Sorry I was gone so long, I had to work through somethings. I'm going to keep publishing my Ladybug stories, my other work over 10k per chapter will be on my and that's what i can live with. I hope you all had a great New year one and all
Nathalie finished drying herself off and heard a beeping from her phone. Tying down the towel around herself, she grabbed it and cursed mentally as she looked at it.
HeadAgr; Failed again, any luck on your end?
She typed a reply and sighed as she read it before sending it.
Me; Guest was crocodile with a stomach ache, had to shower to clean off and get new clothing from assistant, will return to base.
As she started to put the clothes Penny had given her on, she sighed and hoped that they would fit, with how they had different builds. As she forced the shirt down she looked at herself and blushed a little, she liked how the clothing highlighted her figure. Maybe I should look into upgrading my wardrobe, maybe see if I can find a seamstress to make my clothing tighter. She thought as she turned this way and that as she looked at her reflection.
"You done in there Nathalie?" Penny's voice caused her to remember where she was and what had happened to her.
She got out and she heard a whistle from Penny who smiled at her.
"Damn girl, not bad! So before we send you away, mind telling us why you broke down the door and who you were trying to find?" Penny asked as Nathalie looked at her and Jagged laughed from behind her.
"Remember that we've got you dead to rights, we dropped a recorder to keep an eye on my boy, so spill it lady!" Jagged said and Penny moved to stand in front of the only way out of the room.
"I was looking for Adrien." Nathalie said and Jagged looked up and frowned.
"What, did he finally run away from Gabe?" Jagged asked and when Nathalie nodded he whistled. "I didn't think that guy had it in him, what happened?"
"It's a long story; basically it started because Gabriel started to have doubts about the staff of the college, and if Adrien would tell him if people were using him." Nathalie said and Jagged looked at Penny and after a few moments nodded.
"Yeah, I can see that. After the 'Owl' came out I was starting to be a bit worried about that place myself, so what'd he do?" Jagged said and Nathalie looked a little angry.
"After a girl lied to get into the mansion Gabriel was….impressed with her and thought that he could use her. He offered her a contract to model with us if she told him what happened at the school, and tried to keep those who would use Adrien away from him."
Nathalie said and Penny gasped as Jagged laughed and shook his head.
"Oh Gabe, when you screw up you screw up good! So what happened, how'd he figure it out?" Jagged asked and Nathalie looked truly angry.
"The little twit supposedly got a girl expelled, she painted her as someone who was taking advantage of Adrien in her reports but giving his reaction we're starting to doubt them." Nathalie said and Jagged frowned, something about that was bothering him.
"So how did Adrien figure that out?" Penny asked and Nathalie looked down. "Come on, it's not like the twit told him right?"
"She even painted it like the modeling contract was a reward for doing it. I don't understand what she had against this Dupain-Cheng girl." Nathalie said and Jagged's eyes went wide and looked at her as Penny gasped. "You know her then?"
"She's done some work for me, made me Tower glasses and the cover of one of my CDs. The girl also has a crush on that boy o yours, one that everyone but him knows." Jagged said bluntly and Nathalie looked at him before facepalming and moaning.
"Of course, that's why she painted her so bad! I can't believe this, I'm usually better at spotting people like that." Nathalie muttered as she walked past Penny, shaking her head in a semi daze as she realized that they had been played. As Jagged sat down and let Fang rub against his leg he reached down and rubbed his head.
"I think we need to contact Marinette Penn, if she was expelled she should have at least had a hearing!" Jagged said and frowned as he saw the look she shot him. "What?"
"Mind telling me that you know that Jagged?" Penny asked and Jagged shrugged.
"Fangster stowed away one day back when I was in school and I almost got expelled for that, long story but in the end, the principal was fired, Fang became the honorary mascot, the team was renamed and I got me my first gig to play for a dance." Jagged said and smiled at her look. "What can I say, I had a crazy youth, really a crazy one!"
"I'm sure, I'll head to the bakery and ask Sabine what's going on when I pick up our weakly order. And is there anything you want me to tell Marinette?" Penny asked and Jagged nodded.
"Yeah, tell her my next tour is the beginning stages of being planned, I have a few ideas for some costumes I want to talk to her about." Jagged said and looked at Penny. "And tell her if she needs character witness that I'm there if she needs me."
"We'll be there if she needs us." Penny corrected him and he gave her a thumbs up and smiled at her.
"Thanks Penn." Jagged said as he got up and Penny laughed a little.
