In “Simpleman”, Gina tells Marinette that she met a girl who looks like her, and the only girl that could be is Fei
Pssssst a little while ago I wrote a fic on this premise.
Tales from Shanghai (5747 words) by UltraKart Chapters: 5/? Fandom:Miraculous Ladybug Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Characters: Fei Wu (Miraculous Ladybug), Wang Cheng (Miraculous Ladybug), Sabine Cheng, Shu Yin Cheng (Miraculous Ladybug), Marinette Dupain-Cheng | Ladybug, Gina Dupain Additional Tags: TV Special: Miraculous World: Shanghai, Marichat (Mentioned) Series: Part 2 of A Miraculous time in Shanghai Summary:
This is a bunch of assorted stories inspired by the Miraculous Shanghai episode!
“She’s definitely going for Damian and she brought plenty of others to distract anyone he has with him.” Tris just out an annoyed huff at the news. She’d been almost certain that was what was going to happen but having the youngest Blake confirm it just made her even more pissed at Damian. All he had to do was leave and go home, but no, he just had to decide to stay. At least her roommates were in the clear for now.
“Have you informed him of that?” The wince she got in response was enough of an answer. He knew, and he was staying anyway. She could tell his self preservation instincts were non-existent. The idiot was going to get himself and everyone around him killed. Including her cousin… shit. She pulled out her phone.
Me - Talia’s coming for Damian. You need to get him out of Paris, now.
Cass - We know. He’s still refusing.
Me - Then knock him out and take him.
Cass - Bruce won’t let us. He thinks we can handle it.
Tris heard a growl and realized it came from her. Talia was about to be very disappointed since it was getting more likely by the minute Damian was going to be dead by her hand before the woman even got to Paris. His father too at this rate.
Me - You should leave then.
Cass - Won’t abandon them.
Me - What good is you being dead going to do anyone?
Cass - Why are you training people when you know they’ll never be able to hold their own against the League? You could have just left.
Tris felt her eye twitch.
Me - That’s different. They can’t protect themselves and they’re only in danger because of me. Damian’s stupidity is putting you all at risk. His guilt is making him blind to the reality of the situation.
Cass - He cares about you.
Me - No, he feels responsible for me and he refuses to believe I can take care of myself.
Cass - Either way, we’re staying.
“Damn it.” She only vaguely noticed the confused look the Blakes shared as she walked away. Once she was certain of privacy the pulled out a business card to text a new number.
Me - You need to leave. Staying here is only ensuring that all of you will get killed when Talia and her friends show up.
Bruce - We’ll leave if you come with us.
She just scowled down at her phone. What kind of bullshit was this? There was no practical reason for her to go with them. Not to mention she would rather be skinned alive.
Me - I’m not the one in danger. Not to mention it’s far better for all of us if Talia can’t connect me to you. As far as I know she’s still not even certain I’m still alive, so it would also just put me back on her radar.
Bruce - We’ll protect you.
Me- Given Damian died in your care, I’d rather take my chances on my own. I just suggest you take my advice and leave before you all end up dead this time.
No response. She waited but it seemed that he was done talking to her. But there was no indication that he was going to take Damian home so she had to assume the worst. If they were all going to be so stubborn she should just leave them to their fate. Talia would kill them and never even know she was here so it wasn’t her problem. Unless of course she tortured them first and they told her, but that really didn’t seem like her objective.
“What are you going to do?” She turned to find Gina leaning against the door frame.
“It’s officially their problem, not mine. I don’t need to do anything.” The woman just stared at her. She could tell she was looking for something but had no idea what it was.
“And you’re fine with that? Doing nothing?” Tris just tilted her head in confusion.
“I tried to get them to leave and they’re refusing. There isn’t anything else to do.” Gina let out a weary sigh and Tris couldn’t help but worry she’d disappointed the woman. “Damian’s father said he’d only leave if I went with them.”
“Excuse me? That is not happening.” She sounded downright offended that he’d even offered.
“I told him that, but I’m pretty sure they’re staying anyway. It makes no sense.”
“It makes no sense to you because you’re looking at the end result. Most people aren’t so clear thinking. Damian just found you again, he wants to stay near you.” Tris could only frown at her.
“That’s stupid. Not to mention he agreed when I said it would be better for us not to be around each other. He’s just being foolish.” Gina was fighting a smile and Tris thought it was a completely inappropriate reaction.
“No, his father has just been humanizing him and getting rid of Talia’s teachings. The bond between you may have been severed, but perhaps he wants to make up for the past.”
“I don’t see how him dying again will accomplish that either.” Gina finally broke out laughing. Tris had no idea why.
“Perhaps he thinks going up against his mother is a way to make up for what he did to you.” Tris tried to follow her reasoning and couldn’t. Him going up against Talia was suicide. How was that supposed to make up for anything? “It may not be rational, and he may not even realize that’s what he’s doing, but it would explain why he’s refusing to leave.”
“So how do I make him leave?”
“I don’t think you can. But you could make their odds better.”
“I suppose I could take out some of her subordinates before they make it to the city.” Gina rolled her eyes.
“You could consider fighting with them as well. I could join you.” She was serious. It made no sense for her to make her presence known to Talia, not unless one of them didn’t survive the encounter.
“I don’t think being out in the open is a good idea. It will just give Talia information she shouldn’t have.” Gina sighed.
“At some point you need to stop hiding. This is a way to make her back off completely if you’re willing to take a chance.” Tris thought that was a long shot. Talia didn’t know how to back down. Gina could obviously tell what she was thinking. “We’ll make sure she knows how detrimental it will be for her to go after you again.”
“I swear I forget how scary she is until I see her again. All she has to do is frown in my general direction and I’d start going through forms I haven’t done in years just to get her to stop.” Tris could only give a non committal hum at the comment. The Blakes were all terrified of her Nonna and even the insanity that was her roommates seemed to be wary of her. She knew the woman was skilled but she couldn’t find it in herself to be concerned. Whether it was because she knew she was safe or was simply familiar was anyone’s guess. The Blakes seemed to think she was insane but they also didn’t know about their relationship. Chloe and Adrien were under strict orders not to mention it. Tris could only hope they didn’t blurt it out anyway.
