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The Forgotten One
Since birth Talia Al Ghul was trained to be the perfect soldier, the picture of perfection and one of the deadliest weapons the League of Assassins could ever have. But in the eyes of her father, none of that mattered because she would never be the one thing he longed for, a male to call the heir to his empire. Because of his countless resurrections, he found himself incapable of conceiving another child, so the responsibility of producing an heir fell on his firstborn. Accepting her duty to the League she reaches the only person she would ever trust her body and soul, Bruce Wayne, her first love. Even after years they still had a very complicated relationship, but she knew he would not turn her away. It wasn’t uncommon for Talia to sporadically visit him, so Bruce didn’t think much when she unannounced appeared at Gotham after months of total silence. After a long night of passion, he wouldn’t hear of her for another six years.
Marianne Al Ghul is born out of duty.
Marinette Dupain is born out of choice.
(story inspired by this post of @jinx-jade )
My first try at writing a MariBat story, should I continue?
Next
The Forgotten One
First Previous
Chapter 13
Love is in the air or do we have a new Wayne in our midst?
by Vicki Vale
Yes, readers, you read that right! As of last month, there have been sightings of a new mysterious young woman tagging along with our favorite family outings. We all know Bruce Wayne's addiction to blue-eyed and black-haired children, so it comes as no surprise that this new addition fits the criteria to a T.
We first started seeing some of her when the Wayne’s had an adorable zoo excursion on the fifth of last month, and as you can see by the photos she seems very cozy with our resident bad boy Jason Todd, the second adopted ward of Ms. Wayne, but also very friendly with Ice Prince of Gotham, Damian Wayne. (see photos below)
Bruce’s life history is very well known, just as his love one, but we cannot say the same about his wards and children. The multi-millionaire keeps them as far from the media as he can, but from time to time he discloses some information about his home life, just enough to keep us wanting more. It feels like it was just yesterday when Damian was first introduced to the world at 10 years of age, so the possibility of this new girl being another secret love child is not so insane if we are being honest.
After we first saw her it seems like we couldn't get enough of her! She’s been seen all over the city in the last few weeks. Drawing at the park or enjoying a stroll around the Gotham Botanic Gardens, you name it she’s done it! And more times than not Jason Todd is right there by her side.
Is this a new romance that’s blossoming right in front of our eyes or simply some sibling bonding time?
We are all dying to know more about her, and officially welcome her as a new member (or not) of the influential Wayne legacy. I don’t know about you readers, but this reporter is a sucker for romance and is going to be disappointed if the latest bachelor is snagged from the market.
As of now we know basically nothing about her and can only imagine what her intentions are, but rest assured that no rock would be left unturned, and every information we discover will be yours!
“Why do I need to participate in this again?” Marianne asks for what seems to be the tenth time just that day.
After Vicki Vale’s article came out, a couple of weeks ago, it was decided that it would be better if Marianne was publicly recognized as a Wayne. The stream of articles that followed certainly helped secure that decision. Not that it mattered to her, but apparently it was important to keep the media on their side, otherwise they would twist the truth and make her a bad image. The assassin in her despised the idea of having her face recognized around the world easily, but after some talking, Damian was the one to convince her about the pros of being a Wayne. Dealing with the media wasn’t something she had practice with. While on the League the goal was to keep attention away from herself and although she had some interactions with the news as Ladybug she preferred to leave Chat Noir be the one the reporters turn to for answers. Her distaste for reporters was well known in Paris, but in Gotham, no one knew her, and apparently, that was a problem.
When she first read the article she found the fact that Vicki Vale wasn't so far away from the truth funny. She was Wayne but she was also involved with Jason, not that anyone knew about that. Apart from Damian, who knew about them but preferred to keep living in denial, they all just assumed that they were involved in the past but that was long over. They were taking things slow, first rebuilding their friendship before making any decisions, but both knew they had a connection that could not be denied. So it was not like they were hiding or anything, her family was just very dense, and if any of them had asked she would have been honest, even if she herself wasn’t sure what the status of their relationship was.
“It would be better if we acknowledge your existence to the public, that way reporters would know that you are under the protection of Master Bruce, and keep speculations to a minimum. The news can be quite nasty if allowed.” Alfred patiently explains again. She wasn’t very comfortable being the center of attention and was glad that at least she would have her family by her side. Father decided that throwing a Gala was the best way to present her. Damian’s existence was announced the same way, so it made sense, and Marianne decided not to disagree with him. But as time went by, she started feeling anxious and insecure.
Sitting in the kitchen counter with a mug, filled with coffee that had long gone cold, in her hands she observed the man, who she now saw as her grandfather, organizing the last details to the big event that would be happening later that night. For the last hour, she had occupied herself baking some cookies, but now that they were in the oven she found herself a bit anxious with the lack of what to do.
She was once presented to the League, not as Ra’s Al Ghul granddaughter, but as the future Grand Guardian of the Miraculi, and she could say that facing hundreds of highly trained assassins was less daunting than facing some socialites that loved drama and attention.
Jason chose that moment to enter the kitchen. He had been of great help, keeping her engaged on other things and keeping her mind from wandering.
“Come on Pixie, you and me, training room.” That was enough to make her feel less stressed. After Alfred assured her that he could keep an eye on the baking cookies, she finished her drink in one gulp before jumping from the counter, more than ready to spend some of her pent-up energy. Thanking Alfred for the company and patience she left the room with Jason by her side.
“One more second and I was considering running to Tibet” She joked. He laughs, clearly amused by her statement.
“Naw, you wouldn’t even get as far as New York. Alfred would have sent someone after you. According to him, this is a very important event and we should behave accordingly.” He says in his best posh accent. He throws an arm around her as they walk, bringing her closer to him. Marianne smiles, catching up on what he is doing. Making fun of the situation in an attempt to keep her mind off her worries.
“I swear that man is a saint! He put up with my anxiety-filled self!” She confesses.
“Oh my god! That man deserves a medal! You're a nightmare when you're anxious.” He laughs again, and she could swear her heart skipped a beat. Opting not to say anything she lightly punches him in the ribs before running off. “Hey! You come back, you little traitor!” And then he runs after her.
Laughter fills the corridors of the Manor as Jason and Marianne chase after one another. They pass by the main library, where Damian is seated by the fireplace with Alfred the cat on his lap, on their way to the training room, but he merely rolls his eyes at them.
They are laughing so hard that by the time they get to their destination they are both red on the face, with adrenaline pumping in their veins.
She stared around the room unsure what to do first.
“Come on, you know you want to.” He takes her left hand and pulls her to the mat-covered space. He knows her so well it’s scary. He tapes her knuckles as well as his one with black tape. “Just please go easy on me, we do have to make a social appearance in less than 8 hours. No black eyes!” He winks at her. She huffs but gets onto stance.
As always he is the one that throws the first punch.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Less than one hour until they have to leave for the venue and she is standing in the middle of her room in a silk black robe staring at the piece of clothing she spent the last few weeks working on. Her sparring with Jason had helped calm her nerves, but now that she had showered and done her hair, she was starting to doubt her attire choice. The dress was a beautiful shade of dark green with maroon accents on the bodice. She was proud of her work but wasn’t sure if others would as well. It was the first time she had designed something for its aesthetic rather than functionality. When designing she opted for a long skirt as she obviously would be wearing her dagger on a holster on her right leg, but other than that she was free to make whatever she wanted. She chose to add sleeves to the design but made sure they were the softest tulle she ever came across. The hand-stitched flowers had taken her longer than she anticipated, but the end result was so worth it.
There was a knock on the door, but before she could say anything the door was open, and she could only stare in amazement at the person that entered her chamber. Damian looked so grown in his tailored black suit, so different from the ten-year-old she left two years ago. She remembers him wearing his formal robes at important events at the League, but he had never looked so mature as he did now. He wore a neutral expression, but she could tell by the small frown on his eyebrows that he was concerned about her.
“You have nothing to worry about, Father made sure that none of the media vultures would be in attendance today. And if you suddenly find yourself overwhelmed, I am sure Todd would be more than happy to kidnap you out of the party.” He says in an attempt to alleviate her fears. He comes closer and gives her hand a reassuring squeeze.
“You always know how to calm me” She smiles and turns her attention back to the dress. She bites her lip again before taking a long breath. Marianne takes the dress in her hands, examining the details one last time before turning around and entering her bathroom.
