The first sensation Marinette became aware of was the pain. Every limb, every muscle, every fiber of her being ached and stung all the way from skin to bones. It took her an agonizing amount of time to focus and pull herself together, the fog of confusion weighing heavily on her mind. At least the sheets beneath her were soft, a silky fabric brushing gently against tender flesh that prickled as if she were being stuck by hundreds of sharp needles. She didn't know how she managed to fall asleep despite such torment. Had she fallen asleep? Her memory was too clouded to recall.
Her eyes eventually fluttered open to the soft sunlight spilling in through a porthole off to the side, and Marinette became vaguely aware of a gentle rocking motion.
"Urgh…" She dragged her arms beneath her and used them to push herself up slowly, working her way through the haze of pain as it slowly subsided—the ache in her head at least. The rest of her body trembled with the effort to move, limbs heavy and unresponsive. She felt as if she had swum across the ocean on her own! Which… Wait… Why did she actually remember swimming…?
"Adrien…" his name rose to her lips without thinking, not clearly seeing him, but feeling the need to call him. The last thing she remembered was… His voice calling to her… Pirates? There were gunshots, and boats, and… And… And she had… s-she—with Adrien…!?
Marinette covered her face with her hands when the memory bubbled to the surface of her mind, as if through a fog that was slowly clearing. She… She kissed him. She kissed Adrien!?
Her head shot up as her heart jolted in her chest, pounding furiously from the adrenaline that suddenly rushed through her. Like a torrent of water breaking loose, several memories surged forward, pushing to the forefront of her mind too quickly for her to grasp. Tears welled in her eyes and spilled down her face at the onslaught of emotion pouring into her. It was fragmented at best, but she could recall a few important remnants from her life before that she had somehow forgotten. Parents that she hadn't remembered to miss, friends that had been looking for her. A boy whom she deeply loved…
"Adrien…" she once again whispered to herself, her vision blurry through the tears but still searching around the small cabin as if his name might summon him. Ignoring the screaming pain in her body, Marinette straightened up on the bed and turned to look toward the door. "Adrien!" she at last managed to shout.
A dull thud vibrated elsewhere through the ship's wooden hull, the din immediately followed by a beat of heavy footfalls, growing louder and louder as they thumped closer, matching in time with the frantic pounding of her heart. The door of the small cabin eventually burst open, and Adrien stood there in the doorway, his chest heaving beneath a white dress shirt and sweat beading his brow. His eyes immediately lighted upon her face, widening when he took her in.
"Marinette? You're—" He then seemed to freeze in place, his expression falling slack in an odd way as his eyes trailed down before quickly jumping up. He spun around and turned his back to her, only glancing to the side but not actually looking in her direction, his skin flushed as he ran a hand over his face. "You… umm… clothes..."
Marinette blinked at him, then glanced down, realizing all too late that, aside from the blanket sliding down her back and crumpled in front of her atop the bed sheets, she was without a single piece of clothing; the only items on her being the two charm bracelets circling her wrist.
"Ah…" Marinette gasped, before a shrill shriek ripped from her throat. "OH GOD WHYYYY!?" She tried to hide, to cover herself as her face set itself aflame with the deepest blush from her embarrassment. But her legs floundered awkwardly, and tugging at the sheets only managed to drag her own body over the edge of the bed where she plummeted and thudded painfully against the floor.
"What the hell is going on in here!?" Alix shoved past Adrien, who seemed to be torn between helping and avoiding looking at her. Alix took one look at Marinette and spun around to start shoving Adrien out of the room. "Alright, you! OUT!"
"W-wait—but—!" Adrien tried protesting, but Alix was relentless.
"NOPE. Girl time! Now!" Alix shouted as she gave him one final push to slam the door behind him before rushing to Marinette and kneeling beside her. "You alright, Marinette?" Alix gently asked.
"Alix…" Marinette cried, her entire face still burning as she tried to bury herself beneath the blanket she'd inadvertently pulled with her. She was certain her ears might have even been steaming with how hot they felt. "How can I be!? I was—In front of Adrien—"
"Woah…" Alix blinked, the confusion apparent in her expression. "Did you remember something? Cause it almost sounds like—"
A soft knock rapped against the door, making Marinette jump right before an elderly voice floated from the other side. "Is Marinette decent?"
"Oh! Hold on." Alix turned and helped guide Marinette's arm carefully over her shoulders, letting Marinette use her as a means of balance as she struggled with the simple task of climbing back onto the bed. Eventually they succeeded, and Alix handed her the blanket, which Marinette quickly used to cover herself. "Okay. We don't have any clothes for her right now, but she's good," Alix announced.
