To anyone who read my first chapter before I edited it, I have changed Marinette's superheroine identity to "Chat Noire" because it was brought to my attention that "Chatte Noire" is a derogatory French slur. So, thank you, mysterygeeks, for saving Marinette and me from further embarrassment. And thank you to everyone who reviewed, favorited, and followed my story. Your support really means a lot to me.
Updates will be two weeks apart, and I know that feels like forever. Trust me, I would love to update sooner, but I want to be sure I have more than enough time to write and edit my chapters before posting them.
All of your lovely reviews will be answered at the end of the chapter, and if you ever have any questions, feel free to leave a review or PM me!
Now, without further ado, here is chapter two!
Edited: June 8, 2021
Chapter Two
Adrien Agreste
Chaos continued to reign in Paris. Thankfully, this time there were no moving monsters crashing through buildings as they searched for the source of their anger. Instead, Paris's streets and sidewalks were cluttered with immobile stone figures, causing whole sections of the city to be cut off from the rest of the world. Children were wandering around, looking for their parents; mothers were sobbing at the feet of their giant stone children. Adrien couldn't bear to see the mess, especially since he knew it was all his fault.
Despite only knowing his Kwami for a short amount of time, her absence caused the whole house to feel quieter, which didn't quite make sense because Tikki rarely spoke. Then again, the sudden silence could just be an effect of the horror Gabriel and Emilie were feeling as they watched more and more stone figures appear.
"At this rate, the entire population will be made of stone in a matter of days," Nadja Chamack was saying, looking visibly worried. "Have our new heroes abandoned us so soon? Beetlebug and Chat Noire, if you're listening, please, we need your help."
Adrien slumped lower into the couch cushions, his gaze flicking towards the staircase leading to his bedroom. His mind drifted to the desk drawer he had shoved Tikki's box into. He had been avoiding his room ever since, spending as little time in it as possible. He couldn't bear to sit in the same room, knowing she was just out of reach, utterly disappointed in him. She probably regrets getting paired with me, he thought bitterly.
"Adrien?" Emilie called from the kitchen, where she was putting away the last of the dishes. "Sweetie, are you okay?"
"Do you ever feel like you can't do anything right?" he asked, his eyes trained on the wall.
"Everyone feels that way at least once in their life," Emilie said, moving closer and sitting down beside her son. "But, eventually, each person finds what they were made to do, and everything works out."
"But what if it doesn't work out?" Adrien asked, looking up at his mother, his eyes filling with tears. "What if Beetlebug doesn't save the day? What if this mess is all his fault, and he thinks Paris is better off without him?"
"Aww, sweetie, is that what you're worried about?" Emilie asked, brushing strands of hair out of Adrien's face. "Don't stress, honey. Beetlebug wouldn't desert us. Even if he did cause this mess, I'm sure he'll find a way to fix it. Besides, he doesn't have to do all the work himself. I'm sure Chat Noire is more than willing to help put Paris back in order."
Adrien pondered her words for a moment, then nodded and wiped a few stray tears from his cheeks. "You're right, Mom. Thanks." He pressed a kiss to her cheek and disappeared up the stairs.
"You better be grabbing your bag for school, Adrien!" Emilie shouted after him. "Paris may be falling into ruins, but that doesn't mean you can't get a good education!"
"Of course, Mom!" Adrien called back, laughing as he grabbed his schoolbag and slung it over his shoulder. After a brief hesitation, he rumbled through his desk drawers and stuffed Tikki's box in the side pocket of his backpack.
"Adrien, you're going to be late!" Gabriel shouted up the stairs.
"Coming!" Adrien yelled back as he bolted out of his room. "Bye, Mom! Bye, Dad!' He wrapped both of his parents in a hug before dashing out the front door.
Marinette Dupain-Cheng
Faster, faster. Come on; you're almost there.
"Marinette Dupain-Cheng! Get back here! You know you're not allowed to go to school!"
Faster, faster, faster.
"Marinette! Stop!"
Almost there. Almost there.
"I mean it, Marinette!"
Just a little further…
"Don't you dare—"
Marinette crashed through the doors, leaving Nathalie and her threats outside.
Adrien Agreste
Adrien was surprisingly early to school, so students were still milling around the gym when he arrived, waiting for the first bell to ring. Adrien slunk around the edge, attempting to avoid Sabrina as he made his way towards Nino.
