Happy Easter everyone! It's time to get back into the action with an early update. This has been a long time coming. Things will be pretty tense so let's not wait any longer. Time to answer some reviews.
XxXNightcoreQueenXxX: I'm glad that you enjoyed it. The song choices were fun to work with.
LunarCouncillor: Tucker indeed has some issues to work through when it comes to singing. I figured Wally would be the one to get hacked so I gave Jack the opportunity to show off. We're about to see what exactly is going on with Marinette.
LtCmdrRadner: Things are indeed about to get wild.
BlueBlaze_Kitsune: I'm happy that you're excited. Don't scream too loud now. Please enjoy.
ThatCreepyGuy: It's been a while since I've had a keyboard smash directed at me, LOL! Things are indeed happening. The only way you'll know what those are is to read on.
darknessslayer: The cliff we hung on is indeed quite large. It just felt so natural that I couldn't avoid putting it there. Tucker needs to get a handle on his voice. It's all fun and games until someone crashes the server. Here's what's next so I hope you enjoy it!
CodeB9 (Guest): It did indeed.
OceanaMM: I'm glad you were able to listen as it went on. Tucker has some bad singing and a slight problem with a certain power he has. Chaos is indeed on the rise, but I can neither confirm nor deny if it's bad or not. Let's find out, shall we?
Fuyu_FoxWriter: I'm glad that you enjoyed the chapter. I like bringing in music so that people can get into the groove of the action. Marinette has made it seem like she needs help.
Fregreg: Thanks! I know Under the Sea but I don't know the other song. I just thought the Kim Possible theme would have been a good match.
Fleet_796: That is an interesting thought process. I guess you'll find out.
Speedykitten1643: I had fun writing the Karaoke moments and I'll probably try to do another one either in this story or another one. Marinette will be in for an interesting time. As for Danny and Dick, I guess you'll have to wait and see.
SkullQueen_Loritta: Funny meme, LOL! In all seriousness there will be some heavy stuff for Marinette here. It's interesting to know that there's an acoustic to that song.
The_Keeper_of_Worlds: Let's just say that things are about to get crazy. Tucker could add Killer of Chatty to his resume, lol! I have no idea what Roman cestus is but it sounds fun.
Njistar: I'm glad you enjoyed Kim and Alix's song. I grew up on Pokemon so it was only natural to use it here. Danny worked on that song for a long while so I say he's really into Juleka. Marinette was probably never going to be ready for it beyond what happens here.
P96822: Thanks! I'll do my best!
Classiccartoon27: Thankfully she has the best support anyone could ask for. We'll see what Dick can understand or not. I hope you enjoy listening to the music.
joyseer24: Yeah I felt like it would be a good way to freshen up the chat sections. There's always been plot in these chapters, but this is indeed some huge plot.
OrangeAvenger: Yup. Tucker has reached a new level of insane feats.
With all that out of the way, let's get started. I don't own Miraculous, Danny Phantom, Marvel, DC, or any other series that show up here. I do own any original characters, concepts, creatures, and places that work their way into the story unless stated otherwise.
Username List
Miraculous Gamer Guild
Moderator:
Mousegirl15- Marinette (Mouse/Mari/Nettie/Mousie)
GhostWatcher- Danny (Watcher/Ghost)
NightwingFan- Dick (Nightwing, Grayson)
GothamEcho- Barbara (Babs)
Paris People:
Mousegirl15- Marinette (Mouse/Mari/Nettie/Mousie)
SeaMonkey- Kim (MK)
LadyTigress16- Juleka (Tigress/LadyT/Jules)
HoneyBee22- Chloe (Bee)
CyberPegasus- Max (Pegasus)
SpiderRose- Rose
Sk8terBunny – Alix (Sk8ter, Bunny)
HoundLover- Sabrina (Hound)
MajorScaless- Luka (Scaless)
DrumSkull- Ivan (Skull)
SmellyWolf10- Mylene (Wolf)
AresArt01- Nathaniel (Nath, Ares)
DJShell- Nino (DJ)
NekoModel- Adrien (Neko)
YuganaRyu- Kagami (Ryu)
Haunted Folks
GhostWatcher- Danny (Watcher/Ghost)
GQueen- Sam (G)
BatTuck- Tucker (Tuck)
JazzyTime- Jazz (Blue)
Jay-Bird- Jason (Jay, Red Hood, Todd)
ValkyrieGray- Valerie (Val)
ShadowRider13- Johnny 13 (Rider)
KissyKitten- Kitty (Kitten)
Kids of America
NightwingFan- Dick (Nightwing, Grayson)
GothamEcho- Barbara (Babs)
BeastMan- Garfield (Beast/Gar)
Mr.R0bot0- Victor (Vic/Bot)
Starmoth03- Kori'ander/Starfire (Kori, Star, Moth)
EbonyRaven- Rachel Roth/Raven (Raven, Ebony, Rae)
WallMan- Wally
CoffeeLord- Tim (Red Robin)
TheCoolerKent- Connor
HelloMegan- M'Gann (Megan)
SpiceMaster- Jack (Spice)
Tech Guru
GothamEcho- Barbara (Babs)
CyberPegasus- Max (Pegasus)
Mr.R0bot0- Victor (Vic/Bot)
CoffeeLord- Tim (Red Robin)
BatTuck- Tucker (Tuck)
SpiceMaster- Jack (Spice)
Watchlist
SpiceMaster- Jack (Spice)
BatTuck- Tucker (Tuck)
GhostWatchers
GhostWatcher- Danny (Watcher/Ghost)
GothQueen- Sam
BatTuck- Tucker (Tuck)
Miraculous Mysteries
BugFighter- Marinette (My Lady, Ladybug) & Tiki (Sugarcube)
Chataclysm- Adrien (Chat, Chat Noir) & Plagg
BeeFriend22- Chloe (Bee) & Pollen
Gotham Knights Communication
Oracle- Barbara (Babs)
DarkKnight- Bruce (Batman, B, Father)
AgentA- Alfred (A)
Hood- Jason (Jay, Red Hood, Todd)
Robin- Damian (D, Robin)
Red- Tim (Red Robin)
Nightwing- Dick (Nightwing, Grayson)
OperativeH- Harley
Super Kids
BloodRobin- Damian (D, Robin)
Duckling- Jon
PhantomChild- Danielle (Dani, Ellie)
PinkDragoon- Haley
Bat Boys
MrHood- Jason (Jay, Red Hood, Todd)
Mini-Bruce- Damian (D, Robin)
CoffeeLord- Tim (Red Robin)
CircusBird- Dick (Nightwing, Grayson)
War Room
HoneyBee22- Chloe (Bee)
SeaMonkey- Kim (MK)
LadyTigress16- Juleka (Tigress/LadyT/Jules)
CyberPegasus- Max (Pegasus)
SpiderRose- Rose
Sk8terBunny – Alix (Sk8ter, Bunny)
HoundLover- Sabrina (Hound)
MajorScaless- Luka (Scaless)
GhostWatcher- Danny (Watcher/Ghost)
JazzyTime- Jazz (Blue)
NightwingFan- Dick (Nightwing, Grayson)
GothamEcho- Barbara (Babs)
BeastMan- Garfield (Beast/Gar)
Mr.R0bot0- Victor (Vic/Bot)
Starmoth03- Kori'ander/Starfire (Kori, Star, Moth)
EbonyRaven- Rachel Roth/Raven (Raven, Ebony, Rae)
Paranormal Paladins
Robin- Damian (D, Robin)
NeoSuperboy- Jon
Geist- Danielle (Dani, Ellie)
Ryuna- Haley
Nightwing- Dick (Nightwing, Grayson)
Raven- Rachel Roth/Raven
Other
BluePassion- Jazz (Blue)
Voices
"Talking."