The door quietly creaked open, and a short, older man strolled in, his wrinkled face scrunched up with a gentle smile.
"Can I come in too?" Marinette heard Adrien's voice pitch in a pitiful sounding whine, which didn't do anything to improve her deepening blush.
"NO!" Marinette immediately yelped.
"Why not?" She saw Adrien's pout as he stuck his head around the door and added, "I'm only worried about you."
"B-because…" Marinette hid her face beneath the blanket as she turned her gaze away. "I… I'm not wearing anything…"
"None of the mermaids wear clothes." A mischievous smile grew over Adrien's face. "So I've already seen you naked anyway."
"ADRIEN AGRESTE!" Marinette's jaw dropped open, astonished at the audacity of his remark and feeling as if she were going to melt on the spot. For the first time in her life, Marinette was horrified by the idea of being in the same room with him. "GET OUT!" she furiously screamed.
"W-wait…" Adrien's eyes blew wide as he stared at her, rather than actually listen to her. "You remember my name?"
Alix jumped up and tried closing the door, nearly slamming it on Adrien in the process. "You've got a thick head, lover boy! Be of some use and find Marinette clothes that she can wear!"
"But—her memories—!" Adrien tried to argue, but Alix, despite her small size, managed to close the door on him.
"Like I said, girl time!" Alix shouted. "Give her a chance to recover first!"
Adrien grumbled something unintelligible before his footsteps eventually faded down the hall.
"Good morning, Marinette," the frail-looking old man greeted her, dragging a stool over to the bedside and settling down on it. "Are you feeling any better?"
"Umm…" Though things had calmed down, her heart still thundered in her chest as if it were trying to beat some kind of record. "I-I'm sorry, have we met?"
The old man chuckled. "Forgive me, we weren't properly introduced." He gave her a slight bow with his head. "I am Master Fu, a healer. I just want to help and make sure you are alright," he explained, pointing toward her legs hidden beneath the blanket. "After your transformation, you might still be experiencing some pain, so just let me know where it hurts."
"Oh… Okay," Marinette softly responded while he patted the edge of the bed. She tried to move to where he'd indicated, but her legs, past the sore, sharp ache that radiated through them, felt like lead and didn't properly respond. Thankfully, Alix was there to help her slide over the mattress without the bed sheet slipping up and revealing anything private. "I-it's mostly my legs, I don't think I can walk…"
"As I expected. Do not worry, I have knowledge of an easy remedy," Master Fu said as he drew closer and gently lifted one of her eyelids. "And from the sound of things, it appears that you have recovered some of your lost memories. I don't want you to strain yourself, but can you tell me how much you remember?"
"Umm… It's hard to tell." She winced when he leaned down and pushed the bed sheet up just enough to extend and inspect one of her legs. Despite his gentle hands, her stinging muscles cried out from the slight movement. "It's like I have flashes and pieces. I… I remember that I have parents… my friends… A-and Adrien…"
"Do you remember who turned you into a mermaid?" Alix asked before flinching and quieting beneath a stern glance from Master Fu.
Marinette rubbed her forehead, trying to remember anything before she'd met Alya, Tikki and Rose. She recalled traveling on a ship, a dark, raging storm building off in the distance over the sea. The captain of the vessel had told her to head below deck for safety, but after that… She winced at a flare of pain in her head. "I don't," Marinette gasped quietly. "I remember the storm, and the waves… A-and after that it's just… nothing." She shivered suddenly, a strange sense of dread rising from the abyss that billowed through a memory she couldn't even recall. "I-I'm sorry."
"No need to apologize, just breathe in slowly through your nose," Master Fu instructed, pressing two fingers to her forehead and tilting her head back slowly. "Close your eyes and relax your body. Yes, just like that."
Master Fu was much older and seemed frail, but his hand against her back was a solid support as he helped lower her onto the bed. The tension in her head eased up, and Marinette eventually melted into the soft sheets, the shadows of Master Fu's arm waving beyond her closed eyelids. His gentle hands pressed somewhere against her stomach through the blanket, and rather than pain, some of the sharp stinging in her legs miraculously subsided.
There was a knock at the door, but Marinette paid it no mind as her body drifted into an almost calming trance, the plush mattress pillowing comfortably around her stiff limbs.
"Took you long enough," she heard Alix snap as the door creaked open, followed by the delicate sound of rustling fabrics.
