Notes: A trickster, a shapeshifter…
Disclaimer: I don't own the Miraculous franchise
Miraculous Universe
Ch. 27: The Changeling
It was now September, and Marinette had been working diligently to finish Juleka's dress as per her assignment by Gabriel Agreste. Over the many weeks she worked on it and a similar dress, she often asked Juleka to stop by for her input. When word got out that she was making a full-fledged dress, a few of the more artsy students asked if they could come by and see her progress. Alix and Nathaniel were the first to visit.
"I may not be an expert on fashion," Alix said, "But you're really good at this."
"Thanks, Alix," Marinette said, "I'm not sure if I should say anything to Nate. He seems in the zone. I don't want to disturb him."
Nathaniel was sketching at lightning speed. On another day, Marc and Théo came by to check things out.
"Kagami showed me that sash you made her," Marc said, "Adrien showed me that scarf you made him. Now you're making this dress. It's all so amazing!"
"I didn't realize you were so into fashion, Marc."
"Oh, yeah, but I'm no good at designing or anything like that. I'm more of a writer, you know. I think I'm starting to brainstorm again."
"Your work is also giving me ideas for a project," Théo said.
"Go crazy, guys," she replied.
On yet another day, Kagami and Socqueline paid a visit.
"Glad to see you're putting all those supplies you bought to use," Socqueline said.
Kagami was drawing something, so she said nothing. Marinette busied herself with explaining things to Socqueline so as to not distract Kagami. Some time between 30 minutes to an hour, with a break for snacks, Kagami spoke up.
"Finished."
Marinette looked at her drawing. It was Marinette's entire room.
"You did all that already? That's incredible!"
"You're too kind, Marinette."
"One day I know you'll be able to do all the drawing you want."
"And I know Gabriel will like your dress…just in the most understated manner possible."
One week later, Marinette finally made the finishing touches.
"At last, it's finished. I can present it to him next weekend."
Mari: It's finished!
Prince: I never doubted you.
Als: Way to go, girl!
Kagami: He'd better have more of a reaction to a new dress than he did to my sash, that's all I can say.
Nino: I knew you could do it, Nette.
Socqueline: Yay!
Luka: Cool.
Chloé: Never doubted you for a second. Now let the old man have it!
Zoé: Oh yeah!
Kim: Whoo-hoo!
She had to wait a whole week, but Marinette had other things to worry about.
"Your birthday is this weekend, Nette," Alya said.
"We're not bothering keeping the party a secret," Nino said.
"Yeah, you'd either easily find out, or not find out and then freak out when we surprise you," Kim said.
"What's this about a party?" came a voice.
Kim flinched as Lila seemed to just appear next to him.
"Uh, who are you again?" Chloé asked.
"You're so funny. It's me, Lila. You're not mad about what happened with Kim and his girlfriend, are you? It was just a misunderstanding."
Everyone looked at each other, but said nothing.
"So is it really your birthday, Marinette?" Lila continued.
"Yes, it is. The party will likely be at the nearest park."
"Can I come?"
"No," Chloé bluntly said.
Zoé gave her a look.
"What? She's not in our friend group."
"To be fair," Marinette said, "I did say the week before that anyone could come if they wanted to. Besides, it could be good for Lila to attend a social event. That way she can get to know everyone better."
"You're so thoughtful, Marinette," Lila said, "When will everyone be there?"
"Sunday around noon."
"Thanks! See you there!"
Everyone was looking at Marinette.
"Look, I don't completely trust her, but I'm willing to give her another chance. Maybe she's just bad at socializing due to moving around the world so much."
"You've got a good heart, Princess," Adrien said.
"Fine, but if she tries anything," Chloé said, "I'll make her regret it."
Saturday was here in no time. At midnight, the texts came pouring in.
Prince: Joyeux Anniversaire, Ma Princesse!
Princesse: Merci beaucoup, Mon Prince
Alya: Happy birthday, bestie!
Nino: Happy Birthday, Nette
Kim: Happy happy Birthday!
Kagami: Here's to another year
Socqueline: Happy birthday!
Luka: Happy birthday, from me and Juleka
Chloé: I hope you wear something good for your party. You're only 18 once, you know
Zoé: Happy birthday! Now I'm going to hit my sister with a pillow for you
After thanking everyone for the birthday wishes, she went right to bed. Just as she hopped into bed, she thought of something.
Mari: Hey, Juleka, are you awake?
Juleka: Yeah, just barely. What's up?
Mari: Are you free tomorrow afternoon?
She woke up early the next morning to help her parents with the baking. She took a few treats with her. Some were for the Agreste mansion, but the rest were for Master Fu.
"Good morning, Master. I hope I'm not intruding."
"Marinette, what a pleasant surprise. What brings you here so early?"
"I brought you some snacks to go with your tea."
"How delightful. I certainly can't turn that down. Would you like some tea?"
"Yes, please."
"I assume you're off to the Agreste mansion after this?"
"Yes, you see I've been working on this dress."
"Ah, it's truly a work of art. You should be proud, whether or not M. Agreste says so."
"Thank you and merci."
"Have you noticed any strange goings on?"
"Not as such, but then he'd have to be pretty foolish to try anything while I'm around. It's probably why he tends to send me out on errands a lot."
"Well, as long as you're careful. Not just the supervillain part, but also the dating part."
"I already told Adrien to behave himself."
Fu chuckled, "I'm sure you did."
After a bit more chatting and a hug goodbye, Marinette was off to the Agreste mansion.
"You're here a bit early, Marinette," Nathalie said.
"What can I say? I'm excited for M. Agreste to review my work."
"Well, he's a bit preoccupied at the moment, so I'll find you something else for you to do until then."
She grabbed several books full of various pictures.
"These are all the models we have at the moment. Why not see if you can find something from the Agreste collection that you think would best suit them?"
"I can do that."
"Oh, and take a message or something if someone should call."
In the atelier, Gabriel was going over plans for a gala that he might throw in the future.
"Is a zeppelin a bit too much? Not for me it isn't."
"Sir," Nathalie said, "I left Mlle. Dupain-Cheng at my desk to take phone calls and rifle through the catalogs. She has that dress with her."
"It'll have to wait until lunchtime. Get Luciana on the phone. Let's invite her to join us."
Meanwhile, Adrien was also awake. He told himself to get up early to work on Marinette's birthday present.
"I've been thinking about this all week. It should be ready today."
"Glad to hear it," Luka said.
Adrien looked at the phone screen.
"Sorry for waking you up early, but I wanted to hear your opinion."
"It's fine. I was already awake."
"Oh, okay then. Thanks for helping me out, Luka."
"Hey, you're the piano expert, not me."