'Thinking.'
"YELLING!"
"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity talking. Also, surprise at the end of a section."
"AUTHOR/GUEST/HIGH OR DEMONIC ENTITY YELLING!"
"Whispering."
"Author/Guest/High or demonic entity whispering."
Rand: Chat/text message
Rand: Chat/text message in irl sections
"Talking in game and out of character/Talking in flashback."
"YELLING IN GAME AND OUT OF CHARACTER/YELLING IN FLASHBACK!"
"Whispering in game and out of character/Whispering in flashback."
Paris, France
Marinette groaned as she plopped onto her bed, letting her hair down to avoid a headache. It had been five days since the Guild's karaoke night, the same amount of time that Chatty had been down for. In that time, school had become a bit more hectic for her. From Professor Doute handing over some brain puzzling homework to Akuma attacks, she had been swamped by the amount of work life had thrown at her. She had only just finished working on the week's homework, rubbing her forehead as she groaned.
"Five whole days without talking with anyone overseas," sighed the leader of the Miraculous Heroes. "It's crazy to think that I've been in contact with them for so long that this silence is eating at me." Tiki landed on top of her head, rubbing her scalp as she smiled.
"Don't worry, Marinette," reassured the Kwami. "I'm sure everything will be fine. The people in charge are probably hard at work getting everything back together." Marinette sighed as she nodded her head, only to jerk as she heard a familiar notification on her phone. She pulled the device into view, cheering in glee.
"IT'S BACK ON!" The designer hopped up from her bed, quickly turning on her computer. She noticed that the service had a black cat that dripped with ink as the mascot before she was greeted with the familiar view of the server she, Danny, and Dick had started months ago.
BatTuck:
It's back up!
They even changed the message outline.
…Hello?
HoneyBee22:
Five days, Tuck.
Chatty has been down for FIVE DAYS!
It's ridiculous, utterly ridiculous!
SeaMonkey:
Man, I can't even defend you here.
How can your singing be so bad that it actually breaks Chatty?
CoffeeLord:
It was specifically our server that was cited as the origin of the crash.
They deleted the new VC themselves.
Marinette frowned at the news, quickly realizing that the karaoke chat was indeed missing. She sighed in dismay, having used a recording feature of the chat to try and preserve the night. She soon noticed that the typing resumed, causing her to return her focus to the computer.
GhostWatcher:
This is what we were talking about.
You're getting better, Tuck, but you fell back and actually broke the server.
BatTuck:
Dude, I'm sorry.
I really thought I was better now.
Marinette immediately began typing, knowing that she had to respond quickly. She had to act as the moderator while also being honest about the situation. Finding the right words to say, she immediately posted her response.
Mousegirl15:
You did get better, but you ended up causing an issue.
The fact they had to change something this big in the system is a bad sign.
GothamEcho:
At least we got to sing some songs.
We'll definitely need to schedule a new Karaoke night at some point.
Nightwingfan:
Tuck, from here on you aren't allowed to sing any songs with high notes.
I'm also gonna have to put you on the watchlist.
All I can say is to please keep practicing to get that under control.
BatTuck:
I will.
Again, I'm really sorry.
SpiceMaster:
Welcome to the list, I guess.
Anyway, Mousie. You still here?
Mousegirl15:
I'm here.
Everything alright?
SpiceMaster:
Yeah.
I was just thinking back on where I recognized you and I went back through old photos.
Did you used to go by a different name?
Marinette hummed at the question, confusion written on her face. She remembered Chloe saying she and Jack had met before but she was drawing blanks as to how she knew him. The more she tried to think about it, the more her head hurt. The girl slowly began typing her response, still trying to come up with a proper answer. Unable to think of anything, she simply hit Reply.
Mousegirl15:
Not that I remember.
SpiceMaster:
Well Chlo said we knew each other at one point.
I remember someone who looks exactly like you from La Pierre Elementary.
The bluenette's eyes widened, a flash of a small school she and Chloe had gone to before popping in her head. She grabbed the side of her head, taking deep breaths to calm down. She quickly typed up a response, Tiki rubbing at the top of her head as she did so.
Mousegirl15:
La Pierre?
Chloe and I went there together.
We were in the same class.
SpiceMaster:
Exactly!
That's why I'm thinking I have the name wrong.
NightwingFan:
That happens sometimes, especially when you're little.
Maybe what you have is a nickname you gave her.
Mousegirl15:
I don't remember any nicknames either.
What's the name you have down?
SpiceMaster:
The only name I have down is Maria G.
It's mostly birthday party invites and group assignment signatures.
Mousegirl15:
Maria G?
Why does that….
Marinette gasped, the top of her head glowing as she heard various voices in her head. She practically kicked away from the computer, falling out of her chair as she silently screamed. Tiki flew over to her, a fearful look in her eyes.
"MARINETTE! Are you okay!?" The little genie flew to the glowing crack in the girl's hair, frowning as she felt a familiar energy. "Time magic. I have to recreate what it fixed. I hope I don't have to do this for too long."
As she had said this, a familiar window began to open up across the city. Hawkmoth stood in the center of a swarm of butterflies, a wide grin on his face. He held his hand out, allowing one of the insects to land in his palm.
