Okay, here we go! Marinette and Cat Noir grow closer, as do Kagami and Argos. Meanwhile, both girls are also warming up to Adrien and Félix, respectively.
And then the two rogues do something that's going to shake up the status quo of the city! For better or for worse? You'll have to read to find out!
Song(s) Included, with/without Modifications:
Love At First Sight - Kylie Minogue (1988 version)
"Oh, I so called it, girl!" Alya said, sounding both annoyed and amused. "You've finally admitted you're in love with Cat Noir!"
Marinette gave a resigned nod before saying, "I am. When did this start?"
"Hasn't he been on your mind since the bakery incident?" Alya asked her.
"Yes," Marinette confessed as she looked at the perfume bracelet she'd gotten that night. She was also wearing the pendant he'd given her. "I guess it just didn't occur to me that it was a crush."
"This is more than a crush. It was obvious you were smitten after he protected the bakery," Alya sighed. "And you defended him after he kidnapped you."
"He tried to get me out of an unhealthy situation!" Marinette protested, only to see the look on Alya's face. She sighed and said, "Touché."
Alya gave a nod and said, "You've been obsessed, yet trying to deny it."
"Okay, maybe I've been thinking about him more than I should've," Marinette confessed, blushing. "But can you blame me? Those muscles, that confidence, that jawline so sharp it could cut marble - roawr!"
Alya stifled a laugh before saying, "Girl, you've got it bad for him. I thought he was handsome, too."
"Don't let Nino hear you say that. He'll get jealous." Marinette laughed, as did Alya.
"So, what are you going to do?" Alya asked. "You two can't just date out in the open like a regular couple."
"That's true. And has Kagami figured out her feelings for Argos? If so, what is she-" Marinette began.
There was shattering scream from the locker area.
"Was that Chloé just now?" Alya asked. The girls ran to the scene to see Chloé, her mouth and nose covered. Marinette got a sniff of something gross, as did Alya, and they covered their noses.
"Ugh, what stinks?" Marinette grumbled.
Once Chloé saw Marinette, she glared and shouted, "DUPAIN-CHENG, YOU ARE SO EXPELLED AFTER THIS STUNT!"
"Pardon me?" Marinette questioned.
"Don't play dumb! You're the one who put this in my locker, aren't you?!" Chloé screeched as she yanked Marinette by the arm and forced her to look inside her locker.
Marinette pulled a disgusted expression when she saw the source of the stink: vieux boulonge cheese, accompanied by some limburger and a sack of moldy apple cores.
"What on Earth?" Marinette asked. "Who did this?"
"Who else but you?! You're always out to get me!" Chloé spat.
Marinette turned around and gave Chloé a deadpan, annoyed expression.
"Oh sure, blame me even though Alya and I only just got here," Marinette said with an eye-roll. "Two wrongs don't make a right, Chloé. And since you don't have any proof that I did anything, you can't go crying to your dad about this!"
"Don't be so sure! One call from me and you're out of here, Dupain-Cheng!" Chloé spat, a wicked smile on her face. "And I'll make it so that way not a single school in Paris will take you in!"
"Then where's the proof that points to Marinette?" Alya asked, holding her nose. "No evidence, no case."
"Let's just get out of here, Alya. Chloé's not gonna change." Marinette said as the two girls walked out of the locker area.
In the classroom, Adrien had an annoyed expression. He asked Plagg, "Really, Plagg? Putting stinky cheeses and moldy fruit in Chloé's locker?"
"Come on, Adrien, she had it coming - and the bad fruit was Félix's idea," Plagg said as he kept eating camembert. "Besides, you already wrecked her room as Cat Noir. This prank is nothing."
"But she's gonna make Marinette miserable for it." Adrien fretted.
"Don't look so worried. Nobody will be able to trace it to you or anyone else, especially since kwamis are intangible to technology." Plagg insisted.
Hearing footsteps, Plagg swallowed his cheese before flying back into Adrien's duffle bag.
"Can you believe her?" Marinette asked as she and Alya came into the classroom.
"I wouldn't be surprised if she did it herself, just to cause a scene and frame you." Alya murmured.
