And the winner of the new cover is version 3 which is snazzy version 2. I too really liked this one and it was between this and the first version reboot. But I do like the colors. :)
Friendship- by Lucy's definition- is built on two things. Respect and trust. Both elements have to be there. And it has to be mutual. You can have respect for someone, but if you don't have trust, the friendship will crumble. We cannot tell the precise moment when friendship is formed. As in filling a vessel drop by drop, there is, at last, a drop which makes it run over; so in a series of kindnesses, there is at last one which makes the heart run over. Every true love and friendship is a story of unexpected transformation. If we are the same person before and after we loved, that means we haven't loved enough.
Today is Friendship Day in Paris. And on this day, teens and young adults sign up to play a game that leads them to a random stranger that they now have to team up with to find a surprise celebrity. Finding the celebrity is the objective, but the real goal is to form a new friendship with one's partner. The game is simple enough. You get a riddle via text and solving it will lead you to another location with another riddle. The two partners work together and make their way to each location until they find the celebrity. This year, the surprise celebrity was Adrien Agreste.
Lucy walked into a little cafe called "Hungry Beans" and strolled over to the counter. Leaning against it, Lucy smiled at the barista she had become familiar with named Anthony. Anthony was your typical Italian boy. Tan skin, thick brown hair, neat facial hair, standing just at six feet. He smiled back at her as he made his way to the counter, wiping his hands on his black apron, leaving powder marks in the process.
"Lucy," He greeted. "How can I help you?"
"Niky here?" She asked, earning an eye roll from the Italian. He hitched his thumb behind him.
"Yeah, he's in the back. After you have your little chat, let him know finding powdered sugar doesn't take fifteen minutes. Non sono un fottuto idiota."
Lucy squinted at Anthony and nodded her head. "Yeah, sure. You got it, buddy." She told him, walking over to the door that lead to the kitchen area of the cafe and heading in the direction of the pantry. As she rounded the corner, Lucy quickly shouted "Boo!" in hopes of startling Nikolas. As it turns out, Nikolas was never one to be jump scared easily and remained passive to Lucy's antics. Chloe, however, about shit her pristine white pants. The sight of the blue-eyed blonde wrapped in the arms of her former boyfriend was enough to make Lucy almost do the same.
"AH! What the hell!?" Lucy shouted, covering her eyes. Chloe glared at her from inside the pantry, quickly recovering from the initial interruption.
"Oh, stop being dramatic," Chloe said, her hands going to her hips. Lucy uncovered her eyes and crossed her arms.
"That's rich coming from you. Now, I will repeat myself. What. The. Hell? When did this become a thing?! Why!?"
"What can I say? I like em' blonde a sassy." Nikolas joked. "You'd know all about it, wouldn't you Lu?" Chloe shifted her glare to Nikolas and smacked him in the arm with her purse.
"Shut up Nikolas!" The girls said in unison, only making the boy grin harder.
"Point proved, anyway, is there something that you needed Lucy? Because I was clearly in the middle of something." Nikolas asked, but Lucy threw her hands up in frustration.
"I came here to ask if you knew anything about riddles because I'm doing this friendship thing, but now who cares about that!?"
"We'll what is the riddle?"
"It is tossed by the waves but doesn't sink"
Nikolas thought about it. "Wait in regards to what?"
"Locations," Lucy explained. "This will lead me to a place in Paris."
"Go to city hall," Chloe said rolling her eyes. "Il est agité par les vagues, mais ne sombre pas. It's the motto of Paris. You can find it on a number of buildings but if you are doing that stupid friendship game, it will probably lead you to landmarks. City Hall is your best bet."
"Huh, alright. Thanks, Chloe." Lucy said in slight surprise.
"Welp, time to get back to work," Nikolas spoke, taking Chloe's cheeks in one of his hands and squishing them to a kiss face. He planted a kiss on her lips and rubbed their noses together before releasing her. Chloe pushed the boy away, once again swatting at him as we walked off. Passing Lucy, he bopped her on the nose, causing her to also swat and kick at him.
"You're such an ass!" She growled, but Nikolas only laughed as he exited the pantry. Lucy brought her attention back to Chloe who then quickly looked away from her.
"You wanna explain?"
"Don't you have a riddle to solve or something?"
"I do, so make it fast." Lucy shot back, watching Chloe expectantly. Chloe sighs and taps her foot in thought before bringing her eyes back to Lucy.
