Chapter Text
It all begins with the arch, gates wide open as visitors pass under it freely. At the crest of the arch, cast in black metal, are silhouettes of different animals housed within. The black letters, painted onto the pale arch, proudly read ‘ the Miraculous Francois Dupont Zoo ’.
A young woman waves as she approaches the camera crew, who are standing just outside the entrance. Her black hair is done up in two pigtails, a splash of freckles littering her cheeks beneath bluebell eyes. There is a red bandana tied around her neck, the knot and tails facing outward. The black full sleeved she’s wearing has a white emblem of a turtle over her heart, both of the short sleeves sporting a little cuff. Her pants are safari style, sporting a sand beige colour that looks lighter paired with her black hiking boots.
“Hi there!” She greets when she gets close enough, clasping her hands in front of her. “Are you the crew sent by the studio? For the documentary?”
The crew all nod, one of the two carrying cameras speaking up. “That’s us.”
“Wonderful!” The young woman beams, extending her hand to shake theirs. “My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng, one of the zoo keepers here at Miraculous. Warden Fu has asked me to give you a tour and introduce you to everyone else. Does that work for you?”
Again the crew nods, one of the boom operators responding this time. “That sounds wonderful, thank you.”
Marinette leads the crew under the arch and into the zoo. Rather than taking the main path that leads to the main hub of the zoo, the keeper has them turning right. The door to the building now in front of them is labeled ‘ STAFF ONLY ’. Marinette fishes a small card from her pocket, swiping it over the black sensor beside the door. The little light on the pad blinks green, the door opening to let the group inside. The keeper grins back at the crew just before she steps inside. “Welcome to the keeper centre!”
The room inside appears to be a staff locker room. Two lines of lockers extend from the entrance to the far wall, where a set of changing rooms sit. Another door stands opposite the one the crew just stepped through.
Marinette walks down the hall of lockers, stopping to open the one labeled with her name. She pulls out a safari style vest, sand beige just like her pants with the turtle crest in black over the heart, pulling it on. Printed on the back in solid black is ‘ TOUR GUIDE ’.
“We don’t have any staff that operate as just guides, so everytime a tour is booked, one of us keepers puts on one of these vests and leads it!” The keeper explains.
One of the camera men pipes up. “Does that often disrupt your work? Wouldn’t it be easier to hire a few guides?”
“Well, there was a time when they tried that.” Marinette shrugs. “It was before my time, so I’m not too sure on the details. All I know is that in the end, Fu found this method easier.”
The camera man nods. “That’s fair.”
Marinette clasps her hands in front of her, nodding to the door at the back. “Hey, while we’re here, why don’t I show you upstairs?”
They take the stairs up, entering a large, open room, one of the walls holding large windows overlooking the zoo. A handful of tables with chairs are scattered across the closest half of the room, a kitchenette set up along the back wall. On the far wall is a large television, beneath it a small cabinet, its doors closed. Different old recliners and couches face the screen, all currently empty.
“This is where we usually come on our breaks.” The keeper explains. “There’s more than enough room for all of us to hang out here outside of park hours if we really wanted to. Occasionally someone brings in a console so we can run tournaments of different games between shifts.”
The group makes their way out of the keeper centre. This time they take the main path into the zoo, entering the main hub. On the right is what looks like an outdoor seating area, guests mingling around with food. The stall at the back of the area is the food stand. On the left is a medium sized shop, different shirts and plushies displayed in the windows.
Marinette guides the crew inside the shop. The walls are packed with all sorts of memorabilia, portraying all sorts of different animals. Displays of clothing sit in the middle of the shop, different mannequins staged on top showing off many of the designs. It’s mostly empty inside, only one older couple examining a rack of keychains. “This is our gift shop, where visitors can buy all kinds of top of the line merchandise!”
At the back of the shop is the counter with the register, one woman sitting atop it while another stands behind it. The standing woman has long, slightly curled blonde hair, which she has pulled back into a ponytail. She’s wearing a black polo shirt, the turtle crest from Marinette’s uniform once again in white over the heart. Atop her head is a pair of large white sunglasses, which would cover the bored look in her blue eyes if she were wearing them.
The second woman, the one sitting on the counter, is dressed more similar to Marinette. She’s wearing the same uniform shirt and black boots, but instead of the pants, they’re paired with olive brown safari style shorts. Tied around her neck like a scarf is a black bandana, and atop her short, messy, red hair sits a pair of goggles. This woman is grinning down at the first, her grin big enough to make her blue eyes squint just so.
Marinette lets out a little laugh when she looks at the women at the back of the shop. “I should’ve seen this coming. Come on, we’ve got some introductions to do!”
As the crew approach the two, they catch the end of their conversation. “What, you don’t think I could pull off the tank shirt? I’ll have you know I have great arms.”
“Sure, and I’m a werewolf.” The blonde rolls her eyes. She opens her mouth to continue, only to pause as she notices the group walking up to them. “Hey, Marinette, what’s all this about?”
Marinette stands between the two women and the crew. “This is the crew the station sent for the documentary, of course. Now allow me to introduce our very own shop keeper behind the counter, Chloe Bourgeois.
“Wait, was this today?” Chloe’s face scrunches in thought, the blonde frowning as she glares at the surface of the counter. “How come no one told me?”
The red haired woman leans closer to her, gently tapping the blonde’s forehead twice. “You didn’t ask, Princess.”
“And the one on the counter is Alix Kubdel,” Marinette says, not bothered as Chloe swats at Alix’s hand, “she’s one of the keepers who works in the Reptile Room. You usually handle the snakes, right?”
“Right-o!” The red haired keeper leans back a little, hands going into her pockets. “Big snakes, little snakes, you name it, I handle it. I think that’s-” she pauses, “wait, what’s this,”
Alix brings one hand out of her pocket again, a small green snake slithering around her fingers. Chloe lets out a little scream, leaning away from the small serpent. “Kubdel! Ugh, you can’t keep bringing those fiends in here!”
“I don’t bring them in on purpose, Princess.” Alix holds the snake up, letting the camera get a better shot of it flicking its tongue. “I guess Felicia must have come for a joyride today. I oughta bring her back now, don’t miss me too much, Chlo!”
Alix hops off the counter, and winks at the scowling blonde before walking out of the shop. Marinette shoots a look to the camera crew, rolling her eyes with a fond smile. “Well, that was Chloe and Alix. Ready to move on? Next on our tour is the Reptile Room.”
* The scene cuts out to show Chloe sitting on one of the couches in the keeper centre, her back to the windows. Her legs, clad in dark jeans, are crossed elegantly while her arms are crossed over her chest. *
Chloe: Yeah, I’m like, the only one who works here who isn’t a zoo keeper, pretty much. This just means I’m top of the ladder here, above all those nerds.
Camera: How long have you been working at Miraculous?
Chloe: Hm, about two, three years now? That sounds about right.
Camera: Do you enjoy working in the gift shop?
Chloe: When it’s empty. I mean, I don’t have to deal with any of the dumb animals, but trust me, some of the visitors are dumber. Someone once tried to pay me in Monopoly money.
Camera: Alix was visiting you when we first saw you, does she do that often?