By the time she comes out Damian is not the only one seated on her bed. Jason had joined her brother in waiting for her, and she can’t help but stop and stare at the scene before her. Both wear tailored black suits with ties, and she can’t help but admire them. Both looked so different from the last time she had seen them, but still the same. Their aura hadn’t changed, and that comforted her.
Although being so engrossed in their conversation that they hadn’t heard her exiting the bathroom, Damian is the first to notice her presence, but being too stunned he doesn't say anything. Realizing that his brother had suddenly stopped talking Jason looks in the direction he’s looking. The surprise is immediate, and he stands faster than she thought possible. He walks closer to her until he is standing in front of her, his face close to hers.
“Stunning.” He whispers into her ear, making her blush. Looking at her he felt as if he was looking at an angel. Her long hair was styled in a half up half down updo with a ribbon the same crimson red as the one in her dress. The ends of her hair were curled and she looked so good in that dress. She wore just some light lipstick that made her lips look fuller, and it took all the strength in him not to kiss her into oblivion.
He knew how hard she had worked on that dress, but God! The only thing he could imagine doing right now is taking it out of her.
“You look splendid 'ukhty. But if you two are done, it’s time for us to go.” Damian interrupts their moment, a little annoyed. Marianne nods silently and accepts Jason’s extended arm. They walk in silence to the entrance of the house where the others are already waiting for them, all elegantly dressed in tailored black suits as well, in a similar style to Damian’s and Jason's. Stephanie is also there, wearing a gorgeous navy long dress with some stones along the bodice.
“Stephanie, you look beautiful. This dress suits your complexion very well” Marianne comments sincerely. The blond smiles and turns to her boyfriend, who is staring at her with an adoring expression.
“The best part is that it has pockets!” She animatedly demonstrates by removing her phone from the said pocket. “But yours is to die for! Where did you get it from?”
“I designed myself” The black-haired confess, a little embarrassed by all the attention her dress suddenly gets from the other members of the family. Richard and Father, who until then were having a separate conversation, stare at her design in wonder.
Father has a look of approval on his face, and by his small side small is pleased with her choice. Richard has the biggest smile she has ever seen on someone’s face and immediately starts to praise her, which only makes her blush, not being used to compliments.
Most of the ride to the gala is spent in silence, only broken when either Father or Dick offers some advice on how to deal with the guest in attendance, something she is grateful for. Her father explains that all in attendance know better than bombard her with questions, and would only do so only in private, so it was best to stay in the main room at all times. Tim and Stephanie seem to be in their own world, much to the annoyance of Damian that was seated between the two couples. Said annoyance he made sure to voice every chance he got. But as Marianne decides not to let her brother's bad humor damp hers, she contemplates her time in Gotham so far. It's refreshing to know that all these people in the car are there because they care for her on some level, so different from how things worked when she was growing up.
The venue her father chose was close to Wayne Tower, so it took quite a while for them to arrive. But when they do, most of the guests are already there. When they exit the car they are assaulted by what seemed to be hundreds of flashes in the distance. At the entrance there were a bunch of photographers taking photos of the guests, just waiting to catch the Wayne family.
As they walk into the building Jason has his arm protectively around her and whispers into her ear to keep her head down, to avoid most of the cameras. Damian is by her side, glaring at anyone that dares to stare at them for more than a second. The security of the event keeps the reporters in order, protecting them from their advances. All of this is very new and she thinks the fact that all of them are there just to catch a glimpse of her Father is quite entertaining.
Inside the building, she sees her Father slip into his public persona. Brucie Wayne is suddenly the center of attention. As he walks people seem to orbit around him, just begging for a slip of his time. Her brothers sometimes stop and make small talk with some of the guests, but ultimately they arrive at what she suppose is their table. Bruce is still a bit far away, having stopped to welcome an old-aged couple.
“Hey relax,” Jason tells her. “We just have to stay, make small talk, just enough for these people to think we give a fuck, then B’s gonna introduce you and we can get the hell out of here.” Oh, how she wished it would be that simple. She’s been to Gala’s before, mostly doing undercover work to the League, and these types of things tend to last forever. “Come on I want to introduce you to someone” He takes her hand in his and gently guides her around the ballroom. She can tell that people are watching them but is grateful that no one decides to stop them. She smiles at some people that just plainly stare at them as Jason guides them around the room.
They walk in the direction of two men, a blond and a red-headed.
“Mari, this is Oliver and Roy Queen” Jason introduces them. They both appear to be in excellent physical shape, and she wonders if both of them partake in the same extracurricular activities as her family. “Roy is the only okay person around these types of events.”
“Own man! I’m touched" The younger one mocks, with a hand in his heart. Oliver just rolls his eyes but by the small smile on his face, he doesn't seem annoyed with his son's antics. Both men are wearing formal attire, but she can tell that Roy seemed a bit out of place in this type of event, just like Jason was, so she can only assume he wasn’t born into these circles like his Father was. She believes him to be adopted as well.
“Well, it is a pleasure meeting you…” The older Queen extends his right hand for her to shake but trails off not knowing how to address her.
“Marianne Wayne. And the pleasure is mine.” She shakes the offered hand, not missing how his eyes widen a bit after she mentions her new name. Roy doesn't even try to keep his composure and openly stares at her as if she had just committed a grave offense. He alternates his gaze between Jason and her, trying to wrap his mind around that new piece of information.
“Dude! There is another one!” With humor clear in his tone, he exclaims, fortunately not loud enough to attract attention. “Wally owes me so much money! Ha! Wait- when did he adopt you?” He now appears to be confused. “Or wait- did you marry her?” Now it’s Jason’s turn to become confused, his eyes widening a bit before he regains a bit of composure, but just looking at the light blush that appeared in his cheeks she decided to help him out.
“I wasn’t adopted, Bruce is my biological father. Damian is my brother.” She supplies.
Oliver frowns.
“So your mother…” He doesn't need to finish his question for her to understand what he is asking. So he is indeed part of the same League her Father is.
“Yes.” He stares at her for a minute, before nodding and retreating himself to the other side of the room, she is sure he’s gonna look for her Father for some answers.
“Damm, you just blew my mind! Who would have thought that Damian wasn’t Bruce's only secret love child!” Roy looks like he's having the time of his life with that new information. “I’ve got to call Wally and Conner! They were so sure no more lil’ Waynes were gonna pop out of nowhere! Fuck- I just won so much money!” He doesn't even wait for a response, he fishes his phone from inside his suit and walks away.
Not knowing what else to do, Marianne just looks to Jason, trying to understand what had just happened. He rubs one hand in his face, clearly very done with the whole conversation they just had with his friend.
“I swear he's not normally like that… He’s less of an idiot most of the time.” He sighs. She just laughs, and that is enough for his mood to improve. He always loves to hear her laugh.
But before she can make a comment of her own, she hears her father’s voice coming from the speakers around the room. That clearly is a signal, because Jason starts to guide her to where all her brothers are standing in the center of the room.
“Is a pleasure to welcome everyone to another Wayne Gala.” People around them start to clap. “Hopefully this one goes better than the last one-” Some people laugh, her not being one of them, not knowing what the last Gala had been like. “Another successful year for Wayne Enterprise so far, thanks to all our supporters and donors-”
She starts looking around. It surprises her sometimes how famous her newfound family truly is. The attention makes her uncomfortable, and she can't help but plan at least 3 escape plans, taking notice of all the possible exits routes and things she could turn into weapons if needed in the short time she zoned out
A hand squeezing her arm brings her back to reality. Damian is now standing by her side with a bored expression. He gives a slight nod, announcing that Father’s speech is coming to an end.
“- all of you had been aware of the latest media speculation about the new integrant of our public outings. So I decided it was best to put rumors to rest.” He can hear the low murmurs that started. He walks closer to them until he’s standing in front of her. He offers his hand, one she gladly takes. He now stands by her side, facing the guests. For those around them, she looks calm and composed, but on the inside, she’s feeling anxious and overwhelmed. “May I present to you all, Marianne Martha Wayne.” He pauses and turns to her with a warm look on his face. “My daughter.”
That’s enough to make them go wild. As wild as a bunch of high society members could go. Luckily all of the guests knew how reserved Bruce’s children were, so they turned to her Father for answers, leaving her free from questions.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
The night goes faster after Bruce’s announcement and explaining her well-crafted backstory, said backstory that they decided on a couple of days ago. And she spends most of it with either Damian or Jason by her side. She lost sight of Tim and Stephanie a long time ago. Dick occasionally stops by to see how she's feeling, but then goes back to walking around the room, turning the attention away from her. It does help a bit but it seems that everyone wants to have a conversation with her now that they knew her to be important. People stare, but other than the basic introduction, they leave her alone. Some try to prolong their conversation, but Jason dismisses them rather quickly. And she’s very thankful for that.
