Hey, everyone! So, how should I put this? This is a one-shot that was not in the original plans of my AU. But after watching certain parts of the episode "Derision", and not liking what they did with the writing, I decided that I needed to do something to purge the thoughts I was having, and this came out. From the title, you probably know the character will have an important part in it. But it might not be the one you're expecting. On top of that, I must warn you guys that this one-shot will contain a character's death. So, if you are sensitive about these things (or if you haven't watched "Derision"), I advise you not to read it. That said, this was an emotional work, because not only allowed me to take my mind from the show's awful narrative, but it also allowed me to explore something that my version of the Miraculous heroes haven't faced yet, or at least, most of them haven't… grief. Oh, and before I forget, this takes place a few days before the start of "Miraculous Team: Cosplay Chaos". That said, I hope you all enjoy this one-shot. And now, on with the show.
Miraculous Team: Socqueline's Legacy
The day woke up grey. The sky, which the day before had been clear, sported grey clouds. But there was no sign of going to rain that day. It was clear to everyone that that day was going to be one of those that people would hardly consider beautiful. Even so, Tikki was not everyone. Since her creation, she had learned to love most kind of days. Sunny days were her favourite kind of days, but she also appreciated the cloudy ones. And as she looked out the window, and saw the people on the street, she wondered what kind of day awaited her and Marinette. Being a Saturday, she knew Marinette would want to do something fun. She had had a very busy week, so Tikki knew Marinette's primary objective would be to relax and enjoy herself. The little kwami just did not know how she was going to do it, as the two had not discussed how they were going to spend the weekend. The day before, she spent most of the afternoon and part of the night helping her parents with a huge order for a party they would be catering for the following day. And because of it, discussing what she was going to do the following day, was the last thing on her mind.
"Maybe she wants to stay home and catch up to the latest episodes of our favourite animes. Or, maybe she wants to go out and meet Adrien… uh, no, that's not going to happen. Adrien told her two days ago that he was flying to Bordeaux for a photoshoot, and will only be back tomorrow night, so that's out of the question." -Tikki thought. –"Then, since her boyfriend isn't around, maybe she'll call Alya and ask her if she wants to go out for a walk, if Alya isn't babysitting the twins today." -she thought.
All kinds of ideas went through Tikki's mind, as she continued to look out the window. And she knew that once Marinette woke up, she would decide how they were going to spend that day. The day before, she practically dragged herself to bed, where she immediately fell asleep. But the time for sleeping came to an end, when her alarm clock went off, waking her up. Instinctively, Marinette's left hand reached for the snooze button, turning it off. Grumbling, she turned to the side, feeling like she had not slept enough. She wanted to go back to sleep, but she knew she could not fall asleep. Not on that day. Stretching herself, she sat on her bed, thinking about the day she had ahead.
"Can't believe it's finally here." -Marinette thought to herself.
Getting up, she made her way down, noticing Tikki was already up. Hearing her out, Tikki went to greet her, like she did every morning. The little kwami made a point of always greeting her and wish her a good day, because she knew she liked when she did that.
"Good morning, Marinette!" -Tikki greeted her with a smile.
"Hey, Tikki…" -Marinette sighed, as she made her way to the bathroom.
To say Marinette was not acting like her usual self, would be an understatement. And Tikki noticed it. Even on days that she woke up feeling a bit gloomier than her usual perky self, Marinette would always greet the scarlet kwami back with a smile. But on that morning, there was no smile in Marinette's face.
"Maybe she didn't sleep well?" -Tikk thought to herself. –"No, that's not it. Even when she doesn't sleep well, she tries her best to return my smile, with a smile of her own. There's something going on with her." -she quickly assumed.
There was something wrong with Marinette. And that something was eating her away. So much, that when she was in the shower, she broke into tears. She tried her best to not let Tikki hear her crying, but it was not easy. No matter how much she tried, she just could not hold her tears. But when she finished showering, no one would have ever suspected that she had been crying. Drying herself up, she exited the bathroom. As one would imagine, during the time she was in the shower, Tikki wondered what was wrong with her. And upon seeing the expression on her face had not changed, the scarlet kwami had no problem in asking her what was going on.
"Why the long face, Marinette?" -Tikki asked her. –"Is there something wrong?"
Marinette had constantly been thinking about that particular day, for the past week. But between an Akuma attack, helping out her parents at the bakery and school, she had kept herself busy enough to keep some of the darkest thoughts at bay. Still, right then she had nothing to keep her busy, and those same dark thoughts were plaguing her.
"Everything is…" -Marinette answered her, and was about to tell Tikki everything was fine, only to stop herself from saying it. –"No, it's not fine." -she sighed, admitting it.
Tikki saw reflected in Marinette's eyes that there was something bothering her. Something she did not catch before. She did not know what it was. But she did know that whatever it was, it was making her feel the same way, when she had a problem, she believed did not have an easy solution.
"What's the matter, then?" -Tikki asked her, concerned.
"I'll explain it on the way…" -Marinette said, as she went to her closet and looked for something to wear that day.
