Ch5
Kagami Tsurugi was bored.
There was something missing, maybe it was the long sought feeling of being powerful again. Of having a bigger part in this world.
The Japanese girl sighed and took off her face guard before taking deep breaths.
"Nice work today, Tsurugi!", Adrien popped up next to her.
Kagami didn't even flinch. She took in her best friend's appearance. He'd changed out of his fencing gear quiet fast, his hair still wet. Being the face of the Gabriel brand he was always dressed impeccably. As a teen he'd gone for some pretty casual wear, but as an adult his look had become more refined.
His hair were longer than before and he looked wholly the same, except he had developed a resting smirk face. It went along well with his gentlemanly aura, giving his mechanically cut personality a little wilder aura. It made him a little less approachable, but given how women fawned over him now, it didn't seem like much of a problem.
He now wore a teal shirt with beige casual blazer and white trousers with black and white converse. The new shoes were definitely better than the orange converse from before.
"Agreste, this is the girl's locker room.", Kagami crossed her arms. She'd taken to calling him 'Agreste' and he'd taken to calling her 'Tsurugi' after they had broken up. The new name, in a way, had helped the awkwardness go away quicker.
"I am a girl. I'm Sailor Moon!", Adrien said and posed in the magical girl's famous pose.
Kagami smiled and punched him playfully, "Get rid of that stubble and maybe I'll believe you."
"What stubble? Father wouldn't let me grow even a hair out of place!"
"True…", Kagami said and the two chuckled.
"Well, I was wondering if you were free today….?", Adrien stretched his sentence into a question.
"I'm sorry Adrien, I'm not. The only time I shall have to myself is tonight after dinner, but I wish to spend the night alone."
"Alone with Chloe?", Adrien wiggled his eyebrows.
"We aren't in whatever relationship you think we are in, Agreste.", Kagami raised her eyebrows, "But to answer your question, no, not with Chloe. Just by myself."
"Ah…..I see."
The two fell into silence. Not the awkward kind, but not happy either. It felt contemplative.
Kagami thought of her boredom. Being the heiress of any inheritance (from titles to businesses) was always a burden and left little room for self-doubt. Fencing wasn't the same to her as it had been when she had been and adolescent. Would Adrien understand what she felt?
"Do you…?", Kagami stopped and took in a breath, "Do you ever feel like you want something more in life? Like there's a piece of you missing and you cannot acquire it not matter what you do?"
"Sometimes yes, but then I see the people I love, the people I care about, friends and family. And that's all I need, really. But if it's you, then Kagami, you will achieve whatever you want. You are strong and you never hesitate, I envy those parts of you sometimes."
Kagami looked into Adrien's warm green eyes. They were like sunlight, he was like sunlight, gentle and comforting. There was that soft smile on his face, the one he'd learnt to make when he wasn't modelling. The one smile she loved so much.
This was Adrien Agreste. One of her first friends, her first crush and now one of her staunchest supporters along with Marinette and Chloe. The sunshine boy she had wished to stand beside.
"Thanks Adrien. Now leave before I make you. I have to change, mother is still waiting for me.", she turned him and pushed him towards the door.
He laughed before pulling open the door himself.
"See you tomorrow then.", he waved and left.
Kagami smiled before and waved at the figure already gone. She changed her clothes and checked if she had packed everything before exiting the locker room.
She wore a casual black turtleneck tucked into a high waisted plaid skirt and ankle-length black boots, curtesy of a Marinette that couldn't have a fashion disaster as a friend. Over the years, Kagami herself had soaked in fashion advice and tips, worldly knowledge and emotions expression from Chloe and Marinette. Both girls had taken over her wardrobe and slowly ingrained does and don'ts into her. Kagami as a teenager hadn't been tasteless in fashion sense, but in her opinion, first impression were very important and this, her sense in fashion had come out as formal and strong. Her friends had helped her tone down the sharpness and helped her develop a softer look. This look wasn't just outwardly but also inwardly. The Kagami of now was very different and much gentler than the Kagami in her teens.
She walked along the border of the training field and made her way to the front doors. A few younger students called out to her to say their farewells when she touched the door handles. Very few students practiced as much as she and Adrien did so the number of students on the field were little. She smiled and turned back to wave good bye to her acquaintances and then walked through the double doors of the fencing academy.
Tomoe's red car stood out next to the few white and silver cars parked closed to it. Kagami opened the back door and entered wishing her mother.
*"Konbanwa.", the twenty year old woman said.
"Konbanwa.", her mother greeted in return.
"How is grandfather?", Kagami asked in Japanese. After she had come out as queer, her grandfather refused to talk to her. It was weird. He was thousands of miles away from his granddaughter and didn't even bother to talk to her anymore. Her mother on the other hand was fully supportive. "I was like that too once, chasing after both.",Tomoe had told her daughter when she confessed. "It would be best to not tell your grandfather, his flexibility is more lacking than mine."
Of course her grandfather had still found out, as he would eventually. And thus a gap had appeared in their relationship.
