Chapter Text
Important Definitions at this time:
Celestial Star: The Celestial Guardian is the head of the Guardians under the Order of the Miraculi, the Guardian with the most magical compatibility and synchronizability with all of the miraculi.
True Holder: These special souls make up the 'Court of Miracles' and are revered by the Order, for these souls are the equivalent of demigods in the eyes of the mundane, seen as the mortal children of gods. Within the Court of Miracles, the most powerful and influential are the Heads of the Court, the Holders of the Ladybug and Cat Miraculi as the arbiters of magical balance. They lead the Court on missions around the globe under the command of the Celestial Guardian, the Guiding Star of the Order of Miraculi.
Fledgling: Young Holders are commonly known as Fledgelings until they mature and their bonds with their kwami solidified. As Fledgelings, Holders only have as much access to the power of their Miraculi as Wielders, obeying the time limit and restriction of abilities until they mature and their bond grows strong enough to handle the power of the gods.
Wielder: Someone who has natural compatibility to wield a miraculous, but only up to a certain point. Going past their threshold will lead to corruption of the mind and soul.
Apprentice: Someone brought into the Order at a young age to be trained in multiple avenues until a proficiency in a certain role is established.
Damian Wayne
*
Gotham, New Jersey, USA
One and a half months prior to the arrival of Marinette Dupain-Cheng
*
Damian al Ghul Wayne is no stranger to uncomfortable situations.
As the Demon Heir of the League of Assassins, Damian has been tested and trained since birth, expected to be able to react at a moment's notice to any and all threats. He’s been trained to take orders without question but also to lead, educated beyond the rest of the League both mentally and physically. Damian became a master of swords and martial arts at the tender age of nine, deadly with a myriad of weapons and more discreet in his actions than assassins far his senior. He has been taught multiple languages as well as the art of reading body language. He has learned that information is more valuable than the rarest diamond and oftentimes the key to survival, and that there is always an ulterior motive to one’s actions. Damian has been carefully born and bred to be the perfect assassin and future head of the League, and had his mother not sent him to his father after the fall of Ra’s al Ghul, he would most definitely be a very different person than he is today – and not in a positive sense. Yet that isn’t to say that the experience has not moulded him in more ways than one.
As the grandson of Ra’s al Ghul, the son of Talia al Ghul and Bruce Wayne, Damian had been taught that he is special, above, and to be respected, and he had grown to expect to be treated as such by those around him. While living within the League, to anger Damian, to slight him, had been to do so to the Demon himself, which was akin to death. No one had faulted Damian’s temper, violence, arrogance, entitlement, or sharp speech as no one faulted the Demon for those same traits. If anything, it had proved just how worthy of a successor the young boy was.
However, that all changed the day Ra’s al Ghul fell for the final time.
Wary of the insurrection that followed the death of the Demon due to a betrayer, Talia had sent Damian to his father in Gotham in order to protect him until the League was stable under her command. It was under Bruce and Alfred that Damian became aware of his shortcomings, of how his actions and attitudes were perceived by societal morals – or simply morals in general. Between Alfred, his father, his brothers, his sister, his pseudo-sisters, and his time spent as Robin, Damian began to recognize the immorality within the League, for the morals that his mother and grandfather had kept him from had blossomed within him, even if he remains somewhat morally grey most days. At the age of thirteen, when his mother had come for him as the Demon Head herself, Damian had denied her and the League, choosing instead to follow in his father’s and brothers’ footsteps.
As expected, that hadn’t gone well, but in the end, Damian survived and remained with his father and the rest of his side of the family in New Jersey. Talia became an enemy after his life, branding him unworthy in comparison to clones bred to follow her will. She attempted to take his life at the hands of such a clone and if not for the family’s care afterwards, Damian would not be here today.
That isn’t to say the last few years have been easy. After a stint with death caused by his own mother, Damian became more closed off, unwilling to let anyone in emotionally. He became colder, more withdrawn, preferring to spend time with his pets, his art, and training. Initially, no one faulted him for it either, merely happy to have him back as they had with Jason, but eventually they began to call Damian out again, treating him like the bratty little brother he was when he first came to the Manor. In an odd way, it helped; Damian had begun to open up and wasn’t nearly as vicious as he had once been. He has matured from his feral childhood, still decently violent and lacking tact or restraint in his words, but the family no longer worries that he will stab or maim a schoolmate should they aggravate him (it had de-escalated to breaking wrists and noses, which while still not technically advisable, is still progress in the eyes of his family).
Yet the family worries. Outside of Jon Kent and his obligatory relationship with the Teen Titans and the rest of the family, Damian refuses to interact with others. He remains viciously blunt and often leaves others in tears or furious – either way, someone is almost always trembling in his wake. Alfred and Jon (most days) appear to be the only two that Damian willingly interacts with on a social basis outside of his animals. It has become a point of concern in regards to Damian’s future – and Bruce believes it is time he intervened, meaning that Damian is once more about to be in a decidedly uncomfortable situation, perhaps his most uncomfortable yet.
“I fail to see how assigning me as the liaison for your annual charity case is a productive use of my time,” Damian bemoans Bruce Wayne with a scowl, irritation welling within him.
“I disagree,” Bruce replies just as bluntly, not looking up from his computer.
Damian scoffs.
“Tt. Civilians of this nature are far from my standard of acquaintanceship and it is no secret that my patience with those of poorer intellect is . . . limited. Forced association with a group of foreign moronic teenagers, supposedly gifted or not, is not worthy of my time. It’s far more productive for me to continue my familiarisation of the various departments of Wayne Enterprises as planned.”
Breathing a sigh, Bruce turns away from his computer and stares up at his youngest son hovering over him. Over the last year or so, Damian has grown physically, his build resembling Bruce more and more despite the difference in colouring and his decidedly Middle Eastern and Chinese features. Damian is tall, just shy of six feet at the age of seventeen, with muscle definition that most people his age would only dare to dream about. He is not yet as 'rugged' as Bruce and not nearly as ‘amassed’ as Jason, still leaner and a few inches shorter than both due to his age, but in a few years Bruce believes Damian could surpass them.