"Dude, you'll never believe what happened yesterday," Nino said as soon as Adrien was within earshot. "Well, I mean, you've probably seen Beetlebug and Chat Noire on the news, but I saw them in person, and, let me tell you, they were mega cool. Look, I even got it on camera!" Nino tapped on his screen and pulled up the video he had shot last night. "I uploaded it on the Beetleblog yesterday, and it already has 100 views."
"The Beetleblog?" Adrien asked, eyebrows raised.
"Oh, yeah. I made that yesterday too. I'm gonna use it to broadcast every time Beetlebug swoops in and saves the day."
"Every time? You think he's gonna come back?"
"Of course he'll come back. He's a superhero. It's what they do."
"What if he doesn't?"
"He will," Nino said, matter of factly. "And, when he does, I'll be ready." He tapped the jacket pocket he had slipped his phone into.
Adrien glanced into his bag, imagining Tikki shut in the octagonal box, waiting for Adrien to change his mind.
Marinette Dupain-Cheng
Marinette had arrived early this time, so the whole student body was spread around the school, catching up with friends as they waited for classes to begin. Marinette scanned the area, searching for Chloé.
"Marikins! Over here!"
Marinette whipped her head towards her friend's voice.
Chloé was waving wildly from the other end of the gym. Marinette grinned and raced towards her friend; Chloé did the same. They collided in the center of the gym and threw their arms around each other.
"Did your mom let you come after all?" Chloé asked once the two girls had separated. Marinette shook her head and opened her mouth to explain, but a shrill voice called Chloé's name, cutting through the air and interrupting Marinette before she could even begin.
The school fell into silence. Marinette looked up, her gaze landing on the redhead waltzing through the crowd as if she owned the place. Marinette felt her anger rise but only allowed it to show through the clenched fist in her pocket. She was used to dealing with people like this: who ruled with an iron fist and did whatever they wanted without caring how anyone else felt.
People like her mother.
"Yes, Sabrina?" Chloé whimpered, sounding extremely pathetic.
Why is she letting this girl treat her like this? Marinette wondered as she watched the exchange. The Chloé Bourgeois I know would never let this happen.
"You know you are never to leave my side. What if something had happened to me, and you weren't there to help?"
"I'd feel terrible," Chloé said. The line felt rehearsed as if Chloé had been instructed to say those words in response to multiple situations. Marinette felt her anger increase from fist-clenching to teeth-gritting. She took a deep breath, attempting to regain control. She refused to give Sabrina the satisfaction of seeing any sign of irritation.
"Yes, you would," Sabrina said, not seeming to care how humiliating the situation was for Chloé. "Now, why don't you introduce me to your friend."
Adrien Agreste
Adrien and Nino had a clear view of the drama from their seat on one of the benches scattered around the outskirts of the gym. When Chloé had dashed across the room, squealing the whole way, she had grabbed the attention of every single person in the gym. But when Adrien saw who she was running towards, his attention had shifted.
"That's the girl who stopped by the bakery yesterday," he whispered to Nino, not daring to take his eyes off her in case it was all a dream.
"Dude, that's Marinette Dupain-Cheng. She models for her mom."
Adrien turned to his friend, confused.
"Please tell me you've heard of Sabine Dupain-Cheng."
Adrien widened his eyes. "You mean the world-famous fashion designer?"
"The one and only."
Adrien opened his mouth to voice his disbelief, but Sabrina's hysterical shout caused him to snap his attention back towards Chloé and Marinette.
Sabrina marched across the gym, parting the crowd like the Red Sea. Chloé's demeanor instantly changed, and Adrien felt somewhat bad for the blonde. She really wasn't treated any better than the rest of the school.
Sabrina loudly scolded her lackey, then motioned to Marinette and demanded an introduction.
Chloé's lips moved, but her words were murmured too softly for Adrien to hear. Chloé then pressed her lips together, and Sabrina stuck out her hand, a sickly sweet smile etched on her face as she spoke.
"It's a pleasure to finally meet you, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Chloé has told me so much about you."
Adrien expected Marinette to be seething with anger. He knew he would have slapped Sabrina sooner than he would have shaken her hand, but the raven merely smiled a genuinely sweet smile and shook Sabrina's hand with the grace and elegance of a queen.
"The pleasure is mine, Sabrina."
Her tone wasn't at all mocking, and her expression never faltered even when Sabrina looked taken aback for a moment. The crowd began to whisper amongst themselves, but Adrien could only stare at Marinette in shock.