Adrien's heart fluttered, and he asked, "Hey girls. What's going on?"
Marinette looked up and said, "Morning, Adrien. Chloé found some nasty cheese and rotten apple cores in her locker. She accused me of putting them there."
Adrien scowled at this and he said, "Bad enough she keeps picking on you, but blaming you for doing the same thing? That's unacceptable."
"No kidding," Marinette agreed as she and Alya sat at their bench. "But as long as her dad is mayor, she's gonna keep getting away with murder."
"Speaking of whom, isn't he going to implement Project Oxygen soon?" Alya questioned.
"He is. I already talked it over with Myléne and Ivan - our plan to protest, plant trees, sort waste, and get any and all food items composted the day of is a go!" Marinette spoke. "And everyone's in on it! Kagami made the time to help, too!"
"That's great!" Alya said as she and Marinette shared a fist-bump.
Adrien was smiling at the scene in delight, affection palpable.
The pigtailed designer turned to him and asked, "Is your offer to help still on the table?"
"It sure is." He said.
"Great! Bring Félix, too. We could use the extra sets of hands." Marinette told him.
"Really? Thanks a bunch!" Adrien said, smiling in delight while thinking, 'Making progress.'
That weekend, the entire group was in the park where Project Oxygen was going to be announced. It was in the same park across the way from the bakery. Everyone had designated tasks.
Myléne and Ivan worked on protest signage. Zoé had been asked to keep an eye out for her family so they'd be ready to drop everything and chant. She was also helping put saplings into the holes they'd already dug.
The hole-digging was left to Kagami, Alix, Nino, and Kim. Everyone else was cleaning up and sorting waste, moving saplings, and passing out information leaflets about the negative impacts of Project Oxygen. The flyers also listed various brands that specialized in biodegradable/compostable and recyclable products - including specific certifications to look for.
"This was a great idea, Marinette!" Myléne said as she had her protest sign ready and in her hand. "Thanks for thinking of it."
"But you're the one who inspired me to organize this with you. After hearing about what happened with Bertrand King and the negative impacts Project Oxygen will have, I thought this would be the best way to stop it." Marinette said.
"Combining a protest with tree-planting, composting, and waste sorting all in one day? Genius!" Alya added as she used her gloved hands to pick up some plastic water bottles and bags - courtesy of Bertrand King - and aluminum cans.
"If the mayor sees this, but doesn't get the message that Project Oxygen is a bad idea, nothing will!" Ivan spoke while working on the signs.
"You've got skills, Marinette," Adrien spoke up. He was carrying a bucket filled to the brim with the waste he'd collected thus far. He was looking at her with a lovesick expression. "This is incredible!"
"Thanks, Adrien." Marinette said to him as he went over to the waste receptacles they'd gotten themselves for the project. Rose and Juleka were already there, sorting the compostables from the recyclables.
"And it was kind of you to take the cheese and apple cores from Chloé's locker for composting. She didn't deserve that from you, though." Kagami spoke up as she dug a hole in the ground.
"It wasn't about Chloé - the smell was going to bother everyone else." Marinette justified.
"That's just like you, Marinette," Adrien said with a grin. "Thinking about other people, even when you've been wronged."
Marinette laughed a bit at this and saying, "Thanks. Sometimes I can't help it."
Hearing herself say that, Marinette recalled Cat Noir telling her, "If I see something I can't tolerate, I won't leave the matter alone."
Marinette's heart pounded with affection. Blushing, she gave herself a resigned smile and thought, 'I guess he and I have more in common than I thought.'
"Hey Max, how many saplings do we have left to plant?" Marinette asked, trying to distract herself.
"We've planted twelve thus far, and we have approximately sixscore and three dozen tree saplings left - one-hundred and sixty-eight trees in total." Max reported to Marinette.
"Which is more than double what we were aiming for! All those donations to buy the saplings were a big help," Marinette said as she looked over the list of donors who paid for a sapling. "And Adrien, thanks for getting your Aunt Amélie to pitch in some money, too."
"It's no problem at all, Marinette," Adrien responded, blushing. "My pleasure."
Marinette smiled back at him for a brief second. She turned to Markov and asked, "So, what's our long-term positive impact going to look like?"