All in all, Damian is a handsome boy, exotic with his mother’s tan skin and green eyes with the muscle mass and general build of his father. Many articles have been written about the attractiveness of the Wayne family, often joking that being attractive is a necessary requirement to be a Wayne, and over the last year Damian has been the focus of such gossip now that he is approaching adulthood. Most agree that Damian is bound to follow in Bruce’s footsteps as the most eligible bachelor in Gotham – if it weren’t for his abrasive and oftentimes volatile personality.
Despite Bruce’s best efforts, Damian’s reputation with the public is poor despite his background and attractive features, features that are more often than not marred by his ever-present scowl. In his earlier years it was quite common for Damian to wield scathing threats like knives in both public and private. More than once, Bruce has been summoned to his school because Damian had broken or sprained some limb of another student (any incidents involving actual knives were quickly smacked with NDAs and significant compensation). Once the public had wisened up to the aggressive and cold nature of the youngest Waynne, those incidents decreased, but they did not disappear completely.
The problem is that Damian is about to start his senior year in highschool, meaning that in half a year he will be an adult by law and while (mostly) no longer physically hostile to those who irritate him, he is still verbally so. In any work environment outside of the family's nightly ‘activities,’ he would be a PR nightmare and while Damian may not need to work, it’s better for him and everyone around him that he has something fulfilling on the other side of the mask. For the sake of sanity, the entire Bat Team needs a civilian outlet whether they want one or not, and for that, Damian needs to learn to soften his speech (and shave off some of his arrogance, but that may be asking too much).
Bruce also wants more grandchildren someday and Damian scaring away everyone he encounters does not bode well for that hope – but that is neither here nor there.
That being said, this may be Bruce’s last chance to teach his son any sort of social finesse – even if he has to force it upon him.
“The decision is final, Damian. Think of it as a learning experience,” Bruce begins as he places the files and USB pertaining to the Summer Internship before his son. “Training in interpersonal relations and mediation, both areas of which you struggle in. You need to be able to do both as a leader .”
Damian’s scowl deepens, understanding his father’s implication. Damian has aspirations of one day inheriting the Cowl, of one day leading the Justice League alongside other heroes of his generation and acquiring his own team. An inability to handle inter-team operations would be a severe failing on his part and detrimental in the field. Even so, the idea of pandering to a group of juvenile teens for nearly two months is viscerally repugnant to the youngest vigilante.
Pursing his lips, Damian takes the USB from his father, resisting the urge to discard it in the waste basket beside the desk as he clicks his teeth.
“Tt. . . I will review the files and prepare for the group’s arrival,” Damian replies curtly, his expression strained as he pauses before adding, “However, I have a request.”
Bruce raises a brow, considering.
“And what would that be?”
“I don’t need any opportunists or gold digging harlots attaching themselves to me in hopes of making a name for themselves or gaining any sort of favorability due to my association. I would like to limit my interactions to only what is necessary to fulfil my obligations,” Damian states frankly, his eyes narrowing in disgust.
Bruce frowns, not surprised by his request and finding it agreeable. Internally, Bruce acknowledges that it may be better for Damian to start small with only one or two people, another leader with whom he can interact with as an equal. Overwhelming him with an entire group that he deems unworthy may only further solidify Damian’s solitary nature and cement his abhorrence of civilian interaction.
Bruce nods his acquiescence.
“That’s fine, so long as you at least keep in close contact with the class president during the entire duration of the program. She’s the primary contact and in charge of the class’ itinerary while in Gotham.”
Faltering, Damian pauses in confusion, his ever-present frown deepening at his father’s words.
“Why is a student in charge of the itinerary and not the chaperone? Such a shift in protocol is irresponsible and unprecedented.”
Bruce nods, understanding his son’s concern.
“Miss Dupain-Cheng made the request personally when we contacted her about the awardship for her essay. She asked that the itinerary be set beforehand and that any changes made go through her verbally, in writing, and in person,” Bruce explains, pulling up Miss Dupain-Cheng’s request, admittedly impressed by her thoroughness. “It was an odd request, but not unreasonable – in fact you’ll probably find working with her preferable, at least in comparison to the actual chaperone,” he adds with a frustrated brow, breathing out a sigh.
His father’s words do little to assuage Damian’s unease.
“Explain,” Damian replies, his eyes narrowing suspiciously.
Bruce purses his lips, wishing for once in his life his kids would just listen to him at face value.
“I believe it’s in everyone’s best interest that Miss Dupain-Cheng is the primary contact,” Bruce states, absentmindedly tapping against the desk. “Her letters of endorsement speak for themselves about her abilities and from what I’ve gathered from our brief interaction, I personally believe she can handle herself significantly better than the assigned chaperone.”
The youngest Wayne raises a brow at his father.
“What is the issue with the chaperone?” Damian asks darkly, his scowl growing more and more pronounced as his father continues.
Bruce sighs, sensing the annoyance and borderline anger radiating off his son.
“Miss Caline Bustier is the designated chaperone for Miss Dupain-Cheng’s class as their homeroom teacher, however she’s licensed as a middle school teacher and blatantly leaves a significant amount of classroom management to Miss Dupain-Cheng – she even delegated her tasks to Miss Dupain-Cheng in the middle of our conference call last week. I have no idea why this woman is teaching in a high school but from what we can tell, she’s rather irresponsible. Her answers to the chaperone safety packet were concerning but not terrible, so we can’t deny her approval, and for whatever reason the school refuses to allow a substitute chaperone – something about ‘consistent community being vital to the students’ mental health.’”
Damian seethes in response, outraged at the school’s audacity and the reality of his current predicament.
“So the only adult accompanying your charity case of fifteen foreign teenagers is both unqualified and irresponsible,” Damian reiterates as his scowl deepens, his patience waning as his disdain for his task grows. “Am I meant to be a babysitter?!”
“God no,” Bruce replies, looking similarly horrified at the idea. “It’s why I agreed to allow Miss Dupain-Cheng to take on the role as the primary contact. In comparison to her teacher, Miss Dupain-Cheng appears to be quite organised and is prompt in her correspondence. She’s been very professional in our brief interactions and everything considered, I think she really is the better contact, especially for you. I think you’ll like her.”