"Yeah, but your all around musical expertise sped up my progress. I just have to wait for the right time to play it for her."
"While avoiding making your father suspect anything."
"He'd never dream of me writing my own song."
"She'll love it, Adrien," Juleka said.
"Thanks for your input as well, Juleka," Adrien said.
A few hours later, Luciana and Lila arrived at the mansion.
"So pleased that you could make it, Luciana."
"The pleasure's all mine, M. Agreste, I mean Gabriel. It was quite the surprise that you'd call me out of the blue."
"Not quite out of the blue, my dear. After all, your daughter is one of my models now, why shouldn't you be welcome here?"
"How thoughtful of you."
"It's quite obvious where your Lila got her looks from."
"Oh, goodness, you flatter me."
Nathalie rolled her eyes as she tried to focus on her work. Lila excused herself to the bathroom so no one could see her gag.
"How disgusting," she whispered to herself, "My own mother, acting like a teenager, and for what? Because that butterfly fool is blatantly flirting with her. She always had poor taste in men."
She was heading back to the atelier when she noticed the room where Marinette was working.
"Working hard?" she innocently asked.
"Kinda sorta," Marinette replied, not bothering to look up, "What's your favorite color?"
"I'm partial to various shades of red. It can lean towards orange, purple, or even pink. They all look good on me."
Marinette glanced at her, seeing the smug smile on her face.
"I'll make a note of it."
"I just know you'll make me look good."
She started to walk away.
"O altro," she said quietly.
It wasn't quiet enough that Marinette didn't hear her though. Lila rejoined the others in the atelier.
"Ah, there you are, Lila," Gabriel said, "I was just about to call in the intern to bring us some lunch. You will join us of course, Luciana?"
"If it's not too much of a bother."
"It's no trouble at all. Nathalie, fetch the intern."
Nathalie went to get Marinette.
"You might want to take notes. Gabriel wants you to bring us all lunch."
Marinette found a place to stop and took out her phone to write down the orders.
"I'll return as soon as I can, M. Agreste."
"Before you go," Nathalie said, "Ask Adrien and the bodyguard if they want anything."
"Of course."
Marinette went to check on Placide first.
"Hello. Hope I'm not interrupting. I'm grabbing lunch for your boss. Would you like me to bring you something?"
She took his order and headed upstairs. Now that she was outside the door, she could hear Adrien playing a tune on his piano.
*Knock knock*
"Adrien?"
She heard what sounded like sheets of paper being moved.
"Marinette, is that you?"
"Yeah, I just wanted to ask you something."
He poked his head out the door.
"Is he keeping you busy?"
"Of course, but right now I'm just getting everyone lunch. Do you want something?"
"Oh, sure."
Marinette then sped off to the designated restaurant. It took about 30 minutes or so until she got back to the mansion. Adrien was looking out the window for her return. As Marinette walked up to the mansion, she received a text.
Prince: I have a special birthday present just for you, mon amour
"He wants to give me a present right here?"
As she walked in, she noticed Adrien was peeking out the door to his room. He quickly disappeared back into his room, but left the door open.
Prince: To show you how much I love you 3
Marinette could hear him playing the piano. It was a beautiful melody, but she wasn't sure if she had heard it before. He stopped playing for a minute.
Prince: It took me a while, but I wrote this piece for you. I call it "In the Rain"
He started playing again. Marinette now had a big smile on her face. She closed her eyes and really listened to the music.
"I remember when he gave me his umbrella. I remember when he held my hand at the movie theater. I remember when we had our first kiss. I remember when he said he loved me."
She started to tear up while thinking about those happy memories.
"Utter perfection."
Marinette let out a small gasp. Gabriel had come out of nowhere. She quickly made sure her eyes were dry.
"I'm glad to hear those piano classes are paying off," Gabriel said.
"I can't remember the last time Adrien played the piano without an instructor present," Nathalie said as she walked up, "He must be in a good mood."
"I don't seem to recognize that piece he's playing though. Perhaps if I remember, I'll ask him. You may return to your task, Mlle. Dupain-Cheng. After we finish our meal, you may show me your work."
"Thank you, Sir."
Marinette had a quick lunch to and from the mansion, but she also had a few snacks in her purse. So she took advantage of the alone time to partake in them. She also made sure to text Adrien.
Princesse: Merci beaucoup pour mon présent, beau gosse. C'était magnifique!
Prince: De rien mon cœur 3
It took about 30 minutes before Nathalie showed up.
"You can go get your dress now, and then go ahead and come into the atelier. The bodyguard will get the gate and the door for you."
Marinette went outside to her motorcycle. The dress was folded carefully inside a compartment. She received a text.
Luka: We're right around the corner
A motorcycle drove up to the curb.
"Luka, is that you?"
"The one and only," he replied, taking off his helmet.
"You finally saved up enough money? That's great! Thanks for coming, Juleka."
"Whatever your boss thinks, I know the dress will be beautiful."
"Especially since you're wearing it, Jule."
"Luka, don't say stuff like that. I'm your sister."
"What, and I can't say you're beautiful? I'm not about to say it very often, so take it while you can."
"You must be taking sarcasm lessons from your girlfriend."
"As a matter of fact, I'm heading there now to show off my ride."
"Uh huh. I'll see you later."
Marinette tried to contain her excitement as she went back into the mansion, Juleka trying to keep up. As soon as they walked back inside, Adrien was playing that song again. Marinette immediately got a smile on her face. Seeing this, Juleka also started smiling.
"I told you she'd love it," Juleka thought.
Princesse: Caro mio!
Prince: Mon chéri!
Marinette took a deep breath and went into the atelier.
"Ah, there you are, Mlle. Dupain-Cheng," Gabriel said, "I see you brought Mlle. Couffaine with you."
"I hope you don't mind, Sir. I thought this was the best way to display my work as it is intended for her."
"That is logical, and I suppose it is acceptable. Allow me to examine the dress first."
Marinette handed him the dress. He closely inspected it, turning it over a few times
"Fine fabric, good stitching, quite fitting colors…"
He looked at Juleka and handed her the dress.
"Mlle. Dupain-Cheng, show your model to a room where she can change."
"Yes, Sir."
As soon as they walked through the door, they saw Adrien was sitting on the staircase while looking at his phone. Marinette said nothing, but gave him a knowing look.
"This way, Juleka. Step right in here."
Meanwhile…
Chloé was going through her closet when the text came in.
Bard: Hey, baby!
Queen: Don't call me "baby"
Bard: Apologies, my queen, but it got your attention. Are you busy?
Queen: Not really, why?
Bard: I'll be there in about a minute. Change into something cool.
Chloé immediately knew what he meant.
"Zoé, it looks like Luka finally got his motorcycle. I need to wear something appropriate. I have just the boots, but I'll need to borrow your jacket."
