One Day After the Battle
Marinette was helping her parents move their suitcases into the Gabriel Fashion apartment that had been provided for them when her flip phone buzzed.
[Kagami] I have something for you. Where should we meet?
[Ladybug] Meet Chat Noir and I at the Louvre tomorrow at 3, will that work?
[Kagami] Will do. See you then.
Marinette put her phone away and carried one of Sabine's suitcases into the bedroom, where her mother was admiring the furnishings. "I can't believe how luxurious this place is! It will be nice to settle down and not worry about where we're staying while we figure out how to get back on our feet. Oh, Marinette… just put the suitcase up on the bed here. Let me get this envelope out of the way. Tom! You left an envelope on the bed!" She picked up a white envelope that had the T&S Boulangerie logo on the front of it.
Tom entered from the adjoining bathroom. "That's not mine! I didn't have an envelope. Besides… we don't have monogrammed stationery like that. I wonder where it's from?"
Sabine opened it, extracted the piece of paper, and read it. Halfway through, her hand clapped over her mouth. She read the letter twice, then handed it to Tom, who read aloud:
Dear Tom and Sabine,
Please accept this gift on behalf of the Agreste Foundation as we work to restore the recent damage to our community. While the Agreste Foundation has a worldwide reach, Paris, and the 21st arrondissement, will always be our home. Your bakery is a cornerstone of this neighborhood, and we would all be the worse for wear without it.
Best wishes,
Gabriel Agreste
P.S. Please contact me if you need a list of contractors. I know people who do excellent work.
A check for a sizeable amount was taped to the letter.
"Honey… we'll not only be able to rebuild with this… we'll be able to get better equipment, and possibly even expand to a second location! I can't believe it!" Tom wiped his eyes and blinked at the letter.
"Who would have thought that Gabriel Agreste was so generous? I didn't even know he was aware of our bakery… now he puts our family up and offers to help us rebuild? Something must have happened."
Marinette ran over and hugged her parents. "People can change," she smiled.
Emilie and Adrien stood in front of the gallery of portraits in Gabriel's atelier. "I can't believe how much you've grown in the past two years," Emilie said, resting her hands on Adrien's shoulders. "Look at you! My little boy… growing up!"
"You're still as beautiful as ever, Mother," Adrien replied shyly.
"Adrien…" Emilie took a deep breath. "It's been a long time for you, but for me it only feels like a couple of days. I might look like the same person I was, but… we should probably get to know each other again."
Adrien shrugged, unconvinced.
Emilie started to speak, then stopped. She took a breath. "Why don't we do something together? What do you like to do? What have you been doing?"
"Well… I've competed on the school video game team! I'm playing with a friend's band at a concert next weekend!" He fidgeted with his ring. "I've…won some fencing competitions," he trailed off lamely. "Father's been keeping me busy with fencing, piano, and Chinese lessons. Between all that and school… I really haven't had time for much."
Emilie leaned down and looked in Adrien's eyes. "Well, we're going to have to change that. Why don't you show me that video game for starters?"
"Really? You mean it?" Adrien blinked.
"Absolutely. Come on and show me what you've got!" She grabbed Adrien's hand and led him to his bedroom.
Two Days After the Battle
Marinette and Adrien were finishing up lunch at the Agreste house. "Ready for another round of Ultimate Mecha Strike III, Bug? Or would you rather try your hand at Halo?"
Marinette laughed and shook her head. "We're meeting Kagami in a bit, remember. Let's get there a little bit early and take in the sights. Shall we?" She offered her hand and they went to his bedroom, where they transformed and leaped out the window toward the Louvre.
They perched themselves on top of the pyramid, waved at admirers, and posed for photos together until Kagami arrived. They leaped down and met her. "How have you been?" Ladybug asked.
"Things have been better, but I'm picking up the pieces. Slowly. And speaking of picking up the pieces, I found something at the house that might be of interest to you." She extended her hand, revealing a dark blue brooch in the shape of a peacock.
"You found it!" Ladybug exclaimed. "Thank you!" She took the Peacock Miraculous and placed it in her yo-yo. She burst forth to give Kagami a hug, but thought better of it and let her hands fall to her side.
Kagami smiled. "It's OK, I don't bite." She reached out and gave Ladybug a hug. Before letting it go, she murmured in Ladybug's ear "Are you taking my advice?"
