The Heart's Truth
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for ML Staff Appreciation Week: Day Four
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Chapter Three
The day Aria returned to the palace, Marineith was waiting for her with a broad grin and open arms.
Marineith ran towards her approaching form as soon as she caught sight of her standing by the palace entrance, launching herself at her to tackle her in a tight hug. Aria embraced her back warmly.
"Welcome home," Marineith mumbled into Aria's shoulder. She pulled back to look at her friend: Her brown eyes were just as rich and dark and lively as ever, but her bushy, curly brown hair had grown out quite a bit, so it reached the middle of her back. "You look even more beautiful than when you left."
Aria laughed. "Oh, silly Mari! It's only been a few months!"
"Eight months and twelve days is not a few," Marineith replied somberly. "And I missed you each and every one of them."
"I missed you, too, Mari," her friend said, hugging her again. "It's been far too long. When we get inside, I have a present for you!"
"You didn't need to get me anything," Marineith said as she and her friend went inside Merit Ptah's palace. Aria stopped to speak with her former instructor, and then the girls went towards the quarters they shared together. They had both started their apprenticeships the same year, Marineith with Merit Ptah, and Aria with a leading herbalist. As such, they'd learned to collaborate, and shared their learnings with each other, something that benefited them both. More importantly, along with sharing their rooms, they'd shared their stories, and had become close friends. Aria learned that Marineith loved to sing, and Marineith learned that Volpina was a talented musician who played the flute.
They became even closer when Marineith accidentally lost her transformation just as Aria walked into the room, two years into their training. She had been scared, afraid of losing her best friend, but Aria had only laughed, lifted her flute, and revealed an orange Kwami of her own.
They were inseparable after that, until eight months and twenty days ago, when Aria had finished her apprenticeship and decided to travel around Egypt to gather special herbs to cultivate in a palace garden for medicinal use. She had left nine days after that.
Marineith had missed her dearly.
"So what was it like?" Marineith asked as they finally reached their room. Aria pulled the curtain on their door open, Marineith following her in. "I mean, traveling. Was it fun?"
Aria laughed. "It was dirty," she replied. "I felt like I always had sand caught in my sandals."
Marineith grinned at that. She wanted to travel the world someday, but she also knew all too well how uncomfortably chafing sand between toes could be. Still, sandals were better than going barefoot. "I'm sure."
"But it was fun," Aria continued. She plopped onto her bed with a sigh of contentment, dropping her traveling bag beside her. "I've never been so invigorated and exhausted at the same time."
"You'd better tell me the whole story," Marineith said, sitting on the edge of her friends bed.
"I will," Aria assured her. "I'm telling everyone about it at the welcoming banquet tonight." She sat up suddenly, poking Marineith's shoulder, a mischievous look in her eyes. "So I think it's better to spend the rest of today talking about a certain blond-haired... Oh, what did you call him before... Dreamboat?"
Marineith groaned, a blush creeping across her face. Across the room, Tikki and Volpina's Kwami were giggling and sitting on the windowsill, catching up with each other.
"Do we really need to bring this up?" Marineith asked, wholly embarrassed. "He wasn't supposed to overhear me when I said that!"
"Well, it's your own fault for not being able to keep it to yourself until we got back here," Aria responded, smiling at her friend. "Has he said anything about it?"
Marineith shook her head. "No. He's been even more distant since you left, actually." She bit her lip, then sighed. "I wonder if he hates me...?"
Volpina shook her head. "Oh, Marineith," she said, hugging her friend. She pulled away and pushed her hands along the edges of Marineith's lips, turning them upwards in a makeshift smile. "Cheer up! Cat Noir's not the kind of guy to hold a grudge over something like that."
Marineith kept her lips upturned after Aria removed her hands. "Yeah, I know," she replied. Then she sighed, putting her hands on her red cheeks. "I'm just... Oh, Gods, he overheard me say that!"
Aria laughed. "He was bound to find out eventually," she assured her friend. "And okay, it wasn't the romantic confession you'd been hoping to have. But at least it's done."
"Mm," Marineith agreed. "And at least I said it with more confidence than I would have if I'd known he was listening."
"Yes! Exactly! Look at the bright side to all of this!" Aria shook her head, smiling. "When you two are married someday, I'm gonna laugh when I remind you that you couldn't pull yourselves together and work things out for the entire eight months I was gone." She shook her head in dismay. "Eight months! Honestly..."
"I tried!" Marineith whined. "I tried to talk it over! It's just... Really awkward and really hard to talk to him, though!" She pursed her lips. "And he's not exactly sticking around long after beating Akuma to talk much at all."
"Well, to be fair, he knows your Miracle Stone wears off after Lucky Charm," Aria pointed out. "And we all agreed to keep our identities secret, so it makes sense that he's respecting that."
"I know, but I think he's using it as an excuse to leave quickly." Marineith sighed. "It's been... A long eight months." She bit her lip. "Queen Ankhesenamun..."
"I heard," Aria said. "Word travels fast in Pharaoh's army, and the guards are awfully chatty to a pretty face like mine." She flipped her hair playfully, eliciting a giggle from her friend. "But in all seriousness, how bad is she?" she asked curiously. "All the guards told me was she got worse, even though Merit Ptah is treating her."