"What are sisters for?"
Just as Luka pulled up outside the hotel, Chloé walked out dressed as if she was about to join a biker gang.
Luka was slack-jawed, "Chloé?"
She walked up and placed a hand on his cheek.
"Tell me about it, stud," she said with a wink, "Where's my helmet?"
"Oh, uh, right here."
She looked it over, "Was someone else wearing this?"
"How did you know? I dropped Jules off at the Agreste mansion. I have some cleaning fluid in that pocket."
"I recognize her hair. What's your sister doing in Gabriel's old shack?" she asked, while cleaning the inside of the helmet.
"Marinette asked her to model that dress she made, seeing as how it is for Jules to begin with."
"And they didn't let me know? We have to get over there."
"May I ask why?"
"It's at least partially my doing that Juleka was made a model. I have to make sure she's being treated right. To the mansion!"
She put on the helmet and climbed onto the back of the motorcycle.
"Comfortable, Chlo?"
She wrapped her arms tightly around his torso.
"Like you wouldn't believe."
"Allons-y!"
The mansion
After a minute, Juleka emerged wearing the dress.
"This is so cool, Nette."
"Thanks, Juleka. How you feel about it means more to me than what M. Agreste thinks. Come on."
They went back into the atelier, and Adrien snuck back over to the door so he could listen. Gabriel was circling Juleka, looking her up and down.
"Take a walk around the room please, Mlle. Couffaine."
Juleka carefully walked around. Gabriel watched her like a hawk. Nathalie glanced at her a few times, but focused on her tablet. Luciana was transfixed by her, as if trying to figure out something. Lila started looking at her phone the minute the two girls walked into the room.
"Excellent form, Mlle. Couffaine. The dress allows you to walk perfectly, it seems. Is it comfortable?"
"Yes, M. Agreste. It's like it was made specifically for me. I mean, I know it was, but…"
"I understand. Your thoughts, Nathalie?"
"I think you'd better save a spot for this dress in the next show."
"What do you think, Luciana?"
"Did you really make this dress yourself, young lady?"
"Sì, signora," Marinette replied.
"You have great talent. You're very lovely, too, Juleka, was it?"
"Yes, ma'am."
"Oh, I remember. From the news. You're the daughter of those musicians. Gabriel sure can pick some good ones. I suppose that's why his brand is so popular. Ç'est magnifique, as they say."
"I concur," Gabriel said, "Congratulations, Mlle. Dupain-Cheng. Another fine job."
"Thank you, M. Agreste," she said with a bow.
Adrien was still listening by the door when he received a text.
Chlo: Open the door, Adrikins!
Adrien: Okay
"What could she be doing here?" he asked himself.
He opened the gate and the door, and Chloé quickly walked in with her usual confident stride, Luka close behind. She headed straight for the atelier.
"Gabriel, my dear, old, honorary oncle, how long has it been?"
"Not long enough, Mlle. Bourgeois," he sighed, "What are you doing here?"
"Lest we forget that it was partially thanks to me that this gorgeous young model got her first shot. Yes, I'm sure you figured out who her parents were, but would you have figured it out without assistance?"
It was clear Gabriel was restraining himself, so he simply said, "You make a fair point."
"So naturally I want to make sure she's getting fair treatment and respect."
"My goodness, how thoughtful," Luciana said.
"I know you. You're the Ambassador, Luciana Rossi."
"You have the advantage of me, young lady."
"Excusez-moi. Je m'appelle Chloé Bourgeois."
"Oh, yes, the mayor's daughter."
"One of them, yes. This is my beau gosse, Luka Couffaine."
"Bon après-midi. The model in question is my sister."
"Couffaine? That's right, the news story," Luciana said, "You're the children of that rock star. My goodness, Gabriel, you seem to know a lot of people."
"Yes," Gabriel said, clearing his throat, "Rest assured, Mlle. Bourgeois, I gave your…client a fair shake, as they say."
"Then my work here is done. Nice to meet you, Signora Rossi."
"Likewise, Mlle."
Chloé and Luka took their leave The entire time they had been in the room, Lila only gave them a quick glance.
Once they left, she thought, "How dare she not acknowledge me?! I'm going to be the best Agreste model! Of course that's just for starters. Soon, I'll be running this company. No, this city! Then we'll see who can swagger up and throw their weight around."
"Now then, Mlle. Dupain-Cheng," Gabriel continued, "You may return home and get some rest. Thank you for your assistance, Mlle. Couffaine."
"Oh, uh, my pleasure, M. Agreste."
"Both of you enjoy the rest of your day."
The pair went to get Juleka changed, and all the while, Adrien was playing that song. Once Juleka was finished, she and Marinette were about to leave. That's when Adrien came down the stairs.
"You don't mind if we join you, do you?"
Placide poked his head out of his room.
"Well, normally I would say no, but I really am tired," Marinette said, "I'm going home to take a nap."
"Well, it is your birthday. Get some rest and we can all grab dinner."
"What will you do until then?"
They all walked outside. Chloé and Luka were waiting by his motorcycle.
"I asked Nino what he was doing. Alya's busy with her internship, so I'll go keep him company."
"Luka is taking me for a ride on his motorcycle," Chloé said, "So I asked Zoé to come pick up Juleka and entertain her. Ah, there she is now."
Zoé jumped out of the limo.
"Come on, Juleka, and we'll go pick up Rose."
"Cool. Thanks again, Marinette. Here's the dress."
"It's your dress, Juleka," Marinette said, "You can keep it."
"I don't know if I'll be able to be as careful with it."
"It's fine. I made two of the same dress. That way, if it does get used in a fashion show, it'll be in perfect condition."
"Wow, you're really smart."
Marinette shrugged, "I have my moments."
"Hey, you can't say that about yourself," Chloé said, "I'm the one who's supposed to say things like that about you."
Zoé rolled her eyes and smiled, "See you later, Chlo."
She and Juleka got into the limo and left. Adrien and Placide headed for the car.
"See you later, Princess."
They waved at each other.
Marinette thought, "I wish I could give him a kiss, but it's foolish to try right outside his house."
"Until tonight, baker girl," Chloé said, putting the helmet back on.
"What she said," Luka added, "Take care, Nette."
He climbed onto his motorcycle, and Chloé immediately latched onto him. As soon as everyone else had left, Marinette headed back home.
"How did it go, sweetie?" Sabine asked.
"If he didn't say it was perfect…no wait, we're talking about Gabriel Agreste. I'm guessing he said it was satisfactory."
"Right you are, Papa."
"Well, congratulations anyway, Marinette," Sabine said, giving her a hug.
