towards her.
Pulling off her wheel breaks, Marinette pushed herself backwards into the library. Nooroo, going back into her purse.
From inside, Marinette watched the fight reach the top of the stairs and then continue into the library where she was, Adrien and the mysterious fencer still going at it.
Thankfully, the fighters seemed to have enough awareness of their surroundings to not go near the corner Marinette had pushed herself into. Their fight disturbed books and even caused one of the book carts to go out the door.
"Let's finish this off!" The mysterious fencer announced.
The two lunged at each other, blades clashing and then coming in contact with the other person.
They broke apart and Marinette was surprised when the fencer turned to her.
"Who got the first hit? Who?" They demanded.
"Uhh…" Marinette said unsurely.
Mr D'Agencourt appeared at the door, looking as though he had gone through some sort of beating in the minute since Marinette had last seen him.
"Who touched first? Tell us now!" He also demanded.
"I don't know." Marinette admitted, feeling pressured. "I think…maybe Adrien?"
This made Mr D'Argencourt immediately perk up and announce victory for his 'academy', while the fencer left after shaking Adrien's hand.
Adrien removed his helmet and looked at Marinette.
"Are you sure, Marinette?" He asked.
"I don't know." Marinette freely admitted. "You were both moving so fast that I couldn't tell. I just guessed."
Adrien chewed his lip as he thought.
"I think he hit me first." He admitted to his teacher.
"The referee has last word." Mr D'Agencourt dismissed him proudly.
"A referee who has no experience." Both Adrien and Marinette muttered under their breath, both finding it unfair to the unknown fencer.
Not taking his teacher's decision as an answer, Adrien ran off after the fencer for a rematch, wanting to earn a proper victory.
Marinette sighed as she was left alone in the library again.
"Maybe it's a good think that I can't join fencing, if this is the sort of thing that happens." She said.
"Yeah, that really was crazy."
Marinette looked up to see Lila coming through the door.
"Looks like I'll need to train hard to keep up once I get on the team." Lila said.
"You're sure of yourself." Marinette said.
"Of course I am. Not to toot my own horn, but I think I'm the best of the new recruits. That open position is as good as mine." Lila said confidently.
"What about that fencer in red?" Marinette questioned.
Lila laughed slightly. "They ran off, after getting bested by Adrien, I don't think they'll be back." She said.
"I don't know, Adrien ran off after them for a rematch." Marinette said. "I wasn't exactly the best referee considering the circumstances. So, they could still get the place if they win the rematch."
Lila frowned as she hummed.
"I've got to go back to the others. Practice makes perfect, after all." She said, leaving.
Instead of going back to the courtyard, Lila made her way into a secluded part of the college, opening her jacket to allow her Kwami out.
"You're seriously going to attack over this?" Trixx sighed.
"Why not?" Lila shrugged. "I won't stand a chance if that fencer gets his rematch. And Adrien can't exactly get his rematch when we're fighting Belle Aube and Nymph's Champion. Now, Trixx, Let's Pounce!"
Volpina quickly ran off after the fencer, who was pretty easy to find considering Adrien was chasing her, landing on the bonnet of the limo to make the driver stop.
The fencer, who turned out to be a girl of Japanese descent, stepped out of the back of the limo, eyes widening slightly when she realised who Volpina was before frowning.
"Miss, please get back in." Her driver instructed.
"No need to do that." Volpina grinned. "I noticed that you were new to this city. So, why don't I show you around?"
From his own limo, Adrien growled at seeing Volpina, jumping out the door, ready drag the fencer, who was named Kagami, away from the villain. But Xue Ying's words about how he and Lila had to attack together rang out clear in his head, making him groan and run for a place to transform instead.
Belle Aube arrived on the scene just as Catastrophe did, rescuing Kagami from Volpina's clutches. And, not unexpectantly, Kagami was then chosen by Lady Nymph to become Riposte. The two working together to drive the villains away.
Belle Aube then swung away, leaving Riposte to be turned back into Kagami back at the college
"So, that's what it feels like." Kagami said to herself as she watched her Tiānshǐ fly away.
She called for her chauffeur and waited, getting surprised when Adrien approached her, offering her back her saber, which she refused since she had still lost.
"Personally, I think the point was yours." Adrien told her.
"That's not what your friend saw." Kagami said.
"Marinette is a great person, but she doesn't really know anything about fencing. She told me that she was just guessing." Adrien pointed out.
"Hmm. I guess under those conditions, the win was indecisive." Kagami relented. "So, I can accept your decisive match."