As she watched Gina try to marshal the Miraculous users into some sort of order she could only hope she was right about Talia’s target. While the Blakes had been right about her being a much better trainer than the rest of them there was no way to get those four in any way ready to go against the League. Kagami wasn’t terrible but without any practical experience she was no match for any of them. The rest were honestly useless in a fight against anyone with training. Adrien wouldn’t be terrible if he could just apply the things he learned in fencing to what he was being taught now but he seemed to be unable to connect the two. A string moved in the corner of her vision.
“If Damian sent you to check on me again it’s not necessary, Cass. He needs you far more than I do.” The woman moved from the shadows to stand next to her. The way she cocked her head as she watched the Miraculous users go through their paces said she thought they were hopeless as well.
“Not checking. Couldn’t get Damian to leave.” Tris could only let out a weary breath. She would like to be surprised. She would like for an al Ghul to be reasonable. She would like to have never been dragged into any of this. As always, what she wanted or liked didn’t matter.
“One more reason for you to be watching his back instead of standing here. So what do you want?” She could feel the woman’s gaze on her before she hummed in approval. The Blakes were remaining suspiciously quiet.
“Gina.” Well that wasn’t the response she expected. When she looked at the string between them it was an even bigger shock. Luckily Gina chose that moment to notice Cass.
“Boys take over please.” The Blake brothers snapped into action immediately and Tris couldn’t help but roll her eyes. She noticed Cass doing the same. Gina made her way over and hugged the woman. “Cassandra, it’s wonderful to see you again. I take it you’re here to make sure I’m not a threat to your adoptive family?”
“I know. They wanted me to make sure.” Gina let out an amused snort.
“Of course they did. Well you can tell them that the next time I see Talia I’ll be making sure she’s no longer a threat to anyone.” Cass just raised an eyebrow at her and Tris saw a mischievous glint in her Nonna’s eyes. Oh that couldn’t be good. “I’m glad you’re here though, I’ve been waiting a long time to introduce the two of you.”
“We’ve already met.” Cass nodded at Tris’s words but Gina’s smile only widened.
“That may be true but I haven’t properly introduced you. Marinette,” Tris hissed in warning but the woman just kept going. “I’d like to introduce you to Cassandra Cain. Your first cousin once removed.” The string between her and Cass changed to a light purple but Tris was too stunned to wonder about that.
“I’m sorry, what?” Cass looked just as stunned as she was but Gina just grinned at them.
“Cass’s father is my wayward little brother. Why the dolt joined the League of Assassins is still a mystery. However he and I will have words when I see him again since I’m certain he knew that you were my granddaughter while you were there.” Tris frowned at her in confusion for a moment before she sucked in a sharp breath. No wonder Cass had seemed so familiar. Talia had brought David Cain in to help ‘train’ her when she was being particularly cruel. She remembered hearing rumors of the daughter he kept isolated.
“David Cain is my great uncle?” She couldn’t help the disgust in her tone. It caused her Nonna’s expression to tighten.
“Yes, and now I have a few more words to say to him. But you two will be good for each other.” She walked back to where the others were training, leaving her and Cass alone in an extremely awkward silence. Cass was surprisingly the one that broke it.
“Cousins?” It sounded like she was a little bit dazed, and Tris could relate.
“It would appear so. I’m sorry.” Cass tilted her head in confusion. “From the few times I dealt with him your father seemed… harsh. I don’t imagine that made for much of a childhood.” Cass gave an acknowledging hum. Before they came up with anything else, Cass’s phone buzzed.
“Have to get back.” She turned and held out a hand to Tris. She just blinked at it for a moment before she realized she wanted to shake hands. When she returned the gesture, Cass grinned at her. “Keep in touch.” Then she was gone as silently as she came. The string connecting them was already turning a deeper purple and Tris wasn’t certain why noticing that caused a tightness in her chest. She must be tired.
This was going to be a disaster. That was the only thought Tris could manage as she waited for Gina on the warehouse roof. She’d been trying to figure out a way to keep her from finding out about Talia. The Blakes she could count on not to say anything, the others… even though she hadn’t named Talia she gave them enough clues that their idle gossip would tip the woman off. There was no way she could keep it under wraps. She had to tell her.
“My fairy, I’d hoped it was you.” She’d landed silently. If Tris hadn’t been able to see the string Gina would have snuck up on her. At some point she was going to have to ask where her skills had come from.
“I’m sorry, I did not want to bring you back into my fight. But now the other’s are in danger and I need your help.” The words felt like they were being pulled from her. She didn’t ask for help, it was a sign of weakness. Gina put a hand under her chin and forced her to meet her gaze. She didn’t know what that look meant.
“No, I’m sorry. I treated you like the child I remembered rather than the skilled warrior you’ve become. I shouldn’t have tried to insert myself without asking you.” Tris just blinked at her in surprise for a moment. An apology was the last thing she’d expected. “I just want to help you in whatever way you’ll let me.”
“I need you to train the others to fight. My efforts so far have been less than successful and there’s no time to figure out a better strategy.” The words came out in a rush, almost as if she were afraid they wouldn’t come out at all if she stopped.
“What is the threat?” And there was the question she really didn’t want to answer. Given her views on Talia she might go after the woman herself. Unfortunately, there really wasn’t a way to keep it from her at this point.
“Talia is on her way to Paris, but I’m almost certain she’s going after Damian. I have no reason to believe she actually knows I’m here. I just want the other’s prepared in case the worst happens.” She got it all out in a rush and practically held her breath waiting for a response.
“I thought you said Damian was dead.” There was a hard edge to her voice and Tris had a feeling the woman knew all about the Lazarus Pits. Well, one less thing to explain.
“He was. I didn’t get all the details but I’m fairly confident Talia at least ordered his death. I’m not certain who revived him or how, though I have my theories.” Gina was searching her face for something, but she had no idea what.
“You’ve seen him?” Tris just nodded. “And what about your string?” Oh, that explained the concerned expression.
“The string isn’t red and shows no sign of returning to it.”
“And how do you feel about that?” Tris just blinked at her in confusion.
