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Chapter Text

The entire building rumbled and shook. Plates were clattering, paintings were swinging, clutter around the house fell off the shelves and counters. Tom steadied himself and his wife as they both stood up off the ground. Tom looked down at his wife, while Sabine looked up at the hatch door that lead to her daughter's room. 

"Is she alright in there?" Tom asked. 

"Poor thing's probably real nervous, honey. Trust me, it was probably worse than this when my ceremony came around." Sabine kissed her husband on the cheek and smiled at him. "I'll go talk to her and see if I can calm her nerves. Still, try to put all the delicate stuff until we're in the clear, okay?"

Tom chuckled and nodded his head. 

Sabine carefully made her way up the stairs, as the rumbling and shaking got stronger as she got closer to Marinette's room. She gripped the railing of the stairs and reached out to the hatch, using her powers to open it. Once she was inside, she sighed and looked at her daughter. 

Although she was a nervous mess, Marinette beautiful as ever. Her hair was down and flowed down to her mid-back, being held back from her face by a white ribbon. She wore a simple, short-sleeved white laced dress that stopped at her knees and some white lace flats. To accompany her outfit, she wore light makeup and some white pearl earrings. 

Sabine wanted to stop, stare and smile at her daughter, but she was more concerned with making their home doesn't come crumbling down. 

Marinette paced back and forth, chewing on her nail, and looked distressed as ever. The entire room shook to the point where items were moving and dropping all around her, but she wasn't in the right state of mind to notice. 

"Marinette!" she called, but the sound of the building made it a little harder to hear her, besides, Marinette was too lost in her frantic thoughts. "Marinette! Marinette, sweetie, calm yourself!"

Marinette turned to her mom, "I'm trying mom! What if something goes wrong?! What if someone finds out about us?!" she exclaimed. The lights began to flicker as Marinette continued to bite her nails and go back to pacing. 

"Sweetie, everything's going to be alright! Your father and I made sure to be extremely careful and cautious. And besides, we have plenty of backup plans in case things do somehow manage to go wrong!"

The rumbling got quieter and Sabine was finally fully standing up straight due to the weakening of the quakes. She went over to her daughter and embraced her. She gave a quick kiss to Marinette's head and pushed some of her hair back. 

"Sweetheart, tonight is a very special night. There's no way we'd be sloppy. Plus, you're more important to us. If it came down to it, our first and foremost priority would be you and those girls. Your father and I won't let anything happen to you as long as we breathe, alright?" 

Marinette looked at her, then nodded. 

Sabine smiled. "Now, how about we take some deep breathes, hm? I don't think this place can take another freak-out session without collapsing." she comforted with a chuckle. 

Marinette sighed. "I know..I'm sorry for freaking out..it's just-"

"Honey, I understand. Even if it was many many years ago, I still remember being in your shoes. I was terrified that something unfortunate might happen, and in the end, my fears quickly diminished and I ended up enjoying myself. How about this? You go up to your balcony and get some fresh air, while your father and I clean up down here? We'll call you down when it's time."

Marinette wanted to protest and offer to help, but considering the circumstances and the occasion, she knew it would be best to just comply. Besides, Sabine was adamant when it comes to cleaning and who does the cleaning, and Marinette knew she needed some fresh air. 

She nodded her head and turned to climb up her bed. She opened the hatch to her balcony and climbed up and out of her room, shutting the hatch behind her. Marinette walked to the railing and leaned against it. She let out a deep breath and stared at the moon, taking in the beauty of the clear night skies. 

"Wow, what an exciting day. Modeling, piano classes, and dealing with a father who refuses to listen to anyone but himself." Adrien said in a monotone voice as he entered his room. He threw his bag down by his bed and stretched, not listening to the black kwami yelp and complain about being thrown. 

Plagg flew out of his duffle bag, holding a slice of camembert. "You know what would make this day really exciting? Some perfect and wonderful tasting camembert!" 

"While some food would be nice, you're the only one who actually likes that stuff, Plagg," Adrien remarked, changing into his pajamas. 

"Eh, your loss."

"Although..." 

Plagg quickly gulped down the cheese, then looked at Adrien. Looking at the smirk on the model's face gave away that there was an idea forming in that head of his. 

"Some food would be nice. And everyone, including father, is in for the night."

Plagg sighed. "Adrien-"

"Plagg, claws out!" 

Plagg tried to hang on and grab another piece of cheese, but the force of the ring was too strong, and before he knew it, Adrien had fully transformed into Cat Noir. 

Cat Noir opened his window and hopped out. He landed on a roof and scanned some of the city. The food his father fed him was never enough, and turning into Cat Noir was his only chance of getting some actual food in him. He sniffed the air and tried to find some scents of food that he could snatch up. 

Finally, his nose caught on to some of the sweetest smelling goods that his nose would ever pick up. He licked his lips and hurriedly jumped from roof to roof, desperately trying to get get to whatever that smell was. The more he got closer, the more his mouth watered. He could tell there was more, no...there was a lot. 

Cat Noir's stumbled growled with hunger and excitement. The lights of the city reflected in his green eyes and the leather suit as he flew and jumped around swiftly through the city. His blonde hair blew back as he relished the feeling of the freedom he was experiencing. A hungry and excited grin appeared on his face, as he dropped down onto another roof and saw a bakery with the lights on as if they were still open. 

He squinted his eyes to read the sign. Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie. He had heard Natalie speaking about them once or twice to his father, but he had never really heard anything else about them. He never even had the chance to try them out. 

