Marinette
"So, a prince, huh?" Alya crossed her arms over her chest, glaring Adrien's way an hour after Nino had dragged her away to give them some privacy.
"Sorry, bro." Nino nervously smiled from behind her. "Couldn't keep her away any longer."
"On one hand, I'm pleased I figured you out before you graced us with a confession," Alya continued, starting to pace the room. "But on the other, what the heck, Adrien?! That's something you're supposed to tell your soulmate of all people. You could've skipped telling me or, I don't know, your friendly, local ice cream vendor, but Marinette?"
Marinette could hardly hold her giggles back. She loved Alya, and she was flattered her best friend was so riled up on her behalf. Truth be told, if Marinette hadn't learned and processed all of this as Ladybug in her dreams already, she'd be freaking out right alongside Alya. But as it was, Marinette had known about magic and Adrien's royal status for long enough to remain calmer than she should've been in this situation.
"But I—" Adrien tried to insert but was shushed by Alya's glare.
"And I mean, I'm glad you aren't a hideous monster with murderous tendencies who needs to be kept away in a dungeon for the sake of us all, but you being royal does influence Marinette's future. And not necessarily in a good way. She had to know! How could you keep it a secret from her?"
"I was planning on telling her," Adrien replied, shifting closer to Marinette. "But there was so much to tell—not to mention we had to start our whole relationship from zero—so I thought it would be better to take it slow, let Marinette fall in love with me first, and then start revealing the info."
"Right. So you decided to wait until she wouldn't be able to say no to you because she's in love? How very clever."
"She can always say no," Adrien protested. "I'd never force her to do something she doesn't want." His gaze shifted to Marinette as he almost whispered, "Including being with me."
Marinette couldn't help but take his hand and squeeze it slightly. "I believe we already talked this over in our dreams, haven't we?"
"Freaking dreams." Alya groaned, pinching the bridge of her nose. With a heavy inhale, she looked at Marinette. "Humour me, but I'm still not convinced that he hasn't messed with your psyche or something, M. It's just so—Ugh! You've never remembered your dreams. Ever! How do you suddenly gain a lifetime of dream memories? It's not normal. What did he do to you?"
Nino curled an eyebrow. "Babe, are you serious? Don't tell me you consider Marinette not remembering her dreams more normal than remembering them?"
"Well excuse me," Alya grumbled. "But what am I supposed to think when I leave my bestie alone for one day with a guy who appeared in her life just a few months ago and apparently dabbles in magic, and then she suddenly has magic of her own, and then she faints from whatever he told her here, and now she claims to have remembered the dreams she never had and—"
"Technically Marinette has always had dreams. She just couldn't remember them," Adrien dared to insert.
It cost him another glare as Alya threw her hands up. "Pardon my ignorance, Your Highness! And you!" She glared at Marinette. "How are you so calm about it? Your sudden recovery from a dream amnesia and magic powers aside, your stupid boyfriend is the freaking Prince of France! You should be the one freaking out! Not me!"
Marinette couldn't hold her laugh in anymore. With Ladybug's memories freed, she felt whole for the first time in her life. Yet it was still surreal, almost incomprehensible for her. How could she blame Alya for not taking it well? Instead, Marinette took a step and pulled her best friend into a hug, whispering, "I did freak out when I found out. I almost dumped him."
"Let me guess," Alya grumbled, returning the hug. "He told you in your dreams?"
Marinette nodded, chuckling.
"You should've dumped him," Alya mumbled.
"Hey!" Adrien yelped. "That's not fair. I didn't do anything to deserve dumping?"
"You're too much trouble, Sunshine." Alya glared his way
"All worth it, though," Marinette said, slightly pulling away so she could glance at Adrien.
Her Adrien. Not a boyfriend of a few months anymore. He was someone she'd known her whole life, someone she would trust without a second thought. This wasn't some inexplicable and even absurdly spontaneous and ridiculously fast love affair. She'd loved him for as long as she remembered herself. He was her best friend. The love of her life. A man by whose side she wanted to stand, no matter where he came from and who his parents were. Even if it meant moving to Paris and, possibly, becoming the Queen of France one day… a thought that should've scared her more than it did right now. Perhaps, because choosing it meant being with Adrien, and with him by her side, she could do anything, be anything she was meant to be.