"Yes, well," Sabrina said, yanking away her hand and attempting to regain her composure, "Chloé and I would be more than happy to show you where our classes are. Right, Chlo?"
"Yes, Sabrina."
Then Sabrina was gone, her slave and guest following behind.
Marinette Dupain-Cheng
"Here, this seat was reserved just for you," Sabrina said, motioning to the front row. Marinette slid onto the bench and smiled at the girl beside her, but the girl merely huffed and turned the other way. Slightly hurt, Marinette turned back to Chloé.
"Oh, Chlo, did you understand the homework from last night?" Sabrina asked, her tone implying that she already knew the answer.
The blonde shook her head.
"Chlo, you should have called me. I would have been more than happy to help," Marinette said softly.
"Oh, don't worry. Chloé never understands any of her schoolwork. You should expect as much from a dumb blonde, right, Chlo? That's why she has me."
Marinette clenched her fist again. It was becoming more and more difficult to maintain her calm around Sabrina.
"It's okay, Marinette," Chloé murmured. "Sabrina only speaks the truth, and the truth never hurts."
"No, Chlo—"
But Sabrina shut Marinette up once again by dropping her chewed piece of gum on the seat across the aisle.
"Little Baker Boy will enjoy that treat, won't he, Chlo?"
Chloé Bourgeois
Chloé should have been used to the embarrassment Sabrina caused her. She should have expected her friend to cause a scene. She saw firsthand the pleasure Sabrina received from humiliating students.
I guess I just hoped she'd be nicer when Marinette was here.
That, however, was the exact opposite of what had happened. The moment Marinette entered the building, Sabrina had only become meaner. Perhaps she felt threatened by the model, but she didn't dare pick on Sabine Dupain-Cheng's daughter. That would be social suicide. So, instead, Sabrina turned her jealousy into personal attacks on Chloé.
In front of anyone else, Chloé wouldn't have been as upset. But Marinette had never seen this pitiful side of Chloé before, and Chloé had never wanted her to witness it.
She tried her best to reassure Marinette, to let her friend know it was okay. She was used to being ridiculed. Marinette didn't need to risk her neck standing up for Chloé. But Marinette didn't listen. The raven continued to challenge the redhead, and Sabrina only became angrier.
"Little Baker Boy will enjoy that treat, won't he, Chlo?" Sabrina asked after dropping her chewed bubblegum on the seat she had kicked Adrien to. The blonde nodded mutely, eyes fixed on the tabletop in front of her.
Don't cry, don't cry, don't cry.
Those two words became her silent mantra as she blinked back tears. She didn't dare look at Marinette. The pity in her friend's bluebell eyes was too much for her to bear.
"Sabrina, that's not nice," Marinette said; Chloé glanced up and watched, horrorstruck, as Marinette knelt beside the bench and began to scrub at the gum moments before Adrien entered the room.
"Sabrina," Chloé hissed, "Adrien's going to think Marinette did this!"
"That's the point, Chloé, dear," Sabrina cooed, sitting back in her seat with a smirk. "Just hush and enjoy the show."
But Chloé wasn't going to sit back and watch her only true friend be blamed for Sabrina's crime. So, before Adrien could even say a word, Chloé jumped out of her seat and exclaimed, "It's not her fault!"
The whole class turned to stare at her, including Sabrina, but Chloé kept her gaze fixed on Adrien.
"Marinette didn't stick that gum to your seat. Sabrina did."
"Chloé," Sabrina hissed angrily, "what are you doing?"
"Marinette was trying to clean it up before you got here."
"If you don't sit down and shut up—" Sabrina began, her face red with rage, but Chloé ignored the redhead and, instead, walked around the table to kneel beside Marinette.
"Here, let me help you."
Marinette threw her arms around Chloé. "You're the best friend I could have ever asked for."
Adrien Agreste
Adrien had been too distracted by Nino's thrilling recollection of the Parc des Princes battle (as he attempted to discreetly stow his Miraculous in Nino's bag) to notice the raven kneeling beside his seat until he had almost tripped over her. When he saw the gum she seemed to be smoothing onto his seat (for maximum stickiness, he assumed), he was completely shocked. How could someone as nice as Marinette be corrupted almost instantly by Queen Sabrina? There was only one explanation for that: Marinette wasn't as nice as she appeared after all.
