Chapter Text
After nearly a year as one of Paris’s premier heroes, Marinette had learned something simple. Sometimes a fight only continued because neither side knew how to let it end. Of course, Hawkmoth was different. That wasn’t something she could stop thinking about, not with how often he tried to claim her Miraculous.
But the smaller things? The arguments, the rivalries, the pointless little battles that left everyone worse off than before… Those, she could choose to end.
She took a steady breath and climbed the steps of Collège Françoise Dupont, arriving early for once! Inside, the commons were already alive with the first day back after summer break; laughter, greetings, the familiar chaos of students reuniting after weeks apart.
A few people waved when they saw her. Marinette smiled back automatically. Even Adrien seemed lighter than usual today, his expression softer than she remembered. Maybe something to do with his father still being away on business overseas.
He was laughing at something Nino was telling him when Marinette was pulled from her reveries by a tap on the shoulder, forcing herself not to jump or yelp like she normally would she turned and saw Alya grinning at her. The girls head tilted to the side as she studied Marinette in a way that made her feel anxious.
"What?" Marinette asked cautiously, sketchbook pressed to her chest like a shield, "did I forget to brush my hair again? I swear I did it this morning-"
"You're here early." Alya said, cutting her off with that teasing little smirk still on her face, like she just stumbled onto a mystery and Marinette was her prime suspect.
Marinette frowned in mock offense, pout firmly on her face.
"Is that a problem?" She joked
Alya scoffed back, leaning in far too close, making Marinette lean back.
"The problem is, who are you and what did you do with my bestie?" The girl said like she was conducting an interrogation.
The two girls held the stare for a moment before both of them started laughing.
"I guess it's just because things have been so… quiet this summer. I haven't had the need to sprint all over the place and finally had a chance to just breathe for once," she sighed softly, a hopeful smile in place, "I mean, there hasn't been an akuma attack all summer, and Chloe is off in Greece on vacation."
Alya rolled her eyes at the mention of Chloe, "Right, how could I forget that, with her blowing up all her social media accounts about it."
Marinette laughed and shook her head, "It kind of feels like Paris forgot how to be loud for a while."
Suddenly the main door swung open sharply. several students turned to look, only to immediately scowl or grimace. Alya glanced over as well, curious as to what could cause such a reaction, only to scowl the hardest.
"Speak of the blonde devil…" she muttered in annoyance. Marinette frowned and turned, freezing for an aching moment.
Chloe Bourgeois was back from vacation, and she looked… different; her long blonde hair was no longer in its usual ponytail, but braided and slung over her left shoulder, her skin which usually reminded Marinette of porcelain was a deep honeyed tan, guess Greek sun is better than France's. She stalked forward, tapping away on her phone as she talked to Sabrina without looking up.
Marinette blinked owlishly, surprised at how different a few changes could make in the girl.
"Girl, are you staring?" Alya whispered in growing horror. That snapped Marinette out of… whatever just happened, snapping her head over she glared at Alya in shock.
"What? No! Of course I wasn't-"
"Dupain-Cheng." Came a crystalline voice that immediately made Marinette tense up. Turning her head back she quickly swallowed back a squeak, Chloe was suddenly standing right next to her, the tall blonde practically towering over her, an imperious sneer on her pretty face.
"I see you still have the fashion sense of someone sponsored by a cotton-candy stand," she quirked her lips in that cocky smirk, "how tragic."
The commons went quiet as everyone turned to watch the two of them, school hadn't even started yet and they were already at it again. Sabrina gave Marinette and Alya an apologetic look from where she stood behind Chloe.
"Chloe, we should be heading to class, we don't want to be la-"
"I know what time it is Sabrina." Chloe snapped back, not even looking at the meek girl. Who nodded and quickly hid behind her phone.
Marinette instantly felt her anger rise, quick to fall back into the old habit of snapping back at the girl. Quashing that feeling down she took a steadying breath, not this year. Not again.
"I'm not doing this with you Chloe." She said calmly, straightening her back and staring the taller girl down.
Chloe's smirk faltered for a moment as a look of confusion flickered in her eyes before she schooled her expression back to one of annoyance. "What?"
"I just told you Chloe, I'm not doing this all year. Now if you'll excuse me, I have to get to class."
With that she turned without another look back and made her way towards Mrs.Bustiers class, Alya quickly moving to catch up with her.
"Girl, where did that come from? Since when do you just brush Chloe off like that, usually it's a huge thing." Alya asked as she caught up to the girl.
Marinette sighed deeply, shoulders slumping in exhaustion already.
"That's the thing Alya! All last year, it was a constant thing between us, and I'm tired of it. So starting now, I'm not giving her what she wants, I'm done dealing with pointless arguments."
Alya blinked in surprise before breaking into a huge grin and hugging the girl tight, making Marinette squeak in surprise.
"Oh I'm so proud of you!" Alya laughed as Marinette whined and tried to shove her off.