She does get the opportunity to have a more cohesive conversation with Roy Queen, and she thinks he is hilarious and understands why Jason is fond of their friendship, not that he would ever tell her that.
The dinner is delicious and she gets to sit by Damian’s side. It is nice to make fun of the people around her, and her brother is more than happy to indulge her giving her every ounce of information he has on certain people. “That woman with the feather hat has 5 cats, all named after her late husbands.” So what if most of the information he has is centered on their pets, it is still quite amusing seeing her brother so in his element, one that didn’t involve killing.
But the highlight of her night is when Jason kidnaps her and takes her to a secluded balcony just outside the ballroom, which is far away for them to have some privacy but still close enough for them to still hear the music playing.
“Thank the fuck this is almost over!” He swears just as the door of the balcony closes, they had spent the last 20 minutes listening to an old woman complain how her granddaughter wasn’t going to be able to travel with her to their yearly spa treatment in the Maldives because she was getting married. “How B and Tim deal with all these rich people shit all day I will never know!” She laughs.
“Well I do have to agree, that was some next-level rich people shit.” He smiles too and leans in the railing of the balcony facing her. He extends his hand to her, and when she finally takes it he pulls her to him. She now stands in between his legs, her chest pressed against his.
“Have I told you how hot you look in that dress yet?” She blushes furiously, but by the smirk on his face that was his goal all along “But really all I could think all night is how much I wanted to kiss you.”
The sincerity in his tone scares her, only a little. They haven’t discussed their relationship yet, but she would be lying if she said she didn’t feel the same. It was just so unfair to have his handsome self in a black suit, it made her chest feel tight and her face all warm.
Instead of voicing her own need, she simply got on her tippy toes, and with a chaste kiss stopped him from making her blush worse. If he was surprised, he didn’t show. One hand goes to her waits, bringing her closer to his body, the other he lays on her neck. She’s not sure how long they stay there, just enjoying each other, but by the time they separate themselves, she can see that Jason’s pupils are dilated, making his desire known.
“Do you know what tonight reminded me of?” He asks in a husky voice. “That time we went on a mission together…”
She knows very well what he's talking about. But she doesn't understand how it had anything to do with tonight. Most of her missions were solo ones, but there was one that for some reason Mother asked to take Jason with her. It was at the beginning of their relationship, and they still pretty much hated each other. They spend most of their time bickering or trying to beat the other, in training or not. She had been sent to a small village in the middle of nowhere in Scotland. Her goal was to dispose of a low-rank apprentice that betrayed the League, stealing some vital information and planning on selling it on the black market- The existence of the Lazarus Pits. That was her family’s best-kept secret, so you can understand the importance of that mission. To this day she doesn't know why her Mother hadn’t dealt with the situation herself, but she ended up having a great time so she didn’t complain.
At the time Jason was 16 years old, while she had just turned 14. He was going through puberty and was getting taller as the days went by, much to her annoyance. They had just finished with the mission when she suggested doing something he never expected her to do.
“I want to go to that party.” She points to said party happening at the plaza. It looked like some sort of spring festival, and Celtic music could be heard, the rhythm was joyful, the kind that makes you want to spend all day dancing. Jason looks shocked by her suggestion. Never in a million years, he would have thought that Pixie had in her to disobey her mother’s orders.
“You heard the boss, go in do the job and go straight back.” He remembers her, but she merely rolls her eyes.
“Come on don’t be lame, when did you ever follow the rules? Besides she would never know! We are only supposed to be back in two days, just a few hours won’t make a difference.” She doesn’t even wait for him to decide, just turns around and goes in the direction the music is coming from. With an exasperated sigh, he follows her. They steal some clothes from a nearby house to blend with their surroundings better. Marianne gets a flowy floral dress that’ big on her while Jason’s shirt and pants end up a bit on the tighter side.
It’s the middle of the day, but people are already plastered or on their way to becoming. Their casual clothes easily blended with the crowds. Marianne looked enamored with all the colorful decoration, and her wide eyes seemed captivating for some reason. Contrary to popular belief Jason didn’t hate her, he actually liked her, a lot, truly more than he should. She had a fire inside of her that attracted him. And there was also the fact that she had been the first person to show him kindness in a long time, even if he was an ass most of the time. So it came to no surprise to him when he kept thinking of how pretty she looked under the sunlight. She was a badass girl that could kick his ass in more ways than he could count. So sue him if he found that attractive.
He wasn’t one to dance but knew she loves to do so. And because of that he stayed leaned against a wall for most of their time there, just watching her dance freely with the other town teens. It was easy to forget she was younger than him, she was so wise and responsible, so it was quite a sight seeing her act her age. She laughed and skipped along with the rhythm of the beats. Someone had given her a flower crown and somehow she looked even more ethereal.
“Come on Jay!” She used the nickname that she thought he hated, it reminded him about his life before he was resurrected, but secretly he liked when she used it. She walks closer to him, out of breath with a rose tinge in her cheeks. “One dance and we can go.” She says, offering him her right hand. He takes it, but instead of allowing her to pull him to the dance floor, he pulls her into his body. Not having expected that she pitches forward tumbling a bit before supporting herself with a hand in his chest. He smirks at her, causing her to blush even more.
“You asshole!” She says without any heat, but he merely laughs before pushing her back to the dance floor.
“You know what- you still own me a dance!” She comments. She had been so flustered that day that she even forgot to push his buttons a bit to get her way, and only did realize that when she was laying in her bed on the League 18 hours later.
“You can only get me to dance once in your lifetime, are you sure you want to waste that here?” He arches an eyebrow as if daring her to disagree with him. She still is leaning against his body and is more than contented to allow him to hold her for a bit longer.
Rather than respond to his taunting she kisses him. It was just as she remembered, his lips are soft, and his wandering hands are rough, but the contrast only makes her want it more. He brings her closer, almost melding her body to his, and she can’t help but melt in his embrace.
The sound of a gasp makes them detangle themself in a hurry. She reaches for the hidden dagger strapped to her leg but relaxes when she sees it is only Dick staring at them with a shocked expression.
“How did- When- For how long- I mean” He looked so confused and lost, it was quite funny. Jason thought so too because unlike her he didn’t hold his laughter.
Dick recomposes himself, she can tell he is analyzing every interaction she had with Jason in his presence.
“You know what, now it’s not the time” He sighs, straightening himself. “I’m here ‘cause Bruce asked me to go get you, Mari, he wants to introduce you to someone.” She sends him a questioning look, but he just shrugs before turning and exiting the balcony, believing that they would follow him.
And they do.
Round the dance floor, she can see some couples dancing and others simply seating, it seemed that the party had wined down. In the distance, she sees that Dick has stopped at her Father’s side, and appears to be talking to someone, but the angle doesn’t allow her to see who he’s talking to. When she does reach closer and it is finally able to see who her Father wanted to introduce her to, she stops in her tracks for a second, not enough for anyone to notice. By the look Jason is giving her, he noticed but doesn’t question her. Not yet.
“Marianne, please allow me to introduce Emilie Agreste and her son, Adrien Agreste.” Her Father introduces them. She knows what’s he’s doing. His punishing her. Introducing her to the family of the man she killed just some months ago. “They are here to deal with some details about the late Gabriel Agreste.” He adds. It made sense. He did not know that Adrian had been her partner for those two years Hawkmoth terrorized Paris. He truly believed them to be the widowed wife and her model son that just suffer a terrible loss without knowing why.
She doesn’t let him get to her. He did not have all the facts, and she does not regret her actions, she obeyed the will of her kwamis.
“Sorry about your dad...” Jason says while rubbing the back of his neck. He’s not touching her anymore but is still very close to her side.
“I have heard about his demise, and I am sorry for your lost.” She says thusly. Emilie simply thank her. She looks better than the last time she saw her, healthier. She could tell that her husband’s death had saddened her, but she knew the truth, so she had made peace with his departure. Adrien just looked at her lost in thoughts, like he was trying to piece a puzzle together.
“Wait I know you from somewhere…” He suddenly says, his English is perfect but she can detect a hint of his French peeking through. She can feel Jason tense at her side. “Didn’t you use to work in ‘Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie’?” He asks.
She smiles.