"I guess this means you won't want to play with me anymore." Chloe didn't look at her friend and instead stared down at the photo she had held onto of her and Ladybug.
"Of course I will." She told Sabrina. I just don't want to be Ladybug anymore." Chloe ripped the photo in half. "You can keep the costume if you want." Sabrina let out a yay and Lucy frowned.
"Chloe..."
"Save it, Lucy." She said before getting in the elevator with Sabrina in tow.
As the elevator shot down, Sabrina noticed it skip Chloe's floor and got straight to the Main Lobby. She eyed her friend carefully, trying to gauge the blonde's true mood.
"What are we doing Chloe?" She asked. Chloe didn't look at her as the two stepped out of the elevator.
"You, are going home. I have something I need to do."
"Are you sure you don't want me to come with you? I can-"
"No," Chloe answered curtly. Sabrina frowned slightly, but nodded and headed out the front doors of the hotel. Chloe waited a few minutes before exiting as well and began her walk down the streets of Paris. Normally, she would have called a car to drop her off, but where she was going was meant to be kept secret. It didn't take long to get there. She reached into her purse and pulled out a small business card that read 'Hungry beans' with an address, phone number, and social media link. Written on the back was a small note that read: In case you get a craving' with a little wink face, signed Baker Boy.
It had taken her some time to actually go inside. Walking up to the door numerous times before turning around and walking back again. She felt stupid. This was stupid. She came to get her dark chocolate macarons. That's it. She just liked the treats. Get in, get out. Chloe eventually marched into the cafe with her head held high and approached the counter. The barista was turned away from her, blending coffee grounds in a mixer. She opened her mouth to speak and inform the work she needed assistance only to have her words cut off by the sound of the mixer every time she tried. It didn't take long for annoyance to course through the blonde girl.
"EXCUSE ME! THERE IS A CUSTOMER HERE!" She shouted, grabbing the attention of the small handful of other people at nearby tables. The barista stopped blending and turned his head, glancing slightly over his shoulder at her.
"So you finally made it inside huh?"
Chloe's eye twitched. It was him. The baker boy. He turned his body to face her and leaned against the counter, his weight resting on his forearms. Much like the first time they met his brown hair was short and styled upward, his face was clean-shaven, showing off his carved jaw. His outfit was a little more casual, a simple dark blue long sleeve shirt with a black apron over it, when he had his back turned to her, she had noticed his dark grey cargo pants. His eyes brown eyes seemed to twinkle mischievously at her. Chloe huffed.
"I don't know what you're talking about."
"Ah, I must have been imagining seeing you walked back and forth through the window then."
"Must have been." Chloe retorted, examining her fingernails.
"Wishful thinking I guess," Nikolas smirked. "Well, you are here now. So, sweet cheeks, how may I serve you?"
"First of all! My name isn't sweet cheeks. Its-"
"I know your name." The boy got off the counter and turned toward his co-worker who was wiping off a table in the dining area. "Hey, I'm gonna show her to the back! Holler if you need me."
The co-worker looked at Nikolas with a raised eyebrow.
"The back? Why? Everything is in the cases up here."
"Because those are the ones that have been sitting in the display all day. Unless of course, you want to explain to the Mayor why his daughter had to be given four-hour-old goods?" He answered, gesturing to Chloe who looked from Nikolas to the other worker, sticking her nose in the air expectantly. The boy's eyes widened slightly and gave off a nervous laugh.
"Heh, uh, right of course. I'll call if I need you."
Nikolas walked out from behind the counter and opened the door the lead to the back of the cafe. He turned his head to Chloe and made an 'after you' gesture. Chloe eyed the boy before hesitantly going through the doorway. From behind her, Nikolas put his hands on Chloe's shoulders and lead her into the kitchen. It was a small industrial kitchen, fancier than anything you would see in a house but nothing like the 4-star restaurant's kitchen in her father's hotel.
"This is where the magic happens," Nikolas told her, snagging up a dark chocolate macaron and handing it to her. Chloe took the treat and bit into it. Like last time, it was delicious. Of course, Chloe tried not to visibly express her contentment, but as she let out a breath from her nose, and her shoulders drooped slightly, Nikolas knew. He snagged a couple more on a napkin and lead Chloe further into the building. It was then he showed her the pantry. The blonde girl examined her surroundings as she slowly chewed the macaron in hand. It was a small room with wood shelves along the walls. All of them are covered in dry ingredients like sugar, sprinkles, and seasonings. Nikolas took a seat on a nearby pile of flour sacks, causing a small puff of white to surround them slightly.
