Chapter 2: Finals and Birthday Plans
At the Couffaine residence, Juleka had just finished getting dressed, and was then making her way towards the kitchen, where her mother and her brother were already having breakfast. On that morning, Anarka was making crepes for her children, and like always, she had made enough not just for the two of them, but also for a whole battalion. Upon entering the kitchen and smelling the crepes, Juleka sneakily approached her mother and hugged her.
"Someone is in a good mood this morning." –Anarka chuckled, as she poured a little more batter on the frying pan. –"Did you sleep well, honey?" -she asked Juleka.
"I did." -Juleka declared.
"That's good. Like I always say, a good night's sleep is essential for a good day." -Anarka told her. –"And a good breakfast also helps." -she said.
"I know. And those crepes smell really good." -Juleka said, as she sat at the table, facing Luka.
"Don't worry. I made enough for everyone. And if I see they're not enough, I'll make another batch of them." -Anarka assured her.
"Another batch? If you're in a mood for cooking more than one batch of crepes this morning, then you must have slept really well." -Juleka commented.
"You can say that again." -Luka agreed with his sister.
Just like Juleka, Anarka had slept well, and that was evident, due to her sunny disposition. Luka too had woken up in a good mood. But that good mood had disappeared, thanks to what he was hearing on the news. It was the habit of everyone in that house to hear the news first thing in the morning on television. And that morning, the news were anything but good.
"Protests against the Miraculous Team continue to occur throughout Paris. Yesterday afternoon, a group of three thousand citizens showed their displeasure in front of the Hotel de Ville, demanding mayor Bourgeois to take action against the group of heroes, who these citizens have been calling vigilantes, criminals and terrorists." -the reporter said.
The images of the demonstration, where people held signs that said things like "Miraculous Terrorists", "Ladybug = Hawk Moth", "Mayor Bourgeois Supports Super Terrorists", as well as others in which the faces of the various heroes had a prohibition sign over them, passed a clear picture of how discontent they were. On top of it, you could hear people shouting and demanding the mayor and the police to do something about it, while also chanting the lyrics of La Marseillaise. The whole thing was typical of the French people.
"The number of protests against the heroes of Paris has tripled, since the latest attack by Hawk Moth, a week and a half ago, where he himself showed up for the first time in months." -the reporter said. –"Public opinion has been divided for months, regarding the actions of the heroes. One of the latest polls show that 72% of people support the actions of Ladybug and her teammates, while 28% condemn them." -she went on. –"One of the fiercest opponents of the actions of the heroes, Ambroise Delay, was present at the demonstration in front of the Hotel de Ville yesterday, where he harshly criticized not only the heroes of Paris, but also the police, mayor Bourgeois, the prime-minister and the president of France, as well as the government itself, accusing them of not being able, or even trying to deal with what is happening in the French capital, while also reiterating once more his desire to run for mayor of Paris, in the November elections of the current year."
Following that, Ambroise showed up on the screen. Like always, he was wearing a one of his outfits, which made him look like a mix between a lawyer and a sleazy car salesman. From just looking at him, Juleka and Luka could tell that he was not about to speak pleasantries about the Miraculous Team.
"These heroes are a menace to all the citizens of this city! Not only they put the citizens of this city in danger, they also destroy public property!" -Ambroise exclaimed, irritated. –"And it doesn't matter if they use their so called magic to put things back as they were! That makes dangerous and mark my words, the day is coming, when they will show their true colours and reveal to us all, that they were always working alongside that Hawk Moth terrorist!" -he shouted. –"If I am elected in November, I can promise you that that day will not come, because I intend to make sure that those terrorists are all brought to justice! Unlike the current mayor, I intend to make sure that this city is protected from any kind of threats!"
"That Delay bastard… I can't believe anyone buys into all the crap that comes out of his mouth!" -Luka commented, as he ate another crepe.
"Luka! Language!" -Anarka warned him. –"And please, try to keep your voice down. Your father is staying home today, because he got one of those awful migraines that make it hard for him to even think." -she said, as she flipped the crepe in the frying pan.
