Hello everyone! Back with another chapter! Last chapter I wrote I have mixed feelings about. I had what I thought was a really cool concept and although I still believe that, I think it was too big of a concept for what I tried to compact it down to. Because I was trying to fit so much into a chapter or well, technically 2 chapters, it ended up taking me forever to complete.
Now I know, I'm not a speedy nor consistent updater in general, but whenever I go over a month without updating I feel bad because I know how much I hate when I get into a story only to find out it hasn't been updated in 4 months because then when it does get updated, I have almost completely forgotten what it was about or why I liked it.
However, because I got so determined to finish it so that there would be an update, the ending got short-cut a little. I had planned on making more comparison moments for Adrien and his female variant, as well as some more for Marinette as well. I wanted it to help act like a clarity moment for them both but it didn't quite work out that way. Still, I hope those of you who are sticking around enjoyed it enough and will continue to with the chapters to come!
OOoOoOoO
It had been a whole two weeks since Marinette broke things off with Luka and she was doing...horrible. Marinette had never broken up with someone before. In fact, she had never before Luka, had any time of real relationship with anyone in a romantic sense. She figured, under different circumstances, it would feel different. That, maybe when you break up with someone and the reason isn't because of your secret identity and all the responsibilities that come with it, that perhaps it's not as painful. Parting ways with someone you gave your heart to had to be easier when you did it because you want to rather than having to, right?
Marinette wished that her breakup was the only problem she had, but in truth, it simply highlighted all the ones she tried hard to ignore. She couldn't be with Luka because she would always have this secret she had to keep from him. But this problem didn't apply to Luka alone. Adrien wouldn't be any easier. Not that she was getting anywhere with that anyway, but even if she had, the problem would remain. It wasn't like she hadn't thought about it before. Marinette had thought on many occasions how difficult it would be to keep her identity from someone she was in love with. She sometimes thought about the interdimensional field trip she had taken with Chat Noir, and in doing so became jealous. Jealous because her other self had the luxury of what she assumed was a normal life, and because of it, she also had a normal relationship with Luka.
It was hard enough to keep it from her family, her friends...all she felt like she did these days was lie to everyone who cared about her. It wasn't uncommon, she guessed. If you took a look at any number of superheroes that kept their identity a secret, there is always a struggle to balance the everyday man with the hero. In many cases, the hero eventually caves, and tells the person they love about their secret, or sometimes it happens by accident. But others are more determined to keep both aspects of their life separate, mainly to keep the people they love safe.
She thought about her time in New York. All the heroes in that city alone, there had to be some kind of trick to it all. NightOwl and Majestia came to mind. NightOwl was so careful about keeping her identity safe that she paraded around as a man, having sparrow do the same. Marinette wondered what circumstances lead Barabra Keynes to shift that perspective enough to not only share her identity with Olympia Hill but start a life with her. Maybe it was the fact that as Majestia, Olympia was practically indestructible. Maybe it was because they were both heroes, and understood all the risks. They loved and trusted each other enough to make it work.
Marinette could almost understand why Barabra would take the leap. But she wasn't sure about Olympia. As Ladybug, Marinette was almost indestructible as well. In that respect, so was Luka, when he was given the chance to be Viperion. For the sake of argument, Marinette let herself imagine herself coming clean to Luka. Telling him that she was Ladybug. In her heart, she felt he would understand. He was the most understanding person she knew. She also knew that even if they broke up, he would never willingly share her secret with anyone either.
The biggest problem was that when it came to Olympia Hill, even when she was in disguise, she was still Majestia. Her power, her strength, her impenetrable being, was who she was. She was born that way. Even when she wasn't flying around as a hero, she was safe. But Luka wasn't. And frankly, neither was Marinette. Their gifts came from the miraculous. They were removable, they were dormant when not in use. Barabra Keynes wasn't an alien, or a god, or a mutant of any kind. She was just a person. A very intelligent, and capable person, but she wasn't like her partner. She was vulnerable in ways that Olympia never would be.
Marinette wanted to know how Majestia did it. She saw the blonde woman when she thought Chat Noir had killed her daughter. How could someone whose job it was to protect hundreds of thousands of people, even fathom being unable to protect someone they actually love? How do you risk that?
Ladybug called out her Miraculous Ladybugs and the damage done by the recent Akuma was fixed. Chat smiled as they stood on a rooftop looking over the city, proud of a job well done.
"Wow, you are on fire, bugaboo. We never beat villains so fast. Pound it!" He calls out, holding out his fist, only to find Ladybug ignoring his gesture. "Bugaboo? Something wrong?"
Snapping out of her thoughts, Ladybug lets out a nervous laugh. "Uh, pound it - yeah. Hey, why don't we check everything's okay in Paris one more time?" She asks using her yo-yo to perch herself to the top of the building. "Like, an extra patrol?"
Chat eyes her suspiciously. He had noticed her acting a little odd here and there the past few days, but was hoping it would pass.
"You wanna tell me what's going on? You didn't even scold me when I called you bugaboo."
"There's nothing going on, everything is super great." Ladybug answered, not looking at her partner, but instead squinting around at the horizon. "I just have some extra time and I really don't feel like chit-chatting." Joining her at the higher point of the building, Chat offers her a smile. He might not know what is going on with her, but he can at least try and get her mind off whatever it is."
Then I know the perfect place when there's no talking."
"I'm all in!"
OoOoO
Ladybug pouted in her theater seat beside Chat Noir. His perfect place with no talking happened to be a movie theater. Without knowing what the exact issue was, Chat figured a little romantic comedy would cheer his partner up. After all, Lucy really seemed to enjoy them, and he could admit, he didn't mind them either. Unfortunately, Chat found his choice of film was a mistake in terms of Ladybug.
"I'm keeping too many secrets from you Ronaldo, stop giving me those puppy eyes, okay? I'll tell you everything. I'm leading a double life, Ronaldo."
"Are you kidding me? Don't tell him anything, you fool!" Ladybug shouts at the screen. Chat jumps at her sudden outburst.
"Could you keep it down, m'lady?"
Ladybug sits back down and continues to glare at the screen. "Romantic comedies are lame anyway, and you know why? It's totally not realistic! In real life, the girl would take forever to tell the guy she loves him without stuttering. Bla-Bla-Bla! So how can see she know if he loves her back? It's impossible, so then she decides she can never ever be with him, and then BAM! She falls in love with another guy, and everything is so cool. Almost too easy, no stuttering, they hold hands, they get all kissy-kissy, and then, SURPRISE! She has secrets! And him, he hates secrets, of course. So as they break up, and everyone lives un-happily ever after the end. And that's why romantic comedies are so lame."