"Thanks, Maman. I'm going to take a nap before I go out tonight. We're all supposed to meet up for dinner. Everyone already said they'd show up at the party tomorrow."
"Good to hear, angel," Tom said, "There'll be plenty of food at the ready."
"Yes, you get some rest, dear," Sabine added.
Marinette went to her room, kicked off her shoes, walked over to her bed, and collapsed onto it, falling asleep almost instantly.
Later
Marinette was awoken by her phone.
"Hello?" she mumbled.
"Girl, it's almost time for us to meet up. Have you been asleep this whole time?"
"What time is it exactly?"
"Almost seven."
"What?! I'll call you back."
Marinette rushed to wash up and change clothes. Meanwhile, Alya sat back on her bed with Nino. Adrien was there as well, seated in a nearby chair.
"So she was still asleep, right?" Nino asked.
"Totally," Alya replied.
"After having to do all that work and put up with my father, I can't say I blame her," Adrien said.
Meanwhile, some miles away, Luka was showing Chloé how to drive the motorcycle, far away from other people. While she sat on the vehicle, he held onto it from the side.
"So, do you think you could drive it?"
"I think I could handle it, pirate man," she replied, hopping off, "I can't imagine why I would need to drive your motorcycle, but I appreciate the lesson."
"You know, it's almost time for dinner. We should probably get back."
He sat down on the motorcycle. She climbed in front of him so that they were facing each other and put her arms around him.
"So what if we're fashionably late?"
Luka smiled as they bumped their foreheads together.
Back at the bakery, Marinette had finally finished getting ready. She hurried down the stairs and nearly tripped. Thankfully, someone was there to make sure she didn't fall.
"I've got you, Princess."
"Adrien? When did you get here?"
"Just a little while ago."
"We're here too, Nette," Nino said.
"Yeah, don't forget about us, girl," Alya said.
"What about the others?"
Adrien looked at his phone, "Juleka said that Rose can't make it, so she's staying with her. Zoé said she's picking up Kagami and Sabrina. Ondine said she and Kim will be there. I haven't heard from Chloé or Luka."
"You kids run along and have fun," Tom said, "We're staying here to make sure everything's ready for tomorrow."
"Be careful out there," Sabine said.
They both hugged Marinette, "Happy birthday, dear!"
"Thank you, Maman, Papa."
Everyone was outside now. The limo pulled up to the curb.
"Hey, all," Zoé said, "Let Marinette ride in the Agreste car. Everyone else into the cool vehicle."
"I see you're copying your sister's sense of humor," Marinette said.
"Well she's not here so…see you at the restaurant."
Everyone filed into the limo and left. Now that they were more or less alone. Adrien opened the car door and bowed.
"After you, birthday girl."
"Merci, beau gosse."
Adrien put an arm around Marinette, while she nuzzled into his neck. Placide took his time getting the happy couple to the restaurant. They eventually reached their destination. Everyone else was waiting by the door.
"Took you long enough," Kagami said.
"I'm sure it wasn't intentional," Sabrina said, adding an intentional cough at the end.
"Wow, and here I thought we'd be the last ones here," Kim said.
"Yeah, that's weird," Alya said, "Where is Chloé?"
Zoé received a text.
Chlo: Gimme a sec…
The roar of a motorcycle was coming closer. Then, from around the corner came Luka and Chloé. Once they parked, she pulled off her helmet and dramatically flipped her hair around.
"Always have to make an entrance, no matter what, huh?" Zoé asked.
"Was there ever any doubt?"
"Did I already mention how cool you look in my jacket?"
"Probably, but say it again, just in case."
"You look extremely cool in that jacket," Luka said.
She poked his forehead, "Yes, I know."
They all sat at a long table. Marinette sat at one end, while Placide sat at the other. On one side sat Adrien, Luka, Chloé, Sabrina, and Zoé. On the other side sat Alya, Nino, Kagami, Ondine, and Kim.
"Joyeux Anniversaire, Marinette!" everyone shouted.
"Thank you so much, you guys. I hope to see you all at the park tomorrow, and you'd better be hungry. Now let's eat!"
Everyone went home to get some rest after that. The next day, everyone hurried to the park to set up. Knowing that Marinette's parents had a small car, Adrien, Chloé, and Zoé showed up to help get all the food to the park. Everyone from school, and a few who already graduated, eventually arrived at the park.
"No sense in waiting, everyone," Marinette said, "Feel free to start eating as soon as you like."
Meanwhile…
"Where are you off to, bambina?"
"I was invited to a birthday party, Mamma."
"Oh, that's good, sweetie. I'm glad to see you're making friends."
"Yes…well, I'll be back."
"Take care, mio angelo."
As Lila made her way to the park, she snickered to herself.
"It may be Marinette's birthday, but all eyes will be on me."
When she arrived, she scanned the area to see just who was here. Kitty Section was setting up to play. Other people were in different groups just chatting.
"All the usual people. Now, where's the birthday girl?"
She spotted Marinette conversing with Alix, Marc, Nathaniel, Théo, Socqueline, and Kagami. She made a beeline for their group. Little did Lila know, someone was also keeping an eye on her.
"She's here," Chloé said.
"Lucky for her Kagami's in a good mood," Alya said, "Shall we?"
Chloé whistled at Sabrina to get her attention. She then pointed at her phone. Sabrina nodded and gave a thumbs up. With that done, Chloé and Alya slowly made their way towards Lila.
"Marinette, so nice to see you!"
Marinette flinched a bit as Lila seemed to come out of nowhere.
"Oh, hello, Lila. Glad you could make it. You know everyone here, I think?"
"All except for this one," she replied, looking over at Kagami.
Kagami, who had been smiling up to that point, now had a stoic look on her face.
"Kagami Tsurugi. Pleasure's all yours."
"I didn't think the daughter of Tomoe Tsurugi would be a comedienne."
"Appearances can be deceiving, as you very well know."
Lila's smile faltered a bit, "Are you implying something?"
"I don't know, am I?"
Marinette decided to interject.
"Hey! So I was just telling everyone about how I showed M. Agreste my new dress. Everyone here is in an art class, so we were just exchanging information."
"Oh, yes, I was there. It was so lovely to see."
"Why didn't you say that yesterday, Lila?"
"Marinette, far be it from me to speak out of turn. M. Agreste had the floor. I'm not one to butt into a conversation."
"But that's exactly what you did when you got here," Kagami said.
Lila's smile seemed to tense up.
"Good afternoon, Lila," Alya said, walking up.
"Nice outfit," Chloé said.
"Thank you! I picked it up in Italy. Soon enough, though, I'll be wearing Gabriel brand clothes."
"So what do you think about the Miraculous heroes?" Alya asked.
"I hope to one day work with them again."
"Uh…again?"