* Chloe rolls her eyes. *
Chloe: A little too often, if you ask me. I can’t go a shift without the little jerk coming in and scaring me with one of her damn snakes!
* The scene cuts to Alix lounging on the same couch, looking very relaxed. *
Alix: So, whatcha wanna know?
Camera: How long have you been working here?
Alix: Closing in on four years now, heh.
Camera: You work with the snakes. Do incidents like earlier happen a lot where they get out?
Alix: Not really. It’s usually just me forgetting I picked one of them up or something, but someone notices before they’re out of the enclosure too often. That person tends to be Chloe.
Camera: And why is it that you visit her so much?
Alix: Uh, cause it’s fun, duh. She’s all alone in her little shop, so I like to make her day by gracing her with my presence. Make her day better, you know? And, well, she’s kinda cute when she’s all huffy and angry.
* The scene cuts, returning to Marinette and the crew, now outside. *
The group walks through the zoo, a few paces behind Alix, as they make their way to the Reptile Room. People turn and stare at the cameras as they pass, some even being bold enough to wave.
Marinette turns her head back to face the crew, head tilted just so. “You know, I was wondering why someone would want to make a documentary about a zoo?”
“The studio wanted to start a project that would promote some underappreciated industries and highlight how much they help society or something.” One of the boom operators responds. “Zoos are both fun and educational, which is probably why it was chosen.”
Marinette whistles lowly, nodding absently. “Wow, that’s actually kind of flattering. And I’m sure you’ll get some great footage of the staff here on our best behaviour, doing our jobs as well as we can!
Ahead of them, Alix snorts. The red haired keeper turns around, walking backwards as she addresses the group. “That’s wishful thinking, Mari. Hell, we’ll be lucky if everything is still standing by the end of the day.”
“C’mon, Alix,” Marinette rolls her eyes, “there’s no reason to be so pessimistic.”
Alix raises one eyebrow. “Kim works here, Mari. Kim.”
“Who…?” One of the camera men asks.
Marinette waves her hand in a dismissive manner. “Oh, we’ll be meeting him later, I swear he’s not as bad as Alix makes him out to be. Promise!”
“Let them be the judge of that.” The red haired keeper laughs, spinning around once more. They’ve made it to another building, and Alix pulls open the door, pausing for a moment before strolling right in. “Welcome to the Reptile Room, folks. Come on in, don’t be shy. Anything that bites is safely behind glass, or already in your party.”
It’s smaller than the other buildings in the zoo so far, but that doesn’t mean it’s tiny. The wooden paneling on the outside is dark, fake vines hanging and tangled along, giving the building a more abandoned or natural look. A sign is nailed just above the dark door, white paint spelling out ‘ the Reptile Room ’.
“Let’s head inside.” Marinette smiles, moving to hold the door open for the crew. “If we’re lucky, they might be in the middle of a show!”
The inside of the building is just as dark as the outside, the walls and floors painted dark browns. The overhead lights do a fine job of lighting up the long corridor, lined on both sides with glass panels allowing guests to look in on the enclosures. A small plaque rests beside each panel, providing information on each animal. Just to the left of the entrance is another staff door, which clicks shut as Alix ducks inside.
The crew follow Marinette down the hallway, getting passing shots at different lizards, toads, and snakes as they go. At the end of the hallway is a small group of children, two adults at the back of the group, all paying attention to a young man standing by one of the larger glass panels. His shaggy hair is black at the roots, his tips dyed a teal blue colour, similar to that of his eyes. His black t-shirt looks like the short sleeved version of the ones worn by Marinette and Alix, and his vest is identical to Marinette’s. His safari shorts are almond beige, and his boots black. There are a variety of piercings in his ears, and his wrists are lined with bracelets, a black bandana tied on his left wrist.
“Looks like we’re in luck, there’s a tour running right now.” Marinette’s voice is hushed, just loud enough for the crew to hear without disturbing the tour. “The keeper leading it is Luka Couffaine, which is a bit of a shame. Sometimes he wrestles one of our crocodiles, so we’ll have to catch that another day.”
Luka holds his arm out to the enclosure behind him, his voice smooth as he speaks to his tour group. “And lastly, this is our komodo dragon enclosure.” The children murmur with excitement. “Yeah, that’s right, friends, dragons. These guys are originally all the way from Indonesia, and can live up to about thirty years.”
The children all chatter excitedly, leaning around each other to try to catch a glimpse of one of the large reptiles in the enclosure.
“Since you’ve all been so good so far, how about a treat?” Luka smiles knowingly as the children get excited, one of their supervisors trying to calm them. “You see, my friends, one of our komodos, Longg has been very naughtly lately. I think this is the perfect time to teach him a lesson about behaving, don’t you?”
Marinette lights up as the group of children agree. “Ooh, I wasn’t sure if we were going to catch this today! This is one of my favourite shows, you’re in for a real treat!”
“Wonderful. Now please give me a hand and help me introduce Miraculous Zoo’s very own Tamer of Dragons!” Luka calls out dramatically, clapping loudly to encourage the children to do the same. For a moment nothing seems to happen, the enclosure just as still as it was before.
Then, a hidden door opens in the back of the enclosure. A young woman steps into the enclosure, her expression and stance screaming confidence and poise. Her dark, dark brown hair is cut in a fluffy, messy bob, framing her dark brown eyes and freckled cheeks. With the same uniform shirt as Marinette, she wears olive brown safari pants, a black bandana tied around one of the belt loops on her left side. She’s got a log cape clasped around her neck, the outer layer a deep black while the inside a golden yellow. In her right hand she carries a long toy sword.
The kids grow quiet in their awe, staring with wide eyes as the woman waves regally. She strides across the enclosure, approaching the large central rock where a large komodo dragon is sun tanning. As she approaches, it lifts its head, long tongue flicking out in her direction. The woman raises her sword, pointing the tip at the lizard’s head.
The reptile gets to its feet, flicking its tongue at the tip of the toy sword. It raises one of its arms to swat at the mock blade, but the woman redirects it to lightly bonk it on its head. The komodo dragon sulks off into the enclosure, and the woman takes a victorious stance, sword raised. The children cheer loudly.
“The Tamer of Dragons is victorious, and Longg has learned his lesson.” Luka manages to speak over the cheers, smiling with a rosy tint to his cheeks as he watches the woman take a bow. “Let’s give her one last round of applause my friends. It’s time for us to move on, so let’s head outside, nice and orderly please.”
The class leaves as the woman exits the enclosure once more. The crew focus back on Marinette, who’s cheeks also look a little pinker. “Wasn’t that a treat? It’s one of our newer shows, starring another of our reptile keepers, Kagami Tsurugi. Now, I don’t think we should follow that class, so we’ll have to take a little detour. You up for some big cats?”
* The scene cuts to Luka sitting on the couch. He is no longer wearing the tour vest, and his hands fidget absently in his lap. *
Luka: Very nice to meet you all.
Camera: You as well. How long have you worked here?
Luka: Three years. Yeah, three is right.
Camera: We heard you wrestle crocodiles?
Luka: Ah, yes, that. Josie was just a baby when I started here, so we’re very familiar with each other. It’s really just some hands on enrichment, in the end.
Camera: Are you not scared?