"I'm sorry, mom. But I can't stand that man, when he begins to badmouth the Miraculous heroes. It makes me want to punch him in the face." -Luka admitted. –"After all the times they saved the city, people should be smart enough to tell that they're not working with Hawk Moth. If they weren't around to protect us, we would probably be under the rule of Hawk Moth, in some kind of dystopian dictatorship." -he said.
"I know what you mean, Luka. I can't stand that awful man either. Someone ought to wash that viper tongue of his with soap, to see if he learns not to talk like that about other people. Especially those who risk their lives to save the lives of others." -Anarka declared. –"Imagine him being mayor of Paris. It would be a nightmare." -she said. –"I mean, I'm not saying mayor Bourgeois is perfect, but at least he doesn't say the horsecrap that that man says, whenever he has a camera pointing at him."
The idea of having Ambroise Delay as mayor was scary, especially to Juleka. With Chloe's father in office, she and the rest of the heroes did not have to worry about being hunted or persecuted, just because they were doing their job. But if Ambroise became mayor of Paris, that would change. More than once he had stated that if he became mayor, his first official act would be to brandish the heroes as enemies of the state, and declare hero season open, with the help of the police and the national guard. The thought alone was terrifying. And on that day, Juleka did not need that kind of thoughts in her head. She had to focus
"Here you go, honey." -Anarka said, as she placed a plate full of crepes in front of her. –"You better eat all of it, and instead of using dark chocolate topping, you should put on something extra sugary on top of them, this morning. You're going to need the extra sugar for your brain cells, while you're doing your finals." -she pointed out. –"Remind me which ones are you doing today?"
"French Language and Literature, Chemistry and English" -Juleka said, as she grabbed the raspberry jam and place a spoonful of it on the crepes. –"And then, tomorrow it'll be Math, Geography and History." -she declared. –"And on the following day, it'll be Physics and Natural Sciences."
"You have a very busy week. But remember. Once they're done, on Friday, you can relax and enjoy the last few weeks of school, without any kind of worries, Juleka." -Anarka told her.
"Mom's right. I wish I could do all my finals in just three days, like you do. Instead, I have to do mine over the course of the next two weeks." -Luka lamented.
"And for your sake, you better do well on them, Luka. Don't think I've forgotten that low score you had in Algebra, young man." -Anarka told him. –"Because if you don't get good grades and manage to carry over, instead of being grounded for one week, you'll be grounded for the whole summer." -she warned him. –"Your father and I have both agreed on that."
"I've been studying, mom." -Luka sighed. –"What do I need to do, for her to get that into her thick skull?" -he thought to himself, tired of hearing his mother giving him the business.
"Then, we'll see if you have, or not." -Anarka told him, as she grabbed a cup from the cupboard, and poured some coffee into it. –"And if not, no guitar playing, and no music for the whole summer."
"Not that I don't agree with the punishment, in case he flunks, but I hope that doesn't mean you won't be able to play at my friend's birthday party, next week." -Juleka reminded him.
"Thanks a lot, Jules." -Luka spoke in a sarcastic tone, before smiling at her. –"But don't worry. I don't think that's going to be a problem." -he said. –"You can count on me, and my friends from school to be there to sing for her."
"Thanks. Marinette is going to love the surprise." -Juleka smiled.
"But do I really have to only sing Jagged Stone's songs, like you asked me to? Can't I play some originals of my own?" -Luka asked her. –"I don't want to brag, but I can compose just as well as Jagged Stone, when I'm in the mood." -he joked.
"We'll see about that." -Juleka told him. –"But in the meantime, make sure you all memorize the lyrics of the songs I gave you." -she warned him, before biting into one of the crepes.
"Don't worry. You know I love Jagged Stone, just as much as you do, and I know the lyrics of all his songs, by heart." -Luka assured her.
"I'm not worried about you. I'm worried about your friends." -Juleka told him. –"I need this to be perfect. Marinette is one of those friends who deserves to have the best birthday party ever, and if I can help that happening, I'll do it." -she said.
The truth was that Juleka felt she owed it to Marinette for that concert to be perfect. After what happened during their battle against La Paon, she had to try and make it up to her, by doing something special.