"Yes, well, someone in an animal-themed costume asked for my assistance in solving a crime once in Italy. You see this?"
She held up a necklace that was designed to look like the Fox Miraculous.
"I used it to trick a supervillain into thinking I had a Miraculous. While he was distracted, the heroes swooped in and took him down. I was happy to help a superhero. Has that woman in the ladybug costume ever asked you for help, Marinette?"
Chloé looked at her phone. Just then, Sabrina walked up.
"Lila, we're passing around a card to sign, would you mind?"
"Oh, but of course!"
Lila took the pen and merely held it and the card in her hands.
"I nearly thought she wanted my autograph. Did you know I once helped Jagged Stone write a song?"
"You don't say?" Chloé replied in a deadpan voice.
"Oh, it was nothing big. I just happened to be walking by and he asked for my opinion. I doubt even Marinette can say she's helped a rock star."
Everyone else just looked at each other.
"Oh my! It seems this pen is out of ink," she handed the card back, "You should go find a new one, Sabrina."
Sabrina looked confused, "But I -"
Zoé came up from behind her and placed a hand on her shoulder.
"I'll help you look for a new pen, Brina," she said with a wink.
"Oh, right, thank you so much."
The two walked away.
"Actually, Lila," Alya said, "Considering your globe trotting, and who your mother is, I would like an autograph. It's for my blog. That is, if it's okay with you?"
"Only too happy to oblige!"
Alya pulled out a small book containing other signatures. She turned to a blank page.
"Your full name, please. Need a fresh pen?"
"No, wait," Lila said, "It looks like this pen is still good after all. I guess I should have tried a bit longer."
She signed her name in a very large and elaborate manner.
"You now possess the soon to be quite valuable signature of one Lila Iris Rossi."
"Liar."
Lila's head snapped over to Chloé.
"What was that?"
"I was simply observing that your initials sort of spell out the word: liar."
Lila's left eye twitched, "What are you talking about?"
"L. I. R. Lie-are. Liar. Isn't that funny?"
"Yes," Lila replied through gritted teeth, "What a coincidence. Marinette, you're the birthday girl. Are you going to let her get away with insulting me?"
Marinette cleared her throat, "Now, Lila, I'm sure she didn't mean it the way it sounded."
"Hey, what's going on?" Adrien said, joining the group.
"Adrien, hi!" Lila exclaimed, grabbing his arm.
"Control yourself," Marinette thought to herself, "Despite how much you want to punch her, she can't know you and Adrien are dating. She'll blab straight to Gabriel."
"So nice to see you here," Lila continued.
Adrien wrenched his arm from her grasp.
"Of course I'm here. These are my friends. Plus I'm part of the band."
"You play with this band? I understand that the twins are Jagged Stone's kids, but the others aren't exactly professionals."
"That's what practice is for, Lila."
Luka walked up, "Hey, how's it going? We're ready to start when you are, Marinette. This is your party."
Lila then latched onto Luka's arm.
"So you're Jagged Stone's son?"
"I have a name, you know - Luka Couffaine. Now please don't grab me like that. It's rude, plus I have a girlfriend."
"Really? Only one? Who's the lucky lady?"
"That would be me," Chloé said, moving to stand next to Luka.
"Oh…interesting taste…for both of you."
"What does that mean?"
"Oh, I meant no offense. It's just that you two don't seem very…compatible."
"You'd be surprised," the couple replied.
"You know, Luka, being Italian, I'm naturally musical. I could sing along with your band sometime if you like."
"I'll make a note of it."
Luka received a text.
"Hey, Marinette, my dad says hello and happy birthday."
"Oh, tell him thank you."
Lila's eyes widened, "Jagged Stone is saying hello to you? YOU?!"
She made an attempt to compose herself.
"Sorry about that. Exactly how does he know you? Did he stop by the bakery?"
"Actually, I made him a pair of sunglasses and an album cover."
Lila tilted her head in disbelief, "What? You did all that and you didn't say anything?"
"Well, if people ask me about it, I'll tell them. I see no reason to brag."
"Hint hint," Chloé said.
Lila looked down at her phone and began muttering in Italian under her breath.
"Fai attenzione al tuo linguaggio."
Her head snapped up to look at Marinette, who had a disapproving look on her face.
"You could speak Italian this whole time?" Lila hissed.
"My nonna is Italian. She and my dad taught me how to speak it. I don't appreciate some of the things you've been saying, Lila."
She looked like she could barely control herself, "How dare you make a fool out of me?"
"You didn't need our help for that," Chloé replied.
Lila stormed away from the party.
"Before you say anything, Marinette, no, we did not go too far. She was being a jerk, albeit a more subtle one."
"But what about -"
"We'll cross that bridge when we come to it."
Lila angrily walked over to the Agreste mansion. Gabriel was reading a book, while Nathalie was using her tablet to check the internet.
*BUZZ*
"No rest for the wicked," Gabriel said, "Who is it?"
"Lila Rossi, sir," Nathalie replied.
"I thought she was supposed to be at a party with Adrien? Emotions tend to run high at such events. Let her in."
Nathalie opened the front door and Lila stalked past her and into the atelier.
"Make me an Akuma! I'm going to show them all what I can do. They can't treat me this way! Do it now!"
Gabriel kept a stoic face and simply nodded as he placed his book down.
"I understand. First, let me tell you something."
He placed a hand on her shoulder and gave her a small smile. She cautiously smiled back. He then gave her a slap across the face. She looked at him, eyes wide with shock.
"Do not presume to make demands of me, Lila. You work for me, and you would do well to remember that. Otherwise, certain aspects of your warm and cozy private life will become much more widely known. Do I make myself clear?"
She quickly nodded her head.
"Now then, let's convene in my lair."
The three of them went down to the lair. Gabriel took the Butterfly Miraculous out of his pocket. He then looked at Nathalie, who took the Peacock Miraculous out of her pocket and tossed it to him without looking up from her tablet. He quickly transformed and turned to Lila.
"Now then, young lady, what did you have in mind?"
"I read the grimoire. I want powers just like the Fox. I'll have those idiots at each other's throats!"
"If you read it thoroughly, you'd know even the Butterfly can't give someone the exact same powers as another Miraculous."
Lila growled, "Okay, fine, illusions are overrated anyway. Then what about…shapeshifting?"
Papillombre arched an eyebrow, "Yes, that would be useful, but you're limited to only other people."
"Fine by me… Ooh, and camouflage. If they figure me out, I'll need a quick getaway."
"You really do have a knack for this, Lila."
He cupped his hand and created an Akuma.
"Do I need something for you to possess? I have this necklace."
"I have enhanced the power of the Butterfly so that I don't need an object to akumatize. Instead, the Akuma possesses your body. However, hold onto that necklace. You can use it as a red herring."
