Chapter One: New York

Marinette yawned, stretching her arms back. "Tikki…" Marinette look for the tiny kwami. "Tikki?"

"Hello, Marinette," a superhero said, leaning against a wall. It wasn't a superhero she recognized, but I looked like- holy crap! Marinette reached for her earrings. Gone. "Don't worry, Marinette. I am Crimson, and I was chosen by Su-Han to give you a break. He was persistent that you leave Paris and get a break. He says you work to hard and that a vacation out of Paris will do you some good. He's already talked you parents into letting you go for a so called special designer's school you are signed up for a year. No more Ladybug, understand?"

"What? I- I- what?" Marinette asked, not able to find words.

"You are going to New York, Marinette, no fuss. You'll have the dragon miraculous to protect you, and at least you'll have a kwami." Crimson handed Marinette the dragon miraculous- a choker and some black earrings. "The earrings will make it so that the holes won't close, if that's what you were wondering. You might also need this. I told your parents that you had to leave in a hurry and that you'll call them once you're in New York." Crimson handed Marinette a dark blue macaroon.

"Okay, and I need my space power up? We're going to fly there?" Marinette asked, putting the earrings in and putting the choker around her neck. "Here you go, Longg. Longg, make the storm!" Marinette transformed and Crimson looked her up and down.

"My turn," Crimson said, eating an identical macaroon. Together, they flew to New York and discussed how Marinette would go through the next year. "You will be living with someone I'm friends with, the Parkers. They agreed that they would take you in as a foreign exchange student. You get it? Oh, and you will be one of the few who know I'm Crimson, not that you know who I am."

"I'm starting to understand… but why would Su-Han go through so much for me to take a break?" Marinette asked.

"Oh, don't give him all the credit, I played a major roll in getting you this far," Crimson chuckled. They landed in an alleyway, and detranfomed. Crimson had brown hair and blue-green eyes, and her outfit consisted of blue jeans and a red tee with the words, "I'm brave, strong, and a girl."

"Who are you?" Marinette asked.

"Call me Auntie Crimson, and May will call me that around you too, trust me. May is the woman you will be living with, and she has a brilliant nephew named Peter who is a little older than you,"Crimson assured Marinette. "Come on, we'll get a Taxi there." Crimson pulled out American money and handed some to Marinette. Crimson put her hand up and a yellow taxi stopped and Marinette and Crimson got in.

"Where too?"

Crimson told him the address and they went flying off. When they exited, Crimson thanked the old man and gave him money.

"I'm Stan Lee," the old man said. "If you find yourself in trouble, call this number and ask for me."

"No prob, Stan," Crimson said. "If you need any saving, calm for the superhero Crimson- even if she's in Paris she'll come and help, I know her." Crimson winked at the old man and brought Marinette up to the Parker's front door.

"Are you sure about this, Auntie Crimson?" Marinette asked, already getting into character.

"Sure about this? Heck, May is the best! You're simply going to love her, Marinette!" Crimson said.

"I guess I'll have to trust you on that," Marinette sighed, as Crimson knocked.

"You guys are early! Peter was just helping me set up our new guest's room!" a woman said. She was skinny with brown hair that went to her shoulders.

"Auntie Crimson, I'm going to guess this is May," Marinette said.

"You got that right!" Crimson sighed. "May, I believe we haven't seen each other for two years, let's have some catching up while Mari meets Peter."

"Of course, come with me, Marinette!" May said, taking Marinette towards the back of the one floor house. She sure would miss her balcony. Marinette started counting off the things she'd miss about her home. The smell of freshly baked croissants, the view of the Eiffel Tower from her window. Her thoughts were interrupted by a boy with brown hair and brown eyes. His pale skin went red as May elbowed him in the shoulder and 'OO' -ed.

"I'm Peter," the boy said quickly.

"Crim," Marinette said to Crimson. "Why here?" Crimson sighed.

"Look, May is really nice and…" Marinette gave Crimson the stink eye. "I'll get you an apartment."

"Thank you," Marinette sighed. "I'm Marinette, Marinette Dupain-Cheng." Marinette shook Peter's hand, who was hesitant. Why did she not want to be here? Maybe she preferred living alone. Peter wouldn't blame her.

"Nice to meet you, Marinette," May said. "Now, you and Pater can talk while me and your Auntie Crimson talk."

"Okay," Marinette said, smiling brightly at May. May and Crimson left, Crimson looking almost hesitant to leave Marinette alone with Peter. As they left, Marinette dropped the smile and walked into her new room.

"Um- Marinette, you wanna- I dunno, get to know each other?" Peter asked.

"I won't be here for long, don't worry. I just have to find a way to get back to Paris without Crimson noticing. New York was not my idea," Marinette said.

"I wasn't worried, I actually looked forward to having someone…" Peter wasn't allowed to finish. Marinette's phone rang. It was Alya.

"Hello," Marinette said, cheerfully.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng! Where in the world are you? If I didn't know better, I think you're in another part of the world!" Alya said, jokingly. Then she got serious when she saw Marinette's face pale. "M- WHERE ARE YOU?"

"Alya- this wasn't my plan, it was sudden," Marinette said. Silence followed. "Al, I'm in New York."

"You're WHERE?!" Alya said, making Marinette bring the phone even farther from her face. "Adrien! Nino! Guess where the girl is?"

"Where?" Adrien's voice came. Marinette's face reddened.

"NEW YORK!" Alya said.

"Geez, should've brought us," Nino said, making his way onto the phone.

"Guys this wasn't my plan…" Marinette was cut off by everyone trying to say something. "I'm safe. Look guys, I'm okay…" Finally, Marinette hung up on her friends since she couldn't get a word in. "Dang you, Crimson."

"Why would you say that about your aunt?" Peter asked.

"She's not really my aunt," Marinette said. "Look, can you keep a secret?"

"Yeah…?" Peter more of asked then stated.

"Crimson isn't even her real name, it's a superhero name. She stole my ability to be Ladybug and made me come here. Geez, I couldn't even pack," Marinette whined.

"Wait- you're Ladybug? Like, Ladybug and Cat- I mean Chat Noir Ladybug?" Peter asked. "I follow the Ladyblog that your friend does! Ladybug is my hero!"

"Ha, thank you, you won't be seeing much of her for a while. Now, will you leave?" Marinette asked. "I was told to call my mom when I got here." Marinette muttered something in French, and whatever it was, it didn't sound good to Peter. So, Peter got on the phone with his best friend, Ned, to ask for some help.

"Yo," Ned said, getting on the phone.

"Hey, look, you know that foreign exchange student I said we would be housing?"

"Yeah, what about him?"

"She's not a he. And she's not happy about being here."

"Oh, a hot French chick, exciting."

"Not exciting. She already hates me!"

"That's going a bit deep. What's her name?"

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng."

"Okay- I found her. She is hot. She designs things- oh, look at that, she's a gamer chick too. She's won a championship for her school playing a game with a dude name Max. Marinette lives in a bakery with her parents and has been seen with Cat Noir on her balcony before… Dude, she's awesome. Her best friend is a supermodel named Adrien Agreste. She is also friends with the person who runs the Ladyblog, Alya Cesaire. Not only that, but she's friends with a dude named Nino who is a DJ. If you don't want her, I'll try to win her over with my charm."

"She's planning a way to escape, she won't be here for long, so you better work your charm fast."

"Marinette'll be head's over heel's for me the minute she meets me!"

"Well, I gotta go, goodnight, Ned."

"Night, bro."