Bridgette quickly stored away her phone and promptly distracted everyone by offering them all a chance to ask one intrusive question each.
The questions thankfully were easy enough to answer and soon Marinette and Bridgette were about to enter the bakery when they saw Lila accosting one Felix Graham De Vanily. Marinette was too surprised to react but Bridgette quickly yanked the italian girl off of Felix boredly. When Lila went to glower at the intruder she almost fainted and peed her pants at the sight of a fully lethally glaring Bridgette. The most frightning thing about her expression being her sweet small smile adorning her face. At that moment was when Adrien had finally found Felix after having chased him out of the mansion, so Adrien was currently next to Marinette watching in absolute shock. Felix himself was shocked because he briefly had felt the full weight of Lila and he knew she wasn't light per se when Bridgette effortlessly yanked the brat off.
"Please refrain from causing a scene in front of the bakery in the future, okay? Next time I'll have no choice but to inform my aunt and uncle so that they can properly ban you from the premises." Bridgette said coolly but sweetly.
Adrien and Marinette shivered in slight intimidation at the tone while Lila and Felix gulped.
Lila quickly nodded her agreement and left.
Felix went to speak to Bridgette but was floored when she glared coldly at him. She then spoke to him coolly enough that her message was clear.
"I have no damn clue how you found out, and I don't give a damn. Just keep your damn mouth shut about it. Also, don't bring your problems to my home. I'll protect you but only as long as you protect my secret." Bridgette said before going inside.
Adrien went to check on Felix to find him blushing lightly and spluttering.
Marinette went after Bridgette.
But when Marinette reached her cousin's room she found Bridgette listening to her music and working on homework. Bridgette had never been talkative about certain topics of her life. Particularly the night her parents died and all of her family's belongings burned down to the ground with her old house. Marinette always let it be because Bridgette clearly didn't want to confront the topic with anyone. She had been sent to therapy sessions when she first joined their little family of three. But she would never talk about that night with the therapist. She adjusted well enough to the change and she never showed any problems with anything because of what had happened. Bridgette never talked much about her adventures in America either. Marinette always figured that she just didn't want any fussing but it was apparently a sensitive subject right now.
"Staring at me isn't going to answer your questions, Mari." Bridgette said calmly as she worked on homework.
Marinette blinked before smiling sheepishly.
"Uh...er...what was that about with Felix?" Marinette answered hesitantly.
Bridgette sighed but answered awkwardly.
"He figured out that I'm Starlight from The Fallen Angels." Bridgette answered after a calming breath.
Marinette was confused, "What's so bad about that? You're an awesome singer, Bridgette."
Bridgette gave her a half-smile, "It's not bad because of my skill as a singer or lack thereof. It's that people always try to use me and my singing for their own reasons for their own gain. I hate that, I've never cared for the fame either. I just wanted to sing and for people to enjoy my music. Now that I don't really have the same passion and drive for music that I used to I just wanted to step away from everything to do with my musical achievements and my career in music." Bridgette revealed calmly.
Marinette hugged her as the girl smiled and finished off her explanation.
"Starlight... Starlight was this facet of me that I showed on stage. Star, she was the one that thrived vibrantly in the center of the attention. She had no problems putting on this show for all the fans and the interviews and the photoshoots for posters, albums and other things like that. The money maker and the charismatic lead singer of The Fallen Angels. Bridgette is just a normal punky girl who loves music. She doesn't stress and doesn't have all the insane pressure or responsibilities. She just enjoys the day to day." Bridgette finished explaining.
Marinette smiled assuringly.
"I'm sure Felix won't try to use you as Starlight if you just explain that you don't want the attention. He really didn't seem to care about you being Starlight to begin with from what I saw. Plus, Adrien would never let him out you like that." Marinette assured.
Bridgette smiled and relented and the two quickly did all their homework together.
Agreste Mansion
Felix could only watch as Adrien paced back and forth in front of him angrily.
"Of all of the thoughtless ways to tell her you know..." Adrien growled out quietly.