"Yes, very much. I'm treating him well, don't worry." Ladybug responded with a shy whisper.
"Good. Because if I hear anything different…" she broke the hug, leaned back, and cracked her knuckles. Ladybug's eyes widened.
"What are your plans now, Kagami?" Chat Noir asked.
"I'm going to stay in Paris. Master Dargencourt has an opening on the faculty of his fencing school and I've applied. If he doesn't accept me, then he'll have to accept a little competition. How does the 'Mori Fencing Academy' sound?"
"Not the Tsurugi Academy?" Chat wondered.
"No… my grandfather's name was Mori. The more I distance myself from my mother's name, the more I distance myself from her actions. By using my grandfather's name, I hope to restore honor to it."
"Well… good luck with it, then. Who knows, maybe you'll get a certain black cat as one of your star students." Chat struck a fencing pose and mimed some basic moves.
"Perhaps…" Kagami grinned. "You two are welcome anytime. Stay in touch." She looked at Ladybug, who gulped. "I mean it." Kagami waved goodbye and disappeared into the crowd.
"Want to race to the top of the Tower, for old time's sake, Bug?"
"Actually… how about to the Pont des Arts?" Ladybug nudged Chat playfully.
Chat grabbed his heart and swooned theatrically. "My Lady, I thought you'd never ask!" Before Ladybug could respond, he was off in the direction of the Pont.
Ladybug shook her head and leisurely jogged after him. I'll let him win… this time. When she arrived at the bridge, Chat leaned in with a very Chat Noir smile on his face. Ladybug pushed him away by his nose. "Not yet, Kitty. And not in public, at any rate. If Kagami finds out I'm smooching you, she'll have my hide!" She giggled at Chat's confused expression and looked out over the Seine. Her voice turned serious. "I've been thinking… your father's assistant hasn't been doing well, has she?"
Chat frowned. "No, she hasn't. She's been sick and getting progressively worse ever since she used the Peacock Miraculous on Heroes Day. According to Father, it's the same thing that happened to Mother. I hope Nathalie doesn't wind up like that. She was stern, but she had her moments. I think deep down, she really cared for Father and me."
Ladybug replied optimistically, "Let's see what we can do about that, Kitty. We've not even read half of the grimoire… I wonder if there's something that we haven't seen yet. I'll teach you the code."
"You can do that? I mean, that's some serious Guardian stuff; I'd hate to intrude upon that."
"It's the Guardian's prerogative who she wants to teach. And, besides… it's kind of your right to know, anyway," she mumbled, pinking.
"My right to know? What do you mean?" Chat looked at Ladybug curiously.
Ladybug took a deep breath. I can do this. "Each Guardian has a companion to help guide and advise them. Miss Lenoir was that companion for Master Fu. The companion should be kept in the loop on all things so they can best assist the Guardian, even though the final responsibility rests on the Guardian's shoulders."
"Bug…" Chat leaned forward and smiled in a way that reminded Ladybug of her first day back at school after Troublemaker attacked. "Are you asking me to be your companion?"
She blushed deeper. "It's more than that, Kitty… the Miracle Box protects the life of the Guardian and prolongs it. It's how Master Fu was so old. It's… also how Marianne Lenoir was so old. The Miracle Box protects the Guardian and their companion until a new Guardian is chosen."
"So… in theory... I could be your companion forever?" Chat rubbed the back of his neck and looked at Ladybug with hope in his eyes.
Ladybug lowered her head. "You don't have to. This is a big decision, Kitty, and we're only like fifteen… I don't want you to have to plan out the rest of your life just yet."
"Are you kidding me?" Chat bounced giddily on his feet, then grabbed Ladybug by the waist and swung her in a jubilant circle. "I've been chasing Ladybug for how long now, and I get to be with her forever? Where do I sign up?!"
Ladybug shook her head. "I'll try to make you not regret that statement." She kissed her finger and booped him on the nose. "Now, about that code…"
Three Days After the Battle
"Don't be bemused, it's just the news. Nadja Chamack here from the Agreste mansion, where we understand that a press conference is about to be held. Here is Mayor André Bourgeois at the lectern."