"After the time with Bob, I think we should help her if it's legal." Penny said and frowned. "But I think I'll take a look into this girl, I know where the photographers gather after hours; I'll see if I find out about any shoots that were canceled."
"Think you should Penny?" Jagged asked as he put a collar around Fang's neck, attached a leash, and started to lead him out of the room, Penny following behind them.
"Yeah, something about this is bothering me, I want to know exactly what this other girl did in the school, I have a bad feeling about this." Penny said and frowned as they left the room and looked down the hallway and saw the door to the stairs closing. Did she go that way, why? I don't like how she was here during the Akuma attack to look for Adrien, I mean hanging out to wait for him is one thing, but why do I have a feeling that there's more to this story than she said. Penny thought as they walked towards the elevator.
As she walked down the stairs, Nathalie frowned and started to scowl as she went over what Penny and Jagged told her about Marinette. Of course she has a crush on Adrien, of course she does! And I bet Adrien likes her back but can't see it and Lila tried to attack her to better her chances! And we swallowed it hook line and sinker! I can't believe this, but at least some of how Adrien reacted is explained. She thought as she got out her phone and sighed before texting.
Me; Will talk more when I get back, but who Lila targeted might be the reason why he reacted the way he did, need to talk in person.
As she came out into the lobby she heard her phone ding and looked at the message.
HeadAgr; What is it?
Me; Have to tell you in person, I need to talk to you face to face.
She finished the text moments before her phone dinged and she saw that the Akuma Alert App was off, she knew that the Akuma had been defeated but now the rest of the city were being told, she knew within moments the siren that the mayor had created would soon sound, but she hoped that she could get home before the rest of the city knew it. As she walked out of the hotel she saw the Gorilla move out of a building and nod at her before gesturing towards a parking lot and she nodded back, walking towards it as he helped a few people out of the store before walking towards the limo. Take the soldier out of the army, but you can't take the army out of the soldier. And that's one of the reasons we hired him as a bodyguard. Still the time he was an Akuma was interesting, but if he had been a better form…. Maybe I should talk to Gabriel about how the magic works, if we can craft them better, we could try and create a custom Akuma and hopefully end this. She thought as she waited for the Gorilla who grunted as soon as he saw what she was wearing.
"It was a no show; the guest was just a sick crocodile. And by that yes, I mean an actual sick crocodile." Nathalie said as The Gorilla only looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "And believe me it was physically sick, vomiting and everything. Vomit that I fell into."
At the disgusted look he sent her she nodded.
"Yes it was as disgusting as it sounds, and but at least I learned that Adrien is most likely not here." Nathalie said as she got into the limo. And I learned that the little witch probably played us even more than I thought she could. He is not going to like this but then this is what we get for trusting someone who lied to get into the mansion! She thought as she sat back as the Gorilla drove off, her mind going strange places and she hoped, hoped that he wouldn't do anything too far off when he learned that Lila had played them all.
XXXXXX
As Chat Noir moved over the rooftops he saw Ladybug wave at him and then drop down into an alley and he moved faster, another beep caused him to hurry. He dropped down and landed before Sabrina, Chloe, and Marinette and their kwami smiled as Plagg floated above Adrien's shoulder.
"What happened?" Marinette asked and Sabrina looked down. "Hey you did great, you found where the Akuma was hiding and got Chloe there, a lot better than my first outing."
"Really?" Sabrina asked and Marinette saw Chloe wince and put that away in the file that she had that she and Chloe needed to talk about a lot of things.
"Oh yes, on the ranking of bad first times, I think it's in the middle." Tikki said and giggled. "She even called me a bug-mouse!"
"Really?!" Pollen asked and Tikki laughed as the Kwami all chuckled or giggled.
"Yeah, and I transformed before Tikki could finish telling me what to do, hence why the Akuma multiplied." Marinette said with a shake of her head and looked at Sabrina. "You did everything that you had to do, and keeping these things and the Kwami safe is job 3, job 2 is protecting other people and job 1 is staying alive."
"Thanks. Once we were in range of the battle I activated Barkk's power and I tracked the magic to the alley, then I went away after I started to time out, after I was away I heard the explosion but I had only just transformed back and I don't have anything to recharge Barkk." Sabrina said and looked up at Barkk who smiled back. "But before I left I saw a bolt of magic go to the Akuma right before an energy mask appeared on her face."
Adrien gasped and looked at Sabrina as Plagg looked at Bark.
"How'd the power do that, I thought you said that whoever used your power had to think about what their after!" Plagg said as the Kwami hovered in the air.
