Author Note: I've been a little busy the last couple of weeks, but I managed to find time to write this chapter.
XXX
Story Arc: Welcome to Paris
Episode 1: What is a Miraculous (III)
Chapter 2: An unexpected favor
Plot: Marinette manages to take Altera and Amity to their hotel.
After a brief chat between the girls, Bruce Belmont appears on the scene, looking for Altera and explaining some of his ideas for his stay in Paris.
XXX
POV Narratore
Marinette Dupain-Cheng being a kind girl, decided to personally accompany Amity and Altera to their hotel, not wanting the two girls to get lost on the streets of Paris.
Putting aside the possibility that Amity and Altera could end up meeting an Akuma, there are sansas that could end up in the most underworld areas of Paris.
During the walk to the hotel, Marinette being a girl incapable of minding her own business, asked some innocent questions to Amity and Altera.
Marinette learned a few things about Amity.
For example, Amity has an older sister and brother, their names are Emira and Edric, they are a pair of twins who love to play pranks.
Amity also has a female cousin who is older than her and the twins, her name is Amelia, who has been described as being a bookworm.
Marinette was surprised to find out that Amity is studying economics and advanced engineering, wanting to inherit her family's business and take it into a more useful branch.
None of Marinette's peers seem to have such a clear and tangible vision of what they want to do in the future.
Marinette didn't ask Amity non-stop questions, in turn, she talks about her work in the family pastry shop and wanting to be a great fashion designer when she grows up.
So far, Marinette is having a nice and pleasant chat with Amity.
Unfortunately, when Marinette tried to chat with Altera, she got nothing at all.
Except for a single detail, the name of her boyfriend/spouse/future husband: Bruce Belmont.
The dark-skinned, white-haired girl was unapproachable, but not rude.
Simply, Altera preferred to stay in the background in silence and carry the bag with the purchases from the pastry shop.
Before Marinette could try to get to know Altera again, the three girls arrived in front of their destination, Le Grand Paris, a luxury hotel.
"Thanks for the guide, Marinette, without you we would have wasted who knows how many hours finding the hotel." Amity said, happy to have Marinette's help and avoid making a bad impression.
The lavender-haired witch is aware that getting lost in a city she's never been to before is something that can happen to anyone.
Unfortunately, two years of love from Luz cannot erase 14 years of education and growth under Odalia Blight, a witch in the literal and metaphorical sense of the word.
Amity still tries to do perfect things and doesn't show her mistakes/weaknesses.
Like picking up the phone and calling Luz or another person from the extended Clawthorne-Noceda family to use the GPS and come pick her and Altera up.
"You've been helpful, Marinette, would you be willing to be our tour guide in the near future?" Altera questions, finally uttering a word.
Marinette blinked, surprised by Altera's request.
Also, Amity turns to Altera, with a disconcerting look, not understanding what she wants to do.
"I wouldn't mind, but wouldn't it be better to find a real tour guide who does this for a living?" Marinette asks, sure that there are dozens or even hundreds of people more capable of taking a sightseeing tour than her.
In her life, Marinette has given various directions to a tourist or given a little advice, but she has not taken on the role of tour guide.
" Official tourist tours are not suitable for my conquest plan, there will be too many people, the tour will have a rigid schedule, and the guide will talk about large and educational events." The white-haired girl explains her reasoning in a monotone.
"Conquest plan?" Marinette questions, raising an eyebrow at the use of that term.
' Since when does Altera plan a strategy?
She is good at fighting, has no idea long term plans.
Belmont has always planned strategies and tactics, while Altera follows them without question.' Amity thinks, feeling as if she is witnessing a unique phenomenon.
"A plan to make a memorable day for me and Bruce." Altera said with a more determined voice than usual.
The girl who is normally passive in anything other than combat has decided to use her skills on something other than physical battle.
"Could you elaborate?" Amity asks, I wanted to understand what the white haired girl who is literally a machine of mass destruction wants to do.