"Once the trees fully mature, they'll clean out approximately eight-thousand and sixty-four pounds of carbon dioxide from the air per year - that's 3.657 metric tons." Markov said, smiling eyes on his screen.
"Wow, that's a lot!" Marinette responded, smiling.
"Not only that, but we'll be reducing runoff and erosion from storms, mitigating waterway pollution. The shade will cool off the streets, too!" Max added.
"That's amazing!" Marinette laughed.
"You're amazing, Marinette," Adrien spoke as he came over, the empty bucket in hand, a loving look in his eyes. "You're great at taking charge."
"Thank you so much, Adrien." Marinette responded.
Félix picked up more plastic items to throw into the recycling bin. He took up a sapling and walked over to Kagami, who was still digging a hole.
"Is this hole ready?" He asked, giving her a stiff smile.
"Yes," Kagami said, reciprocating the expression. "Please, go ahead."
"I'd be honored." He chuckled as he put the sapling in the hole before allowing Kagami to put the soil over its roots.
The two of them laughed a bit before Félix went back to putting the saplings in the holes Kagami dug. Marinette looked at the scene in approval, as did Alya.
That evening, Marinette was in her room, smiling and sighing in satisfaction at their day's work. Their activism and protesting caught the attention of the news, their parents, Mlle. Bustier, and many more - and they joined in to call for the end of Project Oxygen. The day ended with more donations for an extra hundred and fifty trees - over four times their goal of seventy-five. The mayor gave in, to the annoyance of his wife and daughter, and to the delight of Zoé.
'It's funny. I was expecting Cat Noir and Argos to show up.' Marinette thought as she watched the recorded news feed on her computer. She was still wearing the perfume bracelet, and she had the teddy bear in her arms.
She heard rhythmic knocking on her trap door. She put the bear down, climbed up to her bed and opened it to see Cat Noir standing there, his charming smile on his face.
"Bonsoir, ma Princesse." He greeted.
Marinette giggled as she climbed out and smiled back at him.
"Bonsoir, chaton." Marinette responded, blushing.
"I saw the news today," He purred. "Combining a protest and environmental activism in one event, to get the mayor to cease Project Oxygen? Such leadership and éclat that only a Princess could have."
Marinette's blush got darker and she said, "You're too cute - too cru - I mean, you're too kind, Cat Noir. Truth is, I was half-expecting you and Argos to jump in and help us."
Cat Noir laughed before saying, "And steal your thunder? No way. That was your time to shine."
Marinette smiled at him and asked, "Really?"
"Really," He spoke, smiling at her with genuine gratitude. "Honestly, I can't help but thank you. It was nice to see you and your friends stepping up to make things better for Paris. Makes us feel better about the future."
He turned and looked out to the city, his expression wistful.
"Is something wrong?" Marinette asked, sensing something wrong.
He flinched a bit before saying, "Oh, no, nothing. But I do have something for you. I'll need you to come with me so I can give it to you, though."
Marinette smiled nodded, unhesitant. He picked her up in a princess carry before using his baton to vault them a few rooftops away.
When he stopped, he set her down, and Marinette looked at the scene in front of her. There was a red white carpet rolled out, with both red and pink rose petals strewn everywhere. There were lit candles, a picnic basket at the end of the carpet, and it had pillows and a few place settings there.
Marinette gave a quiet gasp, covering her mouth in awe. She looked at the entire scene, her smile growing as her eyes drunk in every detail.
"You did this for me?" Marinette murmured, surprised.
"Yes and no," Cat Noir said as he led Marinette over to the picnic basket. "They should be here soon."
A flash of royal blue came into focus, and Marinette saw Argos jumping over to them. In his arms was Kagami, who was smiling and hanging her arms around his neck. She had her drawing materials on hand. Argos landed on the roof and set her down. She looked around at the setup and her smile grew wider.
"This is incredible," Kagami said as she examined the setup. "You two really know how to set a scene."
"So, now that we're here, shall we?" Cat Noir asked as he set Marinette down on one of the pillows, and he sat next to her.