He opened his mouth, intending to shout some cliché line like "How could you?" or "I thought you were better than this!" but Chloé cut him off.
"It's not her fault!"
Adrien turned to the blonde, surprised. Chloé rarely stood up to Sabrina, mostly because the redheaded monster was the only reason she wasn't failing her classes.
Chloé babbled out an explanation for Marinette, stating that the raven was trying to remove the gum Sabrina had put in his seat. Adrien just stared at the blonde, his mouth agape.
And then, as if speaking up against Sabrina's tyranny wasn't brave enough, Chloé walked around the table and began to help Marinette clean up the gum, not seeming to care that Sabrina's face was as red as her hair.
"I'm assuming this doesn't happen very often," Nino whispered, taking in the shocked faces of his classmates. Adrien shook his head, too baffled to speak.
Maybe there's hope of overthrowing Sabrina after all.
Alya Césaire
Alya had been skeptical of the new arrival to their class. She had thought the raven was going to be just as bad as Chloé: good at heart but instantly corrupted by Queen Sabrina. What was the point of becoming friends with someone like that, knowing they'd, ultimately, just become another servant of Sabrina?
Her perspective changed, however, when Chloé defied Sabrina to stand up for Marinette.
The blonde girl had watched countless students being ridiculed and bullied by Sabrina, yet Chloé had always just stood to the side, acting as if everything was fine. She was just an innocent bystander, merely watching as people were torn apart by the redheaded demon.
But instead of allowing Marinette to be blamed for Sabrina's actions, Chloé jumped at the chance of defending her.
When the raven sat back down beside Alya after throwing Sabrina's gum in the trash where it belonged, Alya turned and introduced herself.
"Hey, I'm Alya Césaire."
"Marinette Dupain-Cheng."
"Look, I'm sorry for turning my back to you earlier. I just thought you'd end up as another one of Sabrina's minions, and I didn't think there was any point in associating myself with someone like that. Not that I'd never be friends with Chloé, of course. She seems nice and all, but—"
"Hey, it's fine," Marinette interrupted, placing her hand gently on Alya's arm. "I'd do the same thing if I was you."
Alya breathed a sigh of relief. She would have loved to continue talking to Marinette, but Miss Bustier entered, and even Sabrina knew to shut her mouth the moment Miss Bustier stepped foot in the classroom.
Adrien Agreste
Miss Bustier noticed Marinette almost immediately and welcomed her new student warmly before beginning their lesson. Adrien tried to pay attention, but his gaze kept shifting to Marinette. The whole room felt brighter now that she was here, and she had managed to bring out a side of Chloé he had never seen before. Even now, she was sitting with the regalness of a queen despite Sabrina's intense glare.
"Yo, dude, snap out of it," Nino hissed, waving his hand in front of Adrien's face. "You're, like, completely zoned out."
"I am not," Adrien whispered back, snapping his gaze away from Marinette.
"Yeah, whatever," Nino retorted, his tone teasing. "I guess you'd rather daydream about Miss Fashionista than listen to Miss Bustier's lesson."
"Oh, shut up."
"Is there a problem, gentlemen?' Miss Bustier asked. Adrien looked up and shook his head, his face burning.
"No ma'am," Nino said, smirking at Adrien as soon as Miss Bustier turned back to the board. "Dude, you're redder than a tomato."
"Just shut up," Adrien hissed, resting his chin on his arms as he attempted to keep his mind fixed on the lesson, but his gaze was drawn to the door when a loud crash sounded in the hallway, followed by hundreds of roars. Students began rushing to the window; Nino pulled out his camera. A loud bang resounded through the classroom as the door was kicked in. Stone Monster Ivan shoved through the desks and captured Mylène in one fist and Sabrina in the other. Then, with a fierce yell, he jumped through the wall and onto the street, where the hundreds of once-motionless stone beasts had begun to move.
Marinette Dupain-Cheng
Marinette had managed to slip into the hall moments after the stone beast had burst in. She dashed down the hall and ducked into a nearby storage closet before releasing Plagg from her purse.
"Aw, my cat nap is over already?" the Kwami yawned.
"I'm afraid so," Marinette said, not sounding at all sorry. "Ready to transform?"
"I guess."
"Good." She tucked her hair behind her ear, revealing one of her black earrings. "Plagg, claws out!'
