February 5th
The Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie
Marinette's bedroom
7AM
"There's a lot you don't know about Chloe. Things I can't even talk around mixed company much less a single person. It's nothing against you, Marinette."
Adrien would answer Marinette to the best of his ability. During the past sometimes he'd omit a few details, but it never made the truth any less painful. It never meant the answers he handed Marinette were outright lies either when all he was trying to accomplish was protecting Chloe's private life from the prying eyes of the public.
It wasn't the entire truth, because Marinette didn't know the whole truth yet. And she settles for the truth or at least what was a portion of it.
"Alya…" Marinette pauses, and then. Suddenly an important thought crosses her mind. "I know what ideas are floating inside that head of yours."
"You know me better than that." Ayla says, which sounds a lot like a lie. Marinette glares back at Alya casting a doubtful expression.
"If anyone ever questions us about this we're protected under reporter's privilege." Nino says, in a harsh, conspicuous whisper. He was clearly in favor of departing from the current subject. He patiently awaited for a fresh line of conversation to begin.
A few more seconds of apprehensive silence swept between them.
"That's right, we have limited amendments to not reveal our sources." Ayla says, breaking the quiet of the room.
"Right again," Marinette says, with a bright smile. "But that won't be any problem for us because Gabriel is handling Audrey, remember…"
Another few moments of silence rolled by.
"Guys, come on…" Marinette yells. Sensing her friend's disapproval.
"Don't mind me saying so but Audrey is starting to sound a lot like the B-word." Ayla says, in a grunt of disgust.
"We're not talking about honey bees are we?" Nino says, with a smirk.
"The point is Audrey refuses to take care of Chloe, right?" she asks. Ayla was completely willing to help Chloe. Despite whatever problems that used to exist between them during the past. It probably sounded a lot like to Marinette; she had only invited herself over to complain.
"That's right," Marinette says. "Audrey is gone for now but the good news is that Chloe will make a complete recovery in a few days."
Ayla's eyes fall once again on the mysterious octagonal box that rested near Marinette's computer. Glaring back at Marinette, she hesitates a moment before saying. "Marinette, how long have you owned this jewelry box?"
"Since yesterday." Marinette says, with an eye roll. Probably because she didn't think the jewelry box wasn't worth mentioning at all. "It was a gift from a customer. All I know is that he wanted "The Baker's Daughter" to own it."
"What kind of woman passes up free jewelry?" Nino says, cutting off Marinette before she could speak up again, but was instead silenced by a discouraging look from his friend Ayla. Then Marinette barged into the conversation to explain herself again.
"It was a long night and judging by today it's going to be even longer," Marinette exclaimed. "Whatever's inside of that box can wait. I have more important things to do than ogle someone's pass me down jewelry."
"You can wait but we can't." Ayla says, grabbing the box off of the table. "It's probably nothing to get worked up about but whatever it happens to be it'll be our little secret? Now won't it?" Speaking personally Ayla as an amateur journalist would find it most offensive to use the word "cliche" rather loosely.
A flash of brilliant white hot light and a few minutes later.
No one was prepared for the collective blood curdling screams that followed long after the Ayla cracked open the box activating the pair of plain earrings.
10AM
Agreste Mansion
Gabriel's home office
Gabriel was left seated alone at his desk again. Cradling his aching head in his hands. Left him wondering what type of medication he should use to ease the pain.
"Gabriel," Plagg says. Affronted and angry. "You gotta stop sweating the small stuff. I'm not gonna spend all day arguing over some stupid existential crisis when we know we both have bigger fish to fry!"
The synapses inside of Gabriel's skull fired like the crack of a gunshot.
"You're telling me it was really an akuma that taken Chloe from her hospital bed?" Gabriel tells himself in his own disbelief.
"So what are you gonna do about it?" Plagg says, pressuring Gabriel into engaging in some much needed action. It takes the kwami a second or two to compose itself. When it does, Plagg notices Gabriel's expression to be a guilty one no doubt driven by the loss of Chloe.
"Chloe's much too ill-" Gabriel says, his voice seizes up all over again. He can't say much of anything else. He barely has enough energy within himself to speak. It was a struggle to breathe as the world as he knew it was crashing around himself.
"Gabriel! Chloe's gone! SHE'S GONE!" The echoes of Nathalie's words over the phone were still ringing in his head.
Plagg remained as a cold, sobering reminder of his newfound responsibility.
"I know that! You told me before Chloe's a sick kid but that's why you got me!" Plagg says, locking eyes with Gabriel. "Get a grip, Gabriel," the kawmi screams. "The universe partnered me up with your family! You could at least acknowledge my help! Stand up, Gabriel! Stand up now! We have work to do!"
Gabriel was heaving breathlessly.
Staring back at the kwami who bore the ring of destruction. Not only was Plagg at his disposal, but was given to him by the guardian of the miraculous's own mercy.
The kwami wasn't begging. The kwami wasn't asking him whether or not he wanted to transform his own violation either. It was demanding he do so. Plagg spoke in a tone that was also intolerant of its master's disagreement.
The ring Gabriel was wearing was pulsing with magical energies.
Urging him to unleash its master.
"Chloe, just hang in there for a little bit longer," he says, through labored breaths. "If it means wearing a cowl to keep you safe then so be it." he held a trembling hand to his chest trying to settle his beating heart.
"Now it's that kind of talk I wanna hear from now on." Plagg says, with far less difficulty one might expect from a single statement.
Gabriel experimentally flexed his fingers before forming them into a tight fist.
"Now what words did the universe supply you with?" Plagg asks, with a toothy grin.
CLAWS OUT!