Chat stares at her wide-eyed as she sucks down some of her drink while noticing the civilians' annoyance at Ladybug's rant about the film. Not wanting to cause any trouble, Chat gives a nervous smile and escorts Ladybug out of the theater, apologizing to the people around them.
As they entered the main lobby of the theater Ladybug charged past people waiting to buy their tickets advising them to stay out of the romantic comedy room. "Stay AWAY from the romantic comedy, go for heroic heroes instead. Special effects, heroes saving the world, no feelings, no questions, nobody talks because there is NOTHING to say! That is good entertainment for sure."
Chat sent another apology to the people who stared after Ladybug in confusion while he followed her out of the building.
"Listen, m'lady, I didn't get everything you said, and obviously, I know nothing about your private life, but I do know what heartbreak sounds and feels like, and-"
"Heartbreak? Me?" Ladybug shouts while laughing nervously. "That is not it at all, everything's fine. In fact, I feel like swimming, let's go to the pool!" She suggests as she prepares her yo-yo to transport herself to the swimming pool.
"You know, if you ever want to talk about anything, I'm here for you." Chat tells her but Ladybug ignores him, throwing out her yo-yo and jolting away.
"SWIMMING! Woo-hoo!"
Chat frowns as he watches her go. He didn't understand why Ladybug didn't feel she could talk to him. After everything that had happened with Lucy, he thought that she would find him to be someone who understood. Clearly, Chat didn't know the extent of Ladybug's situation but solely based on her rant in the theater, he could assume that it fell in step with his own. She was in love with someone but had to lie to them because of her role as Ladybug, and now...A sigh left him as he pulled out his staff and prepared to head to the pool. Maybe she didn't want to talk to him about it. Maybe she just...couldn't yet. Either way, he felt it best to be there for his partner in whatever way she felt she needed. Right now, it was as a distraction. He could do that.
OoOoOoOo
Lucy sat with Juleka, Rose, Mylene, and Alix at Alya's house that Saturday to have a little chat about Marinette's recent behavior.
"So, Marinette's got a problem," Alya told her friends. "Her heart's been broken. First, Marinette is super in love with Adrien, but can't talk to him because she's...well, Marinette. But then, she meets Luka and has no problem talking to him because he's well...Luka! And they started dating."
"They were so cute together!" Rose gushes, with agreement from the girls.
"Yeah, except they broke up." Alaya counters with a frown. Juleka pulls out her phone and shows a photo she took of her brother while practicing the guitar.
"He's been, like, super sad since they did."
"But the real problem here is that Marinette never told us anything." Alya continues. "If Luka hadn't told Lucy, who told Juleka, who told Rose, who told Mylene, who then told Alix, who finally told me. Then I, her BF in the whole world would still be in the dark! Yesterday I was in the restroom and I heard her crying."
"Why is she keeping all these secrets from us?" Mylene asked.
"If she's not even telling Alya, then there's a real problem!" Alix declared.
"Maybe she isn't ready to talk about it?" Lucy suggested, grabbing the girls attention. "Everyone processes things in their own time."
"What do we do?" Mylene asks.
"She is clearly struggling," Alya points out. "What Marinette needs is a friendly intervention. Let's all call her up together and see how she's doing."
"Rabbit check!" The girls say in unison while making bunny ears with their fingers and letting out a whistle. Alya dials Marinette's number only for her not to answer. Instead, the girls leave a short message, letting their friend know that she can talk to them and that they are here for her if she needs them. After hanging up Alya let out a sigh.
"Maybe we should go to her house. What do you think? She asked the girls who didn't seem to see the harm in the idea. Mylene pulled out a small bag of needs the had been carrying in her pocket and handed each of the girls one.
"We'll give her an eternal friendship bracelet so she never forgets that friends can tell each other anything and that we'll always be there for her," Mylene tells them. "I read in a magazine that an ancient South American tribe did something like this. You tell a secret to the bead in your mind, once Marinette adds her secret to the bead this bracelet will unite us all forever. Ready?" Lucy and Alix shared a look.
"Seriously, wouldn't it be more logical to take her out for a smoothie and help her work out her love problems?" Alix asks, only for the others to stare at her as if they couldn't tell if she was joking or not. "Okay." Alix agrees awkwardly, as Lucy places a hand on her shoulder and mouths "Later." with a nod."
OoOoOoOo
At home, Marinette sat curled up in her bed, explaining her woes to Tikki while she ate a tiny macaron.
"As long as I'm Ladybug, I can't have loved ones in my life." Marinette croaked, hugging her knees to her body.
Tikki had been alive a long time. She had had countless owners over the years of her existence. She could admit, that many of them chose their duty as miraculous holders. However, that was not always the case.
"What makes you say that Marinette?"
"You know why. I had to break up with Luka because I couldn't tell him the truth, it'd be the same thing with Adrien or any other guy. I can't share my secret with anyone. I can't be honest with my closest friends or my parents about anything. I'm doomed to be a big liar to everyone, forever. What do I do Tikki?"
Tikki frowned at Marinette's words. In all her time as a kwami, she had been asked many questions but never had one asked about how to deal with the constant act of deceiving their loved ones. Tikki cared for Marinette, she truly did. Just as she cared for Master fu, and her other Kwami friends, but she knew the bond she shared with those individuals was different from the bonds Marinette carried with her friends and family, as well as the feelings she carried for Luka or even Adrien.
"I wish I could tell you but... kwamis don't fall in love."
"You see? No one can help me. My life as Marinette is too complicated. I should just be Ladybug all the time! Tikki spots on!" Marinette calls, transforming and heading to her balcony, completely unaware that her friends had just arrived to check on her.
"Marinette? Marinette?" Alya called out as she climbed into her room. As far as any of them could tell, it was empty.
"Wow! Check this out, girls!" Rose exclaims, noticing a doll house sitting on Marinette's desk. "This is new! Oh, it's so cute!"
"Another one of Marinette's cool creations," Mylene commented as Alya's eyes shifted upward.
"She must be up on the patio, I'll go get her." Alya makes her way to the ladder that leads to Marinette's bed and begins to claim just as Marinette jumps back down through the port opening leading from the patio back onto her bed. As Alya calls out her name once more, Marinette quickly calls spots off just in time for Alaya to reach the top and be none the wiser.
