She rubbed her eyes as she entered her home. Another akuma attack had occurred when a fellow student from a different school had their submission ruined while enroute to submit it.
"Dinner, then bed Tikki. I'm exhausted."
Tikki looked at her concern. Marinette had been running ragged lately. Her heart was in turmoil, her responsibility as Guardian on top of being Ladybug, the increase in akuma attacks, the difficulties in school. It all led to a very stressed out Marinette attempting to balance her dual identities.
She entered the living room plopping down on a chair at the dining table resting her head on her shoulders.
"Marinette, are you okay?" asked Sabine.
She lifted her head. "I'm okay Maman, just tired. Got stuck during the akuma attack today."
Sabine exchanged a look with Tom.
"Marinette," said Tom gently. "There is something we need to tell you."
"Come here, ma cherie," said Sabine.
She reluctantly got up to sit next to her mom looking at them both.
"What's going on?" asked Marinette. Her parents were never hesitant with her or so worried.
"Let me tell you a story of a little baby girl," started Sabine.
Marinette loved stories that started like that. It was always a story of her as a baby or toddler and the antics she would get into.
She had been oddly silent after the story. Sabine was worried, Marinette had been the light of their home. She shone brightly with happiness. That is not to say she hadn't noticed Marinette withdrawing into herself recently. A series of events she was unaware of starting from when Marinette was expelled for a short time. She had always bounced back though, the strong independent girl that she was.
Sabine's mind raced had she left Marinette without support. Had she and Tom in her most critical moments dropped their responsibilities. She shuddered to think if Marinette withdrew from them.
"This is true?" she asked softly.
"It is, cherie." said Tom.
"She will be with us?"
"We don't know when Marinette. It is all up to fate," said Sabine.
"I'm going to bed now. Thanks for telling me."
They watched as the light of their lives slowly trudged upstairs worried looks on both their faces.
"Marinette, do you want to talk?" asked Tikki after Marinette threw herself onto her bed and curled into herself.
"Not now, Tikki, I want to sleep first then analyze later."
Tom and Sabine as usual got up early to start their day. Marinette was still having a lie in. It was understandable she had many a rough day.
Marinette woke up around noon. She had almost an hour before her parents would take a break.
"Tikki," she called.
"Marinette, did you sleep well?" asked Tikki concerned.
"As well as I could."
Suddenly her tired countenance changed and she darted around her room cleaning up.
"I have a sister, Tikki! I've always wanted a sibling. This will be great. We'll do everything together. She can attend my school. I'll show her the sights. I'll teach her to make macarons. I'll need to know her favorite first so I can make them for her. I'll need to make every different kind when she shows up. She can take my bed, I can use the chaise longue. It will be difficult to be Ladybug but we can manage. I hope she likes my friends, she won't have any when she comes to this world."
She stopped suddenly.
"Tikki," she said softly, "Master Fu never mentioned anything about Fate when he gave me my miraculous."
"Fate is difficult to understand, Marinette," explained Tikki floating close to her. "All he knew were you were fated to be the chosen for the Ladybug miraculous. Everything else that comes after is part of that. You are Ladybug and have always worked through whatever came your way."
"We were separated because of fate and being brought back together because of fate. How could fate not be important?" she asked sinking into her desk chair.
"Fate interferes only when necessary. All events transpire due to the choices of people. Only when certain events need to pass or people need to be involved does fate step in. You are one of those people critical to the world and you may not even be the only one on this path."
"Chat Noir?"
"He is most likely to be with you," confirmed Tikki. "And now we know of your sister. Anyone else is a mystery."
"And my actual father, he might come too," she said as her eyes clouded over. "What if he has a role?"
Tikki nuzzled into Marinette's cheek. "It'll be fine, Marinette. You are brave and strong and you still have the parents who raised you."
"I do, I love Maman and Papa. They will always be my parents forever." She resolved to tell them that immediately. No matter what happens they will always be the ones she thinks of first.