Hopefully , Bruce adds internally, recalling how charming the girl had been in their brief interactions over video-chat, despite appearing rather haggard and sleep deprived. It’s his hope that some of her social grace will rub off on his most volatile son (which is saying something considering Jason’s temper and his proclivity to resort to questionable means when left to his own devices).
Damian pauses, his curiosity of the class president growing. If his father is making so many accommodations in order to give her the lead in managing her class, perhaps she is intelligent enough to not aggravate him for the duration of their working relationship.
“As long as this Dupain-Cheng is competent and remains professional, I will attempt to keep an open mind,” the youngest Wayne concedes, his scowl lightening to a mere frown. “Is there anything else that I should be aware of?”
“There are quite a few relatively high profile students depending on certain circles, but nothing too worrying,” Bruce replies offhandedly as he runs down the list of students, relieved at his son’s change in demeanour. “Chloe Bourgeois, the mayor’s daughter, is part of the class but will be missing the first week due to a prior engagement with her mother in New York. There are a few models of varying popularity, the most prominent being the son of the Agreste brand and nephew of the Graham de Vanily’s. . . There’s a few up-in-coming athletes, musicians, artists and activists. . . There’s one student who created a remarkable AI who will be interning under Lucius in R&D – specialising in robotics, I believe. . . Also, this isn’t public knowledge, but Miss Dupain-Cheng herself moonlights as the elusive designer MDC – Tim nearly had an aneurysm when he figured it out. Apparently she’s the honorary niece of an old school buddy of mine and he let it slip in one of his endorsement letters for the class. I think he knew I’d eventually read it given some of the stuff he put in there –”
“So she attempted to use her connections to win the internship?” Damian interjects, his expression filled with ire and disgust.
Bruce shakes his head quickly.
“No, no – Marinette Dupain-Cheng’s essay was chosen anonymously and then the endorsement letters were sent and verified as a character testament after the fact. I don’t think Jared even told her he knew me. He just mentioned that if the family needed a personal designer as bad as my kids have been making it out to be in their emails, he’d see about putting in a good word with Miss Dupain-Cheng as he ‘never goes anywhere in anything other than his little rockers’ threads.’”
Damian frowns, not following the implication.
“What is that supposed to mean?”
“I believe Jared was using a loophole to reveal more of Miss Dupain-Cheng’s accomplishments than she wanted to admit to,” Bruce explains in amusement. “Jared is widely known to exclusively wear MDC and is known as their intermediary for new clients. Seeing as Tim and Dick have been contacting him for months about his ‘designer,’ I believe this was his way of giving us a hint to her identity and inform us of just how accomplished Miss Dupain-Cheng really is.”
Damian shifts his weight on his feet, vaguely recalling Tim pleading with Barbara Gordan to help him uncover the identity of his favourite designer and her adamant refusal after he had attempted to hack into Gordon’s personal mainframe.
Damian frowns. MDC, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. With such a simplistic pseudonym, how has she not been found out?
Drake is losing his touch.
Shaking his head, Damian considers his assignment in a new light.
If what this Jared person is alluding to is true, Damian has to admit that he is reluctantly impressed, especially with his father’s testament to her professionalism and capabilities. Perhaps interacting with this one girl would not be completely awful if she is as responsible and talented as she has been made out to be.
“I will begin preparations for the class’ arrival and will be conducting a more thorough investigation into Dupain-Cheng as my counterpart. If there is nothing else, I will see myself out,” Damian replies as he turns on his heel and exits his father’s office without waiting for a response. As he reaches the elevator, he internally reviews his upcoming schedule, knowing he will need to increase his time training in the Cave in order to make it through the upcoming months without lashing out.
Perhaps he should inform Legal to be prepared with NDAs.
A little while later, Damian sits at his desk, Alfred the Cat in his lap as he reviews the files provided by his father with a cup of hot cocoa with extra marshmallows in his hand. As he sips his sweet drink, he muses over the essay splayed across his desk, finding himself not nearly as irritated as he had been when his father informed him of his new task.
To Damian’s acknowledgement, the winning essay is well-written and concise, conveying a vast amount of information and the group’s achievements succinctly without being too wordy or flowery as one would expect from the age-group the contest was tailored to. While some of the achievements of the students within the class are rather childish – including oddly enough, governmentally-acclaimed media pertaining to a certain movie franchise involving a ladybug and cat-themed team of heroes – the ambition, ingenuity, and talent of the group of students is undeniable. After extensive background checks, only two students of the entire group appear to lack the qualities and achievements the board of directors of Wayne Enterprise would have desired from the winning class, which in itself is a startlingly strong ratio in comparison to other applicants and past winners. Even with so little to work with, the author appears to attempt to paint the two in a flattering light, even if the sections pertaining to them are noticeably shorter in comparison and are primarily connected to group achievements.
The class president, the applicant herself whom his father had spoken so highly of, stands out especially, but not in the way Damian would have expected. Marinette Dupain-Cheng hardly touches on her own achievements, highlighting the effort and initiative of her fellow classmates and the opportunities that would arise for them all should they be chosen as the representing class. In fact, most of the information regarding Dupain-Cheng’s own achievements come from the letters of endorsement that she had supplied from the Mayor of Paris, Jagged Stone, Clara Nightingale, Gabriel Agreste, Audrey Bourgeois, Nadia Chamack, and Amellie Graham de Vanilly – the mother of one of his few civilian acquaintances Damian deemed worthy of association. Each endorser has something of significance to herald the young class president with in addition to their endorsement, so much so that Damian had paused at one point to contemplate if Marinette Dupain-Cheng had some sort of agenda by not proclaiming her own achievements or if her self esteem is simply so low as to not consider herself worth mentioning.
The list of responsibilities the young girl shoulders is both astounding as well as admirable, painting her as someone competent, organised, compassionate, hardworking, and above all, sociable and skilled in interpersonal relations – the very skill his father is attempting to impart upon Damian. She appears to make friends easily, especially with those who are known for being closed off and in some cases, down right reclusive, meaning that she must have some quality that those with actual standards find admirable.