"Well, I guess we aren't going home anymore?" Alya pulled away, letting Marinette go.
Marinette nodded. "Not today at least. I need to visit Master Fu. I have too many questions to go home right now."
"Then, I'd better return those train tickets," Alya grumbled. "Give me half an hour and we can go."
"About that," Adrien raised a hand.
"What?" Alya shot him a glance. "Master Fu's location is top secret, and I can't go?"
Adrien's smile was anything but settled. "Exactly."
Alya sighed, rolling her eyes. "I should've known."
"Sorry, babe." Nino wrapped his arm around his girlfriend. "But we can visit Le Parisien's main office as compensation if you'd like? I bet there will be a few people for you to talk to about that apprenticeship you wanted so much."
Alya's eyes exploded with interest as she grabbed at Nino's arm. "You can do that?"
"Me? No. But he—" Nino nodded Adrien's way, "—he can."
Alya turned to Adrien, her whole expression practically begging. "Can you?"
"So me being a prince isn't so bad after all?" Adrien chuckled.
"Only as far as you can appease me, Sunshine. You're still not off the hook fully, but I'm willing to turn a blind eye on a thing or two if that makes my bestie happy and earns me a visit to the office I dream of working at one of these days."
"Then, consider it done. I'll make a call before we leave." Taking Marinette's hand in his, Adrien entwined their fingers together, turning his full attention to her. "Shall we head for breakfast then? Master Fu is expecting us in a few hours."
"Sounds good to me." Marinette smiled, turning to Alya and Nino. "How does the cafe across the street sound? The one with the crepes on the menu."
"Perfect." Alya grinned. "You two go ahead and save us a table. Nino will help me return the tickets, and we'll be right there."
"Will do," Marinette said, pulling Adrien out of the door and leaving Nino alone to deal with whatever freaking out was still left in her best friend.
It was around noon when, cloaked by invisibility devices, Adrien and Marinette sneaked out of the hotel to pay Master Fu a visit.
Hand in hand, they roamed the streets of Paris for a good hour before stopping in front of an unsightly building with a weathered sign in front of it.
"A Chinese massage parlour?" Marinette doubted she'd ever pay a second glance to the establishment if she'd walked by it alone. "Are you sure that's the right place?"
Adrien double-checked his messages. "It fits the address and the description Master Fu sent me."
"Are you saying you haven't been here before?"
Adrien shook his head. "Master Fu always visited me at home, since, you know, I was kept half-alive in a dungeon under the palace for the good of all of France."
Marinette muffled the snort in her throat, opting for giving him an unimpressed look instead. "You'll never let it go, will you?"
"Not in the next few years, no." Adrien grinned. "Ready to go in?"
She breathed in, watching the ageing facade of the establishment. This was it. She was here. And she might be scared and confused and still a bit overwhelmed with everything that happened in the last twelve hours, but she had to know. What was going on with her? Who was she? What was she supposed to do now with all those powers she'd discovered? "Ready as I'll ever be."
Adrien nodded and typed on his phone. After a few minutes, Master Fu flipped the Open sign in the parlour's window to Closed and opened the door to move the street sign inside, giving the invisible pair a chance to slip inside the building at the same time. Once the door behind everyone was locked, Master Fu turned in their general direction.
"Glad you decided to accept my invitation, Marinette. Hello, Adrien. Come on in. I have the tea already on the table."
Adrien disabled his clocking device and followed the man into the building, still holding onto Marinette's hand. "Thank you for coming on such short notice yesterday, Master."
"Don't mention it. I was glad to see you again." The man led them into a large, sunny room with a low coffee table in the middle, a variety of mats and pillows laying on a floor around it, and a few cabinets placed against the walls. A steaming teapot and a plate of pastries on the table wrapped up this simple yet cozy picture perfectly.
"Not to mention, you've saved me the trouble of finding Mlle Creation myself," Master Fu added, motioning to his guests to take a seat. "Please, make yourselves at home. I hope yesterday hasn't shaken you up too badly?" The man smiled in Marinette's direction, settling on one of the mats.
