#mapw

Marinette panted, clutching her ribs. Chat had become an akuma, all because she told him that she’d never date him. He had been her toughest opponent yet, and just as she cleansed the butterfly and made to take back the ring, Hawkmoth had appeared. Mayura had stopped showing up to fight a few months ago, and the last sentimonster was almost four weeks ago. Master Fu confided in her that the peacock was likely taking its toll, before he passed. It had proven true when Marinette found the brooch tucked into Gabriel’s suit jacket when she snatched the butterfly pin off of him mid-fight. She had chased Chat Noir halfway across the city, and managed to reclaim the ring. Marinette had fled back to her apartment in tears. She had no partner. He had told her he had been akumatized on purpose. She had no guide. Master Fu had been dead for two years, since she was nineteen. She had no parents. They had fallen for Lila’s lies as well. There was nothing for her here. 

“Kaalki, take me somewhere safe.” She sobbed, clutching the Miracle Box to her chest. Kaalki opened a portal, and Marinette spared a glance back at her small apartment. It wasn’t much, but it had been her home for five years now. She nodded to Longg, who took a deep breath before setting the curtains ablaze. Marinette waited on the kwamis, before ducking through the portal.

X0X0X

Diana had been out for a walk (she had just come from a visit with her mother) when she saw a swirling portal appear in the abandoned temple of the miraculous. When Themyscira had been cut off, their Miracle Box had been confiscated by the gods, sent to the Greek order. The order had given up, turning to governing the island. Diana drew her sword and crept up the steps to the temple, ducking behind a pillar when she heard someone speaking. She couldn’t make out words, so she carefully edged to the next pillar. She had just peeked her head around when she saw her. The girl was young, no more than twenty. She wore a simplistic outfit, plain jeans and a dark pink sweater that looked handmade, both items tattered and torn. She was clutching a box covered in eastern designs. Her heart-shaped face was tearstained, and her blue eyes looked as if they had just seen the world crumble. She had scrapes and bruises scattered across her visible skin, and there was a nasty gash on her right temple that was trickling blood, matting her dark hair. What made Diana lower her sword was the three little beings floating in front of her. Kwamis. One shaped like an eastern dragon, one like a horse, and the final was red with little spots. The kwami of the ladybug earrings, meaning this girl held the same mantle as her mother once had. Diana sheathed her sword and stepped out from behind the pillar, moving slowly.

“Hello, maiden. My name is Diana, princess of Themyscira. Why have you come here?” The girl whirled to face her, clutching the box tighter to her chest. 

“Did you-did you say Themyscira? As in the Amazons?” The girl had a slight stutter, and her pupils were unevenly dilated, like she had a concussion.

“That’s right. What is your name?” Diana took a step forward, preparing to catch the girl if she crumpled like she looked ready to.

“My name is Marinette.” No last name? Likely an orphan, then. “Um, do you have any food? The kwamis need to eat.”

“Oh, Marinette, focus on you! You’re hurt badly, that filthy traitor could have killed you!” Tikki gushed, cuddling into the girl’s cheek.

“She’s right, Marinette. We need you healed, as the Guardian you have to be in top form.” The horse kwami sighed, sitting on the girl’s head. 

“If you come with me, I can get you all some food, and we can get you looked at, Marinette. We have some excellent healers here on Themyscira, and I’m sure mother would be overjoyed to see Tikki again.” Diana stuck two fingers in her mouth and let out a shrill whistle. “A horse should be here in a moment; you look like you’re ready to collapse.” Diana set a hand on the girl’s shoulder when she swayed. A few moments later, the girl went slack. The kwami’s dived, catching the box, while Diana scooped the petite girl into her arms. She sighed. “Nothing for it. I’ll have to carry her.” Diana squatted down so the kwamis could set the Miracle Box on Marinette’s stomach. The Amazonian carried the young woman towards the heart of Themyscira, calling for healers as she went.

X0X0X

That had been a year ago. Marinette was now twenty-two, and preparing to move to Gotham. 

“Are you sure you have everything, dear?” Diana asked her again from the doorway.

“I’m sure, for the fifth time! If we don’t hurry, we’ll miss our flight, Auntie.” Diana checked her watch and sighed. 

“Right as always, Marinette. Let’s go.”

X0X0X

The flight had been long, nine hours, with a fifteen-minute lay-over in New York. Diana had booked first class tickets for them, so they at least had leg space and wider seats. They had gotten to Gotham an hour ago, and only reached the townhouse fifteen minutes ago. They had collapsed on the couch, both sighing heavily.

“I’m grabbing a snack from the kitchen. I had it pre-stocked by a service run by a few locals.” Diana heaved herself off the couch and kicked aside the flats she had toed off when she had gotten in. “Want me to grab anything for Trixx and you?” Marinette just nodded. She had left Tikki with Hippolyta, and taken Trixx as a line of defense. She knew Gotham was dangerous, and Diana refused to let her sweet little niece be without some form of protection.

“Something sweet for me and a cube of cheese for Trixx, please.” Marinette called, sinking deeper into the couch cushions. Diana strolled back in a few minutes later to see Marinette fast asleep, sprawled across the loveseat, with Trixx curled into the joint of her neck and shoulder. She smiled and snapped a pic, posting it to her twitter.

@DianaDesigns TheRealDianaPrince

    In Gotham with my niece, and somebody is suffering from some serious jetlag. Keep an eye out for a new store front! ;)