#mom squad
It turned into a huge argument. The Kwami wanted Mari to stay in Chloe’s suite until she was fully recovered. They thought it would be far too physically and emotionally draining for her to go back right now since, apparently, she hadn’t been back since the night after her parents died. She was scared someone would notice. Chloe argued that it would be better for Mari to be in familiar surroundings and they could all help clean up so she didn’t strain herself. Harley was trying to mediate but no one was backing down.
“There has to be a compromise we can come to on this. What about using a portal to go over there for a bit to see how things go, then we can come back and reevaluate our options.” Harley just sounded desperate at this point.
“Mari doesn’t need any more stress.” Tikki wouldn’t even consider it and Selina had no real idea why.
“But this is the best time to do it. Hawkmoth won’t be able to send out any Akumas so it’ll allow Mari to work through her feelings without having to regulate her emotions. You’re the one that said she deserves to be able to grieve properly.” Point to Chloe. Tikki honestly looked shocked that the girl was using their own words against them “Besides, it’ll honestly be far less suspicious if everyone was staying there rather than in my suite. Eventually someone is going to start asking questions about three random women coming and going from the hotel when they aren’t booked in a room.” That was also a good point. Even using Trixx to make Ivy look less conspicuous, it would be far easier to move around if they weren't’ in such a high profile location.
“There’s also a hidden door in the basement that leads to the catacombs. We’d be able to move around the city without making it obvious where we’re staying.” Marinette was staring absentmindedly out the window as she spoke but all the Kwami were looking at her in shock.
“Why didn’t you tell us?” Tikki sounded confused and more than a little annoyed. “You could have been living there this whole time.”
“No I couldn’t have. It would have drawn too much attention.”
“Trixx could have put an illusion on the whole building so that wouldn’t happen.”
“I could barely get enough food to keep you and whichever other Kwami I needed for fights fed. There’s no way I could have gotten enough for the energy Trixx would have needed for that.”
“Then you should have taken Plagg’s suggestion.”
“What good is being a hero if I have to become a criminal to do it?”
“What good are morals if you have to starve to death to follow them?”
The two were getting progressively louder and ended up shouting at one another. The rest of the Kwami seemed too stunned to react to it and were just watching with wide eyes. Chloe was frowning at them and had looked like she was going to speak up a couple times but as fast as they were bouncing back and forth, she couldn’t get a word in. Harley seemed perfectly content letting them go at each other but Ivy looked like she was seriously contemplating jumping out a window.
“That’s enough!” Selina heard the words come out of her mouth and was probably more surprised than anyone that they worked. “Arguing over a past that can’t change serves no purpose. As for the current problem, it seems that there are far more benefits to going than staying here so I think we should take Harley’s suggestion. If being there becomes too much of an issue we can always come back here and work out a different solution.” Tikki glared at her and Selina braced herself for whatever was about to happen.
“She’s right.” That glare turned to Plagg at that statement. “The Guardian wants to go and this is the best time to do it without waiting until Hawkmoth is caught.” Plagg stressed the word Guardian for some reason, but it did seem to get Tikki to calm down.
“Fine, but if her health starts slipping we’re coming back here immediately.” No one said anything against it and that seemed to soothe the Kwami further. For her part, Marinette just seemed lost in thought.
“You should call Jagged too. He’s been worried about you.” Chloe’s comment got a wince.
“I wasn’t trying to worry anyone and I don’t want to bother him.” Chloe and Plagg both rolled their eyes and Tikki let out a frustrated sigh.
“Fine, I’ll call him so he at least knows you’re alive. Then once he’s back in Paris you can see him.”
“I’m sure he has better things to do.” Selina felt her eye twitch at that and given the way Harley was frowning at Marinette she wanted to say something as well. Unfortunately the girl wasn’t likely to be receptive to their meddling yet.
“That man has been beside himself. Penny had to keep him from canceling his tour in order to stay here and look for you. She only managed it because of his love for his fans and the fact that canceling on that short of notice likely would have created lawsuits to pull his attention from finding you. He did say he wasn’t going to schedule anything else until he found you though.” Marinette didn’t seem to have an answer to that but she looked on the verge of tears.
“Who exactly is this man?” Selina was glad Ivy asked the question given the looks Chloe and Harley shot her, but she had no idea either. Harley ended up answering.
“Jagged Stone. Only one of the best rock musicians in existence. Remember that concert I wanted to sneak into but the Bat caught us and thought we were going to blow up the stadium or somethin?” Ivy just grimaced in response. That hadn’t been a good night for anyone and Batman was lucky he was still intact after ruining their date night.
“Why didn’t you just get tickets?” Marinette’s confusion was honestly adorable. The fact that she still had no idea who they were was a little concerning given what she did but Selina just assumed it was because she had her hands too full here in Paris to keep up with the rest of the world.
“Wouldn’t have helped. We’re on a do not admit list for all of Gotham’s major venues. No way we were getting in through the front.” That just got another frown so Chloe jumped back into the conversation.
“Well now you’ll get to meet him in person. His tour is over in three weeks, then he’ll be back in Paris to see his favorite designer.” Mari’s face went red at the praise.
“I just got lucky is all. We should get home before it gets dark out so the portal isn’t obvious.” Chloe wrinkled her nose at the avoidance but didn’t push it.
“We should, as soon as you’re ready.” Her tone softened for the words but Marinette still took a few deep breaths before nodding.
“I’m as ready as I’m going to get.” Marinette walked through the portal as soon as it opened, Chloe directly on her heels. Harley actually went next. Selina had a feeling that even if Marinette wouldn’t talk to them yet, Harley wanted to see her reactions. She followed with Ivy, not certain what to expect.
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When Ivy walked back into the suite looking even more annoyed than usual, Selina thought it was best to leave her be. Harley however, for all the two were dating, seemed to never consider it might be best to wait and let her settle.
“No luck huh?” Ivy just sent her a flat look.
“There was one burst of power but it came from here and Trixx told me not to worry about it, so no.”