"I wasn't certain if you required any specific clothing, but these might be sufficient enough." Marinette recognized Max's voice while something noisily fluttered into the room. A gentle gust blew over her, followed by a soft tapping against the bed frame above her. Curious, she cracked a single eyelid open to find a beady little gaze staring down at her.
With a start, Marinette bolted upright, blinking back as a parrot fluffed up his feathers and danced from one talon to the other. "Mermaid," the grey parrot sang happily.
"Geeze, Max," Alix sighed. "Control your bird."
"Markov is his own person," Max sniffed, still hidden behind the door. "But I do apologize for his intrusion, Marinette."
"Oh, umm… It's fine," Marinette assured him, making sure the blanket wouldn't slip from her shoulders this time while not taking her eyes off the bird. She briefly remembered their first meeting, though she hadn't paid him much mind considering everything else going on at the time. It was an odd feeling, even if she couldn't recall the exact memories, but she just knew that Max didn't have a pet bird before.
While she was busy sorting through her thoughts, Markov stood patiently before her, balancing on one claw and holding the other up as if offering it to her. Giving him a hesitant smile, Marinette lifted her hand. To her delight, Markov grasped her finger gently and wiggled his talon, as if he was shaking hands.
"Markov, mademoiselle," the little parrot politely introduced himself.
Marinette giggled and returned his greeting. "Marinette. A pleasure to meet you, monsieur."
"Mermaid Marinette," Markov cheerily responded, bouncing his head up and down excitedly.
"He's adorable, Max." Marinette turned toward the doorway where her friend was still hidden. "When did you meet him?" she asked.
"Shortly after I began sailing with—" Max started, but immediately faltered. "Hmm? I wasn't sure if I believed the Captain, but it does indeed sound like some of your memory has returned."
'The Captain.' That, for some reason, triggered something in her mind. Flashes of memories played in her head, of Adrien carrying her through the pirates' fort, his playful smile as he took her hand, laying a chaste kiss against her fingers… Her face began to burn again. "I-I do seem to be remembering a lot of things…" she mumbled.
"Alright, let her rest." Alix held open the door, cradling a pile of shimmering clothing draped over her arms as she motioned toward the hallway. "All boys except Master Fu, out! We're not trying to overwhelm her, geeze!"
Alix must have been indicating Markov, because the bird fluttered his wings, but instead of leaving the room, he remained seated on the headboard and made a noise that sounded like a raspberry in retort.
"Excuse you, bird brain!?" Alix snapped, stomping closer and reaching out as if to grab at him.
Markov let out a shrill screech and suddenly took off from the bed frame before Alix could move any further, his feathery form veering around her and quickly swooping out through the open doorway.
"Alix!" Max yelped. "Careful!"
Master Fu closed his eyes with a sigh, shaking his head as he turned back to face Marinette while Alix shut the door. "How are you feeling now, Marinette?" he gently asked.
"Better," Marinette simply answered. While the stiffness in her legs wasn't completely gone, it wasn't the intense pain that it had been before. "Thank you."
"No thanks necessary." He nodded with a smile. "Now, Alix, could you help her dress? I'd like to see how well she can walk."
Marinette didn't want to trouble Alix with such a rudimentary task as getting dressed, but she quickly found her limbs didn't want to cooperate. Each movement was stiff and awkward, and she didn't actually have the strength to stand without her legs immediately buckling beneath her.
So while Master Fu waited outside, Alix helped her sort through the small offering of clothes that Max had brought, a trio of dresses that Marinette felt were much too luxurious to be wearing on a ship, let alone by someone like her. The first gown was made from a light blue silk, with white, fancy trim and too many layers. The second, in her favorite color pink, had an extremely low neckline that she didn't feel comfortable with at all.
The third choice seemed best; a double-layer, red gown with short sleeves that led into a comfortable sash and would be easier for her to move around in. Black lace decorated the front in an elegant fading pattern that trailed down into a dark mesh all the way to the hem.
"Looks like he raided our trade supplies," Alix snickered with a strange grin, helping Marinette with a hand on her back as she slipped her arms through the delicate sleeves. "Adrien's old man will be pissed."
Marinette stiffened at the mention of Adrien's father, an ominous, unpleasant feeling growing in the back of her mind. Another memory fizzled beneath the fog, an unsettling one that she mentally fled from when it sent a shock of cold through her and hitched her breath. "He… he won't get in trouble, will he?" Marinette stammered.
"Ha!" Alix clapped a hand against her back before darting forward when Marinette lost her balance from the impact. As her friend helped her back to her feet, Alix replied, "I'm sure Adrien did it on purpose. He'd love to piss him off."
