I'm dumb but I like fanfiction

Adrien found himself still anxious, even hours past the pub investigation. He was glad nothing happened but still worried about the implications of being in the same city as the Evillustrator with Marinette so close by. Alya teaching him the Lurk ability was probably his best idea yet.

Hiding in the shadows in this type of environment was exciting. Normally people wouldn’t hesitate to come up to him and ask a million questions. The son of a late aristocrat who is hardly ever seen and good-looking to boot. His reputation overshadows anything he would rather do. Now? He's able to stay on the side a bit, watching and listening. It was calmer than he was used to and it was great.

Plagg seemed to enjoy the privacy too as the kwami stole bits of cheese here and there from the table. Not having to dress up and socialize with people who barely knew him was a dream. Still, it left him alone to think about the Ex-Akuma. He remembered wanting to jump in, staff at the ready, but Marinette held him back from doing anything drastic. To be fair, she had the better idea.

"Are you having fun, kid?"

“I am. I feel like an intruder, though.”

“Exciting, isn’t it? It’s so nice going undetected.”

“Is that why you never went back to your post?”

Plagg hummed, “No, I just felt like I was needed here.” Adrien smiled and scratched the kwami behind its ear. Plagg caved for a second before swatting away Adrien’s hand.

Adrien chuckled, “Okay, remember why we’re here.”

“Information. I know. I know.”

“Ready?”

“Ready.” Plagg scattered, flying past the feet of the noble. Adrien continued to patrol the perimeter of the room. The hotel wasn't big, but the people were crowded as they gossiped about anything and everything. One thing caught his ear, something strange noted by the mountain tops of the northwest.

Aggressive winds and blizzards are not unusual but certainly not likely in this season. That might be good to check out. Walking around some more, he heard some more rumors that stretched across the lands – a man using his music to hypnotize people, a siren dragging a city underwater, another city plagued by nightmares, and a woman using kisses to take control. The rumors were told like ghost stories, giggles and nudges shared between them all. However, there were a few people who noticeably tensed up and became quiet. Those reactions made him curious.

Plagg returned with similar information, one stark difference being a girl who claims to have been spared by the demon king himself. Adrien made his way undetected back to the residential area of the hotel and he thanked his previous lurking as Cat Noir. He stopped a maid in passing, “Do you know where Alya Cesaire is rooming?”

“343.”

“Thank you.” The coins clinked against each other as he passed them to her hands and he left on his way. He knocked on the door, “Alya?”

“Adrien?” Alya came up behind him and smirked, “You used Lurk at the-”

“I used Lurk at the party.”

“Aha! How’d you like it?” Alya nudged him and giggled, “You weren’t hounded by the ladies again, were you?”

Adrien shook his head and chuckled, “Thanks for teaching it to me.”

“You know, you probably have more skill points from the fight earlier. Are you sure you don’t want to choose a class type?”

“No. I don't have a pull towards one class or the other. I wanted to talk to you about what I found out at the party." Adrien thought back to his id card, she was right. He had more skill points than anyone knew but he wanted to save them up until he knew what he wanted.

Alya smiled and let him into the room, “Marinette, Adrien’s coming in – Oh.” She looked around the empty room and sighed, “She’s still not back.”

“Marinette?”

“Yeah. I haven’t seen her since checking in.” Alya noticed how Adrien tensed up and waved her hand, “She’s fine. She’s probably with Damian.”

“Right.”

The girl in question was running across the rooftops with said companion. Ladybug kept up with Damian just fine, but Marinette could not and that made Damian nervous. She was practically wheezing as he stopped her from falling off the roof. “Did you ever exercise in your life?” Marinette glared at him as she tried to catch her breath. Damian rolled his eyes, “You need to keep up.”

“I can if I’m transformed.”

“That’s cheating.” Damian smacked the side of her head and looked over the city, “I hate crowds. The others better get some good information.”

Marinette rubbed the spot he hit, it didn’t hurt physically but it hurt her pride. “You know, I should be making Chloe her outfit right now.”

“I’ll let you sleep in the carriage next to Adrien.”

Marinette’s face became bright red, “I’d never sleep like that!”

“You did at Chloe’s manor.”

“Th-That was different!”

“How was that different?”

“Because it just was!” The look Damian sent her was unamused but she really couldn’t explain it. “I’ll sleep next to Alya.”

“I’ll make sure Adrien is up by the driver so he doesn’t watch you sleep.”

Marinette hadn’t even thought about that possibility, “… Thank you.”

“Whatever. You need to gain more stamina if you expect to keep up with –”

“HEY! THIS IS A RESTRICTED AREA!” The two looked back to see some men closing in on them, “HEY! STOP!”

Damian cursed under his breath, “C’mon!” He grabbed her arm and helped her across the next rooftop. The men yelled at them as if they were thieves, to be fair they probably looked like some. She yelped when she didn’t stick the landing but pushed her body to continue forward when she realized the men continued after them. “Marinette?”

Through her huffed breaths she yelled, “Lead the way, I’m thinking!” Damian nodded and grabbed her arm, moving her out of obstacles and guiding her to the easiest spots to jump to the next building. He was surprised to see her so determined, this was pushing her limits. "I got it! Get us to that building!" She pointed at a building with steam rising from it.

Marinette looked around and grabbed the nearest bed sheet from a passing clothesline. She balled it in her fists, "Damian, create some debris!”

“What?”

“Trust me!”

He looked around and a hammer caught his eye. He grabbed it and threw it at some shabby attempt at a chimney. The bricks caused their pursuers to trip and slow down. Marinette opened up the blanket over her head, “Hang on to me!” She jumped off and the steam turned the blanket into a rising parachute. Damian jumped up and wrapped his arms around her waist and watched as they got higher and further away from the roof.

Damian smirked, “Smart.”

Marinette struggled to keep a good grasp on the blankets. She didn’t control their escape well but did her best to stay calm and catch her breath. She looked around for any place to land, but her hands were clammy. She felt herself slipping and looked down, “Damian, we’re going to fall!”

“What?” He looked down and realized the steam was coming from the open baths below. “No. Marinette!” He looked around and pulled out his grappling gun. He sent the hook to the bathhouse’s roof, “Okay! You can let go!”

The blanket slipped out of her grip but Damian kept a hold of her waist as they swung into the building below. They rolled onto the wood and stone tile, passing through the curtained opening. Both groaned until they heard the men shouting from above, vowing to follow them. Marinette grabbed Damian’s arm and swung him into the male’s changing area before she ran into the female’s.

She had never undressed so quickly and clumsily. She can honestly say, she bruised her cheek from falling onto a nearby bench before hiding her clothes and purse in an empty locker. She was given complimentary sandals and a special bathing suit to wear before covering herself with a towel. She followed a small family into the open-air bath and she quickly slipped into the water. The water told her body to relax but her mind was running circles over what just happened.

She muttered to herself “Great, Marinette. You’re running from strange men with another strange man even though you could’ve clearly explained yourself. ‘Hi! I’m in training! We’re so sorry for trespassing.’ Seriously Marinette –”

“You know talking to yourself would make you look more suspicious.” He covered her mouth before she could scream. He shook his head and looked back towards the entrance. Even other patrons were beginning to turn their attention to the commotion slowly rising outside. The two men busted through the curtains and looked around. Before they could identify anyone, the staff kicked them out for disturbing the customers. The patrons cheered for the workers before going on with their bath. The two teens finally relaxed and caught their breath.

Marinette sunk until the water reached the bottom of her chin and looked around. The people there seemed to go back to their conversations with each other. Marinette felt her muscles start to ache and pulse and quietly thanked the inventor of open-air baths. She looked to Damian and noted how he still kept a watchful eye on the entrance. She was about to splash him with some water when her eye glued onto the scratches and scars on his body.

It wasn’t the first time she’d seen damage on a body, she frequently scolded Nino and Alya when they showed them off with pride from their travels, but it felt different. Alya and Nino, or any other adventurers for that matter, never hid them. Damian never mentioned his or flashed them for notoriety. He chose clothes that hid them well. She remembered the feel of his clothes, they were sturdy and wouldn’t allow for injury. To have this many even with his type of strange armor made her worried and curious.

“I feel you staring.”

“Sorry.”

She looked away and he sighed, “What?”

“How’d you get them?”

“Same as probably everyone else here, fighting.”

“I got that but your clothes shouldn’t allow for that to happen to you. So either you weren’t wearing your costume properly or –”

“Some of these happened before I got it. Some of these happened after I got it.”

“When did you get it?”

“When I was ten.” She didn’t know how to respond. Damian sat back after another minute of peace. His shoulders fell and he found himself enjoying the water. “This is nice. I didn’t expect it to be.”

“To be fair, this is one of the pricier public baths. Normally, you wash off any dirt before entering the water. Luckily for us, we weren’t fighting in the fields. I just let you convince me to go roof hopping.” She splashed him playfully and groaned, “I can already tell I’m going to be sore.”

“Get used to it. It means you got in a good workout.” Damian smirked and stretched, “The water is probably helping a lot. You’ll still need to stretch, though.” Marinette leaned against the stone wall behind her and turned her head to him. She sent him a lazy smile and closed her eyes as she enjoyed the water. “You aren’t going to tell Alya.”

“That you got me chased by some armed men across rooftops? Or that you could’ve avoided the chase by just apologizing to them?” Damian’s silence made her laugh. “This was fun, weirdly enough. Did you do this a lot back home? I can’t wait to get just as good as you.” She opened her eyes to gauge his reaction but he was looking off into the distance. Her smile fell, he suddenly felt extremely far away from her but she couldn’t bring herself to bother him.

She looked at his hand under the water and hesitantly reached out to it before he moved away entirely. He didn’t look at her at all as he left the bath entirely. She didn’t know why her eyes watered or why her stomach rolled into knots. She took a deep breath before following him out of the bathhouse entirely. She left a generous tip to the people who provided them sanctuary before jogging to catch up to him.

She walked beside him quietly, petting her purse with Tikki inside for comfort. She was startled when he finally spoke, “That was kind of you.”

“Kind of me?”

“To leave them money.”

“Oh. Thanks.” She tightened her grip around her purse’s strap, “I’m sorry by the way.”

“For what?”

“For bringing up… You know.”

“It’s fine.”

“No, it's not. I should've been more sensitive."

“I don’t think that’s humanly possible for you.” Marinette smiled at the compliment and he continued, “Running across rooftops was the majority of what we did in Gotham. We’d go out at night looking for crime to stop. So yes, we did this a lot.”

“It’s a great workout.”

“We did that and then everything we did at our home gym.”

“You did more on top of this every night?”

“We’d try to.”

“Unbelievable.”

Damian leaned in close and whispered, “Says the girl holding a goddess in her earrings.” The hair on her neck stood stall and she pushed his face away. His relaxed shoulders suggested he was satisfied with his teasing, but she didn’t mind.

She kept a pep in her step as they walked side by side. “I don’t know if I’d be able to keep up with this every night.”

“I bet Adrien could.”

“Adrien’s been Cat Noir for a while now. He has way more stamina than I do.”

“We’ll get you to his level.”

“That’s a long-term goal then, huh?” Damian hummed and Marinette could feel herself getting anxious.

Damian nodded, “I guess it is a long-term goal.”

Marinette turned her head away from him but her words carried a light tone, “I guess I’d be okay with that.”

He took note of how high her cheekbone was and the crinkles near her eyes. He didn't see her face and he wasn't going to crane his neck to affirm his suspicions. He stretched his arms above his head and cracked his knuckles. The rest of the walk to the hotel was filled with idle chatter about the logistics of roof hopping training. It was calm until they got to the lobby of the building and Alya waved them down.

Alya ran up to the two and grabbed their arms, “We need to talk!”

“Huh?”

“What’s wrong?”

Alya dragged them up to room 343 and looked them dead in the eye, “Damian, we need you to be bad cop here.”

“Okay, but who’s in there?”

“A girl who says she may have information on the Demon King.” This brought both of the teens’ attention to the door. “Look, you’re the most terrifying out of all of us. She keeps trying to flirt with Adrien and Nino is Nino so he’s not helping and I’m not getting anything out of her except a bunch of stories.”

“Got it.”

Alya opened the door to reveal a girl in a pretty orange dress and hair framing her face. Her greens eyes watched the two calculating. Her expression was stuck in a polite smile but her eyes glinted to something more sinister. “Lila, I’d like you to meet –”

“Marinette Dupain-Cheng! Who’s your friend?” The room turned to her and her expression took a turn for the irritated.

She scowled and crossed her arms, “Lila Rossi, none of your business.”

Lila sunk further into the bed she was sitting on, “Is this what the standard beds feel like? My premium room’s bed feels like a cloud. Sad you’ll never get to feel it though. It might do you some good to get beauty rest.”

Marinette rolled her eyes and took a seat in the reading chair across the room. She crossed her arms and looked at Adrien, “Do you want to leave?”

“Do you want me to leave?”

“Yes. I want everyone to leave.” All three of Marinette’s friends tensed up at her tone.

Alya crept up next to her best friend, "Uh, you know each other?"

“Oh, you never told anyone?” She giggled, “Oh my goodness, so imagine this! Cat Noir saved my life and this girl walked up and started accusing me of stealing! Can you believe it?”

“Cat Noir didn’t save you! He arrested you! We saw you take from that merchant stall!”

"I wasn't arrested. The guards apologized to me."

“After you started crying!” Marinette’s voice became shrill as she screamed at the girl. Damian looked at Adrien and noted his tense shoulders, his hands were in fists, and while he did not outwardly glare at Lila he did not seem happy to see her. Marinette’s credibility went up significantly.

Damian placed himself in Lila’s line of sight. Lila’s eyes flickered up to his face and her smile made his skin crawl, “Okay, okay. I’ll take it from here.”

Marinette stood up in the blink of an eye, “What?”

Damian’s more gentle expression from the walk over to the hotel had disappeared. The light in his eyes dulled and there was more tension in his forehead. He stared at Lila with perfect posture. He wasn’t much taller than anyone in the room, but Lila still leaned back to look up at him. “I’ve heard enough and I have some questions.” The room’s lights waned and the shadows grew heavy. “Now leave.”

Nino came up beside Marinette and gently pulled her aside. He whispered to her after feeling her resist, “C’mon. He’s got this.”

Her mouth was a desert and provided no help in trying to stay. Her body stumbled in the direction she was being pulled. Alya held the door open as Adrien followed Marinette and Nino. Marinette’s gaze never left Damian, even as his back was turned to the group. He didn’t look like himself at all.

The door closed and Nino took a deep breath, as if for the first time since entering the room. He scratched his head and looked at Alya, “We need to leave them.”

“What?” Marinette and Adrien both turned to Nino. Adrien shook his head and asked, “Is that even safe for us to do?”

“Probably.” He turned to Alya, “You felt that too, right?” It was at this point the other two noted Alya’s quiet and timid demeanor. Nino let go of Marinette and left to Alya’s side, “Alya –”

Marinette was surprised when Alya questioned her, "Marinette, are you sure we can trust him?"

Marinette looked at Adrien and nodded, “Yes, I am.” He would’ve taken the miraculous for himself immediately if he couldn’t be trusted. He wouldn’t be helping her if he couldn’t be trusted. She wouldn’t feel safe around him if he couldn’t be trusted.

Alya’s body shook as if chilled by a surprising breeze and took a deep breath, "Then he chose the right class."

“What do you –”

“He’s a natural assassin.” Nino rubbed Alya’s back and frowned, “I trust the guy, but you can’t tell me you didn’t feel how heavy the room got.”

Adrien stepped up to Marinette's side and placed a hand on her shoulders, "He's a good person. I trust him too." Marinette looked up at him and was thankful to have someone else see his good nature. "I don't want to hear any more talk about this. He's our friend." Nino couldn't argue with that and Alya was still processing to do anything.

Another minute of silence between the group was ended when the door behind them opened. Lila’s uppity attitude was sucked out of her. Her sneer was traded for an expression Marinette couldn't place her finger on. Adrien on the other hand knew it all too well. It brought him back to that night at Chloe's when he sat behind Damian's bed and couldn't make sense of anything. He took off his coat and was about to place it around Lila's shoulders when she flinched away from him and glared. Her pale skin gained a bit of color as she collected herself and stomped away without a word.

The four peered into the room in time to see Damian flop unceremoniously onto the middle of a bed. Marinette pushed past her friends and walked into the room. He sat up and looked at the four before landing on Alya. “We might have a few places to check out.” He flopped back onto his back and grumbled, “Nothing’s ever easy.”

There's Damian. Marinette snorted at the statement and sat down next to him on the bed, "You know, you get easily frustrated." Damian grabbed the pillow from the top of the bed and smacked her with it. She fell back on the impact and hit her head against the wall. "Ow!"

Damian immediately sat up and grabbed her head gently, “Didn’t mean to hit you that hard.” As he examined her head, Marinette kept her eyes on Alya and shrugged. She seemed confused at his sudden careful nature but Marinette took it as proof of his reliability. Damian nodded at the end of his examination, “You’re fine.”

Marinette smirked, “Thank you, Dr. Wayne.”

He rolled his eyes and rubbed his temples, “That was more exhausting than interrogating Harley.”

Nino took the lead and sat on the other side of Damian, “You’ve interrogated people before?”

“Yeah, my family is full of detectives.”

“I thought they were lords.”

“They’re both.”

Alya’s curiosity was unbearable, “Detectives, huh? Were they any good?”

Damian’s gaze fell on her and he didn’t skip a beat, “My father is deemed the world’s greatest detective. A title that was rightfully earned.” Alya smiled at the response and sat down next to Marinette.

She looked down at Damian, “Rightfully earned? Sounds like you have a few stories.”

Adrien sat beside Nino, “I love a good bedtime story.”

Damian looked up at the four and couldn’t help but think of his family back home. Insufferable, always asking annoying questions, invading his personal space, etc. He missed them. “More like horror stories. My father is especially intimidating.”

“Well, now we know where Damian got it from.” Marinette giggled as she placed the pillow behind her head. She laid down and turned her head to look at him, "What was he like? An intimidating detective who liked to train way too much? Sounds like an interesting character."

Damian didn’t know how to react to this kind of world. Back home, everyone knew of Batman. Criminals had their boogyman stories of his father, citizens revered him, other heroes were a mix of the two, but everyone had an opinion. Even small children knew him. People would look at Damian and know exactly why he acted the way he did because he was Batman's son and sidekick. There were no questions not related to his personality, just his weaknesses.

Here, these four are genuinely trying to learn about him. They don’t know what Batman is. Without a point of reference, he could just lie his way out. Still, it felt wrong under the gaze of big blue eyes. He thought for a moment and looked up at the ceiling.

“He’s larger than life. I don’t know how to think about a world without him or my brothers for that matter.” The others settled beside each other, ready to listen to Damian’s stories, but Marinette didn’t miss the implication of his statement. She moved her hand closer to his arm, barely touching the fabric of his sleeve. She didn’t expect him to move closer as Nino got comfortable. She was holding his arm, but he didn’t shake her off. He continued, “I’m not sure where to even start. I don’t talk about my family like this. Ever.”

“Ever?”

“My family has made a lot of enemies. I can’t risk revealing any kind of information.”

“You said they were in trouble before. Because of an enemy?” Damian nodded and Alya frowned, “Why are you letting us ask you questions, then?”

He thought about his reasons before stating, “I am 100% certain that you all are of no danger to my family.”

Alya felt a bit of guilt sit at her core. It made her nauseous. She laid down next to Marinette and curled up next to her. Marinette didn’t hesitate to pet Alya’s hair with her free hand, a silent acceptance for a silent apology. Adrien was the last to settle, turning onto his side to save space but also trying to catch glances at Damian. Adrien didn't know much but wanted to. They all wanted to.

Adrien hummed, “So your dad is an intimidating detective. What’s he like as a dad?”

"There's supposed to be a difference?" The five chuckled at the comment and Damian could feel himself relax on the mattress. "He's judgmental, he's rash, he's demanding –"

“He sounds like Chloe.”

Damian smiled at Marinette’s comment, “That’s a horrible comparison.” As he thought about it, he missed the way Marinette’s cheeks warmed up and the soft smile creeping up on her face. “Maybe that’s because they’re both wealthy? Despite all that he can be very kind. He scares criminals all over the world but…” He trailed off as he remembered being beside his father when they rescued some kidnapped kids from the Dollmaker. He could picture the kids reaching out their little hands from between the bars of their cages. The kids from the first cage he opened ran into his father’s arms without a second thought and his father returned the embrace. Damian has been hugged a few times by his father and each time he remembered feeling comforted and warm. “He just wants people to be safe. He’s a good friend and mentor. He’s helped a lot of people. I don’t always agree with his methods but he’s someone you can depend on when it counts. I don’t know if I could ever live up to him. I don’t know if anyone ever could, but I want to try.”

Nino grinned as he imagined what this man could look like, "He sounds incredible."

“He is. Our city would be considered inhabitable by most. I don’t think it’ll ever be fully fixed. Too much corruption and it all runs so deep in its government. Peace is not in the cards for Gotham.”

Adrien's smile was more restrained but his excitement was shown through the glitter in his eyes, "But he still fights for it. That's a real hero." He glanced down at his ring, "That must be hard though."

“It is. Getting him to rest is a battle within itself.” He showed a rare display of casualty when he snorted, “Once he was bedridden from a fight and he tried to escape 15 times. It took the whole family on watch duty to keep him inside.”

Alya grinned, “15 times? That’s worse than trying to put my little sisters to bed!”

He brought his arm up to cover his mouth as he continued chuckling, "He hates being on the sidelines. I got that from him." He took a deep breath, but the smile stayed on his face. He never realized how ridiculous his father’s behavior sounded until he heard it out loud. “When he’s forced to do something, he’ll sulk too. His shoulders go down and he just gets this tired look on his face.”

Nino nudged Damian, “Ah yes, the tired dad look. I’ve gotten it plenty of times growing up. Never gets old.”

“Exactly.”

Adrien laughed, “Really? I think I’ve only ever gotten that look by Marinette.”

“Only when you make a bad pun.”

"My puns are fantastic." Marinette handed the pillow from underneath her head to Damian and pointed at Adrien. Without fail, the pillow was tossed up and landed square on his head. Adrien pulled the pillow off his head as his friends cheered on the clean hit. Adrien sat up and feigned offense, "How?" Damian shrugged and Adrien smirked, "Jokes on you. Now me and Nino got a pillow to share."

Nino looked at Adrien and cooed, “Bro.”

The others laughed at the two boys before getting quiet again. They all looked up at the ceiling before Damian asked, “Do you guys have any more questions?”

He wasn’t surprised when all four teens looked to him for more stories. A part of him still felt cautious about revealing anything to this group. However, the majority of him relished the new feeling of tender attention. They didn't pry, they were curious and attentive. It was easy to talk to them. Relaxing even. He didn't know it could be fun just talking with friends like this.

It wasn’t until things got significantly quieter and still did either of the two kwamis decided to come out. They saw five teens sleeping on a bed side by side, legs hanging off the bed and people squeezed together to fit more comfortably. Plagg and Tikki didn’t disturb the group, opting to instead dim the lights in the room. Damian was the only one to stir. He softly groaned and peaked an eye open to scan the area. He saw the two kwamis and Tikki smiled at him. He rolled his eyes before attempting to get up. Tikki wouldn't have it, quickly flying to Damian's forehead and petting it gently. Maybe it was an abuse of power, but her calming spirit put him right back to sleep with a few pets to his temple. He was one she especially worried about, always alert. She watched him get comfortable on his back as he sunk back into the mattress.

Plagg flew near him, but never touched him. Damian tiredly swatted at him before turning to his side. His arm draped over Marinette as a result. Her back was to him as she cuddled Alya. She cracked an eye open to see the new limb. She smiled in her sleepy state and moved closer to him. Alya frowned a bit but did not wake at the movement. Marinette almost instantly fell back asleep and Plagg snickered at his little matchmaking. Tikki shook her head but knew she’d be amused when the group woke up.

Plagg was just happy to add a bit of normalcy until the adventure started for them. They've created a few leads and their trip would grow weary at one point or another. This night would be something they could look back on to remember. Something calm. At least, he hoped they would.

*******************************************************************************************

To say Damian's patience was running low would be an understatement. He was, admittedly, ready to strangle someone around him. The departure went well enough – Marinette's were tearful and pleaded for her to be careful. She was nervous, but her new attire gave her a bit of confidence. He didn't miss how she took inspiration from the pictures on his phone and made herself some sensible pink pants, a regular shirt with a cute design, and a small jacket to go over it if it got cold. Considering how he entered the world, he figured he'd be the one to look the most out of place but now she took that role. He also noticed the small purse she made to carry Tikki and was surprised at the functionality. Alya pestered her to make another outfit as they left the city limits. Nino and Adrien were quiet enough in their discussion, nothing too bad. Honestly, if it was the five of them, he'd probably be pretty content. But there's always one person who disrupts the dynamic.

"Adrien, why are we going –"

"Chloe, I don't know how else to explain this to you. We are looking for Akumas and gathering information to find the Demon King."

"Yes, but why?"

Alya crosses her arms and muttered, "You didn't have to come."

Chloe rolled her eyes and motioned to the carriage they were in, "Be grateful I'm not making you walk beside us. I'm being nice."

"This is nice?" Alya smirked at Damian's comment.

"Yes, and I will take away riding privileges to anyone else who annoys me. It's crowded in here and I'd be more than happy with the space."

Alya ignored her and looked out the window towards the driver. She watched Marinette for a second before reaching her hand out to poke her side. Marinette smacked it away, "I'm designing."

"Yes, but do you have to be outside? It's boring to sit in front of her highness."

"Why do you think I asked to come out here?" Marinette smiled before bringing her sketchbook to Alya, "This is what I was thinking." Damian peeked over Alya's shoulder and noticed this design was pretty modern too. A flannel design, pants, a backpack of her own to hold supplies. "What do you think?"

"I think it looks super cute and comfortable." Alya smiled up at her and asked, "Where'd you get the ideas? You've been in a rut for a while now and I've never seen designs like this."

Marinette's eyes met his for a moment before bringing her sketchbook to him too. "I don't know. I never really liked the designs they pushed for feminine adventures and I wanted something comfortable. Besides," Marinette chuckled, "Damian made it pretty clear that fighting in a dress would be a liability."

"You know I'm right." Damian took the book and noted that he took inspiration from the pictures of his family outside the costume. Tasteful and functional. "I'm still surprised you made yourself a full outfit last night."

Marinette yawned and shrugged, "I couldn't sleep."

Alya smacked her hip and giggled, "That's going to catch up to you."

"I know."

"Can I see?" The three looked back to Adrien and Marinette nodded. "Really?" Alya passed him the book and Adrien smiled as he studied the design. "This looks so cool."

"Yeah but it's not enchanted. You'd still get hurt."

Adrien nudged Chloe, "But for every day? This looks great."

"Hey Marinette, you think you could make me something like that? I'd love a little music design on a shirt." Nino pulled at his plain shirt and looked down, "I mean could you imagine how cool that would be."

"So you're a bard?" Damian hoped he was using that in the right context.

"No, if anyone's a bard that'd probably be – Ow!" Marinette shot Alya a small glare and Alya brought her hands up in submission. "Anyway, he's not a bard. Nino just really likes music and has a pretty good ear for rhythm and melodies."

"So he's more a music producer."

"Oh, I like that. 'Music Producer'. Sounds official." Nino chuckled, "I find myself playing more of a guardian role. I want to be with my friends but I find a lot of comfort behind my shield. I don't have a lot of active skills like Alya does but I am resistant to physical and magic."

Adrien passed back the book and asked Alya, "What kinds of abilities do you have?"

"I'm in the Thief class so…" She hummed and started counting fingers, "Steal, Appraisal, Escape, Lock Pick, Lurk, and Enemy –" She paused for a moment and moved the curtain away from the window beside her, "Detection." She looked around before calling out to the driver, "Hey, can we speed it up a bit?"

"Are you picking up on something?"

"Yeah. Coming in at our 7." She looked out the window and scowled at the dust they were putting up from speeding up. "Damn."

Chloe groaned, "As always, I have to do everything around here." She got up and motioned for Nino and Adrien to follow suit, "Lift the seat."

"What?"

"Lift." It wasn't rare for her to show off her authority. What was rare was the power held behind her words. The two boys scrambled to lift it and reveal a bow and some arrows.

Alya jumped from her seat as Chloe adjusted the weapon in her grip, "That's an A-class weapon! How'd you get your hands –"

"Where did you say they were again?"

"What?"

"Where were they coming from again?" The bratty tone didn't bother Alya as she opened the carriage door and pointed in the direction.

Chloe pulled her hair up with a ribbon she ripped off of her dress, "Alright." She leaned against the frame of the door and readied her weapon. "Farsight." Damian watched as her eyes glazed over before turning a bright golden color. She frowned, "A pack of Unicorn Bunnies."

Damian looked to Marinette, "Bunnies?"

Marinette was quick to explain, "They're carnivorous and travel in packs."

"Bunnies?"

"Shut up! I'm trying to concentrate." She held steady before releasing the arrow, "Snipe!" The arrow's head glowed as it faded into the distance. She kept watching before reaching for another arrow, "Stop the carriage!"

"Are you crazy?"

"Look, the arrow I sent missed so they're going to close in sooner or later. There's a dozen of them. You should be able to take them out." She waved her hands as the carriages slowed to a stop. "Go. They're closing in."

"You realize we're not going to move past that like it didn't just happen. Your eyes glow!"

"Yeah, yeah, we can have this conversation after you kill the bunnies and take their fur. They sell well and are perfect for cold resistance." She wiped the imaginary sweat off her forehead and looked at the group impatiently. "What are you waiting for? Go." Damian knew her good streak wouldn't last. He grabbed his sword and motioned for Alya and Nino to follow him. Adrien was about to follow him when Chloe grabbed his hand, "Where do you think you're going?"

"To fight."

"Uh, no. You can't fight."

Adrien frowned and pulled his hand away, "I need to learn sometime." He ran off the carriage and left Chloe sitting by herself. She jumped when Marinette pushed herself and the driver in the carriage before closing the door behind them. "Why aren't you with them?"

"I still don't trust myself in a fight." Marinette sat down across from her while the driver watched the rest of the team prepare themselves. "I didn't know you were an archer."

"No one does. Not even my father. He doesn't need to."

"Where'd you learn?"

"The archery? Archery is a noble sport."

"No, the skills."

"Why do you want to know?"

"Because I don't think I've ever seen you look so cool." Chloe paused for a moment before crossing her arms, "Well?"

"I don't need to tell you anything."

"Right." Marinette tapped her fingers against the surface of her sketchbook before flipping through its pages and handing it to her. "What do you think?" Chloe could hear the grunts and squeals outside the carriage and took the distraction. She looked over the design on the paper and Marinette explained, "You look good in yellow. Plus, I think fighting in a dress would be a bit difficult." Chloe didn't express anything outwardly, nor did Marinette expect her to. They sat in silence until their group returned, albeit stained with blood and bringing in their new wares to sell. All were tired and annoyed, except Adrien who was happy to gain some skill points.

Chloe shooed away Marinette and the driver back to their original seats but the atmosphere noticeably changed to those who noticed. The next town they came upon, Chloe forced them to go to the market to get rid of the smelly new wares. As she waited on the sidelines she looked around, forcing the driver to go with her as she shopped. The rest of the group came back to the carriage and Chloe forced fabrics into Marinette's arms. Marinette fumbled a bit, Adrien and Alya grabbing the extra bits that were falling out of her hands.

"What the –"

"There. If it doesn't make me look amazing, I'm going to make you refund me the amount I spent today."

Marinette looked at everything and gears started turning as she tried to figure out where to start. Alya glared at her but quickly back-peddled when she saw how Marinette's eyes glistened. "Does this mean we're staying here tonight? Marinette can't exactly work on the bench."

"True. Alright. Find us a suitable inn to work with."

Nino hummed, "There's one closer to the center of town. It's supposed to be pretty high quality in terms of service and space."

"Then that's where we'll stay."

"Get us some rooms then and take these. We'll meet you there after asking around for some information on –"

"Yes. Yes. Your little suicide mission. Fine. I expect to have a new outfit to wear tomorrow morning though Marinette!" The driver took back the materials as she nodded. "Good."

Alya smirked as she watched the carriage vanish into the crowd and she stretched, "Nino you genius. You're crazy."

Alya started walking towards the nearest pub and Adrien asked, "Why is Nino crazy?"

"Nino just got us a ticket into the most luxurious and gossip-heavy manor in the city. We always went in to mooch off the rich and fancy." Alya laughed, "I mean, the Lurk skill is very useful when you want the latest news in those kinds of places."

"Alya please tell me you didn't –"

"I haven't stolen anything!"

"So how does that work? Being a journalist around here?"

Alya looked at Damian surprised, "I don't think anyone's ever asked me that." She shrugged, "I mean, the adventurers like the rumors in the paper. The nobility likes to travel and they love a good story so they have a pretty good sense of where the latest spawning areas are and spread legends like wildfire. I sell to the newspapers and have come to be known as a pretty reliable source."

"How do you know if the story is worth following up on?"

Alya opened the doors inhaled deeply, "Instinct, I guess." She looked around and pointed at three tables, "Adrien and Nino, go to the table over there with the shields. I'm going to the center one with the waitress. Damian and Marinette…" She smirked, "You can go talk to Nathaniel."

Both Adrien and Marinette tensed up, "What?"

"We'll meet at the inn at sundown! Split!"

Nino grabbed Adrien's arm and smirked, "I love this part."

"Wait! I don't think –"

"Alya, I don't know if I'm comfortable –"

"She'll be fine. Hurry! Before people get too drunk to remember things." Alya shooed everyone away. Adrien sent Marinette a look before being dragged away by Nino.

Damian stayed right where he stood, "I need you to tell me who's Nathaniel if we're going to do anything."

Marinette took a deep breath, "He's an old Akuma. He didn't really do his job so he was just kind of… released?"

"That's great. I don't see the problem."

"He was fixated on me."

"Now I see the problem." Damian watched her struggle to take her first few steps and followed closely behind. "Will you be okay?"

"I will." Marinette walked up to the table, rigid with each step, before sending a shy smile to the redhead once they made eye contact. She looked at the seat in front of Nathaniel and waited for him to give his permission before taking it, "Hey, Nathaniel. Long time no see."

"Marinette, still designing I see. I didn't think I'd see you here."

"I'm here with friends." She motioned to Damian and he nodded to Nathaniel. Nathaniel motioned for him to take the seat next to Marinette and he politely thanked him. "How have you been?"

"I've been good actually. I've found a following here. I've found a partner, Marc. He's more of a writer but he helps me when I'm in a slump."

Marinette's pained expression changed to one of genuine surprise and pride, "Oh wow! That sounds awesome!" Marinette turned to Damian and grinned, "He's always been an artist! I'm so glad that his talent is finally being recognized!"

Nathaniel chuckled and pulled out his sketchbook, "I've been drawing a lot of architecture but if the rumors are true then I should have a new muse."

"A new muse?"

"The new heroine, Ladybug."

She blushed a bit, embarrassed at her notoriety. "Oh! Right! I didn't think the news would've spread so quickly!" It was fun talking to an old friend like this, but Damian nudged her and she knew exactly why. Her smile fell and she sighed, "I – We came to ask you some uncomfortable questions. Please."

Damian looked over the redhead and noted how he looked. He wasn't aristocratic but he wasn't a peasant. He didn't seem to be the fighting type. Neither did his partner. He wondered what kind of Akuma he could've been. Damian cleared his throat, "I understand that you don't remember much after being Akumatized, correct?"

Nathaniel tensed his shoulders and looked at Marinette suspiciously, "Yes."

"Do you remember anything before or after? We're trying to gather any information we can."

"Information?"

"Yes, anything that could point us in his direction."

"His? You can't be serious."

"I promise you we are." Damian sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose, "Can you explain to me from the beginning? Anything you can remember will help us."

Nathaniel looked between the two and retreated a bit, "Marinette, who is this?"

"This is Damian Wayne. We're on a mission to find the Demon King."

Nathaniel chuckled uncomfortably, "Oh, so you're crazy. Okay. I'm going to –"

"Please, Nathaniel." Marinette reached out to him and he flinched. She pulled back immediately, "Sorry. Sorry. We just need some information."

Nathaniel frowned and looked at his supplies, "Can you leave?"

"Me?"

"Yes, Marinette. You." Marinette looked a bit hurt but nodded and went to find Alya. The boys sat awkwardly for a moment before Nathaniel asked, "Are you two –"

"No. Whatever you are thinking, no." Nathaniel nodded and Damian tapped his leg impatiently, "Tell me how it started."

Marinette wandered a bit before reaching her best friend. Alya was in her element, laughing and talking like there wasn't a care in the world. She wondered how she did that when she had a tiny goddess in her purse. Alya spotted her and went straight over, "Didn't I send you to Nathaniel?"

"Yes, and he asked me to leave." Alya winced and Marinette looked back at the two boys she left behind, "He's doing a lot better. I'm happy to see him thriving."

"You had a hard time after the Evillustrator incident."

"Could you blame me? He just wanted me to spend time with him and then his reputation was ruined. He didn't even cause any massive damage!"

"It made people anxious. I'm still worried about Ivan reentering the town." Alya heard her name being called by some of the patrons she left behind and she sighed. "You want to come to help me?"

"Honestly I'm not in a talking mood anymore. I'm just going to go walk around. Maybe get some air?"

"Don't go too far."

Marinette nodded, feeling like a child as she shuffled away. Even Nino and Adrien seemed to be having fun. Adrien and Nino were laughing and swapping information and possibly skills with the other adventurers. She'd been saving her skill points until she could figure out what she wanted. Sadly, fighting as Ladybug doesn't translate anything to Marinette. Why should it? It wasn't her fighting, it was all Tikki's power. She sighed and left the pub, breathing in the fresh breeze. It was only midday, considering their early departure it made sense. So why was she so tired?

She looked in the direction of laughing children and smiled. The area seemed to be less busy than her city, but just as lively. Street vendors passed her by with handmade goods, performers showing off their gifts, and stock carts passing by the people with more inventory. She noted how some people stared at her and she realized just how awkward it must've been for Damian that first introduction. She giggled to herself at the thought of possibly making him flustered. It was a low possibility but she still imagined it with a smile on her face.

"Sweets?"

"Hm?" She looked at the young man holding some hard candy and she nodded, "Yes actually. Only a few pieces." She paid the young man and stuck the hard candy in her purse beside Tikki. She looked in and winked at the little kwami who only had wide eyes for the sugar.

Marinette let the sun hit her face and she looked back at the Evillustrator incident. Evillustrator was the first Akuma the city ever saw and it was terrifying. People ran in fear seeing his strange transformation. However, he wasn't destructive. They prepared for the worst and what they got was a young, talented man, who froze Chloe to spend time with her. If she was honest, it was sweet. She asked him to promise not to hurt anyone and he kept his word. He would talk to himself, holding his head and scowling at some points, only to reassure her later that everything was fine.

She remembered Cat Noir coming to her in the evenings, scolding her for allowing herself to get too close. The two spoke for hours about the situation. Marinette advocated for a "wait and see" approach considering how non-violent he was. She didn't want to see him hurt without cause.

She remembered seeing Nathaniel a few days later, dazed and confused. She was happy he was safe but she wasn't allowed to see him afterward. People barely spoke to him and she remembered the day he left. It was disheartening. Thinking back, maybe she should've allowed Cat Noir to have a go at him. It would've caused destruction and chaos, but the idea of a defeated ex-Akuma feels safer to the masses than retired ex-Akuma. Ivan, as concerned as he made people, was considered to be reborn after being "blessed" by the Miraculous Ladybugs.  She scoffed at the remark, while not entirely false, these people are not willing participants. Evillustrator proved that with his non-aggressive demeanor.

"Hey," Marinette screamed and jumped back, clutching her purse close. Damian gave her a funny look before standing next to her, "What are you staring at?"

"What?"

"You were just standing there, staring. What were you looking at?"

Marinette looked up and realized the sun's position had changed slightly. "I guess I got lost in thought."

Damian nodded and passed her a folded note, "I talked to Nathaniel. He asked me to give you this." She carefully unfolded a beautiful sketch of the flower pattern on her shirt. She smiled at the picture before looking at Damian, "I think it was surprising for him to see you."

"I think we were both surprised." She folded the note and put it in her purse. "Did you learn anything new?"

"Bits and pieces. I understood the concept but I think he gave me a better in-depth view of what it means to be possessed by an Akuma. It's not voluntary. It seems to be quite uncomfortable for those involved and the Demon King has to convince his Akumas to do things. It's not entirely mind control. More like henchmen."

"Which means?"

"Which means we could reason with some of them. If they put up a fight, it's fine but the ones who are more apprehensive could prove to be very useful. We'll have to keep looking but we could probably save a lot of people from Akuma possessions."

Marinette hummed, "You aren't scared of them? The people I mean."

"People placed in a bad situation are not inherently bad people. It's taken me a long time to understand that concept." Marinette felt her heart skip a beat at the sentiment. "Ivan didn't seem to remember much but he also didn't disobey like Nathaniel did. Maybe the more autonomous Akuma remember more? We'll have to keep finding more to test that out." He looked up at her for her input, instead, he found her staring at him with a gentle smile. She jumped as if caught, and pushed her hair back before clearing her throat.

She struggled to respond, "I-I agree. Besides, if we start to see more Akumas then we're probably getting closer to his base. They're butterflies. They can't travel far."

"Exactly. Depending on how far we travel and the directions, we could find and defeat him in a month."

Marinette paused before asking, "Then what will you do?"

"Go back to my family. My old life. Out of this world."

"Oh."

Damian didn't look at her face. The silence was tense and solemn. "I'll miss this place." He noticed movement in his peripheral vision, "I doubt anyone would believe me if I told them about this place. About things I've learned here." He shrugged and muttered under his breath, "Honestly, it'd be grounds to send me to Arkham."

"And us?"

He thought for a second before saying, "I don't think they'd ever believe I'd be talking to anyone like you." He turned to the door of the building and watched as a few people exited laughing and stumbling a bit. He chuckled as one of them stumbled over nothing before looking back at Marinette. "Your face is red. Are you warm?"

"Huh?" She cupped her cheeks, "Oh no!"

He grabbed her hand and pulled it away from her face, "You're fine. I can go get you some water. Stay here, okay?" She nodded dumbly, face redder than ever before he made his way back inside. He found her in exactly the same spot, with the exact same expression, and the exact same shade of red when he came back. He handed her the cold drink and sat next to her, watching her chug it down and wiping the corner of her mouth as she finished. He relaxed a bit as the red faded from her face.

*******************************************************************************************

The de-transformation was bizarre. All the energy she had as Ladybug was zapped from her system, leaving her feeling lethargic as Cat Noir landed beside her. He looked past the empty stall and smiled, “You did great – Hey!” Marinette fell forwards and into his arms. Cat Noir juggled her body a bit before finding a proper grip, “Hey, Marinette. Feeling tired, huh?” She weakly nodded and he looked at her with pity. He remembered back to his first transformation, he could barely move from all the running he did as Cat Noir. Though he figured it was part of the transition as he never had it after his first time. She carefully brought her back to her feet and cupped her face in his palm, “You did great.”

She mumbled something he couldn’t make out while Tikki landed on the top of her head, “She did.” Tikki rubbed her chosen’s hair and smiled before her stomach growled, “Oh.”

“Do you need cheese like Plagg?”

“No, thank you. I need sweets.”

“Oh! Claws in.” Adrien stood in the afterglow of the green light and Plagg rested on his shoulder. He shuffled Marinette in his arms and peeked into his bag. He smiled and took out a cookie, “Took some with me from the Dupain Bakery.” He shrugged, “Never know when you get the chance to eat sweets again.”

Tikki gratefully took it, “Are you not a noble?”

“Yes, but a closely watched noble. Part of my appeal is my appearance.” He hummed and looked down at Marinette, “It’s hard to sneak away when people fight to catch a glimpse of you.”

Plagg spoke up and was unusually serious with the goddess, “Tikki, he’s not allowed outside. He’s been a caged cat most of his life. Do you understand why I couldn’t bring myself to leave?” Tikki bit into her cookie and frowned before looking away. “I know it’s not –”

“You’ve gotten kinder.” Tikki continued to eat at her cookie and made a satisfied hum once she finished. The three turned as they noticed people retuning to the streets. Tikki and Plagg hid away in Adrien’s shirt.

Adrien adjusted Marinette in his hold to carry her. He left his hiding nook and walked into a side street out of the crowd’s eye. He figured she didn’t want any more rumors. “Hey Marinette, are you awake?” Her eyes opened slightly but quickly closed as she let her head fall against his chest. It was rare having her this close but he felt responsible as the only other Miraculous wielder. He looked around the corner and saw Alya, Nino, and Damian walking towards the bakery. He frowned, “Your parents probably won’t like you like this.” He thought for a moment before whispering to his shirt, “See if one of you can get his attention.”

Without hesitation a red dot sped across the street and nearly toppled Damian over. Adrien chuckled, “And I thought Plagg was reckless.” Alya and Nino looked down at him confused but he waved them off, a blush dusting his cheeks. He picked himself off the ground and spoke for a moment before trailing behind. He looked down at his mantle before looking into Adrien’s direction. Adrien waved him over and looked down at the girl in his arms.

Damian jogged over and looked her over, “What the hell?”

“She’s exhausted.”

“How the hell is she exhausted? We did all the fighting!” Damian clicked his tongue against his teeth before holding a hand up to Marinette’s forehead. “Hey! Wake up! Your parents will kill me if they see you like this!”

Adrien rolled his eyes and shook her gently, “Marinette, c’mon. Wake up.” He looked up at Damian and explained, “This happened the first time I transformed too. It’s just overwhelming, you know?”

“No, I don’t.” Damian noted that she felt clammy, “Hey Tikki, is he right? It’s like she’s having a fever.”

Tikki stuck her head out and sighed, “Yes but the more often she transforms the easier she’ll adjust.”

Damian was satisfied with that answer, “Then let’s go. We’ll tell them she fainted from hiding with you.”

“Why would she faint from hiding with me?”

Damian raised a brow, “You can’t be serious.”

“What?”

“Incredible.” Damian rolled his eyes and just motioned for the boy to follow him. “C’mon. It’ll work. Trust me.” Adrien did his best not to disturb Marinette as he quickly followed Damian across the street. The response was to be as expected, her parents and friends fussing over her. Even Sabine was satisfied with the excuse that the two were hiding together. The two was stuck between comforting their child and checking in on the bakery downstairs. Alya, however, kept moving her face around gently.

Alya waited for the parents to head down before asking, “Damian, weren’t you supposed to be with her?”

“I couldn’t exactly let a clue to the Demon King get past me, could I? Cat Noir and Ladybug –”

“Ladybug? That’s her name then.” Alya nodded and smiled, “She was pretty cool.”