"They do, maybe because the Akuma uses Nooroo's power, I don't know!" Barkk said and Chloe looked at Pollen as she ahhed in shock.
"Could it have been that easy?" Pollen said as she looked around. "If that's something then we could find Nooroo!"
"I'll need to stay active but this might be the best lead we've found!" Barkk said with a laugh as he somersaulted. Sabrina looked at the Kwami as she tied her bow back on, covering the Miraculous and grinned at Marinette.
"If that's what it takes, then so be it! So what do you like to eat?" Sabrina asked and Barkk hugged her cheek.
"Anything a dog can eat, but I love dog treats!" Barkk said with a laugh and Sabrina looked at him and nodded.
"I can order them online, and I have ways so my dad won't see them, should be about a day or two for them. But how did you get thrown by that explosion Chloe?" Sabrina asked and Chloe nodded and took over.
"After I brought Sabrina away from the edge of the roof and sent her off before she timed out, I prepared to jump at the Akuma, but the moment I did it the explosion happed and I was airborne heading towards you guys. The only thing I can see is if Hawkmoth was able to see around the Akuma, maybe he saw Pollen's magic aura or whatever." Chloe said and Marinette looked at Tikki who hovered next to her and she saw the same worry that was in her eyes.
Marinette looked into space as she tried to understand what was being said here. this changes things, I mean I was always worried that Hawkmoth could have a way to see through his Akuma's eyes, but this is something different. The pages of the grimoire, if the Butterfly pages can tell anything about it then we might learn something, he said he was trying to translate but each one Miraculous had a different code so only it wouldn't be easy to break but if we can even get confirmation of what he can see then that's a victory. She thought as Adrien handed Plagg a piece of cheese.
"So I'll see you ladies back at the theater, I'm sorry but I don't want to risk the Gorilla seeing me. Ready Plagg?" Adrien asked and Plagg grinned.
"Ready kid!" Plagg said, snapping Marinette out of her shock.
"Wait!" Marinette said and they all looked at her. "Once you get there, tell Master Fu about what happened with Chloe and Sabrina, we need to rethink everything we thought we knew about fighting Hawkmoth if I'm right!"
"Got it princess, Plagg claws out!" Adrien said as he transformed into Chat Noir and looked at the others. "Good luck on not being seen by Lila!"
As Chat Noir jumped upwards Marinette turned back to Chloe and Sabrina and smiled, it dropped a bit as she saw the grin on Chloe's face. "What?"
"Princess? Oh, I'm going to be holding that over my brother's head for a while now! And wait…..didn't you….. oh god it was a two-person love square wasn't it?" Chloe asked she put her head into her hands and started to laugh as Marinette blushed and Sabrina started to giggle.
"It's something he started to call me as Chat Noir, not as Adrien!" Marinette said and looked away.
"Let's not forget how you kissed Chat as Ladybug during the Dark Cupid attack!" Tikki said and Chloe squealed and looked at Marinette as Sabrina grinned as Barkk and Pollen giggled.
As the three girls walked through Paris, Marinette looked at Chloe with a strange look on her face, her thoughts running wild.
"Chloe, I have to know, when you stole my design for that hat contest, did you do it on purpose? I mean did you keep my signature on the hat." Marinette asked and Chloe nodded. "Oh Chloe."
"I have baggage, that's true; I mean I have a lot of stuff, I wanted to be burned as a cheat and liar so that the arranged marriage proposals would die down." Chloe said with a snort.
"I noticed the signature; we knew you'd be able to prove that you were the creator." Sabrina said and giggled at Marinette's look. "Yeah, I'm a lot more independent than I act, my mom really worked me over before she left me and my dad."
"Wow." Marinette said and looked at the two girls and could only stare as Tikki floated down and rubbed her cheek.
"Okay, time to share everything is done, time to move!" Sabrina said as she opened her purse and Barkk slipped into it, Pollen and Tikki both hide in something their chosen carried. Moments later they walked out of the alley as the Akuma All clear sounded. "That was faster than usual."
"It was at City Hall this time, that has to have something to do with it." Chloe said bitterly. His honor would only care about himself, the same as his bitch! I mean after everything I've seen them do I'm not even surprised anymore! She thought as they walked along the sidewalk.
"Still the band's along the river were great, you know?" Sabrina said and Marinette looked up.
"Bands?" Marinette asked and Sabrina nodded.
"Oh yes. Chloe and I like to see what bands are playing, it really is nice and we can see what new bands are coming up to see what the clubs might have." Sabrina explained as Marinette looked at her. "Oh I'm talking about the local dance clubs; they usually recruit those who don't have contracts like Kitty Select. There are some interesting independents in the city."