“Yes, in the two years I lived with my godmother for my degree I used to help her in the store.” She’s glad that the backstory they created aligned with the one Sabine had given her, they just modified it a bit. “You probably remember me as Marinette. That was the name we decided would be safer for me at the time.” He seemed to understand that, being famous and just wanting to live a normal life, so he did not ask any more questions.
“Why don’t you two catch up while the adults discuss business?” Her Father suggests, not sounding like a suggestion at all. He guides Emilie to a table, but this time Dick stays by their side.
“Well, I believe it’s time I go, it’s way past Damian’s bedtime.” Dick says with a polite simile while pointing to where her brother is waiting by the door, with an expression that shows how much he wants to leave this place.
“Actually we were just on our way out too” Jason decide that now was the best time to make an exit. He throws his arm around her, and if she didn’t want to leave just as much as him she would have been mad he was acting all territorial. “Maybe next time…” He says to the blond as if sorry, but not sounding sorry at all.
“Yeah, sure!” Sunshine boy doesn’t look disappointed. “My mother wants to stay some more time… I think she’ll doing business with Wayne Entreprises…” He trails off, his focus now on where his mother is seated with her father. They looked engrossed in a conversation, and at some point, Tim had joined them.
“I’ll be sure to plan something.” Marianne supplies in a polite tone. The model nods, and that’s when they leave.
The deal she had with her Father was that she had to make an appearance, stay for until the party had widened down, and then she could leave, no questions asked. She was sure that her Father would not be happy with her leaving now, but Jason looked so done with everything that she went along with it. She wasn’t going to complain about leaving early a party she didn’t even want to go to in the first place.
They meet her brother by the entrance and they all leave the building and to her surprise Alfred is already there with the car, just waiting for them. The ride to the Manor is quiet, no one seemed in the mood for idle conversation, but more than once she caught Dick looking at her and Jason’s intertwined hands. He looked like he was in full detective mode, but refrained himself and did not ask them questions.
When they got to the Manor Damian and Dick immediately went to the Bat Cave to start to prepare for patrol, because Bruce was stuck at the Gala, Dick was going to be filling up for Batman.
“Aren’t you going with them?” Marianne questions Jason. He hadn’t moved from her side and was still holding her hand. But instead of answering her he grabs her by the waist and pulls her into a heated kiss.
She feels like she is floating, he holds and she’s safe. It was so scary how much power he had over her. Maybe it was because of that feeling that her mother was so against her relationship with him. Marianne wondered if her mother was just protection from feeling like this. But right at this moment, just enjoying the way his lips felt against hers, she realized how sad life could be if she had to give up feeling like this just for power.
He squeezes her waist and she can’t help the moan that escapes her mouth.
“Does this answer your question?” He asks with a husky voice, he looks so good it should be a sin. His hair is disheveled and she wanted to pass her hand through his hair. Giving him a smile she starts to pull her room.
It is a miracle when they finally arrived there. Jason was insistent in pulling her for another kiss every chance he got, so for a path that normally would only take 10 minutes, they took almost double.
He pushes her against the wall, just outside her room, trapping her within his arms. His body is pressed against hers, and all she could think is how she wants him. Jason thinks she looks like a Goddess, her pupils are blown wide, and her lips are swollen. She looks like channeled sin. She grabs the front of his jacket bringing him as closer to her body as possible. And it takes all the power in him, not to rip that beautiful dress out of her body right that second. He had stared at her all night, just dreaming at the moment they would finally be alone, but now that the time has finally come all he wants to do is freeze the time, so he can stare at her bluebell eyes for all eternity. She was the only woman that could make him feel this way, and that made his chest feel funny. He knew that they had so much they needed to talk about, things that happened in those three years they were apart, but right now all he can focus on is the way her body feels against his and how sweet her lips taste. The kiss is heated and wild, and he loves it.
Ending the kiss, he opens the door of the bedroom and leads her inside.
Patrol could wait, but the Goddess in front of him needed his undivided attention.
Hello, my readers! So I surprised myself with the length of this chapter... He was even supposed to be bigger but I decided the scene I originally was going to end the chapter looked better on the next one, and no it is not smut, sorry to disappoint. So they kissed! Thoughts? Not really sure about this chapter, but I do hope you like it. It's not one of my favorites, but there are some things that need to be addressed before the next chapters. Next week my classes start once again! I'll try to keep my posting at least once a month (As I've been doing so far) but you all know how chaotic life can get! Thank you for the support so far! Love you all!
ALSOOO: If anyone is interested, here are the dresses the ladies wore to the Gala:
Marianne
Stephanie
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The Forgotten One
First Previous
Chapter 8
Just seeing that dagger, even after years, brought memories that made his heart ache. He remembered giving it to her… It was her 12th birthday, and even being only six at the time he remembered feeling so proud of himself when her entire face lit up at the sight of his present. The yin and the yang always represented their relationship so well. She was the light inside his darkness, and he was the darkness to her light. He still had the other part of the set, from the last time he had ever seen her, it was his most prized possession. It was inevitable that every time he looked at it he remembered her, so he mostly kept the weapon in the back of his closet, carefully protected inside a wooden box, because it was too painful to look at every day.
Now that he was older he wondered if his first actions after discovering his other siblings had anything to do with her death. Something inside him told him he needed to secure a position for himself before his Father decided he wasn't needed anymore. Because that was the norm in the League. You had to fight for your position. The only person he could let his guard down was his sister. He didn’t need to prove himself for her. She looked at him as if the world started and ended at him, and he always had looked at her the same.
He took her death hard, but he never truly got to mourn her properly. Being tossed aside by his mother to live with the father he had never met, after the most tragic event of his life, was enough to damage lesser children, but he was the Heir of the League. He needed to be strong. So that's what he did, first, he tried to eliminate his competition. But to his surprise, he was berated by not only his Father but his other siblings.
Being only ten at the time he didn’t know a life without violence. And he had to relearn how to behave in this new world he was left on. Without his sister by his side, he felt incomplete. Being neglected by the Father he looked up to for so long wasn’t easy either. He never once told anyone about her. He didn't see the point. She was dead, and Al Ghuls never dwell on the past. But as a Wayne, he often found himself opening the wooden box and remembering all the happy moments of his life by his sister's side.
That’s why this copycat made him so angry. He recognized the uniform and the weapons being used. The fighting style and the evasion techniques he recognized from his training in the League. Whomever this person was, it had ties to his grandfather's organization. Living almost three years away from the League lifestyle was enough for him to decide to never return. But he couldn’t for the life of him understand why his mother sent someone to taunt him with his dead sister's doppelganger. That was cold even for her, and he knew that Talia would never cross that line because she loved Marianne too.
It took him almost one week to try to come clean with his family. He needed time to process. In that period of time, their mysterious assassin completed their mission. Damian knew that because a high fashion designer was found dead by the docks a couple of days after their last encounter with the BatFam. There were signs of torture, but the most peculiar thing was that the designer was wearing a tailored suit with the Order of the Miraculi symbol on the back. Gotham police simply linked his death to a Chinese gang, but Damian knew better. He just wasn’t sure what exactly happened.
He had a theory that after his sister's death, Wang Fu eventually got a new apprentice, and that person now was impersonating his deceased sister to obtain power. Before her death, Marianne was widely known as The Lily of the Desert. Her reputation was incredible. And her Modus Operandi, amazing.
In his sister's memory, he needed to put a stop to this impostor.
“I have not been completely honest with you Father” They were all at the cave, getting ready for patrol. Grayson and Todd immediately stopped whatever they were doing and stared at him as if he had grown another head. Drake nursing a hot cup of coffee didn't seem to have listened to what he said.
“And what exactly have you been hiding?” Father asks folding his arms in front of him. These last couple of days had been hard on him. Catching the assassin had been his number one priority.
“I believe that I have information pertained to Gotham's new visitor…” His Father's face darkens. He wore the Batman suit sans the cowl, but he still looked very much intimidating.
“And why have I not been informed of this sooner?” He asks with a stern tone. Seeing his Father, with arms crossed, made Damian remember the series of long berations he received in his first months living at Gotham. And for some reason, he felt small.
Seeing his youngest reaction, of flinching, he softened his tone.
“What I mean is… Why not come to us in the first place, surely we could have helped, and-” He was interrupted, a loud signal echoing through the cave signaling that there was a disturbance. Oracle immediately gets to work.