Moments later, Chat Noire was bounding down the hall to the classroom Marinette had dashed out of only a couple of minutes ago. In that short amount of time, chaos had broken out, and half of the class was missing. Chloé was cowering in the corner. Nino could be seen through the broken window, dashing down the street as he attempted to get the best view of the monster carrying Sabrina and Mylène. Adrien was standing in the middle of the room, holding Nino's bag in one hand and looking generally lost. Miss Bustier was trying to maintain control and failing miserably. When she saw the black-clad heroine, her worried creases lightened ever so slightly.
"Oh, thank goodness," she said, dashing over to the black-clad heroine. "He abducted two of my students and left my classroom in ruins!"
"Don't worry, ma'am," Marinette replied, resting a reassuring hand on Miss Bustier's arm. "Beetlebug and I will get this under control in no time."
Adrien Agreste
Chat Noire had arrived at the scene much faster than Adrien had anticipated, and she seemed 100% sure that Beetlebug was coming to help save the day.
But I'm the reason we're in this mess.
After reassuring Miss Bustier that everything was going to be okay, Chat Noire leapt out the window, her staff spinning above her head like the blades of a helicopter. She hit the pavement in a roll, popped onto her feet, and raced towards the stone beast they had defeated once before. Nino followed her with his camera, too focused on getting good footage to notice the car flying towards him.
"Watch out!" Adrien screamed, but he was too late. The car landed on Nino with a sickening crunch.
Nino Lahiffe
This is exclusive footage, Nino thought giddily as he raced after the stone monster, which means more views.
He had to focus extremely hard to keep the camera from shaking as he ran. Chat Noire, who was running ahead of him, leapt into the air. Nino stopped running to expertly follow the superheroine's movements with his camera.
"Watch out!" someone shouted, their voice echoing down the street. Nino looked up from his phone as a huge car barrelled towards him. He dropped to the ground and curled into a fetal position, his phone clutched in both hands, praying he wouldn't be crushed.
The car's roof was severely dented, which was really the only reason Nino had survived. His only problem now was the fact that he was trapped, and he doubted Beetlebug and Chat Noire had seen the car land on him.
Well, I guess I'm gonna have to wait a while.
Adrien Agreste
No, no, no. This can't be happening, Adrien thought, raking his hands through his hair. He dropped Nino's bag and began to pace, his gaze continually flicking back to the car Nino had disappeared under.
He could save Nino. He knew he could. All he had to do was…
Adrien took a deep breath and reached into Nino's bag. His fingers brushed the lid of Tikki's box, and, for a split second, he could feel the magic pulsing in it.
I know better now, he told himself as he lifted the box from Nino's bag. This time, I'll stop the akuma once and for all.
Marinette Dupain-Cheng
"Watch out!"
Marinette turned towards the sound, breaking her focus. Nino was standing in the middle of the road, his camera trained on her. One of the vehicles the akumatized monster had been kicking up was sailing towards him, but Marinette was knocked aside by the stone monster's arm before she could even begin to react.
She hit the side of a building with a smack. Darkness crept in from the edge of her vision as she collapsed onto the ground. She fought against it, knowing she would never forgive herself if she fell unconscious and missed the battle. Slowly, one hand at a time, Marinette dragged herself forward until she had reached the spot she had last seen Nino. When she lifted her head, she was delighted to see her blonde partner already there, his forehead gleaming with perspiration as he attempted to roll the car back onto its wheels.
"Need some help?" Marinette asked, pushing herself up onto her feet. A wave of dizziness rolled over her, causing the raven to stumble back. She stumbled and fell on her backside, softly groaning at her sudden headache.
"Seems to me you're the one in need of help," Beetlebug replied, pausing a moment to glance at his partner. "What happened?"
"I was just tossed aside like a rag doll," Marinette said. She found her gaze drawn to Beetlebug's arms and torso, subconsciously admiring his muscles as he continued lifting the car. "No big deal."
With one final shove, Beetlebug managed to roll the vehicle over with a screech of metal against metal. Nino hopped up, his camera already fixed on Beetlebug's face.
"You alright?" Beetlebug asked, his eyes scanning the boy for any injuries.
"Yeah, dude, I'm all good, thanks to you." Nino beamed up at the superheroes.
"We're just doing our job," Marinette said, her headache finally wearing off. Perhaps Plagg did more than just give her an amazing suit and even more amazing powers. Maybe he also helped her heal faster, which explained why she hadn't had a concussion after their last battle.