If Dupain-Cheng’s reputation precedes her, she may be of strong enough will to work with Damian for the next month without breaking down in tears at the mere sight of him – an eventuality that Damian has become quite familiar with over the years. The small photo of Marinette Dupain-Cheng that is included with her file is small and a bit grainy, but the smile the cute girl (because yes, she is objectively pleasant to look at) gives the camera is warm and even the poor quality cannot hide the vivid determination in her bluebell eyes.
As Damian gathers more information on Dupain-Cheng, Damian finds a particular point of admiration for the girl in her participation as a rather vocal member and contributor of Designers Against Animal Abuse (DAAA), an international animal rights foundation centralised around protesting animal use in fashion. After pausing to look into the group more thoroughly, Damian had contacted Drake and his coworkers at WE about arranging a donation to the foundation on his and WE’s behalf. In his opinion, Dupain-Cheng’s participation in such a worthy cause says more about her as a person than any of the letters of endorsement.
The only accomplishment that Damian is somewhat displeased with in regards to Dupain-Cheng’s supposed excellence is her own contribution to her class’ apparent obsession with the miraculous franchise as a co-founder of the governmentally sanctioned fan-blog MiraculousNow , which in addition to the profiles of the fictional heroes and villains boasts the promotion of mental health awareness, appropriate safety procedures, and ‘Akuma Alerts,’ whatever that is. Why it is government sanctioned and so focused on safety and mental health resources, Damian has no idea, but before the question can fully settle in his thoughts, it leaves him, and the rest of Dupain-Cheng’s accomplishments are brought once more to the forefront of his mind.
All in all, Marinette Dupain-Cheng stands out, seemingly inadvertently so, and as Damian sets the file aside for the night he muses that perhaps working alongside someone as competent as Dupain-Cheng would be a moderately acceptable use of his time. At the very least, she appears tolerable, if not somewhat bubbly in nature given the video excerpts he’s managed to find online (she also appears clumsy, but hopefully she has grown out of it since the videos were made). In addition, Damian will be able to acquire a more direct method of assessment of her character through one of his own acquaintances, someone who shares his impatience with incompetent and annoying plebeians. Damian makes a note to give the boy a call the next day.
And with that thought, Damian finishes the last of his cocoa and gently removes Alfred the Cat from his lap and strides from his room. He has a patrol to get to and he would rather be stabbed than miss it (then again, he could very well be stabbed during patrol, but that is neither here nor there). Yet as Damian walks the halls of the manor in the direction of the Bat Cave, a sense of foreboding nags at him. Something about the movie series that the Paris class appears especially fond of had awoken a faint memory of his childhood, of his mother and grandfather arguing quietly as he attempted to sleep. A cat and a ladybug had been mentioned but the rest of the conversation had been muffled, too quiet for a half-asleep six year old to pick up on.
Damian scowls and pushes the thoughts away as he enters the cave. Surely it is a coincidence, for what would the League of Assassins, a deadly and blatantly morally corrupt organisation have to do with a light-hearted children’s animation? It is as unlikely as Batman agreeing to work with magical heroes – or even more unlikely, magical-girl heroes (as Grayson calls them) such as those utilised in the miraculous movies.
Damian scoffs at the absurdity of the thought.
An unlikely combination indeed.
Marinette Dupain-Cheng
*
Paris, France
Lychee Francoise Dupont, The classroom of Mlle Bustier
One month prior to Marinette’s departure to Gotham
*
"The Wayne Educational Advancement Summer Internship, hosted and sponsored by Wayne Enterprises and Gotham Academy: a six-week-long summer program in which one outstanding class is invited to Gotham to spend a month honing their skills under arguably the best in their chosen fields both in and out of the classroom. Not only is this program highly valued for its exclusivity, but also for the jump starts it provides for its attendees in both networking and personal growth, guaranteeing opportunities for success in one's future.
"Out of hundreds of thousands of applicants, the essay submitted by Miss Marinette Dupain-Cheng on behalf of her incoming senior class of Lycee Francoise Dupont of Paris, France, highlighted not only the ambition, creativity, and initiative of its students, but also their care for their community and desire to hone their talents in betterment of the world around them. As such, it is our pleasure here at Wayne Enterprises to extend this honour to her and her class. We look forward to seeing you all soon and becoming part of your future development."
The video cuts off, the screen turning black as the classroom explodes in a din of cheers and excited chatter. At the front of the class, Mlle Bustier raises the screen with a few sweet words and a promise to return shortly before leaving the room to gather the program materials and permission forms for each student from the main office, allowing her students to savour the moment in private. With the stress of the end of year finals looming over them, this news is a welcome if not surprising relief, something to look forward to in the incoming weeks that will hopefully stave off some of the stress-related akumas that are bound to come up.
Despite the joy and cheer the upcoming trip brings the class, few students actually thank the girl responsible, too wrapped up in their own anticipatory glee to pay their class president any heed. Instead, Marinette sits at the back of the room, blushing lightly as her best friend and former bully praises her loudly and offhandedly beside her. . . while also berating her for not telling her she had applied in the first place. Marinette is a humble person, but Chloe Bourgeois is not, and the latter rarely overlooks the opportunity to force Marinette to confront her own accomplishments. Unfortunately, even Chloe's loud praise is drowned out by the chaos surrounding them until one broken voice pierces the din, louder than what would be expected had it been natural.
"Marinette? I – did you really not submit my name alongside yours?" Lila asks as she comes to stand in front of Marinette's desk, her eyes filled with crocodile tears as she trembles lightly. "After – after all the work you delegated to me and the favours I had to pull in?"
The room immediately falls silent, the weight of Lila's accusation chilling the once jubilant atmosphere. Shock, outrage, and hesitant confusion pepper the expressions of the other students as they turn to the back of the class, ready to watch the confrontation unfold.
Marinette sighs, her expression rigid and weary as she stares up at Lila listlessly, avoiding looking at anyone else in the room as the tension (and shocked anger) begins to build. Inwardly, she debates whether or not it is worth it to argue with the manipulative liar, but knowing Chloe’s inevitable reaction to Marinette not putting up any fight would be worse , she tries to refute the witch in the most neutral way possible.
