M. Ramier was an interesting fellow.

Marinette had known that he was eccentric from the few times she had seen the local police force giving him a hard time for feeding the pigeons in the park. He had seemed very level-headed at the guardians meeting, as he explained the powers of his miracle stones to them — nothing like the crazy fool the police made him out to be.

But here, now, beside the Louvre, Marinette had the distinct feeling sinking in her gut, that M. Ramier was just as crazy as everyone said he was.

She and Adrien stood frozen by a bench and watched the man blow into a bird call at his neck, the cooing sounds attracting pigeons by the dozens.

"Are you sure this is the same M. Ramier? The guardian of the most powerful miracle stones known to man?" Adrien hissed out of one corner of his mouth.

Marinette's brows came together in resignation. "The very same."

Adrien squared his shoulders in determination. "Okay. Let's get this over with," he said, not sounding as confident as his words. Marinette rushed forward as he began to approach the guardian, grasping Adrien's hand to steady herself.

M. Ramier looked up at them with a dim-witted smile decorating his otherwise somber features. "How can I help you?" he asked lightly, but Marinette caught the undertone. M. Ramier was well aware of what he was doing, and he was on a mission just as top-secret as Mme. Lenoir's had been.

Marinette opened her mouth to answer when Adrien sneezed violently beside her.

Both M. Ramier and herself looked to Adrien in shock.

His nose was red and his eyes were half closed. "Sorry," he answered, voice nasally. "I'm very allergic to pigeon feathers."

"Oh," Marinette breathed in surprise.

"That's very unfortunate. Perhaps we should go elsewhere?" M. Ramier hadn't moved from his seat on the bench, but his expression was now completely serious, any trace of small-mindedness gone as if it had never been.

Adrien only nodded, trying to hold in another sneeze. Marinette held him comfortingly as they followed M. Ramier away from the museum, walking down the street, heading toward the Eiffel Tower. After a few minutes, Adrien's allergies seemed to pass and he squeezed Marinette's hand in a thank-you.

After a time that seemed to stretch too long, they arrived at some run-down tenements. Marinette's eyebrows rose in disbelief. Was this where the guardian lived?

But no, M. Ramier didn't lead them in. He turned down an alleyway, eyes darting everywhere to ensure that they were not being watched or followed. When he felt confident, he pulled out the box in which he kept his rings.

"I'm sorry I brought you on such a long walk, but the place I originally wanted to meet has been compromised."

Marinette's heart raced. "Compromised?"

M. Ramier nodded. "Yes. Someone was loitering there. They were very well-hidden, but I still saw them."

Marinette's head was spinning. "Wait, really? Someone that could be a danger to us? Or the stones?"

M. Ramier nodded once more, and the air turned heavy. "Of course. You don't think Mme. Bustier simply gave away her miracle stone, do you? She was murdered in cold blood, and then it was taken from her. Which brings us to our current mission. Do you remember the powers I carry?"

Marinette couldn't speak. She had been so flippant earlier about Fu's security measures. If she hadn't abided by them, or if she had been more careless, she could have unintentionally killed them all and allowed the miracle stones to fall into the wrong hands. The thought was sobering, like a slap in the face. This was no game. There were real people with bad intentions who wanted power. The fact that they were here now, borrowing M. Ramier's stones to fight the sentimonsters and bring back the peacock stone, was evidence enough of that.

Adrien cleared his throat. "Yes, sir. The fox and the butterfly."

M. Ramier looked pleased at that. "And do you know which one you'd like to wield?"

Adrien looked at Marinette, slightly sheepish. "The fox, if that's okay with you?"

Marinette nodded, still reeling. She had wanted the fox herself, but suddenly, it didn't seem to matter. What mattered was becoming more powerful, more disciplined. The butterfly would do, although she remembered little about its abilities. The fox had seemed so straightforward — illusion creating.

Adrien excitedly took the orange ring from M. Ramier's box and slipped it on a finger. It glowed brightly, the kwami inside finally free.

