Today Iâve got an email from Tumblr that my blog has its 5th birthday. I cannot believe that! Five years ago, I started publishing here my Miraculous Ladybug fanfics â in English, which is not my mother tongue, yet Iâve tried to share my writing with a wider audience. Some of you liked my stories so much, and that gave me wings to fly as a writer. Thank you for being here, supporting me... That means a lot...
However, life happened. As to all of you⌠Some days are good, some days are not so good. I didnât realise that my summer break in 2021 turned out to be a year and a half hiatus. All because of health, or rather lack of it. I wish I could promise you my return soon. But not yet⌠I have to choose my priorities carefully. I hope youâll stay and wait for me a bit longer. See you soon!
Unfortunately I wonât be able to translate the next chapters of âThe Nightâ for a while. The text which is ready in Polish will be updated as much as I have it done. However, the English chapters will have to wait until I get some time to catch up with the translation.
If you can stand the automatic translation (which is terrible sometimes⌠đ) you can always check my blog (https://niesmialek.blogspot.com) which â despite the fact itâs in Polish â has the option of automatic translation by Google.Â
The next chapters will appear there on Saturdays, so you can try to read âkind-of-Englishâ chapters there. If I find some time during the summer weeks, Iâll upload the chapters here as soon as possible. But for the current moment there will be only chapters in Polish. Stay tuned!
When Wayzz disappeared Marinette and Adrien exchanged panicked glances. Either someone took over the bracelet or Master Fu renounced his Miraculous to protect it from the villain. The question was â who was that?
âVol-who?â, Marinette asked quietly.
âVoldemort?â, Adrien couldnât help it but joked, but his girlfriend only laughed.
âSilly Kitty! You read too many books! Do you really think that He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named has come to take over the Miraculous Box?â
âIâm sure that this Box would solve most of his problemsâŚâ
âPlease, CatâŚâ, Marinette rolled her eyes. âFocus! Weâre in troubles. Someone real hunts for Master Fu. And it looks like there are only us who can save Master! But how can we do it if we donât have our Miraculouses? We know nothing about the threat nor about the Box hidden place!â
âFocused on the task. As alwaysâŚâ, Adrien sighed.
âI think we have to postpone our plansâŚâ, Marinette stood up and began buttoning up her dress. âDonât show that shirt to your MumâŚâ, she asked Adrien. âIâll sew the button on when weâve found the Miraculous Box.â
âJust donât put on that terrible dress next time, ok?â, he suggested, getting dressed too.
âYou donât like it?â, she pretended to be shocked and turned around. âI think itâs beautiful!â
âItâs gorgeous!â, he assured her and embraced her. He leaned but instead of kissing her he whispered just into her lips: âI just hate unbuttoning it. If you put it on again for our special date, I swear Iâll tear it off even if all the buttons end up on the floor.â
âWhat a tempting scenarioâŚâ, Marinette winked at him. âIâll think about itâŚâ
âDamn⌠Now I wish it happenâŚâ, he muttered, and she laughed.
âBehave, so maybe youâll get what you wantâŚâ
âI love you, BugabooâŚâ, Adrien whispered and kissed her shortly. âHave I told you that already?â
âWithout a knife at your throat?â, she smiled in reply. That was their joke since that terrible night they had said that for the first time. âA zillion times already. But Iâm still not fed up with it.â
âThatâs good. We promised each other that we would never be fed up with it.â
âIf I remember correctly that was you who promised me thatâŚâ, she said, leaving his embraces and rushing to the trapdoor.
âDoesnât that go both ways?â, he asked surprised.
Marinette stopped at the door and looked at him tenderly. She smiled and replied:
âIt does, it doesâŚâ
And when he grinned meaningfully, she added in a serious tone:
âGet to work now!â
âDo you have any idea where we should start?â, he asked following her downstairs.
âThe only place I can think of is the salon of Chinese Medicine services where I visited Master Fu a few times. Letâs hope that weâll find there an old gramophone!â
âIs it the address mentioned by Master Fu three years ago? When he said you wouldnât find him there anymore?â, Adrien remembered suddenly.
âYes, thatâs the addressâŚâ, Marinette nodded. âBut this is the only place I know. So if Master Fu left us hints in places obvious for us, that should be the first one. If itâs empty, weâll start worry about the other options.â
âWe still donât know whoâs the threatâŚâ, Adrien got back to the other riddle left by Wayzz.
âFinding Miraculouses is the priority now. Then weâll worry about who is our opponentâŚâ
âYouâre sure itâs not Voldemort?â, he joked just to relieve the tension that appeared in Marinetteâs moves. He remembered that it had always helped Ladybug to relax and to find a better solution.
âWayzz said âsheâ, so I donât think itâs him. But if it is Voldemort I promise you can try to cast a spell, whatever you like!â
âI prefer my old good Cataclysm, you know?â
âFirst, we have to find Tikki and Plagg. I have a feeling that they wonât be in the Miraculous Box but somewhere else. Damn it!â, she exclaimed suddenly, standing at the middle of a pavement. âI had other plans for tonight! Iâm too old for saving Paris!â
âFirstly, youâre not too old, MâLadyâŚâ, Adrien whispered, coming closer and embracing her. âSecondly, I had the same plans⌠So you can be sure weâll catch it up very soon!â, He kissed her shortly. âAnd I swear: no more planning! And thirdly, youâre not saving Paris, Bugaboo. Tonight weâre saving our friendâŚâ
Marinette looked at Adrien with love and climbed on her tiptoes and kissed him to show him how grateful she was for the support he gave her. Then she took his hand and headed to the place she remembered there was a salon of Chinese Medicine. She hoped to find Wayzz there. With the Turtle Miraculous it would be easier to find the next hints left by Master Fu.
â
The Night - p.3 <-  Previous part |  Next part  -> The Night - p.5 (Soon! Stay tuned!)
âWhat are you doing here, Wayzz?â, Marinette asked, perfectly aware how unambiguous the situation was that Master Fuâs kwami interrupted.
âMy Master and all Miraculouses are in danger!â, kwami said ignoring ex-superheroesâ embarrassment. âMaster sent me to bring help. He gave me clear instructions that I should find both of you. Thankfully youâve been here together because thereâs a chance Iâll tell you everything.â
âSo tell us since we donât have time to loseâŚâ, Marinette encouraged him trying to keep her dress on her shoulders.
âCouldnât Master Fu come here?â, Adrien asked at the same moment.
âHe had no time for transformation,â Wayzz explained. âHeâd been expecting this attack for a while, so he hid the Miraculous Box in a safe place. Even I donât know where it is. Just in case the villain took over the Turtle Miraculous and I would be forced to obey my new masterâs orders. Master Fu left you some hints that should lead you to that hiding place. He planned to send you a message but he lost that chance since we almost fell into a trap. Master will abandon his Miraculous soon. Heâll hide it in a place you should know, Marinette. Do you remember the code?â
âWhat code?â
âDo you remember the hiding place of the Miraculous Box?â
âThe Box is still there?â, Marinette asked with hope.