The camera shifted to the podium, where Mayor Bourgeois was already speaking. "...investigation has been carrying on for two years into the whereabouts of Emilie Agreste. We are pleased to inform the public of a significant breakthrough in the case. As much as I love the spotlight, I feel that it would be inappropriate for anyone else to deliver this particular news." He stepped aside from the podium, and a slender blonde wearing a white pantsuit made her way to the microphone. Flashbulbs popped and an excited murmur swept through the crowd.
Emilie Agreste held up her hands to quiet the noise. "First off, my family and I want to thank everybody for their well-wishes and concern over the past twenty-four months. While we ask that you respect our family's privacy, I feel that we owe the people of Paris an explanation as to my whereabouts and my sudden reappearance. A new role I was researching took me to the Far East, where I planned on spending time getting to know some of the local people. However, I was on caravan one day and we were attacked by local militant insurgents. I spent the next few months convalescing as best as I could in a makeshift prison, while also being forced to attend to the wounded of the insurgents. It was only with the greatest of luck that I was able to recently free myself and return to Paris.
"I wish to retire from public life for the time being and focus on my family and the family business, both of which I have missed dearly. My dear husband Gabriel and sweet son Adrien have been through so much without me, and we need to spend some time getting acquainted again. If I do decide to return to the public eye, the people of my beloved city will be the first to know. Thank you. No questions, please." Emilie smiled politely and left the podium.
The camera cut back to Nadja. "That was Emilie Agreste, announcing her shocking return to Paris after a two-year absence. What will this mean for the Agreste family? What will this mean for Gabriel Fashion? We'll have all the details tonight on Face to Face."
Four Days After the Battle
Adrien was searching the grimoire while Marinette moved the old gramophone onto the table by Adrien's couch. "We need to find a better place for this until my parents finish rebuilding and I can move this back to my bedroom," she wheezed. "I had no idea how heavy this thing was; I only ever moved it as Ladybug."
She sat down on the couch and pressed the buttons on the gramophone to expose the Miracle Box. She opened it and removed the Snake and Pheasant Miraculous, summoning Sass and Giichi. "At your service, Guardian," Sass bowed.
"How are things going with Giichi and the other kwamis?" Marinette asked.
"I believe that Giichi is being very well-received. Already he has settled a dispute between some of the more restless kwamis. He has been a fine addition."
"That's good to hear, Sass." She turned to Giichi. "You are still on probation, but I have no reason to believe right now that it will not end well. Thank you for making the effort to fit in." She held out a fist, and Giichi bumped it with his hand.
"It's my pleasure, Guardian. My only experience with another kwami has been with Namma. Spending time with kwamis of more positive concepts has done me good. Although, the kwamis of Mischief and Illusion seem to want to make sure I am on my toes all the time. We'll get used to each other eventually."
"I'll have a talk with them. Thank you,Giichi. Sass, how is Duusu faring?"
"She is doing better. Her… interactions… with Peacock Miraculous holders while it was damaged strained her, but she is adjusting to life amongst the kwamis again. As the Miraculous was damaged, she couldn't return to the Miracle Box while the Peacock Miraculous was dormant and outside of the Box. Nevertheless, she is an old friend and we are all happy to see her again."
"That's excellent news, Sass; thanks. Oh!... please remind the other kwamis that it's movie night in one week." Marinette smiled.
"I hope it's not another superhero movie," Sass groaned. "How do people even get powers without kwamis?"
"Tikki told me that the last time you got to choose a movie, Sass, you insisted on watching all the snake scenes from Indiana Jones and would fast-forward everything else except the kissing parts."
"I know what I like," the kwami shrugged.
Marinette shook her head good-naturedly and returned the two Miraculous to the Miracle Box. When she shut it, Adrien called out, "You'll want to see this, Bug. I think I might be onto something." She walked over and put her hands on his shoulders, then leaning over him brought her arms across his chest. He stretched his head to kiss her on the cheek. "Let me know if I'm reading this code correctly: Magical injuries from Miraculous, if caught early enough, can be healed through the following potion. If the injured cannot drink, then only the Wish can save them. Here is the recipe…"
Five Days After the Battle
Nathalie opened her eyes slowly to find Gabriel Agreste, Ladybug, and Chat Noir standing over her bed. She gasped and made a low moaning noise.