"That's interesting. And you two do that on the weekends?" Marinette asked and Chloe nodded.
"Only in late spring to early fall, that's when the bands play really. And in winter that's when they play little concerts here or there when they're not performing at the clubs. You know there's this little place that's basically just small rooms for private parties and they play recordings for small gatherings or dates away from reporters and gawkers, I'm sure Adrien would love to take you dancing there." Chloe said and laughed at Marinette's blush.
Chloe looked at her and sighed, shaking her head as she brought a small case and pulled out an earbud and put it into her right ear as she dialed a number on her phone as Marinette looked at her.
"Hey fox-girl, me, Sabrina and Marinette were able to stay safe until the heroes dealt with the problem! So we're gonna grab some sandwiches from Subhub and meet you there, so what do you all want?" Chloe said and Marinette looked at her.
"Chloe?" Marinette asked as Chloe ignored her and listened to her phone and nodded.
"Yeah, my treat, footlongs for the big guys and six or salads for the small guys, what do they want?" Chloe said as she started to type out a few things on an app she activated and smiled. "Got it, see you in a bit!"
Marinette tried to say something when Sabrina laughed and pulled Marinette after her as Chloe came up behind her, the Kwami giggling and flew to hide in their chosen's purses.
XXXXXXX
Lila pouted as the all-clear sounded. So another of his pawns failed again, he needs to learn that only those who want to take down Ladybug can truly win against her. People like me with the right mindset, the ones that won't fight against the power he uses to force them to fight; he should only help those who will use all of the power, to be stronger than the usual fools are. But of course there is the way that he can sometimes make them more powerful if he gets them again. Lila thought as she looked around her room as she sat on her bed.
As she looked at the Ladyblog she frowned as she saw nothing about the fight. That's weird, that blogger bitch usually live streams what the Ladybitch and her cat do, was she out of range or had what happened to Marinette, oh if she's worried about how she couldn't see her true nature. To fully destroy her friendship with Alya would be the icing on the cake. She thought as she sighed. "But I can't believe how easy it was to get her expelled, I thought at most it would be suspension, and to think I didn't have to fake being hurt!"
As Lila surfed the net she went to the class chat room and frowned as she saw the conversation was about the events, nothing about how much of a bitch Marinette was. "They didn't say anything when it happened, but do they have any doubts about my version of events? And where was Adrien yesterday? At least none of them heard about what he did."
Lila looked thoughtful as she looked upwards and sighed. But that was out of left field, after everything I thought I knew about Adrien that if I even hinted that his father was okay with what I did then he would have completely folded. I guess that I was wrong, I can only hope that his father will get through to him about the reality of the world before he lets him out again. Lila thought as she stared at the ceiling.
"And with luck after this he'll understand that people like him exist to be used by people like me." Lila said as she smirked. And the first thing I should do after school is stop by that bakery across the street and start working on those people, it's the best in the city and I can't wait until they ban her family. It's your own fault really Marinette; if you're not with me then I crush them utterly. She thought as she giggled. "So let's see what the peons are talking about."
Gothleta; After everything that happened at school, I'm looking forward to the field trip at the Lourve next month.
FlowerChild; Yeah, it's for science class right, something about planets?
SuperPen; I think it was about Saturn and how it inspired art or something, do you remember what she said exactly?
Actfear; I think your dad is involved with it right Alex?
Timehopper; No, it's because the Lourve has the new planetarium on the bottom floor; they cleared out some of the storage and even moved into the catacombs and set up new security for it! it's a great show, and I know your all going to like it!
RockRocker; Killer! I wanted to talk to you about it Rose, I got an idea I wanted to talk to the group so I'll see you in that room later tonight, okay?
FlowerChild; Sure Ivan, I'll be free around seven, see you there!
Hey is it still okay that I'm coming over for dinner tonight Juleka?
Gothleta; Perfectly fine Rose, my mom loves when you come over!
She asked me to invite the whole group for a nice meal but then this happened and well… you know.
Actfear; Yeah, this was terrible. I hope Luka is okay after what happened to him.
"Oh gag me, how can those people be such
"I wonder what those three are always talking about on this, I can't exactly weave my stories if I can't know everything about them, now can I?"
Lila asked aloud and frowned as she went still.
"Wait a second, hello what's this?"
After rereading the day's chat she discovered that neither Kim, Max, Alya or Nino hadn't talked to anyone on it at all.
