Merry Christmas!

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Marinette's P.O.V

Just as I expected, the meal was going on the dreadful path I had predicted.

My mother and our "lovely" guests were having a delightful little chat about pretty much anything and everything about their successes (basically bragging about their status). I could tell both of them were trying to one-up the other in an odd polite war.

I stayed quiet, poking at my food and slouched in my chair in boredom. Throughout the meal, mother gave me stern side glances every so often for breaking probably about six proper lady rules. I honestly did not care and continued to toy with the peas on my plate.

My father sat at the head of the table and politely listened to the conversation. He tried many times to change the subject of virtue battling between Lila and my mother, only for it to return moments later.

I sighed, having the urge to make up an excuse and bail out of this terrible dinner arrangement. Yet, I stayed. The only thing that kept me glued to this seat was to wait for dessert to be served so I could feed Tikki.

"Have you ever been to the Panthéon? It is very exquisite and rich in history. I have been there quite a few times with Marinette to take the grand tours of the building," my mother bragged, taking a bite of mashed potatoes doused in gravy.

"Oh, yes!" Lila chirped, enthusiastically, "I have been there many times myself…"

I finally glanced up from my food to find something else to boringly look at. Though, it was tricky, considering I have been in this room a million times to eat meals. My gaze suddenly caught sight of Luka staring at me before giving a warm smile and a small wave.

I raised an unimpressed eyebrow before turning my attention elsewhere and ignored him. I was not going to be so easily fooled by small gestures like that.

Finally, my prayers were answered when the chef announced the coming of dessert. My dinner plate was replaced with a smaller one with a single piece of food on it. I perked up when noticing that it was one of my favorite desserts, a Choco Lava cake. I glanced over at my mother in suspicion before beginning to eat small bites of the sweet. When no one was looking, I tore some bite-sized pieces and sneakily gave them to Tikki.

"What an interesting dessert choice," Lila slickly spoke, earning a look from my mother, "It is…cute."

"Is there something wrong with the cake, dear?" my mother asked, hiding the venom in her voice.

"Oh, of course not," Lila responded, waving her hand before adding, "I was just expecting more of a…high-class kind of dessert instead of this kiddy treat."

I clutched my fork, wanting the throw the silverware at Lila's face and hope that it would make a puncture. Restraining my urge, I finished off the cake (with Tikki) and checked the clock. Much to my disappointment, it had only been an hour.

"This is going to be a long day," I thought, trying to figure out how to dismiss myself from this lunch.

Just as I was about to drown out the conversation of dominance, the door to the kitchen had opened. My eyes drifted over to see what else we were going to eat. I was slightly confused when seeing the drinks but what perked my interest was the maid serving them. The same maid that helped me prepare for this visit.

"What is she doing?" my mind pondered, watching as she placing overly fancy glasses of wine on the table for each person. I gandered over at my mother to see she seemed to be just as befuddled at the unplanned serving.

The maid finally made her way over to me, giving a wink and smile. I raised an eyebrow, preparing for whatever hidden plan she had up her sleeve. Suddenly, her foot caught on the back of my mother's chair and fell forward. The cup on the platter she was carrying, flew off. The contents held within the cup soon bathed me, drenching me in the bold red liquid.

"Oh, dear!" she gasped in fake shock, "I apologize a thousand times over. I am so clumsy!"

I was about to wave off her apology when my mother beat me. She angrily stood up, chairs scraping harshly against the title flooring.

"Peasant," my mother spoke in a low voice, laced in a cold warning, "You are dismissed."

"But, M'lady-"

With one cruel scowl from my mother, the maid immediately shut her mouth from continuing any further. I growled in frustration at the scene before me. This was so unfair. I was not going to sit around and do nothing about it.

The maid began her shameful trek towards the door.

"Mother!" I shouted, standing up just at harshly as she did, "It was merely an accident. You do not have to be so cruel."

Mother gave our guests a lovely smile, telling them, "If you will excuse me and my daughter for a moment."

"Why, of course," Lila replied, smirking in amusement and making mother boil.

"Come now, dear," mother spoke, fondness mixed with a stern fire. Steeling my nerves, I followed mother out of the room and into a hallway. The silence was itching at my skin and chilled down the path of my spine. After a few more minutes in the weighing quietness, I decided to finally break it.

"Where are we going exactly?" I asked.

Mother suddenly stopped, causing my feet to halt in place.

"I want you to listen and listen very closely," she began before turning around with a blank-slated face, practically unreadable, "There are things in this world that you will never fully understand or concept. Our lives are all an illusion which we live in. A dream. A nightmare. An essence with complicatedly strict rules that are followed for reasons. If you do not follow those rules and stray from the path, there will be severe consequences for rebelling. Even accidents are no acceptations, only perfection."