“She was late.” Damian crossed his arms and looked down at the girl asleep in the comfortable love seat. He crouched down to her eye level, “Honestly, if someone just told me we just needed to rip the paper I would’ve done it the second you stole it.” He looked over to Adrien who wore a grim expression. Damian concluded there was a reason why Adrien didn’t advise it then before looking back to Alya and Nino. “Where’s Marinette’s supplies?”

“In her room. We dropped them off before stealing the horses and catching up with you and Cat Noir.”

Adrien seemed surprised, “You stole horses?”

Alya huffed, “We got there and helped, didn’t we?”

“You did.” Damian nodded at her and mustered up any bit of sincerity he could, “Your steal ability saved us a lot of time and destruction. You were essential to stopping the Akuma.”

Alya blinked as she processed his words before looking away bashfully. Nino smiled and patted her back, “He’s right. That’s such a big deal for you! It worked!”

“What do you mean, Nino?”

Nino looked to Alya momentarily for permission and she rolled her eyes. He shrugged, “Alya’s mana-based abilities are hard for her to control. This was the first time she stole something accurately.”

Adrien’s eyes lit up and he smiled, “Woah! Alya, way to go!” Alya smiled back at him and mouthed a quiet ‘thank you’.

Damian shrugged and brought his hand back to Marinette’s cheek. The color was slowly coming back to her and she leaned into his palm, “I don’t get it. Can’t you just continue spamming the steal ability until it steals the right thing?” The group looked at him confused and he realized he was bringing too much attention to himself. “Joking. I’m joking.”

Alya squinted at him and frowned, “No, you’re not.”

Damian brought his eyes back to the girl in his hand, “It was a mean joke. Sorry. I didn’t realize –”

“That wasn’t a joke though.”

Marinette stirred in the chair and did her best to open her eyes. Damian’s shoulders relaxed as he rubbed her cheek, gently providing a bit of stimulus for her to wake up. No doubt she’d be disoriented. She leaned further into his palm as she did her best to focus. “Marinette?” She hummed in response and squinted her eyes, “Hey, can you hear us?”

Alya came up from behind him and gently took his hand away to keep from dropping Marinette’s head. She replaced it with her own and shot a warning look at Damian. She addressed Marinette, “Hey. You okay?” Marinette frowned and rubbed her eyes, “You look exhausted.” She looked back at Adrien, “Are you sure she just fainted?”

“Fainted?” Marinette nodded, “Fainted. Right.” She looked up at Alya before pulling her into a hug, “You’re okay.”

“I’m fine.” Alya reciprocated and pulled away, “You on the other hand –”

“I’m okay.” Marinette smiled at Alya before turning to Nino, “What about you?”

“I’m okay. Thanks. Your supplies are upstairs by the way. I’m going to go tell your mom you woke up.” Nino sent her a quick thumbs up and left to her tell her parents.

Marinette stretched and looked past Alya to the other two boys, “You two?”

“I’m okay.”

“Same. What matters is if you are up to leaving the city today.” Damian sighed and looked back at Adrien, “Do you have an adventurer’s card?”

Adrien laughed sheepishly, “No?”

“C’mon. We need to get you one.”

“Hey! You still aren’t off the hook and who said you were traveling with us?”

Damian frowned and crossed his arms, “As far as I’m concerned you’re traveling with me. If you don’t care for me, that doesn’t really matter. Marinette and Adrien, on the other hand, have to follow me.”

“You’re arrogant.”

“He’s right.” Adrien shuffled his feet, “I think he’s the only shot I have at finding out more about my parents. I don’t know much about what happened and I’ve asked everyone in this city. It always goes back to Akumas and the Demon King. If’s he’s looking into it then so am I.”

“And I’m not about to let Adrien go off by himself.” Marinette’s bluntness caught Alya off guard. Marinette looked to Adrien, “I want to support him.” Adrien smiled, clearly touched by her words, and Marinette smiled her own small smile back. She looked to Alya, “You don’t have to –”

“If you’re going then I’m going.” Alya’s shoulders fell in subtle defeat, “I’m not leaving you alone out there.”

“She has us!” Adrien nudged Damian and did his best to share a reassuring smile.

Alya rolled her eyes, “Adrien, I don’t know how Marinette would survive an adventure alone with you. And Damian…” She trailed off as she pursed her lips together, “I don’t know if I trust you yet.”

Damian didn’t falter in his lackluster response, “Smart girl. Don’t. Marinette should take a page from you.” The girl stuck her tongue out at him before dropping her head in her hands. “What?”

Marinette sighed and motioned for Damian to approach her. He pushed past Alya and waited for her to look up as Alya watched the two confused. When Marinette did, her noticed her soft freckles around her nose and under her eyes. He didn’t give any kind of expression to her as he waited. She brought her hand up and flicked the side of his head, “Be nice. Alya is my best friend and I tell her everything.” Damian could practically hear her in his head as the two stared each other down, “This is hard for me and she helps.”

Damian broke eye contact with an eye roll and nodded, “Alright. I can work with that.” Marinette brought her head back down into her hands and Damian looked to Alya, “But, I get to make any final calls on locations and actions. I’m here to find the Demon King and get back to my family. I don’t want to go off course.”

“I don’t take orders.”

“Well you’re going to learn to. I’m not about to be distracted by a bunch of kids.”

Marinette’s muffled voice came to Alya’s defense, “We’re the same age!”

Nino walked back in and chuckled, “Your parents gave us some cookies.” He started passing them out to his friends but stopped at Damian, “Sabine said you’d have to ask her for one.” Damian rolled his eyes at the power play, but respected it.

“Hey! No subject change! You aren’t off the hook.” Alya approached her and poked her finger into his chest, “You’re alone. You didn’t have an adventurer’s card. You clearly know nothing about mana or magic. You’re walking around the place like you were just born.”

He knew she was technically right but Tikki’s pinching was concerning. “So?”

Alya stumbled over her words before giving him a look only a sibling could give him, “’SO’? You have no idea what you’re doing but you want to take on the biggest threat the region has ever seen?!” Alya looked at him like he was crazy. He agreed with her. “What is your deal?”

“I need to defeat him to go back home.”

“Why?”

“Alya!” Nino pulled her back, “He has his reasons. You can’t force someone to tell you.”

“If we’re risking our lives with him then I think we deserve some answers!”

Damian couldn’t risk losing Adrien or Marinette for his mission. Two gods against one is his best bet. Damian set a hand on top of Nino’s and gently pulled it off of Alya’s arm. “No, that’s fair.”

“What?”

“I said that’s fair. You are absolutely right. You deserve answers.” Damian pulled up a stool from the nearby kitchen and sat himself in front of Marinette while the others watched. Marinette met his eyes, confused and anxious. He did his best to convey some kind of comfort, “I should start by saying your intuition is spot on. You have great insight.” Alya seemed satisfied with the little complement, that was a good sign. “I come from a large family. Our magic is nearly non-existent.” Alya tensed at the statement, as did Nino beside her. He paused, wondering if he said something wrong before continuing his story.

“I don’t know where my family is at the moment. I don’t know if they’re safe. I don’t know if they know where I am. I’ve never really been outside of our land so I’ve never seen my stats or built up for anything in specific. You’re right. I’m completely in the dark right now. I’ve been placed in an unknown location with no one I know. As far as they know, I am dead.” Damian rubbed the back of his neck, “The goddess appeared before me and told me that if I defeated the Demon King I’d be able to go home.” He didn’t mean to feel anything, yet he felt exhausted and upset. He hated that it could be heard in his voice, “I just want to go home.”

The group didn’t say anything at first, simply processing his explanation. Marinette was the first to move, thought small. She cautiously reached out and grabbed his hand. She just held it. Her expression was solemn but he could tell she was still thinking. Alya looked away and sighed, “I’m in.”

“What?”

“We’re in, Damian.” Nino bit his lip and rubbed Alya’s shoulder, “I’m an older brother. I can’t imagine my little brother being lost.”

Damian couldn’t help but chuckle, “How do you know I’m not the oldest?”

“You have spoiled youngest written all over your face.” Alya turned her head to meet his eyes, “I can’t imagine my sisters being in your situation either. Besides,” she spun her body around and gave an awkward smile, “us mana-challenged adventurers have to stick together, right?” It became clear why she was so uncomfortable with the mana topic.

Damian looked to Adrien for more confirmation that he was still with him and Adrien shot him a smile that probably would’ve given Dick a run for his money. Understanding and kindness, two things he didn’t know how to convey so naturally like those two. “Thank you.”

“Hey guys,” the group turned to Marinette, “I want to work on my clothes before it gets too late. We might have to stay here overnight.” She looked up to Alya, “Can you go ask my parents? I’m sure they’ll say yes but I want to warn them.”

“Of course.”

“Plus, if you go out and bring them some of that fresh toad meat they might cook us a going away dinner.” Marinette knew Alya would never pass up a homecooked meal, not a chef’s daughter. “What do you think?”

Alya smiled, “That sounds great.”

“You should take Adrien with you. Get his card and help him level up a bit.”

“Only if I don’t end up like you guys did yesterday!” Adrien shuttered, “That was so gross.”

Nino snorted, “What? Pretty boy doesn’t want to ruin his hair?”

“Pretty boy doesn’t want to ruin his scent.”

Damian watched them gather their supplies and was about to stand to do the same before Marinette squeezed his hand. He didn’t even realize she was still holding it. Marinette waved at the three leaving, “Good luck.” Alya left with a salute while the boys waved as they closed the door. Marinette’s face fell as soon as they were to themselves.

Damian felt awkward as he tried to pull his hand away, “Marinette –”

“You meant that literally, didn’t you?” Damian froze at the statement while her eyes watered, “You meant that literally. In your world, you are dead.” That time wasn’t a question and she didn’t wait for his answer. He became acutely aware of how warm her hand was when she rubbed her thumb against his knuckles. Damian didn’t move, waiting for her to make the first move. He couldn’t afford to offend her. Ultimately, she pointed up to her trapdoor, “Can you carry me up to my work desk?”

Damian nodded and finally took his hand away from hers. He put the stool back to its original place before leaning down to Marinette. He felt every fiber of his mantle that was disturbed by her snaking her arms around his neck. When he picked her up, she leaned her head into his chest. With each step they went up, he could feel her finger tips tap his back. He was careful with her, if not a bit slow, recognizing this was her creative attempt of a hug or some kind of comfort.

Stepping into her room and setting her down was unusually tense as her arms lingered until he was completely out of reach. He waited for her instructions but she just looked at him with sympathy. It was overwhelming. The heaviness of the air similar to the air of the bedroom last night confronting Adrien. Damian grabbed the closest materials he could get his hands on – a pink denim-like material. He held it out to her. She took it with a quiet “thank you” and the machine creaked as she looked it over.

“Your designs will come out great.”

She smiled at the bit of encouragement, “Rest. I’ll be here for a while and you fought hard.” He wanted to argue with her but he just laid down on the chaise lounge nearby. Tikki left his mantle hearing the silence and flew to Marinette’s shoulder. Tikki watched curiously at her craft as Marinette measured and mapped out her designs. Damian didn’t miss the few times she looked back at him but the energy lost throughout the day compacted in one wave of fatigue. He didn’t mean to fall asleep around her again.

Marinette kept quiet after noticing his eyes close and his breathing steady. Marinette looked at the kwami on her shoulder and whispered, “Do you think we can take on the Demon King?”

“Hawkmoth is a human like you and him.” The use of his real name was surprising. Normally, she’d scold someone for bringing such an omen. But how do you scold a goddess? “You did very well.”

“No, I didn’t. I ran away for most of it.” She scowled at the thought of hiding behind some pillars to avoid Cat Noir’s sight. “I don’t know –”

“Are you saying I’m wrong then?”

“Yes. No. I don’t know.” She pouted, “I don’t know how to argue with a goddess.” Happy with her pattern thus far she grabbed some scissors. “I just can’t believe I’m supposed to be Ladybug.”

“You doubt yourself. Yet, you were very brave and quick to action once your friends needed you the most.” Tikki hummed, “You’re going to blossom into someone historic. You and Cat Noir will be talked about in legends.”

“I don’t want to be in legends!” She bit her lip and looked back at the man sleeping nearby. He didn’t move and she felt relief. “I don’t want to be in legends. I don’t know if I’m going to be any good at this.”

“But you’ll have help. You’ll travel. You’ll grow.” Marinette’s hands stopped and she wiped her eyes once she noticed her tears falling on the fabric. “Marinette, you’ve been blessed with creativity and love. You should be so proud of that.”

“I don’t know if I even want it.”

“I don’t think it’s something you can give back even if you wanted to.” Marinette took a deep breath and did her best to focus on her work. “Marinette –”

“I don’t feel prepared at all.”

“I don’t know how you would’ve prepared for something like this.”

Marinette let out a soft giggle, “You got me there.” She sniffed and looked at Tikki, “You can’t hide in his mantle forever. I’m going to need to make you something to travel in.”

“A pouch?”

“Pouch is a rag and strings. I’m going to make you a purse. Much more fashionable.” The two smiled and giggled at the comment. “Could you hand me that piece of chalk?”

Tikki was excited for her newest chosen, “Certainly.”

*******************************************************************************************

“Why do you keep hitting it? It doesn’t do anything!” 

“WELL LET ME KNOW WHEN YOU HAVE A BETTER IDEA!”

Cat Noir pouted and blew some hair out of his face, “This was a bad idea.”

Damian dodged an incoming boulder and growled, “You don’t think!?” Damian looked around and was grateful that the Akuma had followed them this far. They were nearly out of the city. “Did you see her?”

“No, I didn’t see her from the chapel.”

Damian frowned and shook his head. He muttered to himself, “She probably got herself stuck again.”

“What?”

“We need to keep Stoneheart on us! We’re almost out of the city!”

Cat Noir nodded and waved his arms, “Over here blockhead!” The comment reminded him of something Stephanie would say. He turned around and kept running. “Hey! Damian?!”

“Just keep going!”

“But – Damian hold on!” Damian could see the city limits and the opening towards the fields outside. “Damian!” Cat Noir tackled Damian to the ground, allowing an incoming carriage to pass over them safely. The crash in the building in front of them was loud, but the debris didn’t reach them. “C’mon!”

Damian allowed the black cat to drag him away and scolded himself for his inattentiveness. “I apologize -”

“I don’t want you to think of me as some reckless cat guy! I’m sorry I tried to hurt you last night! I’m trying to make it up to you!” Damian was taken aback for a moment but realized he was talking about last night. Damian could’ve laughed at the timing.

Instead, he cracked a smile and pushed himself forward to run beside him. “You really need to work on your timing, Cat Noir!”

“I’ll keep that in mind!” Cat Noir smiled back and the two kept running. They could almost feel the streets vibrate from the toads outside the city. “We’re almost there!”

“DAMIAN! CAT NOIR!” The two boys looked back and noticed two horses racing towards them. Alya and Nino both reached down and plucked the boys off the street.

Cat Noir settled behind Nino and held on tightly, “What are you guys doing here?”

“Yeah, I was about to ask the same thing!” Damian’s tone wasn’t lighthearted or grateful like Cat Noir’s.

It irritated Alya, “Marinette’s supposed to be with you and again I find you fighting an Akuma!? What are you doing here?”

Nino intervened, “Hey guys, where are we heading!?”

“Outside the city!”

“Got it!” The two whipped their reigns and the horses sped towards the exit. With Damian and Cat Noir acting as look out, the four were able to dodge any projectiles Stoneheart threw at them. It was infuriating him.

“Where’s the girl? The red one!”

“We don’t know where Ladybug is! We couldn’t find her!”

"You can't find her?!"

"If you wanted to find her BE OUR GUEST!”

Nino swerved his horse and leaned back a bit, “If we could focus back on escaping, that would be great!” As if to disagree, a full-sized carriage flew over them and crashed at the entrance gates. The two horses jumped back and the teens cursed under their breaths. “Well? What next?”

Cat Noir spoke up, “We have to find his Akumatized object! It’s the only way we’re going to stop him.”

“The Akumatized what? What object?”

Cat Noir looked at Nino and Alya with a strained expression before explaining further, “Plagg said something about finding the object that possesses a corrupted Akuma. It should stop him!”

Nino looked back at him wide-eyed, “PLAGG? THE GOD PLAGG?” Cat Noir’s ear felt against his hair but he looked back at the Akuma.

Damian looked around and pointed at the Akuma’s closed fist, “There!” He squeezed the girl’s waist to get her attention, “Alya! You used some kind of power on me yesterday, right?”

“My Steal ability?”

“Use it on the Akuma! Now!” Alya turned the horse towards the Akuma and held out her hand. Damian looked at her with confusion when she didn’t cast it immediately, “What are you waiting for?”

“What do you mean? He’s out of range!” It’s proximity based? Damian guessed that made sense otherwise people would be stealing things from each other across the city. He pressed his lips together in anticipation, “C’mon. C’mon.”

Nino called out to his girlfriend, “You can do this!”

The Akuma roared and took the opportunity to close in. The Akuma’s stomps agitated the horses. “Alya-”

“Not yet!” Alya’s arm shook subtly as she held her ground. After seeing her friends, Damian admired her composure. The horses were restless as the Akuma got closer. “Please work.” She took a deep breath and yelled, “STEAL!” She felt something materialize in her hand and Damian noticed her smile.

“Did it work?”

She opened her hand and found a crumpled-up piece of paper. She frowned, “TRASH?!”

“Wait!” Damian held her wrist back as she reeled it back to throw the paper, “That’s probably it!”

Alya frowned and before she could explain herself the Akuma quickened its pace. Alya turned the horse back around and whipped the reigns. “Here!” She reached back and gave the rubbish to Damian, “What does it even say?”

Damian uncrumpled the paper, “It’s… A love song to a girl named Mylene?” Both horses stopped in their tracks as the riders stared at him. “Is this important?”

Nino looked back and got off his horse. Cat Noir grabbed the reigns and turned around, “Nino!”

Nino cupped his hands and started yelling, “IVAN! C’MON MAN SNAP OUT OF IT! IVAN!”

“Ivan?”

Alya nodded, “He’s a friend of ours that went missing some time back. Mylene was his girl, she’s been worried sick ever since. She’s so paranoid now thinking about what could’ve happened to him.” The group watched him knock into a nearby building, people ran out screaming as he grew more frustrated. Alya called to Nino, “Nino! He doesn’t recognize us!”

Cat Noir galloped over and pulled Nino back onto the horse, “Do you know where Mylene lives?”

“Yes! She’s not too far from here!”

“Damian! Alya! Keep the big guy occupied for bit!”

“WHAT? No way! You have what he wants, he’s going to follow you!”

Alya called out to Cat Noir and agreed, “Damian’s right! We’ll go!” Damian felt a bit of relief that she agreed as Nino would follow her call. “We’ll be 15 minutes tops!” Alya turned the horse around and grunted as the horse sped forward.

Cat Noir extended his baton to the ground and up into the air. He sat by himself at the top of the pole a waved at the Akuma, “HEY YOU BIG BOULDER! OVER HERE! YOU LOOKING FOR THIS?” He let the sunlight hit his ring and Stoneheart grabbed another cart nearby, completely ignoring the two speeding right through his legs. “Uh-oh.”

Damian heard a large crash behind him and became tense, “You said she was paranoid, will she even come out for us?”

“I don’t know but if it’s for Ivan she might!” Alya weaved through a bit of wreckage before reaching the now vacant streets of the market. They sped past unoccupied stalls before skidding to a stop at a tavern. “C’mon!”

“She’s here?”

“I’d bet my life on it. She’s clung to her father and he performs here all the time.” She slammed open the door, “Mylene! It’s Alya! Please come out!” Damian looked around and noted patrons hiding themselves underneath tables and behind counters. He nodded at them, noting how they looked to the two for answers on the outside. “Mylene!”

Damian heard quiet singing towards the stage and hopped up. He pulled back a curtain and found a girl huddled against an older mime. She looked up at him terrified and it was like looking at his mother’s victims before they are executed in the name of his grandfather. It made him pause but Alya came up behind him and kneeled down to her.

“Mylene, we need you to come with us.”

“Out there? Are you crazy? No way!” The mime, presumably her father by the way he held her, also shook his head. “I can’t –”

“Mylene, you have to!”

“But –”

“It’s about Ivan!”

Mylene stopped breathing for a moment before shaking her head, “What do you mean?” Alya handed her the paper and let her look it over. Mylene stuttered, “I-I don’t understand.”

“Please, you’re the only who could possibly snap him out of it! He’s making a mess out there but the only thing we got off him was this! He must remember you! Don’t you want to bring him back?” Mylene’s eyes watered and she retreated a bit.

Not good. “Mylene right?” Mylene turned to Damian who knelt down to eye level and held his hand out to her. “You’re probably terrified right now. I don’t blame you. You don’t have to do this, but from what it sounds like this is the big break you’ve been waiting for to find your friend. It’ll take a lot of bravery but I’m sure your appearance will snap some sense into him. You two were close right?”

Mylene shed a tear as she admitted quietly, “I love him.”

“I can see that.” He moved his hand up, again offering it to her. “We won’t force you.” Mylene looked at the note again before wiping her cheek and nodding. She grabbed hhis hand and he gently pulled her up. “C’mon. Nino and Cat Noir don’t have that much space to work with. Ivan’s probably getting frustrated.”

Alya got onto the horse and Damian helped Mylene on after her. Alya looked down, “How are you –” Damian pulled out his grappling gun and pulled himself up to a nearby rooftop before running towards the chaos.

“Alya, who is he?”

Alya turned the horse around and started racing, “Marinette’s new friend.”

Mylene hummed as she did her best to focus on something other than the Akuma they were slowly closing in on. “He’s very kind.”

“Yeah, surprisingly. I’ve never seen that side to him.” She looked up at the boy and noted how well he kept up with the horse. She wondered what kind of training he’s gotten from his family when the Akuma came into view.

“That’s Ivan?”

“Bigger than you remember, huh?” Alya blinked when she noticed something in his hand. She then realized it was Cat Noir when she recognized the pair of legs poking out of his fist. The Akuma started reaching for his ring, “Cat Noir!”

Damian cursed under his breath and pointed the grappling gun at the Akuma’s other wrist. The rope caught and he propelled himself forward towards Stoneheart. He knew it was going to hurt, but he used the velocity to kick the center of the Akuma’s chest. It loosened his grip enough for Cat Noir to fall out onto the waiting horse below.

Nino looked at Cat Noir with relief, “You okay?”

Damian fell to the ground with an unceremonious ‘thump’. He held his leg close to him and sucked in air through his teeth. Hitting the giant magical boulder with all he had wasn’t his brightest idea but he didn’t have a choice. Cat Noir jumped off the horse and attempted to run to Damian before the Akuma stepped over him. Acting like a hungry dog guarding a scrap of food, the Akuma made his hostility heard. The Akuma picked up nearby debris.

Alya did her best to get close but couldn’t without jeopardizing something. Mylene clung to her tightly and she could tell that the girl was panicking. “IVAN! PLEASE LOOK OVER!” She looked back at the girl hiding behind her, “Say something!”

“Alya!” She recognized Nino’s scared voice. She looked back up and noticed the debris flying straight towards her. The world felt slow as she tried to run but she knew the horse wasn’t agile enough. Not with two people. Cat Noir threw his pole against the debris and changed its trajectory, letting the girls escaped unharmed but leaving him vulnerable. The Akuma looked down and grabbed Damian without much trouble.

Alya looked back, “Mylene please! Say something!”

Mylene shook her head and closed her eyes. Before Alya could plead anymore, a red and black yo-yo wrapped around the girl. Mylene was pulled up to a rooftop where the ladybug girl caught her. Mylene looked at her with shock and the girl apologized, “Sorry but you need to trust me, okay?”

“What?” She looked down at Alya and pointed at the baton, “Hurry! Give it to Cat Noir!” She looked back to Mylene, “What are you doing here?”

Mylene took a deep breath and showed her the piece of paper, “That’s Ivan!”

“THAT’S IVAN?” She looked between the Akuma glaring at Damian and the girl beside her on the roof. She thought for a moment and huffed, “You’re not going to like this!”

“Like what?”

“HEY YOU OVERGROWN GARDEN NOME! YOU!” The Akuma looked over and she pointed at Mylene, “REMEMBER HER? CATCH!”

“Catch?!” Mylene suddenly found herself being lifted with the same string the brought her to the roof. Flying through the air made her feel sick, but excited. Mylene closed her eyes as she was roughly caught by Stoneheart in his free hand. Mylene looked up at the Akuma and hesitantly called out, “Ivan? Ivan, do you remember me?”

Damian stopped struggling for a moment as the Akuma analyzed the girl’s face. Ladybug was undetected by Stoneheart as she used her yo-yo to latch onto his shoulders and swing up to his head. She used the string as makeshift reigns and pulled back. The Akuma roared but couldn’t do anything with two full hands. Instead it stumbled backwards. “Cat Noir!”

“Got it!” He extended his baton and tripped the Akuma beside a mountain of hay. The animals have already fled in the commotion and the landing would be easier on their caught friends. Ladybug jumped off before hitting the ground but flinched in sympathy. Stoneheart seemed dazed and this seemed like the safest time to end this.

She ran over to Mylene and held out her hand, “Give me the paper!”

“What?”

“Hurry!” Once handed the song she ripped it in half and a butterfly came out. Tikki explained a bit of this but looking at the real thing was a completely different experience. She looked frantically at her yo-yo. Pressing and swiping in all kinds of directions, “C’mon! C’mon!” Suddenly it opened up and she threw it at the Akuma, “Oh no you don’t!” It disappeared in her yo-yo before she reeled it back. The Akuma dissipated in a fog before leaving behind a large disoriented man. Mylene rubbed her head but froze when she recognized him. A bright white butterfly was released and Ladybug waved it off. “Bye-bye little butterfly.”

She looked back and crawled over to Damian, “Hey, you okay?”

Damian groaned, “You need to use your power.”

“What?”

“The damage isn’t going to be erased until you use your powers, hurry up!” Damian didn’t mean to snap at her but he was in a lot of pain. She looked fearfully at her yo-yo and bit her lip, “What are you waiting for?”

Ladybug snapped at him, “What if I can’t do it?”

“What if you can?”

Ladybug gulped and threw it up into the air, “LUCKY CHARM!” The lights brought upon a small bag. When it landed in her hands she looked it over, “Smelling salts?”

“Give them to me!” Mylene took the bag and opened it underneath Ivan’s nose, “C’mon! C’mon!” Soon the man awoke dazed and confused, but himself. “Ivan!” She threw the bag back to Ladybug as she hugged her lost boyfriend.

“It worked?” Ladybug looked down at the bag and then back around at her friends. She noticed some of the town members coming out of hiding to see the scene, likely confused by the sudden silence. She bit her lip before standing and walking to the middle of the clearing. She muttered to herself, “Tikki, you better be right about this.” Cat Noir gave her an encouraging smile and she nodded, “MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!” The bag she threw in the air exploded in light and ladybugs. They covered the damaged area and left a newly repaired town in its wake. The people and heroes watched in awe as it covered both people and objects before going up into the air and disappearing.

The townspeople cheered and hollered but all she could hear was the beeping in her ears. She looked back at Damian and he stood up without issue. He nodded, giving her permission to leave. Cat Noir came up beside her and motioned for her to follow him. “You did great.” Ladybug wanted to argue, but the beeping made her anxious. Alya didn’t get to catch up as the two ran away and out of sight.

Alya looked back at Damian and rode over to him, “Damian!”

“I’m okay.” He stretched and sighed, “I’m okay.”

“What was that?”

The June breeze was nice across Dick’s face as he stood under the summer sun. He was carefully watching the men in white neatly scattered across grounds and a crowd dressed in various black clothing participating in the event. Six Navy men brought by the shiny casket with an American Flag draped over it before carefully taking it off once the casket was placed over the burial place. A bugle boy started playing while the crowd stood silently and other Navy men saluted at their fallen soldier.

At the end of the song, shots were fired by the rifles, and the flag was folded in a neat little triangle. It was handed off with a salute to a Navy woman before being then handed to a commander with a salute of her own. The six who brought the casket calmly turned and walked away. The commander turned to a man sitting nearby in black. He crouched down and handed the flag over and quietly reassured him. The riflemen and the six who brought the casket walked away from the funeral, neat and in sync, beautifully disciplined and controlled.

Flags and people stood respectfully as a prayer was said by a Navy Chaplin. A few of the people sitting down went up and touched the casket, final goodbyes for the family. It wasn’t long before the casket was lowered into the ground and covered. There was a slight pause before anyone moved as the trumpet ended its final note. Dick looked around at the other neatly lines headstones and took a deep breath.

A murmur from the crowd slowly grew as people began talking again and Dick watched small groups of people go up to the family to pay respects. He wondered if it was even right for them to be there for a moment. The invitation was unexpected and came days after the “story” broke to the media. The kids were already back in Paris with their families, trying to regain normalcy, and his family was trying to do the same. Tim voted to simply delete it before the teens found out, “just let them move on” he said.

That felt too impersonal. To his surprise, he wasn't the first to veto. Bruce spoke up, saying it wasn't right not to give them the option. Dick could see Tim's perspective. They had just finished unpacking and were tired from dealing with reporters, staff, and other witnesses. But then he thought back to his youth, he would've never forgiven the person who would've kept him from his parents' funeral.

Dick looked down at his youngest brother and gently placed a hand on his shoulder, "Do you want to walk up?"

"Not yet. I need a moment." His voice was calm, but his shoulder was tense and shaking. Dick gave it a light squeeze and stood by Damian.

Dick’s shoulder was tapped and he looked up at Tom, “Yes?”

Tom leaned in close and whispered, “What do we do now? I don’t want us to do anything disrespectful. This is our first American funeral.”

Dick smiled at his hesitance, "Now you can talk to each other and walk around if you need to. Just stay kind of quiet. It seems like the family is quiet." Tom nodded and turned to Sabine, mumbling something in her ear. She nodded and turned to her daughter. Marinette's eyes never left the gravesite and she didn't respond when her mom rubbed her arm and gave her a side hug. Sabine kissed her temple before leaving her daughter's side with Tom and going to talk to Bruce.

Alya silently tore herself away from Nino and her parents, moving to Marinette’s side and grabbing her hand. Alya leaned in and asked, “Do you want to go up there?”

Marinette clenched her jaw before shaking her head, “I’m scared to.”

“I know. This is intense. But I also know you, you’ll regret it if you don’t.”

Marinette’s expression didn’t change but she nodded and finally looked away to her best friend. Marinette felt an uncomfortable squeezing inside her and wondered if she was even breathing correctly. Still, Alya was right. She led Alya behind Dick and grabbed Damian’s sleeve. He looked back at her and she asked, “Is it okay for us to go up there?”

“Yeah, but I think I just need a second.”

"That's okay." Damian looked to his right and noticed Adrien coming up to him. Adrien looked back at Natalie and his father on his tablet. A simple acknowledgment that he was still in the vicinity. Adrien looked back and turned to look at the gravesite. "We're here when you're ready."

“Of course we are.” Chloe dragged Nino over and stood next to Adrien while Nino stood behind Damian and wrapped his arms around Damian’s shoulders.

Nino noticed how stiff they were, “Bro, we’re here.”

“Nino, I appreciate the sentiment, but I am about two seconds away from flipping you over my shoulder in front of all these people.” Nino immediately pulled away but then saw Damian’s growing smile. Nino fixed his collar and stood next to Alya.

Chloe fixed her bangs in her compact, “So how are we doing this? I don’t think a bunch of unfamiliar kids marching up there is exactly comforting.”

Dick chuckled watching the gang of kids and turned to Jason, “Did you bring the –”

“Yeah, it’s in the car. I can go get it.”

"Perfect." Jason jogged away and Dick addressed the group, "I agree. If six teenagers I didn't know walked up to me, I'd be wary. If you guys go up there two at a time, it should be okay." The group looked at each other and sectioned themselves off; Alya and Nino, Adrien and Chloe, and Marinette and Damian. Adrien looked at Marinette and could see that she wasn’t ready whatsoever. Damian was better at hiding it, but Adrien figured he was in the same spot. “Who wants to go first?”

“Me and Chloe will go.”

“We will?”

Adrien grabbed her hand and nodded, “Yeah, we will.” Chloe’s face showed a tint of pink before noticing Adrien’s serious expression. Her expression changed and nodded before walking forward. Those on the sidelines watched as the two patiently waited for their turn in front of the man with the flag. Adrien and Chloe politely introduced themselves and began talking.

Alya nudged Nino and stepped forward, “We’ll go next. We’ll meet you down there.” She gave Marinette’s hand one last squeeze before following suit. Jason came back up to Dick with a bag and handed it over.

Dick quietly thanked him approached the two, “Hey.” The two looked up and Dick handed Damian the bag, “You think they might like this?”

Damian made note of the weight and looked in, “Did you go back on the boat to get this?” This question got Marinette curious and she looked in the bag too.

“Yeah. I figure if that’s Anne’s dad he might like to see it.”

Marinette’s eyes watered at the sight of the gift. She looked back at the family to see Alya waving them over, “Are you ready?”  

Damian shook his head, “No, but I know I need to do this.” Marinette didn’t know if she was comforted or more terrified that Damian was feeling the same way. She grabbed his arm and bit her lip. Damian moved her hand away from his arm before grabbing it. He didn’t look at her, but the hold was solid as he moved forward. She couldn’t run in his grip and he was using her for his own stability.

As they got closer, she realized how similar the brothers looked. It made her heart hurt. She took a deep breath and was glad she could focus on Damian’s hold. Alya smiled at her best friend’s appearance, “Able knows about us!”

Tension was switched with confusion, “Wait, you know about us?”

“Abraham does call us from time to time. Of course, I know about the French students who annoyed him every day.” The man had a hearty laugh despite the situation and grabbed his cane. He stood up and held his hand out to the two, “I’m guessing you’re Damian and you’re Marinette.” The two let go and both were surprised by how Able’s hands engulfed theirs. "Thank you for coming. I didn’t think you all got my invitation at first.”

Adrien shrugged, “We didn’t know you sent it to us first. Thank you for allowing us to be here.”

“Of course. He spoke highly of you kids.”

Chloe caught Damian’s eye as she motioned to the bag. Damian held it out to Able, “I think you should have this.” Able took the bag and set it on his chair. Able opened it and took out a familiar bottle.

“So he did keep it.”

“He kept all of them on his ship.” Marinette looked down at her feet and played with her hair, “He treasured them.”

Able sighed after a moment and shook his head, "As sad as I am, I'm frustrated with my brother. He couldn't even give us an open casket." Marinette turned away and hugged herself while Damian stood still. The group wanted to approach but had no idea how to. The story was he was lost at sea amid the villain attacks. The Akumas were not part of the story released to the public. As far as everyone knows, he was lost at sea protecting his ship. Able could sense the shift and asked, “You know more, don’t you?”

“No, we don't –"

“I know you all know what happened. Please, he was my brother. I need to know.” What could Alya say to a man begging them at his own brother’s funeral? She realized just how much he’s wanted to ask that question.

“That’s why you invited us, isn’t it?”

Before he could respond, Damian answered Able. "He jumped off the ship. As far as we can tell, he's been suicidal for a while." Damian didn't even look at Able but continued with his confession. He shook his head and frowned, "We were there when it happened. We didn't know he was going to do that."

Marinette turned back around and it was then Alya noticed the tears, “I am so sorry. I am so, so sorry. We couldn’t do anything. We tried and then –”

“Kids, kids, kids.” Able held his hand up and it caused the two to pause. He looked around and sat back down. He motioned for the kids to sit down, “He jumped off?”

Damian couldn't bring himself to. Instead, he started explaining the night as if in confession, “We stayed with him for most of the night of Anne’s memorial. We did our best to be present. We knew it was a difficult time for him.”

Marinette shook her head, still standing with her face in her hands. “We thought he was doing okay. He was laughing and talking with us, I just don’t understand why he did it.”

“Kids.” The two stopped and Able patted the chairs, “Sit.” Damian and Marinette stared at the chairs beside Able. Marinette was the first to sit down and Damian followed a moment later. “You two are talking about it like you had something to do with it.”

Marinette waved her hands in frustration, “We couldn’t do anything!”

“We were there and we couldn’t get him back onto the deck!” Damian was replaying the moment in his head as he turned to Able, “This shouldn’t have happened.”

Marinette motioned to the grave, “None of us should be here! This shouldn’t be happening! It’s just –” She covered her face and hunched over, “I’m sorry.”

Damian wiped his eyes and shook his head, “We’re supposed to be here for you.”

Able sighed as he looked at his brother’s grave, “I wonder if he would agree with your guilt. He was always so happy to see you kids.” Able smiled before looking back at the bottle laying on top of the bag. "He always had his demons. You guys provided a safe place for him. No one was expecting you to fend them off forever. You were kind to him, that’s all that matters.”

“But –”

“You cared about him a lot. That pain is real. The guilt? That’s you wanting control. ‘I could’ve done something. I should’ve done this. I would’ve done that if I knew.’ I know it’s because you care, but he’s at peace now and he left knowing he was cared for. I think for what you did do, you did very well.”

Marinette wanted to keep arguing. She was looking for him to scold her and was frustrated she couldn’t say more. However, Able wasn’t wrong in his reasoning and the relief she felt knowing she helped Staller feel cared for was unmatched.

Damian was on the other end. He’s held onto the guilt for so long, hearing such forgiving words from Able was almost too much. Still, he breathed freely in Staller’s presence since Anne’s death.

Able looked up and began waving, “Lupe! Can you come over here?”

“Lupe?” Alya looked over and recognized the girl walking over. Tim and she got the replacement photos from this woman. She never thought she'd meet her in person. The teens watched the woman smile at Able and wave.

“Hey Able, how are you?”

“These are the kids Abraham was talking about.”

“Oh yeah? Who’s the one –”

“That was me!” Alya raised her hand and smiled, “I’m the one who called you for the photos.”

Lupe giggled, “It’s nice to meet you.”

Able held out the bottle, “Look at what they found.”

"No way, how'd you get this? Anne said she made this years ago!" Lupe looked over the kids and nodded her head, "This is awesome. Thank you!"

Marinette wiped her cheeks and watched her friends introducing themselves to this woman who was so close to Anne. “You’re her –”

“I’m the crazy girl who Able can’t get rid of.” Able rolled his eyes and she smirked, “It’s nice to meet you guys. Thanks for being there for Abraham.”

Damian took a deep breath and awkwardly asked, “Is it weird to say I can’t call him by his first name yet?”

Lupe shook her head, “No.” She looked over Nino and squinted her eyes, “You’re not one of my cousins, are you?”

Nino chuckled, “No. Just visiting with my friends.”

“You’re French!? Oh damn.” Lupe snorted and looked over at the two blondes, “Now I know I’m not related to you two.”

Adrien grinned but Chloe rolled her eyes, “This is a funeral. What’s got you in a good mood?” Adrien grabbed her ear and pinched. She flinched and her eyes went wide, “Ow, ow, ow! Stop!” Adrien let go and he looked smug as he watched her rub her ear.

Lupe looked at the two amused before answering, “I mean, I am sad. I’ll miss him a lot, but I was always taught that you should celebrate someone’s life when they pass.”

“How are you supposed to celebrate something like this?” Lupe looked down and noticed Marinette looking up at her, almost offended.

Lupe crouched down to Marinette’s eye level and smiled at her, “Because he’s at peace? Because he’s doesn’t have to deal with whatever he was dealing with on earth. In my culture, death is just another chapter for someone.” She stood up and motioned to the grave, “He was a good man. I’m sure he’ll be remembered and respected for a long time. He’s earned his peace.” She looked back at Able and pointed at him, “Don’t you get any ideas. I promised I won’t let you rest if you leave anytime soon.”

Able laughed and put his hands up in surrender as the other kids laughed. However, Marinette was still thinking about Lupe’s perspective. “Peace, huh?” She felt a hand on her shoulder and she looked over at Alya. She smiled weakly at her best friend before hugging her waist. Alya didn’t mind the wrinkles or snot, she knew Marinette was having a hard time.

“Is this your first loss?”

Alya looked over and shook her head, “Not for me. I think it might be for Marinette though.”

"Ah." Able hummed, "The pain comes and goes. There are some days better than others, but you have to be forgiving of yourself. That pain you feel means the friendship you had with my brother was real and meant something. I can only be grateful to you kids for giving him so much joy in his final days. You just take it one day at a time. The pain itself will always remain, but it won't stay this intense as you move forward with the memories. You just need to show yourself forgiveness. I'm sure he already has."

Marinette’s shoulders shook as she squeezed Alya tighter. Damian watched her and was about to stand up when she suddenly looked up and screamed, “AH! WHO THE HECK TOLD YOU IT WAS OKAY TO DO THAT!?" Her puffy pink face was off-put by the angry expression as she continued yelling at nothing in particular. Alya’s shocked expression suddenly morphed into a confused grin.

"Yeah, girl! Let him have it!"

“If what Lupe says is right, I know you can hear me! Who gave you the right?!”

Lupe looked around at the other confused patrons. She flipped off a few members of the extended family who looked at the kids disapprovingly. Lupe turned back to Marinette and cheered her on, "Hell yeah! Get it out of your system!"

Marinette groaned and smacked her head into Alya’s torso, “Alya!”

“What do you want me to do? Get a Ouija board so you can tell him off?”

Lupe suddenly got very serious, “Oh no. We don’t mess with that nonsense.”

Marinette chuckled at the sudden contrast and sniffed. She let go of Alya and wiped her eyes before taking a deep breath. “I’m okay.”

Adrien raised a brow, “Marinette –”

“I mean I’m not but I know I’m going to be.” Marinette shook her fist at the grave, “But when we meet again I am punching your shins!”

The group was surprised by the sudden laugh that came from Wayne's youngest. He covered his mouth and leaned back in an attempt to hide it but instead hunched over in laughter. "Punch his shins? Why his shins? Shave his beard if you want to piss him off!"

“That too! You hear me!?”

Damian looked over at the grave and laughed, “Yeah you hear her old man?!” Chloe walked over and placed a hand on his forehead. Damian pushed her hand away and took a deep breath in an attempt to ground himself. “What?”

“Are you okay? I've never seen you laugh before. Like a genuine one."

“Of course, I'm not okay." Damian still kept his smile as he motioned to Marinette, "But like she said, I'm going to be." He looked over his shoulder and noticed their respective family members watching them wearily. Still, his brothers seemed more surprised than anything. Probably for the same reason as his friends. “So now what? I’m not used to funerals like this.”

“Depends on Able. Do you want me to spice things up?”

“It’s my brother’s funeral.”

“And even he wasn’t this boring. He would want us to celebrate him!"

Able examined Lupe for a moment and then noticed more cars coming into view. He narrowed his eyes, “You didn’t. This is an American navy funeral.”

“I mean I can call them off and just ask my family to come by.”

Able sighed and rubbed his temples. His wrinkles exaggerated the tired look he gave his daughter-in-law, "Did you bring a taquero?”

“And a mariachi. Just like Anne’s.” Able rolled his eyes and grabbed his cane. “So they can come?”

He looked at the confused kids just enthralled in this conversation and he nodded, “We need to show these French kids how crazy your family is.”

Damian watched men dressed in elaborate suits exit some cars with equipment and instruments. The rest of the cars brought people of all shapes and sizes, one of which looked as though to be bringing food and a grill. Chloe poked his shoulder, "Is this normal?"

“I don’t know. I didn’t go to Anne’s funeral.”

Lupe smirked and waved the people over like an enthusiastic guide, "This is how my family does funerals.”

Her family brought in new energy, loud and full of life. It was bizarre and bordered inappropriate, but each and every person made a point to come to Able and greet him. Giving their apologies and prayers before moving into their own little groups. The mariachi settled themselves in an open space nearby and began playing as the murmur grew into a loud conversation. Marinette looked over to her parents who looked on confused but excited. She made eye contact with her mom and she shrugged in playful confusion.

“Alya?” Alya looked down at Marinette, “What do you think we do now?”

Alya shrugged and looked at Lupe. Lupe smiled and motioned for her to join the others, "I think we go with it, girl. When in Rome, you know?"

Nino chuckled, "Adrien, your dad and Natalie look like they're going to have an aneurism." Adrien looked over and sure enough, Gabriel was speaking very curtly, probably questioning the sudden change, to Bruce. Adrien laughed at the sight of his father flustered.

Alya pulled Marinette up to her feet and nodded towards the incoming smell of foreign food. “Want to go try? Smells spicy.”

She groaned, “You know I’m not the best with spicy.”

“Then you’re going to have a bad time.” Damian stretched and stood, “Mexican food, really any Hispanic food, is all about spicy.” Damian walked over to the girls and hummed, “Go for the Carne Asada. Least amount of spice but still tasty.”

Nino grabbed Damian’s shoulders, “Since when did you become a food expert?”

“When Jamie started cooking for the team. He’s shown us quite a few recipes.” Damian shrugged Nino off, but it wasn’t with any malice. It was calm and relaxed. He turned back to Able, “Able –“

“Go, go. Have fun. I’ll still be here.”

Chloe groaned, “Finally! A party! Ah! I was going insane with all the doom and gloom.” Chloe took a big breath and watched some of the women dancing in front of the band, “You think they’d show us how to do that if we ask?”

Lupe didn’t even answer her. She instead called out, “¡Tía Maribel! ¿Puedes enseñar a estos niños a bailar?” A few of the women turned and started to wave them over.

Chloe smiled and grabbed Adrien’s arm, “C’mon!”

“Huh? Wait –”

“You better teach us when you get back!” Alya laughed as she watched Adrien get dragged away. She looked back at Marinette and wiped her cheeks, “You sure you’re feeling better? We can go back to your parents.”

Marinette shook her head and reassured her best friend, “I’m okay right now. I think I need this. Besides, whatever that guy is making smells really good right now.”

Damian narrowed his eyes at her and lightly smacked the side of her head, “You skipped breakfast, didn’t you!”

“I wasn’t hungry! Clearly, I wasn’t in the mood to eat this morning!”

“That doesn’t mean you can go 16 hours without food!” Damian groaned and pulled at her hand, “Honestly, how are you expect to be running on empty?”

Marinette huffed and dug her heel into the ground, “And when was your last meal?” Damian didn’t say anything and Marinette pouted, “Seriously?”

“I was preparing for today!”

“I was doing the exact same!”

Alya snorted, “So this is a good sign, right? They’re fighting again.”

Nino kissed the top of her head, “I think this is a great sign. But, that line is getting bigger the longer we stand here.”

“You get Marinette. I get Damian.” The two turned back to the bickering couple and nodded. Alya went over to Damian and pulled at his arm, “Okay, okay. You both are hangry.”

Nino turned to Marinette and took a breath before slinging Marinette over his shoulder. It was at that moment the couple snapped out of their little spat and took note of their friends’ actions. “What the –”

“Nino!” Marinette groaned and went limp in his hold, “Nino, I need sustenance. Bring me to the food of the nice people.” Nino patted her leg sympathetically and followed Alya as she dragged Damian to the line. Marinette swayed slightly with each of Nino’s steps. She noticed the crowd laughing, telling each other stories and jokes in a language she couldn’t understand. She only caught words here and there but she realized that all these people respected the Staller’s grave. Not one person ever stepped on the disturbed dirt. Instead, they placed flowers and charms, many brought religious idols and jewelry, and many of the men poured their drinks over the ground in solidarity.