Alix's words caught Marinette off guard as she paused. Her memories were still a jumbled mess at best, but what she could remember of Adrien… Her gentle friend who always worried about obeying his father? "Are you sure we're talking about the same Adrien?"
"Our golden boy has grown a backbone since you've been gone." Alix smirked. "Now, let's take a look at that dress." Alix left Marinette sitting on the bed for support while she scrambled back and tilted her head in appraisal. "Well, great. You look like one of those hoity-toity ladies of society, but at least it's something to wear." A wide smile grew on Alix's face as she arched a single eyebrow suspiciously. "I bet our captain can't keep his eyes off you."
Marinette's cheeks flushed warmly while her heart beat out a heavy rhythm. "I d-don't think he'd care, Alix," she stammered nervously, toying with the loose strands of her hair. She tried pulling it back into a bun, but forgetting she had nothing to pin it up with, Marinette simply let it fall back over her shoulders. "Isn't this a bit too… elegant?"
"Are you kidding!?" Alix frowned while stepping forward to help slip a pair of red-silk slippers onto Marinette's feet. "He'd be blind not to care! Now, c'mon, time to show off." Alix reached out once she was finished, and with Master Fu returning to assist, managed to guide Marinette in taking her first wobbly step. Unfortunately, that was all she could manage on her own. On her second attempt, her legs buckled, and she would have collapsed if Alix hadn't quickly grabbed her.
"I'm sorry, I'm so clumsy," Marinette sighed.
Master Fu shook his head. "This isn't your fault. You've had fins for the past eight months, so you haven't properly used your legs in all that time." He patted her arm while she leaned against Alix. "It will just take some time for you to get used to them again and build up your strength."
"Just take it all one step at a time," Alix said, beaming at her. "Ready to meet the crew again?"
Marinette gulped, but nodded as her friend led her out into the hallway. After an agonizing length of time stumbling down the hall, even with someone to lean on, Marinette eventually made it out onto the deck, almost losing her footing again when a powerful gust nearly knocked her over. Squinting her eyes against the brilliant sunlight, she was met with a pale sky of wispy clouds stretched out on all sides over an endless horizon of blue-green waves splashing against the hull of the ship. The crisp air tasted of salt, and every so often a light mist of sea water tickled her exposed skin.
And there at the railing Alix led her toward, Marinette spotted two figures turned to one another in discussion: one man with a forest green hood whose face she couldn't see, and the other with perfect blonde hair despite the sea breeze blowing it out of place. Her heart fluttered with recognition. Over the light sound of the splashing waves far below, she could just make out the conversation between them.
"You've been flirting with her this whole time, what's to stop you now?" the man to Adrien's left asked, and Marinette immediately recognized Nino's voice.
"I don't know…" Adrien responded quietly, an almost sad expression pulling that brilliant smile of his into a frown. The sun glinted off his hair just enough to give him a glowing halo of highlights as he pushed it out of his face with a sigh. "It's just… She didn't remember me then, but if her memories are back—"
Alix took that moment to finally clear her throat, causing the two men to jump.
As Nino spun around, he caught sight of her and let out a low whistle. "Our little mermaid is finally awake."
While Nino smiled at her, Marinette couldn't help the pounding of her heart as she focused on Adrien beside him. Out of everything in her mess of a brain, the memories including him were the most prominent. The man before her looked nothing like the prim and proper boy from her past, reserved to suits and ties, afraid of making a mess lest he anger his father. He'd changed his outfit, replacing his white shirt with a black one and matching pants, the dark clothes giving him the look of a dashing corsair with an elegant rapier hanging at his hip. No one might have recognized this debonair swashbuckler as Adrien Agreste, but even with the mask concealing a small part of his face, Marinette's heart still pounded in recognition at those green eyes shining from the darkness like emeralds.
A sharp pinch at her back caused her to yelp, and that seemed to jar Adrien into motion out of whatever daze he'd been trapped in as he suddenly took a step toward her. Marinette's face grew warm when his gaze slid over her.
"Marinette…?" He approached more cautiously before his eyes moved down to notice how she was leaning against Alix for support. "Are you alright?"
"Y-you're fine–PERFECTLY FINE! I mean–ME–not you–not that… Umm… Y-yes." Marinette groaned, feeling more tongue-tied around him than she had ever been before. The embarrassment burned across her face again as she couldn't help but remember that he had–however briefly–seen her naked just earlier. And the rugged pirate look he had going on wasn't helping her heart with its nervous little dance.
"What she's probably trying to say is that she's good." Alix shifted her weight and adjusted Marinette's arm around her shoulder. "Just has to get used to having legs again."