"I'm glad you managed to sort things out." Marinette wheeled over to them. "I'm sorry for the hassle I caused you, I shouldn't have guessed the winner." She apologised to Kagami.
"I wasn't your fault. It was the fencing instructor who took the word of someone inexperienced in fencing." Kagami said.
"You were really cool by the way." Marinette complimented. "I wish that I was able to try it out for myself."
"You could, if you want." Kagami informed Marinette, surprising both her and Adrien.
Kagami took out her phone and showed an image to the two of them of two fencers in wheelchairs.
"Though, it may be hard to find wheelchair fencing nearby, you could take up fencing if you wanted." Kagami said.
"Wow." Marinette said. "Well, that's certainly something to look out for." She said.
Kagami's chauffer arrived, prompting her to leave after agreeing to be in touch with the date of the decisive match.
"Stop looking so smug!" Catastrophe demanded.
"Oh, so you wanted me to leave you to get your ring taken?" Volpina smirked, high on her victory.
They almost hadn't taken down Nymph's latest Champion, 'The Owl', aka, their headmaster. No matter what item on him they destroyed, they could find the one housing his Tiānshǐ.
But then a verbal slip-up by The Owl, had allowed Lila to work out that his item was back at the college.
So, she ran off to go break it.
Leaving Catastrophe to deal with the Champion and Belle Aube all on his own.
Catastrophe had been tied up and just about to have his ring taken when Volpina smashed the computer holding the Tiānshǐ, reverting The Owl back into their headmaster and freeing Catastrophe from grappling rope that had been holding him.
Volpina had then come back to save Catastrophe from Belle Aube, both villains bidding a retreat due to their countdowns.
"You could have told me that you were running off. You just suddenly turned tail and ran, leaving me alone to fight." Catastrophe growled as he was forced to de-transform.
Volpina didn't take notice of Plagg appearing from the ring and then disappearing into Adrien's pocket due to her back being turned.
"Hey, my plan worked, didn't it?" Volpina said uncaringly. "I released the Tiānshǐ, meaning Master Xue is one step closer to finding out where Nymph is hiding."
"That is no longer the case."
Adrien and Volpina jumped at the angry voice, turning to see Xue Ying, who did not look happy at all.
"What do you mean?" Volpina questioned. "I thought you said that beating the Champions allowed to track down Nymph through magic or something."
"Unfortunately, it seems as though Lady Nymph has gained some protections since her last Champion was defeated." Xue Ying crossed her arms. "Meaning she has either based herself in somewhere that is warded, or someone with knowledge of protection magic has found her.
"What do we do about Lady Nymph, then?" Adrien asked.
"You two are continue fighting. Belle Aube still has a Miraculous to take, and if we're lucky she will know Lady Nymph's identity and it can be extracted from her. If not, with both the Ladybug and Cat Miraculous' in hand, they will have the power to bring me both the Butterfly and the missing Peacock Miraculous."
"Right." Adrien and Volpina said.
"By the way." Xue Ying said. "If you are to bring me Belle Aube's Miraculous, you would have better chances by actually working together, rather than just attacking at the same time." She looked pointedly at the two teens.
"It's not my fault." Adrien quickly defended. "Lila's the one who refuses to work with me and just does her own thing without communicating."
"Well, I don't feel comfortable working with you." Volpina shot back, "You always glare at me and refuse to work with me yourself. I feel like you're going to betray me at any second."
Xue Ying sighed, switching demeanours.
"Adrien." She walked over to the boy. "I know it's hard to trust and work with Lila after what happened. But I am not asking that you forget all of that and be friends with her, only that you work alongside her to take down the heroes, for the greater good." She rested her hands on Adrien's shoulders as she looked into his eyes. "Do you think that you can do that, for me."
Adrien looked down.
"Yes, Master Xue." He said, feeling like a scolded child.
"That's my boy." Xue Ying said affectionately, ruffling his hair.
She turned and walked over to Volpina.
"And Lila, I know that it's hard for you as well." Xue Ying cupped Volpina's chin to make the girl look her in the eyes as she finally timed out and transformed back. "But I have faith in you and know that you'll succeed, as long as you communicate with your partner while you work. You only make it harder for yourself when you don't. Do you understand?"
"Yes, Master Xue." Lila replied.
"Good." Xue Ying moved her hand to cup Lila's cheek and kissing her on the forehead.
She then removed her hand and walked away.
"Make me proud." She called behind her.
The two teens watched her go.
"I've got to get home." Adrien coughed.