Overall, the change was pleasantly bizarre. She wondered if Staller ever thought about meeting Anne in the “next chapter”. She hoped he did. Marinette smiled and giggled at the sight of the celebration. “What are you laughing at?” She looked over at Damian and Alya come into view as they all got into the line. Damian looked around, “Well?”

"It's just funny to think Staller interacting with all these people. I can see Anne fitting right in based on his stories, but Staller?” She looked around once more, “He’d either get drunk or be like Able over there and just look super tired.”

“It was a bit of both.” The four looked down at a girl in the line next to them. She pointed at Marinette, “I can see up your skirt.”

Marinette’s face went red and she started shifting in Nino’s hold, “Put me down. Put me down! Put me down!” Nino chuckled as he put her down and Alya snorted. Marinette glared at the three, leaving Damian confused as to what on earth he did at that moment, before crouching down to the girl.

The gesture made the girl bashful, "Hi."

Marinette smiled, “Hi. Can you tell me more about him?”

She nodded slowly and played with her ribbons in her dress, “I remember at Lupe’s wedding he drank a lot. It was really funny. I saw him later sitting down with Tio Juan. He looked really tired.”  

“Really? So he was pretty boring at parties then?”

“No. He danced a lot with my family.”

“Angelina!”

The little girl looked back at a woman further up in the line and she nodded, “Well, bye! I like your dress!”

She ran off without another word and Marinette crossed her arms, “So we missed the chance to see Staller drunkenly dancing.” She forced herself to replace her last image of Staller with this new one.

Damian pointed over by the band, “At least we can see Adrien and Chloe try to keep up.” They turned to see the two struggling with the instructions of the buzzed adults circling them and cheering them on. Damian noticed Tim squeeze into the group and provide some kind of translation for the flustered teens. Adrien looked like he was having fun at least despite Chloe looking at her feet with a panicked look on her face. Damian took a step closer to Marinette and grabbed her hand, “I bet you a thousand dollars that you’d fall on your face.”

“That’s a sucker bet. I know I’ll fall on my face.”

The four laughed at the joke and moved with the line. Sabine smiled as she watched from the sidelines before turning back to the adults of the group. They all seemed confused by the new group, but she enjoyed the new energy the people brought. She walked up to Jason and placed a hand on his arm. He turned and looked down to greet her. “Jason, right? So, we recently got a call from Tom’s mother.”

“Gina?”

“Yes.” Sabine looked back at the kids, “So she tells me you may move to Paris?”

Jason’s shoulders tensed as he tried to explain himself, “Oh yeah! I was looking at apartments in Paris and figured it’d be nice for me to have a change of pace. I think I found a good one.”

"Can I see?" Jason pulled up his phone and showed her a listing nearby the bakery. "That has 3 bedrooms. That's big for one person.”

“I guess I’m just used to the big space.” He didn’t know where else to put his equipment and technology. He scratched his head and shrugged, “You know, living with Bruce and all.”

Sabine nodded and handed him back his phone. “So have you decided to settle in that one?”

“I think so.”

“When are you moving in?”

Jason didn’t understand where all these questions were coming from. It made him suspicious and he was sure Sabine heard it in his tone, “Probably in a week?”

“Okay. We’ll bring in some welcoming gifts. Is there any food in particular you like?”

“Wait, what? You don’t have to!”

“Of course I do. Both Gina and Marinette speak highly of you. You’re family now.” Sabine brought up her hand and patted his cheek gently. She smiled, “You have done a lot for my daughter. I don’t know what happened on that last day, but I know you were someone who stayed by her side and protected her. I can’t thank you enough for that.”

“Honestly, your daughter did way more for our family than we did for her. I think she could’ve lived a way better life without any of this happening to her. I feel bad about all of this.”

“I don’t think Marinette sees it that way. And I know Tom’s mother would scold you for even thinking that.”

“You don’t think so?”

"I think everything happens for a reason. We gained a 'son'. Although I would have to agree, seeing my daughter grieving is difficult for me. Still, I don't she regrets the trip at all."

“No?”

“No.” Jason didn’t know what to do when Sabine went in for a hug. He looked at Dick for some kind of help and Dick rolled his eyes. Dick motioned for him to hug her back. Jason hesitated but wrapped his arms around her and noted just how warm he felt. She pulled away and chuckled, “I have a feeling that things are going to get much more lively with you around. I’m excited to see what you bring to Paris.”

Jason shrugged, “I guess I should apologize beforehand then.”

“For what exactly?” Jason and Sabine both turned to Bruce and Jason put his hands up in surrender. “What did you do?”

“Nothing! Nothing! Damn!”

Sabine intervened, “Mr. Wayne, he didn’t do anything. We were just talking about his move to Paris.”

Bruce looked a bit relieved, but Gabriel’s eyes narrowed on the screen. “You are moving to Paris?”

Jason tilted his head in rebellious ignorance, "Yeah. Is that a problem? You worried I'm going to rub off on your son?"

“Regrettably.”

Natalie cleared her throat and put on a softer tone, “I think Adrien would be very happy to hear that.” Gabriel didn’t look enthusiastic in the slightest, but he supposed this wasn’t the time or place for any kind of confrontation. “Sir, you have business to attend to in 15 minutes.”

“I know.” Natalie turned the tablet to Bruce and Gabriel nodded his head, “Thank you again for inviting my son and Natalie to this event. I understand that he was close to the deceased.” The tone held little warmth as he continued to uphold his icy persona. Bruce was surprised that his attendance was allowed in the first place. Still, he remembered their loss of Mrs. Agreste and wondered if he just wanted to let his son have a proper goodbye after a loss. Maybe that was giving the designer too much credit, but he was thankful nonetheless.

“Thank you again for letting us enjoy your son’s company for the day. He’s very well-mannered and helped my son open up. I can’t tell you how much that means to my family. We’ll make sure he’s comfortable on the flight back tomorrow.” Bruce meant every word. Gabriel hung up the call but Natalie smiled at him before turning back to keep an eye on Adrien.

He didn’t need to turn around to know Dick was walking up beside him. “What’s going through your head now?”

Bruce took a moment to think before responding, “I think right now we take it one day at a time.”

“You? Not planning every little move? Incredible.” Dick stretched, “But I have to agree.”

“Hey Dick,” Bruce’s voice got low and Dick leaned in close, “how much damage do you think Red Hood is going to cause in Paris?”

“Enough to bankrupt you, for sure.” The two chuckled to themselves as Bruce analyzed the scene unfolding before him. The funerals he's been to were always private, somber, and hopeless. This one was different. People were mourning, but also celebrating. There's laughter and talking and dancing. He never thought he'd see a funeral like this in Gotham. He felt out of place.

Dick patted Bruce’s back. He didn’t think his expression gave much away but he guessed Dick read him better than he thought, “You need to be more involved in your city during the daytime, Bruce. Gotham does have some beauty in it." Dick walked away from the adults, he grabbed Jason along the way and dragged him away from Tom and Sabine, and waved at the kids in the line. "Hey, guys! Save us a spot!"

Bruce thought about the funeral even after they left a few hours later when they were kicked out by the cemetery officials. It seemed like people were happy but something felt missing. The kids were having fun and bonding. He learned more about the parents’ personalities and feels as though he may have made friends with some of them. Even watching them be served at dinner back at the manor was odd.

It was active and full of talking as more of his wards invited themselves. Barbara found Natalie fascinating while Stephanie and Duke poked fun at Damian in front of Marinette’s parents. Even Cassandra enjoyed watching from Bruce’s left, joining in when she felt but otherwise being part of an audience to the dinner. With desert nearly out of the way and Alfred exchanging pastry recipes with the Dupain-Chengs, he couldn’t help but notice some whispers being passed between the teens.

People being escorted to their rooms for the night left room for him to sneak away to the Bat cave. He sat in front of the computer with some coffee and waited. Stephanie and Cassandra waved confused goodbyes as they took the first patrol shift but Bruce waited in his chair.

Alfred came to his side with a refill sometime after, "Sir, I do believe it is past your bedtime as well. Given the day you've had, I figured you'd want to turn in for some rest."

“Something’s bugging me.”

“Penny for your thoughts, sir.”

Bruce rubbed his eyes before taking the new cup, “Everything seems to be wrapped up but there’s just something missing. Maybe I’m just tired.”

"Possibly. You've been working hard since the captain jumped over the railing. How's the cover-up going?"

"That's fine. Max and Tim erased all of the footage they could find on phones and cameras. Remind me to send Max some thanks for all of his hard work. He’s a smart kid.”

“Certainly. He’s the one with an affinity for robotics, correct?”

“Exactly.”

"And the eyewitnesses?"

“Non-disclosure agreements with a good retirement fund pitched in for good measure. No one is going to pass that up.”

“You’ll lose all of your savings cleaning this mess up, sir.”

Bruce rolled his eyes but flipped through more of the cameras, “I’m just having a hard time believing that this is it.”

“What is it that you are expecting?”

Bruce hummed, “I’m not sure. A better goodbye?”

“A ‘better goodbye’? I’m not following, sir.”

“I’m not so sure myself.” Bruce sipped from his mug, “Thank you, Alfred.”

“Of course, sir.”

Bruce savored the coffee and sat back in his chair, “It just feels like something is missing. Like we’re forgetting something.” Alfred nodded and turned on his heel, he’d be more of a nuisance than help when Bruce gets like this.  Bruce’s shoulders fell after another half an hour of watching. He muttered to himself, “What am I even looking for?”

“Looking for the kids, maybe?” Bruce turned around in his chair and waved at Nightwing.

“No, I’m looking for loose ends. You’re heading out?”

“About to but not for patrol.” Bruce raised a brow and Nightwing chuckled. He walked over and typed some keys to allow access to some of the vehicles in the cave. Nightwing looked around and grabbed some keys off the counter, “We’re borrowing the Batmobile too.”

“What?”

"Thanks, Bruce!" Out of various corners of the cave, a barrage of colors and figures flew, jumped, and ran into view.

"Thanks, Bruce!"

"Thanks, Bruce!"

“Thanks, old man!"

“Thanks!”

“Thank you!”

“We’ll bring it back soon!”

“Thank you!”

Robin was the only one to refrain from saying anything, but he gave a nod to his father before closing his helmet. Within seconds the batmobile and three different cycles were taken out of the cave before his very eyes and Bruce just let it happen. Bruce sipped the last of his coffee and took a deep breath.

Alfred came back into the cave with another fresh cup, “Is this what you were waiting for, sir?” Bruce groaned and turned on the cameras holstered on each of the vehicles. They were all following the same route through the city. He was expecting them to be hollering and joking around with each other but the ride was fairly silent. “Where do you suppose they are going?”

Bruce looked at a city map and after a moment he closed his eyes in a moment of realization. “I think I know.”

“Are you going to give them hell, sir?”

Bruce stretched and shook his head, “No. I’m going to go meet them.”

“Without a vehicle? They might leave their location –”

"They won't. I'm going to change. Bring me a bouquet. A nice one."

“Very well. Take this if it’s going to be a long night. I’ll get that ready for you.”

Bruce took his time changing and Alfred noticed. There wasn’t urgency or anger when he changed this time. It was almost like he was reluctant to go. Alfred brought the flowers and took the untouched cup of now lukewarm coffee. Seeing Batman carrying a bouquet would’ve been a funny sight if he held a different expression.

Batman took his leave and Alfred took the seat in front of the computer. Looking at the kids’ location it was clear why he looked so somber. The kids left around 11:30 pm and Bruce looked like he would meet them around 1:20 am. Alfred crossed his legs and watched quietly as Batman's location closed in on the rest of the group. He figured he shouldn't watch the proceedings once they were all together.

Batman stayed quiet as he walked past all the neatly parked vehicles. He was careful to keep the bouquet safe as he moved through the city. He walked past the hill in the cemetery and looked around. Despite the dark setting, he could see some of the colors from the Parisian heroes’ suits reflected by the moonlight. He took careful steps as he walked up to the group sitting silently around one of the graves. A few of them looked up to acknowledge Batman but weren’t bothered in the slightest. It almost felt like he was intruding.

Batman gently placed the bouquet in front of the tombstone. He sat next to his son on the ground and spoke carefully, “This is our first-time visiting Anne’s grave.”

“It is.”

“I’m proud of you for coming here.”

Robin didn't say anything at first. After a moment Robin took a deep breath, "I didn't want to leave her in there." The group stayed quiet as Robin ripped out some of the grass from clutching his fists. "I found her deep in the rubble and she was with that kid. The beams were not holding up well enough and she wouldn’t let me help her.” Ladybug was the only one who didn't turn to watch him. Instead, she scooted closer to him to place her head on his shoulder and placed one of her hands over his.

Robin's shoulders fell a bit and continued, “She just shoved the kid my way. There was too much smoke and the kid was coughing and then things just started falling. I couldn’t –” Robin sighed, “I couldn’t do anything by myself in there and I couldn’t reach anyone. It felt like there were only wrong options and she just kept telling me to give her uncle back his check.” He closed his eyes and rubbed his temples, “There wasn’t anything I could do and I just felt useless.”

Batman placed a hand on his son’s back and rubbed small circles, encouraging Robin to continue. “She had some severe burns but that kid only had smoke inhalation. Anne did everything she could to protect that kid and I couldn’t help her. Giving Staller back that check was hard for me and I didn’t even know him! I didn’t know what to do with myself anymore so I just threw myself into work. I started feeling tired and then I just stopped feeling altogether after a while.”

Robin turned to his father, “Death doesn’t bother me. This death did and still does. I hated myself for just letting it happen and I didn’t know what else to do.”

Batman's expression softened slightly and he let out a deep breath. He turned to the grave and asked, "Is there anything else you could've done at that moment?"

Robin paused for a few moments, “If I could’ve, I didn’t think of it.”

“Because you were already doing everything you could.” Cat Noir stretched a bit but continued, “After mom disappeared I wondered a lot if it was something I did or something I wasn’t doing. It was easier to deal with missing her if there was some kind of reason because I could wrap my head around it better. I still think that way sometimes, but then Plagg showed up.” He chuckled, “He likes to ask a lot of direct questions and he’s blunt, but it made me realize something. I’m punishing myself for something I had no control over. That’s so unfair to me when I just wish she was still here.”

“He’s right.” Nightwing looked up and followed the branches swaying. He thought for a moment and looked at Robin, “You know, when Staller realized it was you he didn’t sound mad at all.”

“He wasn’t.” Ladybug furrowed her brows and exhaled before looking at Robin, “He smiled at you. He loved you a lot. I don’t think he would’ve let you in the den otherwise.” She nudged him, “I don’t think she blamed you either.” She hummed before feeling herself tear up, “’Go give them hell for my uncle and me.’” The others didn’t catch the reference but Robin cracked a smile. “I think you did everything right in that situation. Even if you don’t believe that right now.”

“Thank you.” His eyes wandered a bit, scanning over every person gathered before landing back at Anne’s headstone. Batman watched as gears turned in his son’s head before he reached up and took off his mask. A surprising gesture, especially when Damian looked at him first. “Update my profile. Allies specifically. New additions include Nino Lahiffe – alias Carapace, Alya Cesaire – alias Rena Rouge, Chloe Bourgeois – alias Queen Bee, Adrien Agreste – alias Cat Noir, and Marinette Dupain-Cheng – alias Ladybug.” He looked down at the mask in his hands. “I’m going to work hard to be worthy of my role.”

“Damian, you already are.”

“I don’t feel that though. I want to be sure, for myself.” He rubbed his thumb over the fabric of the mask, “I told you once that grief and remorse were a disease for the weak. I didn’t realize grief and remorse just made you feel weak. I honestly hate it. I hate myself for feeling it. You once told me I couldn’t rule humanity if I had never been a part of it. I didn’t realize that this was a part of that. I’m a bit beside myself if I’m being honest.”

Batman gave his son the space to process, remembering both conversations clearly. The distant sound of rain sat comfortably in his memory. “I think you are integrating better than you think you are.”

“I want to believe you’re right.” Damian smiled before looking at his brothers, “I think I owe you three apologies for thinking you were whiny. How do you live with this?”

"What emotions?" Red Hood meant it jokingly but Damian was honest when he nodded. Red Hood lost a bit of sarcasm and rocked his head from side to side. Stretching a bit after sitting still for so long, "I don't know what you want me to say. You just do.”

Red Robin took up a teasing tone, “Why tired of being a normal human already?”

“Yes. Very much. Tim, figure out a way to cut them out or something.” The group chuckled at the blunt statement. Damian placed his mask back on carefully, methodically pressing down around the edges and making sure it was set into its place.

Ladybug hummed and patted Robin’s shoulder, “Can I borrow your cape?” Robin raised a brow but lent it to her nonetheless. “Spots off.” A light flashed before Marinette tugged the cape closer to her body, “Ah! I thought this would be warmer!”

“What is it with you and wind?”

"We have an ongoing feud." She fed Tikki a spare cookie she got from the platter during dinner and reached into her purse. “I think this belongs with her.” She pulled out a captain hat, wrinkled and worn. She passed it over Nightwing, “Can you put it next to the flowers?”

“Are you sure?”

“I’m sure. It belongs to her.” She waited for the cap to be placed before transforming back into Ladybug and giving Robin back his cape. “It was always hers.” It was Robin this time who reached for Ladybug’s hand. She took comfort in its grip.

“Ladybug,” the girl turned to the bat, “I still need some more information about Akumas.”

She looked at her team before answering, “We’ll tell you everything we know.”

If there were any cameras in the cemetery, it would've shown ten superheroes sitting around a gravesite for quite some time. There was discussion but it never became animated. It was respectful and secretive. They trickled away in small pairs or groups the closer it got to sunrise. There was a moment where there were just two left sitting together watching the grave in silence. Tearing away from their seats made them yawn and stretch. They turned to each other sharing one last embrace before parting and leaving the site hand in hand.

The next morning a widow came by to the grave and noticed the spots where the grass was disturbed around the site. She looked at the grave and silently asked for information on the fresh flowers that just seemed to appear since the day before. She picked up the cap alongside it and was surprised it magically found its way back to its owner. She looked around the cemetery, completely unbothered by the planes passing overhead or the people visiting their loved ones.

She placed the cap back on the gravestone, placing a rock onto it to make sure it didn't fly away. She decided to replace the old flowers in the vase beside Anne with the surprise bouquet, noticing just how high in quality the new flowers were. The water was replaced and she took a deep breath with her spouse’s headstone beside her. The sinking in her stomach she sometimes got coming to see Anne was released with her exhale. The wind that washed over her was strange and exhilarating.

Despite being miles away from shore, it smelled like the sea.

*******************************************************************************************

Thank you for being patient and enjoying the last chapter of Seabourne Burnouts!

Tag List: @maribat-archive @ozmav @thornangelic727@imfreakingmagical@constancetruggle @chloe-bourgeois-is-big-gay@someone-ev   @zazzlejazzle @tinybrie @mewwitch @rhub4rb@saphiraazure2708 @never-neverland @unholykrow @slytherinhquinn @literallytryingmybestbutok @redscarlet95 @grimmhallow31 @fandomkitten9653 @myriad-of-passionate-pettiness @fanboy7794 @mystifiedgal @shizukiryuu @ vixen-uchiha @resignedcatservant @mystery-5-5 @miraculousl4dybug @blackcanary13 @origamieater @moonlitarchangels @mochinek0 @imfreakingmagical @you-will-never-know-how-i-think @derpingrainbow @unabashedbookworm @skyel0ve @northernbluetongue @cadencehood @sizzling-fairy-oil @crazylittlemunchkin @saphiraazure2708 @mysteriouslyswimmingfan-blo-blog @ginamarie1512 @kae690 @ivette0712 @zalladane @ellerahs @auradonfairy @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @scribblinggraveyard @nyctamaximoff @snow-swordswoman @maude-zarella @thebookwormfairy @melicmusicmagic @zalladane @ivette0712 @ginamarie1512  @bookreader20003 @silvergold-swirl @celestiacq @themcclan @amethyst-starr5 @tamoni112 @lunar-wolf-warrior @alexzandria-747 @nataladriana9 @moonlitarchangels @iglowinggemma28 @hunter-shyreen @mermaidofthelost @jessigurl-design @vgirl-10123 @lunar-wolf-warrior @casual-darkness @xxmadamjinxx @normal-piece-of-shit @tinyterror333 @romanoff-queen @schrodingers25 @alessialeone6997 @mindfulmagics @slytherin-heartthrob @da-tasuky @asianfrustration13 @eliza-bich @kuhakuanon @my-name-is-michell @theatreandcomicfreak @interobanginyourmom @starry-bi-sky @etheralentity @creator-josie @kurogaya913 @st0rmy-w1th1n @casual-darkness @vgirl-10123 @poshplumcot @thebookish3lf @queenmj10 @corabeth11 @goblinwhoships @ilovefluffbutsmutisalsogreat @violatiger8 @maribat-owns-my-ass @captainartsypants @deathofafangirl01 @maribat-owns-my-ass @nickristus-dreamer  @amayakans @notmycupoftea26 @animegirlweeb

“Why did you have to come here? Just let me disappear!” The Akuma grunted as he faded in and out with the steam. The only one truly able to keep up was Cat Noir. His enhanced vision gave him an advantage through the hazard lights while the other three found it more difficult to varying degrees. Robin used his batarangs effectively, getting the Akuma out of corners and into the open. Rena used her hearing to best pick up on the enemy. Queen Bee was ready to pull out her venom when asked but otherwise was at the mercy of the room’s layout.

Cat Noir wiped the sweat off his forehead and called out, "What do you mean 'disappear'?"

Rena’s ear twitched and she swung to her left, “Come out already!”

“Why don’t you just leave me here?” The room became unbearably hot and the mist became almost too thick to breathe.

Robin didn’t care for the idea of being nothing more than a steamed vegetable. Still, the image of Tess came into his mind. These were broken, not malicious. He lowered his sword and called to the mist, “Why don’t you tell us why first?” The small team held their positions as they waited for a response. The emergency broadcast didn’t help at all in communicating.

Queen Bee groaned, "Hurry up and answer so we can leave! Do you think I want to be here any longer than I have to? This is ruining my hair!”

"Really, Chloe?"

“Queen-”

“Chloe Bourgeois?” The room seemed to cool slightly. Queen Bee fanned away some of the steam near her face only for a figure to appear before her. The form resembled a human, but the features were entirely gone. It gave her chills, like seeing a creature in an old folk tale. She adjusted her grip on her top but the Akuma simply stood there. It was clear he was waiting for an answer.

“Yes?”

“Oh my god, Chloe!” The steam suddenly settled near the ground, making the room visible again. She watched the Akuma’s feature fade back into view and it became clear that she knew this one. He was disheveled, but the uniform was still as fancy as ever. His shame only echoed in his tone of voice, “I am so sorry! I am so stupid! You came in here with Marinette, of course you were Chloe!”

Queen Bee looked him up and down before asking, “Charles?”

“Charles?” Robin sheathed his sword before walking up to the two, “What the hell happened to you? Why are you down here?”  

“I already told you, I want to just disappear. This has been the worst voyage I’ve ever worked and I’m tired.”

“You can say that again.” Queen Bee walked up beside him before nudging him with her shoulder, “That’s why you haven’t been present in the group chat.”

Rena Rouge found it almost strange to talk to an Akuma so casually. Usually, they were so hell-bent on getting the Miraculous. Without Hawkmoth's influence, the Akumas still have humanity. Rena was about to ask something when Red Robin’s voice nearly deafened the group, “You guys, we lost contact with Carapace and Marinette!”

Rena screamed into her communicator, “You what? How did you lose contact? They were heading straight for you guys!”

“What’s going on?”

Queen Bee growled and mutter a few curses before saying, “We lost contact with Marinette and Carapace.”

“How did you lose the girl?” Cat Noir opened his mouth with a stupid smile on his face and Robin turned to him with a straightforward, “Don’t.”

“Sorry. Comedic habit.” Cat Noir headed for the door, “I don’t know but Charles might be able to help us.”

“What? How?”

Robin looked over skeptically at Cat Noir, “Yeah, I’d like to hear this plan of yours too.”

“You can turn invisible, right?” He peeked around the open door and saw no signs of an ambush. “Charles?”

“Y-Yeah, I think so.”

“Then we’re not going to change you back just yet. You could be useful.”

“We can’t leave someone akumatized! We don’t know how much influence Lila has on them!”

“Clearly not a lot. If she was anywhere near Hawkmoth’s power then she would’ve interfered by now. Now come on.”

“But-”

“No, I agree. Charles was one of the first allies she made on the ship, he’s unlikely to hurt Marinette.”

Rena held her doubts close to her heart as Cat Noir ushered them out of the boiler room and into the hall. As Marinette’s best friend and Ladybug’s biggest fan, she’s been used against her plenty of times. Many of her friends have. Allies didn’t mean anything. She pushed forward as they rushed to the top deck. The five held onto the stair railings as the ship rocked violently.

The groaning was to be expected, the sound of something bouncing was not. Rena recognized the sound in the pit of her stomach but needed to see it. She called up the stairway, "Nino?" The group stayed quiet as they waited for a response. They got it in the form of a muffled groan. "Oh my god, Nino!"

“Rena, wait!”

Robin's words fell on deaf ears as she propped herself up on the railing and jumped up to the next platform. She grunted as she pulled herself up before being faced with a bubble. “What?” She worked her way over the railings and walked over to the glossy container. She cautiously knocked and prayed that the bubble didn’t muffle the sound. “Nino?” With no response from the Akuma curled up on the ground, she began pounding. “Nino? Nino, can you hear me? Nino!”

"Rena!" Cat Noir was the first to catch up to her and he examined the bubble. "This looks like the one Ladybug and I were trapped in." He grabbed his baton and swung it at the bubble, "Nino! Come on Nino!" Cat Noir looked around his body and noted just how empty it was. "Nino! We need you, bro! Get up!"

Queen Bee followed up shortly with the other two men right behind. “Nino’s akumatized too? Oh, this can't get-"

Robin slapped his hand over her mouth, “If you follow that up with ‘any worse’ I will permanently ensure your retirement as Queen Bee.” She rolled her eyes as he turned to Cat Noir, “How do we get him out?”

“I’m going to have to use my powers.”

“Do you have enough cheese for another recharge?”

“Not really, but I can try to make it work.”

“Right, because that sounds confident. We have two Akumas. It doesn’t matter if they’re friendly, they’re still liabilities.”

Rena scrunched her nose, “When did you become the reasonable one?”

Queen Bee’s expression deadpanned as she said, “Since Marinette became a missing person for the second time.” Rena Rouge couldn’t respond to her, choosing to look back at Nino.

“Sorry. I’m just –”

“Apologize to Lila for me.”

“Why?”

Queen Bee cracked her knuckles, "Her nose is going to hurt after I punch her."

The chuckle lightened the mood somewhat, but the pressure of a missing Ladybug was still heavy for everyone. Feeling another tremor, the group wondered where their leader was anyways. They really could’ve used her. Rena looked over the group and noticed an unusual sense of calm from Robin. “You’re doing surprisingly well.”

“I have faith that she’s fine.”

“You’re not worried?”

“Of course I am, but Marinette can take care of herself. She’d want us to focus on Nino and Charles.” He pulled out his phone and typed a few messages before looking back up to the Bubbler. “Cat Noir, use the Cataclysm. I’m sure we can find something around, but your Kwami might have to settle.”

“But Marinette-”

“Is being looked for by my father and Red Hood as we speak. Hopefully, there are still some monitors working so we can see where they're heading. Trust me, if there’s even a hair out of place Red Hood is going to do more than just punch.” He put away his phone and stared at Cat Noir, “Let’s get Nino out of there. He’s been waiting long enough.”

Cat Noir looked down at his hand before nodding, “Cataclysm!” As he watched the bubble turn to ash, his mind went back to his lady. As Rena wrapped her arms around the Bubbler, he wondered if she needed him. As the Bubbler began apologizing, he wondered what she was doing right now.

If she could answer, she’d tell him she was simply observing her capture’s behavior for the moment.

Marinette concluded that watching Lila was like watching a rabid animal. Despite the rocking ship, she seemed unbothered by the tremors. Her steps were uncoordinated as she wandered through the room. Marinette vaguely remembered the large table. Chairs were sprawled around the room and she looked at the projector hanging from the middle of the ceiling. Marinette kept her breathing steady as Lila looked her way.

“Oh Marinette, you’ve slept long enough. I need you to wake up." Marinette watched her carefully as Lila walked over to her. She crouched down and whined, "Come on! I need your help." Marinette continued to breathe easy. Lila's eyes never strayed from her chest, it kept Marinette focused and cold. Lila let out a frustrated yell, "Why can't you listen to me? Ever?”

Marinette was still doing her best to figure it out. Looking back she remembered being dizzy and she felt tired. The ringing in her ears made it difficult for her to understand the overhead speakers. Her eye twitched, she wanted to scratch her head but she couldn’t move unless she wanted Lila’s attention. Maybe it was all the walking earlier, but she was too tired to bring herself to do anything. It was hard to think straight, the migraine made her uncomfortable.

Lila suddenly kicked one of the chairs and screamed, “What am I supposed to do now? I’m out of Akumas. I’m out of Amoks. I’m out of everything!” She huffed before looking back at Marinette, “Come on. Feel something! Anything!” She kicked a chair into the wall next to Marinette and waited for a moment. She stared intensely at Marinette’s body before turning away. “You are so annoying, you know that?”

Feel something? That’s right. Lila manipulated them back in the den before the Amok swallowed her up. Emotions had to be the base of her powers. Right now, she was thankful for her condition. While not an ideal one, the dull pain and disorientation didn’t leave her with much room to focus on anything else. Her emotions weren’t a priority right now – staying focused was. The years of numbness were about to work in her favor.

Lila dropped to her knees and covered her eyes, “I’m sorry, okay? I’m sorry. I’m so sorry for all the mean things I’ve done. Just give me this. Please.” She sounded pathetic. If she could, Marinette would’ve felt bad for her. That disappeared as soon as Lila looked back at her and frustratingly yelled when nothing happened. “I mean it! I do!”

Marinette wondered why she wanted the Miraculous in the first place. Was she really going to give it to Hawkmoth? She seemed so independent. Her mind went back to the day of the dinner ceremony. She told the group she had goals and that Adrien was only a “consolation prize” to her at this point. Marinette almost laughed, that seemed so long ago now.

Lila seemed unusually quiet and Marinette watched as she stared at her chest. Right, emotions. She quickly smothered whatever it was by focusing on her breathing and the chill of her fingers. She didn’t think they should’ve felt that cold. Lila looked away, exasperated at the loss of whatever flicker of emotion she caught onto.

Marinette’s eye caught onto the bracelet on her wrist. She figured that’s where the Akuma was, but getting it off her wrist was the challenge. Cat Noir wouldn’t be close enough to Cataclysm it. The Lucky Charm could be something slippery, but Lila could use the emotions of those around her to her advantage. No doubt her friends would be angry; that’s an emotion that could be easily manipulated, right? That’s no good.

Her eyes felt heavy again and she cursed the stillness she was forced into. The only thing of interest she could focus on was Lila, but there wasn’t much she could do without ruining her ruse. She weighed the options in her fleeting mind as Lila braced herself for another tremor.

Lila sat in front of Marinette after the shock. She tugged at her bracelet's band, almost like she was going to take it off. Her intense stare kept her frozen until she turned away in defeat and let go of the object. She brought in her knees and hid her face from view. Her voice was muffled, "You were supposed to help me. You're Ladybug, you should help me." She looked up at the ceiling and wiped the tears at the corners of her eyes. She took a deep breath but shook her head, "Hawkmoth, you're such a liar. I don't even want this anymore! This was supposed to be fun!"

She continued yelling at Marinette’s body, “Forgive me! Wake up! I’m sorry! I am!” She grabbed onto Marinette’s limp hands and squeezed them, “Please! I need you to forgive me and just help me fix this. Make everyone like me again! Get this off of me! I want out now! Please!”

Marinette wished she could do something, she did. It was like any time she turned her head the frame rate would drop as she tried to process things in front of her. She bet Nino would get a kick out of that comment if he were here to hear it. Marinette wanted to ask what happened to him. Was he okay? The Miraculous should’ve saved Nino from any bodily damage but he wouldn’t just let her leave with Lila without a fight.

The borders around her field of vision became blurred. She had to do something, otherwise, she was going to pass out. Her mouth was dry but she did her best to tread lightly. "Lila?"

“Marinette? Marinette!” Lila stumbled over words, "You're awake? Are you seriously awake?"

“Where am I?”

“You are!” Lila lost her balance as the ship rocked again. She growled and placed a hand on the floor, “SHUT UP! Give me a second!" It was like she expected an answer, instead, the ship simply rocked until stabilizing. She looked back up to Marinette and smiled, “Hey.” 

Marinette needed to take it slow as she bore her feelings to this girl. Lila was still keeping an eye on her heart, it was uncomfortable. Marinette took a slow breath, “Lila, where am I?”

“We’re taking shelter right now, but don’t worry everything will be fine." Lila reached out and pet her head, "We're going to be fine. Your friends are going to be coming soon, probably." This was supposed to be comforting, yet it made her tense. Lila stopped and narrowed her eyes, "You're scared? No, no, no." Lila pulled away and reached for her bracelet, "Hey, c'mon. I'm not scary. You're just a little too excited."

Marinette felt nauseous, “Lila, what’s going on?”

“You were about to help me. Please? Please, help me. You’re Ladybug, right?” Marinette’s discomfort faded out slowly and she felt pity, “I know I took it too far this time. I did. I really, really did.” Lila grabbed Marinette’s hand and held it tenderly, “I need you to forgive me. I need your help. Please. I didn’t mean it to go this far.”

Marinette wondered how much was Lila's influence and how much was her personal opinion, but at this moment Lila looked like a terrified child. Marinette squeezed her fingers around Lila's palm, "Lila, it's going to be okay."

“I need you to forgive me, please! I can’t –”

“Lila –” She paused and Marinette kept her voice steady, “What did you do?”

“What?”

Marinette noticed her pity turn into sympathy, this had to be magic. Marinette rubbed her thumb against Lila's hand, "I need you to explain it to me. What did you do?"

Lila pulled away from Marinette’s reach, “Are you still mad at me?” Before Marinette could disagree, Lila reached for her bracelet. She kept a keen eye on her heart, “Marinette, please. I am begging you to forgive me.”

Marinette felt her eyes watering up. Looking at Lila was like looking at a crying puppy trapped in a crate. It was overwhelming, “Lila, I need you to tell me what you did. How else am I supposed to help?”

Lila slammed her fist on the ground, “By forgiving me! I am asking you to just forgive me! It’s not that hard!”

Marinette shook her head, “I can’t–”

“Yes! Yes, you can!” A ping of frustration resonated inside her before dying down as Lila breathed deeply. “Yes, you can. Please, Marinette. I need you to just work with me here. Okay?”

Marinette shook her head. The small movement gave her whiplash. “Lila, I need you to explain to me what’s going on. Explain to me –”

“Don’t you care about me?” Guilt was brought forward and tears fled from the corners of her eyes, “You’re Ladybug, Paris’ Ladybug. You’re supposed to just help people. You’re supposed to care about people. You’re supposed to care about me!”

Marinette shied away and Lila drew back, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” Lila ran her fingers through her hair, “I didn’t want to do that. I just – Why are you asking that? You shouldn’t have to ask me questions. Just – Just listen to me." Lila crawled back over and took hold of Marinette's face, "Just listen to me. Say you forgive me. You're going to tell everyone you forgive me and make this all go away."

Marinette could tell Lila was trying to estimate where her eyes were, but Lila’s attention kept getting dragged back to her heart. “You’re still scared of me? What? No. No. No. It’s okay.” She rubbed her thumbs across Marinette’s cheeks, “You’re okay. It’s okay.” Her tone was sweet but her voice shook, “I just need you to forgive me, okay? Otherwise, they’ll all be really mad at me and that’s not going to fix anything. Your friends have such a bad view of me. We need them to like me again. Otherwise, how will this work?”

Marinette saw black dots forming in her vision. "Lila, I think I'm hurt."

“No, no you’re fine. You’re going to be okay. Just focus on me okay?”

“Lila, I need help.”

Lila’s grip tightened, “No, I need help! I need you! I can’t do this without you! I need you to forgive me and then I need you to tell everyone we’re okay!” Lila gulped before pulling Marinette into a hug, “You can’t turn your back on me. Okay?” She squeezed her tight and made small circles on her back with her fingers. “You love Paris and its people. You’d do anything to help us. I know that.”

Marinette felt like she was in a fog. Nothing about this felt right. She could hear herself slur, “Lila, I think I’m about to pass out again.”

Lila wouldn’t entertain the idea. “Marinette, even though we’ve been through hard times, you’d do anything to help me. It doesn’t matter how many times I got akumatized, you always came for me. You care about me. I know you do.” Lila looked back at her chest and put her hand over Marinette’s heart, “You love me, right? Otherwise, why else would you help? You’re going to help me make this all go away. Then I swear I’ll be good. I’ll be good to you, Adrien, Alya, everyone. Doesn’t that sound nice? I can do it. You’ll feel on top of the world!”

Marinette could feel an artificial warmth inside and she wanted to reach out to Lila, but she couldn’t. She physically couldn’t. Looking between the two Lila’s forming in her vision, she’d most likely miss. The once dull pain in her head was worsening and she flinched. “Lila, I want to help you –”

“Then you can tell everyone to forgive me! You can tell everyone that I’m okay! That it’s all okay!” She hugged Marinette one more time, “I’ll make sure Damian always loves you. I promise. You won’t regret this! Then I can get this stupid thing off!”

The words barely registered in her head, “What?”

Lila smiled brightly and grabbed Marinette's arm, "C'mon! Let's go find the others! Oh, Marinette you won't regret this! I'll even tell you who Hawkmoth is! I swear!" Marinette nearly vomited as Lila roughly brought her to her feet. "You do love me, don't you? I mean, everyone does, but you do!"

“Lila, I can’t – I can’t walk.”

“It’s okay! I can take you. Anything for the ones you love, right?” Lila shifted her weight before picking her up. “Should we go up top? Nino still might be mad about being trapped in a bubble.”

“A what? Lila, what –”

“Nothing! Nothing. I’m just trying to figure out the best course of action so, y ’know, your friends don’t kill me on sight.” She laughed nonchalantly but still took a deep breath to resolve herself. “Upstairs?”

Marinette felt comforted, oddly enough. Lila was trying to make her feel good while in her arms. Considering the other sensations, it was a bit of a relief. Marinette’s voice was weak, “Main deck.”

“Hey, hey, hey! Don’t pass out. They’ll think I hit you or something. I need you awake, okay?” She struggled to open the door, but still managed to smile as she left the office. “We have a few flights to go before we get there. Tell me about being Ladybug.” Marinette didn’t say anything at first. She looked down and still took note of a small pink cloud inside. That was a good sign. She did her best to amplify it, though it was particularly hard at the moment. “Well, I’ve been Emotiva for some time now. Can you call me that now? Please? Anyways, I have to say out of all the Akumas, this has been the weirdest to get used to. Which is funny considering I give you guys a run for your money.”

Emotiva continued to ramble, but to her credit, she also did her best not to jostle Marinette in her arms. This was the sweetest she's ever treated this girl and she hopes everyone recognizes it. With Marinette's testimony and her powers, surely, they were going to push everything under the rug. Her Miraculous Cure should fix any damages and then she'd be in everyone's good graces again.

"You know, I started all of this to gain control of some of the higher-ups. Originally my target was Damian and his brothers, but you somehow managed to get to them already. I figured you know what? That just makes it more interesting. Why go for the son of a rich guy when I can just go for the millionaires? Bruce was always busy but I made some good connections with his colleagues. You won't believe how many of them based their social circles on 'a good feeling'. Ha!" Emotiva sighed before rubbing her cheek against Marinette’s head, “I’ve been playing the long game. I realized a bit back that ruling the school was nice, but only really mattered when I was in the school. Right?”

Emotiva looked down at Marinette but nothing had changed. “Right. Adrien… Well, I like him but he stopped being nice to me! I thought we were friends but then he became cold and – I don’t know. I just wish we could go back a year or two. Even when he was mad at me, he was still nice for the most part.” Emotiva giggled, “You know, the only times he got really mad at me was when I did something to you.” She could see the hue of the cloud become a bit more vibrant. That was a good sign at least.

She continued to be gentle until she heard some commotion. Emotiva’s eyes lit up, “You think we’re close? I think we’re close. They’ll be happy to see you. I’ll make sure they are.” At the mention of the others, a bit of concern popped up but was quickly smothered with forced affection. Emotiva looked at the last flight of stairs as she took a deep breath. “It’s going to be okay. You forgive me. They’re going to forgive me. We’ll all be okay.”

In the back of her mind, Staller came to mind. Specifically, his darkness came to mind. It was thick and nearly impenetrable. It only changed briefly around certain things and people; when he was in charge of the ship, when he spoke of Anne, and when he was with Damian and Marinette. She could only change it briefly, nudge it a bit towards a more positive emotion, but always came back to this pit. However, she did notice she could make it darker and more intense.

If she was honest with herself, the breakup was probably the smartest accidental thing she ever did to them. She was angry and embarrassed after the conversation with Ladybug. She made everyone on the ship just as high-strung and on edge. The next day, she heard about the breakup. They avoided each other and, in turn, Staller. She learned of the memorial coming up and after a while, it didn’t matter what she did, the fog became consistent. Almost calm. The photos disappearing caused a bit of chaos but it always went back to a sense of eerie peace. Emotiva hadn’t used the Amok before, she only had the one, but he was a good a target as any.

She shook her head before the memories went any further. Marinette forgave her. The others would have to too. She didn't do anything to Staller. She tried but she didn't cause anything. Marinette was on her side. She loved her. People do anything for love, supposedly. Her little experiments back in Paris might as well have proved that. People she influenced would practically bend over backward for the objects of their affections. Marinette, for reasons beyond her understanding, was a nearly universal object of affection. If Marinette loves Emotiva, then she’s untouchable.

Reaching the main deck was like reaching the top of Mt. Everest. With Ladybug beside her, even Hawkmoth would have to bow before her. She called out to anyone who would hear her, “Hello? Hello?” For superheroes patrolling the ship, they were hard to find.

She listened for any sign of life before seeing something blue fly by. She raised her voice, “Hey! Hello!” He was too far away for her to notice any kind of emotions. The blue dot stopped and seemed to look at her. It didn’t look like any Miraculous she had ever seen before, so it must’ve been one of the American heroes. He paused for a moment before flying away, red cape trailing him. “Wait! How rude! Bare with me, Marinette.” Emotiva started following the trail of the hero’s path. Walking at a leisurely pace to enjoy the quiet waves for the first time this whole trip. Without the people or the rocking, it really was a nice ship.

“LILA!” She turned her head and noticed Rena Rogue coming from an employee stairway and running towards her. “LILA, STOP!”

“They’re here!” Rena, in her heart alongside Ladybug, was a sore spot. It was her replacement. Still, Ladybug always seemed close with her. Considering Nino was Carapace, she wondered if Alya was Rena. She’d think it was likely. “Marinette, look!” She fully turned to face her and Rena skidded to a stop, “Marinette’s fine! She’s really tired!” She noticed Rena Rogue’s heart drop, the red fog suddenly gave off a cold energy. Rena shouldn’t be scared, “Hey! It’s okay! Give me a second, I don’t want to-”

“LILA ROSSI!” She looked up at noticed more of the American heroes flying above her. The emotions were easier to read at this distance. They were intense. Fear and anger mixed inside of each of them. One of them spoke, “Put the human girl down!”

“Lila, please!” Emotiva turned back to Rena, the anger was still visible but a deep sadness and fear set in as well. “Let her go!”

“What are you talking about? Why are you looking at me like that?” Given Marinette’s position in her arms, she couldn’t grab her bracelet. Still, she figured they would be a little relieved. “Marinette, tell them we’re okay. Tell them!”

She looked back at Marinette for the first time since reaching the main deck and, surprisingly, she saw Marinette’s face. Emotiva paused before shaking Marinette a little, “Marinette?” Marinette’s head lulled to the side and she noticed the red stream coming down her head. It was drying. “Hey, Marinette. This isn’t funny. Marinette?”

“Put her down!”

“Shut up! She’s fine!” Emotiva shook Marinette harder and yelled at her face, “Marinette! Wake up! If this is a prank, it isn’t funny!” Emotiva heard a click behind her and she turned around to meet the barrel of a pistol. The form was cold, unnerving, and angry. “What –”

“If you don’t put her down, I’ll shoot a bullet through your pretty little head. I guarantee it.”

Emotiva looked back down at Marinette before calling out to everyone, "What? Do you think I did this? We just became –"

“Put her down Lila! I’m not messing around!”

This wasn’t a part of the plan at all. Marinette was supposed to make this better. Emotiva felt her anxiety rise, "Marinette! Tell them! We're good! Tell them to back off!" She looked to Rena and nodded, "You believe me, right? I'm not lying this time! Marinette forgave me!" She kept looking at Marinette, but she felt panicked the more she realized she recognized little details regarding Marinette's face. She looked around and noticed little bits of panic setting into everyone else’s heart too.

"Lila, hey." That voice was a little too familiar. When she looked over at the outline it was Cat Noir, but after that night all she heard was Adrien. The voice was low and gentle, normal for when he was comforting an Akuma victim. “I’m not going to hurt you. We just want to check on Marinette. She doesn’t look good.” His voice was in stark contrast to the fear and turmoil inside him. Years of heroism must’ve prepared him, she guessed. “Can you put her down?”

Lila pulled Marinette closer to her, “I didn’t do this.”

“I never said you did.”

“You guys are surrounding me like I did.”

“Lila, there’s no one near you.” Emotiva couldn’t argue with that. The closest person was him and he was approaching her at a snail’s pace. There was still a good distance between them. An innocent person would’ve been comfortable, but she didn’t feel like that anymore. “Lila, I need you to trust me right now.”

Emotiva scoffed, “Why? Because we’re ‘friends’?” She rolled her eyes, but her fingernails dug into Marinette’s body. “Newsflash, you’re a bad friend.”

Cat Noir nodded, “I know. I know. Marinette told me the same thing. I’m really – really sorry, Lila.”

“Emotiva.”

“What?”

"God, you haven't even noticed that? You are terrible!" Emotiva shook her head and nodded to Marinette, "You didn't notice anything about either of us! Seriously! You guys just left the second things got too complicated!" Sadness and guilt started to fester in him. Good. "You think you’re going to help? You don’t even call me by my real name! What a joke!”

“You’re name is Lila Rossi–”

“My name is Emotiva! E-mo-ti-va! It has been for a long time and none of you ever noticed!”