"Marinette!"
"What are you doing here?"
"We're just checkin' in on you, girl," Alya informs her casually. Marinette could feel panic set in as she hears Rose examining the doll house she had built to hide the miracle box.
"Aw, it looks just like a real house, look how the roof comes off to show the inside!" She quickly jumps down and pushes past Rose as she tries to lift the roof. "No! No, don't touch that! Move away!" Startled by Marinette's negative reaction, Rose drops the roof, causing it to fall apart.
"Sorry, Marinette!" Rose apologizes, kneeling down to pick up the pieces.
"Will you please leave my room?!" Marinette urges angrily, confusing most of her friends.
"Chill out Marinette, it's just a doll house. We'll totally help." Alya offered, with a nod from the other girls, but Marinette wouldn't hear it.
"No you won't, please go!" Alya, growing slightly annoyed with her friend's attitude, crosses her arms. "Okay Marinette, there's clearly something wrong and we're not leaving you like this till you tell us what it is."
Mylene steps forward, holding out the bracelet she and the others had placed a bead on. "All of us told our secrets to this bracelet. It's your turn now."
"The only thing that's wrong right now is you guys still hanging out in my room, which is not cool!"
"If we're really your friends, you can confide in us." Alya insists, taking the bracelet from Mylene and holding it out to Marinette.
"Real friends don't ever let each other down," Rose added, and Lucy couldn't help grip herself around the waist as tension seemed to build in the room. Marinette sends them all a cold glare before seething at them. The house behind her dying to fall apart.
"Well then maybe I don't want you to be my friends, GET OUT!"
The group of friends stares at Marinette in shock before the majority of them immediately head to the door and leave her room. Alya taps Lucy's arm and gestures for her to follow them only for Lucy to wave her off, not taking her eyes off Marinette. Alya sighs and looks at Marinette one more time before finally descending the steps, leaving only Lucy and Marinette in the room.
"Lucy, get out," Marinette spoke, her tone almost threatening, but Lucy stood unconcerned, and instead glared right back at the dark-haired girl.
"What is your problem?"
"I don't know, maybe the fact that you and the others think you can stop by unannounced and go through my stuff? Maybe that's my problem."
"Nice try, but let's go again, what. Is. Your. Problem?"
"Get out, Lucy!"
"No!" Lucy Objected.
"Excuse me?!"
"You heard me, no." Lucy went on. "For the past two weeks, all any of those girls have been able to do is worry about you. I understand if you're not ready to talk about it, I understand that being alone might be your way of processing but unfortunately, you happen to have friends so you'll have to excuse us for giving a shit. How about, saying something like, listen, guys, I know you mean well, and your right, I'm not okay at the moment, but I am working on it and when I am ready to talk about it I will, but for now, let me be. How about saying something like that instead of making all your friends feel bad for caring about you? Did that ever cross your mind or are you set on being a selfish asshole for time being?"
Marinette could feel her blood boil at Lucy's words. How dare she call her selfish. Lucy had no idea what she was talking about. Everything, Marinette was doing was to keep them safe, to keep her safe, and Lucy had the audacity to call her selfish?! Marinette could feel what calm she had left in her snap at the thought, and before she knew it, all of her anger spilled out.
"Fuck you!" Marinette spat, causing the blonde girl's eyes to widen at her words.
"Fuck me?" Lucy rendered pointing at herself before flipping her finger and aggressively pointing it toward Marinette. "Fuck you! You're the one who needs an attitude adjustment, not me babe!"
"Oh soooo sorry that not all of us can be perfect little Lucy. Oh look at me, I'm so open and thoughtful!" Marinette mocked. "I have all the answers! Let me tell you something Lucy, you don't know a thing! Okay? You don't know a damn thing!"
"I never claimed to know all the answers Marinette! Nobody has all the answers! But you always do this! You get so caught up in your own head that you make everyone else think they are the problem! You're doing it to us, you've done it to Adrien, and I'd bet money you're doing it to Luka too! Though he's too polite to say otherwise."
"Right, I always forget you're so buddy-buddy with my boyfriend!"
"Ex-boyfriend, or did you also forget that you broke up with him for some undisclosed reason that you refuse to share with the rest of us, let alone him?"
"Of course, of course." Marinette mused. "Ex-boyfriend. A title I am sure you are then happy with. Now you can swoop in and mend his broken heart with your words of encouragement and shiny hair! God, it's Adrien all over again!"
Lucy gripped her hair, about ready to pull it all out. "Adrien!? What are you even talking about!? What does he have to do with any of this!?"
"Please! You've had Adrien wrapped around your little finger since the moment you walked into our class!" Marinette argued, forgetting about the miracle box in her rage and releasing the pieces of the falling house as she steps forward toward Lucy. Luckily, the Kwamis, eavesdropping on the argument quickly took hold of the front-facing cardboard piece, protecting the box from Lucy's view, though, it was quite possible with everything else going on, she might not have even noticed it anyway.
"You're delusional," Lucy stated at a loss. "Completely insane. I have been nothing but supportive of you since-"
"Well, a lot of good it's done right?!"
"Is that what this is about?" Lucy asks, clenching her fists at her sides. "You broke up with Luka because you still have some kind feelings for Adrien, and now you're under some crazy notion that I am the reason you can't grow up and talk to him?"
"I'm perfectly sane actually," Marinette retaliated, clasping her hands together. "I am seeing with clearer vision than ever before." She let out an enforced laugh that toward the end transferred into that of a breathy cry. "I may not have had much luck in getting over my speech issues when around Adrien but even if I did, how could it matter?" She asks, opening her hands and flipping he palms outward at her shoulders. "How would it matter when all he can see is you?" Her face contorts in a tight-lipped smile as her eyes leaked fresh tears.
Lucy gave Marinette a hard stare, angry that she would sit there and blame her for her own lack of communication skills.
"I never did anything to-"
"YOU EXIST!" Marinette cried, causing Lucy to shudder. The look on the blonde's face would be etched in Marinette's mind for days to come. The look of betrayal, and utter disbelief. Guilt and regret bubbled in Marinette's stomach as Lucy cleared her throat and straightened her shoulders.
"Jeeze Marinette, tell me how you really feel."
Marinette, emotionally exhausted, fell to her knees before Lucy. "Just...go."
