Chapter 18: Loving Words and Venomous Words
Making use of Reptile's powers, both he and Brutus managed to enter the hospital unseen. First, Reptile assumed the appearance of a nurse that was leaving through the main gate. Engaging the security guard into conversation, telling him that he had forgotten something, this allowed Brutus to slip by him, unnoticed. But that was just the beginning of their incursion. Next came the hardest part, getting into the main building. Making use of the trees, large cypress trees, aligned with the road that led to the hospital's main entrance, Brutus was able to avoid any cameras there were. As for Reptile, he remained in the disguise he had adopted, of the nurse that had left the hospital, following him.
At that time of night, the hospital was quiet. Only the security personnel and the nurses and doctors on the night shift were there. Even so, it was not going to be easy to get in, without being seen. The only way they saw it would be possible to enter, would be from the back. Having agreed that Reptile would go in and open a door on the back, allowing him to enter the hospital undetected, Brutus signalled him to enter the hospital, while he made his way to the back of the main building.
As he ran towards the back, Brutus could not help but to feel that like always, because of his size and lack of cloaking or illusion casting abilities, he was at disadvantage, while compared to his fellow lieutenants. Still, he tried not to think about it, as he did his best to avoid the cameras and the security guards, two of which he crossed paths with. The first one, he was able to hide himself behind a bush. But the second one was harder, and he was almost caught by him. But luck was on his side, and he
"What took you so long?" -Reptile asked him.
"I didn't know what door you were going to open for me. So, I had to check each, until I found you." -Brutus said. –"On top of that, I had to avoid the security guards that were patrolling the place." -he said, as he entered.
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, just get in here." -Reptile said, closing the door behind him. –"I took the keys from one of the orderlies that was snoozing in one of the corridors. Hopefully, it will help us enter where we need." -he smirked. –"Where do we go from here?"
"We need to find the patients' records. They should be in one of the rooms adjacent to the administrative offices." -Brutus answered him, as his nostrils were filled with the unmistakable scent of disinfectant, antiseptic and medicine, or as many would call, "hospital scent". –"You didn't happen to see a sign pointing to it, or a map that will help us navigate this place?"
"I didn't see the signs, as I was too busy trying to come and open the door for you. But I did pass by a map." -Reptile said. –"Follow me, and keep quiet." -he said in a hushed voice.
Following him, Brutus allowed Reptile to take him to the map he had seen. Just like outside, there were cameras everywhere. Reptile told Brutus that he had passed by the security guard that was supposed to be watching the monitors and he was asleep on the job. Even so, Brutus did not wish to leave things to chance. Even if the guy was asleep, there was always the chance he could wake up and spot him on the cameras. Echoing through the corridors, was the sound of the faraway steps of orderlies or doctors that were doing their job that night. This caused them to stop a few times on the way, to see if someone was coming in their direction or not. Eventually, they reached the map, and Brutus quickly examined it. Going through it, he knew that what he was looking for had to be in the ground floor.
"No… no… that's not it… here!" -Brutus exclaimed. –"This is where we need to go." -he told Reptile, while pointing at the location in the map.
Following the directions given by the map, the two villains, made their way towards the room. To get to it, they had to go through a corridor that Reptile had taken before, when he was heading to the back of the hospital. A corridor where there were a lot of people. Knowing that, Brutus decided to improvise a way for them to go through the corridor, unnoticed. Finding an empty gurney, he laid himself on it, and told Reptile to cover him with a sheet that was on another gurney. The lizard man did as he was told, and then, he was ordered to push the gurney. As he pushed the gurney with Brutus, Reptile crossed paths with a doctor and a nurse, who were talking between them, and as such, ignored him. Turning the corner, they approached their objective. Stopping in front of the door that gave them access to the room where they kept the patients' records, Brutus threw away the sheet, as he jumped out of the gurney. Going through the set of keys he had stolen from the orderly, Reptile tried to see if there was a skeleton key in it, that would enable him to open the door. After a couple of seconds, he found what he believed was one. Trying it on the lock, this one opened, allowing him and Brutus inside.
Once inside, Reptile locked the door, just before reverting to his real appearance. Looking around for a light switch, he found it and turned on the lights, revealing that the room itself was bigger than he thought it would be. The walls were covered with metallic cabinets. And in those cabinets, hopefully there would be what they were looking for.