“I’m getting impatient! Put the girl down!” She looked back at the man with a gun and scowled, “Your victim complex doesn’t work on me. Put. Her. Down.”

She looked around at everyone and shook her head, "Marinette's going to be mad at you. She forgave me. She loves me! She said so! You can’t hurt me!”

“Lila –”

“Emotiva!”

“Marinette isn’t moving.”

“She’s fine!”

“She’s not, though.” Regret shocked her system. Everyone looked at her with various levels of anger and sadness inside and she couldn’t do anything but heighten the tension with her own dread.

Emotiva gulped before shaking her head, “I’m not the bad guy here. You’re making a huge mistake!”

When no one flinched, her attention turned to the deck. After a moment of silence, she dropped to her knees and a warning shot was fired. “HEY! DON’T MOVE!”

Emotiva removed her arm from under Marinette’s knees. “You are all going to regret this!” She placed a hand on the deck and screamed, “DESTROY THE SHIP!” She noticed tension rising in each of them but nothing happened. She looked around before looking back at the ground, “I SAID DESTROY THE SHIP!” Again, nothing happened. “What the –”

A giant splash of water suddenly soaked her and the rest of the people on deck. They all looked to the edge of the railings and noticed a large green whale bringing its tail out of the water and towards the railing. Queen Bee wrung out her hair and walked up the tail and over to the ship, "Hey! Damian and Tim got the Amok with Nino's bubbles but Damian's hurt bad and –" Queen Bee stopped and looked straight at Emotiva and Marinette. Her voice was small, “Marinette?”

"You did what?" The ship rocked as a large object was pulled out from under the ocean. A creature reminiscent of a Kraken released a muffled screeched and squirmed in a feeble attempt to escape. "WHAT?"

Raven flew beside it, standing on top of what could be described as a disc of pure magic alongside the Bubbler, as her focus never wavered from the cage. Batman and Red Robin ran up the tail behind Queen Bee holding Robin in their arms. Dripping wet and exhausted, they planted their feet on the deck and glared at Emotiva.

Red Robin shook his head, “I’m not exactly in the mood to do a hostage negotiation. Let her go.”

Emotiva glared at him, “Was that supposed to be a joke?”

“Does it look like I’m joking?” Emotiva knew he wasn’t, there were no positive feelings inside him or anyone else on the ship.

She took a deep breath and grabbed her bracelet, “I’m not a monster. Stop looking at me like I’m a monster!”

“You aren’t a monster.” She looked back to Cat Noir, he was closer than before. “You’re an Akuma victim. We can help you. We can.”

“JUST LEAVE ME ALONE!” Though unseen by the naked eye, a wave of despair emanated from her body. Many of the heroes fell to their knees. Cat Noir’s tears blinded him. Rena Rogue held herself as she struggled to muffle a wail. Even some of those who were in the air were forced to land.

Despite this, there were a few that were unmoved. The one who held the Amok didn’t falter. Red Hood and Red Robin wiped their cheeks but otherwise didn’t flinch. Then there was the great bat. She could see the despair inside him, yet he remained just as intimidating.

She must’ve looked confused because Red Hood told her, “Like I said, your magic won’t work on us.” Emotiva could've laughed. She worked to make them so happy this trip and that worked. Her mind raced to understand why the negative emotions didn't. She couldn't even think of a way out.

If she made them angrier, they could lash out. Dead end. If she made them excited or happy, it may disorient them but it’d take too much time to shift the negative emotions the right way. Dead end.

She twisted the butterfly charms between her fingers and thought more.

If she played to their love for Marinette and try to shift it towards herself, they might get protective and do something hasty. If it was just one person, that'd be fine. But for a large and angry group like this? Dead end.

If she made them scared, they’d be less likely to predict. Dead end.

If she tried to play to guilt, that’d only work for those who knew her. The others have nothing to feel for her. Dead end.

If she made them disgusted, it’d most likely be aimed at her. They’d show no mercy. Dead end.

If she –

She felt the body in her arms roll, breaking the connection between her fingers and the charms. She instinctively moved to catch Marinette. In a moment Marinette’s body lost all detail and color. It became a void before clouds bubbled in her center. Then she saw red and felt a hand around her wrist.

Marinette twisted her body while maintaining an iron grip around Emotiva’s bracelet. She used her legs to create some distance and pushed against Emotiva’s shoulders.

“What –”

Marinette felt her head spinning but based on the feel underneath her palm she had the right hand. Her head pounded and she knew this next part would be more painful. “CHAT NOIR! THE BRACELET!”

“What about the ship –”

“FORGET THE SHIP!” Red Hood holstered his gun and moved in to grab Emotiva from behind. “C’MON SUNSHINE, YOUR LADY NEEDS YOU!”

“DON’T YOU DARE!” Emotiva thrashed around and it was at this point that Red Hood realized just how strong Akumas were. He was struggling to keep a good hold on her. Marinette kept her eyes closed and focused on keeping her grip. The charms felt like they were cutting into her skin but the pain gave her something to focus on. She clenched her jaw and fought the urge to vomit. “MARINETTE!?”

“CAT NOIR!”

“CATACLYSM!”

“NO!” Emotiva grunted as she raised her arm. Marinette felt her body leave the ground.

“No, you don’t!” Rena Rouge skidded over to Emotiva’s side and held her arm into place. Emotiva hated that they were face to face, she could see every bit of anger and relief inside Rena’s body. “You’re crazy if you think I’m letting you hurt my best friend.”

Batman took the opportunity to pull Marinette off of Emotiva’s arm, leaving her bracelet vulnerable. “Cat Noir, now!”

Cat Noir used his free hand to steady Emotiva’s arm. She could see his relief as soon as Marinette was pulled away. As he faced Emotiva, his clouds showed disgust and pity. “Don’t you dare pity me.”

“This ends now Lila. I’m done.” Cat Noir reached for the bracelet. Emotiva twisted her body in a last-ditch effort. Rena, Red Hood, and Cat Noir felt themselves get spun onto the ground. Cat Noir felt dust beneath his fingertips and he looked up to see the ship degrading into nothing. “Guys, we need to get off now!” He jumped away and instinctively landed in front of Marinette and Batman.

The Amok Raven held captive screeched one final time before losing its form alongside the ship. She let go of her forcefield and moved in to help evacuate.

“Grab Robin!” Red Robin rushed to grab Robin’s limp body before looking over the railing. Beast waited patiently as a whale and Red Robin braced himself to jump. Batman gave him the okay and he secured his grip before falling to safety. Rena kicked Emotiva to the side before grabbing Red Hood and leaping away from the decaying deck. Rena used the opportunity to follow Batman, doing her best to watch over her best friend and acting as the final passenger on the Beast Boy express.

Queen Bee used her spinning top to gain distance, snatching Emotiva away from the growing hole in the ship. The girls grunted from their less than grateful landing against the deck. Emotiva shook her head but tensed as soon as she heard Queen Bee shout, “Vemon!”

Emotiva turned and rolled out of Queen Bee’s reach. Emotiva scrambled to get on her feet and smacked Queen Bee’s hand. Queen Bee muttered under her breath as her top went out of reach. She looked at the degrading deck before glaring back at Emotiva. “What is your problem?”

“Right now? You are.” Emotiva grabbed a hold of her bracelet and intensified Queen Bee’s anger. Focusing on Queen Bee was her best bet, she gets sloppy. Queen Bee’s face became red and she lunged at Emotiva. Emotiva smirked, she figured could take down these clowns one on one no problem.

What Emotiva wasn't counting on was Queen Bee's newfound tactics. When she's fought Queen Bee in the past Queen Bee always used very simple direct attacks. Where Ladybug was creative, Queen Bee was practical and novice. Self-taught. Emotiva expected a straight punch. She didn’t expect Queen Bee’s fake-out and right hook. Emotiva staggered back, holding her cheek. She didn’t get the chance to look back before Queen Bee tackled her to the ground, shoving her head into the ground.

“QUEEN BEE!”

“NO! SHE’S GOING TO LEARN!” Emotiva yelped as the floorboards beneath her face turned to ash. Her head fell forward and the ship began tilting. The girls slid towards the railings and Emotiva took the opportunity to twist her body and tumble out. She heard Queen Bee yelling at her to get back, but Emotiva sprinted towards the other side of the ship. She noticed some of the flying heroes over the railings doing their best to hold the ship together. She wondered just how strong these heroes were to pull that off.

"HEY!" She barely dodged a bullet scraping by her arm. She looked up at Red Hood and scowled, "You've been a pain in my ass since day one!"

“The feeling is mutual.” She grabbed her bracelet and intensified the anger inside him. If Robin is Damian, then the others have to be the brothers. She guessed who it was. She’s seen Jason hanging out with Chloe. She’s heard the rumors among Bruce’s associates. Jason’s the rebel. He's probably just as hot-headed. "I wonder how it feels to be considered the mess up of the bunch! Seriously, how sad! Hanging out with a bunch of kids!” Red Hood gripped his guns tighter. Emotiva needed a slip-up. Just one. "You think beating up a kid is going to make you feel better? Huh? Feel strong?"

Red Hood took big steps towards Emotiva, “I never thought I’d meet anyone with a bigger mouth than Queen Bee!”

“You know! I wanted us to be friends!”

“I don’t know what makes me want to laugh more! You or you’re crazy half-baked plan!”

“I’m surprised you’re still cracking jokes when you’re this angry!” She twisted her charms and scrunched up her nose, “You dropped the ball! You always stuck around both of them and look at what happened! I comforted Marinette!”

“You were the reason she was hurt in the first place!”

“And whose fault is that!?”

“YOURS!” Queen Bee caught up to the two, avoiding the breaking planks on the deck. “You are the whole reason this ship is falling apart! You’re the reason we’re in this mess!”

"She's right Lila!" Cat Noir's beeping ring muffled the sound of his feet planted on the deck. "Lila, please! Let us help you!"

“Like you helped me? You want to talk about helping?”

“Lila-”

“JUST SHUT UP!”

“Looks like you need to keep your emotions in check!” A familiar black and red yo-yo spun around her, the string tightening around her. She turned around to see a man suddenly appear on the desk close by her. The man stepped towards the Akuma, his domino mask was outlined with a thin line of red. Black with the red dots accenting his body, following a similar pattern to his original suit. “Lucky me, I caught a big one.”

“Where did you –“ She sentence was left unfinished as a sharp pain left her paralyzed. Queen Bee watched Charles slowly fade into sight. She could tell his hand was shaking holding her weapon. She walked up to him and gently reached for her spinning top.

Queen Bee smiled and rubbed his back, "Hey, you did well." Charles nodded before taking off his tied and handing it to her.

Nightwing loosened up the yo-yo’s string and began reeling it in. Cat Noir looked at his beeping ring and frowned. Two minutes left. He examined Emotiva’s wrist and twisted the bracelet around. He found he couldn’t slip it off her wrist.

Red Hood looked at Nightwing’s beeping earrings and asked, “What was the lucky charm?”

Nightwing smirked and brought out his signature bottle of hair spray and a polka-dotted red and black lighter. "And you made fun of the hair spray."

“Wait, won’t that hurt Lila?”

“So?” Queen Bee ripped the tie, letting go an Akuma and releasing Charles from his possession. Queen Bee motioned for Nightwing to capture it. It took a few swipes before he managed to open the yo-yo but swiftly caught it before it flew any further. “She’s paralyzed under my Venom and it’ll be fixed with the Lucky Charm.”

“But –”

“No buts this time.” Red Hood shook his head and pulled the bracelet a bit away from her wrist, leaving it open to Nightwing. “If she feels it and remembers it, then all the better. She needs to know that there are consequences to the things she does. Frankly, I won’t care if she gets a little hurt. Besides, they can’t hold the boat forever.”

Cat Noir bit his lip and looked away once Nightwing pointed the spray bottle at the bracelet. He looked at Queen Bee and Charles when he heard the clicking of the lighter. Charles looked away just as he did but Queen Bee kept steady eye contact. Her blue eyes reflected the yellow and orange hues from the flames, not once did she blink. Finally, there was a snap and her eyes seemed to follow something upwards.

"Gotcha!" Cat Noir deemed it safe to turn around and watched two white butterflies leave the yo-yo. "Now how does this work?"

Cat Noir, nearing the end of his transformation, mimicked his lady at the end of their battles. “Throw it up and say ‘Miraculous Ladybug’.”

Nightwing nodded and looked up. He put all his energy into the toss and yelled, “MIRACULOUS LADYBUG!”

As if compensating for the damage and the amount of Akumas, the Lucy Charm let out the largest swarm he'd ever seen. It covered the sky and swept the entire ship in one fell swoop. The swarm began to scatter near the end of the bulbous bow.

Half of the swarm stayed and took care of those still left on the ship. It surrounded the heroes, giving each a kind of second wind and healing any wounds from the fights. The decay that was eating through the different wood and metal was reversed before reaching the exterior metal and sinking the ship entirely. Cat Noir’s transformation didn’t hold long enough for the swarm to reach him. Still, he held Plagg out on his palm in hopes that the swarm could do the same for the kwamii as it did for the heroes.

The other half seemed to go in the direction of the shore, no doubt looking to cure any other refugees that were evacuated. Adrien knew it would find his friends, but part of him still needed to see it.

“What am I doing here?” Adrien turned his head back to Lila. He quickly hid Plagg in his shirt and examined her. She seemed confused and disoriented, “Hello? Adrien? Where are we?”

“We’re on Bruce Wayne’s cruise ship.”

“We’re where?” She frowned at Queen Bee but then looked confused by Red Hood and Nightwing. “Who are you guys? Where’s Ladybug?”

“Lila Rossi, I believe we’ll be asking the questions for the time being.” Raven, Super Boy, Starfire, and Blue Beetle flew back up to the deck and surrounded the girl. “We’re taking you into questioning.”

“What? Wait, who are these people? Adrien, what is going on!?” Lila looked to him for comfort and answers. Instead, he turned away from her. He went to Queen Bee’s side and helped her guide Charles inside to somewhere quieter. “Adrien?”

Red Hood put zip ties over her bare wrists and pushed her towards Starfire. “Go find Batman and take her to the nearest police station.

Lila stumbled into Starfire's grip. Lila felt herself shrink under Starfire's intimidating gaze, "On my planet, we wouldn't show such mercy to people like you." Starfire roughly lifted her before flying towards the shore. Queen Bee and Adrien came back to the deck alone and tired.

Queen Bee released her transformation and sighed, “Can one of you guys go take Charles to shore? He seems to be really out of it.”

“I can do that.” Blue Beetle smiled at Chloe, doing his best to be reassuring. She smiled back, but it was weak. The adrenaline was wearing off and she wanted to sleep.

Adrien looked at Superboy and opened his mouth to ask something before turning away and rubbing the back of his neck. Superboy took a deep breath before holding out his hand, “I want to go visit my best friend. I bet they’re together if you want a lift.” Adrien smiled and nodded.

“Wait!” Nightwing jogged up to Adrien and whispered, “Spots off.” He took out his earrings and smiled at Tikki, "You know, that was fun. Still, I think she does it better than I do." Tikki giggled and nodded. Adrien held his shirt open for Tikki to rest beside Plagg before grabbing the earrings.

“Thank you.”

Red Hood hummed before asking, “Raven, can you take Chloe back with you?”

“Yeah, no problem.”

"Then I'm coming with you two. I doubt they'll let Red Robin stay with Damian." He then took off his helmet and mask, "But they'll let his brother stay with him."

Superboy nodded and firmly grasped their arms, “Going up!” Adrien should’ve been cold from the wind rushing past him. At this point though, he just felt tired. Adrien did his best to ignore the screams and questions coming from different passengers and classmates as they reached the shore.

He was ushered to a paramedic alongside Jason. He didn’t have the energy to tell them he was fine and just let them prod at him. Jason was the one who stepped in and shooed them away. He yelled at them in Italian and Adrien couldn’t help but chuckle. He didn’t know what Jason said to get into an ambulance, but he just rested his head against the inside wall once they were inside. He could’ve dozed off if Jason wasn’t there with him. They kept an eye on each other the whole ride to the hospital.

Everything happened quickly once they arrived. Jason shouted orders at the staff before being pulled apart from Adrien. Adrien could feel anxiety rush up but Jason sent him a look that just screamed “Trust me.” Adrien gulped as the paramedics around him spoke to each other in a language he didn’t understand. They looked him over for half an hour before being satisfied with his status. They wrote some things down before finally leading him to a room. The door shut behind him and he recognized the girl staring at him immediately.

He rushed in to just hug her and she didn’t need to be asked to show him the same amount of desperate affection. IVs were given and Marinette was put into a gown and bed. Adrien sat beside her in the sterile room once they pulled away from each other. It was nice and away from the crazy hustle in the emergency wing. But it was quiet. Another patient seemed to be in the room but the curtains were drawn and no noise came from their side. They drew their curtains to give themselves some privacy.

Marinette took a deep breath, “Is it over?”

“Yeah, I think so.”

“Who has Tikki?”

“Dick did, but he figured they should be returned to you.” Marinette’s eyes widened when Tikki flew out of his shirt pocket and flew straight to her face.

“Tikki!”

“Marinette, you guys did it!”

“I’m so sorry –”

“We’ll talk more later. Right now, I’m just happy you’re safe!” Marinette giggled and smiled at her. Adrien held out her earrings. She gently returned them to their rightful place in her ears and sighed in relief. She reached back and grabbed Adrien’s hand, giving it a sweet squeeze of appreciation.

“Are you feeling better?” Marinette nodded and Adrien rubbed her knuckles underneath his thumb. “I feel numb.”

“I wonder if that’s a side effect from Emotiva’s powers.”

Adrien hummed after noticing the gears turning in Marinette’s head, “I’ll bite. What’s my Lady thinking about?”

Adrien ignored the sound of the people outside the room. Marinette said, “Something Emotiva said.”

The door opened and the Italian conversation fell on deaf ears. The kwamii took it as a sign to hide though, years of secrecy turned into instinct. Adrien asked, “Which is?”

"She made Damian love me." Adrien didn't say anything; he didn't laugh or scoff, instead, he frowned. "It's true?"

“Nino said something about that too after we got him to calm down. He kept apologizing and then explained what Lila said.”

“Emotiva.”

“Is there a difference?”

“I think there should be!”

“Why?”

“Because it’s an Akuma victim! No Akuma victims ever mean to take things that far, they just do! You think your dad meant to trap you and Natalie in his journal as the Collector?” Adrien flinched and Marinette back petalled, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry. It’s just –”

"She messed with your head." Marinette nodded and Adrien scratched at the back of his neck, "What else did she tell you?"

“That she knew who Hawkmoth was.”

“WHAT?” The curtain was snatched away and the two teens were face to face with Jason, Alya, and Chloe. Jason grit his teeth, “That little –”

“Chloe, you’re here!” Adrien didn’t think he’d be so happy to see her, but seeing her back in her defiant mood was familiar and reassuring. Chloe, on the other hand still cursed under her breath and grit her teeth, “She’s so dead.”

“They just got done talking to her.” Alya widened her eyes and raised her pitch, “’Oh, I don’t know anything!’ ‘Oh, where am I?’ ‘Oh, where’s my mom?’” Alya balled her fists and pulled out her phone, “I’m calling Tim. He should still be interrogating her.” She walked away and started yelling into a phone.

Chloe frowned, “I wish the cure didn’t take away the burn?”

“Burn?”

“We needed to burn the chain off of her to get the Akuma.”

“That sounds horrible.”

“But very effective. Who knew Dick’s hairspray would come in handy?” Jason chuckled and plopped down onto the bed next to her. “How are you feeling? You scared us, you know?”

Marinette hummed, “I think I’m okay. What about Nino? Is he okay?”

“That reminds me.” Jason pulled up his jacket sleeve and took off a different, yet very familiar bracelet. “Give this back to him.”

Marinette scrambled to hide it in her purse and scolded him, “What? Why do you have his Miraculous?”

“I mean, considering he got Akumatized –”

“Nino got Akumatized?”

Alya frowned, "You hit your head hard, huh?"

Marinette’s shoulders fell and she flopped back onto her pillow. Adrien could tell by the expression that she was getting a little frustrated. Marinette stared at the ceiling for a moment before looking at the group before her, "Chloe?"

“Yeah?”

"I'm giving you permission to cut off one of Lila's stupid ponytail thingies."

Chloe's eyes lit up and she grinned, “The ones around –”

“The ones around her face. Yeah.”

Chloe nearly jumped out of her skin. She squealed and opened the door, nearly knocking into Alya. Alya looked at her questioningly before Chloe said, “I’m going to go cut off her hair.”

Chloe sprinted down the hall. Alya was close in toe screaming at her, “You will not cut off her hair!”

Jason pointed at Chloe and asked, “Not that I’m not happy, but –”

“I wanted the privacy.”

“Ah.”

"Adrien, could you close the door?"

“Yeah.” He shut the door and closed the curtain, bringing back their feeble sense of confidentiality. He sat back down and motioned for her to continue.

Jason patiently waited for her to say something. He expected her to ask more questions about the case. Instead, she said, "Emotiva said she made Damian fall in love with me. You think that’s true?”

Jason nearly fell off the bed, “What?”

“Is it?”

“No way! Crazy chick must’ve tried to get in your head.  When I–”

“She told the same thing to Nino. Unless Nino also had some kind of romantic relationship with Damian, I don’t think it was used as leverage.” Adrien patted Marinette’s arm in a weak attempt to show support. “What do you think?”

“I think it’s stupid.”

“I don’t.” Marinette sighed, “Remember what you told me?” Jason waited for her to remind him and she closed her eyes, “You’ve never seen him fall for anyone. You were surprised at how quickly he started to like me. All of you guys have said something like that, I know you guys have.” She brought her hands up and rubbed her eyes, “Be honest, please.”

Jason didn't say anything at first before he asked, "Does that mean I don't care about you?"

“What?”

“I mean, she was messing with the whole ship. All of us are pretty guarded. I liked you almost immediately, even after reading your paper.” He looked at her and shrugged, “I still like you. I’m already looking at apartments in Paris.”

“You are?”

“I said I was going to help you guys. I wouldn’t say that unless I cared.” He looked at Adrien and nodded, “I still want to corrupt this one too. You and me? We’re causing chaos. Screw the good boy act.”

Adrien snickered and nodded, “I think that would be fun.”

Marinette stayed quiet before holding a hand to her heart, “You think he still –”

Adrien felt bittersweet as he stated, “When you guys look at each other, it’s like you are the only two that matter. I don’t think that can be faked.”

Jason made a gross face, "Damn romantics." He paused before nudging her, "What about you? You stopped loving him?" Marinette shook her head, "Then? Let's say it started fake. She made you guys like each other. Okay, she didn't make you guys hang out. She didn't influence your midnight talks. She wasn’t the one who pushed you guys to go out. All those moments are yours. Those weren’t fake.” He thought for a moment, “She wasn’t even around when we spoke to Gina and you remember what you told us? You admitted you loved him. Outside the ship. Was that fake?”

“No.”

“Then? All that matters is what happens now. You guys probably have to talk about it but I think you guys still have something there.” Marinette grabbed the pillow from under her head and screamed into it. “You’re going to wake up your roommate.”

“Too late.” The two teens froze and Jason rolled his eyes. He got up and drew the curtains. He then drew the curtains of the other patient revealing a tired Damian on the other side sitting upright on the bed. “You’re very bold to be speaking about this in the open.”

Marinette’s face felt on fire and she glared at Adrien, “Did you –”

“No! I was with you the whole time!”

Damian raised his hand and explained, “I got in the room first because I actually spoke Italian while the doctors were still trying to find you an interpreter. Luckily, I wasn’t required to be examined for anything but my torso and my head. I got here fairly quickly. They should’ve told Jason that.”

“So you knew?” Marinette sat up and smacked Jason with her pillow, “What the heck?”

“Hey, I just got here with Adrien. How was I supposed to tell you that? Besides, when he didn’t say anything I figured he was asleep for once.”

“I was. You all are simply too loud.”

Marinette hid her face in her hands, “When’d you wake up?”

“When Alya screamed something about Lila. I will say, letting Chloe cut Lila’s hair was funny. I didn’t think you had it in you.” Marinette groaned and Damian rolled his eyes, “Anyway, Nino told us the same thing when we got him out of that god-forsaken bubble."

Marinette wanted to reply but was quickly interrupted by a frantic call over the intercom. Marinette and Adrien didn’t think much of the Italian but Jason tensed up and quickly came to his feet. “Adrien we gotta go.”

“What? Why? What’d they say?”

“Chloe just assaulted one of the nurses.”

“WHAT?”

Jason grabbed Adrien’s arm and opened the door, “We’ll finish this conversation later!”

“Why do I have to go?”

“She only listens to you! Now, c’mon!”

“Wait! Don’t -” The door was slammed shut and Marinette winced, “leave me alone.” She timidly looked over at Damian who simply stared at her. She felt her face getting warmer with each second he was watching her and she groaned.

“I take it you have a lot to say but no clue how to say it.”

Marinette ran her fingers through her hair and nodded. “So what did you think?”

“Of you sending Chloe to cut Lila’s hair? Hilarious but a little too vindictive for you. I’m not angry with it though.”

“Of what Lila said!”

“About her not knowing Hawkmoth?”

“About us!” Marinette frowned and she crossed her arms, "She said everything we felt was her fault! It makes it fa-"

“Even in the bottle?” Marinette held her tongue as she waited for him to elaborate. He shrugged, “I was in there for weeks. I didn’t know about you, the ship, anything. Still, when I saw you I knew that you mattered a lot to me. It was weird but I think that counts for something.”

“You think?”

“You don’t?”

Marinette looked away and brought her knees close to her chest. “I think I’m angry.”

“Fair enough.”

“I think I feel sad too.”

“For?”

“Everything.” She looked back at Damian and her eyes watered, “This was supposed to be a new start. I was supposed to be happy on this trip. I was supposed to just get away from everything back home! Now?” Her voice cracked, “It just followed me here and made everything worse.” She brought her forehead to her knees, “I should’ve never come.”

Damian’s shoulders fell and he looked up at the clock. “If it wasn’t for you and your friends I probably would’ve quit. I know I’ve told you this before but… I really hope you know that you made me want to be a better Robin. I don’t think I’d ever want to change that.” Marinette sniffed and looked up at him. He took her silence as a sign to continue, “I’m not good at this emotional stuff. I never would consider myself affectionate in any sense of the word. I just figured my life would be my work. I was Robin, or I was the future leader of my grandfather's empire, but I was never just Damian. I never thought I'd find just Damian with some random kids from Paris on a boat in the middle of the European seaside."

Marinette giggled and Damian smiled at his efforts, “It hurt me in the bottle when you didn’t remember my name. I didn’t know why at first and quite frankly I didn’t want to think about it. I think I was afraid to know you might not love me as much as I loved you.” Any air left Marinette’s lungs as she heard those words, but Damian didn’t acknowledge it if he noticed. “Hearing you say you regret the trip makes me feel the same way. Even so, I want you to know that no matter how you choose to move forward you’d have my full support. Even if it’s not with me.”

Marinette looked away from Damian for a brief moment and Damian wondered if it was to be considered her rejection. Instead, she motioned for him to approach her. Damian straightened out his shirt and dusted his pants out of habit. He stood awkwardly at her side before she grabbed his face, forcing him to bend down to her eye level. While he was slowly getting used to this, it still confused him as to why she was doing this now.

She examined his face without giving any particular expression of her own. She opened her mouth a few times before asking, “Can I ask you anything? Even if it’s personal?”

“Yes.”

Marinette's expression softened and she pulled his face forward. The kiss was unexpected but sweet and careful. Damian didn't resist her comforting touch and the two stayed in that position until the sound of the door opening brought their attention to the new visitor.

The visitor was an older gentleman, finely dressed and carried himself with an air of dignity that Marinette had never seen before. Damian immediately straightened himself out, “Alfred?”

“Alfred?” Marinette looked between the two before realizing that Damian was almost in a slight bow. She quickly sat up and did that same, “I-I’m sorry!”

“No need. I was merely visiting, though I wonder if I’m coming at a bad time.”

Marinette could feel her blush race up her face and she quickly started denying everything, “No, no! Not at all –”

“No! I don’t think –” Marinette and Damian both looked at each other and it was then Marinette realized Damian’s blush. Not a dust of red. A real, prominent, blush. Damian looked away and groaned but Marinette couldn’t bring herself to look away. Damian could feel her eyes stuck on him, “What?”

“You’re blushing. I don’t think I’ve ever seen you blush like this!”

“I don’t think that is the thing we need to focus on here!”

“No! No! Wait, look at me!” She grabbed his arm and Damian tensed up, “Damian!”

“Absolutely not! Neither of you can see me looking so unsightly!”

“You’re being dramatic!”

"I am not! And if I was, I wonder who I learned it from!"

“Dick?”

“No –” Damian paused before chuckling and looking back at her, “Okay, that was a good joke.” She smiled as she took note of the beautiful red undertones in his cheeks.

“It seems that your brothers were not exaggerating your relationship.” Alfred smiled at the young couple and bowed.

Marinette let go of Damian’s arm and extended her hand, “I’m so sorry. My name is Marinette Dupain-Cheng.” He shook her hand and took a seat to the left of the door.

“Alfred Pennyworth. Caretaker of Master Bruce and Wayne Manor.”

“He is father’s father figure.”

“Really? No wonder Damian acted like that.” She paused before her eyes widened, “Is that how I should act? I didn’t –”

“No. No. Please, make yourself comfortable.” Marinette relaxed a bit and Damian took a seat on Marinette’s bed by her legs. “However, I do have some questions.”

Damian shrugged, “I expected nothing less.”

He crossed his legs and looked at the two teens, “Your father told me of your secrecy regarding this young lady. I want you both to tell me this story from the beginning.”

“Excuse me?”

“It would seem that your father and Master Tim are both very upset with you. Master Dick and Master Jason seem to be happy for you. I would like to form my own opinion on the matter. If you would be so kind, start at the beginning.”

Damian looked to Marinette to try to formulate a starting point, but it seemed that her mind was somewhere else. Marinette remembered something and, based on her expression, it wasn't fun. She asked, "Mr. Pennyworth –"

“Alfred is fine.”

“Alfred, I have a question. Have you spoken to Bruce recently?”

“Yes.”

“After the cure, the ship came back right? All fixed up?”

“I believe so.”

Damian knew where this was heading. He needed the answer too. “Was there anyone on the ship?”

The room fell silent and tense air was unbreathable. Alfred looked between the two children before pinching the bridge of his nose. "No. No there wasn't." Any joy the two felt a minute ago died in four words. Marinette's nose turned red as she wiped her eyes. Damian grabbed her hand, both for comfort and to comfort her. She squeezed it for the same reasons. "Now, from the beginning."

*******************************************************************************************

Thank you for being patient and enjoying the lastest chapter of Seabourne Burnouts!

Tag List: @maribat-archive @ozmav @thornangelic727@imfreakingmagical@constancetruggle @chloe-bourgeois-is-big-gay@someone-ev   @zazzlejazzle @tinybrie @mewwitch @rhub4rb@saphiraazure2708 @never-neverland @unholykrow @slytherinhquinn @literallytryingmybestbutok @redscarlet95 @grimmhallow31 @fandomkitten9653 @myriad-of-passionate-pettiness @fanboy7794 @mystifiedgal @shizukiryuu @ vixen-uchiha @resignedcatservant @mystery-5-5 @miraculousl4dybug @blackcanary13 @origamieater @moonlitarchangels @mochinek0 @imfreakingmagical @you-will-never-know-how-i-think @derpingrainbow @unabashedbookworm @skyel0ve @northernbluetongue @cadencehood @sizzling-fairy-oil @crazylittlemunchkin @saphiraazure2708 @mysteriouslyswimmingfan-blo-blog @ginamarie1512 @kae690 @ivette0712 @zalladane @ellerahs @auradonfairy @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @scribblinggraveyard @nyctamaximoff @snow-swordswoman @maude-zarella @thebookwormfairy @melicmusicmagic @zalladane @ivette0712 @ginamarie1512  @bookreader20003 @silvergold-swirl @celestiacq @themcclan @amethyst-starr5 @tamoni112 @lunar-wolf-warrior @alexzandria-747 @nataladriana9 @moonlitarchangels @iglowinggemma28 @hunter-shyreen @mermaidofthelost @jessigurl-design @vgirl-10123 @lunar-wolf-warrior @casual-darkness @xxmadamjinxx @normal-piece-of-shit @tinyterror333 @romanoff-queen @schrodingers25 @alessialeone6997 @mindfulmagics @slytherin-heartthrob @da-tasuky @asianfrustration13 @eliza-bich @kuhakuanon @my-name-is-michell @theatreandcomicfreak @interobanginyourmom @starry-bi-sky @etheralentity @creator-josie @kurogaya913 @st0rmy-w1th1n @casual-darkness @vgirl-10123 @poshplumcot @thebookish3lf @queenmj10 @corabeth11 @goblinwhoships @ilovefluffbutsmutisalsogreat @violatiger8 @maribat-owns-my-ass @captainartsypants @deathofafangirl01 @maribat-owns-my-ass @nickristus-dreamer  @amayakans @notmycupoftea26 @animegirlweeb

The wind passing through the grass created green waves that greeted the small group. Living in such a gloomy city, it was almost surreal to see something so modest. The sun’s rays set an unexpected fire on his skin, reminding him of his place in the shadows. Despite this punishment, he found himself fighting the urge to simply lay down. This was nature, strange and pure.

“It’s a beautiful day.” Her light voice brought his attention back to his two companions.

“It’s a good day to train at least. Let’s get this started already. Tikki?”

He noticed the tiny Kwami admiring the land before her. Tikki took a deep breath before nodding, “Right!”

Marinette played with her earrings nervously before asking, “What do I need to know?”

“To activate my powers, you need to say ‘Spots on’. The power of Luck and Creation will transform you into the hero Ladybug. You will be able to purify the corrupted Akumas.”

“Ladybug? Okay. What are my powers? And weapon? What’s the weapon? I’m not trained-”

“Marinette relax.” Adrien placed a hand on her shoulder and spoke slowly, “You’re going to be fine. The powers enhance a lot of what you already have and make up for what’s left. You need to be more confident in yourself.”

“Yeah, listen to the kid.” Plagg flew up to Tikki and nudged her, “She’s not going to let you fall on your face. She’s as sweet as sugar.”

“I’m still angry.”

“You haven’t punished me yet.”

“Once we find Nooroo, you will be.” Tikki pushed forward, “You are who you choose to be. The only limitation is your imagination. Creation is within your grasp, but only to a degree.”

“What do you mean?”

“We’ll know once you start practicing for a bit. If you really are my chosen, you will be able to use Lucky Charm.” Tikki smiled, “Just get a feel for the earrings first. C’mon.”

“Yeah, we can practice together! Claws out!” A green light enveloped him for a moment, leaving behind an excited Cat Noir. “Go ahead!”

She gulped, “Spots on!” It was strange. Light filled her eyes and suddenly she was aware of every single bit of every single limb. Nerves all over her body twitched and she became overtly aware of the grass brushing against her feet. She looked down at herself, red and black. This new skin should’ve made her embarrassed, instead she simply felt reborn. Everything was vibrant and her lungs felt full.

“Marinette?” She stopped looking at herself and looked back at Damian, “We lost you there for a second. Are you okay? How are you feeling?”

It took her a moment to respond. She jolted, as if now becoming aware of the yo-yo against her hip. “Different.”

“Is that your weapon?” Cat Noir was careful to talk softly, he remembered feeling overwhelmed at first. He transformed at night in the woods outside Chloe’s manor. To hear, see, and feel everything so intensely made him feel almost intoxicated. High. “I found my staff on me when I first transformed. Is that the only thing on you?”

She took the yo-yo off her hip and felt the smooth surface, “Yeah.” She took out a bit of string and yanked it. It didn’t strain and bounced back immediately.

“You want to test it out?” Cat Noir pointed at a nearby tree, “Try hitting something.” She nodded and swung the yo-yo around for a second, getting a feel for the weight, before throwing the yo-yo into the branches. Her eyes lit up, “I think I-” She was stopped midsentence as she was jerked into the air. She screamed as her yo-yo pulled her up into the leaves.

“Marinette!” Both boys ran to the tree and heard her struggling. “Are you okay?”

They found her in a jumble of branches, leaves, and her own yo-yo string. She grunted as she attempted to free herself, only to hit her head against another branch nearby.  She let her head hang back in defeat, “I’m madly clumsy. I’m so clumsy.”

Cat Noir chuckled, “At least we know the yo-yo works.”

“Can I please get some help getting down before you make any more jokes?”

“Are you hurt?”

She blew her bangs out of her face before thinking. She shook her head, “No actually. I didn’t feel much.”

Damian nodded, making a mental note of the pain reduction. He looked at Cat Noir and cupped his hands, “Can you boost me up? Like this?”

“Easily.” Cat Noir watched Damian make his way up to their damsel in distress. She squirmed against the yo-yo’s string periodically before groaning. “You’re doing great!”

“I’m stuck! How is thing ‘doing great’?”

Damian sat himself on top of a sturdy branch and flicked his finger against her head, “Stop squirming.”

“Hey!”

“Just give me a second.” He examined all around her body. He placed his hands delicately around her body and did his best to be respectful as he looked for an out. For the first time today, Cat Noir noticed Marinette flush.

“Are you sure you’re okay Marinette?”

Her face deadpanned as she responded, “The blood is rushing to my head, what do you think?”

Damian scolded her again, “Stop moving. Hey Cat Noir! Are you ready to catch her?”

“Yeah.”

“Wait, what? Catch?”

Damian didn’t answer her, instead he reached between her legs and pulled on a string behind her left thigh. The yo-yo retracted itself in lightning speed, leaving the girl to fall to the hero below. She grunted upon impact and Cat Noir grinned, “You know-”

“If you make a pun about a cat stuck in a tree I will string you up there myself.”

Cat Noir shrugged before setting her down. “I was going to say this could be useful in capturing the Akuma. That string holds up well.”

“He’s right.” Damian dropped down beside the two and examined the yo-yo, “It’s sturdy and versatile. You can use it like my grappling hook too. Get yourself to higher vantage points. And-” Damian spun the yo-yo and looked around before stopping on a medium sized stone. He threw the yo-yo and wrapped it around the stone, the string digging into the grooves on the surface, and pulled. He used the momentum to throw the stone into a ditch nearby, the loud landing made dirt and plants fly everywhere. “-you can get creative with the offence.” He brought back the yo-yo and held it back out to her. “So do we call you Ladybug now?”

“Oh yeah! You get a secret identity now! Isn’t it cool?”

“No!” The two were taken aback by the outburst and she sighed, “I hate lying. I am not a good one and it just makes me feel gross! How am I supposed to lie to Alya about this?”

“Marinette, you have to realize this isn’t much of a choice.” Damian rolled his eyes and leaned against the tree’s base, “This is about safety, not just secrets. A hero’s life is a lonely endeavor. They can’t know because it’s dangerous. It’s not about morality. You have to get over it.” Seriously, it’s a staple. This isn’t anything new. It’s expected.

“But why? Alya and Nino are both trustworthy. They’d keep it a secret. I know they would.”

“It just is what it is. All heroes have secret identities. It’s not a big deal.”

“Was that why you were dressed so strangely?” Damian looked up at her and nodded, “Why?”

“Because bad people can use that information to hurt those closest to me. My family, friends, anyone.”

Cat Noir cleared his throat and stepped into the conversation, “Marinette, Akumas use emotions to corrupt people. It could be as simple as an argument. Let’s say Alya knows and she gets angry with you. Not only does she know where Tikki is, but also how to get to you as Marinette.”

She stopped and narrowed her eyes at him, “Is that why you never told me? You thought I’d turned against you?”

He sheepishly nodded, “And to be selfish. There comes a lot of freedom with the mask. You think anyone would let Adrien Agreste fight against Akumas? It is so liberating.”

She looked between the two before huffing away in defeat, “Okay, fine.” She turned back and gripped the yo-yo tightly, “When I’m like this, call me Ladybug.”

Cat Noir smiled and nodded, “Whatever the Lady wants.”

Damian simply shrugged, “Whatever, just start training. We need to know your limitations and strengths. We also have to know if you can use the Lucky Charm.”

“Right.” She motioned for the two to approach her, “Show me the basics. I’m ready.”

“Are you sure?”

“Yes. Alya won’t be busy for long.”

Alya, in the middle of the busy market, sneezed into her elbow. “Someone’s talking about me.”

“Everyone’s hurrying to buy anything they can before fleeing the city. It’s probably just the dust.”

Alya frowned but couldn’t argue with Nino. The market was full of people yelling and arguing. While it wasn’t new, the density was incredibly high. “Nino, what do you think they’re up to?”

Nino jostled the different bags in his arms and adjusted himself, “What do you mean?”

“She’s been acting weird since the manor. Something happened between them.”

“Her and Damian?”

“Her and Adrien! She’s been pining for him for years and, all of a sudden, she’s talking to him without hyperventilating? That’s insane!” She sighed before scrunching up her nose, “What do you mean her and Damian?”

“I overheard the staff talking about it before we left. Apparently Marinette was in his room last night  after someone went to investigate a lot of noise.” He noticed Alya’s eyes widen and he shrugged, “I mean they’re rumors but you have to admit-”

“She would’ve told me if anything happened.”

“I never said she wouldn’t.”

“There’s no way.”

“I never said there was.”

“She just met him!”

“She had just met Adrien when she fell for him.”

“That was different and you know it!”

“How so?” Alya opened her mouth only to close it when no response came to mind. Nino leaned over and kissed Alya’s forehead, “She could just have another crush. It’s happened before.”

“Yeah, once.”

“You don’t like him?”

“I don’t even know him! I’ve never heard of Gotham. He has crazy fighting skills. He knows Cat Noir somehow after just arriving. Plus, he’s an assassin!”

“You hate class stereotyping.”

“I mean he got into one of the hardest classes after registering without knowing his stats or needing additional training. It’s weird.”

“So you don’t like him.”

“No, I do. At least I think so?” She stopped by a shop with a beautiful pink denim fabric towards the front. She examined it as she continued to speak, “He just showed up and sweeps her off her feet. No years of hanging out or studying or late-night talks-”

“Oh, I get it.”

“Get what?” She called over the shop keep and asked, “Can I get 4 meters of this fabric?” The shop keep nodded and took the roll to the back.

“That’s way more than she needs.”

“She’ll need more than one pair of pants. I’m getting extra for he to work with. Plus, any scraps can be used to patch up any rips in the clothing.” She turned back to Nino and asked again, “Get what?”

“You’re jealous of him.”

“Me? Jealous of Damian? As if!”

The shop keep came back with a bag, “400 Tikki.”

“400? That’s way too much for this material!” Being in the Thief class gave her access to certain merchant skills such as Appraisal. She knew this material was good, but not that good. “Bring it down to 350.”

“Ma’am, as you can see the city’s in a frenzy. I’m getting as much money as I can for when I leave town. Do you want it or not?” Alya grumbled before handing over the 400 Tikki. “Stay safe, ma’am.”

“Yeah, yeah. You too.” She handed the bag to Nino before continuing down the street, “I am not jealous of him.”

“You are though. All of a sudden this stranger comes in and notices Marinette’s dreams and helps her get an adventure card when you have been waiting to do that with her for months. He’s stepping into her personal life at an alarming rate while you earned that over the years. It’s okay to be jealous.” Alya stopped in her tracks, making Nino bump into her. “Alya?”

“He said he was here to defeat the Demon King. This guy shows up, looking for him, suddenly an Akuma shows up, and now apparently the gods are here too? What do you make of that?”

“What do you make of that?”

Alya frowned and shook her head, “He’s totally hiding something. He has to be. Marinette is just trusting this guy and he’s just -” She took a deep breath and nodded, “We have to get him to talk to us.”

“The guy seems reserved.”

“I’m an investigator. I can do it.”

“Alya?”

“Yeah?”

“I need help with the bags.”

“Oh. Oh! Okay! Sorry.” She held out her hands and Nino transferred over a few bags, relieving some pressure off his arms.  “Sorry.”

“No need. You’re just looking out for Marinette.” He hummed as he looked around the market. “You know, we could go check on them. Adrien said they’d be outside the gates to the valley-”

The two were cut off with a swift silence that washed over the market. The two noticed people looking up and pointing. Following the crowd’s line of sight, the two noticed something red flying through the air. The screaming emitting from it ensured it was at least somewhat human. The person flailed as they plummeted towards the ground.

The crowd jumped and yelped as something made its way through. On top of the roof tops, Cat Noir ran as fast as he could. “Try to latch onto something! Throw your yo-yo! Oh gods - Tuck and roll!”

Alya was shoved into Nino. When she looked back at her perpetrator, she saw Damian weaving through the crowd going the same direction. “Was that just-”

“C’mon Nino!” Alya tugged on his arm and pushed her way through the crowd, “We can’t lose him now!” Their target was quick and easy to lose track of. His various scolds and commands were the only things helping keep track of him. Alya and Nino nearly tripped over themselves once they reached the end of the market. They finally had a clear view of what he was chasing.

Damian crouched in front the girl buried in the rubble of what could only be a wagon. Cat Noir brushed off some debris from her shoulder and helped her up. “What the-“

“C’mon!” Alya motioned for Nino to follow her as she scurried over to the three. As she got closer, her eyes met with the girl’s and Alya felt something strange and familiar. The girl’s face paled under her mask. Before Alya could call out to her, the ground vibrated. Loud THUMPS got closer and people screamed. The Akuma marched through the city and made a b-line for the group. As soon as it caught sight of them it roared, “GIVE ME THE MIRACULOUS!”

Alya looked back at the heroes and screamed at them, “Get out of the city! GO!” Nino pulled her back while she watched the girl grab her yo-yo. She looked around and set her eyes on the local cathedral before throwing her yo-yo at one of the pillars.

“Ladybug-”

“Grab Damian!” She looked at Alya one more time before launching herself up out towards the city’s edge.

Damian grabbed onto Cat Noir and grit his teeth, “She’s going to get herself killed. Let’s go.”

“Right.” Cat Noir extended his baton and followed Ladybug closely.

The crowd scrambled and the shops were shutting down. Nino and Alya stood still as the people stampeded around them. “What are you thinking?”

Logic might as well go out the window at this point. If what the Akuma was true, they just witnessed the appearance of gods. She looked down at the bags in her hands and licked her lips, “I think we need to drop these off at Marinette’s.”

*******************************************************************************************

Queen Bee pushed aside a broken pillar with a grunt and stomped ahead. “Hey, wait up!” She looked back to see Blue Beetle pushing his way through the mangled hall, “Red Hood-”

“Is a big boy and can handle himself and that magic girl seems to do fine on her own. Why are you following me?”