Beetlebug was studying her, and she assumed he was trying to understand how she had recovered so quickly. There was a moment of semi-awkward silence, in which Marinette and Beetlebug merely stared at one another, then a ferocious roar echoed through the city, causing the two heroes to snap their attention back to the problem at hand: the akuma.
"We better go deal with that," Marinette said. Beetlebug nodded and unclipped the yo-yo from his hip.
"Stay safe," he told Nino before throwing his yo-yo at a nearby building and swinging away.
Adrien Agreste
The stone monster clambered to the top of the Eiffel Tower and waved the fist Sabrina was clenched in angrily above his head. With a fierce yell, he tossed her off the tower, watching gleefully as she plummeted towards the concrete.
Adrien froze, watching as the girl who had terrorized him for most of his life flew through the air, eyes wide in fear as the ground loomed closer and closer. For a split second, Adrien considered letting her die. Wouldn't school be much more pleasant with Sabrina gone? Students would no longer need to watch their every move, trying to keep themselves out of the limelight for fear Sabrina would attack.
But then Adrien remembered when Sabrina's dad, Lieutenant Roger, had come in for career day. Sabrina had been genuinely happy, laughing at every joke her dad cracked and smiling the whole time. Roger had gazed at her with so much love and adoration, much like Adrien's parents gazed at him. He knew Roger would be completely heartbroken if his daughter was killed in an akuma attack. Adrien imagined the hatred Roger would feel towards Beetlebug and Chat Noire when he learned they hadn't even tried to save Sabrina. "They're not true heroes," Roger would say. "They let my daughter die."
I have to save her, he decided, whether I want to or not. But by the time he had focused back on the battle, there was no choice left for him to make. Chat Noire had already rescued Sabrina.
Thank goodness for partners.
Marinette Dupain-Cheng
Marinette landed in front of the Eiffel Tower; her staff clutched in her hands as she prepared herself for whatever obstacle the stone monster threw at her.
She hadn't expected that to be taken literally.
"My daughter!" one of the cops screamed, lowering his gun and dashing forward in an attempt to catch Sabrina, who had been chucked into the air by the very angry akuma. Marinette dashed forward, leapt into the air, caught Sabrina around the waist, and expertly landed in a crouch. "Whoa," she breathed as she set Sabrina on her feet, leaving her arm wrapped around the redhead's waist to keep her from falling over. She hadn't even known she was capable of doing that; her body had acted entirely on its own. Marinette had never been more thankful for her mandatory dance lessons. There was no way she'd have been flexible enough to do that if her mother had not thrust her into ballet as soon as she was able to walk.
Marinette shook away her thoughts and focused back on the trembling redhead, who was just regaining her footing.
"Are you okay?"
"I-I think so."
"Oh, Sabrina!" the cop who had tried to catch her earlier sobbed as he made his way over to Marinette.
"Daddy," Sabrina whimpered, rushing into her father's arms.
"Thank you, Chat Noire, for saving my daughter's life."
Marinette smiled warmly and backed away to give them space. Beetlebug landed beside her and placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Nice catch."
Marinette turned to him, her cheeks reddening. "It was nothing."
Before Beetlebug could say anything else, a high-pitched scream cut through the air. The two heroes whipped their heads towards the Eiffel Tower, where the stone beast was beginning to tumble towards the ground.
As the monster was falling, hundreds of akumas had begun to form the magnified head of a woman. Her caramel colored eyes were surrounded by a lavender mask. A black bob framed her face, complete with a moth-shaped hair-clip, and her lips were upturned in a smirk. The combined flapping of the akuma's wings formed her booming voice.
"Beetlebug, Chat Noire, how nice of you to finally show up," the woman sneered. "For a moment, I feared you were going to abandon Paris, and where's the fun in that?"
"What do you want?" Beetlebug shouted, his yo-yo spinning at his side.
"What do I want?" the woman repeated. "Why, you aren't even going to ask my name first?"
Beetlebug glowered at the face, his yo-yo spinning faster.
"Well, I guess since I know your names, it's only polite to tell you mine." She paused for a brief moment, then smiled and continued. "I am Hawkmoth, and, as for what I want, it's simple, really. All I desire is…" She paused again, obviously enjoying every moment of their exchange, "...your Miraculouses."