"Alright, there's not a moment lose. Let's open these cabinets and see if we can find the patients' records." -Brutus told Reptile.
"Why can't we just use one of these computers to look for them?" -Reptile asked him, pointing to the computers that were on separate
"Because they're probably protected by a password, and we don't have it." -Brutus answered him. –"Besides, look at this place. Look at all these cabinets. They are filled with patients' records. They probably have them both on paper and on digital." -he said, as he opened one of the cabinets and pulled out a record. –"All we have to do is find the most recent ones."
"But that might take all night!" -Reptile told him, not liking the idea of having to go through all those papers.
"It will take as long as necessary. Remember, we cannot disappoint the master. If we do, he will punish us, again." -Brutus reminded him.
"Fine… though I'm starting to wonder if there isn't an easier way to find someone to be akumatized inside this place." -Reptile said.
"Less talking and more working… let's see what we can find here. Start looking for the most recent patients. We only care about those that are still here. There's bound to be the perfect victim for the master in these records." -Brutus said. –"You start on that end, I'll start on this one." -he ordered Reptile. –"Whoever finds what we're looking for first, tells the other. Now, come on, we don't know how long we might have before someone comes in here, for whatever reason."
"Alright. Let's see what kind of psycho they have in here that will help us disembowel and kill those kids, once and for all." -Reptile smirked evilly, as he opened the cabinet and pulled open its first drawer.
At the Le Grand Paris' ballroom, the gala was going according to plan. Appetizers and drinks were served to the guests, before dinner. And just before this one was served, Audrey gave a small speech, thanking those who had come to the gala and the fundraiser. This would have been a point in the gala where Audrey would show her most selfless, while talking about the reason why she had organized that gala. But the way she gave her speech, made her sound like she did not have her whole heart into it, and the speech sounded like she was reading out of script. Still, she did not really mind it, as long as the photographers she had hired, would get her good side on each photo they took of her. What really mattered to Audrey was people seeing her put on a good face for the camera, because an image is worth a thousand words, especially on a society where people make quick assumptions of what they see, and not what they read. Sitting right next to her, Chloe could not help but to feel that everything her mother was doing was nothing short of a performance. She herself did not know if Audrey truly supported the cause that her gala was supporting, or if she was just pretending to do so. The hopeful part of her wanted to believe that her mother did care about certain causes. But the realistic part of her was telling her that Audrey only cared about three things in life: her career, her place in the fashion world and business, and herself.
Standing next to her, Sabrina could tell her best-friend was not having a good time. And she did not know what had been the worst moment for Chloe that evening, until then. But something was telling her it was the part when she was forced to pose alongside her parents for a couple of photos. Over the years Sabrina had become an expert on guessing which smiles from Chloe were real, and which ones were forced. And the smiles on her face, as she was photographed, with her mother by her side were as forced as one could imagine. It broke her heart not being able anything that could help her right then, except staying by her side, and cheer her up, when it was possible.
Once Audrey finished her speech, she wished all the guests a good meal, and dinner was served. The same waiters and waitresses that had served them appetizers and drinks, showed up each carrying a tray with numerous bowls of hot steaming soup. For Marinette, and even Sabrina, who were not used to that kind of parties, it felt to them like they were at a fancy wedding or a scene from a movie, where the main characters are invited to have lunch or dinner at a fancy restaurant or a rich person's house. For Marinette herself, it felt a little awkward, because she was used to being on the other side, serving sweets and pastries, whenever their parents catered to a party or an event. Still, she tried not to think about it much, as she focused on the present. Having had the luck of sharing a table with only Adrien, she felt a little bit on cloud nine. It was not every day that she had the chance of having dinner with her boyfriend, even if it was not a romantic dinner. As the waiter placed the bowl of soup in front of her, Marinette saw that the bowl was filled with a green-coloured soup. From its colour, she hypothesized it was either pea soup or spinach soup. But from its scent, she immediately saw that it was neither. It was broccoli coup, which made her wrinkle her nose at it.
"Not a big fan of broccoli?" -Adrien asked her, in an amused tone.
"Not really. My parents always had trouble in making me eat my vegetables, when I was little." -Marinette confessed, as she picked up the spoon. –"Nowadays, I'm not very picky with my vegetables, but broccoli are an exception to the rule." -she said, as she tasted the soup. –"Mmm… but this one's actually very good. It smells like broccoli, but it doesn't taste like it."