"Such pain and trauma I have never felt before!" cheered Hawkmoth villainously. "This will be an akuma more powerful than Verregnée!" He closed his hands around the butterfly, turning it into an akuma as usual. "Go, my little Akuma, and wreak havoc!" The butterfly soared across Paris, heading straight for its target's location.
Marinette held the sides of her head, seeing flashes of people she had never seen before. Her fear grew as she saw a cloaked individual in a purple hood, a staff in his gloved hand that had a clock in it. Tiki placed her hands on the crack, feeling scarred skin underneath.
"I'm sorry, Marinette, but this is going to hurt. MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!" The kwami pushed her power into the crack, causing red energy to go flying around the room. Tiki looked like she was almost growing in size, only to focus her energy through the Miraculous her holder was wearing. The crack suddenly broke, shattering as magic went everywhere.
The blue in the girl's hair slowly began to drain out, brown highlights forming in their place. Marinette's breathing began to slow, her freckles growing more prominent as her eyes lost focus. Tiki fell to the side, panting as she felt weak. "Marinette?" The girl ran out the door of her room, leaving the little Kwami alone.
The computer screen suddenly turned white, ice forming on the plastic before Danny suddenly came flying through. He looked around, his fists clenched as he growled. He soon saw the little being on the floor, quickly scooping her up.
"Tiki!" cried Danny. "What happened? Where's Marinette? Why does it smell like roses in here?" The kwami coughed a bit, sighing as she felt the cooling presence of the boy's hand.
"Throughout her conversation with Jack, she became more agitated. She ended up falling over with a crack of time magic glowing on her head. I… I used my magic to restore what was underneath so that she wouldn't be in grave danger. Her hair and body changed before she ran off." Danny frowned, his eyes glowing slightly.
"Clockwork. This has him written all over it." The boy looked towards a nearby cookie jar, bringing one out for Tiki to eat before he brought his phone to his ear. "This is Phantom. Ladybug is MIA but Tiki's with me."
The boy floated up a bit, his eyes narrowing as he looked around. "Convene with me outside her home so we can begin the search." He heard the sound of zip wiring outside, Honey Bee throwing the trap door above open.
"I just got your call," growled the blonde. "Get Tiki up here quickly." The ghost boy nodded his head, scooping the now fed Kwami into his hands as he flew up quickly. Once he reached the roof, a boomtube opened up close by. Nightwing stepped out, a serious scowl on his face as Red Robin soon joined him.
"Phantom, Honey Bee, report," growled the Gothamite. "Where's Marinette?" Danny looked towards the adult, narrowing his eyes.
"As I said over coms, she's MIA. Tiki said she had to use her magic to heal Marinette, but she ran off soon after without a word. Tiki mentioned time magic, which makes me think a certain someone has a hand in whatever's going on. We were just about to begin our search when you arrived, looking for a mixed Chinese girl with black hair that has brown highlights." Chloe looked away, a small frown on her face.
"I have a personal ally enroute but we can catch him up as we go," stated the girl. "I need to talk to her. This has been long overdue. Let's go!" The bee girl quickly took off into the air, Danny following after her.
Out on the streets, Marinette stumbled around in a dazed panic. She rubbed her head, having more flashes of memories pop into her head. She leaned against a store window, only to freak out as she saw her reflection in it. She held her now dark chocolate brown hair, her eyes widening as she saw her Chinese features had lessened. She ran for the nearest park, stopping at the closest mirror as she looked herself in the eye.
"What's happening to me?" questioned the designer girl. "Why is this happening to me? Who… who are all these people? I don't understand." She gasped as she grabbed the sides of the sink, seeing a circus tent with blurred posters hanging on wooden plaques around it.
She let go of the object as she ran out, tearing the sleeve of her blazer on the door. The akuma changed course as it continued to seek her out, fluttering in an attempt to seek out her growing fear and pain. Hawkmoth laughed from his lair, clenching his fist in excitement.
"The pain may have lost its strength, but her sadness and confusion are making up the difference," monologued the villain. "This victim just keeps getting better and better! With her in my grasp, it won't be long before the Miraculous Heroes and their allies fall by my hand!" Hawkmoth began to cackle, stretching back to where his chest was puffed out. In his mind, victory was soon to be at hand.
As this was going on, Dick and Tim ran down the streets. They asked around for people with the description Danny gave them, moving quickly whenever someone pointed them in a random direction. They eventually reached the park, pulling a piece of Marinette's blazer off of the door. Nightwing held the cloth in his hands, the limbs shaking harshly as his eyes narrowed. Tim walked up to him, his own eyes narrowed.
"We should call in Beastboy," offered the third Robin. "He can turn into a bloodhound and follow her scent." Dick didn't respond, his eyes on the fabric he was holding. "Nightwing?" The man shook his head, sighing as his shoulders shook.
"Maria G…" began the hero. "Ti- Red, do you think… Could she-?" Tim placed his hand on his brother's shoulder, shaking his head.
"Dick, we won't know for sure until we find her. I know this is big for you, but she's out here in an emotionally distraught state. Hawkmoth could akumatize her and take her Miraculous right now and we'd be too late. I need Nightwing right now." The Titans leader took a deep breath before bringing the Titans Communicator into view.
"Beastboy, boom to Paris now. I- we need you to track down Marinette." The green hero on the other end nodded before the device turned off. A boomtube opened up beside them, Garfield jumping out before landing on the ground. He cracked his knuckles as he stretched a bit.
"I'm here," reassured the animal guy. "Give me something to track her with." He shifted into a wolf as the cloth was brought to him, the boy taking a deep whiff of her scent. He began to sniff at the ground, his tail wagging as he narrowed his eyes. He eventually found what he was looking for, howling as he scratched the ground.
"You found her. Lead the way." The canine quickly took off, the human duo quickly following after him. Phantom and Honey Bee flew through the air, scanning the area below for the lost friend. The girl of the duo ended up landing on a nearby roof, taking a deep breath as she looked down.
"This is all my fault," growled the blonde. "I should have found time to talk with Marinette about the incident sooner. Now she's out here all alone and we can't find her. This feels like that terrible day all over again." Danny floated beside her, a serious frown on his face.
"Incident?" questioned the ghost boy. "What incident?" Chloe sat down on the side of the roof, her feet dangling as her bee wings settled.
"One day, when I was little, Marinette sacrificed herself to save me from a terrible accident. Before that, she was a very different person. She was a lot like how she is now, only she was much more confident with a love of ballet and the circus. She used to go by Maria back then, but I didn't think Jack actually kept anything with her signature on them. When she forgot who she was, we ended up getting into a big fight that ruined our friendship for a long time."