"Where are you four and Adrien didn't contact anyone at all? And what about Chloe and Sabrina, I know that you two don't talk to the commoners, but what" Lila mused as she leaned back and looked out her window. "Maybe I should contact that assistant, if she told his father about how he acted then I can just imagine how dear Gabriel reacted. Adrien is probably grounded until he learned his lesson to his father's satisfaction, and took his tech until he feels he can trust him with it. But should I text or phone? Text, yes that makes more sense, the perfect way to see what I should do on that end and not seem too "
Lila got out her phone when a text message popped up from the person in question.
Nathalie Sec; We are currently dealing with the fallout of the photo-shoot on our ends, don't contact us until I send you the all-clear.
As of now also do not contact Adrien at all or try to visit him here.
"I was right then, he is grounded. Poor Adrien, I will have to get him alone and talk to him about the facts of life once I see him again." Lila purred evilly and grinned. Of course, once he understands the truth of this world and I teach him how to rule, in time we'll be the power couple of Paris! And it doesn't hurt that he's handsome and the heir to a company! Lila thought with a grin as she laughed.
"Everything is going perfectly for once! I can't believe this. I have a good line with Hawkmoth to get that bitch Ladybug squashed, I have a job as a model to get invited to parties with celebrities, and within the week I'll have a perfect boy-toy!" Lila said as she kept laughing as she saw her future and enjoyed what she fantasized about it. Everything is coming together, a few more modeling gigs to buff up my portfolio and even if I have to leave Paris I'll still have something to show for it! And I might get close enough to him to take it or I might even get the Fox, with that power my life could be perfect!
She thought with a laugh.
"But all to make sure this happens I have to make sure that nothing that could affect my web, and I have to make sure that Mari-Trash stays gone!"
Lila said with a smirk as she looked around her room and grinned. I've had many foes over the years, but she was the hardest to break, I'm just so sad I wasn't able to hear what her parents did to her. I mean if the school punished her then they will have to as well. She thought as she giggled and fell backwards onto her bed.
"I wonder how school will be now that I've finally won against Marinette, but that Kim….. I think I need to have a talk with him, if he keeps doing what that I would hate to discover that he's just like Marinette, or he's taking drugs to enhance his athletic performance." Lila purred as she leaned back and brought out a book, and started to write down a few plans to deal with what they might move against her, not knowing that her plans would soon become the chain around her neck.
XXXXXXXX
Gabriel sat at his desk and tried to figure out how this Akuma had failed. I was able to give her complete power over heat and she still failed! At least I learned that there's a new bee and they sent out a new Miraculous. He thought as he sighed.
"How did they find her, were they coming that way, no then why did the other one fall back? Still perhaps I can use this, if I have a way to get another lawn who will accept the power on their own then I might have a better Hero Day 2.0" Gabriel said as Nooroo hovered above him.
Nooroo stayed silent, but his thoughts were running wild. I might be right, my set is still around, I I thought it had been destroyed with the others. I can't let on that I know anything, if he orders me to tell him anything then I have to word it right, I can't let on I know anything. Nooroo thought as he looked at Gabriel and hoped that he wouldn't ask a question in a way he had to answer.
Gabriel eyed Nooroo, something about the kwami was bothering him but he couldn't tell what it was. He was about to say something when the doors opened and he looked up and saw Nathalie walk into the room with her borrowed clothes and he went still for a second.
"What happened? Why did you change your clothes?" Gabriel asked and Nathalie looked at him.
"The special guest was Jagged Stone's pet crocodile. It was sick and I slipped and fell into its vomit. Thankfully its owners were taking him back there room and Penny let me borrow something to change into." Nathalie said and Gabriel winced and Nooroo shuddered.
"Oh I'm sorry miss Nathalie! I remember when Trixx used horse manure in a prank, Plagg almost cataclysmed the horse before Tikki stopped him!" Nooroo said and Gabriel nodded.
"Yes, I'm sorry Nathalie." Gabriel said and Natalie shrugged.
"It happened, and I learned why Lila was so happy to act against Miss Dunpain-Cheng." Nathalie said and Gabriel looked at her.
"Then she had a reason beyond the contract and staying on his good sides?" Gabriel asked and Nathalie nodded. "What?"
"Miss Dunpain-Cheng has a crush on Adrien." Nathalie said and Gabriel's mouth dropped open.
"What do you mean; Miss Dunpain-Cheng had a crush on my son?" Gabriel demanded icily and Nathalie nodded.