(Flashback)
The day had gone well. To cheer them up, Miss Bustier had decided to take them on a little field trip through the streets of Paris; despite that was not a field trip. It was more of an authorized getaway, so that they could free themselves from the worries that were plaguing them.
After classes ended, Marinette decided she was going to accompany Adrien to the hospital, to see his aunt. Adrien thanked her, and was happy to have her accompanying him to the hospital again, especially because she herself was a lot better from her knee, and was not limping anymore.
"Ready to go?" -Adrien asked Marinette, as he finished putting his things, inside his backpack.
"Ready."-Marinette said, as she slipped her backpack over her shoulder.
"Uh, Marinette? Could we talk to you for a minute?" -Rose asked her, as she and Juleka stopped behind her.
"Sure." -Marinette said, as she turned to face them. –"Adrien…"
"Don't worry. I'll tell Gorilla to keep the engine running." -Adrien smiled at her. –"See you in a bit, milady." –he said, as made his way out the classroom, towards the stairs.
"See you in a bit." -Marinette waved at him, before turning her attention to the girls. –"So, what's the matter, girls?" -she asked Rose and Juleka.
"Uh, we wanted to talk to you, about what happened the other day." -Juleka said.
At first, Marinette wondered what Juleka was talking about. And then it hit her. She was talking about their decision to use the "Feathers and Shadows" combined attack. With everything that happened, she had completely forgotten about it. Still, when earlier, she thought about on what they did, and why they did it, Marinette had decided not to hold a grudge against what they did. But more importantly, she had decided she owed them an apology for yelling at them.
"Oh, that… girls. I need to apologize to you." -Marinette told them. –"I shouldn't have yelled at you, when you went ahead with that decision…" -she said.
"No, Marinette." -Juleka said, interrupting her. –"Rose and I are the ones who owe you an apology." -she sighed, as she and the blonde looked her in the eyes.
"We wanted to apologize to you earlier, but Adrien suggested that we talked to you the day after." -Juleka said.
"Adrien talked to you?" -Marinette asked, surprised.
"Yes. He called us, when he got home, and… well, you know how Adrien is. He told us what happened with you, after we left, and how you reacted." -Rose declared. –"And after he told us all that, we felt even worst than before. We didn't want you to get so stressed, that you were willing to go after us in that state, just to stop us from making what could've been a mistake." -she said, in a low tone.
"He took the time to talk to them, and acted like the second-in-command, like I told him, when I was hurt and pissed about what was happening." -Marinette thought to herself, after realizing what her boyfriend had done. –"I don't deserve Adrien, I really don't." -she thought, while withholding her tears.
"After it, we were going to call you and apologize for what we did, and what we put you through. But he told us it was best, if we waited for the following morning, so we, including you, could sleep about it." -Juleka stated.
"But then, we all know what happened with Adrien's aunt, and we completely forgot about it, and ended up postponing it." -Rose admitted. –"And here we are now. We shouldn't have ignored your orders back then." -she told her.
"But we really thought that we could put a stop to Hawk Moth and La Paon, right there, without anyone else getting hurt." -Juleka declared. –"We just wanted the battle to stop, before things got out of control." -she said. –"And seeing you there, with your knee hurt, it just gave us an extra excuse to go ahead with that plan."
"Still, in the end, our efforts were for nothing." -Rose said. –"We weren't strong enough to end that fight, and the only thing we ended up with was getting hurt, and anger you. So, we're sorry, Marinette." -she apologized.
"We both are." -Juleka declared.
"Thanks, girls." -Marinette said, as she placed her arms around them, and gave them a bear hug. –"That really means a lot to me." -she tearfully smiled, before breaking the hug. –"But it's not just you who owed me an apology. I also owe you girls one. I shouldn't have yelled at you both, the way I did. There's no excuse for yelling at you, the way I did."
"Marinette, you were hurt. You were entitled to yell at anybody, just to vent off." -Rose told her, always smiling.
"Besides you were just worried about us. Like everyone else, you have some flaws, but none of them is not worrying about others, Marinette." -Juleka declared.
"Excuse me, but could you girls hurry up with all these apologies? I'm hungry and I want to go home, so I can watch the new Chris Rock special, to upgrade my joke repertoire." -Flint said, from inside the pocket of Rose's jacket.