But still, bakeries usually close at a certain and never stay open late. Why was that particular bakery open so late in the night? Half of the city was asleep, and the other most likely didn't have bread and sweets on their minds. 

Cat Noir could see a couple, through the windows, cleaning and picking up some stuff from the floor. The wife, a short Chinese woman, shook her head as she picked up spilled flour bags. She looked out the door real quick before turning to look at her tall and burly husband. The husband chuckled and replied back while sweeping away. So those must've been the owners of the bakery. Tom and Sabine. And it looked like they were busy cleaning up a mess that someone made. The windows were all intact and the door didn't look like it was broken, so it didn't seem like someone had broken in. 

Cat Noir sighed. Whatever happened, he still wouldn't be able to sneak in there and get him something to munch on. His shoulders and ears sunk. All that running and jumping, just to not be able to get in. He'd just have to get food from somewhere else. 

Something moved in corner of Cat Noir's eyes. Well, more at the top, but he noticed something moving around. Something white or dressed in all white. 

Then, he heard a feminine sigh. He glanced up, back down, then did a double-take as he looked back up. 

On the balcony on top of the bakery was the most beautiful girl he'd ever seen in his life. Sure, he'd seen many girls when they were gushing and fangirling over him, and they were pretty, but the one he was currently looking at was..different. 

The moon acted as a spotlight. Shining down upon the blue-haired girl and blacking out the rest of the world. Cat Noir just couldn't decide on what part to focus on. Her luscious hair, her beautiful pale skin, her twinkling blue eyes, the parting of her pink and healthy lips, or the modest white clothing she wore. His eyes widened and focused in on her and his jaw slowly dropped. For moments, it felt like it was only him and her, even though she hadn't noticed him yet. He felt entranced and spellbound. He couldn't look away, even if he wanted to. 

The girl leaned the railing of the balcony and looked up at the window. She looked upset. Like she was nervous about something. She stared up at the moon and at the city, letting the light breeze blow at her and through her hair. She was too caught up in her thoughts that she didn't even notice the cat-dressed figure staring at her with an awestruck face. 

Cat Noir's body was frozen in place, but his mind practically screamed at him to go and talk to her. At least get her name. 

Giving a quick look back to the couple, Cat Noir grabbed his staff and extended it, using it to catapult himself across the street and onto the building across from him. He landed behind her and hid in the shadows. He swallowed down his nervousness, shut his eyes, and took a deep breath. A flirtatious smile graced his face and he finally hopped out of the shadows and onto the chimney. 

"Why hello there."

Marinette jumped and spun around, looking to see where the voice came from. No one but her should be up where she was. At least no ordinary human. 

"Up here." Cat Noir directed. 

Marinette looked up at the boy and tilted her head in confusion. Why was there a kid, who looked her age, dressed up like a cat and balancing himself on one of the chimneys..like a cat?

"I couldn't help but notice you sitting here by yourself. Especially how nervous you looked."

Cat Noir moved down to the railing, Making Marinette subconsciously take a step back and raise an eyebrow at him. So, not only was the Cat guy on her balcony, but he was watching her from afar?

"Uh..Who...Who are you?"

Cat Noir's ears perked up. "Oh!" he jumped down from the railing to the floor of the balcony and got down on one knee, taking Marinette's hand in his. He looked up at her with big, warm, and lovesick eyes as he smiled up at her. "I'm Cat Noir," he said as he planted a soft kiss on her smooth, silky hand. 

Although confused, Marinette didn't bother to take her hand away from him, and actually blushed a little when he kissed it. 

"Oh...I'm...Marinette." she replied back, studying Cat Noir's ensemble. 

It took everything in Cat Noir not to buckle at the knees and melt into a puddle. Even her voice was perfect. 

"Say, aren't you that guy who jumps around the city and steals stuff? What are you doing here?" 

Cat Noir sighed and walked over the railing. He leaned on it, and looked to the side at Marinette. "Yeah, but it's not like I just want to be a menace. I just mainly want some food so I won't go hungry for the night." he turned around and leaned his back against the railing. "And couldn't help but notice you here...especially with how beautiful you look," he said quietly. "I had to at least get your name."

Marinette blushed. Even though it was kinda odd that some guy named 'Cat Noir' just made himself home on her balcony, compliments always got to her. She pushed some of her hair back and walked over to stand next to Cat noir. "So do you usually land on random girls' roofs and ask for their names?"

Cat Noir chuckled. "No, not at all. Actually, you're the first girl I've ever talked to. Well, like this."

"Really? A guy like you? I find that a little hard to believe." said Marinette. 

"It's true. My father doesn't even allow me to do even half the things a guy my age should be doing. I can't talk to anyone outside my home unless it's required of me."

Marinette stood up straight and stared at Cat Noir's downtrodden face. She could see his eyebrows furrow underneath his mask and the way his lips went from the charming smile to a frown. But Marinette couldn't help but notice the look in his eyes. The look of misery and sorrow as his thoughts traveled to his home life. She couldn't relate, exactly, but she knew that feeling. 

The raven-haired girl looked to her hatch door, and then back to the cat guy. She didn't need to be preoccupied with such a matter, especially on this special night, but at the same time, she couldn't just leave this stray cat feeling all sad and hungry on her balcony. 

"Cat Noir, was it? You said you go out and look for food to eat?" 

Cat Noir looked up at her, still wearing a sad face, and nodded his head. 

"Wait here. I think we've got something left over."