"If you can explain it on the way, then you can explain it right now, Marinette." -Tikki said, demanding to know what was truly going on with her. –"What's really going on?!" -she asked her, demanding an answer.
Marinette kept looking for something to wear, while trying her best to ignore Tikki's words. She did not want to answer her, because she did not know how to tell her what was going on. No matter how hard she tried, she felt there were no words that could explain what was going on with her. But being the sweet girl she was, Marinette knew her kwami deserved an answer. And so, she tried her best to find the best way to tell her why she was acting like that, that morning.
"Alright." -Marinette sighed, after picking a shirt and a pair of jeans, and closing the closet. –"We're meeting up with Alya, and then, we're going to see our old friend, Socqueline." -she told her, with Tikki not expecting that answer from her, and believing there was more to that whole story.
"Oh, and where are we meeting this friend?" -Tikki asked, intrigued. –"She never told me about this friend of hers. I wonder why she never talked about this Socqueline." -she thought to herself, hoping to pry a little bit more information out of Marinette, by gently making her tell her the whole story.
"At the Vaugirard Cemetery." -Marinette said, with a gloomed voice.
"At the Vaugiard Cemetery?!" -Tikki asked, shocked with that answer. –"Then, that means…"
"Yes. It means that this friend of mine is dead, Tikki." -Marinette sighed.
Marinette and Tikki talked about almost everything. But there were a few topics neither one of them talked about. And one of them were the tragedies in their lives. They did not talk about them because it made them sad and melancholic. In Tikki's case, she did not talk much about her previous holders, except when it was absolutely necessary, or when she remembered about something funny that happened to them that mirrored Marinette's own experiences. It hurt her to think that they had all departed that world, and she had not aged a single day, since she met them. And in Marinette's case, it was the people she had lost over the course of her life. Compared to the number of holders Tikki had, the number of people she had lost was insignificant. But it did not mean it did not pain her to be reminded they were not around anymore. And Socqueline was one of such people. She was someone Marinette missed a lot.
There was an awkward silence after Marinette uttered her friend's fate. Poor Tikki did not know what to say so as not to hurt the girl's feelings further more. Despite her age and experience in dealing with those types of situations, it was never easy for the scarlet kwami to approach them, out of fear of only making things worse. Thinking about how to continue the conversation, Tikki decided that the best thing was to be direct.
"I… I'm sorry to hear that, Marinette." -Tikk declared. –"I-I didn't know…"
"It's okay, Tikki." -Marinette said. –"There was no way you could know. I'm the one who needs to apologize." -she told her. –"I should've told you earlier, before this day arrived, so you would know. But this isn't a matter that is easy for me to talk about."
"I understand." -Tikki said, nodding her head. –"H-How did she…" -she asked.
"How did she die?" -Marinette finished Tikki's sentence. –"She died in a car accident, a few years ago." -she answered her. –"She was not much older than I am, when it happened."
The way she said those words, Tikki knew it was not easy for Marinette to say them. It reminded her of the time, when the Collector was making its way towards Paris, and she and the others were forced to remove their miraculouses for their own safety. It reminded her of the last words Marinette told her, before removing her earrings. But more importantly, it reminded her of the way she spoke said words. Sighing, Tikki did not want to force her to say anything that would remind her of the pain she was in. But her curiosity got the better of her.
"How did the two of you meet?" -Tikki asked her.
"We met when she became my babysitter." -Marinette answered her. –"Her parents owned an arts and crafts shop, just around the block. She was half-Chinese, just like me. But while I'm half-Chinese from my mom's side of the family, she was from her dad's side of the family." -she told Tikki. –"She was always coming over to buy bread, and one day, when my mom let it slip that she was looking for a babysitter, she told her that she was the girl for the job."
(Flashback)
Sabine and Tom were just getting ready to go out. Due to Easter, work at the bakery was longer and harder than usual. And after a chaotic week, they both needed a romantic night out. But that meant someone would have to stay with Marinette for a few hours. Fortunately, Sabine knew the right person to look after her daughter, while she and her husband enjoyed a well-deserved night on the town. Hearing the doorbell, she knew she had arrived.
"Coming!" -Sabine said, as she went to open the door.
Opening it, a girl greeted Sabine with a warm smile. She had black hair into two long ponytails, blue eyes, light skin-tone. On her face, she wore a pair of black square-shaped glasses and was wearing a black T-shirt with a red-black plaid pattern collar and bright blue jeans. She was Socqueline Wang, Marinette's usual babysitter.
"Good evening, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng." -Socqueline greeted her, as she walked in.
"Good evening, Socqueline." -Sabine greeted her back, as she closed the door. –"Thank you so much for babysitting Marinette, on such short notice," -she said.
"Not a problem, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng. I love to babysit Marinette." -Socqueline said.
"And she loves when you babysit her." -Sabine said. –"Still, I know that calling you on such short-notice, was wrong on my part." -she apologized. –"I'll be sure to pay you extra."
"There's no need for that. You know my wages are the same, whether it's in a normal situation, or an emergency." -Socqueline said.
"I know that. But I insist on paying you a little extra. Especially since I know that you'll be making dinner for Marinette." -Sabine said. –"She loves my cooking, but whenever you babysit her at night, she always asks for you to make her dinner." -she said.
