Marinette ran down the stairs and flew straight into the woman in the doorway. The woman grunted in pain, but Marinette didn't care and only held on tighter.

"Aunt Marie!"

"Mercy!" the woman gasped, tapping her niece's back a few times. "Mercy!"

Marinette loosened her hold slightly and grinned up at her aunt. "Where have you been? Who have you met? Show me your new designs! Oh, and I like your new watch."

Marie glanced down at her wrist, almost like she was noticing the article for the first time. "Well, thank you my dear. Come, get me a piece of lemon tart, and I shall tell you anything and everything you desire-after, of course," Her aunt tapped her niece's nose with a grin, "you show me the results for the last fashion competition you told me about."

"Oh, that," Marinette said, her mood seeming to drop. She went behind the counter and cut her aunt a piece of her favorite dessert. She came back around and served it to her aunt. "I won."

"That's fabulous, Dear!" Her aunt threw her arms around Marinette. "Why don't you look more thrilled?" Marinette sighed and said that she would be right back. She climbed up the stairs, and Sabine entered the cafe section of the bakery.

"Marie," she greeted warmly, kissing her sister-in-law on each cheek. "How have you been? Marinette's been so excited that you were coming to visit-it's been so long, Paris has changed so much. You won't believe what we go through."

"Oh, I believe it," Marie unwound a light scarf from her neck. "I heard about it on social media, saw it on the news, and I had to walk over the evidence on my way here from the hotel I'm staying at. Why on earth do you continue to live here?"

"This is home," Sabine said, shrugging. "It's a bit messy right now, but it's home."

"Also, the rest of the world refuses to have Parisian refugees because they believe we have some sort of curse on us," Tom offered as he exited the bakery. Marie laughed as she walked towards her younger brother.

"Some things never change," she smiled at his flour-covered appearance.

"This is the magazine," Marinette called as she entered the room again. "See? My design made the front page. And I got 700 euros as prize money."

"My dear, this is wonderful!" Marie studied the design with a critical eye as she pulled Marinette in for a hug.

"You really think so?"

"No wonder you won the prize," Marie smiled down at the young designer. "But, why are you not nearly as happy as I am? This design is beautiful, the concept is bold, the stitching is neat. What could possibly have you so down in the dumps?"

"Look for her name," Sabine suggested, handing Marie a home-made latte, and Marinette a hot chocolate. Marie winced. Hot chocolate was comfort food for all the Chengs. She skimmed the front page, but needed to look no further.

"This was an Agrests competition?" Marie's voice had changed, though she didn't mean for it to do so.

"Yeah. They have a bunch of contests, competitions, and workshop opportunities. They/re also one of the biggest fashion firms in the country. It would be stupid of me not to enter their contests."

Marie sighed and patted Marinette's shiny blue hair. It was so smooth and straight, the complete opposite of her own unmanageable brown curls. Her niece's eyes were so bright, so full of life and imagination. She really hadn't wanted to say this to her. She had been trying for years to find a better method, and easier method. Sometimes, such a path didn't exist.

"Cara, it seems that the time has come for me to tell you something." She tapped the seat next to her and Marinette sat next to her, looking at her expectantly. "Do you remember stories of when I was in design school? How at the end of the four years there was a competition I entered, along with everyone else who graduated that year?"

Marinette nodded her head. "I remember every story about design school you've ever told me," she said eagerly. "Even the ones you said I'd find boring-like the lecture about how textiles-"

Marie cut her off before Marinette could start rambling. "Yes, well, did I ever tell you that Gabriel Agreste was in my class?"

Marinette sat in silence for a moment, mouth agape. "What!?" She finally screeched. "You know Gabriel Agreste? And you never told me!?"

"No, I knew of Gabriel Agreste. Back then I suppose he was just Gabriel. He never went by Gabe, and if you knew him, you'd also agree that it would not work for him. Sorry, that was off topic. He entered the contest, same as I did. I spent days working on my design, and weeks perfecting my creation. It was a dress-a beautiful ballroom dress. I sewed over almost the entire thing to make the pattern I wanted onto the fabric. It was gorgeous-a dark, nearly blue dress, covered in lighter blue embroidery thread."

"Hey, that sounds like one of the earlier Agreste dresses," Marinette broke in. Marie's lips twitched downwards.

"Patience, dear. I spent hundreds of dollars on materials, and spent hours every day hunched over a sewing machine, careful not to ruin a single stitch. And when I was finished, I was positive I would win first place. So, I turned it in.