Marinette's madly in love girl (stalker) brain lit up like a light bulb.
"You have a plan on how to have a perfect day of love!" Marinette exclaims out loud, with a strange joy.
Realizing that she's not the only girl in the world who hatches twisted plans for love is a good thing for Marinette's self-esteem.
"Tell me all the details!" Marinette exclaims, scooting closer to Altera and grabbing one of her hands.
Personal space is a word that is clearly missing from the Paris heroine's vocabulary.
"I want private tour done by a local, so Bruce will be in a good mood and more open to my affection." Altera said, deciding to expose her plan of conquest to a neutral third party who can become a possible ally.
Marinette motioned for Altera to continue speaking.
" If we are a small group, maximum five people, counting the guide, Bruce will be less tense.
Crowds of strangers make him more rigid and inaccessible, making it difficult to hold their hand or get close to him." Altera said, aware that her Master keeps his defenses up when he is out of his territory, especially when there is a crowd hiding a potential enemy.
" In short, a small group in a not too crowded area, so my husband can feel comfortable and relax." Altera said, having devised a method on how to make his Master lower his guard.
' Maybe I should try something like that with Adrien, his fans and paparazzi can be a problem for him.' Marinette thinks, taking mental notes.
"A busy schedule full of plans is ineffective, all it takes is one unexpected event to ruin the entire program.
All this without taking into account Bruce's tendencies to get into trouble or do his own thing." Altera said, foresighted and sensible enough not to come up with an unnecessarily complicated plan that will be ruined at the first sign of bad luck.
' A plan that doesn't go into great detail? Could something like this work?' Marinette thinks, rather skeptical of this method, but not knowing Altera's love affair, she decides not to express her disappointment.
"An ordinary tour guide will only bore Bruce, he is a genius, everything a guide says he will already know.
You need a local who knows the little details of Paris, which aren't in the books." Altera said, finishing explaining his three reasons why he wants Marinette as his private tour guide.
' A genius? Altera must have a high opinion of her boyfriend.' Marinette thinks, stopping holding Altera's hand.
" Altera, this isn't your usual attitude, you're normally more passive." Amity said, still surprised that Altera is planning a date with her Master.
Normally, they are Tamamo-no-Mae, Nero Claudius and recently Astolfo, the ones who make the first move to get romantic dates or the closest thing to a date, when their Master is more interested in work than love.
Often, Altera simply has to stay by her Master's side and accompany him everywhere as much as possible, leaving most of the decisions up to him.
Altera remains silent for a moment, deciding whether or not to tell what caused the change in her methods.
"For the past month, Adeline has been mailing me some Otome Games, saying they will help me improve as a girlfriend." Adeline said in a calm monotone.
"Did you get love advice from a video game?" Marinette questions raising an eyebrow, having never heard anything like it.
For once in her life, Marinette Dupain-Cheng doesn't feel like she's the strangest girl in the room.
" Jones is clearly Belmont's twin sister, they have the same twisted way of thinking.
If something works in the fictional world, why can't it work in the real world." Amity mutters, minimally surprised at what kind of advice Altera received from Jones.
"What is an Otome Game?" Marinette asks, too caught up in the world of fashion, her school life, and her duty as a Miraculous bearer to know about this stuff.
If someone asked why Marinette doesn't recognize these types of games, being a fan of fighting games?
Simply, Marinette was interested in other types of games and before Adrien, love was an unknown concept for her.
"Otomes are a type of narrative game, usually visual novel, aimed at a female audience, in which the objective is to conquer one of the various candidates presented throughout the story. Originally designed in Japan." An androgynous voice with a subtle British accent said, coming from behind Marinette.
The French-Chinese girl turns to see a person she doesn't know, but who Amity and Altera know very well.
Bruce is dressed in his Detective Noir outfit, but since his last appearance he's added two items to his repertoire: a black leather briefcase.