âNo. You should find there the bracelet. I mean â me. And I hope it will be you, not the villain. Otherwise, Iâll be forced to do the evil a service like Nooroo once did.â
Adrien felt remorse as always when he remembered what his father, Gabriel Agreste, had done to Paris just to bring his beloved wife back. Even if the only son was the price for that wish⌠After three years that betrayal ached Adrien like a splinter in his heart.
âMaster Fu chose the hints wisely that would be useless for the villainâŚâ, Wayzz continued. âYou should manage to deal with them, Marinette. Do you remember the code?â, he repeated insistently.
âItâs been ages since thenâŚâ, the girl whined. âI have no idea if I remember that!â
âYou have to trust your intuition and memory. Youâre a good observer. Youâve seen Master Fu opening the gramophone. You should figure out the combination. You must be hurry to find it before the villain will do it. Then youâll follow the rest of hints to find, eventually, the Miraculous Box. Probably youâll need other superheoresâ help. Master said that you should choose holders for the first circle of Miraculouses which are the most powerful. Only then youâll succeed with setting Master Fu free.â
âHeâs imprisoned?!â, both ex-superheroes exclaimed.
âNot yet, if weâre still talking⌠That means he hasnât abandoned his bracelet yet. But I can feel a disturbance of the energy balance, so probably Iâll disappear soon. Master Fu will have to take off the bracelet and hide it at the gramophone early enough to mislead the villain and get caught far away from the hidden place. But if he had no other choice, heâll renounce the function of the Great Guardian. Itâs risky, but Master Fu will sacrifice himself if thatâs the last option. Just to let you win and save the Miraculouses.â
âWill he die then?â, Adrien asked.
âNo. But heâll forget about the Miraculouses and everything thatâs related to them. Thatâs the rule of the Guardians. When Master thinks itâs hopeless or heâs getting tired of resistance heâll renounce this function and youâll be a new Guardian, Marinette.â
âButâŚâ, she hesitated. âI know nothing about the Miraculouses! Just a few things that Master Fu managed to teach me three years agoâŚâ
âThat should be enough for the start. Follow the hints and youâll find the grimoire. Youâll find there all information you need.â
âBut itâs coded! Oh, another codeâŚâ, Marinette protested.
âMaster spent some time during last three years on decoding the grimoire. I think that one of the hints left by Master will lead you to this book. Just remember to be careful with choosing your allies. You can trust only closest friends! Donât spread the secret over too many peopleâŚâ
âWho are we fighting against?â, Adrien asked.
âMaster Fu said that this villain is much more dangerous than Hawkmoth. Dangerous even without a MiraculousâŚâ
âHow did Master discover that?â
âThe Great Guardian has no time for a break or relax. Master Fu has always known what to do to protect the Miraculous Box. He also can feel the threat. He found out the danger just in time, almost too late⌠What a pity he didnât have the opportunity to personally assign this mission to you. You have to trust your intuition and remember the old times.â
âWe even donât have our Miraculouses!â, Adrien reminded.
âMaster couldnât send them by me. It was too dangerous! If the villain took over the Miraculous of Ladybug and Cat Noir, that would be the end of the world we knowâŚâ
âHow will we find them?â
âBy following hints, guidance, signs⌠They will be obvious for you but not necessarily for the villain. However⌠You cannot take it for sure. Eventually, she knows you, even though she didnât know that you were Ladybug and Cat NoirâŚâ
âYou know whoâs the villain?!â, Marinette exclaimed in shock.
âItâs VolâŚâ
And at that moment, Wayzz disappeared.
---
The Night - p.2 <-  Previous part |  Next part  -> The Night - p.4Â
A/N: Warning! This chapter contains parts that are restricted for readers 16+. If you are younger, please skip this part and move to the end of the chapter.
* * *Â
The tension between Marinette and Adrien increased with each passionate kiss. Finally, the girl pushed her boyfriend towards the couch. He â shocked a little â sat down, and pulled her at her hand. She settled down on his lap, straddled.
âSo weâre not going to eat dinner at all?â, he asked grinning, knowing that smile affected his girlfriend every single time.
âOh, shut up!â, she muttered. âToo much planningâŚâ
âThatâs been you who always makes plans. I prefer their realisationâŚâ
âThen please, show me what you canâŚâ, She smiled teasingly and moved back a little.
He looked at her dress sceptically. It had a lot of buttons, like a hundred or even more⌠He guessed that Marinette had chosen it by purpose to tease him.
âSeriously, Purrincess?â, he asked with a wry smile. âThatâll take months!â
âOh, come on!â, she winked at him. âSuch a superhero will deal with that right away!â
To tease him more she moved her hand alongside the row of buttons.
âItâs like a millionâŚâ, he sighed and pulled her closer.
âBetter hurry up, Kitty⌠My parents wonât stay at the restaurant for eternityâŚâ
âTemptressâŚâ, he commented, and she laughed in response.
He began unbuttoning her dress, but Marinette had a plan to make it more difficult. She leaned to kiss him, and when he looked at her surprised, she murmured just next to his mouth:
âLetâs check if you can focusâŚâ
Then she started kissing him. He had no chance to have a peek to find the next buttons, and he was hopeless with unbuttoning by touch.
âI think itâll be better to tear that dress offâŚâ, he muttered, breaking the kiss.
âMaybe next timeâŚâ, she giggled. âBe nice. I promise you wonât regret it.â
âIâm sure I wonât!â, he grinned meaningfully, and when she rolled her eyes, he managed to undo some more buttons.
âSilly Kitty! It was really expensive!â
âWhich was totally pointless! I have no idea why girls think that they have to pay so much for lingerie if thatâs⌠uhmâŚâ, he stopped suddenly when he noticed a lace strap that appeared from under the dress.
âYou were saying?â, she murmured with a half-smile but he stayed frozen â just staring at the strap.
He looked so adorable that Marinette wanted kiss him to death. Instead, she took his hand and put it on her shoulder. All the time she kept watching him, but he only stared at his hand traveling to the strap.
âIâm not made of porcelainâŚâ, she whispered and touched his cheek.
She recognised the moment when he woke up from the shock because his thumb moved alongside her strap. She sighed with satisfaction. That was a very good investmentâŚ
âDamn buttonsâŚâ, Adrien muttered when his hand stopped at the hem of the fabric.
âYouâve managed to undo only a few with a million aheadâŚâ, Marinette giggled.
âCanât I just tear it off? Please?â, he asked.
âAnd who do you think will have to collect all those buttons from the floor and repair the dress later?â
âIâve heard you can sewâŚâ
âI think I should motivate you somehow to workâŚâ She winked at him. âWhat would you say for a little competition? Just like the old timesâŚâ, she suggested.