* Luka tilts his head. *
Luka: What would I have to be scared about?
* The scene cuts to Kagami in his place, her cape from earlier gone. *
Kagami:
Camera: ...So, how long have you been a zoo keeper here?
Kagami: Two years.
Camera: Wonderful. And the dragon taming?
Kagami: I’m not great with people. Having a role to play makes it easier. Longg and I practice hard for our routine.
Camera: Right. And the cape?
* Kagami smiles a little, averting her eyes as her ears take on a rosy tint. *
Kagami: From Marinette. She claimed the act wasn’t complete without it, and made it herself. She’s quite good at sewing.
* The scene cuts again, returning to Marinette and the crew, who are outside once more. *
The enclosures for the feline exhibits are much bigger than those of the reptiles. As they walk past each one, the crew gets shots of tigers lounging in trees, lions resting under the shade of a large rock, and even a lynx carrying one of its young around. Marinette leads them down the wide path of the loop that makes up the feline section, passing each exhibit until they reach the very last one.
The panther exhibit.
Marinette holds her hands above her eyes as a shield from the sun, leaning close to the tall, thick glass wall. After a moment, she frowns. “That’s odd, I can’t seem to find him…”
“Can’t find who?” One of the boom operators questions.
Marinette doesn’t seem to hear the question. “Huh, usually he’s… oh! There, look, right in the back, under the big tree!”
The crew focus on the tree she pointed out to them. There, standing with hands on his hips looking down on a large panther, who’s pawing at the keeper’s legs as he lies in the shade, is a young blonde man in a variation of the keeper uniform. He’s wearing the black t-shirt just as Luka was, his safari shorts the same olive brown as Alix’s, paired with the standard black boots. Tied around his neck like an ascot is a bright green bandana, the colour similar to that of his eyes.
“That’s Adrien Agreste, our keeper for the feline section.” Marinette introduces him, not turning back to face the crew. “I was hoping that we’d get a chance to talk to him now, but he seems busy. We’ll have to try again later.”
One of the camera men tilts his head. “What exactly is he doing?”
“Oh, well, you see, the panther at his feet?” Marinette points at the large creature. “That’s Plagg, he’s rather clingy. He tends to get upset when Adrien has to go check in on the other felines.”
The same camera man speaks up once more. “So this Plagg is rather attached to Adrien?”
Marinette nods, a fond smile coming to her face. “Yes, but he has been making good progress lately. Typically he’s found some way to knock Adrien over by now, but- oh, no, I spoke too soon.”
As the dark harried keeper was speaking, Plagg had gotten up and thrown himself on Adrien. Now the panther lies on the young keeper, looking rather pleased that he has the man trapped beneath him.
“Please stay here,” Marinette starts, making her way towards the staff door a few feet from the enclosure, “I’ll be right back, I have to go help him out.”
* The scene cuts to Adrien sitting on the couch, his posture and smile near perfect. *
Adrien: Oh, no, I’m not hurt. Plagg is a gentle giant, the worst he’ll do is get you all stinky too!
Camera: Does he smell bad?
Adrien: Absolutely terrible. We can’t figure out why either. He’s always just smelled really, really bad.
Camera: How odd. Have you been with the felines the whole time you’ve worked here?
Adrien: Yep! Two years with the big cats, it feels like a dream come true. Chloe and I used to come here a lot when we were young, and now we both work here!
Camera: Chloe as in Chloe Bourgeois? From the gift shop?
Adrien: That’s her. We grew up together, our parents used to take us to all the fancy parties and we’d run around together.
Camera: Wait, are you-
* Adrien winces. *
Adrien: Aha, yeah, I’m the son of Gabriel Agreste. Surprise?
* The scene cuts again, returning back to the crew as Marinette rejoins them. *
“Sorry about that.” The young keeper laughs, rubbing a hand nervously against the back of her neck. “I hope I didn’t make you wait too long.”
The boom operator lifts a hand. “No, it’s okay. Where to next?”
“Well, next should be my section, the Insect House!” Marinette starts leading them out of the feline section, no doubt leading them to her section. “We have a variety of different critters here, but the big draw for it is the Gabriel Agreste Butterfly Dome.”
* The scene cuts back to Adrien on the couch, this time he’s cringing. *
Adrien: Yeah, as part of his sponsorship, Father had them put his name on the Butterfly Dome. My Mom’s name is on the plaque for the peacocks, too.
* The scene cuts once more, returning to the crew and Marinette, now outside another building. *
“Well, here it is, the Insect House!” Marinette beams at the camera crew, standing proudly in front of the building she works in. It looks almost identical to the Reptile Room, only this one is smaller, and there are colourful fairy lights laced with the vines. The sign is different as well. “Ready to head in?”
The inside is once again very similar to the Reptile Room. The floors and walls are darker browns, and a staff door sits on the left before the rows of exhibits begin. Rather than the larger lights in the previous section, the Insect House is lit by a net of fairy lights attached to the ceiling, making it overall much darker.
The group walks through the hall, passing small exhibits holding all sorts of bugs, from ants to roaches, to spiders. The hallway isn’t as long as the last one, and they come upon the end much sooner. The door at the end of the hall looks just like the one at the entrance, only there’s a sign posted on it. In lilac lettering it reads ‘ the Gabriel Agreste Butterfly Dome ’.
Marinette pauses with one hand on the door, turning back to the crew for a moment. “Hey, so we have to be a little careful when we go in. There’s a double set of doors, and to keep the butterflies in, this door will need to be closed before we open the next one.”
Following her instructions, the crew pass through the two doors, finally entering the Butterfly Dome. The curved walls are made of frosted glass, dimmed natural light filtering through. Many plants are scattered around the room, many with brightly coloured flowers blooming. Tons of different butterflies float around the room, some landing on the benches that line the perimeter of the room. Right in the centre is a gurgling fountain, beside which a young woman is examining one of the plants.
Her hair is long, dark brown at the roots with the ends lightened, and is being held out of her face by an orange bandana, the tails tied into a little bow on top of her head. Her light brown eyes rest behind black glasses, squinted as she examines the plant’s leaves. She’s wearing a tank top version of the black uniform top, with sand beige safari shorts and black boots.
The woman looks up at the group after a moment, her face lighting up when she spots Marinette. “Hey, girl!”
“Hey yourself, we were looking for you.” Marinette’s tone is teasing, and her smile is bright as she talks with her coworker. “Let me introduce you to Alya Cesaire, who has been covering for me here while I give this tour.”
Alya straightens up, putting her hands on her hips. “Yeah, and I’m also your best friend! Come here, I missed you Mar.”
The darker haired keeper closes the distance to hug the other, both giggling as they embrace. “Alya, don’t be silly, I saw you this morning!”
“So? I still missed you.” Alya pulls back, but keeps one arm wrapped around the shorter woman’s shoulders. “Your bug den is lonely as hell, you can’t even play with any of them.”
Marinette shakes her head fondly. “There are other ways to stay entertained here, you know.”
“Yeah yeah, you keep telling me.” Alya gives her friend a little squeeze, then nods at the crew. “Are these the guys the studio sent? The doc crew?”
One of the camera men nods. “That’s us.”