"Here. These are some of the leftovers from today's batch."

Marinette sat down a plate of slightly warm baked goods on one of the counters. She took one and handed it to Cat Noir. He looked down it with cautious eyes, then looked back up at Marinette. He took it out of her hands and lifted it up, as if he was studying it, before eventually taking a bite out of the soft bread. 

Cat Noir may have tasted a lot of food from stealing from food businesses to eating at the fancy restaurants his father had him eat at, but nothing in the world-no, Paris, could compare to how to amazing the bread he was currently eating. Even if it wasn't fresh, it still tasted like heaven. The way the glazed and soft bread combined together on his tongue, and the sweetness of it satisfied his unattended sweet tooth. The combination of it all sent him straight to euphoria. 

"This..This is delicious! It's the best thing I've ever had!" he looked at the plate, then back to Marinette as he pointed a finger towards the goods. "Can I have some more, if it's alright?"

Marinette nodded her head. "Knock yourself out." 

Cat Noir gleefully went to the plate and grabbed another good, then another as he continued to gobble them up. Marinette felt a warm, happy feeling in her chest and smiled as she watched the starving cat-guy eat to his heart's content. Still, what he said earlier poked at her brain and drove her to ask another question. 

"So, your dad.." she started, catching Cat Noir's attention, "If he doesn't let you eat enough, or talk to anyone outside of your home, why don't you tell him or anyone how you feel?"

The boy swallowed down the baked good and shrugged. "I've tried, but every time, I'm easily dismissed or shut down. And it's not like I can tell anyone besides the others, and they're all at his beck and command. It may not be the best way, but..this is the only I can experience that sliver of freedom that I crave."

"Behind a mask," Marinette added as she watched and stared at him with empathy. She looked back up to the moon and sighed. "You want to show the world your true self, but there's that force that's blocking you from doing so, so you have to disguise or cover yourself up to get away with it all. Don't I know it. " 

Marinette most definitely related with Cat Noir. Even though she wasn't dressing up as some animal, jumping all thought Paris, her and her mother being what they were, couldn't practice out in public due to fear of being hunted. She was taught from day one that if the wrong person caught wind of what she was, it could ruin, or just outright end her life.

She turned to Cat Noir, who was still eating the pastries and smiled. She rubbed his blonde hair and chuckled, making him blush and freeze. 

"Y'know, you're not such a bad kitty at all, are you?" she said as she continued rubbing his head. He smiled blissfully and leaned into her hand, not caring if she messed up his hair or if someone saw them. His only concern was that the angel on the balcony was petting and rubbing his head. 

A figurative lightbulb lit up above Cat Noir's head. 

"Marinette! It's time, honey!"

Marinette's heart began to pound again, but she still kept her cool as she looked over the railing of the balcony. She looked back to Cat Noir and brought back her previous smile. 

"Tell you what: If you're in need of some food, how 'bout you come back here tomorrow night and see if we have any more pastries left. Okay?"

Cat Noir nodded eagerly. 

"Well, I have to go now. Have a good night, kitty," she said as she went over to her hatch door and climbed back into her room. 

Cat Noir hopped away and landed on another roof, far enough to where no one would really see him, but close enough to where he could watch Marinette get into a car with her family and ride off. He sighed as he thought about her and all of her traits. The way she spoke and the way she moved was like hearing a bird's song or watching a flower blow in the wind. The way she shined brighter than all the stars in the night sky captivated him. And not only did he get her name, she actually fed him and rubbed his head. 

She truly was an angel on a balcony. 

Chapter Text

"Marinette?"

Marinette looked away from the massage shop sign and to her right, looking for whoever called her name. Even though it was dark, her supernatural nature allowed her to see better than regular humans when it came to seeing in the dark. Still, she squinted her eyes a little until she saw who it was. 

A young Japanese girl in a white kimono made her way toward Marinette. The girl brushed a little of her dark-colored hair out of her face and out of the way of her determined, reddish eyes. Her skin, like Marinette's, was a creamy pale that shined in the moonlight, lightly decorated with brown freckles. Even though her sharp eyes had a straightforward, poised look about them, her lips formed a small, but warm smile. 

"Kagami?" 

Kagami nodded her head as she finally made it to Marinette's side. She gave a bow to Marinette, who wanted to protest but decided to let her go on with it. Kagami raised back up and looked Marinette in the eyes, still wearing that same small smile. "It's nice to meet you, Marinette."

Marinette smiled. "It's to meet you too, Kagami! So! You were able to make it out without any complications?" she asked. 

"Yes, but it took some time to plan out and execute. My mother may be blind, but she isn't a fool." Kagami looked up at the same sign that Marinette was looking at. "This is the place?"

Marinette nodded. "Mhmm! Mom says that the guy here is the one who's gonna do the ritual-or ceremony- for us. We just gotta wait on the others to arrive."

"The others? You told me about them a while ago, but may I ask, who are these 'others?'"

Marinette glanced back at her mother and father, who were getting things out of their car, and turned back to Kagami. "Oh, they're just two girls from my class. They should be here soon, though," she said, glancing around the block and down the street.

"We're here." a quiet voice said from behind Marinette. 

Marinette turned around and Kagami looked past her with a raised eyebrow. Two girls approached them. One was a tall slender girl in a white dress shirt and white pants. Her black and purple hair covered half of her face and went all the way down to her lower back as she smiled at Marinette and Kagami. The other was a shorter girl with short ginger-colored hair, a pair of glasses, and a white hairband. She shyly waved at the two. 