“There’s a disturbance in Wayne Botanic Garden… The alarm indicated someone broke in. There is no response from the security team there.” The redhead explains the situation. “I don't think it is Ivy. There have been no sightings of her in weeks… She and Harley have been keeping a very low profile.”
“Suit up everyone! We will finish this later Damian. You and Hood are in charge of discovering where this intruder entered the building. Tim, Alfred benched you, stay here with Oracle and go through the security video, find out where this person is staying. Nightwing you are in charge of finding the security team. I’ll deal with whoever it is inside.”
And with that, they were gone.
When they got to the Botanical Gardens it was too silent. The alarm that alerted them wasn’t on anymore. And if they didn't know better it would have seemed a false alarm.
“New plan, Nightwing and I will enter the building. Robin and Hood are to keep guard on the roof. If you see anything exiting the building notify us immediately.” And he was gone.
Damian got angry, knowing that his Father was punishing him for lying.
“Well, it looks like it’s just you and me baby bird” Todd says with a cheeky smirk. Even with his laid-back attitude, Damian could still tell that he had his guard up. “You stay here, and I’ll take the other side of the building. Call me if you need backup!” Of all of his brothers, Jason Todd was the one he least interacted with. He mostly lived in his apartment, and aside from patrol, he was never home. He liked to think that at some level the oldest understood him. He too was trained by the League for years, and he always wondered what it would have been like to meet him before coming to Gotham.
Todd didn’t like to talk about the time after his death and Damian respected that. Because he too had difficulty talking about his childhood. Grayson was the one that always pushed them to try and talk about their feelings, and that was one of the reasons he did like his older brother, it kind of reminded him of Marianne.
Even if he did miss his life in the League, life with his Father was without a doubt, better. He was allowed to have pets, something he always wanted. And he wasn’t expected to train until he bled. He was obligated to attend school, and that he didn't like, but in general, he couldn’t complain.
Suddenly he got movement from his perimetrical vision, and if it wasn’t for his training he might have missed it. Whomever it was, was taking advantage that the roof from the building across from the Gardens didn’t have lighting.
Throwing caution out of the window Damian went into action. He didn’t need backup. If it was someone from the League, he could take care of it. When he got to the other roof he was immediately attacked. His opponent wasn’t using the weapons Damian knew she had in her possession. At their last encounter, he hadn’t been able to catch a glimpse of who had attacked Drake, but now he could tell it was someone older than him, and she definitely had previous training. He blocked her first punch but wasn’t able to escape the second one. He momentarily lost his air but didn’t let his guard go down. He responded in kind and suddenly they were in heated combat.
On his intercom, he could hear his Father and siblings asking what was happening, but he didn’t have the time to respond. For some reason, their fight suddenly felt like a dance. They were in synchrony with each other and he felt as if he was missing something. The girl was wearing the traditional League attire, with a small symbol of the Order of the Miraculous on her left breast. It was identical to the one his sister would use, and that only helped to fuel his anger. By now the other would be getting there in a matter of minutes, so he had to act fast. Fastly grabbing a Batarang he threw it with all his force. Not expecting it, she couldn’t get out of the way fast enough, and the weapon lodged itself to her right side. Blood immediately started coming out of the wound. He lunged at her. Using her wound as an advantage. But to his surprise, she didn’t seem affected. And was able to block his attacks with ease. He heard some bodies landing on the roof, his family had reached them. But that still didn’t deter him. Punch after punch he started to gain some ground over his opponent. Landing one powerful land on her jaw she falls to the ground defenseless, and her mask dislodged from her face, and now Damian was finally able to see the face of his opponent. He froze.
Somewhere behind him he hears his Father asking her questions, but it is all muted. A million thoughts pass through his mind, but there are so many that he can’t form a coherent thought.
“Ashataqat lak ya 'akhy" Comes from her mouth.
He throws himself towards her. He hears Grayson shouting for him to stop, but he can't, it's like his body is moving at its own accord.
Jason sees everything happening in slow motion. From the second they hear fighting sounds from the Demon Spawn’s intercom to when they reach the rooftop where the fighting is taking place. He sees the brutal moves, Robin, lands on his opponent. And if she wasn't an assassin he would feel bad for her.
She’s injured but that doesn't stop Damian. Dick tries to interfere, but for some reason Bruce stops him. Something he regrets when she’s finally overpowered and is on the ground because even after Dick screams Damian to stop he still goes after the girl.
But to their surprise, he doesn’t attack her. He throws himself into her arms. She hugs him back, not even caring that her side it’s badly bleeding. She holds him as if her life depended on it. And Damian is no different. Even being at a considerable distance they can see Robin’s shoulders shaking. He's crying, something no one ever saw him doing before.
That sight stunned him. And he can see he is not the only one. Bruce doesn’t seem to know what to do, and Dick looks like someone just kicked his puppy.
Oh, how Bruce wishes he had heard what Damian had to say earlier.
So last chapter didn’t get a lot of notes... Is the story getting boring? Honest aswers please! I’m posting this chapter today as a birthday present for myself! (My birthday is in 2 days! So exited!)
Please tell me your thought!
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The Forgotten One
First Previous
Chapter 9
For the first time after so long, Marianne finally felt home. Even as she bled on top of a dark building, she did not care. As long as she kept on holding him everything would be alright. She could feel his tear on her neck, and she could imagine he felt hers on his. It was strange, she dreamed of this moment more times she could count, but not one of her imaginary scenes did she feel this immense happiness in her soul. It was as if she was finally whole. He held her with such force she was sure she would suffocate, but she kept quiet, just enjoying the warmth of his body on hers. It was only after she started feeling dizzy that she detached him from her.
He was different, more mature. The years only served to enhance his beauty. It didn't matter that he was wearing a mask, she would recognize him everywhere, but she still longed to be able to see his green eyes again. No one said a word, using their body language to determine what to do next. It was Damian that decided to take the lead.
He stood up and helped his sister on her feet. He kept supporting her, knowing that the wound he inflicted on her must be taking some toll on her body after their intense fight. She was barely standing on her own, having lost too much blood. His Robin costume was coated in red, and that left a bad taste on his mouth. With her secure at his side, he turned to his Father. There was so much he needed to tell him, years of feelings he trapped inside of him could finally be let loose. But first, he had to make sure he still trusted him.
“I promise to explain once we get to the cave… but she needs help.” He pleaded. He wasn’t sure if it was the tone of his voice or the fact that his family just caught him in his most vulnerable moment, but they agreed.
Damian carried her to the Batmobile, Todd, and Grayson trailing after him. Batman led the team in silence. Meticulously thinking about the connection of his youngest son with the passed-out assassin. She wore League attire, but it was a strange symbol on her clothes that made him wary. He remembered seeing that symbol in the clothes of a dead Gabriel Agreste early this week, and there was no doubt that they had some kind of connection.
He wanted to interrogate her as soon as possible, but he would wait until Damian gave his explanation as to why he acted in such a way that night. They obviously knew each other, so they must have met when his son was still in the care of his mother. That information did little to calm his worried mind.
It was a unanimous decision that petrol was canceled that night. So they all entered the Batmobile and made their way to the Cave. They didn’t have to worry about their identities, as the girl was falling in and out of consciousness during their short ride.
Dick kept a close eye on the girl in Damian’s arms. Her face was nested carefully in his brother's neck, keeping him from being able to identify her face. Her blood coated the interior of the car, and only the fact that the Batarang still impaled at her side was helping to stop the bleeding from totally draining the girl kept him somewhat calm.
Jason was the only one that wasn’t in the car, having opted to use his bike, he went ahead and notified Alfred that they would need his assistance, with the injured girl.
By now Damian knew that all his family was notified of this incident, and would most likely be waiting for them to return. He could only hope that his father would hear him first. He wasn’t worried about his sister, he knew she would be alright. After years of training with her, he knew she bled easily, but was stronger and healed faster than most.
When they arrived at the Cave, Damian immediately laid her in one of the gurneys. But before he allowed Alfred to assess her wound he removed the weapon. He heard the shouts of indignation coming from Grayson but ignored him.
He knew what they must be thinking, that his weapon was the only thing keeping her from bleeding out, but what they didn’t know was that Marianne’s body reacted faster when she was in danger of dying. So it came to no surprise to him when her wound started to heal itself. What started him was the glow that came with it. That was new.
“She will be fine. Just need a couple of hours to recharge her energy” Damian clarified.
"She's Meta…” Dick whispered, eying Bruce carefully. It was no secret that the man did not normally trust meta-humans very easily. His expression was hard, and everyone could tell his patience had come to an end.