Staying invisible any longer would be rude, so disabling her cloaking device, Marinette tried her best not to sound nervous as she and Adrien sat down. "I'm still processing everything. Adrien says you'll be able to help me through this."
Master Fu nodded. "In a way, yes. I can answer your questions, explain what confuses you, and give you your miraculous. But I cannot make any decisions for you, nor can I tell you how to feel about what you're about to learn."
"I'll have to make decisions?"
"We all have to make decisions every day in everything we do," Master Fu said, his smile gentle and understanding. "Something as big as discovering you have magic inside you practically guarantees a decision or two needed to be made, wouldn't you say so?"
"I guess you're right." Marinette sighed, glancing at Adrien. He silently watched her with the softest of looks and an encouraging smile on his face. They'd spoken about the way this conversation might go on their way here, and Adrien had mentioned that Master Fu was the most knowledgeable and trustworthy person in the magic field he had ever met. The man had taught and helped Adrien through a lot of his struggles. He could help Marinette as well. She just had to be honest and open about her feelings, her questions, and things that confused her… something that at this point, she was more than willing to do to get answers and some clarity.
"If I'm being honest—" Marinette turned her attention back to Master Fu, "—I'm still processing everything. This whole thing is still just a huge, confusing blur in my head, so I'm not sure I can make any decisions on anything right now."
"And no one is expecting you to do that." Master Fu smiled at her. "Today, we'll focus on me telling you everything you need to know and answering your questions. Any decisions you'll have to make, you can make later when you have a chance to think everything over."
"That sounds like a good plan." Marinette nodded.
Master Fu picked up the teapot. "Good. Now, would the two of you like some tea before we start?"
"Yes, please. Thank you." Adrien and Marinette responded in unison. A nice cup of warm tea after a long winter walk sounded just about perfect.
Once the tea and pastry were served, Master Fu turned to Marinette once more. "Let's start with your questions. Is there anything, in particular, you'd like to learn about first?"
Where should she even start? There was so much that puzzled her. So much she wanted to know. Should she inquire about the kwamis? Or maybe the magic itself? How did it work? Where did it come from? Are there any consequences for using it? What about her particular powers? What else, apart from healing, could she do? Creation sounded pretty impressive, but was there a limit? And what about Adrien? Why were their kwamis linked? Where did kwamis even come from in the first place, and why did one of them end up inside of her? Or perhaps, she should—
"Just ask the first thing that comes to mind," Adrien said, lightly squeezing her hand under the table. "We have all day for this, so it doesn't matter where we start."
Marinette bit on her lip. The first thing that came to mind would probably make her sound ignorant, but then, she had to learn about it sooner or later. "As you know, most people of this country don't believe in magic. I didn't either until very recently, meaning I know nothing about it. Whatever rumours and tales are out there… Well, some of them are contradictory, some scary, some sound too good to be true. Adrien already explained to me that kwamis choose their wielders at birth and live inside them until awakened, but beyond that, I don't know much. So, maybe you could tell me more about magic in general? What's real and what's not? How does it work exactly? Perhaps a little about my powers specifically?"
Master Fu nodded. "Of course. I'll start with the basics. As humans, we're unable to make our own magic. We never could, and I doubt we ever will. At least, not in the sense we typically understand it. Our magic comes from the heart, but that's not the tale you're here for, are you?"
"My parents had taught me a lot about the magic of the heart." Marinette smiled. Adrien was right. There was something calm and wise about Master Fu, something that evoked unconditional respect and trust.
"Then I'll get to the other part." Fu nodded. "Humans and animals aren't the only beings in this universe. Faes, sprites, elves, trolls, kwamis, and every other creature you've ever read about in fairy tales are not products of our imagination. They are quite real, and they used to live alongside humans in our physical plane of existence a long time ago. We used to co-exist quite happily, helping each other out, complimenting each other's qualities and abilities."
"Is there any proof of that?" Marinette asked. Master Fu would probably claim evidence from some ancient texts or something, but she was still curious if there was more to it than that. "Scientific proof? Or maybe archeological?"
"Plenty of both." Master Fu replied. "Only people disregard it all, coming up with their own absurd explanations, sometimes to the point that it feels like they would believe anything as long as it doesn't include the supernatural."