Lila took the necklace off and placed it on the table. The Akuma flew over and merged with her body.
"Lila Rossi, I am Papillombre. I'm giving you the power to be a chameleon, figuratively and literally. Put your acting skills to the test with the ability to shapeshift. I also give you the power to blend into your environment so well you're practically invisible. Such an ability is far beyond that of a chameleon. More like an octopus."
"In that case, you can call me Camalepolpo."
"So be it," he replied, snapping his fingers.
Lila had a hungry smile on her face as the magic washed over her. Her costume was an alternating pattern of green and red with black accents. A long chameleon tail grew out behind her. What appeared to be a VR headset was now atop her head. Her hair, which was normally long enough that it reached her mid-back, was now shoulder length. She looked over at the table and noticed Optigami was on the table next to her necklace. She opened her mouth, and a long tongue shot out, sticking to the necklace. As she retracted her tongue, Nathalie switched to the photo app on her tablet so Lila could get a good look at herself.
"Very stylish, boss," Lila said, putting the necklace on, "Now to test my power."
She transformed into Marinette and looked at herself in the camera.
"I look and sound just like her. Wait a second."
She looked closer at the picture.
"This isn't right. My eyes are still the same color. Marinette's eyes aren't green!"
Nathalie chuckled, "Well, Lila, it's like they say: the eyes are windows to the soul."
Lila sneered, "Why don't you save such words of wisdom for someone who cares?"
A sharp pain ran through her body. She looked over at Papillombre, who was giving her disapproving look while holding a hand out towards her.
"Mind your tongue, Lila," he said calmly.
She bowed her head, "My apologies, Sir."
"Now go cause some chaos."
"By your leave."
She climbed up the side of the wall, activated her camouflage ability, and slipped out the sunroof.
"I wasn't too sure about her before, Gabriel, but now I really don't trust her."
"You think I do? I have no doubt that, if she had the opportunity, she'd betray me in an instant. I intend to keep a close eye on her. For the moment, she's useful to me. However, if she tries anything, I'll cut her off immediately."
As the new Akuma leapt from building to building, her camo abilities couldn't really keep up, so several citizens were now talking about a blurry figure speeding through the city. A few people assumed it was an Akuma, so they called in to activate the Akuma Alert.
"Looks like your app came in handy yet again, Max," Alix said.
A blurry figure flew through the air and disappeared into a nearby tree. To everyone's surprise, Gabriel Agreste walked out from behind the tree.
"Père?"
"Adrien, there's an Akuma on the loose. You will come home with me immediately!"
Adrien scowled, "Who are you?"
"How dare you speak that way to me? I am your father!"
"My father wouldn't care enough to come and get me to safety."
"I don't care if you're the real Gabriel or not," Chloé snapped, "You didn't care that Adrien was here before, so he's staying!"
"That's not Gabriel Agreste," Marinette said, matter-of-factly.
"How do you know?" Alya asked.
"His eyes are an icy blue, while this one's are green."
"Oh yeah. That's right."
"Also, he doesn't wear tacky jewelry."
"TACKY?!" Gabriel shrieked at an unnatural pitch.
"I never want to hear my father scream like that again."
"Ha! We found you, faker!" Nino declared.
"You win this round, Dupain-Cheng," fake Gabriel said, "But you're a small fry anyway. Once the Miraculous heroes arrive, I'll deal with them."
The doppelganger disappeared and ran off. Adrien sent out a mass text.
AA: If this Akuma can shapeshift and camouflage, we'll have to be extra careful.
The team all nodded.
"Attention, all party goers!" Marinette announced, "I think we should all head somewhere safe until this threat is dealt with. We can pick up where we left off once the danger has passed."
The crowd all uttered agreeing statements and filed away. Marinette sent out her own mass text.
MDC: Their camouflage isn't flawless. Keep your eyes peeled for their outline.
Each team member snuck away to transform. As they came out into the open, everyone was spread out and looking around. The Akuma was perched atop a building, surveying the landscape.
"Before they convene with each other, I have to take them out individually, otherwise I could get overwhelmed. Which team member should I go after first? Decisions, decisions."
She put on her VR headset, which allowed her to see almost completely around her, exactly like chameleon eyes. The first Miraculous hero she spotted was Zorrua.
"How fitting. The power that I initially wanted. What I've got now is better anyway. I want the real Fox Miraculous."
She went stealth and climbed down the building. Once she landed behind Zorrua, she shifted into Tortank. What she didn't notice was that the second she landed, Zorrua's ear twitched.
"Looks like It's my turn," Zorrua thought.
The false Tortank called out, "Hey, wait up!"
"Oh, hey, Tortank. Any sign of the Akuma?"
"No, it looks like she's still hiding."
"The Akuma is female, huh? As if there was any doubt that it's Lila. I'd better play it cool."
He began sniffing the air.
"Can you smell her or something?"
"There is a strange smell in the area. I think I know where she is. I'd better send Ladybird a message."
"Good idea," she replied, "If I can get the Ladybug, Old Man Butterfly will overlook my outbursts and give me a raise, I'm sure."
Zorrua was sending a message, but it was to Tortank.
Z: Can you pick up my coordinates?
T: Yeah, why?
Z: Lila's the Akuma, and she's disguised as you
T: Leave it to me!
"Keep an eye out for Ladybird," Zorrua said, "She's on her way."
"You know, you're pretty smart, M. Fox, so why is Ladybird in charge all the time?"
"She and Matou Noir have been heroes longer than any of us."
"Right, of course."
He turned around to look her in the eyes.
"You're very beautiful, Tortank, did you know that?"
"Uh…yes, but thank you for noticing."
"We should totally go out sometime."
"Is it a good idea for coworkers to date?"
He pulled her a bit closer and whispered, "You know what? You're right."
As she reached for the Fox Miraculous, he shoved her away. Just as he did, the real Tortank's shield hit her copy on the side of the head. For a brief moment, her true form was revealed, but she quickly stealthed away. Tortank ran up and looked around.
"She got away!"
"Yeah, but that was a great throw," he replied, flashing a smile.
"He could smell me?! On top of that he tricked me! I have to target someone else. There's the Dragon. That could come in handy, but who to change into?"
She snapped her fingers once she got an idea. She then changed into Matou Noir and landed next to Seiryū.
"Have you seen the Akuma yet?"
"No, but I'm sure they're close," she replied, still not looking at the copy.
"I have an idea to trick them. We can switch Miraculous with each other."
"In the middle of a fight?"
"We can find somewhere to hide."
"That is the last thing they'd expect," she then turned around and looked at the faker, "Anata wa nisemonodesu. Kaminari to kaze to mizu de kōgeki shimasu."