“We’re all supposed to be searching the upper decks for the Akuma-”

The loud sound of feedback broke his train of thought and Cat Noir's voice came through, "Ladybugs and Gentle-cats, welcome to today's exposé on the one, the only, Lila Rossi!" In the background, Ladybug giggled at his showboating which only egged him on further. "Thanks to the lovely Wayne family for putting together such an informative list of Miss Rossi's deceits. My Lady, would you like to start?"

Queen Bee groaned, “How did I not see it sooner?”

“See what?”

Ladybug’s voice soon filled their ears, “Might as well start from the beginning. Lila knows Prince Ali and flew with him in his private jet.”

Cat Noir chimed in, “Jagged Stone wrote a song about Lila.”

“Lila knows all of the Hollywood directors. In fact, she promised she’d introduce her friend Nino to Steven Bedielberg.”

“Oh, one of my favorites. That Ladybug saved Lila’s life and the two of them are ‘best friends’.”

Queen Bee rolled her eyes as the two continued to go back and forth over the ship’s intercoms, “Never mind. This is actually really good. They’re going to draw out her attention?”

“Who’s?”

Queen Bee stopped before turning on her heel and crossing her arms, “Who do you think? The girl who started all of this. The one they are actively exposing as we speak.” She looked towards the residential wing and frowned, “Every time I’ve gotten close to investigating something happens. A fight, something going missing, an enemy suddenly coming out and attacking, Captain Staller dying; they’re all distractions!” She motioned for Blue Beetle to follow her, “I’ll be honest, I hate working.”

“How so?”

She looked at all the room numbers as she walked through the hall, “I’d rather pay someone to do it for me or I'd take shortcuts. The only exception is being Queen Bee and I say 'exception' liberally."

“Where are you going with this?”

She stopped in front of a door and frowned, "I'm not about to go through hordes of minions when I can just get to the source myself. I don't have the patience." She pointed at the key reader, "Take care of that, will you?"

Blue Beetle chuckled, “I think my friend likes you.”

“Friend?” She watched as the armor shot out a laser, cutting through the perimeter of the key reader and the doorknob.

Blue Beetle tapped out the security with ease and presented a broken, but an open door. "You want to do the pleasure?"

Queen Bee shoved the door and the slam into the wall echoed through the wing. She walked into the room and through a small corridor before it opened into a studio-like apartment. She couldn't help but compare her accommodations to Lila's. The bed was huge, everything looked deluxe, and the furniture was sturdy. Since she shared a room with Sabrina, she figured this was how it would look for one person.

“Hey, Bee?”

“What?”

“Come here.” She looked over and saw him at the entrance of the bathroom, a flashlight from his armor highlighted something reflective inside. She walked over to get a better look, "She's using butterflies, right? Do you think she kept them in those glass jars?"

"Probably." She turned on the light and noticed a baker's dozen glass containers scattered through the bathroom.

“How did she get these through security?”

“We took a train and a bus to the docks where we were picked up. They don’t exactly look through our stuff.” She was careful to not knock any over and checked behind the shower curtain. “Blue Beetle, tell me something.”

He was back inside the main room and looking under the bed, “What’s up?”

“You ever had to fight against a friend?”

Blue Beetle was taken back for a second before looking away shamefully, “Why?”

“There are seven out now. We’ve fought Tess, the Pirates, the Collector, and Charger before earlier on the trip. There are two missing Akumas.” Blue Beetle watched as her eyes darted around before reaching for her waist. She opened up her spinning top and spoke clearly, “Batman, quickly, is anyone showing any mood swings or negative emotions?”

“No, but Tess was spotted down low by Tim’s team. Tell Raven to get down there and secure the Akuma for Ladybug.”

“You’ll have to call Red Hood then, we’re not with them.”

“What? Where are you?”

“Relax, I’m with Blue Beetle. We went to Lila’s room. She’s not here. Are you sure no one is acting out? Not even a little?”

She heard a grunt before he called out, “Rena, cut off the smaller two. Superboy, aim for the gun! Chloe, I’ll have to get back to you. I think we found Marleen.”

“No, no – Shoot!” She clicked her tongue and took a deep breath before addressing Blue Beetle, “Hey, you know your team best. Have you noticed any of them acting out of character?”

“You mean, other than Robin?”

“No, that’s probably because he’s with Ladybu-” She stopped herself for a moment before running to the room’s entrance and listening to Ladybug’s and Cat Noir’s rant.

She could hear Cat Noir hiss under his breath, “LILA SAID SHE KNEW A FAMOUS MANGA ARTIST!”

Ladybug didn’t hesitate to jump on, “Lila saved Jagged Stone’s kitten! HE DOESN’T EVEN HAVE A KITTEN! HE HAS AN ALLIGATOR!”

Queen Bee bit her lip and looked to Blue Beetle, “Lila is an Akuma that manipulates emotions. Akumas work by taking advantage of negative emotions. Ladybug and Cat Noir are never this angry.”

Blue Beetle followed her logic and looked around before pointing his arm at a wall. “Let’s hurry then. Call up Red Hood, Nightwing, and Starfire. If the below team is occupied with an Akuma and Batman is with Rena and Superboy fighting Pirate, they're the only ones free to help." His arm morphed into a canon and he blew through the walls of the corridors. Queen Bee's eyebrows shot up and he shrugged, "You said you liked shortcuts."

Queen Bee smiled and she grabbed onto his arm, “Oh, I like you. Fly us out. I’ll start calling.”

"Sure thing." He made sure he didn't jostle her too much as they flew through each and every new opening he made to get to the main deck. She made her calls quickly and efficiently, a true heiress delegating her party. He was happy to see Damian's new friends are fun, good characters. However, with each new piece of information, he felt uneasy.

When the team first saw Damian over the phone, his girlfriend was all they talked about for days. They found her Instagram, got a glimpse of her life outside and it seemed normal. That was both scary and relieving. Scary for her safety but relieving because it wasn't Titan-related. Hell, it wasn't hero-related. At least that's what they hoped. They were having a bit of fun thinking about what their dynamic looked like. Laughing over what their date might’ve looked like. Throwing out possible guesses as to how she tamed Batman’s mini-me. The call for help from Nightwing was a wake-up call.

The chill from the ocean air acted the same as clouds began to crowd overhead. The slivers of the sun were as warming as they were rare. He tossed Queen Bee down to the deck and she landed flawlessly. Starfire soon charged through in a similar matter with Nightwing close in tow. Blue Beetle could see the light from the projector reflecting off of the far wall.

Cat Noir slid into sight and growled before bringing up his arm. Queen Bee noticed another pirate lackey pointing his pistol at the cat. She threw her top and used the drawback to speed herself up before diving for Cat Noir. The two grunted from impacted and rolled to the side, barely missing the shots that were fired. A shot rang out from the balcony on the upper floor and the pirate fell back. Red Hood jumped over the railing and landed on the main deck.

Cat Noir pushed Queen Bee off and ran over to his discarded microphone. Queen Bee studied his face and found it contorted in pure rage. It was so foreign to her, it made her heart skip a beat in the worst way. The projector was knocked down and Robin fled his post in order to cover Ladybug’s blind spots. That didn’t stop him from speaking loud and clear, “Lila lied about being pushed down the stairs by a classmate! Lila framed said classmate and almost got her expelled!”

“Cat Noir!” Carapace threw his shield at a pirate nearby before the pirate suddenly erupted in purple bubbles. The shield hit the civilian in the stomach, sending him flying into the railing and groaning. “What?”

Cat Noir didn’t seem to notice at first, circling one who had yet to transform back and getting ready to pounce. Queen Bee panicked and cried out, “Blue Beetle!”

"On it!" Cat Noir pushed off of his legs, his hand pulled back to hit the man in front of him. Blue Beetle collided with him midair and restrained his arms.

“What are you doing?!”

“Stopping you from making a mistake! Look!” He grabbed Cat Noir’s face and turned it back to the now confused man deliriously examining his surroundings.

“Huh?” Cat Noir looked over at Ladybug and Robin. The woman Robin held down was almost immediately released upon the realization that the Akuma’s magic was gone. Ladybug stopped spinning her yo-yo and her expression oozed regret as she ran to the young man groaning from the injury she caused. She looked around and she finally seemed to notice everyone on the main deck. Cat Noir looked back up at Blue Beetle, “They found the boys and their mom?” Blue Beetle nodded before releasing him.

Cat Noir looked at his claws and frowned before walking over and helping up the man he almost hit. Carapace walked over with a woman limping on his left and a sluggish man on his right. “Guys! We’re going to need medical! Jason shot her in the leg.”

Nightwing grimaced, “We just passed by a bunch of frozen pirates, no doubt Superboy’s work. We can't just leave a bunch of civilians in ice. They could get frostbite."

"You're right." Ladybug carried the young man, late teens at most, on her back. "Where's the Akuma? I'm going to use my lucky charm."

“NO!” The group turned to Queen Bee as she pushed herself forward. She latched onto Ladybug’s shoulders and gripped her tightly, “Ladybug, this has to be part of Lila’s plan. You can’t use it just yet!”

“Chloe, there are too many victims with too many injuries. Injuries we caused! I have to!”

Queen Bee frowned and narrowed her eyes at Ladybug, “What are you feeling right now?”

“What?”

“What are you feeling right now? You guys were full of rage a second ago. What are you feeling?”

Robin walked up with the woman on his arm and asked, “You think Lila is around?”

“We’ve looked everywhere when we were searching for the projector, she’s not on this deck.”

“But-”

One of the walls on the upper deck exploded and Superboy shot out, “Hey! The Akuma is just fluttering around up here! I’m kind of afraid to touch it!”

Rena and Batman walked over to the hole and looked down. Rena motioned for Ladybug to come up, “Hurry, I don’t want it to re-Akumatize someone!”

Ladybug nodded and handed the young man over to Queen Bee, “Coming up!”

Queen Bee continued pleading with her, “Don’t use the Lucky Charm!”

“Chloe, it’ll be fine!”

A large shadow materialized near the group and from the void, Raven appeared. Raven looked at Ladybug and held out another Akuma, "That's the last of them."

Ladybug nodded and was about to call her Lucky Charm before Queen Bee screamed in her face, “SHE’S TRYING TO AKUMATIZE YOU AND CAT NOIR!” For the next few moments, it was quiet for the first time in almost a day. Queen Bee took a deep breath and nodded her head to Blue Beetle, “We went into her room and saw 13 glass jars, no doubt where she was holding the Akumas. Given how many you’ve purified on this trip there are two still missing. Cat Noir shoved me aside to try and attack one of the pirates, you two seemed to be using a lot of force, Nino was using a lot of force and it’s Nino. She’s going to take advantage of you de-transforming for sure! That’s the only explanation I can come to.”

Ladybug stood for a moment thinking. Nightwing stepped forward and said, "It's going to take us too much time to go looking for all the pirates we incapacitated. We don't know anything about their health, their injuries, and then there's the crowd that has a very real chance of getting frostbite. We have to take that chance."

Red Hood walked up to Queen Bee and put a hand on her shoulder, “If she says it’s too dangerous, then it probably is. Queen Bee isn’t exactly the type to hesitate. She’s being serious.”

Carapace bit his lip and looked at the civilians he was helping, “But, dudes, we weren’t exactly holding back. What if someone’s really hurt and we don’t find them in time? Plus, even if we use Pegasus’ Voyage, it will only help if we rally up all the victims. That’s going to take time and what if the medics can’t help?”

Blue Beetle shook his head, “I vote no.”

“I vote yes.”

“No.”

“Yes!”

“Ladybug?” Cat Noir walked over to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, “What do you think?”

She looked to Robin and he just shrugged, “I’d say no. Jason’s right, Chloe isn’t the type to hesitate. If she’s concerned, I believe it’d be wise to start rallying people. Still, I’m here for you. Whatever you decide, I’m going to help.”

Ladybug suddenly felt a wave of guilt as she looked at the victims as they oriented themselves. They all looked to her and the weight of it all made it hard to breathe. The arguing mixed with people commanding her making her feel overwhelmed. She growled before stomping her foot and yelling, "GIVE ME ONE SECOND!" She took a deep breath as she placed a hand over her heart, it was racing. She took hold of her yo-yo and began to spin it, "Anyone who can fly, start evacuating the civilians. Everyone else stays here." She looked to Raven and asked, "Can you release it now? Then you can go to the group below deck." Raven nodded and released the Akuma from its magic prison. Ladybug snatched it up before swinging up to Rena and Batman.

Rena stepped back and watched Ladybug’s shoulders shake slightly as she looked at the small family slumped against the wall. “They put up a hard fight.”

Ladybug grit her teeth and saw the Akuma fluttering around the toy gun laying in the corner. She quickly snatched it up and watched as two white butterflies popped out. Marleen stirred a bit and Ladybug looked over her two children. A bunch of bruises, but it’s no shot leg like last time. Her heart calmed a bit but it wasn’t racing as much.

“Ladybug?” Superboy flew beside her and frowned, “Hey, you don’t look so good. Are you okay?” Ladybug looked over to Robin’s best friend and smiled at his soft tone. Her heart rate wasn’t as high as before but she still felt the guilt.

“I will be but I need you to start taking civilians to the mainland. Start with these three and then do the ones that are frozen. You’re fast so you’ll be a huge help.”

“Can do! Help put her on my back, okay?”

“I’ll do it.” Rena walked towards them and then pointed to Batman, “He wants to talk to you anyways.”

Ladybug nodded and walked over to the dark knight, “Yes?”

“You know where she is, don’t you?”

“I don’t know exactly but I think I know how to track her.”

“How’s that?”

"My emotional state. My heart rate has always gone up around her and feel like I'm going to have a panic attack. It's suffocating. For everyone else, it seems they just get hysterical, and that’s if Lila’s trying. But I just – It’s a lot for me. ”

“If what Chloe said is true then those negative emotions can make it very easy to make you an Akuma.”

“I know, but I’m your best bet for finding her.” Her heart rate continued to slow as they continued talking and she placed a hand over her heart.

Behind her, Rena grunted, “You got a good hold of them?” Rena watched Superboy shift the kids in his arms and she wondered how he didn’t collapse. “Superboy?”

“Yeah, I got a hold of them. Thanks!”

“We’ll talk more later, I still have to meet your mom!” She held her fist out, “Best friend squad?”

He smiled and reciprocated, “Best friend squad.” He laughed before flying off with the family.

Rena turned her attention back to Ladybug and Batman. The two seemed somber in their conversation, “Everything okay?”

Ladybug turned to Rena and sighed, “Spots off.”

“What?”

Marinette tried her best to stay neutral and authoritative, “Alya, Lila’s going to try and Akumatize me for sure. I can’t be Ladybug when she tries.”

“Can’t you just wait until we find her?”

“Not if Marinette’s going to act as a radar.”

“Radar?”

“I can track her.” Marinette patted her chest and took a deep breath, “I want you to be close to me. You’re my best friend and I trust you to be my rock. Please trust me.”

Rena frowned and held out her hand, “Give me the earrings, then. If you do get Akumatized then it’d be best that you don’t know where the earrings are.” Marinette was visibly relieved and hugged her. “I’m always here for you.”

“I know.” Marinette looked into her purse where Tikki laid, “I’m going to give the earrings to Rena. Go with her.”

“I heard your plan, but are you sure?”

“As sure as I can be.”

“Then I’ll go.” She flew up to Marinette’s face, giving one last nuzzle against her cheek, before sitting on Rena’s shoulder. Marinette gave the earrings to Rena and watched her jump down, leaving her alone again with Batman.

She looked to the ground and clenched her fist, “I’m scared.” She played with her pigtails nervously, ultimately taking out the hair ties and letting her hair come loose.

“You should be,” Batman walked forward and held out his hand, “but you have a good team behind you.” Marinette’s small frame shook slightly as she moved to grab his hand. He was a stabilizing figure for her and she clung to him desperately. Batman knelt down to her eye level and pulled back his mask, looking her in the eye as he spoke, "You have fought on your own for a long time. I've seen you come up with plans on the spot and, in my research, you have always pulled through. We’ll talk more later, but right now I need you to lean on us for a bit.”

Marinette snorted at the phrasing and smiled, “Right.” He seemed satisfied with that answer and she studied his face for a moment. It really was Bruce underneath the Batman mantel. Right now, he was both scolding her and offering assistance. The similarities between him and Damian were getting more striking.

He latched something onto her wrist and he nodded, "This will let me monitor your heart rate.

Wear this too." He put a communicator in her ear, "Without your yo-yo, we'll need a different way to communicate with the other Titans."

Marinette breathed deeply and nodded. Batman put his mask back on and she held on tight as he jumped down. She planted her feet on the ground and felt her heart skip a beat, but waited to see if it was just the descent. Batman seemed to notice too as he would glace at her while explaining the idea to the group that remained. Marinette looked to her right and noticed Cat Noir staring at her, anxious but willing as always.

She took another breath before focusing on her heart rate, it was a bit elevated still. She was moving, the question is further up or down. She tugged on Red Hood's sleeve and asked, "Hey, can you call up Tim's team to see how they're doing?"

“No problem.”

“Thanks.” She walked around for a bit before Robin walked up beside her, hood pulled up and sword at the ready, “Let me guess, you aren’t happy-”

"I'm not happy with the plan." Marinette was sympathetic but continued looking around. "What's going through your head?"

She huffed, “She was around earlier and I didn’t even notice. I got so caught up in the presentation piece. I should’ve known better.”

“We all did, you have to admit it was a good outlet.”

Marinette looked back at him, “True bu- AH!” She stumbled back into Robin’s arms while a new hole opened up in front of her. Robin pulled his cape up to shield the two from any flying debris and waited for some kind of impact. Lowering the cape, Robin and Marinette both noticed the green albatross flying into the clouds.

“Beast Boy!?”

“What? It was the quickest way up top! You should be thanking me!”

“You’re not even carrying anybody!” Red Robin jumped up to the deck and rubbed his temples, “Raven, you okay down there?”

Raven flew up with a few civilians in tow, “I’m fine.” She looked over at Marinette and quirked her brow, “Interesting.”

Marinette noticed Starfire coming back from the direction of the mainland. She flew down into the hole before pulling Tess and Cyborg up, “This is quite time-consuming. Isn't there a more efficient way?"

“Yeah, not all of us can fly.”

Robin pointed to the atrium with the frozen civilians, “Put them all in there. We’re going to see if we can use Pegasus’ voyage to get them all over to the mainland.”

Cyborg nodded and pointed to his arm, “I can boom over the stragglers.”

Marinette looked over to Red Robin, noticing how he never stopped nursing his temples. She reached out to him and stepped forward, only to have her hand pushed away. "Thanks but just give me a second, Marinette." There was a second of stunned silence before he examined her standing in front of him, "Marinette? Wait, what-"

“Marinette.” The two looked back at Batman who simply nodded.

Marinette looked in the hole and she sighed, “Looks like we’re going back down. Help?”

Red Robin scowled before looking to Batman, “Why is she out of costume?”

Batman sent more Titans to help with the search while Cat Noir walked over to Marinette before grabbing her waist and extending his staff down the hole. A small grunt was heard as they landed and looking down, it seemed they already walked forward. Nightwing and Carapace jumped after them. From what he could hear, they did the same. “She’s a walking detector. We monitor her, we’ll find Lila.”

“So we’re going to let her walk around out of costume? What happened to her miraculous?” Red Hood and Queen Bee jumped down behind them while Red Robin waited for an answer. Queen Bee yelped and Red Hood grunted, he could only assume from a bad landing. He crossed his arms and frowned, “She’s going to get hurt.”

“She knows.” He looked over to Rena Rouge walking towards him. She looked neutral, if not forcibly so. She motioned to the hole, “Without Lila’s Akuma we can’t fix all of this. We need to find it, but we can’t risk an Akumatized Ladybug.”

“She still has some?”

“So it would seem.” Robin walked back over after seeing Superboy over the horizon. He tugged on his hood, securing it nicely over his head, “At least two according to Queen Bee.”

“Is that it? We’ve faced seven. This should be okay.”

“I don’t think that’s it.” Rena looked down the hole and noticed the team heading down the corridors. “But we’ll see.” She grabbed Tim, who yelped at the sudden grab, and jumped down. Robin and Batman followed close in hand as the group of ten wandered the halls. Batman kept a close eye on Marinette's vitals while the rest stayed on guard around her. The awkward human shield never fully disbanded as they checked through open doorways and down hallways. They never strayed too far from her.

Marinette kept her head held high, despite the tense atmosphere as they went deeper into the ship’s depths. Walking down more levels, the intensity turned into agitation. Little bumps became causes for scolding. Slow pacing made even Carapace, arguable the calmest out of the group, whine and groan.

Cat Noir nudged Rena and motioned to the old room they used in the first Akuma attack. A lot of things made sense from that night in hindsight. Rena wished she could've seen the Ladybug hiding in plain sight. It seemed Cat Noir noticed her guilt because he squeezed her shoulder and smiled sympathetically. Rena bit her lip and looked over to Marinette, ready to apologize until she noticed the discomfort on her face.

Rena frowned, but Batman cut her off before she could reach out to comfort her best friend. “She’s in the vicinity. We’re getting close.”

Red Hood stopped mid-insult and looked over, “I’ll say. I’m pissed just looking at Dick’s dumb face.”

“Jason, seriously –” The boat suddenly lurched to the side, throwing the group against each other. Marinette took the brunt and let out a loud yelp. The communicators echoed feedback, nearly deafening the wearers, “You guys okay up there?”

“No, we’re still looking for people up top. We managed to get the group of icicles back on the mainland, though. The weather is starting to get kind of bad, but I don’t think the waves are what moved the boat!” Cyborg’s voice, as loud as it was, was starting to get muffled by the growing static. “I think we need to start moving to the mainland.”

“No!” Marinette’s voice strained as she spoke, yet she held so much conviction. “We can’t risk her running off on the mainland! We have her stuck on this boat and that’s one of the only advantages we have!” The teens screamed as the boat jerked violently.

“Cyborg!”

“Look, we don’t have the time! We have to start moving to the mainland. I think the damage from all the fighting is finally wearing down the structure. The boat is falling apart!”

Red Hood growled as he did his best to help stabilize Marinette, “That’s impossible, this ship is sturdy as hell. Bruce didn’t spend a fortune on it for nothing!”

"Well, then you guys better start looking for another Akuma, because the ship isn't going to last long at this rate!"

Red Robin slammed his fist against the wall and looked to Batman, “If we are missing an Akuma, it’s going to sink everyone! We have to start looking! If we go back towards the-“

“Marinette, your heart rate is too high.” Batman pushed forward and pulled her chin up. Her discomfort was turning into pain and her eyes were unfocused. Her breathing was labored, though it was clear she was trying to keep a steady rhythm.

“Then let’s get her up top! We know she’s in the area. She can’t exactly run.” Red Hood crossed his arms, “The Miraculous holders should stay and we can get her up top.”  

Nightwing nodded, “I’m okay with that. Batman, what’s her heart rate?”

“188.”

“188?! She’s going to max out at 200 and then we’re going to need a defibrillator!”

“You’re not exactly making it any better, Tim.” Robin brushed himself off and walked over to Marinette. Examining her and frowning, “Are you ready to stop?”

Marinette clenched her fists and shook her head, “We have to keep going.”

Robin nodded and looked to the others, “I agree with father, we need to split up. You guys need to go and find out what’s wrong with the ship.”

“What?! No way –”

"Red Robin, you know the schematics better than anyone else here. Your diagnostics are going to be crucial in giving us a timeline. Nightwing, go help the rest of the Titans with the search. You’re agile, you’ll be able to move through debris a lot easier.”

“Robin –”

“Father, you and Red Hood should search in the direction of the last impact. If there is a new Akuma, you two will be able to find and immobilize it.” Robin helped Marinette shift her weight off of Red Hood and did his best to stabilize her.

“Robin, she’s not in any condition to fight.”

Marinette did her best to focus on Batman and took a deep breath as she spoke, “We’re getting close. I don’t need to fight. I just need to find her and maybe act as bait. Face it, she really wants me.”

Carapace, Rena, and Queen Bee stepped forward, rallying behind their friend. Carapace smiled and sent a thumbs up, “Don’t worry dudes. We got her.”

Rena nodded and placed her hands on her hips, “We’ll always follow Ladybug! As much as we love you Batman, Ladybug’s our leader here.”

"And maybe it's the Akuma, but something tells me that if you push any more I'm going to lose my patience and use my venom." Queen Bee toyed with her spinning top’s string before looking coyly to the four men. “C’mon, show us a little respect!”

Batman’s shoulders fell before looking at the last of the crew, “Cat Noir?”

Cat Noir's eyes never left Marinette. He seemed apprehensive and concerned, but he still was adamant in his response. "I go wherever my lady goes. We're Ladybug and Cat Noir." He walked up and nudged her, "Cat Noir only sounds half as cool." Marinette smiled at the comment and shook her head. Some kind of an inside joke between the two, to be sure.

“Father, it seems like there’s six against four.”

“You’re not actually going to allow this.” Batman glared at Nightwing before turning away. Nightwing threw his hands up as he ran after him, “Seriously?! You never would’ve let us get away with that!”

“I can’t believe this.” Red Robin rushed up to Batman and stopped him, “You can’t be entertaining this! Her heart rate gets over 200 and she’ll have a heart attack. You just said it was at 188 –”

“168.”

“What?”

“Right now it’s 168.” Red Robin and Nightwing looked back at the group. They fawned over the girl and she outright giggled at something that was said. Robin’s focus was completely on her and it was only now that he noticed his somewhat calmer demeanor compared to the rest.

It was like he had –

“Have faith in them.” He didn’t even notice Red Hood catching up to them. Red Hood pushed his brothers forward, “C’mon. We’ve known them long enough. They can handle one Akuma.”

“Now I know you’re messing with me. Since when did you agree with Damian?”

“Man, were you always this annoying? They’re counting on us. Go!” Red Hood shoved Red Robin's head forward and away from the teens. He was actively ignoring his hesitation in favor of his fleeting faith. Although, as they got farther away, it was comforting to hear the banter slowly fade. Better that than screaming.

Marinette was struggling as she watched them run past a corner and out of sight, but they all needed to know what was happening. “Let’s keep going.”

“Why would she even come down here? Only the servants come down here, right?”

“Well, that and some of the lower class passengers. This ship is meant to host thousands.”

“The maximum is 6,318 if all rooms are occupied.” Robin pulled out the schematics of the ship on his phone, "I knew this looked familiar. She would come down here a lot, but Max and I couldn't figure out why. There is hours' worth of footage where Lila is simply patrolling the lower levels."

“Any ideas?”

“On this level, there’s mainly crew and passenger accommodations alongside laundry and revolving car lift. We can’t go any further without reaching the boiler and engine rooms. Those are closed off to everyone except specific personnel.”

"Unless you get said personnel to trust you enough to give you access." Rena opened her mouth to tack on another theory only to be interrupted by another jolt. The six grunted as they struggled to stay on two feet. Rena blew her bangs out of her face, “That’s it. She’s trying to sink the ship.”

Carapace sighed and asked, “But how? This ship is pretty sturdy and I doubt Bruce wouldn’t make it tough materials. You’d need, like, some serious firepower, wouldn’t you?”

“Or some serious magic? We’re still missing one Akuma. What if she’s not saving it for Marinette? What if she already has someone down there? I doubt she expected either of them to leave the bottle anyways.”

“Well, we might as well check. If Rena’s right then Marinette would sense it, wouldn’t she? If not, we just play more hot and cold.” Cat Noir shrugged before turning to Marinette, “It’s up to you.”

Marinette gulped and nodded, “Let’s go.”

“Oh, great. A boiler room? Do you know how bad the humidity is for my hair? For my face? I’m going to sweat.” Queen Bee shuttered and made a gagging noise, “When I find Lila, she is so getting my Venom.”

Robin smirked before pushing himself forward, “Follow me.”

Queen Bee huffed as she hung a bit further back. She was fine not being in the lead in this case. She didn’t really want to be down here. If it were up to her, she’d just have Cat Noir cataclysm the ship and then scan the water for Lila after it completely sunk. Seems way more efficient in her head, but no. We have to think of the passengers and the remaining heroes and blah blah blah. This was too much hassle.

Having Ladybug out of her costume was too much of a hassle. She looked over Marinette and scowled. How was Dupain-Cheng Ladybug? Years ago she would’ve laughed at the thought. Laughed in the face of whoever dared to think that her Ladybug was the clumsy Dupain-Cheng girl. Now? She didn’t know what to think. There was still a hint of disappointment, it was like seeing a mascot take off their mask at a party. The magic was gone, in a sense. Replaced now with guilt and apprehension.

She felt much of the same regarding Cat Noir. Between finding the Amok and the appearance of the first Akuma, the two had to talk. Adrien was right to be reluctant, but Chloe also had a right to ask. They’ve known each other for so long. She’s tried to kill him at some points. She didn’t know what to say other than an apology for not noticing. He was as gentle with her as he had always been. She never understood why he’d be so gentle with her. She wanted him to scold her, for the first time she truly felt like she deserved it. She wanted both of them to. At times she was so close to denouncing her loyalty for good. Now that just seemed silly and selfish.

Queen Bee fanned herself and groaned, “We’re getting closer aren’t we?”

“How can you tell?”

“I told you I hate sweating. I’m starting to sweat.”

“You’ve been pretty quiet back there. You okay?”

She looked up and nodded at Cat Noir, “Yeah, yeah. I’m just thinking about how Lila’s going to look paralyzed. It’s ridiculous. Utterly ridiculous.” Cat Noir smiled reassuringly, she wondered if he bought that. “Marinette, how are you feeling?”

“My heart’s beating faster and I’m dreading where we’re going. Safe to say we’re on the right track.”

“Dude, how can you say that so calmly?”

“After this whole trip, I’ve learned a few things.” She took another deep breath, “I’m not going to let her overwhelm me that easily anymore.”

Rena hugged her shoulders and pumped her fist, “That’s my girl! I’m going to make her pay for messing with my best friend!”

“Lila’s powers are tapping into your anger, aren’t they?”

Rena’s smile was strained as she spoke through her teeth, “Yes and I want to make sure I direct it all at her.”

Carapace hummed, "I think I'm feeling just sad dudes. This was supposed to be a fun trip. I'm glad that there are no secrets between us anymore but it's been rough."

Cat Noir couldn’t help but agree, “I’m somewhere in between. I’m upset and I’m angry. A little jealous, too. It’s really hard to ignore.”

"Well, why ignore it?" Queen Bee motioned to Rena, "She's embracing it, and other than bird boy and Marinette she's handling it the best."

“Chloe’s right.”

“I am?”

“Yes, you are.” Marinette smiled at her, pride seeping through. For a moment, it was like seeing Ladybug after fighting their first Akuma together. It was like she saw only the best in someone. It made her wipe her eyes. “We can’t just ignore the bad emotions. They’re a part of us. So, why don’t we talk about them? Take it from me, I’ve been running from them for a long time. It didn’t really get better until I talked about it with you guys.”

“I’d have to agree, which is highly out of character for me. It feels so foreign to really practice in this.”

“This?”

“Talking about emotions and thoughts. I’d never allow my brothers to see such vulnerability.”

“Oh, so we’re the exception!” Queen Bee wiggled her brows and giggled, “We’re seeing Damian vulnerable.”

Cat Noir grabbed Robin’s arm and dramatically cried out, “Chloe! Damian’s bearing his heart to us!”

“I wouldn’t go that far.”

Carapace chuckled, “I mean, for you? You might as well be.”

“Absolutely not. I refuse to let that statement be true, even if stretched.”

“I mean you do it with Marinette all the time now, don’t you? Like when you told her you loved her.”

"No such thing happened."

“WHAT?”

Robin glared at Rena and did his best to keep his cool, “Now why on Earth would I say that in our current situation?”  

Marinette’s heart drummed in her ears and she grabbed Cat Noir’s shoulders, “My heartrate’s going up and I can’t tell if it’s Lila or you four.”

“Damian-”

“I don’t talk to the press.”

“You know what-”

“GUYS!” Cat Noir pointed at the door, Marinette struggling on his arm, "This is it, right? I don't think Marinette can take any more."

“Give her to me.” Cat Noir passed her over to Carapace. Carapace took off his shield and held her close. “Who’s going in first?” Robin didn’t hesitate to lift his leg and kick the door down. “Or you can do that. That’s good too. Nice job, bro.”

Robin walked inside and scanned the area. The machinery was massive and hot, but working well. The others trickled into the large room and began searching, the only exception being Carapace and Marinette. Her breathing was as controlled as it could be, but she was beginning to look troubled. Queen Bee fanned herself and whined as she walked past him.

The steam from the machines made Queen Bee scowl, “Are we sure she’s here?”

“Can’t handle the heat, Chloe?”

“Queen Bee. Don’t cats overheat?”

Robin rolled his eyes, “Don’t either of you stay quiet for more than ten seconds?”

Cat Noir smirked, "You know cats eat birds?"

Robin opened his mouth to counter, instead came out a grunt as the ship rocked to the side. Rena looked back to Carapace and Marinette. He sent her a thumbs up, albeit a forced one. The speakers to the ship came on and an alarm was sounded. The calm voice ordered everyone to go to the main deck for life jackets and lifeboats. The emergency lights created a red strobing effect.

Robin spoke into his communicator, “What’s going on up there?”

“Something’s attacking the ship. It’s big and we can’t take any more chances. We have to leave now!”

“But we’re close-“

“This is not a suggestion, Robin.” Batman’s tone held no room for discussion. The teens just looked at each other, wondering if they should back now.

“Hey Cat Noir?” Cat Noir looked back to Marinette as she went through her purse. She pulled out a box with different colored macaroons before tossing the blue one over. He caught and examined the pastry, “You should still look. I know you used your last power up rescuing me.”

Cat Noir nodded and held the macaroon close, “Carapace, can you escort her and Robin up to the deck? Rena, Queen Bee, and I will keep looking. Our suits can handle anything Lila can throw at us.”

Robin didn’t seem as comforted, “Are you sure?”

“We’ll be fine.” Cat Noir motioned to Carapace and Marinette, “She needs more protection than we do right now.”

“For once, I think you’re absolutely right.” The six tensed and looked around the room. Cat Noir was grateful for his enhanced vision, but his ears were still having a hard time listening for anything out of place. Robin seemed fine with the haze, but the girls were disoriented. “You should focus on your friend.”

He looked back at Carapace and yelled, “Go! Now!”

Queen Bee soon flew across the room, slamming hard into the wall. Rena gulped and was doing her best not to get disoriented. Cat Noir reached for his staff as Queen Bee picked herself off the floor. Carapace ushered Marinette back into the hallway. He made eye contact with Rena through the distortion. She seemed ready, which gave him a sliver of hope.

“Come on, let’s go.”

“But Robin-”

“He’ll catch up.” Carapace turned her around and started rushing. “You trust him, right?”

Marinette nodded as she did her best to keep up. She spoke into her communicator, confidence seeping in. “Guys, we found something in the boiler. Cat Noir, Queen Bee, Rena Rouge, and Robin are still fighting. Carapace and I are coming up. Red Robin, can you tell us the best path?”

“Keep heading in that direction then take the first set of stairs on your left. The elevators will be unusable due to the emergency system. So you’ll just have to follow the service stairs up.”

Carapace pursed his lips before looking to Marinette, “Hey, just don’t hit me.”

“What? Why would I – NINO!” She let out a small ‘oof’ as he quickly threw her over his shoulder. He started running up the stairs, blurting out apologies with each step. “What are you doing?”

“I don’t think out of costume you’re going to make it all the way up. As Carapace, I’m not going to get tired!” Marinette couldn’t find an argument against it, but hated the bumpy ride she was in for. She wondered about her friends downstairs. It bugged her. “Hey, that didn’t sound like Lila to you did it?”

“No, it didn’t.” She thought back to the tone, “So if that was another Akuma, then she has one left.”

“So who’s going to cleanse the Akuma if you’re not down there?”

Before Marinette could speak, she felt something hit them and they staggered backward. Marinette brought her arms up to protect her face and did her best to roll down the stairs. Without the luxury of a carpet, the service stairs were merciless. Carapace grunted as he tumbled down before finally rolling to a stop on the last platform. He looked up in time to get hit with the same chair that caused their tumble.

“You seriously need to pay better attention to your surroundings. I thought you’d know better by now.” Carapace looked up to see a girl standing confidently at the top. She stepped closer to them and he scrambled to bring up his shield, “SHEL-”

She pointed to his right and raised her voice, “Do you really think Marinette has that kind of time?”

Her words didn’t register at first until he looked over. A red puddle leaked from her head and he felt a surge of panic. Lila played with her bracelet as she slowly made her way down, “I’d be so scared for her right now. That looks like a pretty severe concussion.”

Carapace quickly crawled over and turned her over to face up, “Marinette?”

“You’re supposed to be the protector. The shield hero with a guard no one can break.” Their assailant scoffed and narrowed her eyes, “Pathetic.”

Carapace could hear a voice through his earpiece, "Hey, what's going on in there? You're in a blind spot! Carapace? Marinette? Nino!"

“What are you going to tell them? That you failed? By getting hit with a lounge hall’s chair? How is anyone ever going to trust you to be a hero after this?” His eyes shifted rapidly and his breathing was getting shallow. He brought up his shield again and she clicked her tongue against her teeth. She held the butterfly charm tightly and held an iron grip on the fear growing inside him. She watched Carapace clutch his chest. She opened up her sweater and watched the Akuma flutter out.  

Carapace closed his eyes before taking a deep breath and yelling, “Shell off!”

“What?” The wave of green washed over him and watched with confusion as a little green animal floated next to him. She huffed, “Nino? What did you do?”

He took a deep breath and glared at her, “I’m not – not letting you get it.” His statement would be pathetic if he didn’t slip off his bracelet.

“NO!” She ran down and after the animal that carried the Miraculous out of reach. She lost line of sight as it continued to fly upwards to the higher floors. She growled and stomped her foot, “You are going to pay for that!” She twisted her charm and watched him writhe as she enhanced every bit of fear, guilt, and self-loathing she could find inside. She watched tears hitting the floor below as he hung his head down.

He looked up at her and struggled to move over Marinette. He stuttered out a plea, “No-”

She sent the Akuma his way. It submerged itself in his stupid hat and she made sure to pay special attention to his guilt. It wasn’t long before darkness covered his body and his clothes were replaced with colorful armor. The Bubbler stood tall before her. He looked uncomfortable, not confident like Hawkmoth’s or confused as the newer ones have been that she’s made. She wanted to pull at her hair, “What are you looking at? Move.”

The Bubbler followed her command but did so to place himself in front of his incapacitated friend. Lila was at her wit's end. Her voice got louder and enraged, "Why can't you all just listen to me? Nothing this entire trip has gone my way at all!” She pushed past him and kicked Marinette around until she faced up. She knelt down and roughly grabbed her cheeks, “You have done nothing but ruin my plans. It was supposed to be simple.” With no response, she just stared at the blood dripping down her forehead. Brushing past her hair, she looked at her ears. The Bubbler watched her curse and crush the communicator in Marinette’s ear before throwing her head back down.

The Bubbler gulped, the pressure and thick atmosphere making it hard to talk. “She needs a medic.”

He shuttered as her head snapped back to him, “She’s faking it.”

“Lila-”

“Don’t do that!” She stomped over and jabbed her finger in his chest, “And don’t call me that anymore! I haven’t been Lila in a long time! I am Emotiva!” The Bubbler furrowed his brow before grabbing at his bubble wand. Emotiva grit her teeth and pointed at Marinette, “You’ve done this before. You want her to get help? Fine. Get me her miraculous!” Her eyes struggled to focus on him, it was like she didn’t register him – the person standing before her- and simply looked at something else. Something within. She never looked past his chest as she spoke to him, “Maybe you want the ugly feeling to go away? I can make that happen. I can also make sure it gets much, much worse. You really think Alya is going to look at you the same with all that darkness inside of you?”

“Lila-”

“Pick her up.” Emotiva turned around and pointed at Marinette, “Now.”

The Bubbler began shaking his head, “No-”

“I AM NOT EVIL, NINO!” He froze and she glared at him, “I am not evil. So get that stupid pity out of your system before I crush it myself." She spat the word 'pity' as if she was throwing a hex his way. "I'm not going to hurt her. No, no, no, I'm not going to hurt her." She looked back to Marinette, a newfound gleam that only made the Bubbler more nervous. She knelt over Marinette and pressed her finger over Marinette's heart. "I'm going to make her love me."

“What?”

“I am going to make her love me.” Lila shook her head, shoulders shaking before throwing her head back. Emotiva held a hand over her mouth as she cackled, “I’m going to make her love me! No one is going to go against her.” She rubbed a bit of the blood off Marinette’s cheek, “No. No, no, no. No one is ever going to go against you.”

The Bubbler maintained a steady grip on his wand as he pulled it out, “You’re crazy!”

“I AM NOT CRAZY EITHER!” She looked back and, for a moment, he felt his throat close and tears flooded his eyes. He brought his hand to his chest and fell to his knees, a sob threatening to choke him before subsiding as quickly as it came. Through the tears, he saw her falter before turning back to Marinette, "I am not crazy, Nino. I just wanted everyone to like me. I got the class to like me, I got the teachers to like me, but never Adrien. Never her. Then we got on this ship and I hoped to get closer to the Wayne boys, even told you guys I knew them. That didn't work either. Nothing worked. Even with these stupid powers, nothing worked." Her voice wavered through her hollow laugh, "I am so tired. I am going to get the Miraculous and then all of this will go away. You're going to forgive me, right?"

The Bubbler struggled to stabilize himself on two feet, “Lila-”

“I’ll make you love me, then you’ll forgive me.” He realized she wasn’t speaking to him at all. She didn’t even acknowledge his existence as she continued her monologue. “Then you’ll fall in line, just like the rest of them. Just like you should’ve after that first day at school.” Emotiva pressed her finger further into Marinette’s chest, “You’re going to forgive me for everything. For the Akumas, for the stories, for making Damian fall in love with you-” Emotive gulped as she confessed, “For Staller. You’re going to love me and forgive everything. I’m going to make it better.”

The Bubbler aimed his wand at Emotiva. He stayed quiet, trying not to interrupt the devoted attention she gave Marinette. He threw his arm, creating a bubble to trap her. The next shock wave threw Bubbler’s bubble back at him. He was saved from the impact but found himself stuck as it bounced around the stairway’s platform. Emotiva did her best to stabilize herself and Marinette's body, keeping them both from jostling too much.

She looked up at the Bubbler, “At least you’ll stay out of the way.” She picked up Marinette’s body with ease, cradling her while her eyes centered on Marinette’s heart. Emotiva muttered to herself, “You’re going to help me make this all go away. Then everyone’s going to be happy.”

Part of her wondered when it got out of hand. In the beginning, she just made people happier around her. She made it more appealing to spend time with her. Then Hawkmoth continued pestering and pressuring her. When she created her first few Akumas, it was a struggle to see the emotions inside. There were the positive ones that filled people’s silhouettes like a bright gas, then there were the darker ones. Back then, she couldn’t differentiate them. It was all just one black haze. As time went on, she was able to specify. Soon enough she was able to turn one dark speck into a black fog that consumed a person’s being.

Still, she couldn’t control anyone. Adrien didn’t love her and nothing inside could make him do so. Chloe hated her and that didn’t change even when she made her laugh. The best thing Marinette felt towards her was pity, and that was when she was trying to be nice. It became easier to simply push Marinette away. Then they won the trip. Piece of cake, people on vacation always had issues they were running from. Cause some problems, then ride the waves of relief that came afterward. It would just heighten the joy that would come from being around her on a cruise. This should've been so easy, but then the youngest Wayne had to have the most closed-off heart she'd ever seen. She couldn't make out what the clouds were inside him. Meanwhile, the older three paid little to no attention to her and then the father was hardly ever around.

She thought she caught her lucky break when Adrien and Marinette started acting weird towards each other. She followed Marinette around the first night knowing Adrien was looking for her. Then Damian and Marinette found each other. It was curiosity at best, though she made him soften a bit. It wasn’t enough to directly manipulate but enough to agitate. She needed them closer together. She didn’t mind playing the bad guy if it meant they’d have a common enemy. What did hurt though is seeing an ever-growing animosity inside of Alya. Alya was someone she would consider close, though Marinette must’ve done something after their first stop to create such a thick smog. Still, it’d just make it easier to make them bond.

Then she saw it. A hint of attraction peeking through the wall during the dinner when Marinette took the lead on stage. She took hold of that and inflated it as much as she could. Little by little a bit more of the wall came down and the bright cloud that was once curiosity, attraction, and fun became ‘love’. She finally created a new emotion! Marinette was the sappy type, it wasn’t long before she did the same. All she did was give it a small push. Make the happy feeling cloud bigger. The dark fog inside her grew without much effort either but that lost its influence quickly.

Even so, if she could make a new emotion, then she could channel it towards someone new, right? While Damian was her original target, finding out Marinette was Ladybug made her the new target. The better one. Looking at her now, though she reflected a void, she knew it was only a matter of time for her to recover. This isn’t the first time! She did this plenty of times in Paris before the trip and each time the fog came back even thicker. If she saw her friends, there should at least be a hint of happier emotions. Maybe even thinking about them would work?

Looking back at Akuma stuck in his own bubble, she watched as his emotions danced a bit. The darker clouds shifting into panic and confusion as he struggled to leave. There was a moment of pause before she noticed a small, lighter cloud form. The Bubbler seemed to continue his attempts to escape but the hint of positive emotion annoyed her. It was false hope, or at least that’s how she labeled it. She opened the first door she came across, not bothering with a goodbye. She shifted Marinette in her arms and noticed a small light in her void. A dream most likely. Good. She might not even need her awake to start the love bombing.

“I can’t wait to see the look on everyone’s face when I’m done with you.”

*******************************************************************************************

Thank you for being patient and enjoying the lastest chapter of Seabourne Burnouts!