Chloe made a face, swatting her hand around. "What are we doing in here?"
"This," He said gesturing the room. "Is the fortress of solitude. I spend most of my breaks in here. It's quiet, comfortable, and just dark enough for a cat nap if needed."
Chloe gave him an unimpressed look. Nikolas took a bite out of his macaron and nodded towards a few stacked boxes near Chloe.
"You wanna have a seat and tell me why you're here?"
"You already know why I'm here," Chloe told him, holding up her macaron. Nikolas nodded slowly.
"Flattered to know you like my cooking, but there is one condition to being in the fortress of solitude, and that's honesty." Chloe shifted in stance before sitting on the boxes beside her.
"I had a bad day." She told him casually. "Sweets make me feel better."
"Sweets make most of us feel better I think," Nikolas replied with a smile. "What made your day bad?"
Chloe rolled her eyes and scoffed. Where did she begin?
"A lot of things. But mostly..." She hesitated. What was she doing? Spilling her woes to this stranger? Maybe that was it. He was no one. He didn't know her. If he did, he probably wouldn't even care. Chloe Bourgeois. Everyone's favorite person to hate. Yet, unlike those who she usually found herself around looking at her annoyed, there was this guy. This simple baker boy was looking at her like she was some old friend. He reminded her of someone. He reminded her of...Chloe sighed. He reminded her of Lucy, in a strange way. Their essence. It radiated very similarly.
"Ladybug told me she can't give me a miraculous anymore."
"Why?" He asked. Chloe shrugged harshly.
"Because my identity isn't a secret I guess. Who cares? Not every hero needs a secret identity."
"Well, you know Ladybug. I'm sure she has good intentions. You gotta trust her."
"Trust her?" Chloe frowned. "All I have ever done is trust her, you'd think I could be given the same courtesy."
"I'm sure she trusts you just fine," Nikolas argued, but Chloe only huffed.
"I'll believe it when I see it."
Nikolas shook his head. "You see, you closed your eyes. That was the difference. Sometimes you cannot believe what you see, you have to believe what you feel. And if you are ever going to have other people trust you, you must feel that you can trust them, too-even when you're in the dark. Even when you're falling."
"And then we talked more...and I kept coming back...and now.." Chloe trailed off. "He's annoying and annoyingly charming and I just-!"
Lucy held up her hands to stop Chloe. "I get it, Chloe. I'm familiar with the annoying charm that is Nikolas."
"Whatever. It's just a bit of fun anyway. Nothing that will last." Lucy frowned at Chloe's words. The blue-eyed girl noticed and rolled her eyes. "Don't look at me like that. Be realistic Lucy, I'm an heiress and he is a baker in a small cafe. We are not the same. Besides..." She then added adjusting her purse on her shoulder. "He's going to go back to America at some point anyway." Chloe walked past Lucy to exit the pantry, jumping slightly as Nikolas appeared around the corner as she did so. She swatted at him again and moved around him.
"Don't do that!"
Nikolas watched Chloe leave over his shoulder as Lucy approached.
"Really?" She asked, squinting at him. The boy shrugged. Lucy looked him over, something seemed different about him in the few minutes that had passed. "You alright?"
"Livin the dream," Nikolas answered. "You should probably go meet your new friend."
"Right..." Lucy eyed her ex once more before making her way out of the cafe and into the street. She hoped her new friend hadn't had to wait on her too long.
OoOoOoOoO
Marinette felt conflicting run through her as it was revealed that Kagami was to be her partner for friendship day. As much as she wanted to win and find Adrien, she did not want Kagami to. Lucy couldn't see it, or maybe she simply didn't care, but Kagami had a crush on Adrien. Marinette knew that much. The fact that Adrien and Lucy's relationship seemed to be headed in a never-ending circle was the only thing giving Marinette any hope that she might even have the slightest chance with Adrien. If the blonde boy ever did give up on his pursuit of Lucy, Marinette didn't want any more competition for his affections. Kagami was already his fencing partner, that was as much quality time as they needed.