"That is what Jagged Stone and Penny Rolling said Gabriel." Nathalie said as Nooroo hovered above them looking down at them, his normal face hiding the worry that he had. Of course those two would find out about how they feel about each other now, perfect!
If they figure out one of those two then they could win! I want master's wife to be healed but this is too much, the wish is only when there are no other avenues to get what you want, to act against terrible events in the near future! Nooroo thought and cursed that Gabriel had ordered him from telling him anything else with his order.
"Then that little witch played us, she fingered Dunpain-Cheng as a disruptive influence because she wanted to get rid of a rival for Adrien's heart." Gabriel said and looked up at Nooroo who felt the rage that Gabriel was keeping under control with force of will alone. "And you couldn't tell me that?"
"I can only sense the emotions that people are feeling when they first happen master, if I wasn't around them when the crush first started then I wouldn't know at all!" Nooroo said and Gabriel nodded and looked down.
"Oh, right. I forgot about that, it's normally hard enough to find someone to use from here I forgot about that limitation of yours." Gabriel said and Nathalie giggled and he looked up at her. "What is it?"
"Just that this crush might not be as one-sided as people believe giving how Adrien reacted when Lila told her that you said to get Miss Dunpain-Cheng expelled. It paints a clearer picture of Adrien's actions at the shoot Gabriel." Nathalie said and Gabriel nodded, his mind going strange places.
"I can't believe this, I just can't." Gabriel said as he looked at his wife's painting. I can't believe she tricked me oh so well, I can only blame myself for this. I was so sure that if the theater I helped Lila sculpt worked then the emotions from what happened would have let me bring back some of my most powerful Akuma and with Dunpain-Cheng among them then I was sure I could have won at last!
Heroes day only failed because they broke Nathalie's item ...item…..wait…she was miles away, I don't believe it, how could I have missed that. He thought as he went still and started to grin. "I just had a thought, why have we been having my champions keep their items on them?"
"Gabriel?" Nathalie asked as Nooroo went still and actually looked shocked at the question.
"Why do our Akumas have to hive their items on them? What if we have can keep the item away from them, is there a range the item has to be in Nooroo?" Gabriel asked and Nooroo actually looked confused and then started to think. "Well do they?"
"I don't know master, I've never really tried, the items my champions resonated with things that were usually weapons or items that were nearby or they were wearing." Nooroo said and Gabriel nodded. "Then this might have a good test, I think I need to talk to Lila as my other ego, have a talk about how the Dunpain-Cheng thing failed, how I want to try again with an experiment when her trial happens."
Nooroo looked at Gabriel as he grinned, a strange feeling through the kwami as he looked through his memories and saw that he had never even tried that with any of his Champions, he tried to figure out why he hadn't but he just hadn't thought of it, and that bothered him for some reason.
"I still don't like this Gabriel, if she used Gabriel Agreste then what about Hawkmoth? If she's trying to get closer to him to take his power for her own then we might have a problem." Nathalie said and Gabriel nodded.
"Yes, I think she might be too much for us to associated with too closely. Since the photo-shoot has she contacted you at all?" Gabriel asked and Nathalie nodded
"No I texted her on the way back, I told her that Adrien was unavailable and not to bother contacting him."
Nathalie said and Gabriel nodded.
"Good, good. With luck, we'll be able to finish her and hopefully we'll be able to weather this." Gabriel said and looked at Nathalie and then away, Nathalie saw this and smiled a little as she
and looked towards her as a beep caused them to look at Nathalie's tablet. They frowned and looked at it as Nathalie looked at it before her eyes found Gabriel. Gabriel was starting to get worried when he saw the way Nathalie's eyes were wide.
"We so shouldn't have gotten involved with her Gabriel, not at all!" Nathalie said quietly as she paled in horror and Gabriel looked at her as she passed over the tablet and he started to read it.
As his eyes went over the files, the first one was a travel itinerary of Lila and her mother through the last few years, then there were files on school websites and emails from students and then there were articles from newspapers about how people got hurt in accidents, deaths that happened in the same cities during the time that Lila had been there and then there were incidents that might have been linked to her mother. What is this; this is….. I don't understand, why hasn't anyone found this before, I mean people aren't that stupid so why hasn't anyone….wait, where is her father? Gabriel thought and frowned as he looked up at Nathalie.
"I, this is so far beyond what I thought we would find, maybe another expulsion or something but this is beyond anything, I can't believe that nobody found out about this girl before now!" Nathalie said and Gabriel nodded.