“Wait, what burst of power? When?” Nothing had happened as far as she knew and whether the Kwami thought it was a problem or not, Selina wanted an explanation for it.
“A couple hours ago.”
“That’s right around the time the kid woke up wasn’t it?” Despite Harley’s matter of fact tone, Selina felt a surge of panic. What the hell had happened? Chloe had come out to give her the signed papers but they hadn’t heard anything since. She got up to go check on them but Plagg appeared in front of her face.
“You should leave them be for now. What she felt was me destroying an Akuma.”
“What? Did Chloe do something?” Selina winced as soon as she heard the words come out of her mouth. She was growing fond of the girl but she’d admitted to being a pretty horrible person to Marinette in the past.
“Chloe helped Mari feel safe enough to break down.” Tikki’s voice held a reprimand that she knew she deserved. “And Plagg’s right, you should leave them be. Mari needs to be with someone she trusts.” Selina shared a confused look with Harley and Ivy.
“Uh… didn’t she say on the roof that she couldn’t trust Chloe?” Harley voiced the question they were all thinking and Tikki frowned at them.
“She couldn’t trust her with a Miraculous. This is different.”
“I don’t see how. This is even more dangerous if it gets out.” Tikki gave a frustrated sigh but it sounded directed at herself.
“Mari has known Chloe since their first day of school. They didn’t get along most of the time, yes. Chloe has been bullying her on and off for years but she’s blunt and doesn’t pull punches. More importantly she is what she seems. Chloe doesn’t lie or pretend to be someone she isn’t to get favors. She doesn’t pretend to care about you until something new and shiny comes along. She does what she wants and she doesn’t hide what that is. So when she says she wants to help her, Mari knows it’s true.” That… sort of made sense, and Selina had gotten no indication from the girl that she was lying or a threat to Marinette. Even Plagg had stopped being so surly with her.
“So she trusts a girl that bullied her most of her life but not us?” Ivy didn’t seem to know if she should be confused or insulted.
“Marinette doesn’t know you. Given her first impression was Selina trying to rob the Louvre, can you really blame her for being cautious? Not to mention that most of the people in her life turned out to be completely different than she thought. The unknown is dangerous territory for her.” Logically Selina knew Tikki was right, but her instincts were telling her to check on Mari and see that she was alright for herself. Given the way Plagg was eyeing her they could tell.
“Chloe ordered room service and it should be here soon. You can check in when you take it to them.” That was better than nothing she supposed. Waiting for it to arrive was torture. She was constantly looking at her phone for the time and Harley and Ivy were both looking at her like she’d lost her mind. Plagg finally just landed on her phone, giving her a bored look. “She’s fine. If she weren’t we wouldn’t be out here and you would have felt it. You’re her black cat now so you’ll know if she’s in danger.”
“Does that mean your last holder could feel it too?” Harley’s question caused the Kwami to let out a sound something like a growl.
“He was very good at ignoring things he didn’t want to deal with.” Given the scowl on both Kwami that was an understatement at best. When she saw that boy again he was going to regret ever being born. Finally there was a knock on the door. Selina was opening it almost before she consciously registered the sound. Chloe’s butler wheeled the tray in and she blinked at the contents.
“What’s all this?” There was a large file folder with a tablet and burner phone on top of it along with all the food.
“The papers are for Mlle. Dupain-Cheng’s records to prove she’s emancipated and give her access to all her assets. The tablet and phone Mlle. Bourgeois requested so she’d have something to use to set everything up.” And now she felt really bad for immediately thinking the girl had done something.
“That was extremely fast for an emancipation.” She wasn’t certain even Bruce could have pulled it off that fast, not legally anyway.
“Mlle. Bourgeois has been preparing for this for months. Everyone who would be a part of it had already been notified and gone over everything. All that was needed was a signature.” As the man left Selina could feel the guilt getting worse. Bruce’s paranoia was rubbing off on her and she didn’t like it. She wheeled the cart over to the door and knocked. There was a muffled ‘come in’. When she opened the door she saw Chloe on the bed, leaning against the headboard, with Mari tucked into her side. They were both looking at a magazine.
“An Akuma based fashion line? Is Gabriel trying to bankrupt his company?” Mari sounded horrified at the idea and Chloe hummed in agreement.
“At this point it seems like he’s trying to see how horrible he can be before people start calling it the trash that it is instead of saying it’s ‘innovative’ or some other such bullshit.” Marinette actually giggled at the comment. “You better restart your brand again before people forget what taste looks like.” That just caused her to look at Chloe in shock. “What? Just because I’m a bitch doesn’t mean I don’t know quality when I see it.”
Selina watched as Marinette latched onto the other girl in a fierce hug. Chloe didn’t seem to have any idea what to do with that and looked around, spotting Selina in the doorway. She had to cough to cover a laugh at the girl’s panicked expression. That got Marinette’s attention and she huddled into the girl next to her. As much as she trusted the Kwami, Selina was still surprised by how comfortable she was with Chloe. And slightly hurt that she was afraid of her, but she reminded herself that it would take time. Time that they really didn’t have unfortunately.
“Your butler brought up the food, as well as papers for you Marinette.” She just looked confused but Chloe immediately got up and spread the different forms on the bed. She explained what they all were and what they were for. She was very thorough, and ended with a list of lawyers, financial advisors, and everything else she would need for just help, or even to be completely hands off with her assets. It honestly reminded her of Tim when he was in business mode. Marinette’s hand was hovering over the deed to her home.
“Mari, you don’t have to decide anything right now. You can hire a property manager to look after it until you’re ready.” Chloe’s voice was soft and Marinette didn’t react at first. Eventually, she let out a shuddering breath.
“I want to go home.”
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When Chloe had said ‘efficiency apartment’ Selina had assumed it would be a bed/living space, small kitchen and a bathroom. Given that she was dating Bruce Wayne she should be used to the fact that rich people had very different standards. It still didn’t prepare her for the fact that she was pretty sure the bathroom was bigger than her apartment in Gotham.