"There are a lot of ancient structures that are way too advanced for the times they were built in, for example," Adrien added. "We're taught that they were built using pickaxes, chisels, hammers, ropes, and a lot of human power. But one just has to visit the site and see the quality of the build and the cuts and the sizes of those stones to realize that there is no waya human could've done that without the help of modern technology or someone or something that can defy the laws of physics. There is no way those laser-precise cuts could be made with pickaxes."
"Adrien's quite interested in that field." Master Fu smiled fondly. "He used to search for evidence like this all the time when he was younger."
"Still on the lookout for that even now." Adrien grinned. "I have found a lot already, and if you're interested, I can show you what I have."
"I'd love to see it." Marinette nodded and turned back to Master Fu, going back to the previous topic. "Why don't those creatures live among us now, then? Did something happen?"
Master Fu's face turned downcast. "Humanity happened. Civilization, to be precise. We started to develop and gather possessions. We invented social classes, and that changed us. People became greedy and power-hungry. They started to hunt, enslave and use everything magical for their own agendas, to gain an upper hand over others. Unsurprisingly, magical folk didn't like it. At first, they tried to reason with humans but after a while, realized that it was futile. Then, they tried to fight back, but humans had become too skilled in warcraft by that time. In the end, they had no choice but to escape to the spiritual realm of existence. At least, most of them did so."
Marinette didn't dare to interrupt but she couldn't help but ask, "What about kwamis?"
Master Fu sighed, looking to the side. "Kwamis are the most trusting and kind of magical creatures. Before they could escape, a lot of them were tricked, captured and bonded to physical objects. Some followed their partners in captivity willfully. Those are rare, though. Rare, and highly sought after, because bonded pairs of kwamis are the most powerful of them all. Like Plagg and Tikki."
Something hissed inside Adrien's jacket. Adrien opened it up and scooped the tiny black kitten in his palm.
"Nice to see you again, Plagg." Master Fu pulled a circular carton from under the table and pushed it towards the little creature. "I have some cheese for you. You like Camembert, right?"
Plagg glared Marinette's way and, grabbing Master Fu's offering, silently zoomed off to sit on one of the dressers by the wall.
She didn't dare to assume but… "Did he… follow Tikki?"
Master Fu nodded. "Plagg and Tikki were born out of primal magic. They're the original kwamis, the start of them all. They're two halves of a whole, and neither of them takes being away from each other well. Tikki was too kind for her own good. Plagg didn't even think when following her into captivity."
Marinette laid a hand on her chest, trying to soothe the dull ache gripping at her heart. How cruel of her. Even if unknowingly but Marinette was keeping this tiny, innocent creature inside her away from her eternal partner when, tricked and enslaved, all they had left was each other. And here she was complaining about something living inside her? Her ignorance knew no bounds.
Master Fu went on. "You said you already know that kwamis choose their own wielders at birth, right?"
Marinette nodded. "Though, I'm still a bit confused about how they do that, exactly. Even with being magical, how is it possible to know who a newborn baby is going to grow up into? There are just so many future events and circumstances that will influence how a person is developing and how their character is formed. Can kwami see the future?"
Master Fu shook his head. "There are only a few who can, but they are very rare."
"Then how do they choose their wielders?"
"They look at the essence of the newborn baby," Master Fu explained. "Events of the future will influence the character, but a person's basic essence will most likely stay the same. Of course, there are exceptions, and miraculouses did fall into wrong hands before, but in most cases, kwamis are really good judges of character."
Miraculouses? Adrien had mentioned that word a few times but never really explained it. Come to think of it, Master Fu had also said something about giving her a miraculous when they had just arrived. "What's a miraculous?"
"A miraculous is an object a kwami is bound to," Master Fu explained. "They are given to chosen people once they awaken their kwamis. Usually, it's something the wielder can wear. Like jewelry."
Marinette turned to Adrien. "Do you have one?"
He raised his hand, showing a silver ring she had never paid attention to but that had always been on his finger.
Marinette turned back to Master Fu. "And if I remember correctly you said you'll give me one as well?"
