I Do Not Own Miraculous or Avatar.
Chapter Fifty-Four: What Adrien and Mari Did During Sokka's Master...
"So… Sokka does know you know how to use a sword right?" Marinette asked, glancing up to were Sokka had gone to train.
"Uh… I am actually not sure. I told Zuko I practiced swordplay, but I don't think Sokka realizes. I mean, I bought a Katana while we were shopping earlier so I thought he would have noticed but…" Marinette giggled.
"Boys can be so clueless sometimes."
"Surely I'm not." Adrien scoffed.
"Oh no Kitty, you are the king of clueless boys." She said, leaning forwards.
"Whatever… I mean… you'd think he'd noticed my skills with a sword by now! I was training you the entire time we were on that ship while Aang was out of it and I've been sparring you every time we land, but… I mean, if he really doesn't want to learn from me, but rather some random Fire Nation swordsman, that's fine. I'm not offended at all." He complained, crossing his arms.
"Well, I think for once you are lucky. Sokka using a sharp object he hasn't been trained in since boyhood in fencing lessons against you? I feel like that is a poor choice for the both of you."
"But he has potential Marinette! He knows how to use a boomerang, a machete, and even a club! The guy is a jack of all trades an is good at whatever weapon he picks up! He's great at adapting in battle and actually knows how to use real weapons unlike the benders who rely more on their bending than weapons. I mean, I guess bending requires discipline and training too, but Sokka still is a great adapter! I would have been honored to teach him!" Adrien said, motioning helplessly. Marinette laughed and put her hand on his shoulder.
"Don't worry Adrien, you can still be my teacher." She teased.
"Oh, milady, you don't know what that means to me." Adrien said with a grin before leaning in to kiss her.
"Ugh! Will you two get a room already?" Plagg suddenly complained, interrupting their kiss. Adrien and Marinette both groaned. They had been trying for days to get away and go on a date, and now that Sokka wasn't there to gives them the 'you two are the oldest and must be responsible leaders of the camp along with me' speech, they were free to ditch the others for the day while Sokka did his training with the master. Sokka might've been insanely goofy, odd, and outright weird at times, but he took his job as on of the big responsible men of the group a tad too seriously. Only Tikki and Plagg had apparently made sport of interrupting the duo anytime they moved in for any kiss. Even pecks on the cheek were interrupted. So far, the score was Tikki ten and Plagg six. Tikki was in the lead by four and was the one neither Adrien or Marinette could seem to stay mad at for interrupting.
"Plagg! Don't you and Tikki have better things to do with yourselves? Just admit she won and go away and play tag or something." Adrien complained.
"No! I will not let that vile villainess disguised as my counterpart defeat me in this war! Besides kid, I've already put effort into this one, so I can't quit. That's like asking me to quit eating cheese!" Plagg replied.
"I knew we should have left you two at camp. For being ancient beings that are full of infinite wisdom, you two can be very immature." Adrien complained. Tikki popped up from behind Marinette.
"We might be old and wise, but we do get bored. It's good to have a little fun every once and awhile." Tikki said with a giggle.
"Well, that's exactly what we are trying to do right now, hang out and go on a real date for once, but you two keep interrupting! There are other ways to have fun without bothering Adrien and I." Marinette scolded..
"So what if there are other things we could be doing. This is by far the most entertaining." Plagg cackled. Adrien groaned.
"Scram you two. Well call for you later. Tikki won, the game is over. Get out of here." He said, playfully shooing the Kwamis away. The tiny spirits laughed before flying off to do who knew what.
"They do love us you know." Marinette said thoughtfully as she watched the Kwami's go.
"Yeah I know," Adrien admitted, "But they have weird ways of showing it. So… how did you like that meteor shower last night?"
"It was awesome. I was sad Toph couldn't see it, but the meteor landing right in front of us was really cool… even if we ended up having to help put out all the fires it caused.
"Yeah, I didn't even know it was possible for a meteorite that size to hit the earth without more collateral damage. I mean, that thing was big. The physics of it!" Adrien waved his hands in the air to empathize his point. Marinette laughed.
"You and your physics, Kitty." She chuckled. They sat there in silence for a while, admiring the view.
"Milady, what will happen when this is all over?" Adrien asked his girlfriend. She cocked her head to the side, staring at him in confusion.
"What do you mean?"
"I mean… we have to tell the team the truth about where we came from. They have a right to know, because when the winter solstice comes… we will never see them again and I at least want them to understand why we had to go back. Even though I almost wish we didn't have to leave." He hung his head, fingering the bread in his hands sadly.