The bee girl clenched her fists, looking down at the road below. "If I knew then what I know now, I would have been more careful and tried harder to stay her friend. When we finally became friends again, I should have told her the truth. I was just so scared of losing her again and-" Danny sighed, sitting beside the girl as he shook his head.
"Chloe, we all make mistakes when we're scared. I really don't think telling her before now would have helped." Tiki floated into view, nodding her head.
"Danny's right," stated the Kwami. "Marinette would have been running around without all of us looking for her. It could have also happened in a more public place where I couldn't heal her like I did. You can't blame yourself for this. All you can do now is tell her the truth, both about the incident and how much your friendship means to you." The girl looked down, curling into her legs as she sighed.
"I… I can't do it alone. Last time I talked with her about this by myself-" Danny stood up, interrupting the girl as he shook his head.
"Who says you have to do it alone?" questioned the ghost boy. "You have me, Dick, and Red Robin here with you. I can also call in some of the others if need be. We'll back you up any way you need us to. Also, weren't you the one that called in your boyfriend?"
Chloe smiled towards the boy, the sound of a running engine suddenly cutting off their concentration. Jack suddenly floated behind them, a jetpack strapped to his back as he wore the outfit he bought in Jump City. He landed quickly, the wings of the pack folding inside it.
"I came as fast as I could," stated the redhead. "Is this guy bothering you? Do you need me to take care of him? I'm sure my Jackbots-" Chloe stood up, shaking her head.
"Jack, he's a friend and he's already seeing someone," informed the bee hero. "I need your help finding Marinette. She's going through a lot right now and I need to talk to her. She looks more like the old pictures you've seen her in as Maria." The genius smirked as he brought up his tablet, typing into it rapidly before clearing his throat.
"Jackbots, search protocol. Find a girl matching the data provided in the file 'Maria G.' This is a search, not a search and destroy. Be discreet to not scare the civilians." More engine sounds began filling the air, the boy's machines diving into the city from above as they took to the alleyways.
Marinette sat down on a bench by the pier, taking deep breaths as she tried to massage her temples. Memories continued to flash into her head, her eyes squinting as she groaned. She saw flashes of the circus again, the posters looking clearer as her headache grew stronger. The strange figure flashed into her mind again, causing her to grit her teeth as she tried to focus. The sound of approaching footsteps soon caught her attention, causing her to sit up a bit.
"Are you alright?" questioned a familiar voice. Marinette's eyes widened as Juleka stood a bit away from her, the girl narrowing her eyes a bit. "I can call a hospital or… Marinette?" The Ladybug hero stood up as she prepared to run away, only to gasp as she began falling forward.
Juleka immediately caught her, keeping her from falling into the ocean. "Marinette, what happened to you?" The designer's breath became panicked, shaking her head as her shoulders twitched.
"Eu... Eu nu stiu," began the girl. "Un nume a fost menționat în chat-ul Breslei și…" (1) Juleka began shaking her head, her concern growing as she held Marinette by her shoulders.
"Marinette, you're speaking Romanian. I can't understand what you're saying." The designer's eyes widened as she held her mouth, coughing as her breath became constrained. "Marinette!" Juleka looked around for someone to help, only for her eyes to widen as she saw an akuma butterfly heading straight towards them.
"Yes!" cried Hawkmoth from his lair. "It's growing stronger! Hurry, my little akuma! I will be denied my destiny no longer!" Juleka growled as she bared her teeth, her tigress pin glowing as the air became cold.
"Go away!" The pin came to life once more, producing the ice tiger as the beast roared. It began charging up its frost breath, the villain gaining a sense of danger from his hideout.
"This power… Get out of the way!" The butterfly did as commanded, avoiding a blast of icy cold air as it fluttered around. The tiger chased after the insect, attempting to tear it apart. Juleka propped Marinette's right arm over her shoulder, doing her best to help her stand straight.
"Don't worry, Marinette. I'll take you back to the master. He can help… I hope. Just keep breathing and stay with me." The brunette slowly nodded her head, breathing as she was pulled along.
"No! I will not let this opportunity slip by me! After them!" The butterfly dodged another attack by the tiger before quickly fluttering after the duo, the assailant in hot pursuit. As the attacks were being thrown around, Dick's group saw the icy blast fly into the air.
"That looked like Phantom's power," observed Nightwing. "Marinette's in trouble! Titans, go!" Beastboy turned into a horse as Dick and Tim hopped on, the shifter running as fast as he could to reach the area. As this happened, Jack's tablet went crazy.
"We got a hit!" cried the redhead. "J-16 found a girl matching the description as she was being shoulder lifted by another girl. For some reason a tiger is chasing a purple butterfly. I think the butterfly is an akuma but the tiger-" Danny's eyes glowed as he growled, the ghost boy immediately floating up.
"JULES!" roared the boy. He flew off at high speed with Tiki on his shoulder, Honey Bee and Jack taking off in their own ways. Juleka continued to guide Marinette through the area, gritting her teeth as her legs felt tired. She looked back, watching as the ice tiger continued to assault the akuma. She looked forward as they came upon the Eiffel Tower, only to come to a stop as Hawkmoth suddenly landed before them.
"You can't run forever, child," stated the villain calmly. "In fact, you don't need to run. I am Hawkmoth, and I simply wish to help you. I can feel the pain, confusion, and terror that plagues your mind. I can help you alleviate that pain, in return for-" Juleka narrowed her eyes, gritting her teeth.
"No one's falling for your smooth talk, you monster," growled the hidden hero. "All you do is prey on people's insecurities and pain to further your own ends. You've hurt so many of our friends with your evil. I won't let you hurt her." The villain clicked his teeth, unlatching the head of his cane as he pulled a long blade out of it.
"I remember you, Reflekta. Without me, you would simply live in the world as a forgotten child." Juleka clenched her fists, her mind running wild as she shook her head.
"No. No one needs you. When you finally lose, the only thing people will remember you for is the monster you are." The girl tried to run with Marinette, only to stop as the villain's blade was pointed at her throat. Her eyes filled with fear as the man looked ready to skewer her.
"You're going nowhere." Hawkmoth grabbed the girl by her throat before tossing her to the side, Juleka crying out as her arm scraped harshly against the ground. The ice tiger roared as it suddenly switched targets, rushing towards the villain as it tried to claw him. The two began a battle of dodging and striking, the beast not stopping as it tried to exact vengeance upon the man. Hawkmoth eventually stabbed the head of the construct, the beast dissipating before it returned to its charge as a pin.
