"I can't believe him!" Chloe grumbled, "That guy is ridiculous! Utterly ridiculous!"
"That Austruc guy?" Luka asked rhetorically over the phone.
"He's only giving Queen Bee a small part of the Ladybug movie," Chloe continued to rant, "And he ruins her character development! It's like he hates Queen Bee!"
"I'm sure he doesn't," Luka said, "He doesn't even know Queen Bee. He probably just wants to keep the story centered around Ladybug and Chat Noir."
"Yeah, well," Chloe muttered, "Maybe he should realize superhero work is a group effort and that good storytelling means focusing on all the players on the stage."
"I don't disagree," Luka had a warm understanding in his voice, "Maybe you can leave the party early and meet me somewhere? You sound pretty miserable."
"Ha, well, I guess it would be better than dealing with pretentious snobs," Chloe rolled her eyes, "Even more snotty than I used to be...and still kind of am. But what's going on?"
"I guess I felt like needing the company of a slightly hot-headed but gorgeous princess," Luka replied, "Had another bad dream about snakes. And I actually like snakes, so it makes no sense. I thought about writing a song about it; maybe you can come by and help give me some inspiration?"
Chloe blushed but then shook it off.
"Well of course," Chloe turned up her nose, smiling with pride, "I am great company, aren't I? I'll check in with my sister and then buzz out of here." She then hung up and rejoined Zoe, Marinette, and Adrien all before Gabriel led Marinette into his office, probably for some weird private conversation. Was he trying to get to know her better or give her a warning about how much his son meant to him? It just kind of felt odd. Anyways, she would soon say her goodbyes and head back to the Seine. She decided not to change outfits, curious to see what Luka would think of how she looked. She also did have a few questions about his time with that Kagami girl.
"Well sir," Marinette had a nervous tone, "Thank you again for inviting me to this. It seems pretty lavish, at least more than I'm used to."
"It was meant to be a meeting of minds," Gabriel smirked before walking over to his desk and motioning to Marinette, "Have a seat, dear girl."
"Yes sir," and she sat, the butterflies still building in her stomach.
"Well, Miss Marinette," Gabriel took a sip from whatever was in his glass on the desk and leaned forward, placing his elbows on the table and his hands wrapped together in a ball. It was the look of someone fully attentive and ready to assess something. "...Tell me a little about yourself. I already know how talented you are in terms of fashion and design. And if you'll permit me to say, you are very pretty; Adrien certainly has excellent standards when choosing a partner."
"Well sir you thank, er I mean thank you, sir," Marinette turned beat red, "But all that sounds pretty serious. We've only been dating for about two months." She then nervously laughed and questioned if that was appropriate or not.
"Yes, and that's one thing I did want to address," Gabriel nodded, "I trust that while I can definitely understand being in the throes of young love...I've been there myself...I trust you will not distract him from his future duties and studies, correct?"
"No sir," she shook her head violently, "I would never dream of getting in the way of whatever he needed to do."
"I'm glad you understand," Gabriel responded, "though that trust still needs to be earned, if you get my meaning." There was a silence with Marinette not knowing what to say. "Right, but really, this discussion was not meant to intimidate; it was meant to learn more about you and your aspirations. Please, my dear, you're about to start university yourself; what are your plans upon graduation?"
"Well," Marinette breathed in, "I'm definitely considering continuing my fashion design projects. Not sure where I would start. But I just know I'd like to work for some design team like yours; that'd be a dream."
"And that's what I was leading to," Gabriel followed, a slight smirk on his face, "I would certainly be willing to take you on as an intern or perhaps an apprentice if you desire."
"Really?" Marinette was flabbergasted, "That would be wonderful, sir! I don't know what to say…"
"Just remember what I said about Adrien," Gabriel stood up and nodded, "Treat him well and don't distract or otherwise hold him back. But please, dear girl, tell me more about your dreams. What do you want out of life? Where do you see yourself in ten years?"
"I guess I haven't fully decided that yet," Marinette looked down, hearing the soft clacks of Gabriel's shoes as he walked somewhere in the office while she fiddled nervously with the folds of her dress' skirt, the chatter of the party-goers a distant forgotten echo, "I guess I want what most people want, I imagine. I have this mental picture in my head living in a nice house by the river, sitting and working on one of my new designs in my makeshift studio while my three children that I've named Emma, Louis, and Hugo are running through the halls and playing. I then get up to feed my hamster named…"
"She's beautiful, isn't she?" Gabriel's voice echoed from the far end of the room. Marinette looked up to see that he was at the back wall staring up at a gold colored, abstract painting that she was astonished she hadn't noticed upon her entrance; perhaps it was the nerves that made her inattentive. She glanced up at the painting herself, standing to her feet and walking towards it. It was a painting of Emilie Agreste in a similar style to that of Gustav Klimt's "The Kiss."
"Yes, she is," she replied almost getting choked up, "I can definitely see a lot of her in Adrien. I think I told him once he had her eyes."
"I see her in him every day," Gabriel continued, smirking and glancing over at Marinette, "And I think I see a bit of her in you as well."
"Adrien's told me the same," Marinette glanced down, slightly embarrassed.
"There's something else we need to discuss," Gabriel's tone changed, "Something important to our family. And it's something that I don't share lightly; there are a few who know, but they are namely people I trust. Can I trust you, dear girl?"
"Of course, sir," Marinette's voice wobbled.
"And do you trust me?"
"I...I…," Marinette hesitated before finally answering, "Yes, sir, I trust you. You're my boyfriend's dad; I trust him, so I trust you."
"Glad to hear it, my dear," the smug smirk returned to Gabriel's face, "In that case, we may proceed." With that, he pressed a small yellow button somewhere within the painting. Marinette felt the ground shift beneath her and let out a yelp before the two of them descended into the blackness on a small circular platform.