Tag List: @maribat-archive @ozmav @thornangelic727@imfreakingmagical@constancetruggle @chloe-bourgeois-is-big-gay@someone-ev   @zazzlejazzle @tinybrie @mewwitch @rhub4rb@saphiraazure2708 @never-neverland @unholykrow @slytherinhquinn @literallytryingmybestbutok @redscarlet95 @grimmhallow31 @fandomkitten9653 @myriad-of-passionate-pettiness @fanboy7794 @mystifiedgal @shizukiryuu @ vixen-uchiha @resignedcatservant @mystery-5-5 @miraculousl4dybug @blackcanary13 @origamieater @moonlitarchangels @mochinek0 @imfreakingmagical @you-will-never-know-how-i-think @derpingrainbow @unabashedbookworm @skyel0ve @northernbluetongue @cadencehood @sizzling-fairy-oil @crazylittlemunchkin @saphiraazure2708 @mysteriouslyswimmingfan-blo-blog @ginamarie1512 @kae690 @ivette0712 @zalladane @ellerahs @auradonfairy @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @scribblinggraveyard @nyctamaximoff @snow-swordswoman @maude-zarella @thebookwormfairy @melicmusicmagic @zalladane @ivette0712 @ginamarie1512  @bookreader20003 @silvergold-swirl @celestiacq @themcclan @amethyst-starr5 @tamoni112 @lunar-wolf-warrior @alexzandria-747 @nataladriana9 @moonlitarchangels @iglowinggemma28 @hunter-shyreen @mermaidofthelost @jessigurl-design @vgirl-10123 @lunar-wolf-warrior @casual-darkness @xxmadamjinxx @normal-piece-of-shit @tinyterror333 @romanoff-queen @schrodingers25 @alessialeone6997 @mindfulmagics @slytherin-heartthrob @da-tasuky @asianfrustration13 @eliza-bich @kuhakuanon @my-name-is-michell @theatreandcomicfreak @interobanginyourmom @starry-bi-sky @etheralentity @creator-josie @kurogaya913 @st0rmy-w1th1n @casual-darkness @vgirl-10123 @poshplumcot @thebookish3lf @queenmj10 @corabeth11 @goblinwhoships @ilovefluffbutsmutisalsogreat @violatiger8 @maribat-owns-my-ass @captainartsypants @deathofafangirl01 @maribat-owns-my-ass @nickristus-dreamer  @amayakans @notmycupoftea26 @animegirlweeb

"This was supposed to be a – Argh! VACATION!" Queen Bee stomped her heel into the ground as she screamed at the Akumas around her. The Akuma’s snakelike body coiled around her and puffed smoke into her face, all while hiding something in its mouth. Queen Bee held her breath and closed her eyes before gagging, "Gross!"

The Akuma suddenly shook violently before loosening its grip. It fell limp revealing Nightwing with his taser at the ready. “You okay?”

“Do I look okay? He just blew his smelly smoke in my face!” Chloe grumbled as she stepped out of the way, “That smell is never going to leave my hair.”

Nightwing rolled his eyes, “Give me the Akumatized object.”

“Yeah, sure. Just give me a-“ Both yelped a star bolt hit the deck mere feet away from the three. A smoking, gaping hole nearby.

Nightwing looked up, “Careful!”

Starfire growled in the direction of her enemy before looking at the two. Her voice gentle and cheerful, “My apologies!” The switch was instant as she flew back into battle.

“No! No! No!” Queen Bee lunged at the Akuma as he slithered down the hole. He slipped through her fingers, “Oh come on!”

Nightwing cursed under his breath before turning on his communicator, "We got one in the lower decks! The smoker!"

Red Hood's voice came through, "I'm held up with the resident ninja turtle right now!"

Red Robin was next to chime in, “I’m with Rena and Superboy breaking up the crowd on the main deck!”

“Cat Noir and I will go.”

“Make sure you prepare the kid. He doesn’t need magic lung cancer.” The silence was typical and Red Hood sounded frustrated, “I know we’re in a fight, but tough crowd.”

Nightwing rolled his eyes and called out to Queen Bee, “Let’s head back. Batman and Cat Noir are heading down.”

“So has anyone checked the upper decks yet?”

“Not yet.”

“I’ll head up.”

“Alone?”

Queen Bee’s dull tone matched her expression, “Most of the Akumas are down here on the main deck and I can handle the pirates. Someone needs to check out our old hunch and figure out where these things are coming from.” She turned on her heel and strutted away, “I’m not about to sweat any more than necessary.”

Nightwing called after her, “Will you at least keep us in the loop?” Queen Bee saluted the first boy wonder as she left the area. Nightwing looked in the direction of some more explosions. He sighed, "Queen Bee is heading to the upper decks to the residential wings."

“There’s going to be a lot of stragglers.”

There was a grunt before Superboy’s voice was audible, “Is that the yellow one? She’s pretty scary. She’ll probably be fine.”

“Yes, that’s the yellow one. The Queen Bee. Jeez, what is Super-dork teaching you in the countryside?"

“Red Hood-”

Red Hood huffed as he shot a few rounds into the Akuma overhead, “Hey, I have every right to ask about the education being given to Superman's kid. The boy could vaporize the earth if he wanted. There's a higher chance of that happening if he an idiot."

A chorus of scolding voices echoed in his ear, “RED HOOD!”

Carapace looked over at Red Hood and nudged him, “What’s going on?”

Red Hood shook his head, “Some people just can’t take a joke.” He looked over and saw another pirate inching closer to Rena Rouge. “Wait here.” Carapace watched Red Hood expertly swooped in and neutralized an enemy without them even turning around.

“Woah.”  

“Behind you!” Starfire’s star bolt nearly missed Carapace's head. He ducked before hearing a grunt and a thud. He turned back to see another pirate down. Starfire flew over and pulled him up. "Are you okay?"

“Yeah.”

“Excellent.”

“To your right!” Another body shot past them. The slam against the wall made both heroes flinch. Blue beetle shook it off and opened his helmet for fresh air. “Dios mío, they’re coming from everywhere!”

“Are you able to fight?”

Blue Beetle nodded but the exoskeleton covered his face. He flew off and Carapace was left feeling inadequate. “How many of you can fly?”

“Well, there’s Blue Beetle, Beast Boy, Raven, myself-”

“Never mind. It’s almost time for the switch.”

“Ah! Of course!” She looked over the battlefield. She cupped her hands over her mouth, “Red Hood! I request an escort!”

“Little busy here Kori- Hey!” Starfire rolled her eyes as Red Hood started shooting. He aimed and hit every enemy around him. You wouldn’t guess it was nonlethal by the way they hit the floor. “Assholes.”

“Are you done, Red Hood?”

“Yeah, yeah! Hold up!” He jogged over, weaving through the fighting crowd. Years of experience shining through as he came over to them. “What?”

“I request that you escort your friend here for the switch.”

“I thought you were a little old for a babysitter.”

“I’m fifteen and I am the least experienced one here!”

"Yeah, yeah, don't get your hoodie in a twist." Red Hood reloaded his guns and motioned for Starfire to go. Starfire nodded and waved at the two. Red Hood watched as she sucker-punched the first man that got close. He laughed and looked back to Carapace, "Now, turtle boy-"

“Carapace!”

“Bless you – how do you want to get to the den?”

“I was – Look out!” Taking his shield off his back, he pulled Red Hood behind him. The sound of the bullet bouncing off the shield resonated. “Hey, Nightwing!”

Nightwing looked back and nodded, “Oh no you don’t!” He flipped over to the pirate and kicked the gun out of his hand. Nightwing smiled, “We don't need two trigger-happy hotheads on this deck!"

Red Hood rolled his eyes and motioned for Carapace to follow. Carapace kept a steady pace as they went further into the ship. “Magic shield defends against everything. Noted.”

"Crazy gunman can shoot anything. Noted." Carapace grinned before shoving over another pirate in the hall. In the cramp halls, the two were effective. Red Hood aimed his gun at those further down the hall. Carapace pulled up his shell and blocked any incoming bullets. Anyone who wasn't shot down was smacked against the wall by a magic shield.

“For someone with no experience, you’re doing good kid!”

“I have some experience, dude! It's just in this group I'm the least experienced!" The two jumped past a hole in the floor before turning onto the stairs. Red Hood held his guns out and ready for any enemies they came across. Instead, Queen Bee crashed through the wall. Both men ran over to her for assistance. They didn’t expect her to get up and growl.

“HOW DARE YOU RUIN MY HAIR! YOU DO YOU KNOW HOW MUCH A GOOD HAIR MASK COSTS? DO YOU?” She threw her top and zipped out from the second floor.

It took the two a minute to remember their task. Red Hood nudged Carapace, “She’s crazy.”

“Dude, she’s insane. That’s why I stay on her good side. You think I want any piece of that?”

Red Hood chuckled before turning on his communicator, “Tim, how are you doing?”

“We’re still looking for the Akuma causing the pirates. There are a few on the upper deck. Two Akumas ran to the lower floor but Cat Noir went down there.”

“Alone?”

"You think we'd leave him there alone? One of the Akumas is a man blowing poisonous smoke in the lower floors hallways. He’s only down there because he has good night vision.”

“His old man was right, we are bad influences.”

Nightwing chimed in with an annoyed tone, "Is this the right time to have this conversation? Where are you guys?"

"One more floor and we'll be at the den. How are we doing passenger-wise?"

“I think we managed to get all the civilians off with Pegasus’ help but we’ll keep an eye out for any more. HEY QUEEN BEE! WE DO NOT DROWN AKUMA VICTIMS!”

Red Hood shook his head and pressed further into the ship. He turned into the final hallway before hearing a click behind him. He looked back and cocked his gun, "Kid, go inside."

“You’re out of breath!”

“Kid-”

“SHELTER!” A large barrier covered up their side of the hallway. Carapace looked up, “Catch your breath. I’ll meet you inside.”

Red Hood wanted to scold him. He really did. Instead came out a tired, “Just go already.”

Carapace nodded and barged through the doors. He locked them behind him and took a deep breath. The first beep from his bracelet let out. At this point, he wasn’t even alarmed by it. A voice made him look up, “How are you holding up, Carapace?”

“I’ll be fine for another few minutes.” Raven nodded and looked back at the bottle. The call they got from Nightwing hours earlier was frantic. Damian and Marinette had been captured, Akumas began running around the ship, and they needed as much back up as they could get. Cyborg boomed them there before Nightwing even ended the call. As they looked around, chaos was the only word that came to mind. Raven and Carapace were charged with protecting the bottle until the others could figure out a way to get them out but so far they’ve been too busy fighting.

A call came through on her communicator and she immediately picked up, “Raven-“

“For the last time, if there are any changes we’ll call you. Nothing has happened since you called two minutes ago, Superboy.”

“No! It’s not that – Okay. A part of it is that but that’s not why I called!” Raven rubbed her temples and Superboy grunted on the other side of the line.

“What is it then?”

“We’ll need your help getting the Akumas all in one area safely.”

“What?”

“Look, even when we un-Akumatize people, the Akumas just go to the next open person. You're the only one with powers that can safely contain them without being Akumatized yourself!”

She looked up at Carapace and frowned, “What about protecting the den?”

Carapace did his best to reassure her, “Red Hood is with me. We got this.”

She cursed under her breath and hung up, “I’m going to have to head out. I have to go help your friends.” She held her hands out, “Azarath Metrion Zinthos!” A swirling portal opened within the den, “Just recharge quickly.”

“I’ll try.”

“Good luck.” She left without another word. Carapace’s barrier fell along with his transformation soon after.

“Oh no.” Wayzz flopped onto the nearby couch and shrugged. Nino handed over some food before looking towards the door. He took a deep breath and started talking to himself, “It’s okay. Most of the Akumas are on the decks. Red Hood should be taking out the pirates nearby. Nino, it’s fine.”

It most certainly was not fine. The second he finished his little pep talk, the universe decided to call his bluff cruelly. He nearly screamed when Red Hood rammed through the doors. Nino clenched his chest while Red Hood threw his helmet aside. "You gave me a heart attack dude!”

Red Hood rolled his eyes and leaned on the door for support. His breaths were deep and ragged as he struggled to catch it. “I’ll buy you some new DJ equipment.”

Nino was unimpressed with his apology ran to get him water from the bar, “You get them all?”

“You insult me.”

“Just asking! No offense meant!” He walked over and rubbed Red Hood’s back as he desperately gulped down his drink.

Red Hood wiped his chin, “But Chloe, Alya, and Adrien are on their 2nd and 3rd transformations.”

“That’s not good.”

Red Hood looked over at Wayzz and nodded, “How are you holding up?”

“I’ll be alright once Ladybug comes out of this Amok.” Wayzz knew the magic anywhere despite not being in contact with Duusu for millennia. When the group was initially brought up by Lila’s pleas, he was suspicious. As soon as he saw the bottle through Nino’s shirt, his suspicions were proven correct.

Before anyone else got close to touching the thing, he flew out into the open despite his better judgment. Within the initial shock, the first Akuma was discovered. Within the next hour, six more were released without warning. Without Ladybug, even if the Akumas were released they found new people within minutes. The coast guard wouldn't get too close for fear of damage. Red Robin and Pegasus were in charge of the evacuation. Batman, Cat Noir, Rena Rouge, Queen Bee, Nightwing, and Red Hood were focused on the Akumas. Carapace was sent to protect the bottle. It wasn’t until an hour or so in that Nightwing called for backup when the fighting wasn’t slowing down.  

They needed Ladybug desperately, but he didn't want to touch the Amok. They were stuck in a 14-hour waiting game. Red Hood looked back at the bottle and pointed his gun at it, "Can't I just shoot it? It's a bottle."

“Do you want to hurt Ladybug and your brother?”

Red Hood took a moment of intense staring before bringing the gun down. “Fair enough.”

“Wayzz?”

“Almost done.” Wayzz took the last few bites of food before floating over to Nino. “How are you?”

“I’d be better if those two were back.” As soon as he finished his plea to the universe, a loud cracking was heard. The three whipped their heads around to the bottle only to notice a crack. Nino looked over to Red Hood, “Jason, Wayzz just said-”

“I DIDN’T DO ANYTHING!”

Another crack ran through the side of the bottle and the three moved away from the Amok. “Wayzz?”

“Just stand back.” Water started leaking through the cracks as they continued to run through the glass. Wayzz held his breath as the bottle continued to break before it stopped momentarily. Both the water and the cracks stopped in their tracks and the three looked at each other.

Red Hood waited for a moment before turning back to the Kwami, “Please just let me shoot it.”

“Jason-”

Like a flash grenade, a shining bright light blinded them as the sound of shattering echoed in the den. Water splashed onto the ground. There were a few moments where Nino’s ears were ringing before he heard Red Hood’s muffled yelling. Nino roughly rubbed his eyes until the room started to come back into view. He looked around and three figures were on the ground, one of which was yelling at him. “-no!”

“Huh?”

“Nino! Earth to Nino, grab some of the towels beneath the bar!” Nino rubbed his eyes one last time before he finally deciphered the scene in front of him. Marinette and Damian were soaking wet and coughing onto the ground. Wayzz pushed Nino into action after the initial shock.

“Sorry! Sorry!”

“Hey, take it easy. Both of you.” He rubbed Marinette’s back as she came back to her senses, “Guys?”

Marinette didn't look up at first. Instead, she got onto her knees and held her hand out to Damian. Damian didn't have to look at her, he shoved his hand into his pocket and handed over her earrings before sitting up. Nino came up with the towels and Damian grabbed one before addressing them, "How long were we in there for?"

“14 hours.”

He began drying his hair and face, “That’s less than I thought. Good. What’s the situation right now?”

Jason knew that tone. He wasn’t talking to Damian, he was talking to Robin. “Seven Akumas. No coast guard. Evacuation and de-escalation are the priority. The Titans were called in to help."

“Then this will be easy. Marinette?”

She held up a finger before sitting up and screaming. The three boys were taken aback by the sudden exclamation, but she simply grabbed the other towel out of Nino’s hands. She looked at Damian while drying her hair and through clenched teeth said, “If I almost drown one more time on this stupid trip I am suing you for emotional trauma and child endangerment.”

Damian blinked before frowning, “How is any of this my fault? You’re the one that wrote in!”

“IT’S YOUR STUPID BOAT!”

“Correction. It’s my father’s stupid boat.”

“Then your father is going to pay for me to go to college.”

“My father will laugh in your face.”

“Your father loves me.”

“Not after you blatantly lied about being Ladybug to his face." Marinette opened her mouth to say something but quickly closed it when no rebuttal came to mind. Instead, she threw her towel at Damian's face before putting in her earrings.

“Shut up.”

“You’re just mad that I’m right.”

“I’m just mad that I have nearly died at least five different times on my vacation!” She huffed as she secured her earrings and soon enough Tikki flew into existence. Tikki looked around before landing her eyes on a shivering Marinette. She smiled at her Kwami, “I’m sorry Tikki, but I need your help.”

Tikki gulped down the wave of emotions washing over her but simply nodded. She flew up to her holder’s face before nuzzling up to her cheek. Marinette took a deep breath before looking over to Damian, “Go get into uniform and look for Lila.”

“Lila? She’s the one who brought us to you.”

“She’s also the one that brought the Akumas on the ship.” Damian did his best to steady himself and leaned on Nino when he offered support. “Just give me a moment.”

Marinette nodded before saying, "Spots on!" Red hood had to admit the transformation was lackluster but seeing her re-entering her element was going to be interesting. He offered her a hand and helped her up. "Thanks."

“Wayzz, shell on!” Carapace looked over at Red Hood, “I’ll stick with Damian for a bit. You stick with Ladybug.”

“Can do.”

“Hold on, are you guys okay to do this?”

The two teens, soaked and barely on their feet, looked at each other before Damian broke the silence. His unamused tone paired well with his deadpan face, “If you can’t handle this much then I am retiring you from being Ladybug. You are not worthy of that Miraculous.”

“Excuse me? This is coming from the Robin who broke Staller’s favorite bottle of-”

“That was an accident!”

“Accident nothing, he’s still held that over you.”

"Like you're one to talk! You've injured yourself more times than Hawkmoth, Lila, and any Akuma ever injured Ladybug combined!”

Ladybug’s eye twitched before she pulled out her yo-yo, “Damian-”

Red Hood wrapped his arms around her waist and picked her up, “They’re fine!”

She flailed a bit as she scratched at the air near Damian, “You’ll pay for that-” She suddenly stopped and her eyes went wide, “-one.”

Damian simply raised a brow before recognizing the look of shock. To confirm his suspicions he bobbed his head a bit and watched as her eyes followed. He smirked, "You want to mess with-"

"I want to mess with your hair. I already told you it’s not fair!”

“My guard is up. You will never touch me.”

"I – You know what? I wholeheartedly agree." She relaxed a bit and looked up at Red Hood, "Get him."

“What?”

“I mean I’m always looking for a reason to mess with Damian, but we have more pressing issues.” As if to agree, Superboy was shot through the den’s east wall.

He groaned and shook the soot out of his hair, “That could’ve gone better.”

“Jon?”

Superboy whipped his head around and as soon as he locked his sights on the current Robin his face lit up. His eyes glistened as relief washed over him, “Damian!”

“Don’t make it weird.”

“But you-”

"I just said don't make it weird. I swear to god, I will cut you with my kryptonite-laced sword. Don't you dare make it weird.”

“I’m going to make it weird.”

“Don’t-”

“I will.”

“Jon-”

“Too late.”

“I can barely walk, Jon!”

“Even better.”

“NO!”

Superboy didn't bother arguing. An incapacitated Damian was a rare occurrence and he was not about to miss this opportunity.  He flew over and snatched the boy out of Carapace's arms. Turning Damian into a ragdoll through hugs was a feat no one thought was possible, but the small hero was Superman's flesh and blood. A miracle was bound to happen at some point. Damian's cheeks had a slight hint of pink but his eyes screamed homicide. Ladybug and Carapace looked at each other, uncomfortable with the high possibility of Damian going feral, but Red Hood simply frowned.

“Alright! Alright! Put him down Superboy! We need him intact and in costume!”

“Oh! Where’s his room? I’ll change him!”

“You will do NO SUCH THING!”

“VIP room 303!”

“303! Got it!”

“Wait-” With unmatched speed, Superboy flew out of the den through the same hole he created.

Ladybug noticed him barely dodging a fireball and her eye twitched, "Don't tell me-"

“Yeah, some of them are repeats. But hey! Some are new!”

“That is not helping Jason!” Ladybug blew some hair out of her face before moving her legs a bit. She figured the suit was gifting her better mobility but she wasn’t operating at full capacity. She pouted and tapped Red Hood’s arm, “Ready to go?”

“Always.” Red Hood motioned for Carapace to follow suit before running towards the demolished wall.

“Wait! Red Hood! What are you-”

“Better hope that yo-yo works!” Carapace laughed as the two boys didn’t hesitate to jump through and free fall. Ladybug felt the wind rush past her as she threw her yo-yo. Carapace noticed something red heading straight for them and immediately brought his shield up. The explosion made Ladybug’s ears ring as she swung towards the main deck. Carapace grunted as the blowback knocked him back into the outer wall.

Red Hood touched down and didn’t hesitate to pull out his pistols, “I’m not holding back this time!”

A large robotic body skidded past them, “Wait! Aren’t you-”

“Heads up!”

Ladybug ducked down as a large green bird soon followed. The bird morphed back into a boy and he groaned, “Oh man! That’s a heavy hitter!”

“Really?”

“What? The guy’s motif is baseball and you expect me not to point it out?” He seemed to finally notice Red Hood and Ladybug, “Where have you been!?”

Red Hood shook his head as he pulled the two up, ignoring the chaos behind him. “Cyborg, what’s going on?”

“Pirate lady and her two boys are still running around the upper levels shooting at Starfire, Raven and-”

“ME! Can you believe it? I’m the cute one and they have the audacity-”

“Beast Boy, I need you to take Ladybug to Cat Noir. She’s still recovering from the Amok.”

“Huh? Oh! Got it!” Without hesitation, he morphed into a horse and ran to Ladybug. “Hop on!”

Still, in a bit of shock, Ladybug couldn't help but blurt out. "You talk!"

“So do you! Let’s go!” Ladybug hopped on and yelped when Beast Boy ran without hesitation. She clung onto his main as he bucked and weaved. She scanned the area. She felt like she was thrown back into the insanity of Hero's Day. A blue bug-themed hero guarded Rena Rouge before switching out and lunging forward. Starfire flew by with Carapace holding onto her arm. She tossed him onto one of the upper levels before following suit.

Ladybug watched as Queen Bee caught a young lady midair, “RAVEN! THE AKUMA!”

Ladybug grit her teeth and steered Beast Boy in the direction of the purple butterfly, “We’re heading for the railing!”

"Just a little closer!" She struggled to get herself in a better position while balancing on the horse.

“Uh, lady?”

“A little more, Beast Boy!” He rushed past Nightwing. Nightwing was ready to scold the animal before noticing the blaring red and black heroine riding him.

“What!?”

“Ladybug!” Beast Boy’s anxiety grew more and more as the rails got closer.

Still, she kept her eyes on the bug, “Little more!”

Red Robin swung his bo staff before looking towards the green horse. The ball he hit flew through the air before exploding into a giant smoke cloud. He couldn’t stare before he heard a distinct yell, “KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE BALL BIRD BOY!”

Beast Boy couldn’t bring himself to go any further before skidding to a stop. Ladybug launched herself when she felt his backside lift off the ground from the sudden stop. She flew past the railing as she threw her yo-yo towards the Akuma. The yo-yo captured the butterfly and Ladybug struggled to reel it back in.

Suddenly she was locked out of free fall. She looked around to try to understand before a girl in a dark cloak flew up to her, hand outstretched in her direction. “Raven?”

“I have two more Akumas for you. Are you okay to purify them?”

“Yes!” Raven nodded before tossing Ladybug onto the deck. Ladybug stumbled a bit before standing her ground. Raven brought over two more Akumas trapped within some kind of barrier, “Huh?”

“I’m letting them out now!” The barrier disappeared and the Akumas fluttered around. Ladybug could’ve laughed at the simplicity if four more weren’t causing trouble on the battered ship. She caught it and released three purified Akumas.

“Where’s Cat Noir?”

“He’s with Batman on the lower decks.”

“How are you getting the passengers off the ship?”

“Pegasus is transporting them to the rescue boat nearby. They don't want to get caught in the crossfire.”

“HEY! WATCH IT!” A bullet narrowly threaded between the two and hit another ball. Ladybug shielded herself and glared at Red Hood. He simply pointed at a major league wannabe who looked like he took one too many steroid shots. “Can you break the bat already?!”

Ladybug looked at his uniform and noted how the balls seemed to regenerate at the waistline. "It's in the belt! Raven get the bat away from him!"

She nodded and chanted, “Azarath, Metrion, Zinthos!” A dark veil engulfed the baseball bat and the Akuma struggled to regain control.

“We need something that can cut!”

Raven yelled over her shoulder, “Blue Beetle!”

“Coming!” The hero switched out with Rena Rouge before flying over. The armor generated blades from his hands. He swung the blades, slicing anything from the waist down, and smirked. “Looks like you’re not cut out for the major leagues!”

Raven released the bat as it dissipated alongside the rest of the Akuma’s form. “Ugh! You sound worse than Beast Boy!”

Blue Beetle caught the young man as the butterfly flew away from his discarded belt. "I got that line from Beast Boy!"

“Hey! It’s good! You executed it perfectly, Blue Beetle!”

Ladybug caught the butterfly without issue. She looked over to the young man as he frantically looked around but was quickly carted away by Blue Beetle. The white butterfly flew away and she looked over to Rena Rouge and Red Robin. The two circled a woman as she pulsated with light.

From behind her, Ladybug could hear Cyborg yell, “GET BACK!”

Rena Rouge grit her teeth as she threw herself against Red Robin. The two rolled out of the way as the woman erupted in a large, bright burst of energy. Raven threw her arms out and her magic took the brunt of the blast. It sent her flying into Nightwing as he struggled to keep himself steady. The ship rumbled and tipped. As the light faded, there was a large hole where the woman once stood. From it, thick black and purple smoke.

Nightwing helped Raven onto her feet, “Beast Boy! Go into the water and get the Akuma!”

Beast Boy saluted him with a wink before diving over the railing, “Got it!”

“Red Hood! Cyborg! Take Raven and check to see what’s going on below the deck!”

"No need!" A man tied with rope was thrown past the cracks and hit the deck with a thud. From the smoke, two figures in black came up close behind. Cat Noir landed on the ground with grace and style that could only come from a feline of his nature. Batman landed aggressively beside him and snapped what only could be described as a corrupted cigar. Another Akuma rose from the smoke and Ladybug didn’t hesitate. Cat Noir’s eye grew wide as he caught sight of the yo-yo and traced it back to his lady.

His eyes shined as the smoke faded and the tears caught the sun’s rays. Ladybug pulled her yo-yo back and released the purified Akuma. She noted her partner looking at her and before she could say anything another explosion came from above. Out came flying Superboy carrying Carapace by his arms. Starfire was close behind, shooting star bolts through the hole. More shots; red, green, white desperately tried to hit them.

A grappling hook soon shot out and Superboy tossed Carapace safely onto the deck before flying to get a hold of the rope. He grunted as he tugged on it. Attached to the end, a figure in yellow, red, green, and black flew out. His cape was the only indicator of his presence as the sun blinded anyone looking up. The rope suddenly went slack as Robin flung himself towards the deck.

If the physical similarities weren’t enough to convince you, his landing could’ve been a replica of his father’s. He didn’t falter as he skidded to a stop and stood on the deck.

Batman didn’t sound phased by his son’s revival, “Robin, how many more are there?”

“Enough for a small army. They’ll come down soon.”

Queen Bee pushed herself towards the forefront, “We only need the gun to purify the Akuma!”

The remaining three flew down to the deck, “Yeah but which one?”

“Which one?” Rumbling indicated a small stampede that only grew closer. From the hole, about 8 of the pirates remained and aimed their guns at the heroes.

Carapace ran before everyone and planted himself between the two groups, “SHELTER!” A large green shell covered everyone. “Guys, we need a game plan! The others will show up any moment!”

Red Hood looked at the eight and noticed something, “Hey! Has anyone seen a female pirate? If we find her, her boys will be close behind! They’ll have the gun!”

Robin nodded and looked to Superboy, “In the meantime, I need you to get the freeze breath ready. Get as many as you can!”

“I can make an illusion to lure them out and into a group!”

“Good thinking Rena! Go with Superboy. They’ll be most likely coming down from the main Atrium. It’s somewhat enclosed so it’ll be easier to freeze them all.” The two nodded and left to follow Red Robin’s advice.

“Starfire, can you shoot down those shooters?”

Starfire smiled, “Your lack of faith worries me.”

“WAIT!” Ladybug pushed herself forward and yelled, “Those are most likely other passengers, if you shoot them then they’ll sustain the injuries when they turn back until we find the Akuma!”

“We don’t have another choice! Besides, you’ll just fix them.”

Ladybug opened her mouth to argue but was stopped when Robin stated, “Just shoot to disarm. They’ll be useless without them and will buy us time. Nightwing, go along and help with the capture.”

Starfire sighed as she grabbed a hold of Nightwing, “If you insist.”

The two flew out of the shield and into the enemies’ vantage point. Carapace lowered his shield soon after the shots stopped and he collapsed to the ground. “Carapace!” Cat Noir ran over and steadied his best friend, “Come on, this is your third transformation. Take it easy.”

“Just get me something to feed Wayzz and a spot to hide, bro.” Cat Noir nodded and rushed him towards the back.

“Third?”

“We’ve been fighting for over half a day straight. Why do you think we called reinforcements?”

Ladybug looked around, “That reminds me, who’s seen Lila?”

Red Robin frowned and asked, knowing damn well he wouldn’t like the answer, “Lila? What does she have to do with this?”

“She’s an Akuma who helps create other Akuma’s. It doesn’t matter if we capture the one out right now, she could be hiding more. Consider her top priority.”

Cyborg shook his head, “We’ve been evacuating any survivors we come across. We would’ve seen her by now.”

A loud wet ‘shlop' sound came from beside the railing. Blue Beetle set down Beat Boy and the young woman. Beast Boy transformed into a dog and shook off the excess water while holding a compact in his mouth. He bit down and another Akuma flew out. Ladybug immediately purified it and frowned, “Someone get her out of here.”

“Raven-”

“Already on it.” A shroud of shadows covered the woman and sunk into the ground before disappearing completely.

“We need to split up. Red Robin, I need you to send the Titans pictures of Marlene, the boys, and Lila. Finding them is going to be our main priority before I can fix anything.

“Already sent. Cyborg, Beast Boy, you’re with me on the lower decks.” The two nodded and closely followed Red Robin down the hole.

"That means I got Blue Beetle, Queen Bee, and Raven for the upper decks. C'mon!" Red Hood cocked his guns before holding out his arms. The two titans took the cue and flew him and Queen Bee to the highest deck.

“That leaves me and you.”

"And me." Ladybug cringed as she slowly turned to Batman. He seemed to tower over her from 12 feet away and she flinched. The two teens turned to see the dark knight slowly approaching, the same scowl ever-present on his face. Ladybug hated that it was aimed at her. Robin could feel all of his muscles tensing, anticipating anything and everything. The man stopped only a few feet away from them before finally speaking. Ladybug preemptively flinched. "I'm here. What do you need?"

“Huh?”

"Pegasus is back onshore and I have him on standby if necessary. I'm assuming we're going to draw Lila out at this point?"

Ladybug stood frozen for a moment, unsure of the reality she was in. A smile spread across her face once the words finally processed in her brain. “Yes!”

“Then do you think it’s time for your lucky charm?”

“I don’t know yet. Once I use my lucky charm, I only have 5 minutes left. If we can’t get the last Akuma and Lila by then, I don’t know if it’ll work.”

“Then we just start setting up for when the rest find Marlene. Lila’s powers manipulate emotions so monitoring everyone’s behavior is going to be key.”

Ladybug snapped her fingers, “The closer they get, the more erratic they’ll be! That’s perfect!”

“I can keep an eye on that, but if they can’t find her then we need a plan to lure her out.”

Ladybug hummed as she looked around. Her brows furrowed as the random objects scattered across the deck weren’t coming together in her head for anything cohesive. She jogged ahead to try to find something she could work with when she noticed Carapace and Cat Noir coming back. She waved, “How are you feeling?”

“Tired but okay. What are you doing?”

“Trying to find a way to lure out Lila.”

Carapace shrugged, "Well that's easy. Just make Lila mad. You already know she has a temper. Plus, with Tim's PowerPoint and Jason's attitude – If you find a large enough wall we could just have the presentation on the main deck and broadcast it over the ship's intercom." Both heroes' eyes widened as they stared at the boy. Without any feedback, Carapace just groaned and hung his head. "If I said something stupid, just retire me already dudes."

“Said something – Oh my – NINO!” Ladybug shook his shoulders and screamed, “YOU’RE A GENIUS!”

He took a moment to stabilize himself and looked between the two, “I am?”

Cat Noir laughed and smacked his friend’s shoulder, “You’re holding out on me! And here I thought you only thought about me, Alya, and music.”

“Hey, that’s only half my thoughts. The other fourth is food and then, deep down, there’s a brain.” Carapace thought for a moment before adding, “Don’t tell Alya. She’ll tell my mom and they’ll both make me try harder in school and that’ll seriously cut into my Dj-time.”

Ladybug opened her mouth to say something before shaking her head, "We'll get back to your grades later. Right now, we are going to do something I've been wanting to do for years.”

Cat Noir grinned before holding out his fist, “Get back at Lila?”

With a fist-bump and a nod, Ladybug nodded. “Get back at Lila.”

The fist-bump was a really good sign, it brought a strange sense of relief for Robin. Seeing Ladybug turn around with a spark in her eyes and Cat Noir do the same made him realize why the people of Paris loved them so much. They were kids, which meant their hope was alive and pure. It showed and he wondered if he ever provided that for any of the citizens back home.

“Looks like she has a plan, father.”

“What gave it away? The screaming or the fist-bump?”

“Her face.”

It was so matter-of-fact. Batman didn't outwardly react to the comment but his nod was enough. The two waited patiently for the others to come over. He watched as his son, ever the control freak and drill sergeant, take orders from this girl without hesitation. He also watched as the other heroes asked for his input and suggestions before execution. It was strange.

"Father, we can handle the setup. Can you go check on Rena and Superboy? They can help you investigate and keep an eye on the groups.”

They didn’t need him here. “I’ll need Rena’s input as well. Out of your group, she was the closest to Lila. She’d be able to give me an idea of how that girl operates.”

Cat Noir pouted, "But I wanted to be Batman's sidekick some more."

Robin nearly gagged, “Be my guest, but I’ll tell you now it gets old quickly.”

“Maybe you’re just bad at it.”

“Maybe you’re just bored.”

“Guilty as charged. I need mischief! Chaos!”

“That’s Plagg talking, isn’t it?”

His ears flattened against his head and he rubbed the back of his neck, "Yeah. Now, can we please get going before he gets any more ideas?" The other three laughed at Cat Noir's expense and Ladybug scratched his head as a weak apology. Cat Noir soon recovered before smiling at Robin, "Guess you're the next best thing. Want to go find that projector?” Robin glared, but there was no real malice as he motioned for Cat Noir to follow him.

"That leaves us to check on the sound system and get additional speakers." Carapace grinned and moved his hand up to tilt his cap. When he realized it wasn't there he just chuckled before nodding. Ladybug gave a hearty salute as she ran off with Carapace on her heels, "Good luck!" She grabbed onto him before hooking her yo-yo to one of the railings on the higher decks and launched them up.

For a moment, he wondered if they were playing a game. The change in attitude and switch to optimism was as jarring as it was familiar. It wasn’t until a certain teammate came to mind that he realized why he wasn’t in shock. Knowing that his son was best friends with his teammate’s son also explained why Robin wasn’t as jarred in this situation either. Suddenly a lot of lines connected and he felt tired. He mumbled to himself as he left to find Superboy and Rena Rouge. “Alfred will have a field day with this.”

*******************************************************************************************

Thank you for being patient and enjoying the lastest chapter of Seabourne Burnouts!

Tag List (Bitch I have a tag list whAT!?!?!): @maribat-archive @ozmav @thornangelic727@imfreakingmagical@constancetruggle @chloe-bourgeois-is-big-gay@someone-ev   @zazzlejazzle @tinybrie @mewwitch @rhub4rb@saphiraazure2708 @never-neverland @unholykrow @slytherinhquinn @literallytryingmybestbutok @redscarlet95 @grimmhallow31 @fandomkitten9653 @myriad-of-passionate-pettiness @fanboy7794 @mystifiedgal @shizukiryuu @ vixen-uchiha @resignedcatservant @mystery-5-5 @miraculousl4dybug @blackcanary13 @origamieater @moonlitarchangels @mochinek0 @imfreakingmagical @you-will-never-know-how-i-think @derpingrainbow @unabashedbookworm @skyel0ve @northernbluetongue @cadencehood @sizzling-fairy-oil @crazylittlemunchkin @saphiraazure2708 @mysteriouslyswimmingfan-blo-blog @ginamarie1512 @kae690 @ivette0712 @zalladane @ellerahs @auradonfairy @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @scribblinggraveyard @nyctamaximoff @snow-swordswoman @maude-zarella @thebookwormfairy @melicmusicmagic @zalladane @ivette0712 @ginamarie1512  @bookreader20003 @silvergold-swirl @celestiacq @themcclan @amethyst-starr5 @tamoni112 @lunar-wolf-warrior @alexzandria-747 @nataladriana9 @moonlitarchangels @iglowinggemma28 @hunter-shyreen @mermaidofthelost @jessigurl-design @vgirl-10123 @lunar-wolf-warrior @casual-darkness @xxmadamjinxx @normal-piece-of-shit @tinyterror333 @romanoff-queen @schrodingers25 @alessialeone6997 @mindfulmagics @slytherin-heartthrob @da-tasuky @asianfrustration13 @eliza-bich @kuhakuanon @my-name-is-michell @theatreandcomicfreak @interobanginyourmom @starry-bi-sky @etheralentity @creator-josie @kurogaya913 @st0rmy-w1th1n @casual-darkness @vgirl-10123 @poshplumcot @thebookish3lf @queenmj10 @corabeth11 @goblinwhoships @ilovefluffbutsmutisalsogreat @violatiger8 @maribat-owns-my-ass @captainartsypants @deathofafangirl01 @maribat-owns-my-ass @nickristus-dreamer  @amayakans @notmycupoftea26 @animegirlweeb

“Ms-”

“How dare you put me through all that worry? What were you thinking?!”

“Ma’am-”

“The audacity of you two to order Tom to come back inside alone! There was an AKUMA ATTACK! And-”

“MADAM DUPAIN-CHENG!” The silence that followed Damian’s outburst was exactly what he wanted. True, he didn’t expect to use this tone with anyone other than Beast Boy and Jason but it seemed necessary. He cleared his throat and bowed a bit, “I’m sorry for putting you through a scare like that.”

Sabine blinked before crossing her arms, “You put Adrien in danger. He’s been a long-time friend of the family. Not only that, you took my daughter for the night.” She paused for a moment before looking to her husband, “Tom, honey, go get my mop.”

“NO! No! Dad, do NOT get mom’s mop!” Marinette rubbed her temples and groaned, “Mama, I told you he’s saved me from a few things now.”

“Only after he put you in dangerous situations!”

Marinette opened her mouth only to close it when no rebuttal came to mind. “Okay, but he’s a good person-”

“Honey, you’ve known him for a few days.”

“Mama-”

Damian raised his hand and stepped beside Marinette, “If I may, we were hunting at your daughter’s request. Truthfully, she has yet to even tell you why. Can you save the judgement until afterwards? You can kick me out afterwards if you’d like.” Damian motioned for Marinette to move freely and Marinette nodded.

Marinette quickly ran upstairs as the group calmly listened to her footsteps. Alya nudged Adrien after noticing him rubbing his neck. He shrugged and grabbed her arm for comfort as Marinette ran back into the room. While holding a bag close to her chest, she took a deep breath. She put the bag onto the counter and opened it. Coins glittered inside.

Tom hesitantly reached into the bag and held up a coin. He handed it to Sabine before weighing the bag in his hand. “Marinette, this bag is heavy. How much Tikki-”

“Enough to cover the debt. I’ve saving up by working for Chloe-”

“I thought you said you only started working for her to network.”

“I know what I said.  I lied.”

Sabine looked at Alya, “Did you-”

“No! She lied to us too. You really think I would’ve let her work for Chloe if I had a say?”

Tom put the bag down, “Where did you get this much Tikki?”

Marinette bit her lip before pulling out her Adventurer’s Card and handing it to her father. “Don’t be mad, please.”

“When did you-”

“Yesterday, after I left with Damian. We went to the guild to get him a card and I ended up getting one too.”

Sabine grabbed the card and looked it over, “Honey, this is a lot of news.”

“I know, but I wanted to do this on my own. I could never leave you guys knowing I could help.”

“Leave? Why would you leave?”

Marinette walked over to Alya and Nino, “I want to be like them. I want to explore and have adventures. I want to be able to support myself and you guys. I didn’t think I could for a long time but-” Marinette squeezed Alya’s arm and did her best to keep her voice from shaking, “I want to try. Please. I want to go with them. I want to see new places, new people, and create things along the way. I want to grow.”

Alya placed a hand over her friend’s and smiled, “Marinette doesn’t have a lot of skills yet but we can train her. Keep her safe. I want to see her succeed too.”

“We both do.” Nino chimed in and grinned, “Plus she showed a lot of bravery yesterday with those toads-“

“YOU WERE HUNTING THE TOADS?”

Damian smacked Nino’s head, “Big mouth.”

“Why on earth did you go hunting toads? They could’ve killed you!”

“Well, I wasn’t alone. Damian-”

“Damian?” Sabine brought her attention back to the young man and glared, “Why does it always come back to you?”

“Mrs. Dupain-Cheng!” Sabine turned her head to Adrien, “He’s a good kid. If Marinette didn’t want to do this, she wouldn’t be talking to you right now.” Adrien put a hand on Marinette’s shoulder, “When she talks about Alya’s adventures, she has this look in her eye that you only see when she’s sewing. It’s something you can tell she’s really passionate about!” He looked over at Alya and Nino, “I think we’re just used to seeing Marinette here, it wasn’t really possible for to think of her outside of this place.” He glanced over to Damian before asking, “You didn’t have that problem, did you?”

Damian shrugged, “I just listened to her. It’s as you said before, she’s passionate about it. Even if doesn’t say it, you can see it.” He leaned against one of the tables in the bakery, “To answer your question, she picked out the toads. I was there the whole time. I wasn’t going to allow anything to happen to her.”

Sabine bit her lip and looked over Marinette, “Marinette, you didn’t have to-”

“I wanted to. I didn’t want to work for Chloe, but I wanted to help.”

Tom handed her back her card and hugged her, “When did you get so big?”

Marinette’s eyes watered as she shrugged, “Does this mean I can go? I’ll send you guys some of my earnings and-”

“Honey, you don’t have to worry about a thing.”

“She does though.” Sabine looked outside the window and frowned, “The Akuma. There’s no way. It’s not safe.”

“But Mama-”

“Not here.” Sabine sighed and looked over her friend group, “If you guys are going to leave, you should hurry before the Akuma strikes. I can help pack some things.”

“Y-You’re letting me go?”

Sabine smiled and nodded. She looked to Alya and Nino, “She never leaves your sight.”

“Of course.”

“You got it, dude.”  

Damian felt a large hand engulf his shoulder and he looked up, “Yes, sir?”

“Why are you here son? You left and ran after the Akuma. What are your intentions?”

Damian opened his mouth to answer before noticing the look Alya was sending him. He quickly thought of another reason, “I’ve been in fights before. My father ensures all his wards go through very… specific training. I knew I could help.”

“But what are your intentions?”

“To get back to my family. Last time I saw them, they were in trouble. I was told to become an adventurer, so I came here.”

Tom narrowed his eyes and examined Damian from head to toe. Damian did his best to stay stoic and looked to Adrien. Adrien tugged at his collar and stepped forward, “Sir, I can vogue for his good character.” Adrien walked over and grabbed Damian’s arm, tugging him closer and smiling. “I trust him.”

Nino came up behind the two and swung his arms over their shoulders, “Any friend of Adrien’s is good in my book.”

Both girls chimed in, “Except Chloe!”

Nino nodded and snapped his fingers in their direction, “Noted exception, dudes.”

Marinette turned back to her mom, “Mom, we have one last thing to do in the city. I promise we’ll head out once we’re done.”

“Honey, the Akuma-”

“Will be handled by Cat Noir.”

This caught both parents’ attention, “Cat Noir is back? Since when?”

“Don’t know but he just showed up to the Akuma attack with Damian.” Damian and Adrien both slowly turned their heads to Nino. Adrien’s eyes widen as he tilted his head, “What?”

“You really don’t have a filter do you, Nino?”

“What do you mean?”

Damian rolled his eyes before shoving Nino away, “Like I said, I’m much more adept to fighting all kinds of enemies. My upbringing ensured I’d be able to hold my own in any situation.” His resolve left no room for doubt. He meant every word.

Sabine hummed before whispering to Marinette. Marinette’s eyes widened before quietly scolding her mother, “Mama!” Sabine shrugged and giggled while walking behind the counter.

“I’m just saying, sweetie-“

Marinette flailed before making an ‘X’ with her arms and shaking her head, “No! Nope! We are not entertaining that!”

Alya pushed herself in between the two, “I’ll entertain it. What are we entertaining?”

“You are not repeating that.”

Sabine put her hand over her chest, “Marinette Dupain-Cheng, just who do you think you are talking to?” Marinette wilted and Sabine whispered to Alya. Alya snorted and nodded in agreement. Marinette groaned and knocked her head against the counter with a small ‘ow’.

Adrien looked to Damian, “By the way, what exactly did you bring on your adventure?”

“I can go get his things.” Marinette ran upstairs and brought down a bag, “Everything’s folded inside.”

“Thank you.” Damian rummaged through the bag, “Other than my weapons, it seems I only brought my uniform and – Oh.”

“What?” His fingers rubbed against a smooth surface. He debated taking it out before looking at the group. Alya shrugged, “C’mon. You can show us.” Damian thought for a moment before deciding against it and pulling out something else. “Another projectile?”

“It’s called a batarang. My father created these. They’re able to be thrown and then explode remotely.”

“Explode?! You never said they could explode! I held one of those things!”

“Relax. It wouldn’t have exploded just by being held.” Damian put the batarang back into his bag and closed it. “Thank you, Marinette.”

“You’re welcome.” Marinette’s eyes flickered to the bag for a moment, but quickly went back to Damian’s face. She pointed at him and Adrien, “We still have something to discuss.”

“Yeah.”

“I know.”

“WOAH! Woah! Since when do you discuss anything with Adrien Agreste?” Alya tugged on Marinette’s pony tail, “You’re holding out on me.”

Marinette winced before she looked to both boys pleadingly. They knew what she was asking, but Damian could feel a pinch by his shoulder. He shook his head and Marinette sighed before turning to her best friend. She grabbed a tug of Alya’s hair a tugged, “We’re discussing the new wardrobe I owe them after you guys drank too much wine at Chloe’s dinner!”

Alya flinched before she tugged on Marinette’s hair. Her tone was as embarrassed as she was offended, “I did not drink that much!”

“Yes, you did!” Marinette tugged as she emphasized the last word. Both girls narrowed their eyes at each other before bickering and pulling at each other’s hair intermittently.

Nino groaned and rolled his eyes, “C’mon Adrien. Before they get heated.”

“This isn’t heated?”

Damian patted Adrien’s back, “This is playful. Heated may result in them pulling each other’s hair out.”

“You just met them. How would you know?”

“I have Jonathan and siblings. All of whom I would not hesitate to murder over a scuffed shoe, let alone hair pulling.” Adrien was going to open his mouth to say something before deciding against it. He simply followed Nino’s lead to the girls. Damian grabbed his bag before noticing Marinette’s father staring at him. Damian looked to Tom and bowed, “I’m sorry.”

“For?”