Marinette tried to drag herself away, ignoring the pain that any memories gave her. She eventually began to stand up, only to jerk as the akuma flew into her purse. She grabbed her head as she cried out, letting the memories flow in order to drown out anything Hawkmoth could take from her. "Now, Baller Ina, I can give you the power to make the pain go away. In return, you will bring me the Miraculous of the Miraculous Heroes."
Marinette grabbed her head, gritting her teeth as the butterfly moniker appeared in front of her eyes. She cried out as she held her head to the ground, trying not to give in to the power. "You are unable to handle this. Allow me to alleviate the burden and-" The villain narrowed his eyes as he jumped away, a metallic fist striking where he was.
Five Jackbots floated in front of Marinette, the fingers of their hands spinning like drills as the lights of their eyes glowed brightly. "What manner of… No matter. This will be no trouble." The man prepared his blade as the robots came at him, dodging as one of them attempted to drill into him.
He cut off the head with a single slash, cutting another one in half. He gasped as one of them punched him in the gut with a regular strike, taking the opportunity to stab it through the head. He took a few steps back, growling as he slashed at the remaining two. The machines fell to pieces, the villain looking unamused as he looked over the area. He jerked back as the air became as cold as winter, knowing full well that they were nowhere near such a season.
Danny held Juleka in his arms, holding the sniffling girl. He numbed the pain in her arm with his power, using the cloth from his bounce shield to make a bandage for her. He then began to duplicate, snow coming off his body to take his place. The air became colder and colder as his horns grew taller, his Ice Arsenal forming behind him as it spun around. His eyes were completely blue as he glared at Hawkmoth, two spots on his cheeks glowing slightly.
"Hawkmoth," growled the boy. "You're about to get a permanent residency change to the Ghost Zone. I'm going to make it as painful as possible." The boy disappeared in an instant, the villain taking a step back as his body practically froze in fear. He readied his blade as he blocked a slash, a frozen blade nearly digging into his good eye.
He was then hit in the side with a hammer, slamming into a nearby building as debris went flying. Hawkmoth quickly jumped away as a sword nearly drilled into where his chest was, the cracked area freezing over. This move had been a mistake, however, as he found his right ankle being crushed in a strong grip. The ghost boy spun around, prepared to slam the villain into the ground. His opponent tried to cut at his arm, forcing him to let go where the man could land on his feet.
Marinette grabbed at her head, still feeling the mental suggestions from Hawkmoth as they warred with her memories. She gritted her teeth, feeling a purple mass begin to take over her feet. She gasped as she shook her head, trying to push herself up.
"I… I can't!" cried the designer. "Nu voi!" (2) She began to cry out in pain as she stood up, Honey Bee landing beside her with a frightened look.
"Marinette!" cried the bee hero. "You have to fight this! I know you can! Please!" The darkness began spreading up Marinette's legs, the brunette's eyes narrowing in anger.
"You… YOU KNEW! You were the one that told Jack how we knew each other! You were there! I-" She grabbed her head, gritting her teeth as the darkness continued to spread.
"Nettie, I'm sorry. I promise I can and will explain everything, no matter how much you end up hating me for it. Please, you have to fight this! You're the strongest person in Paris, able to handle your emotions better than anyone else. You were always better than me, in every way I could ever imagine."
Jack landed nearby, beginning to work on something with the remains of his Jackbots as Danny continued to battle Hawkmoth. "The only reason I didn't tell you after we became friends again was because I was scared to lose you. Please. We need you." Marinette grabbed her head again, the darkness coming to a halt as she tried to fight off the akumatization. Hawkmoth crashed into a nearby wall, grunting in pain as Danny floated over him.
"Tic toc, Hawky," growled the boy. "Looks like your time-" Beastboy finally arrived in the area, Dick and Tim hopping off of him so that he could turn into a tiger.
"Phantom, stand down," ordered Nightwing. "Don't cross that line." Danny glanced at Nightwing, his eyes narrowing as he sighed. This gave Hawkmoth the opportunity to leap up to the top of the building they were beside, the man gritting his teeth as his foot hit the material. He looked towards Marinette, pointing his blade at her.
"Baller Ina, do not let them deceive you!" roared the villain. "They could never know your pain! I can make it all go away if you obey me and bring me the Miraculous!" Marinette gritted her teeth, glancing towards where Juleka was being held by Danny's clone. The darkness around her legs began to shine, beams of light beginning to shine from them.
"You… you hurt my friend," growled the girl. Something inside her snapped, the brunette looking up to where Hawkmoth was. "You… YOU TASTELESS MONSTER! YOU THINK YOU CAN SMOOTH TALK ME AFTER THAT, YOU WALKING FASHION DISASTER!? NOT ONLY DO YOU LOOK LIKE YOUR HEAD IS ADVERTISING SAFE LOVE, BUT YOUR AKUMA DESIGNS ARE TRASH!"
The light around her legs began to grow brighter, the girl looking down as the moniker over her eyes began to crack. "GET OUT! GET OUT Of MY HEAD, GET OUT OF PARIS, AND GET OUT Of MY LIFE! I HOPE LADYBUG KICKS YOUR SORRY BUTT SO HARD THAT YOU CAN NEVER SIT RIGHT AGAIN!" The girl screamed as she looked up, the glowing light flowing away from her legs as it encased her bag.
Hawkmoth took a turn at grabbing his head, crying out as his ankle began to burn. The akuma was rapidly expelled from the bag, the creature trying to fly away before it began morphing into a flower. The villain above began to fall over, teetering over the ledge as Danny's eyes widened.
"Crap!" The boy prepared to fly at the man, only for a massive moth to fly over and grab his target. Standing atop the creature was a blue skinned woman with dark blue hair and purple eyes with black sclera. She wore a royal blue dress with black fuzz at the edges and a brooch resembling the tail feathers of a peacock. Beastboy turned into a Pterodactyl as he tried to fly at them, only for the massive moth to release a huge gust of wind as it flew away.
Danny growled before shaking his head, quickly flying towards Juleka to help her up. "We'll get Raven here to heal your arm as best as she can. I'm sorry I didn't get here faster. I'll stay in Paris as long as I can and help you any way you need me to." Juleka leaned into his chest, his clone flowing past her as she placed her head in the crook of his neck.
Tiki flew over to Marinette, hugging the back of her neck to hide in her hair. The human girl looked towards Dick, noticing how he was looking at her in shock. She then turned her attention towards Chloe and Jack, narrowing her eyes.
"Talk, now," growled the brunette. The next thing she knew, the group found themselves on the furthest rooftop from the battle zone. Raven appeared via boomtube, being gestured over to Juleka by Danny. Marinette stood with her back to a roof exit, looking between the newest couple. Chloe had since powered down, the girl looking down with a sigh.