Chloe set Marinette on the bed gently before dropping the transformation and handing the glasses back to Tikki. She stared at the other girl for a minute, Selina couldn’t read her expression at all, before pulling out her phone and sending a flurry of texts. Tikki was watching from her shoulder and didn’t object to whatever she was doing so Selina took the time to really study Paris’s hero. What she saw worried her to no end.
The circles under her eyes were so dark it looked like she’d been punched repeatedly in the face. More specifically it looked like the time Jason had managed to nail Dick in the face with a beanbag gun, except for the fact that Dick had a broken nose as well. She was pale and not just in an ‘I don’t get much sun way’. She bet everything she had that the girl was anemic at the very least. Then there was how thin she was. Transformed, her suit seemed to hide the worst of it, probably to stop people from thinking she was weak, but now she could see the bones sticking out where they definitely shouldn’t be.
“You said she’d been missing for six months?” Chloe nodded absentmindedly, not looking away from her phone. “What exactly happened to her parents?” That got a flinch and a wary look. After a moment she just sighed.
“I guess it can’t hurt to say, especially since it’s public knowledge. How those rejects didn’t hear about it I’ll never know. Even as enamored with Lila’s idiocy they were, I would have thought their parents had seen it on the news.” She muttered something else that Tikki scolded her for before actually answering the question. “It was their anniversary and Mari wanted to do something special so she got them a private charter plane to take them to a romantic destination. One the way back… the plane went down. The pilot survived somehow but… I’m sure she blames herself for it. I wouldn’t be surprised if that’s partly why she hasn’t tried to get help.” That was so much worse than what she was thinking. She couldn’t even imagine the guilt the poor kid was living with.
“She did reach out but all of her friends wouldn’t even let her talk before telling her they didn’t have time for her drama. I told her to try contacting Jagged but she didn’t want to bother him while he was on tour. She ditched her phone not long after because she didn’t want to be able to be traced. Then Adrien just had to spring the whole identity crisis on her and suddenly she felt like there was no one on her side. Like she didn’t deserve anyone on her side.” The amount of rage in Tikki’s voice was unsettling even for her. Ivy was looking at the window like jumping was a viable option.
“If she’s willing to open up about it I should be able to help, but it might be best to do it outside of Paris so she can actually work through emotions instead of repressing them.” Harley’s voice was soft and Selina could see her worry. They’d all seen people self-destruct under far less pressure than this poor kid was under. “But I certainly don’t expect that to happen right away.”
“No it won’t. Marinette has always kept everything to herself. I’m not sure if she just doesn’t want to bother people or is worried about them judging her.” Chloe sounded like she was talking to herself, and she was still typing away on her phone, but both Tikki and Plagg were giving her appraising looks.
“I assure you there’s nothing she could have done that one of us hasn’t done worse” Chloe finally looked up at Ivy’s words.
“That won’t matter. Other people are allowed to do bad things. Other people are allowed to make mistakes and get second chances. Other people are allowed to have breakdowns and bad days. She is not.” None of them knew what to say to that. Plagg looked annoyed but didn’t disagree and Tikki just looked guilty.
“She’s always been too hard on herself. I’ve never had a permanent holder so young so I didn’t realize the damage I was doing by preaching duty above all else. Now, nothing I say to the contrary seems to get through. I never intended for her to give up her life, none of us thought it would take this long.”
“It’s not like you were the only one setting unrealistic expectations for her. Pretty much everyone in her life put her on a pedestal and expected her to be perfect. As soon as she started acting human they all turned on her.” Chloe pitched her voice in obvious imitation of one of someone else. “‘What do you mean you can’t drop everything to make me an outfit for an event I have to go to in an hour? That’s just selfish.’ Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous.” Ivy just had a horrified expression on her face while Harley scowled out the window like she was thinking of going back to where the attack happened to see if there were any stragglers she could take care of.
“We should probably be focusing on a plan for what happens next rather than a past we can’t change.” They really did need to discuss it but honestly Selina didn’t know how well any of them would be able to keep their emotions in check if they kept talking about this. “We’ll get rid of the threat then we can deal with the trauma.” Harley gave a grudging nod but Ivy didn’t even seem to be paying attention.
“You’re going to be her new black cat for starters.” She blinked at Plagg in confusion.
“Okay?” They let out an amused scoff.
“Not as you currently like to work. You’re going to use my Miraculous and help her maintain balance.” They frowned at Chloe. “Tikki and Wayzz will decide what to do about you. The green one will attempt to find Hawkass by feeling for a Miraculous. And as for you,” they flew up to Harley and studied her for a moment while Ivy tried to hide her annoyance at how they’d addressed her. “What do you think Surgarcube? Mullo hasn’t had a physical holder in a while. They’ll certainly add to the chaos.” Tikki rolled their eyes.
“That would be the first thing you think of, but I think you’re right about the pairing. It’ll be interesting to see how they adjust to one another. Ivy should take Trixx so she can use either the transformation or just their powers to blend in better.” Both Kwami were frowning at Chloe now.
“Look I know that I screwed up and don’t deserve another chance. I’ll just make sure Mari gets what she needs to do her job.” Plagg let out an annoyed huff, but Tikki smiled.
“Wayzz it is then. You can be her shield.” Other than the Ivy’s roll, Selina still had absolutely no idea what they were talking about but at least someone had a plan. Chloe just looked like her brain had shut off. “Until she can transform again I’ll go with you myself to cleanse the Akuma’s and cast the cure.” That at least got a reaction.
“Is that a good idea? Won’t Hawkmoth figure out something’s wrong? Wouldn’t it be better to use the Fox Miraculous to make it look like she’s there until she recovers?”
“New holders will make him suspicious anyway. We’d rather have Ivy out looking for him than hide the fact that Mari isn’t there. Since we’re the only ones that even know where she is it’s not like he can connect the absence to her civilian identity.”
“She’s not going to like this. At all.” Plagg’s annoyance at the girl finally seemed to give out.
“No she won’t, but it’s our job to do what is necessary. She needs all the help she can get on both sides of the mask and you, for all your faults, are part of her support system now.”
