Let's Take It From The Top, Chapter 10: The Song in Your Heart
Marinette opened her eyes, partly under protest, and smacked her alarm clock with one hand to quiet it. At least it's Friday, she thought. She peeked into the bathroom to make sure that Adrien wasn't in it, then into the spare room to see if Adrien was in it... neither was occupied, so she went back to her room, gathered her things and took a quick morning shower.
It helped wake her the rest of the way up, as much as anything was going to at that moment. After dressing for school, she padded downstairs and plopped down at the kitchen table, getting a smile from her mother. "Long night?" Sabine asked.
"Not long enough," Marinette replied, sleepily. "Nothing that bad, just lots to think about. Is Adrien down helping Dad?"
"He should be back soon, actually; he ran out to the store for a few things. He asked your father if he could be excused briefly, and explained, 'I have officially run out of underwear.' That qualifies as an emergency."
"You mean Dad didn't have any that would fit him?" giggled Marinette, mentally comparing her father's bulk to Adrien's teenage model's frame.
"Well, they'd fit him... but they'd fit another Adrien in the other pantleg," smirked Sabine. "I told him he's welcome to use our laundry room, of course, but since he really only had one pair when he got here..."
"...it never hurts to have backup plans. Got it," Marinette said.
Sabine sipped her tea and poured a cup for her daughter, then asked, "How long do you think he'll be staying with us?"
"That's kind of up to you, isn't it?" answered Marinette, then added, "I know that he's not gone from home. His father wants him back, and Adrien knows he belongs there. I think he mostly needed a few days to clear his head, after..."
Watching Marinette trail off, Sabine asked, "...What was it that did happen? Do you know?"
"We talked for a long time last night. I do know... and like I said to Dad about a certain other topic, it's kind of his secret to tell, not mine. I think it's something they can patch up." Marinette stirred her tea for a moment, then said, "And I do want to help if I can, and I think I can... but I don't want to just shove my way into it, you know?"
"Family things are hard sometimes. I'm glad that we've never had a blowout like that," Sabine agreed. "But I think there isn't much you couldn't get Adrien to agree to, if you asked him."
"You think so?" asked Marinette, a trifle surprised.
"Well, I can't speak for him, honey," smiled Sabine. "I can't read his mind, and some things need to be said face-to-face." Her eyes danced as she watched Marinette imagine just what those things might be. "But I know that YOU know that he thinks the world of you, Marinette. You were there for him in a really tough time, and he appreciates that so much."
She noted Marinette's slowly reddening face. "Anything else I should know about?" she teased.
Shyly, Marinette admitted, "I think he nearly kissed me last night."
"And do you want him to?" Sabine asked, knowingly.
The degree of redness reached candy apple, saying out loud what Marinette didn't.
"Oh, time will tell," Sabine drawled, letting Marinette off the hook. "Don't be late for school, now."
As she walked to school, Marinette pondered how to handle a number of things. I do think I know one way that I could ease some tensions, she thought. It's a little risky, but it might lower the alarm levels a bit without giving away Adrien's secrets.
She fell in with her girlfriends as she reached the front of the school. "Normal speed today, I see?" Alya greeted her.
"So far," agreed Marinette. "Though I reserve the right to sprint later if I need to."
They entered the classroom and settled in with a few minutes to spare before the opening bell, a certain seat in the front row still obviously empty. Marinette wrestled with her conscience for a moment... then stood up and approached Ms. Bustier, who was at her desk arranging her lesson plan.
"Hi, Marinette! Can I help you with something?" she asked, brightly.
"Can... I talk to you in private for just a minute, Ms. Bustier?" Marinette asked, a little nervously. "It'll just take a second."
"Sure," her teacher told her, motioning for Marinette to join her out in the hallway. "Step into my office."
Once there and out of eavesdropping range, Marinette swallowed hard... and said, "Ms. Bustier... I wanted to let you know that I've heard from Adrien."
Her teacher's eyes widened a bit, but her voice remained low and steady. "I see... how long ago?" she asked.
"Last night," Marinette began. I have to be careful with my story here... I can't give away too much, but I don't want to get caught in a lie, either. "He's staying with a friend, he told me, and he's healthy and safe. He didn't tell me which friend, or where." Which is technically true, she thought, since he wouldn't tell me that he's staying with me!
"Could you reach him again, if you wanted to?" asked Ms. Bustier.