Argos opened the basket and brought out a light picnic snack, including a fruit and cheese plate with some sliced baguette and cultured butter.
"Wow, this looks incredible!" Marinette said as she took some of the baguette and butter. She took a bite, and the distinct taste of her parents' baking melted through her mouth.
"This is the Dupain-Cheng bakery's bread, isn't it?" Kagami asked after swallowing a bite.
"Yep. They are the best in Paris." Argos confirmed with a nod as he ate a grape.
"It would be remiss of us if we went anywhere else." Cat Noir added while also popping a piece of the bread in his mouth.
Marinette didn't question the coincidence of it, instead giggling before taking a sip of the sparkling juice they'd brought.
"This is quite the gesture," Kagami stated with a laugh. "What's the occasion?"
"No occasion, we just wanted to do this for the fun of it." Cat Noir said as he kept looking at Marinette with the same affection as he'd shown her before.
Marinette looked back at him and blushed as she kept chewing on the bread.
Kagami looked at Argos with a smile and she got closer to him, albeit her movements were stiff. She dared lean her head against his arm, but he welcomed the contact. He smiled back at her and held her hand.
Marinette giggled at the sight before leaning back on the pillow a bit. She breathed in and let it out, feeling at ease.
'This is so nice. For once, I don't feel on edge. Maybe because I've accepted my feelings for Cat Noir?' Marinette thought as she felt Cat Noir put his hand on top of hers.
She looked at him, and saw the passionate look in his eyes, accompanied by a smile. Marinette's heart melted at it and she also brought herself closer to him. He moved his hand from hers to around her shoulder, pulling her in close. Her cheek landed on his chest, and he began rubbing his hand up and down her arm. She smiled as she ate another grape.
"So... The tree-planting thing you did today looked like fun." Argos said, trying to be fluid for once. Kagami looked up at him.
"It was Marinette and Myléne's idea," Kagami said, looking over to Marinette. "Myléne's activism in stopping Project Oxygen inspired Marinette to organize the whole thing."
"And it wasn't just me and Myléne - we got the whole gang involved, including a pair of boys we were a little iffy about in the past." Marinette spoke.
"Boys you were iffy about, huh?" Cat Noir asked, sounding interested. "Tell us about them."
"Seriously?" Kagami questioned, quirking a brow. "We're here with you two, but you want to know about other boys in our lives?"
"Can't blame a cat for being curious." Cat Noir said with a shrug while still looking at Marinette with partly-lidded eyes. Marinette stifled a snort.
"I'm interested in hearing about these guys, too," Argos commented before looking back at Kagami. "After all, we may have some competition."
"I wouldn't say that," Marinette added, sounding uncertain. "They're good guys, but..."
"But?" Cat Noir questioned.
"It's just odd," Kagami commented as she sipped some of the juice like she was drinking tea. "When they first showed up, they made horrendous first impressions."
"I caught one of them near my seat. At first, I thought he put ABC gum there, but another classmate proved otherwise. Still, it wasn't something that made me feel comfortable around him." Marinette admitted.
"The other one is just inept at social skills. Like me." Kagami admitted.
"You're getting better at that, though," Marinette spoke. "But still, something about those boys was off."
"Off?" Argos asked as he quirked a brow.
"It's hard to explain." Kagami confessed.
"Not to mention anyone would mistake them for identical twins, but they're actually cousins." Marinette added.
"It's uncanny." Kagami spoke, eating another piece of the bread.
"So, what changed your mind about them?" Cat Noir asked, popping a berry in his mouth.
"Actions speak louder than words, I guess," Marinette confessed as she leaned away from him. "Not only did he get the gum off my seat, but he's helped out a few times, too. Not just at the tree-planting today."
"Indeed," Kagami agreed. "Adrien copied his notes for you. And then he helped calm you down after Chloé put roaches in your locker yet again."
Cat Noir's lips pulled back into a disgusted snarl. Argos mirrored the expression.
Marinette gave a confirming nod before asking, "Has Félix done anything helpful or kind for you, Kagami?"
"Nothing yet, other than offering to help me stand up to my mother." Kagami admitted.
"Maybe he relates to your situation." Argos told Kagami.