Fake Noir chuckled, "Yeah, very funny. Let's just stick to French please."
"My apologies. Wait, look up there. It's Bateleur."
Fake Noir looked up at the Eagle hero, while Seiryū pointed at the fake behind her back.
"Do you think she can see the Akuma?" the fake asked.
"Wind Dragon!"
A small tornado engulfed the fake and sent her flying into the air. Bateleur dived down and delivered a kick to her gut. Once again, her true form was revealed as she fell to the ground. She crawled into some nearby bushes and stealthed away again.
"How did you know that was the Akuma?" Bateleur asked.
"I spoke Japanese to him and he didn't say or do anything stupid in response. He didn't make a pun, he didn't attempt to speak Japanese, nothing but a smile and a nod."
"Oh, yeah, that's boring."
Lila was getting frustrated.
"Of all the languages for her to speak! Hey, wait a second. There's the Cat. This should be easy."
She changed into Ladybird and got his attention.
"Matou Noir, over here."
His ears twitched, "Ladybird. I think the Akuma is right under our noses."
"Well, sniff her out or whatever it takes. She's dangerous!"
"You don't have to tell me twice."
"By the way, have I told you how handsome you are?"
"Not recently."
"I wonder, though, if you're stronger than me."
"Is that a challenge?"
She held up her right arm, "How about we arm wrestle?"
"You're on!"
He grasped her hand.
"The ring is mine for the taking!"
He then squeezed even harder.
"Ow! What are you doing?"
Just then, a yo-yo wrapped around her waist.
"Sayōnara, faker."
He quickly pulled his hand away as she was yanked through the air. Ladybird flew up and swung the fake around. She then pulled her closer and punched her in the jaw. With another swing of her yo-yo, she sent her face first into the ground.
"No more hiding, little Akuma."
"What? But I'm so good at it."
She managed to untangle herself from the yo-yo and once again stealthed away. Matou Noir walked up to Ladybird.
"You knew she was a fake immediately, didn't you?"
"But of course, My Lady."
"What gave it away?"
"A lot of little things, but the fact that you didn't call me by any of my nicknames was the big one."
"Good kitty," she replied, winking at him.
"Even that stupid cat saw through my disguise! I should be easily outsmarting these fools!"
She spotted Vipèrion up ahead. He was still off on his own. She checked to make sure no other team members were nearby.
"The Snake would really come in handy. I saw him and that bee girl fighting and making out. So…"
She shifted into Apireine and swaggered over to him.
"Hey, loser!"
He didn't seem to acknowledge her, but then, he flicked his tongue and looked at her.
"Do you need something, queenie?"
"Yeah, I need you to find the Akuma instead of just standing there!"
"There's no need to yell."
She walked up to him and began roughly poking him in the chest.
"Don't act like you don't like it, M. Snake."
He kept a straight face and walked away.
"Where are you going? Pay attention to me!"
"You just said I should find the Akuma."
"Don't contradict me! You can find the Akuma and give me all the attention I deserve!"
"You're right. How foolish of me."
He grabbed and held her tightly.
"Can I get a kiss before I obey your every whim?"
"Well, when you put it that way…"
Vipèrion spied Apireine heading his way, so he activated his bracelet.
"Venom!" Apireine hissed as she flew towards him.
The pseudo Apireine managed to spy her counterpart, so she grabbed Vipèrion around the waist and spun around. Apireine accidentally stung him instead.
"Nice try, moron!" the fake declared, running away.
As Vipèrion froze up, he pointed at his bracelet. Apireine nodded and hit the switch.
"Second Chance!"
2nd try
This time, Vipèrion held her even tighter than before.
"Hey, what are you trying to do? I can barely breathe!"
That's when she heard the buzzing.
"No! Let me go!"
"If you insist."
He turned around and gave her a flip piledriver. As she hit the ground, the stinger hit its target. As she lay on the ground, her disguise melted away. The entire team gathered around her.
"That's some costume," Apireine said.
"For being a shapeshifter, you're not very good at this," Bateleur said.
They could hear the Akuma growling. Matou Noir grabbed her necklace.
"This must be where the Akuma is, but if so, you'd think she'd protect it more. Cataclysm!"
The necklace was now ash, but the Akuma hadn't changed.
"I guess that proves it was a red herring," Tortank said.
"Pin her down," Ladybird said, "Then you can release her from the Venom. We can ask her where the akumatized object is at."
Vipèrion and Zorrua moved the Akuma so her arms and legs were pinned beneath them. Apireine snapped her fingers.
"Let me go, you jerks!"
"Look, whatever your name is, just tell us where the Akuma is."
"You're looking at it!" she replied with a conniving smile.
Everyone exchanged looks.
"I'm a new brand of Akuma! My name is Camalepolpo!"
"Did you seriously combine the Italian words for chameleon and octopus?"
The Akuma sneered as she shot her tongue out at Zorrua, wrapping it around his neck. She then swung him at Vipèrion, knocking him over. Now free, she camouflaged herself once more and ran for it.
"Are you two okay?"
"She used her tongue on me," Zorrua said, "That's disgusting!"
"Is she trying to say that the Akuma merged with her body?" Matou Noir asked.
"I guess Papillombre has actually been doing something," Tortank said.
"So how do we get the Akuma out of her then?" Bateleur asked.
"Hopefully, I mean…maybe we have to beat it out of her," Apireine said.
"Now that she knows shapeshifting won't help," Vipèrion said, "She'll probably focus on stealth attacks."
"Then we'll just have to make sure she can't hide," Seiryū said, "Water Dragon!"
She flew into the air and began covering the entire area with water. Eventually, the team saw an outline nearby.
Ladybird pointed at her, "Charge!"
The Akuma tried climbing up a nearby building, but Bateleur flew at her and kicked her back to the ground. Zorrua ran up to her and gave his flute a sharp blow.
"Arrgh!" she shrieked, "Where did you learn to play?!"
Tortank grabbed her and slammed her against the building several times. The Akuma gave a retaliatory kick and slipped from her grasp. Before she could get far, Matou Noir tried to hit her with his staff. She managed to dodge, but the spinning top wrapped around her body. Apireine pulled her close and punched her in the face. The Akuma delivered a headbutt and tried squirming out of the string. Vipèrion grabbed her by the ankles and tossed her through the air. Ladybird gave her a kick to the chest, sending her roughly to the ground. Seiryū was still hovering in the air and sprinkling water over the area.
"Everybody move!" she ordered.
The team's eyes all went wide as they beat a hasty retreat. Calamepolpo staggered to her feet.
"Running away, are we? What a bunch of cowards!"
"Get ready to feel the thunder!" Seiryū announced, "Lightning Dragon!"