"Alya! Stop, can't breath!"
Neither of them had noticed the fact that Chloe hadn't moved from that spot, staring after Marinette.
Gabriel Agreste was known for many things; being a titan of the fashion industry, a ruthless and cunning businessman, and for possessing very little patience for foolishness. Fairytales, legends, superstitions. All of it was nonsense, after all, he had spent most of his life dismissing them. The universe was governed by facts, not stories.
Yet, the greatest discovery of his life had come from a jewel inhabited by a tiny godlike creature that granted magical powers. Reality, he had learned, was occasionally rude enough to challenge its own rules.
Which was the only reason he had tolerated this absurd excursion for as long as he had. Two months. Two entire months. Time that could have been spent in Paris, time that could have been spent pursuing Ladybug and Chat Noir…Time that could have been spent bringing Emilie one step closer to waking.
Instead he had spent it under the relentless Greek sun, pouring an obscene amount of money into archaeological digs, private collections, forgotten archives, and half-collapsed ruins that smelled of dust and disappointment. All because of a rumor. A single, maddening rumor.
Ancient heroes who wielded impossible power. Heroes who, according to surviving accounts, were always associated with a particular object; A ring, a bracelet, a necklace. The details varied but the pattern did not. Most scholars dismissed the similarities as mythology. Gabriel knew better than that now. His time as Hawkmoth taught him that myths occasionally had a habit of being true.
Unfortunately, after two months of searching, all he had found were fragments. Broken statues, cracked pottery, faded murals. Enough to suggest something had once existed, but never enough to prove it. His patience was wearing dangerously thin with this little excursion.
“Mr. Agreste?”
Gabriel looked up, eyes cold and sharp beneath his glasses, this had better be something worth his time. The archaeologist he had hired was hurrying toward him, he was an awkward looking fellow wearing far to much beige, clutching something wrapped carefully in cloth. The man’s expression carried the unmistakable look of someone trying, and failing, to hide excitement.
Gabriel felt a familiar spark of irritation.
The last three “important discoveries” had turned out to be entirely worthless. If this turned out to be nothing more than yet another worthless piece of cracked ceramics, he was going to kill the man.
“What is it now?" He snapped viciously, his tone brokering no room for idling about.
“I think you’ll want to see this.” The man breathed out in ragged pants, he had ran up to the shaded tent the moment he found this.
Taking a calming breath through his nose he held his hand out.
"Give it here."
The man handed him the cloth wrapped object cautiously, as if scared Gabriel would strike hin if he moved to fast.
Gabriel snatched the item away and pulled it free of its cloth coverings, eyes lighting with interest as he looked at the ancient scroll. This had potential, could this finally be a clue? Carefully unfurling the scroll, its edges yellowed and crackling from age, he scowled instantly.
It was scribed in Ancient Greek. No, it was older than even that, this was Linear B. The language used by the Mycenaean Greeks, it would take him ages to find a specialist to even begin translating this infernal thing. Even then there was no guarantee the parchment was complete enough to-
He paused for a long moment, a small drawing in the margin catching his eye, slowly unrolling more of the scroll his breath caught in his throat. There, in between thick blocks of illegible text, was a drawing of a human… and a little sprite looking creature floating just above their shoulder. Quickly rolling the scroll out as safely as he could he scanned every inch for more of these images, heart pounding in his chest. Indeed there were more drawings, each a little different from one another.
He hadn't noticed the sharp, vicious smile curling on his lips as the archeologist he had hired nervously stepped out of the tent. With a deep laugh he gently ran his fingers over the first drawing of the little creature.
"Interesting…"
Chloe was not in a good mood. Which was ridiculous. Objectively speaking, she should have been having an excellent day. She had just returned from a two-month vacation in Greece after all!
She had spent the entire summer lounging on beaches, shopping in boutiques most people couldn’t afford to look at, and enjoying weather that was infinitely superior to Paris. She had a beautiful tan, a beautiful new ring, Several beautiful new outfits. Everything was beautiful.
So why was she so irritated?
With an aggravated huff, Chloe kicked a loose pebble down the sidewalk. The pebble bounced off a lamp post making a passing pedestrian give her a strange look. Chloe immediately looked at him with enough that he quickly looked away.
Honestly, the audacity of some people. As if today hadn't already been awful enough.
First, Jean had called in to say he couldn’t pick her up after school. Which was simply wonderful. Apparently her father had needed the car for some “important meeting,” leaving Chloe to make the utterly humiliating journey home on foot. Like some sort of common pedestrian. Honestly, what was even the point of being rich if she still had to walk places? With another irritated huff she kicked a second pebble, sending it skittering across the pavement.
Second, summer was over; no more beaches, no more crystal-blue water, no more afternoons spent wandering beautiful shores or shopping until the staff knew her by name.
Just Paris. Gray, noisy, rainy Paris…
She missed Greece already.