"It's OK, Nathalie," Gabriel said. "They're here to help you. Drink this." He held out a small glass with a glowing red liquid in it.
Nathalie looked at the two superheroes suspiciously, but took the glass from her employer and slowly drank the contents. Her eyes opened wide and the color returned quickly to her once sallow face. She bolted upright, choking coughs racking her body. Chat nervously patted her on the back until the coughing subsided.
"Are you OK, Miss Sancoeur?" Ladybug asked, holding out a glass of water.
Nathalie took it gratefully and drank. "What… what happened? I've heard whispers, but I've been out of it for what feels like weeks now. Where is Serket? Why are Ladybug and Chat Noir here?"
"We have a lot to fill you in on, Nathalie," Gabriel said. The door opened behind him and Emilie entered. Nathalie raised her hand slowly, pointing at Emilie. Ladybug and Chat Noir excused themselves quietly while the three others talked.
Six Days After the Battle
Adrien looked at the people seated at the table where he had too often dined alone. Gabriel Agreste sat at the head of the table, with Emilie on the other end. Adrien and Marinette each sat on one side of the table.
"To our first dinner together as a family in years," Gabriel said, raising his glass.
"And to many more," Emilie responded, raising hers.
Adrien and Marinette raised their glasses and smiled. Adrien winked at Marinette, who blushed and spilled a bit of her water in response.
Seven Days After the Battle
Gabriel and Emilie were standing in the boardroom of Gabriel Fashion. Audrey Bourgeois, attending via teleconference, spoke from a television affixed to the wall. "Due to Tomoe Tsurugi's utterly ridiculous actions as Serket and subsequent imprisonment, she has been removed from the Board of Directors for Gabriel Fashion. As the sole remaining Board member, I have the privilege to reinstate Gabriel Agreste to the Board. And with that taken care of, I nominate Emilie Agreste to serve on the Board of Directors as well. Do I have a second?"
"Seconded," Gabriel said, grinning. He reached over and squeezed Emilie's hand.
"All in favor?"
"Aye!" Gabriel and Audrey said in unison.
"Mrs. Agreste, welcome aboard. And welcome back," Audrey smiled tenderly. "You were always such an inspiration for Gabriel in so many things; I know that you will inspire him to heights he could only dream of reaching otherwise."
Emilie blushed. "Thank you, Mrs. Bourgeois. We've always been grateful for your support."
"You have it one hundred percent. Good luck to you both," she said before the image winked out.
Gabriel turned to his right and took Emilie's other hand in his. He looked into her eyes and smiled. "I still can't believe you're back. After all this time… it's amazing."
"What's amazing is that you still look at me like it's the first time you laid eyes on me. Thank you for not giving up," Emilie said. "I know you were in a pretty bad place for a while… how are you doing?"
"You ask me that every day, and I should be the one asking you. I don't know how I've been so lucky to get my family back. Adrien had every right to disown me for what I did to him. You had every right to disown me for what I did in your name. And yet, here we are." He ran his thumbs along her cheekbones.
Emilie reached down and fingered the fragment of scarlet ribbon that Gabriel had pinned to his lapel. "I wish there were a way to thank Ladybug and Chat Noir properly for what they did for us. Do you think we'll ever see them again?"
"Time will tell, Emilie. If the need for the Miraculous arises, you can bet they'll both be there."
Ten Days After the Battle
Jagged Stone clutched a microphone and shouted: "Ladies and Gentlemen, please welcome our final act of the competition, Kitty Section!"
The familiar chords of their song I Love Unicorns played. Marinette admired her handiwork: in addition to Adrien and Luka's outfits, Juleka and Rose were wearing matching black outfits with pink detailing, and Ivan was wearing a black outfit with dark red detailing. As soon as the song ended, Rose stepped up to the microphone. "This is our newest song. Featuring on lead vocal… Luka Couffaine!"