A bolt of lightning went shooting to the ground. Camalepolpo barely had any time to look around at the wet landscape.
"...oh no..."
She was then promptly electrocuted and she let out a painful scream. She was now sprawled out on the ground. Seiryū floated down towards her.
"Your powers mean you won't be severely injured."
"But it still hurts, you jerk," the Akuma wheezed.
Apireine flew over, "Ready to give up?"
"Never!" she hissed.
The Bee shrugged, "Okay then."
She stomped on the shapeshifter's back, causing her to shriek in pain.
"All right," she croaked, "Okay…I…no…no, I can still fight."
Apireine started stomping on her back repeatedly. Camalepolpo now looked about ready to pass out.
"No, wait…my power…"
At last, the Akuma shot out of her body.
"Shall we?" Ladybird asked.
"Yeah, I think we'd better," Noir replied.
They shook hands, "Miraculous!"
The wave of energy annihilated the Akuma. Lila was still breathing heavily on the ground. Ladybird picked up her fox necklace and then offered her a hand.
"Are you okay?"
"Do I look like I'm okay?!" Lila snapped.
However, she took a deep breath and calmed down. She now had a big smile on her face.
"Oh my goodness! I don't know what came over me! I was akumatized, wasn't I?"
"Uh, yes, that's right. Do you need a lift back or…?"
"Oh, no thank you. I was at a party, but after all that, I'm sure it's on the news that I was an Akuma. I'd better get home. I'm sure my mother's worried. Thanks for retrieving my necklace."
"Oh, okay then. Careful out there."
"Thank you so much for all your help. Ciao!"
The team headed for the nearest rooftop. At the same time, Optigami was flying back to the lair.
Lair
Gabriel and Nathalie were having a good laugh.
"I enjoyed seeing that beat down way more than I should have," Nathalie said.
"I really ought to punish Lila for failing me despite all her boasting, but watching the heroes wipe the floor with her was hilarious. Although, I do have another idea."
Embassy
Lila was walking as quickly and loudly as possible back to her apartment at the embassy. As soon as she reached the door, though, she attempted to slink in and avoid her mother.
"Bambina!"
Her mother pulled her into a hug.
"Amore mio, are you okay?"
Lila sighed and returned the hug.
"Yes, Mamma, I'm fine. There was just a misunderstanding and that horrible Butterfly Man, or whatever his name is, brainwashed me into a supervillain. I'm just glad that no one was hurt."
"Oh, yes, thank goodness for the heroes. Are you sure you're uninjured?"
"I'm just fine, Mamma. I am a bit hungry though."
"Oh, well you're in luck, Gabriel invited us out for dinner."
"Is that a fact? I'll wash up and change."
"Good idea, bambina."
Lila was grinding her teeth as she looked for a different outfit to wear.
"I'm sure you think this is funny, Gabi, but one day I'll show you."
City
"We better make this quick," Tortank said, "Now that the threat has passed, everyone will be heading back to the party."
"Agreed," Matou Noir said, "Did anyone buy any of what she said?"
"Not in the slightest," Vipèrion said.
"You seemed like you were enjoying beating her up an awful lot, Bee Girl," Bateleur said.
"Maybe a little… Okay, fine, a lot. It felt good."
"Seconded," Seiryū added.
"But she started it when she deliberately antagonized our friends. Besides, how else were we supposed to get the Akuma out of her body?"
"I'll say this," Ladybird spoke up, "Lila changed the rules of the game. Not only was she proof that an object is no longer needed for akumatization, she's also the second willing Akuma."
"The Style Queen was definitely the first, though."
"Yeah, and I have a feeling there'll be more to come. See you guys later."
The team split up, de-transformed, and reconvened at the party.
"There you are," Sabrina said, "I found a new pen. Everyone please sign the card."
Tom and Sabine pulled Marinette into a hug.
"We're so glad you're safe, sweetheart," Sabine said.
"It's time for your birthday cake!" Tom declared.
"Everyone gather around for a piece!" Marinette announced.
Later, everyone was helping clean up.
"Quite a party, huh, Nette?" Kim said, "Although I guess an Akuma attack was inevitable."
"What do you think?" Nathaniel asked.
He showed Marinette and the others several sketches he did - Marinette talking with her friends, Kitty Section performing, and the Miraculous heroes.
"Nate, you might make Kagami jealous," Marinette said.
"Yeah, these are really good," Adrien said.
"There's no point in getting jealous," Kagami said, "We've been taking the same classes. He just has a bit more experience…and free time."
"Thanks, everyone," Nate replied, "I'm helping Marc with an idea for a comic strip about the heroes."
"That sounds amazing," Marinette said, "By the way, Ivan, would you mind?"
She pointed into the air.
"Huh? Oh, sure."
He easily lifted her onto his shoulders.
"I want to thank everyone for coming today. I know there was a bit of a setback there, but I'm glad you all stuck around."
"Happy Birthday, Marinette!" everyone shouted.
"Again!" Adrien added.
"Thanks again, everybody! Have a great day!"
Everyone either went home or to hang out with someone else. Marinette was happy to be home. She collapsed on her bed.
"I hope you're not too tired, Princess."
"Adrien? I thought maybe you went home."
"I hope you liked your present."
"No…I loved it."
"Oh, good, because I still have my keyboard with me. Shall I?"
"Please do, My Prince."
He set up his keyboard and began playing their song once again. Marinette stood up and closed her eyes. She was now swaying in time with the music. To her surprise, Adrien gently maneuvered her so that they were now dancing.
"How did…?"
He gestured over to his keyboard. His phone was sitting atop it, playing a recording of the music.
"Oh."
He leaned close and whispered, "Happy birthday, Princess. I love you."
Miles away on top of another building, Zorrua was spying on them through his flute.
"Are they kissing yet?" Tortank asked.
"Well, they're dancing really close, so it's only a matter of time," Zorrua replied.
"I'm glad they got some alone time," Seiryū said, "Now let's give them their privacy."
"Okay, you're right," Tortank said, "Come on, Fox Boy."
Over atop another building, the other heroes had the same idea.
"What are they doing now?" Apireine asked.
Bateleur was staring at the bakery with her enhanced vision.
"They're just dancing right now, but they'll be making out soon, I'm sure."
"No one wants to see that," Vipèrion said, "Especially not you, Queenie."
"How true, my Kingsnake. Let's head back and get some snacks."
Bateleur smiled, "You don't have to tell me twice."
Marinette and Adrien were slow dancing with the song on repeat.
"This song brings back so many memories," Marinette said, "I can't believe you wrote it yourself."
"What, you didn't think I could?"
"Oh, hush!" she then whispered in his ear, "I love you, Adrien."
The two finally leaned in and began kissing.