Chapter 9

On the Seine inside the Liberty, the houseboat of the Couffaine family Juleka sat in her bedroom together with her best friend Rose listening to music. Juleka was filing on Rose's fingernails and listening to Rose, which was talking to her.

„Gerda seems like a really nice girl, Jule. I think she would fit really well in our friendship circle. What do you think?"

„I think so too," Responded Juleka. „She's very friendly,"

„You know, what we could do next week?" Asked Rose making the raven-haired girl shake her head. „We could go out with her and see Paris….or we could show her step after step what our world now has to offer, what in her time didn't exist?"

„What about we get to know her first? In case she's not very confident in us all?"

„I don't think, that will be a problem. She knows us a little better than the others. We could instead of this hang out with her in the art room and she will at least get to know a few materials, we've got in our time,"

„Uh hum,"

„We will let her know, that she can take it easy. She doesn't need to strain herself hard to learn something difficult like the use of our intranet,"

„Correct," Commented Juleka taking her nail file away and checked out Rose's nails. „They're good,"

„Thanks, Juleka. They're perfectly evenly," Complimented Rose watching Juleka puff the dust off the file. „You know, what you could do in the future?" Asked the blonde making the friend shake her head. „Open a salon," Suggested Rose. „You're also pretty good at hair styling and coloring. That would be a good thing,"

„You think so?" Asked Juleka making Rose nod.

„Yes….sure I know you want to be a model and that's fine. This could be an alternate future for you as well, if you don't make it to become a model or when you've got enough of it like Adrien admits sometimes,"

„I know, what you mean. Thanks, Rose," Said Juleka, then into the bedroom came Luka carrying his guitar bag and dropped it on his bed.

„Good evening girls," Greeted the older brother of Juleka and sat down beside his guitar.

„Hey Luka," Greeted Rose. „How was your practice?"

„It was fine, thank you. What about your afternoon?" Questioned the raven-haired boy earning a thumb up from the short girl.

„Enjoyable and short," Responded Rose. „I have to leave earlier because I promised my mom to help at dinner and I'm a little late than expected,"

„Do you want me to ride you back?" Asked Luka making Rose shake her head.

„It's alright, thanks Luka," Commented Rose, then looked up at her friend Juleka, which smiled gently at the short girl. „Oh, I will be gone this weekend. I will visit my grandparents in Toulouse and will be back on Sunday around the evening"

„It's okay. Luka is here with me too and we can do something together," Juleka stated exchanging looks with her older brother, which nodded.

„You two will have lots of fun too," Assured Rose embracing her best friend and pecked her on the forehead. „I'll see you next week!" Rose wished making her way out of the bedroom leaving Juleka back with her brother, which got up watching the younger girl leave, and sat down next to the sister.

„Why didn't you speak to her yet?" Luka started, then Juleka looked at the brother bewildered. „You know, about your heart,"

„I don't know," Responded Juleka. „I feel like I wasn't ready yet,"

„How long are you going to wait?" Asked the older brother placing his arm behind the sibling's back. „The more you wait, the lower your chances get,"

„And how would she feel knowing this? That her best friend has a crush on her….a girl friend?"

„We're in the 21st century Jul. Major of the citizens and classmates tolerate same-gender relationships more than it was ten years ago or more. Take yourself together and rise up," Spoke Luka looking at his sister, which was looking at the ground a little hesitant. „Raise your head up Jul, get up and follow her. Just tell her that. Three simple words. Three short, but strong words, that will change both of your lives forever," Luka commented watching Juleka get up slowly. „I'm here for you if your confidence fails on you again,"

„Okay," Answered Juleka, then watched from the window Rose to cross the bridge and Juleka ran out of the bedroom of Luka, making her way up on deck to encounter Rose on the other side of the path. Rose noticed Juleka, then gazed back at her seeing her race at the bridge and the blonde returned to the bridge to encounter the tall friend in the middle.

„Oh did I forget something?" Asked Rose curious making Juleka shake her head and look back to see Luka hide behind the entrance to the boat, then Juleka looked down at Rose.

„I forgot something," Commented Juleka making Rose nod, waiting for her reply. „I thought it would be really important if I would say that," Murmured Juleka a little tensed.

„I'm sorry, I didn't understand the last part?"

„Sorry I…...Rose, you're a very good friend and…...and….I…...I love…I love you,"

„Aww I love you too, Juleka!" Rose commented aloud. „You don't have to tell me something I already know, but I'm glad you'll do it anyway,"

„R….really?" Asked Juleka surprised at Rose's reaction. „You….r...really think so?"

„Of course silly! That's what makes us best buddies, doesn't it?" Asked Rose followed by Juleka shut eyes wide in shock at Rose's misunderstanding

„I…..uh…..that's not what I meant," Mumbled Juleka a little nervous at the failed attempt to confess her attraction to the petite girl.

„Of course it does Juleka! Best friends always liked each other. We're like sisters, just from different mothers,"

„Y….yes," Sighed Juleka making Rose giggle, then widened her eyes noticing the time passing by, without her having made her way back home yet.