"Juleka! Sabrina! You're here!" Marinette happily exclaimed, smiling at the two. 

"I ran into Sabrina on the way, so I decided to walk with her here," Juleka mentioned.

Sabrina simply nodded her head, not knowing what to say to the girls she was forced to help bully. Marinette noticed her face and gave her a reassuring smile. Without words, Sabrina already felt a little more welcome and comforted, so she smiled back, staying silent.

"Sabrina, Juleka, this is Kagami." she introduced, motioning toward the stone-faced girl. Kagami gave a nod to the two. "She's the one I met online!" she then turned to Kagami. "Kagami, these are Sabrina and Juleka, my classmates!"

"It's nice to meet you, Kagami," Sabrina said. 

Kagami, still wearing an unreadable face, responded. "Likewise."

"Oh! It looks like everyone's here!" 

The four girls turned to Sabine as she walked up to them. Sabrina and Juleka waved while Kagami gave a bow. 

"Now, before we go in, I just want to make sure that you girls are sure that you want to go through with this. This is gonna change your life completely, but it also comes with some downsides, such as people out there still hunting our kind. It's not too late to turn back now." Sabine explained, looking at each girl. She was mainly speaking to the other three since Marinette had been prepared and waiting for that very moment. 

"Yeah, guys, we swear we won't blame you if you decide to not go through with it," Marinette added. 

A few moments passed, and the four girls were looking at each other, but none of them made a move or gave a sign that they wanted to turn back and leave.

Sabine nodded her head at this. "Alright then. Well, if we're all ready, then let's head inside. Have you all eaten yet?" 

Adrien landed in his room and quickly detransformed. He sighed lovingly as he fell back onto his bed, not caring about whatever Plagg was fussing about. He closed his eyes, sighing once again, the image of Marinette staying on his mind. Adrien touched his blonde hair, then looked down at his fingers. 

"She rubbed my head, Plagg, I'll never wash my hair again." 

Plagg, from his cheese stash, gagged. "Gross."

Adrien sat up and scoffed. "Hey, says the one who's obsessed with horrible-smelling cheese!"

"At least cheese doesn't have me melting into some gross love-sick puddle! You haven't even known that girl for a whole day and I can tell you're already planning your wedding with her!"

Adrien's mind easily imagined her again. She was smiling at him in a beautiful white lace gown. Letting out a third sigh, he fell back. 

"It was just an average night, y'know? Sneaking out, swinging and running around on the roofs of Paris, and even maybe swiping something or two. Then I saw her..You should've seen her, Plagg. Her beautiful pale skin, her luscious dark hair, and her bright blue eyes, all shone under the moon. It was like staring at some sort of ethereal being. Like I was dreaming, except I didn't wanna wake up. I'd give anything to see her again." 

"Well, if you're talking about who I think you're talking about, then you're either in for a treat, or you've gotta a big storm headed your way."

Adrien's head was already up in the clouds, so he didn't really hear what Plagg had said to him. All he could think about at the moment was Marinette. However, a knock at his door broke him out of his thoughts. He quickly waved his hand at Plagg, signaling him to hide.

"Adrien? Are you awake?" Natalie called as she walked in. Once she saw him sitting up in his bed and paying attention, she continued. "Your father has something important he wants to talk to you about in his office."

The young model faked a yawn. "This late?"

Natalie nodded her head. "He said that it would be best to talk right now, so you could prepare in the morning."

Adrien quietly sighed. "Yes, Natalie." 

He quickly got out of bed and followed her to his office. Even though he usually pretended to be tired, Adrien was actually tired, and a little annoyed. His father never wakes him up unless it's urgent, and even then, it only annoyed Adrien more since the two apparently had different definitions of 'urgent.' To Adrien, trying on clothes or practicing for photoshoots and commercials was most definitely not urgent. 

Natalie opened the door for him, then excused herself. 

Adrien watched as she left and watched her shut the door behind her. He then turned to his father, who was facing the painting of their mother and wife. Adrien glanced at it too. He noticed a similarity between his mother's and Marinette's eyes, despite them being different colors. Marinette's eyes were soft and kind, just like his mother's, but there was something..captivating..magical about them. Like there was something else behind those eyes. 

"Did I wake you?" Gabriel said, snapping Adrien out of his thoughts. He continued to stare at the tall painting of Emilie, while Adrien's gaze shifted between the back of his father's head and his mother's eyes. 

Adrien shook his head, even though Gabriel wasn't looking. "No, father."

"I've thought about what we talked about earlier, and I've made my choice."

Adrien thought back to the argument (which was actually Gabriel harshly shooting down Adrien's request) about whether or not he could go to public school. There seemed to be a school for more prestigious kids his age to go to. He had even heard that Chloe, the Mayor's daughter, was attending there. Even if it was his first time going to any school, at least he'd have his childhood friend with him to help him fit in. 

"While your argument was..unconvincing, Nathalie provided some other beneficial points. You need to be social with people your age. Learn their likes and dislikes. This will help appeal more to them so that our brand and fashion line will grow."

Thankfully, Gabriel still wasn't facing Adrien, so he was free to roll his eyes. Of course. His father was more concerned about his fashion and brand than his own son's wants. 

"But.." 

The tall man finally turned around. He glanced at Adrien, then cast his look downwards to the floor, his face, unreadable. Gabriel finally looked back up at Adrien, putting his stone face back on. 

