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“Roo! Roo! Go my feathered friends, tear down this monument to humanity’s LIES! She promises liberty for all, but this city does not honour that commitment to you!”
A whirring noise cut through the air as a red and black yoyo hit Mr Pigeon's bird call.
"Leave Lady Liberty alone!" Ladybug called as she landed at the base of the statue, her blonde ponytail whipping about.
"Hey Cat, you're up." Ladybug called out.
Her partner grabbed the Akumatized object in a black gloved hand.
"You know my name is Jaguar!" The other girl said with frustration as she landed in front of Ladybug.
"Yeah, but your Miraculous is the Miraculous of the Black Cat! Wouldn't Cat Black make more sense? Ooh or 'Chat Noire' very exotic."
Jaguar threw her arms out. "First: I'm not French! Second: Jaguars are black! Besides, some of us are just more creative with our names than you, miss Ladybug, wielder of the Ladybug Miraculous."
Ladybug rolled her eyes. Mr Pigeon tried to sneak up on them but they both punched him in the face without looking.
"Just do your thing, Jaguar. "
" Cataclysm! " She destroyed the bird call, releasing the Akuma.
Ladybug twirled her yoyo with practised ease.
"No more evil doing for you, time to de-evilize!"
"I still don't think that's a word." Jaguar muttered, crossing her arms as Ladybug caught the Akuma.
Ladybug waved as the now harmless white butterfly flitted away.
"Seeya."
They rushed over to where the former Mr Pigeon had transformed back.
"Hello again Mr Ramoan."
The man looked at the two superheroines.
"Oh no, it happened again didn't it?"
They pulled him up.
"I'm afraid so. You sure do love your pigeons huh?"
Mr Ramoan sighed. "They're just so adorable. I am sorry for all the trouble I caused."
Jaguar smiled. "Hey, it's what we're here for."
Ladybug nodded. "Right! And it's Queen Moth's fault, not yours'"
Mr Ramoan smiled.
"Thank you Ladybug, thank you Black Cat."
Jaguar's expression turned thunderous as Ladybug giggled. "My name is Jaguar!"
Ladybug looked at the Lucky Charm in her hand, it had been a key for the motorboat they'd used to get to the island.
" MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!"
***
In retrospect, it perhaps had not been the best idea to use the Cure before taking the boat back to the mainland.
Fortunately Transit, the public transportation hero, had swung by in his flying bus to check if anyone had been stuck on the island because of Mr Pigeon's attack, and was happy to give them all a speedy lift back to Manhattan.
After splitting from Jaguar , Ladybug was swinging along, looking for somewhere to get some snacks for Tikki and herself. Her earrings had started beeping but she still had a few minutes left till she turned back.
Sadly Hot Dog Dan wasn’t around right now.
“I really should start packing snacks for when I detransform…” she thought out loud.
Her gaze landed on something interesting. Amidst all the food trucks and the countless Pizza shops which apparently belonged to different men named Joe, she spotted a shop with a name in French.
“‘Tom & Sabine’s Boulangerie and Patisserie, Authentic French Bakery. Grand Opening’ That’s perfect! ”
Ladybug dropped into an alleyway nearby, there was a pink flash and a few moments later Zoé Lee walked out.
“Zoé, I'm hungry.”
“I know Tikki, that’s why we’re here. I’ve always dreamt of tasting a real French croissant!”
Tikki peaked out of the bag. “An Authentic French Bakery? I hope they have Macarons!”
Zoé smiled at her Kwami. “I’m sure they do, hide Tikki.” She pushed open the door and a bell jingled.
Upon entering she saw the interior was decorated in a charming Parisian style, with shelves full of French baked goods on display. She didn’t see anyone manning the shop at first, then a girl popped up from behind the counter.
She looked about Zoe’s age, and had an apron with the shop’s logo on it, a stylized T&S. Under that she had a white top with a flower design under a dark grey jacket rolled up at the sleeves with a white inner lining with pale pink spots, pink jeans, and pink shoes.