âYouâre running away on Parisian rooftops and Iâll try to catch you?â
âNopeâŚâ She moved her hand over his chest. âYour shirt versus my dress?â
âItâs not fair! I have just a few button!â, he protested, while Marinette touched his cheek then moved to his neck and alongside his collar. Then she began unbuttoning his shirt.
Not only the number of buttons were against Adrien. His competitor was the expert in sewing so she had deft hands while his own were pianists palms â so clumsy with all those buttons. It wasnât a surprise when Marinette managed to unbutton his shirt in seconds.
âAnd youâve just lost!â, she exclaimed with satisfaction and slipped the shirt off his shoulders.
âNot yetâŚâ, he grinned.
âCuffs buttons donât count!â, she objected.
âNot that button I meantâŚâ, he replied suggestively that made her blush.
âDirty mind!â, she commented and tore the shirt out of the trousers.
The last button caught on the belt and came off the fabric. It flew throughout the whole bedroom and landed under Marinetteâs desk. The couple on the couch watched that flight then burst out laughing.
âSo it looks like some buttons ended up on the floor anywayâŚâ, Adrien noted. âMay I now?â, he asked catching the hem of the dress.
âNo way! I need that dress to wear it from time to time. Especially for my parents when they come back! Besides, you have to admit that I won!â
âWhatâs the reward?â
âIâm in charge tonight!â
âYouâre always in chargeâŚâ, he sighed.
âFine. If the competition didnât work, maybe Iâll motivate you by saying that the top and the bottom match?â, she winked at him.
âM-Marinette!â, he moaned but his hand reached the buttons. The other hand, however, moved alongside her thigh which made her run out of breath.
âYou-youâre cheat-ingâŚâ, she sighed trying to catch her breath.
âAm I?â, he smiled, pretending to be surprised. âIt looks like it works both waysâŚâ, he discovered and began kissing her.
After a moment Adrien felt that he had undone enough buttons. He slipped his hands under the fabric and moved them down, taking off the dress. That was his turn to be run out of breath.
âI think itâs the wrong timeâŚâ They heard next to them.
Marinette squealed and pulled the dress on her shoulders, and Adrien hugged her protectively, before they both realised who had appeared in the bedroom.
It was Wayzz â Master Fuâs kwami.
---
The Night - p.1 <- Previous part | Next part  -> The Night - p.3Â
A/N: Before you read this story, please be sure that you have read âThat Dayâ (https://arolla-pine.tumblr.com/post/173635032556/adrien-appreciation-week-day-1-friends) because this book is the sequel of âTDâ and youâll find here some reference to the first book. Besides, the Chapter 1 is full of information about âTDâ, so if you donât want spoilers, read âTDâ first!
* * *
The room looked perfect. Marinette took a glance just to check if everything was in its place. She even had tidied up the desk where she usually sewed. She sighed softly as her eyes fell on the old dollhouse. The house where Tikki â the creature closest to her soul, Ladybug's kwami, who gave Marinette the power to create â had been living for two years.
Those days were over. For past three years the dollhouse had been empty, staying in the corner and reminding the girl of those wonderful times. Although the superheroineâs duties had filled her time and she often had to skip lessons or forget about the rest at night, saving Paris from the supervillain, Hawk Moth, she felt great joy each time, that it worked again. But most of all she always had such a positive and kind creature by her sideâŚ
Sabine tried to persuade Marinette to throw away that old dollhouse and didnât understand her daughter's reluctance to get rid of the junk. Mum couldnât have known how much this toy meant to the former superheroine. She had no idea it reminded her daughter of Tikki and the time spent together with her kwami. Marinette was still very emotional at the thought that she couldn't have even said goodbye to her â Master Fu had taken her Miraculous away so suddenly. So did he with the Cat Noirâs Miraculous.
Marinette's thoughts drifted to her partner. For so many months she had fought alongside Cat Noir and kept rejecting his advances, unaware that it was Adrien Agreste behind the mask â the boy she was insanely in love. One day changed everything. That day, when she saved him from the crowd of fans. After that Adrien transferred his feelings from Ladybug to Marinette, not knowing that he fell in love with the same girl. Again.
She sighed. It had been strange three years! First, she lost her kwami â the creature that was so close to her heart and soul. But she found a perfect boy who wanted to sacrifice himself just to keep her safe. Sometimes Marinette had nightmares about that evening when Gabriel Agreste had made his wish. Luckily, he used wrong words⌠Adrien survived and got back his Mum. Instead, he lost his father. But what kind of father was Gabriel if he wanted to kill his own child?
It took some time until they were ready to move on after that evening. Emilie Agreste needed a few months for the recovery. When she was getting better, doctors suggested further therapy in a health resort, so Emilie left Paris to Switzerland, taking her son with her.
For Adrien these few weeks of summer holiday in a foreign country meant a separation from his girlfriend. Theyâd just started dating and he wanted to spend all his spare time with her! On the other hand, his mother needed him and traveling together to Switzerland was a perfect occasion to rebuild their family.
Meanwhile Marinette stayed in Paris and worked so hard at the bakery just to keep going. She missed her boyfriend and Tikki so much that it ached physically. Of course, she could talk with Alya about her longing for Adrien. But there was no one, except Adrien himself, she could talk about TikkiâŚ
After summer holiday their life returned to normal, or rather became as it always should have been like. Adrienâs schedule wasnât so overloaded anymore, so he could spend more time after school with his friends and girlfriend. And he was finally surrounded by the care of loving mother.
However, it happened sometimes when both Adrien and Marinette felt overwhelmed with the longing for  their kwamis. They spent such evenings in silence, just cuddled comforting each other.
Time passed (and they grew up a bit) and these cuddles became more and more intimate. And one day a new tension between Marinette and Adrien appeared and opened a Topic. The Topic. The one that concerns a new level of the relationship.
As usual, when you are insanely in love, they began from⌠planning. According to those plans, today was their âspecial dateâ, and the night was to become âthe nightâ. Or rather, The NightâŚ
Standing in the middle of her room, Marinette wondered if it was the best idea to invite Adrien here. Wouldnât it be better to organise their âspecial dateâ at his place? Because here it would be a disaster!
It started from her parents who seemed to know what was going on. Even though Marinette hadnât shared any of ideas for the evening Sabine chose to have a conversation with her daughter, going over the contraceptive methods and myths about the safety of âthe first timeâ.
âYour dad and I decided to go out tonight,â Sabine said at the end of that embarrassing chat. âJust remember about protectionâŚâ
âYes, now youâre saying âMumâ, but you have no idea how many girls donât know where babies come from until itâs too late. And then? Tragedy! Youâre too young and too irresponsible for being a mother. Parenting is not like playing house.â
âWhere did you get the idea that we⌠uhmâŚâ
âOh, darling! I wasnât born yesterdayâŚâ, Sabine laughed. âBesides, we think that you both were quite patientâŚâ
Saying that she winked at her daughter who wanted to vanish into thin air. That wasnât the first time when Marinette realised that she had unusual parents. Maybe if the âspecial dateâ was at Adrienâs she would avoid this embarrassing conversation. But she immediately answered to herself that it would be even worse there.