Felix sighed, "Pacing won't help me get her to hate me less. Which is what I need since she's agreed to be my bodyguard in school and if Uncle Gabriel accepts my decision she'll be capable of letting me get at least roughed up should I get attacked at school. Something I would rather avoid happening."
Adrien sighed, exasperated.
"Would you please take this more seriously? With the way she so easily flung Lila off of you, I would be more worried about HER hurting you herself if you upset her." Adrien grumbled in response.
Felix winced, "I don't mind taking that chance."
Adrien was surprised, "What do you mean?"
Dupain-Cheng Bakery
"What do you mean by you agreed to be his secret bodyguard?" Marinette questioned in disbelief.
Bridgette winced, "He needs to date Starlight to cover for me being his bodyguard so nobody will suspect anything and so that it's not suspicious that I'm spending so much time with him. I'm supposed to meet Gabriel Agreste with him tomorrow to explain the arrangement and prove I can be his bodyguard." Bridgette explained awkwardly.
Marinette was floored.
Agreste Mansion
Adrien gazed at his cousin in disbelief, "Are you serious?"
Felix nodded, "Already had Nathalie pencil it in for Uncle Gabriel. She's coming here tomorrow during lunch to meet Uncle Gabriel with me."
Adrien scowled at his cousin with disappointment.
"You are seriously despicable, Felix. Do you have any idea what you've asked of her?"
Felix looked confused so Adrien went straight for the kill.
"You've basically asked her to reveal herself to be Starlight in order to be your secret bodyguard. She likely hid her real name as a musician for the sake of not just her privacy but her family, and who knows what other reasons." Adrien clarified sternly.
Felix winced before offering a shrug.
"I really don't care, honestly. Besides what could be so bad about being a musician? Honestly, she'll only be even more popular." Felix said to skillfully hide any guilt.
Adrien growled in annoyance and just left grumbling something about stupid mean cousins.
Adrien, Marinette, Bridgette and Felix walked into the Agreste mansion with Adrien and Marinette more tense than they (Felix and Bridgette) had expected.
Before them at the top of the staircase was Gabriel Agreste.
The man took one look at Bridgette when introduced and he merely raised a brow.
"Is this a joke? How am I supposed to believe that this is Starlight of The Fallen Angels?" Gabriel said coldly.
Felix, Adrien, and Marinette were about to intervene when Bridgette simply sighed and asked Nathalie if she could play an instrumental of the song Daisy. Nathalie, while astounded by her levelheadedness despite Gabriel's attitude towards her fumbled to do as told when a curious Gabriel gave a relenting nod. The music started and right on cue and in time Bridgette sang the song perfectly, down to the last emotion and word. Everything exactly the same as it was performed by Starlight. Shocking everyone else in the room including the burly man named Arthur.
When the music ended, Bridgette calmly met Gabriel's steady gaze with one of her own.
"I can assure you Monsieur Agreste, that I am in fact Starlight. I can do so as often as necessary." Bridgette said simply.
Gabriel was impressed, "Very well, let's take this meeting to the Gym we have here in the mansion for Arthur, Adrien, Myself, and Felix. This way." Gabriel said coldly leading the way.
Bridgette didn't hesitate and gracefully followed the man while the others all scrambled after the two. Moments later they entered a large room with a professional equipment and a full blown obstacle course.
"Please demonstrate for us any and all skills you have that would allow you to protect my nephew." Gabriel instructed.
Bridgette didn't hesitate and simply cracked her knuckles as she went to the sandbags first.
"I might be a bit rusty, I haven't practiced in three days but here goes nothing, I suppose." Bridgette commented tiredly before taking a fighting stance.
Before anyone could even comment on what she had said she skillfully punched a hole in one of the punching bags breaking it and then kicked the other one off of it's stand simultaneously opening a hole on it. When that happened she simply went to the dummy and quickly in a double kick sent it sprawling down. Afterwards she went to the climbing wall and quickly scaled it, and then effortlessly climbed the rope in seconds and rang the bell. She then backflipped back down effortlessly landing on her feet. She followed that by going to the fencing equipment and defeating the fencing dummy in seconds flat.