"Same old.", her mother answered as the car started and they left, "He's a stubborn old mule that is too immersed in the ways his forefathers did things. He doesn't understand that it's not just a phase or a lifestyle choice or that it's not something curable as it isn't a disease.", she laughed dryly, "I can't blame him either. I too am bound to the old ways. But between losing you and keeping the traditions that would not help in these modern times it was quite easy to choose a side. And you make me proud in so many ways. How could I find fault in you for who you love when I am the same?"
"Thank you mother.", Kagami smiled.
"I just wish you'd chose a more suitable partner.", Tomoe said, obviously talking about a certain someone.
Kagami crossed her arms, annoyed that another person had brought up Chloe as her love interest again, "We aren't like that mother. Why does everyone see something that I don't?"
"Maybe you haven't noticed then.", Tomoe said and looked out of the window, having spoken enough for the day.
"Noticed what, mother?", Kagami asked gazing at her mother intently.
When Tomoe refused to answer, instead opting to let the two of them ride in silence Kagami was forced to contemplate her words in the quiet.
As their car pulled up to their driveway, Tomoe told Kagami what was expected of her for the rest for the day. "Go to your room and rest, meditation and homework is a must in the next two hours. You shall be called down for dinner in time."
Kagami held back a sigh and nodded. Her mother was alright with her sexuality and over the years had become lenient in some areas, but still maintained strictness in most cases. Discipline was a big thing in their family and Kagami understood how important a role it played in her life. It was discipline that brought her to where she was, it was discipline that sharpened her senses more than most, it was discipline that made sure she never hesitated. But it was also discipline that made her rigid to the point of stupidity, it was discipline that tended to make her hard-headed and too stubborn for her own good.
Kagami realised over time that her upbringing hadn't been the most gentle, it had been filled with strict discipline and time tables after all. But it hadn't been unloving. It was the proud tradition of her family to be champion fencers and her childhood would thus be different from others. Warmth and love were achieved through reaching one's objectives. But as Kagami grew older she came to the crossroads of every adult.
To follow in the family footsteps or make her own path.
The Japanese woman smiled to herself, it was a bittersweet smile. This year, this year she would finally win gold and then leave the family legacy behind.
Excusing herself, the Olympic medallist daughter went to her room and flopped onto the bed, having lost some of her proper etiquette over the years spending time with the lax Marinette, Chloe and Adrien. They weren't her only friends but definitely her closest.
No homework had been given that day, thus she only had one more activity to do, meditation. After an hour of breathing and focusing, Kagmai opened her eyes and climbed onto her bed.
She breathed out and pulled up her phone to see if anyone had messaged in the three hours since she had switched it off.
There was a bunch of texts from Chloe and a few from Marinette.
Their group chat was filled to the brim with silly texts and memes. She was loath to open it as she didn't wish to be confused after just coming to peace.
Chloe
05:42
Do you know who's cute? Aurore Beaureal, that's who.
06:13
Urgh, the new hotel menu is utterly ridiculous! Can you believe they have soup here? Soup! An entire section of it!
06:15
Marinette texted 'good for you' when I told her. That woman! And Adrikins laughed! The audacity of the two!
07:22
*this message has been deleted*
07:23
Sabrina's been bragging how she got full marks on her latest test. Well guess what? I got 74 out of 100 in my latest one and I didn't even study.
Kagami
07:40
That's good I suppose. But you should study.
Soup is good for your health and an amazing appetizer, have you ever even tried any?
Chloe almost always responded instantaneously. She typed fast and made very few mistakes. Today wasn't an exception, the mayor's daughter didn't waste even a minuet to reply.
Chloe
07:41
Yeah. Yeah. I get it! I'm basically a prodigy!
Have I tried any? I did when I was five and hated it ever since!
Kagami
07:45
You do know there are different kinds of soups right?
Chloe
07:46
Of course I do. How does that matter?
Kagami
07:49
Try different ones. If you have a problem with Asian ones try broccoli soup. If you don't like them veg try the chicken ones. I personally quiet like Chicken and Coriander soup.
Chloe
07:51
I won't like it.
Kagami
07:52
Not until you try, you won't.
Chloe
07:53
Urgh fine! But only because you said so. I hope you know how much you mean to me, I didn't listen to Adrien or Mari about this.
For a second Kagami's heart fluttered, like it had when she first found out she liked girls. When she felt like kissing Marinette, not that it ever happened.
"Could I be in love with Chloe? No, not in love, crushing?"
Kagami felt her face grow hot. Maybe, just maybe, the happiness she felt when she talked to Chloe was more than when she talked to anyone else. Maybe, she looked forward to seeing those piercing blue eyes the most. Maybe she searched for Chloe in a crowd before she searched for anyone else. Not Adrien. Not Marinette. Chloe.
C-H-L-O-E.
A.K.A The blonde brat.
A feeling arose in her heart. It was a bird coming to life in her chest, stretching its wings for the first time, testing the air to see if it was ready. It perched at the edge of the nest. The border between safety and the world was hope and so it stood at that edge and took a look outside before shuffling back to the centre. It was adamant to move yet afraid of what would happen if it stood at the edge too long.