“It’s for the best and means fewer complications. Damian said it was the universe correcting a mistake, and I can’t say I disagree. Given our history, any further contact is likely to just create strife.” Gina let out a sigh.
“Perhaps you should keep an open mind about that. Strings exist for a reason. In time things may change. You deserve to be happy and I don’t want to see you cut off any possible avenues, no matter how unlikely they seem at the moment.” Tris nodded. There was nothing she could say or do to change the woman’s mind, and the last thing she wanted was to get into an argument instead of focusing on getting the others trained. Gina sighed again. “Of course I’ll help train your friends and keep them safe. Do you know when Talia will get here?”
“Not exactly, but given her current pace and movements within the week most likely.” From what she could tell, Talia was stopping at various safe houses, probably to pick up people or supplies. The first was more of an issue than the second in her opinion. Being overwhelmed in numbers was a far bigger risk than any tricks she could come up with.
“That doesn’t give us much time. Have they had any combat training before?”
“No, but hopefully with the Miraculous they’ll be able to stay alive. Right now I just need you to keep them from being a liability to themselves and each other. Hopefully they won’t be a part of this at all but I don’t want them killed because I was wrong. I shouldn’t have stayed here and put them in danger in the first place.” She should never have let Fu and the Kwami convince her to stay here. She should have left as soon as Chloe recognized her. She shouldn’t have gone after Damian and outed herself. She was slipping, and that was a death sentence in her world. Gina cupped her face and made her look up at her.
“This is not your fault.” Tris just shot the woman a flat look. “It’s not. You can’t be held responsible for the nut job Talia is. And Isolating yourself from the world does nothing but cause you pain. You may not remember much from before you were taken but you were always happiest around other people. You can’t honestly tell me you aren’t enjoying being with your friends, even if you hate school.” She wanted to argue but stopped herself to really think about it. Yes, she hated school and the training sessions were a nightmare but when they were all together in their dorm or she was out with some of them it was nice. She certainly enjoyed teaching Kagami about reading people.
“Perhaps but it’s selfish to put them in danger for something so fleeting. Being around me is dangerous and no one deserves to have a target on their back just because I don’t want to be alone.” Until she said it Tris didn’t really believe it, but the thought of going back to the way things were… it hurt. But what else could she do?
“Marinette.” she flinched back but her Nonna kept hold of her face and forced eye contact. “Marinette, I’m not going to let that woman keep destroying your life. Regardless of who her target is by the time this is over you will be safe and I will not leave you alone. I promise.” She forced back tears and tried to figure out what the strange feeling in her chest was. She had to think back to right after she was taken. Those first few weeks when she’d told herself that someone would come for her, or Damian would stop his mother from torturing her. She’d quickly had all the hope beaten out of her. It was pointless, dangerous even. The fact that she was feeling it again… she wasn’t certain that was a good thing.
It took nearly two hours to get Marinette and Gina out of the house and by the time they left Bruce could feel a migraine coming on. It started with Damian finding out about it and demanding he go with them but since he apparently had a target on his back no one wanted to let that happen. It soon devolved into everyone in the house demanding to go to make sure she was safe. He finally forced them down to a reasonable number and it ended up being Marinette, Gina, Adrien, Gustave, and Cass. Cass was more to keep Damian in the house than anything else. Now he was sitting in his office with Kagami trying to come up with the best strategy to approach her mother. He couldn’t bring himself to be surprised when he heard a voice yelling, getting closer to his office, even though it didn’t belong to any of his kids.
“How dare you! You said you were going to help her but you’re just as bad as her parents!” He was trying to make sense of Jagged Stone storming into his office and it took a moment for the words to penetrate. Once they did he still had no idea what the man was talking about.
“In what way exactly?” Arguing wasn’t likely to get him anywhere when he wasn’t certain what he was arguing against, but the question just made Jagged puff up in irritation. Luckily Penny chose that moment to make her appearance.
“Mari called to ask for money from her trust so that she could make you all gifts.” Her calm indignant rage was probably far more dangerous than Jagged’s temper if he was being honest.
“She did what?” The words just came out in his surprise. More that she was planning on actually making them something when she’d been so reluctant to touch any of the supplies Alfred had bought her than because she’d asked for the money. But, no, that made perfect sense when he thought about how surprised she’d been when he asked her to make something for herself. Given the story about the dance that her classmates had expected her to make them outfits for she probably thought he wanted her to make suits and gowns for everyone for the Gala. Well that backfired spectacularly.
“So you didn’t encourage her to do this?” He shook his head at Penny’s question as he tried to find some way to fix this. Honestly though, what were the chances that she’d actually believe him if he told her she didn’t have to? Apparently he should have sent Selina with them.
“Did she say where she was?” No matter what he did now, she was going to assume she was in trouble so he was going to have to go find her so that he could reassure her in person that she wasn’t. Trying to do that over the phone would be worse than useless.
“No, she just asked for access to the trust.” And they likely hadn’t asked for details given how upset they were about it. Bruce pulled out his phone to text Cass for the location and ask if Mari seemed worried or upset. He cursed when he got her reply. She was trying to hide it but Cass could tell she was fairly close to a panic attack.
—————————————————————
As soon as Bruce entered the fabric store Cass appeared by his side and pointed him in the right direction. Marinette was near the back of the store with both Adrien and Gina trying to calm her down.
“He said he wanted you to make a dress for you to wear. That’s all. I’m sure he doesn’t expect you to do anything else.” Gina sounded like she was trying to hide her exasperation.
“She’s right Mari. Mr. Wayne’s always been clear with his instructions before hasn’t he?” Adrien’s voice was far more gentle.
“Well yes, but after all the problems I’ve caused since I got here I have to do something to make up for it. I… I don’t want to be sent away again.” He barely heard the last part as her voice began to choke up. He’d thought they had made it past that worry but he should have known better.
“You haven’t caused any problems and if I even suggested sending you anywhere, which I have no wish to do, my family and your friends would ban together to murder me.” Marinette spun around with a squeak and would have fallen if Adrien hadn’t caught her. Her mouth moved like she was trying to talk but no sound came out.
“Come to check up on us?” Bruce felt his eye twitch at the sharpness in Gina’s tone. He was going to have to find a way to get her to be less hostile towards him but he had no idea how to do that when he couldn’t explain half of what was going on.