“Causing chaos. I realize my presence has only caused you and your family trouble. I didn’t mean for this to happen.”

Tom paused for a moment before motioning Damian to stand up straight. He led Damian out of the room and into the hallway. The muffled bickering faded into the lasting tension as Damian waited for the man to speak. Tom leaned against the stair’s railing and pinched his nose, “That is probably the most worked up I’ve seen that girl in a long time.”

Damian set the bag down on the floor and did his best to come off earnest, “I apologize.”

“Don’t.” Tom chuckled and shook his head, “It’s relieving, to be honest.” Damian’s confused expression made Tom smile, “You didn’t know Marinette before a few days ago. Growing up, that is how she always acted. Kind, energetic, passionate, everything you’ve seen thus far.” Tom sighed as he looked in the direction of his daughter’s voice, “I haven’t seen that in months. Her mother and I have been worried we’d never see that girl again. She wasn’t designing, she wasn’t drawing, she barely had any energy. She just worked and slept. We would give her breaks at the bakery so she could take walks, maybe get some inspiration, but nothing has really brought her back to us.” Tom pointed at Damian, “Nothing until you.”

Damian’s eye brows shot up and Tom shrugged. Tom rubbed his neck nervously, “I’m really scared about what might happen to her out there. She’s never really left the city, but I can’t hold her back. Not when she’s this set on it.” Tom shrugged, “I don’t know why you’re here. Quite frankly, you being around Marinette scares me. But I also know you’d keep her safe if I asked, so this is me asking.” Tom put his hand on Damian’s shoulder and sincerely asked, “Will you stay with her and keep her safe?”

Part of Damian wanted to say no, it’d be a stupid promise to make. One he knew he couldn’t keep. This world and its threats are foreign to him. Besides, he couldn’t even keep himself alive. Damian kept his face as neutral as possible and his tone flat. “I’ll do what I can but I believe Alya and Nino have that covered.”

Tom hummed before smoothing out his mustache, “If you survive your journey, I suppose I could teach you some baking tips. They were passed down by the greats!”

Damian scrunched up his nose before shaking his head, “I don’t think that’s necessary.”

“No! No! I insist! In fact, if you won’t be leaving right away, we could teach you something now!”

“Sir, I really don’t-”

“How do you expect to satisfy my daughter with no baking skills? She comes from a house of bakers!”

Damian nearly choked, “Excuse me? Satisfy?” He could hear Tikki snickering under his mantle. His mother and father’s apathetic nature proved to be a blessing. It’s the only thing that was keeping him from turning completely red.

“Of course. I mean, I know you’d be able to support her. Clearly you make enough Tikki by adventuring, although I don’t appreciate the idea of her being put in harm’s way. Still-”

Damian cringed and held up his hand, “I think you have the wrong idea about your daughter and I’s relationship. She’s helping me out and I appreciate it. Nothing more.” Tom raised a brow and Damian closed his eyes as he pushed through the next question, “What?”

Tom thought for a moment before choosing his words carefully, “How do I put this? She doesn’t just look at, talk to, or pay attention to anyone the same way she does to you. It’s especially odd considering the short time you’ve known each other.”

Damian was confused by the response, “Marinette seems like the open type, I didn’t think it was out of her character.”

“The fact that you know that is telling, you must realize that.” Damian was taken aback by the answer but a door swung open and the girl in question barged through.

“Papa! What are you doing to him?”

Tom didn’t miss a beat. He grabbed Damian’s shoulder and pulled him in, “Just telling him about the great bakers in our family. I’m going to teach him some-”

“Oh no you will not! You try that with everyone I bring home!”

“And yet, you always come back to this house hungry.”

“Because I live here!”

“Mhm, likely story sweetheart. You know no one else’s cooking compares to mine or your mother’s.”

Marinette opened her mouth before blushing and turning away, “Mom’s wondering where you are.”

Tom chuckled and nudged Damian. He leaned in and whispered, “Ask her about her designs. Cheers her up every time.” Tom winked before moving past Marinette and leaving the hall.

Marinette sounded exasperated as she leaned against the wall, “What did he say to you?”

Damian felt the same of exhaustion hit him and he took Marinette’s lead. He rubbed his temples and leaned against the same wall, “Nothing of interest.” Nothing he could tell her without her being mortified.

“Why don’t I believe that?”

“Because you know your father best.”

“Do I want to know?”

“My guess? No, not really.” She groaned and slid down the wall. When she didn’t get up right away Damian rolled his eyes and took a seat on the floor.

Marinette looked at the bag that was cast aside and pointed at it, “What’s in the bag?”

“What do you mean?”

“You changed after touching something in the bag. I know you took out the weapon but… I don’t think you’re the type to stutter over a weapon.”

Damian’s expression was subtle, but Marinette realized she struck something. She waited patiently for him to finally grab his bag and pull out the object in question. “What’s that?”

“My phone. I didn’t realize I had it on me.” He placed his finger over the bottom of the device and the screen lit up. Marinette’s eyes widened and she crawled over. She scooted to his side as he showed her the screen.

“Who are those people?”

“That’s my team. Hold on.” Damian hit a few buttons and a bunch of pictures popped up. He tapped on one and turned the phone sideways. The picture filled the screen and he zoomed in a bit, “This is my family.”

“Incredible. I love their clothes.”

“Of course that’s what you comment on first. Not the fact that there’s this little rectangle showing light up photographs.” He turned his head to make another comment but realized just how close she actually was. Her eyes were fixated on the screen, darting around and taking in all the little details. Damian didn’t turn away, instead he turned his phone back and swiped to the next photo. He watched her smile grow, astonished at the technology.

Marinette cautiously reached out and swiped to the next picture. By the little changes on her face, Damian could tell she didn’t expect it to work for her. Something so normal to him left her in awe. It was almost fascinating. She turned her head, her big blue eyes focused on him. The smile softly fell as she asked, “You’re not from here, are you?”

Damian turned off his phone and put it back in the bag, “No.”

“Will you tell me more about it?”

Damian was going to answer before Tikki nudged him. This wasn’t the time. “We need to take care of the Akuma first.”

“I know, but how are we supposed to separate ourselves from Alya and Nino?”

“You’ve known them longer. You should have that answer.”

“Not after that whole talk!” She leaned her head back against the wall and sighed.

Tikki flew out from under the mantle and motioned towards the girl. Damian narrowed his eyes and shook his head. This clearly wasn’t the answer the Kwami was looking for because Tikki glared at him before motioning more aggressively. Damian hung his head and begrudgingly saying, “Show me your designs, Marinette.”

“Huh? Oh, hi Tikki.” Tikki smiled at the girl and waved.

He repeated himself, “I said go show me your designs. You always talk about them. Go show me them.” Damian turned his head slightly and looked up at her.

She sounded surprised, “My designs? But why?”

“You always talk about them. Besides, don’t you need to design a traveling outfit or something?”

Marinette’s eyes widened before she bolted up, “I know how we’re getting rid of Alya!” She held her hand out to Damian and pulled him up with more ease than he was expecting. Tikki took her place at Damian’s shoulder and held onto the fabric. She grabbed his arm and pulled him up the stairs and through a living area before finally into a loft. By the feminine décor he figured it was her room. She scavenged around her room before smiling, “Perfect!”

“What’s perfect?” She pulled out a notebook and flipped through the pages. Damian looked at Tikki before walking up behind Marinette. Peering over her shoulder he frowned, “Your designs?”

“Yes, I’m looking for – Aha!” She held up a design that was simple. Pink pants. A shirt with a floral pattern. A blazer or jacket. Not to mention a bag that matched.

“This is what you want to wear on the journey?”

“I figure it’s simple, not going to draw a lot of attention, and I can move freely in it!” She ripped out a blank piece of paper and looked around for something to write with.

“I suppose but how will this get rid of Alya.”

She smiled and grabbed a pen before starting a list, “I’ll need supplies to make the outfit and since she is my very best friend and only girlfriend I trust with this sacred task, she’ll spend a lot of time in the market. She’ll probably drag Nino along-”

“Giving us ample time to test the new powers. Smart.”

“Thank you.” She finished the list and smiled, “Mom and Dad will probably leave me be if they know I’m with you and Adrien. We’ll just have to find a place to practice.”

“I’m sure I can help with that.” The two turned to see Adrien sticking his head up the trapdoor and grinning, “Your parents wanted to know where you went.” He walked further into the room and looked around, “So this is your room? It’s very you, Marinette. I like it.” Adrien winked at the girl before continuing to scan the area, completely missing the deep red hue creeping up Marinette’s neck.

Damian rolled his eyes and nudged her, “Alya.”

“R-Right! Right! Uh, I need to get this Alya to list! I mean- This list to Alya!” She laughed nervously before stumbling out of her own room.

Damian rolled his eyes before looking at Adrien, “So where are we going?”

“There’s an opening outside of town with an old abandoned manor. I practice my cataclysm there.”

Damian remembered last night’s fight and nodded, “Your power, right?”

Adrien frowned, “I’m sorry-”

“If you want to prove yourself then help Marinette. We’re going to need to figure out how to defeat an Akuma in less than 24 hours.”

“That’s unheard of.”

“But not impossible.” Damian thought back to his family and all the fights they’ve endured. For a bunch of humans with no powers, they’ve done the impossible before. This should be easy. He grabbed a small paper weight and threw it at Adrien, “Let’s see what you got, cat.” The blond caught it without much thought before smiling. This was going to be informative if not entertaining. “Now, tell me what you know about past Akumas.”

*******************************************************************************************

Marinette’s life was great, almost perfect. Her parents loved her unconditionally. Her friends were as loyal as they came. She was creative and kind and tried her very best. The past few weeks had been blissful. Her own personal heaven. So why she so frustrated?

Her party went off without a hitch. She hoped seeing all her friends together would rid the restlessness festering inside, but it brought no such luck. Marinette pushed herself to enjoy the festivities she spent the week planning, but her joy was superficial.

In the back of her mind sat blurred images of places she’d never been and people she’d never known. The faces distorted and hazy within the fog stuck in her brain so much that she began investigating with Alya’s help. Adrien’s schedule was taken down and was instead replaced with a map of vague clues and pictures of the dreams. Alya provided more moral support than actual information, reassuring her that her dreams may just be more intense and interactive. Marinette’s gut told her otherwise, though she wouldn’t say.

Her friends and family murmured behind her back at the peak of her investigation, wondering if she was okay. Saying that she’s changed, different even. Roadblocks surrounded her in the forms of whispers and dead ends, only frustrating her further. She didn’t have enough energy to push through or argue with the facts laid in front of her. The dreams may very well be just that; dreams despite how vivid they were.

She found herself rubbing her eyes often, her vision blurred read through books and webpages. It made her wonder if she needed glasses. Still all she came up with within the first two weeks was that she was on some kind of cruise ship and the monuments she saw were in Spain. The people were still out of reach. Adrien convinced her to take a break on the third week and focus on something else.

The balloons and blasting were that ‘something else’ but only proved to be a weak distraction. Still, her energy had been higher than it was in recent days and the more distance she put between herself and the investigation the lighter she felt.

Alya came to Marinette’s side before she looked around, “It came out great.”

“I’m so sorry I couldn’t help more-”

“Your mom said you weren’t feeling well again. We weren’t going to make you work while sick.” Alya waved her hand dismissively, “It’s all good.” She looked over Marinette one last time before snapping her fingers, “Oh! I almost forgot!” She led Marinette back to her purse and pulled out a little box. “Here, to wear today.”

Marinette opened the gift to reveal a lovely pair of earrings, “Oh, Alya. I can’t accept this!”

“You have to! They’ll look great with what you’re wearing right now.”

“But I can’t just replace my earrings.”

Alya scrunched up her nose and moved Marinette’s hair out of her way, “But you don’t wear any earrings.” Marinette registered the sensation of Alya rubbing her thumb over her empty earlobe, it made her confused. “You sure you feeling okay?”

Marinette pulled away from Alya’s reach and nodded, “Sorry. It must’ve been a dream thing. I’ll wear them.” Alya didn’t seem entirely convinced but still smiled as Marinette put on the new jewelry. “Look good?”

“Obviously! Now let’s take pictures!”

“How many pictures are you hoping to take?”

“Enough to fill my memory card.”

Marinette rolled her eyes and let herself be lead towards the bigger group. Everything went as expected; Chloe nitpicked little details, Adrien and Luka set up equipment for Kitty Section, Nino kept Alya occupied with photos and blogging, and Kagami was the glue that held any sense of order. Marinette couldn’t have asked for better friends, but a part of her was still upset with herself. She still wasn’t entirely happy; in fact she was lonely. Someone was missing and she couldn’t figure out who. It was a feeling she hasn’t been able to shake for weeks.

Rose took hold of Marinette’s arm and pulled it back, “Marinette!”

“Hey, Rose. What’s-”

“Look!” Rose pointed across the park and a small butterfly came into view. Its patterns were strange and Marinette instinctively shielded the blonde behind her. “What-”

“Get behind me!”

“Why? Do you realize how rare that butterfly is?”

“Huh?” Rose pushed past her and ran over to the insect.

A few others followed suit and awed at its colors. Markov analyzed it before enthusiastically spewing data, “It seems to be a Hypolimnas bolina, otherwise known a Great Eggfly. Incredible! They are normally found in southern Asia and Australia!”

“Oh hey, we learned about this in one of our science classes, didn’t we?” Alix stuck her finger out and Marinette flinched as the insect landed on it. She felt confused as to why she was so tense around it, it confused her more when she stepped away when Kim waved her over. It was tunnel vision, her eyes were trained on the butterfly as it fluttered around her friends. She felt her heart rate increase as shadows crept up the corners of her sight. Marinette struggled to catch her breath as visions of violence and terror flashed before her eyes.

She grabbed for her purse and looked into it, but she doubted her compact or wallet would help her. Marinette looked around for backup she didn’t have before turning back the group empty-handed and alone. Her friends seemed fine, amazed even, but she couldn’t shake this sense of danger.

“Marinette?” Her scream cut through the music as she jumped out of her skin. Adrien quickly grabbed her hand as she flailed. Adrien sent her a small smile before pulling her back onto her feet, “Marinette, you okay?”

“Oh! Oh. Me? Yeah! I’m fine.” A forced laugh escaped her, only putting her more on edge for an entirely new reason. “Did you need something, Adrien?” He pointed up at the speakers and she realized what brought him to her side. Their song was playing and other couples were swaying with the music. Adrien just held out his hand and shrugged, “Oh.”

“Wanna dance?” Marinette hesitated for a moment. She looked around for some kind of reassurance and approval. Adrien did the same and asked, “Is there something you’re looking for?”

“Huh? N-No. I don’t even know why I did that.”

“The party isn’t going to fall apart if you have one dance.” Adrien did his best to look reassuring and Marinette forced herself to relax with little success. Marinette took his hand and let herself be pulled in close. She couldn’t help but think that she should be happy, ecstatic even.  He held her close and kept a steady grip on her waist as they swayed to the melody, but she felt unengaged. Uncomfortable. She tensed in his hold, but Adrien didn’t seem to notice as they continued to dance.

“Marinette?”

“Yeah?”

“You’ve stepped on my feet twice now.”

“Oh my god!”

She reeled back and Adrien chuckled, “It’s okay! Are you feeling well? Normally you’re a great dancer.” Adrien guided her hands back around his neck and continued to guide her through the motions.

“Your hands are freezing.”

“Sorry.”

“It’s okay.”

“So what’s wrong?”

The sigh that she released carried more weight than either expected, “Oh, I don’t know anymore.”

“Is it the dreams?”

“Who let you-”

“Alya.” Marinette rolled her eyes and Adrien continued to sway with her through the crowd, “You know I worry about you, right?”

“You worry about me?”

“Of course I do.” Marinette smiled at the honesty but when she pulled him into a hug, the warmth she was looking for was absent. Marinette pulled away and looked around, “Everything okay?”

“I just-”

“Adrien! Dude!” The two looked over and Nino waved around a black hat, “C’mere!”

Adrien rolled his eyes, “Want to go see what he’s doing?”

“Always.” The two moved through the crowd and the scene only became weirder. Many of the boys were wearing different colored hats with a table full of cheap wigs and costume jewelry behind them. “What did you-”

“It’s for the pictures! I picked up some props!” He placed the hat on his head and grinned, “Classy, right?” He tipped his own green hat to Adrien, “M’Dude.”

Adrien grinned before tipping his hat back and bowing greatly, “M’Dude.” He turned to Marinette and gave her the same show, “M’Lady.” Nino and Adrien were beside themselves as they continued to practice different greetings with each other. Neither noticed the color leave Marinette’s face.

“What was that?”

Adrien looked back at her confused, “What do you mean?”

“The bowing and the-”

“Oh! Just messing around. Why?” Adrien leaned in a bit and teased her, “Did you like it?”

Marinette shook her head and pushed his nose away with her finger. “Don’t flatter your…” Her words died in her mouth when she noticed Adrien’s confused expression. “… self.”

He rubbed his nose and shrugged, “Whatever you say.” He winked before being waved down by Ivan and Nathaniel, “I’ll be looking forward to another dance though. See ya.”

“Right. See ya.” Her voice was timid as she waved goodbye. She looked at her finger and frowned, “What was that?”

“Marinette!” Alya grabbed her arm, completely derailing that train of thought before spinning her around. “You danced with Adrien!”

“Huh?” Alya began pushing her closer to the carousel where some of the other girls were waiting. “Wait a second!”

“No! No! You have to give us all the details!” Alya giggled as she dragged Marinette to the middle of their group of friends, “Oh girls!”

“Weren’t you looking at butterflies?!”

“Markov is making sure it didn’t escape an enclosure or something since it’s not from Europe, so we have time.”

“Yeah Marinette, you got really comfortable talking with him that time!”

“He’s a lot more transparent than you think. He’ll ask you out soon enough.”

“Kagami!”

“What? Was that too blunt?”

“Yes!” Kagami shrugged and scooted over, giving Marinette room to sit. “It’s not like that at all.”

“Oh yes it is. Stop doubting his feelings for you!”

Marinette groaned and Alya scrunched up her nose, “You’re not doubting his feelings for you. You doubt your feelings for him.” Marinette’s head shot up while the rest of the girls all gasped, “I’m right, aren’t I?”

“No!”

“Yes I am.”

“Alya-”

“What’d he do? Do we need to kick his butt?”

“What? No! Nothing like that!”

“Then what is it?” The group honed their attention in on her as she wilted under her own uncertainty.

“I don’t know.”

Alya frowned, “It’s the dreams, right? Marinette, those are just dreams!”

“It’s not that!”

“Then what is it?”

“Someone’s just missing and I can’t figure out who!”

Rose looked around and hummed, “It looks like everyone is here though.”

“Well, everyone but Lila.”

“Is she sick again?”

“Possibly.”

“So who else?”

Marinette blew her bangs out of her face, “I have no clue, but…” Marinette frowned and looked around, “I miss him.”

“HIM? What do you mean him?”

The girls all leaned in to listen to Marinette’s response only for her to curl into herself. She laid her head against her knees and shook her head, “I don’t know. I don’t even know his name.”

“So you’ve met once upon a dream? How romantic!”

“Did you just make a princess reference?”

“Is that weird?”

“For you, Rose? Not in the slightest.”

Marinette snorted and looked up, “I don’t even remember his name.”

“What’s he look like?”

Marinette laid her cheek back onto her knee as thought. She mumbled, “I think he has green eyes.”

“I’m seeing a pattern already.” Giggles spread through the group and Marinette shook her head.

“Whenever I think about him I think of him in dark clothing.”

“Oh, that’s new. Bad boy?”

“No, no, I don’t think he is. He seems a little lonely sometimes, but – I don’t know.”

“What?”

Marinette looked up at her friends and shrugged, “It was really easy to be around him. He was someone I trusted with my life, I just know it. Whenever he comes up in my dreams, I feel alright.” Her shoulders fell and she groaned, “And he’s in my head.”

“I mean can’t you just draw him and work with that?”

“If I could remember his face that well I might be able to find him.”

“Are we sure he’s real?”

“Hey Alya!” The girls looked up and noticed Nino waving Alya over, “Alya!” Alya looked back at Marinette and she simply shooed her away. Alya shrugged and ran over to the boy while the rest of the group kept their attention trained on Marinette.

Alix pats the girl’s thigh and shrugs, “So now what? I thought you were giving up on the dreams.”

“I should.”

“You’re too stubborn.”

“I know.”

“Well, it’s gotten her this far. That hard head of hers is probably the reason she doesn’t have a concussion yet.”

“Alix!”

“Why are you mad? I’m right!” Marinette playfully pushed Alix off her side and another fit of giggles consumed the group. Logic told her that it was okay, she could let go of the images and of the search. It’d be so easy and her life would be so carefree. Things could be good. Great even.

However, the sound of glass shattering nearby reminded her that she was not so lucky. It resonated in her ears and for a moment all she could hear was ringing. She stared at the pitcher and, for a moment, she left the park. Wind hitting against her face gave her goosebumps as she looked around. There were people she recognized and people she couldn’t quite make out. Alya’s face is what made her turn around initially. As she turned her head she met with the eyes of a boy standing beside her.

His face came into as the environment around her faded away. She found herself in a staring match with the boy who threw the pitcher. He was calling out but his voice never reached her. She was in a vacuum and completely out of breath. It wasn’t until Kagami grabbed her arm that the rest of her sense caught up to her.

“MOVE!”

“Wha-”

The boy took in another deep breath, “Marinette!” Marinette felt like she was being choked. Her heart was crying out to him, begging him to stop. He growled and lunged forward, “Marinet-“ He grunted as Kim tackled him to the ground, “What the- Kim? Get off!”

Kim’s expression faltered for a moment as the boy called out his name, but he soon went back to restraining him. “Dude, what the heck are you doing? You could’ve hurt somebody!”

“Kim, get off of me!” He struggled a bit before muttering something to himself and shaking his head. “Kim, I’m giving you three seconds! Three!”

“How do you even know my name?” Kim grunted as the boy bucked in his grip, “Hey!”

“Two!”

“Luka, Adrien, help me out here!” The boy suddenly stopped and Kim couldn’t help but frown, “H-Hey! Are you-”

“One!” In a flash, Kim was sliding on his back straight into a nearby table. The boy looked up with a crazed gleam, all focused on her. He took a running start and he was heading straight to her group, straight to her. Marinette didn’t know what to think, but she found herself frozen in place as the girls around her screamed. “Marinette!” He grunted as three more people rammed into him and held him down, “Get off! Adrien! Luka! Kim!” He struggled a bit more before yelling out in frustration when he didn’t make any headway.

Kagami pulled Marinette back and grabbed the nearest stick. “Stand behind me.”

“Wait-”

“Marinette, stand behind me.”

“I said wait!” She pushed past her and ran over to the bundle of boys. “Stop!” She threw herself onto Adrien’s back and pulled, “Get off!”

“What? Marinette?”

“Adrien, get off!” He looked back ready to warn her but the desperation was something new and terrifying. He felt his arms go limp and she pushed him away.

“But Marinette-”

“Luka, Kim, get off of him!”

“What?”

“Marinette, he threw glass at you.”

“I SAID GET OFF!” She’s never yelled at them like that. It made everyone around her freeze and the boy used the opportunity to shake out of their grip. He rolled forward and out of reach before turning around. His panting caught her off guard as he regained a bit of his composure. He kept his eyes trained on her and she gulped. She didn’t even notice her hands reaching out to him until Adrien pulled them back.

“Marinette-”

“What? No-” Adrien pulled her back and she found herself struggling to fight back, “Adrien!”

“Hey! Wait a second!”

Kim stood between the two and held out his hand, “Hey!”

“Marinette!”

“Adrien! No!” She felt like she was pushing against weight as she kicked and bucked his grip. “Let me go!”

“Put her down!”

Kagami ran over to Kim’s side and held her stick to his throat, “Step back.”

The boy pondered his next move with a strained look on his face, “Kim, Kagami, please-”

“How do you know our names?”

Adrien’s voice sounded shrill over Kagami’s shoulder, “Marinette! Stop!” Kagami stumbled forward as Marinette pushed past her and stood between the three.

“Marinette!”

“Please.” She was so out of breath the plea came out as a whisper, “Please, give us a second.” She swayed a bit, her footing unsteady, but her determination was firm. “Please.” Kagami looked between the two and noticed how his eyes never left her. There was no malice or bad intent, it was different. Longing. Sad even.

Kagami lowered her weapon and stepped back, Kim soon following suit. Marinette turned back and cautiously stood in front of him. The two simply looked at each other, taking in each other’s features and clothing. Fog dissipated in her head as visions of him in a wooden den popped in her head. She remembered those dreams, they always made her calmer. There was always another person there, but that face was still hidden.

Her hand shook as she gathered the courage to touch him. His eyes never left hers as she brought her hands up to his cheek. The second her fingertip made contact with his skin her arm reeled back. She sucked air through her teeth and looked at her fingers. It was a warmth she nearly forgot existed. She bit her lip as she reached back up. She forced herself to press her hand against his cheek and both flinched at heat yet neither moved away.

She felt her eyes watering and she opened her mouth only for nothing to come out. Her other hand was brought up to his face and she smiled at the way she framed it. She pushed through the cottonmouth and blurted out, “Why do I get the feeling that I’ve done this before?”

A smile threatened to spread across his face as he shook his head, “You probably have.”

She pulled him close as she felt the weight of his arms around her body like a large blanket. She squeezed him and the breath she let out was shaky. The warmth threatened to melt her away completely, yet it brought only relief. She gripped onto his clothing for dear life and buried her face in his shoulder. His smell became a safe haven despite the urge to cry threatening to overtake her.

She sniffed and pulled back, wiping her nose on her sleeve as she looked up to him. Marinette bit her lip and awkwardly smoothed out the wrinkles in his shirt. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t worry about it.”

“No, this looks expensive-”

“Trust me.” He placed a hand over hers, “It’s fine.” Marinette brought her attention back to the wrinkles covering his otherwise pristine shirt before leaning her forehead against his chest. “Marinette?”

“Hm?”

“Look around.” She obeyed and it took her a moment before she realized why he asked her to do it. The empty park brought a stillness that she only ever saw in pictures. She completely turned around and scanned the area, but any trace of her friends disappeared.

“What?” She kept looking around and her voice became shrill, “Where did they go? What’s happening?”

“I’m not sure.”

“What do you mean you’re not sure?”

“Look, I’m just as confused as you are Marinette.”

“But-” He gently shushed her and pet her hair. Her laugh followed her confusion, “What am I? A cat or something?”

“It kept you from spazzing out, didn’t it?”

“I don’t ‘spazz out’! Who said I ‘spazz out’?”

“You’re doing it right now.”

“Well, my friends are gone and a boy I’ve never met before is making me feel things I didn’t think were possible so excuse me for ‘spazzing out’!” As soon as the words left her mouth she felt her skin burn up from her neck and she nearly tripped over herself as she scurried away from the boy. She flinched as she placed her hands over her cheeks, the heat coming off her skin a clear indication of the bright red hue most likely covering her face. “I just said that out loud.”

While his brow quirked, he seemed anything but confused. In fact, he seemed almost amused. “You did.”

“Is there any way you can pretend that I didn’t do that?”

“I mean in this place, I think anything is possible but I’d rather not.”

She opened her mouth to give a retort before catching onto his choice of words, “This place?”

He motioned to the world around her and nodded, “This place.”

“Paris?”

“Paris. Gotham. Switzerland if we want it to be.”

“I’m not following.”

He hummed as he walked around before looking towards the gates and frowning, “I can’t explain how I know how but this is all a fantasy.”

“A fantasy? What do you-”

“Have you been seeing things? Scenes play out in your head but they’re hazy. Almost buried. Like there’s a fog you can’t clear but you know that something’s there, so it’s hard.” Her expression must’ve been enough of an answer because he continued, “Do you ever find it hard to move? Like you’re trying to run underwater with lead legs?”

“Yes, but it’s only when I don’t take suggestions to take things easier-”

“Or when you try to do something that isn’t ‘easy’.” She nodded and he continued, “Have you ever felt numb and then all of a sudden someone is there like magic to cheer you up?”

“Kind of? I get overwhelmed a lot, but when that happens my friends or family are there to help. I only really get numb when it’s too much.” She wondered how she was able to be so open with this boy, but then again her classmates disappeared. What did she have to lose?

“Sure, but I mean they are insistent on helping and are there just as things get hard. Almost as though the universe is trying everything in its power to keep you from being upset so instead of helping it leaves you almost weary.” Part of her brain wanted to believe that’s just what friends are for but that gut feeling told her he was onto something.  

Marinette looked down at her feet and sighed, “So let’s say we are in a fantasy, why are we here? Why do I know you? Why do you know my name?”

“I remembered it. Do you remember mine?”

“No.”

She watched as any semblance of emotion was pushed deep down as he simply stated, “Damian.”

She panicked and ran back to his side, “B-But I remember other things!” She grabbed his hand and did her best to sound convincing, “I remember that room we always talked in! With the bar and that other guy and-”

“Wait! You remember Staller?”

“Is that his name?”

“Old man, right? Dark skin, no glasses but a gray beard.”

“Y-Yes?”

“Do you remember who the memorial is for?”

“The what?”

“The memorial! That’s the only piece I can’t figure out.”  Damian huffed and sat on a nearby bench, “I know that has something to do with this.”

She sat down next to him and squeezed his shoulder. He looked up at her and she smiled, “Let’s just start filling in the gaps. Start from the beginning.”

“Beginning of what? I don’t even know where that is.”

She looked around for a moment before grabbing a stick and drawing a long line. “Then let’s just talk about what we see and figure out a timeline. If this is a fantasy I doubt any pictures or call logs would be reliable so we’re just going to have to go based on our dreams.”

“Memories.” She looked back and he repeated himself adamantly, “They’re memories. I don’t think I would’ve remembered everyone’s names otherwise.” She recognized the fragility masked by his commanding voice and simply nodded before handing him a stick.

“You seem to remember more than I do. You start first.”

He nodded before taking the stick out of her hand and looking back at her, “Everything I’ve ever seen seemed to be on a ship. Safe to say that’s the start?”

“That’s our best guess.”

“Then that’s where we start.” He drew a small dash at the start with the word ‘Boarding’ on top. He thought for a moment before drawing another small dash next to it and writing “Unpacking” over top. “My family and I would’ve unpacked soon after boarding.”

“I think I left my room and explored after boarding.”

“Then we’ll put that underneath.” Underneath the dash he started writing, ‘D – Unpacked. M – Explored.’ He looked at it for a second before looking back at her, “Get another stick. Something tells me this is going to be a lot.”

She looked around before picking one up by a tree and extending the line to nearly halfway across the park. Their back and forth brought different memories to light. Their first meal together came after their first fight but before a grand ceremony. Damian remembered Marinette being thrown off a ship, but Marinette remembered being thrown into a pool. There was a dance together that happened before another big fight but after their first kiss. Both felt flustered from that point onward as they discussed more details of their relationship. They docked at some point, but they were not together at the time putting it before the kiss. There was another attack on the ship, but that was before the memorial.

The memorial taunted them at the very end of the line. Its empty description left them more frustrated than the blanks left scattered around the timeline. Marinette glared at it before looking back at the ‘Boarding’, “I met Staller while exploring.”

“Yes?”

“And you knew Staller before that?”

“It seems so.”

“So that room we always went to, was that his office?”

“I believe it was his den. What about it?”

“There was something in there that I always looked at.”

“Like what?”

“I don’t know. Just something.” She pointed at the end of the timeline, “It has to do with that.”  

He looked over to the blank description and frowned, “It can’t be for anyone we’ve met before so we have to use deduction.”

“Deduction?”

He nodded and looked around before jumping over the line and writing on the ground, “Deduction. We need to cross-reference people we know and figure out who we haven’t seen.”

Marinette took a step back before jumping over the timeline, careful not to mess up the words. She let out a high pitched squeal as she nearly toppled over. She closed her eyes to brace her face for impact, but instead felt herself being pulled to her feet. She peaked and saw Damian holding her arm, not even looking at her as he continued writing down names. She planted her feet securely on the ground and took back her arm, “Thanks.”

“Don’t mention it. Now start writing names of people you remember from the ship. We’ll cross out people we’ve met and whoever’s not crossed out is the person who died.”

“But how do you know we know their name? For all I know this is a fever dream and I’m in my bed!” The look he gave her could only be described as tired and close to defeat. She felt like she just kicked a dog and she looked to the ground, “Sorry, I just-”

“I’m not sure about any of this, to be honest. I’m just trying to figure it out. If this doesn’t work then we’ll have to keep trying.” He looked back to the ground and wrote down his brothers’ names. He sighed, “But I’m sure I know you. These scenes are memories and those memories tell the story of how we got here.” Marinette’s trepidation was clear on her face but his tone seemed so desperate. He half expected her to simply watch, instead she started writing a list of her own starting with her friends.

“Okay, we know my friends are okay. You remember them.”

“Do you remember my brothers?”

“Brothers?”

Damian reached into his pocket only to feel something poke him, “What the hell?”

“What?”

He reached back in and pulled out his phone, “Nothing. Here, that’s Jason, Dick, and Tim. My father is Bruce.” Damian handed her the phone and waited for her response. Marinette looked at the screen before looking up at Damian, “What?”

“Your father seems familiar.”

“From the memories?”

“No. Not like that. It’s – OH MY – HE’S BRUCE WAYNE!”

Damian flinched as he covered his ears, “Yes and take care not to shatter my eardrums.”

“No! You don’t understand! I remember why we were on the boat!” Damian uncovered his ear and Marinette zoomed in on his father, “Your father was holding a contest and my class won! We were on the ship as a reward!” She spun on her heel and ran to the very beginning of the line. She brought it backwards and made a new dash. “I wrote in. I won.”

“Why’d you write in? Was it just for the reward?”

“No! I – I –“ She paused and looked at the dash, “I don’t know.” She rubbed her temples and growled, “C’mon Marinette, think.” Damian continued writing down names and listened to Marinette mumble to herself.

“Forcing it isn’t going to help.”

“Hush, I’m thinking.” She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, “I remember speaking with someone before I sent it in.”

“About?”

She opened her eyes and her shoulders fell, “About taking a break.”

Damian stopped writing and tensed, “A break?”

“Yeah. I – I was so tired and I remember just wanting to quit something and –“ She looked over at the list of names before walking over to it. “Lila.”

Damian tensed, “Why do I hate that name?”

“Quick, do you remember seeing a girl with tan skin, blunt bangs, usually kept two pieces of hair in the front –”

Damian shook his head, “No.”

“Me either, but knowing her she would’ve never missed a chance to go on a trip like this.” She circled Lila’s name and frowned, “But she’s definitely not dead.”

“So how does she play into this?”

“I don’t know yet.” She tapped her stick twice before looking to Damian, “What do you remember before boarding?”

“Before?” Damian looked back to the timeline and stepped over the line and began writing, “I think I was in a similar position.”

“Meaning?”

He frowned and left the beginning of the timeline nameless, “Everyone kept telling me I was acting differently. I was just numb for a while. I wanted to quit.”

“Quit what?” He finished writing and Marinette looked over to try and decipher his description. “Robin?”

Damian furrowed his brows, “I needed a break too. I just needed to get away.”

Marinette looked at her list and pursed her lips, “Staller needed that too, didn’t he?”

“What do you mean?”

“Every time I remember him I can’t help but think of him as sad.” She underlined his name and frowned, “The memorial has to do with him, doesn’t it?”

Damian looked at the blank spaces and asked, “What did you want to quit Marinette?”

“Hm? I don’t know. Do you know if Staller lost anyone? A wife?”

“I don’t think it’s a wife.” Both looked at the information in front of them and groaned. “C’mon. We’re missing three key pieces of information here.”

“Wait, I know one is who the memorial is for. What’s the other two?”

“One, how Lila fits into all of this. Two, what you wanted to quit.”

“Why does that matter?”

“It might help us fill these gaps.”

Marinette blew her bangs out of her face and muttered to herself, “If we’re lucky.”

The red and black flashed back into his head, “Wait, what’d you just say?”

Marinette rolled her eyes and repeated herself, “If we’re lucky, it might help fill the gaps.”

“Luck! That’s right! I knew I was forgetting something!” Damian started furiously writing in some of the blank spaces while Marinette watched him.

“Well, do you want to clue me in?”

Despite the clouds covering the sun, a light went off in his head. “Ladybug.”

“What about ladybugs?”

“No! You were the superhero Ladybug!” He pulled out his phone and showed her some pictures from the earlier profile, “You fought against Hawkmoth with Cat Noir and –“

“Wait! Cat Noir? You know about Cat Noir?”

Damian looked at her confused, “Yes? He fought alongside you.”

“What are you talking about? Cat Noir is someone I saw in my dreams.”

“He’s real and you fought alongside him.”

She shook her head and pushed his phone away, “Now I know you’re crazy. I’m not a hero.”

“You wanted to quit being Ladybug, that’s why you went on the trip! I remember now, you wrote in for a vacation.”

“Damian, you’re not making any sense –”

“It does! Look, this is when we got off our first stop in Spain and I remember there being a fight. Then here! Here’s when someone on the ship was Akumatized. Then –”

The distant sound of glass cracking brought a sense of dread she wasn’t prepared for, “Damian, I am not a superhero!”

“But you are! You – You –” He reached into his pocket and felt something sharp prick his finger. He looked towards the end of the timeline and gulped, “You jumped off the ship.”

“What?”

Despite feeling the earrings in his pocket he was unable to grasp them. He ran over to the blank space towards the end and licked his lips, “We both did. Because of Staller.”

The wind picked up around them and Marinette shook her head, “Damian, you’re scaring me.”

“No! Look, the timeline makes sense now. We both met because we were burnt out. We met on the ship and bonded with the captain. He’s the one who told us to stay together. All these blank spaces are when we fought against people. Here we’re investigating the ship and Lila – She was a prime suspect and –“

The cracking only got louder for her but Damian didn’t even seem to notice, “Damian –”

“Then the memorial came around and we went to cheer up Staller. That’s when he-“

“STOP IT ALREADY!” Startled by the outburst he dropped his stick. He looked up at Marinette and she looked as though she was trying to keep her head from exploding. Her breathing was labored as she rambled, “STOP SAYING I’M A SUPERHERO! STOP TELLING ME CAT NOIR IS REAL! AND STOP TRYING TO PUSH THIS CRAZY STORY!”

Damian frowned and yelled back, “It’s not crazy! This is our story and we’re in a fantasy world!”

“Then let me stay here!”

He took a deep breath, “WHY?” It took him a moment to realize that she was reaching her own block. While his was more physically taxing, hers must be mentally taxing. She needed to push past the block to help completely shatter this place’s hold on her. He looked back at the timeline and completed his last sentence before getting up. “I’m sorry Marinette but I’m not letting Hawkmoth win you over.” Careful not disturb the timeline, he went to her side and pulled her to the end of the timeline.

“Hey –”

“Read it.”

She closed her eyes and turned away, “I don’t want to.” Her voice was strained as she bore the brunt of audio torture.

“Marinette –”

“I said no!”

“And I’m telling you to look!”

“No!”

“Don’t you want to get back to your friends? Your family? And what about Cat Noir? Are you really going to leave him like that?”

Her struggling stopped for a moment and she shook her head, “No! No. I don’t want to! I don’t want to! I don’t –“  

The scene brought him back to the infirmary and he remembered why he had her miraculous in the first place. He sympathized with her but couldn’t risk it, “I’m sorry but this time you’re going to have to take it.” In his defense, he knew it was harsh. Maneuvering her in his arms to a position where she was forced to face the last dash on the timeline wasn’t easy. Her struggling and grunts made him guilty, but he couldn’t risk losing her to this trap. He pulled on the arm he held behind her back and commanded her, “Look at it.” When she didn’t he raised his voice, “Marinette, look at it!” She whimpered and he had to tighten his grip lest he let her go completely. He shook her one last time, “LOOK!” Her body went limp for a moment and he wondered if she opened her eyes at all. His answer came when she collapsed onto her knees. “Marinette?” She didn’t even register him. “Marinette, answer me.” Again, no indication she heard him at all. He let her go and sighed as he sat on the ground behind her.

After a moment of silence, he gently pulled her back into his hold, having her back rest against his chest and wrapping his arms around her waist. He rested his chin on her head and looked at the Memorial section. The word ‘suicide’ haunted them. He was careful to soften his tone as he addressed her, “We have to look at everything. Even the bad stuff.”

She relaxed back into his chest and placed her hands over his, “There’s so much bad stuff.”

“I know.”

“It’s not fair.”

“I know.”

“We’re kids. The only thing I should be worried about is school and my friends not –“ She gestured to the timeline, “This!” She sniffed and asked, “How did this happen?”

“Do you want me to read the timeline or are you asking for wisdom?”

“Wisdom if you have it.”

His grip tightened and he mumbled bitterly, “I don’t.” He tapped his finger against her torso as he continued, “When I was younger I thought I had all the answers or that I was the answer. I knew how to answer every question, plan for every situation –”

“And now?”

“You showed up and things went downhill from there.”

She scoffed but appreciated the attempt at making her laugh. She patted his hand, “I told you before we’re not supposed to have all the answers.”

“I am supposed to have all the answers. I was trained from birth. First by my grandfather, then my father, and now the Titans. I’m a perfect leader and weapon. Able to neutralize any target and get out of any situation.” He hummed and Marinette felt the soft vibrations through her hair, “I was supposed to lead the ‘New World’. Hell, I was forced to climb a mountain once. I fell. Broke my wrists. I still reached the top.”

“That must’ve been hard.”

“It was expected of me. Those expectations changed once Father took me in but the weight of them only grew. I had to learn to keep my center. It took me years of being Robin, living with monks, and joining the Titans before I thought I found it. Now? I just feel overwhelmed. Like I’m spiraling and trapped in the suit. It used to be my greatest role. It gave me the chance to be who I was bred to be. I realize now that everything about my life, my friends, and my work revolves around Robin.”

“And what about Damian?”

“I don’t really know Damian. I think a part of me hoped to figure it out on this trip.” Marinette bit her lip as she thought about his situation. While similar to her own, she was able to leave at any given time. He was never given a choice. He was told to be a fighter from day one. Even if he did choose to leave the mantle, where would it leave him? She had a family who knew nothing and expected nothing. He had no such luxury. “I wanted to feel like a kid. Now I don’t even feel like a hero if I’m honest.”

Marinette thought about her next words carefully as she formed a response. She squeezed his hand and looked at the timeline, “Kids aren’t meant to fight like this, but I guess I understand it.”

“What do you mean?”

“Making kids soldiers only hurts them, but they are the best. Think about it. We’re reckless, impulsive, naïve, but give us something to believe in and we’ll fight for it. We’ll do whatever it takes.”

“Sure, but we’re too young.”

“Yeah we are, but look at us. We’re still trying to get out of here and fight. Our friends are probably trying really hard to help us out too. They shouldn’t have to but they are.” She looked at the different fights across the timeline, “Whether it’s better for themselves or better for everyone depends on their moral compass but they’ll always fight for something better. It’s dangerous. Kids are easily swayed and their values can be tainted but I guess that’s what keeps us going, right? To fight for what’s right so they can have faith.”

“Faith is a belief based on an absence of data. It invites disaster.”

“When you’re at your lowest with nothing to lose, faith is what we have to hold onto. Faith in ourselves, each other, and faith in something bigger. For normal people, that something bigger is us.” She tilted her head back and looked him in the eye as she stated, “It’s not fair we were thrown into this war, but we’re going to put up a good fight. That’s why we can’t just leave it all behind.”

Damian stared at her for a moment before rolling his eyes, “Did you read that in a comic book?”

“No.”

“So what are you going to do?”

“Depends on whether or not Robin is going to help me once we get out of here.”

Damian scoffed but was unable to suppress the smile spreading across his face, “You are something else.”

She returned the smile, “If you promise to help me handle being Ladybug, I’ll help you figure out who Damian is.” She held up her pinky and wiggled it, “Deal?” Damian stared at it for a moment before pushing her hand down. She looked confused as he brought his legs back to be on his knees while being careful not to move her. “What?”

He looked down at her and covered her eyes, tilting her head back a bit more. She was pleasantly surprised when his lips found hers. She relaxed after a moment and hummed, “I’m taking that as a yes.”

He uncovered her eyes and she noticed the pink dusted over cheeks. He looked back over to the timeline and she rested against his chest, “Even if we can’t fix everything, we just have to do our best. Work with what we have and make adjustments along the way. I’ll get you a damn therapist if I have to because you need one to deal with Ladybug and Lila.”

“Only if you meet with one first because there is a lot to unpack there.”

He flicked his finger against her head and she stuck out her tongue. “How’s your head feeling?”

“It felt like it was being crushed before. Now that the pressure’s off I’m almost lightheaded.” Despite finding herself overwhelmed often it never gets easier to deal with. She rubbed her head and asked, “Was the shattering loud for you too? Or was that just me?”

“It was loud.”

“It sounded like a bottle – Wait. A bottle. Damian that’s it!” She scrambled to grab a stick and onto her feet, “Bottles!”

“What?”

“The object I always saw! They were bottles! Ships in bottles!”

A switch went off in his head and he turned his attention back to the list of people, “The bottles were made by someone close to Staller.” He quickly grabbed the other stick and jumped over the timeline. Skidding to a stop he started crossing out names as Marinette continued to fill in the last pieces of information in the timeline.

“Staller had a story for each and every one of them. Every time we went to visit him he’d tell us a new one.”

“And that person had a big impact on how he felt at any given time.”

“And if we didn’t meet them then –”

“They were probably the one that died!” Both continued scribbling on the ground before each stopped. One at the memorial and one at a name. The two looked at each other and Damian circled another name.

Marinette wrote down a name above the title and gulped, “Did we just figure it out?”

“I think so.”

She let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding and laughed, “We’re going to be okay. We’re going to be okay.” A warmth passed over her as the sun came back out from behind the clouds. She loved it.

“What do you mean?”

She looked around the park and shook her head, “We’re in a bottle. We’re in one of her bottles. But she’s not around so who would this be made for?”

Damian thought for a moment before catching on, “Staller.”

“And in Staller’s fantasy, she’d be the only person he’d want to see! He couldn’t get past the grief so this was his way to cope.” She looked at the timeline one last time before walking right over it, letters and all, to get to Damian. “But we don’t need it anymore. We don’t need a fantasy to get away from our problems or pretend they aren’t real.” She grabbed his hand and squeezed it.

He held on tight and nodded, “We’ve got family, friends, and resources.”

“We don’t need this anymore.”

“Which means it’s time to sober up from this fantasy.” He looked around and started yelling, “You hear that? We don’t need this anymore!”

“These ships aren’t going to sink anytime soon!”

Damian smiled at the metaphor and added, “We’re floating.”

Marinette turned to him and nodded, “We’re floating.”

