Miraculous Order Series: The Secret Battles of the First Box

Chapter 6: We Are Closed

Lila Rossi received a call right as she got out of school. It was an unknown number, so at first she ignored it. When she got home, her phone rang again. It was the same number. Now it was irritating, not to mention that the unfinished homework that laid on her desk was not helping. It was Xiao that answered, having a vague sense of how phones worked. Lila was about to end the call when a familiar voice spoke.

"Rossi," said Gabriel Agreste. "Get the miraculouses tonight."

Lila bit her lip and ended the call. Xiao looked at its master in worry and flew to her.

"We can do this!" Yaguara said, a look of confidence on its face. Lila gave a practiced smile. She knew why she was here. It was not to make friends, it was to save the world.

Her two other kwamis looked on as she left before she turned invisible. They glanced at each other, their worried faces expressing the profound sadness they felt for their master.

*~*~*

Chameleona slid easily into Marinette's room. The pink room was filled with photos, drawings and some decoration that was magically of the same palette. Lila had heard plenty of Marinette being some sort of fashion prodigy and clearly, the rumors were true. The invisible girl squatted down to take the earrings properly, ignoring the sleeping kwami next to the holder.

Marinette mumbled something in her sleep. Chameleona's face flushed red as she quickly realized what the girl was saying and she picked up the pace. Whatever fever-crush dream she was having, she didn't want to hear any more of it. Wishing for sanity, Chameleona left the sleeping girl - not a hint she was there in sight.

*~*~*

Chameleona stared at the sleeping boy for a few seconds. She had been right, the loud snoring cat kwami made it obvious. It had been very easy to figure out and yet she kind of wished she was wrong. Guilt starting to grow, she headed over, a bit closer. The spy had only a minute left of staying invisible. Taking in a deep breath, Chameleona took the ring and just ran. She had completed the mission but subconsciously she wished she hadn't. Something in her gut didn't feel right.

That was why she ignored Gabriel's calls all night. He was relentless so she had to silence the phone. The invisibility ran off quickly too. So she was in her green suit, outside her window in the rain. The rain made her invisible to anyone down the street and she could only wish she truly could disappear. The rain was also good for another thing, convincing herself the water running down her face wasn't hers.

*~*~*

With or without the two miraculouses, Mayura made her first move on the box. It was pretty simple, but she couldn't be spotted so she was in the basement of the Agreste Estate. Her amuk was a simple looking fly. It easily went in the shop when the first client of the day came by. The fly-amuk looked through the second floor, since the first had nothing of note. The room was bare - only half of it had things and they were offerings to the dead. Mayura recognized the faces as the thieves of the box, people that had only made things more difficult and now only one single worm was left. She scoffed before moving on to the next floor. She noticed the box lying in the middle of the room with the old man meditating right behind it.

Mayura spoke, turning on her earpiece.

"He's alone, third floor."

The first client of the day had already flipped the open sign. To anyone who didn't know better, Fu's Massages was closed for the day. Hawkmoth went up the stairs to retrieve the box. In only a brief moment, they had the upper hand. Someone yelled "MIRACULOUS QUEEN BEE!"

Hawkmoth dodged the girl and muttered curses. Once again, the playing field had changed. The old man kept using teenagers with the miraculous as his shield, a weak and innocent shield. The thought made his hits softer, he was fighting kids, no way was he going to actually hurt them. The element of surprise had been taken and now the butterfly miraculous holder had to rush up the stairs. Wang Fu looked older than he expected but his piercing eyes and past experience told him to know better than to underestimate him.

Mayura's eyes followed every dodge, kick and punch of that 2v1. The thief was clearly past his prime, it took him a while to even transform. The new teenage girl was very impulsive and easy to dismarm. She had a few minutes left before they would know her true identity. The whole magical mask situation made it difficult for members even in the Order to find each other's identities - a plus to the fact that it was forbidden.

The blue lady smiled - they were winning and soon the box would be back. She dialed Chameleona - Natalie wanted the miraculouses complete as soon as possible. She could not afford to come back empty handed because of one girl. The Rank 3 was not responding. Mayura spit out an insult, she didn't have time for the twists and turns of the teenage mind. She glanced at the body of Emilie Agreste. She decided to call her master and await further instructions.

*~*~*

Marinette Dupain-Cheng awoke that morning running late as usual. At first, she hadn't woken up to the many alarms she had put out in consecutive order. The daughter of one of the most recognized bakers in Paris couldn't find her kwami anywhere, her calls ignored. She rushed to change her clothes, as she did every day and noticed that her earrings were missing. Her heart dropped. She stood paralyzed in the mirror until her mom called her out for breakfast. Marinette held back tears as she hurriedly ate her food.

At school she found out she wasn't the only one in a bad mood. Chloe looked more pissed than usual, so pissed she only responded in hmph's and eye rolls. Adrien was pretty quiet too- but not as much as Lila. The gloomy mood coming from the four of them was not only obvious but contagious.

Ms Calina Bustier was quick to notice the tonality shift in her classroom. She quickly escorted Marinette outside and gave her a soft smile.

"I noticed you feel... odd, Marinette." Her soft voice sounded hollow in Marinette's ears.

"It's nothing." Marinette brushed the issue off. Her teacher gave her a worried look and used her hand to push the girl's chin upwards; only a small diminutive push did the job right. She wanted Marinette to look at her.

"Would you like me to bring Alya outside?", Ms Bustier suggested. Marinette could barely hold it together, and she nodded. Her teacher noticed that she was about to cry.

When Alya arrived Marinette hugged her, already crying. Her friend took the time to hug her and let her sit down. Marinette sobbed under the protection of her best friend. Alya allowed the embrace to last, she didn't want to pry her best friend yet. If she wanted to talk, she would.

"Ive- (sniff) be-een lyyying to everyy-one", Marinette could barely talk under her sobbs and sniffs. Her friend listened the best she could.

"I... I dIid it all- for nothiIng", Marinette sobbed after that. Alya hugged her tighter.

"It's okay Marinette. I forgive you.", she said, stopping the hug so her bestie would see her. Marinette looked like a mess right now.

"Alya..." Marinette gave out a few sniffs. Ms Bustier arrived with some tissues, and gave a soft smile that didn't hide the worry in her eyes and took off to deal with the rest of the class.

Alya handed Marinette the tissues and she used them - a lot of them. Marinette's blue eyes, the color brought out by the redness of her veins, stared at Alya's hazel one's.

"I'm Ladybug," she whispered. "And I lost my earrings."

The confession shocked her friend. Alya hugged her tighter than before and soon Marinette started to let out confession after confession. Each was a weight off her shoulders. Eventually there was no more burden to bear alone and Marinette felt lighter than she had been in a long time. Her friend reassured her that everything would be alright, that she would be there for her. The girl could only nod, her throat left dry.

*~*~*