She had black hair which had a slight blue tint when the light caught it which she wore in pigtails. She had a very cute face and had very pretty blue eyes which Zoe found herself losing herself in. Thankfully, the girl seemed so flustered by there being a customer that she didn’t notice, or at least comment, on Zoe staring.
“Oh, bonjour! Welcome to Tom and Sabine’s Boulangeri and Patisserie, home of authentic French baking, straight from Paris!”
The girl had ended with a flourish, and sagged when Zoe didn’t say anything.
Her slightly French-accented English was adorable.
“Oh I got that wrong didn’t I? Sorry, I'm still getting used to speaking English all the time. My parents are getting stuff ready in the back so I said I’d watch the shop and why am I still talking? Are you hungry?” The girl facepalmed and muttered to herself in French: “Of course she’s hungry Marinette, this is a bakery!”
Zoé could hear Tikki giggling. She settled a hand on the flap of her bag, but couldn’t help laughing herself. The girl pouted, which was just even more adorable.
“Sorry, I’ve made a terrible first impression haven’t I?”
Zoe shook her head, waving her hands encouragingly.
“No, no, you’re great! I mean, you did great! I’m Zoé!”
The girl smiled and held a hand out. “I’m Marinette. My parents own the shop. And you’re our first customer!”
Zoé gasped as she shook the proffered hand. “Really?!”
“Yep! We just opened today!” Marinette rushed around from behind the counter holding a tray of samples.
“We’re offering everyone some free Macarons as a gift for welcoming us to New York!”
Zoé reached for a Macaron and took a bite, her eyes went wide.
“This is the best thing I’ve ever tasted!”
Marinette grinned from ear to ear. “My Dad is the best baker in all of Paris!” She paused, switching back to French again. “Well, he was, before I uprooted everyone… AAH! Why am I talking so much?”
“You used to live in Paris? I’ve always wanted to go!”
Marinette returned the smile. “You should! It’s a lovely city… not to say your city isn’t lovely of course! Sorry, I trip over my words when I’m nervous. I left all my friends in Paris, and I’m nervous we’ve made the worst mistake of our lives because of me AND WHY AM I TELLING YOU THIS?!”
Zoé smiled sympathetically. “Don’t worry! I get it, you miss your friends. If it helps, you have at least one friend in New York.”
Marinette gave her a blank stare. “I do…? Oh. Oh! That’s very kind of you, Zoé was it?”
Zoé nodded and was about to say something else when she heard an annoyed cough coming from her bag. Marinette looked around in puzzlement so Zoé covered it by coughing gently into her hand.
“Sorry, allergies. Um, could I buy some more of those Macarons please? For my friends? So I can tell them all to come buy stuff from you!”
“Sure!” Marinette nodded and grabbed a box of Macarons for her. “Anything else, Zoé?”
“Some croissants and your phone number please?”
She blushed, Marinette blushed. Tikki giggled.
“Not like that! I don’t like you like that! I mean, not that I wouldn’t, you’re very pretty, and I do like girls, but I mean so we can chat later. As friends. In a friendly way!”
It was Marinette’s turn to laugh. “That all sounds very sensible, friend! She scribbled her number on a box of macarons and put them in the bag with the other macarons and croissants and passed them over to Zoé.
Zoé went to pay but Marinette passed some of the money back. “The Macarons are on me.”
“I couldn’t.”
“Nonsense! A thank you for being our first customer, and to new friends!”
Zoé accepted reluctantly and put her money away.
“What school do you go to Marinette?” Zoé asked, even as she heard Tikki muttering darkly.
Marinette tapped her chin. “I think it’s called Armstrong High? The transfer is still going through so till then, I’m here every day!”
Zoé brightened. “That’s great!” She said a little too enthusiastically. “Er, that’s great because that’s where I go, and I can introduce you to my friends. They’ll love you, especially Aeon, then again I think she loves everyone!”