The older man took a sip from his teacup, taking his time to respond. "Yes, but let me explain how this works first, and why there are guardians in the first place."
Marinette nodded, reaching for a pastry.
"When the kwamis were originally captured and bound to physical objects, miraculouses, some people realized the injustice and cruelty of that incident. Those were the first guardians. They formed a group and tried to gather as many miraculouses as possible, in hopes of freeing the kwamis. However, the magic binding kwamis to their miraculouses is that of a fae, and no human can ever break fae magic, even with the help of a kwami. It's the strongest magic of all."
"Plagg told me it was also some kind of high-ranking fae," Adrien added. "A highly skilled magician, not an amateur."
Marinette frowned. It didn't make sense. If all magical creatures were trying to escape human captivity, then why would one of them help their captors in enslaving kwamis? "Why would a fae assist humans in capturing their brethren?"
"They did so in exchange for their own freedom," Adrien said.
Master Fu nodded. "As far as we know, that is what happened."
Her heart tightened with the revelation, the pain of betrayal that the kwamis must have felt echoing in her soul. "Is there anything that can be done? There has to be something. There always is."
Master Fu sighed heavily. "We keep trying and are still always on the lookout for new ideas, but nothing has worked so far. The best we can do for now is to protect the miraculouses and their wielders."
"By keeping them a secret?"
"Yes, but also by binding the miraculouses to Miracle Boxes."
Marinette blinked, her head spinning slightly. So much new information. She couldn't stop, though. She had to know everything. "What's a Miracle Box?"
"The first guardians divided all of the miraculouses they had in their possession and, with kwamis' help, bound them to special boxes we call Miracle Boxes. These boxes are linked to a dimension between our physical plain and spiritual realm. It's an empty void, nothing more, but a kwami can choose to live there freely for as long as they'd like. However, if they decide to live in this world, they need to choose a human to bond with. Which is a gamble, because a human might live their whole life and not realize they have been chosen by a kwami, and as a result, the kwami will stay dormant for all that time."
Marinette frowned. "If such a person never awakens a kwami, does a kwami cease to exist once its person passes away?"
Master Fu shook his head. "The kwami's bond to their Miracle Box will pull the kwami back into its parallel reality, and their miraculous back into the box, as soon as their chosen wielder passes away."
"This way at least they have a choice," Adrien added. "Live in the box or bond with a human. And if the miraculous ever falls into wrong hands, it's for a single human lifetime only."
Master Fu nodded, putting down his teacup. His gaze followed it, voice barely audible. "I know it's not a lot, but this is the best we can do for now."
Marinette looked at Adrien, bringing one of her hands to her chest. Somewhere inside her was a little creature that had been cruelly betrayed and stripped of its freedom. A tiny kwami, who was doomed to live either a life of endless bondage or existence in a void between the known worlds until the day someone, somewhere, would find a way to break the centuries-old chains. If that ever happened.
Her hand clenched into a fist. Marinette closed her eyes. She couldn't do this. She wouldn't be the one to refuse her kwami what little freedom she could have. She would awaken her and then, she would find a way to break their bindings. Her kwami was creation itself, and she hadn't chosen Marinette for nothing. If they couldn't find a way to free the kwamis, together, they would create it!
A light shiver ran across Marinette's skin as Adrien softly covered her hand with his. He didn't say a word, but she didn't need it. She could see it clearly in his eyes: he hated this. He was just as uneasy about this whole thing as was she. Yet the corner of his lips slightly curled as he watched her. He had hope. In her. In them. In their kwamis.
"Tikki made a good choice picking you," Master Fu said, watching her intently. "The guardians might not be able to use the magic, but we've learned to see a person's heart. And yours shines, Marinette. You have the potential to be one of the greatest wielders of creation so far. If you choose to accept the magic."
"What do you mean if I choose to accept it?" Marinette frowned. "It's already inside of me. There is not much to choose here."