Adrien stepped closer until he was standing right in front of her, a soft expression on his face that almost looked hopeful. "So... You remember me?"
Marinette nodded, a blush spreading over her cheeks. "N-not everything, but… I-I do remember you, Adrien."
"Unfortunately, she cannot recall how all of this happened," Master Fu said as he stepped up beside them. "There may be another underlying factor blocking those memories." He then turned to Marinette with a gentle expression. "I wouldn't try to push anything, but it would be good if you walked around to regain your physical strength." He nodded at Alix. "Someone may need to assist you, seeing as how a rocking ship is not the best place to learn how to walk again."
"How 'bout it, captain?" Alix suddenly grinned, slipping out from under Marinette's arm and nudging her in the back. "I've got other duties! Why don't you show her the ropes instead?"
"Wait, A-Alix!" Marinette yelped in protest, but without Alix even trying, her friend's gentle shove instantly threw her off-balance. Marinette took one bumbling step forward, and would have face planted right to the deck if Adrien hadn't darted out and caught her.
"Woah," he chuckled, wrapping his arms around her waist as she clung to his shoulders. Her fingers dug into the dark fabric of his shirt while her heartbeat pounded out a frantic drum beat in her ears. "Did you lose your sea legs?" Adrien laughed softly.
"Uh-u-umm…" Marinette's voice caught in her throat, unable to think of a response. Adrien was holding her! He was so close that she could feel his own heartbeat, and the realization of that caused her brain to malfunction. She was lucky she could remember how to breathe, let alone walk!
"Technically, she lost her fins," Nino said as he mischievously eyed the two of them.
"Here," Adrien chuckled, taking a hold of her wrist. As he did so, his hand wrapped around the charms that she still wore there. In all the confusion after their reunion, she had forgotten to return his to him, simply tying it together next to her own lucky charm. Adrien's gaze moved over the two bracelets, a warm smile lighting his face. "You kept it safe for me, my lady."
"Of course," Marinette finally managed to steady her voice, even if she was having trouble concentrating on her words with Adrien smack up against her. And… What was it he'd called her? 'My lady.' It was the same way he'd addressed her when he met her as a mermaid. At the time, Marinette had thought nothing of it. The mermaid part of her hadn't remembered him at all, simply assuming the flirtatious Chat Noir spoke to every woman the same way.
But Marinette knew better. In all her memories of Adrien, not once had he ever called to a woman with such a term of endearment. Could she dare to hope that this unusual attention was reserved for her? Or was this simply a new charm that came about from taking on the title of a famed pirate?
Pushing aside her jumbled thoughts, Marinette gently tugged her arm toward her, intending to untie the cord in order to return his lucky charm. "I can give it back now if—"
Her hand didn't move, Adrien's strong grip keeping it in place, and Marinette's breath caught in her throat when he lowered his head and laid a chaste kiss against her palm. "Keep it for now," he simply told her.
While Marinette's brain was busy processing what he'd just done, Adrien moved her hand and guided it across his chest, leading her fingers up to clasp at his shoulder. "Just hold on to me like this," he casually said while resting his arm around her waist, pulling her flush against his side.
"Y-you don't… Have t-to…" Marinette mumbled in embarrassment, fighting the need to hide her face, considering the only option would have been to bury it in his shirt.
But Adrien only flashed her a brilliant grin, threatening to melt her with his radiance right there on the spot. "It's fine, Marinette. It's an honor to be your escort around my ship."
If it were possible, Marinette felt her face burn more, her heart practically dancing a fiesta in her chest.
"Think I see your point from earlier." Nino suddenly stepped up from behind Adrien and leaned an arm atop his shoulder. "Seems captain cat has caught her tongue."
"Don't you have a crow's nest to get to?" Adrien leveled a narrow gaze at Nino while Marinette tried to calm her racing pulse.
"I'm on break," Nino responded before slipping away and strolling toward the entrance to the lower decks. "But I'll be in the galley if you need me, Captain."
Captain. There it was again. Marinette could remember her time spent as a mermaid more clearly than any memories of her life before, so she had already learned of Adrien somehow taking up the mantle of the famed captain during the time she was lost at sea. The part of her that had known Adrien since childhood found it hard to put the two images of him together in her head. It made things a little easier to focus at least, helping her to relax when she imagined that this man giving her such flirtatious consideration was famed captain Chat Noir, rather than the aristocratic boy she had hopelessly fallen in love with.
"S-so," Marinette started when her heartbeat finally calmed a bit. "You, Nino… Alix, Kim and Max… You all somehow became pirates while I was missing?"