"He did mention something like that once before, now that you bring it up." Kagami spoke.
"So, those boys are growing on you?" Cat Noir asked Marinette, changing his face back into a smile.
"They're becoming good friends of ours." Marinette spoke as she snuggled up against Cat Noir again.
Cat Noir chuckled as they continued to eat and talk that evening.
Cat Noir later brought Marinette back to her balcony rooftop, and he gently put her down.
"Did you enjoy it?" Cat Noir asked her, smiling.
"I did." Marinette confirmed with a nod and blushing cheeks.
"That's good," Cat Noir responded before leaning in closer to her, the same debonair smile he'd given her. "I'm delighted my Purr-incess was satisfied by our little excursion. It was an honor in being in your presence. You're truly meow-velous company."
Marinette kept herself from laughing as she looked up at him from under her eyelashes.
"So... Um... May I see you again?" Marinette asked.
His smile grew, and he said, "It'd be an honor, Princess. Bonne nuit."
He took her hand and kissed the back of it before taking his baton and pole-vaulting away.
Marinette all but swooned, spinning on the ball of her foot before going back inside her room through the trap door.
"Never thought I would fall for a stranger. Never thought I'd be so naive. Try explaining the strangest behavior. But this never happened to me." Marinette sang aloud to herself as she laid on her bed.
Her brain flashed back to when she and Cat Noir first met eyes in the park, when he and Argos were putting a stop to the rocket-powered trash cans.
"I just met the boy of my dreams. He smiled at me from afar." Marinette sang as she looked at the bracelet on her wrist while remembering how her eyes locked onto his. She picked up the teddy bear and looked at its eyes.
At the time of her "kidnapping", she was too panicked to get a chance to appreciate his muscles. She did tonight, though. They were firm, riveting, and well-defined. The sensations she felt were indescribable, yet pleasant.
"Before I could think about leaving, he was holding me in his arms." She crooned while hugging the teddy bear close to her.
She crawled to the stairs of her bed and began climbing down, singing, "Now I believe in love at first sight. Now I believe it can be (I believe it)! Yes, I believe in love at first sight, 'cause I'm sure it just happened to me."
Recalling the look on his face as they conversed with each other, she crooned, "He smiled at me, with ardent glances. He's said that he's seen me before! I cannot resist his advances. I know I should see him some more!"
She swooned before falling into her chair and with a smitten smile, singing, "I just want to tell him I love him. I wanted to say it right then. My heart is so full of emotion! And I wanna see him again!"
"Now I believe in love at first sight! Now I believe it can be (I believe it)! Yes, I believe in love at first sight, 'cause I'm sure it just happened to me."
After singing a few more lines, fatigue began to overtake the girl. She yawned, and climbed back up to her bed.
Settling under the covers, she let out another yawn before singing herself to sleep, "Yes, I believe in love at first sight, cause I'm sure it... Just happened..."
Within seconds, she was asleep with a smile on her face.
Argos and Cat Noir leaped into a large window in a huge mansion. They landed on the floor, shut the window, and both breathed satisfied sighs.
"Claws in." "Fold my feathers."
The boys changed back, and fed Plagg and Duusu the leftovers from the picnic basket (Plagg inhaling the cheese, as expected).
"That was wonderful!" Duusu squealed while holding a blackberry and flying in happy loop-de-loops.
"It was," Adrien agreed. "Nice to see the girls are beginning to like us. Both parts of us, that is."
Félix gave a nod before looking at his cousin and asking, "Adrien, shouldn't we-"
Adrien's phone began ringing and he pulled his device out of his pocket.
"It's Master Fu," Adrien spoke as he answered the call and put it on speaker. "Master, you're on speakerphone."
"Hello, boys," A calm voice of an older man spoke out. "I have to commend you on your progress. While your methods aren't squeaky-clean, I must confess that they're working. People are stepping up. Today's news feed regarding your friends' activities is one example of this. And good work, making sure your civilian sides are visible in the efforts."
"Thank you, Master." Félix spoke.
"Now... As for that other task. Have you found any prospects?" Master Fu questioned.
Adrien, though blushing, gave a firm nod and said, "Yes, Master."