“Gotcha,” she nods, “Well, you’ve got plenty to see, and you’ve got the best guide Miraculous has to offer!”
Marinette flushes, smiling shyly as she covers half of her face with her hand. “Alya, you flatter me. Sadly we do have to move on, but I’ll catch up with you later!”
* The scene cuts to Marinette on the couch, hands folded in her lap and the tour vest gone. *
Marinette: I just think bugs get a bad reputation, they’re all really quite sweet when you take the time to get to know them!
Camera: That sounds lovely. How long have you been working here at Miraculous?
Marinette: Only these last two years.
Camera: And can you tell us anything about the bandanas all the keepers wear? Is there some secret meaning to them?
Marinette: The colours of the bandanas are based on what section you work in, and it corresponds with the colours on the maps and signposts. For example, mine is red because I work in the Insect House!
Camera: That’s pretty clever.
Marinette: Mhm, and it adds a splash of colour to the uniform. I find it rather dull without it, if I’m being honest.
* The scene cuts, and Alya is now seated on the couch in Marinette’s place. *
Alya: Ask me anything you wish, fellas.
Camera: How long have you been a keeper here?
Alya: Three years! Nearly three, at least. I think that day’s coming up soon actually.
Camera: You were covering for Marinette today, where do you normally work?
Alya: Oh, I’m with the canines. Foxes, wolves, all them. There’s three of us over there, so it only made sense for me to give Mari a hand.
Camera: Were you and Marinette friends before you both started working here?
Alya: Naw, I met her here on her first day. That was the same day I met my boyfriend, too.
* The scene cuts again, returning to the group and Marinette. Outside once again, they’re walking through a new section of the zoo. *
After leaving the Insect House, the group made it to the small mammals section of the zoo. The layout is a scaled down version of the feline section, with many smaller exhibits lining the winding path. One of the enclosures, containing beavers, even features a miniature river for them to dam.
Marinette leads them past most of the exhibits, only to perk up as they walk up to the meerkats. Another keeper is standing in front of the glass, though she is much shorter than Marinette. Her hair is done up in a series of colourful braids, the top of her head covered in a large, pale pink bandana. Her uniform consists of the black boots, warm beige safari shorts, and the black t-shirt.
The taller keeper seems surprised to see the other. “Huh, we found her already. Mylene!”
The other keeper, Mylene, startles, but a big smile takes over her face when she realizes who called out to her. “Oh! Marinette, hey.”
“Allow me to introduce our main small mammal keeper, Mylene Haprele.” Marinette says, smiling sweetly at the shorter woman. “She’s one of the kindest people you’ll ever meet, hands down.”
Mylene giggles, her face flushing slightly. She waves off the comment. “That’s very sweet, but you’re too kind!”
“So humble, this one.” Marinette jokes back at the crew. “How’s everything going? Running smoothly?”
The shorter keeper shrugs, tapping at her chin with one finger. “About as well as usual, I suppose. Well, the Bat Cave is down for the day-”
“The Bat Cave?” One of the crew members interrupts. “Like-”
Marinette buts in over the crew member, nearly shouting with a forced smile on her face. “Like a cave that has bats in it, yes!”
* The scene cuts to Mylene on the couch, her smile awkward. *
Mylene: We can’t insinuate that the Bat Cave was named after a particular popular comic book character, for copyright reasons.
* The scene cuts back to the group outside, just as they were before. *
“Oh, I nearly forgot.” Mylene claps her hands softly, smiling sadly at the taller keeper. “A group of older kids were banging on the glass earlier and spooked the poor meerkats.”
Marinette frowns, her expression becoming upset. “Were they with a school group?”
“I couldn’t tell.” Mylene saddens. “I’ll file a report with Fu tonight anyways.”
The taller keeper nods, some of her earlier enthusiasm returning. “That’s a smart thing to do. We’ll leave you to it for now, is Nino around?”
“Last I saw, he was in the tank.” Mylene smiles at the group, pointing down the path leading to the unseen part of the section. “Hopefully he isn’t too hard to find. Enjoy the rest of your tour!”
Marinette waves as she starts to lead the group past Mylene. “Thanks, Mylene! Let’s keep going, our next stop is just ahead.”
They walk by more exhibits, with children standing close to the glass to watch and wave at the small mammals. Near the end of the path it splits, with one path rejoining the main hub of the zoo while the other leads down into a lowered viewing area. The group head down, now able to see both above and under the water in the tank.
A group of otters swim through the water, chasing colourful balls as they are thrown randomly. In the centre of the enclosure, sitting on a large platform of earth and throwing the balls, is a dark haired young man. Instead of a keeper uniform, he is dressed in a wetsuit. The main colour is navy blue, a white turtle logo over the heart. Splashes of pale pink overcome the navy portions of the suit, and he has black wet shoes on his feet. He spots Marinette when he throws another ball, and stops to grin and wave.
“That’s Nino Lahiffe, he works with our otters!” Marinette explains. “Most of his day is spent in the water with them, which is why he wears that wetsuit.”
One of the camera men pipes up. “So he works with just the otters while Mylene works the rest of the section?”
“Yeah, but it’s a little more complicated than that.” Marinette laughs awkwardly, watching Nino toss balls for the otters. “We have more otters now than any other small mammal, and these guys can be pretty high maintenance.”
The camera man hums. “I guess that works.”
Marinette nods happily, and they watch Nino and the otters for another minute. “As much as I want to stay and watch these cuties all day, we have to move on. We still have a lot to cover!”
* The scene cuts to Mylene on the couch, though this time she looks more relaxed. Her smile is very pleasant. *
Mylene: Is there anything you want to know?
Camera: How long have you been employed by Miraculous?
Mylene: Oh, about two and a half years?
Camera: And why small mammals?
Mylene: I’m fond of animals that are on the smaller side. I’m, a little skittish, and I feel more comfortable with all my cuties.
Camera: And what can you tell us of the Bat Cave?
Mylene: Oh, it isn’t much. Just a big dark room with a few fruit bats. We’re looking into getting some other kinds of bats, but the only offer we could find was for some of those giant bats from the Philippines? And we don’t have the room for those.
* The scene cuts to Nino on the couch, though he has changed. Instead of his wetsuit he’s wearing a black ball cap with the turtle logo on the front, the long tails of a pale pink bandana hanging from the back. His uniform consists of the black t-shirt and almond beige safari pants with black boots. His glasses are mainly black, the legs a medium blue. *
Nino: Yo, wassup dudes?
Camera: Uh, good, dude. Do you enjoy working here at Miraculous?
Nino: Hell yeah, this is a great gig! I get to work with my friends and girlfriend all day, and I get paid to swim around with the cute otters. I’m living the good life, my friend.
Camera: You mentioned your girlfriend, that’s-
* Nino’s smile grows, and his eyes go softer. *
Nino: Alya, yep. Wouldn’t have met her if it weren’t for this zoo, heh.
Camera: How long have you two been together?
Nino: Just over a year, like, fifteen months I think? Sounds about right.
Camera: And things are going well?
Nino: Things are rockin along between us, dude. I love her, she loves me. It’s so swag.
* The scene cuts to Alya on the couch, her expression tired. *
Alya: He described our relationship as something like swaggy, right?