" Oh no!" Marinette groaned, getting her Kwami's attention.
"What is it!? A supervillain!?"
"Worse, Tikki. Kagami? My new friend? No way! She's brilliant, strong, cute!" Marinette complimented in panic. Tikki raised a brow at Marinette.
"And?"
"And she's got a huge crush on Adrien! They're already fencing partners, their parents are friends, so if we win, she gets all the credit, and Adrien might move on from Lucy and Kagami wind up being his girlfriend for sure! There's no way I'm doing this with her. Nope. Nu-uh. Not doin' it! Uh-uh!"
From across the canal, Kagami watched Marinette seemingly talking to herself. The girl didn't seem too happy to find her as a partner.
"She's so weird. Okay, fate has placed her in my path. I have to succeed. If I fail with Adrien's quirky friend, I'll never pull it off."
Kagami didn't have anything against Marinette personally. The two girls hardly knew one another as it was. As far as Kagami was concerned, Marinette was someone both Adrien and Lucy considered a close friend. Being that Kagami felt she herself fell into that category, or at least was starting to, that it was important she take this opportunity to make an effort to bond with this mutual friend. Though their interactions were minimal, Kagami could also tell that Marinette seemed to have romantic feelings towards Adrien. It almost made her feel bad for the pigtailed girl. Perhaps if she knew where Adrien's feelings stood, then she wouldn't be so obvious about it. Kagami didn't pry much on Adrien's feelings towards Lucy. It was clear there had been no real development in their relationship, for if there had been, he most likely would have mentioned it.
Adrien's hesitance frustrated Kagami. If he liked Lucy so much, why was it so hard to just tell her that? Perhaps it was her lack of experience in the topic that made Kagami nieve to the simplicity of the situation. Or maybe Adrien didn't actually like Lucy as much as he claimed he did. If that were the case, Kagami wanted to make sure Adrien was well aware of the prime choice in a partner that was right in front of him. She wouldn't pursue someone who had his sights set on another, especially when that other was one of her only friends. But should he waiver, Kagami would make sure she was there.
"Marinette," Tikki scolded as Marinette began to walk away. "this isn't fair to Kagami. If you won't be her friend, she won't be able to play."
Marinette rolled her eyes. "Yeah, right. She's so smart, I'm sure she'd figure a way around it. Probably even do it twice as fast by herself. In fact, I bet I'd just slow her down if I went." Marinette gasps as a realization hits her. "Of course! You're right, Tikki! If I stick with her, I can make us lose. And then Adrien would never see Kagami win and they'll never fall in love."
Tikki frowns. "Uh, come to think of it, perhaps it would be better for you not to go."
"Hide, Tikki! The game is on!" Marinette says shoving Tikki back into her purse as runs over towards the bridge where Kagami stood waiting and greets her.
"Kagami! Woah! This must be fate! I mean, what were the odds of you and I being paired up? One in ten million at least. Right? So awesome!" She says with a small chuckle. Kagami who had been watching her from afar watched her passively.
"You didn't look too happy about being my secret friend, though. I saw you turn around and walk away just now."
Marinette's eye twitched as she came to realize she had been noticed but quickly thought up an excuse.
"I-I actually thought I'd, um, gotten the place wrong. I totally hadn't seen you yet. No way! Really, I'm super excited to play the game with you." She tells Kagami with a nervous smile. Both girls' phones beep, congratulating them on finding one another while sending the second riddle.
"To get closer to your goal, you must explore further and deeper." Marinette reads aloud. She doesn't take even a moment to think about the actual location. "I know! We have to take the train at Gare du Nord station, leave Paris, and head straight to England!"
Kagami looks down at her phone and see's the amount of time she has left before her mother gets home. She doesn't have time to humor Marinette's very off guess. "No. Explore further and deeper means we have to go further down the banks of the Seine, which is deeper than this canal. We'll probably have to fish for our new clue. Come on, Marinette. Let's hurry up and win."
OoOoOoOo
"Ugh," Lucy groaned. "This is a lot more footwork than I anticipated."
"This is nothing!" Marco, the boy Lucy had been paired up with spoke enthusiastically. "My family heads out to mountain climb in the summers. Now that is some footwork." The boy has short brown hair with matching eyes. He was a few inches taller than Lucy's 5'8 frame and she could see that he was clearly more athletically built than she was. His bright red shirt fit tight against his torso while his tan cargo shorts showed off his defined calves. Lucy rolled her eyes and smiled, poking the boy in the side, causing him to flinch slightly.