"Sorry to disappoint," Beetlebug said through gritted teeth, "but heroes don't become villains that easily." In one swift movement, he threw his yo-yo at Hawkmoth's face, scattering the butterflies. The voice disappeared.
The yo-yo had barely reached his side when he threw it out again, capturing the akumas in his now open yo-yo and releasing their purified counterparts back into the air a few moments later.
"He makes it look easy," Marinette murmured, awestruck.
Adrien Agreste
With the butterflies no longer a threat, Adrien turned his attention back to the stone monster, which had awoken the moment Hawkmoth's head disappeared. The beast grabbed onto the Eiffel Tower, pulled himself back up, and let out a battle cry. The stone figures milling around the city turned and began lumbering towards the heroes, surrounding them.
"We can't defeat them all," Chat Noire said, jumping back to avoid being squashed when one of the monsters stomped forward.
"Maybe we don't have to," Adrien murmured.
"What does that mean?" his partner asked, but Adrien had already slipped between the stone army's legs and was dashing towards the Eiffel Tower. He used his yo-yo to pull himself up the side of the tower and grabbed onto one of the beams. He wrapped his yo-yo around the hand Mylène was grasped in and pulled, bringing the girl closer and closer to Ivan's face until their lips met. Surprised, Ivan dropped Mylène and another purple rock, which hit the ground and released another purple and black butterfly.
"Chat Noire!" Adrien shouted, catching his partner's eye and nodding towards Mylène. She dashed forward, understanding immediately, while Adrien focused his attention on the released akuma.
Marinette Dupain-Cheng
"Gotcha," Marinette said when the stone beast's second hostage landed in her arms. She set the girl on her feet, checking briefly for injuries as soon as Mylène had regained her footing.
"Thank you, Chat Noire," Mylène said, throwing her arms around the heroine. Marinette smiled and returned the embrace.
Moments after the two girls separated, Beetlebug and the once akumatized boy landed beside them, the red and black spotted parachute they had used to slow their descent, most likely the effect of Beetlebug's Lucky Charm, draping on the concrete behind them.
"Hey, Mylène," Beetlebug said softly, crouching beside the rescued girl and holding out the crumpled piece of paper Ivan had been clutching in his hand before he had been akumatized, "you should read the song Ivan wrote for you."
Mylène took the crumpled paper from Beetlebug's hand and smoothed it out.
"Oh," she said once she had finished reading. "Oh, Ivan, it's beautiful! Thank you." She wrapped her arms around Ivan, who was blushing quite fiercely.
Beetlebug steered Marinette away from the couple with one hand on her arm, which sent butterflies swarming in her stomach.
"Nice work today, Chat," Beetlebug said, dropping his hand from Marinette's arm as soon as they were quite a ways away from Ivan and Mylène.
"Thanks, but we owe today's success to your quick thinking."
"Which would've been pointless had you not reacted as fast as you did."
Marinette felt herself blush again, but, thankfully, Beetlebug was too busy tossing his Lucky Charm item into the air and watching the black and red clean-up crew put the city back to notice his partner's burning face.
"Well, I better go before I change back," Beetlebug said when his ring began to beep a moment later. "See you next time, Chat!"
"I can't wait," Marinette murmured as she watched Beetlebug disappear behind the buildings. And it was true. She really could not wait to see her red and black spotted partner again.
Adrien Agreste
"I can't believe I missed the whole fight," Nino groaned, rewatching the footage he had managed to catch on his phone. "After they saved me from the car, they bolted towards the Eiffel Tower, but by the time I got there, the battle was over, and the heroes were gone."
"I'm sure you'll have another chance. This Hawkmoth lady doesn't seem to be the kind to give up that easily," Adrien said, reassuringly.
When they reached Miss Bustier's classroom, Adrien started towards his front-row seat but, at the last minute, changed his mind and sat down in his old seat, motioning for Nino to sit beside him.
Sabrina entered the classroom moments later, chatting animatedly with Chloé, but the blonde didn't seem to be listening at all. When Sabrina's gaze landed on Adrien, she froze.
"What the heck do you think you're doing, Baker Boy?" she demanded, stalking over to Adrien.
"Sitting in my seat," Adrien retorted. He was shocked by how calm he sounded despite his racing heart.
"You must be confused," Sabrina said, slamming her hand on the top of Adrien's desk, "because I distinctly remember this being my seat."
"No, Sabrina, this was my seat, and you kicked me out, but I'm done letting you push me around. So why don't you take yourself and your attitude to the front row."