"Really?" -Adrien asked, as he grabbed his spoon and tasted it. –"Mmm… I guess you're right." -he said. –"Do you think the reason for that happening is because Alya's mom knew you were coming, so she cooked a special broccoli soup just for you?"
"Hardly. I mean, Alya told her that I was coming, but by the time she told her that, the menu must have already been picked." -Marinette giggled. –"But I'm sure, I'm not the only one here who doesn't like broccoli, so she might have anticipated that and came up with a broccoli soup that doesn't taste like it." -she smiled.
"You know, you look so cute when you're eating soup." -Adrien chuckled.
"Oh, stop it, Adrien. You're going to make me blush." -Marinette giggled, before eating another spoonful of soup.
"And would that be such a bad thing, bugaboo?" -Adrien winked at Marinette.
Shortly after the guests had finished the soup, waiters showed up and took the bowls, before serving the entrée, Lobster Risotto with Black Truffles, which looked divine. But as good as the entrée was, the main course surpassed it; Glazed Roasted Rack of Lamb with Sauté Mushrooms and Asparagus. For dessert, the choice was between Cherry Pie with Vanilla Ice Cream and Frosted Chocolate Cake.
Once dinner ended, most of the guests remained in their seats, while a small percentage got up and decided to hit the dance floor, or joined other guests at their tables, engaging them in conversation. Audrey and her husband quickly left their table, leaving Chloe and Sabrina behind, for another photo session.
Adrien and Marinette were among those who remained in their seats, slowly finishing their desserts. He had chosen the Cherry Pie, but she opted to try the Frosted Chocolate Cake, to see if it was as good as her father's. To her surprise, this one was just as good, if not even better than the one made by Tom. This was the second time that she tasted a cake in that hotel, that her father made on an almost daily basis, and the one from the hotel was better.
"Don't tell my dad, but this Frosted Chocolate Cake is better than his." -Marinette whispered at Adrien.
"Don't worry, your secret is safe with me." -Adrien whispered back at Marinette, while winking his left eye at her. –"But why, do you think he's losing his Midas touch for baking cakes?" -he asked. –"I still think he and your mom make the best cakes in Paris."
"No, I don't think that. But I think that he might need to revise some of his recipes. It's like my Grandpa Roland once told me: "If you don't need to follow the recipe anymore, that means you need to alter it, so you don't make the mistake of believing that this one doesn't need to be perfected from time to time.", and he's right. Just because things are good, that doesn't mean we shouldn't change them and improve them." -Marinette declared.
Listening to Marinette, Adrien realized that this was the first time she talked about her grandfather so openly. He had heard her talk about her grandmother Gina like that before, but never her grandfather. In fact, he realized that head never even seen a photo of his.
"I've heard you talking about your grandmother a lot, but your grandfather is a bit of mystery to me." –Adrien commented. –"Is there a reason for that?" -he asked her, curious.
"Oh, Grandpa Roland is a little complicated. But in the good sense." -Marinette said. –"He's a sweetheart, and he's a lovable man, when you get to meet him. But he tends to say that the world moves too fast for his taste." -she giggled. –"Also, he's the polar opposite of my Grandma Gina. While she enjoys travelling the world, meeting new places and people, he enjoys a quieter life. In fact, other than baking, cooking and trying new recipes he comes up with, he loves to read and listening to the radio. I usually go to visit him, at his place, once every week, or every two weeks, to know how he is. I just don't visit him more often, because time doesn't allow me to. But he knows that, and he doesn't mind that I only show up, from time to time. He says that I shouldn't waste my time with a grumpy old man like him, though I know that he loves having me around. Maybe next time I go to visit him, I'll take you with me, so he can meet you in person."
"I'd like that. If he's the way you say he is, I'm sure that I'll like him." -Adrien said. –"Sounds like your grandparents on your dad's side of the family are a match made in Heaven, even if they are so different." -he stated.
"They sure are." -Marinette giggled. –"Just like the two of us." -she giggled again.
"Yes. But you know what? I thought I was the one who came up with that kind of one liner, you know" -Adrien joked.
"Oh, really? Well, it's not like you have copyrights to them." -Marinette joked.