"She also tells me that she noticed a stunt in your growth. Mentally and emotionally. She brought up the fact that not being in an environment that is at least similar to a school, could have negative effects on your age. Nathalie claims that you'll thrive if you were to attend a somewhat public school."

Gabriel walked over to Adrien, who stiffened up a little, and placed his hand on his shoulder. 

"Adrien. I may not always be available, with work and all, but I am still your father. If you need to talk, I'm here for you."

Adrien couldn't tell if he wanted to laugh or scream at his father at how false that statement was. Adrien had tried many times to talk to his father about how he was feeling and if he didn't like some of the things he had to do, only to be shot down by his father. It had gotten so bad, that Adrien had to rely on a small, black, immortal cat-thing, that was obsessed with cheeses, to be his venting outlet. 

And the cherry on top? The little kwami gave better advice than both his father and Nathalie.

Adrien faked a soft smile. Well, it was a little fake. He was happy that his father was attempting to be a father, but Adrien knew that was where it would stop at. He knew that his father would quickly become unavailable once more, if not, right after this conversation. Still, wanting to hurry up and end the conversation, he nodded his head. "Thank you, father. I should hurry up and sleep so I can prepare for tomorrow."

"That would be best." agreed Gabriel. "Good night, Adrien." 

"Good night, father." 

Both father and son turned away from each other and went on their way. Gabriel went back to his late-night work, and Adrien headed back to his room. Luckily, Nathalie had retired to her bedroom, so he was free to roll his eyes and scowl at the pair of closed doors behind him. 

"As if.." he mumbled under his bread as he hurried back to his room. Adrien had better things to worry about. Things that involved hopefully seeing that angel, Marinette, tomorrow. 

When he finally made his way back to his room, and when he laid his head down, his dreams were filled with images of Marinette in that beautiful white dress she was wearing. 

"What about you, Sabrina?"

The red-haired girl put her fork down. She looked up in thought, then back to the group she was sitting with. "I-uh..I caught Marinette casting a spell. See, Chloe had dumped her juice on her, and she wanted me to go get pictures of her crying and trying to fix herself in the bathroom. Well, when I snuck in, I watched her whisper something under her breath, and in an instant, she was dry and clean. I...I know it's not the best, but...I'm sorry Marinette."

Marinette softly smiled. She never had an actual problem with Sabrina. It was who Sabrina was under that she had a problem with. Marinette could easily tell that she didn't want to do or deal with half of Chloe's crap, but there was something making her so..obedient. Marinette check many times, and didn't sense any magic coming from either of them. She deduced it down to two things after that. 

Sabrina didn't have any friends and was desperate for one, but was unfortunately stuck with Chloe, or Chloe was using her power as the Mayor's Daughter to force her to do her bidding. Either way, Marinette's plan was successful. Make Chloe mad, have Sabrina do something to Marinette or do it herself, then let Sabrina catch her casting a spell. The perfect bait to get Sabrina to open up. 

"It's fine, Sabrina. That's all in the past. Tonight is a chance for us to start over!" Marinette said. She smiled and looked over at the other girls. "A chance for all of us to start over and become better versions of ourselves!"

An old short man, wearing a red and white Hawaiian shirt stood up out of his chair, gaining everyone else's attention. "Marinette is right. You are all here for a reason. The gods, the Kwami, all saw extreme potential in you, but also saw that you were being blocked. Held back. What will happen tonight is their first gift to you. Tonight, you will be reborn, and start a new life. One where you are stronger, braver, powerful, and enlightened." he preached. 

Sabine nodded. "Master Fu is right. But, we can't take any of this for granted and or use our powers to harm others. The Kwami may be benevolent, but they are strict and firm about such matters, and will not hesitate to take matters into their own hands," she added. "But don't worry. Master Fu and I will teach you everything you need to know." 

"At least, as long as you all want to learn and gain more knowledge from--"

Two high-pitched chimes came from a different part of Master Fu's home. He smiled and clasped his hands together. 

"That means it's time to begin. The full moon has risen enough for us to let the ritual begin. Follow me, everyone. Don't worry about the table; I'll take care of it later."

Master Fu walked over to a closed-off, nearly empty, dark room. There were scrolls with ancient languages on them, and paintings of creatures none of the young girls had ever seen or even imagined before. The odd thing was that they all had animal-like features. One had a turtle shell and was green, and another looked like a bee. The only other things in the room were the windows, which were covered in curtains, and a few spaced-out, purple pillows that made a circle. In the middle, was a small circle of candles. Master Fu hummed and walked over to the middle, while the young girls all looked around. 

"Tom, may you please remove all curtains and open the windows? Sabine, could you light the candles? And girls, please sit on the pillows," Master Fu instructed, motioning to each of his requests with one of his hands. Tom and Sabine nodded. Tom patted Marinette's head affectionately before walking over and starting on the curtains and windows. Sabine waved her hand towards the circle of candles, and one by one, they lit up. Juleka and Sabrina stared in awe with big, wide eyes and open mouths. Kagami's face was less expressive, but she, too, was impressed. 

Master Fu sat on a bigger, bright red pillow and smiled as the light of the full moon flooded the room. Tom and Sabine stood at the side by the door. Most likely to keep watch in case anything, even if there were low chances, would go wrong. Marinette could feel her heart beating with anticipation and anxiousness. While she had waited for this day for her entire life, she was a worrier and an overthinker. She was terrified of something going wrong either during the ritual or after. 