"I could try, but I don't know if he'd answer. He contacted me; I can't, like, snap my fingers and make him show up or anything, I still don't know him that well. I just know you'd asked us to pass it on if we heard anything... so that's what I'm doing. You can let his father know that Adrien's in one piece and has a roof over his head, so he won't worry quite as much." Marinette tried to hide her nervousness, hoping that her teacher wouldn't see straight through her. "Don't make a big deal of it, please. I want to respect Adrien's wishes, but I can also only imagine how his father must feel with him gone."
"I won't. Thank you for telling me, Marinette," Ms. Bustier smiled. "It's very sweet of you to be concerned about him AND his father. I'll pass on that someone in my class heard from him and not name you specifically, if you want me to do it that way."
"That might be best," Marinette agreed. "I do hope he'll be back with us soon."
"Me too," her teacher agreed. "Let's get back in before they wonder."
In between classes, Marinette stopped to use the bathroom. As she settled in, a little voice from her purse whispered, "That was very considerate of you, Marinette."
Marinette jumped, quite startled. She looked into her purse and whispered, "Tikki? Is that YOU?"
"Who else would fit in here?" Tikki giggled, quietly. "I have to be within a certain range of you for the transformation to work, so... if you need to become Ladybug, I need to be near."
"Huh!" Marinette replied. "That makes sense, but I didn't know you were doing it! Good to know, before someone asks me for something and I say 'Oh, it's in my purse, you can rummage around for it...'"
"I'm good at hiding, but not THAT good," agreed Tikki.
"I didn't cross a line with Adrien earlier, did I? I guess you heard that, then," she asked Tikki. "I didn't want to give away all of what's happening, but I figured his father ought to at least know that he's safe."
"I think you handled that well, Marinette," Tikki assured her. "It was a baby step towards getting them back together without just handing over Adrien to his father. I think his father already knew Adrien was mostly okay; he saw Chat Noir when he sent out the Dairy Dynamo, and he knows who Chat is, of course. But any father would be happy to hear that his son is in a good place."
"I'll tell Adrien later that I told Ms. Bustier that. I don't want to hide anything from HIM if I don't have to," mused Marinette. "I really want to keep his trust. You're not going to get too bored riding along during my classes, are you, Tikki?"
"No, I'm fine," she smiled. "I can zone out easily enough. Plus, I haven't been out of the box for a long while, so your History classes will be interesting!"
An early afternoon text message lifted Marinette's spirits:
[Adrien] Your sweatshirt and pants are yours again. I can wash them for you or burn them, your choice.
[Marinette] Tough choice! I mean, BOY cooties...
[Adrien] I have to admit, it does feel good to dress like myself again.
[Adrien] I picked up an assortment of spare clothes and a duffel bag to carry them in.
[Marinette] Good! I want you to feel comfortable while you're at my place.
[Adrien] Heading down for some more dough-kneading in a few minutes.
[Marinette] Have fun! I'll see you soon.
The school day flew by. Marinette hurried through the front door, and stopped in her tracks...
A familiar-looking sedan was parked by the curb, with Adrien's bodyguard by its front door... and Gabriel Agreste standing next to him, scanning the entrance.
What the HECK? worried Marinette. I'm sure Ms. Bustier passed on my message, but she wouldn't have given them my name, would she? She promised that she wouldn't...
She walked down the steps, as casually as she could, and tried not to be startled out of her shoes when a voice called out to her. "Miss Dupain-Cheng?" called Gabriel, and his face brightened as he saw her head turn towards him. There was a little thrill - Gabriel Agreste, the famous fashion designer, KNOWS WHO I AM! - coupled with a metric ton of anxiety in her stomach.
"That's me... Mr. Agreste?" she confirmed, timidly.
"The same," the gentleman smiled. "I was wondering if I could speak with you for a moment? Perhaps offer you a ride home?"
"I... really don't need a ride home, Sir," she quavered. "My house is right over there. But I can talk with you, if you want..."
"May we walk together for a few minutes, then?" he asked, and at her nod, the pair began a slow walk down the sidewalk.
"I apologize if I startled you, Miss. I've heard your name from Adrien, and I was hoping to meet you in person," Gabriel began. "Obviously, you're aware that my son has been missing from home for several days..."
"I am," Marinette confirmed. "He sits right across from me in class. I miss seeing him there."