Camera: Yeah, he did. Does he do that often?
Alya: I love him, but Nino has the vocabulary of a middle school surfer from, like, 2012.
* The scene cuts to Nino on the couch again, grinning. *
Nino: So swag.
* The scene cuts back to join Marinette and the crew outside once more. They have left the small mammals section and arrived at their next destination. *
Unlike the previous sections of the zoo, this next one does not resemble a typical zoo enclosure. It consists of a series of fenced-in pens, all laid out in front of a small building made to look like the classic red barn house. Children wander both in and out of the pens, interacting with barnyard animals.
Inside the nearest pen, leaning over to show a child how to properly pet a goat is another keeper. She’s wearing a wide brimmed sun hat, a magenta bandana tied around it. Her uniform consists of the black t-shirt and golden brown safari shorts, along with black boots. Her smile is kind, an emotion that is reflected in her wide blue eyes.
Marinette turns to smile at the camera, gesturing to the section in front of the crew. “This is our petting zoo! It’s one of our smaller sections, and mainly consists of animals you’d typically find on a farm.”
As Marinette speaks, another keeper walks up to the pen the first is in, and leans against the wooden fence. Her long dark hair is dyed purple at the ends, and covers one of her coppery eyes. Over her uniform top she’s wearing a windbreaker jacket, mainly black with patches of magenta on the underside of the sleeves and the sides of the main portion, a white turtle logo over the heart. Her safari shorts are olive brown and her boots black, and a magenta bandana is tied around her right wrist.
“We have two keepers working here in the petting zoo.” Marinette continues, pointing to each keeper as she introduces them. “Rose Lavillant is currently in with the goats, and the one watching her is Juleka Couffaine.”
One of the boom operators speaks up. “Is there any relation between Juleka and Luka?”
“They’re brother and sister,” the keeper answers, “though no one is quite sure whether or not they’re twins. They both started at the same time, and Luka is very cryptic with his birthday and age.”
“Has anyone asked?”
Marinette nods. “Yes, but they’ve never given a clear answer. It’s almost like a game to-”
She is cut off by the sound of a woman shouting. Back by the goat pen, Juleka is a foot from the fence, rubbing at her knee while glaring at a dark grey goat. Rose is rushing over, worry painted on her face as she makes her way to the other woman.
“Oh no,” Marinette grimaces, “Jeff has struck again.”
One of the camera men speaks. “Jeff?”
* The scene cuts to Juleka and Rose sitting on the couch. Rose isn’t wearing her hat, and Juleka’s knee is bandaged. *
Rose: Jeff is,
Juleka: A bastard.
Rose: Well, that’s not the word I’d use, but pretty much.
Juleka: You won’t say it, but I will. He’s a little f[bleep]ing bastard.
Rose: He’s one of our goats, and he just really doesn’t like Juleka for some reason.
Juleka: It’s cause he’s evil, Rose.
Rose: Oh hush. I mean, all of the goats have it out for Juleka, but Jeff is the worst of the bunch.
Juleka: I wouldn’t be surprised to find out he’s been Satan all along.
Rose: Juleka-
* The scene cuts back to Marinette and the crew. *
Marinette shakes her head. “And here I was hoping he’d behave today. Oh well, it is what it is. We’ll have to come back to talk to them later once this is all solved, so I guess we’re moving on!”
* The scene cuts back to the couch. There are frequent cuts between Juleka and Rose, sitting along on the couch, as they speak. *
Camera: How long have you been dating Rose/Juleka?
Juleka: Oh, we’re not dating-
Rose: Two years! Two full, wonderful, magical years as of last Tuesday!
Juleka: Wait she said what-
Rose: My Juleka is so romantic, did you know she was the one to ask me out? She looked so nervous, it was absolutely adorable!
Juleka: Hold on- wait, slow down- wHAT?!
Rose: We’ve been living together for six months now, I don’t think I’ve ever been this in love~! Waking up next to the woman who owns my heart each day is like something out of a fairytale!
* Juleka looks like she is going to have a heart attack. *
Juleka: I- oh my god, how did I not realize? Oh my god-
Juleka: You can’t tell Rose- please, I’d never live this down-
* The scene cuts once more, returning to Marinette and the crew outside. *
The group has made it to a long building, the front shaped like a half circle. The curved sides are smooth, and painted a light grey. There is no sign above the door, only a smaller one beside it that is too far to read from where the crew is standing. A few feet from the building is a pale red gazebo tent, with a sort of stall set up underneath.
Under the tent there is a board with a series of face paint examples and caricatures posted. Behind is a table littered with art supplies, an easel next to two chairs. In the chair closest to the table is a young man in a keeper uniform. His red hair is pretty long, though it doesn’t quite reach the yellow bandana tied around his neck like a bowtie. He’s wearing the full sleeved uniform shirt, caramel beige safari pants, and black boots, a windbreaker like Juleka’s tied around his waist. The only difference between his jacket and Juleka’s being his jacket having yellow where magenta was.
Marinette walks the crew up to the stall, tapping on the table to get the keeper’s attention away from the sketchbook in his lap. “Hey, Nath, do you have time to quickly lead us through the Bird Tunnel? It’s for the documentary.”
“I guess.” The young man stands, stretching his arms over his head slowly. “It’s been a slow day for me.”
The dark haired keeper claps her hands excitedly. “Perfect! Oh, guys, this is Nathaniel Kurtzberg. He splits his time between working as a keeper in the Bird Tunnel and doing artsy things. Face paint and caricatures, y’know?”
One of the camera men speaks up again. “Did you just say Bird Tunnel?”
Nathaniel nods. “Yup. It’s a tunnel. With birds.”
“You’ll see what we mean when we get inside.” Marinette grins, before following Nathaniel back over to the building. Before they enter, the red haired keeper reaches into a bin by the door and hands each of the group a plastic poncho.
“Here,” he offers, “you don’t need them, but I highly recommend you take one.”
The camera man pipes up once more. “Can I ask why?”
“Just trust me.” Nathaniel’s face is dead serious. “You’ll want to wear the poncho.”
* The scene cuts to Nathaniel on the couch, his expression unimpressed. *
Nathaniel: Some kids think they’re being brave by not taking the ponchos.
Nathaniel: They’re wrong. They’re not brave, just dumb.
Nathaniel: Always take the poncho. Always.
* The scene cuts and returns to the group. They are now inside the Bird Tunnel. *
The walking path within the Tunnel is slim, surrounded by a cage of metal wiring. Each side of the path is lined with trees and vegetation, and is lit by overhead lights. All sorts of different birds fly around the tunnel, not only along the sides of the path, but also overhead.
“See?” Nathaniel shouts back at the crew, only just managing to be louder than the chorus of birds. “It’s a tunnel. With birds. Not all of them, though, our peacocks are outside.”
Marinette tilts her head. “Isn’t that the-”
“The Emilie Agreste Peacock Zone?” Nathaniel cuts the other keeper off. “Yes.”
* The scene cuts to Adrien sitting on the couch. *
Adrien: Told you.