"You and I both know that’s not true, Lila,” Marinette begins slowly, choosing her words carefully and trying to remain emotionally distant. “Chloe and I actively avoid you. In no way did you and I 'work together' on the application for the essay contest, nor did I delegate anything to you or ask for any favours. In fact, I didn’t tell anyone I was even nominating our class for the program and Miss Bustier only found out after my essay was chosen over a month ago. Even Chloe didn’t know I applied until just now."
As expected, Lila doesn’t even flinch at Marinette’s valid and logical explanation, most likely expecting such a response and glossing over it as though Marinette hadn’t spoken.
"So you were just using me – after everything I did – Marinette, how could you?! I thought we were finally becoming friends!" Lila breaks down in tears, her shoulders curling in on herself as Alya strides forward to wrap a comforting arm around the liar before shooting a seething glare at the class president.
Marinette has to give it to Lila; she’s getting better at her act. She's become a more competent actress over the last few years, so much so that she is almost believable. Almost.
"Girl, did you seriously use Lila like that?" Alya accuses, her nose curled in disgust as she pulls the sobbing Lila closer.
"Oh please – you're not seriously believing that crap, are you?" Chloe interjects before Marinette can stop her from fanning the flames, rolling her eyes as she files her nails, aware of the class' quiet eyes on the unfolding conversation before her. "Why would Marinette need some liar's help writing an essay? It’s ridiculous! She's got the best grades in Literature out of the entire class. Marinette could write circles around Lie-la any day of the week. In fact, isn't Lila failing that class? Why would one of the top students in the class need the help of someone who needs tutors in just about every subject?"
"Chloe! That's so mean!" Rose pipes up, her cheeks flushed as she comes to her friend's defence. "You know how much time Lila's charity work and modelling schedule takes up! You shouldn't hold her grades against her like that!"
"And why would Lila lie about something like this?" Alya throws back, turning her sneer on the hotel heiress. "I’ve given Marinette chance after chance but obviously nothing gets through to her when it comes to Lila! Marinette is being petty and jealous! She needs to face the fact that you know who isn’t interested and stop taking it out on –"
Marinette tunes out Alya's accusations as her eyes inadvertently catch Adrien's gaze from where he sits in the front row. His expression is conflicted, as though he isn't sure what to believe, but there is an undertone of disappointment directed toward her that tells Marinette he is more in support of the liar crying loudly in Alya’s arms than what is obviously the truth.
To her credit, Marinette isn't hurt by this anymore.
Adrien has known about Lila's lies and her vendetta towards Marinette from the beginning, promising to stand with the young designer against Lila, and initially he had. . . until he didn’t. After so much time spent with the Italian between photo shoots, tutoring, and class projects, Lila had somehow managed to manipulate Adrien into truly befriending her and subsequently believing in her to an extent – through some weird sense of solidarity over absentee parents if what Chloe has managed to pry out of him is true.
That being said, Marinette had given up on her crush on the young model long ago, but that doesn't mean she doesn't pity him – both him and their classmates who have fallen for the charlatan’s sweet words.
Despite Marinette’s subtle and not-so-subtle efforts to gently expose the class to the falsehood of Lila’s tales and accusations over the years, most of the class have grown wary of Marinette instead. While polite to the girl and still holding her up on a pedestal for her capabilities as a class president, most tend to avoid her in social situations as a testament to their disapproval of her attitude towards and treatment of Lila. That is, all but Alya, who has no issue calling Marinette and Chloe out whenever Lila is reduced to tears, ever the defender of ‘justice.’ That isn’t to say that Alya is bullying Marinette – Lila is managing that all on her own – but she is most definitely fanning the flames of antagonization. Just as Alya had no issue calling Chloe out back in the day, Alya has no qualms about doing the same to her former best friend without a shred of evidence.
In the eyes of the class, Marinette is being childish and vindictive in her jealousy of Lila, and so they treat her coldly and indifferently in protest, even if their support and belief in a liar will only lead them to ruin in the long run. Marinette can only warn them so many times, encourage them to fact check their sources and apply their work themselves instead of relying on Lila's recommendations by word of mouth. This had been one of the many reasons Marinette had applied for the Wayne summer internship program, in a last ditch effort in hope that her classmates’ lives may not be as affected by Lila's lies, but at the end of the day their decisions are not Marinette's responsibility. As much as she still cares for them, it is not her place to tell them how to live their lives.
All in all, Marinette has become complacent to the callous treatment placed on her by her classmates despite how much it all hurts. She doesn’t have enough energy to waste on friendships that have proven themselves flimsy at best despite how strong they once seemed. Marinette has responsibilities of her own. She has too much on her plate to deal with silly classroom antics that will not have any real effects on her life in the long run. Marinette has her schoolwork and duties as class president to fulfil, a bakery to help run, commissions as MDC to complete, training under the kwami and Suhan as the next Celestial Guardian to review, and a certain butterfly-themed villain to subdue as Ladybug, the heroine of Paris.
To put it plainly, Marinette is exhausted, drowning in her responsibilities, and lacking a proper amount of sleep; she doesn’t have time to worry about her social standing amongst her peers. Marinette is stretched thin with dark circles permanently etched under her eyes to prove it, her responsibilities often leaving her to sacrifice basic needs in order to stay afloat. It isn’t enough that her city is being held emotionally hostage by a magical terrorist, not even allowing the poor girl to vent her frustrations, anger, and sorrow at her current situation. No, it is much worse for Marinette as she is the only person in Paris that cannot be akumatized at any cost. If Ladybug falls, so does Paris and the already unsettled balance of the world, and as the technical head of the Order of Miraculi, there is no telling if the Order will be able to counter the apocalypse that is likely to follow.
At the end of the day, Marinette wears many hats and bears the responsibilities that belong to each. Marinette is the True Ladybug of the generation, the (still-in-training) Celestial Guardian of the Miraculous, the Commander of the Court of Miracles. Marinette is MDC, the elusive fashion designer who only designs for the select few A-list celebrities who have earned her trust. Marnette is class president of her premier (junior) lycee class at Francoise Dupont, the wardrobe manager of the Drama club, and a textile specialist in the Engineering club. Marinette is a steady presence at the community centre, volunteering her services with mental health programs, self defence classes, and in the community garden, all in addition to aiding her parents with their bakery when they need the extra help.
