Chapter 2: Forging the Way

Three Weeks Ago:

They say when one is lost it becomes increasingly difficult to find the path again as time goes on. The one who is lost has a choice to make, to either try to find the old path or to forge a new one.

"What do you mean you're staying, I thought said-" Adrien was interrupted. He was at Anton's warehouse as Anton was working with something mechanical behind a wall of crates.

"Adrien that was before these portals started showing up, besides Wrekts needs time to attune himself." Anton said as he walked in from the crates covered in grease.

"Right so your plan is to find a job while you're taking care of these portals?" Adrien asked as Anton sat at the bar.

"Wow, all that grease, and all over your favorite coat, whatchya working on back there?" Plagg questioned as he tried floating behind the crates.

"Nothing you haven't seen before cat." Anton said as he grabbed Plagg by the tail and threw him towards Adrien.

"Oh come on!" Plagg cried as Adrien caught him and set him down on the table.

"My Plan is find something to occupy me while I'm here, so whatever it takes to get me food at least." Anton said as he reached below the bar and pulled out a water bottle.

"Well, why not try school, being from another world I can't believe how many differences there could be between yours and ours." Adrien stated, just as there was an explosion from behind the crates.

"God damnit." Anton said as he slapped his hand on his forehead.

"What is wrong with that thing?" Adrien asked.

"The accelerators are on the fritz, that and the hydraulics are fried, I'm stuck using the moped." Anton said as he set the water bottle on the bar.

"Oh, you know I might know a guy who might be able to help you with that." Adrien offered.

"And risk more people learning about me, that sounds as bad as your idea of going to school." Anton mentioned as he chuckled.

"Oh come on it'll be fun, I promise." Adrien said with a smile.

Present Day:

"YA-WHO!" Anton yelled as he turned a street corner.

"AREN'T YOU GOING A LITTLE FAST!?" Marinette yelled as they came to a drift.

"MAYBE JUST A LITTLE!" Anton yelled back as he hit the brakes and stopped the joy ride.

When the dust cleared Marinette could see he had parallel parked perfectly in between two cars across the street from the school. But the parking wasn't the only thing she noticed when the dust cleared. There was Alya just standing there next to Nino with her phone out recording the entire entrance. But before they could have a friendly greeting a certain snob and her minion.

"Well, well, well I didn't know sweet innocent Marinette was into the bad boys." Chloe commented raising an eyebrow at them. Arthrin quickly put on his sunglasses to avoid any unwanted attention.

"Especially one who wears a leather jacket and drives a moped." Sabrina stated as they walked up to the group.

Anton smiled and rolled his eyes as an idea came to his head.

"Oh I'm sorry you must be mistaken there sweet cheeks, see Marinette here was just helping me with the homework, but given that you just tried to insult her I can only guess one of two things." Arthrin stated as he shrugged his shoulders.

"Arhtrin, what are you doing?" Marinette asked as she watched him walk up to Chloe and Sabrina.

"And what that might be New Kid?" Chloe questioned as she poked his shoulder. Arthrin just gently grabbed her hand and gently pushed it away.

"Well on one hand it could mean that you just hate her guts so much you'll try anything to get her out of the picture." Arhtrin stated.

"Wow, I didn't know I was that easy to read." Chloe stated as she rolled her eyes.

"Yeah you tell him Chloe." Sabrina stated. Arthrin just rolled his eyes.

"Oh you have no idea, on the other hand it could also mean … oh well no that'd be impossible, not from what I heard of the great Chloe Bourgeois." Arthrin stated.

"Oh really and what exactly is that?" Chloe demanded as she grabbed his shoulder and pulled him closer to her face.

"Well, I wouldn't want to step out of line, you are the Mayor's Daughter after all." Arhtrin said as he gently pushed himself away from her.

"Exactly and as the Mayor's Daughter I suggest you finish your sentence, before I have daddy take care of you!" Chloe stated.

"Alright you asked for it though, on the other hand … You're jealous." Chloe's world froze for a second has her brain fractured into tiny pieces.

"EXCUSE ME!" She yelled. "Oh I have never been so insulted in my life, I never want to see you ever again!" Chloe stated as she turned around and walked away.