The small fox stretched its limbs and smiled down at Adrien from where it was floating above his head. "Hello, there," he spoke, then turned his attention to M. Ramier. "Is this my new wielder?"

"Temporarily." Marinette hadn't thought it was possible to stress every syllable of a word, but M. Ramier did.

But the kwami ignored him, flying about elatedly. "Alright! It will be so nice to be back on the battlefield again!" He landed in Adrien's outstretched palm and lounged there, grinning up with pointed teeth. "I'm Trixx, by the way."

Adrien could only laugh. "Wonderful to meet you."

The scene took Marinette's mind from her somber thoughts. She was suddenly thrilled to have another new kwami of her own. What would the butterfly be like?

M. Ramier turned to her, handing her the butterfly ring. Marinette thanked him and put the miracle stone on the same finger Pollen's had been on. Lavender lit up the alleyway, and Marinette kept her eyes open enough to watch the ring transform on her finger. The delicate steel widened, became more substantial (as though made of silver now), and the wiry butterfly wings vanished altogether, instead forming a serpentine nest in which rested the ovular miracle stone.

Marinette's breath escaped her lungs, the beauty of the ring completely enchanting her. Perhaps she was right to let Adrien have the fox. The butterfly was bewitching.

"Gorgeous," an unfamiliar voice gushed beside her, and Marinette whipped to see the butterfly kwami over her shoulder, admiring her new ring along with her. "That's a beautiful shape," he added, and Marinette chuckled in relief.

"Thank you. I think… I think I'm going to like this miracle stone," and as she spoke, she felt invigorated. She was going to master this miracle stone and rescue the peacock if it was the last thing she'd ever do!

"I'm glad to hear that. I'm Nooroo, your new kwami. My powers allow you to enchant a butterfly and use it to select an ally to help you in battle! All you have to do is say, 'Nooroo, transform me!'"

Marinette smiled and opened her mouth to speak those words, but M. Ramier surprised them all by cutting in. "I suggest that we leave this place as soon as possible. The security of your homes is the best place to get acquainted with your new abilities."

Of course. Adrien and Marinette (and their new kwamis) nodded soberly. Marinette opened her purse and wordlessly, Nooroo darted in.

They left the alleyway, Marinette still uneasy. Her eyes darted this way and that, catching on every shadow, every echo. It made her jumpy, knowing that someone with bad intentions could appear from behind any corner to take away her most valuable possessions.

M. Ramier followed them out silently. Marinette glanced to the guardian, and her mouth opened before she could stop it, her anxiety beginning to overwhelm her, needing to find a way to overcome these fears. "M. Ramier… you seem to have a dual identity. Is that… is that so you can deflect suspicion?"

M. Ramier's smile was thin. "Of course. Who would suspect the biggest idiot in Paris?"

Adrien's eyebrows rose. "So you don't actually love pigeons?"

That got a real chuckle out of the guardian. "Of course I do! It makes the charade worthwhile for me. Pigeons are no one's favorite bird, and that endears them to me. Their commonness makes them overlooked. But I find that sometimes, the most spectacular secrets are hidden in what seems harmless or common, hmm?" He gave them a knowing look, and Marinette smiled to herself. No doubt he related to the birds.

"Fu and Mme. Lenoir also do a good job seeming like an ordinary teacher and a clueless old lady. It's part of our job as guardians…" M. Ramier was continuing, mostly to Adrien.

Marinette was still thinking about the pigeons. Something he had said was tugging at a memory, something he had said reminded her of…

"The contest!" she gasped. That was it! The unique bird! The bird overlooked by all others, one that stood out, the one no one would ever think to make a hat of! That was it! A pigeon bowler hat!

The other two were regarding her strangely, but Marinette didn't have a moment to lose. The contest submission deadline was Friday. That gave her four days to finish designing and creating the perfect hat, amidst all her other responsibilities.