WOW, do I need to be careful here! thought Marinette. I can't afford to make a bad impression on Adrien's father for about twenty different reasons, but it'd be so easy to slip up...
"I suppose you're wondering why I came looking for you today..." ventured Gabriel, and got a wide-eyed nod in return. "I received some excellent news this morning. Adrien is staying with one of his friends, according to word from one of his classmates, and is safe and comfortable." Gabriel's eyes searched Marinette's, and she imagined he was looking for some confirmation that she was either one of the people he'd just mentioned.
"That's good to hear," she offered, breathing a sigh of relief. "From what I know of him so far, he's so smart and so nice, it's hard to imagine him getting into too much trouble. But, um..."
"...Why did I come and tell you that, in particular?" Gabriel finished her sentence. Because you were my eyes and ears once before, and I was your provider of wings? he chuckled to himself. But I have to be wary of letting THAT secret out...
"My son has made new friends in your school, but he's only told us about a few of them. Right now, in your class, I know of the Nino boy, and of Miss Bourgeois..." He laughed out loud at the sour look on Marinette's face, which she was powerless to prevent. "I see you've met Miss Bourgeois, and between you and me, I share your opinion of her," Gabriel winked. "I've worked with Chloè's father and mother on many occasions, and I can only assume that Chloè was adopted. Possibly from woodland creatures."
Marinette suppressed a giant laugh, shocked at Gabriel's sentiment and his unexpected candor.
"So I know of those two... and of you," he continued. "And my son has spoken of you in the warmest terms, and with obvious respect and interest. He's been around models all his life, so he's rarely one to have his head turned by a pretty face, although yours obviously qualifies..." Gabriel smiled, "so for you to make such an immediate impression upon him speaks volumes."
She blinked, a couple of times, processing that and its implications. It's one thing to know that Adrien likes me. Or to suspect that he LIKES likes me. But to hear GABRIEL AGRESTE say it to my face like that... And it seems like he APPROVES...!
"Thus, I am reaching out to you, Mademoiselle. I'd suspect that if he was to message or call anyone from school, you might be among the first," Gabriel explained, as they turned back towards his waiting car. "I would value it greatly if you could be my contact among your classmates, and if word reaches you of his whereabouts or of his status, you might let me know quickly?" He reached into his pocket and produced a card, which she took with a slightly shaking hand. "The number on the front is my business front desk, which my aide Nathalie would answer. The number on the back is my personal cell, and I do not give that out lightly."
"I... see!" Marinette stammered. "I'll help however I can, Mr. Agreste. If I do see him or hear from him... what should I pass on to him?"
"That he is missed, and he is forgiven, and he is loved. That Nathalie is home and unscathed by her experience; he'll know what that means. That while he and I will need to talk about certain things when he arrives home... more than anything else, I simply want him home."
"I'll do that, Mr. Agreste," promised Marinette. "I am... very fond of your son, too, and I'll probably sleep better myself once I know he's home and safe."
He's not entirely sure that he can be both home AND safe... but I'll let him make that call, Marinette thought, cautiously.
"Thank you, Miss Dupain-Cheng. That means a lot to me, I assure you." He gave her one more warm smile as he entered the rear of the sedan. As the bodyguard returned to the driver's seat, Marinette noticed a well-dressed woman in the passenger seat, who gave her a slight smile and nod. That must be Nathalie, she thought; she does look pretty normal from here.
Marinette gave the occupants a hesitant wave as the car pulled away, tucking the card into her pocket, a bit dazed from the experience.
I just met Adrien's dad. GABRIEL AGRESTE, in person! He knows who I am! He wants MY help! He gave me HIS PERSONAL CELL NUMBER! GABRIEL AGRESTE'S NUMBER!
And all I have to do to win him over... which could be HUGE for both my career and for remaining close with Adrien... is, basically, to betray the boy that I'm falling for, and who might be f-falling for m-me...
"Tikki," she whispered, as she saw a couple of friends approach her at top speed, "we SO need to talk."
"WHAT THE HECK?" Alya asked, her jaw dropping, as she watched Marinette try to process what just happened. "That was GABRIEL AGRESTE! He just came here looking for you? What did he give you?"
Marinette searched the depths of her mind for a cover story they would buy...
### ERROR: BRAIN NOT FOUND
"Yeah, what are you doing? Keeping Adrien up in your room until he loves you?" giggled Rose.