"Yeah, sure. Bye, I guess." Lila said, watching as Adrien also left.
Leaving her alone with the Kwami that was floating beside her.
"You know that Xue Ying is manipulating you, right?" Trixx said.
"She's not, she just thinks that she is." Lila huffed. "I'm the one using her, I'm completely in control of the situation."
"Or maybe she's the one letting the other think that she's in control." Trixx rolled his eyes.
Lila tisked, hand going up to grasp the Miraculous around her neck.
"Are you honestly okay with being a villain because you were told to?" Trixx tried.
"I'm not doing this because Master Xue told me to." Lila denied. "I'm doing this because I want to."
"You want to be a villain? Do you know what tragedy can occur once you're found out?" Trixx continued.
"No, because I won't be found out." Lila denied. "I'm too strong and smart for that. I'll get those Miraculous and I'll win."
"And then what?"
"I'll…" Lila trailed off. "You need to be quiet." She then ordered the Kwami. "You're being too mouthy.
Trixx frowned but didn't say anything.
Eventually, Lila made her own way home.
"Nathaniel, can you hand me the honeysuckle?" Fu asked, checking his book with a mortar and pestle in hand.
"Uh, sure." Nathaniel took a few seconds to brows through Fu's supplies before locating the jar filled with honeysuckle, which had been freshy plucked by him from the garden outside.
While the cost of living in Marinette's mansion was covered by Fu's lessons to her, there was still the matter of other living expenses such as food and utilities, which Fu paid through selling his herbal remedies. And as Fu's afternoon and weekend assistant, Nathaniel frequently helped him make them.
Fu took a handful of the honeysuckle and began prepping them to add to the rest of the mixture.
"So, how many people buy these remedies of yours?" Nathaniel asked off-handily as he returned the jar to its place.
"You'd be surprised." Fu responded. "With the increase of 'natural health' nuts, more and more people have been buying off me. Of course, my remedies actually work, so it's good that they're coming to me rather than some con-man."
"I suppose that's true. Mum always complains about how she gets parents who insist that their 'natural cures' are the best way to protect their children. Uh, no offence." Nathaniel said.
"None taken. Most 'natural cures' are complete nonsense. Mine have actual logic behind them." Fu waved off.
"If you say so." Nathaniel said, not wanting to argue.
"So, how have things been going for you at college?" Fu asked conversationally as he mixed in the prepared honeydew.
"The usual. Trying and failing to understand science, getting lots of homework, being forced into hanging out with people 'for my own good'." Nathaniel complained.
"It is good to build up a strong social circle. Good friends are invaluable." Fu advised.
"I know." Nathaniel rolled his eyes.
He was a hardcore introvert, but he'd be lying if he didn't say he enjoyed being with others every once in a while.
"Oh, and Chloe's been extra insufferable lately." He added.
"Ah, Marinette's blond friend? What's she been doing?"
"She been going on and on about 'how many people have been approaching her to sell her merchandise'." Nathaniel did a poor imitation of Chloe's voice.
"Merchandise?" Fu asked.
"Yeah, with real heroes and villains being in Paris, toys and other things have started emerging. Of course, you've got the Lady Nymph and Belle Aube stuff, but former Champion are also being approached for the rights to use our Champion forms in stuff." Nathaniel explained.
"Have you been approached?"
"A few of times, yeah." Nathaniel rubbed the back of his neck uncomfortably. "I'm not really comfortable with my image being mass produced, but mum convinced me that it'd be a good idea to take the royalties and put them in a savings account."
"Sounds wise. Though, money should not be important than your own comfort." Fu said.
"It's fine, I won't be on that much stuff anyway. Chloe, or rather Royal Phoenix, is the one who will be on everything, considering how many offers she's bragged about getting. Though, I guess that makes sense, since she was Lady Nymph's first Champion."
"That can't be good for her ego." Fu joked.
"It isn't. Why do you think she's been insufferable?" Nathaniel replied. "She's been bugging me about putting her into my comic as well."
"Comic?"
"Ah…" Nathaniel blushed slightly. "Well, I draw a lot, things like comics. So, I've started drawing some comics about the heroes of Paris in my free time."
"That sounds nice. Do you think you'll publish it at some point?"
"Maybe." Nathaniel shrugged. "I'd need some help with the writing though. I kinda suck with the story and dialogue aspects."
"I'm sure that you can improve with practice." Fu assured.
"Maybe." Nathaniel shrugged again. "By the way, your pot's about to boil over." He pointed.
"Ah!" Fu turned around to save his remedy.