"I'm sure she just does that, to make me feel better on the fact that I can only make instant noodles and microwave pizzas." -Socqueline joked.
At that moment, coming down the stairs, came Tom with Marinette piggybacking on him. Upon seeing Socqueline, the little girl called her name, celebrating her arrival and knowing that she was going to have a great night.
"Socqueline!"
"Hey, Marinette!" -Socqueline waved at her, as Tom put her down.
"Now, remember. If there's any trouble, you have our cell numbers." -Sabine reminded Socqueline.
"There won't be any trouble, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng." -Socqueline reassured her. –"Marinette is a good girl, and I'm sure we're going to have lots of fun." -she smiled, before looking at Marinette and winked at her, making her giggle. –"Isn't that right, Marinette?"
"Yes!" -Marinette giggled.
"Then, like I said, we'll try not to come back too late." -Sabine smiled at Socqueline, as she grabbed her purse. –"Oh, and remember, Marinette has to be in bed by 10." -she said, as she knelt and kissed Marinette on the cheek. –"I'll see you later, honey."
"See you later, honey." -Tom said, as he too knelt down and kissed his little girl on the cheek. –"Be nice to Socqueline, and don't give her any trouble, okay?" -he told her.
"Okay, daddy." -Marinette smiled.
Once the door closed, Socqueline and Marinette stared at one another. They remained like that for a couple of seconds, just starting at each other. And then, Socqueline made a funny face, which Marinette copied. Then, sad face; followed by an angry face, and then a grumpy face. And Marinette copied her, trying to keep up with her. This was one of those games the two of them did, once Marinette's parents left. It put them in the right mood. A mood of fun games and pranks. All of it culminated with a burst of laughs from both babysitter and kid, which lasted a good couple of seconds.
"We're going to have so much fun, Marinette!" -Socqueline exclaimed, as she picked her up and sat her on the couch. –"I brought a new boardgame for us to play today. I think you're going to like it." -she said.
"Can we play it, please?!" -Marinette asked her, excited to play the boardgame.
"Maybe later. Before we have some fun, how about we decide what we're going to have for dinner? Are you hungry?" -she asked Marinette.
"Yes!"
"Then, do you want chicken noodles, or shrimp noodles?" -Socqueline asked, as she pulled the two different packs of noodles from her backpack and showed them to Marinette.
"Chicken noodles!" -Marinette giggled. –"I love your noodles!"
"I also love them too." -Socqueline chuckled. –"Do you want to learn how to make them?" -she asked little Marinette. –"It's very easy. It's almost like magic."
"Yes!" -Marinette exclaimed.
(End of Flashback)
"So, she was your babysitter." -Tikki said.
"Yes. She babysat me and Alya, when we were little." -Marinette declared, as she did her best to try and hold her tears. –"At first, she only babysat me. But then, one day, when Alya came over for a sleepover, and my grandpa Rolland felt unwell, and my parents took him to the hospital, she ended up babysitting us both." -she said. –"You can imagine that she did such a great job, that Alya's mom also asked her to babysit her and Nora, from time to time."
"I know from what Trixx told me, that Alya's mom is one of those people that gives everyone an opportunity, but also only works with the best. So, Socqueline must've been very good as a babysitter." -Tikki said.
"She was not very good. She was the best." -Marinette smiled tearfully, as a tear ran down her face. –"Almost everything I learned on how to be a good babysitter, I learned from her." -she said.
"Then, you had a very good teacher. Because Manon is always saying that you are the best babysitter ever, and you know that she doesn't lie." -Tikki declared, smiling.
It was clear to Marinette that Tikki was trying to make her feel better, and she appreciated the gesture, by smiling at her. But even if she had good intentions, the scarlet kwami only made her feel even worse than she was already feeling.
"Do you have a picture of her?" -Tikki asked, curious.
"I have one here, somewhere." -Marinette said, as she went again to her closet and opened it. –"I-I've kept all the photos we took together and that she gave me, in a box." -she said, as she looked for said box. –"Found it!"
The box she pulled out of the closet was lilac, square and had been hand decorated, like many of the things Marinette had in her room. Tikki had already seen it inside the closet, but she had never been curious to know about its content. Placing it on her desk, Marinette opened it and inside were all kinds of objects one could imagine. Friendship bracelets, old crayons, a ragdoll, old multi-coloured popsicle sticks, and old Polaroids. Numerous Polaroids. Taking each of the objects out of the box, Marinette handled them as if they were the most precious treasures on Earth, placing them on the desk.
Leaving the photos for last, Marinette looked for the one she knew was her favourite, to show to Tikki first. It was one where you could see a little Marinette wearing blue and shirt, along pink overalls, hugging a teenager that looked a lot like her, which was the first thing that caught the kwami's eye.
"She was pretty." -Tikki said. –"And she wore her hair just like you wear it." -she pointed out, when it occurred to her something. –"Wait. Do you wear your hair in pigtails, because of her?"