You're pretty close, Rose, but he's one room over and he's there voluntarily, she thought. Holy crap, this is all happening!
"He... um... apparently, he'd talked with Adrien before he disappeared about whom Adrien had befriended in school, and he'd mentioned Chloè and me. And Mr. Agreste thinks that Chloè is... Chloè." That got a round of laughing agreement. "So he thought, I need someone at the school who Adrien, um, likes, and Alya don't you say a word about that right now, who'd be someone Adrien might contact."
"So HAS Adrien contacted you?" asked Juleka, and several faces hung on Marinette's answer.
"I've sent him some messages," replied Marinette. And, of course, he sent some back and then he moved in with me, and we both became superheroes. La, la, la! "If I do hear from Adrien, he'd like me to call him and let him know."
"THAT'S someone who'd be good to have favors with, if you want to become a fashion designer," marveled Alya.
"Yeah, and it's not like you'd be giving up much," snickered Alix. "I mean, he DID put gum on your seat, right? He-"
"NO. He DIDN'T," snapped Marinette, surprising Alix with her ferocity and speed. "Chloè and Sabrina did that! He was trying to take it off before I got there, and he hadn't even met me yet! He's kind, and he's sweet, and you will NOT talk about him like that!"
Marinette took a breath and realized that she had her finger in Alix's face and was yelling at her... and Alix was backing away, fearfully... and the other girls were all staring at the scene as if Marinette had just pulled out a running chainsaw.
"WHOA! I'm... I'm sorry, Alix! That was way out of line," stammered Marinette. "I, uh..."
"I take it back! I take it back! It's okay, Marinette!" Alix said, stunned and catching her breath. "I believe you! Um, wow... I've never seen you react like that before to anything!"
"Me, neither," mumbled Marinette, surprised at herself. "Still friends?" she asked, extending a hand to Alix.
"Of course we are!" replied Alix, with a grin. "Actually, that was pretty cool to watch."
The girls huddled up once Marinette headed back home and Alix's physical integrity was no longer endangered.
"That was... intense," marveled Juleka.
"I'll say! When Marinette's passionate about something, she goes all out... but I've never seen her like that about a BOY before!" Rose agreed.
"And there's no doubt in my mind that Adrien likes HER, too," said Alya. "It sure didn't take long for them to connect. And that leaves us with just one question..."
"Who's going to be next to ask her about gum on her seat?" deadpanned Juleka.
"Not it!" yelled Alix, to some laughter. "Nah, the question's simpler than that... where the heck IS he?"
As it happened, at that moment, Adrien Agreste was close enough that the girls could've seen him, had walls not been in the way.
Marinette entered the bakery's kitchen carefully, trying not to make Adrien douse himself in flying flour again. "I'm home!" she called.
"Hi!" called both Tom and Adrien, from opposite sides of the room. Tom was checking some items in the oven for doneness, while Adrien was focusing on something on a table in front of him.
She waved at Adrien as she walked over to her father, waiting for him to step away from the oven. "How'd the day go here?" she asked.
"Very well!" Tom beamed. "For one, your and Adrien's cookies all sold! Pretty quickly, too."
"Cool!" Marinette said, very happy about that. "I had a great partner on those."
"Better than average sales apart from that, from what your mother told me," added Tom, his smile widening, "AND... someone had a very good idea for something we can add to our regular inventory!"
"Oh?" Marinette followed her father's gaze, then his pointing finger, turning around to find...
...Adrien standing before her, holding a narrow cardboard rod in his hands. There were a couple of tiny branches poking out of either side, with little green icing leaves attached to them, and a large cookie on the top. The cookie was roughly flower-shaped, and had an ornate red icing rose drawn on it.
"Oh!" replied Marinette, with visible surprise... and then found herself unable to find anything else to say. Adrien's smile was infectious, and she matched it nearly instantly.
"For you, Marinette?" he asked, bowing slightly as he extended the cookie rose to her; she accepted it happily, trying hard not to melt into a puddle on the spot.
"Thank you, Adrien," she glowed. "This is really beautiful! Was this your idea?"
"It was!" grinned Adrien. "Your father showed me how to make the leaves, and I did the rose the way you showed me how to frost cookies yesterday."
"We can put them in flower boxes, and sell them to young lovers by the dozen, or sell them as singles!" Tom crowed. "Simple to make, and they'll fly out of here! A very creative idea."