She wondered what her sister was like. Was she like her or completely different? They were twins so they probably looked alike but that only mattered for identical twins. Fraternal could look different. She spent longer than usual getting ready staring at the mirror wondering if she would recognize her face on another person. It reminded her of the time she fought Chronogirl. Two actual ladybugs existed at that time.
Another thing her parents had shared was that they wouldn't know when her sister would arrive in their world. They would be informed only by a man named Dr. Fate. Her sister would come for sure but her actual father was unaccounted for.
She wished she wasn't the guardian. She had no mentor left to guide her now. It was all on her to keep the miracle box and the kwami within safe. It was up to her to understand the grimoire. Now fate decreed it was up to her to protect the world for a new future or an era of darkness. Her fate had existed since she was born. The responsibilities and expectations kept adding up. How would her sister even fit into this? She wasn't a superhero, well that she knew of. Would she have to give her a miraculous and if so which one would she give her? That was a thought for later but still her sister was already instrumental in the 'defense and near destruction of the universe' on her previous world. She wondered how that went. There was still so much she was unsure of and how it fit in with Shadowmoth.
They appeared in an alleyway hidden from anyone who could see. It was late into the night and the golden light would have caught attention if the inhabitants in the area were awake.
"I will let them know of your arrival. They did offer you their home should you wish to be close to your sister."
Helena was torn, on one hand she was desperately looking forward to meeting her twin sister on the other she was afraid. Afraid of her sister resenting her or even rejecting her. It had happened when she showed up at her father's doorstep and she didn't want to repeat it.
She looked to her dad to see his reaction but of course his face was perfectly composed. No one knew what thoughts drifted in her dad's head. Only Alfred and Dick were able to get some semblance of his thoughts.
"Not yet, I'll approach her on my own time."
"Very well, good luck to both of you. We may meet again."
"What now, Papa?" asked Helena. He always had a plan after all.
"Good night for a break in," he said mildly.
Helena grinned as his words registered.
Hours later they sat on the lawn near the Eiffel Tower. Their identities had been created, funds were acquired as a donation from unscrupulous individuals. Tomorrow they would have a place with a terrace or balcony. It was essential for their nighttime activities which would be on hold for the time being.
"Do you think she will like me?" asked Helena.
It was a loaded question she knew but her dad had witnessed her first reintroduction to family and understood her fears.
"I'm sure she will accept you," said Bruce. "You are her little sister."
"I hope she's like Dick," said Helena. He wasn't wary of her like Cass, or rejected her initially like Tim. He had accepted her immediately into the family and it was so much fun hanging out with him. Her brother was the best. Kind, caring, giving her freedom when she needed it, protecting her when necessary. She hoped her older sister Marinette was just as wonderful.
"Do you want to attend her school?" asked Bruce.
"No," said Helena quickly. "I don't need to it's a massive waste of time for me. I'd rather watch her first see what she's like and then approach her."
"Helena," said Bruce softly. "Don't be like me, closed off and analytical. Try to look at it like Dick would."
"Fine, I'll try," acquiesced Helena watching dawn break.
It was a bright new morning as Marinette awoke. She finally had a good night's sleep having finished her sketch for her sister. She planned on getting the materials today and finishing the outfit as soon as she could. Her sister could arrive at any moment.
"Marinette, are you awake?" called Sabine.
"Yes, Maman be down in a few."
She came down to find a crepe breakfast. One of her favorites.
"Marinette," started Tom. "We had a visitor last night."
She looked up at him with wide eyes. Was it possible? It had already happened.
"Your sister is now in this world."
"She... she is." She looked around quickly. "Is she here?"
"No, cherie, Dr. Fate said she wants to approach you on her own time. It was a surprise to her too," said Sabine with a smile.
"Did… did he come too?" she asked hesitant looking at her crepe. She had already told her parents that they would always be hers and she would love them forever.