"...We met in La Piere Elementary when we were around four," began the blonde. "Your parents had come back to Paris from a trip to America, signing you in as a new student. While everyone was impressed with Daddy being a rich man who was looking to become the mayor, you wanted to know more about me. You were going by Maria at the time, performing all kinds of tricks to entertain other kids. Other than me, you were one of the only kids Jack wouldn't prank because you liked to give him ideas for fun things to invent."
Marinette looked down, seeing flashes of the trio as younger kids as Chloe continued. "When all three of us got into DuPont's middle school system, we became a tight knit group. You were my best friend, the girl I told all my secrets and brought to everything I thought was important. Then… the incident happened." Jack rubbed Chloe's shoulder, nodding his head.
"You two had decided to throw water balloons at me to mess around with me," explained the boy. "What we didn't know was that a large branch in the playground tree was about to break." Chloe squeezed Jack's hand, shaking her head.
"It should have been me that was hit but… you pushed me out of the way. The amount of blood and bone I saw traumatized me, especially since it was you under there. You were gone for five months, the hospital staff only letting Uncle Tom and Aunt Sabine in to see you. Even with my father being the mayor of Paris by that point, the doctors were adamant that only they could see you." Dick clenched his fists as he gritted his teeth, Danny subconsciously doing the same as Jack nodded his head.
"You could say it was a big scandal with the school, seeing as they should have noticed the state of the tree. My parents pulled me out of DuPont, having already planned to go overseas for better business opportunities. I had promised Chloe that I'd make it where we could see each other again but got a bit lost along the way. She was basically left alone with no real friends to talk to." Chloe looked towards her hands, clenching them as she felt her emotions well up.
"The day you came back to school was supposed to be the happiest day of my life. I begged Daddy to buy your favorite candies from the store so that I could give them to you. When I finally saw you again… you had changed. You looked more like Uncle Tom and Aunt Sabine, calling yourself Marinette. Back then no one told me that people could lose their memories so I tried to go back to the way things were."
Tears began falling onto her nails, Marinette seeing the flashes of the moments being described to her. "Nothing I did ever made you the same as you were before. You eventually yelled at me and told me to leave you alone after I tried to stop a bully from manipulating you. You told me that you were Marinette, not Maria, and that we weren't friends. I slowly watched my best friend become someone she wasn't, the name Marinette Dupain-Cheng becoming the name I hated the most of all."
Chloe looked towards Marinette, noticing how her darkened hair was obscuring her eyes. "I ended up becoming someone I wasn't, turning into the monster that ruled DuPont with her father's status. It took another incident in the school to make me try to go back as much as I could. In the end, I was so afraid of losing you that I didn't try to bring up the past. I'm sorry, so utterly sorry."
She looked down again when she got no response, preparing to hug herself as her emotions were trying to boil over. She skidded back a bit as surprise lit her eyes, a sturdy embrace squeezing her gently. She looked down, watching as Marinette had her head on her shoulder.
"Chloe, I put you through so much," sighed the Ladybug hero. "I'm sorry I hurt you, even if I forgot everything. You didn't deserve to be treated like that." Chloe couldn't take the pressure as she hugged the brunette back, her tears running down the girl's hair. Dick stood up, his eyes hidden well behind his mask as he looked towards the duo.
"What I want to know is how time magic is involved in this," stated the hero. "According to Phantom, you were under the effects of time magic to change your appearance. He has a theory, but I want to know if you can think of anything." Marinette let go of Chloe, holding her head as she tried to think of what happened. She saw the image of the man with the clock, but it faded from her mind as she sighed.
"I see something, but I forget it just as quickly. I… I think I need to talk with Mom and Dad about this." The girl held her hands together, looking down in uncertainty. "I don't want to do it alone." Danny nodded towards her, a small smile on his face.
"We'll go with you," stated the boy. "At least, any of us that can." Raven stood up, shaking her head in denial.
"I need to get back to my research," stated the purple haired woman. She undid the wrapping around Juleka's arm, revealing that the wounded area was now a simple mark. "Your arm is healed but the mark will be there for a week. If you want, I can take you home." The tigress hero slowly stood up, shaking her head in denial.
"Marinette's my friend just as much as she is Chloe's," stated the aspiring model. "I want to be there for her." Raven nodded her head before making her way over to the others. Nightwing nodded a silent goodbye to the group before the Gotham and Titans group left via boomtube. Marinette took a deep breath, nodding towards the others as she looked back at her hair.
"Tiki: Spots on," ordered the girl. The Kwami in her hair transferred to her earrings, the usual suit forming over her. Her hair remained the same, flowing as red highlights formed in it. She nodded towards the others before taking off, Danny carrying Juleka as the group followed behind.
Inside the bakery, Tom could be seen making the bakery's goods with a worried expression. They hadn't seen Marinette leave, only knowing that she left almost everything she owned behind. They had tried looking around for her, finding no trace of her. Sabine was in the back trying to call their daughter's friends, still having no luck. The woman walked to the front, a terrified frown on her face.
"Anarka said Juleka isn't in but no one there has seen Marinette," explained the woman. "We're nearing the end of the list. She's never done something like this before. Should we call the police?" Tom shook his head, a small frown on his face.
"We should try a few more numbers first," stated the huge man. "We never know if she-" The door to the store opened, earning a stern frown from the man. "I thought I locked the front door. I'm sorry but-"
The couple's eyes slowly widened, Marinette walking into the bakery with the group behind her. Danny was in his civilian form, nodding his head with a frown. The brunette girl looked down at the floor for a moment before looking back towards her parents.
"Mom, Dad," greeted Marinette. "We need to talk." The adult couple looked towards each other, sad frowns on their faces as they nodded their heads. The teens sat around a table in the upper living area, tea and pastries set out for them. Sabine held a cup in her hand, Tom sitting next to her with a small box in his hands.
"I want to start by apologizing, Marinette," began Mrs. Cheng. "We were hoping to tell you when you were older. Our situation isn't the best for resolving these kinds of things financially. There was also a fear that something that had been fixed a long time ago would return." Tom nodded his head, keeping his hands on the box.
"You remember the story we would tell you of how you were born?" questioned the man. "The one where we went on a trip to America?" Marinette nodded her head, her face as serious as she could muster. "While there is a lot of truth to it, we weren't being entirely honest." The designer set her cup down, leaning forwards a bit.
"Please, just tell me the truth," begged Marinette. "I need to know." Sabine placed her hands on her lower stomach, a sad frown on her face.