"I've gotta run — sorry gentlemen! It was nice to see you again, M. Ramier," Marinette called, beginning to run off. "And I'll see you tomorrow, Adrien!"

And with that, she left them in the dust, to simply look at the other in wonder.

Back in her room, Marinette sat down at her desk and pulled out her sketchbooks, her pencil flying over the thick paper, trying desperately to capture what M. Ramier had said about his love for pigeons and turn it into a bowler hat.

Alya was in the kitchen making dinner and chatting with the other girls, so Marinette had the room to herself. She was sure Alya would give her space if she asked for it. Alya knew how Marinette could get when she was creating.

Plagg and Nooroo watched Marinette work with fascinated eyes. Marinette chuckled awkwardly to herself. "I'm sorry we haven't gotten a real chance to get acquainted, Nooroo," she apologized while furiously erasing on her sketch.

"That's alright, Marinette. I can see that you're quite the go-getter."

Marinette pulled on her pigtails, taking out the ribbons and putting her hair into a messy updo so that her bangs would be out of her eyes. "Hmm. I think some would say workaholic, but thanks," she joked, although a part of her wondered how much she was really joking. With a shake of her head, she pushed that away. Now was not the time to go down that road.

For the rest of the night, Marinette worked tirelessly on her pigeon hat, and as she did, Nooroo and Plagg entertained her with their games and conversation. Plagg gave Nooroo the same room tour he had given Pollen, warning Nooroo of Marinette's roommates who were very much in the dark, and showing him the small kwami bed Marinette had made for Pollen.

"Sorry it's all bee-themed," Marinette apologized as the kwamis were discussing the beds. "I didn't really think about the fact that I'd have to give a miracle stone back to get a new one." She sighed as she aligned pieces of fabric together and rummaged for her needle and thread.

"Are you kidding?" Nooroo gushed. "I've never had a wielder make a bed for me before! This is a dream!"

Marinette relaxed a little at hearing that. Her heart swelled with pride thinking that, as much of an amateur as she was, she wasn't doing too badly at caring for magical interdimensional beings.

That thought made her think of something else. She put her needle down and turned towards the bed. The kwamis were hidden underneath, but she still wanted to address Nooroo as she asked. "What kinds of foods do you like to eat, Nooroo? I need to make sure to put them in my purse next to Plagg's Cheese-Itz."

The lavender-colored kwami floated from beneath the bed to land on Marinette's knee. "Oh! Anything fruity, really! Maybe a banana… or a strawberry!" Nooroo swooned as he thought about it, clutching his small paws to his small tummy.

Marinette giggled. "I think I might still have some banana chips… but maybe we should run to the store. I'm pretty sure the Cheese-Itz are getting low due to this little glutton," she teased, scratching a finger behind Plagg's ear as he landed on the desk next to her sketch.

Plagg had the nerve to pretend to be scandalized. "Me? A glutton? I'm insulted!"

But all three of them laughed after a moment. Marinette felt at peace. As hard as today was, at least she had another new friend to care for. And, perhaps more importantly, the means to become stronger should anything happen. Although she hadn't known Mme. Bustier, Marinette promised herself that she would never let what happened to that guardian happen to herself.

Close to midnight, a knock on the door sent the kwamis scurrying into hiding. Alya smiled and sighed as she saw the wreckage decorating Marinette's side of the room. Crumpled sketches, fabric scraps, bits of construction paper, and sewing supplies were scattered about, as if the result of some kind of war between themselves and Marinette, and it wasn't immediately obvious who had won.

"I'll clean up right now!" Marinette exclaimed, jumping out of her chair and attempting to put her space into some kind of order.

"You don't have to," Alya grinned, "but I'd rather not mess up your Feng shui. And I'd also like to avoid spearing my feet on any needles this time." She raised her eyebrows in mock seriousness, and Marinette laughed. The last time she had gone into a crafting frenzy like this, Alya came out of it with as many needle pricks as Marinette herself.