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Ladybug continued to cling to Chloe and the other girl seemed both grateful and slightly panicked. “You’re welcome? It’s the least I could do after everything. If you give me a list, I can make sure it’s stocked with food for all the Kwami as well.”
“Here you go bee.”
“Plagg!” The Kwami had once again just appeared, this time with a piece of paper to shove at the girl.
“What? She asked!”
“If you don’t stop popping out like this, I’m going to renounce you. I have enough stress without wondering if you feel chatty at any given moment.” Ladybug had pulled back and began rubbing her forehead. Whether it was just annoyance or she had a headache was anyone’s guess. Chloe took the paper gingerly, eyeing the Kwami like he was going to explode. So apparently Ivy wasn’t the only one wary around the creatures.
“I’ll get everything this afternoon.” She was frowning at some of the items and Selina could relate. It was a very mixed bag. “Why does it say ‘no shellfish’ at the bottom?” Ladybug let out an aggravated sigh and pinched the bridge of her nose.
“Damnit Plagg, have you lost your mind?” The Kwami just ignored her.
“The kid has an allergy. Best to not chance it.”
“Huh, that’s weird. Marinette is allergic to shellfish too. Guess it’s more common than I thought.” Ladybug’s eye twitched and Selina could feel something poking at the back of her mind, trying to get her to focus on what was being said. Her thoughts felt oddly sluggish.
“Yeah, weird. How do you know Marinette is allergic?”
“I was the class rep before Marinette. Allergies were one of the big things to take into account when planning events. Not to mention my father has always stressed the need to know both your constituents and opponents. I have dossiers on everyone in the school.” Ladybug’s lips twitched upwards but didn’t quite make it to a smile.
“I’m more surprised by that than I should be. I assume that you’re the reason I haven’t seen Lila for the last few months?” Chloe winced and nodded.
“I’m sorry I didn’t do anything about her earlier.”
“The adults in charge should have done something, not you.”
“Maybe, but I could have stopped this and didn’t. Just like Adrien, I ignored her because she wasn’t my problem. Just like Adrien, I could never see past what I wanted when given the opportunity to wield a Miraculous. I… I never really understood why you hated me so much until I saw how Adrien acted after he lost his ring.”
“I never hated you Chloe, I just couldn’t trust you. But at least with you I knew the risks. The others… I didn’t know until it was too late.” The last seemed directed at herself rather than Chloe. Selina was so busy trying to read Chloe’s body language that she didn’t notice Ladybug swaying until it was too late. Chloe caught her as she fell and they all watched as the hero detransformed. Selina ran towards them before she could think it through, and could hear the others behind her.
“Tikki, what happened?” Chloe was staring at the girl in shock, not even noticing their approach.
“The transformation was taking too much of her energy. I had to drop it before it harmed her irreversibly.” Both Tikki and Plagg were hovering over the girl. “She can not transform again until she’s recovered.”
“What do we do if there’s another Akuma? Hawkmoth hasn’t been letting up lately. It’s… it’s like he’s trying to cause this.” The last was said in an almost horrified whisper.
“That’s exactly what he’s doing. Unfortunately right now we’re more concerned with you knowing who she is.” Plagg had flown directly into Chloe’s face and was scowling at her. She just hugged the girl tighter.
“I won’t tell anyone. I meant what I said about helping her. Both of her.” Suddenly the pieces of their earlier conversation clicked together in Selina’s mind.
“Hang on, this is the girl you were talking about? The one who’s been missing?” That finally caused Chloe to look up at them.
“Who the hell are you?” She caught sight of Ivy and set the other girl down to step between them. “And what the hell are you?” Selina could admire her spirit at least. The girl didn’t stand a chance against them but it was apparent that she wasn’t backing down.
“We’re friends and we’re here to help.” She looked ready to argue but Tikki spoke up.
“They’re telling the truth. They’ve been nothing but supportive so far and if that changes, Plagg and I will handle it. Right now we need to get Mari back to your hotel so she can rest. Then we need to discuss what to do when an Akuma shows up while she’s still recuperating.” Chloe didn’t look happy with it but she did nod.
“I’m not entirely sure how to get us all in there undetected. I have a feeling you three don’t really want to be noticed and I certainly don’t want to cause a scene bringing Mari in like this. Bringing attention to ourselves will only cause problems.” Well she was certainly right about that. Selina shared a look with the other two but both just shrugged at her. Before she could suggest anything Tikki and Plagg started whispering together before Plagg flew back to Chloe.
“Can I trust you to use a Miraculous to get where you need to go and then give it back?”
“Yes, I’ll do whatever you need me to.” Plagg continued to study the girl but Tikki Flew into Marinette’s bag and returned with a pair of glasses. Chloe looked sad for a moment but her determination overrode it as Tikki started whispering in her ear. As soon as they finished Chloe put on the glasses and muttered something, causing another flash of light. When it faded Selina wasn’t sure what she was looking at. The outfit was definitely horse themed but at the same time she couldn’t really explain why it was. The suit was a deep reddish brown but everything else about it felt unsettling. Her hair was in a braid but seemed to be attached down her back because it didn’t move. The suit itself wasn’t skin tight but moved with her body as if it were. The longer Selina stared at it the more uncomfortable she felt. She blamed that for why she didn’t notice the swords crossed on the girls back until one was at her throat. “I’ll only give you one warning. Marinette has already been betrayed by everyone around her, minus her family, and I won’t hesitate to do what is necessary to keep you from doing the same.”
“Everyone including you?” Selina expected her to flinch but her gaze just hardened.
“Especially me. I tormented her and took advantage of her forgiveness more times than I can count. I know very well I do not have the moral high ground so don’t expect me to act like a hero.” Selina felt the blade make contact and couldn’t help the grin that appeared.
“Oh I like you. This should be fun.” Chloe slowly lowered the weapon. She tried to hide her confusion behind annoyance but Selina saw it before the girl turned to pick up Marinette. She heard Ivy suck in a sharp breath when a portal appeared out of nowhere.