"True." Master Fu nodded. "However, Tikki choosing you doesn't oblige you to awaken her. Perhaps, it's even safer to not have her being awoken at—"
"Bullshit!" Plagg hissed, zooming from his corner to Master Fu's face. "And you call yourself a guardian? A great protector of the kwamis? Do you even know how much Tikki hates to stay dormant? How much she misses the sun and everything sweet and cute and tiny? Do you even realize that she spends about two minutes in the void before she starts choosing another human in hopes that maybe this time she'd be awakened? And for what? For someone like you to tell that human not to wake her up?" Plagg hissed, spitting out before turning to Marinette, his eyes glowing and narrowed at her. "If you keep her dormant, I'll never forgive you." With that he was gone, diving right into Adrien's collar and hiding from the view.
Adrien closed his eyes, his lips pressed into a thin line. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "He's never like this. He can be grumpy at times, but he's never been so rude before."
"That's okay," Marinette murmured. She understood. At least she thought she did, if only slightly. They both had been forcefully kept away from someone they loved: she, from Adrien by his "blessing", and Plagg, from Tikki, by the humans that enslaved them in the first place. Only hers was just a few years' worth of ordeal. Who knew how many times Plagg and Tikki had been through this already, how many times were yet to follow? "I understand."
Adrien looked her way, his voice as quiet as it was sombre. "That doesn't excuse his behaviour."
"It doesn't," Master Fu added. "But we can't forget that Plagg is an ancient, non-human being. Our moral standards don't apply to him. Quite frankly, for the embodiment of the ultimate destruction, he's been holding off, and if the extinction of dinosaurs tells you anything, you can understand what I mean."
"That was Plagg?" Marinette looked between Adrien and Master Fu.
Both avoided her gaze, until after a full half a minute, Master Fu cleared his throat. "As far as I know, Tikki hadn't been woken up for a few centuries back then, while Plagg was. He didn't take to that too well. But—" the man looked straight at Marinette, "—that still doesn't mean you don't have a choice. By accepting Tikki and her powers, you will be putting yourself in danger. There is a reason people who can use magic keep it to themselves. Many would seek to control or use you. Some will plainly try to steal it from you, and that never leads to anything good."
Did she hear him right? "Magic can be stolen? Isn't it in me? How can someone steal something from inside me?"
"Perhaps I didn't word it right," Master Fu said, sipping his tea. "Until you awaken your kwami, no one can steal your magic, because, as you said, it's inside you. However, once your kwami manifests, it'll be housed in your miraculous, and a miraculous can be stolen or lost, along with its kwami and magic." The man paused, shifting his gaze to Adrien. "That is something you don't want to happen, because the link between you and your kwami won't be severed by theft or a loss of your miraculous, but separating you two against your will might cause irreparable damage to the human as the weaker one in the duo. That's why—"
"Master Fu?" Adrien tensed, clenching at Marinette's hand as he looked at his teacher. "What kind of damage are we talking about here?"
"Minimal to some, everything but death to others."
Adrien swallowed. "What do you mean?"
"The deeper the connection between the kwami and its wielder is, the worse the separation will go," Master Fu said. "However, as far as we know, no one has died from it yet."
"Can they fall into a coma?" Adrien asked barely audibly. "And by that, I mean a magical coma, because nothing else is wrong with her body, but she won't wake up."
Master Fu watched him silently for a few moments, before putting his cup of tea back on the table. "Your father hasn't told you anything?"
"My father is not acting himself these days."
Master Fu sighed. "It's understandable."
"No, it's not!" Adrien straightened up. "It's one thing for him to get depressed over mother's condition, it's another to order me to marry a woman I despise when he knew full well I was going to search for Marinette next summer."
Master Fu quirked an eyebrow. "Oh, really? He did that?"
"As unbelievable as it sounds."
"Anything else out of the ordinary you've noticed?"
Adrien's eyebrows knitted into a frown. "Not really… well, apart from the fact we haven't seen each other since September, and he hasn't even tried to contact me."
"I see." Master Fu hummed, standing up. "That's not much to go on, but I'll keep an eye on him. As for your mother, you're right: her coma is caused by the theft of her miraculous."
Marinette froze. Adrien's mother was in a coma because someone stole her miraculous? She glanced at her boyfriend. He'd never mentioned anything. Neither that something was wrong with his mother, nor that she could also use magic. Seeing as they just got into the whole magic thing, perhaps he hadn't had time yet. Her gaze shifted to her hands. She didn't dare to hope yet, but, perhaps… if she could heal that ugly cut of his, maybe she could do something for his mother as well? Though, most likely, she'd have to awaken Tikki for that. Healing a cut was one thing, bringing someone from the edge of death was another.