In a bridge between her life as a heroine and civilian, Marinette is also the co-manager and co-founder of the ‘MiraculousNow’ blog alongside Chloe and Aurore Beauréal. She had been approached by Nadia Chamak about creating a coherent, fact based website centred around public safety, mental health, and accurate information regarding the Miraculous War. Marinette had immediately reached out to both Aurore and Chloe (whose reputation in the eyes of the rest of the school has improved greatly over the years) about aiding in the design, structure, and application of the website. It was the creation of the rival blog that had broken the last straw of Marinette’s and Alya’s friendship. To Alya, it was the deepest form of betrayal and the meagre affection she still held for Marinette evaporated, leaving Lila to comfort the blogger; the Ladyblog’s viewership steadily decreased as most now turned to the governmentally sanctioned ‘MiraculousNow’ website. It was at this that Alya no longer held back in her anger, believing that Marinette had abandoned their friendship, not knowing that Alya herself was the one who abandoned Marinette first.
As stated, the amount of responsibilities on the teen’s plate is significant, but the alternative is worse – being left alone with her own thoughts, spiralling over her crumbling mental and physical health, to be allowed to ruminate on the dire state of her crumbling social and home life. Marinette is all but ostracised by the majority of people around her, essentially abandoned by the faculty and administration and avoided by her classmates and former friends, all of whom have fallen victim to the tall tales of a liar – save a select few who have chosen to simply stay out of it, unwilling to take sides or paint a target on their own back. Even Marinette’s parents have grown suspicious of her, the sheer amount of complaints regarding her behaviour slowly eroding her parent’s trust in her. It has even gotten to the point that they have begun tracking Marinette’s phone, leaving her to leave her phone in hidden alcoves at the library, the community centre, and the school while patrolling. If not for that, Marinette is sure that she would have been grounded permanently years ago. Even so, the loving relationship she had with her parents in childhood has dissipated, leaving a strained ghost of what once was in its place.
Yet Marinette can't bring herself to crumble beneath Lila's accusations or falter at the hold she has over their classmates. Despite Lila's efforts and in contrast to the dark thoughts that often plague her, Marinette is not alone, nor will she ever be due to her position as the True Ladybug.
According to Suhan and the kwami, as Ladybug, the Commander of the Court of Miracles, the other True Holders of the Miraculous will be naturally drawn to and gather around Marinette in their civilian lives, even if they don’t understand why. This had apparently accounted for Chloe’s antagonistic attitude toward Marinette as children, something that Marinette inwardly laughs at now that Chloe has become her best friend out of the mask and greatest supporter (read fangirl ) in it.
In the wake of Chloe’s previous mistakes and in seeing through the malicious nature of Lila Rossi, the blonde heiress had reflected on her actions and had not only taken the time to apologise to Marinette, but had become her defender in and out of the classroom. If Chloe has learned anything in the last few years, it is to stand up for what is right and to always keep receipts, and she most definitely does so in regards to Marinette. More than once, it was only because Chloe had alibis at the ready that Marinette was able to avoid falling prey to Lila’s schemes.
It is through this that Marinette found a new best friend in Chloe, who has proven that she has turned her life around for the better. Because of this, Marinette decided to trust her in a moment of desperation and had called upon her once more as a Wielder of the Bee Miraculous. It was through this proof of trust that a certain truth came to light: Chloe is the True be of the generation.
This development had been significant for both Marinette and the Order for many reasons, and had revealed even more truths that Master Fu had apparently kept hidden from Marinette: Chloe was not the only True Holder that Marinette had called upon in the past.
Upon the discovery of Chloe’s birthright, courtesy of a relieved and emotional Pollen and a horrified Suhan (just how much had Fu gone against the Guardian’s duty?!), Marinette had sat down and spoke with the Kwami she’s worked with in the past. Apparently, Fu had forbidden the Kwami to speak of their connections to the True Holders that Marinette had inadvertently identified. He believed that he had already messed up too much by downing the Order, losing the Butterfly and Peacock miraculi, and forcing the Ladybug and Cat onto such a public stage without the protection of the Order. Because of this, Fu had decided that there would be no Court of Miracles in this generation, not until the Order could be rebuilt in some way – and so he ordered the Kwami to not reveal their connection to their True Holders. It was a horrible order, one that Fu knew would hurt the Kwami, but despite his good intentions, Fu had been a coward and unfortunately unaware of the effect that this could have on the balance of the universe.
In this way, three other True Holders were similarly identified, and Marinette had laughed herself to tears at her luck.
In a twist of Fate, Marinette was already associated and had a close relationship with three other True Holders, three of the only people whom she still considered as steadfast and loyal friends after Lila had tarnished Marinette’s reputation; Kagami Tsurugi as the True Dragon, Ryuko, Felix Graham de Vanily (with whom she had reconciled after their first meeting and grown close to) as the True Fox, Renarde, and Luka Couffaine as the True Snake, Viperion. With this revelation, Suhan had begrudgingly admitted that while Marinette appears to struggle with soul/aura reading, she has a deep-rooted instinct for souls’ compatibility with certain Miraculi.
Together with Chloe, who had taken the second moniker of Royal Honey, the four became the current Court of Miracles under Marinette. While still unable to reveal her identity as of yet, what with Hawkmoth’s current reign, Marinette was still able to trust them as friends in their civilian lives, and their support has been priceless.
All in all, Marinette has four friends to support her in both her hero and civilian lives (even if they don't know it yet), and on her hero side she has Chat. . . mostly.
A discordance has brewed between the two main heroes, one that has only grown with Marinette's rise to the mantle of Celestial Guardian and her increasing resonance with the Ladybug Miraculous. According to her Guardian training, the discordance stems from the unbalance of power between her and Chat and his status as a Wielder and not a True Holder. When Ladybug and Chat Noir first started out as holders, they were equal in both experience and the extent of their compatibility was enough that they could work as a team. The balance of the universe remained for a significant amount of time.
However, the balance between them has shifted.