"Well, la-de-da. I've taken on a mountain alright, a mountain of nachos."
"Too much cheese will kill ya, you know. Increases your risk of cardiovascular disease." Marco told her while bringing his hands to his hips.
"Yeah, well, just remember to slap 'at least it tasted good.' on my gravestone alright?"
Lucy raised an eyebrow as she spotted Kagami standing with the Obélisque de Louxor behind her while trying to take a selfie. The girl seemed to repeatedly be unsatisfied with the results however as she kept retaking the photo. Curious, Lucy made her way toward the shorter girl's direction.
"Where are you going?" Marco asked in confusion as the destination they had been headed in was almost the complete opposite way. Lucy didn't give a verbal response but instead held up her index finger to him to signal she would be a minute.
"Kagami!" Lucy called out, gaining her friend's attention as she got closer. "What are you doing?"
"The final task of the friendship game." She answered simply.
"You're doing it too? I'm surprised your mom let you, no offense, but she's kind of a hardass."
"None taken," Kagami replied. "And she didn't which is why I need to hurry. I assume you are also doing the game?"
"Yeah, my partner is over there," Lucy said pointing in Marco's direction, who gave a hurry-up look. "But, to be honest, once I found out the secret celebrity was Adrien, a lot of pressure was taken off. I see the guy almost every day after all. Instead, I have been able to just have fun solving the riddles and getting to know my new buddy Marco. Does he look like he is getting antsy back there?"
Kagami shifts her gaze from Lucy to the boy a few meters away. "Yes."
"Good." Lucy chuckled. "I don't think he cares about Adrien, but he sure seems to have a competitive side. He's been polite but I can tell my pace frustrates him. It's kinda funny. Anyway, what is your final task? Who is your partner?"
"Marinette actually," Kagami informed her. "And we swapped unlocked phones to take photos in front of monuments as a sign of trust. Once we do, we will be given the location of Adrien. I'm afraid I am struggling a little to take a photo I am satisfied with."
Lucy smiled at her. "Just relax. It's just a selfie, no need to overthink it." Kagami nodded as she lifted the phone once more to try and once again take a photo of herself, however this time a new message notification popped onto the screen. Kagami groaned in annoyance as she tried to swipe it out of the way with no luck.
"What's the problem?" Lucy asked.
"A notification that I can't get rid of."
Lucy came closer to try and help Kagami as the girl accidentally opened the message. A video message opened and Alya appeared on the screen. "I can't believe you're stuck with Kagami. Hang in there, girl, and don't worry, I'm sure you'll figure out a way to lose. Catch you later!"
The message closed and Lucy crossed her arms over her chest as she glared at the phone. Kagami frowned and raised to take the selfie, not bothering to try and smile again.
"Wow, that sucks man." A male voice then said beside them, making Lucy jump slightly at Marco's sudden proximity.
"Can you not do that!" Lucy shouted as Marco narrowed his eyes at her.
"I don't know, can you get a move on already?! I swear, it's like you never even wanted to try and win."
"Sorry to burst your bubble there buddy, but I didn't and now," She said slapping the clue card to his chest. "I've got some other business to attend to." Lucy then walks away from Marco, chasing after Kagami who had already begun making her way back to Marinette.
OoOoOoOoOo
Marinette felt foolish and downright guilty. She had snooped through Kagami's phone and had come to find the girl had only two contacts and neither of them was Adrien. Instead, it was her mom and Lucy. She also only had one app on her phone, and that app was one that was giving her tips on making friends. The whole time, all Kagami had been trying to do was be her friend and win this silly challenge, and Marinette had done nothing but go out of her way to sabotage everything. To make matters worse, if Kagami did in fact decide to peek at her phone, she would surely see the hurtful messages between herself and Alya. Marinette could only hope that that was not the case and go forward with the right mindset. As she began running in the direction she saw Kagami head, Marinette was filled with dread. Kagami came stalking toward her with her usual passive expression, but not far behind her, Lucy was seen with pursed lips and a sharp look in her eye. Marinette swallowed hard as she came face to face with Kagami. She opens her mouth to try and give some kind of explanation only for Kagami to shove her phone back into Marinette's hands.