As their conversation went on, Marinette momentarily forgot where she was and relaxed, focusing only on Adrien's voice, and nothing else. And this would have gone on for a little longer, if it was not for the flash from the camera of one of the photographers, which snapped her back to reality and reminded her, of where she was. But even as this happened, she remained relaxed, having realized that Adrien was ready, when he told her that she did not have to act differently, just to impress everyone at the party.
"You know, it's a good thing I ate a light meal before you arrived, because the food's delicious, but it's so little." -Marinette giggled. –"I mean, the plates are huge, but there's only an itty-bitty piece of food in them. It's like they're trying to make us starve." -she joked.
"That's fine cuisine at a high society party for you." -Adrien declared with a smile on his face. –"To tell you the truth, I also ate two sandwiches before I went to pick you up." -he chuckled. –"But you know why they only serve that exact portion of food at these parties?"
"No, why?" -Marinette asked him, knowing that whatever he was going to tell her, she would end laughing about.
"Because if they served the plates full, at the end of the night, the men wouldn't be able to fit in their pants, and the women wouldn't be able to fit in their skinny little dresses." -Adrien joked, making Marinette giggle.
"That's… the lamest joke ever, Adrien." -Marinette giggled as silently as she could, though it was not easy. –"Only you would have come up with such a lame joke." -she said.
"And I'm glad I managed to make you laugh with it." -Adrien smiled at Marinette. -"But tell me, what are you thinking about this gala?" -he asked her.
"I'll be honest. It's been a little different from what I imagined it would be. Maybe it's because when I attend this kind of parties, I'm usually on the other side. The side that serves the guests, instead of enjoying the party." -Marinette said. –"But, truth be told, it's proving to be a little less posh and snobbish than I thought it would be." -she admitted.
"Yeah, that tends to happen, after some of these guys have too many Margaritas or Vodka Martinis." -Adrien joked. –"But honestly, I'm also thinking that. I usually don't like this kind of parties either, but this one's proving to be okay." -he said.
"Maybe it's because of the company?" -Marinette joked, with a coy voice.
"Perhaps. Chloe and Sabrina are quite funny and they are incredibly nice." -Adrien told her, pretending that that was what Marinette wanted to hear.
"I was talking about me, you know?" -Marinette asked him, pretending to be upset, while raising an eye at him.
"I know, I'm just joking." -Adrien smiled at her, as he placed his right hand over hers. –"Asking you to be my plus one for this gala was the best idea I ever had." -he said.
"I thought the best idea you ever had was telling me that you loved me." -Marinette said, raising an eyebrow at him.
"Okay, point taken. Then, inviting you to come with me to this gala was my second-best idea ever." -Adrien declared, as he looked at the flowery centrefold and then picked one of the two red roses in it. –"Here. A rose for the most beautiful rose in Paris." -he smiled, as he extended the rose to Marinette, who picked it and smelled it.
"Thank you, my silly kitty." -Marinette said, as she smelled the rose once again. –"You know how to be the most romantic boy I know, Adrien." -she smiled.
"I've read enough books and watched enough movies and series to know how to act like a true romantic gentleman." -Adrien smiled back at her. –"Also, my dad and Nathalie insisted that I learned how to properly court a girl and behave in the presence of a lady, after my mom died." -he said, casually. –"So, I was taught how to talk and how to behave, when in the presence of a lady. Those were four very long months, but I don't regret it. Now I can use everything I learned, with you."
"Wait! Your dad had you having lessons on how to court a woman?" -Marinette asked, surprised.
"Yeah, he did." -Adrien said. –"According to him, it's best to learn that kind of thing while we're still young, so we interiorize it and don't forget it, as we grow older." -he told her.
"Sometimes I wonder why your dad has you learning certain things. Not that I have any problems with it. I'm sure he knows what he's doing, when he decides that you need to know those things. And after all, it was those things that made you into the best boyfriend in the world." -Marinette said.
"Thank you." -Adrien smiled. –"I mean, most of the things I've learned, I'll probably only use them once or twice during my lifetime, but then there are others that I will use every day." -he said. –"And speaking of things that I will use, how about we test what I learned in my dancing lessons?"
"Is that your way to ask me if I would like to dance with you?" -Marinette asked him, in an amused voice, as the band started to play the waltz.
"Yes, it is." -Adrien told her, as a sly grin showed up on his face. –"Would you do me the honours, milady?" -he asked, as he extended his hand to her.