"But the first one is yours," blushed Adrien, "for helping me learn how to make them. Among many other reasons."
"You... oh, I could just..." stammered Marinette, before her better judgment reasserted itself. "Dad, I need to steal Adrien for a moment... and, no, not for that reason," she called over, anticipating her father's teasing before it happened. Though he might've just earned that reason later, if he plays his cards right! she giggled, internally.
Adrien followed Marinette as she led him to a side room, not quite sure what she intended. Her face had a curious mixture of excitement and concern on it, and she stopped him from speaking with a raised finger.
"First off, Adrien Agreste, I am absolutely melting over that rose and you know it," she grinned. "But I have something important to tell you first, and you might not feel as romantic after you hear it. I just walked out of school and your father was waiting for me, and it might've been my fault."
"WHAT?" Adrien gasped. "How did that happen?"
Marinette described her conversation with Ms. Bustier, quickly. "I kept your secret; I didn't tell her anything about where you were or that I could find you... just that I knew you were safe and happy right now, and that they could pass that on to your father if they wanted to, without naming my name." Her eyes were soulful, and a little afraid. "You did say that you felt bad that he was worrying so much. I thought I had a way to ease both your minds without putting him on your trail. Did I screw up?"
Adrien thought about that for a moment. "No... no, you didn't," he assured her. "You told her pretty much exactly what I wanted my father to know, without my having to call him myself. Thank you for that, actually! That was very perceptive of you..."
"I was hoping I wasn't crossing a line that I shouldn't," Marinette said, quietly. "But it seemed like the right thing to do when I did it."
"It was," said Adrien, with a big smile that made her feel a little better. "But then what happened?"
She then described her encounter with his father, showed him the card he'd given her - "Wow, that IS his private number!" marveled Adrien, "He doesn't hand that out to ANYBODY!" - and recited the message he'd asked her to pass on to Adrien, if she made contact.
"Wow," Adrien said, in a hushed voice. "I guess... that kind of changes some things. And you said you saw Nathalie in the car, and she looked okay?"
"Well, I don't know if she was Nathalie or not, but she matched your description of her," confirmed Marinette. "And I saw nothing unusual about her."
"Hmmm." Adrien looked thoughtful. "Did my father say anything else that was interesting?"
He watched, with surprise, as Marinette abruptly turned crimson. "Hey," he asked, grinning, "what DID he say?"
"That... he'd come to me because you'd been telling him all about me, before you disappeared," smiled Marinette, lowering her eyes to the floor. "And that you were very complimentary of me."
"Of course I was," grinned Adrien, moving a little closer. "You've been captivating me from the first day we met."
Marinette looked up, meeting his gaze, and her knees went weak. "I... I've never done this before, Adrien," she sighed.
"Done what?" he asked.
"What I hope you're about to do," Marinette whispered.
"I thought we didn't come back here for 'that reason,'" Adrien laughed lightly, smiling from ear to ear, moving still closer.
"Plans change."
Their faces slowly moved towards each other, Adrien's arms gliding around her gently...
*SNAP!*
"MARINETTE!" gasped Adrien, catching her as she went limp. "ARE YOU ALL RIGHT?"
"Whoa!" muttered Marinette, holding her head. "I'm a... little dizzy. That was some kiss!"
"We, uh, never got there," Adrien said. "That bit about 'whenever you need to drain someone, just a little, touch me' that you said? It just happened, completely by accident! I SWEAR it was by accident..."
"Obviously! Okay... um... good," she smiled, as she regained her footing. "That way when we DO start kissing for real, it won't kill me."
"Look at me... up here... you're okay?" Adrien rattled off, fussing over her. "That was SO STUPID of me. I am so sorry!"
"Why?" asked Marinette, with big eyes. "You didn't mean it."
"Of course I didn't," he grumbled, "but I thought I felt a little twinge of it earlier. I should have KNOWN better than to touch you like that with that hand!"
Marinette had never gotten drunk, of course, being fourteen years old... but she imagined that this is what it might feel like if she had. I feel... funky. Sort of like I'm still in control of my body, but the steering wheel's made of Jell-O. "For what it's worth," she purred, "I'll take that chance again."
"No! I mean..." Adrien did his best to steady her without his right hand being involved in it. "That was just a fraction of it, and you're woozy like this! If it hits you again, I might put you in the hospital! I... oh, boy."