„Oh sorry Juleka, I really have to go now. See you next week," Wished Rose running out of the bridge leaving the tall girl back with a sad face.

Luka, who had observed the situation felt bad for his sister and got up to met her at the bridge.

„If I were you I would try it again," Pointed Luka out. „I don't think she understood, what you meant exactly,"

„What's the point? This conversation here clearly tells, that between me and Rose will only be friendship,"

„No, no, no. There's more than that between you two. I'm certain about it,"

„And what now?" Asked Juleka earning a kiss on her cheek from the older brother.

„Take a break this weekend and relax. Another good chance for you will appear, then when it's there you give it another try,"

„You're going to help me again when I'm trying it out again?"

„Sure and if you think it's better without me. Go on, if any other girl of your class can help you out there better, than me in your opinion, don't fear asking," Luka suggested making Juleka smile a little, then Luka placed his hand around his sister's back to caress her then he widened his eyes along with the girl as both spotted an akuma flying towards their direction and stopped, only flapping in front of the two.

„Goodness. See, if we both weren't here this akuma could have caught you without your knowledge," Luka pointed out, then saw Juleka growl at the akuma, which flew away making Luka chuckle. „That's right, go away," Ordered Luka making Juleka chuckle.

„You think it will go behind someone else now?" Asked Juleka making Luka shrug his shoulders.

Ladybug stood on the roof of a hospital looking at the two miraculouses, she took from Marianne Lenoir.

„If Master Fu was here, he would probably have any idea, where to look for information related to this wishing stone….or its powers," Ladybug told herself. Ladybug looked down at the exit of the hospital to see an ambulance leave, then turn its sirens on and the superheroine took out her yo-yo to search for Cat Noir's contact to call him. Ladybug rolled her eyes as Cat Noir wasn't available, then left a voice mail for the partner.

„Cat Noir, I've talked with Madame Lenoir about those two miraculouses you found. They seem to have this yin-yang function like our miraculouses, but with fire and ice instead. When you got time call me back and meet me at the Trocadero. Would be good if we could talk about it and about, where you found it," Ladybug spoke to the voicemail and turned the phone call off.

Ladybug heard several honks, followed by a loud noise and she looked back to see in the middle of the city the supervillain Gigantitan grabbing from the ground a vehicle making Ladybug sigh.

„What's up with Hawk Moth akumatizing August every time?" Questioned Ladybug herself, then used her yo-yo to swing down at the road and swing from light pole to light pole to approach the giant toddler, soon as she reached him Gigantitan raised his arm, shrieking Ladybug, which had just extended her yo-yo at a rain gutter of a house and flew along the street crashing on top of an SUV losing the miraculouses, which fell on the ground.

„Damn, this vehicle is so freaking hard," Commented Ladybug passing her hands behind her back and Ladybug spotted across the road on the sidewalk an adult blonde along with two young boys, looking terrified at the damaged car. Ladybug moved her finger and the trio ran across the street to Ladybug.

„Where's Rollan?" Asked the blonde making Ladybug shrug her shoulders.

„You better get in, I will see where your friend is," Ladybug commented.

„He's got black hair and is wearing a red shirt," Pointed out the blonde. „Tell him we're in the house,"

„Don't worry, save yourselves first. Quick!" Ordered Ladybug watching the man run with the kids towards their house and Ladybug jumped on the vehicle to look around to see citizens ran on the sidewalk to seek for shelter and none of them suited the man's description. „He must be somewhere safe. I better stop August, before it gets worse," Ladybug spoke and swung off forgetting about the miraculouses she lost at her fall.

From the opposite direction, Rollan appeared running towards the direction of the house he is allowed to stay in, and shrieks as he recognized Mr. Hemming's vehicle, which had gotten damaged by Ladybug.

„Mr. Hemming!" Shouted Rollan running at the vehicle and gazed into the vehicle to see no one was in there. „Gracias a Dios….no one's here," Rollan spoke, then looked at the front of the vehicle seeing its damage thereafter moved forward stepping on something. The raven-haired lifted the foot to look down getting surprised to spot there on the ground his belt with his name's initial along with the wreath of Gerda's.

„Hey, that's my belt," Rollan commented picking it up along with the wreath. „And I think that might be Gerda's….wreath... Magnifico," Commented Rollan glad about having his belt back.

From above appeared Rena Rouge landing on top of the SUV, shrieking Rollan.

„Hey!" Complained Rollan making the heroine chuckle.

„Sorry for scaring you. Please do me a favor and hide inside one of the houses for your own safety," Asked the heroine making the boy nod, then the heroine moved on and Rollan looked at the two objects he found and took out his smartphone, and pressed on the home button to activate its virtual assistant.

„Hello Rollan,"

„Uh….Lyra….call Gerda,"

„Calling Gerda," Responded the device, making the calling noise, so Rollan would be connected to Gerda. „At the moment, this user isn't available. Please try later again,"

„Maybe I shall place it in her desk or locker at the school. It's easier," Commented Rollan, then heard a car alarm, followed by a crashing noise, then Rollan made it quickly back to the Hemming's house disappearing in the entrance of the building.