All the students around that watched turned quiet as Chloe and Sabrina stormed off into the school. Alya and Nino were laughing hysterically as Marinette and Arhtrin came walking to them.

"What was that?" Alya called out as she continued laughing.

"Just something I like to call throwing off what isn't needed." Arthrin stated.

"Bro you got some mad guts if you can tell Chloe off like that." Nino stated as he gave Arthrin a Thumbs up.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late." Adrien stated as he ran up to them in a storm of sweat.

"Uh dude you okay, you look … … .." Arthrin couldn't finish.

"Like you feel into a lake and forgot to shower." Nino finished.

"Yeah Felix really has been putting the heat on me." Adrien said as they all began walking into the school.

"Putting the heat on you?" Marinette asked.

"Oh yeah that reminds me Arthrin can I have a word with you?" Adrien asked as he pulled Anton to the side.

Marinette looked confused at the two as they stepped away from the door while Alya and Nino walked into the school. She wanted to be on time for once but the sudden pull away from both Adrien and Anton got her interested.

"Oh no you don't." Tikki said as she floated out of her purse and in front of Marinette.

"But, Tikki."

"No means no, we promised that we would be on time for once, whatever business Anton has with Adrien is probably none of ours anyway." Tikki stated.

"You're right, come on let's go." Marinette sighed in defeat as she walked into the school.

Anton watched Marinette walk away into the school as he walked with Adrien to the edge of the sidewalk. He felt bad for leaving her behind like that, but business was business, and Adrien was the only one actually with resources helping him out in this world.

"So, I talked with Max and he said he would help but-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa Adrien slow down, You told someone about me?" Anton questioned.

"Well yes and no, he doesn't know about you specifically just that you have a project that hasn't really been working." Adrien stated sheepishly.

"You do realize once he sees the project my identity will be out, I kept yours a secret and ladybug's." Anton mentioned.

"Yeah I know but don't you want that thing fixed as soon as possible?" Adrien asked. Anton stood there and thought for a moment.

"Alright, I'll talk to this Max kid, where can I find him?" Anton asked just as the school bell rang.

"He's in our class, but there's a catch." Adrien mentioned as they started walking into the school.

"What's the catch?" Anton asked as he adjusted his voice into Arthrin's

"ME!" a strong voice called out as a red rubber ball came flying at them.

Arthrin had seconds to react, he pushed Adrien out of the way but the ball had made contact with his face. He felt the force of the ball bounce off his face as he stood there for a moment. Everyone in the class looked at Arthrin shocked as he slowly took of his leather jacket and handed it to Adrien before turning to the kids in the center of the courtyard.

"Alright which one of you bozos threw that?" Arhtirn asked coldly as Adrien took his jacket. Everyone pointed to the tall kid whose hair stood up in a blonde spike.

"Yeah that was me, listen new kid Max doesn't go anywhere without me so if you want to borrow him, you have to go through me." The kid stated.

"Right, right, and you are?" The kid was about to answer but had no time when Arthrin had thrown the ball at him. "No concern of mine!" He yelled as the kid had little to no time to dodge the ball.

Up on the second level Nino had watched the whole thing happen. Concerned he yelled out to Alya and Marinette causing them to run out of the classroom in a panic.

"Adrien's not involved is he?" Marinette asked in a panical concern.

"No as far as I can tell Arthrin is taking him on alone." Nino stated as Alya took out her phone.

"What are you doing?" Marinette asked as both her and Nino looked over Alya's shoulder.

"Getting this one on camera, who knows maybe the new kid can actually beat Kim." Alya stated as the game of Dodgeball started.

Arthrin had thrown the first ball, keeping Kim on his toes. What Arthrin hadn't accounted for were other students giving Kim more balls to throw.

"Hey, unfair advantage!" Arthrin called out, ducking down to avoid getting hit in the face.

"Don't you know anything about policy kid, the new kid gets everything thrown against him." Kim stated smiling. What Kim hadn't accounted for though was Arhtrin smiling back.

"Hey why are you smiling, you're about to lose!" Kim yelled as he threw another ball.

"Oh me, well I'm just glad it's me against the whole school, wouldn't be fair otherwise." Arhtrin stated. Kim growled in annoyance.

"Alright that's it, everyone line up!" Kim ordered as the other students began to line up next to him.