"I would love to." -Marinette smiled, as she grabbed his hand and allowed herself to be guided towards the dance floor. –"But I warn you, I'm not much of a dancer, when it comes to ballroom dances." -she warned him.
"Don't worry. Just follow my lead, and relax. Feel the music, milady." -Adrien said, as he placed his arm around Marinette's waist and pulled towards him.
Doing what Adrien told her, Marinette allowed herself to feel the music and to let him lead. Her heart skipped a beat, as she felt like she was having one of her daydreams, where she would imagine herself dancing with Adrien. But this was not a dream or a figment of her imagination. It was true. This was the first time that they danced together, since they became a couple, and for both Adrien and Marinette, this was a very important and beautiful moment. Without any warning, the memory of the first time they danced together, came to their minds. It had been during Chloe's birthday party, two years before. They remembered about the song that was playing, as well as how they were both nervous, and they also remembered how Chloe interrupted them, making a scene, and insulting Marinette, telling her that she was the only one who had the right to dance with Adrien. All of it, seemed like it had happened a lifetime ago. But now, they were making a new memory, one that was a lot sweeter and that they would remember fondly for as long as they could.
At the same time, watching them from her table, Chloe could not help but to feel that that was the most beautiful, as well as the only true moment of that evening in her mother's gala. It was the one moment where everything else paled in comparison to it. Not that it was hard for that to happen. Looking around, she saw nothing else but people that were acting vainly, having vain conversations about the vainest of themes, pretending that it was okay to be the way they were. Even her parents were being shallow and vain, right then, as she saw them posing for another set of photos with some of the guests. More and more, she felt like she had outgrown that kind of parties; that she was not doing anything there, and that the best thing to do was to just go back to her bedroom. What stopped her from doing it was her promise to Adrien. That and Sabrina, who was right by her side, and who had not left her presence that night.
"Those two seem to be having a great time." -Chloe declared, as she watched Adrien and Marinette dancing, trying to forget what was going through her mind right then.
"They sure are." -Sabrina agreed with her. –"And I bet that Marinette's on cloud nine, right about now." -she joked.
"Well, at least one of us is." -Chloe sighed, with a broken voice.
It did not take a genius to see that Chloe was trying to pretend like she was having fun, but from time to time, her acting was not enough to do it, as she was betrayed by her own voice. On top of that, she had not finished her dessert, and Sabrina knew Chloe had a sweet tooth. So, if she did not finish her dessert, it was because she had something on her mind. Something that prevented her from having fun, and the redhead knew just what it was.
"Come on, cheer up a little, Chloe." -Sabrina said. –"I know that being around your mom isn't easy. But the worst part is over." -she told her.
"I know. And I thank you for caring." -Chloe said, forcing herself to smile at Sabrina.
"Hey, you don't need to thank me. I'm your best-friend. That's what best-friends do." -Sabrina said. –"Also to try and cheer you up, you should do what my grandfather Arsène, from my dad's side of the family is always saying. He's always saying you've got to look at the bright side of the dark side." -she said.
"The bright side of the dark side? Sounds like something you would read in one of the fortune cookies from Kim's parents' restaurant." -Chloe commented, this time with a slightly cheerfuller voice.
"A little, I admit it. But look at it this way. You can say whatever you want about your mom, Chloe, but she does know how to throw a party." -Sabrina said.
"It's true… though, I helped a little bit." -Chloe reminded her. –"I was the one who chose which food they would be serving tonight, remember?" -she said, trying to make conversation, so as to get all the nasty thoughts she had inside her mind, out of it.
"Yes, you did. The food you chose was delicious. Though you have to admit that the portions could have been a little larger." -Sabrina joked.
"I'm with you on that one, Sabrina. The food's good, but it felt like we were eating samples." -Chloe agreed. Like it happened with the rest of her friends, her appetite had grown enormously, ever since she put on her miraculous. –"Especially you, who are famous for eating a Jumbo-sized pizza on your own." -she whispered at Sabrina's ear, making her giggle.
"Look who's talking. I know that you'll eat a whole Jumbo-sized pizza yourself, as well, if you're given the opportunity." -Sabrina whispered back at her, making her giggle.
If there was one sound in the world that Sabrina had grown to recognize and appreciate, it was Chloe's giggle and laughter. Ever since they were little, that she had noticed that Chloe's giggle and laughter were unique, because of the way she produced them. And like the good friend she was, Sabrina had learned to know when such giggles and laughter were real.