Alya passed over to her own side of the room and regarded Marinette's concept art and somewhat-built hat. "What are you up to this time?"

Marinette casted about for a box in which to dump the scraps for the meantime. "Um," she answered, reaching under her bed, careful not to linger in case Alya decided to look underneath her bed with her. "It's for the Parisian Design House's fashion contest. Bird themed bowler hats."

Alya scratched her head. "I thought you had decided not to do that one?"

"Oh, well, I guess you could say inspiration struck me today!" she smiled, shoving everything on the floor into a small plastic container.

Alya raised an eyebrow, which Marinette had been afraid of. Elaboration time.

"You know that weird gentleman who loves pigeons? He's sometimes in parks feeding them and calling them with the bird call on his neck."

Alya shook her head. "M. Ramier? The biggest loony in town?"

Marinette smiled to herself, pleased for M. Ramier that his reputation was exactly what he wanted it to be. "Yep! His love for pigeons inspired me as the perfect bird for the hat contest!"

Alya laughed as she grabbed her pajamas and headed to the bathroom to change. "That's amazing! So you just ran home immediately to start working on it?"

"Of course! The deadline is this week! This hat is going to be finished in record time! And," Marinette leaned in conspiratorially, growing excited about the prospect, "with a little luck, it might even win the contest!"

Tuesday began much like Monday had. When they were in the front row of Chinese Mythology, Adrien asked, "So what was that last night?"

Marinette tugged on her ear nervously, explaining about the hat contest and her previous lack of inspiration. "But M. Ramier's love for pigeons was exactly what I needed to realize that they are exceptional in their own ways!"

Adrien sighed. "As long as you don't put any feathers on it, I'll agree."

Marinette was about to assure him that she wasn't planning on it, as the plumage was made out of iridescent wired ribbon, when she stopped herself. A real feather, pointing up from one side, would give the hat a more elegant touch!

Her excitement at this new idea had her jumping up and down in her seat. She grabbed Adrien's face and kissed him briefly in her joy. "Thank you! What a brilliant idea!"

Adrien chuckled good-naturedly, flushed from the surprise kiss. "Okay, well, as long as you don't make me wear it, then I'll agree."

But Marinette just touched Adrien's hand gently. "Don't worry. Just because I'm a fashion designer doesn't mean I'll use you as my flesh-and-blood mannequin."

The relief in Adrien's eyes was slight, but Marinette's heart was pained to think that this was something that he had been concerned about.

She squeezed his hand in comfort. "I know you're not a model anymore, Adrien. You don't have to worry. I'll never make you do anything that you don't want to do, ever." Marinette smiled at him, hoping that would alleviate his apprehension.

Adrien's eyebrows creased and he took her by surprise by letting go of her hand and pulling her into a hug.

"I love you," he said, his voice thick in her ear.

Marinette wrapped her arms around him and melted into his embrace. "I love you, too," she said, and although they had exchanged these words as Kitty Noire and Coccinello, somehow, saying them as Marinette and Adrien made it feel as if they were saying them to each other for the first time.

If it were possible, Marinette and Adrien were even closer now than they had been. They left Chinese Mythology with their arms around each other, their shoulders brushing as they walked, enjoying the silence between each other, the need for words seemingly evaporated. What was there to say? They knew one another more deeply than anyone ever knew anyone else. They had seen one another at their best, at their worst, their most afraid, or most desperate selves. It had taken a few days for Marinette to really synthesize that Adrien was Coccinello, but now it was written on her heart as one of the only truths she could believe in completely.

"Well, would you look at that?"

Marinette looked up, suddenly tense, frustrated to be ripped out of her delightful reflections by this particular voice.

"Hey, Chlo," Adrien smiled at the fashionable blonde.

Marinette just smiled stiffly. Yes, Chloé was one of Adrien's closest friends, but that didn't mean that Marinette had changed her mind about the girl who had made her life last year so torturous.