Still, she let out a breath and replayed her mother's calming and encouraging words in her mind. She smiled at the others, who looked as excited. As usual, Kagami didn't have a big grin on her face like Juleka, or was staring at the moon and pictures with big eyes like Sabrina, but Marinette saw the gleam in her eye.

"Is everyone ready?"

Sabine leaned against Tom with a loving smile and a tear in her eye. Tom wrapped an arm around his wife and smiled at Marinette proudly. How much their little girl had grown. They still remember the day they discovered she had powers like her mother. She was simply crawling around their home when Sabine out of the bathroom and found her, along with other toys and pieces of furniture in the air. Ever since, Sabine, like her daughter, had been dreaming of the day Marinette would become fully blessed by the Kwami.

The four girls all nodded. 

With the confirmation, Master Fu felt as if he could begin. He closed his eyes and held his hands out. 

"O Great Kwami. Since the beginning of time, you have looked down on us and gifted us with many things. We mere humans would not be who we are today, were it not for your blessings and guidance. Tonight, we call upon you to once again bestow your greater gifts upon these young ladies. Gift them the sample of your power that you have gifted many other great figures in the past, and lead them down the same path of righteousness and knowledge that you have led others."

The light of the moon began to glow brighter, and the flame of the burning candles grew bigger and taller. Master Fu felt a wave of serenity and joy wash over him, as the four girls felt something great and powerful take place in them, and begin to spread. Fu smiled, with his eyes still closed. The Kwami had heard his voice and were now listening to him. Now, it was time to move on to the next part of the ritual.

"Great Kwami, we welcome you, and we are thankful that you acknowledge us on this night!" Master Fu exclaimed to the moon. He then turned to the girls. "Take the candles and hold them close to you. Not too close, of course. Close your eyes, and one by one, speak your reasoning for doing this ritual. When you have spoken, blow out your candle," he instructed.

Marinette, Kagami, Juleka, and Sabrina all grabbed the warm candles and held them in their hands, close enough to where they could feel the heat of the flame on their faces.

Marinette closed her eyes and took a deep breath. "I, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, am doing this ritual because I seek to continue and honor my family's legacy and line of mastery of the magical arts." 

"I, Tsurugi Kagami, wish to grow my knowledge, skills, and strength, so that I may perfect myself and become an inspiration and great friend to my allies, and a formidable opponent to my enemies."

"I, Juleka Couffaine, seek more knowledge into the magical arts and wish to master them so that I can see and know what lies beyond this world."

"I, Sabrina Raincomprix, am doing this so that I may have the capability and power to stand up for myself and others, without fear, and be able to open myself up to the world around me."

One by one, they blew out the candles. The smoke from the old flame blew around the room, in a circle around all five of the participants, and began to glow and sparkle.

Master Fu smiled widely, "The Great Kwami! They have heard you!"

The glowing, magical smoke, if it could still be called that, continued to circle around the girls, until it began to split off into four separate spirals. One part branched off and swirled over into Marinette's candle. The candle lit up again, but instead of the yellow wax of the candle, magic went over it and the candle was new red with black spots all over it. 

The same happened with the three other girls. Sabrina's turned light orange with a large white mark at the bottom, Juleka's was magenta with tiger stripes of a lighter shade, and Kagami's was red like Marinette's but instead of black dots, there were black spirals.

Tom and Sabine looked on in awe, and so did the four girls. Sabrina tried to lean in closer to look at the candle, but an insanely bright orb began to manifest in front of all four of them, forcing them to cover their eyes. When the light died down, the magic of the candle and the orb all flew up and flew into their chests, nearly knocking them down and back with its power and force. 

Marinette felt almost 5 times more powerful than she did before the ritual. She blinked and looked down at her chest where the magic struck her. She looked up once more and gasped when she saw something small floating in front of her. 

"Hello! My name is Tikki! I'm the familiar gifted to you by the Kwami of Creation!" 

Master Fu smiled softly. 

"And the ritual is complete. A new day has begun for us all."

Chapter Text

Marinette sat on her lounger, with her hair down and in her pajamas, as her familiar, 'Tikki' flew around the room, looking at everything in wonder. Marinette's eyes moved back and forth, up and down, left and right, following every movement of the little creature. 

Tikki did a little spin in the air and giggled. "This place is so cool! And big!"

Marinette chuckled as Tikki floated down into her palm. "I think it's because you're small, Tikki. So..you're my familiar, right?" she asked as she tilted her head. At that moment, the house was silent. Marinette didn't know whether or not her parents were asleep. She couldn't. Not when she had so much going on in her chest and stomach. She looked forward to becoming a witch since she was able to lift up her rattle on her own (without touching it), and now that she finally was, her mind was rattled with what the future held in store for her. Her and her new friends. Her coven.

That was such an odd thing to hear now. Her coven. She was a part of a coven now. And it only made the butterflies in her stomach flutter more. 

Tikki looked up at her with her big eyes, which oddly enough, were the exact same color as Marinette's. 

"Yep! I am a small piece of the Kwami Of Creation, taken, molded, and made just for you!" The small, ladybug-colored being answered. That only made Marinette raise her eyebrow. 

"And what does that mean?" 

Tikki tapped her chin for a second and then looked as if there was an imaginary lightbulb above her head. "Well, to put it in simpler terms, the Great Kwami Of Creation is one of the many Kwamis that embody the concepts and principles of this and possibly other universes. Buutttt...the Kwami in their true forms are way too big and powerful to come down to Earth. So, they decided to simply take pieces of themselves, mold and shape them like statues, and send them down to Earth and other places to act in their stead! Like me! Because The Kwami of Creation accepted your wish and words, They made me just for you, and sent me down as a little gift!"