"Juleka and I got our first licencing offers today?" Rose squealed happily to her classmates.
"That's cool, did you accept?" Alix asked.
"Not yet." Juleka answered.
"Our parents are trying to find a professional who can help us work out the deal, so that we don't get cheated." Rose said
"Man, I should have thought about that, who knows how much I could have got given." Kim complained.
"Maybe it will be wise to ask the teachers about educating us on the matters of licencing and managing finances, considering that so many of the class have been made into Champions, and thus asked about using their Champion forms." Max advised.
"Sounds boring." Kim complained.
"The most important things usually are." Max deadpanned back.
"My daddy hired the best professionals in the business to deal with my licencing offers." Chloe boasted. "So, I'm definitely getting the best deals."
"Why do you care about how much of the cut you get, you're already rich?" Alix moaned.
"Well, it feels better to spend money that I earned myself." Chloe explained off-handily.
"I'm not going be touching the money I get. It's all going into a savings account." Ivan said.
"Same here." Nathaniel and Mylene said.
"When I start getting offers, I'm going to put all of the money towards charity." Lila boasted.
"That sounds really nice, Lila." Mylene complimented.
"Yeah, nice sentiment, if you get any offers." Chloe snarked.
Lila elected to be the 'bigger person' and ignore Chloe's comment.
"Well, people in less fortunate situations will need the money more than I will." Lila said. "I actually plan to start working with a few charities. Oh, maybe we can start our own!" She exclaimed as she got an idea. "Gather all the Champions and show that we're still heroes even without Nymph giving us power."
"That's a great idea Lila." Marinette smiled.
"I know, right." Lila grinned as she latched onto Marinette.
"What sort of things would we do?" Kim asked.
"Well, we could…" Lila began to list off things that they could do to help others.
"How about we have an official meeting about it, after talking to the staff." Marinette advised.
"Okay. I can go speak to the headmaster now." Lila agreed. "Want to come with?"
"I would, but I've already made plans." Marinette turned her down with a sad smile.
"Oh, okay. I understand." Lila said. "Hey, Sabrina, do you want to help." She immediately turned to the shy girl.
"Sabrina's coming with me." Chloe answered before Sabrina could.
"I think you should let Sabrina answer for herself." Lila put her hands on her hips.
"Why, the answer's going to be the same?" Chloe questioned.
Lila turned back to Sabrina. "Do you want to help me with the charity organising, or whatever Chloe has planned?" She asked.
"Well, uh…" Sabrina struggled to reply.
"Sabrina, stop delaying. You're going to make us late." Chloe demanded.
"I'dliketostaywithLila." Sabrina burst out.
"What?" Chloe asked in offended shock.
"You heard her." Lila said smugly. "She's like to stay and help me."
Lila put an arm around Sabrina as Chloe spluttered.
"Sabrina, you're my friend." Chloe said.
"And she's my friend as well." Lila declared.
"I am?" Sabrina gasped, looking at Lila.
"Of course you are." Lila said. "Why wouldn't you be?"
"I'm Lila's friend." Sabrina whispered to herself happily.
"Sabrina!" Chloe exclaimed.
"Aren't you going to be late to something?" Lila reminded.
"Come on, Chloe. Sabrina's allowed to have other friends and be around other people." Marinette said, pulling Chloe away.
Chloe scowled but left with Marinette and Alya.
Sabrina looked upset at Chloe leaving.
"It's alright, I'm your friend now, remember." Lila comforted with a triumphant grin. "Now, let's go speak to the headmaster."
Adrien growled as he stormed into his room.
"So, you can't have a party. Why not just sneak out and have one?" Plagg suggested to him. "That sounds like way more fun than another fight."
"I'm not in a mood for a party anymore." Adrien snapped back. "If he wants to keep ignoring my birthday, I'll make him pay attention."
He lifted his hand up, but at the last second remembered that he had to tell Lila about his plan to attack.
"This is annoying." He huffed, shooting his reluctant ally a text before transforming. "Plagg, Claws Out!"
He jumped out his window and met with Volpina at their agreed location.
"Awe, is little kitty throwing a strop about not getting a birthday?" Volpina said in a baby voice.
"Knock it off." Catastrophe told her. "I need you to create an illusion of me as Adrien, in danger."
"We could just use the real you, it'd be more convincing." Volpina suggested with a smirk.
"Yeah, that'll happen when I trust you not to drop me for real." Catastrophe deadpanned.
"You really have so little trust in me?" Volpina acted hurt.