"Flint… sometimes your manners are as bad as Plagg's and Imp's combined!" -Tikki shouted, from inside Marinette's pochette.
"I agree with Tikki. You've got no manners!" -Tamara told him, from inside Juleka's backpack.
(End of Flashback)
She had every right to stay mad at her and Rose. But like always, Marinette did not hold grudges, and also apologized for her own behaviour. That was just how Marinette was. There was not a bad bone in her body. And that was why, Juleka wanted to do something nice for her; to thank her being such a good friend.
"Okay, don't worry, I'll make sure they all learn the lyrics. Nothing will go wrong." -Luka said, as he ate another crepe.
"Thanks, Luka." -Juleka smiled at him. –"Oh, and I know I told you this before, but you guys have got to start either with "Dark Velvet", which is Marinette's favourite song from Jagged Stone, or with his cover of "Running Up that Hill", which is also a favourite of hers." -she reminded him.
"Jules, don't worry, I'm not going to forget about it." -Luka told her. –"And before mom says it, I'm going to tell it to you. Relax and let your brain focus on your finals." -he said. –"You're no good to anyone, including yourself, if you fail them."
"Okay." -Juleka sighed, before eating another piece of crepe. –"I really hope I do well in the finals." -she thought to herself.
After lunch, and while Marinette was still in school, Tom and Sabine called both their parents, Roland and Gina Dupain, and Weng and Ju Cheng, to come over and talk with them about Marinette's birthday party. It was custom of them do it, and on that year, because there were more people involved in the planning than usual, they had things they needed to discuss between them, before discussing it with the newcomers, who were also helping them to plan the party that year. Gathering in the Dupain-Chengs' living room, the six of them, the first thing they discussed were the presents, and what each one was going to offer Marinette. Tom and Sabine were going to offer her a new cell phone, along with a little money for her to spend on whatever she wanted to. Weng and Ju were going to offer her a new pair of sneakers, as well as some money. Needless to say, that when Gina told them what she and Roland were planning to give Marinette, most of them were not happy about it.
"You already bought the Vespa, mom?" -Tom asked her, not believing what he had heard.
"Of course, I did. I bought it last month, before going on that trip to Coimbra, to visit my old friend Paloma, who is teaching at the university." -Gina declared. –"And let me tell you, it's beautiful. It wasn't easy, but I found the right model for the right price. And the best part, it's that it's even Marinette's favourite colour. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to find a Vespa with that colour." -she told Tom.
"You should've talked to us about it, Gina." -Ju told her.
"My mother is right, Gina." -Sabine said, agreeing with her mother. –"This isn't something you should've decided on your own."
"I didn't decide it on my own. I talked to Roland first. Who do you think agreed to pay for the driving lessons for her to get her driver's license, while I bought the moped?" -Gina asked her.
"Even so, you should have told us all about this!" -Weng commented, upset. –"She's also our granddaughter, and we have a right to decide if a present is suitable for her, or not!" -he exclaimed.
"And what were you going to say? I'll tell you what you were going to say. You were going to tell me that Marinette is too young to have a moped, and that it's too dangerous for her to drive it in Paris." -Gina declared. –"And don't deny it. I know you all, ever since these two started to date. And I know how you think." -she pointed out to Tom and Sabine.
"It's not that we don't think she's old enough, or that is dangerous, mom. It's just that…" -Tom said.
"It's just what, Tom?" -Gina asked her son, while looking him in the eyes. –"Marinette isn't a little girl anymore, mi Tesoro." -she said, calling him by the nickname she had given him when he was little. –"She's about to turn 14. It's a milestone. Back in the Stone Age, she would be old enough to be a mother."
"But we're not in the Stone Age. Marinette isn't a little girl anymore. But she's not an adult either. And a motorcycle is a very big responsibility. Not only that, but she could end up without her head." -Ju told her, concerned about Marinette's safety.