Bearing the mantle of Ladybug, Marinette has grown in tune with her Miraculous, shaping her soul in the process as she matured and has bonded more securely with Tikki in every way possible; she has grown into herself as Ladybug despite still technically falling under the title of Fledgeling. She has essentially become Tikki's human embodiment and the other half to Plagg. She is creation and empathy, she sees the potential in others and the possibilities of all future outcomes. She is Ladybug and according to Tikki, her maturation is near complete as a True Holder .
On the other hand, Chat Noir has not grown with her, a fact that only solidified his identity as a Wielder and not a True Chat despite Marinette’s hopes. Chat Noir, for all he was originally, has not grown in the same way Marinette has. He had been what Marinette needed in the beginning, a child matching a child and supporting her unquestioningly and unconditionally, but he never moved past that.
Over time, Marinette began to need her equal, her partner, and Chat Noir had become just another ally, a sidekick, leaving Ladybug to take on the responsibility of the outcome of the battles alone. Where Marinette trained herself mentally and physically outside of battles, where Ladybug discovered and grew into new abilities and tendencies in and out of the suit (not all of which have been pleasant), Chat Noir remained the same as when they first started out – unable to grow, unable to change , which is one of the embodiments of the very Miraculous he Wields. He is still Ladybug's friend and partner of sorts, but with how things are he is too reckless; Ladybug often finds herself fighting without him or against him because he has gotten hit or sacrificed himself in her stead, which while objectively admirable, isn’t always necessary.
When it became obvious that Ladybug and Chat Noir were struggling more and more with each akuma due to their imbalance, Marinette made the decision to bring in Royal Honey, Ryuko, Renarde, and Viperion officially, and to her relief, everything became relatively balanced once more. Chat had not taken to the new additions kindly, at least not when he found out they were permanent; they were the True Holders of their respective Miraculi and keeping them out of the fight was causing more harm than good. This development led to less flirting and banter from the cat, which while a bit relieving, has been replaced with short quips, late arrivals (sometimes even no-shows), and quick retreats once each battle is over and done.
Despite Chat’s irresponsibility, Marinette fears that she is losing a dear friend and is struggling over what to do moving forward. She’s already lost so many and despite his actions, she trusts Chat Noir with her life. Even though he is not a True Holder, the fact that he has managed to last four years as a Wielder for one of the most powerful and easily corrupted miraculi is outstanding, especially for someone who appears so young.
All in all, Marinette has been stressed and has no time to squabble over someone as insignificant as Lila, Marinette’s compassion and social life be damned.
In the middle of Alya's condemnation of Marinette’s supposed actions (of which neither Marinette nor Chloe have been paying particular attention at this point), Mlle Bustier returns to the room and directs the class to take their seats so that she can pass out the paperwork for the trip to Gotham.
With one last glance at the two girls, Alya and Lila reluctantly take their seats at the front of the class while Marinette and Chloe share a look of exasperation. Given the dramatics set up by Lila, there is little chance this is the last they will hear of her about the Internship. Hopefully Lila won't get the class killed in her vendetta or her desire to be the centre of attention at all times. They are going to Gotham after all; it's doubtful that fantastical lies will go over well in a city born and bred on both psychopaths and sociopaths, even if the Bats are there to intervene.
Marinette smiles softly at the thought of the trip to Gotham and resists the urge to bury her face in her arms in relief. It is so much more meaningful to her that her application was chosen. There are many reasons Marinette had applied for the 'Gotham Educational Advancement Program’ despite her tumultuous relationship with her class and the fact that it is located in Gotham of all places – a crime capital not known for treating tourists warmly.
For one, the Internship Program itself is prestigious and would look outstanding on any and all applications and resumes Marinette submits in her future. It also gives her access to networking opportunities and a look into the technicalities of running a business on a large scale, something Marinette hopes to someday achieve as MDC. Wayne Enterprises has a reputation of being the best of the best and only accepting those of the same calibre within their ranks. Even something as simple as a high school summer program holds a certain prestige when in relation to WE, and Marinette is eager to learn as much as she can during her time there.
For another, Marinette's instincts as the Celestial Guardian have finally begun to blossom under the tutelage of the kwami (mostly Wayzz and Tikki) and Suhan, and with it her intuition regarding places of abnormally chaotic energy, places where the natural balance has been significantly skewed so much so that the earth is unable to fix itself on its own. They are places where Marinette will have to take time to nurture them back to health as Ladybug, and Gotham seems to be at the top of the list if her intuition is correct, if only because it is the only one she can truly sense this early into her studies.
Suhan has been very hands off with her, assuring her that her instincts will guide both her and the Order in the right direction (so no pressure, right?), meaning that the Order as a whole will follow her will – at least for the most part. Suhan is still dissatisfied that while Fu had found the True Ladybug of this generation, he had passed on the title of Celestial Guardian (a title that Fu only held because of the death of the previous Celestial Star at the time of the loss of the Temple) without informing the girl of the additional responsibilities it entails or testing her for her compatibility with the role. It is a role that Ladybugs traditionally are dissuaded from taking as their responsibilities as one of the Heads of the Court of Miracles take precedence.
Traditionally, Celestial Guardians or ‘Stars’ as they are often referred, are chosen for their high magical attunement after many years of observation and testing and are then trained by the previous Star before they take up their mantle, which Fu had not conducted nor managed during his tenure. Fu had been incredibly lucky finding Marinette, and his luck nearly miraculous in nature because after much observation on Suhan’s part over the last few months, Marinette has proven herself worthy and capable of her position. That in itself is a relief as the only way to usurp her as the Celestial Guardian at this point would mean to lose the Ladybug of this generation. While Marinette is still young and developing her magical attunement, he and the other elder Guardians agree that she is showing exceptional promise – even if they still have not revealed to her all the secrets of the Order, much to the kwamis irritation and protest.
Even so, it is by Tikki’s grace that despite the circumstances, the Order is rebuilding its foundations, which is why Marinette is maintaining her patience and not simply ordering them around. This is especially true as Marinette is still adjusting to all of these changes and responsibilities herself – there is no reason to rush her command of the Order when she has other priorities. Despite bearing the magic and moniker of Celestial Guardian, she is being treated more as the Star’s Heir, still in training in the workings of the Order and the position she holds.