"So, you finally have a girlfriend, Adrien? It's about time! How you weren't already snatched up by now is mind-boggling! It's your third year!" Chloé tossed her hair, not seeming to be aware of her rudeness. Marinette could feel her temper rising.

Adrien fidgeted with the strap on his messenger bag. "Well, I just never found anyone I liked, Chlo. That's not a crime."

Chloé suddenly looked away from her manicure, surprised by Adrien's tone. "Oh! Of course not! That's the reason I'm still single, after all." She went back to her nail inspection after that, frowning. "But I'm happy you've found someone sweet like Marinette," she looked back up, making eye contact with Marinette for the first time and smiling. "I really couldn't have chosen better for you myself."

Marinette ducked her head, reddening. Since when did Chloé have such a high opinion of her?

Adrien nodded. "Thanks. I think so, too." He gave Marinette's side a small squeeze as he said it, and she leaned into him despite her warring thoughts. Was Chloé being genuine right now? When they had lived together, all the signs pointed to Chloé hating her.

Chloé suddenly looked at her watch. "Well, there goes all my time. Gotta head off to class. Catch you two around later! Lunch, maybe?"

"Sure!" Adrien called as she walked off, returning her wave.

Marinette and Adrien continued on their way to the design building. During the entire trek, Marinette wondered whether or not she had imagined that whole interaction. But then again, if Chloé was one of Adrien's friends, she had to have at least one redeeming quality, right?

Maybe Marinette had been wrong about Chloé. Maybe being roommates had been bad for them, had brought out Chloé's worst sides. Maybe she was a nicer person to her friends.

In a strange way, Marinette found herself looking forward to that lunch.

Unfortunately, today's lunch was something off the Sloppy Joe's menu. Marinette wasn't thrilled, but her shift had been freakishly hectic, and by the time her boss told her to go on break, she was starving.

"Hey Lila," Marinette asked, as the girl was pulling some onion rings out of the deep fryer, "do you think you can make me a cheeseburger? I don't want to wait in this horrible line." Marinette craned her neck as she said it, glancing at Aurore, who was working the register and trying to hide a grimace.

"Sure thing!" Lila smiled as she always did. "By the way, the party is slotted for this Saturday. Does that work for you?"

Marinette nodded, suddenly perking up again despite her hunger. She had forgotten about the party in all of the recent developments. "Yeah! A party will be just what I need after this crazy week is over!" As she said it, she allowed herself to imagine herself there — dancing without a care, the hat finished and submitted, enjoying the music and the snacks…

Her fantasy deflated. She hadn't spoken to Nino nor had she gotten the supplies for all the baked goods she promised to make! It really was time to go to the store!

"Awesome! I'll give you my address later!" Lila jumped up and down excitedly, giggling. Marinette suddenly had Alya's words in her head. She wouldn't accuse Lila of being disingenuous… but her reactions were a little over the top…

Marinette shook her head, remembering why she had asked Lila to prepare her meal. "I've gotta use the restroom, but when I come back I'm going to take my break. Can you put my food to the side so I don't accidentally take a customer's?"

Lila batted a hand as if it was already done. "No problem! Enjoy your break!"

Marinette thanked her friend and headed to the locker rooms. She didn't need to use the facilities but she did want to let her kwamis out. She lifted up her cap and they phased into the room with her.

"A party! That sounds like great fun!" Nooroo bubbled, flying in dreamy circles.

"It will be extra fun because it's after all my deadlines," Marinette sighed in relief, resting on the bench.

Plagg landed on her knee. "Are you going to sneak me your cheese again?"

Marinette's shoulders fell. Her manager had recently prohibited eating in the locker rooms due to bug problems. "I'll do my best to discreetly slip it into my purse, but no promises. There are a lot of people out there today," Marinette frowned. How was she supposed to eat in the dining area anyway? They were so busy, there weren't even enough tables for the customers.