"He did. Helena wanted him to come along," said Tom.
"I don't think I'm ready for that."
"Don't worry, cherie, we are with you every step of the way," said Tom handing her a macaron.
She gave him a quick hug.
"Merci, Papa."
They knew the whereabouts of the bakery her parents worked at and from there finding her wasn't difficult. She was chronically late most mornings definitely a night owl. She had a sweet tooth which was interesting. It didn't affect her frame at all and she looked lean and toned. She was kind and happy always hanging out with friends. She had terrible time management though and kept leaving because of time conflicts. She was creative and talented, one evening Helena watched her sewing and prodding at a mannequin in her bedroom late into the night. It looked like Marinette was a budding designer and into fashion.
That was something they would have in common. After all Helena's mother, Selina Kyle, had been into fine things. Fine dining, fine arts, fine jewelry, fine clothes and some of it had appealed to Helena especially the fine dining and fine clothes. Helena was a complete foodie or as Alfred had put it a fine dining connoisseur. It helped that her nights out as Robin kept her in shape.
They would take turns watching her in the day. Marinette looked to be a completely normal teenage girl. Happy and content. She was pure and untouched by war and death. Her dad would always come back from his watch frustrated that her happiness would one day be snatched by fate. She had caught him mumbling it once but the look in his face always let her know.
Helena just marveled at the vast differences in their personalities despite their nearly very identical looks. To make sure no one mistook her for Marinette at least until their first meeting, she had opted to dye her hair blonde and wear brown colored contacts and nonprescription glasses.
It was nice to be back in Paris, it was her first home in her old world. Her mother had been one of the most well-known experts when it came to art and jewels. Her expertise was valued by many museums, banks, reserve systems, gem depositories across Europe but she had chosen Paris to be their home. She saw their old apartment occupied by others, her old school no recognizable faces there, her favorite places to eat, her old hangouts. It was familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.
She hadn't stepped into the Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie yet. The smells wafting from there tempted her but she had enough self-control. She would cross the threshold when she was ready to meet Marinette. Her dad had no such qualms and had already been a customer a few times. He even stood outside the school pretending to read from his tablet when the students let out for lunch and she had even joined him a few times. That was one of the things she admired about him. He was always unapologetically bold and daring, going against gods and other supernatural beings even threatening them. Majority of the time as Batman but even as Bruce Wayne. She had learned to be like that too especially during the war when she was on different worlds. This case was more personal and it frightened her a bit. Her insecurities came out again just as they had two years ago when she found out she had a family and she was to live with them. She worried if Marinette would accept her.
Batman never rested though. She had found her dad pouring over Paris' issues with akumas and the supervillain now known as Shadowmoth. Occasionally she joined him as well, but she didn't dive too deep into it for now. As Robin, she could focus on multiple tangents at once, but as Helena in the new world one priority ranked high above all others. Marinette.
The bakery door chimed signaling another customer as Sabine pulled out another set of pastries. She placed them to cool and turned around to find an empty shop. She looked towards the register counter to see something had changed.
"Tom," she called. "She was here."
Tom quickly barreled in from the store room. "She came here?"
Sabine was looking at the counter. "She left so quick. I had turned away for barely a minute to get out another batch of pastries from the oven."
"How do you know it was her?"
"She left this," said Sabine as she held up a white envelope which said Marinette in a nice flowing script.
"The girl is finally reaching out, Marinette will be so happy," said Tom with a wistful smile.
"It depends on what it says in the letter," said Sabine always the pragmatic one.
"Alright, this is it," said Helena to her earpiece.
"You'll be fine," came her dad's strong baritone reassuring her.
He was watching from the park out of direct line of sight but able to see the side entrance to the Dupain-Cheng home.
Helena rang the doorbell.
Moments later the door opened and she saw the mirror image of herself; well the mirror image before she dyed her hair.
"Hey, um- I'm Helena."
Marinette squeaked. Her sister actually squeaked before engulfing her in a hug.