She shook it off as best she could. "Okay... look. We're both going to have to walk out there like nothing just happened, right? I can do this."
"You're SURE?" Adrien asked, with some disbelief.
"I'm sure," she said, taking a couple of deep breaths. "Though if you'd walk upstairs with me to make sure that I get there, I wouldn't mind at all."
Tom gave them a very strange look when they emerged, Marinette smiling broadly but visibly somewhat shaky, and Adrien making an excuse to walk upstairs with her immediately. Did the boy kiss her, or bop her with a mallet?
Upstairs, in her room, Marinette laid back on her bed and decided that it would be where she'd spend the next hour or so, or possibly a few months. "Okay, we were both right," she told Adrien. "That whammy of yours does pack quite a punch, even when it's at a low level... but I'm telling you, if it means the difference between you being able to function and you hiding in a warehouse, I can take it."
"No, you can't," argued Adrien. "You just got a fraction of it and now it's naptime, and you're lucky that that's all it was!" He closed his eyes and gritted his teeth. "I am just... too dangerous to be around anyone right now. Especially you. I will NOT hurt y-"
THAT woke Marinette up. "NO," she demanded, grabbing his chin with her hand and turning it to face her. "You are NOT going to slink off and hide and eat cheese puffs in an alley until something terrible happens. WE are not going to let that happen."
"I don't know that there can BE a 'we' if I might fry you any given time that I touch you!" fretted Adrien. "What if -"
"Adrien Agreste, I have one question for you. Whatever that power is, it comes from your right hand, and only your right hand. Correct?" demanded Marinette.
"Yes... as far as I know. I've never seen it come from anything el-"
His words were cut off when the girl beneath him leaned up, took his face in her hands and pulled him down into a kiss, making sure that if he needed to support himself, he could use his left hand.
About thirty seconds later, they opened their eyes.
"There's a 'we,'" grinned Marinette.
"There sure is," admitted Adrien. "And now I'M dizzy."
"Go back down and finish up the bakery stuff, so my father doesn't think we're doing... what we might end up doing if you don't go back down and finish up the bakery stuff," giggled Marinette. "We'll... talk more about this later."
"You're SURE you'll be okay?" worried Adrien, still extremely concerned.
"I'm fine. I have you. How can I not be fine?" she smiled up at him.
Once the door shut, Marinette closed her eyes and rode the emotional high of her first kiss... then collapsed into a heap on her bed, letting herself look as drained as she actually had been feeling. "Tikki... are you there?" she whispered.
"Of course, Marinette," said Tikki, floating over to her with an anxious face. "How are you feeling?"
"Like I got hit by a truck, and then it kissed me," she pondered. "I'm not sure which hit harder! I know what I told Adrien... but I don't know that I can do that more than once. The zap, I mean; the kissing, I'm good with."
"You're lucky it happened once and you're talking to me right now," worried Tikki. "Having a Miraculous on your body probably helped protect you from its magic, at least a little bit, but I can see that you're wiped out."
"Inside AND out," sighed Marinette. "What am I going to do?"
Tikki flitted back and forth, trying to find any option other than what she was about to suggest. "You have, what, an hour, hour and a half before dinnertime, right? And Adrien should be busy downstairs until then, so he shouldn't come looking for you..."
"Why? Where would I be going?" asked Marinette, mystified.
"I know of someone who might be able to help you, Marinette. A... Chinese herbalist in town. If you transform to Ladybug, our shared strength should be enough to get you to him." And I need to talk with him soooooo badly, mused Tikki. Now more than ever, on about four different levels.
Across town, an old man bent over a table, gently pushing pressure points on a customer... when a tiny voice chimed in, unexpectedly.
"Master, Master!" cried Wayzz, trying to remain just out of sight.
The customer looked up at Master Fu strangely... and more strangely still, once the old man hustled him off the table. "Master, master... chanting, it's all part of the treatment," he assured the customer. "Thank you for coming, see you again next week!" he said, guiding him out the front door.
"Master, I am sorry to interrupt, but..." babbled Wayzz, flitting about nervously.
"No, I sense it, too. She's here!"
The front door opened, and a young woman half-staggered into the shop, still not entirely sure why her Kwami had sent her here. She looked up as she heard footsteps approach her...
"YOU again!" smiled Marinette. "We seem to be crossing paths quite a bit lately, Mr. Wang. How was the party platter?"