Emilie was so friendly that it sometimes turned into overstaying. She tended to spend evenings with them both, still missing company from the time she had been under the curse. It was more than possible that this evening she would also stay with them for all night long, ruining their plans.
Marinette took a glance at her reflection in the mirror. When she heard a doorbell, she felt a knot in her stomach like a stage fright. For a moment she regretted that they hadnât taken a chance to get that first-time over with⌠Planning your first night together was a terrible idea!
Soon, she heard knocking on the door trap.
âCome in!â, she said, trying to overcome trembling tone of her voice.
Seconds later she saw her boyfriendâs blond head, then his shy smile. When he came in, she noticed a red rose in his hand. Seeing him, dressed up for the special occasion, Marinette blushed. But before she reached him to welcome him, they both heard Sabineâs amused voice:
âWeâre going out, darling! Just remember aboutâŚâ, she stopped for a second, and Marinette would swear that her parents chuckled, then Sabine finished: âthat we were talking aboutâŚâ
âAre your parentsâŚ?â, Adrien asked embarrassed.
âTheyâre leaving for a dinner in a restaurant.â
âYeah⌠Your Mum mentioned that when she welcomed me. But⌠She winked at me so significantly, thatâŚâ, he didnât know what to describe it.
âThat you wanted to die?â, Marinette guessed.
âSort ofâŚâ
âShe reminded me about contraceptivesâŚâ, she whispered blushed like hell.
âAre we so predictable?â
âI have no idea how we managed to keep the superheroesâ identity secret, if weâre an open book for them allâŚâ
âWhat a puzzler, isnât it?â, Adrien smiled and came closer to Marinette. âThis is for you, sweetheartâŚâ, he whispered and handed her the rose.
âSpecify what âthisâ you meanâŚâ, she joked and winked flirtatiously.
âMhmmmâŚâ, he smiled meaningfully in response.
âIâll lock the door!â, She escaped his embraces. âJust in case my parents decided to come back for keys or documentsâŚâ
Adrien laughed. When he had been preparing for that special date, he felt anxious a little, and just like Marinette he wished they hadnât planned so much. If they did it spontaneously, like two days ago it almost happened, it would be much better! But now he felt comfortable as if their jokes relieved tension.
He sat down on the couch and watched his girlfriend who put the rose to a vase and then lit up some candles. Instantly, that created a cosy atmosphere.
Finally, Marinette turned to him and looked expectantly. Adrien stood up and embraced her. And kissed her the way heâd wanted since he stepped into her room. She immediately melted in his arms and kissed him back.
Warning! Some minor spoilers from âTroublemakerâ.
She denied everything. Marinette denied everything. When he talked to her in the locker room the next day after the fight against Troublemaker, she turned everything into a joke, mixing the words by the way. Adrien didnât know what to think. He couldnât understand why she had acted so weirdly to him again. After all, when heâd visited her as Cat Noir, she behaved completely differently.
He still didnât know what his pictures in her bedroom could mean, but â little by little â he didnât care. He focused on getting to know Marinette, who turned out to be a slightly different girl than he thought. He even had the impression that he was dealing with two people â a charmingly clumsy schoolmate and an ironic funny computer game maniac. And it was still one and the same person.
Worse, he noticed that he was becoming a little addicted to her company. He liked her sense of humour, he liked what she was telling him about the game she played, about school, about dress design and sewing. But the most, he liked when she teased him. Really, he didnât know her from this side. And he liked this side more and more.
Iâve just realised that today is the 23rd day of Marichat May: Video Games. And even though I havenât managed to write a new story, itâs a good opportunity to reblog an old one. The Marichat story written as a therapy after the Season 2.
@marichatmayÂ
If you like this part, please feel welcome to read the whole story here, on Tumblr. Or on AO3.
I used to have a masterlist, but after the 10th fanfic it was way too long so I changed the table of content into short description of each story. You can find them here:Â https://arolla-pine.tumblr.com/my_fanfics
All my stories (except short stories) are available on AO3, FF.net and Wattpad. You can find all the links here:Â https://arolla-pine.tumblr.com/find-me
The flight back from New York seemed to last forever. Adrien couldnât wait to land in Paris. Sure, he didnât miss so much his father or being closed at home. He didnât miss fighting classes with Kagami either. He just wanted to see the city and assess the damage during his absence.
Somewhere at the bottom of his heart he felt the need of rehabilitation. He wanted to prove Ladybug that she could rely on him.
No, wait⌠He didnât have to prove her anything. Sheâd forgiven him. So⌠Why did he feel like someone took his heart and threw it away somewhere over the Atlantic Ocean?
âSomeoneâs in loveâŚâ Plagg laughed between bites of his favourite camembert.
âNothing newâŚâ, Adrien shrugged.
Kwami looked in surprise at his holder, but soon after he laughed and rolled his eyes.
âAh, that irony⌠I looove it!â
âWhat are you talking about?â, Adrien asked.
âNothingâŚâ, Plagg played innocent. âDo you have more cheese?â
âItâs my fatherâs plane. Iâd bet youâll find everything in that fridgeâŚâ
Plagg didnât wait for the rest of the sentence and immediately flew for more camembert. He needed to focus on eating just in case he blurt something out. You never know when Adrien starts analysing his love problems. Judging from the boyâs sighs another crisis was coming⌠SoonâŚ
âIâm not sure if all that cheese is enough for the whole Atlantic OceanâŚâ, kwami muttered under his breath, and just in case he decided to chew slowly.
Meanwhile Adrien put his chin on his hand and stared through the window at the sunrise. That view reminded him the journey to New York and the moment he was watching the sunrise with Marinette. Now, it seemed to happen ages ago. Like in another lifetime. So much had happened since then.
He sighed again.
âYouâre not thinking about Ladybug!â, Plagg discovered suddenly.
âWhat?â, escaped from Adrien who blushed terrible.
âHahaha!â
âNothing of the kind!â, the boy denied.
âRiight⌠Because watching sunrise and dancing in the moonlight is saved for no one specialâŚâ
âNot âno one specialâ but for your best friends!â
âSo, when did you dance with Nino last time?â, Plagg muttered in an amused tone. âOr with KagamiâŚâ
âKagami⌠Itâs something differentâŚâ
âIâd bet she wouldnât mind⌠But I can feel with my seventh sense that if you had to choose someone for the moonlight dancing you would stay with your beloved pigtailsâŚâ
âNot âbelovedâ!â
âNot at allâŚâ, Plagg agreed ironically. âIâm sure if you repeat it a million times, probably you would convince someone⌠But first⌠Let me ask you a question. Which exact moment of your New York trip do you remember the most?â
Adrien stared at his kwami. He knew the answer at once. The most emotional and memorable moment of that trip was when he had had to get in the car leaving the class. And leaving Marinette. Who didnât do anything to keep him there. Even though he hoped she would say something that made him stay.