As if reading her thoughts, Adrien jumped to his feet. "Is there anything that can be done?"
"In her case, you need to get Duusu back. Your father said he'll take care of it."
Adrien groaned, lowering his head into his hands. "He hasn't told me a thing. I could've helped. Where am I even supposed to start now? It's been half a year!"
"You know your father, Adrien," Master Fu replied, his voice thoughtful. "He might not be the best of fathers, but he would've given his life away for your mother. If he chose to withhold this from you, he must have had a good reason for that."
"Like still thinking I'm an irresponsible, fragile child who can't do anything on my own?"
"I doubt he's still thinking that," Master Fu said. "But I will pay him a visit tomorrow, and I suggest you talk to him as well."
"Every single time we've talked about it, he's shut me out," Adrien grumbled, a frown creasing his face. "And now with him being all weird, I doubt it'll go any better."
"Then I'll talk to him myself, and we'll decide what to do from there, sound good?"
"Yes, thank you," Adrien whispered, slumping back onto his mat.
Marinette gently reached forward and laid her hand on top of his. "I'm sorry."
Adrien's shaky smile didn't reach his eyes, but they were full of gratitude nevertheless. He slowly brought her hand to his lips and placed a soft kiss on top. "Thank you."
"Do you see now how dangerous it is?" Master Fu asked, looking at Marinette. "No one will blame you if you decide to not awaken Tikki. You have access to some of her magic now, it's yours to use. The rest is up to you."
Perhaps, Master Fu was right. He did have a good reason to warn her against accepting magic. For Marinette, though, the choice had never been clearer: she couldn't refuse her kwami what little freedom it could have. If Tikki was anything like Plagg, she wasn't a monster or an abomination. She was just a creature different from Marinette, but just as deserving to be alive and free. And if by awakening her she could help Adrien's mom, Marinette could only be glad she was chosen.
"If I decide to awaken her, how do I do that?"
"You'll have to learn and practice magic," Master Fu responded. "Once you'll become strong enough to control more than you have access to right now, or if an urgent need for a greater magic shall arise, call her and Tikki will manifest."
Marinette's gaze shifted to her hands for the umpteenth time this day. She would lie if she said she didn't try to use her magic this morning, hiding in the washroom. It didn't work. Not even in the slightest. "How do I practice it if I don't even know how to access it in the first place?"
"You have two options," Master Fu said. "I'm responsible for training magic users in France, but you'll have to move to Paris for that. As a Guardian, I cannot leave the miraculouses I'm guarding, nor the people that use them."
"And all French magical users live in Paris?"
Master Fu nodded. "The ones that are aware of their magic do. It's easier to stay safe and accounted for in one city, and Paris is big enough to get lost in and not be targeted."
"And what's my other option?"
"Adrien is more than qualified to teach you the basics in Dupont. Hopefully, that would be enough to awaken Tikki. If not, or for more advanced training, you'll still have to come to Paris."
Marinette nibbled on her lip. With Adrien's proposal to help them relocate the bakery, she was leaning towards moving to Paris already. In truth, it was a better option for both, their family business and her fashion career. Not to mention that as a prince, Adrien couldn't abandon his responsibilities and play baker in the province. Now, with Master Fu being stationed here as well, it seemed she hardly had a choice anymore. She'd have to talk to her parents first, though. And perhaps, wait until after her graduation to start thinking about the move.
"You don't have to decide now." Master Fu broke her train of thoughts, coming out of the next room with a small wooden box in his hands.
Marinette didn't even notice when he had gone to get it, but now, her attention was glued to a strange symbol on its lid. Not a hieroglyph exactly, and not simply an intricate decoration as well, but there was something mysterious about it.
"Here is your miraculous, Marinette. Keep it safe. Use it if you decide to let the magic in your life. If not, I shall trust you to return it to me for safekeeping."
She didn't think twice, reaching for the box. Inside were a pair of earrings, simple enough not to stand out, easily comfortable for everyday wear. So powerful, even Marinette could sense the magic the second she laid her eyes on them. "Thank you, Master Fu. I'll take good care of them."