"Good. I assume it's her?" Fu asked.
"Yes. We found a few other candidates for other ones, but given what you were asking..." Félix began.
"Agreed. You two are opposites in that respect." Fu conceded.
"And it's only a matter of time before shit starts happening, so we'd better haul ass and get a few more things done beforehand. And that starts with them." Adrien spoke.
"Right." Félix agreed.
"I'll leave you boys to it. Have a good night's sleep, both of you." Master Fu spoke before hanging up.
"You heard him. Ready for tomorrow?" Adrien asked.
"Ready." Félix responded with a cunning smile.
The following day, Marinette was in a chipper mood, having woken up to some of the best news of her life.
"You've been chosen as the winner of our fashion design contest." The email from the fashion contest organizers spoke.
The prize was a VIP seat in the fashion show with her piece being featured on a model of her choosing! And Marinette knew exactly who that would be. She immediately called up Alya with the news. Her reaction:
Though smiling, Marinette had to pull her ear away from the phone - Alya's delighted squeals were so damned loud. She was sure Alya was whooping and hollering back there, too.
"I knew you'd win, girl! I knew it, I knew it, I KNEW IT!" She cheered.
"Alya, calm down," Marinette laughed. "Anyway, you up for it?"
"Modeling one of your pieces on a professional stage? HELL YEAH, I'm in!" Alya squealed.
"Great! I'll fill you in on the details later!" Marinette spoke.
This, combined with the previous night's euphoria, meant Marinette had no reason to be down. She was skipping, spinning, and jumping along to one of her favorite crafting/fabric stores, which was close to the Hôtel de Ville.
Marinette came upon said shop and she walked inside with delight, humming and giggling. Upon entry, she saw a selection of sustainable fabrics and materials on one shelf. Seeing it, she made a beeline for the section and started putting some of the products in her reusable cloth bag - one she made herself, naturally. She kept humming and singing as she twirled around before making her way to the checkout station. After paying, she walked out of the store, smile on her face, when she bumped into someone.
"Oops! Sorry!" Marinette called as she stumbled. She managed to regain her footing.
"No problem. Oh, Marinette, hi!" Adrien spoke, getting Marinette's attention.
"Hi, Adrien," Marinette responded, smiling. "Nice to see you."
"Yeah, fancy bumping into you here." He joked, with a weak smile, a wink, and finger guns.
Marinette gave a light laugh and said, "This is one of my favorite shops. Just came by to stock up on some of my supplies."
"Really?" Adrien asked, trying to act casual. He had his usual tint in his cheeks.
"Yep! Especially since, like you predicted, I won the fashion contest!" Marinette squealed.
"You did?! That's amazing!" Adrien asked, sounding just as happy for her. He went to give her a hug, but he caught himself and stepped back. "So, what's the prize for the contest?"
"A VIP seat at their show, and my piece is going to be worn and presented! I asked Alya to model for it, just like in the submission!" Marinette said.
"Great idea!" Adrien agreed. "Hey, maybe later on, we could go and get some ice cream to-"
The sound of a huge crowd started rising up in volume. The two teens looked towards the Hôtel de Ville to see a news crew, a huge crowd of spectators, and the mayor and his family (minus Zoé). Cameras were flashing, people were shouting, and more.
"I wonder what's going on?" Marinette asked.
"I think I heard a rumor that the mayor is going to give a speech in response to yesterday's events." Adrien said as he took Marinette's hand and started walking towards them.
Marinette looked at his hand before looking at his eyes. As always, her mind's eye put Cat Noir's mask on his face. But out of her peripheral, she saw Chloé glaring her down with anger, and the designer was sure Chloé was subtly flipping the bird at her. Marinette shook her head in annoyance.
"M. Mayor," Nadja Chamack said as she held her microphone in hand. "In light of Project Oxygen, for all intents and purposes, becoming dead on arrival, what are your plans for the city going forward?"
The mayor tapped his finger on the microphone, and with a sheepish smile (his unsatisfied wife and daughter behind him with cruel smiles), he began to speak.