Kagami was pulled back to reality by the phone buzzing in her hands like a mixer machine.
Chloe
08:04
Hellooooo
I'm still here.
Bitch, don't leave me one read after I just poured out my heart to you!
08:05
*on read
Kagami
08:07
Didn't know you had one. Glad to know I was wrong. It's the only time you'll ever prove me wrong.
That seemed smooth. Kagami looked at the screen, waiting for Chloe's reply. Her heart beat faster than usual despite her calming her feelings.
The blonde girl replied soon enough.
Chloe
08:08
Oh har har. So funny.
Be careful, maybe I'll come for your heart to replace mine.
Kagami
08:09
Don't waste your time. I'll come give it to you myself.
Kagami bit her lip, hoping what she had texted wasn't too much. She'd seen Marinette and Alya flirt once or twice as jokes and both didn't seem to be going anywhere with it. Then again, though Marinette was pretty ambiguous about her sexual orientation, Alya was confirmed straight, while both Chloe and her lesbian.
Her worrying turned out to be pointless when Chloe answered.
Chloe
08:14
Keep it ready. I'll have my butler pick it up by 6 tomorrow morning.
08:14
Gotta go now. Dad's having dinner with me tonight. Ttyl.
Kagami
08:15
See you later.
The Japanese woman switched of her phone. She turned in her bed, ready to dose off without eating dinner.
She was nearing the brink of sleep when the wind rustled in, caressing her hair. It whispered against her ears, sweet and soft. The summer maiden was warm and bright and youthful. Her breath was the wind of the land and it was hungry for the night.
Kagami shivered in delight as a particularly cool breeze made its way to her.
'That's strange, I don't remember opening either my window or balcony door.'
She opened her eyes and watched the curtains flutter with the breeze.
Kagami got up and made her way to the open balcony, her bokken in hand. Creeping up to the open doors, she looked around for an intruder. There was no one there. Just the city lights glittering on a palate of blues. From deep ocean blue, to inky sky. Pale cream hued clouds, cold from the night temperature and little splotches of dark green from the bushes close to the roads.
Paris was indeed pretty at night, a sight to behold.
The fencer's eyes roamed the balcony for someone or something. She stepped onto the open space when she didn't sense anything out of place. Her bare foot felt something in front of it when she shifted it.
Looking downwards, she noticed a small black envelope with a green paw print on its bottom right corner. The black paper almost shone in the lamp light.
Kagami bent and picked up the envelope, wary of any weird things that could happen. The envelope was light and warm, almost as if its deliverer had just left it a second ago. It was slightly bulged in the centre, as though it contained something other than a letter.
The blue haired, brown eyed woman cautiously walked back into her room and closed the door, suspecting who the letter might be from. She already had an idea but couldn't fathom why.
She sat down on her bed, opened the envelope and invert it. Two things fell out, a green and black button and a card. On the card was, in a neat cursive handwriting of professional calligraphers, written 'KT' and 'open when alone' in bold letters.
Kagami's heart beat furiously, pumping blood in her veins at a crazy speed. Her breath felt hot and heavy, waiting for some kind of judgement.
Kagami tentatively opened the black card, surprised to find that despite its elegant handwriting it was plain.
Kagami Tsurugi,
Evil forces have emerged once more to threaten the peace of Paris. Our new enemies happen to be too powerful and numerous for Ladybug and I to defeat alone.
Thus we ask for your aid in protecting the citizens of Paris and defeating the enemy. This task, in no way, shall be easy or light. You will be forced to make decisions that might be difficult.
Should you chose to wield the Dragon Miraculous again and join the fight, be aware that you shall have to put duty above heart, and press the green black button for three minutes. I shall come to explain the entire situation in detail in time.
Should you chose to not accept this mission, please burn both this letter and the button and go about your life normally. You shall not be judged for choosing to decline, we understand the risks are not to be taken lightly.
Either option you chose, please keep the contents of this letter a secret.
Yours sincerely,
Chat Noir
Kagami stared at the letter before rereading it. The letter were clear as day, the silver ink catching gold from her yellow lamps.
Could this have been what she was longing for? The power? The thrill? The odds? An adventure of a lifetime, using the skills she had mastered over the years. All while she gets to save this city, maybe even more than the city. She would never get an opportunity like this ever again.
Somewhere, out there, more villains were plotting something and she had been chosen, out of so many, to wield her miraculous and help in the fight again.
There were new enemies to defeat, stronger and more challenging than before. There were more risks, scary enough that she had been warned beforehand and even told it would be alright to walk away like a coward. But she wouldn't be Kagami Tsurugi, a.k.a The Ice Queen, if something as minor as wounds and difficult decisions swayed her away. She never hesitated and always knew what she wanted, it was the reason of her success, the code she lived by. Strike true and strike hard.
The wind danced against her door, singing a soft howl of freedom. The Japanese woman stood up and opened the door, button in hand.
Greeting the city night she smiled and pushed the button, welcoming that once in a lifetime adventure.
Tan Legend
over and out~