"Belmont, as always, appears and disappears as if you were a ghost." Amity comments, never getting used to her rival/frenemy's stealth skills.
" Personally, I prefer to be compared to Batman or Hassan-i-Sabbah." Bruce said in a stoic, indifferent voice.
Ironically, the Occult Detective who solves mysteries and murders wants to be compared to one of the 19 leaders of an ancient sect of assassins.
'This is Altera's boyfriend?
If I didn't know it was a boy, I would have said it was a girl.' Marinette thinks, surprised to meet a boy who can easily be mistaken for a girl.
Altera ignoring Marinette and Amity, walks towards her Master and stands in front of him.
"Bruce, you're back early, does that mean you've already finished your errand?" Altera asks in a stoic voice, hiding a genuine happiness at seeing her Master sooner than she thought.
Altera's cold ruby-like eyes show a shimmer of warmth.
This means that the idea of organizing a small surprise tea party just for the two of them failed before it could begin.
But more hours in his presence is always welcome in Altera's opinion.
"Yes, it was easier than expected, I had time to take a little walk and do some shopping on site." Bruce replies in a calm, monotone voice, looking Altera directly in his eyes.
Ladies and gentlemen, a Master-Servant pair of two Kuudere, well, one of them is a Kuutsundere, but you get the idea.
"Are the two of them always... like this?" Marinette whispers to Amity, finding it strange how boyfriend and girlfriend talk to each other, with stoic expressions and keep their distance.
"I know what you mean, the two of them look like a couple of dolls playing a scene." Amity responds in a low voice, aware that Altera and Belmont are not the typical romantic couple.
"As always your eyes are like beautiful rubies. I hope I have finally found the right stone for them." Bruce said in a calm voice, complimenting Altera, then opens the briefcase in his hand.
Inside the briefcase there is a dozen collection of rather large precious gems and a gold column decorated with high-quality rubies.
Marinette's eyes widen at the sight of the contents of the briefcase, having never seen so many precious stones in a single place.
'Altera's boyfriend either stole a jewelry store or is rich.' Marinette thinks, watching the scene carefully, wanting to see what happens.
Bruce raises the necklace in the air and holds it near Altera's head, as if comparing the rubies to Altera's eyes.
"Once again I can't find a ruby that compares to the beautiful shade of red in your eyes." Bruce said in a calm, but slightly dejected voice as he lowers the gold necklace filled with rubies.
'Are my eyes really that beautiful?' Altera thinks, trying to keep a composed face and not blush like a schoolgirl.
This isn't the first time Bruce talks about Altera's eyes as if they were works of art and tries to find gems that match Altera's red eyes.
Even though this is an event that happens every now and then, Altera can't help but take pleasure in these moments.
The most important thing for Altera is that Bruce's words are not compliments or flattery, no, these words are facts of fate for Bruce.
"Altera, would you mind wearing this gold junk?
Even if rubies are inferior to your eyes, I'm sure they can't ruin your natural beauty." Bruce asks, holding up the jewel, wanting Altria to wear it.
'A gold necklace with a dozen rubies that certainly costs more than my house and he calls it junk!?' Marinette thinks, slightly shocked to hear these statements.
" Belmont is a collector and perfectionist with a penchant for fine gemstones and jewelry.
His standards are incredibly high, which are incomprehensible to ordinary people." Amity said, giving a little explanation to Marinette.
'This is definitely an expensive pastime.' Marinette thinks, having trouble imagining in her head, that someone spends a fortune to get precious stones and jewels.
"I would really like to wear the necklace." Altera said, turning around, showing her back to Bruce.
In her previous life, Altera was never one to be interested in jewelry or treasures.
Even nowadays, Altera doesn't have a particular attraction for gems and jewels, she honestly doesn't see their value.
But Altera understands that her Master likes expensive things that shine and likes to see her wearing the expensive jewelry and clothes he buys for her.
Plus, a small, nascent part of Altera enjoys the moments of receiving attention and being spoiled.
