Chapter Text
Max Kante, who was mostly known as the guy to go to if you needed numbers crunched, had a dream of being a fantastic writer. So in-between his homework and self teaching himself various computer engineering, he would write a short stories. He would even write things for his classmates, especially when they were feeling down. Just last week he wrote one for Chloe, having sent it to her anonymously, and the next day she was a lot nicer to everyone around him.
He had an idea one day. Statistically, there was 73% percent chance it could lead to utter and absolutely chaos. He liked those odds.
Max stood before his class who watched him intently (well most of them: Chloé was scrolling through her phone but that was to be expected).
"Hello, acquaintances and friends!" As he said friends he looked to Alix, Kim, and Marinette, "I was wondering if you all would like to join a class bonding project I thought of the previous day? I believe that it will allow us to become closer while practicing our improvisational skills against the fate of luck--"
For some reason, Max noticed, Adrien and Marinette sat up a little straighter on the word luck.
"And I would like to ask if you would join a Dungeons and Dragons campaign that I have been comprising for the last month or so."
There was a the clunk of a phone dropping as Chloé immediately stood up and slammed her hands on her desk. Max jumped and felt his body starting to perspire under her gaze of annoyance, really starting to sweat when it shifted to a smile of genuine interest.
"Can I be a Keyblade Wielder." Max blinked because he was certainly not dreaming at the honesty at which the snobbish and rude girl asked him. He was surprised that she even knew what Kingdom Hearts was let alone the main weapon of the game.
He pulled out his own phone and it turned out yes she could actually be a keyblade wielder in the game.
"Yes? Does this mean you are literally interested?" He asked hesitatingly but instead of her replying she practically flew to Adrien's side and they started whispering intently to each other. Just before Max was about to call to their attention, the two blondes stopped and looked up at him.
"Chlo and I are willing to buy dice and offer spaces for everyone who wants to play." Adrien said with his million watt smile. Max was taken aback that Chloé was so forward about her interest in this, he was a little scared.
"If my bro is in then I'm game." Nino laughed, placing a hand on Adrien's shoulder.
"Chloé playing Dungeons and Dragons? I wouldn't miss that drama for the world," Alya said.
"Marinette, I know it is not the same type of gaming you are used but--" Max started but Marinette was already smiling.
"Of course Max, I'd love to be a part of this."
If her friend group (and crush) were willing to give it a go then so. This was the best way this scenario could have gone. With the core four popular kids willing to play to convince the rest of the class might be easier? With the unexpected addition of Chloé, Sabrina was very likely to join and if Sabrina was to join Nathaneal was quick to follow.
As if on cue, Chloé already had Sabrina going over her schedule and looking up the best places for dice. Nathaneal had already moved from the back of the room to sit next to Marinette as they started discussing designs for characters even without any information.
"Kim, Alix--"
"Of course I'm going to join your nerd game." His best friend grinned.
"Can I be faster and stronger than Kim?" Alix said with a smirk. This immediately led to a predictable start of an argument how their characters were going to be better than one another.
Okay. So the easier ones were out of the way (and probably the hardest one too). It came down to the last few classmates who he was not all that close too. Ivan and Mylené, Juleka and Rose, and of course, Lila. Max took a breath and exhaled out of his nose.
Eliminate the easiest solution before going to the hardest. So he went for the ones he was more comfortable with.
"Ivan and Mylené?"
Ivan looked at Mylené who had that same sparkle in her eye as Chloé had earlier and simply nodded.
"Rose and Juleka?"
"Oooh! This sounds like a fun idea Max, everyone seems super excited and we can all finally be friends!" Rose peeped.
"Can I be a vampire?" Juleka asked and Max grinned to which she said, "Wicked."
Now for the true challenge, the outlier who was still new to the school and the class. Lila had been pretending to read the entire time and acting like she was ignoring everyone. Max knew she had closed herself off after turning into Volpina. What he was about to offer her was a chance to open up. Everyone had moved up to the front with Marinette and Nathaneal who were scribbling down ideas from the group. Satisfied with the distraction, he approached her desk and kept some space. Green eyes flickered away from the group below onto his figure.