"As you can see, I didn't win. Gabriel did. I'm never one to be sore if I lose to someone who did better than me, so I decided to see what he had created. I was disgusted to see that it was my dress. I went to everyone around, all the judges, all the professors, all the students I could possibly think of to vouch for me. None of them would. They just thought I was sore about losing. Do you see where I'm going with this?"

"Always make sure to document that a design is mine and have witnesses to prove it?"

"Well, yes, that's a good idea, but my point was that a thief's son has a father who is also a thief."

"Ok, now you've completely lost me,"

"Oh, don't act vapid dear, stupid isn't attractive on anyone. It's like the old saying-the apple doesn't fall far from the tree."

Marinette paused, looking as if she was about to debate with her aunt, but then decided against it. "Ok, so you think Gabriel is a thief. Why would you bring up his son?"

"I read the tabloids," Marie said, "I know his son is attending your school. I also know your luck-I bet he's in your class." Marinette opened her mouth to say something, but Marie shook her head, "Don't say anything, just be aware, and be careful."

Tom slapped his thighs and stood up. "Well, that was a fascinating conversation." Marie made a face at him, but he ignored it. "Marinette, show your aunt to the nearest safety bunker. She'll need to know where it is in case there's an attack while she's here. Marie, I'll take your things up to the guest room."

That was that. The rest of the day was spent in relative peace, and Marie retired to bed early. She stayed for one week. Most of her time was spent in her niece's room, helping her alter designs, or gifting her with fabrics, dyes, and buttons to see her creations come to life. Marinette's closet was filled with designs-Marie nearly demanded Marinette throw her a fashion show. With each design, Marie grew more and more impressed. She still remembered the little girl who had been too frightened to attend kindergarten by herself. Marinette had refused to even leave the car. Marie had been there that day, and had wrapped her little neck in a hand-made scarf.

"There," she had said. "Now you must go to school." Her niece had looked at her, terribly confused. "Fashion is meant to be seen, cara," Marie had smiled. There's no point in wearing a new designer item if there is no one around to admire it."

That day, Marinette had decided she would be a fashion designer, like her aunt. Since then, Marie had made it a point to send her fabrics every few months, and to visit as often as she could. She would do anything to help Marinette with her passion and future career.

Marie stayed for a week, then had to return to her home near the coast of France. Marinette gifted her with a new coat she had made specifically for her. It was beautiful, and the fit was perfect. Marinette had a talent, and Marie wanted to see what she could do with the proper resources. She turned from her family and went back home.


"Cat Noir!" Ladybug called, dodging another strike from the Akuma. Her partner was out of her range of vision, but she knew that if she called, he would be there for her.

"What's-watch out!" His body slammed into her, and she watched as the Akuma stumbled back. It had been hit by a rubber bullet. She turned and glared at the police below. They paid her no mind. "They really need to focus on the bigger picture," he mumbled. "We're not on the force, but we can help them."

"They won't listen," Ladybug stood up. "They're still butt-hurt about what I said to them last time." She gazed at the Makara, thankful that it was a relatively small one. The Akuma, on the other hand, was getting to be more of a hassle than she would have liked.

"Let's leave the Makara to the police," Cat Noir said, still catching his breath from the fight. "The two of us can take on the Akuma." Ladybug nodded, and the two of them shot off towards the Akuma. It was big and pink. Its entire body was slimy, and it seemed to be the first Akuma whose magic contaminated more than just its hands. The slime dripped from all over its body and dripped onto the concrete. Whatever the slime touched seemed glued to the street. An officer had stepped in a pile and was still stuck there. A few of his fellow officers stood by him, ready to defend him against either the Akuma or the Makara. The Akuma looked like a slimy, hairless dog, and around its neck was a frill which reminded Marinette of a lion, but more snake-like. Covering its entire body were eyes-approximately eight billion of them. It was impossible to sneak up on, and dangerous to stay too close to. The cops had been trying to shoot the Akuma into exhaustion, but the slime had caught the bullets and rendered them useless. So far, the only things which had been able to touch the Akuma without getting stuck were Ladybug's yo-yo and Cat Noir's staff.

Ladybug once again attempted to wrap her yo-yo around the creature, but it was so slippery that the Akuma slipped out of her hold. Cat Noir attempted to hit the Akuma into a building, just to daze it for a second, but it dodged. What they needed was a net. A bit, weighted net. And possibly a can of pepper spray.

"Cat Noir!" She called out to her partner. "Keep it busy. I have to try something. And get some pepper spray!"

Before he could reply, she was off, running into an abandoned building. Days ago she had been complaining to her kwami, feeling jilted that Cat Noir had Cataclysm and a magical staff while she had a yo-yo. Tikki had told her that Cat Noir wasn't alone in his powers-that she had something, too. But it would take her time to charge it up.