"I'm Marinette, it's so good to finally meet you Helena. I've waited so long and when your letter came I was anxiously waiting. Do you like macarons? I love baking macarons, they're like my go to treat. I've made some for you. Do you have a favorite flavor? We look so much alike except for the hair. I didn't think you would be blonde."
Marinette paused as she took a breath.
"Sorry I've been really looking forward to meeting you."
"No worries, I've been looking forward to this too," said Helena with a smile.
"Uh is… is our father here too? asked Marinette hesitantly.
"No, I thought I'd meet you all first."
"Oh good," said Marinette taking in a deep breath.
"I'll leave you two to it," came her father's voice quickly and the line disconnected.
"I don't think my anxiety could have handled both of you together. I'd still like to meet him though. I can't believe I have another father. I've been anxious wondering what he would think of me. Come on Maman and Papa are looking forward to meeting you too."
"Oh good."
Those two words constricted his heart and a sadness settled in as he watched them enter the home. Turning off his communicator he walked away aimlessly another anonymous person in the crowd. He would probably lose them both again. Become alone without his last links to happiness. He never gave much thought to fate, destiny, prophecies, portents, and signs. They existed but humankind should primarily have free will to carve their own paths.
However, at this juncture he cursed fate for the limited time he had with his daughters. He cursed fate for taking them away from him again. It was more painful this time around. His thoughts spiraled deep as he thought of all who had a hand in his limited happiness.
"Nooroo, what is this feeling? Such powerful negative emotions coming from one source. I've never felt such strong emotions from anyone before," said Gabriel. Actually, he did feel powerful emotions from one Marinette Dupain-Cheng, his little akuma project, with Lila's help but certainly not to the extent of this person.
"Be careful Master," warned Nooroo gently, "those with very powerful emotions can either aide your power very well or can turn your power against you. They will not be completely under your control."
Gabriel paused considering his words. "I've taken many risks in my quest, Nooroo. What is one more? Nooroo, transform me."
"Come my mega akuma and find this source of emotion."
Marinette's parents were wonderful and caring. As a connoisseur of excellent food, she enjoyed every meal they placed before her. Helena liked her older sister, she was like a beacon of light. But she did have her worries, being the daughter of the world's greatest detective, she was definitely going to notice things most wouldn't.
She saw the small bags under her eyes indicating a lack of sleep. The small jitters keeping her adorable purse safe from harm. There was bound to be something precious located within. She talked a mile a minute when her anxiety got the better of her and it was endearing. They were definitely different in personality.
Helena made a swift decision and engulfed Marinette in an unexpected hug.
"Ah... Helena is everything okay?"
Helena didn't say anything for a bit and tightened her hold in response. Her hug was reciprocated by Marinette.
"This is from me because I'm happy to know you for the first time since we were babies, my older sister."
Helena released her after a few moments looking into her identical eyes with a slight difference in the shade of blue.
She hugged her again this time for a short while.
"And this is from our dad. He holds his emotions inside and is very rarely affectionate but he loves you just as much as he does me."
Marinette's eyes teared up at this and she linked their arms together.
"Come, I want to show you my room and what I've been working on," said Marinette leading her up the stairs.
She heard two voices as she reached the landing smiling at the words.
"My little girl and her little sister. Très adorable."
"It's good to see them get along so well."
"You made this by yourself," said Helena admiring her new outfit in the mirror. A black top with blue accents paired with navy pants.
"Do you like it?" asked Marinette.
"I love it! It reminds me of Dick. One of his favorite outfits was black and blue." It was his suit but Marinette didn't need to know that yet.
"Who is Dick?"
"He was my brother and would have been your adopted brother too. Dad took him in after his parents died in an accident when he was young."
"Oh, that's terrible."
"It was a long time ago. We can go over our histories later. What do you-" she was cut off by a loud alert coming from Marinette's phone.