"Fine," Lucy spoke quietly, swallowing hard as she turned and made her way to the exit. "I hope these walls are as comforting as you make them out to be. I'll give you what you want, you've earned it, Marinette." She said, stepping down the stairs till only her head was visible.
"See? You're alone."
Marinette got up and raced over to the exit, slamming the door down that Lucy had left open when she parted before walking over to her couch, snagging a pillow and screaming into it. Once again, her legs gave way and Marinette found herself on the floor while Tikki and the other kwamis floated over to her in concern.
"Marinette..." Tikki spoke gently but her own simply stared at the floor.
"I had no choice Tikki, I had to do it."
"I know, Marinette."
OoOoOoOoO
When Lucy exited the bakery, the girls stood by waiting for her. They all seemed to be watching her expectantly, only to see the hurt in her eyes just as they held in their own.
"I'm guessing not even one of your famous pep-talks was able to snap Marinette out of it, huh? Alya asks, though clearly already knowing the answer.
"Yeah..."Lucy muttered. "Things went sideways fast."
"This is so stupid." Alix scoffed. "We should have never come here!" She stopped away, the other girls watching after her.
"Alix! Where are you going?!" Rose called after her.
"Home! Leave Marienette to her pity party of one!"
Mylene took a step to go after her when Lucy placed a hand on her shoulder.
"Let her go. She needs to cool off." (Mainly because Alix is supposed to get akumatized but since Lucy replaced her Akuma I have no way to fit her in without kicking Lucy out. I was going to make Lucy chill out and be unaffected, letting Alix get akumatized as a villain with similar power but decided against it. TBH Marinette seems just as upset as the rest of them in this episode and had been way before them. I wonder what stopped her from being akumatized. Seems like Hawkmoth/ShadowMoth missed a window of opportunity.)
The girls all decided to head to the park, not really sure what to do next but also not willing to yet part ways. Everything seemed a mess. All they had wanted to do was cheer their friend up. She was clearly struggling and yet instead of letting them in she shut them out. It was heartbreaking to think that Marinette didn't trust them enough to help her carry her burdens. But what could they do? How could they help someone who did not want to be helped?
The group settled in the grass, sitting solemnly in a circle. Alya fiddled with the bracelet between her fingers before lifting it to her lips.
"I just lost my best friend." She spoke It felt weird to say it out loud.
"I really thought it would work," Mylene spoke as it was passed to her before passing it to Rose.
"This is so sad!" Rose cried, handing it to Juleka who mumbled something sadly that none of them really could hear, then passed it to Lucy. Lucy stared down at the bracelet, not really believing in the bonding properties that Mylene seemed to carry, but still understood the therapeutic sense in emptying your negativity.
"It shouldn't have to be this way."
Without noticing, a little black butterfly fluttered its way over, clinging to the bracelet. As it did so, purple smoke surrounded the girls, and ShadowMoth's voice echoed in each of their heads.
"Gang of Secrets, I am Shadow Moth. Your friend won't reveal her secrets to you? I will give you all the powers you need to force her to give them up! All that I want in exchange are Ladybug and Cat Noir's Miraculous."
"Marinette will stay our friend." Spoke Alya with a smile.
"Whether she wants to or not." Added Lucy.
"And she'll keep no secrets from us." Declared Mylene
"Can't believe she'd do that." Juleka mumbled and the five transformed into the previous Akumatized forms.
"I'll be in charge of capturing her." LadyWifi voiced.
Princess Fragranace smile, holding up her perfume gun. "I will force her to reveal what she's been hiding from us."
TimeBreaker smiled and clicked her neck. "And I'll turn back time to return everything to the way it was."
"We'll comfort her and she'll be our friend again." Vowed Refleckta.
"And if Ladybug and Chat Noir try to stand in our way, Horrificator will keep them busy!" Horrificator roars and the Gang heads off to find Marinette.
OoOoOoO
Marinette throws away the mess that was the doll house she had tried to use as a miraculous box hideaway, It was only temporary until she could make the finishing touches on the real storage, a fake sewing kit with a secret code press. Marinette closes her eyes and sighs, pleased with her handy work when LadyWifi makes her appearance, transporting herself into Marinette's room through her phone.
"I'm here for you Marinette, I'm your friend," She says sweetly, only for her tone to change to a more menacing tune. "You will tell us all your secrets and you will feel so much better!"
Marinette backs away from LadyWifi, holding up her hands in defense while Trixx, Wayzz, and Barkk hide inside the sewing kit. Trixx quickly places his hands together and prepares to use his power, only for the two other Kwamis to cause her hesitation.
"You really shouldn't be doing this, Trixx!" Wayzz informs.
Barkk frantically agrees. "Remember the last time you used your power of Illusion without a holder?" But Trixx would hear none of it.
"Marinette must not reveal her secret. Mirage!"
In using his power, Trixx formed the illusion that Marinette ran up her ladder to the Patio. LadyWifi shot pauses at her only to miss repeatedly. When she raced after Marinette, thinking she had nowhere to go, LadyWifi found Marinette at ground level, running towards the school.
"How did she...?"
Not wanting to waste another second, LadyWifi jumped down from the patio herself, the other villain women joining her at the school entrance They raced inside in search of Marinette, finding random students and teachers there for after-school activities. TimeBreaker strutted confidently, her fingertips brushing over every person she came across, freezing them in time, fueling her power. Princess Fragrance and Reflekta transformed and hypnotized several classes, sending them out in search of their true target.
"She couldn't have gone far," LadyWifi mutters. "Let's split up."
OoOoOoOo
Chat Noir, hides behind a nearby chimney as he spots a variety pack of villains in the streets and calls Ladybug. She picks up almost immediately.
"Hey there, m'lady. Somebody is having a supervillain party and didn't invite us." Chat jokes.
"They're looking for Marinette Dupain-Cheng, one of their classmates." Ladybug informed him. Chat hummed in slight surprise.
"Haven't we already saved her a bunch of times? Funny you'd think everybody would like her."
"Well apparently, she's managed to alienate all her friends at once." Ladybug replies solemly, her thoughts drifting to the words she spoke to the girls.
"You still there?" Chat asks, after a moment of silence.
"Just thinking. With five villains it's not gonna be easy finding the object that has the Akuma."
"I bet you already have an idea, right?"
"I'm going to isolate one of the villains from the others and get her to tell me where the Akuma is. Meanwhile, you find Timebreaker to stop her from going back in the past, otherwise, she could really screw up my plan." The pair wish each other luck before heading off to their marks, both hoping they might be able to get through to the one they are after.
