Broken - M. Dupain-Cheng

Chapter 4 - Friends

Tom Dupain, Marinette's father stirred the pot of broth in smooth circular motions, humming to himself. 

Marinette, still in her Ladybug attire sprinted across rooftops, heading towards her home.

"Somethings missing." Tom spoke. "Marinette. Marinette?" He called up to her empty bedroom. 

Marinette skilfully landed on a drainpipe, scaring off a flack of average pigeons.

"Marinette? Honey, have you seen Marinette?" Tom asked his wife, Sabine.

"She's upstairs," Sabine replied. 

"Marinette. I can't figure out what's missing from Grandma's soup. Thyme or parsley?" Tom asked his daughter who sat on her desk chair, panting unnaturally heavy. "I- Uh- Rosemary?"

"Hah! What would i do without my choux-choux chef?"

—————————

"She's just... incredible." Eruela said into space, sprawled out on her couch. She had not forgotten the interaction with Marinette. Eruela had embarrassingly watched Marinette throughout the classes they had together. 

Eruela laughed, recalling when Marinette set off the fire alarms after exploding her science project. She had been so distracted over Marinette she had almost had no thought towards Ladybug and her attitude. 

Plagg, her kwami, a floating being that gave her, her Chatón Noir suit, lay curled up in her chest, eating some of his favourite cheese. Camembert.

——————

Marinette happened to be with her kwami at that very moment as well. 

"Why was i so mean to her? She was so kind." She whined regretting her previous behaviours.

—————————-

Soon it dawned on Eruela that she had just transformed into a cat and fought a supervillain. She broke out in chuckles at her unusually shy behaviour when she encountered the red bug.

————————

"Sir, everything is ready for tomorrow. I'm heading home," Aline raised her voice to hopefully get the sound through the door that was slammed in her face only moment ago.

Edward lay starfished on his stomach. His knees buckled as he tried to stand.

"Master, i warned you. Stop now or there will be no turning back. You will lose everything." Nooroo the butterfly kwami repeated. "I have nothing to lose." 

"But your daughter..." "She'll survive. She's strong. Just like her mother." 

(Change Emilie to Diana)

——————-

"Paris Gazette! Special edition! Gargoyle attack! Who are there two masked figures? Friends or foes?" 

"If only you'd been there to see it!" Alya recalled to Marinette as they walked the riverbank. "I think i got the gist." 

"Can you believe it! A butt-kicking girl superhero. And i took her first picture. Couple goals don't you think?" Alya pulled out her phone to show Marinette some of the picture she had gotten of the red bug.