Although everyone was looking at Luka, Marinette couldn't help but watch Adrien. She watched him play the keyboard in his black and green outfit and wondered how she didn't see how much he looked like Chat before. Despite her daydreaming, the lyrics Luka sang made their way to her ears:
Falling away, crumbling apart
I scream to you just how I feel, but only in my heart
Faded pictures of yesterday flash before my eyes
As we bid farewell…
A single tear of regret floated down her face. It was for the best… Luka will always hold a special place in my heart for teaching me about love and how to be loved. Without him, I don't think I would be the person I am today. He helped me break out from my fangirl-with-a-crippling-crush phase and helped me see Adrien for who he truly was: the love of my life! I just hope Luka can forgive me someday. She looked over at the crowd, where Chloe Bourgeois was standing there, seemingly enraptured with Luka. Do you think…? Nah, she decided. Her eyes drifted over to Anarka Couffaine, who was looking at Marinette, scowling. Marinette quickly looked at the ground and shuffled her feet a bit.
The music stopped and the crowd burst into thunderous applause. Jagged Stone hopped up onto the stage. "Listen to that cheering! This is the loudest I have ever heard a crowd, aside from my own concerts, of course. Based on the applause and the opinion of Fang, I hereby declare Kitty Section to be the winner of the Battle of the Bands! You guys are totally rock-and-roll!"
Later that evening, Marinette and Adrien were back at Adrien's house. Adrien was still in his Kitty Section costume, having spent most of the afternoon posing for pictures with fans. Marinette lounged in her favorite Jagged Stone t-shirt, now autographed by Jagged himself, and a pair of jeans.
Marinette was looking at a picture of Marianne Lenoir on her phone. "You know, Kitty… we have some unfinished business."
"What's that, Bug?"
Marinette hummed. "That envelope I gave you… you never opened it, did you?"
"Nope. I still have it here in my desk."
"And I have the envelope Master Fu left for me in the Miracle Box. What do you say we celebrate the Kitty Section victory today?"
Adrien faced Marinette with concern. "Are you sure you want to do this?"
"Adrien, if we don't do it tonight, I'm not sure we ever will." She went to the gramophone, opened it, and retrieved the yellow envelope. "See?" she grinned, showing it to Adrien. "Still sealed."
Adrien opened his desk drawer and got the pink envelope out. Flipping it around to show Marinette, he said, "Mine too."
"On the count of three, then? One…"
"...two…"
"...THREE!" they said in unison, and tore open the envelopes.
"You first," she said to Adrien, who smiled, shrugged, and pulled out a folded piece of pink paper.
He read:
Kitty, you're reading this because you either need to or want to know who I am. I'm trusting you with my biggest secret. You've earned it. My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng, and I'm a student at the Collège Françoise Dupont in the 21st arrondissement. I hope this is happy news for you. All my love. /(%)\
He blinked back some tears. "You signed it with 'all your love'! See, my Lady did love me!" He giggled, then stopped suddenly. "Wait a second… I know that handwriting! I wasn't sure before, but this confirms it!" he rummaged in his desk and pulled out another pink sheet of paper in the shape of a heart. "Your valentine I will be, our love will be so true, together for eternity, my heart belongs to you." He looked up at Marinette, who was blushing and staring at the floor. "You loved me! You've always loved me. My valentine, my Lady… the love of my life… all the same person!" Adrien's voice shook with joy.
"You're right, Adrien… I've always loved you. I just never knew how to say it."
"You just did," he leaned over and kissed her. "OK, your turn. What's your envelope say?"
Marinette extracted the white piece of paper from the yellow envelope, took a deep breath, unfolded it, and read:
Dearest Ladybug,
You have trained well as Guardian. You know that your responsibilities involve knowing who all of the Miraculous holders are. You know all of them except for Chat Noir, and you know that opening this envelope will tell you who your beloved cat is.
The Ladybug and Black Cat holders over the years have been partners, friends, lovers, and sometimes even sworn enemies. But no matter what else they are, they are always two halves of a whole, fated to be together in some capacity for the rest of their lives.
If you are looking for a name, you will not find it here. Your heart knows who your true soulmate and companion is. It is that soulmate who holds the Black Cat Miraculous. Love him. Cherish him. Depend on him. He will need you as much as you will need him.
"Soulmates, huh?" Adrien whispered, the ghost of a Chat Noir-esque grin flitting across his face.
"Two halves of a whole, fated to be together," Marinette whispered back, smiling.
Adrien reached up and moved a piece of Marinette's hair away from her face, tucking it behind her ear. He tenderly cupped her face with his hand and their lips met in a delicate kiss. Adrien rested his forehead on Marinette's, his green eyes gazing into her misty blue eyes. He kissed her again and breathed, "Forever."