Tikki smiled as Marinette soaked in her little lesson. She nodded her head but still had a question. "So the Kwami. Do they have names for themselves or do we have to say their entire title like you did?"

"When praying or talking to one or multiple, you can say 'Great Kwami' or just Kwami. You only need to use their full titles when you're talking about or referring to a certain one. They do have names, but they are unable to be said or heard by mortal minds. Including witches. So Kwami works just fine! Any other questions?" Tikki said with the same wide grin she's had on for the past few hours. 

Marinette shook her head, then looked out the window. "No, none right now. This is all pretty new to me. I mean, Mom explained some things to me, but she didn't go into too much detail. I mean, I didn't even know witches got familiars during their rituals. I don't even know if mom has one, herself."

Tikki flew up and shrugged her little shoulders. "Who knows? Maybe she didn't get one? The Kwami's gifts aren't always in the form of familiars and other beings like me! They could be skills, health, wealth, weapons, or anything, really! It all depends on what best suits you."

"Really?" Marinette asked with a raised eyebrow. "What made the Kwami give me and the others familiars?"

"I can't say for sure, but aside from being assistants and helping with your journey as a witch, we familiars can be loyal companions, too. Maybe you all needed a very close, tiny friend."

Marinette wanted to deny that statement, but then she realized that it could've been very true. Marinette did have her fair amount of friends, but at the time, it wasn't enough. She wanted friends who she could relate to in terms of both average teenage girl things and witch things. Before the ritual, she couldn't rave to any of the girls about how she mastered a new potion, or talk about magic and spells without coming off weird. Then there was her mother. She loved her mother, and her father, more than anything and could trust her with any and everything. Yet, it also wasn't enough. Her mother wasn't old old, but it's been a few centuries since she was Marinette's age, so Sabine wouldn't have that much of a clue about a girl's trouble in today's day in age. 

Having a little familiar who would come whenever you needed? One who always seemed to be understanding, patient, and having answers to everything? Yeah. Maybe she did need that. 

"Maybe..." was all that was able to say in response. The two sat in a comforting silence for a moment, before Marinette and Tikki heard a little ringtone coming from Marinette's desktop. Tikki flew over and sat on one of the many trinkets decorating her desk, while Marinette sat up and clicked answer. On the screen, she saw both Juleka and Sabrina. She assumed that Kagami couldn't join due to her mother. Marinette had hoped that she would be able to join later, or at least meet up with the rest of them. 

"Girls! I'm guessing I'm not the only one who can't really sleep," Marinette greeted with a big smile on her face. 

Sabrina, in her pajamas and no glasses nodded her head. "Can you blame us? I'm sure Kagami's wide awake as well. I mean, we're witches now! Just that alone is exciting by itself!" 

"That, and I accidently drunk an energy. I think it was one of Luka's," Juleka answered. She sat in her chair with one of her knees up, and looked down at it as if there was something there. She then turned back to the camera. "Hey, do you guys want to see my familiar?" 

The two other girls nodded their heads eagerly. Juleka then held up her finger and smiled down at whatever she was looking at. 

"Meet Roaar. My familiar gifted by the Kwami of Elation. She...has a lot of energy."

Sabrina blinked and squinted her eyes. She leaned in closer to the screen and even put on her glasses. Marinette furrowed her eyebrows. She tilted her head and leaned in herself. She and Tikki shared a look, before turning back to the screen. 

"Umm...Juleka? I know you got a familiar, but I don't see her."

Now it was Juleka's turn to be confused. "What do you mean? She's sitting right here on my finger. Look." 

Juleka brought her hand closer to the camera. Still, the other two couldn't see anything. 

"Wait," Sabrina interjected, "Baark is sitting on top of my head. Can you guys see her?"

Her question got two headshakes. 

Marinette sighed. She held out her hand for Tikki to sit in. She didn't bother checking to see if they could see Tikki. 

"Maybe it's-"

"The Kwami-gifted familiars can't be seen on camera or video."

Finally, there was a fourth square on the screen. Kagami's stoic face came into view. She gave a tiny smile and a quick wave. 

"Kagami! There you are!" Marinette excitedly exclaimed. She couldn't be too loud. She had no clue if her parents were sleeping. Besides, it was three in the morning. "What was that about cameras?"

"Our familiars can't be caught on camera in any way shape or form. Longg, my familiar, told me this when I wanted to take a picture and send it to you all. I'm afraid we'll have to wait until we can all meet up in person to see each other's familiars."

Marinette nodded and began to rub Tikki's head as the little familiar ate a cookie (Marinette had no clue where she got it from). "So which Kwami is your familiar from?"

Without missing a beat, Kagami answered. "Longg comes from the Kwami of Perfection. I guess that fits. Listen, I'd love to talk about our familiars and the ritual, but my mother might catch on and see that I'm up way later than I'm supposed to be. Me sneaking out to ritual was already a huge risk that I took, and I don't think I can take any more without her getting suspicious."

Marinette's excitement died down a little as they all nodded their heads. "Don't worry Kagami. We understand. We'll text you and make plans, okay?"

"Alright. Goodnight everyone," she said, with the same small smile from earlier. 