Once Nooroo and Plagg had stretched their legs, they phased back under Marinette's cap and she returned to the kitchen to grab her food.

Once she got there, she was a little confused. She had gestured where she wanted Lila to leave her lunch, but nothing was there. Maybe she hadn't finished it yet? Although that seemed unlikely. Lila was a fast worker and Marinette had given her ample time.

She was about to approach her friend when she saw it — there! A red basket with a burger and onion rings, behind the cash register. Marinette thought that was a little odd, but she dismissed it. Perhaps Lila wanted to put it somewhere more secluded, so none of her other coworkers would accidentally think it was a mess-up and toss it.

She grabbed her food and scoured the floor for a place to sit. There was a tiny table by the wall with just one seat. Perfect! No one would pay her any attention there.

She made a beeline for the table and dug into her lunch, slipping Plagg the cheese as promised. Although Sloppy Joe's was not quality dining, she was so hungry that it all tasted delicious. As always, though, her break was much too short. She sighed when it ended, throwing her trash away and speed-walking to the kitchen before her boss could scold her.

"How was it? Am I the best chef ever?" Lila teased as Marinette resumed her place behind the stove.

"Duh," Marinette countered. "There's a reason I asked you to make it and not Michel," she lowered her voice as she said his name, and both girls glanced at their coworker, who was organizing the orders frantically. Michel wasn't terribly patient and tended to burn most things he cooked.

They giggled together and continued sending out sandwiches as they usually did, when Michel suddenly sprinted past them to get to the locker rooms.

Marinette stared after him for a moment, then looked to Aurore, who had been working nearest to him. "Is he okay?"

Aurore's face was drawn. "I'm not sure. A few minutes ago he mentioned that he wasn't feeling well."

Marinette flipped the burgers methodically, wondering if Michel had caught the stomach flu. It was the season for illness.

Without him, the orders were beginning to back up. Marinette looked at the clock. "It's been fifteen minutes. Should someone check on him?"

Lila's hands flew to her mouth. "Has it been that long? Poor Michel! Let me get the boss!"

And without another word she fled from her post, and within moments was back, their manager in tow. Being a man, he was the only one who could see if Michel was alright.

Marinette tried not to worry about it, but she knew something was wrong. She had been working at Sloppy Joe's for a year, and nothing like this had ever happened before. She moved to organize the orders in Michel's stead.

"I hope he'll be okay," Aurore mumbled, her eyebrows creased in worry. Marinette's heart gave a squeeze as she remembered that Aurore and Michel were somewhat romantically involved, but she had never really gotten the details.

She patted Aurore's shoulder. "He should be fine. It's probably the twenty-four-hour flu."

But both of them turned at Lila's gasp of surprise. Their boss was at the stove, covering for their missing pair of hands. "I called an ambulance for Michel. He looked just about green when I went in there."

Aurore whimpered in horror, turning suddenly to take a new customer's order, attempting to distract herself, no doubt.

Marinette just focused on her work, trying to block out the queasy feeling rising in her stomach.

As soon as Marinette was off the clock, she sprinted out of the doors and headed straight for the grocery store.

The ordinariness of the aisles and the familiarity of the locals eased some of her stress. She told herself again and again that she was freaking out over nothing. Sure, no one had ever been violently ill at her workplace before, but just because it happened didn't mean anything more than what she had said to Aurore.

Marinette threw some more Cheese-Itz into her cart, along with about ten pounds of flour and five pounds of butter. She groaned a little looking at all of it. As soon as the hat was done, she was going to bake like a madwoman.

Of course, she couldn't forget one of her main reasons for coming here. She lifted her purse up and allowed Nooroo to scan the aisle of dried fruit himself. "Just pick what looks good," she told him.

Nooroo settled on a bag of raisins, and although Marinette gagged a little, she indulged him. Had she been a kwami, she knew her food of choice would have been something a little less shriveled.