While taking all this into account, when Hawkmoth is defeated, Marinette plans to uphold her primary duties as the Celestial Guardian and travel, fixing the broken and unbalanced energies that are corrupting the earth, which means Gotham is to be her new home in the near and foreseeable future. From what she can tell, Marinette doubts she will be able to cleanse such a large discrepancy in less than ten to twenty years if not more, which would give her ample time to learn everything she needs about being the Star in order to lead the Order while still making a life for herself.
This leads to yet another reason for Marinette's applying to the Gotham Internship; Marinette is using this trip to look into Gotham University. Given Marinette’s intentions for making Gotham her home, there is no better Fashion Program to be part of. No one besides Chloe knows of her desire to attend the prestigious if not infamous (if only for its location) university, and while the blonde heiress has no desire to attend there herself, Chloe has been supporting Marinette in her own way by applying to NYU in the hopes that they will at least be close enough to see one another on a regular basis.
Which leaves the biggest reason for Marinette's desire to visit the most crime-ridden and dangerous city in the United States, if not the entire world: Batman and his team of detectives. After nearly four years of battling akuma after akuma, after being held emotionally hostage by a deranged butterfly, Marinette is at her wits end. She is tired and is itching to move on, yet she is at a stalemate as Hawkmoth has only grown more dangerous and seemingly deranged, especially after the disappearance of Mayura (although the Peacock Miraculous still makes the occasional appearance somehow).
Marinette has exhausted her resources and needs a fresh pair of eyes, and who better to consult than the world's greatest detective? Master Fu had told Marinette that he had been careful about keeping the Justice League (and potentially unbeatable akuma-candidates) out of Paris with the help of Aquaman, who is all too aware of the devastation the Miraculi have the potential to cause should they be misused. Master Fu hadn’t elaborated before he lost his memory, but either way the endeavour had been successful thus far, even with the changing of Guardianship – although for whatever reason, Marinette has been unsuccessful in contacting the Atlantean or the Justice League since her ascension to the position.
However, times have changed. Hawkmoth's akumas are becoming more violent, more deadly, and Paris is already at its brink, its people unwilling to fold under Hawkmoth's reign even at the cost of their mental and oftentimes physical health. Yet as much support as Paris attempts to give her, as beloved a heroine she is to the people, there is an impatience, a tiredness that seems to bleed from the city itself as they suffer again and again. It’s been three, almost four years of repressing emotions, of near daily delays caused by akumas, of dying or disappearing or falling to mind control, of being maimed or hurt or transformed, of hurting those they love and watching the world burning before their very eyes. Paris and its people are weary and the fact that they have grown used to the state of affairs is something Marinette fears the city as a whole will never fully recover from.
Ladybug needs to move on from Paris, which means she needs help, something Master Fu had been adamant about avoiding as long as they could. However, with the return of the Order, Suhan had left the decision up to Marinette as the Celestial Guardian, which has led her to this conclusion.
During this trip, Marinette plans to track down the Bats and ask for their help in narrowing down her suspect pool, especially seeing as she has been unable to contact anyone within the Justice League for whatever reason. Batman is the Greatest Detective in the World, with his team as a close second (if not as good as or better than depending on who you ask) so hopefully upon her return to Paris, Ladybug will know the identity of Hawkmoth and have a plan to retrieve the missing Miraculi once and for all. This war has gone on long enough.
All these reasons had made it necessary for Marinette's class to be chosen for the Gotham Educational Advancement, which is why the news that she had won had been such a relief to the young woman. Once again Marinette finds herself grateful that she has luck on her side.
Bonus: The Story That Needs to be Told
In a certain Burrow, a Rabbit smiles warmly at the images of Marinette and Damian playing out on the walls. Out of every moment in history, the chain of events looping on every square carries so much weight for both the universe and the Order – a shifting in tides that eventually rights the tipped scales of reality, a reality that has been deeply damaged.
A tired sigh resounds through the Burrow, calling attention to one of the others currently occupying the magical space that exists outside of time.
“Is this really that important?” The Second, much younger Rabbit bemoans their elder. “They’re one Ladybug and Cat out of the hundreds in existence. These two can’t be that different from the rest.”
The elder Rabbit turns and considers the younger. This particular fledgling Rabbit, a Bunny, is talented but hard-headed, which given their lineage is understandable. However the elder cannot allow them to not recognise the significance of this moment in time, of these specific True Holders. It is important that all Rabbits recognise the power the two hold, of the significance of their existence and the trials that they have undergone to get to where they are now. It is especially imperative that this fledgling Bunny understands it.
The First continues to eye the Second’s demeanour critically, trying to figure out the best way to explain the importance of Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Damian al-Ghul Wayne. Their silence causes the Bunny to shift awkwardly between their feet, unsettled by the quiet, piercing nature of the seasoned Rabbit’s gaze.
Another Rabbit steps forward, the Third of their current group gathered in the Burrow.
“Lighten up, old timer,” this Third Rabbit chimes as they twirl around their umbrella with an amused smirk on their lips. “The Bunny is young. We can’t expect them to be wise like us and understand the significance of this history right outta the gate – where’s the fun in that? They need to flail around and make mistakes like the rest of us.”
The First Rabbit smirks, “Like you did?”
The Third Rabbit scowls and deflates a bit. “I paid my dues. And that Kitten won’t ever let me live it down either. The amount of ‘favours’ I’ve had to endure over the years is laughable.”
“But deserved,” the First comments before turning to the Second, who is staring between the other two in irritated befuddlement. “Now, as I was saying, this Ladybug and Cat are different from the rest. In fact, you can say that they are the most important to ever exist, and probably ever will exist.”
The Third Rabbit hums in agreement, adding, “And considering that this old guy here has seen just about everything, that’s saying something. They’re the one who recognised the signs and set a lot of this in motion.”
The Bunny frowns and crosses their arms.
“Alright then, why are they so different then?”
The First and Third Rabbit share a mysterious look before nodding.
The First places their hand on the closest square on the wall of the Burrow, replying, “For that, we need to start at the beginning.”
The Third Rabbit’s smile grows wide and takes a seat on the ground, making themselves comfortable. With a knowing grin, they turn to the confused Bunny and whisper,
“This is my favourite part!”