Marineith sighed.
"It's not good, from what I can tell," Marineith said. "I've never seen someone so pale and thin before, Aria." She pushed back a shiver as she remembered how frail the Queen looked in her dim room lit only by candlelight. "I'm not even sure the Gods can save her."
"The Gods can save anyone," Aria replied firmly. "If Sekhmet wills for someone to live, Anubis himself can't drag them to the Underworld."
The Goddess who gives us the power to cure does not extend the gift of life for everyone.
"I don't know," Marineith answered carefully. "Sekhmet is a fickle Goddess."
Aria tsked.
"Don't say that about her," she said playfully, and the serious mood dissipated. "Or you'll find yourself saddled with bad luck."
Marineith laughed. "I think I have enough good luck to keep that from happening," she countered. "I'm Ladybug, after all. I've got the Luckiest Charm of all."
Aria giggled, then hugged her friend.
"It's good to be back, Mari."
Marineith smiled and hugged her friend back, burying her face into her friend's bushy hair.
"I'm glad you're back, too, Aria." She pulled back and smirked. "Now, about that present."
"Oh, I almost forgot!" Aria reached down and tugged her bag up onto the bed, opening it. She sifted through it, pulling out a few items, before grinning and pulling out something wrapped in fine, purple-dyed linen. "Ta-dah! For you, with love."
Marineith let out a squeal of happiness, reaching out to take the wrapped gift from Aria's outstretched hands. The two Kwami flew by to perch on their respective partner's shoulder, peering down with interest as Marineith unwrapped the present.
She let out a gasp when she caught sight of glittering metal.
It was a necklace of gold and beads, intricately designed to weave seamlessly together in an eye-catching pattern, and the centerpiece was a spotted scarab beetle resembling a ladybug. It looked expensive, and was absolutely stunning to look at. She lifted it gingerly, expecting it to weigh a lot, and was surprised to find it light in her hands. Marineith gently held it in front of her to admire the sunlight glinting off of it before flinging herself at her friend.
"Thank you, Aria!" she cried. "It's beautiful!"
"You're welcome," Aria replied. "I saw it and thought of you, and it's so pretty! I just couldn't pass it up."
"I owe you for this," Marineith said, reaching back to tie the necklace around her neck. She struggled to do so, but Aria scooted around and helped her secure it. "It's perfect, Aria, thank you so much!"
"I'll hold you to that promise," Aria giggled. "It was meant for you, Marineith. The blue beads even match your eyes!"
Marineith smiled, glancing down at the necklace. She stood and struck a pose, smiling at her friend, who laughed.
"Watch out! Adrestus might see you posing in the doorway and start drooling," Aria teased. Marineith made a face, dropping the pose and stepping away from the doorway.
"Eww, you make a good point."
"Hey!" called a voice from the hallway. "I can kind of hear you guys, you know!"
The girls looked at each other before bursting into giggles. Aria stood and pulled the curtain to their door open, and after a few moments, Adrestus appeared inside their room, grinning at Marineith.
"What's this about drool?" he asked.
"Look at her necklace," Aria said. "Isn't it beautiful?"
Adrestus stared openly at Marineith; she rolled her eyes, ignoring the blush threatening to creep along her face. Then he nodded.
"Yeah, it is," he said. "Almost as beautiful as the girl wearing it."
"Oh, honestly." Marineith waved her hand dismissively at his words. "Why were you loitering outside our room, anyway?"
"I wasn't loitering," he said defensively. "I was just walking down the hall to my room when I heard you guys talking. That's all." At Marineith's incredulous look, he raised his hands submissively. "Honest!"
"Aww, come on, Marineith, cut the guy some slack," Aria said. Adrestus turned to her and smiled.
"Someone does believe in me, after all!" Aria shook her head, chuckling, and Adrestus took her hand and kissed the back of her hand. "Welcome back, Aria. It's been ages."
"It's good to be back," Aria replied, smiling. "I was kind of hoping you'd have changed your flirty ways while I was gone, but I guess not."
Adrestus put a hand over his chest, a fake look of pain crossing his face.
"Your words hurt me to my heart," he said dramatically. Then he grinned. "It's like you're saying that's a bad thing or something! But no, I haven't changed a bit."
"That is not reassuring," Marineith said.
Aria laughed.
"Well, in a way, it is," she said. "I'm glad not too much has changed since I've been away."
"Not true," Adrestus said. "We've all gotten way prettier."
Marineith rolled her eyes as Aria let out a booming laugh.
"Please never change, you dork," Aria said after her laughter died down. "I'd miss your compliments too much."
And despite her protests, when Adrestus' green and gold-flecked eyes met her own blue ones, Marineith silently agreed with Aria.
"Ladybug, duck!"
Marineith didn't need to be told twice; she saw the stream of boiling liquid flying her way and did as Cat had told her, ducking beneath it as it seared past her and splashed against the side of a mud-brick building, burning a large hole through it.
Cat and Volpina landed protectively to either side of her as she hurried to stand.