OoOoOoO
TimeBreaker continues to saunter on down the sidewalk, touching anyone who got in her path when Chat Noir Showed up in front of her.
"Hey, it's been a while. How's it ticking Ms. Time Keeper?" TimeBreaker smiles at him, ignoring his taunt.
"Sorry Kitty, I don't have a second to lose talking to you." She quickly launches herself in the air, throwing a kick Chats way, who counters it with his staff.
"I don't want to fight you, Lucy!" He shouts as she continues to attack.
"Good," TimeBreaker sneers. "Make it easy for me."
"Your friend, Lady Wifi is having some trouble with Ladybug," Hawkmoth informs them all telepathically, causing Time Breaker to roll her eyes.
"Pest." She mutters before running off to find LadyWifi, leaving Chat Noir to chase after her.
"Hey! Don't wanna play anymore!?"
OoOoOoOo
Ladybug frowned at the tied-up LadyWifi who glared at her from her tied-up position. In her stress, she had forgotten to consider just how deeply she might hurt her friends as she yelled at them just for caring. Her intentions had been to protect them from HawkMoth when in reality, she had pushed them into his arms.
"Alya, from what I understand, you've been having some issues with your best friend. Her name's Marinette, right?" LadyWifi narrows her eyes at Ladybug before turning her head away, not engaging in the conversation. "I don't know what happened between the two of you, but I wanna tell you about a friend of mine. She's a superhero. You know Rena Rouge right?"
At the sound of her superhero name, LadyWifi snaps her head back in Ladybug's direction. She stared at her with a strange look of recognition, as if, under her akumatization, she had forgotten.
"Of course, we keep secrets from one another, mainly because of my secret identity, but even though we can't tell each other everything, we trust each other. And that's why we can fight side by side. You can reject the power that Shadow Moth gave you."
Every person has a constant battle inside of them. Two wolves that fight to take over the territory of the heart. One is evil. It is anger, envy, sorrow, regret, greed, arrogance, self-pity, guilt, resentment, inferiority, lies, false pride, superiority, and ego. While the other is good. It is joy, peace, love, hope, serenity, humility, kindness, benevolence, empathy, generosity, truth, compassion, and faith. When ShadowMoth's Akuma flutters into a person, that fight grows more vicious. Which wolf will win? The one you feed.
Alya refused to let ShadowMoth feed her evil wolf any longer, instead fighting to break free from his control.
"Don't listen to her Lady Wifi. If you do that, you'll never know your friend's secrets! Or Ladybug's!" ShadowMoth tried to convince.
"I trust you completely Alya. And I need you! I.. need Rena Rouge!" Ladybug releases LadyWifi who grabs her head in agony, fighting ShadowMoths control.
I trust you!
I need you!
I trust you!
I need you!
I need Rena Rouge!
With one final push of her will, Alya broke the bond that ShadowMoth held over her mind, falling to her knees in exhaustion. Ladybug held out her hand, helping Alya from the ground. Astonishment etched across her features.
"Wow. No one has ever done that... you're amazing!" Ladybug complimented. (Totally unaware that Chloe also did the same fucking thing at one point.)
"It's 'cause you're an amazing friend, Ladybug."
"Pound it." A moment later Ladybug's yo-yo rang and a call from Chat rang out informing Ladybug that he is holding the Gang of Secrets the best he could, but with four against one, he wasn't sure how much longer he would be able to hold them off. Ladybug hung up, asking Alya what the Akumatized object was. Alya pointed to her wrist, informing her that it was a bracelet most likely in TimeBreakers possession.
"Looks like this job calls for a master of illusion." Ladybug chimed, pulling out the fox miraculous from her yo-yo.
"Wow! How did you do that?!"
"There have been a few upgrades since becoming Guardian of the Miraculous."
"You're the Guardian of the Miraculous!?" Alya asked in amazement.
"Yeah, keep it on the down low. Not a word about it on the LadyBlog." Ladybug pointed, making Alya smile.
"You know I know how to keep a secret." She winked, placing the Miraculous on. "Trixx let's pounce!"
OoOoOoOoO
Chat, unfortunately, found himself pinned down by Reflekta, the other girls surrounding him.
"No Cataclysm to save you this time." Reflekta mocked, tightening her hold on his wrist behind his back. Chat glared at TimeBreaker as she began to lean over and take off his ring.
"At the very moment you touch it, I'll summon my power, and then who knows what's gonna happen to you." He threatened. TimeBreaker tilted her head and Chat gulped as she crouched down in front of him. One side of her lips twitched upwards at his nervous expression.
"Is that so?" It wasn't. "I might be willing to test that."
"No need," Princess Fragrance interrupted, stepping forward while pointing her gun at Chat. "when I can make him my slave and order him to give it to me."
"Chat Noir! No!" Marinette's voice rang out, attracting the attention of the villains. Seeing her run off, the gang left Chat behind, running after their true target despite ShadowMoths protest. Ladybug and Rena Rouge land next to Chat who thanks them for the save.
"Thank you, M'ladies. I was a whisker away from cat-astrophe."
"That's what friends are for, kitty cat." Ladybug responds with a smile. "Okay, you two get to the pool, now."
"What about you?"
"I'll keep our guests busy. Rena Rouge will explain the rest of the plan." Ladybug informs him before they all head off.
OoOoOOoOooO
When Lucy woke up, she was confused, constricted, and very wet. Her eyes adjusted and she found her upper body squeezed into a pool floaty ring in the middle of the community pool with Chat floating freely in front of her.
"Huh...why am I..? Ah shit." She cursed. "I got akumatized again, didn't I?"
"You and your friends all did." Chat explained.
Lucy wiggled out of the floaty, which she now realized was Ladybug's Lucky Charm, and swam to the edge of the pool, pulling herself out with the floaty under her arm. "Ladybug will probably be needing this." She spoke, as Chat pulled himself out of the water.
"What happened between you guys and Marinette?" Chat asked as they headed for the exit. Lucy let out a small sigh as she shook her head.
"I don't know." Was all Lucy offered as the approached Ladybug who gave Lucy a gentle smile. Lucy smiled back but if was weak and brief and Ladybug could feel her guilt surfacing once more. She threw up her Lucky Charm, and that which was destroyed was restored, including the bracelet on Lucy's wrist. The heroes departed and the group of friends hugged each other, happy to be back to normal. Lucy fiddled with the piece of jewelry on her wrist before taking it off and handing it to Mylene. Before the shorter girl could question the action, each of their phones went off. A message from Marinette appeared, asking for them all to meet her back at her house, apologizing and saying that she would explain her bizarre behavior.