“About time you figured it out. I was worried for a second.” The turn jumped and looked behind them. The light nearly blinded them as they did their best to try to see who spoke. The two squinted and brought their arms up to their eyes, completely unaware of the environment dissipating around them. They felt as though they were being pulled out of a dream but the two felt a need to discern the identity of the person who spoke.

The world around them started cracking as the bottle fulfilled its duty. Still, they couldn’t keep their eyes off the person standing at the center of the heavenly destruction.

Marinette’s eyes slowly adjusted to the brightness and saw the figure of a woman. She only grew in familiarity as more features came into view. However, it was clothing that solidified her identity. “Damian?”

“I know.”

The woman simply waved as she adjusted the bouquet in her other hand, “Give them hell for my uncle and me.”

The ground beneath them finally gave way and Damian found himself reaching out to her, “WAIT! ANNE!” She didn’t bat an eye as the two were aggressively shoved out of the dream. Only smiling and waving, just like in her picture.

*******************************************************************************************

Thank you for being patient and enjoying the lastest chapter of Seabourne Burnouts!

Tag List (Bitch I have a tag list whAT!?!?!): @maribat-archive @ozmav @thornangelic727@imfreakingmagical@constancetruggle @chloe-bourgeois-is-big-gay@someone-ev   @zazzlejazzle @tinybrie @mewwitch @rhub4rb@saphiraazure2708 @never-neverland @unholykrow @slytherinhquinn @literallytryingmybestbutok @redscarlet95 @grimmhallow31 @fandomkitten9653 @myriad-of-passionate-pettiness @fanboy7794 @mystifiedgal @shizukiryuu @ vixen-uchiha @resignedcatservant @mystery-5-5 @miraculousl4dybug @blackcanary13 @origamieater @moonlitarchangels @mochinek0 @imfreakingmagical @you-will-never-know-how-i-think @derpingrainbow @unabashedbookworm @skyel0ve @northernbluetongue @cadencehood @sizzling-fairy-oil @crazylittlemunchkin @saphiraazure2708 @mysteriouslyswimmingfan-blo-blog @ginamarie1512 @kae690 @ivette0712 @zalladane @ellerahs @auradonfairy @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @scribblinggraveyard @nyctamaximoff @snow-swordswoman @maude-zarella @thebookwormfairy @melicmusicmagic @zalladane @ivette0712 @ginamarie1512  @bookreader20003 @silvergold-swirl @celestiacq @themcclan @amethyst-starr5 @tamoni112 @lunar-wolf-warrior @alexzandria-747 @nataladriana9 @moonlitarchangels @iglowinggemma28 @hunter-shyreen @mermaidofthelost @jessigurl-design @vgirl-10123 @lunar-wolf-warrior @casual-darkness @xxmadamjinxx @normal-piece-of-shit @tinyterror333 @romanoff-queen @schrodingers25 @alessialeone6997 @mindfulmagics @slytherin-heartthrob @da-tasuky @asianfrustration13 @eliza-bich @kuhakuanon @my-name-is-michell @theatreandcomicfreak @interobanginyourmom @starry-bi-sky @etheralentity @creator-josie @kurogaya913 @st0rmy-w1th1n @casual-darkness @vgirl-10123 @poshplumcot @thebookish3lf @queenmj10 @corabeth11 @goblinwhoships @ilovefluffbutsmutisalsogreat @violatiger8 @maribat-owns-my-ass @captainartsypants @deathofafangirl01 @maribat-owns-my-ass @nickristus-dreamer  @amayakans @notmycupoftea26 @animegirlweeb

“Do you really think I’m letting you get away with that?”

“You can try to fight back, but I don’t think you’re that stupid.”

“Oh? Stupid? I’ll show you stupid!”

“Who else would?”

“Will you both quiet down?”

“Or what?” Jason suddenly grabbed the back of Damian’s shirt and pulled him back off his chair. He pulled Damian into a headlock and proceeded to rub his knuckles into the teen’s head.

“Let go!”

“Oh, yeah. I’m shaking in my hood!”

“I swear to God I will break that hood! Let go!”

“Let him go, Jason.” The monotone voice cut through the chaos and Damian was unceremoniously dropped. Bruce rolled his eyes at his sons’ antics as he continued looking through the files in his hands. “Good job being gentle.”

“Ah. You noticed.”

“God, you are infuriating.” Bruce walked over and extended his hand out to Damian. Damian frowned, but accepted the help. The grip was cold and tight. “Father, what’s this about?”

“I thought we could all go on a bit of a vacation. I’ve pulled some strings, we’ll be gone for a few weeks.”

Tim crossed his arms and sat down, “Not that I’m not grateful, but where is this coming from?”

Jason smirked, “Yeah. Usually when you call us all here, one of us is dead or there’s a really big fight or-”

Tim groaned and waved his hand dismissively, “We get it.”  

“Father, if you haven’t noticed we aren’t exactly the type to go the beach or anything.”

Bruce closed the files and smacked it against Damian’s head, “Don’t get smart. I’ve made arrangements for us to leave for a bit.”

“Oh yeah. Leaving Gotham without a Batman is so smart.”

“Duke and Cassandra owed me a few favors. Besides, are you all saying ‘no’ to an all-expense paid vacation?”

Jason stood up and held his hands out, “Woah there, rich boy. Don’t put words in my mouth. If you want to pay for my ass to be pampered, then I’m fine with it.”

Tim stretched and scratched the back of his neck, “Yeah, okay. I’ll come. You guys need me if something goes down anyway.”

“In your dreams. I’ll come but only if Damian does.”

“Damian?” Bruce looked over to his youngest and noticed him looking out a window.

Dick frowned and grabbed a pillow and chucked it at him, “Hey, we’re asking you something!”

Damian didn’t even look back to catch it. He looked tired, “I’m thinking about it.”

Jason scoffed at the audacity of his remark, “Damian, this is a vacation we’re talking about. Have you ever had one?”

“No, I haven’t.” His matter of fact tone left no room for doubt. Damian looked up at Bruce and hummed, “I suppose it’d be rude to say no. Thank you for the offer, Father. I’ll be sure to tell the Titans of our plans.”

Tim swirled the coffee in his cup and yawned, “Do you have to make it sound so serious?”

“Given our occupation, I’m inclined to say yes.” Damian tossed the pillow back at Dick, “Don’t base your decisions on me.”

“I’m just making sure you come along, Damian.” Dick smiled and looked the head of the group, “When are leaving, Bruce?”

“Ten days. Clean up any loose ends while you can.”

Damian nodded and headed out the door. Jason called out to him, “Hey, where you going?”

Damian pulled out his phone, “You heard Father. I’m tying up loose ends.”

Tim waved as he pulled out his laptop, “Don’t hurt yourself.”

Damian rolled his eyes before shutting the door behind him, “Whatever.” The sound of the door shutting behind him made his mind go hazy. While not new, the intensity was unusually high. Damian rubbed his temples and flinched.

He could still hear Tim through the walls, “So are we going to talk about him? He seems,” Tim paused and emphasized the next word, “different.”

“Yeah, his mood’s bad even for him.”

“Dick was the first to bring it to my attention which-”

“Which is why you suddenly want to go on vacation. I mean, that would work on a normal kid, but Damian? He’s-”

“He’s kind of a sociopath.”

He could hear a snap, “Exactly.”

“Guys, ease up. I’m worried about him. I helped Bruce come up with this and did my best to help make the necessary arrangements. Just go with it and play nice. I’m worried.”

“You? Worried? What else is new?”

“Jason, he does seem off.”

Jason’s sigh was clear through the haze, “I know.”

“So you’ll both come?”

“Yeah, yeah. We’ll come.”

Damian drowned out the rest of the conversation as his eyes got heavier. He trudged down the hallway as his limbs felt heavier with each step. Despite having Jon pulled up on his phone, he wasn’t able to press call. Despite falling forward, the impact never registered. He didn’t feel the impact of the floor, nor did he hear the ‘THUD’ of his body.

The next thing Damian could register was his alarm. He groaned and rubbed his eyes. Damian couldn’t remember the last time he was this groggy waking up. He looked at his phone and realized he slept in; an occurrence that, to his dismay, is becoming more frequent.

A knock at his door took away his attention, “How you feeling?”

Damian sat up and yawned, “What do you want?”

Dick smiled, “We find you passed out and that’s the first thing you say?”

“I passed out?”

“Yes.” Dick sat at the foot of the bed, “You freaked us all out.”

“So what? Do I have a fever or something?”

Dick shook his head, “Damian, I think it’s the stress.”

“The what?”

“The stress, Damian.” Dick motioned for Damian to sit closer to him and Damian begrudgingly complied. Dick looked him over and felt his forehead, “Have you been losing weight?”

“Grayson-”

“Answer me.”

Damian moved Dick’s hand away, “Not much.”

“Damian-”

“Well, as far as I can tell I’m not sick. I may have missed a meal or two but I haven’t had an appetite. Physically, I’m just a little tired but I should be fine.”

“And mentally?”

“Mentally?”

“Damian, c’mon. I need you to work with me here. You’re not acting-”

“I heard you talking with the others before. I heard what you said about me. In Drake’s words, I’m ‘different’.” Damian shook his head in an attempt to gain some kind of clarity. It didn’t work. “Though I have to say forcing Father to have a vacation was a nice touch.”

Dick snorted, “Even on vacation, he’s going to find a way to bury himself in work. It’ll be a boys’ weekend.”

“Oh, yeah. That’s exactly what I need; a few weeks with you three.”

“Oh ha-ha. We’re trying to help, smartass.”

“I know you are.” Damian tried to get off the bed, but noticed just how much effort he was exerting. He started to wonder if he really was getting sick. “I want to go patrolling. Do you want to come?”

“Do you really think that’s a good idea?”

“Probably not, but I don’t think I’ve ever missed a day. Last night had to be the first.” Damian stretched, “So?”

Dick rolled his eyes, “First, you gotta do a few things for me.”

“I have the right to refuse any and all requests.”

“Number one: Eat something. Pancakes, cereal, or something. Just eat.” Damian nodded and looked through the drawers. He picked out a simple t-shirt and smelled it before putting it on. “Number two: Shower while your uniform gets cleaned. I’m surprised you can sneak in anywhere; your smell should give you away long before you get the upper hand.” Damian put up the middle finger, but did not outright refuse. Dick continued, “Number three: we are going to play it safe. We’re not going to do anything crazy, just a few rounds then come right back and rest.”

“That’s stupid.”

“You refuse?” Damian grumbled, yet there was still no verbal refusal. “Last one, okay?”

Dick turned away as Damian put on some different pants, “Better make it good.”

“I get to ask questions.”

“I have the right to refuse any I deem inappropriate.”

“Do we have a deal?”

Damian walked over to the door and motioned for Dick to follow, “Let’s just go already. We’ll hopefully leave in an hour and a half.” Dick smiled and messed with Damian’s hair as he passed him by, “Hey!”

“Don’t forget to call Jon!”

“How did you-”

“You had him pulled up on your phone when we found you.” Damian frowned and Dick waved his hand dismissively, “It’s cute.”

“Cute?”

“Yeah, that you have a genuine friend. You and Jon are just as funny to me as Clarke and Bruce, but you work just as well.” Dick shrugged, “You’ve got his back and, by the looks of it, he’s always got yours. We even have him in a group chat.”

“Wait. A group chat?”

“Hm? What group chat?” Damian punched his arm but Dick laughed it off. Dick hummed as they made their way down the corridor, “When’s the last time we went on patrol together? Just the two of us?”

Damian shrugged, “A while.”

“This should be fun, then. Nightwing and Robin out and about, kicking ass and taking names. Should be good.” Damian shook his head, but still smiled at the thought.

The rest of the day was a blur, which only proved Dick’s suspicions. Damian was frustrated at the thought of being sick, but was more so frustrated at his lack of energy. It was harder to move, harder to breathe; it was just all around easier to just rest at home. Alfred insisted, Bruce insisted, hell even Jason insisted. As he sat on the couch in the den and Ace’s head on his lap almost persuaded him to stay in, like the dog was in on it with the human family members. Even Jon seemed to notice his difference, but at Damian was used to his line of questioning.

Getting into his suit took a minute longer than normal, significant in his line of work. He stretched under Nightwing’s watchful eye, no doubt looking for any excuse to keep him inside. Robin practically pushed him out onto the field. Running through alleyways, jumping from roof to roof, it was all unusually exhausting. Robin and Nightwing took a few breaks, despite Robin’s insistence to keep going. Nightwing was too vigilant, even if Robin put on a show he was bound to notice slips.

“I can keep going.”

“Yeah, right. You look like you’re about to pass out.” Nightwing played with his staff as Robin sat on a nearby ledge, “Fourth question-” Robin groaned but Nightwing just chuckled, “this’ll be your first real break, right?”

“I suppose.”

“What do you want to do?”

Robin looked up at the sky and noted how dull and dark it was. The city was too bright at night to see anything interesting, “I don’t particularly care.”

“C’mon. You gotta have something. Travel? Theme parks?”

“You say that as if I’m twelve.”

“Oh crap, you’re right. What are you now? Twelve and a half?” Robin glared at the first boy wonder and Nightwing smirked, “Anything?”

“Not really.”

“Hobbies?”

“Outside of the suit? Not really.”

“Not one?”

“I don’t exactly have a lot of time between fighting, investigations, the occasional rescue mission for you or Jason-”

“Alright. Alright. Low blow.” Robin rolled his eyes and scanned the area as Nightwing did the same, “What do you think he’s gonna do?”

“Father?”

“Yeah. Do you think-”

“He’ll do something that still allows him to host, but still serene enough to keep us four busy.”

“Like?”

“A trip. Maybe a-” He was interrupted by Nightwing placing a hand over his mouth.

“Hey, we got something here. Looks like two muggers and a female victim.” Robin trudged over and looked down, “I can take them. You secure the woman.”

“I can do it.”

“No, you can’t. Stop pushing yourself or you might be too sick to come with us.” Nightwing didn’t even give Robin a chance to fight the call before leaping off the roof. His flair shined through the darkness as much as the glare did from the knives the muggers held. Robin couldn’t bring himself to chastise him, so he simply jumped down and guarded the victim.

He snatched her purse from one of the attackers and shoved it into her arms, “There’s a police station two blocks down. Don’t stop running. Bring them back here.” The woman didn’t hesitate as bolted out of the alleyway. Robin heard one last grunt behind him before he looked back to see Nightwing tying the hands of the attackers. “Ready?”

“Yeah, let’s keep going. Only a few more blocks.”

“Until?”

“Until we call it a night.”

“It’s still early.”

“Yeah, but it’s quiet and you’re getting slower as the night goes on. Let’s leave the rest to the other two. They need to get off their butts anyway.”

“I can do it.”

“No, you can’t. We said we’d come back early. You agreed.” Robin grumbled as both made their way back up to the roofs and continued forward. “Fifth question-”

Robin skidded to a stop, “Enough with the questions!”

“Do you ever hope for anything romantic?”

Robin nearly gagged, “Now why would I do that?”

“You’re fifteen-”

“Oh, so you do know my age. You flatter me. Really.”

“Don’t you ever – I don’t know. Want to meet someone?”

“I’ll tell you what I told father; this endeavor of ours is a lonely one. I’m not interested in some kind of temporary primal release like the rest of you.”

“What about me and Starfire?”

“Starfire is a capable warrior and leader. I have no doubts she can take care of herself.”

“So you’re worried about their safety.”

“More-so their ability to keep up, but yes. I can’t have a liability hanging over my head. This family is enough of a liability as it is.”

Nightwing hummed, “So never? You’ll just be alone for the rest of your life?”

“Counter-question: When’d you get so interested in this?”

Nightwing’s teasing tone put Robin on edge, “I just realized that you’re getting to that age-”

“I’m stopping you right there.”

“So, I’m interested in your personal life. Sue me. Normal kids your age would at least start showing some kind of interest in dating.”

“Maybe I don’t have those interests.”

“Maybe, but will you at least promise me something?”

“Depends on the promise.”

Nightwing thought over his words carefully, “On this trip, we’re going to stay away from all of,” Nightwing motioned to his mask and everything around them, “this. Try and just act like a normal kid, okay? Make some new friends. Meet a girl – or a guy! No judgement. Just be a kid, you know?”

Robin opened his mouth to say something but just shook his head, “This is Father’s request, isn’t it?”

Nightwing smiled, “He wanted you to stay away from being Robin. I’m asking you to be a kid.”

Robin looked around before moving to the next building, “Why are you all so concerned?”

“You’re acting different. You’re more tired, you’re not eating right, you seem numb, you’re becoming more and more detached from everyone-”

“Maybe I’m just more efficient.”

“Or you’re becoming jaded.”

“Don’t we all get a bit jaded in our field?”

“Yeah, but that still doesn’t mean we should ignore it.” Nightwing leapt to the next rooftop and looked around the area one last time. “Let’s go get the others. C’mon.”

“I’m fin-”

Nightwing whipped around and wagged a finger in his face, “Hey! You agreed!” Robin’s shoulders fell but he complied. Nightwing wasn’t wrong, his body felt like it was stuck in the process of shutting down; his senses were inhibited to a degree, his mobility was reduce significantly, he didn’t even feel stable despite having both feet on the ground. “Robin?”

“What?”

“You spaced out there for a second, you okay?”

“Let’s just go already.”

Nightwing nodded, “Go on ahead. I’ll follow you.”

Robin pressed forward and his thoughts circled back to Nightwing’s questions. ‘Do you ever hope for anything romantic?’ Romance was never on the table for him. Fleeting feelings were always subdued by his own logic, though there was never any worry as they were few and far in between. Image and beauty never were an issue or a weakness; he’s worked with women who wore costumes that leave nothing to the imagination. In all honesty, the women in his life that have kept his attention were the ones who not only showed capability but also saw him as an equal. His teammates, his siblings, his father’s current affair; they were only women he tolerated and respected – to varying degrees.

Getting back home was a bit of a struggle but convincing the other two to pick up the slack was another battle within itself. Jason bitched and moaned while Tim struggled to get his latest fix of expresso while changing into his uniform. As much as they complained, it was mainly aimed at Dick. They left Damian to his own devices as he got comfortable. It wasn’t ideal, but he had to admit the blankets and book Alfred left him were lulling him to sleep. Tidus curling up by his feet was the final straw, despite the warmth of the body not registering he was found dead to the world with his dog.

In the days leading up to the vacation, Bruce gave no indication of what they would do. Who they would see. Nothing. It was becoming a bit of a game among the four to find clues or plans. Whatever they could use; they compiled the information together. They figured they would be going on a trip; that much is certain. Where and how were the next two clues to figure out.

Bruce knew of their little investigation and was, much to his sons’ annoyance, amused. Damian was the closest to guessing ‘how’. “A cruise, right? That’s the only place I can think of that’s enough of a ‘vacation’ plan without straying too far from work. You can still host and negotiate with clients while interacting with us and other guests.”

Bruce drank the last bit of his coffee before nodding, “Good theory.”

“So I’m right?”

“You’ll see.”

“There’s only five more days until the trip-”

“And I’ll tell you in three.”

Damian glared at Bruce and pointed at him, “Now I see where they get it from.”

“Where who gets what from?”

“Jason and Dick. Where they get that annoying snarky arrogance. It’s straight from you.”

“It’s more of a prerequisite for our family, not an inherited trait.” Bruce looked at his watch before walking to his office door, “Three days. You guys figure it out and I’ll give you guys all the privacy you want.”

“And here I was hoping for a father-son weekend.”

Bruce froze before looking back at Damian, “Really?”

Damian rolled his eyes before pushing away from the desk, “Father, I rarely see you at home. I don’t exactly have my hopes up for ‘bonding time’ with you.” Bruce frowned but Damian shrugged it off, “I’m used to it.”

“Damian, I’m-”

“You have a meeting in seven minutes. If you leave now, you’ll just make it.”

Bruce looked at his clock and clicked his tongue when he realized Damian was right. Bruce opened the door and rushed out, leaving Damian to battle the tension left with the growing silence of the room. The ambiance of the air conditioning combined with the running cars outside gave him an odd sense of security. He allowed his mind to wander as he relaxed. The computer wasn’t filled with notifications for once and people weren’t buzzing around the door making him even more tired. The longer he stayed the heavier his body felt whenever he did anything.

Alfred continued to watch over him per Dick’s request, but physically his body showed no alarming changes. Damian hated the whispers and secret discussions his family held around him, but what was worse was the belief that something was wrong with him or that it was “getting worse”. At this point he wasn’t in the mood to argue. It became easier and easier to just get into a routine that didn’t involve being Robin; not that he was necessary. His father and brothers came back every night with less and less to report. Tim figured it was because all five of the heroes were seen patrolling and criminals were laying low to avoid confrontation. Fighting Batman was hard enough, but Nightwing, Red Hood, Red Robin, and Robin? Damian didn’t blame them.

Damian went over to the open computer and opened up the laptop. Meetings and other scheduled events were color coded, but at the beginning of next week the amount of planned events dropped significantly. There were still meetings scheduled, just as he figured, but there were more breaks in between the appointments. He looked through the schedule for any other clues before stopping on one of the days in the last half of the trip. Nothing appeared out of the ordinary but something told him something was missing on the calendar. He thought long and hard; was it a birthday? Anniversary?

A knock on the door kept him from getting any closer. “Bruce said you’d be here.” Damian looked up at Tim who simply held the door open for him. Damian shut down the computer and walked out the door, “Find anything good?”

“Not since you hacked it two days ago.”

Tim smiled, “You think he noticed?”

“Of course. By the way, that ‘appointment’ you gave him at noon was a nice touch.”

Tim leaned over and whispered, “I figured if his associates saw an empty space they’d take it. He may be Batman, but he deserves a lunchbreak.”

Damian nudged him and grinned, “So that ‘boy genius’ title isn’t some stupid nickname you gave yourself. You can be smart.”

“I can also hang you upside-down off the ceiling of the cave.”

“I doubt it, but many have tried; many who were far better fighters than you.”

Tim looked him up and down, “You feeling okay?” Damian nodded and Tim walked in front of him, “Do you want to have a game night or something? Jon could fly by, all of us could get to the game room-”

“What about patrol?”

“City’s been quiet. We can afford it.”

“Quiet always means something suspicious.”

“As far as we can tell, nothings moving along in the underground.”

Damian shook his head, “No, you guys should still go out there.”

“How about this? Me and Dick will go out and if we don’t’ see anything we’ll come back. Fair?”

“Are you guys getting lazy?”

“Eh, we’re starting to get into the vacation mood. Can you blame us? It’s our first real vacation.” As Tim stretched Damian could see that he was playing too much into this lay-back attitude. It wasn’t the vacation, they were keeping an eye on him. “So?”

“If Jon comes, he’s going to want to play Mario Party. He likes playing Luigi.” Tim sent him a big thumbs before continuing down the corridor. “Where are you going?”

“Outside to the car?”

“Then we go down this way. Elevator should take us-”

“Right! Right. My bad.”

Tim walked in the direction Damian was pointing at and Damian frowned, “Are you okay? Maybe you need this vacation more than I do.” Tim didn’t say anything, he just called an elevator and that was that. The night went as planned; Jon was annoying as always, Jason was getting competitive, Dick and Tim came in late, even his father made a rare appearance to check in a play a round after a few minutes of teasing and pleading from the players in the room.

If someone were to take a picture at this moment, it would’ve been the first picture where they would’ve looked normal. No posing, no fancy clothes, no uniforms; just a bunch of guys hanging out. Despite the friendly atmosphere, his mind wandered back to the calendar.

The next few days were focused on figuring it out. Even asking his brothers and father yielded no further clues. The more he stared at the calendar, the more fixated he became but the hazier his head felt. Despite this, he kept asking himself questions trying to uncover anything that would help. It’s not a birthday. Not an anniversary. As far as he knows, no one is expecting any kind of new arrival. No packages. No tests. Still, something was missing. He could feel it.

However, every time he got close a distraction would throw him off. At first he thought nothing of it as his life tending to be chaotic anyway. Soon enough he began noticing a pattern. At first they were little things like noises or his animals derailing his train of thought. The distractions began escalating to his brothers or teammates calling or barging in and dragging him to do some off-handed task. It isn’t just the calendar either, it’s whenever he came close to anything Robin related.

If he was in his normal state of mind, he’d probably be going stir crazy. Yet physically he couldn’t put up a good fight. He struggled but most of time it was easier to do the dull tasks. It was irritating to be put into such a mundane routine, but there wasn’t much he could do. Gotham was getting quieter, there were less and less cases that needed of his family’s attention, and most of the time was spent getting ready for the trip.

“So are you going to tell us?”

“We’re going on a trip.”

“Yeah, but we knew that.”

“And I was planning on a cruise-“

“So I was right!”

“We’re leaving as planned and our first stop is in France. The ship will leave a day after we arrive in the country so it gives us time to look around if we wanted.”

“Where are we landing?”

“Plane stops in Paris.”

“And your appointments?” Damian played with the cat on his lap as he addressed his father, “I saw your calendar. You have appointments.”

Bruce smiled and shook his head, “I think I can afford to have them cancelled.”

“That’s not like you.”

“No it’s not, but are you seriously complaining? You always say he never spends enough time with you.”

Damian tensed and he snapped his head over to Jason, “I do not!”

“Yes you do. You get all pissy and-”

Damian glared at him and whistled, “Ace! Tidus!”

Jason grew wide eyed, “You wouldn’t.”

The dogs’ feet could be heard getting closer before both popped up in the doorway. Damian pointed at Jason and didn’t falter, “Take down.”

“Wait! No! No! No!” Jason suddenly found himself on his back being licked to death while Tidus put his weight on Jason’s chest. Jason groaned and pushed the dogs aside, but they didn’t let up.

Tim chuckled, “Serves you right. You talk too much.”

Jason propped himself on his elbows before pointing at the eldest, “I talk too much? Have you met Dick?”

Bruce rolled his eyes and waved his hand dismissively, “Alright. Alright. Now you know.” The boys spoke amongst themselves as they headed out. Bruce called out to them, “Tim, you stay. I have a job for you.” Tim shrugged off the looks the others gave him but Dick still pushed them out. That didn’t stop them from interrogating him later.

Tim shrugged it off as simple research, but the others knew anything Bruce personally wanted looked into was bound to be interesting. Tim said that they’ve had their eyes on some heroes over in France but any lasting evidence of damage to the city was missing. “I can’t tell if it’s because they don’t have a super villain around or if the super villain just cares that much about Paris.”

“Lucky bastards.”

“What kind of super villain doesn’t take the city down with them?”

“Maybe he has some kind of emotional connection to Paris?”

“Yeah to a house or park maybe, but a whole city? No, if they were legit there’s bound to be some kind of collateral damage.”

“It could be fake. Maybe there isn’t a villain at all?”

“Or maybe we’re going against something entirely new.”

“Like?”

“Magic.” The three turned to Damian who seemed to be just as surprised as they were. The answer just slipped out without much thought but the certainty was undeniable.

Tim quirked his brow, “You sound confident.”

Damian coughed before shrugging, “It’s a guess.”

“Yeah, well we’ve seen magic before and that still leaves damage. Black Adam and Shazam ring a bell?”

“Zatana?”

“Constantine?”

“Raven?”

“I get it! Still, magic comes in a lot of different forms. What if the villain is taking down the city but the heroes are the ones fixing it?”

Tim hummed and turned back to his laptop, “That’s actually not a bad theory. Any other guesses?”

Damian hummed before the colors black and red flashed in his mind. The colors left as soon as they came only to be quickly followed by a sharp pain. Damian flinched and held his head. He felt a cold hand on his shoulder and heard Dick’s concerning tone, “Damian? Maybe you should call it a night?”

Damian shoved his hand away, “I’m fine.”

“No, really. You gave me a new perspective. I can take it from here. You look tired-”

“I’m tired of not doing anything! If I can’t patrol I can at least help investigate in my own house!”

The three grew quiet but Tim still stepped aside to allow Damian access. Damian tried walking over to the computer but his body gave out on him. His arms felt too heavy to lift and trudging six feet seemed to be impossible. Dick caught him before he hit the ground, “Damian!”

“Woah! Woah! Dude, what’s up with you?”

“You skipped eating today, didn’t you? I told you have to eat something even if you don’t have an appetite!”

Damian huffed, “I didn’t skip any meals! Just – Just get me to my room.”

“Even sedated he’s making demands.” Jason shrugged off the look Damian was giving him while he threw his arm over his shoulder, “Oh, that’s an ugly look. You really are Bruce’s kid.”

“Shut up.”

“Yeah, yeah. Princess wants to go to sleep.”

“Princess?!”

“Alright, after I put this baby to bed Dick and I will head out. Tim, let us know if you find anything interesting.”

“Got it.”

“I’ll go change.”

Jason grunted as he picked Damian up, “So does baby want a bottle or-”

“I can and will kill you.”

“Oh, yeah. Like that scares me.” Jason continued to make little comments, but Damian drowned them out. His mind wandered back the red and black patterns, but two days flashed in front of his eyes. Soon enough, he found himself to be the first and only one ready to leave in the manor.

Jason soon ensued in his ritualistic raid of the house, but before he could chastise Jason further he held up a weapon from the deepest corner of Damian’s closet. “Aha! I knew you were in here!”

“Wait, how did that-”

Jason grabbed Damian’s luggage and started to quickly exit the room, “No questions! Just packing!”

Damian couldn’t stop Jason from unceremoniously dropping his luggage down the stairs. “HEY! MY KATANAS ARE IN THERE!”

A quick middle finger was Jason’s response, “Not my problem, Demon!”

“Ahem.” Damian looked over at Alfred standing next to the large pile of luggage. “Shall I start-”

“Car’s out front. I can do it.”

The old man smiled at Bruce’s youngest, “Precisely. Thank you, Master Damian.”

Damian didn’t respond, only choosing to walk to the nearest window and look out. The car was out front in the rain just as he said it would be. His “guesses” were becoming more and more accurate as the days went on, but he figured it was due to the fact that he was starting to memorize all the mannerisms and routines within the manor. It was driving him insane; combine it with his physical and mental exhaustion he was dying to leave the manor. Damian frowned and leaned his head against the cool glass, “Just a little longer.”

He pulled his head back and headed to the door. Dick made his way to the main floor with his own bags, “Oh, are you packing the car?”

“I’m packing my bags, you guys are on your own.”

“Aw, come on Damian! You’re not going to-”

“One, I don’t have a favorite. Two, you are all infuriating. Three, you have more bags with you than a pop start would going on the same trip.”

Dick blinked, shocked at the response, but pouted all the same. “So I’m prepared! Sue me!”

Damian shook his head and made his way to Dick and his mountain of luggage. Holding his hand out, Damian motioned for Dick to hand him the carry-on he currently held in his arms.

“Come on, diva. This is a vacation for all of us, Alfred’s on break too. I’ll pack.” Dick hesitantly handed the bag over and half expected it to be flung across the atrium. Instead, Damian adjusted it over his shoulder and grabbed his own suitcase.

Damian shook his head, but relished in the cool breeze and rain hitting his face. Packing was a struggle in normal circumstances; Jason’s antiques combined with the constant whispers behind his back, the sheer volume of things his family decided to bring, and the rain pouring made him want to leave more than ever.

He asked his father for a seat away from the others on the plane and it was granted. Other people were tuned out as he focused on just making it onto the boat. The landing in Paris was supposed to be nothing more than checkpoint, but they could afford the leisure time. While he hasn’t been to the city often, there were places and names that vaguely registered in his brain.

Dick suggested the tourist locations while Tim suggested they just wander. Bruce and Jason chatted in the background and despite the city being so large, few people passed them on the streets. While their unaltered appearance normally called for media contact, today seemed different. Quiet.

It should’ve been calming, being out and about without precautions. For a moment, it was like the environment was forcing Damian to relax, but his gut told him to stay alert. He looked around for anything out of place or suspicious, but in a new country they were the only things that stood out.

Billboards seemed to favor a young model but every time he went to get a better look on the face the monitor would change advertisements. Laughter captured his attention and he noticed a couple walking down from a bridge with ice cream.

“Oh, where do you think they got it?”

Damian kept his eyes on the two, “It’s for couples though.”

“How can you tell?”

Damian pointed at the ice cream, “The colors coordinate with the each of the women. Girl A’s brown eye color is represented in the chocolate. Girl B’s pink streak is represented in the strawberry.”

“Where does the blueberry come in?”

“The blueberry?” Damian hummed, “Maybe it means something between the two.”

Bruce smiled, “You’re right. Look at their phones; matching blue charms.” Damian didn’t expect the pat on the back his father gave him in passing, but he’d be lying if he said he hated it. Walking across the bridge, he passed by the little cart with a jolly looking man manning the business. Sure enough, couples were scattered around it eating their own custom cones. “Superstition?”

Tim only took a moment and a quick search on his phone to answer Bruce’s question. “The ice cream is supposed to keep them together, so of course it’s popular with young couples.” 

Jason smiled and ran towards the cart, “Let’s see if it’s good though!”

Tim rolled his eyes, “Go on ahead, I’ll get him.”

Dick chuckled as they moved on ahead and nudged Damian, “Besides, I thought we were on this vacation to get away from detective work?”

“Hard to break old habits, isn’t it?” Damian looked around and thought the city seemed peaceful. Odd for a city allegedly cited as a warzone between magical heroes and villains. “You’d think there’d be more involving their heroes.”

“More?”

“Clothing, merchandise - just more.” Damian looked around some more but nothing stood out, “Are they disliked?”

“No, but it’s been weeks since both have been seen. There’s no trace of them or the villain.” Bruce checked his watch, “We can walk around for another hour before we should get going.”

“Really?” The three looked back and watched as the stragglers caught up, “We can’t look around some more? I kind of want to check out if I can get any good parts for my motorcycle.”

“I doubt you’ll find anything, but I’m good with splitting up for the last hour. I want to look around the Louvre.”

Tim looked for Bruce’s approval and for a moment Bruce thought back to when Tim was still in training. Whenever he wanted to do something unconventional he gave Bruce the same look. “This is your vacation. I’m not going to stop you. Let’s meet back at the airport in an hour.”

Jason left before Bruce finished talking and Tim followed soon afterwards. Dick looked around for a moment and shrugged, “Might as well go see some of the tourist traps. I’m going to the Eiffel Tower.”

“How original.”

“Never said it was, but if it’s nice enough I might bring Kory someday.” Damian wasn’t going to talk him out of it. Dick wasn’t the biggest romantic but when he was in the mood he could get cheesy. It was a turn off.

Damian looked to his father and asked, “So where are you heading? I bet the stores sell some fairly nice suits. There’s a fashion empire based here, you could-”

“Where do you want to go?” Damian’s suspicious look made Bruce smirk, “What?”

“You normally go off on your own.”

“Well, this is the first time I don’t have any appointments. It’s about time you and I actually spoke without having to save an abducted kid or negotiate with a mobster.” Bruce smiled at his son but the look he got in return killed his mood, “You’re not happy.”

“Call me doubtful. This isn’t exactly like you – none of this is like you. Everyone has been acting strangely and I’m getting tired of it.”

Bruce’s smile faded and he leaned in close, “We’re worried.”

“I noticed.”

“I guess I shouldn’t have forced you into a change of pace. You hate it.”

“I want to say it’s ‘different’ but that word is getting thrown around too often nowadays.”

“Well, when was the last time we spent time together like this?”

“Movie night three years ago right before the Court of Owls incident. It was late and I believe I kept you from an affair with another one of your psychopathic women.”

“Been long enough, then. Let’s wander for a bit. Find something to do. Take things easy for the first time in our lives.” Bruce walked ahead, “Let’s go.”

Damian fought back a smile, “Fine, but if I see something I want you’re buying.”

“You say that as if I don’t already do that.” Damian’s façade did finally break with that comment. Damian’s grin was encouraging enough for Bruce to press forward with small talk. Damian didn’t expect his father to be trying as hard as he was, but he figured he should appreciate it. It wasn’t often Bruce acted as a father, or at least tried to. It was a secret sore spot, but one his father was never around long enough to prod at.

The more they wandered, the more Damian began noticing landmarks. Strange for someone who never really been to the city. “Craving anything sweet? I promise not to tell Alfred.” Following his father’s line of sight, he read the sign of the building across the street.

“Tom & Sabine Boulangerie Patisserie?”

“They have great reviews.”

A laugh caught his attention from within the park before Damian could agree. Another sound registered in the back of his head, but he couldn’t figure out what it was. “You go on ahead.”

“Are you sure?”

The step Damian took back was excruciating, but he kept his face neutral. “I’m sure. Get me something savory.” The next step wasn’t any easier. His body felt like lead, “Go, already.”

“Damian, you don’t look-”

“Hurry up. You don’t want the brunch crowd coming in and making the lines any longer. We’ve had a pretty good day so far, don’t push our luck.” As soon as that word slipped past his mouth, the red and black flashed in his mind alongside a migraine unlike any other. He balled his hands into fists but kept a straight face, “Father, surprise me. Get me something good. I’ll find us a spot to eat.”

Bruce wanted to say more but he stepped back, “Alright. I’ll be back.” Damian watched Bruce as he disappeared into the bakery and Damian turned around. The sound returned and he finally recognized it; glass cracking.

Another laugh tugged at his heart strings while the rest of his body failed to comply. He debated whether or not to follow it until a ladybug flew past his face. His instinct was to reach out and touch it but he couldn’t bring himself to do it.  Instead he followed the insect into the park, but the further he went the worse he felt. The sound of the cracking, while soft, gained more clarity with each step alongside his thoughts.  

It started with the calendar; Damian remembered it was a memorial. He couldn’t remember for who. The sound of another laugh and Damian felt the guilt and pain of loss. He doesn’t remember why. The ladybug flew in close for a moment, landing on right below his right hip before continuing forward. He felt the spot and realized something should’ve been in his pocket. He was grasping at threads, but something in this park was going to make things clear.

“Damian!” He looked back and noticed his father outside the park’s entrance. The instinctive step Damian took towards his father was one of the easiest he’s taken in weeks, “Come on, the hour is almost up!” The ladybug continued deeper in and Damian found himself at a crossroads. He looked to his father once more only to realize he never crossed the entrance. It was as if there was something keeping Bruce out. “Damian?”

Something inside him told him it would be easier. Going back to his father, his brothers, a vacation that promised peace; it’d be the perfect place to restart. On paper, this could be exactly what he needed to fix whatever was wrong with him. On paper, the past few days should’ve been helpful as well. Yet, they weren’t. Despite all their attempts and changes, the comfort was cold and superficial. Still, going back meant losing the small progress he made.

Damian looked his father in the eye and shook his head, “I’m sorry.” He felt like throwing up and he could clearly hear the sound of glass shattering in the back of his mind as he turned away. Another step in the Place des Vosges and the haze surrounding his thoughts slowly disappeared. The calendar date was the first thing that was uncovered; it was a girl’s memorial. She wasn’t related to him, but he got the feeling she was important.

His body began feeling lighter and he quickened his pace as he took the ladybug’s lead. Looking around at the faces in the park brought forth memories he didn’t even know he had. He’s never met these kids, so why does he remember talking to them? Spending time with them?

“Get back here!” Two blonds were running around the park, the boy laughing as he dodged the girl’s attempts to grab him. “Hey!” As they passed Damian, he grabbed a hold of the girl’s arm. “Excuse you-”

“Chloe?” He blurted it out before even realizing he recognized her. She looked just as confused as he felt, “Why are you guys here?”

Chloe wiggled her arm out of his grip and straightened out her sweater, “Who are you?”

He looked over to the boy and realized it was his face he’s been seeing on all the billboards, “Adrien?”

“Yes?” Damian’s eyes were drawn to his bare hands, “What is it?”

“Your ring.” Damian pointed at Chloe, “And you’re supposed to have comb.”

Chloe scoffed and pointed back at Damian, “Is this guy delusional?” Adrien simply shrugged in response and Chloe rolled her eyes.

Damian looked around and focused on a boy by a turntable. He couldn’t help but blurt out another name, “Nino!” The boy turned around and waved politely. Closer but he wasn’t at the core of this just yet, “Someone’s still missing.”

“What are you – Ugh! Whatever, I don’t have time for this. Let’s go, Adrien. This guy’s weird.”

Chloe dragged Adrien away, but it gave Damian a second to think. An old man and the memorial girl kept flashing in his mind, but both were too clouded for him to make sense of it all. Finding these kids meant something, it cleared his head. He continued to scan the area, “C’mon. C’mon. Who’s missing?”

“Nino!” A girl ran over to the lone DJ and wrapped her arms around his neck. She pecked his cheek before looking over the turn table.

“Alya!” Damian walked over and tapped her shoulder, “Alya, right?”

Alya blinked but held her hand out, “Yes?”

“Damian.”

“Have we met?”

“I’m not sure myself.” Alya made an odd face which made Damian backtrack a second, “Um, I know you from the – “ He snapped his fingers repeatedly as he dug through the murky memories, “the L-Ladyblog!”

Alya’s demeanor changed and she smiled, “Ah! A man of culture. See Nino, I have fans everywhere.”

“Well look at that, now all four of my closest friends are famous.”

“Four?”

“Yeah! Um; my best friend Adrien, Alya, Chloe, and-”

Alya injected herself with a tone that reminded him of a mother praising her toddler, “My best friend! She’s a designer and she worked with Jagged Stone. Amazing girl.”

“Your best friend?” Blue eyes and pigtails bounced around the old man in his mind and the clarity was slowly improving, “Where is she?”

“She’s right over there.”

She pointed at the carousel at the center of the park and beside it was a small group of girls. The one in the middle with the bright smile was his focus. Blue eyes, pig tails, and the laugh he kept hearing. It was hers. Her name was on the tip of his tongue but he struggled to speak.

He forced himself to try and call out to her, but the sound that came out was strangled and muffled. It was like screaming under water. Flashes of a rainy night and wet railings gave him a sense of despair he hasn’t felt in a long time. Damian tried walking towards her but something kept him from reaching her. Still, the sound of glass cracking was undeniable. He looked around to see if anyone else could hear it, but they seemed to be care-free and oblivious.

Somehow he knew this was too perfect. Then it hit him, “This is a fantasy. This is all a fantasy.” The low crime rates, the changes in his family’s personalities, the peace; none of it was real. The laugh brought his attention back to the girl and tried again. 

The continued pressure made him wonder if it was a mistake to fight for her attention. He couldn’t remember meeting her, or any of these people, yet he got the feeling she didn’t smile like that often. The thought of being trapped in something so fake was concerning, but looking at her smile made him really wonder if ignorance was bliss.

Stepping away from her was easy, physically speaking. Damian could leave her; he had no obligations to this girl. He could leave and figure this out on his own, come back for her later. Emotionally, he couldn’t bring himself to go. Whatever rules this fantasy was binding him by were making it really easy to walk away. But the decision didn’t sit right with him; at least that’s what he told himself. It wasn’t the resurfacing memories of them spending time together, of her smiling at him, or of them talking late at night. It wasn’t the fleeting feelings of warmth he got looking at her or the longing that threatened to overwhelm him. Most of all, it definitely wasn’t the flash of a kiss; a clumsy, tearful, unbelievable kiss.

Damian mumbled to himself, “Just go. Just go. You don’t know her, just go.”

“Hey, Damian! Over here!” Alya called him over and Nino just smiled. They had no obligations to him either, but they were pulling him towards the perimeter of the park. Away from her. “Damian, c’mon you should meet everyone!” It would’ve been so easy, just to disappear into the background. She didn’t have to know. She didn’t.

He rubbed the back of his neck and groaned, “Don’t be Dick. Don’t be Tim. Don’t be Jason. Don’t be stupid.” He repeated those words like a mantra as he walked towards them. He walked right past them and grabbed a glass water pitcher off the table. “Don’t be stupid, just go.” He walked back to whatever invisible barrier was keeping him from approaching her and looked at the pitcher in his hands.  The weight and feel of the glass brought back the flash of bottle that slipped through his hands.

Damian’s heart raced as he tried to remember what happened next. He remembered running, he remembered the old man, and he remembered her. He remembered a flash of red and black. Most importantly, he remembered his fear of losing both of them. Damian looked up at the girl and shook his head, “If this is because of Scarecrow, I’m going to kill him.” He stepped back, adjusted his grip on the glass, and grunted as he threw the pitcher near her.

The girl and her friends jumped and looked around as the glass and water splattered at their feet. When her eyes met his he couldn’t breathe. The boat, the games, the friends, the fight, the captain; he remembered all of it. He remembered her. He didn’t even realize he called out her name.

The sound of glass shattering drowned out all other noise.

*******************************************************************************************

Thank you for being patient and enjoying the lastest chapter of Seabourne Burnouts!

Tag List (Bitch I have a tag list whAT!?!?!): @maribat-archive @ozmav @thornangelic727@imfreakingmagical@constancetruggle @chloe-bourgeois-is-big-gay@someone-ev   @zazzlejazzle @tinybrie @mewwitch @rhub4rb@saphiraazure2708 @never-neverland @unholykrow @slytherinhquinn @literallytryingmybestbutok @redscarlet95 @grimmhallow31 @fandomkitten9653 @myriad-of-passionate-pettiness @fanboy7794 @mystifiedgal @shizukiryuu @ vixen-uchiha @resignedcatservant @mystery-5-5 @miraculousl4dybug @blackcanary13 @origamieater @moonlitarchangels @mochinek0 @imfreakingmagical @you-will-never-know-how-i-think @derpingrainbow @unabashedbookworm @skyel0ve @northernbluetongue @cadencehood @sizzling-fairy-oil @crazylittlemunchkin @saphiraazure2708 @mysteriouslyswimmingfan-blo-blog @ginamarie1512 @kae690 @ivette0712 @zalladane @ellerahs @auradonfairy @worlds-tiniest-spook-pastry @scribblinggraveyard @nyctamaximoff @snow-swordswoman @maude-zarella @thebookwormfairy @melicmusicmagic @zalladane @ivette0712 @ginamarie1512  @bookreader20003 @silvergold-swirl @celestiacq @themcclan @amethyst-starr5 @tamoni112 @lunar-wolf-warrior @alexzandria-747 @nataladriana9 @moonlitarchangels @iglowinggemma28 @hunter-shyreen @mermaidofthelost @jessigurl-design @vgirl-10123 @lunar-wolf-warrior @casual-darkness @xxmadamjinxx @normal-piece-of-shit @tinyterror333 @romanoff-queen @schrodingers25 @alessialeone6997 @mindfulmagics @slytherin-heartthrob @da-tasuky @asianfrustration13 @eliza-bich @kuhakuanon @my-name-is-michell @theatreandcomicfreak @interobanginyourmom @starry-bi-sky @etheralentity @creator-josie @kurogaya913 @st0rmy-w1th1n @casual-darkness @vgirl-10123 @poshplumcot @thebookish3lf @queenmj10 @corabeth11 @goblinwhoships @ilovefluffbutsmutisalsogreat @violatiger8 @maribat-owns-my-ass @captainartsypants @deathofafangirl01 @maribat-owns-my-ass @nickristus-dreamer  @amayakans @notmycupoftea26 @animegirlweeb