"The party went... well. Most delicious desserts," Master Fu replied, mentally picturing his refrigerator shelves still overloaded with pastries. He looked Marinette up and down with experienced eyes, and quickly guided her to the therapy room. "Please, come, lie down! Your energies are very disrupted."
"You can tell that just by looking at me?" wondered Marinette.
"I can tell that because you can barely stand up, child," he smiled. "You have had quite the day."
"Tell me about it," she muttered, but with a hint of a smile.
Marinette rested as Master Fu lit an assortment of incenses around her, applied pressure and warm stones to her back in several places, murmured words unknown to her, banged a small gong... I have no idea if what he's doing will help, but my mother's seen herbalists like this before. I'll trust that Tikki knows what she's talking about! She closed her eyes, as instructed, and did her best to relax.
In the next room, Master Fu conferred with Tikki, quietly. "Is she going to be okay?" the Kwami buzzed.
"One who is burning with their patient can never eat hot porridge," he admonished her.
Tikki looked confused. "I'm sorry, master, but what has this got to do with eating?
He chuckled. "Not much. Still reading her energies. You were right to bring her here."
"There's far more I must share," Tikki blurted out.
Quickly, Tikki brought him up-to-date on Chat Noir's Cataclysm problem, on Gabriel Agreste's likelihood of possessing the Moth, on Adrien's living situation and relationship with the Dupain-Chengs, on the budding romance, on Gabriel's having reached out directly to Marinette - first as Papillon, and now as himself...
Master Fu stared at her in astonishment. "Maybe I should move in with Marinette, too. It may be the only way to keep up with all this!"
He looked at Tikki's downcast face and reached out to her, gently. "Have faith, Tikki. I believe I will be stopping by for croissants more often. When you sense me there, we will meet outside and keep each other informed. Now, I must return to my patient..."
The gong rang out one more time, and Master Fu smiled down at Marinette. "Please, rise," he directed her... and to her surprise, she found it much easier to do so. "How are you feeling now?" he asked.
"Much stronger!" she said, looking herself over. "Thank you, thank you so much! You're a real magician, sir! How did you do that?"
"Ancient Chinese secret," he smiled. "Should what happened to you, happen again... please return. Though if you can avoid what happened, do it! Tell your parents that I loved their desserts, and that I will be back."
The young lady left through the front door, with a big smile and a pleasant wave, and he laughed to himself.
Ancient Chinese secret... just like yours.
In his office, Gabriel Agreste smiled to himself. "Nooroo, what did you make of her?"
Nooroo pondered how to respond. You mean, apart from the Ladybug Miraculous on her ears? A perfectly normal girl. "An extremely pleasant and positive young lady," he ventured. "I can see how your first butterfly was drawn to her; I'm surprised that they all aren't."
"She may be just what I need to bring my son home. A trusted friend, a classmate, perhaps a romantic interest? She's compassionate enough to want what's best for him and smart enough to know that it's here." Gabriel laughed, "AND she was a marvelous Firefly. Do you think that she'd like to take to the skies again, Nooroo?"
"It's... possible?" Is it? Enhancing a Miraculous host CAN happen... I've done it before with the lower tier of them. But with the LADYBUG?
"I feel good about this, Nooroo... Spread your wings!"
Nooroo's concerns, like Nooroo, were swallowed up in Gabriel's transformation to Papillon. He focused on a nearby butterfly, charging it up with positive energy, then scanned the city of Paris briefly. "A young woman, feeling the warmth of compassion, the thrills of... well! It seems that perhaps my son wastes little time," he chuckled. "The tingle of new romance should be a siren song for you, little butterfly!"
He watched it flutter out his window, silvery wings sparkling in the late afternoon sun.
Next time:
* The butterfly finds its destination...
* Nathalie's options are becoming limited.
* After-dinner chatter.
* Adrien makes a move.
* "This is hard for me to write..."
INTERMISSION
Hi, kids! Your friendly neighborhood author here to say a couple of things:
1) Thank you for reading this far. This story isn't getting the numbers some of my others have, but I don't really care as long as those of you who are reading it are enjoying it. We're about halfway through the overall story arc, I think, though I reserve the right to adjust that.
2) If you like this story, there are others on my profile that you're encouraged to check out. The Marinette Project and Tyger, Tyger, Burning Bright are my two biggest hits so far; check 'em out if you haven't already.
More to come this week!