"Ok, here goes," Ladybug muttered to herself, hating that she could hear the fighting outside the building and the ominous thuds of the Makara's footsteps, but she could do nothing to help. Well, she could, but it required her to step out of action for a while. How long? She had no idea.

"Lucky Charm!" Marinette cried out, and her hands started glowing, warming up. Tikki had said that the more vividly she imagined what she needed, the faster they would appear. She concentrated on the image of a giant, weighted net. She pictured it in her hands, flying through the air, covering the Akuma. She concentrated on the image so hard that she gave herself a headache. Then, the light dimmed, and in her hands was a net. Her earrings chimed ten times, letting her know that she had ten minutes to capture the Akuma before she had to leave the task to her partner. She ran out of the building, threw the net over her shoulder, and swung across a few telephone poles to join her partner.

"I thought you'd abandoned me," Cat Noir didn't seem like he was teasing. Marinette wondered just how long she'd been gone, but decided to think about that later.

"And make you deal with the cops by yourself? Even I'm not that cruel." She scanned the area, her eyesight surprisingly gray and fuzzy. Only one thing stood out to her-the lone surviving balcony of the block. "Get the Akuma to stand underneath that!" She pointed at the location, and then bounded to wait on top of it, holding the net at the ready. Her earrings chimed-seven minutes left.

Cat Noir, though new at the business of fighting Akuma and Makara, was a reliable partner. He antagonized the Akuma and led it to her as fast as he could. Likely, he knew she was on a time limit. He shouted at her, and she took that as a signal to throw the net. The Akuma screeched, and Marinette knew it was captured.

She jumped down just as Cat Noir had destroyed the Akuma's weak point-it looked like a round pin which people stuck on their backpacks or hairbands. Marinette threw her yo-yo up and purified the butterfly. The slime monster melted away, leaving a large pile of slime. In the center was a terrified Mylene. Marinette blinked. She wasn't close to Mylene-the two girls had hardly exchanged a dozen words with each other since they had met-but it was still uncomfortable to know that someone she had been acquainted with had been an Akuma. Cat Noir leaned down and offered her a hand.

"Are you alright?" he asked. She didn't answer, and Cat Noir didn't appear to care. "You should go home,"

"No, you should first give your statement to the police," Marinette corrected. "They'll want to hear about what you were doing before you were Akumatized." Cat Noir rolled his eyes.

"Like that'll help them at all."

Marinette shrugged. She didn't write the procedure, she just followed it. Her earrings chimed, and Marinette knew she had to get out of there. She turned to swing away, but was intercepted by a policewoman.

"You need to save Officer Marseille," she said succinctly, not sparing Mylene a single glance. She then turned, as if expecting the two superheroes to follow her. Marinette frowned, turned, and swung away. Her arms ached, and her head pounded, but she was proud; she had finally used her power, and for once, she and her partner had gotten through a fight without getting in each other's way somehow. If only the police would learn to leave them alone. Marinette was sure that the policewoman had told her to free Officer Marseille because she knew neither of the heroes could do such a thing-neither of them were able to undo the damage caused by either the Akuma or the Makara. She had no intention of being ridiculed by the media for being unable to help the officer when she had been essential in capturing and purifying the Akuma.

Cat Noir was left on the scene. Ladybug had said that even she wasn't cruel enough to leave him to deal with the police alone. Evidently, she had changed her mind about that. He sighed as he once again tried to leverage the officer out of the slime. It was, truly, impossible, and Cat Noir needed to leave soon or he would detransform.

"I need to leave," he straightened. "This is impossible, just take off your pants and your shoes, and you'll be free." Before the cops could, once again, hound him and keep him from leaving, Cat Noir extended the staff and raced off into the night.


(Officer Marseille had been incredibly lucky that his shoe and edge of his pant cuffs had been caught in a small puddle. He had walked home that day, with no pants and one less shoe. A few days later, a scientist was sent to sample the puddles to try and determine anything he could about the Akuma. He had chosen a larger puddle, had gotten stuck in the pile, and was sucked in. The fire department had showed up, so had Cat Noir and Ladybug. No one had been able to figure out how to save the man. He died, and days later there was no evidence of his existence.

The city of Paris decided that there was too much risk in studying the slime, and instead worked to clean the road. Unfortunately, the puddles of slime proved to be impossible to clean. Any time a city worker tried to mop or brush the puddles away, their tool had been sucked into the puddle and then dissolved over the next few days. Eventually, the city of Paris closed off that neighborhood to the general public.)