"I agree, it is impossible for anyone not to have found this before now…..who was watching out for her, and where did they go?" Gabriel asked softly before nodding at Nathalie. "Send our payment to the investigator, and tell him I want anything and everything about her father and family."
"Of course sir….do you think that there's something there?" Nathalie asked and Gabriel stood there and looked at his wife's painting and nodded, a strange feeling coming through him as he looked at it.
"A father will do anything to protect his child; I fear that before this is over we will see that in someone else." Gabriel said and then he had a thought and frowned and looked at Nathalie. "And make a copy of the files, and make a separate file with only the school information and itinerary, make sure to send that to the Dunpain's at the first opportunity, as an 'apology' and hope it works from the hacker."
"You seem to be really trying to help this girl Gabriel, why?" Nathalie asked and Gabriel shrugged.
"I don't want to do lasting harm to anyone, especially one of Adrien's friends. This is a way of helping my own conscious, and when my wife wakes up and she learns about all this, do you want to think what she will do to the two of us?" Gabriel asked and Nathalie looked shellshocked and nodded.
XXXXXXXXX
Nora walked through Paris leading her sisters with a scowl on her face as she saw people come out of hiding after the Akuma alarm sounded the all-clear. As she walked she heard the comments as she sometimes did, wondering if Hawkmoth should just be given what he wants at this point and scowled. The whole city is giving Butterfly-man too much fear, I mean Mister Whiskers and Buggirl have reasons not to give up their bling, and I bet Butterfly-man knows them. If given an impossible choice you fight, I mean I would! She thought as she led the way towards the park in front of the bakery.
"So we can go play once you grab some snacks sis?" Ella asked as she and her twin Etta tried to keep the excitement from
"Yeah rug rats let me just touch base and I'll take you to the park." Nora reassured her as they reached the bakery. As they walked in she saw a few people ducking out of the backroom and she grinned, how they used their basement offices as an Akuma shelter was part of how the Dunpain-Chengs dealt with Hawkmoth and part of what she really liked that about them.
"Thank you all for being so good, please come again if you want some cookies or cakes!" Sabine said as she herded the people out and looked up and saw Nora walking in. "Oh Nora, good to see you!"
"Hey Sabine, I was in the area and I really wanted to talk to you about what happened to your kid."
Nora said and Sabine raised an eyebrow and Nora winced.
"And that's all?" Sabine asked as Tom came out behind his wife.
"And I really wanted to get some of your cookies." Nora admitted with a chuckle.
"I just put in the last of the new stuff in Sabine, why don't you go and talk to her while I watch the front." Tom said as he got Nora's usual into a bag.
"Thanks, and some for the twins please!" Nora said and Tom laughed and put a few vegetable cookies into another bag.
"And that's the total!"
Sabine said as she punched in the last of the snacks and Nora nodded at the total and pulled out her bank card.
"I still think that a five percent discount is too much for stuff like this!" Nora said as Sabine laughed before a phone rang next to them.
"Membership discount is four percent, and family and friends is five. That's how my dad did it, that's how I'll do it!" Tom called out from the kitchen.
"Hold on one minute…..Hello, Boulangerie Patisserie how can I help you…..Penny, hi! Did you want to talk to Marinette or is this about your order?" Sabine asked with a smile that fell and she winced. "Oh, how did you find out about that? Oh, wait Fang's what?! How is he, oh good…. To tell you the truth someone else wants to find out what happened, are you near the store…good we'll be at the park across the way, you'll see me there okay? Good."
Nora looked at Sabine as she moved from behind the counter. "I'm guessing I'll be waiting for whoever that was until you tell me what happened, right?"
XXXXXX
Penny walked through the park, her mind going strange places as she tried to understand how this could have happened to Marinette, and knowing that neither she nor Jagged would like what she would be told.
"Penny, over here!"Sabine called out and Penny looked up and saw Sabine sitting next to Nora on a bench as Elle and Etta ran about the Penny reached the two Sabine got up and hugged her.
"Hey Sabine, so who's this?" Penny asked and Nora got up and offered her hand.
"Nora Cesaire, I'm the sister of a friend of Pinkie's." Nora said and Penny looked at her and frowned."What, do I have crumbs on my mouth or something?"
"No, but I know your face, I can't tell from where but I know you." Penny said and Nora laughed a little.
"I'm a kickboxer, maybe you saw one of my matches on the tube or something." Nora said and looked at Sabine."But enough about me, what happened at the school Sabine!"