"Still, this is not our kind of party, of course. I mean, it may be yours, because you were born in this kind of stuff, but not me. I prefer simpler things. For me, parties are the kind of which you have cupcakes, finger food, sodas, and good friends." -Sabrina told the blonde. –"Oh, and I almost forgot. You need to have great music in those parties. The music at this gala is good, but it's too… too classic. Your mom could have hired a DJ instead, to put on some cool beats." -she said.
"I think you've been talking to Nino and Juleka, one too many times about music, you know?" -Chloe chuckled. –"Also, I think that more and more, this isn't my kind of parties anymore. I think I'd rather be at a party with my friends, who I know are the polar opposite of the people around here." -she said, this time with a more serious voice. –"But you're right about one thing. I wouldn't mind if the music had a different rhythm to it. A more modern rhythm, for us to dance."
"Speaking of music, how long has it been since you stopped playing the violin?" -Sabrina asked Chloe.
That question caught Chloe by surprise, who was not expecting it. It had been years since she last played the violin. In fact, it had been so long, that until Sabrina asked her that, she had completely forgot that she had done it.
"I can't even remember. But it's been years." -Chloe answered Sabrina.
"It's been too long, if you ask me. I miss hearing you playing it." -Sabrina confessed. –"You played it so well." -she smiled at the blonde. –"I can still remember the times when you had to practice it, and I pretended that I was a whole audience, clapping at you."
"Those were some good time, I now remember." -Chloe told Sabrina. -"Did you know the reason why I learned to play the violin was because of my mom? Because I wanted to impress her?" –she asked her.
"No, you never told me that." -Sabrina answered her.
"Well, now you know. Like everything else I did to impress my mom, and get her to notice me, it failed." -Chloe sighed, as she looked at her mother, who continued to pose for photos. –"She didn't even care, the time I told her." -she said.
"She doesn't have a clue of the wonderful daughter you are." -Sabrina said, as she placed her hand on hers. –"But maybe one day, she will. I know what I'm about to say is practically wishful-thinking, but I really wish you and your mom's relationship would one day be a healthy one. With her realizing that she has a wonderful, talented, resourceful and fantastic daughter." -she smiled at Chloe.
When she heard Sabrina say that, Chloe had to withhold her tears, so she would not smudge her make-up. And instead of shedding a few tears of happiness, she hugged Sabrina, and thanked her.
"Have I ever told you that you know just to say, and when to say it, Sabrina?" -Chloe asked her, as she tightened her arms around Sabrina.
"Maybe once or twice… or maybe a hundred times or so. But who's counting, right?" -Sabrina giggled, just before breaking the hug.
"You are, obviously." -Chloe smirked at Sabrina. –"And because you're always here for me, I'll allow you to ask me anything you want, and I'll give it to you." -she said. –"It could be a favour, any clothes in my wardrobe. You name it, and it's yours. Just ask away."
Showing up in her mind, the first thought Sabrina had, was to ask Chloe for a kiss, a true lover's kiss, as the idea of her possibly bearing a crush on the blonde crept into her thoughts once more. But she quickly put that thought aside, knowing that was not the time or the place to ask her for such a thing, especially because she was uncertain if she truly had a crush on Chloe; and more importantly, because she felt the two would need to have a serous conversation about it, when the time was right. So, she went with the second thing that came to her mind.
"Well, I don't want any favours or any clothes. But I do have a request. I was wondering, if you could try and start playing the violin again? You were very talented, and it's a shame that I don't get to hear you anymore." -Sabrina smiled at her.
"Playing the violin? I don't know if I can play it anymore, Sabrina. It's been so long since I actually picked up a violin." -Chloe told her.
"I bet you can still do it. You might be a little rusty, but I think you would get the hang of it, in no time. And I would like to hear you play it again." -Sabrina told her.
Like always, Sabrina's words were like a balm for Chloe's heart and mind. Words that healed, that encouraged and that made a person feel better about one themselves. Smiling at the redhead, Chloe thanked once again the fact of having her by her side that night.
"Really? Then, it's a deal. I promise I'll try and go back to playing it, one of these days." -Chloe told her. –"And when that happens, you'll be the first one to know about it." -she promised her.