"Of course, she could. And she could also be run over by a car, when she's crossing the street! Or even get mugged, while going from here to school! There are hundreds of things that could happen to her, when she's outside, and you don't forbid her from going outside, now do you?" -Gina declared, not liking the tone Sabine's mom was talking to her. –"And it's a moped! Not a motorcycle. I wouldn't give my own granddaughter a motorcycle, until she was 18." -she stated. –"Besides, it'll be like a rite of passage for her. It's normal for kids her age to be able to go out, without the need to depend on anyone to get them somewhere in a jiffy. It's their first real taste of freedom! And, I did promise Marinette that when she turned 14 that I would give her a moped. And I always keep my promises."
"You and your promises." – Weng sighed, upset.
"You've known me for years. By now, you should know, that I always keep my promises. And this was one I wasn't going to fail." -Gina declared. –"Besides, you all are acting like I'm giving her a sports car for her to drive on a highway," -he sighed.
It was a bit hard for Tom, Sabine and her parents to accept that Gina was giving Marinette a moped. But being unable to do anything about it, they simply accepted the fact, and moved on to the next item on the list. The cake. Like every year, Tom had decided to bake the best cake he could for his daughter. And he had big plans for what was going to be her 14th birthday cake.
"What about the cake?" -Rolland asked Tom.
"I've already sketched it, and I'll start working on it, three days before her birthday. And to make sure that is finished on time, I won't be accepting any special orders next week." -Tom said. –"She's going to love it. It'll be the most beautiful birthday cake she ever had." -he declared.
"You said the same thing about her birthday cake, last year." -Sabine chuckled. –"And the year before that, and the year before that one either, and… well, you get the picture, honey." -she smiled at her husband.
"And it was always true. Nothing is too good for our little girl." -Tom smiled back at his wife.
"Do you think you can handle it, on your own?" -Rolland asked his son. –"You tend to go overboard with the birthday cakes you bake for Marinette." -he reminded him. –"Maybe I could lend you a hand."
"That's okay, dad. I can handle it." -Tom answered.
"But I insist on helping you. Or are you afraid that I won't like the changes that you made on the original cake recipes I left you, when I also left you this bakery?" -Rolland asked Tom.
Knowing how her husband and her son were, Gina immediately knew that she needed to put that argument to rest, before things escalated. She knew that if she did not do it, before the two of them started to argue, because the last time they had an argument, they spent nearly two years, without speaking to one another.
"Okay, okay, that's enough, the two of you!" -Gina declared, shutting them up. –"Rolland, our son knows if he needs help or not. You don't have to question his ability to pull this task." -she told her husband, before turning to her son. –"And you, mi Tesoro, why don't you let your father help you? Many hands make light work, as they say."
"I suppose I could use a little hand." -Tom admitted. –"And if you insist on helping, I don't see why you can't do it." -he said.
"Good answer." -Rolland said. –"And what kind of cake it'll be? Have you decided?"
"I was thinking of maybe a Black Forest cake, filled with strawberries, instead of cherries."
"Again? You already made that one for her, two years ago." -Rolland told him, not liking the idea.
"And everyone liked it, including Marinette." -Tom reminded him. –"There's nothing written that forbids me from repeating cakes. Besides, she loves it." -he said.
"I usually don't say this, but I'm going to say it this time. You can't repeat the same recipe twice. As much as she loved that cake, you need to surprise her, by baking her something new! Half the fun about tasting a birthday cake, is to be surprised by what's in it." -Rolland declared.
"That's highly unusual of you, dad." -Tom commented. –"Then, what do you suggest? What kind of cake would you bake for your granddaughter?" -he asked Rolland.
"Why not a lemon layered cake with coconut and pineapple fling?" -Rolland suggested. –"It's one of those cakes that it's a classic, and because they're saying that summer is coming earlier next week, it would be a good idea to serve something that's both delicious, sweet and fresh." -he said.
"Okay, I think we can do that." -Tom agreed with the idea.
"What else are you going to serve? I mean, we know that you'll have cupcakes and macarons, but what else? -Ju asked her daughter.
"Besides those, we're also going to make Pineapple buns, some mooncakes and some lotus seed buns." -Sabine answered her.
"Oh, there's also one more thing. Where will the party be, and how many people will be there?" -Weng asked his daughter.