Her fingers idly twisted the golden ring around her finger. At least she’d gotten something worthwhile out of the trip. The thought should have made her smile. Instead…
“…Ugh.”
Why did today keep replaying in her head? She frowned harder, shaking her head angrily, her braid snapping like a whip.
No.
She wasn’t thinking about that. About her.
Dupain-Cheng had just caught her off guard, that was all. It wasn’t every day someone decided to completely ignore Chloe Bourgeois. Of course it had been surprising. That was it, nothing more.
“…I’m not doing this with you, Chloe.”
The words echoed through her head with infuriating clarity. Chloe slowed to a stop, pensive scowl on her face.
“What was that even supposed to mean?” She growled, fists clenched at her side. It wasn't supposed to go that way! She scowled at the pavement as she thought back on this morning.
She had insulted Dupain-Cheng, it was a good insult too! Maybe not her best work, but certainly above average. Dupain-Cheng was supposed to snap back. Roll her eyes, get all indignant and her cheeks would flush that rosy pink.
Instead she’d just… Left.
Like Chloe wasn’t worth arguing with. The thought settled in her stomach like a stone for some reason, with a sharp huff she ignored the feeling, oh how she loathed that girl.
“…That utterly insufferable girl.”
She started walking again, faster this time, she was overthinking this.
Tomorrow everything would be back to normal. She’d make another comment, Dupain-Cheng would finally stop whatever immature little act she’d decided to put on. Then everything would make sense again.
…Right?
Suddenly, a horn blared, snapping Chloe from her thoughts. Her head snapped up towards the sound, blood freezing in her veins.
A little girl stood in the middle of the road, rooted to the spot as a paper grocery bag lay burst at her feet, fruit rolling lazily across the asphalt. The car wasn’t slowing down, someone screamed. The little girl just stared in shock, unable to move.
Chloe heard the horn, she saw the child, suddenly everything felt like it was slowed.
She was moving before her brain caught up to what was happening. One moment she was standing on the sidewalk, the next she was sprinting into the street. No hesitation, no fear or worries.
Just one thought screaming in her mind.
Move.
She crashed into the little girl, wrapping both arms around her tiny frame as instinct took over. Twisting on one heel she spun, turning her own body into a shield between the child and the oncoming car.
There wasn’t enough time to get them fully off the road, not completely. She tensed hard as something roared right past her neck.
She felt the violent rush of displaced air against her skin. The passenger-side mirror missed her head by inches. For one impossible heartbeat she was certain she was dead, eyes squeezed shut so tight it hurt.
Then the car screamed past them, its driver wrenching the wheel hard enough to send the vehicle careening sideways before slamming into a streetlamp with a deafening crash. Metal folded with a screeching crunch, glass exploded across the pavement. Then, silence, or maybe it just felt like that with all the blood rushing in her ears.
Chloe hit the ground on her back, still clutching the little girl against her chest, gasping as she stared up at the grey sky. She wasn't dead, she was still in dreary Paris, she just… saved someone's life.
The little girl buried her face into Chloe’s shoulder, sobbing uncontrollably.
“Mommy…”
A pair of shaking arms wrapped around them both as the girl’s mother collapsed beside them, crying so hard she could barely speak.
“Oh God… thank you… thank you…”
Chloe didn’t answer, she couldn’t, her throat refused to work with her for some reason.
She didn't look at the woman, or the little girl, she was staring blankly at the wrecked side mirror lying several feet away in the road.
It… It had almost…
A cold shiver ran the length of her spine. She could still feel the wind from it brushing across her neck. She could have died. The thought snapped her out of her stupor like a slap to the back of the head. Prying herself away from the two crying people, she swallowed through the lump in her throat and choked out.
"I- I have to go!" And turned, all but running away from the scene, ignoring their calls as she did.
By the time she finally made it back to her room at the hotel, her hands were shaking so hard she could barely open the door.
"Why did I do that?! I almost died!" She wailed, hyperventilating as the reality of the situation slammed into her. She paced her room anxiously, twisting the ring on her right hand in a fidgety manner. "I don't even know them, why would I-"
She was cut off as a deep, feminine voice spoke from behind her.
"You selflessly risked your own life to save another, that is not something to feel remorse over."
Chloe spun around so fast she almost tripped over her own feet, a sharp bite dying instantly on her tongue as she saw who -what- spoke. Floating nearby at eye level with her was a little creature no bigger than her palm. Her body was sleek, covered in tawny golden fur that seemed almost to shimmer in the rooms overhead light. A tufted lion’s tail swayed gently behind her, small rounded ears twitched atop her head, and her eyes looked like pools of molten gold.
Mouth hanging open in pure, dumbfounded shock, Chloe's mind had finally had enough. Without a word her eyes rolled back in her head and she fainted, hitting the ground with a solid thump. The little lion creature frowned and tapped her chin.
"Hmm, perhaps I was too hasty in speaking with her."