* The scene returns to the group in the Bird Tunnel. *
The walk through the tunnel is mostly uneventful, and soon enough they are at the end. Marinette lets out a low whistle. “Wow, I think this is the first time I-”
Again, Nathaniel cuts her off. “No, wait you’ll jinx-”
There is a wet plopping sound as bird poop lands on his shoulder. “-us.”
“Oh no, I’m sorry!” Marinette reaches for her coworker, only to pause with her arm outstretched. “I didn’t think that would jinx us.”
Nathaniel pushes open the exit door, and they all file out. “It’s okay. This is why we have the ponchos.”
Now back outside, the crew and keepers remove their ponchos and toss them in a new bin. Marinette looks like she’s about to apologize again, but Nathaniel raises one hand in her direction. “Mari, it’s okay. It happens all the time, you don’t need to apologize like eight hundred times.”
“If you’re sure.” She sighs. “I’d love to stay longer, but we still have a lot more to see. I hope you enjoy the rest of your shift!”
* The scene cuts to Nathaniel sitting on the couch. This time he has his arms crossed. *
Camera: About how many people get pooped on in the Bird Tunnel each week?
Nathaniel: Like, an average?
Camera: Yeah, your best guess.
Nathaniel:
Nathaniel: It’s gotta be about thirty.
* The scene cuts again, returning to the crew and their guide. Instead of being outside the Bird Tunnel, they are sitting on outdoor bleachers. *
The bleachers are simple metal ones, the kind found at schools and sports fields, enclosed in tall walls holding a sunshade overhead. There are a few visitors scattered around the seats, all watching the show happening before them excitedly.
In front of the bleachers is a large tank of water, a pod of dolphins swimming around inside. The small crowd cheers as one jumps through a hoop being held by a keeper in the water. The keeper has short red hair, and is wearing a wetsuit similar to the one Nino was wearing. However instead of splashes of pale pink, her suit has a lighter blue colour.
Another dolphin jumps through her hoop, and the other keeper, standing up on a little platform by the back wall, tosses a treat to the creature. His hair is dark and on the longer side, a light blue bandana tied around his forehead under his bangs. The second keeper is dressed in the typical uniform, only his t-shirt is a deep blue colour. His safari shorts are almond beige and rather than the black boots, he’s wearing black water shoes.
“This show, the Aquatic Wonder, runs twice a day on average.” Marinette explains, the crowd clapping as one of the dolphins jumps rather high out of the water. “This is the first attraction to be cancelled during bad weather. It’s very popular.”
They stay to watch the end of the show, and clap along with the crowd as the keepers and the dolphins do little bows. The visitors begin to file out of the viewing area as the keepers do their post-performance clean up.
“Wasn’t that lovely?” Marinette grins, gesturing to the tank. “Our aquatic keepers are quite good at what they do. Ondine there typically does the portions in the water, but Marc Anciel, at the back there, he works quite hard to help train for the shows.”
One of the boom operators speaks up. “Is it just the two of them?”
Marinette nods as she gets up from her seat. “At the moment, yes. We don’t have the biggest aquatic section so there isn’t too much work. Oh, the exit should be cleared by now, ready to move on?”
* The scene cuts to Ondine sitting on the couch, still in her wetsuit but with a light blue towel wrapped around her shoulders. *
Camera: Are you usually the one in the tank for the shows?
Ondine: Yes, by choice. The water is like my second home, so I try to spend as much time in there with the animals as possible.
Camera: What do you do on inclement days?
Ondine: Well if both of us are working, Marc and I guide the animals into their sheltered tanks that they stay in overnight. If it’s a busy day we’ll go help somewhere else, but otherwise we stay and chill with the animals.
Camera: And about how often are there protests at your shows?
Ondine: Ugh, at least once a month. They’re more active in the summer too, so all that good swimming weather is ruined. We’re not [Redacted], we actually care for our creatures here.
* The scene cuts to Marc sitting on the couch. His smile is strained and his fingers fidget in his lap. *
Marc: I don’t go in the water much, Ondine has that pretty much covered.
Camera: What do you do between shows then?
Marc: I technically also work with the Bird Tunnel? I have a second bandana in my locker and everything, but usually I’m helping with Aquatics.
Camera: So you’re close with Nathaniel?
Marc: U-uh, yeah, w-we’re pretty close, I’d say.
Marc:
Camera:
Marc:
Camera: Well thanks for this, Marc.
* The scene cuts back to the crew and Marinette, standing outside another exhibit. *
After leaving the aquatic show, Marinette led the crew to the section of the zoo housing the bears. Now, stopped at the brown bear exhibit, Marinette peers into the enclosure. Inside it is large and made to look like a forest with a small stream, towering trees, and lots of smaller vegetation. Many bears are lounging around the enclosure, most just resting.
Marinette has her hands cupped over her eyes as she peers through the glass, clearly looking for something. With her attention focused there, she fails to notice the young man walking up to them. His dark hair is styled upwards, forming a near perfect cylinder atop his head. He’s wearing the same black polo shirt Chloe was, with deep brown khakis and dark grey casual shoes. A purple lanyard hangs around his neck, and he pushes up his dark green glasses as he clears his throat.
Marinette startles, and whirls to face the young man with a little shout. Her expression quickly shifts from shocked to happy. “Oh! Max, it’s you. Don’t sneak up on me like that!”
“Apologies, Marinette.” Max holds a hand over the turtle logo, over his heart. “I noticed you standing here with what I’m assuming is the crew from the studio, so I thought I’d save you the trouble of tracking me down.”
The keeper grins. “Aw, that’s so thoughtful! Thank you, Max.”
The man shrugs. “It was the logical thing to do. But all the same, you’re welcome.”
“Well, let me introduce our lab rat, Max Kante.” Marinette gestures to Max, who nods at the crew. “He runs lessons and presentations out of our little research lab for school class tours.”
Max smiles calmly, hands clasped behind his back. “I host more thorough lessons on ecology, zoology, and biology for older classes. I believe that during every visit to Miraculous, each guest should learn something new, no matter how old they are.”
“How wise.” One of the camera men muses.
Marinette laughs, patting the other worker on the shoulder. “That’s our Max! Although, what were you doing in the bears section?”
“Ah, Caline called and asked me to deliver a fresh batch of specialized formula for her ill cub.” Max explains. “I was just on my way back to the lab.”
“That explains why I couldn’t find her.” Marinette mumbles. “Thanks, Max, you’re the best!”
A small, conservative smile spreads on his face. “You’re welcome. I must go now, but I wish you the best of luck with the remainder of your tour.”
Max leaves with a final nod, walking down the path to head back to the lab. Marinette glances into the enclosure again, and her face lights up at what she sees. “Oh! There she is now!”
The keeper points into the back of the exhibit, where the crew see a tall woman slowly walking through the trees with a little brown bear cub in her arms. Her ginger hair is tied back in a messy bun, a purple bandana in the place of a hair tie. Over her black uniform shirt she’s wearing the windbreaker, her coloured sections the same purple as her bandana. With black boots and sand beige safari pants rounding out her uniform, she is noticeably the oldest keeper so far, though not by much. When she spots Marinette and the crew watching her, she smiles softly and waves around the cub in her arms.