"More or less." -Marinette admitted. –"I admit that I liked how Socqueline wore her hair, and I eventually copied her. For a while, I wore it as a way to remember her, because I knew that I was never going to see her again. And then, I got so used to wearing it like that, that it became my trademark hairstyle." -she said, as she grabbed a photo of the two of them eating ice cream.
"You two could've been twin sisters." -Tikki said, as she looked at the photo. –"It's true, her hair was darker than yours, and her pigtails were longer than yours, but still. It's uncanny." -she said. –"If she wasn't wearing glasses in these photos, I could at first swear it was you standing next to the younger you."
"I agree. I never thought that I would grow up to look so much like her." -Marinette said. –"Twin sisters from different mothers." -she thought to herself.
"What about this ragdoll? Did she make it for you?" -Tikki asked her, noticing it was handmade.
"Yes." -Marinette said. –"I once lost one of my dolls, when we were out in the park, and I was inconsolable. So, a few days later, she showed up with this ragdoll and she gave it to me, saying that the doll I lost came to her in a dream, telling her that she had gone on a really long trip, and asked her to make a ragdoll, who would be a friend to me, the same way she was, and to give it to me, so I wouldn't be sad." -she sighed, as she looked at the ragdoll. –"Of course, I was just a kid and I believed her. She was no seamstress, but she did the best she could. And I was happy that she had made it for me."
"What about the popsicle sticks?" -Tikki asked. –"What's the story behind them?"
"Oh, those were the popsicles sticks from an ice cream that I wanted to try once, but they were always sold out everywhere." -Marinette said. –"One day, Socqueline decided that she was going to get me one of those ice creams, no matter how long it . So, she dragged me and Alya on what you would call an epic quest to find them, through a good chunk of the city." -she chuckled, as she remembered the day. –"It took us most of the day, but in the end we found a place that was selling them. The trouble was that there were only two left and Alya and I knew that Socqueline also wanted to try it. So, we ended up sharing our ice creams with her. And as a memento of our quest, I kept those, to always remind me of it."
The more she talked about her, the more Tikki realized that Socqueline had played a very important part in Marinette's life. And more importantly, that she missed her immensely. While showing her all those little treasures and some of the stories, Tikki saw the happiness mixed with sadness reflected in her eyes and on her face, which only contributed to demonstrate how much she missed her. Suddenly, Marinette's cell phone rang, indicating she had received a text. Checking it, she saw it was from Alya.
"It's Alya saying we'll meet at the cemetery. We better get ready to go and meet her." -Marinette sighed, as she grabbed the photos and the rest of the objects, and placed them back inside the box.
"Poor Marinette. I wish there was something I could do to cheer her up." -Tikki thought to herself. –"I can tell that she and her babysitter were really close. Just like she and Manon are." -she thought.
Vaugirard Cemetery. It is the third cemetery to bear that name, having been used by the inhabitants of Grenelle before it had its own cemetery. The town of Vaugirard and its cemetery were both merged into the city of Paris in 1860 and two years later a large military plot was added for inhabitants of les Invalides, with casualties from both World War I and II. All that made it one of Paris' oldest cemeteries still active. And unlike Montparnase or Père-Lachaise cemeteries, it was not a tourist attraction.
Being a Saturday, the cemetery opened earlier. Like always, standing next to the cemetery's entrance there were some stands selling flowers. And there were flowers for every taste and budget. Having been the first to arrive, Alya decided to buy the flowers they were going to place on Socqueline's grave, knowing that Marinette would give her half the money later. As usual, Alya bought the same. A bouquet of Socqueline's favorite flowers, daisies and orange lilies. Paying them, she then waited for Marinette to show up.
"It's a lovely bouquet of flowers, Alya." -Trixx said, from inside Alya's pochette, where she was hiding. –"I especially love the orange lilies." -she pointed out.
"Well, they were her favourites. She had a thing for daisies. She liked to pick them up and make flower crowns for us and herself. And she loved lilies. She liked the white ones, but her favourites were always the orange ones. She told us, it reminded her of the sunset." -Alya said, as she tried her best not to shed a tear.
Just like it happened with Marinette and Tikki, Alya and Trixx also had a moment, where the holder of the fox miraculous told her kwami about Socqueline. There were a couple of tears and one or two stories shared. Stories that Alya hold dear. She had never been the emotional type. Not like Marinette or some of her other friends. But even she got emotional, when thinking about someone who meant so much, and who was no longer with them. It pained her to be there. But like a good soldier, she was there to fulfil her duty and pay her respects to her former babysitter and friend.
It did not take long for Marinette to show up. And as always, she had brought a box of macarons with her, which she was holding in her hands. But these were not for them to eat. They were a gift. Marinette had been taught by her maternal grandparents it was custom in China that one must always bring an offer to the deceased person, when visiting its grave.
"You brought her favourites, as always." -Alya said, as Marinette stopped in front of her.
"As always." -Marinette said, smiling, before hugging Alya. –"Thanks for coming, Alya." -she said.
"I wouldn't miss this for the world, girl." -Alya told her, before breaking the hug. –"You know that to me, this is as a sacred as it gets." -she smiled, as she noticed Marinette looking at the bouquet she was holding in her hands. –"I bought her favourites."