“Well, are you coming or not?” She stepped through the opening without giving them time to respond. Selina debated for a fraction of a second before following, even as Ivy started cursing under her breath. The chances that Chloe would leave them behind if they weren’t fast enough were high, and she had a very bad feeling at the thought of being separated from Marinette. Her instincts had kept her alive this long, she wasn’t about to discount them now.
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They ate mostly in silence with Ladybug refusing to look at any of them. The Kwami were all cuddled up against her obviously trying to offer emotional support. Every time she managed to calm herself down Selina would look over at the girl and her rage would build up again. She was going to have to find an outlet for it in order to stay here.
“So why haven’t you asked for help from the European Justice League?” The full body flinch she got in response gave her a target for that rage. She mumbled something that Selina couldn’t hear. “What was that?”
“I don’t think they believed anything was happening. Eventually they just told me that if I couldn’t handle butterflies I shouldn’t consider myself a hero. They had real problems to deal with.” Oh she was definitely sicking Bruce on those idiots once she figured out what was going on. “In their defense once I cast my cure there’s no visible damage so unless one of them had been here during an attack it really doesn’t seem real.” Great, now she was making excuses for heroes who absolutely should know better.
“I don’t care what they thought, that’s unacceptable behavior. You mentioned something about others that were helping you?” She flinched and curled in on herself.
“You should tell them. Plagg’s right, I think they can help.” Most of the other Kwami looked surprised at Tikki’s words. Ladybug somehow just seemed to get smaller.
“Kiddo, the three of us are the last to judge, trust me. We just want to help.” Harley’s voice was gentle and the girl peeked at her before looking back at her hands. Plagg flew up to her shoulder and was whispering in her ear. Eventually she took a deep breath and pulled her knees into her chest.
“At first it was just Chat Noir and me. It was okay for a while. He was always goofing around and flirting but he was there. But things happened and he didn’t want there to be secrets even though it was for our own safety. The Guardian chose what information we got when and he trusted me more than he did Chat, especially the more he pushed. He let me choose temporary holders and that just pissed Chat off more. He started becoming unreliable. Not showing up to fights, spending patrols trying to convince me to reveal my identity. Then he revealed himself to the other holders and got them to do the same. I refused and he convinced the others that I wasn’t trustworthy. I had to take his Miraculous. Too many people knew who he was. After that I couldn’t use any of the others even if they had been willing and I didn’t know anyone else I could trust. Then the Guardian… he got sick and turned his responsibilities over to me. So now I use whichever Miraculous I need for any given battle.”
“And what about your living situation?” She shook her head but it seemed more like an automatic reaction than an answer.
“That could compromise my identity.” Plagg and Tikki both flew in front of her face with their arms crossed.
“You need to tell them. Keeping your identity from Chat and the others was necessary and as we’ve seen showed good instincts on your part, but this is different.” Tikki’s voice sounded encouraging but strained. Their worry was obvious.
“But-”
“No buts Kit.” Plagg pointed to Selina. “She’s one of mine and there’s no malice toward you in any of them. We’re done watching you suffer alone. Not to mention you haven’t had a chance to breathe in months let alone grieve properly.” Selina shared a confused look with the other two. Plagg referring to her as theirs was odd but she was more worried about the grieving comment. Tears welled in Ladybug’s eyes and she shook her head again.
“I can’t.” The words were choked and the rest of the Kwami cuddled further into the girl while Plagg and Tikki just looked at each other.
“Will you let us tell them?” She hunched in further on herself but before she could say anything Tikki let out a string of what sounded like curses. Selina had no idea what language it was in. “There’s an Akuma.” Ladybug let out a tired breath.
“What time is it?”
“School just started. Which one do you think it is this time?” Plagg’s snark just got annoyed noises from all the Kwami. Ladybug stood and started towards the window. “Kit you’re not transformed.”
“Oh right.” Tikki disappeared and there was another flash of light around the girl.
“Why don’t we go with you? I’d like to see exactly what’s going on.” She frowned in thought.
“If you want, but I need you to stay back and not interfere. It’s bad enough trying to keep the others out of harm’s way and I really don’t have the energy to look after anyone else and still defeat the Akuma.” As soon as she said it she was out the window.
“What do you think she meant by others?” Harley sounded like she had a guess at the answer, but wanted someone to give her a different one.
“I have a bad feeling that her former help are still trying to pretend they’re heroes. That or they’re actively trying to sabotage her. Or possibly both.” Given what had been said about Chat Noir, she wouldn’t be surprised.
“We should head out and find a good vantage point.” Ivy was just staring out the window but it seemed like she was looking inward.
“I just need to grab my jacket. And for now we respect her wish for no interference, unless it’s a matter of life and death for her, agreed?” Harley and Ivy both gave a nod but neither looked happy about it. Ten minutes later, as they stood on a roof watching Ladybug taking hits for a bunch of idiots who wouldn’t leave the area, Selina wasn’t either. As soon as the fight was over they moved in closer to see what the morons had to say for themselves.
“Looking a bit ragged there M’Lady. Are you ready to admit you were wrong yet? All I want is an apology and a reveal and things can go back to the way they were.” Selina had to grab Harley to stop her from lunging at the boy who spoke but Ladybug shot him a flat look.
“Go back to what exactly? You refusing to respect my boundaries and throwing tantrums during a fight, or you just not showing up at all?” The boy sputtered indignantly and she turned to leave but a different one, the one who’d been possessed started yelling at her.
“Aren’t you even going to ask what upset me so much I got Akumatized? You used to actually care about people.” Ladybug just crossed her arms and waited. “Someone I thought was my friend just moved away without telling anyone! Can you believe that?” That just brought a confused look from the hero as she scanned the others assembled. For some reason that seemed to annoy the girl more. “Marinette! She just up and left without telling anyone!”
“I’m sorry, did you all just now notice she was gone?” Disbelief was the main thing in her tone, but there was hurt there as well.
“What do you mean just now? Don’t act like it’s our fault she decided to bail on her friends.” Ladybug was just staring at all of them like they’d lost their minds.