“There’s Caline Bustier, one of our two senior keepers.” Marinette waves back as she introduces the woman in the bear enclosure. “She helped train a good number of us, so we’ve adopted her as the ‘group mom’. Like, there’s a reason she’s earned the nickname ‘Mama Bear Bustier’!”
One of the camera men speaks up. “And she’s okay with it?”
“We do it mostly as a joke,” Marinette explains, “but other times it’s to get her to smile. Seeing her smile is worth it.”
* The scene cuts to Caline sitting on the couch. Her smile is friendly and she sits with one leg crossed over the other. *
Camera: About how long have you been working here at Miraculous?
Caline: Oh, nearly fifteen years at this point. Doesn’t ever feel like it, though.
Camera: Does it bother you that most of your coworkers are younger than you?
Caline: Not at all! They’re all such wonderful people, I can’t imagine a better group to work with.
Camera: Even when they call you Mama Bear Bustier?
Caline: Haha, even then. It’s cute, honestly. They are kinda like my kids, in a way. My work kids.
* The scene cuts to Max sitting on the couch, his hands folded neatly in his lap. *
Max: What would you like to ask me?
Camera: Have you ever worked as a keeper here?
Max: I did, for my first month or so. Then the last instructor retired, and I asked to take over the position.
Camera: You seem pretty passionate about your job.
Max: Education is worth being passionate about. How should I expect the children to learn anything when I’m not putting in my best effort?
Camera: Very well put, Max. Hopefully we can sit in on one of your lessons before we wrap up shooting!
Max: Yes, that would be ideal.
* The scene cuts and returns to the crew and Marinette. They have left the bears section and now enter the primate section. *
The primate section is mostly the same as the bears exhibit, barring the types of animals shown there. The few enclosures are big and forested, though the group walks past most of them.
They’re just passing the gorilla enclosure when a large figure steps out of a nearby staff only door. His hair is mostly dark, with the tips bleached lighter. His uniform consists of the black t-shirt and medium beige safari shorts with the black boots. Looped around his right ankle is a brown bandana. When he and Marinette spot each other, they light up and wave.
“Hey! Guys, this is Ivan Bruel, he works here in primates.” Marinette introduces the man joyfully. “Don’t let his size trick you, he’s a big softy. Just wait until you see him with his gorillas, he’s a gentle giant.”
Ivan rolls his eyes, his smile fond. “Marinette, you’re too kind. I just do my job.”
“Between you and Mylene, it’s hard to tell who's more humble.” Marinette jokes, elbowing the taller keeper lightly. “Have you seen Kim lately? We need to check in with him too.”
Ivan sighs, shaking his head. He crosses his arms over his chest. “He’s trying to work with Xuppu again, believe it or not. So your best chances are back with the spider monkeys.”
“Again?” The shorter keeper seems exasperated. “Well, that’s Kim for you, stubborn as a bull. Thanks a bunch, Ivan, hopefully we can catch up more later!”
Ivan smiles and waves the group off as Marinette leads the crew further into the section. “Sure thing, good luck.”
Marinette guides them past a few more exhibits before she finds the one they were looking for. Inside the enclosure a group of spider monkeys holler loudly as they jump between the trees, tossing a cell phone between them like a ball.
Running between them on the ground is a clearly frustrated man in a keeper uniform. Like Ivan his hair is dark with his tips bleached, and tied around his head like a sweatband is a brown bandana. His uniform consists of a muscle shirt variation of the uniform shirt with almond beige shorts and black boots.
Marinette sighs heavily at the display, burying her face in her hands for a moment. “Do you see the idiot who got his phone stolen by the monkeys? That’s the infamous Le Chien Kim.”
“Does this happen often?” One of the boom operators asks.
The young woman pinches the bridge of her nose as she squeezes her eyes shut. “More than you’d think. The little ring leader of the group, Xuppu, has a mischievous streak a mile wide and Kim has no self awareness. I doubt we’ve gone a week without Kim having something stolen.”
The operator frowns. “Why does he spend so much time in there then?”
* The scene cuts to Kim sitting on the couch, leaning back against it with his arms resting on the back. *
Kim: I’m going to train them to do tricks and stunts so we can get our own show! Like Aurore and her dolphins, yeah? Each day we’re getting closer and closer to mastering our first big trick!
Camera: How long have you been working on this?
Kim: Two years.
* The scene returns to Marinette and the crew. *
“There’s no use hanging around much longer.” Marinette sighs. “He’ll be busy for the next while, we can just catch him once he gets this wrapped up.”
One of the camera men pipes up. “Aren’t you going to help him?”
“Kim can handle this, he has tons of practice.” The young keeper waves off the concern, and starts leading the crew elsewhere. “Say, would you guys like to meet the face of Miraculous’ logo?”
* The scene cuts to Ivan sitting on the couch, hunched over to seem smaller. *
Camera: You work with the gorillas, correct?
Ivan: Primarily yes.
Camera: Are they popular with the public?
Ivan: Somewhat. We had a baby silverback born earlier this year and decided to let folks vote for his name on Twitter.
Ivan: His name is now Harambe.
Ivan: We avoided the name for years, even if it won polls, but schools were threatening to boycott if we kept, and I quote, ‘ignoring the needs of the people’. So Harambe is his name.
* The scene cuts to Kim on the couch again. *
Kim: Mari, Nino, and I go way back. The three of us graduated together before we came to work here. We’re pretty close.
Camera: Do you enjoy working with your friends?
Kim: Duh. It makes everything like, eight hundred percent more fun. Alix and I have a long running series of bets and competitions we do when things are slow. We used to keep track of who won the most, but we lost track a while ago.
Camera: Who do you think is in the lead?
Kim: Me!
* The scene cuts to Alix on the couch. *
Alix: It’s me.
* The scene cuts once more, returning to the crew outside. They are now walking through the Africa section. *
The exhibits the crew walk by now are the biggest so far, housing large animals like elephants, giraffes, and zebras. Each enclosure features a small watering hole, dusty earth and rock fixtures, and sparse vegetation native to the regions each species is from. As they journey further into the section, the crowd grows thicker and thicker, culminating at one exhibit in particular. It’s the smallest in the section, containing a singular, slow moving tortoise.
Guests unwillingly part as Marinette cuts a path to the front of the crowd, providing the crew with a perfect shot of the large creature. “This is Wayzz! He’s not only our most popular animal, he’s also the inspiration for the turtle logo we use here at Miraculous. He’s been here since the zoo first opened, and we’ve had visitors come from far away just to get a chance to see him.”
“...is there anything special about him?” One of the boom operators asks hesitantly.
Marinette faces the crew with a stern face. “Everything is special about Wayzz. He’s the best thing to ever exist on this planet, maybe even in the universe.”
“O-okay, got it.”
Inside the exhibit, a door opens along the back wall. An older woman walks in, her dark purple hair styled in a spiky style, her eyes stern behind dark glasses. Tied to the legs of her glasses is a beige bandana, the same colour as her uniform pants. Her full-sleeved uniform shirt is a very light brown, and her boots black.
The woman walks into the middle of the enclosure, tipping the bucket she carries and pouring food into a tray for Wayzz. She doesn’t linger and leaves immediately once she’s done, the crowd erupting into loud cheers as Wayzz begins to eat his food.