“Explain.” He demanded.
“I do not know how to start…” From his body language, they could see he was nervous. He ran his fingers through his hair, something he never did.
“From the start would be great!” Jason tried to lighten the mood. He hadn’t moved from his sitting position on the round table. Barbara and Tim were sitting with him, both anxious to understand the situation. He wanted to go see this mysterious girl, but for the sake of his family, he stayed put, for now.
“Father… You might want to sit for this…”
Bruce nodded. And they all sat. Damian sat in front of his father, with Grayson and Todd at his sides, while Gordon and Drake sat by Todd’s side. No one dared to sit close to Bruce, fearing his reaction.
“Do you remember how I was conceived?” Damian started, not meeting his father’s eyes, and ignoring the snickering coming from his brothers. He knew this was a sore subject, but he needed to approach the subject somehow.
“It was of extreme importance that Mother produced a male heir for Grandfather. But what you do not know is that I was not the firstborn” This causes everyone to widen their eyes in horror.
Bruce pales but otherwise keeps quiet.
“I explained before how I was raised in an artificial womb through my development stages. And there is a reason for that... Before me, Mother was pregnant, the traditional way, but a female was born. She was born” He points to the direction of the girl resting behind the curtains of the medical bay.
“How… When…” Bruce is at a loss of words. When Talia appeared two years ago with his secret child in tow he felt only despair first. He had lost so much of his son’s childhood. It took him so long to accept that he had what it took to care for his blood child the same way he cared for his wards.
“She was born six years before me…” Damian explains. “Mother never told me anything about that, only that she did it to appease her father.”
“Wait, wait, wait! So you're telling me that the scary kid we just rescued is B’s long-lost daughter? Why are we only hearing of this now?” Jason as always wasn't able to keep quiet anymore.
Damian lowers his head and covers his eyes with his now gloveless hands. Sensing his distress Jason allows him to recompose himself.
“She was dead… Or I thought she had died. In the same attack that made Mother bring me to live here.” They could see that it was hard for him to talk about that day “Except she did not die!” He exclaimed in anger, rising from his seat.
“There’s where you're wrong.” The melodious voice attracts their attention. She stands just a couple of steps apart from where they are sitting. But no one heard her coming. She wears green, but the cape that once covered her hair is lowered, and they could clearly see her long black hair left loose. She had blue eyes and was rapidly analyzing every single one of them until her eyes landed on Bruce. Her father. Damian could see the insecurity in her, so he calmed himself, and went to her. “I did die that day. It was only thanks to Tikki that I am alive now” And with that, she knew her brother would understand. After years of living with her, she taught him a little about the Order.
“Father…” Damian tries.
Bruce stands up. And goes in their direction. He stops just a couple of steps from his children. His children.
“This is Marianne, your daughter.”
So there we are! Another chapter. Do you love it? Hate it? Please tell me I love to read your opinions!
I feel like I must warn you all that I only planned to have one more chapter on this story, but after some consideration, it came to me the idea of making a Part Two of this story. Would that be something you all be interested in? Let me know!
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The Forgotten One
First Previous
Chapter 6
They won. Just as she knew they would. But still... she lost so much that day. At this point, she should be numb to lose. After all she lost in her life, it should be easy for her to deal with grief, but the feeling of having your chest split open would never go away completely. After Master Fu’s death she had only one goal in mind: find and kill Hawkmoth. It took her six long months until she finally was able to finish what her Master had started. With time and dedication, she was able to gather enough power to be able to tell the exact location of where the villain's energy was coming from. It was a hard thing to do, but Marinette was nothing but determined. She focused all her energy and time on achieving this goal. Making the people around her be concerned for her wellbeing. Knowing about her upbringing her godmother understood her the best, she also never rested until her mission was finished. But the others, especially Tikki and Chat Noir thought she was working herself to exhaustion. They tried their best to help her, but that was something she had to do by herself now that she was the Guardian.
When the time came, she was ready. She did not ask for the help of the temporary heroes, because she knew she wouldn’t need them. It was only her and Chat in the beginning, so it should be just the two at the end. Between them, she felt confident that they would end victorious. So that’s what they did, on one cloudy day two years after their debut, they marched to where Ladybug swore was Hawkmoth lair. Much to Chat Noir’s displeasure and disbelief they arrived at the famous Gabriel Agreste mansion. After Master Fu’s death, she was supposed to learn the real identity of her partner, but she couldn’t get herself to unmask the person that she trusted with her life. In those two years that they fought together, they formed a very strong bond, not only as partners but as friends as well. She never had a relationship like that with anyone, sure she had trusted people before, but no one except for Damian trusted their life with her. At the time, because she didn’t know who he was, she couldn’t understand his reaction when they arrived at their destination. But she decided to address that after the battle, now she needed her total focus on her task. Big mistake.
Discovering a secret passage in the designer’s workroom wasn’t a surprise, she had no doubt that it was him, the recluse fashion designer that lost his wife years ago. He fitted the profile, and she should have seen that before. Gabriel Agrest received them not transformed, with his assistant at his side. After their last battle, she had healed, but she would never be the same. His lair was exactly what she imagined it to be, spacious and full of white butterflies flying around. The strange thing was a big recipient in the middle of the room, she could see a woman lying down, in a deep sleep, but had no clue who she was. At her side, her partner stood frozen. Incredulity clearly displayed in his face.
“So you finally came after me, I had been wondering what was taking you so long” The villain taunted her. “Don’t you see Ladybug? This is the only way! I need my wife again! My son needs her. All I’ve done was to bring my son’s mother back to him. Haven't you lost someone you loved? Experienced grief? With your help we can bring them back, all I need is your’s and Chat Noir’s Miraculous!”
She felt her blood burning through her veins. How dare he try this on her. No one knew grief better than her. At only fifteen she lost someone she thought to be her other half. After years of training him, it was almost impossible to not get attached. Only to have him be disposed of by her own grandfather after he discovered the true nature of their relationship, her best-kept secret. At least according to her mother, he wasn’t dead, but you could never be so sure. After that, it was as if a door had been open, year after year she lost someone new. First, she lost her mother and brother - Even if they were not dead, she couldn’t be with them, then her Master, she should have known more would come.
Enraged she didn’t waste any time. She attacked, engaging HawkMoth into battle.
“Very well. We’ll do it the hard way.” And then he called in his transformation. Immediately blocking her first strike.
She wasn’t sure what was happening behind her, but she heard Mayura calling her transformation as well so she could only assume her partner had engaged in battle as well. But then the peacock wielder advanced onto her. Fighting two opponents at the same time wasn’t supposed to be difficult, not after all her training, but adding the fact that their Miraculous made them stronger certainly complicated things.
“Chat! Where are you?” She yelled, dodging Hawnkmoth’s staff. She threw her weapon at Mayura, and after it curled around her left ankle she pulled, sending her flying in the designer direction. They collided.
It gave her enough time to search for her friend. He was sitting in front of the unknown sleeping woman. His hand resting in the glass. He had tears running down his face, and it broke her heart to see him so lost.
Distracted, she felt a blow on her side, and it sent her to the ground. Using that to her gain Mayura attacked, Marinette reacted fast, but not fast enough using her fan the villainess was able to cut her in the right cheek. Ladybug chastised herself, she was distracted by her partner's odd behavior and was allowing them to hurt her.
“Father! Stop!” Relishing his transformation Chat Noir was gone.
In his place stood Adrien Agreste. A shy boy she had met a couple of times when he went to the bakery with his friend. So different from his secret persona, she never even suspected him to be the cat miraculous wielder. She was shocked, but she was glad she wasn’t the only one. Hawkmoth had an expression of shock and unbelief.
And that’s when things lost control. Sometimes when she fought she lost herself in it and everything would be a blur at the end. She just knew that when it all ended she stood beside Mayura’s body. Adrien knocked unconscious and no sight of Gabriel Agreste. It was only the fact that she was holding the butterfly miraculous that she relaxed. With adrenaline pumping in her system, she approached the sleeping woman, who she now knew to be Adrien’s Mother. Something inside of her was humming, ordering to reach the woman. So that’s what she did. The rush of energy that left her was overwhelmed. She felt so full and invincible. To her surprise, the woman woke up.
After that things calmed down. She finally found the two missing pieces of the Miraculous box.
But that didn’t mean she was finished. Somehow Gabriel scaped, leaving his son and wife behind. She knew from experience he would not be returning any time soon. Too afraid to fight her without his powers.