"It started out simple enough for saw got a call and we went over, once there we were told that Marinette had cheated on a practice test, pushed a student down the stairs and then the girl said that Marinette stole a necklace from her, led us to the locker-room and Marinette's locker and there it was in the locker."Sabine said bitterly and Penny frowned and Nora scowled.
"This necklace, was it small enough to fit through the grating on Marinette's locker?"Nora asked and Sabine nodded, Penny meanwhile was deep in thought."Then there's no evidence that Mari took it, and people saw her push this girl down the stairs?"
"No, and they didn't even check the CCTV camera's."Sabine said and Penny's mouth dropped open and she gasped.
"This girl who fell down the stairs walked into the locker room of the school, the nurse let her?" Penny asked and Sabine shook her head.
"No, the nurse wasn't even after the principle expelled Marinette on the spot, before Hawkmoth attacked everyone."
Sabine said and Nora and Penny both looked at her in shock.
"Another crimson moth attack?!" Nora said in horror, remembering the chaos of Heroes Day and how the whole city had fought back against
"Why didn't anyone tell the rest of the city?!Were the heroes able to contain them all!?"Penny asked and Sabine winced.
"The attack, stopped in the middle, no one turned but butterflies hit us all."Sabine said and looked down as the others looked at her in sympathy.
"You Sabine?"
"Me and Marinette." Sabine said and Penny winced and Nora just started to curse."I…..he just named us when the attacked stopped, he called me Verity Queen and Marinette Princess Justice."
"Damn, I mean damn." Penny said as she paled."Thank god it failed, otherwise Paris would have fallen."
"Mr. Whiskers and Beetle handled the first mass attack, with help they would have handled this one." Nora said and Penny shook her head and even Sabine looked confused at what Penny meant.
"I meant Marinette as an girl is strong, more creative than a lot of people in the business, she would have won, at least Jagged and I think so." Penny admitted and blushed at the look Sabine sent her."It was at the end of a day, we had seen a report about a musician who acts like so innocent on camera but is a total bitch off it, we made up so Akuma's and then Jagged went pale and gasped out that Marinette as an Akuma would have won against them and well….."
Sabine looked at Penny with a strange look on her face, Nora nodded after looking thoughtful for a few minutes.
"What, she's smart enough to have made a trap that would have worked." Penny said and Nora chuckled.
"Makes sense, when Hawkbutt used me, I was so straightforward according to sis."Nora said and Penny looked at her with a look of sympathy that
"You too?" Penny asked and Nora nodded, a guarded look in her eyes.
"Yeah, I was this spider wrestler Akuma that grabbed my sister and Mr. Whiskers until that Turtle guy helped Beetle handle me." Nora said and grabbed her arms."At least that's what Alya said about it, so you?"
"A punk groupie with pink mohawk armed with a pen that made me intangible." Penny said and Nora snickered.
"All I could do was make webbing and had six arms."Nora said as Penny laughed and shook her head.
"I….. I was trying to figure out how to contact you and Jagged, Marinette wanted to talk to you about the lies she heard, one of them was about him."Sabine said reluctantly and Penny felt a headache starting to form.
"What could she had said?" Penny asked and Sabine looked down.
"That she saved his kitten from being run over by an airplane and that she got tinnitus from it, and that he wrote a song about her."Sabine said and Penny looked at her before she face palmed.
"Good god, this is too stupid!And if the paparazzi heard about this then Jagged could be accused of courting a minor!" Penny said and Nora started to laugh it up before she went still.
"Alya didn't put that up on her blog, did she?" Nora asked and Sabine shook her head.
"No, Marinette said that she didn't feel constable putting something like that on the Ladyblog, andif Jagged made a song to thank someone for saving his pet and not sing it at concerts then it was because the person didn't want him to and she wouldn't bring attention to it." Sabine said and Nora sighed and nodded.
"Nice to see that she's learning at least, I do not want to have to deal with her being sued!" Nora said and Penny looked interested and Nora shrugged."Sis wants to be a reporter, so she has this blog and well."
"Yeah, she could have been sued for slander if she did.I swear, the number of times Bob Roth did that, you think that was his business instead of his company!"Penny said with disgust and Nora snorted.
"Know a few promoters like that around the ring, don't like them at all!Always trying to do something to get ahead at the expense of others, you two are going solo from this Bob right?"Nora asked and Penny nodded.
"We're under contract for one last concert, then everything Jagged is his and we're free from him." Penny said as she got up and smiled at the two. "Thanks for the talk, call us if you need character witness Sabine, please."
"We will Penny, have a good day." Sabine said as Penny walked away