"They say that all mythology is based on some sort of truth," He started and her head tilted just so.
"What does that have to do with me?" Lila snapped. She acted as expected, hostile to his approaching her personal bubble and bringing up any mention of the word truth (which in turn also brought up the word lie).
"Doing a game like this is basically creating one's own mythology. It's a form of group story telling where the players provide the main characters while the dungeon master supplies the world and lore. Now I am an okay writer but what I make in word count I lack severely in theatrics and plot twists. I need someone to be my co-dungeon master to help make the adventure truly thrilling and entertaining."
That was his pitch plan and simple. He watched her as she processed his words. It was actually fascinating to watch her made her decision, weight the pros and cons, and decide whether she was tired of being alone.
"I get to help control the story?" She asked though by her tone he knew that she already knew the answer.
"You can help me create not just the world but help determine the challenges in which affect their lives directly."
Lila went silent for a pause and Max went still as she did so. She looked away from him to the group interacting for a long moment.
"When do we start?"
***
Max Kan™ added Ladybug Lookalike, Adrien Agreste, Lady Wifi, Dj Bubble Boii, Bee-ootyiful, X-Treme Speed, ....
Max Kan™: hello all this is the group chat for you to talk and plan with the other players. I have made Marinette the mod so I will take my leave.
Max Kan™ has left
Lady Wifi: ...Adrien...
Adrien Agreste: yes
Lady Wifi: why is your handle your name, bb
Adrien Agreste: because this is who I am???
KimMyAss: I cn'at breath you really are precious holy shit I thought everyone was joking
Bee-ootyiful: ignore them Adrien it's fine
Adrien Agreste changed his name to AdrienIsAWishYourHeartMakes
Lady Wifi: omfg
DJBubbleBoi: dude no
LadybugLookalike: ....I'm banning you
ThornToARose: pfft
MyGfsAVampire: Adrien you are so silly!
KimMyAss: this is literally the best day of my life I'm screaming
Bee-ootyiful: look at what you did alya you ruined a perfectly good chat name now he's going to start making disney puns all night!!! you caused this!
***
Max had already created a separate chat with Lila, as well as exchanged contact info with her for expediencies' sake. She had, however, decided that she wanted to visit his home that night and start working on planning admitted. It was better to do this type of thing in person, she had said, that and it would be better to discuss any story elements face to face.
Max's room was not dirty, as he was a clean person, but his only friends who had come over were Alix and Kim and they were in fact messy people. It had been a while since they had visited however so it did not take him that long to tidy up.
"Brother!" Came a call from downstairs, the voice of his baby sister, "You have a visitor! She's super pretty like the pink haired girl!"
Max blew out a puff of air, having just finished pull up all of his files on his laptop and transferring them to his tablet. He exited his room and sped down the stairs to find Lila chatting away with his sister.s
"Bonjour, Max." Lila greeted as she looked up and walked toward the stairs, "I was wonderful meeting you Isadora. I hope to see you again very soon."
Isadora smiled and nodded, running off towards the kitchen. He led her to her room quickly and as quietly as the creaky stairs could be. Lila did a little spin once she was inside: the walls covered in a dark green and sleek blue pinstripes, various games and playbooks were stacked neatly on his bookshelves, a massive computer screen (did he build that himself, she wondered) sat on his desk with large speakers hidden underneath while there was still space for him to do his homework. She found her seat on his bed, also the same shade of green as the wall and picked up the tablet that he had sat there.
"On there, various information I've found scouring the internet. Gods, player races, monsters, classes. I made sure to catalog a large broad selection for us to build up from. Chloe was kind enough to message some links to GM Tips with Matt Mercer, who seems to be a very well known and epic Game Master."
Lila gave a mhm of recognition as she was currently running through the various classes that their players could choose from. She mentally marked of various ones that she'd expect her classmates might like.
"Are we going to open to homebrews?" Lila asked she opened the next item, which opened up to a very well detailed map of some sort. Oh. Lots of maps. He really was prepared.
Max rose an eyebrow at her which she caught and smiled.