“Jagged and Penny came to see me.” He watched as all the color drained from Marinette’s face. “You’re not in trouble. I just thought I should come down here to explain that the credit card I gave you isn’t just for things I’ve pre approved. It’s for anything you need.” He could see her gathering arguments in her head. “Marinette, I’m a multibillionaire. You could buy everything in this store and it wouldn’t make a dent. And trust me, given some of the things the boys have bought, nothing you buy will even throw up a red flag.” Cass let out a laugh beside him. Between Jason buying C4 on the black market and Damian buying an armored helicopter because the one they had wasn’t safe enough, Marinette could buy every fabric and craft store in the city and he’d be happy to let her.
“But I… then how am I supposed to pay you back?” She sounded so lost and confused and he had no idea how to convince her that none of them expected her to pay them back. That there was nothing to pay back in the first place.
“When you helped and made gifts for your friends and classmates did you expect them to pay you back for it?” She shook her head but he could see pain and maybe guilt in her eyes. “Did you think you were paying them back for something?” There it was. She was fidgeting and wouldn’t look him in the eye. “What were you paying them back for?”
“For putting up with me.” It was probably a good thing she was staring at the floor given the murderous expressions on everyone else’s faces. That was the root problem. She believed that she didn’t deserve friends, didn’t deserve to be treated well at all, so she owed anyone who did.
“What makes you think that they were just putting up with you?” He kept his voice as neutral as he could but she still tried to curl in on herself.
“No one… when I was little everyone thought I was strange. All the other kids teased me and I didn’t have any friends. Maman and Papa said I needed to give them a reason to like me. I tried a lot of different things but the only one that worked was presents, or doing things they didn’t want to do.” So she felt she had to pay for friendship, or even just approval. It may have been the only reason she ever got her parents’ attention as well. He knew the attitude was ingrained, but he didn’t realize how far back it went.
“Marinette, while friends and family generally do give each other gifts and look out for each other, it isn’t supposed to be a condition. None of us expect you to buy our good opinions and I promise I will never expect you to make or buy any of us gifts, or expect you to use your own money for it.” He knew she wouldn’t believe him but repetition was his best weapon at the moment. “I know you enjoy making things and you’re more than welcome to make gifts if you want to, but even if you don’t you’re still part of the family and no one is sending you away.”
“Okay.” It took all his willpower not to let out a sigh at the rote answer but he managed it. Patience. He just needed to be patient. “Do you… do you want to see my ideas for the Gala?” Great, she thought he was here to check up on her progress. Well, maybe it would help her stay calm if she could make sure he approved of what she had in mind.
“It’s odd that Damian didn’t know where she was. He seems to be attached to her constantly. Let’s go ask Bruce since that’s where he left her.” Selina and Mrs. Dupain had been looking around the Manor for Marinette for close to fifteen minutes. She was starting to get a little worried that they hadn’t at least run into Alfred yet. Once they got to Bruce’s office she walked in without knocking. “Hey Bruce do you know-”
Selina cut herself off and grinned at the sight before her. Bruce was on the couch on his tablet, probably business since he hadn’t noticed their entrance. Marinette had tucked herself under his left arm and was fast asleep. She pulled out her phone to take a picture and noticed Gina doing the same.
“Something to send to my son once he removes his head from his ass.” Selina was honestly impressed by the frost in the woman’s tone. She didn’t say much about them but she always referred to them as her son and his wife, never Marinette’s parents. Selina wondered if it was for Marinette’s benefit or she thought the title was too good for them. Possibly both. Bruce still hadn’t noticed them so she knocked on the door.
“Come in.” Selina rolled her eyes when he didn’t even look up.
“We’re already in.” That finally got a reaction, though not much of one. When he glanced up the only indication that he was surprised was a blink when his gaze landed on Gina. He nudged Marinette but she didn’t even move. Gina smiled at the girl fondly.
“Some things never change. That girl could sleep through bombs going off. Given the Akumas she may very well have at one point.” Her expression darkened for a moment. “Has she told you about any of them?” Selina glanced at Bruce and he shook his head slightly.
“She explained the situation in broad terms but I don’t remember her discussing any specific Akumas.” Bruce was frowning as he spoke and Selina realized he was right. They hadn’t wanted to press her given how fragile she still was. Not to mention all the other things that had come up. Gina sighed.
“She was targeted by quite a few of them, including me I’m sorry to say. She seemed to handle it so well at the time… but I realized later that she did what she always does. She was trying so hard to comfort and cheer me up. I have no idea how she actually felt about it, let alone all the other times something similar happened. I assumed she talked about it with her friends, or them.” Judging by the vitriol on the last word Selina figured she meant Marinette’s parents. She made a mental note to ask Adrien and Chloe about this. Specifically, if she ever opened up to them about this. She had a feeling she already knew the answer unfortunately.
“Maybe we can try bringing it up with the other’s in the room so they can all talk about it. I believe I’ve heard that they were all targets at various points. That way it won’t seem like we’re pressuring her to open up and it might help all of them come to terms with everything.” Gina gave an approving hum at Bruce’s idea.
“It is more likely she’ll share with them, if for no other reason than to make them feel better. As much as I wish she’d confide in me, I know it’s just likely to make her close off more and feel even more guilty. Even though it was completely my fault, she still blames herself for me getting Akumatized.” That definitely sounded like Marinette. From what Selina had gathered from the others Mari had taken the blame for everything even before her life had fallen apart. It was honestly disturbing how ingrained it was.
“So Gina, did you just drop by to see Mari or did you have specific plans?” Gina was frowning at Bruce but his tone had been neutral bordering on friendly. It was honestly a bit creepy.
“Well from what Chloe and Adrien have said Marinette has only been out of the Manor for school and that incident at the university. I was hoping I could get her to agree to go out to eat or possibly shop for fabrics. I’m not sure how much damage they did to her by forbidding her to so much as doodle, but she would always go into such a cute, manic hyperfocus any time she was in a fabric store. I just want to see her happy again.” She sounded so wistful, even Bruce’s expression softened. Selina knew that they’d never seen Mari truly happy or even relaxed. She couldn’t even imagine how much it must hurt to have seen it and compare that to how she was now.