"I guess I'm not worthy of our friendship; our blood types must be too incompatible." She said, referencing the point in their time together that she had asked Marinette what her blood type was, explaining that she was O and based on Marinette's personality assumed she'd as an AB. Kagami walked past Marinette without even grabbing her own phone. Following Kagami with her head and then turning it back forward Marinette was met with a very annoyed-looking Lucy standing in front of her.
"What is your problem?"
Marinette groaned and hung her head. "I don't know! I thought that she- ugh! I'm such an idiot Lucy! I don't know what to do!"
"Well. you better figure it out. Look at me." Lucy told Marinette who lifted her head enough to see Lucy through her bangs. "Make it right."
It was then that Kagami's phone rang and her mother's face appeared on the screen.
"Shit," Lucy muttered before calling out to Kagami. Marinette answered the call making Lucy's eyes widen and waves her hands at the girl.
"Uhh– Hello ma'am, I'm not Kagami, actually." Marinette said over the phone making Lucy slap her forehead with her palm.
"Who are you?! Where's my daughter?!" Could be heard clearly where Lucy stood as the two ran toward Kagami.
"Kagami! I'm a friend of Kagami's, I'm right here with her. I'll put her on the phone." Marinette explained.
"Kagami doesn't have any friends. Why do you have her phone?"
"Oh I can assure you, ma'am, I am a friend of Kagami's," Marinette replied trying to smooth things over while Kagami frantically tried to grab her phone back. "We've been teamed up together for a game."
"A game?! But I forbade her to!"
"A game? Did I say game? Oh no, I meant a grab… to grab– I invited Kagami over to grab some orange juice with me. She'll be back home soon, I promise."
Kagami, though still a little hurt by the message she had found couldn't help but smile a little at Marinette's effort to help save her from her mother's wrath. Trying to make friends was something that was new to Kagami. Accepting trial and error means accepting error. It means taking problems in our stride when a decision doesn't work out, whether through luck or misjudgment. And that is not something human brains seem to be able to do without a struggle. Misjudgment is as much a part of life as unhappiness. It is nice to hold the power and make choices for everyone. But the risk of making any choice is always that you might make the wrong one. We must make our choices nonetheless. Fear of being a grown-up is a poor reason to remain a child.
"I'll even walk her home myself," Marinette said
"Stop fooling around, young lady, and put my daughter through. I can assure you she will not be enjoying any glasses of–"
Marinette frowns. "Ma'am, please don't punish your daughter. Ma'am? Hello?"
"With pleasure, Hawk Moth."
Marinette tenses and hands Kagami back her phone. "I'm sorry, I really did try to smooth things over but I think your mom's super-duper angry now and will be looking for you. I actually think you might wanna hide someplace where she won't find you."
Somewhere in the streets of Paris, Tomoe's car along with herself are engulfed in purple magic and get transformed into Ikari Gozen. Eyewitnesses panic and scatter. As Ikari Gozen, Tomoe has an appearance reminiscent of a classical Greek centaur as her lower body resembles a horse, complete with four legs and four hooves. Unlike the other centaurs, She doesn't have a tail. She is about several meters tall. As a living suit of hollow samurai armor, her skin is the same metallic red as the rest of her body with light brilliant amber eyes with almost invisible yellowish-white pupils, partially covered with a helmet reminiscent of the one that Riposte bears; albeit with a large horn instead of a winged emblem and bearing the Tsurugi family crest on her chest. Because the Tsurugi's car was transformed along with Tomoe in the akumatization, she appears to be very mechanical and vehicular, especially in the lower half of her body. Its appearance evokes a high-end car, with tires at the joints, headlights at the front hips, and exhaust ports throughout. Ikari Gozen wields her akumatized bokken in her right hand. She also has the ability to see.
"Kagami!" She shouts as she makes her way quickly across Paris, obviously not far to begin with as she lands near Kagami, Lucy, and Marinette. "You disobeyed me! You will never go out again!"
She then grabs Kagami and swallows her whole, trapping her inside her body.
"Nooo! Mother!"
Lucy and Marinette separate into opposite sides to the park. Lucy looks up at Ikari Gozen with an exasperated look.
"Fuckin' rich kid parents."