“Some friends considering it took you six months to notice she was missing in the first place.” There was a blonde girl leaning against a nearby building that Selina would swear wasn’t there a minute about.
“She’s not missing. Her parents sold their business and the family moved.” The blonde looked like she was going to fire back but Ladybug spoke first.
“Believe what you want, you always do. This is not something I’m going to stand here and argue about. I’m sorry you feel hurt but there’s nothing I can do to help the situation.” She tried to leave again.
“Wait!” The blond practically jogged up to her. “I need to speak with you, alone.” Ladybug hesitated. “Please, it’s important.” The hero searched the girls face for a moment before giving a small nod. The others immediately started shouting at her so she grabbed the other girl and headed to a nearby roof. They followed silently and Selina watched as they both stood awkwardly.
“So what do you need to talk to me about Chloe?” There was a wariness to Ladybug’s tone and stance, almost like she expected to be yelled at or attacked. The other girl just seemed nervous.
“A couple things. You knew Marinette was missing, do you know where she is?” Ladybug’s entire body tensed up at the question and Chloe saw it. “I’m not asking you to tell me I just… I just want to know if she’s okay. The police are refusing to look for her, claiming she went to live with relatives out of the country even though her passport hasn’t been used, and she hasn’t touched her back accounts since the day after…” She trailed off, obviously not wanting to finish the thought.
“How do you know she hasn’t… you’ve been using your father’s accounts to check the police progress haven’t you?” She just gave a sheepish shrug. “Why? You hated Marinette.” Chloe flinched.
“No I didn’t. We were rivals sure, and I was overall a bitch yes, but I never hated her. We were just so different and… I mean you’ve met my parents. I was taught from a young age that I was above everyone else and that they should be grateful for my notice. Mari… I couldn’t understand for the longest time why she stood up to me. I know it sounds stupid and I can’t really explain it better.” She sounded frustrated but it actually seemed to calm Ladybug down for some reason. “Look, I understand why she wouldn’t want to come back to school. Those ungrateful peasants made her life a living hell, but it’s like she completely dropped off the face of the earth. I can’t even imagine what losing both her parents in an accident like that must have done to her.”
“She’s okay. She just didn’t want to be sent out of Paris, or put into the system.” It didn’t sound like a lie but Ladybug was refusing to look the other girl in the eye for some reason. Chloe was just frowning in thought.
“If you see her again… tell her I can help if she wants. I know I’m probably the last person she wants to deal with but if she needs a place to stay no questions asked, I’m offering. Daddy has a few judges that owe him favors as well so we can probably get her emancipated so she can at least get to her money without worrying about someone tracking her and putting her somewhere she doesn’t want to be.” Ladybug nodded but from her position Selina could see her fighting back tears. “The other thing I wanted to talk about…”
“Yes?” Chloe still hesitated. She looked worried.
“That comment Adrien made, about you looking ragged… he wasn’t wrong.” Ladybug curled in on herself and Chloe panicked. “I’m not say it as a criticism! Ever since those rejects abandoned you it’s obvious things have been getting worse. I don’t know what you home situation is like but it’s kind of obvious it’s less than great.”
“If you’re going to try and convince me to give you a Miraculous-”
“No! No, it’s nothing like that. I just… here.” She pushed something into the hero’s hand and Ladybug just looked at it in confusion.
“What…” Chloe cleared her throat nervously.
“I had part of my floor renovated into a sort of efficiency apartment. That key is to get in through the balcony. The door that leads to the rest of my suite has multiple locks, including bolts that go into the floor that can only be accessed from the inside.” Ladybug blinked at her, not seeming to process what the girl said. “It’s a safe place… if you need it.” There was a long pause then Ladybug lurched forward, pulling the other girl into a hug.
“Thank you.” The words were soft, almost inaudible, but the emotion behind them was heartbreaking.
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Ivy was only half listening to Harley and a green Kwami detail various calming techniques, such as meditation and breathing exercises. Being around so many creatures radiating power was extremely uncomfortable, especially since she was fairly certain Ladybug’s Kwami was annoyed with her. That comment about her being able to feel that something was off in Paris seemed rather pointed. In her defense she had no idea a kid was involved. She just wanted to stay away from problems that weren’t hers, and it’s not like she wanted to be able to feel the disturbance.
She looked back to the girl and thought about her reaction. It likely meant she couldn’t feel the Miraculous either, which meant she couldn’t sense the ones that were missing. That explained why she was still fighting in the first place.
“You seem awfully interested in something.” Tikki appeared in front of her and Ivy flinched at the glare. She’d zoned out but it probably looked like she was studying Ladybug. Given how protective the Kwami were of the girl she was glad it was only a nasty look.
“She said that she’d never come across anyone who could sense the Miraculous. All of you put off different amounts or types of power and I assume the person you’re fighting would give off their own variation. Perhaps I can help find them.” Tikki just blinked at her for a moment before a grin broke over their face.
“It’s possible. We’ll have to test if you can feel the Miraculous in different states and how close you have to be to feel them. But since you can sense Ladybug transformed, worst case scenario you can try and move throughout Paris during Akuma attacks and see if you can feel Nooroo.” Well at least she wasn’t being glared at anymore.
“Different states?”
“Well you can obviously sense us when our holders are transformed and when you can see us, but we don’t know if you can sense an inactive miraculous or a Kwami on their own if you don’t already know they’re there.” Ivy nodded. Yes, she’d felt the power Ladybug radiated but she hadn’t felt different sources. She wasn’t sure if it was because Tikki was so strong or the other’s had been dormant. None of the Kwami were on her now though and that raised a different question.
“Does your power rub off on her? Because she’s emitting a similar energy but it’s not the same as any of you.” Tikki narrowed their eyes at her. Great, she was on the shit list again. Didn’t seem to take much.
“It’s possible you feel the Miraculous themselves but more likely you’re simply sensing her natural gifts.” Ivy sucked in a sharp breath.
“She’s meta?” That meant she wasn’t registered. France was pretty particular about keeping track of them, especially in large cities. If they had one as a hero the European Justice League would be all over it.