“Given the way she’s reacted to things so far… it might be best if Selina went with you. Marinette will be more willing to listen to her when she says I won’t disapprove of something. Otherwise it might be best to stick to getting food until we have a better idea how she’ll handle that kind of trigger.” Given that Marinette still refused to go near any of the sewing supplies unless they asked her to fix something he had a point. Marinette began to wake on her own and Bruce nudged her again.
“You’ve got a visitor Mari.” The girl yawned and blinked at him in confusion before her eyes scanned the room. It took a couple of passes but she finally noticed them in the doorway. Selina saw her eyes light up before some thought clouded them.
“Hi Nonna.” Her voice was hesitant like she still wasn’t certain of her welcome. Anger flashed across Gina’s face, almost too quick for her to see, before she settled into a soft expression.
“How are you?” Selina was confused by Marinette’s body language. She actually burrowed further into Bruce before answering. Gina noticed as well given the way hurt flashed across her face.
“I’m okay.” Her voice was soft and timid. She seemed to be afraid to do or say anything. She’d greeted the woman warmly before, what had changed? Bruce was frowning down at her as well. Gina at least seemed to guess what the problem was.
“Marinette, I don’t care what your parents believe, I know you. Even if I was willing to talk to them beyond yelling at them until they come to their senses, nothing will change how I feel about you. You’re my fairy and I know exactly who you are.” Marinette began tearing before launching herself at the woman for a hug. “Rolland is beyond pissed as well. Tom went to go see him and he went after him with a rolling pin for daring to send his Granddaughter away. Since Gotham seems permanent, he’s going to sell the bakery so we can both stay here to keep an eye on you.” Selina shot Bruce a glance but he just shrugged at her. It was amusing how he was just rolling with the fact that Marinette’s fan club just kept getting bigger.
“You shouldn’t have to give up your lives because of me.” Gina let out a huff.
“We’re retiring and we want to spend more time with our only grandchild. You wouldn’t want to deny us that would you?” Selina heard Marinette giggle as she hugged the woman tighter. “Speaking of which I was hoping to spend the rest of the day with you. Maybe go out to eat and do some shopping.” She pulled back to glance at Bruce who gave her a nod and an encouraging smile. She still hesitated.
“Alfred can drive you. If anything happens you have all our numbers.” It took her a minute to realize that Bruce was actually pushing her to go with Gina alone. She didn’t have the first clue why though. “I also have a favor to ask.”
“Okay.” Marinette just waited for him to talk but Gina was glaring murder at him. Bruce ignored her.
“The charity Gala Jagged and I are putting together is going to be in two months. Now, all the others have been here long enough that they have proper attire but you didn’t come prepared for that type of gathering. Normally that means a ridiculous amount of time in dress shops and tailors which is not my favorite thing.” He was watching Marinette’s expression as he spoke. Guilt was making an appearance but he just kept going. “It would be a tremendous help and relief if you could design and make your own gown for the event. You don’t have to, but you do know your tastes better than anyone else and I’m certain anything you come up with will be suitable.”
Marinette just stood there blinking at him, face completely blank. That was one hell of a push. Gina was frowning at Bruce thoughtfully but Selina watched Mari. She had no idea if the girl was just processing or freaking out internally. Bruce just waited until she finally cleared her throat.
“You want me to make something for myself?” The confusion in her voice was heartbreaking.
“You’ll be saving me time, money, and hassle. I trust your judgement.” She still didn’t seem to know how to respond. “I’m sure Gina can help you find something appropriate as well. If she doesn’t mind adding a fabric store into your shopping plans.” Selina felt the corner of her mouth twitch as she tried to hold back a laugh. While manipulation wouldn’t have been her first choice with Marinette, she understood why he was doing it. Unfortunately it was easier to guilt Marinette into doing what she loved than to convince her she was allowed to enjoy something. Marinette continued to stare at Bruce as Gina assured her she’d be happy to find a fabric store.
“I… if you’re sure… I can try.” Poor kid looked so confused. Bruce gave her a reassuring smile.
“I’m sure. Why don’t you go change and grab one of the sketchbooks Alfred left for you so you can note down any ideas. Oh, and before I forget.” Bruce stood and walked to his desk, pulling something out of a drawer and handing it to Mari. She blinked at it in confusion.
“What’s this?”
“Your credit card.” That didn’t seem to help her understanding at all.
“I have a credit card?”
“It’s to one of my accounts but the card is in your name. Even Damian has one to use as needed. And you’ll certainly need it to get any fabric and supplies you require.” Selina was fairly certain he’d broken her. The girl’s mouth opened and closed a few times before she managed any sound.
“I can ask Penny for some money from my trust, you shouldn’t have to pay for it.” Gina’s expression flashed with anger but Bruce’s expression softened.
“I am your guardian Mari. Any necessities, including clothing to an event you wouldn’t have to go to if not for me, are my responsibility, not yours. Not to mention it is my job to support the hobbies and passions of my children whether it’s just encouragement, a place to practice, or monetary. I’m merely supporting you as I do for all my children.” Mari’s eyes filled with tears as she practically dove into Bruce for a hug. Selina was happy to note that he seemed to be getting better at them. He didn’t even tense up this time.
Marinette is Fantômette’s grand daughter. No, really!
I just rewatched Simplificator and at one point, Roland says that Ladybug, in the cartoon he’s watching with the four terr… kids, reminds him of Gina when he first met her.
Welp, that’s good enough for me, headcanon confirmed. Gina and whatever maiden name she was using before Dupain is a witness protection program name, Marinette’s grandmother’s real name is actually Françoise Dupont because she used to be Fantômette.
Now, fans might be thinking Françoise Dupont would not fail to realize Marinette grew up etc. You need to realize she is probably quite traumatized by whatever caused her to have to abandon her old life and go into deep hiding forever, and had some trouble actualizing the idea that her grandchild was in the “danger age”. And it’s not like she’s feeling safe now, why do you think she’s literally always on the run “travelling”? And why she so wanted to give Marinette something that would allow her to go very fast while being very maneuverable? She needed to run, she subconsciously thinks everyone needs to be able to.