"I wouldn't trust you to look after a hamster." Catastrophe said. "Now, let's get this over with."
…
"I hope Adrien likes the scarf." Marinette said, pushing herself along.
"With how much effort you put into making it, I'm sure he will." Alya assured.
They were just coming back from delivering the present to the Agreste mansion, posting it through the delivery box. Marinette had been intending to give it to Adrien at college, only for her own absent-mindedness to strike again and make her forget it at home.
"Hey, is that Nino?" Marinette questioned, spotting their friend in the park near her home.
"I wonder what he's doing sitting on his own." Alya said. "Let's go over and talk to him." She suggested.
They went over to Nino to find him aggressively blowing bubbles.
"Whoa, what's got you so worked up?" Alya asked.
"It's Adrien's dad." Nino complained. "I went over to see if I could convince him to let Adrien have a birthday party, since he's never had one before, only for him to decide that I'm a 'negative influence' on Adrien and order that we can't be friends anymore."
"What?! That's messed up!" Alya exclaimed.
"I know, right?" Nino said. "I wasn't being rude or anything."
"Poor Adrien." Marinette sighed. "I hope he's not too hurt about this."
"Well, his 'father' didn't seem to care about his opinion very much." Nino said, crossing his arms.
Their conversation was interrupted by feeling the ground shake slightly.
Looking up, they spotted Adrien's bodyguard running over to them.
"Uh, hey." Marinette greeted. "Do you need something?"
The bodyguard did some motions, not speaking.
"Are you wondering where Adrien is?" Marinette eventually worked out.
The bodyguard nodded.
"Last I saw, he was with his father about fifteen minutes ago." Nino said. "Wait, did he run off?"
But the bodyguard was already leaving, resuming his search for Adrien.
"We can help him find Adrien." Marinette said, recognising the bodyguard's panic over needing to find his charge.
"Should we, though?" Alya questioned. "He likely ran off for a good reason."
Marinette hummed, trying to work out what the best course of action would be.
Her thoughts were interrupted by all three of their phones going off.
"The villain alert!" Alya gasped.
She quickly ran off in the direction the alert said the danger was, causing both Marinette and Nino to sigh.
"I'll go after her and try to keep her out of trouble as best as I can." Nino said. "You get back inside."
"Right." Marinette agreed as Nino ran off after Alya.
Thankfully, it was just a matter of crossing the street to get into her home. Then transporting herself between her wheelchairs and stairlifts to get into her room, locking the trapdoor behind her.
Nooroo emerged from Marinette's purse with her phone, turning to a news channel for her.
"Oh no!" He gasped as he looked at the news.
"What?" Marinette took the phone off him.
The video showed Adrien being dangled from a tall building by Catastrophe and Volpina.
"It could be an illusion." Nooroo said.
"With Adrien missing from home, it could just as easily be real. Either way, I need a Champion to fight those villains." Marinette said. "Nooroo, Wings Rise!"
Butterflies covered Marinette and her wheelchair, turning her into Lady Nymph on her throne.
"Right, who to pick?" Lady Nymph closed her eyes and extended her reach.
She felt a bright light that was running very fast, a light that was familiar to her.
"Nino." She smiled.
She lifted her hand up for a butterfly, but then paused.
Not so far away, there was a brighter light, one filled with a strong need to protect above all else.
"Huh, I guess he really cares about Adrien." Lady Nymph said, holding up her hand again.
A butterfly landed on her finger and she brought it up to her lips, transferring her power into it, then extended her hand to allow it to fly away.
"Fly away little Tiānshǐ, and give him the strength he needs."
…
"I'm sorry sir, but civilians are not allowed to cross this line." The police officer stopped Adrien's bodyguard from moving any further.
The bodyguard scowled as he looked up as where his charge was being dangled over the edge of the building, trying to get passed the police officer again.
"Sir, please stop. I know that you are concerned about the child, but you need to let the professionals handle this." The officer told him.
The bodyguard was just about to shove the officer out of the way and damn the consequences when a purple butterfly landed on him.
"I have felt your need to protect this person in danger and I can give you the power to do so, I just need you to retrieve the villains' Miraculous'." Lady Nymph spoke to him, showing a projection of the Cat and Fox Miraculous'.
"Hmph." The bodyguard nodded in agreement.
Light enveloped him in a cocoon that he broke out of seconds later.
"What?" The police offer said as he looked at the new Champion.
"What?" Questioned a shocked Lady Nymph.
"What?" Catastrophe and Volpina said as they peaked over the building.