"We decided that we're going to have the party at the Place des Vosges. It's a little far, I know, but it's such a beautiful place, and we already catered to parties that happened there, so we know it's a good place for a birthday party." -Sabine declared. –"And regarding how many people will come, well, all of Marinette's class will be there. The Cesaires are also coming, and we're also going to have Juleka's brother, you know, that Goth friend of Marinette, and his band playing. I think they are five, if I'm not mistaken. Nadja and Manon are also coming. Oh, and Adrien's father is coming too, with his secretaries. Adrien confirmed it last night." -Sabine declared. –"So, yes, counting us, you can expect more than 30 people to show up at the party."
"That is a lot of people. We're going to need a lot of food." -Ju said. –"Maybe I should also make some cakes, so we're sure that there's enough food to go around." -she told Sabine.
"Don't worry. I also thought about ordering some pizzas." - Sabine told her mother. –"But if you feel like baking, I don't think it would hurt having a few extra cakes." -she admitted.
The last thing that needed to be dealt with was the entertainment. Sabine had already stated that Luka's band was gong to play at the party, but both Rolland and Weng were not very keen on the idea.
"I don't like the idea of having a band playing at the party. We don't know any of those kids." -Rolland said.
"No, we don't, dad. But if the band's leader is Juleka's older brother, then I believe we don't have to worry about a thing. If he's anything like his younger sister, then he's someone we can trust." -Tom told Rolland. –"We've already had her staying over for a sleepover in the past, twice, and she's a sweet girl. If her brother is anything like her, then, we couldn't have had better entertainment." -he stated.
"On top of it, it was Juleka herself, who came to the bakery and asked us if it would be okay for her bother and his band to play for Marinette." -Sabine declared. –"The girl wants to make her a surprise. I can't remember a time when one of my friends did something like that for me, for my birthday." -she said.
"Yes, but will their music be appropriate for everyone at the party? These modern garage bands tend to play nothing but loud music, filled with profanity." -Roland asked.
"That's a good question. What if they begin to play something that it isn't suitable? I mean, we're going to have little kids at the party." -Weng stated.
"Don't worry about it. Juleka assured me that they're only going to play Jagged Stone songs." -Sabine declared. –"We've got nothing to worry about. And knowing Marinette's friends, I bet that when the band stops playing, Nino will take over as DJ, like he has been doing for the past two years. The boy loves music, the same way a bird loves flying." -she said. –"No matter what, entertainment is something that we won't have to worry about."
"Are we also going to have a karaoke machine, like last year?" -Ju asked.
"Yes, we're going to rent one again. Last year, it was a big hit with everyone." -Tom answered her. –"I just hope we don't end up having anyone drinking too much, and happily start singing the national anthem, like it happened last year." -he jokes.
And here's chapter 2. This one was easy to write, can't say that I had major difficulties writing it (that's practically a first for me, xDDD)
So, yeah, because there have been so many people sending me PMs asking me when is this fic taking place, well, I'm going to answer it here, so you don't have to send me more PMs, okay? The action takes place in the first week of June. Now, i know there are people who pointed out that finals take place in May, not June, but in Portugal, finals are in June (I should know. Having a teacher for a mother, it's the kind fo stuff that I've been dealing with ever since I was a kid), and I know for a fact that in France, they are in June too. so, bear that in mind, people, okay? :)
Also, yeah, this one chapter allowed me to write the Couffaine family having breakast, and write Marinette's grandparents, all four of them, which I haven't done since "Miraculous Team: The Screamer". Let me tell you, it's always fun to write these scenes. My favourite bit was Grandma Gina defending her decision to buy Marinette a moped, just liek she promised in that one-shot I wrote last year. :)
As always, feel free to comment, fav and leave your suggestions to improve this fic and/or future ones. You all know that I love to hear your thoughts and suggestions. :)
P.S. Before anyone asks, yes the inclusion of "Running Up that Hill" is a reference to Stranger Things (I've been rewatching season 4 lately, and it's one killer song, which I believe Jagged would totally come up with his own cover. :)
P.P.S. Go check out my page on DeviantArt, where you will see the giant illustration I commissioned to celebrate the Awakening movie, which we now know, is the first of a trilogy. :)