She still needed to go after him.
So that’s what she did.
She decided to bury Nathalie herself. Even after her bad choices in life, Marinette felt that she still deserved to rest somewhere, so she chose a small cemetery just outside of Paris that would do. She packed her things and said her goodbyes to her godmother and her husband. But she only really left after making sure that Adrien and his mother were safe. She left him a way to contact her, no matter where she was. Revealing her identity to him would be too dangerous at the moment with Hawkmoth free, he was unhappy but he understood. Discovering that his Father was the one that had been terrorizing Paris for almost two full years clearly changed the way he saw the world. And he was truly surprised when she told him she would not reveal who his father really was. He just got his Mother back, he didn’t need to suffer from the actions of his selfish father. She still trusted him, and she made sure he knew.
Leaving Paris was surprisingly difficult. It had been her home for a long time, even after the bad memories she still couldn’t erase all the good ones. Going into mission mode she immediately started tracking the escapee. She kind of missed this, the tracking and waiting. She wasn’t sure if he knew she was after him, but he would be naive to think she wasn’t.
She found tracks of him in Dunkirk, from there she went to London. It was the only possible choice after all. His wife’s family lived there, so it was possible he had resources there. Lucky was on her side so that’s where she found him. After getting in touch with some of her contacts she got the information she was after. After a close call, he apparently decided that leaving the continent was the safest choice. She had to applaud him, he was cleverer than she gave him credit, but she was smarter.
Arriving in New York was a surprise, but discovering that her target goal was Gotham was a shock. It made sense, her Father’s hometown was the Capital of crime. No one would pay attention to a former designer looking for a safe place to live. It made her wonder if he hadn’t planned this beforehand, fearing he would need to flee the country.
So here she was, a random dealer tied up in front of her in some god knows where warehouse, the blood coming from his wounds a clear sign that he wasn’t giving her the information she sought.
“Why do you insist on lying to me? We both know you talked with Gabriel Agreste this afternoon… Tall, blond… Why don’t you tell me what you two discussed?” She smiled predatorily. Balancing her dagger between her hands.
“Please! I don’t know what he wanted, I swear!”
“Tsk, wrong answer…” She stabbed him in the calf. He screamed.
This had been going for a couple of minutes, and honestly, she was getting annoyed. She knew he sold Gabriel something, she just needed to know what. She was done playing cat and mouse. Being so close to where she knew her brother was made her anxious to just go and find him. But the person in front of her just wanted to make her life difficult.
Instead of wearing the Ladybug Miraculous, she decided to wear her old League uniform, as it would blend better with the darkness of the city. Her attire was a mix of black and scarlet green, really different from her red ladybug-themed suit. A hood and a mask that covered the bottom half of her face kept her identity concealed. She didn’t see the point of having a gun, so she opted to go for the more traditional arsenal. With her sword strapped to her back, and some other small knives hidden, she was well-armed.
“Let’s try something new.” From one of her pockets she took a photo. Gabriel Agreste with a serious expression started from the photography that she took from a magazine. “Do you recognize him now?”
The man lifted his beaten face and analyzed the photo for a couple of seconds. Then he sighed in defeat.
“He came today asking for some armament. He gave me the money, I gave him the guns.” Marinette tilted her head “I swear! It was only that! Then he left!”
“Well that wasn’t so hard, was it”
Suddenly she heard sounds coming from a distance, it seems his friends finally realized he was missing. She wasn’t worried, she got what she wanted, but she still needed to keep her existence a secret, so she would need to deal with him.
With one swift move, he was dead, a pool of blood rapidly forming under him.
Using a yoyo, similar to the one she used as Ladybug she lifted herself to the rooftop. In a distance, in the warehouse rooftop across from her’s, she saw movement. She needed to leave. She started running and jumping from building to building. She felt as if she was being followed. Trusting her instincts, she slowed her steps a little to allow whoever was following her to reach her, and then she attacked first, using the element of a surprise to her advantage. Red Robin wasn’t expecting that move so she was able to hit him with her dagger, cutting his right arm in the process. Now that she knew he was one of her father’s pupils she knew she couldn’t hurt him, with that in mind she decided that knocking him out was the best course of actions, if there was another bat boy following her they would be too worried about their friend to track her. She wasn’t ready to make her existence known yet, she first needed to finish what she started. Only then she would reach out to her brother.
Landing a powerful blown into her opponent he was knocked out in seconds. Not wasting any time she disappeared into the night.
This chapter took longer than expected... So she’s finally at Gotham! Who knows what’s going to happen? (except me of course) Thank you for the encoragment, hope this was another good chapter. The taglist is still open so feel free to ask to join! Whoever gets the little easter egg I put in this chapter gets a virtual hug!
WARNING: Major character death; description o violence.
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The Forgotten One
First Previous
Chapter 4
Everything hurt. Her body felt as if it was on fire, her limbs were heavy and her head was pounding, she tried to open her eyes and understand her surroundings, but they refused to cooperate so she sought to use her other senses to identify where she was, even in a lot of pain she couldn’t forget her training, so she remained calm until she knew what she’s dealing with. It only takes her a couple of seconds to remember what happened. The attack on the League, the Temple crumbling to the ground and her being trapped under it. After that it was a void, so she must have passed out at some point.
She could tell she wasn't still trapped under the rubber because she could feel the softness of a mattress under her and not the hard temple training grounds, it was either nighttime or she was in a room without windows. She couldn’t hear a thing that indicated that there was another person with her, but she can identify cars in a far distance, so she must be close to a city. She feels cared for, so rules out being captured for now.
She isn’t sure how long she laid there, but streams of lighting start to appear somewhere above her from what she can see with her closed lids. The sun is up when she finally can open her eyes.
She is in a bare room, that must be used as storage from all of the boxes around. She’s in an attic in an elevated part that contains just the bed, an iron stair makes way into the second part of the room, she can see from her position that the only way out is through the trap door on the floor, although she can assume that the lighting coming from above her must lead to a balcony. She feels better now, her pain is gone and her limbs ultimately start to obey her again. She had just sat up when the trap door started to open.
She prepares herself for what is to come, she does not have any weapons and she’s not sure she can beat another assassin in a fight in her current state, even with the pain now gone. To her surprise is her godmother that enters the room she’s resting in. She carries a plate with food and a glass of water. She has a warm smile that Marianne has only seen a couple of times, normally reserved for birthdays and celebrations, but still reassures her that she’s safe and cared for.
“It's good to see you’re finally awake. Gave us quite a scare”
“Where am I?”
“Safe” With her tone she can tell that the conversation is over, so she simply accepts the plate that is offered and starts to eat what's been given, a tasty sandwich with a red tart at the side. If it was any other person that came into the room she wouldn’t have been so quick to accept the food, but she knew that her godmother would never hurt her, she was one of the only people she trusted with her life, like a second mother to her.
“How do you feel?” Sabine asks only after the food is gone.
“Surprisingly fine. The pain is gone and I feel normal again. How is this possible? Where are we? How long was I out? What happened with the League? What happened to Damian? Is he here? Is he safe?” The questions jump out of her mouth before she can control them. Rambling has always been a trait of hers, one that she thought to be long under control. But given the situation, she can’t blame herself to look after answers.
But Sabine calmly answers every one of her questions. She doesn’t get into details about the attack but she understands that one of her grandfather’s star pupils betrayed them and orchestrated the attack to take the Demon Head power to himself and rule over the Order of Assassins. Sabine and Master Fu were together at the Temple when it all started and went to look for her, only to realize that she must have thought the same and went to look for them. They saw her being crushed by the falling debris, and they were the ones that dug her out.
She died.
That piece of information stays in a loop in her mind. She died. Master Fu brought her back. Being brought back to life wasn’t impossible, she knew that her grandfather had been doing that for centuries, but he needed the Lazarus Pits for that, and she knew the symptoms of someone that used them, she had seen them first hand from her grandfather or when she was in charge of training a recruit that her mother had taken pity on. She was only ten, and the boy 13 at the time. One of her most proud accomplishments. Her grandfather was so proud of her for training the next generation, even if the boy was technically older than her. She knew the symptoms and she definitely wasn’t brought back using these methods.
“Master Fu will arrive here shortly, he can explain it better”
“Where is here? Where are we? Where's Damian?” She’s desperate, she needs to know where her baby brother is. That he is safe. “Please tell me he’s here!”
Sabine has a heartbroken expression on her face, and that's all the confirmation she needs. The tears roll down her face before she can stop them. All her efforts had been in vain, Damian wasn’t here.