The bodyguard looked no different than before, same suit and hair style, not even a change in skin colour.
Nevertheless, he marched passed the police officer and into the building, breaking the door open as he went.
Belle Aube arrived soon after to aid him in taking down the villains, chasing them off after the reveal of Adrien just being an illusion
…
Marinette met with Alya, Nino and Chloe outside of the college before the classes started.
"I wonder if Adrien will be allowed to come in today, after what happened." Alya commented.
"He can't be kept from school though." Marinette frowned.
"Adrien was home-schooled before, remember. His father could decide to do it again." Chloe said.
Thankfully, the usual limo arrived outside the college and Adrien stepped out, wearing the scarf Marinette had made him.
"Hey, dude, nice to see you're alright." Nino went over to greet him happily.
"Yo, nice scarf, Adrien. It's off the chain." Alya complimented knowingly.
"Yeah. Can you believe my dad got it for me.?" Adrien said, holding his scarf.
This caused everyone else to pause.
"All I ever get from him is pens." Adrien continued unawares. "It's a nice surprise."
"But-" Chloe began to protest, only for Marinette to yank her down to her level by the arm and clap a hand over her mouth.
"You've got to tell him that you're the one who knitted the scarf." Alya said to Marinette quietly as Adrien and Nino had their own conversation.
Chloe removed Marinette's hand from her mouth. "Yeah, you can't just let his dad steal your work like that." She agreed.
"But he seems so happy about his dad." Marinette shook her head. "I don't want to spoil it for him."
"Aw, Marinette. You're amazing." Alya said, hugging Marinette. "But what are you going to do about your present? He's gonna think you didn't get him anything."
"I'll just say it got lost and buy him something." Marinette shrugged. "It won't have the same effort put in, but it'll be something."
"Bullshit." Chloe scowled. "You may be happy to let this happen, but I won't let this injustice stand."
Alya and Marinette watched as Chloe stormed over to the limo and stood in front of the driver's window to glare at Adrien's bodyguard.
"Listen here, I've got a message for Mr Agreste." Chloe said loudly. "Marinette put a lot of time and effort into making that scarf for Adrien. And then your boss decides to steal said present off a teenage girl to claim it as his own instead of putting in the effort himself and getting a present for his own son. He should be ashamed of himself, stealing someone else's work like that. The only reason I'm not telling Adrien the truth, is because my friend says it makes him happy to think that his father got it for him."
The bodyguard looked at Chloe in shock, then looked passed her at a slightly embarrassed Marinette.
He then nodded agreeing to pass the message on.
"Good. And if this happens again, my father will make sure that it won't happen a third time." Chloe said.
She then turned on her heels and marched back over to Marinette and the others.
"Come on." She said, walking passed them and into the college.
"What was that about?" Adrien asked, having not heard Chloe's words to his bodyguard, only her shouting.
"Nothing to be concerned about." Alya waved off. "Let's get to class before the bell rings.
…
Morning classes and lunch passed without issue.
Marinette was just about to enter the college for afternoon classes with Alya and Chloe when she was approached by Adrien.
"Hey, Marinette, I just wanted to say thank you for my birthday present?" Adrien said.
"Birthday present?" Marinette questioned, confused.
Had Adrien figured out the truth?
"Yeah." Adrien said as he brought out a hand-made hat from his bag. "My bodyguard said it got lost when sorting the mail, but he found and gave it to me. It really nice of you to make me a present, Marinette."
"Oh, you're welcome." Marinette blushed slightly.
She looked over at Adrien's bodyguard behind him, who flashed her a thumbs-up.
Marinette smiled back. She may not have made the hat, but Adrien still believed that she made his birthday present, even if it wasn't the scarf.
Author's note: Please comment
Despite only mentioning a few Champions here, let's pretend that a large handful of people were chosen to be Champion during this timeskip that weren't mentioned.
I think it makes sense that former Champions would be approached to have their Champion forms used in merchandise, as Lady Nymph's presence is felt more through her Champions than being a person the public can see. And you can't exactly use someone's image for profit without getting their permission first, so the Champions are going to get approached to be paid.
…
I've seen some people comment on how they'd like to do fan work based around Nymph. Remember to tell me if you've done anything so that I know and can provide a link to it in the follow chapter.
With my recent freedom from course work, for now, I'll be opening art trades on my Tumblr (Asexual-Individual) and DeviantART (DreamVixen2511). So, if you want to do some art based around Nymph in return for me doing some artwork for you, head on over to either of them to check out my terms and the quality of my art.