Once she finished lugging all of her groceries up the stairs, put them away, and was catching her breath against the counter, Alya emerged from their room looking quite lovely in a denim jacket and a red skater skirt. She noticed Marinette's appraising eyes and did a small twirl.

"What do you think?"

"Looks great! Where are you going?"

Alya gave Marinette a strange look. "Out to Andre's…? You know, on a double date…?"

The blood drained from Marinette's face. "That's tonight?"

Alya crossed her arms over her chest. "Don't tell me you forgot?"

Marinette slumped over onto the countertop. But her hat! She had had every intention of getting the base of the hat done tonight!

Alya put her hand on her friend's arm. "Hey, it's okay. We'll only be out for an hour, and — how about this?" she interrupted herself. "After we're done getting ice cream, I'll go back to Nino's with Adrien and you can have the room to yourself all night, distraction free? I promise I'll come home late to give you as much time as you need."

Marinette weighed her options. She supposed losing an hour now would be harmless if she could get it back later. And a double date sounded amazing after her strange day…

"Okay, it's a deal! Thank you for being the best best friend ever," Marinette breathed as she squeezed Alya in a bear hug.

"It's easy to do if it's for you, Marinette," she said as she returned the hug with equal force.

They knew they were getting close because they could hear him. Instead of ringing a bell on his cart, to signal that he was there, Andre would sing. A silly song about his ice cream being able to melt any Parisian's heart. Marinette squeezed Adrien's hand, her color rising. Their first date was here, and it felt sort of full-circle to be back again.

Of course, Nino and Alya needed to stay in the dark. So as they approached the cart, Marinette exclaimed, "Oh wow! Do you think the ice cream is really magic?"

Nino wiggled his eyebrows. "Only if you believe," and he winked at them.

Adrien greeted Andre, playing it very cool. "It's our first time here together. What flavors would you recommend?"

Andre clapped and grabbed his scoop. "Oh, I see! Yes, of course!" He went to work, placing three flavors in a cone and handing it to Marinette first, ever the gentleman. "For you, my dear, it has to be banana for his hair, peach for his lips, and mint for his eyes."

Marinette took the ice cream, a strange feeling coming over her. Wasn't this the same set of flavors she had been given as Kitty Noire…?

"And for you, my good lad, blackberry for her hair, passionfruit for her lips, and blueberry for her eyes." Andre's own eyes twinkled as he passed the cone to Adrien.

Adrien's eyebrows furrowed, and Marinette could see him making the connections she was already stumbling on.

"It's good to see you two again. I thought those flavors would work well tonight, since their magic did much for you last time." Andre said it softly, quiet enough for Nino and Alya not to pick up on it.

"But —" Marinette began.

"I'm just happy you two found one another in the end," he interrupted, his serene face brightened by his sincerity. He gave them a meaningful look and then focused his attention on their friends. "Ah! The beautiful Alya and her roguish Nino!"

Adrien and Marinette stepped out of the way, dazed. They stood there, staring at their ice cream, speechless, for many moments.

"Do you think Andre is truly magical, then?" she whispered.

"Must be. How else could he have seen through our secret identities? He knew who we were this whole time…" Adrien trailed off.

Marinette's stomach churned. "Do you think anyone else knows? He could have told someone, or maybe there are others like him… What if our identities aren't safe?" Her ice cream began to shake, and it took Marinette a moment to realize it was because of her hands that were around the cone.

But Adrien shook his head, putting one arm around her, making her eyes hop to his face. "I don't think so. Andre is a force for good. Our secret is safe with him."

Marinette nodded. After all, it had been some time. Had Andre been malicious, perhaps more incidents would have happened to them in their civilian lives. As it stood, the only time anyone tried to hurt them was when they were transformed.

So Marinette pulled the spoon out of the mint ice cream and took a bite. And she didn't know if she was imagining things or not… but it seemed to taste even better than the first time.