"What? I did a little googling when I got home and memorized a few things." She went quiet for a moment, simply reading and absorbing what he had documented before--- "Max, you've really thought this all through! Are you sure you need me?"
Max laughed a little to himself. "Oh absolutely, Lila. I meant what I said earlier today. I am a good writer when it comes to length on a page but as for my ability to keep a reader guessing, of using misdirection and false plotlines, of generating a real mystery to be solve? It escapes me. Too many variables I think?"
Max spun himself in his chair as he thought to himself for a second. "I can sort and categorized information easy but I can't play around the information and make it a story worth-telling. Everything I've ever written tells everyone what they already know, not what they don't or could. Even me running the numbers of what I thought was going to happen when I asked the class about the game was based on previous encounters and information I already had. That's why I was so shocked about Chloé's enthusiasm before--"
"Me and you both," Lila said with a giggle, "Though I always knew she was a nerd."
"Simple put I am not built to handle unexpected scenarios nor am I good at surprising others. I'm a planner and do not do well instances where the plan goes utterly to shit. Which, as I've researched, happens quite often during these games. You'd essentially be my balance. I take care of the math while you handle the story. Is that acceptable?"
Lila looked absolutely touched by what he had said and he wasn't actually sure why? He had simply spoken facts why did she have beads of tears in her eyes--oh okay she was now hugging him.
"Thank you for trusting me." Lila whispered with her arms around his neck.
"You are welcome," He replied and hugged her back. She let go as quickly as she clung, fixing her hair absently.
"I was looking through the maps of the world you made and I was wondering if we could start with this one?" Max saw her eyes shine as she scrolled through the tablet to find the map she spoke up. He could tell she was already planning the first dungeon encounter to the last detail.
***
Much against the precedent, Marinette arrived early the next day. In fact, her and core group of friends arrive at the same time. At least that's what Max assumed when he found them waiting around his seat. He noticed Lila had been dragged into their current and was currently looking over something.
"Good morning?" Max asked and then he immediately regretted he was suddenly such into the Vortex that he had apparently created.
"Morning, Max! Okay so look here!" Marinette turned the papers towards him. They were design sketches, of course, of five different outfits:
A red top with three black button that stopped just short of the chest with black pants and red shoes, the word CLERIC written underneath it. A long sleeve orange button down shirt was matched white pants and black cowboy boots and hat read SHARPSHOOTER. A very sleek black suit with white pinstripes, a blue dress shirt was adorned with a black tie and dress shoes was labelled BARD. The next looked very similar to pirate gear with a puffy white shirt, black and green pinstriped pants and a tricone hat (SWASHBUCKLER?) while the very last consisted of merely a black flowing coat (WARLOCK?).
"Last night we did a bit of googling at my place," Marinette explained, "Alya, Nino, and I found classes that we liked and I attempted to make some outfits after they left for dinner. I've been up all night trying to decide what would look best and I think this is okay?"
Now Max had planned for a more traditional campaign but he had also heard that several of the very popular and successful DND podcasts also seemed to veer into other genres outside of simply medieval fantasy. He looked up at Marinette's tired but ecstatic face and suddenly understood why a large majority of the school had fallen for her. How could he say no to that cute face and those earnest eyes? Max looked to Lila who mouthed "homebrow!!!!" and he grinned.
"Would it be alright if I take these and discuss them with Lila? Also why do these two have question marks?" Max asked.
"Oh sure yes!" Marinette said, collecting them into a pile to hand to Max, "As for those, well,"
"They're for me, Max." Adrien said, speaking up, "I was couldn't actually figure out what I wanted since both sounded cool for different reasons."
It was as Max was watching Adrien scratch the back of his perfect neck that he had an epiphany. Many of his classmates who had offered to join had no prior knowledge like he and a few others had. Here he had all this information at his disposal and as a proper DM he should obviously help them build their characters as well.
"Adrien, do you think you could get permission for your father for a something of a study party this Saturday in your dining hall?"
Adrien thought about for a moment till a sudden flash of yellow was at his side. Adrien gave a grin as he greeted her with a hello and looked back towards Max.
"With Chloé, I can probably get you whole weekend."