And suddenly he realised why he felt as if his heart was left somewhere behind. It stayed. With MarinetteâŚ
Spoiler alert! If you havenât seen âGang of Secretsâ donât read it! There are some references to âTruthâ and âLiesâ too⌠đ
* * *
Something was wrong.
Adrien saw Marinette in all possible moods â from excitement, nervousness, determination to sadness⌠But she had never been so broken as recently. Like someone turned off the lights or the sun was gone forever. He noticed these eyes filled with tears and red marks underneath â the visible proof that sheâd been crying. A lotâŚ
He was worried because all that suggested that she had some problems. He wanted to help her but had no clue how to do it. He was hopeless when it came to help girls. Like yesterday⌠Heâd thought it was a brilliant idea to invite Ladybug for a movie to the cinema. Just to comfort her⌠The result? She gave him a lecture why rom-coms are such nonsense! And when he tried to talk about feelings and being heartbroken, she told him she was perfectly fine and went to swim⌠So, if he was so terrible in helping Ladybug, how could he manage to help Marinette?
But this morning he noticed that Marinette looked like she felt much better. Alya left the company of Nino and Adrien and focused only on her best friend. When Nino asked his girlfriend why they couldnât spend time altogether, she answered that Marinette needed girlâs support after breaking-up with Luka. And she left them for the rest of the day. The girls kept sitting in a corner chatting all the time in whisper. That was the moment when Adrien realised he would never understand girls.
Yet⌠In the evening, all his doubts came back to him. Maybe because of a message he got from Luka, who cancelled another rehearsal⌠He suffered as much as Marinette⌠So why had they split up? Why so many relationships didnât work? Why couldnât he, Adrien, date Kagami? Why couldnât he date Ladybug? Why, why, why! Go to hell with all that!
âI miss adult holders, reallyâŚâ, Plagg muttered when he got enough of Adrienâs dilemmas. âYou, teenagers, can make saintâs blood boil. You can say anything about me but not that Iâm a saintâŚâ
âI cannot disagree to thatâŚâ
âWell, well, well⌠Some Cat is showing, I seeâŚâ
âCat?â, Adrien repeated. âWhat would you say for an evening walk?â He smirked.
âWhat?! No!â, kwami objected. âNo way! Night air is deadly for me!â
âRight⌠Sure⌠Plagg, claws out!â
A few minutes later he landed on the rooftop of Marinetteâs house. He had no rational explanation why he could visit her. Thankfully, Plagg had had no chance to ask him about his plans, because Adrien couldnât find a reason why he came here. He had no idea what to tell Marinette either if she asked him what he was doing there. He just wanted to see if everything was OK with her. Most likelyâŚ
So, why was he hiding behind a chimney, instead of showing his presence? What a fool!
And then he heard a whisper:
âI donât know what to do anymore, TikkiâŚâ
Cat Noir froze.
Did Marinette say âTikkiâ? That Tikki?!
His heart stopped, and he forgot about breathing for a moment. That was impossible! And yet⌠So obvious at the same time⌠His brain suddenly matched all the dots and all puzzles found their place. Just like that.
âMarinette?â, he whispered, landing right next to her.
Maybe it was an optical illusion or just wishful thinking but he could swear he noticed a red flash as if a red kwami ran away in a rush.
âC-Cat N-Noir?â, Marinette stuttered.
He saw panic in her eyes. He guessed she was trying to remember last seconds on the balcony and probably realised already what he could have heard. That was kind of amusing watching her figuring out an excuse. He had been there so many times before!
âIs it bad that I know?â, he interrupted her efforts.
âNobody taught you that you shouldnât eavesdrop?!â
âHow could I predict youâd be chatting with your kwami on the balcony? You should be more careful!â
âSo, maybe Iâll just announce my secret to the world!â, she was mad at herself. âIf I donât stop revealing, soon a half of Paris will know who I am! Hawkmoth will be happyâŚâ
âYou have told someone already?â
âAlyaâŚâ, she mumbled.
âYouâve told Alya?!â
At first, he felt disappointment that she had chosen her friend, not him. He was her partner! They trusted each other! But then he remembered what Alya had done today at school, how she took care of Marinette⌠He couldnât do the same being Adrien⌠That was painful to realise that couldnât offer the support that this girl needed.
âI couldnât stand it anymore, CatâŚâ, she whisper like she wanted to justify herself. âI was so tired⌠You canât even imagine how hard it was to keep everything secret⌠I had no oneâŚâ
âYou always have me, MâLadyâŚâ
âI donât even know who you are, Kitty⌠I know you so well as my partner and I can trust you with my life⌠But⌠I donât know who you are as the civilianâŚâ
âWe know each other, Marinette⌠WeâreâŚâ, he began, but she stopped him putting her hand on his mouth.
âNo! No more secrets revealed. I donât want to know⌠I canât⌠Not today⌠Itâs too much⌠I donât want to start thinking who you are⌠No!â, she began blabbing, and that reminded him yesterday Ladybugâs lecture in the cinema. âItâs enough that you learnt about meâŚThatâs a catastrophe!â
âCAT-astrophe?â, he smirked, and she rolled her eyes.
âYou couldnât resist, could you?â
âThatâs stronger than my will, BugabooâŚâ
She blinked twice in surprise. Well, he just call her by Ladybugâs nickname. Now, sheâd probably kill him for that pun⌠Instead, she looked at him, as if the situation was too serious for fighting against puns.
âWhat now, Cat?â, she whispered.
âEverything will be OKâŚâ, he assured her and hugged her to his chest.
âHow do you know that?â, she asked somewhere around his heart, and he felt the warmth spreading through his body.
âDonât worry, Marinette. Iâll take care of youâŚâ, he whispered in her hair.
It was a lazy Sunday morning. The sun somehow broke through the window blinds and shone in Marinetteâs eyes. She closed her eyes and rolled over. It was better now. She opened her eyelids and met Adrienâs happy gaze.
âGood morning, MâLady.â He said with his cat-smile.
âCould you stop reflecting the sun?â She asked, smiling at him in response.
âI try. But you forbade me to dye.â he reminded her.
âSomeone would finally realise that youâre patrolling the city as Cat Noir.â She replied.
âBut just think about it. I would look seductive as a black-haired Cat Noir.â
âWatch out, because youâll fall into narcissism.â she warned him. âYouâll spend hours in front of the mirror, in love with yourself.â
âNever!â he assured her. âIâve been in love only with you. And I always will.â
âReally? Youâre not bored yet?â
âMarinetteâŚâ he began in stern voice and pulled her closer.
He was about to kiss her when they heard a soft voice from the door:
âMommy?â
Marinette giggled when she saw Adrienâs expression.
I saw today #adrinetteapril2021 prompt âSunriseâ and that reminded me about my story written three years ago. âHappily Ever Afterâ starts from Sunday Morning in the Agreste family. The Adrien and Marinette Agreste family... So, if you havenât read it yet, feel welcome to catch up.