"To all my fellow citizens, Project Oxygen may be in the trash, but this city can still thrive! In fact, in the coming months, I have a-" Mayor Bourgeois began, trying to save face, but everyone started shouting and pointing up to the building.
Marinette looked up and saw two familiar figures standing on top of Hôtel de Ville. Cat Noir and Argos were up there, and the news cameras panned from the mayor to the rogues.
Adrien looked visibly panicked, and he thought, 'Félix, you started without me?! I guess I got carried away.'
"Breaking news! Cat Noir and Argos are on the scene!" Nadja spoke.
"Prepare for trouble, karma's come to play." Cat Noir spoke as he stood next to the center tower atop of the building.
"And make it double, justice is here to stay!" Argos agreed as he flanked Cat Noir from the other side.
"Just WHAT the hell is with that utterly ridiculous Team Rocket routine?!" Chloé screeched at them.
The boys' smug faces turned to scowls.
"So, still a spineless doormat for your family, are we?" Argos taunted the mayor. "Passing laws and controlling the city just to make your wife and daughter happy? Not caring about the consequences that your actions will have on the citizens? Even your stepdaughter has more courage than you do!"
Marinette watched, her eyes glued to the scene, sweat beading down her temple. She
"The way your spoiled brat of a daughter hurts and causes misery to her peers just because of your power? That's not okay, and you know it!" Cat Noir stated. "Some of the things she's done are criminal offenses!"
The spectators whooped in agreement. When both blondes tried to glare at them to call for quiet, no one responded.
"You know, Hôtel de Ville has become a symbol of dictatorship these days. Maybe tearing it down and building anew for the future wouldn't be such a bad idea?" Argos commented.
"I concur. Cataclysm!" He called, and he activated his power. He lowered his ring hand to the roof of the building.
The Bourgeois family and most of the spectators gasped in fear. Marinette did, too, and she reflexively sought refuge in Adrien, who didn't hesitate to hug her back. He could feel her trembling in his arms.
"You wouldn't DARE!" Audrey hollered.
"Oh, I would," Cat Noir spoke. "But... If the mayor does a few things for us, I might be willing to reconsider."
Audrey and Chloé looked at André. The news crew did as well, the camera people backing away but zooming in, and the boom microphones getting close to the mayor (just in case Cat Noir did Cataclysm the building). With baited breath, everyone waited for the old man's next move.
"Um... What do you need?" André questioned, a sheepish expression.
"André, don't listen to them!" Audrey spat. "Those self-serving bra-"
"Quiet!" Argos ordered, pointing at the Bourgeois women with his fan. "You two are to be seen and not heard in this matter, until we say otherwise!"
Again, cheers from the spectators. Holding up his left hand, Cat Noir started counting off their demands.
"One: divorce Audrey and disown Chloé," Cat Noir ordered. "Two: adopt and take custody of your stepdaughter."
"Three: hold Chloé accountable for all of her crimes up to this point to the fullest extent of the law, no exceptions! This includesher repeated mistreatment of one Marinette Dupain-Cheng!"
"What?!" Chloé screeched, angry.
Marinette, hearing her name, went beet red, flattered. Her eyes once again zeroed in on him, and she smiled.
"Four: exile Chloé and Audrey to New York indefinitely. Last, but by no means least..." Cat Noir added, leaving the sentence on a cliffhanger.
Marinette huddled closer to Adrien and gripped his shirt. While her eyes were focused on Cat Noir, Adrien's eyes were on her. He didn't hesitate to rest his cheek on her hair, while rubbing his hand up and down her back to help calm her down - just like before.
And yet, Marinette couldn't focus on anything or anyone aside from her dapper tomcat. Her heart was going nuts, she was sweating, and she couldn't figure out what else Cat Noir and Argos would demand from the mayor.
There was a pregnant pause as Cat Noir pointed his free hand at the mayor and laid down his final order, "You hold yourself accountable to the people, resign as Mayor of Paris and never run for re-election again."
"Daddy, don't you even think about it!" Chloé hollered. "I demand you-"
"Were we NOT clear with you?" Argos roared back, shutting Chloé up. "You and your mother have no say in this!"
The blondes stepped back, intimidated.