Reaching out, Bruce places the gold necklace on Altera's neck, causing a small, sweet smile to appear on Altera's lips.
'I wish Adrien/Luz would give me a gift like that.' Marinette and Amity thought, having more or less the same desire, born upon seeing this scene.
Altera turns around, wanting to give a little show to her Master and the audience made up of Marinette and Amity.
" How do I look ?" Altera questions with a happy tone, wanting to hear Bruce's opinion.
"Pretty as always." Amity replies, having nothing special to say.
The lavender-haired witch is aware of Altera's divine beauty.
But Amity having a girlfriend and Altera being more or less in a relationship with Bruce, Amity decided not to give too flattering compliments.
"You are beautiful, the necklace highlights your eyes!" Marinette exclaims, clearly struck by Altera's unique beauty, which can influence anyone, even Gilgamesh, the king of heroes.
"Thanks, but I want to hear Bruce's opinion." Altera said, looking over her Master, waiting to hear what he has to say.
"Beautiful as usual, but the necklace alone isn't enough." Bruce said, placing a hand on his chin, taking a moment to think.
"I'm not satisfied in the slightest." Bruce comments in a stoic voice, looking Altera up and down.
Marinette blinked in surprise to hear that Altera's boyfriend doesn't like what he sees.
Before Marinette can meddle in other people's business, Bruce manages to finish his sentence.
"Your body is flawless, but your clothes are not worthy of you, they always make you cute instead of magnificent." Bruce said, criticizing Altera's casual attire.
Your body is flawless, but your clothes are not worthy of you. Instead of being a gorgeous woman, you're a pretty girl." Bruce said, criticizing Altera's casual attire.
"Tomorrow or the day after, we should visit the best jewelry and fashion shops that Paris has to offer, we need to find two evening dresses for ourselves." Bruce said, wanting to make some serious and important purchases.
" Formal clothes, are we going to an exclusive place?" Altera asks, not knowing what the Master is planning for her.
"When I was shopping at the jewelry store, I discovered that the renowned Pellegrini family will very soon be auctioning off at the Louvre museum, a diamond necklace that belonged to Marie-Antoinette." Bruce said, talking about the news he just found out.
"I want to go to the auction accompanied by you, Altera." Bruce said, taking Altera's hand.
"I want to buy objects of enormous historical value that belonged to people like Charlemagne, Charles-Henri Sanson, Chevalier d'Eon, Marie Antoinette, Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Napoleon Bonaparte." Bruce said in a calm voice, hiding a slight trace of excitement.
Detective Occult clearly wants to gather catalysts to try to invoke one or more of these famous historical figures.
"Above all, I want to buy the current most precious and famous jewel in France, Marie Antoinette's diamond necklace, and put it around the neck of the most beautiful shooting star known in the world." Bruce said, grabbing the hand of Altera, aka Shooting Star.
Oddly enough, Bruce finds Altera's extraterrestrial and sometimes mysterious origins appealing.
The white-haired girl can no longer keep her stoic face and blushes, she has received too many compliments.
"Bruce...I'd like to accompany you...to the auction." Altera mutters with red cheeks, in a slightly embarrassed voice.
The little moment between Master and Servant was ruined by a certain Parisian-Chinese girl who can't help but meddle in other people's affairs.
" My female friend, Alix, whose father works at the Louvre, told me about this event.
Some of the richest families in France will come to Paris to sell numerous treasures." Marinette said, knowing a lot about the auction, thanks to her female friend, who loves roller skates.
Bruce acts like he's finally revealed Marinette's presence.
"Altera, Blight, who is the seamstress who smells of flour and pastries?" Bruce questions, his voice stoic, managing to learn quite a few details about Marinette from just a glance.
"How do you know that I make clothes and that my parents run a pastry/bakery shop?" Marinette asks, her voice full of surprise.
"It's pretty easy, I just use my eye and nose to learn information that everyone else doesn't.