Marinette quickly snatched it up eyes furrowed. "An akuma." She tapped her phone a little. "Near Sacre-Coeur. Helena since you came here has there ever been an akuma?"
Helena shook her head. They had done their research but in the two weeks since they arrived to the world there hadn't been any sight of the resident heroes of Paris or their nemesis. Granted they hadn't been looking anyway.
"Akuma's prey on strong emotions especially negative ones," said Marinette navigating to a stream.
"The akuma hasn't expressed any demands so far. It seems to be content to fire beams at the people where they go into a trance. We only hope Ladybug and Chat Noir can help the victim."
Marinette closed that stream and opened another one. This site Helena was familiar with it was the Ladyblog. She had perused it a few times in interest.
"The akuma is moving slowly with no clear aim. There hasn't been any damage and it keeps firing beams. We don't even know its name and it hasn't even demanded Ladybug or Chat Noir to show up. Every so often Hawkmoth seems to communicate with it but there's never a change to its behavior." The camera zoomed in to the figure.
Helena gasped lightly not loud enough to catch Marinette's attention. She was sure it was her dad. The earpiece that was exactly the copy of her own tipped her off including the pendant hanging from his neck that she had bought for him.
"I need to go," she said quickly. "I want to check on Dad."
Marinette looked up in surprise. "So soon?"
"Sorry, Marinette. I'll come by tomorrow same time okay?"
Marinette nodded, "Okay," and gave her a hug before she left.
Ladybug swung towards Sacre-Coeur. She was angry at Hawkmoth for releasing an akuma today of all days. She had finally met her sister. It worked out perfectly that Helena wanted to leave immediately. It left her free to deal with the akuma.
Before long she made it and stopped out of sight opting to wait for Chat Noir. She opened up her yo-yo to let him know where she was.
This akuma was the most puzzling one she had ever faced. Slow moving and zapping people into a trance. It barely caused any damage or attempted to seek out whoever wronged it. The purple outline whenever Hawkmoth would communicate with the akumas kept appearing and disappearing.
"A peaceful akuma, isn't it, my lady," said Chat Noir as he slid down his baton next to her.
"It's so bizarre," said Ladybug still watching with puzzled eyes. "I think the akuma is in the earpiece."
"Could also be the pendant," said Chat Noir frowning at the akuma. "Let's get both, first the earpiece then the pendant."
Ladybug nodded as they swept into action.
"Remembrance," said Hawkmoth frustrated. "When Ladybug and Chat Noir arrive, you must bring me their miraculous."
"I'm aware," came the short reply frustrating him even more. It was like pulling teeth to get the man to communicate. He should have heeded Nooroo's warning, this wasn't getting him anywhere.
He heard the telltale noise of Ladybug's yo-yo. "At last, the Parisian heroes have arrived. Get their miraculous if you wish to keep your power."
Remembrance turned and looked at the two young heroes. "I reject this power." The akuma left his earpiece and flew a bit away only to be caught by Ladybug.
Far away Hawkmoth punched the wall in frustration.
Ladybug was surprised to see the akuma just leave its host. She caught in quickly as Chat Noir stood by her watching the man who turned away from them.
They hadn't seen his face as his appearance changed. Suddenly there was a bunch of smoke as little balls hit the ground. Ladybug heard the sound of someone dropping to the ground and another similar to her own yo-yo when she swung across Paris. By the time she used her yo-yo and Chat Noir his baton to drive the smoke away, the man had disappeared.
"My lady?" questioned Chat Noir.
Ladybug summoned her lucky charm to fix everything that transpired. "Meet you at our usual spot in 15?"
"Of course," he replied before heading in that direction.
She went to a rooftop to feed Tikki before she could transform again. She hesitated for a moment before calling her sister.
"Hello," came a distanced voice.
"Helena, are you okay? Is he okay?"
"Oh yeah we're fine."
She heard a grunt.
"It's just something new and he was going for a walk."