Marinette chuckled. “She sounds like my friend Rose.” A flicker of sadness passed over her face, before she brightened again. “But thank you! It will be great to get to know some kids when I go there.”
The bell tinkled again, and more new customers came in.
“I’ll be with you in a minute, please look around!” Marinette called out before turning to Zoé. “Sorry, back to work for me! Thanks for coming in today Zoé!”
Zoé smiled and waved. “The pleasure was mine, Marinette! I’ll text you later!” Then, because she felt like showing off, she switched to French.
"Merci beaucoup Marinette, au revoir!"*
She saw Marinette's face light up, then her expression dropped as she realised Zoé had understood her earlier mutterings.
Zoé suppressed a giggle as she left the bakery and surreptitiously passed some Macarons to Tikki, taking one for herself. Her Kwami dug in enthusiastically. After a few moments the Kwami let out a sigh.
“This is the best Macaron I’ve ever tasted! Zoé, we are going back there!”
Zoé laughed and glanced down at her Kwami who was giving her a sly look.
“What?”
“Someone’s got a cruu-ush.” The Kwami said in a sing-song voice.
Zoé blushed. “I do not!” She lied through her teeth.
Tikki giggled. “You can’t hide these things from me!”
Zoé raised an eyebrow at her. “I thought you were the Kwami of Creation, not love?”
Tikki grinned in response and tucked into a second Macaron.
Marinette had been very cute though, Zoé admitted to herself, but she didn’t want to rush into anything and embarrass herself.
She’d almost ruined things with a friend by doing that before, and she didn’t want that happening again, especially when they’d only just met!
Still, this day was shaping up to be pretty great!
***
This day was shaping up to suck!
Jess glared in the mirror as she activated her costume bracelet, and transformed into Sparrow.
She hated this.
She didn’t mind being her Mom’s sidekick. She didn’t even mind being Sparrow - even if being Jaguar was far more fun - what she hated was that she had to pretend Sparrow was a boy!
Whenever she asked why Sparrow and Knightowl couldn’t be female superheroes, her mother always told her the importance of maintaining the legacy of Sparrow and Knightowl as immortal heroes, and every other Sparrow and Knightowl had been male, then her Mom had been Grampa’s only child, and became Sparrow. Then the pattern repeated with her when her Mom became Knightowl.
Aeon's suggestion that Knightowl and Sparrow could be genderfluid had not gone down well.
It wasn’t even just about presenting as a boy really. It was a matter of self expression.
As Sparrow she didn’t get to pick her superhero name, or her costume.
Well, ok she got some input on the costume but within very narrow criteria. She didn’t even get to use her own voice, it went through a modulator to sound male, but not even a male version of her voice! It was a voice based on recordings of one of the earlier Sparrows.
Because the myth of Knightowl and Sparrow had to be maintained! As if criminals cared about the history of who was stopping their crimes.
As Jaguar, she hadn’t consciously picked out her costume the first time she transformed, but it was exactly what she would have picked. Plagg had said the costume drew on her innermost subconscious desires, which explained why her costume was undeniably female. Not in a sexual way, but it was clear it was a girl wearing the catsuit.
And more importantly, wearing it she felt like herself , not like she was just playing a part determined years before she was even born.
But her Moms didn’t know about Jaguar. Plagg had told her she couldn’t tell anyone, which had one major downside when both her mothers were superheroes.
“Why are you wearing this thing again? Black is a much cooler colour!” Plagg called out from where he was eating some smelly French cheese.
“Believe me Plagg, I agree, unfortunately I still have to go out as Sparrow because my Moms don’t know I’m Jaguar and would throw a fit if they found out, and probably make me give you up.”
Plagg made a disapproving groan as he gulped down the cheese and flew over to take his usual hiding spot in one of the pockets of Jess’ Sparrow suit.
Right on cue, Knightowl called her to come on patrol.
“On my way, Knightowl!”
She really hated that voice.