"You okay?" Aria asked her. Marineith nodded, eyes already searching again for the Akuma victim attacking them. She found him atop a market stall, a bowl of swirling liquid in his hands. He was dressed like a typical priest, with a few more embellished tattoos than normally acceptable on his exposed skin, but the ominously bubbling and steaming substance in the clay bowl he held exposed him as their target. On his shoulder was a glittering piece of jewelry, glowing an eerie purple that gave it away as the Akuma butterfly's hiding place.
"I'm fine," she assured her partners. "We need to get the brace on his right arm," she said, pointing. Their eyes followed her finger. "The Akuma's inside of it."
"Easier said than done, with that stuff he's holding," Volpina replied.
Cat shrugged. "I'm up for the challenge," he said, shooting a toothy grin at them that set Marineith's heart stuttering along a mile a minute.
"I'll get my Lucky Charm ready," she informed her partners. "You guys keep him busy."
"Gotcha." Cat took off, extending his staff to try and smack the bowl out of the Akumatized man's hands. He missed, but managed to draw his attention by twirling the staff to snap against the Akuma's arm instead. Meanwhile, Volpina snuck around the nearby rooftops to try and look for an opening from behind.
Marineith called on her Lucky Charm, and a bucket appeared, clattering into her hands. She glanced down at it, perplexed, before shaking her head and glancing around.
Obviously, that guy's liquid is going into the bucket, she thought to herself. But what else can I...?
Her eyes fell on the curved rooftop of a mud-brick house,and after glancing at the bucket in her hands and the liquid in the Akuma's bowl, she smiled, everything falling into place in her mind.
She looked up to see Cat narrowly dodge a stream of broiling liquid, with Volpina following up by swinging her flute at the Akuma's arm. Marineith tossed her yo-yo and swung from roof to roof, landing on the tilted mud-brick building.
"Over here!" she called, drawing the attention of her friends and the Akuma.
Her friends caught on quickly, leaping to join her. The Akuma let out a growl, and with a great heave, tossed a boiling stream of the liquid substance at her. She grinned, tossing the bucket at Cat, who landed beside her just in time to catch the liquid in it; meanwhile, Marineith tossed her yo-yo to wrap around the outstretched Akuma's arm. She pulled, hard; his arm brace slid off, and she released it just in time for it to clatter to the ground as Cat poured the burning liquid harmlessly off the side of the building. It drippped off the edge, landing on and melting the brace, and the tainted butterfly fluttered out.
Marineith caught it, purified it, and with a great surge of warmth, released the Miraculous Ladybug that returned everything back to normal. She, Cat, and Volpina shared a group fist-bump before Marineith's and Volpina's Miracle Stones chirped warningly.
"Guess I'll see you ladies later," Cat said, turning to leave.
"Hold on there, Kitty," Volpina said, shooting Marineith a meaningful glance. "We need to talk."
He seemed to stiffen at the words, but turned around expectantly, as if he'd been steeling himself for this moment.
"I disappear for eight months. Eight." Volpina's words were sharp. "And neither of you has managed to work out your feelings?" She shook her head and stepped back. "You've got about three minutes. Make sure it's enough." With that, she hopped away, shooting Marineith a reassuring grin.
It didn't really reassure Marineith at all. She pressed her lips together tightly, her cheeks turning red, and glanced shyly at Cat. She found him in a similar position, scratching the back of his neck in a nervous manner and averting his gaze.
She couldn't dawdle, though; Tikki couldn't hold her transformation forever.
"L-Look," Marineith said; a surge of Ladybug strength flowed through her, courtesy of Tikki's encouragement. "I know it was a really, really weird way for you to find out. I'm sorry." She took a deep, steadying breath, and stared squarely at him. "But I really do like you. A lot. I have for a long time now. And... And somewhere along the line, I fell in love with you."
There. She'd said it. A wave of euphoria flowed through her, but when Cat broke their gaze, it fizzed out, leaving an emptiness an a sinking feeling in the pit of her stomach.
Cat didn't reply immediately. In fact, they stood in a terrible, awkward silence for what felt like days. But then Marineith's earrings chirped earnestly, and he took a deep breath, breaking out of whatever reverie he'd been locked in. His green eyes met her blue ones unwaveringly.
"I'm... I'm honored. Really, Ladybug, I am." He sighed. And Marineith knew. "But I'm sorry. I can't return your feelings. There's already..." He trailed off; she saw him swallow. "I'm in love with someone else," he said. "I'm sorry."
She closed her eyes, willed her tears back; luck was on her side, because when she spoke again, her voice didn't break, even though her heart was sinking and her stomach was twisting in the most awful of ways.
"She's lucky, then. The girl you love." She gave him a smile that didn't reach her eyes. "It's all right. I wish you two the best."
She turned and leapt away, and she was glad he didn't follow, because her luck ran out before her transformation did, and by the time she bounded through her open window into Aria's waiting arms, she could hardly see through the blurry tears falling from her eyes.
Okay, so sadly, the whole thing won't be out tonight. :'( But on the bright side, THREE CHAPTERS IN ONE DAY. WHAT.
For the last time, HAPPY TURKEY DAY, EVERYONE!
xoxoPigTails