All of the girls seemed happy to have received the text, smiling down at their phones. All with the exception of Lucy who remained passive. The group began heading towards Marinette's when they noticed Lucy staying behind, still looking at her phone.
"You coming Lucy?" Mylene asked, stopping with the other girls to wait for her. Lucy blinked before shoving her phone in her pocket, sucking in a deep breath and answering, "No."
The girls all shared a confused glance before Rose spoke. "Why not? Marinette obviously feels bad about how she reacted earlier, and now she wants to apologize and explain!"
"I'm sure she does," Lucy replies casually. "But I'm still angry." She then added. "And I kind of just need to be angry right now."
Lucy walked away from the other girls who watched after her with frowns plastered on their faces. None fought Lucy on her decision however and instead made their way to Marinette's home.
OoOoOoOoo
"It's true, breaking up with Luka broke my heart," Marinette explained, fiddling with the friendship bracelet they had all made her. "And never being able to tell Adrien how I feel is just as painful. Love is too difficult. I think- I think I'm gonna stick to friendship, that's about all I can handle right now." Once you take to the habit of deception, every new lie comes that much easier. Though to Marinette, it wasn't so much lies as a matter of judicious editing. We all inevitably present a version of ourselves that is a collection of half-truths and exclusions. The way she saw it, the truth was too complicated, whereas the well-chosen lie would put everyone's mind at ease.
"Take your time." Rose told her.
"It'll all work out." Added Mylene.
Alya smiles and gives Marinette a tight hug. "And whatever happens, we'll always be here for you." A moment later Marinette found herself engulfed in her friend's arms.
"When you're ready for love, just make sure you tell us, so we can help you with a sick new plan to win over Adrien, Luka, or whoever!" Alix beamed, getting a laugh out of the rest.
"Girls, it's you who I love," Marinette tells them with a smile.
The girls say their goodbyes and all begin to head downstairs and off to their own homes when Alya spots the smallest of cracks in Marinette's facade before she is able to exit. Telling the girls to go ahead without her, she returns to her friend's side.
"You didn't tell us everything, did you? A journalist and a BFF can tell these things." Alya then speculates, guiding Marinette to her small sofa. Marinette doesn't bother to hide her frown as she takes a seat, Alya following suit.
"I won't try to figure it out or force it out of you," Alya promises. "If you can't tell me what's in your heart, it's your right."
"Will we still be friends?" Marinette asks softly, and Alya's heart breaks a little for her friends to even think she would have to ask such a thing.
"Marinette. I'm your best friend, and I'll always be. It is absolutely okay with me if you need to keep some secrets. I've been thinking about this and I decided that a best friend is someone who, when they don't understand, they still understand. That's why it kills me that I can't help you with whatever's making you feel so alone."
Not wanting to push, Alya stands to take her leave when Marinette grabs her hand. "Alya, wait! Stay. You're right, I am alone." Marinette confesses. "More than ever before. I can barely take it anymore! You know why I broke up with Luka? Not because I don't like him, he's amazing! It's 'cause there's something that I can't tell him. You know why I have to forget Adrien? For the exact same reason! You're right, I keep secrets, I lie all the time! I lie to my friends, to my parents, to everyone and the worst thing is, I can't do it any other way!"
"There's always another way." Alya tries to coax her, but Marinette shakes her head.
"No, not this time. I have no choice. All this is bigger than us, Alya. Way too big."
"If it's too big, two of us can handle it better than one."
"If I tell you, things will never be the same between us again. It'll mess up everything, maybe even destroy it."
"Marinette," Alya whispered, her voice cracking as she spoke. "I'm your very best friend."
"And I…" Marinette hesitated Everything in her was telling her how irresponsible she was about to be. How incredibly selfish and reckless she was for confessing what she was about to. But she couldn't do it anymore. She couldn't hold it in. Marinette had to believe that if anyone, was capable of handling her secret, that it would be Alya. It had to be Alya. "I'm Ladybug."
Alya didn't speak at first. It was strange, the feelings that came over her in that instant. It was as if someone had thrown ice water at her. Hearing Marinette say it, hearing her admit she was Ladybug...Alya didn't understand how she couldn't see it before. It all felt so painfully obvious. She had a million questions, but now wasn't the time to ask them. Instead, she hugged her friend. Alya could feel Marinette's body shake as she let out a cry. One she had probably been holding in for a very long time.
"I'm sorry." She apologized. "You have no idea how badly I've wanted to tell you for so long. I've hated lying to you. To everyone!"
"Marinette, it's okay." Alya soothed, rubbing her friend's back. "You have nothing to apologize for."
"Except I do," Marinette replied, pulling away from Alya. "Alya, I let my stress get the better of me and I managed to get half my friends akumatized all at once!"
"And you apologized. We forgave you Marinette. All of us did."
"Lucy didn't." Marinette shot back. She had questioned her absence when everyone else had arrived. The girls hung their heads as they repeated Lucy's words. "Alya...I was so horrible to her." Marinette cried. "When she stayed after you all left...I said terrible things to her. Awful things."
"I'm sure it wasn't that bad," Alya said, trying to be optimistic but Marinette shook her head while looking at her sternly.
"You don't understand Alya. If there is something I have learned about myself is that if I'm angry enough I can go full scorched earth, and if that's my intention then you probably deserve it, but she didn't. And I don't know how to fix it."
Alya tilted her head, trying to think of some way to ease Marinette's worry. "It's Lucy..." She spoke. "You know her, she's never been one to hold a grudge. Sure, she's upset right now, justifiably so, but she'll come around. She always does."
"I think that sometimes, words cut so deep that they forever change how you see a person." Marinette spoke quietly as she picked at the skin around her nails.
"Marinette," Alya said sternly. "You're a good person. You made a mistake and you said some things you shouldn't have but they were words spoken out of anger. You didn't mean them. Lucy is one of the most rational people we know, despite being akumatized. Just say you're sorry. I can't tell you that she will be over it in a snap but she will forgive you. You just need to give her the chance to."
OoOoOOoOoOoO
Later that evening, Marinette found herself knocking on Lucy's apartment door, nervously playing with the hem of her shirt as she waited for someone to answer. When the door swung open, Lucy's casual demeanor shifted to that of mild annoyance at the sight of her.