Recently, Iâve realised that I havenât published any new content since last autumn and the story âI, Marinetteâ.Â
After finishing âNo room to swing a Cat?â which turned out to be a story as long as my debut novel that I published three years ago, I promised myself that first Iâd finish my original story and then Iâd go back to fanfiction.
But...
One of my friends remembered me about the Miraculous anniversary in September and asked if I could publish something extra because of that. And thatâs why you got âI, Marinetteâ despite my plan of writing the original novel...
But after that I kept my promise and I focused on âThe Dreamsâ. Last week, I finally finished writing the sequel of âThe Hunchesâ - titled âThe Dreamsâ. The text went to beta-readers and I'm so stressed while waiting for their feedback, that I came back to one of fanfics I had started months ago. I do hope to be ready with the first chapter in April, because it is so Adrinette story that it would be great to catch up with @adrinetteapril.
So, keep your fingers crossed, because a new story is closer than you think đ
Iâd like to share some information about the phenomenon that started 27 years ago in Poland â The Great Orchestra of Christmas Charity. Every year in the 2nd Sunday of a New Year people join altogether to collect funds for the littlest patients â new-borns, babies, children (some of finals have been dedicated to also the eldest patients â not only children but seniors as well). Thanks to this initiative and its founder, Jurek Owsiak, many specialist childrenâs hospitals in Poland have been equipped in the most innovative apparatus available, the paediatric care and neonatal care were revolutionised.
The declaration of the Orchestra is to play till the end of the world and one day longer. Letâs hope it willâŚ
If you want to learn more, please check it here: https://en.wosp.org.pl/final/27-final
And visit the Orchestraâs fanpage:Â https://www.facebook.com/wosp/
While I was running alongside the Seine, I could compare traveling by Cat Noirâs staff and by Ladybugâs yo-yo. The latter was much more suitable for me, yet the Catâs costume was better in absorbing jolts. I landed quietly nearby the Eiffel Tower. I hoped that Ladybug would find me before Juggler appeared.
âSo, how did it go, Bugaboo?â I heard a whisper next to me.
âHow are you feeling, Cat?â I asked instead, trying to read some emotions in Ladybugâs eyes.
âI still canât believe in what I learned! Wow, itâs reallyâŚâ
âJust in caseâŚâ I began in a serious tone. âAdrien⌠In case you still remember Ladybugâs identity after the âMiraculous Ladybugâ spell, never reveal your identity in public. Even if you want to protect Marinette.â
That was all I could do to prevent âCat Blancâ storyline.
âYouâve started talking about yourself in the third personâŚâ Ladybug smiled.
âDonât you have a feeling that youâre talking to yourself when youâre talking to me?â I asked instead to avoid answering.
âIâm sure I wonât confess any of my feelings to you right now. That would haunt me till the end of my lifeâŚâAdrien-Ladybug joked.
âIf only Plagg could see that⌠I think that would kill himâŚâ
âBy the way! Was he nice for you?â
âOf course! He was so cute!â
âEr⌠Plagg?â
âSure. You know, heâs a very sensitive little cat⌠If you can see through all those layers of sarcasm⌠And I think heâs very attached to youâŚâ I admitted. âOK, Cat! Letâs go back to work. Iâm going to sleep in my bed tonight, so letâs get Juggler! Here you are!â I handed two miraculouses to Ladybug.
âWhatâs that?â
âWe need Alya and Nino.â
âBut⌠Hawkmoth knows their identities⌠Maybe weâll try to combine our miraculouses withâŚâ
âNo. I need them here. If my plan works, weâll defeat Juggler. Besides, Hawkmoth wonât expect that weâll ask our friends for help. Please, take those miraculouses to them and hurry back here.â
âBut⌠Why me?â
âBecause I donât know the addressâŚâ came across my mind.
âIt was always Ladybug who was giving them miraculouses. Let it be as it used to be. Oh, just tell them to focus on their costumes to be different than before. To mislead Hawkmoth.â
âDo you think itâll work?â
I was sure it would work. I had checked that on myself when I had to recreate Ladybugâs costume as it was originally designed by Marinette. That should work when someone wanted to create a new one too.
âThe costume is what you really want to, isnât it? If Alya and Nino take care of new outfits, weâll have a new Rena Rouge and a new Carapace⌠Meanwhile, Iâll work on details of the planâŚâ
âIâll be right back, MâLady!â Ladybug saluted and disappeared in the darkness.
I found a safe shelter and waited. After a quarter or so Ladybug came back accompanied by two new superheroes. Alya had loose hair that partly covered her face. Her outfit was different â it looked rather like a short flamenco dress than like an overcoat. Nino looked like a real Ninja killer â hooded and masked.
âGreat!â I said satisfied. âNow, listen to the planâŚâ
âWait a sec⌠What?â Alya interrupted. âSince when Cat Noir is the strategy guy? Youâve finally grown up to let him do this?â she asked Ladybug.
âLetâs call it a compromiseâŚâ Adrien laughed.
âYou havenât told them, Cat?â I was surprised.
âWhat should sheâŚâ Alya began. âNo, wait⌠Why is Cat Noir calling you âCatâ?â she asked Ladybug.
âI didnât know I should tell themâŚâ
âItâs crucial to succeed⌠OK, listen up⌠Juggler can move souls between bodies. He exchanged me with Cat Noir.â
Alya gasped, and Nino half-grunted half-chuckled. I winked at Ladybug.
âWe need you here not only for the mission, but also to mislead Hawkmoth about your identities. He must start thinking that Iâve found new holders for the Miraculous of Fox and of Turtle. Have you worked out your new names?â
âIâll be Jade Defender.â Nino suggested. âI wanted to pay tribute to Jade Turtle.â
I was moved hearing that. It was kind of symbolic gesture but so meaningful.
âI wanted to be Flame Dancer, but someone made fun of this nameâŚâ Alya said, narrowing her eyes ominously when she glanced at her boyfriend. âSo, it seems that Iâll be Flame Enchantress. But⌠I really miss Rena RougeâŚâ
âLetâs keep it temporaryâŚâ I smiled trying to give her some comfort. âNow, focus! Flame Enchantress has to hide. Youâll create an illusion where Ladybug and Cat Noir regained their bodies. Ladybug must convince Juggler that she broke his spell. Jade Defender will create a shield to protect the illusion from a new spell, because that will reveal the trick. I hope Juggler will take the bait and will focus on the fight with the illusion. Then Cat and I may try to take over his wand, baton or whatever it is⌠Ladybug, you have to call your âLucky charmâ. Without it the âMiraculous Ladybugâ spell wonât work and we wonât be able to go back to our bodies. Iâll try to destroy the akuma object.â
âYou think itâs the wand?â Ladybug asked.
I remembered âCat Blancâ episode again where Ladybug couldnât find the object where the akuma was hiding. This time we didnât have a second chance. Not with Juggler⌠He was too clever.