I blinked in disbelief and scoffed.

"The only thing I understand was your little speech just sounds like propaganda. This dream-like life has been a total nightmare and whatever those supposed rules are need to be broken. So, why has not anyone even tried to break them yet? What is the real consequence, and I do not mean being thrown into the poor section. That place sounds more intriguing than living the wealthy life" I said, defiantly.

I narrowed my eyes when seeing something shift in my mother's expression and sweat lacing her forehead. She was hiding something.

"What are you really afraid of?" I asked, taking a step closer. Mother's mouth opened but no words came out.

Then, it happened so fast.

There was a sprits sound.

Mother had suddenly fainted into my arms and a silhouette of a figure appeared right behind her. I could not make out who it was, the hallway being too dark as they made a run for it. I continued to look between my unconscious mother and the person, who caused her to blackout.

"Guards! There is an intruder!" I yelled before tending to the woman in my arms. I sat on the floor, holding her with swirling anxiety in my chest.

"Mom?" I shuddered in question.

There was no response.

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Adrien's P.O.V

"Where exactly are we going?" Plagg asked, peeking out from his hiding spot.

"We are visiting that fortune teller, Madam Olympia. There is something I need to know," I replied, feeling my Kwami raise an eyebrow.

"Why are we visiting her?" Plagg said, "Besides, is it not strange how she can predict the future? That should not be possible. That woman gives me the willies when we are around her."

I paused for a moment in thought, thinking over what Plagg had just stated. He was right. It is impossible to predict the future, even if it were a magic-user. So, how could that blind old hag know what is to come for someone? Something was off about it and I was going to figure out what.

"I do not know. I will have to look into it," I responded, continuing down the muddy streets, "For now, I need a fortune."

"And, how exactly are you going to pay her? If you have already forgotten, you do not have any valuable thing and she is not cheap," Plagg questioned. I rummaged in my pocket and took out a small piece of gold.

"With this," I said, "I found it when hunting down an Akuma at that one far-out stream."

"Why did you not tell me? Do you know how much Camembert you can get with this thing?" Plagg complained, "And you are going to waste it on a measly fortune!"

I rolled my eyes, "You would have probably assumed it was shiny cheese and ate it."

"I beg your pardon. I out-lived prehistoric beasts and you think I would be so lowly as to assume that gold is shiny cheese?" the Kwami argued. I gave the small cat an unimpressed look, knowing very well that he would indeed.

After a few moments, he grumbled and burrowed back into the inner pocket of my jacket.

We eventually arrived at Olympia's hut, decorated with charms, dream catchers and symbols. Madam Olympia defiantly had a reputation in the poor section. Some people were skeptical—unsettled—by the odd old hag while others were intrigued and curious about the mystical fortune-teller.

I had to duck down to fit through the small doorway, moving aside the curtain that acted as the door. Inside, many weird things were laying around or hanging from the ceiling, looking like some hoarder's storage area. In the middle of the hut was something covered in a purple sheet, acting as the table with a glass ball settled on the surface. A green mist swirled inside the ball, glowing eerily.

"Hello," I called, searching the cluttered room for the short woman with a humpback. I stepped further inside and carefully made my way over to the oddly shaped table. A rug was laid out on the ground beside it as a seat for me to sit down on.

My gaze began to study the table, curious as to know what was under the purple cloth. I reached out, grabbing the cloth and was about to lift it. That was until a loud clattering noise and someone yelling interrupted my investigation.

Just as I let go of the thin cloth, Madam Olympia came barreling in from the backroom and readjusting her black glasses.

"Well…I'd say it's nice to see ya again but that'd been a lie. I'd never been able to see anything even before ya were a little dumplin', Olympia joked, speaking in her strangely thick southern accent.

I hummed, unsure how to reply to that before clearing my throat. As the old hag walked around the room and grabbing various things, I hesitatingly spoke, "I was wondering if I could get a fortu-"

"I'm gonna stop ya righ' there," Olympia said, raising the hand that was free before fully turning to face me, "Last time ya were 'ere, yous says that I was a crazy ole' hoax."

My mouth opened but no words were able to escape. I honestly did not know what to say since she was correct. Yet, how was she right? The last time I was here, I whispered it to Nino the moment we were a few yards away from her hut.

"That is when I did not believe in your…powers?" I finally answered, almost sounding like a question. Olympia let out a snort, making her way over to her spot on the other side of the table.

"I'm jus' messin' with ya, suga'," the old hag said, setting some bones, feathers, and jars down by her feet, "Alrigh', whatcha got?"

I pulled out the small piece of gold and handed it over to the elder woman. Olympia took the gold, analyzing it as if she could see the small rock. She let out another snort, placing the gold aside and returning her attention to me. She gave me a gummy smile.

"Whatcha searchin' for, youngin'?"

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