"Marinette, I'm infertile," revealed the woman. "An accident in my youth left me unable to bear children, something that would have most in my home country cast me aside." Tom placed a hand on his wife's shoulder, bracing her for the memories she was no doubt facing.
"Your mother told me the moment our relationship became serious, but I loved her enough to marry her regardless. My father didn't like it as much so I was forced to start up my own bakery. We worked hard to make ends meet, eventually earning enough to have a proper honeymoon. We were heading for Metropolis but our hotel canceled our rooms at the last moment, so we were forced to spend our trip in Gotham." Sabine placed her hands together, looking towards the floor sadly.
"We heard many rumors about Gotham, so we didn't spend our entire trip there. After some time seeing children without parents running around the streets and being reminded how we had always wanted a child, we decided to try adoption. We went around the city looking at different orphanages, trying to find a child we could raise in a loving home that anyone should have. In the end…" Marinette looked down at herself, her frown turning more somber.
"You found me," finished the brunette. She looked up again, watching as the couple she had called her parents for the longest time nodded their heads. Tom opened the box in his lap, slowly going through some files.
"You were standoffish, remaining to yourself and looking emotionally tired. They told us how your family had died in a horrific accident and that you were the only known survivor. We went through the legal process, both with the French Embassy and the orphanage, and we brought you home at the end of our honeymoon. From what we knew, everything was legal." Sabine leaned forward a bit, her eyes narrowing.
"It was only when doctors here in Paris checked you over that we learned the truth. You had been drugged into a state of silence, something that shocked and scared us. When you were able to speak, you cried to us about how your brothers were taken from you. One by the orphanage, another by a thief with 'shiny red eyes'. We didn't know how real the red eye person was, but we tried to see if we could find your siblings to try reuniting you with them."
She placed her hands on the table, her nails grating against the wood. "When we tried to call the orphanage, we learned that a drug scandal had shut it down. Any evidence or records were either lost in the system or destroyed by the staff that were arrested. This included the records of where your family had gone." Tom looked up from his search, a frown on his own face.
"You were inconsolable for weeks, but we did our best to help you through it. Eventually, through hard work, love, and care, you were able to be happy and stable enough to go to school. We sent you to La Piere, where you became friends with Chloe. With her by your side, you began to grow into a rambunctious child that loved to show off whenever you could." Sabine nodded her head, a small smile on her face.
"You would ask us to watch whenever you would do something, calling us 'Auntie' and 'Uncle'. I had never seen a child with so much life in her eyes, even with what you were missing. You had a certain affinity for gymnastics, as well as a love of animals. If everything had gone as intended, we would have put you through training so that you could return to what you used to do." Chloe frowned, crossing her arms with a huff.
"I know what comes next," stated the blonde. "The incident." Sabine nodded her head, looking towards Marinette.
"The day you were injured, you were stuck in a trauma induced coma. The doctors believed you would remain that way for the rest of your life, telling us to expect the worst. We were horrified at the thought of losing the girl who became our daughter, not knowing what to do. We were nearly forced to accept that this was your fate… when he came." Danny looked towards Tom, listening intently as the man clenched his fists.
"Time seemed to stop when that man came in," stated the large man. "He was cloaked in purple robes, leaning on a strange cane with a clock inside it. He told us he could fix your injury and save you, but there was a catch. We could not mention your real name or say a word about your past, not until you were sixteen to seventeen years older." Sabine took a turn placing her hand on her husband's shoulder, looking their daughter in the eye.
"He told us that if we did, his work would be undone and you would die. Being the scared parents we were, we agreed as he stood as tall as a perfectly healthy man. His voice had changed as he went in. The next moment, the door was flung open as the doctor called us inside. That was the first day you were referred to as Marinette, the doctor telling us you had woken up."
Danny gritted his teeth, glaring at the wall across the room as if trying to look at the specter he knew was behind this. "You looked like what we would imagine our own children would look like, calling us Mom and Dad for the first time in your life. It broke our hearts as we knew we had taken the life you knew away from you. Over the next few weeks, you began to develop into a different person from the little Maria we once knew. We remained strong for years, trying to help you with whatever dream you decided to follow."
Sabine took her hand off her husband, watching as Marinette sent her a sad frown. "We tried to save up an account to help you in finding your birth family, but the lockdowns drained us of those emergency savings. Our backup plan was helping you through school so that you could accomplish your dreams and save enough money to go looking for them yourself. We've always been proud of the work you've done and you're on your way to becoming someone that can take the world by storm. We planned to wait until you were seventeen to tell you the truth, just in case, but life threw this curveball at us." Tom stopped at one of the files in the box, nodding towards Marinette.
"We're sorry, ma petite souris. If we could have told you sooner and taken you to find your siblings, we would have done so. I know we lied to you, but you were always our little girl: our miracle. We don't deserve forgiveness for taking your past from you, but-" Marinette shook her head, a sad smile on her face.
"Dad, stop," instructed the brunette. "You were pushed into a situation where you were forced to hide the truth. Everything you did was to save me, and you put in the work to make things right. I may never fully remember my life before I was Marinette, but I'm thankful for your honesty and for how you took care of me for what I could remember. I just hope that I can meet the people that are still alive someday." Sabine smiled lightly, nodding her head as Tom began pulling a folder out of the box.
"During an international press conference we had the TV on in the background, we heard of a young man with your last name being the adoptive son of an American billionaire," revealed the woman. "The same story we learned about the orphanage was repeated in the report, making us hopeful that you and he were related. We knew we could never get an audience or even a phone call from the boy's new father, not from a lack of trying, but we held out hope that it would be right." Tom placed the folder on the table, carefully sliding it towards Marinette. The girl picked it up, looking towards her father for answers.
"We've been keeping this file perfectly preserved just for this day. You'll always be our little girl, but you deserve to know who your real family is. We can only help so much right now, but if there's anything we can do to help you we will be here. You'll always have a home in this bakery." Marinette looked down at the folder, hesitantly opening it.
She flipped through a few pages of random legal jargon, making her way to the most important paper of her life. She froze as she saw an image of a little girl with full black hair, seeing her own eyes looking back at her. Her body shivered as she began to look towards the name on the file, skipping over the names of her adoptive parents. Her finger stopped over her name reading it over once, then again, and finally a third time. Her eyes widened, her face staring blankly forward.
"Grayson… I'm Maria Grayson." Chloe placed her hands on the brunette's shoulders, bracing her for the bombshell that had just been dropped. Jack remained in his seat, unsure what to do as he was out of the know. Danny stood up from his seat as Juleka held Marinette's hand, his eyes looking around as he tried to think.