“No, at least not the way you mean it. Any true Miraculous holder is innately gifted depending on which Kwami they’re attuned to. Once paired with that Kwami those gifts become more and more pronounced. Also anyone who holds a Miraculous for an extended period of time will develop abilities. The most common being longevity and intuition.” Yeah, that still sounded like a meta. Wait… they said gifts.
“You mean like a savant?” Tikki gave a thoughtful hum before nodding slowly.
“I suppose that’s a good comparison. It’s not usually quite to the extreme most people think of with prodigies but it is enough to be noticed in the general population.” The creature looked at the girl sadly. “She had an amazingly bright future… before the imbalance destroyed it.”
“Imbalance?” The question came from Selina. Ivy hadn’t even noticed that the other’s were paying attention to their conversation. Plagg was scowling but Tikki just let out a weary sigh.
“It isn’t pertinent to the current problem. If she wants you to know, she’ll tell you.” Selina looked like she wanted to argue but a knock sounded at the door. All the Kwami just disappeared. At least they wouldn’t have to explain a bunch of tiny gods to the delivery person. Selina went to grab the food and the second she closed the door the Kwami all swarmed her except Tikki. Ivy couldn’t understand anything they were saying.
“Tikki!?” The startled shout caused all of them to look back at Ladybug who seemed about to have a panic attack. Tikki was trying to reassure her but the girl seemed not to hear as her eyes bounced between Ivy, Harley, and Selina. Finally Plagg flew into the girl’s face, pulling her focus.
“Calm down kit. Trixx has an illusion covering you. They still only see Ladybug, I promise.” Her eyes darted to the other Kwami who were all nodding and smiling at her, then she focused on the table where the creatures had eaten and her face went red again. Ivy wasn’t certain if it was more embarrassment or anger.
“Plagg, what did you do?” Ivy cringed at the girl’s tone. It was an odd blend of rage, exasperation, and shame. Plagg’s ears actually drooped.
“We all need to be ready if you need to use us kit. Using more than one Miraculous at a time is hard enough without us being drained at the beginning. I understand why you don’t want to give us out to others but I won’t stand by and watch you kill yourself because you’re too stubborn to ask for help. You shouldn’t have to deal with this alone. You were never meant to.” The anger in the last few words was obviously not directed at the girl but she flinched anyway.
“I had to take you back. The power difference… and him revealing himself to the others forced my hand.” She sounded close to tears and all the Kwami swarmed her, offering comfort.
“You did the right thing and none of us think otherwise. My point is that you shouldn’t have had to. You shouldn’t have to be the only responsible one and you certainly shouldn’t have had your entire life destroyed for doing the right thing. Those brats left you to defend yourself even before they renounced their Miraculous. I still can’t believe they tried to blame it all on you.” The Kwami was getting more and more agitated and Ivy could feel their power pulsing.
“We all do what we can with the information we have.” More than one of the Kwami let out a frustrated breath at Ladybug’s defense. Selina looked ready to do murder at this point. So much for keeping their emotions in check.
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Selina walked back in with a few bags, gaining confused looks from Harley and Ivy. Ladybug seemed to have fallen asleep. She’d be happy the girl was comfortable enough to do that around them if she weren’t almost certain she’d just passed out from lack of sleep.
“I thought you were just getting cheese.” Before she could set anything down, Plagg came out to answer Harley.
“I asked her to get food for everyone. That way we’ll all be ready if we’re needed.” They both just blinked at the Kwami and Selina had to hold back a laugh. As she opened her mouth to explain at least a dozen more Kwami appeared and rushed her. They didn’t go for the food immediately but seemed intent on thanking her. At least she thought so. With the way they were talking over one another it was hard to tell. They all waited patiently as she pulled everything out.
“They’re so cute!” Ivy just looked at Harley as if she’d lost what was left of her mind. Personally, Selina could see both sides even if she still had no clue what Ivy was feeling from the creatures. When they settled down to eat she noticed a package of cookies was still unclaimed. Plagg noticed her look and turned to one of the others.
“Trixx, why don’t you create some cover for the kid so Tikki can come out and yell at me since I’m sure they’re dying to.” Trixx just giggled and gestured towards Ladybug. From what she could see nothing changed, but there was a flash of light and a red Kwami appeared looking extremely concerned. “Well Sugarcube, let me have it!”
“Hush Plagg. Don’t wake her before the food gets here. She’s exhausted and she’s running a fever again.” That caused all of them to look worried. A green one spoke.
“You couldn’t heal her?” The red one, Tikki she assumed, sighed.
“I did what I could without consequences but between so little sleep and food, not to mention the energy she expends fighting… she’s getting too weak for my help to be effective.” They looked close to tears. Selina shared a look with the others and could tell they were in agreement. Even if Ivy still seemed uneasy about the Kwami.
“We’ll fix that. I’m not about to stand by and watch a kid run themself to death for no reason.” Tikki was studying her and Selina felt like they could see everything she’d ever done or even thought. It was intensely uncomfortable. Finally they gave an approving hum.
“As much as I would have liked to discuss it first, Plagg was right. You’ll all be good for her and hopefully will be able to make her understand the things we cannot.” Well that wasn’t cryptic at all. Ivy cleared her throat.
“Why don’t you tell us what you can about the situation here. None of us were even aware there was a problem.” Tikki stared at her until Ivy shifted uncomfortably.
“You could feel the taint, even if you didn’t know the source. We’ll explain what we can but we can’t give you the full picture.”
“We’d be happy to listen to anything you can tell us.” Selina opened the cookies and handed them one, getting a grateful smile in return. While they ate, Plagg decided to speak.
“Well the short version is that we Kwami power the Miraculous and two of them ended up in the hands of some shithead who’s decided to use them for purely selfish reasons.”
“Language!” Tikki was frowning at them but Plagg just stuck their tongue out at them.
“That was by far the tamest word I have for that piece of garbage. Given how badly he’s hurt your Chosen, I would have thought you’d approve.”
“Chosen?” Ivy was obviously trying to keep them from sniping at each other, but it did distract them.