Arthrin's smiled grew ten times as he leaned down and grabbed two of the balls in his hands. He knew what was about to happen and he wasn't about to hold back now, well maybe hold back a little, they were just kids after all.

"FIRE!" Kim yelled before all the students raised their arms and threw the dodgeballs at Arhtrin.

"Right back atchya!" Arhtrin yelled! Praying no one would notice what he was about to do.

Arhtrin began to focus all of his energy around him as a small glow began to emit from his eyes. For Arthrin, time around him began to slow, the adrenaline pumping in his veins, he quickly looked around at all the balls coming his way, eight to be exact, quickly calculating which ones to doge and which ones he could hit back. Using the balls in his hands he punch the first one back before dodging the second by spinning under it as he punch the third. He quickly did a backflip to dodge the fourth while he punched the fifth and sixth as he landed while he spun around again to doge the seventh and punch the eighth back before throwing the two balls in his hands. By the time the student realized what was happening it was too late, the seven student backing up Kim had been knocked out of the courtyard. All that was left was Kim and Arthrin.

Kim looked to his left and right as he watched the students walk off the field leaving him behind in a panic of fear. He turned to Arthrin with a growl as he picked up a ball in each of his hands. Arhtrin just stood there, only now the smile was gone, this was now serious.

"Did he … … did he just!" Nino questioned in shock.

"No way, that's … that's impossible!" Alya stated in excitement.

Marinette didn't say anything, she only watched as the game continued. Adrein wanted to say something but he knew he couldn't. Those glowing eyes had them both worried but they knew all they could do was watch this play out, but had their Miraculous ready just in case.

"You're good I'll give you that new kid." Kim said as he readied himself.

"Funny, I'd say the same to you, but I'm better." Arhtrin said as the smile came back to his face the low glow in his eyes fading.

Kim threw first, both balls at the same time before he rolled and grabbed two more. Arhtrin just ducked and rolled out of the way as he grabbed two balls and threw them back. Kim just dodge left and right as more balls kept coming his way as Arthrin kept throwing balls at Kim. Eventually Arhtrin ran out of balls to throw and Kim had them all at his disposal.

"Ha, ran out of ammo I see, well I guess that means I win!" Kim stated as he stood there with a cocky ego.

"Guess there's only one way to find out huh?" Arhtrin questioned as he got ready.

Kim growled as he got ready, putting a lot of force into this throw. At first it looked like he missed but the sheer spinning of the ball made it turn right into Arthrin. Smiling, Kim had thought he had just won as Arhtrin just stood there when the ball came right for his face. What no one expected or saw until the last second was Arthrin's hand rising up to catch the ball right before it made contact. Kim fell to his knees as everyone else stood there in shock watching him walk up to Kim with the ball still in his hand.

"I lost?" Kim questioned as Arthrin stood in front of him.

"Really that's it, no lesson learned or nothing?" Arthrin said as he tossed the ball to the side as reached his hand to help him.

"What do you mean?" Kim asked.

"Well first lesson, never underestimate the new guy, and second." Arhtrin started as Kim took his hand and helped him stand up. "A great leader never just shouts commands." Arthrin stated as he began walking away towards Adrien.

"Well that didn't take long." Adrien said as he handed Arhtrin his jacket.

"You sound so surprised." Arthrin stated.

"I am, I know you said you were from another world but what was with that eye glow thing?" Adrien asked.

"I was about to ask the same thing?" Marinette questioned as she walked up to the two.

"Uh what thing?" Adrien tried to push off, nervously. Anton was about to tell Adrien she already knew but the P.A. system turned on.

"Students, unfortunately due to an incident the school will be closed for the rest of the day and until further notice, however Talent Show Auditions will now be held on a later date to be announced. That is all and have a good day." Mr. Damocles announced.

"Ooh an incident, I wonder what happened?" Alya stated as she and Nino came up to them.

"It's probably nothing, maybe the boiler room had a leak or the kitchen freezer isn't working." Nino stated.

"Yeah but to close down the school for the rest of the day maybe more, don't you think that's a bit weird?" Arthrin said just as construction workers can walking in through the front doors.

"Okay, now that is weird?" Adrien stated.

A/N: Okay going with shorter Chapters for now for a few reasons one of them being I need to really get back into the swing of things and that's going to take some time