"I'm sure she's going to love them." -Marinette declared.
Finished with the pleasantries, the girls entered the cemetery. This one was quite deserted for a Saturday. Not that it bothered them. The less people around the better, because they would not have to worry about either Tikki or Trixx being seen, if they chose to place their heads outside of the pochettes. Making their way through the numerous graves, they knew just what waited them at the end of their way. Even if one did not know where the Wang family plot was, it would be easy to find it, as the graves in it were unique, and different of all the others in that cemetery. These were traditional Chinese graves, which on top of the name of the deceased in both Chinese characters and Roman charcters, also had inscriptions of an ancestor's dates of birth and death and ancestral home. Socqueline was the smallest of them, but also the prettiest, because it was made of a polished white stone. As it always happened, her tombstone photo greeted those who came to visit with a smile.
"Hi there, Socqueline." -Marinette greeted her old friend's grave. –"I guess you must know what's going on, if you see me and Alya here." -she said, as they both placed the flowers they had brought on the tomb, along with the box of macarons. –"I guess
After placing the flowers and the macarons on the tomb, both Marinette and Alya remained in silence for a while. They always did this, like a sort of ritual. As if they were giving Socqueline the time to admire the flowers she was presented with. They knew that whether they talked or not, after it, would not really matter. But they still like to do it, out of respect for the girl's spirit.
"I can't believe another year has gone by." -Marinette said. –"It feels like it was only yesterday we were here, Alya." -she sighed.
"I know." -Alya said. –"Time goes by too fast." -she declared.
"Too fast for my taste. Or anyone's taste, if you ask me." -Marinette said.
"Sometimes I think that the dead are the lucky ones." -Alya sighed. –"Because they don't have to worry about anything else. To them, time doesn't matter anymore." -she said.
"I agree. But it's not just time they don't have to worry about. They don't have to worry about anything else. They don't have to endure the pain of knowing that those that have departed, aren't coming back, unlike us." -Marinette said. –"In a way, they're the lucky ones, and we're the unlucky ones." -she sighed.
Just like placing the flowers and macarons on the tomb, and remain silent for a little bit was a ritual, the next part was also a ritual. It was all about steps. They would both lament just how they believed that the dead were the lucky ones, while the living still had to carry the sorrow of remembering those that had departed. This would then lead them to start talking about some of the best memories they had of Socqueline, reminiscing about them.
"Do you remember that time when she took us to the aquarium, and you, by sheer stubbornness, wanted to come home with one of those sea turtles that were just swimming around in one of the tanks?" -Alya asked Marinette, as she remembered it.
"Oh, I remember it." -Marinette chuckled. –"You didn't want to go, because you wanted to stay home and watch some cartoon show, and threw a tantrum, when she basically dragged you to it." -she said, as she remembered the whole thing. –"And then, when we got there, and you were mesmerized by all that water and the fishes."
"Don't forget the otters. I spent almost 5 minutes petting an otter." -Alya laughed. –"It was a really cute otter." -she added.
Reliving the memories by talking about them was a nice way of them remembering the good time the girls had with their friend. But like always, this only led to one thing Marinette and Alya talked about. What would Socqueline have become, if she had not passed away?
"I wonder what she would've been, if she hadn't died that day." -Alya said. –"I remember her telling us that she wanted to an actress. But she also wanted to be a zoologist. And a chemist. And a photographer. And a writer." -she said, as she numbered all the careers, she remembered the girl talking about.
"And don't forget that she also wanted to be on Olympic swimmer, or an Olympic martial artist." -Marinette said. –"She had that crazy dream of winning multiple gold medals." -she chuckled.
(Flashback)
Outside, the rain had stopped a few seconds before, but the wind was still blowing like crazy. But inside the living room of the Dupain-Cheng residence, it was warm and cozy. Tom and Sabine had left to go shopping, leaving Marinette in Socqueline's care for the next few hours. With them, there was also Alya, who had gone to spend the afternoon with Marinette. As usual, Socqueline had brought out plenty of board games with her, to keep them amused. But that afternoon, neither Marinette nor Alya were in the mood to play anything. Fortunately, Socqueline knew just what to do. She knew the girls loved to hear her telling them about situations that happened to her. And they also loved when she told them about what she did, when she was not babysitting them. The two of them were natural listeners.
"And on top of swimming, I also practice numerous martial arts. Karate, Taekwondo and Judo." -Socqueline said. –"Do you girls want me to show you a few moves?" -she said, as she imitated the way Bruce Lee moved his arms, when he was facing certain doom.
"Are you going to break any stones with your hands?" -Alya asked.
"No, Alya, I won't. If I attempted do that, I would break every little bone in my hand. Plus, if I broke anything here, Marinette's parents would fire me, for sure." -Socqueline said, in an amused tone, which made the girls laugh. –"But I'm going to show you both some really cool moves." -she winked at the girls.
And with that, she threw a couple of Karate moves into the air, delighting the girls, who applauded her. And since they liked it, she decided to also throw a couple of Judo moves, followed by some Taekwondo moves, and finishing with a somersault. She would have tried some more moves, but being inside a house, she did not want to risk breaking anything.