“THAT WAS MENDELEIEV, SHE WORKS HERE IN THE AFRICA SECTION!” Marinette shouts, barely audible over the roaring crowd.
One of the boom operators shouts back. “IS THAT HER NAME? MENDELEIEV?”
“WE’RE NOT SURE!” The keeper explains. “IT’S JUST WHAT EVERYONE’S ALWAYS CALLED HER!”
One of the camera men shouts over the cheers. “CAN WE GO SOMEWHERE MORE QUIET?”
“SURE THING!”
* The scene cuts out to a black screen. After a second, white letters fade onto the screen reading ‘Mendeleiev refused an interview at this time’. After a few seconds the sentence fades away and the scene returns to Marinette and the crew, who have left the Africa section. *
The crew and Marinette now stand in front of one of the exhibits within the arctic section. The penguin enclosure in front of them has a large pool of water, and a land portion made of dark gravel and snow. The penguins, however, are all lying flat on the ground, and a young woman steps around carefully while placing them back on their feet.
The woman has long blonde hair tied in loose pigtails, a white bandana tied at the top of her head. The uniform windbreaker she’s wearing is mainly dark grey with white where the black jackets had colour, and her uniform shirt is a light grey. Her safari pants, also a lighter grey, are tucked into snow white boots.
Marinette raises a hand in the direction of the enclosure, gesturing to the woman picking up the penguins. “This is our arctic keeper, Aurore Beareal.”
“What is she doing?” One of the camera men asks.
Marinette shrugs in an offhand manner. “Erecting the penguins.”
“She’s what?”
* The scene cuts to Aurore sitting on the couch, and she looks tired. *
Aurore: The penguins, they really like planes? Like, a lot-
Aurore: And their enclosure has a big skylight, so when a plane goes overhead they just, topple.
Aurore: I have to go in every couple hours and ‘erect’ them, get them back up again.
Aurore:
Aurore: I get paid to do this.
* The scene cuts back to the crew outside. *
Marinette sighs, watching her fellow keeper place another penguin on its feet. “Those penguins are so cute, but they have poor Aurore on the go all the time.”
“Does it happen often?” The cameraman asks.
The guide makes a thoughtful face. “We’re not terribly close to any airports, but a few planes fly by every day. So, frequently enough that a lesser keeper would’ve gone mad. Thankfully Aurore knows how to keep her cool.”
“That was a good pun.”
Marinette startles, a look of horror dawning on her face. “What? Oh god, no-”
* The scene cuts to Adrien on the couch, grinning. *
Adrien: Hahaha, she really said a pun? Amazing! I’m finally rubbing off on her!
* The scene cuts to Aurore on the couch. She seems less tired, but her smile is muted. *
Aurore: I think I’m the newest keeper here? I don’t think anyone new has joined in the last year and a half…
Camera: Is is weird being the newest?
Aurore: Not really. Most of the others hadn’t been around long when I first came, so it’s not such a big deal.
Camera: Did you always want to be a zoo keeper?
Aurore: No, not until recently.
Camera: What did you want to do? Before?
Aurore: I always wanted to be on TV. Considered acting for a while, but I convinced myself I wanted to be a weather girl.
Camera: What changed?
Aurore: I realized it didn’t make me as happy as I hoped. So I quit, went back to school for a few years, and found myself here.
Camera: And are you happy?
* Her smile grows. *
Aurore: I truly think I am.
* The scene cuts back to Marinette and the crew, now walking through the last section of the zoo, the canine section. *
The canine section, more than any other, resembles the feline section. Winding path lined with varied exhibits, differing in size and decoration. As they pass through the section, they walk by enclosures containing wolves, wild dogs, and coyotes to name a few.
After a minute or so they come up on the last exhibit, housing a skulk of red foxes. The enclosure is set up like a small forest, many older foxes napping in the shade provided by some of the trees. The younger pups swarm the feet of a young woman, who is attempting to wade through them without stepping on any paws or tails. Her bright ginger hair is in a stylish bob, an orange bandana made to look like a headband nearly blending into her hair. Her uniform t-shirt is the standard black, her safari pants are sand beige, and her boots black. Dark brown glasses slide down her nose slowly as teal eyes sweep the ground as she takes each step.
Another keeper is leaning against the back wall of the exhibit, one of the older foxes sniffing at the toe of her black boots. Her long, dark brown hair is mostly loose, save the two bunches tied off on either side of her face. Her orange bandana is tied in a manner that resembles the hood of a sweatshirt, resting against her black uniform tank top, paired with olive brown safari shorts. She’s ignoring everything around her in favour of tapping away at her phone.
“And, finally, our last two keepers!” Marinette cheers. “Sabrina Raincomprix is the one struggling to reach the feeding area, and Lila Rossi is…”
Marinette grimaces, gesturing to the keeper at the back. “Not helping her. I’m not even surprised at this point.”
“Is Lila usually slacking off?” One of the boom operators asks.
The guide tugs at her vest, shrugging a little. “Only when she’s working with someone else, which happens a lot with three of them working in canines. Usually she’s not this obvious about it, though.”
* The scene cuts to Lila sitting on the couch, her expression very bored. *
Lila: I was doing something very important.
Lila: I like to go on Facebook and bully old racists and homophobes and all them. I think it’s very important.
Camera: More important than your job?
Lila: Sabrina had it handled.
* The scene cuts to a distraught Sabrina on the couch. *
Sabrina: I did not have it handled. I was being swarmed!
Sabrina: The foxes are a two keeper job, and Lila knows this. They get too excited, need to be distracted!
Camera: How long have you been working with Lila?
Sabrina: Like, nearly two years, that’s when she started. Alya and I had it down easy the year before. Now I’m being swarmed by pups more than once a week.
Sabrina: ...am I too young to retire?
* The scene returns to Marinette and the crew, now making their way back through the zoo towards the entrance. *
“We allow a variety of different events to be booked here nearly year round!” Marinette explains to the crew, her earlier enthusiasm back in full force. “Birthday parties, school trips, private banquets, we do it all. Oh, and once we had a graduation held here in the zoo! A local high school paid to have the zoo to themselves for the day, and graduates took photos with many of the animals.”
One of the camera men speaks up to ask her a question. “What’s your favourite event to host?”
The keeper smiles wide, staring off as she recalls memories. “Well, I’m particular to-”
“MARINETTE!”
The crew and keeper pause as someone calls out to her, searching for the source of the shout. They spot Kim sprinting towards them, his movements and face riddled with panic. “MARINETTE!”
“Kim?” Marinette mutters under her breath, leaning back as the man stumbles to a halt before them, panting and wheezing. “What are you- what’s wrong?”
The other keeper gulps down a few gasping breaths, his face cherry red. “Xuppu, he- he must’ve grabbed my- keys, when I was distracted, and-”
Marinette lays a gentle hand on her friend’s shoulder, leaning over to check on him, filled with concern. “Kim, what happened?”
“Xuppu got out, and he’s going around releasing other animals!”
The second the words leave his mouth, Kim collapses to his knees on the ground, breathing hard. Marinette, still frozen, grows paler by the second. Her face slowly morphs into one of pure terror.
“Oh f[bleep]k.”
To Be Continued.