"Can we talk?" Marinette asked softly.
"Oh so now you wanna talk?" Lucy replied, her free hand on her hip.
"Lucy, please." Marinette pleaded, and Lucy let out an exhausted sigh, stepping out of the apartment, shutting the door behind her in the process. She gave a short head nod towards the hall signaling Marinette to take a walk with her. The pair made their way down to the ground level and exited the apartment building in silence. Marinette glanced at Lucy from the corner of her eye as they walked down the nearly empty sidewalk. Lucy's arms were crossed and her eyes remain focused on the path ahead while Marinette could see her biting the inside of her cheek. She was upset. That much was clear. And as they made their way into the park Marinette tried to think of how she was going to be able to fix the mess she had made for herself.
Lucy took a seat on an empty park bench, and it was then she cast her eyes upward to look at Marinette. The dark-haired girl felt goosebumps form on her skin under Lucy's cold stare.
"Did you have something to say, or did you drag me out here to pin all your problems on me again?"
Marinette closed her eyes and let out a small groan, taking a seat next to Lucy on the bench.
"Lucy, I'm sorry! I'm so very sorry!" She apologized. "I have been so heartbroken about my situation with Luka that I shut everyone out and when you guys just wanted to make me feel better I blew up on everyone and that wasn't right of me."
"No, it wasn't," Lucy spoke matter of factly. "And how about the part when you pretty much called me a boyfriend stealer and blamed me for-"
"I'm sorry about all of that Lucy! I was upset and I wanted you to leave so I said a bunch of stuff out of anger but I didn't mean any of it!" Marinette pleaded.
"Yeah...you did." Lucy pointed out, making Marinette shake her head.
"No! I swear I-" But Lucy held up her hand to stop her.
"Save it." She spoke with an eye roll before re-crossing her arms and leaning back on the bench. Her leg that she had crossed over the other bounced anxiously. "Anger makes people say things they don't mean sometimes, that is true. But a lot of the time, it makes them say things they don't mean to say out loud."
"Lucy...I..."
"You have somehow given yourself the idea that I am the reason Adrien has yet to reciprocate your feelings. That I am the reason you can't just suck it up and tell him how you feel. And now," Lucy went on. "You have put it in your head that your breakup with Luka is something that I will somehow benefit from as well. And for you to stand there and accuse me of-" Lucy paused, clasping her hands together in front of her face and taking a deep breath, trying to remain composed. "That is not fair."
"I didn't mean it, Lucy..." Marinette spoke softly. "I promise I just..."
"You just nothing, Marinette." Lucy scolded. "You said how you feel, what I don't understand if why? I have been beside you, helping you with your ridiculous plans and unreasonable expectations since the moment I was let in on it. I have done nothing but support you, even when I thought that maybe I shouldn't." Lucy stood from her seat, her fists clenched at her sides as her frustration surfaced. "I have watched, and plotted, and pushed all for you to stand there and accuse my existence of being the problem because why? Because Adrien talks to me?! Because I am his friend too? You could do all the same things I do Marinette if you would just-"
"Because he's in love with you!" Marinette blurted before she could stop herself. The secret of knowing that information had suffocated her for as long as she had known it, but now...now that she had said it, she felt like she could take a breath. Lucy groaned and rubbed her face.
"Marinette, we have been over this! Adrien is my friend! I am his friend! He is not-"
"He told me." Marinette interrupted softly, swallowing hard as she did so. "He told me he's in love with you."
Lucy blinked and at first, said nothing. Her brain trying to process Marinette's words at a Windows 95' speed.
"He...wait...what? What are you talking about?"
Nervousness spread through Marinette like a forest fire. She was never supposed to be the one to tell Lucy about what Adrien had confided in her. Now that she had, she worried about the repercussions on both Lucy's relationship with Adrien, as well as herself. Knowing this...things might very well never be the same.
"He came to me..." Marinette explained. "Told me he needed help with a girl..."
"Okay, well... I'm sorry, this is a bit awkward for me because it's about a girl."
"A girl?" Marinette's heart flipped.
"We see each other all the time and have been just friends but I have been feeling...different and she can be a little hard to read.."
"So...she was a friend but now you want her to be more than a friend...but you don't know if she feels the same way?" Marinette inquired, her anxiousness building.
"Exactly. Have you ever had that problem?" He asked.
"I wasn't sure what I expected. I mean, who comes to the girl they like for love advice? But I was still hopeful that maybe it was just some crazy way of him trying to tell me..."
"Yes..eh, no, well probably. What is she like?" She asked, hoping to hear some type of description that would fit her own.
"She's..." Where did he begin? "Kind...and funny. She has these eyes that I sometimes feel like I might drown in..." He closed his eyes and smiled. "And when I am with her I feel..."
"Happy?" Marinette interjected in a whim.
"Home." He corrected.
"I asked if I knew the girl, thinking that maybe...just maybe he would look at me and go: Why yes Marinette, as a matter of fact, it's you." Marinette enacted as Lucy silently listened. "But instead, he said your name, Lucy. Marinette admitted, her eyes reaching Lucy's, who remained rooted in her standing position.
Lucy let out a breath that she had seemed to be holding. "I..wh..when? When did this happen?"
"A few months ago? The ice rink. He had asked for a date idea and I suggested the ice rink. Except things seemed to get lost in translation because the next thing I know there ends up being a whole group of us." Marinette hug her head as she fiddled with her shirt. "After that, he didn't really mention it again, and your relationship didn't seem all that different so I figured maybe he had changed his mind or something. I couldn't find the courage to ever really ask. It wasn't until Alya, Nino, and I went to hang out with him while he got his hand rewaxed that it came up again." She went on.
"He was apologizing for that stupid statue prank. Said he was never all that good with jokes and that the girl he loved didn't find them very funny either. It had been so long since we had talked about it that by then I had almost forgotten. But then once again he said your name. It became clear to me very soon that although Adrien didn't share my problems with talking to the people we like, he did seem to share my fear of rejection."
"Why didn't you tell me?" Lucy asked, still in a state of disbelief.
"It wasn't my secret to share," Marinette told her, but Lucy shook her head vigorously at the words.