"Only to the Spaniards," Adrien answered with a grin, nodding to Master Fu as the older man excused himself back to the cabins. "To France, we are famed privateers, doing good for the service of her people."
"H-how does something like that even happen?" Marinette blinked back at him incredulously. "And why in the world would you do something so dangerous!?"
"I was trying to find a way to look for you, Marinette." Adrien chuckled warmly, smirking at her wide expression while he explained, "I stowed away on a boat that, unknown to me, belonged to Chat Noir himself. Turns out the previous captain wanted to retire, and I just so happened to need a ship outside of my father's control."
"I… can't believe you did that," Marinette marveled softly, thinking back to Alix's words from before. "Your father doesn't know, does he?" she asked quietly, though from what she could recall of Gabriel Agreste, she had a feeling she already knew the answer. Even without proper memories of him, just his name gave her an ominous sense of dread.
Adrien's mouth pulled into a grimace, his eyes narrowing angrily. "My father forbade me from anything involved with the search for you. He said it would be a waste of time and resources." While Adrien spoke, he began to walk slowly over the deck, leading her carefully up the stairs toward the stern. Despite her trembling steps, he never failed to be patient, taking his time to ensure she wouldn't trip or fall with his strong grip still encompassing her. "So of course he doesn't know about any of this. As far as he's concerned, we're an uninteresting merchant ship running boring trade routes."
Marinette's heart skipped a tentative beat, because the Adrien she was familiar with was a boy trapped beneath his father's rules. This free-spirited captain was more than willing to break them, all for just the chance to find her…?
She wouldn't voice her thoughts aloud to Adrien, but his father was the image of a villain in her memory. Once his wife passed, he'd become stricter, more focused on their appearance in high-society and going to great lengths to ensure that Adrien did not besmirch the family name by associating with what he considered 'street urchins' and 'riff raff.'
Everything had been so much better when his mother was still alive. Emilie Graham de Vanily, a lady of royal blood, had broken boundaries and became an Agreste by marrying someone beneath her class. It was she who had encouraged his friendships and was the very reason Marinette had even been able to become friends with him in the first place.
In the warmth stemming from resurfacing memories of Adrien's mother, Marinette suddenly stiffened as her mind also recalled a chilling fragment. She had met Adrien's father, but she couldn't remember why. The memory was dark, foreboding, faceless... Even if she couldn't see it in her mind, she was certain something troubling had happened between herself and Gabriel Agreste.
"What's wrong?" Adrien's concerned voice pulled her out of the frightening haze. Without her realizing, Adrien had led her to the aft of the ship, close to the railing. Max stood off a ways at the boat's wheel as he navigated the briny waters. Marinette turned her gaze up to find Adrien's face not far from hers, his brow knit with worry.
"It… It's nothing. I just… I remembered something… unpleasant," Marinette stammered quietly, reaching back with her free hand to grasp the banister. With her mind so distracted, she hadn't noticed the uncomfortable ache starting up in her legs. "I think I need to sit down."
"Was it my father?" Adrien's irate frown seemed to deepen as he lowered her to the deck. Marinette leaned back against the balustrade and gently pulled her legs up, wrapping her arms around her dress to prevent it from blowing in the wind. Without giving her time to answer, Adrien suddenly let out a heated scoff, flopping down beside her. "Not surprised. I'm sure whatever memories you have of him are the worst of any nightmares."
Marinette stared blankly back at him for a brief moment before she suddenly snorted, unable to contain her laughter. Something about Adrien calling his own father a nightmare was like a breath of fresh air, and her fear brought about by the ominous discomfort faded. When she quieted, she looked back to Adrien to find him gazing at her, a soft smile pulling at his lips that sent her heart back into a frenzied dance.
"I hate everything that you had to suffer through, Marinette," Adrien's gentle voice breathed against her cheeks as he leaned closer. "But after you disappeared, it helped me to realize something important that I should have understood a long time ago," he explained slowly.
"Realize something?" Her words trailed off airily, pulse pounding with hopeful anticipation as she hugged her legs tighter, bringing her knees up to her chin. "Something like…?"
"Oh, uh—well," Adrien uncharacteristically stammered as his eyes flicked down at the movement of her dress, and his gaze suddenly widened before he pulled away rather reluctantly. "For the moment, I realize I should be listening to Master Fu and not put so much strain on your memories." He coughed into his hand and turned to stare out over the water. "You probably still have a lot to recover, but you remember Tikki and your time as a mermaid, right?"