With my eye I look at your hands to understand your profession or hobby.
With my nose I can smell the cooking ingredients that are glued to you." Bruce said, in a stoic and calm voice, explaining his reasoning.
"Belmont, can't you go a day without being a Detective?" Amity asks in a tired voice, looking up at the sky.
"Because you ask questions you already know the answers to." Bruce said, with a tone of derision, looking at Amity.
" Going back to the beginning. Who is the little blue-haired girl?" Bruce asks, turning to Altera, who can hardly refuse him.
"She and Marinette Dupain-Cheng, the daughter of the owners of the pastry shop where we bought some sweets, offered to drive us to the hotel." Altera answers Bruce's question as best he can.
" Thanks for bringing the girls. Here's a little something for your labors." Bruce said, taking a €50 note out of his pocket and handing it to Marinette.
"No thanks, I don't need a reward for doing something good." Marinette said, refusing Bruce's money.
"You idealists only make the lives of cynics and realists more difficult." Bruce said with a bitter tone, putting the money back inside his pocket.
" Excuse me." Marinette said with an embarrassed expression, not wanting to bother anyone.
"If you don't want money, you might want a cup of tea and a light snack." Bruce said, trying to offer another type of reward to Marinette.
"No, thanks, I don't want to bother you." Marinette said, not wanting to make trouble with her you have new acquaintances with her.
"Bad move." Amity comments, aware that Marinette has made a second mistake.
"I'll be honest with you, Miss Dressmaker, I'm a man with a code, I pay good with good and bad with bad.
I hate having unfinished favors for anyone, whether small or large." Bruce said in a cold voice, moving closer to Marinette.
"But you don't owe me anything." The French-Chinese girl replies with a forced smile, feeling slightly uncomfortable, as if she were faced with a guard dog that could bite her at her first mistake.
"You helped Altera and Amity." Bruce said, as if it were extremely important.
"Altera is one of the few women in the world for whom I have an emotional affection of an intimate nature." Bruce said, tilting his head in the direction of the girl with white hair and red eyes.
"Amity is a girl with whom I have a rather complicated relationship, but she is the girlfriend of my only female friend in the whole world. In one way or another she is part of my family." Bruce said, leaning in the direction of the lavender haired witch.
"You, little seamstress, helped them, obviously you didn't do anything superhuman or special, but a little help remains a help.
So I owe you a little favor that I want to repay right now." Bruce said, taking a step forward, lowering his gaze to look at Marinette due to the height difference.
"You have to choose.
Option one, take a €50 banknote from a person holding a briefcase full of precious gems.
Option two, you agree to come into the hotel, come with us to the restaurant and have a nice cup of tea and eat something sweet or savory." Bruce said, laying out Marinette's options.
The French-Chinese girl shifts her gaze towards Altera and Amity, wanting a little help.
"If I were you, I would take the money and go home, believe me your life will be easier if you don't stop getting to know Belmont, he is a magnet for problems and strange people." Amity said, crossing her arms and giving Bruce an intense look.
"I would have accepted the meal." Altera comments as she plays with her new gift.
'They're definitely a colorful bunch, but they don't seem like bad people.' Marinette thinks, taking a moment to weigh her options.
"I'll have to call my parents, but I don't see anything wrong with having a little snack and getting to know you two better." Marinette said with a small smile, having decided to spend her afternoon with Altera, Amity, and Bruce.
Poor Marinette doesn't realize that she has lightly made one of the most important choices of her life.
If she had taken the money and gone to her house, her life as Marinette would have remained more or less the same.
Unfortunately, Marinette decides to have lunch with three abnormal people, even by the standards of the moonlit world.
Now, Marinette will end up meeting a huge number of eccentric, strange and extraordinary people who lead double lives stranger than hers.
In less than an hour, things will take a turn for the worse thanks to a certain spoiled blonde and a black butterfly.
Continues ...