The three other girls replied the same before she eventually hung up. The rest of the night was spent with the teens all on video call, talking about their new states as witches and other trivial matters. Sabrina had to get a little quiet at times to avoid waking up her father after his long shift. Juleka sat on her living room couch with her laptop on her lap. Marinette presumed that she was trying to avoid disturbing her brother. Luckily for her, her parents slept a floor below her, and their room wasn't even right under hers, so she could be a little louder than the others. 

Tikki watched as the girls went on for hours, talking about many things that she didn't understand that much, but she was happy her witch seemed happy. That, and Tikki had been enjoying that cookie and the others she snuck off to get. Unfortunately, Marinette said she couldn't have more than three until sunrise. The familiar pouted but complied. Luckily for her, sunrise wasn't that far off. Another good thing was that the ritual had taken place on Friday night, so the girls were able to sleep in on Saturday.

Still, Marinette lay down in her bed, getting ready to go to sleep. She rested her head on her pillow and closed her eyes. Marinette felt something move at the top of her pillow and instantly knew that Tikki had made herself comfortable there.

A couple of hours later, Sabine snuck into her daughter's room, carrying a plate of breakfast food. She smiled at the sight of Marinette and her new familiar already sleeping close to each other before setting the plate down on her daughter's desk, and then quietly leaving. 

Sabrina sighed as she unloaded Chloe's bag into her locker, then grabbed her books and stacked them on one of the benches behind them. Chloe scoffed as Sabrina's arms kept getting in the way of her checking herself out in the mirror. When she was done, Sabrina picked up all the books. Oddly enough, the books felt more light than before. She used to struggle and buckle at the knees from carrying everything, but now it felt like she was carrying a thick folder.

As Chloe continued to check herself out, something, or someone, caught Sabrina's eye. She looked over to her left and saw Marinette heading to the bathroom. Marinette sent a small smile her way, leading Sabrina to return it. She quickly glanced between the two, then decided to take the chance. 

"Hey, Chloe, I gotta use the restroom," she said, bouncing her leg up and down to make it seem believable. "Can I go real quick, please?"

Sabrina wanted to gag. She hated that she had to practically beg another girl her age to go to the bathroom. How did she ever let herself become so pathetic?

The blonde didn't even look at her. She just huffed and shooed her away like a fly. Sabrina wanted to say a few words, but she left it with just a quick eye roll and hurried to the bathroom. 

The redhead pushed the door open and saw Marinette standing at the sink, adjusting her pigtails. She noticed Sabrina out of the corner of her eye and smiled. Sabrina hurried over. 

"Marinette! Is your familiar with you? Can I see?"

Marinette's smile fell a little. "Yeah, but I want to wait until we can meet up with Kagami. I don't want to do everything without her and have her experience it last."

Sabrina's shoulders fell a bit, but she continued to smile. She nodded her head. "I totally get it. I'm fine with waiting. I'm just so excited about..well, everything! We're actual witches! Can you believe it!? I can't! I had to bite my pillow so that I wouldn't wake my dad, the whole night!"

"I can hardly believe it myself. I've spent my whole life dreaming of that day, and it was just as wonderful as I imagined. I'm even more excited to learn more about the craft in general, especially Kitchen Magic. My mom taught me a few things, but just the very basics for a witchling."

"Kitchen Magic?"

Marinette chuckled at Sabrina's tilted and confused expression. She forgot that she was the only one who was well-versed in the terminology of witchcraft. She was really looking forward to learning with her new coven-mates.

"It's basically incorporating witchcraft into the food, or your kitchen in general. My mom only does it in our home kitchen, unless she can tell a customer is sick or down. For example, she gave this macaron box that turned my eyes different colors!"

Sabrina gasped. "Really," she asked with a glimmer of interest and excitement in her eyes. 

Marinette smiled and nodded her head. "Totally! And one day she made tarts that cleared up my skin completely! It was like all the problems were never there in the first place."

"Wow, I didn't even know that was possible. I mean, I only saw it in movies, but to think it's possible in real life is-"

"Okay, Sabrina! You've been in here long enough-"

Chloe burst into the bathroom, with an irritated look on her face. She and Marinette met eyes, causing her to glare. Marinette just stared, giving Chloe an unimpressed look. Sabrina looked at her boss with wide eyes. 

"Chloe," Marinette calmly greeted. 

Chloe scowled. "Dupain-Cheng," she hissed back. 

"C-Chloe," Sabrina called, "I was washing up..until I bumped into her."

Sabrina gave Marinette an obviously fake sneer, but Chloe, being Chloe, didn't notice it. The blonde girl just scoffed and folded her arms. 

"Well hurry up. And wash your hands again. Who knows what kind of germs and grime you could've picked from Baker Girl."

With that, Chloe turned and walked out of the bathroom. Sabrina visibly relaxed and let out a sigh. She looked up and sent Marinette a very apologetic look, who gave her a soft smile and nodded in return. Marinette knew Sabrina's situation and didn't blame her for Chloe's tyranic influence and actions. She just hoped that the poor redhead would one day be able to stand up to her. Sabrina went over to silently wash her hands. Marinette just watched her. Marinette hadn't unlocked any empathic powers yet, but she could feel the guilt coming off of her friend and coven-mate. 

"I'll..I'll see you later?"

Marinette's smile grew a little, as if she trying to reassure Sabrina. "Yeah, of course."

Sabrina nodded and dried her hands. She tossed the paper and walked out of the bathroom, looking as pitiful as ever. Marinette's smile completely fell. She had a lot of work to do with these girls, it became clear that she needed to get on it ASAP.