âHonestly? I have no idea what else it could beâŚâ I admitted. âSo, letâs get to work! Good luck, you all!â I said and then I added under my breath. âAnd⌠See you in the other life, CatâŚâ
We took our positions. I felt like a spectator. It wasnât anything weird for me, Lena, but for Adrien it had to be tough observing Ladybug and Cat Noir playing their roles. For the last half an hour heâd been calling Cat Noir by a name âBugabooâ. Now, he saw both of us doubled.
We didnât wait too long for Juggler. He appeared surrounded by dust, laughing at superheroes.
âOh, my poor super-kids! Youâve recharged?â he scoffed at superheroes.
âBetter! Weâve regained our bodies!â Ladybug shouted with satisfaction.
âWhat? No! Itâs impossible!â supervillain yelled. âI exchanged your bodies! You have no power to revert my spell!â
He swung with his wand  but this time smoky spheres vanished when they reached a green dome created by Jade Defender. Juggler swore and tried to turned around to transfer himself under the dome. But he failed. His right hand was captured by Ladybugâs yo-yo, and a second later his wand was caught by a red black-dotted lasso. I was watching, speechless, Ladybug keeping supervillain tied with her yo-yo while her left hand swayed the lasso to snatch the wand out of Jugglerâs palm and to passed it in my direction. Where that boy had learned that?!
Defeating Juggler was a mere formality. I summoned the Cataclysm and the wand turned into dust revealing the akuma. Ladybug captured the black butterfly and cleansed it. Seconds later we could see Thomas Astruc sitting on the ground, totally confused.
âYouâve saved me againâŚâ he muttered. âThank you!â
âYouâre welcomeâŚâ Ladybug grinned.
âI see you have new superhero-mates.â Thomas noticed. âI donât remember thoseâŚâ
âThese are new holders of miraculousesâŚâ I explained.
I didnât want to ask him if he liked the way I messed up his universe. Heâd probably get upset and was akumatised again. But I could congratulate myself â my theory of a supervillain was correct. But Tikki would say that it was magic. All in all, I wasnât sure of anything anymoreâŚ
âCould you tell us, what happened?â Ladybug asked.
No, better not!
âThe last thing I remember was a story⌠My assistant gave me that to readâŚâ Thomas said, and I felt faint. So, now I knew why it was me⌠Thomas had to read one of my fanfics. Great⌠âThat was the story about your fight against Oblivio⌠Re-writtenâŚâ
Let me guess⌠âNot so oblivious anymoreâ?
âBut none of us remembers what happened that dayâŚâ Ladybug blurted out. Damn you, Cat! Neither of us! Not ânone of usâ! We should keep Alya and Ninoâs identities secret!
âErâŚâ I cleared my throat and kneeled down next to Thomas. âDid you like that rewritten story?â I couldnât miss the opportunity to ask.
âYeah. And that made me angryâŚâ
So, I could die happy now. What a shame I couldnât put those words in a frameâŚ
âNext time, please hire the author instead of sending her for a tripâŚâ I whispered and winked at him. âOK, Cat!â I stood up and looked at Ladybug. âItâs time for going homeâŚâ
My partner nodded and gripped the red lasso. She threw it in the air with the spell âMiraculous Ladybugâ. At the last moment, I saluted like Cat Noir had done so many times before and whispered:
âItâs been an honourâŚâ
* * *
I knew it worked, even before I opened my eyes. I just felt my own body. My face was hidden in my palms and I felt my husbandâs hand on my arms.
âLena?â he asked me, and I could hear a tension in his voice.
I was so moved that I couldnât say a word. Instead, I fell into his arms.
âYou got me. I have no clue whatâs going on hereâŚâ he murmured.
âIâm backâŚâ I whispered happy. âI assume you had a little end of the world today?â
âYou spent half a day in the bathroom, and then you were talking about Marinette, Tikki and Master Fu. All day long. I think you need a break from your fanficsâŚâ
âYeah⌠I think that too. But at first, I have to write the last one. You wonât believe what happened to meâŚâ
That was unbelievable! Iâd just started feeling comfortable as Marinette! And now I had to start all over again?!
âBugaboo?â Ladybug asked me tenderly, kneeling by my side.
âWoah⌠That was totally unexpectedâŚâ I sighed staring at my palm covered by some little blackholes â a proof that Cat Noir had already used his âCataclysmâ spell.
âWhat now?â
âWe have to use this Cataclysm, otherwise Iâll hurt you or myself, or Iâll destroy the Louvre PalaceâŚâ I muttered.
Ladybug found a bird feather and popped it out in the air. I caught it and it turned into dust instantly.
âThanksâŚâ I murmured. âIt looked like an Amok, you know?â
âIt seems like both of us used the superpowersâŚâ Ladybug sighed looking at a dotted red globe in her hands. âWeâll transform back soon.â
âSo, weâd better go down from the roof.â I suggested and stood up.
âStill remember how to use the staff?â Ladybug winked at me in a very Cat Noirâs style.
âYou bet!â I laughed.
But I wasnât amused. I waited for Ladybug leaving towards the Seine and assessed the Cat Noirâs weapon. I repeated to myself to trust to my instinct and to body memory, yet I was terrified at the idea of another air means of transport⌠I would have to go to therapy after all that!
I found Ladybug at the bank of Seine next to the Pont du Carrousel. We hid under the bridge.
âWe donât have time, CatâŚâ I whispered. âWe have to find a shelter. If Juggler finds us when we are in the civilian selves, we can say goodbye to our Miraculouses.â
âWeâll learn about our identities!â Ladybug replied in horror. Adrien started paninicking⌠Not good⌠That didnât help me at all.
âActually, I know yoursâŚâ I admitted and Ladybug gasped. âBut Iâm aware it might be a shock for you⌠Before weâll transform back, could you show me whatâs the âLucky charmâ?â
âI have no idea whatâs thatâŚâ
I glanced at the oval object in Ladybugâs hands. If anyone asked me, Iâd say it looked like a new Miracle Box. That meant we needed an ally. My brain tried to work as fast as possible.
âOK, CatâŚâ I made a decision. âWe have to split. Iâm going for the Miracle Box, although I have no idea who could we ask for help. Chloe revealed all identities of the miraculousâ holders. I hope Iâll figure out something in the meanwhile. Letâs meet somewhere around the Eiffel Tower. If I make itâŚâ
âIâm sure you will, MâLadyâŚâ Ladybug assured me, and my brain tried to process the collision of words and image of a person speaking. âYou have been Lady Noir already, so Iâm sure youâll do your job perfectlyâŚâ
âBut I have never been a boyâŚâ I muttered, and my partner burst out laughing.
âAfter Reflekta nothing surprises me anymoreâŚâ he replied after a moment.
âGood luck, Cat! Oh, and donât panic!â
âWhy should I?â Ladybug asked me surprised.