As Chloe and Sabrina continued to talk to one another, Marinette and Adrien finished dancing the waltz. With her head still up in the clouds, Marinette could not stop smiling at Adrien, who had proven to be an amazing dancer. Asking her if she wanted to dance again, she told him she needed a moment to get her feet back on solid land; a comment that made Adrien chuckle. Agreeing that he could wait a little bit to dance with her, he asked Marinette if she wanted to join Chloe and Sabrina, to which she said yes. But as they headed in the girls' direction, a photographer showed up and insisted on taking a few photos of the lovely couple. Smiling to the camera, Adrien and Marinette allowed themselves to be photographed. Once that was over, they continued to walk towards Chloe and Sabrina, only to stop, by a conversation they heard. Near one of the tables, holding a glass of champagne in his right hand, dressed in a grey and white tuxedo, and clearly already a little tipsy, was Ambroise Delay, talking to several guests, and sharing with them his views on the one subject that had caused him to be known by almost everyone in Paris, the Miraculous Team.
"It's like I said before. Those so-called heroes are menaces. They are a danger to our fair city and to every last one of us." -Ambroise continued to speak. You could tell that he had already had a little too much champagne, from the way his voice sounded. Because his wife stayed home, with a flu, he had come alone to the gala, and like it happened on every party he attended, he was uncapable of holding his drink. –"The fact that they threatened me a few days ago, is prove that they are dangerous. Instead of helping them and applauding them, the police should put on a search and capture mandate for them." – he declared.
"I agree. We didn't ask for their help, and on top of that, even if they aren't working with that Hawk Moth, they certainly have a connection with him. I mean, it's practically obvious!" -a woman with a posh accent said.
"Indeed. I mean, their powers, the masks, there must be a connection between them. I don't know what kind, but it can't be good." -a man told him.
"That's exactly what I keep telling everyone! But there are people, mindless sheep as I like to call them, who don't understand what's going on. They're being brainwashed." -Ambroise declared. –"Like I keep saying, one of these days, the truth will come out and we will see just how these heroes truly are." -he said, as he finished his glass of champagne. –"People think they are lambs, but they're actually wolves in sheep clothing! They will reveal their true selves, and they will attack us. I can already see their leader, that Ladybug, using that yo-yo of hers to strangle or even decapitate someone with it! Because let's face it, their weapons may look harmless, but we've all seen videos where they can cut through steel, cinder and other kinds of materials with them. What's stopping them from cutting flesh and bone with them?!"
"I think you're on to something there." -a man said. –"I do believe nothing's stopping them from doing that." -he said. –"But tell me, which of them do you think are the most dangerous?"
"Oh, I believe the most dangerous ones are definitely that Queen Bee, as well as Panda Roux, Corbeau Noire and Rena Rouge." -Ambroise said. –"I mean, one of them is able to create tornados that practically destroy everything they touch, much like that Chat Noir with his touch power, or whatever is it. Then, the others are capable of creating things out of thin air, controlling shadows and use them to attack anything that moves, and create illusions, respectively! Those kinds of powers are dangerous!" -he exclaimed. –"But I'm not saying the others aren't dangerous. In fact, they could even be more dangerous, if we think about it. That Forest Doe, she can turn invisible! Who can say that she won't use that power to sneak up on a person's home to rob it, or even worst?! Oh, and that Flamingo… she can be in two or three places at once! That makes her equally dangerous. That baton or cane she uses as a weapon; she could easily crack a skull with it! But perhaps, the worst of them all is that Ladybug! As the leader of that group of delinquents, she's the one who gives the orders, and we've all seen that the others obey her every command! If she wants her companions to attack us and kill us, all she has to do is give the order! As I see it, the only difference between her and that Hawk Moth, is the outfit!"
The way Ambroise talked those words, it was if he was distilling venom. Each word that came out of his mouth, felt like it was contaminated. And when Adrien heard them, he just felt like going up to him, grab him by the collar and beat the crud out of him. On the outside, he looked calm, but his eyes were shimmering with anger, and Marinette could see it. So, she did the only thing she could. Try and stop him from doing something stupid.
"Just ignore him." -Marinette whispered at Adrien, knowing he wanted to throw a couple of insults to the guy's face, regardless of the consequences.
"But he's…" -Adrien said, clenching his fist in anger, when Marinette looked him in the eyes.
"I know he is, Adrien. And I too want to just go to him and slap him… no, make that, punch him right in the face, for what he's saying, but we can't do it." -Marinette whispered at him, in a soft-spoken voice. –"He's not worth you getting into trouble." -she told him. –"Just let it slip this time, please."