She’s going to have a breakthrough and revert back closer to her old self when she finds out Marinette is Ladybug and needs help. And later on she’s going to be training Alya to be the new Fantômette.
It’s all but confirmed!
What do you mean that’s insane extrapolation?? Pfft. Ye of little faith.
Summary: Lila had made good on her promise to make sure Marinette lost her friends. She didn’t do it by antagonizing Marinette, she didn’t convince everyone Marinette was a bully, no, Lila Rossi made everyone forget about Marinette Dupain-Cheng. They replaced her with a liar, with Fool’s Gold, and even though it hurt she knew she had to move on. They replaced her, so it only seemed fitting she replace them so she could heal and be happy.
They truly didn’t know what they lost till it was gone.
Did You Hear?
To run a boulangerie/patisserie was no walk in the park, especially not to run one in Paris, France, more so if it was a popular one that was known for its treats by many. That was Tom & Sabine’s Boulangerie and Patisserie to a T, it was loved by many, it had a good chunk of regulars, and it tended to stay busy no matter the time of day. That was why they were looking to hire more help. Sure, Marinette helped when she could, but that was just the problem, “when she could” started to turn into a less and less frequent thing. She was busy with her friends and she was busy with her own work as a designer. Of course they were proud of her, but they had always hoped she would take over for them, even with her clumsiness. So it hurt to admit they couldn’t rely on her like they wanted to, thus the post on their official social media pages went up, as well as their signs. Word spread that Tom and Sabine were looking to hire, and they were beyond pleased.
They had many applicants apply, and they had already done their fair share of interviews, and yet, no one stood out to the couple. There had been teens looking for a part-time job or just work experience in general, they even had some regulars apply, and yet, none of them felt like the right fit for the shop. Then a woman came in, she was a single mother looking for a job that would help support her child and her better than all the multiple part-time gigs she worked already. She wanted stability and was willing to work for it. They were instantly taken in with her drive to work and her obvious compassion for her child. She was Italian so she hit it off with Tom right away as he told stories of his mother and she shared her own. She did admit she had no baking experience other than baking in her own home but she told them she was more than willing to learn and would put in the effort to do so.
Maybe it was foolish, maybe it was risky, but they both really liked her and felt like she would be the perfect fit for their shop, so they hired her on the spot. Giada Rossi was the newest employee at Tom & Sabine’s Boulangerie and Patisserie, and all were thrilled. Tom and Sabine had another set of hands to help lighten their ever increasing load, and Giada had a well paying job that would let her quit all her small paying, time consuming, part-time jobs. It was a happy moment that was shared with some eclairs, handshakes, and a goodbye from the couple with a promise to work hard from Giada in return. It made the whole day feel lighter for Tom and Sabine, soon they would have more help, they wouldn’t have to wonder whether or not Marinette could help them out or not.
It was a wonderful start to their day, so why did it have to take such a turn? No, it wasn’t an akuma, there wasn’t an emergency that disturbed their day, it was a comment. A simple thing that was said without much thought, but maybe that’s what made it worse? It was said with such casualty, like it was something they should have known, or should have been funny, and instead it was like an anchor dropped in their stomachs.
“Can you believe this?” Nadja had asked with a laugh as she held up her phone, though she failed to notice she hadn’t exactly shown Sabine what she had been talking about. Tom was out front with her as it was after the lunch rush and it had been helping out with the influx of customers they always got during lunch.
“I don’t think I’m caught up on the latest gossip, Nadj.” Sabine joked as she boxed up her friend’s order, she made sure nothing was smudged or broken as she placed them in the box before closing the lid and finishing off the order with a ribbon.
“Oh it’s so silly! Some magazine reporter saw Marinette having lunch with Jagged Stone and his assistant and they thought Marinette was their daughter.” Nadja said with a laugh as she turned her phone to face Sabine and show her friend what she was talking about. “Now everyone is coming forward with pictures of the trio to show off the “Rolling-Stone Family,” it’s so funny.”
Nadja said it was silly, it was funny, but when Sabine saw the picture of her daughter sitting at a table at what seemed to be that new café she had been talking about for months and had wanted her and her father to visit with her, with Jagged and Penny, she felt a lump in her throat. They did look like a family, she couldn’t even deny it. With the way you could see Penny mid-shake of her head with a fond smile on her face as Jagged ruffled Marinette’s hair and how the little Chinese-French teen was trying to slap away his hand as she laughed. It would have made for a warm wholesome picture if it didn’t make Sabine’s heart squeeze nor made her feel like she had been hit with a tidal wave of guilt. That should have been her and Tom sitting with their daughter, laughing with her, having a meal with her. When…when was the last time they had a meal like that together?
“Sabine?”
“Hm? Oh. Oh! Sorry Nadja. That is funny. Here’s your order, I hope you have a good rest of your day, say ‘Hi’ to Manon for me and Tom.” Sabine said with the best smile she could muster as she tried to rush her friend out so she could be alone with her thoughts for a moment.
“Oh, uh, merci Sabine. I’ll talk to you later.” Nadja gave Sabine an awkward smile as she grabbed her order and made her way to the door with a short wave, one Sabine barely returned.
Once she saw the door close with a final click, she immediately grabbed her phone from its spot under the counter. Usually she was never on her phone unless it was an emergency or her break, but this was something she had to see, had to look at with her own eyes. She wouldn’t tell Tom, not yet, not until they closed. There was no need to cause him worry and distract him while he was in the kitchen. No, no, that was a disaster waiting to happen, so she would just tell him once their day was done. But what exactly would she tell him? Marinette had lunch with Jagged and Penny? No. If she said that, Tom would just be happy for their daughter and the fact she was achieving more success in her dream towards being a designer. He wouldn’t understand, so she would have to see just how far this “silly” rumor went so she could warn him beforehand. Her husband had always been the more emotional of the two, he let things get to him very easily, an example being his akumatization. In that way, he and Marinette were very similar, sometimes she just didn’t know what was going on with her daughter.