"Grayson…" began the boy. "Dick's last name. In Gotham, adopted by a billionaire… Could he-?" Tom and Sabine looked shocked by the mention of a connection, only for Tom to frown as the door chimes downstairs went off.
"Can no one read a closed sign?" questioned the man. "We must have forgotten to lock the door. I'll be right back." The man began making his way downstairs, trying his best to put on a small frown. "I'm sorry but we're closed for unexpected circumstances. I-" The man's words came to a sudden halt, causing the group to look at each other.
"I'm sorry, but I'm not here to buy or sell anything," apologized a familiar voice. "My name is Dick Grayson. I was looking for someone and heard that she might be in the area. Would you happen to know a young girl named Maria? She'd probably be around sixteen to seventeen right now, but I heard she was here years ago."
Tom's eyes widened at the well-dressed young man in front of him, quickly making his way downstairs to get a better look at him. "I know my French might not be the best, sir, but this is important to me." The taller man looked up the stairs, gripping the wall tightly.
"Marinette! Come down!" The girl in question had a sneaking suspicion, grabbing the file as she began making her way towards the stairs. Sabine followed quickly behind her as she went down, the others slowly following suit. She stopped at the middle step just like Tom had, feeling a bit skeptical as she looked the young man in the eye.
"Dick," greeted the girl. "AKA, NightwingFan." Dick nodded his head, a small smile on his face.
"Marinette," replied the Gothamite. "AKA, Mousegirl. I remember seeing you when we served legal papers to Cerise Grazia at DuPont. You look different from the last time I saw you." Marinette smiled as she made her way down, both at Dick's humor and at the look on his face.
As she made her way down, she began seeing flashes of a boy that stood taller than her. The young man was showing off tricks that she would try to perform, helping her whenever he could. She also remembered a boy her age, unsure where she had seen him before. The moment she was on the store floor, she heard the sounds of a circus playing in the back of her mind. "SpiceMaster said you went by Maria G a long time ago, so I thought it would be best to see for myself." The girl looked down at the file in her hand before hesitantly holding it up to him.
"I… I don't know if I'm who you're looking for. Part of me hopes I am, but another is worried that I'm wrong. I don't remember much from when I was little." Dick took the files, opening to the page he knew had the details he needed. He held his fingers just below the image on the page, his heartbeat increasing as his blood began pumping at higher speeds.
He closed the file before slowly reaching into his shirt pocket, carefully pulling out a small image. He looked it over to make sure there was no damage, nodding his head as he looked it over again. He held the picture out to the girl, Marinette taking it almost immediately.
"This was the last poster made for my family at the circus. Do you recognize them?" The designer carefully analyzed the image, her eyes slowly widening as the picture shook in her hands.
"M… Mami. Tati. Pe mine. Donnie…" (3) Memories flew through the girl's head, from circus performers showing her fun games to Donnie, her brother, playing an ocarina with tear marks painted on his face.
Tears began to hit the picture, the girl heaving as she looked up at the man before her. "Pasăre Dickie." (4) Dick tried to control his own emotions, his left hand gripping the file tightly.
"Maria." The Gothamite held his arms out, the designer tackling his gut as she buried her face in his chest. Sabine slowly made her way downstairs, a hand over her mouth as she saw the way the duo embraced. The rest of the group looked down from the upstairs area, smiling at the scene. Danny placed his hand near his heart, feeling a strange sensation as Juleka looked towards him.
"Danny, are you okay?" questioned the tigress hero. The boy remained silent, keeping his hand to his chest. He smiled, shaking his head in dismissal.
"I'm fine," stated the ghost boy. "I'm just… feeling for them." Juleka continued to look at him, feeling unsure about his answer. She placed her hand on his shoulder, rubbing it as he brought his own hand to embrace it. Soon Dick was seated at the table upstairs, a cup of tea in his hand.
"Mr. Dupain, Mrs. Cheng," began the man. "Thank you for taking care of my sister all these years. When I heard that my siblings were adopted out before me, I thought I would never see them again. To think I'd find Maria, or Marinette, again over an online game is something out of one of those mangaka my friend Wally tries to have me watch." Sabine bowed her head, a small smile on her face.
"We treated her as if she were our own child by birth," stated the woman. "Ever since we brought her into our home, she has become the child we always wished we could have." Tom stood nearby, a big smile on his face.
"I'm surprised you were able to get here so quickly," stated the large man. "How did-" Dick shook his head, chuckling to himself.
"Well, I told Bruce I thought I found Maria. He gave me access to the private jet and an old friend flew me out here as fast as possible. You'd be surprised how fast air travel can be in the right vehicle with the right pilot." Marinette held her hands together, sitting amongst the group of friends as they gave their silent support. She looked towards Dick, a small smile on her face.
"If it's all the same to you, Dick, I think I'd like to stick with Marinette as my name," informed the girl. "You mentioned wanting to give my old name to the first daughter you have and I've become used to being called Marinette or Nettie." Dick nodded his head, watching as Sabine gave him a concerned frown.
"I don't believe your visit was just to check on Marinette and see if you were related," admitted the woman. "I don't mean to be rude, but what exactly are your intentions?" Dick's smile remained on his face, the young man crossing his arms.
"I guess it really depends on what Marinette wants," revealed the young man. "I don't want to pull her out of school unless she actually wants to come with me to the US. I know that I would like to have more time to know her in person but we have spent a lot of time online in our group. I don't want to take over her life, which is why I want her to make the decision." The brunette looked between the adults for a moment, a small smile on her face.
"Well… Summer is set to start in a few months," stated the girl. "Maybe I could take a few weeks out of that time to come to America and see you. If you're worried about Gotham then we don't have to go there every time or even the first time. We could even make a little road trip out of it." Dick smiled, raising a cup of tea with a small smirk.
"I'll see what I can do."
That's all for the chapter! Marinette is officially revealed to be Maria Grayson, though she chooses to still go by Marinette. A true reunion is held between her and Dick, Danny having strange feelings of his own. One lost bird has been found, but will another find his way home? Only time will tell.
What did you think about the chapter? Did you like Marinette fighting off an Akuma? How about her true look? How will the group dynamic change, both in person and in the Guild, with this new development? Let me know what you think down below and I'll try to respond ASAP or in the next chapter. This is Inkaliber, signing out.
(1) I... I don't know. A name was mentioned in Guild chat and…
(2) I won't!
(3) M… Mommy. Daddy, Me, Donnie…
(4) Dickie bird.