OoOoOoooOOooOoOooo
Western parents worry a lot about their children's self-esteem. But as a parent, one of the worst things you can do for your child's self-esteem is to let them give up. On the flip side, there's nothing better for building confidence than learning you can do something you thought you couldn't. Western parents try to respect their children's individuality, encouraging them to pursue their true passions, supporting their choices, and providing positive reinforcement and a nurturing environment. By contrast, the Japanese believe that the best way to protect their children is by preparing them for the future, letting them see what they're capable of, and arming them with skills, work habits, and inner confidence that no one can ever take away. All decent parents want to do what's best for their children. The Japanese just have a totally different idea of how to do that. What Japanese parents understand is that nothing is fun until you're good at it. Tenacious practice, practice, practice is crucial for excellence; rote repetition is underrated in America. Once a child starts to excel at something—whether it's math, piano, pitching, or ballet—he or she gets praise, admiration, and satisfaction. This builds confidence and makes the once not-fun activity fun. This was why Tomoe pushed Kagami the way she did.
Tomoe could remember a time that now felt long ago. A time when Kagami was around seven years of age and her father was still around. They had gone to a holiday party hosted by Tomoe's husband's boss in New York City. While the few other children that were there ran around and played, Kagami sat quietly beside her mother. Susan, the wife and co-host of the party sat across from them both a commented on Kagami's reserved behavior. Not so much as a criticism but as an out-loud observation on how different she was in comparison to the other children.
"They grow up so fast don't they?" She had said. "It's rare that you see a child so content with sitting still."
Susan saw childhood as something fleeting to be enjoyed... She believed that childhood should be full of spontaneity, freedom, discovery, and experience... Tomoe saw childhood as a training period, a time to build character and invest for the future. In fact, it was through that conversation with Susan that Tomoe first became aware of some of the deep differences between Japanese and (at least one variant of) Western parenting.
"I'm sorry I wasn't truthful with you, Mother. But, I really wanted to try and make a friend." Kagami apologized from outside of the car.
"You already have Adrien."
"It's not the same."
"I understand that you want to make friends," Tomoe explained. "but friendships can prove disappointing sometimes."
Kagami clenched her fists and even without saying so directly, Tomoe could sense just how important having a social life was to her daughter. She could only hope that Kagami would choose her friends wisely, and save herself the trouble. With a sigh, Tomoe brought her attention forward.
"Be home in time for dinner. " With that, the car door closed and Kagami watched her mother head home with a small smile.
OoOooO
"So, was it fun?" Lucy asked Kagami. "Being a superhero for a little bit?" The two were making their way back towards Marinette who awaited them on one of the bridges where she and Kagami had first started the game.
"Exhilarating," Kagami answered with a sigh. She looked down at her phone as Marinette came into view. As they approached, Kagami showed the screen to Marinette.
"The game is over. We lost." On the screen was a picture of Alya and her partner, as well as the two hosts and Adrien's bodyguard.
"No, we won the right to get orange juice together. If you still want to, that is. Nothing can stop us now!" Marinette suggested.
"I was wrong about you, Marinette," Kagami admitted. "I'm glad this game randomly put us together. Now I understand why Adrien considers you a good friend."
"Oh– uh– did he tell you that… I mean… that we're friends?" Lucy rolled her eyes as Kagami gave a small nod.
"Alright, ladies! Let's get our juice on!" Lucy said, draping her arms over her two friend's shoulders.
As they walked Marinette remembered what Kagami had said about blood type.
"By the way, I've been thinking about this blood type thing. Isn't that a bit like the Zodiac thing? What's your guy's sign?"
"Dragon."
"No way! I'm a snake, do they go well together? What about you Lucy?"
"If you mean Chinese zodiac, then I think that means I'm a snake too. Since they are backed off years rather than months. If we are going by the western Zodiac I'm an Aquarius."
"Actually, I don't really believe in that stuff," Kagami admitted making Marinette laugh.
"Me neither, but you know what, I'm glad we're friends."
Im back from my vacation everyone! I had a lovely trip but I'm happy to be back in my own bed. Ive got one other chapter before we get to the time tagger episode and I am VERY excited for that one and I'm sure most of you know why.
God, I just want to make this whole story into a comic.
Anywhoooo. I hope you all enjoyed this chapter and ooooh a little bit of a side relationship happening with Chloe. I wonder how that will pan out?
Remember to vote and heart and COMMENT because I love reading all your guy's thoughts and feelings! As always I will see you in the next chapter!