"No...no! I call bullshit. Because it wasn't your secret to share? Absolutely not. For anyone else, maybe but not for you. Because it's you Marinette. You're going to tell me, the guy you have been infatuated with since the day I met you, tells you he likes me, and you kept that from me because it wasn't your secret to share? That you didn't think for a second that if you had told me, that maybe I could have done something about it? Distanced myself? Made a clearer friend-related gesture? Maybe even nipped it in the bud and -"
"Because I didn't want you to do that!" Marinette cried out, stopping Lucy's rant. "I wanted you to reject Adrien because you didn't return his feelings, not because you wanted to protect mine." She admitted, and Lucy's shoulders slumped.
"What if I did?" Lucy asked and Marinette's eye widened slightly at the question.
"Do you...?"
Lucy took a step forward before spinning around and plopping herself back on the bench.
"I don't know." She then admitted. "Sometimes I think that I could. But other times I think I might just be projecting. He reminds me so much of Chat that I-"
"No way." Marinette cringed. "That's totally crazy, Chat and Adrien have such opposite personalities!" Lucy rolled her eyes.
"Marinette I have spent my fair share of one on one time with both parties and yes, their outward personalities are very different but their hearts are the same." Lucy corrected. "Trust me, if you even get the chance to do the same you'll see it too. I found them so similar in fact that for a small while I thought that perhaps they were the same person."
Marinette shook her head. "No...not a chance."
"So it would seem. A while back when Adrien's bodyguard got akumatized...remember, when we went to try and see that movie? Well, that was the first time I got to see Adrien and Chat in the same place on the news. Neither Chat nor Adrien can be in two places at once. After that, I pretty much wiped the idea completely from my mind, but nonetheless, I still see their similarities." It was Lucy's turn to shake her head. "But it doesn't matter."
"Of course, it matters." Marinette insisted. "Maybe...maybe you should talk to him. Tell him how your feeling! You've never had trouble doing that before. I'm telling you, he loves you, Lucy."
"Mmhm. Yeah, except if he loves me so much why did he start going out with Kagami?"
"Yeah, that kinda threw me through a loop too if I'm honest. But clearly, he must have been looking for a way to get over you and so he rebounded with Kagami!"
"Marinette that's a shitty assumption. Is that why you started going out with Luka? To get over Adrien?" Marinette's eyes widened.
"What? No! That's not it at all. I really like Luka...I feel as thought I might even love him if I am honest. He's amazing."
"Then why did you break up with him?"
"I'm just..." Marinette struggles. "I have some personal things going on. Personal things that I can't really talk about..." She spoke, eyeing Lucy apologetically. "But I can't be a good partner to Luka...or anyone really until I get it sorted out."
"I understand," Lucy said, placing a pat on Marinette's leg. "But how offended you just felt overhearing the assumption that Luka was your rebound, is equal to the offense Adrien or Kagami might feel to hearing your assumption of their relationship."
Marinette sighs. "I know...you're right. Kagami is great. She is pretty and smart and confident in almost everything she does. She also shares a ton of stuff in common with Adrien, it makes total sense for Adrien to be interested in her...I mean, I kinda hoped that maybe if things didn't pan out between you two that he would see his next best option would be me, but you know, sometimes things just don't work out that way and-"
"I'm getting a lot of mixed signals from this conversation." Lucy hummed, and Marinette waved her hands.
"The point is, yes Kagami is great but there is one factor that you have failed to notice, don't worry though. I definitely have."
"And what's that?"
"That he doesn't look at her the same way he looks at you," Marinette revealed a small smile on her lips. "So now, all you have to do is have a little chat with him, he'll find a way to gently break it off with Kagami, and then you two can finally get together!" Lucy stared at Marinette in bewilderment.
"Okay, first of all, Kagami and Adrien already broke up. And-"
"Well, that's perfect! One less step! Now all you have to do is-"
"And SECONDLY," Lucy cut in. "Secondly, Marinette what is going on with you?" She asked in utter bafflement. "You have been crazy about Adrien for as long as I have known you and now all of a sudden you want to set him up with me? I don't get it. You're clearly not completely over the guy, so why are you pushing this?"
Marinette paused and frowned a little. "Because I can't keep holding on to something that doesn't exist." She claimed. "Adrien was my first love. I don't know if or when that will ever truly go away. But part of loving someone is wanting them to be happy, and as much as it might pain me to admit, Adrien is happiest when he is with you."
"Marinette..."Lucy spoke softly. "I don't want to cause you pain."
"I know." She replied with a light smile. "Because you're a good person and friend. But if I forced you to swallow your own feelings to spare mine, then I wouldn't be." She added. "Maybe I'm not completely over Adrien, but rather I like it or not, I'm going to have to be at some point. And I need you not to worry so much about that okay?" She requested. "I know you have a mother hen complex and because of that you tend to have this urge to make sure everyone is okay all the time, and I'll be honest with you and say that at the moment I'm not. But that has nothing to do with you and even though I'm not super okay right now, I will be. I know it, and I need you to know it too."
"I know it." Lucy replied.
"The stuff I am dealing with? It has nothing to do with you. Nothing to do with Adrien. So I need you to take this newfound information and go about it without worrying about me. Because I'm going to what?" Marinette asked expectantly.
"You're going to be okay."
"I'm going to be okay." The pair hugged and wiped away their stray tears, before settling in comfortable silence on the bench.
"You know who might not be though?" Marinette asked, making Lucy look at her. "Chat Noir." She spoke making Lucy snort.
"I didn't know Chat Noir had taken the role of my dad." Lucy joked earning a grin from her friend.
"Daddy Chat Noir? I think he might be into it." Marinette thought aloud and Lucy choked on her own spit.
"Marinette! What the hell!?"
"Though I suppose if things do work out with Adrien, he might have to settle for uncle."
"MARINETTE!" Lucy shouted. "Who are you!?" She laughed and Marinette laughed too.
"It's a slight shame though," Marinette continued. "Not to push aside Adrien's potential in the parenting department as I did fantasize of a family with him for quite some time but, something about Chat Noir makes me think that he would be a pretty amazing dad."
Lucy took in a deep breath through her nose and smiled warmly at Marinette. "He would be the best dad."
OoOoOooO
Well well well, Marinette shared a few secrets today. I wonder what that means for our dear Lucy and Adrien's future relationship. See I told you I would work on getting more chapters out sooner! Anyway, I hope you all enjoyed this chapter. Please let me know by heating and voting and following. You know. All the things! And remember to comment as I love hearing what you guys think!
As always I will see you in the next chapter! Chow for now!