Sabrina's glare intensified. "How dare you—"
"Sabrina, come on, let's just sit in the front row," Chloé interrupted, attempting to drag Sabrina away. "You don't care about sitting behind Marinette anyway."
There was a long pause; the whole class held their breath, waiting for Sabrina's response.
"Fine," the redhead huffed, allowing Chloé to lead her to the vacant seats.
"I have a feeling we're going to pay for that," Nino whispered as Sabrina plopped into her new seat, arms folded like a three-year-old throwing a tantrum.
"Yeah, but it'll be worth it."
Marinette Dupain-Cheng
"Marinette, I'm extremely disappointed in you. You know you shouldn't have run off to school without my permission."
"Yes, Mother," Marinette said, gazing longingly out the car window.
"But I really do love you, and I want you to be happy, so…"
Marinette turned her attention back to the tablet, where her mother was speaking through a video chat.
"...you may attend school."
"Really?" Marinette asked, hardly believing her ears.
"Yes, really. Now run along before you're late."
Marinette grinned and hopped out of the car, dashing up the stairs and into Miss Bustier's classroom as quickly as her legs allowed. She slid into the seat beside Alya, still grinning wildly.
"Well, aren't you happy today," Alya said, laughing softly.
"Isn't everyone?" Marinette retorted. "Beetlebug saved the city once again!"
"Don't forget about Chat Noire," a voice added; Marinette turned and came face to face with Adrien, who smiled sheepishly.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to eavesdrop on your conversation," he said, his cheeks tinted pink. "I'm Adrien. Adrien Agreste."
"And I'm Nino," the boy beside him said, jumping into the conversation.
They were interrupted when Miss Bustier entered the room and the class fell silent.
The end of the school day came far too quickly. A storm had started sometime between lunch and their final two classes of the day. Rain was pouring from the sky in a torrential downpour.
"Bye, Marinette! See you tomorrow!" Alya called, waving to the raven before she slipped out into the rain.
"See you tomorrow!" Marinette echoed. She watched her new friend disappear out the door, then turned, closed her locker, and followed the last of the students out the door.
Adrien Agreste
Adrien was standing under the school's awning, waiting for the rain to let up enough for him to dash down the street to the bakery. But the rain refused to lighten, keeping him captive on the school steps.
"Adrien?" a soft voice called from behind him. The blonde boy whipped around and came face-to-face with Marinette Dupain-Cheng.
"Do you need an umbrella?" she asked, moving closer until they were both under her black umbrella.
"I was just going to wait until the rain lessened a bit," he said, finding himself enraptured by her bright blue eyes.
"Here, take mine." She extended her hand, intending for him to take the umbrella.
"Oh, no, I'll be fine, really."
"No, I insist. You have much further to walk than I do."
Adrien hesitantly reached out and closed his hand around the handle, switching the umbrella from her hand to his.
"Well, then, I'll see you tomorrow," she said, stepping out from under the umbrella's cover.
"Y-yeah, s-see you tomorrow." He watched as she turned and skipped down the stairs to the black limo waiting on the curb, then shook his head and began the short walk to the bakery. Tikki flew out of his shirt pocket and perched on Adrien's shoulder, hidden from view behind his shirt collar.
"Oh, Adrien, you're almost as red as me!" she teased, nuzzling her cheek against his.
"Oh, shush, Tikki," he said, laughing softly alongside the Kwami, who disappeared back into his shirt pocket when they reached the bakery's front door.
Marinette Dupain-Cheng
"The first day of school, and we already have two lovebirds," Plagg said, popping his head out of Marinette's black purse.
"Whatever, Plagg. He's just a friend." She paused for a moment, glancing back at the blond boy walking down the street, holding her umbrella above his head.
"Marinette! Get in here before you catch a cold!" Nathalie called from the car. Plagg ducked back into the purse as Marinette turned and ran the remaining few steps to the car.
Review Responses:
RedLanternBatman, yes, Lila will be in this story, though I don't know how long it'll take to get to the point where she comes in.
GuardianAngel1234567, don't worry, I'm not planning on giving up on this anytime soon!
mysterygeek, I mentioned this earlier, but thank you again for pointing out my mistake.
And thank you to anyone else who posted a review! Your support and encouragement mean so much to me.
The next chapter will be posted sometime between now and February 2, so stay tuned!