Nino was more than pumped to DJ for Lila's apartment-warming party, so that was that. All Marinette had on her plate for the week was finishing her hat, baking like her life depended on it, and the usual bouts of heroing and homework.

After the ice cream date, Alya kept true to her word and Marinette blazed through construction on her hat. By the time her roommate came back, Marinette's hat was nearly done. All she needed to do was to affix the ribbon plumage and find an authentic pigeon feather to sew onto the side.

"Ta-da!" she cried, spinning the deep grey bowler hat on her finger, brandishing it proudly to a tired Alya (and to her well-hidden kwamis).

Alya took the hat in her hands, marveling at the quality. "Wow," she breathed. "It's gorgeous! It looks professionally made, like you went to a hat store and bought their finest bowler," she smiled, handing it back.

Marinette blushed, as every artist does when their work is admired. "I just hope the PDH voting committee agrees with you."

Because she was so busy with the hat, Marinette didn't have a chance to get the reading done for History of Modern Fashion, and was cursing herself as she sat in lecture, scrambling to keep up with taking notes on a subject she didn't have a clue about. She couldn't finish that darn thing fast enough.

Immediately after class, Marinette sped to Sloppy Joe's. Usually she had a moment between class and work, but her shift was moved to start half an hour earlier today. "Probably because of Michel," Marinette explained to Plagg and Nooroo. "He's still ill, most likely." She frowned as she thought about that. What had happened to him?

Fortunately for her, Marinette's answer was there, in the girl's locker room. Aurore sighing and looking pensive, a worry line creasing her otherwise perfect brow.

Marinette opened her locker, pulling out her hat and putting away her bookbag. She hesitated a moment before cautiously asking, "Aurore? Is everything alright?"

Her coworker sighed again and turned to Marinette, hand on her locker door. "Yeah, it's just all so much to wrap my head around."

That answer puzzled Marinette. "What do you mean?"

Aurore fidgeted. "Apparently, um… Michel was poisoned."

"What?" Marinette asked, but it was breathless with shock. Poison? In his food? Her mind reeled.

"Yeah. I just. I feel so guilty. I made his food and… he could have been killed!" Aurore's arms moved to wrap about herself, and her eyes began to glass over with tears she fought against.

Marinette's limbs were stiff as she tried to process everything Aurore was telling her. Somehow she managed to find her voice. "What… What did you prepare him?" she croaked out.

Aurore moved her hands to her polo shirt's hem and began playing with it. "It was just a cheeseburger with a side of onion rings, nothing crazy, a totally benign order that customers get all the time, and somehow the one time I make it for him, he gets sent to the hospital!" She threw her arms up in the air in frustration. Then she realized her implication. "Not that I would rather send a customer to the hospital! Dear God, no, that would probably get the restaurant shut down, and I —"

Aurore was rambling in her panic but Marinette's thoughts had never been more clear. She just hoped she was wrong.

"Where did you put Michel's food, after you made it?" Marinette knew what Aurore's answer would be but asked anyway, still holding onto the last string of hope. The last piece of denial.

"Behind the cash register. I thought it would be easier for him to find it there, but maybe I should have put it somewhere more hidden. Maybe a customer tampered with it while I wasn't looking? But why would they —"

"It wasn't you. It was Lila." It came out robotically, without emotion. Marinette felt sick to her stomach and dead inside all at once.

Aurore stopped in her tracks. Her tone changed from frustration to confusion. "How do you know?"

Marinette explained what had happened. "I ended up being the one to eat the sandwich you prepared, which means that Michel ate the one Lila prepared. The one intended for me."

Both girls just stood in the room, completely unmoving in the stunned silence. Marinette couldn't understand anything. But she knew that Alya had been right, and she had been an idiot for not trusting her friend's intuitions. Lila was bad news, the worst. Not just a fake, but a fake with harmful intentions. Lila had tried to poison Marinette. Perhaps to take her out of the picture permanently.

Finally Aurore spoke, asking the only thing neither of them knew the answer to. "But why?"