"What do you mean you wish we didn't have to go? Paris is our home. I know that we have friends here but-"
"Milady, I hated my life in Paris." Adrien said, "I was alone there. My father was a monster. I was forced to model and follow rules and schedules that I didn't agree with. There, I was just Adrien Agreste, son of Gabriel, or I was Cat Noir, Ladybug's sidekick. I know you and I are equals and I know father loves me, but I am so afraid… afraid that when we go back, things will return to the way they used to be and I don't want that." Marinette looked at her partner with empathy.
"I won't let that happen, Kitty. I'm almost seventeen and when we get back, there will be a little bit of school left before we will graduate… assuming this whole thing hasn't completely messed up our school records and prevented that. We'll apply for colleges and you can study physics like you've always dreamed. I can work for your father at Gabriel's and everything will be perfect. And we will be together. You'll be my kitty and I'll be your lady. Things will change, Kitty. I promise. Your bad luck streak is over. I'm here now, and I will never leave your side." Marinette promised.
"And what if the war doesn't end with the invasion or the comet? What if it keeps going even past the winter solstice? What then? Milady, I can't leave this place know people are suffering. I doubt you could either, no matter how much you miss your parents. It just isn't us. What if we are stuck here for years? What if when we get back, everything we ever had is gone? What if we ended up deciding to make a life here? What if we made one there? What if me Jinxing us keeps us here for the rest of our lives? What if it puts us back in Paris where everything is different? What if me Jinxing us is the only reason this war is still happening and why it didn't end with Aang defeating Azula in Ba Sing Se? What if all of this is my fault? What if Paris is cursed because of what I did? What if Zuko chose his father because of something I said? What if Zuko's father starts to hurt him just like when Zuko was banished? What if one of the team dies? Is this my fault Milady?" Marinette reeled back, baffled. Adrien was blaming himself for all the bad things that had happened lately? But why?
"Adrien, you don't know that-"
"Marinette, I do though. After I woke up from the battle against Hawkmoth, Plagg described to me in full detail exactly why the Jinx power was forbidden. Milady, it insures our victory against the enemy, yes. I do believe Hawkmoth has lost, yes. But not because of any bad luck. It was because father chose our side out of his free will. So, what happened to all that negative energy unleashed by my powers when I used Jinx? It transported us into a war torn world, yes, and it has followed me everywhere since. The loss at Ba Sing Se? Me being hunted by the Dai Li while stuck on crutches for an entire month? Meeting Zuko, but never being able to change his heart? Jet dying? Azula getting into the city? Marinette. I think it's all my fault. It has been nothing but one bad thing after another has happened to me since I got here. I think it gets better, yes, but then as soon as I think the Jinx has ended something else happens. I thought it was over when I found you. I thought it was over when father handed me his Miraculous and told me he was done. I thought it was over now, when I decided to sneak off with you for a date… but Marinette… what if it isn't? What if using this forbidden power follows me for the rest of my life?" Marinette put her hand on his shoulder, wrapping her partner into a hug.
"This isn't your fault Adrien. Bad things happen to good people all the time. Jinx or no Jinx. You are an amazing person and it hurts me that you think that this was your fault. We can't say what would have happened here if we'd never come or if you hadn't used that power, but we can focus too much on it. All that matters now is winning, no matter what our luck says. And Adrien? We will win. I know it. I don't know if we will win the invasion or win after or even before. I don't know if it will take years before we go home, but we will do it. And then when we do, I know everything will get better because it has too. After all that you've been through… all we've been through, things only have to get better from here. Do you understand?" Adrien stiffened.
"Yes, Milady, I understand. But we still need to tell them. They have a right to know, Jinx or no Jinx."
"We will, when it's time to. But not yet. They don't need to worry about us leaving with so much going on. But, I promise we will tell them everything."
"And you always keep your promises." He whispered, clinging to her hands. He leaned in an started to kiss her when they were interrupted.
"Hey love birds!" They pulled away instantly, expecting to scold Tikki or Plagg but it was neither. It was Toph, who attempted to glare at them with her unfocused eyes but was failing to actually meet their stares.
"Toph, why aren't you at camp?" Marinette asked.
"Sokka came back and was a little annoyed you two ran off. He wants help with a project. Something about helping him move the giant space rock that smashed into the Earth yesterday up to his master's place. You interested?"
"Uh, what was he planning to do with that?"
"Something about a space sword." Toph shrugged, "I honestly don't know." Adrien's expression slackened.
"He's is going to make an epic space sword? Oh my gosh this feels like something out of my comic books. Come on Mari! We have to help!"
"But what about the date?"
"Worry about that later Milady! There are space swords to be made!"
"Oh my gosh Adrien, you are such a dork."
"But you love me." He said with a wild grin.
"... yeah, I guess I do. Let's go." She got up to follow Adrien when he got a distant look in his eyes.
"Do you think this would be a good time to tell Sokka I know how to use a sword?" He asked. She burst into laughter.
"Come on you dork." She giggled.