The older man nodded. "I don't doubt you will. Whatever decision you make, I know I can trust you. I can see it in your heart." Turning to Adrien, he added, "Take good care of her. She's one of a kind."
"I will," Adrien bowed slightly with that lopsided smile of his, his eyes lingering on Marinette. "I always will."
After bidding Master Fu farewell, Adrien and Marinette slowly navigated the sidewalks of Paris back to their hotel an hour later. The winter wind blew by, harsh and cold. Marinette snuggled deeper into her coat, tugging her scarf over her nose. Master Fu left her a choice, but her mind was made up. Yesterday, she had wanted nothing to do with magic. Right now, she wished for nothing more than to free this little creature trapped inside of her.
"Can I talk to Plagg?" She stopped turning to Adrien.
Adrien nodded. "Plagg?"
"Sleeping," his kwami grumbled from Adrien's jacket.
Marinette looked at Adrien. "Do you know how long Tikki's been dormant as of this moment?"
Adrien shook his head.
"Four hundred fifty-three years, five months and one day," Plagg answered instead.
That… that was a really long time. There was no more hesitation left in her. Taking a step toward Adrien, Marinette placed her hand on his chest and said, "I'm sorry, Plagg. I didn't know I was keeping Tikki dormant all this time, but I promise you, I'll do everything I can to wake her up. I'll learn and practice magic until I'm strong enough for her to manifest. I swear."
The world stood still for a just moment. Then, at a speed of light, a black blur zoomed from Adrien's coat into Marinette's and curled against the crook of her neck.
"I think he likes that idea." Adrien chuckled, reaching for Marinette's hand. "So, you've made up your mind?"
In her collar, a soft rumble of a purr slowly gained volume. Something warm stirred inside Marinette, as a gentle touch of a lover reaching towards its other half. She lay her hand over her heart, closing her eyes. "I can feel it now. It's becoming clearer with every moment. She's missing him so much. Her longing, her love… they're echoing in my soul. I don't want to be the one standing between them, Adrien. I don't want to take away what little freedom she can have, so yes, I made up my mind. I'm going to learn magic, and I'm going to get good at it. Good enough to free my kwami."
Adrien slowly brought her hand to his face, his lips ghosting above her skin as he whispered, "I wish I had the words to express how much I love you right now." He kissed the top of her hand, her knuckles, her fingers, her fingertips, then, pulled her to himself, entwining their fingers together. "Dupont or Paris?"
"Until I graduate, Dupont," Marinette whispered, leaning her head against his chest. "But I will talk about relocating the bakery with my parents as soon as we're back home."
Adrien hooked his finger under her chin, bringing her face up. His hand glided to cradle her cheek. "Are you absolutely sure about it? I don't want to pressure or trick you into something you might regret later. Life here won't be easy. Especially if you decide to stick with me."
"You aren't pressuring me." She hoped he could see the love and sincerity in her smile. "All things considered, you were always as transparent and honest as you could be about the whole thing. And yes, I know my life won't be easy from now on, but I also know that there are some things I can't ignore without regretting it later. And if your father and Lila are of any indication, I absolutely cannot leave you in that palace of yours alone. You'll need someone to protect you."
Adrien chuckled, leaning his forehead against hers. "You'll have to fight Nino for that position."
"Gladly." She grinned, wrapping her arms around his neck. "And I'll start by inviting you to the Dupain-Cheng Christmas Eve dinner. Without Nino."
"I'm pretty sure he mentioned something about Alya inviting him over to her place."
"And I want you to stay the night and open presents with us on Christmas morning."
His lips tingled in a smirk. "Am I getting something good?"
"You'll have to wait and see."
"Can I get an advance?" His eyes shifted to her lips and back to her eyes.
"As much as you'd like."
She pulled him down for a kiss, melting against his body. Adrien was right: these cloaking devices did come in handy from time to time. How else would she be able to kiss her boyfriend breathless in the middle of a busy Paris street and not care about people around them? That goofy, absolutely smitten look on Adrien's face when she pulled away was only for her to behold. No one else allowed. She loved it that way.