“Ladybug is my Chosen. Basically she is a true creation soul who embodies my aspect perfectly.” Selina just shared a confused look with Harley. That really didn’t clear anything up. Tikki hummed in thought. “She is so in tune with me that we never struggle against each other when she’s transformed. This allows her to be more powerful and access more of my powers than anyone else.” That was a little better. Ivy was frowning in thought.
“Does that mean you’re having so much trouble with this villain because he’s a Chosen as well?” The Kwami basically erupted. It was obvious they were pissed, but Selina couldn’t understand what they were saying. It also didn’t help that Ivy was trying to apologize at the same time. Tikki finally let out a shrill whistle to quiet the others.
“Hawkmoth is an opportunistic coward. The reason Ladybug hasn’t been able to apprehend him is because he doesn’t join in battles directly. We have no idea who he is or where he’s hiding.” The other Kwami were all nodding their agreement.
“Okay, so how does he fight then?”
“He uses the Butterfly Miraculous to sense peoples’ emotions. He targets those with strong negative emotions and sends an Akuma to possess them. These are the ones that fight, but it’s not their fault. Once he gains access he plays into their need for revenge or justice, or whatever it was that allowed him to target them in the first place. Once they’re returned to normal, most don’t even remember it.” Selina blinked at the Kwami for a moment, gathering her thoughts, before turning to the other two.
“That means we’re not allowed to get worked up, over anything, while we’re here. How the hell is that supposed to work?” They just shrugged at her. Yeah, this was going to be a problem.
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“Absolutely not!” Selina walked back into the room to find Ladybug glaring at Plagg while the creature pouted at her. Harley looked like she was struggling not to laugh but Ivy seemed to be bracing for an explosion. “I’m not about to let you lose in the city Plagg. The last time you ‘helped’ me you collapsed the catacombs!”
“Oh come on Pigtails, you know that was an accident and Tikki fixed it. Besides I’m not going to use my powers. I just want to go with her so I can make sure she gets the right food since you won’t even tell them you’re allergic to shellfish which is in almost everything they ordered.” Ladybug’s face went bright red even though she still looked ready to murder the Kwami. Harley looked devastated.
“Oh kiddo, you should’ve said something. I’m so used to ordering for the three of us I didn’t even think to ask. I’ll call them back, just tell me what you want.” The hero’s expression turned sheepish.
“I’m sure I can find something to eat in what you ordered. I don’t want to be a bother.” Her mumbled words just brought a huff from Plagg.
“Pull up the menu on your phone and I’ll tell you what she’ll eat.”
“Plagg-”
“If you get sick and Tikki knows I could have prevented it I won’t hear the end of it for centuries. I’m getting you food you can eat without breaking out in hives.” As the Kwami and Harley retreated to a corner the girl still looked embarrassed, but she seemed far less agitated.
“You really should have told us. The last thing our reputations need is us being accused of intentionally killing a hero in Paris.” Selina meant it as a joke but considering the horrified expression on the girls face it missed the mark.
“I’m sorry. If it’s any consolation the allergy wouldn’t actually affect me transformed so even if they could link my civilian identity to you I doubt anyone would make a fuss over it.” She wasn’t sure what pissed her off more; the matter of fact way the girl said it or the fact that she felt that way in the first place.
“It’s not, and you don’t need to apologize. I can see where trusting us with that information could be considered dangerous.” Ladybug gave a non committal hum and continued to watch Plagg warily. When the Kwami flew back over it looked both smug and mischievous.
“Alright now let’s go get some cheese.” Ladybug was rubbing her temples with a pained look on her face. Finally she gave out a resigned sigh.
“Fine.” The Kwami perked up and the hero pinned him with a stern look. “You talk only if Catwoman is the only one that can hear you and under no circumstances will you use your powers. I mean it Plagg.” The creature was just nodding along.
“Of course. I’m not going to risk my cheese over a little bit of fun.” Given the girl’s face, she was less than reassured. “If you’re that worried about it just make it an order.”
“You know I don’t like doing that. Taking away your freewill is not the way I want to do things. I’d rather you respect me enough to do as I ask.” Plagg’s ears dropped for a moment before they looked thoughtful.
“Oh, you’re good. Guilt tripping me into good behavior. Tikki would be so proud.” Ladybug rolled her eyes.
“I was being sincere, but if it works I guess I’ll take it.” Her tone was dry. It was definitely an interesting dynamic between the two. “Not to mention Catwoman has to agree to take you along still.”
“I’d be happy to have the company, and you can call me Selina.” Plagg flew closer to study her before giving a thoughtful hum. They didn’t speak but Ladybug was watching the interaction with trepidation.
“Don’t feel pressured into buying the most expensive cheese in the store. Plagg likes to be dramatic about food. You’re doing us a favor and they’ll eat whatever you buy.” The last part was obviously a warning but the creature just rolled their eyes.
“Don’t worry, I’m used to dealing with strong personalities. We should head out so we can get back before the food gets here.” Ladybug hesitated but did nod and Plagg flew into her collar. “We’ll be back before you know it.” The girl gave her a tense smile but Selina figured it was the best she’d get so she headed out the door.
“She’s a good kid. If you’re planning anything I would suggest rethinking it. As she mentioned I’ve destroyed far larger things than a few people.” The threat just made her smile.
“I don’t doubt it. You can rest easy though. None of us mess with kids, and we all have a soft spot for street kids especially.” The creature let out something that sounded like a growl.
“She’s not a street kid, not really. If not for us and the responsibilities forced on her she’d be in a much better place.” Their frustration was obvious, and Selina had one more thing to think about. “Since we’re already going to the store do you mind picking up food for the others?”
“Other’s?” She wasn’t really paying attention, too busy wondering how being a hero put the girl on the streets. Not to mention getting angrier by the second that someone had allowed it to happen in the first place.
“The other Kwami. As Ladybug says we all have our favorites and the easiest way to get on everyone’s good side is food.” Selina let out a chuckle.
“Sure, may as well load up before she can protest.” She felt Plagg laughing against her collar bone.
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