âTikki will take care of youâŚâ I told rather myself than him, suspecting how much he would be shocked when he found out the Ladybugâs identity. âSee you later!â
I jumped on the Catâs staff, trying to overcome sickness at my stomach. I preferred walking on the ground, but there was no time for this. I had to be home before I transformed into Adrien.
I landed on Marinetteâs balcony just before my time was up. When my feet stood on the floor I felt transformation. I saw green flashes around me and a cool air ran down through my body. Plagg emerged immediately in front of my face and looked at me concerned. Was it possible that this little sarcastic cat was worrying about a teenagerâs emotions?
âDonât panic, PigtailsâŚâ
Oh, right! Plaggâs nickname for MarinetteâŚ
âIâm fine⌠I knew it was AdrienâŚâ I muttered, jumping into Marinetteâs bedroom.
âReally?â Plagg was surprised, but to hide all hints of sensitivity he added in his normal tone: âIâm starving!â
âOf courseâŚâ I reached my pocket to get some cheese for the kwami. âEven if I gave you piles of camembert youâd still be starvingâŚâ
âPiles of camembert⌠You know my deepest dreams, PigtailsâŚâ
âNo comment⌠Now, letâs find the Miracle BoxâŚâ
âFind? What do you mean by saying âfindâ?â Plagg choked with cheese but looked at me meaningful, so I gave him another piece of camembert. âYouâve already lost it?â he asked ironically.
âI havenât lost it. I hid itâŚâ
âAnd you forgot where?â
âItâs a long storyâŚâ I muttered.
At that moment my phone began ringing. There was Marinetteâs picture on the screen. So Adrien had just found out. I clicked a green button.
âMarinette?!â a shocked face of⌠well⌠Marinette was staring at me, but said nothing more.
âDonât panic. Just breathe!â I replied.
âBut⌠Marinette?â
Not good⌠Apparently, Adrienâs brain stopped working.
âCalm down, please⌠Is there Tikki?â
The red kwami didnât show up, but I heard her voice somewhere there. Oh, right! I forgot that kwami were invisible for technologies!
âCan you take care of him?â I asked with concern. A panicked partner wouldnât help me in coming back home. âI can see he didnât take it too wellâŚâ
âItâs not like that, Marinette!â Adrien replied. âItâs justâŚâ
âI know, Adrien⌠I knowâŚâ I cut it, although I had no idea what he wanted to say. Probably, he would start talking about our friendship and how happy he was, but surprised too. I had no time for that. I had to find the Miracle Box. âI have a problem, Tik. Can you tell me, where I should look for you-know-what?â
âI canât tell youâŚâ Tikki sounded like she was really sad that she couldnât help me. âTry to figure it out. Plagg will help. Remember he can pass through solid objectsâŚâ
âIf the Box was smeared with camembert he would find it within a couple of secondsâŚâ I muttered under my breath.
âCamembert? Someone has said âcamembertâ? Plagg pricked up his ears. âAnd I object! I would find the Box within less than a second! If it was smeared with camembert, of course⌠What a shame it isnâtâŚâ
âCan you give a hint maybe?â I turned back to the phone. âJust a hint, TikkiâŚâ
âAll I can tell you is that yesterday we had no time to find a perfect hiding place.â Kwami replied. âWe found a tolerable oneâŚâ
Woah, much better!
âWhy are you so calm?â Marinette, or rather Adrien, cut in.
âWhatâ? I was surprised.
âYou donât look like shocked that⌠you know⌠That I amâŚâ
âItâs a long storyâŚâ I said, realising that I repeated this too often. âDonât worry. After âMiraculous Ladybugâ we both will forget about our identities.â
âBut⌠I donât want to forgetâŚâ Adrien confessed.
âYour bad, because you willâŚâ crossed my mind. That how the spell worked. And I could be more that sure that the original Marinette would have no idea about Cat Noirâs identity.
âFocus, Adrien!â I called him to order. âYou must recharge Tikki. You should find some macaroons in my purse. But wait with transformation because I may need Tikki if I have some more problems with seeking. Just⌠Keep your fingers crossed and wish me luck!â
I hung up.
âI should have made you take back all those âjust a friendâs!â I muttered to myself. âI swear if you said that, Iâd cut myself into pieces. Or youâŚâ
I heard laugh. Plagg seemed to have fun.
âItâs hilarious!â
âIâm so glad to see you find it funny. But maybe letâs find the Box instead, shall we?â
âWhat a shame you didnât think about smearing it with camembertâŚâ
âBy the way, letâs try to be quietâŚâ I toned down my voice. âIt would be better not to draw parentsâ attention. Who knows how they would react seeing a boy searching their daughterâs roomâŚâ
âEspecially, if itâs a love interest of their daughterâŚâ Plagg added still amused with the situation.
âHeâs so blind, that I truly doubt that even if he saw all of those stuff, he would realise about her feelings.â
âHer?â kwami stopped and looked at me alarmed. âYouâre not Marinette!â He discovered.
âBingo! Before Juggler changed me with Cat Noir, he managed to change me with Marinette.â I explained quickly. I had no time for this. Not now. âIâm not Marinette. Iâm Lena. And I really need to find this Box if I want to go back home!â
âTikki knows?â
âSure she does. She already checked me. And now⌠Could you please help me in returning to my life? I have no idea where that girl could hide this egg!â
âDonât ask me!â Plagg turned away from me, yet added under his breath: âBut as a big fan of chaos and destruction Iâd start from the biggest messâŚâ
I looked at a pile of fabrics in the corner next to the sewing machine. Theoretically, it could be considered as a âtolerableâ hiding place. If I was Gabriel Agreste I wouldnât even touch a top of this pile, not to mention about diving in it⌠I began searching the fabrics and other sewing stuff, one by one. After a few minutes I finally found what I had been searching for. When I picked up a big red sphere, I felt like it was vibrating. That was illogical because I wasnât Marinette â neither internally nor in body. However, the Miracle Box seemed to feel that I was the right person. Weird.
I drew a sign of âMâ on the top of the sphere. I didnât know why such a stupid idea came to my mind, but surprisingly it worked. It wasnât the first time here, in the Miraculous universe, when my intuition led me correctly to the solution.
The Box started opening, showing me the magic jewels. I didnât know the abilities of most of them, but I remembered what I had learned about the Miraculous of Fox and the Miraculous of Turtle. I took them from the Box and then I put my hand on the top of the sphere. The Miracle Box closed, and I couldnât believe that it worked! This time it was illogical to think that it was because of body memory â Adrien had never touched the Miracle Box nor tried to open it. So, why I managed to do it?
âSeriously? Fox and Turtle?â Plagg asked in a doubtful tone.
âI donât know the others. Besides, when I saw them all, I discovered how we could defeat Juggler. And to do so, I need those two.â
âWow, Iâm impressed, PigtailsâŚâ
I smiled at him. I knew Iâd miss him.
âPlagg, claws out!â
---
I, Marinette - p.7 <-  Previous part  |  Next part -> I, Marinette - p.9