"So are you gonna grow some balls and do the right thing?" Cat Noir questioned the greying man. "Or are you going to let them walk all over you for the rest of your days? Think about yourself and your own happiness for once."
They glared the mayor down. André was silent, the cameras, microphones, and crowd had their eyes on him, waiting for his response. He began to stammer, his wife and daughter's eyes burning holes in the back of his head.
Some of the people in the crowd started making comments in agreement with Cat Noir. They began calling for André to step down as mayor, their voices overpowering the voices of the snooty blondes that had been treating him like a slave.
"Come on, daddy, you know they're just blu-" Chloé began, only for Cat Noir's baton to be extended and slamming near her foot.
"This isn't a joke, M. Bourgeois! I'm gonna turn this building into rubble if you don't man up!" Cat Noir shouted as he held his ring hand hovered dangerously close to one of the architectural fixtures on the building.
Marinette, her heart racing and all but forgetting to breathe, kept thinking, 'Don't do it, chaton! He's a crap mayor, yes, but not a bad person!'
She'd seen the harsh side of Cat Noir before, and he even showed it when taking her away from the Bourgeois family car that one time. Her heart was going nuts, and she wasn't registering Adrien's touch.
André took a deep breath, squared his shoulders, and looked at the super-powered boys. Audrey and Chloé were looking at him with wicked smiles, expecting the usual compliance from him.
"You... You're 100% right," André said, causing the crowd to go quiet. "I should've never gotten into politics. I should've never become mayor to begin with! I should've never tried to maintain a marriage with a woman who doesn't respect me, or indulge such a despotic daughter!"
"What?!" Chloé screamed. "Daddy, what are you doing?!"
Ignoring his daughter, André took off the mayoral sash. He smiled in relief before telling Argos and Cat Noir, "You boys have yourself a deal!"
He threw the sash to Cat Noir, who grabbed it in his hand. It turned black and the fabric began decaying.
"Merci." Argos said, a satisfied expression on his face.
"No... Merci beaucoup for pushing me to make the right choice," André said as he turned to the crowd. "Effective immediately, I am no longer Mayor of Paris!"
"André, what the hell have you done?!" Audrey screeched.
"The right thing," André said, sounding relieved. "Now that that weight's off my shoulders, time to start thinking of new movie scripts while getting divorce and adoption paperwork done!"
André walked away from the podium with a smile on his face. The cameras were flashing at high speed and everyone was cheering, thanking Cat Noir and Argos. The boys waved to the citizens before leaping out of sight.
Marinette's eyes were once again glued to Cat Noir.
"Wow... I don't believe this... Cat Noir's even more incredible than I thought!" Marinette said, sounding like she was about to swoon. "Isn't he amazing?!"
Adrien laughed and said, "He sure is."
Argos and Cat Noir jumped down in a more secluded area of the city, further away from Hôtel de Ville. Argos said, "Thanks, Senti-Noir, for standing in. You really scared the shit out of him and we got what we wanted. Excellent job."
"You're welcome. Happy to help. So, I'm ready to leave this world." He spoke.
"I always hate this part..." Argos said as he snapped his fingers and his sentimonster disappeared in blue bubbles. He sighed before saying, "Fold my feathers."
He switched back and fed Duusu before groaning aloud, "Hope you got some action with your Princess, Adrien."
I think I have to explain a few things about Fu's backstory in this fic. In this case, almost everything runs canon except that 1: Master Fu managed to recover both the grimoire and the Peacock Miraculous before the sentimonster went dormant. 2: he repaired the damaged Peacock Miraculous after finding it.
He also tested the boys in a similar way to how he tested Marinette and Adrien in the "Origins" episode. The reason why he didn't give Marinette the Ladybug Miraculous was because he was in another part of Paris during this test and he hadn't met her yet. Also, he instantly gave Félix the Peacock Miraculous because after what happened in his past, Fu doesn't trust himself with it.
He's having Argos and Cat Noir be his eyes, feet, and ears in Paris for someone who would not only don the Ladybug Miraculous, but become his successor at the same time.
Obviously, this will be Marinette, just like in canon. I'll give you three guesses where the Butterfly Miraculous is 😑.