"You're amazing!" -Marinette exclaimed, while clapping her hands.
"You look so badass, like my sister Nora says." -Alya said, as she too applauded her.
"Thank you. It's one of my dreams to go to the Olympic games and try to win medals in swimming, Karate, Taekwondo and Judo." -Socqueline told them.
"Really?" -Marinette asked, curious.
"Really. And I also dream about being an actress, a chemist, zoologist, a writer and a photographer." -Socqueline told her.
"Why do you have so many dreams?" -Marinette asked her.
"Because I want to be sure that my life is anything but boring." -Socqueline said.
"But you'll never be able to do all those things." -Alya said.
"Says, who? You, pipsqueak?!" -Socqueline asked her, with a clown voice. –"Just because it sounds impossible, doesn't mean it'll be impossible." -she smiled. –"And even if I never get to fulfil those particular dreams, doesn't mean I won't fulfil others. The trick is to have lots and lots of dreams, so you can choose which ones you might be able to fulfil."
"I have lots of dreams!" -Marinette told her. –"I want to be an astronaut! No, no, no, better, I want to be fairy!" -she giggled
"A fairy? Well, that's a little bit difficult. I mean, you could try to be a fairy, but unless you were the tooth fairy, who must have the biggest piggy bank ever, so she can handle all those Euros to little kids, like you, who lose their teeth, it would be hard for you to make money." -Socqueline told her, with a caring voice.
"You're right." -Marinette said, realizing that being a fairy would not allow her to make money. –"Then, instead of a fairy, I want to make clothes!"
"Oh, you want to be a fashion designer, like Edna Mode?" -Socqueline asked her, knowing Marinette loved the character.
"Yes. But I'll make clothes for everyone, and not superheroes." -Marinette declared.
"That's a beautiful dream, Marinette." –Socqueline said. –"Everyone needs clothes." -she smiled. –"What about you, Alya? What is your dream?"
"I want to be a chef, like my mom!" -Alya exclaimed. –"But if I can't be a chef like her, then, I want to be a journalist." -she said.
"A journalist?" -Socqueline asked.
"Yes. Because they're always running around, looking for news and they get to see the world." -Alya said. –"They are lucky." -she said.
"They really are. But they're not the only ones who get to see the world, while working, you know?" -Socqueline told her. –"Do you know –"Pilots. Because they pilot airplanes. And there's nothing faster than airplane." -she smiled.
"What about a rocket ship?" -Alya asked.
"Well, a rocket ship is faster than an airplane, indeed. Still, a rocket ship can only take you up to space, while an airplane
"No, I 'm afraid of flying. If I ever have to go to another country, I'll take the train or a boat." -Socqueline said, always with a smile. –"Anyways, I'm glad that you girls also have dreams. And you should never let anyone tell you that they are dumb or stupid or impossible." -she said, this time with a more serious voice.
"Why would anyone say that to us?" -Marinette asked her.
"Maybe because they themselves don't have any dreams. Or maybe they don't care about you, or don't even like you, and just want to see you fail." -Socqueline said. –"And then, there will be cases, where they don't want you to hurt yourselves. But even in those cases, you must never let anyone make you feel like you can't fulfil a dream you have." -she said. –"I know you two are still very young, but I hope that what I'm saying to you, you'll remember it, later in life, because they are two things that have helped me. First, never give up on your dreams. And second, never let anyone treat you, or make you feel like they're better than you, girls. Nobody is better than anyone. We're all different, and we should respect each other. Never allow anybody to tell you that they're better than you, especially if they bully you."
Socqueline allowed herself to get carried away by her feelings, and quickly realized that the girls might not understand what she was telling them, from the faces they were making.
"Sometimes I forget that they're still very young to understand these things. Still, it doesn't hurt for them to hear these things. Sooner or later, they'll have to learn about this." -Socqueline thought to herself. –"Anyways, do you girls want to go to the kitchen and eat something? Marinette's mom left us a cake, and she told me that we could all have one slice." -she told them.
"Yay, cake!" -Marinette and Alya spoke in chorus.
(End of flashback)
"All those dreams she had; they were fantastic dreams. Some of them were absolutely crazy or impossible, but they were incredible…. and when she died, all those dreams she had, they were all lost in time, like tears in rain." -Marinette sighed, trying to hold her tears, but failing, as one dropped from her left eye.
"Did you just half-quote Roy Batty from Blade Runner?" -Alya asked Marinette, as tears rolled down her eyes.
"I did." -Marinette said, as she shed a few tears. –"She told us once it was her favourite movie, and that one day, when we were old enough, she would show it to us." -she said, as she felt one of her tears rolling down her cheek. –"S-She never got t-the chance to… to k-keep her promise…"
And just like that, all control Marinette had over her feelings and her eyes disappeared, as the sadness inside her overran all her thoughts. She had promised herself that she was not going to cry. But this was one promise she did not mind to break. Crying her eyes out, she hugged Alya, who hugged her back. The brunette tried to comfort her, by hugging her as tightly as she could, while also holding her tears. But hearing Marinette sobbing, Alya too began to cry, joining her. It was just stronger than them. She had been the first person in their lives that departed, and that had left them a mark that would never heal., Until then, death had just been a word with no real meaning in their lives. And after Socqueline's departure, death became a part of their existence.