Her excitement quickly ebbed into disappointment, but she didn't dwell on it. "I didn't forget any of my memories as a mermaid, and they're also the clearest ones, although I am starting to remember a lot more about my life from before." She nervously picked at the hem of her dress with her nails. "It's hazy, but with what I can recall, I feel more like myself again."
"And what a purr -leasure you are as yourself, milady," Adrien purred out as he got to his feet and winked at her. "Now that you're awake, we plan on stopping soon so you can reconvene with your mermaid friends. I have a strong feeling they'll want to see how you're doing."
Adrien stayed nearby even while shouting orders at his crew to steer closer to the shoreline. A small strip of land she could see off in the distance over the port-side railing began to grow in size after they changed course. As shady palms and rocky bluffs rose into view, Marinette realized there was no established port or town that she could see. From the shore that stretched out ahead of them, untamed meadows waved in the wind over pale, craggy cliffs dotted with patches of wild grass. The white sandy beaches curved into several quiet bays along the water's edge.
Kim helped Alix to lower the sails, and as The Cataclysm pulled into one of the deeper coves, the anchor splashed into the water, the ship groaning as gentle waves caused it to strain against its chained tether.
"Max," Adrien called out to their friend still standing at the wheel. "Keep watch of the ship with Kim while we're ashore. I don't want to leave our guests on their own just yet."
"Aye, Captain!" Max responded with a salute before jogging off down the stairs.
Marinette watched him leave, curiously wondering who Adrien could have meant. She hadn't met anyone else aboard other than her friends and Master Fu. Unless…
Oh. She'd been so preoccupied with her scattered memories and transformation back to normal that she had forgotten all about Luka, the man who helped her while trapped in Hardrock's clutches.
Before she could ask Adrien about it though, Nino hopped up from the lower deck. "Chariot's ready for you, o'capitaine," he announced with a playful flourish and an exaggerated bow.
Adrien turned to Marinette and, rather than help her to stand, kneeled down beside her. "I'm going to carry you to shore, if that's alright." He smiled apologetically. "The dinghy isn't as forgiving as the ship is over the water."
"Oh, r-right, that makes sense." Marinette nodded, feeling her face warm as he slid his arms beneath her, careful to ensure that her dress didn't lift up. Just as she'd done when he'd carried her from Hardrock's fortress, she lifted her arms to his neck to help secure herself.
Despite her embarrassment, Marinette was shortly very thankful that Adrien was willing to carry her, rather than simply try and help her step into the dinghy. Everything about the small boat bobbed and rocked at any miniscule movement from either the waves below or the passengers above. She clung tight to Adrien as it dipped from a particularly large swell while Alix and Master Fu settled in behind them, with Nino taking hold of the oars.
As they began to ferry toward shore, Marinette heard the unmistakable voice of Alya call out to her. She craned her neck to peer over the water, easily spotting her friend's lithe form once she surfaced beside the boat. "Thank the depths you're okay!" Alya laughed, and before Marinette could even respond, her friend was already splashing off into the surf. "Hold on, we'll meet you at the beach!"
"Woah, what—hey!" Nino shouted in alarm when the dinghy suddenly jerked forward, Marinette feeling Adrien's grip tighten around her. The rocking waves surrounding them immediately calmed, and they began to coast leisurely toward the shore without Nino needing to row. "Oh, okaaay, a little warning next time, but hey, I'm not complaining," he chuckled.
Their boat soon ground up against the pale sand, Adrien balancing carefully as he hopped up. His boots splashed into the surf, and he trudged up onto dry land at last.
Farther inland than Marinette would have thought, Alya and Rose lounged together on the beach, with Tikki only a short distance away where she sunned herself atop a large, flat rock. The three of them looked comfortable, soaking up warmth near a shallow tide pool, where the still waters surrounded by a low wall of dark stones sparkled crystal clear in the sun. As Adrien carried her closer, Rose gasped and covered her mouth. "What happened to your tail fin!?" she fearfully shrieked.
"Wait, you don't…" Alya stared wide-eyed at Marinette's slippers peeking out from beneath her dress. "Girl, what are those!?"
"Girls, please," Tikki sighed while removing her hands from over her ears once the other two had quieted down. "This is something I thought we already established."
"They're my legs," Marinette explained as she smiled awkwardly, Adrien gently setting her down on the dry sand in front of her friends before settling himself beside her. "I'm not actually a mermaid, remember?" Marinette mumbled quietly, a somber mood falling over her at having to say it out loud. It seemed like such a silly thing to be upset about, but a disquieted writhing in the back of her mind told her that the mermaid part of her memories appeared to disagree.