"Great, great, glad to hear it," she said, "uh see you tomorrow then."
"Tomorrow," confirmed Helena hanging up.
That was a stimulating phone conversation.
"Sorry, mon minou. Had to make a phone call," said Ladybug as she swung down to the top of the Eiffel Tower where Chat Noir waited.
"No problem, buginette. Easiest akuma we had to date, wasn't it?" he commented mildly as they sat down to watch the sunset.
Ladybug frowned. Whoever was akumatized rejected the akuma once they looked directly at her and Chat Noir and then turned away from them. Akuma victims were mostly disoriented and unaware of what transpired while they were being manipulated by Hawkmoth. This one was probably one of the few that was aware. That was not good for them, the ones that were aware always caused problems case in point Lila.
The other thing that worried her was whoever came to take the man away. Hawkmoth never cared for his akuma victims, they were always random Parisians.
"Do you think the man is working with Hawkmoth?" she asked.
Chat Noir's eyes widened. "My lady," he said surprised. "Akuma victims are innocent." Ladybug had always consoled the victims and reassured them it was Hawkmoth preying on their valid emotions.
"Lila."
Chat Noir rubbed the back of head sheepishly understanding where she was coming from. "True, true that is one akuma that likes working with Hawkmoth."
"But it doesn't make sense who came to take him away," she continued with her eyes furrowed in thought. "It wasn't magical smoke either. I saw the pellets still lying around after fixing everything."
Chat Noir laid a hand on her shoulder. "Don't worry my lady. I'm sure someone has footage maybe our special Ladyblog expert?"
"Yes, chaton," she said smiling at him in thanks. "She was there, I was watching the stream before I headed out."
Her smile turned serious as she got up to look at him directly. "We will have to be more careful. Hawkmoth is changing his tactics to get our miraculous. Next time an akuma shows up we meet before engaging."
"As you say, my lady," said Chat Noir raising her hand to give it a kiss.
The lights were off, no one would notice the shadows that lurked within. It was high enough that it wouldn't matter but they were used to the darkness. The outside lights provided a decent amount of lighting anyway.
Father and daughter stood in silence staring at each other. One suited up and the other in civilian clothes. She had taken off her mask though.
"Were you seen?"
"Of course not, what do you take me for?" said Helena affronted.
"My daughter." There was a small smile on his face. The tension in her left. She knew her dad was a master at controlling his emotions. Nothing fazed him ever, so she wondered what could have caused his momentary lapse. Well Dick had always said the storm that was her father was always kept controlled inside but when it leaked out which it did from time to time, it wreaked havoc.
"What happened out there?" she asked watching his face carefully. There were always tentative signs that would give her an idea about her dad if she were to look close enough. Dick had taught her most of the signs.
The smile vanished and a stern foreboding look took over. "A moment of weakness."
"That's it, that's all you're going to say," she grumbled.
"You don't need to concerned with it, Helena," he said dismissively.
"Right, I don't," she said hotly. "You're one of the hottest topics being speculated on right now. They even gave you a title, 'The Puzzling Akuma'. Thank goodness no one got a good shot of you after the transformation. Wouldn't be a good first impression for Marinette, would it?"
There it was, it was so quick she would have missed it if she wasn't already so focused on his face. His jaw had clenched lightly and his lips had thinned. So it was about Marinette.
"This villain that is antagonizing Paris doesn't seem to be a great threat considering possible events to come."
Helena kept silent. Batman was making an appearance and it did well to listen. Her dad always had the uncanny knack to command attention with choice words. This specifically pertained to her and more importantly her older sister.
"He calls himself, Shadowmoth and has a singular focus to acquire the miraculous of the two heroes. The questions that remain is what occurs when the two are combined and then what is his motive?"
He paused looking at Helena with an intensity she had seen a few times before.
"And where will Marinette fit into all this?"
A/N: Reviews appreciated. Like to hear your thoughts. Thanks for reading.