Inside the girls' pochettes, both Tikki and Trixx were also crying. They never met Socqueline, but they could feel their holders' grief, and that was enough to make them share their pain.
"It's not fair." -Marinette said, as she wiped the tears from her eyes. –"It's not fair that she didn't get to fulfil all those promises she did to us." -she sniffed. –"But more importantly, she it's not fair that she didn't get to fulfil any of those crazy, beautiful dreams she had."
"You're right. It's not fair." -Alya said, as she too wiped a tear. –"But like my mom says to me and sisters, "Life's unfair, and you just have to accept it that there will be times when this one will be absolutely unfair." -she sighed. –"But even knowing that, it doesn't make it any easier to accept."
"I can only imagine what she had become, if she had lived." -Marinette said, when it hit her. –"You know, I never thought about this. I mean, I have, but I never really give it any real serious thought; but do you think if she was still alive, that we would still be friends?" -she asked Alya.
"I don't see why not." -Alya answered her. –"If this is because of the age gap, I don't think that we would be an obstacle. It's true, she was a lot older than us, but that doesn't mean a thing." -she said. –"Let me see, we'll be both 14 soon. And if she was alive today, she would be 25. It's a big age gap, but that means nothing, when it comes to true friendships. My dad's best friend is nearly 15 years older than he is."
"It's true. Age isn't really an obstacle when friendship is true." -Marinette said, as she started to cry again. –"But still, people change. And we'll never know for sure if we would still be friends." -she said. –"For all we know, once she had gone to college, she would've forgotten us. After all, we were just two kids, she babysat from time to time."
"Girl… every time we come here, you say something crazy about Socqueline, and I think it's time for you to stop. Not only it's depressing, but it's also dumb. And I say these words, with the best of intentions." -Alya told her. –"As your best-friend, I'm going to tell you this, and I hope you get it tattooed on your mind. We weren't just a chore to Socqueline. She liked to spend time with us. The same way that you like to spend time with Manon. Because just like your friendship bound with Manon is real and strong, ours with Socqueline was just as real and strong." -she declared, as a tear ran down. –"You keep telling Manon that it doesn't matter if 10 or 20 years go by, you'll still be friends. Well, I know, deep in my heart that we would still be friends with Socqueline, and she would find the time to spend time with us. It may not have had the chance to happen, but I wish to believe that, and so should you, because you knew just how much she liked to spend time with us, and how much she cared about us. She was not just our babysitter. She was our friend. And that's the reason why we're here now. Because we miss our friend."
Hearing Alya say those words, was something Marinette needed to hear. It did not matter if they would ever truly know for sure if their friendship bond with Socqueline would have endured the test of time. What truly mattered, as Alya pointed out, was the belief that their bond would have been strong enough for them to still be friends, if she was still among them. Bur more importantly, what mattered, right then, was the fact that the memories they had of her, were a clear indication that their bond went way beyond casual acquaintances. It was a bond that had been forged through numerous mutual experiences.
"You're right. All that matters is that we believe in that. It's what makes us come here, every year." -Marinette said.
For the most part of time, Tikki and Plagg had remained silent. But after hearing Marinette and Alya having that heart-to-heart moment, and knowing that there were almost alone in that part of the cemetery, they both decided to cheer them up as well, with some comforting words. Placing their heads outside of the respective pochettes, they looked at their holders and said:
"You may never know if you would still be friends with her. But I do know one thing. From the way you girls talk about her, she would be proud of who you girls grew up to be." -Tikki told them.
"Tikki's right. I too believe she would be proud of you two." –Trixx agreed with her.
The thought that their friend and babysitter would be proud of who they became, was a very dear and sweet one. And hearing Tikki and Trixx saying it out loud, made it even better.
"Thanks, girls." -Alya told Tikki and Trixx.
"Yes, thanks." -Marinette thanked them.
"Our pleasure." -Tikki said. –"But to tell you the truth, we're only stating the obvious." -she smiled. –"Anyone who has known you two for years, would be proud of who you have become."
"Indeed. We know we are, and we only know you girls for a few months. So, imagine those who've known you for far longer." -Trixx declared.
After this, and feeling their spirits lifted up, the girls shared a few more stories involving Socqueline, with their kwamis. Tikki and Trixx got to know a little bit more about her, and were happy to hear their holders sharing a little bit more, not only about Socqueline, but also about their childhoods. The girls even introduced Tikki and Trixx, feeling it was only natural for them to do it. What had started as a rather grim visit, became a happier one.
"And now, comes the second part of our visit to Socqueline's grave." -Alya said. –"The girl was always saying that the best remedy for a bad or sad day was a really big ice cream." -she said, remembering the girl's words. –"So, we're going to get ourselves a Jumbo-sized ice cream, in Socqueline's honour, in an ice cream shop that she used to take us, and that's near my place."