“We are in Paris. He’s not here, but he’s safe” Her godmother tries to reassure her, she dries the tears in her face and strokes her hair trying to comfort the distraught girl. “He’s in a safe place as well, your mother made sure of that. But for now, you can’t go after him, Master Fu will explain why, you just have to trust me when I say I only want what’s best for you”
She then proceeds to tell her best-kept secret so far. She’s married, and they are at her husband’s house, above his bakery. She tells her of how in one of her missions she met the love of her life. But because of her, she knew she couldn’t leave the League just yet, she needed to be there for little Marianne and her bright smiles, to make sure the League didn’t kill the kindness in her. She always visited Paris after a mission. It became some kind of ritual, and no one ever questioned it. Her husband, Tom, knew about her lifestyle and knew that she couldn’t just leave her goddaughter behind, he respected that, even loved how caring his wife was. Sabine begs Marianne to not be guilty that she couldn’t have a better kind of life because of her.
“The best thing in my life is knowing that I helped raise the most selfless and kind woman, I’m so proud of what you become. Never forget that.”
By the time Master Fu finally arrives she’s just so tired. But her need for answers is bigger, so she allows her godmother to guide her to the living room. When they get there she’s surprised, to say the least. Her master is there, but he is not alone. He’s accompanied by two very anxious Kwamis.
“Marianne is so great to finally meet you! I’ve been waiting for this moment for so long!” Tikki, The Goddess of Creation addresses her. But she stays there stunned. She grew up learning about these entities, preparing for the moment she would get to meet them, but there she stays, unable to properly function. So much has been happening in the last 24 hours, and she feels like she’s in shock.
“Great job sugar cub, you broke the kid” Plagg, The God of Destruction comments.
“She’s probably just surprised to finally see us, don’t be rude”
It feels surreal to see these mystical creatures just bickering like children in her godmother’s husband’s living room. She almost feels like she’s dreaming. Feeling her discomfort, Master Fu decides it is better to address the situation.
“Come sit Marianne. It’s time I give you some answers.”
For the next hour, she learns a part of history she never knew about.
Her Master calmly explained to her that by the time they were able to release her from the ruins of the temple, it was too late. But something in him knew there was still hope. Because she was Tikkis chosen, her soul takes more time to disconnect itself from the physical world, so The Grand Guardian did something that wasn’t wrong but still considered taboo. He asked Tikki to use her energy in order to anchor her spirit back into her body. He didn’t use the wish from the Miraculous, so it wasn’t as dangerous. That had only been done once, somewhere when the pharaohs were still in power. One of the Guardians had fallen madly in love with a woman chosen by Tikki, but she got sick and died. Consumed with grief he ordered the Kwami into bringing her soul back.
Because it had happened so long ago they didn’t know the reaction it would cause in her already existing powers. So, for now, it would be better if she stayed in Paris, close to her Master’s, where she could finish her training and receive guidance if needed. They still didn’t know the situation within the League, so it was best to lay low for a while.
So there she stayed. For a whole month, she lived with her godmother and got to know the man she called her husband. It was funny, that the super badass and strict woman everyone knew would turn into the warmest person when around the baker. Marianne could tell they loved each other very much just by the way they looked at the other. In the League love was not something that happened very often. So it felt nice to be in contact with something so pure.
She also kept going on with training, just like Master Fu said they would. It was as if her life was completely new but completely equal to what it was before. She would wake up early, eat something, normally delicious made by Tom, and go to where her master was living, a massage parlor that served as a disguise from his real job as her teacher. They would start by meditating and then move into physical training. It was different, Fu wasn’t so young anymore so now she tended to train alone. She missed her brother so much that it hurt. Knowing where he was but not if he was okay. She wished that there was a way for her to contact him, but knew it would be safer if she didn’t. Just knowing he was with Father makes her feel a little better, she remembers her Mother’s stories of the fearless Batman, so if the time comes she knew he would be safe.
Nothing out of ordinary happened so far, her powers kept the same, maybe a little more intense, but nothing she couldn’t handle. But they were confident that there would not be any other side effects so far. Everything was back to normal, or that’s what they thought.
Imagine their surprise when on one of their meditation sections the both were suddenly overwhelmed by the intense energy that they received. It was dark, nothing like she ever had felt.
“Master, what was that? I have never felt something like it” Her teacher looked like he had seen a ghost, pale and with an anxious expression
“I’ve only felt this type of energy once. We must prepare, something bad is on our horizon. It’s time to activate your miraculous”
“What? Are you sure Master? Please tell me what is going on!” She pleaded.
“The Peacock and the Butterfly Miraculous, a long time ago, when I was just an apprentice, were thought to be lost. This was when The League and the Order were constantly at war. Some of my fellow disciples got greedy. They wanted the power the Miraculous had to offer, they thought themselves worthy of wielding their power and destroying the League of Assassins. There was a fight, and the first Temple of The Order was compromised. Some of us escaped, but we lost a lot. That day… I felt the same type of energy. I believe somewhere in this city, someone is preparing to cause chaos. We must be ready for when it happens.”
“How do we do that?”
“We need to find the Cat Miraculous wielder”
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There is a little easter egg in this chapter, let’s see if anyone can tell what it is! The taglist is still open so feel free to ask to be tagged! Please tell me what you thought of this chapter, I’m dying for some feedback
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The Forgotten One
Previous
Chapter 1
Upon becoming pregnant Talia was immediately removed from missions and training, for the next 9 months, her main responsibility was solely making sure the heir of the League was strong and healthy. Her pregnancy was hard and uncomfortable, but mostly made her muse about why women would endure this type of discomfort multiple times in their life. The sensation of feeling her child move and grow inside her womb was something extremely strange, and she couldn’t say she enjoyed the experience.
It was a blessing when the time came and she welcomed her firstborn into the world, putting an end to her discomfort. Said blessing was short-lived because the moment the nurse assisting her declared the sex of her child she felt shivers down her spine. She knew that her father had no use for another girl, he needed an heir, and he would be very displeased with the outcome of this unsuccessful birth. Her maternal heart ached for what was to come.
She might not have savored being pregnant, but she couldn’t even fathom having her baby removed from her. As she laid there in the bed in her chambers, with her child in her arms, she admired the beauty of what she had created. Her hair was dark as night and a pale complexion that could have only been inherited from her father.
“A girl, what a failure” Upon entering the room, Ra’s was told about the child. And to think of all the great things he had planned if the heir was finally born. Just seeing his daughter with the newborn in her arms he knew what he had to do. He couldn’t allow this unfortunate event to distract her from her duties. The child must be sent away. “Give it to me.”
“No, please!” Talia was tired, after hours of pushing, her body was exhausted, but she needed to hold her baby for as long as she was allowed. She felt at peace with her in her arms as if a warm blanket was placed upon her. That feeling kept her grounded. But she could see her father was having none of it. He seemed apologetic but didn’t seem to change his mind. He sat at her side in the bed and allowed her to have a couple more minutes. Resigning she gave the nameless child a final kiss on the forehead before placing her in his arms. But to their surprise the moment she was in Ra’s arms she opened her eyes. They both froze at the display. Her beautiful eyes were glowing in an intensely blue hue. The Demon Head had only seen one thing with that same strength of color. The Lazarus Pits. After centuries of being submerged in those waters, that shine haunted his dreams. And now, seeing in the eyes of his granddaughter, he knew what it meant.
“She’s been Chosen”
Later on, he would explain the story behind the Lazarus Pits. How they were created by the divinity of chaos in an attempt to bring back from death one of his Chosen Ones. The God Plagg of Destruction was worshiped by an ancient order, the Order of the Guardians, one of the many enemies the League had acquired over the years. But having a member of the League that not only was blessed by one of these Gods but blessed since birth, that for sure would make the alliance he has been desiring for so long.
That day Ra’s Al Ghul didn’t get the heir he so desired, but the granddaughter that he was bestowed with, not even a day old and granting the League an alliance he had been trying to create for more than 100 years. She was going to be trained and educated. The things he had in plan for her were of great importance. But for now, he let her sleep, still oblivious to the horrors of the life she was condemned to.
As Talia laid there in bed, with her newborn in her arms, she knew that even that she wasn’t able to produce an heir, she still brought pride to her league. And as she watched her, with those intense glowing blue eyes, she knew the name she wanted to give her.
Marianne Al Ghul was born out of duty.
But she ended up being so much more.
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