Maybe that’s why that picture, that article, and all the other pictures she was now looking at made her heart wrench. When was the last time her daughter smiled at her and Tom the way she was smiling at Penny and Jagged in the photos, or laughed and joked with them, there was one picture that nearly made her cry then and there if she hadn’t heard the bell of the door ring. She helped the customer or customers out but it was all a haze, before she knew it, it was closing time and even that passed in a haze. Tom made his usual conversation she was sure, but she wasn’t certain if she actually responded in kind or not, she just went through the motions. She wasn’t even sure when they had gotten upstairs into their living room but she felt herself being led to the couch and all she could think was how thankful she was for her husband and how kind and caring he was.
“Mon chou?” She heard Tom say softly.
“It’s…It’s stupid.” Sabine wasn’t going to pretend there was nothing wrong, because she felt like everything was.
“Feelings aren’t stupid, especially not yours Sabine. What happened?” Tom asked as he took one of her hands in his.
“Are we good parents?”
“…I would like to think we are Honeybun. Where is this coming from?”
“Tom. We forgot Marinette’s birthday.” The words were out in the air before she could stop them and the memory of the last picture she had seen came flooding back. Jagged and Penny were standing on either side of Marinette as the girl smiled down at a cake full of candles in a dimly lit room. All three were wearing party hats and the biggest smiles for the world to see and it ripped at Sabine’s heart. She couldn’t even bring herself to read the caption that Jagged had written out, there was no doubt it was probably heartfelt and sweet. She couldn’t even describe the picture to Tom so she handed him her phone that had the picture still there when she unlocked it. She flinched when she heard his sharp intake of breath.
“What…?” Was all that came out of his lips and Sabine understood. She did, she really did, but she needed him to say more, anything more. She couldn’t stand the silence that stretched as her husband looked down at the picture on her phone, despite him being a large man, he looked incredibly small in that moment as he cradled her phone in his hands and just shook his head in disbelief. “We forgot…we never forget.”
“It was last week and we forgot.” She confirmed as she stared at nothing in particular straight ahead. “And…and that’s not all.”
“Sabine? What do you mean? What could be worse than missing her birthday? Is she hurt? Is Marinette hurt?” Tom asked in a hurry, already ready to run into action, but all Sabine had to do was put a hand on his arm for him to somewhat calm down and sit back down on the couch beside her.
“She’s not hurt. Physically at least, I can’t say for sure she’s not hurt emotionally with us.” Sabine explained, if it was even possible, Tom seemed to deflate further into himself. “And by ‘that’s not all,’ I meant, there are more moments like that one on my phone. You just have to scroll to see them.”
She didn’t watch but she knew he was going through the pictures she had seen and probably others she had not. She didn’t have the heart to keep looking at the admittedly long list of posts that had to do with her daughter, Jagged and Penny as a “family.” The thought of it stung the more she tried not to think about it, but she couldn’t fight it, when was the last time they had done anything as a family? Not something that was for the bakery even if it was all three of them, nothing for Marinette’s school that was obligatory, and not a holiday or just their dinners. How sad was that? She couldn’t even count breakfast nor lunch as they weren’t always together or it was rushed, it really was sad and it made the pang in her heart sharpen.
Sabine heard Tom grinding his teeth so she turned to look at him and saw the powerful grip he had on her phone and the intense look he was giving it so she gently took it from him and pressed the side button to put it to sleep. “Tom?”
“Give me a minute.” He rasped out before he exhaled loudly and planted his face in his hands. Where once he looked as stiff and ready to pop at a moment’s notice like a wind-up toy, now he just looked defeated. “How did we miss so much? Sabine … this … this is…”
“It’s bad. I know. Tom … Tom we missed so much.” Sabine couldn’t hold back the sob that forced its way out at the end of her sentence.
She felt her husband rub circles into her back as she cried. “I don’t know. I… we’ve really messed up.” He mumbled wetly.
“Her birthday… We have to make it up to her somehow. I just can’t believe we forgot! We didn’t forget last year so how is this year any different?” Sabine asked, though she didn’t really expect a response.
Tom was quiet, he was never quiet, not even in his sleep, his snores had taken time to get used to but now they were something that lulled Sabine to sleep. “Last year… Last year, didn’t her friends help plan a party for her?”
“No? No. I think last year was the dinner with your father and mother.”
“Are you sure? I don’t remember that, I remember my mom and dad, I just don’t remember dinner… maybe if I go through my pictures.” Sabine watched her husband pull out his phone and still continued to watch as he most likely went through his picture like he said he would do. Though, the more she watched, the more the pit in her stomach grew, Tom’s face had become so distraught merely moments after he had begun his search.
“Tom?”
“Sabine…Sabine, we have so much more to apologize for. We haven’t been the best parents…and that’s hard to admit but I think we also have to admit we haven’t even been goodparents.”
“Tom, what do you mean?” Sabine asked, she hated how her voice shook and her mouth felt like cotton.
She heard her husband take in a shaky breath before he ran a hand over his face. “We… Sabine… We weren’t here for her birthday last year.”
Her heart dropped. “What? No… No, that can’t be right. If, and that is a big ‘if’ Tom, if we weren’t here, where were we?”
“Honeybun, we were at Europain.” Her husband’s voice came out strained as he answered.
“We were at the exhibition…that’s right. We got tickets because we had been saving up, but the dates…”
“They were during Marinette’s birthday.”
“I remember.” Sabine mumbled brokenly. “I remember because we were so happy but then your mother had called and asked what we were doing for Marinette’s birthday because she was going to be in town.”
“And we panicked because we forgot. We forgot her birthday was coming up and we didn’t have enough money set aside to get Marinette a ticket so we could take her with us.” Tom continued her train of thought.
“We told her we had had the tickets for a while…we lied, Tom…we told her we had forgotten about them and she told us to go. That’s when your mom offered to watch Marinette for the days we would be gone…”
“And that’s when my mom and dad took Marinette out to dinner. They sent us a picture of them all.” Tom finished. There were no more words said between the two. Really, what else could be said?