Adrien did not like when people talked bad about him or his friends. And he especially did not like when someone insulted his girlfriend, who was the kindest, sweetest and noblest girl he knew, and who would never hurt a fly, unless that fly attacked her with a machine gun. Inside, he was bustling with rage, and he wanted to put that rage to good use, by punching Ambroise Delay, or even beat the crap out of him, for saying all those lies. But he knew Marinette was right. If he did that, or even if he decided to start an argument with the man, he would get into trouble, and he knew his father would punish him for it. In the best-case scenario, he would ground him for a few weeks, and forbid him from seeing and hanging with Marinette, or any of his friends. And in the worst-case scenario, he would send him to a private college, or a military school in Switzerland or Germany, far away from everyone he loved.
"Don't do it… just do what Marinette's telling you to do. Let it slip, this time" -Adrien thought to himself, as he unclenched his fist.
But unlike Adrien, whom Marinette had been able to convince not to attack Ambroise Delay and give him a taste of his own medicine, someone else decided to do just that, having grown tired of hearing all those lies and accusations. And that someone was none other than Chloe, who heard the whole thing from her seat. She had heard every last word, and just like it happened with Adrien, she did not like what she heard him saying about herself and the others. Behind her was Sabrina, who figured what the blonde was going to do, and was trying to stop her.
"Hey, you! What exactly is your problem?!" -Chloe snapped at Ambroise, startling him and the people he was talking to.
"Excuse me?" -Ambroise asked Chloe, not understanding why she was asking him such a question.
"I asked you what is your problem?!" -Chloe repeated herself. –"Why are you saying all those nasty things about the Miraculous Team?! Why do you have a problem with them?!" -she asked him.
"Why am I saying them? Because they're all true." -Ambroise answered her.
"True?! What's true about calling them criminals and menaces?!" -Chloe practically shouted at him. –"They do a lot more for this city, than people like you do!" -she shouted once again.
"Chloe, please, stop it… it's not worth it." -Sabrina told her, having followed her, knowing she was about to do something stupid.
"Wrong, Sabrina, it is worth it! I can't be the only one in this ballroom who's tired of hearing this bozo badmouthing Ladybug and the other heroes, who are always protecting us!" -Chloe practically snapped at the redhead, before turning her head left to face Ambroise. –"So, go on! I dare you to say that again!" -she yelled at Ambroise Delay, looking him in the eyes. –"I dare you to look me in the eyes and say all those things, again, if you're not a coward!"
Like I said before, this chapter took a little longer to finish, because I had my hands full with something else. n this case, it was the new videogame I bought, Assassins Creed: Valhalla. Like always, Ubisoft promises and delivers a very good game. I'm only on the second chapter, but I can definitely say that I'm loving the experience. But don't worry, I'll try my best not to get lost in it, because I want to finish this fic, so I can start another one (yeah, I know, I have all this planned, xD). The best part of this chapter, for me, it was the conversations between the couples. Whenever I write one of these, it allows me to explore so many themes, without forcing them too much. Like in a real conversation, all the themes just come out naturally.
On another topic, I had already mentioned Marinette's grandfather, Roland, in my AU before, but I never got the real chance to explore his character, so I felt this was the right time to do such a thing, during the conversation between Marinette and Adrien. I already had people asking me when I would write a scene between Roland and Marinette, and well, it will happen, eventually. Who knows, maybe it will be a part of that slice-of-life fanfic that I talked about the other time. I never expected to have so many people telling me that they would love for me to write it. All this to say, that I will begin working on some of its early chapters, whenever I can. I'm not going to give you a date, on which you will see it online, because I don't want to rush it.
But going back to this chapter, things have gone south at the end of it. Marinette might have been able to stop Adrien from doing something stupid, but Sabrina wasn't so lucky with Chloe, and now Chloe's pissed at Ambroise. What will happen next? One thing's for sure, it's going to be a ballroom blitz.
Oh, and before i forget, right now, I'm working with the incredibly talented Cerumoce on DA, on yet another beautiful drawing. This time, we're working on Queen Bee and Louve Grise's winter outfits, and let me tell you that they are coming out spectacular. I can't wait for you to see them finished. Finally, as always, feel free to comment, fav and leave your suggestions to improve this fic and future ones. :)