"Alright, even if that is true," Alya began, using her tail fin to push over the sand and grasp Marinette by the shoulders. "Don't think for a second that this means you're not one of our sisters, right?" She shot a narrow look back at Tikki, as if daring their matriarch to say otherwise.
Tikki's gaze softened with silent laughter and a gentle smile, the possibility of that thought seemingly far from her mind. "Regardless of the means that brought us together, Marinette is still an integral part of our pod," she agreed.
'Of course!" Rose assured her with a cheerful chirp, scooting closer over the sand and wrapping Marinette in a warm embrace. "This changes nothing!"
Marinette tried to hold back the sudden tears that welled up in her eyes when Alya joined in on the hug. "Girls…" she murmured softly, choking back a quiet sob. "Thank you."
Adrien's presence beside her faded into the background as he watched quietly, giving them some time to themselves. After a moment, her two friends eventually pulled away, with Alya holding Marinette out at arm's length. "I know your memory might still be fuzzy, but I just have to ask, Marinette. Do you really not remember how all of this happened?"
"Her memories have only just begun to return." Their attention turned to Master Fu as he shuffled over the sand to join them. Nino and Alix followed behind him, having finished pulling the dinghy further onto the shore. "But she does not know who is responsible, and it would be best not to strain it. As far as we know, the magic from Tikki's stolen earrings are most likely what turned her into a mermaid." Master Fu then shot a sly smile over to Marinette as he ran a hand over his beard. "We believe this to be true since Chat Noir's magic appears to have disrupted the spell affecting her," he finished.
Marinette's face flushed with warmth, realization dawning on her that by 'Chat Noir's magic,' he meant the kiss her mermaid-self had given Adrien in order to save him from drowning.
Rose let out an unexpected, delighted squeal, and before Marinette could think to stop her, she cried out excitedly, "Was it because they kissed?"
"Kiss?" Alix asked, her surprised gaze switching between Marinette and Adrien. "You guys kissed?"
"Rose!" Marinette squeaked out, clenching her fingers against her cheeks as her face burned hotter. "I-I didn't kiss him! Not like that!"
"Ho, oh," Nino hummed, a smirk in his delighted expression. "What's this story behind that?"
"It-it really wasn't what you think, Nino," Adrien tried, lifting his hands in front of him. "I was drowning, and Marinette—"
"Just like a fairy tale!" Rose squealed before he could explain. "The spell was broken by a kiss!"
Marinette blocked out everything else after that, no longer listening as she tried to escape her own embarrassment. Hiding her face beneath her hands, she flopped over onto the sand and groaned, wishing she could just bury herself right then and there. In all the raucous, her legs had begun to ache again, but she didn't feel it was important enough to voice when she couldn't even bring herself to look at anyone.
"Alright, settle down," Tikki called out amidst the chaos of voices. "Mermaids have the power to share their magic to breathe underwater, and Marinette knew this from the stories I've told her." Marinette peeked out between her fingers to find Tikki shooting everyone a stern frown. "During their escape from Hardrock, Chat Noir almost drowned, and she simply saved him."
Marinette mumbled out a soft, 'thank you,' that was probably too quiet for anyone to pick up before simply covering her face again. Thank the seven seas for Tikki's level-headed reasoning. Not… Not that she wouldn't mind actually kissing Adrien, but her mermaid-self definitely wasn't thinking about it in any special way when she'd done it.
"The important point to take away is that Marinette's transformation and my stolen earrings are linked," Tikki continued once everyone had quieted. "It is most likely due to Chat Noir's magic interrupting the spell placed on her, but I don't believe it would be enough to completely break it."
"I also suspected as much," Master Fu agreed with a nod. "Since the spell was not undone by the earrings themselves, I fear that her current state may not be permanent. If so, then we should tread lightly, lest she turn back at an inopportune moment."
"You okay there, Marinette?"
Marinette peeked out from behind her fingers again to find Alya smirking at her, a hand on her hip and a single eyebrow cocked.
"Fine," Marinette grunted, finally pulling her hands away from her face and lifting her upper body away from the sand, brushing off some of the grit that stuck to her skin. "Not turning into a mermaid, if that's what you mean."
"Is there any way of telling when that might happen?" Adrien asked, turning his inquiring look in Tikki's direction.
Tikki drummed her fingers against the rock she stretched out on before shaking her head. "There could be some sort of trigger, or it may simply be a matter of time. Regardless, it just means we need to find Plagg as soon as possible." Tikki's gaze hardened into a furious scowl. "That idiot owes us answers."