What finally broke their seemingly never ending silence was the sound of the front door opening and closing. Sabine winced when she felt her neck pop from how fast her and Tom looked over at the door from their spots on the couch, Marinette who had just walked in stared back at them. Sabine had opened her mouth to say something, anything, but nothing came out, she guessed the same could be said about her husband. The small family just stared at one another before Marinette shrugged and gave them a small smile, Sabine let herself feel some small amount of hope. Maybe they still had a chance to reconcile their relationship, Sabine didn’t know how they would but she was confident they would be able to. They were the Dupain-Chengs’! People always admired them, always complimented them on having a wonderful business and beautiful family, so they could surely get over this little hurdle. There was no doubt in Sabine’s mind.
“Good, I’m glad you guys are here.” Marinette said as she made her way over to them, but instead of sitting on the bigger couch with them she pulled the foot rest of the chair so it was on the other side of the coffee table and took a seat on it.
“Where,” Tom had to cough to clear his throat when his voice came out a bit strained at first. “Where else would we be, Marinette?”
Sabine watched as Marinette raised a brow at them, the small bit of hope she had made way and all Sabine could feel was that something bad was going to happen. “Well, I mean, you guys are always in the bakery. If not there then you’re out getting groceries together or planning something new for the shop, or…”
“W-Well, we’re here now Sweetheart. Was there something you wanted to talk about?” Sabine asked as calmly as she could, she didn’t want to let her daughter know about their worries, and the fact they just realized how awful of parents they had been. Sure they weren’t mean or anything of the like, but they had been absent and that could be just as cruel to a child.
“Actually yes!” It was said with Marinette’s usual brand of enthusiasm, maybe even more so, but it did nothing to lessen the grip of uneasiness that seemed to clench harder around Sabine’s stomach. It grew when Marinette pulled out a stack of papers and set them on the table in front of them with a smile directed at them that scrunched up her nose. Sabine hadn’t seen that smile in a long time.
“What is the stack of papers Mari-bear?” Tom asked as he finally found his voice.
“Those,” Marinette said as she gestured to the papers but didn’t actually look in their direction, she was maintaining eye contact with Sabine, “are emancipation papers that I would like you to sign.”
It was like a punch to the gut, and from the wheeze she heard from her husband, Sabine guessed she wasn’t the only one who felt like that. She shakily reached out to take a paper, to confirm that what her daughter said was true. She desperately hoped this was some sick joke, she prayed it was, but when that paper was in front of her face by her own hands’ doing, she knew it wasn’t some cruel joke. This was very much real. Neither parent made a sound, neither one could even think of words to respond to their daughter who was still smiling at them. The smile was not cruel, it was not smug, it was not even sad, it was just expectant.
“Now I know this probably came as a shock, but I honestly don’t know how it could be considering you two have been neglecting your parental responsibilities for much longer than is legal and appropriate. I understand that running your own business is time consuming but I’ve also come to understand that just because you had another responsibility did not mean you had any right to make me less of one. You are under legal obligation to fulfill your parental duties just as much as I, the child, am to fulfill mine.” Marinette spoke confidently, with no hesitation and Sabine felt the cracks in her heart deepen.
“I have given you both my respect as is expected of me according to the Article 371 French CC. I think it would be in your best interests to sign off on the forms, it is a way to come out of this with at least some respect still intact towards you two. Either way we would be going to court, what I mean is, if you are going to try and fight my decision, but I warn you, the evidence is stacked against you and I won’t hold back. You as parents were supposed to protect me, in safety, in health, and in morality. You may have given me a home as per your duties…” At this Marinette began to look around their house as though it truly were just a place she had to stay, and not as the home Sabine and Tom had created.
“So you did fulfill the Garde aspect of your responsibilities, but what about Surveillance? You took care of me, that is until you deemed I was “mature” enough to be left to my own devices. I…five years of age is not that age of majority, then and only then are your parental responsibilities fulfilled. You had to protect me, I thought you would protect me from anything, everything. But when bullies came along you did the bare minimum. That’s not even getting into the fact you left me unsupervised in the kitchens more times than I can count. I have scars that are proof enough of that. And don’t get me started on my mental health. Neither of you helped or protected me from that. Surveillance says you have to pay attention to your child and its needs…” Marinette didn’t explain further, and really she didn’t have to. Tom and Sabine were realizing they well and truly screwed up worse than they had both ever expected.
“And that’s not even to mention the Éducation part of everything. We have had many problems with my schooling, namely you two not taking my concerns seriously when it came to my asking for a transfer of classes or just a transfer plainly. Even when I begged and begged. There’s so so much more but I don’t want to get into everything, and I think you would prefer it if I didn’t as well. I have a job already, I make a steady income, I can cook for myself, I know how to budget, I can be happy on my own. I’ve basically been practicing my whole life so really this would just be making it official and it would help me get out of one of the several unhealthy environments I am in. So please, I ask the last thing you do for me is let me go, so I can be free and you can be done and not worry about parental duties anymore.”
Sabine started sobbing.
Footnotes:
*Europain: also known as Sirha Europain, is the leading exhibition for bakery and pastry professionals in France and abroad.
*Until the Act of April 4, 1970, the French CC used the terms ‘puissance paternelle,’ which states the power of decision the father had over his child or children (this power belonged only to the father.) In Art. 371-1 French CC the “autorite parentale (parental authority)” is now defined as “a collection of rights and duties aimed at the child’s interests.” This concept of parental authority encompasses several aspects, including care and protection, legal representation, a maintenance of personal relationships, determination of the child’s residence, the child’s education, a maintenance obligation towards the child, administration of property, and civil liability of the parents for damages caused by their child.
*“Autorite Parentale” encompasses several different rights and duties. The child, regardless of age, owes honor and respect to their parent(s) (Art. 371 French CC). The parental authority belongs to the father and mother until the child reaches the age of majority or is emancipated.
*Although the March 4, 2002 reform of the French CC no longer mentions the classical triptych that formed the contents of parental responsibilities (Garde, Surveillance, Education), French authors assert that these three fundamental parental tasks still exist and remain part of the parental responsibilities. Garde means that the parents should live with their child or, more generally, determine where the child should live. Surveillance, a term no longer used in the new legal provisions, still exists as a parental duty. It means to take care of, to protect, and to pay attention to the child and its needs. Education, the last duty, means that each parent shall contribute to the education and support of their child in proportion to their means, to those of the other parent and in proportion to the child’s needs.