"Sounds like a plan." -Trixx said. –"Doing something she loved, is indeed a fitting tribute to someone you love."
"Have you been spending more time with Wayzz or Tammara, lately?" -Tikki asked her. –"You're usually not that this philosophical." -she said.
"I may have been talking a bit more with Tammara, after Alya goes to bed. You know she's a light sleeper." -Trixx admitted.
Saying their goodbyes to Socqueline, they promised to visit her again. Alya was about to go, when she noticed Marinette had not moved.
"You're coming, Marinette?" -Alya asked her.
"In a minute." -Marinette said. –"I just need a moment alone." -she told Alya, as she felt a tear running down her face.
"Okay. We'll wait for you outside." -Alya declared, as she began to walk away, making her way between the tombs.
Marinette waited for Alya to get far enough away, so that she could share a few words with Socqueline. She had no problem with Alya hearing what she had tell her, but Marinette wanted what she was going to say to Socqueline to stay just between them. Looking at the photo of Socqueline in her tombstone, Marinette talked to her as if she was standing there with her.
"Thank you for being the best babysitter ever, Socquelne." -Marinette said. –"I know that every year I come here, I say the same thing, but that only makes it even more true." -she said. –"My teacher, Miss Bustier, has taught me important lessons in kindness, forgiveness, friendship, understanding, among many other things. But you were the one who taught me to always stand up for myself and to never let anyone treat me like I was worse than them. And you also taught me to dream and that when it comes to my dreams and aspirations, I shouldn't be afraid to shoot for the Moon, as long as I work for it. I admit that over the years, there were times when I forgot about those lessons you taught me… But I always tried to uphold them, as best as I could."
When Socqueline died, both Marinette's grandmothers Gina and Ju taught her that there was nothing wrong with talking to the dead, as they believed that they would hear what the living talked to them, in the afterlife. And she too believed that. She believed that Socqueline's spirit, wherever it was, could hear her out.
"But you want to know something? Not even in my wildest dreams, I thought I would one day have the job of protecting this city I want to believe that Tikki and Trixx are right, when they said that you would be proud of who Alya and I have become. And I'm not just talking about the secret lives we have, but everything else." -Marinette declared. –"Because you were always saying that as long as we would uphold the things we learn from those who love us, and followed our dreams, we could be, whoever we wish to be." -she said, as a few more tears ran down her face. –"I'm sorry that you didn't get to fulfil your dreams, Socqueline. I'm sorry that you didn't get to live the life that you were always talking about. A life filled with adventure, happiness, excitement… a life worth living. Instead, all those dreams you had will be nothing more than that, dreams, which were never fulfilled. I can't fulfil them for you, because I'm not you. But I can make sure that I will fulfil all the dreams I have. I don't know how I'm going to do that, but I will find a way, because you've taught me some of the lessons that I'll need to make it happen. And in doing so, I'll honour your memory."
She needed to take that out of her chest. And it felt good to do it.
"I'll try not to wait another year to visit you. But even if I can't come and visit you, believe me when I say that you're never far from my thoughts." -Marinette smiled, as a tear rolled down her face. –"Enjoy the macarons. They are as delicious as you remember them." -she said.
As she made her way back to the cemetery's entrance, a small ray of sunlight appeared through the clouds, shinning on the cemetery. Seeing this, Marinette could not help but to think that that was somehow the doing of Socqueline's spirit, thanking her and Alya for remembering her, and visiting her on the day of her death. It was not a realistic thought, but it was a happy one and that was all that mattered to her.
The End.
So, yeah... this happened. Like I said at the beginning, this was one-shot that was not planned. And more importantly, when I began writing it, I wasn't even considering posting it as its own solo thing. It was supposed to be another chapter in the "Miraculous Team: One-Shots" anthology. But as I wrote it, I felt that it deserved to be its own thing.
The decision to have Socqueline dead in my AU was not an easy one to make. But in the end, I felt it was best to have it this way, because as much as I like the backstory they gave her in the show, it's a little bit too late for me to use it in my AU (not to mention that if I went with it, it would make my version of Chloe a monster, and would make the whole school staff incredibly incompetent, including Miss Bustier and Principal Damocles). But even so, the same way Socqueline was a catalyst for the way Marinette's personality was shaped in the show, I wanted to do the same for my fics. I just took a different path. The main difference is that Socqueline wasn't a school mate of Marinette, but instead, her babysitter, who was a positive influence on her, when she was just a kid, and ended up giving her some life advices, which she took to heart. And because in this AU, Alya and Marinette have been friends since kindergaten, I felt that Socqueline could've also been a positive influence on her as well. It was also nice to be able to write a few snippets of Marinette and Alya's childhood (I loved the scenes I wrote so much, that I'm even pondering about commissioning some illustrations of them).
Whether Socqueline will make more appearences in my AU, I don't know yet. But flashbacks are a presence in my fics, and if I see the opportunity, alongside the right reason for it, she might come back.
I truly hope you enjoyed reading it, as much as I enjoyed writing it. And as always, feel free to comment, fav and leave your suggestions for future one-shots in this AU. :)