At this point, everyone was gaping at her with fish impressions but she continued.
She went to the obstacle course and quickly made her way through it breaking three of the six automated sparring dummies at the end. When she finished the course in just five minutes she went back towards them stretching her arms up tiredly with a yawn.
"I was a bit sluggish with my speed there. I'll have to start jogging for an hour everyday again soon..." Bridgette stated boredly.
Everyone was floored at that, but Bridgette didn't seem to care about the stares as she continued stretching for a few moments longer her other limbs before finally turning to them.
"So did I pass your test Monsieur Agreste?" Bridgette asked curiously.
Felix was shaken.
This girl could snap him like a twig if she wanted to! She claimed sluggishness and rustiness before exceeding all the different challenges set out on the gym! Even Gabriel Fucking Agreste and Nathalie Fucking Sancoure were gaping at her with fish impressions.
"Young lady, what sports are you practiced in and how practiced are you precisely?" Gabriel asked after composing himself a bit.
Bridgette seemed momentarily surprised before answering pensively, "When I was five, my father taught me Karate moves and then at six I enrolled in Karate, MMA, and Fencing. I got my blackbelt just before my seventh birthday rolled around and in MMA I won four competitions by the time I left to go to Angelwood. In Fencing, I got about six gold medals by the time I left to Angelwood. While at Angelwood I had to select two sports for electives and I love learning so I chose Judo and Gymnastics. In Judo by the time I left Angelwood I won four tournaments in first place and have a black belt. In Gymnastics I won 6 medals by the time I left Angelwood. But I still kept practicing Fencing, Karate, and MMA in my free time." Bridgette answered truthfully.
Everyone was floored as Gabriel had to clear his throat.
"I see... and why do you wish to date my nephew and be his secret bodyguard? Are you invested in his money?" Gabriel asked bluntly.
Bridgette simply laughed.
Marinette, Adrien, Felix, and Nathalie tensed as Gabriel's eyebrow twitched.
"While I'm sure most people would find the Agreste and De Vanily assets a temptation, Monsieur Agreste, I have no interest in it. Shortly after enrolling at Angelwood, my dorm-mates and best friends and I were offered a very lucrative contract. We formed our group The Fallen Angels and our music took off quickly. I have as much money to my name as the Agreste and De Vanily names have to theirs. I have no need for money. I could have a massive mansion if I wanted to for myself and my family to live in comfortably without any need to work ever again. But I still retain the values taught to me by my parents and by my aunt and uncle. I prefer to only have what I need, as such I rarely indulge myself. I also continue to work writing songs in my spare time for The Fallen Angels. My cousin, Marinette as I'm sure you likely know is an aspiring designer. If she had wanted to use anyone's help to become a famous one quickly she would have accepted my help in spreading her fashions. But she refused it long ago when I offered it. She wants to accomplish her dreams by her own work and merits. Our family has no interest or need for money belonging to others." Bridgette clarified firmly.
Gabriel, Nathalie, Felix, Arthur and Adrien were floored as Bridgette grabbed Marinette's hand and began walking towards the exit.
"If your intent is to suspect me or my family as gold-diggers and scum that would use your family for money than we have nothing to discuss and we can drop this subject forever. I don't protect people who are willing to suspect my family of being such things. Good day." Bridgette finished.
With the two girls gone, Adrien turned to his father angrily.
"That was uncalled for, Father! For whatever reason Bridgette was willing to protect Felix using a guise of dating him to mask the fact she's his bodyguard. Suspecting her or Marinette of all people of trying something like that is completely rude and uncalled for!" Adrien steamed before storming out.
Felix simply struggled to understand what had happened.
"Sir, you have messed up." Nathalie said calmly to Gabriel.
Gabriel sighed as Felix left to go try to salvage the situation.
"I am aware, Nathalie."
TBC