When the Phoenix Falls (Adrien Agreste)

Chapter 9: Evillustrator Part 2

When evening came around, Firebird set her controller to the side - having just been beaten by Marinette for the tenth time in a row - and leaned back in her seat, glancing out the window, where dusk was beginning to fall. Marinette copied her actions, not boasting about her win or making any action to suggest that she was smug about the victory over the superhero.

"I take it we should be going soon." She commented, raven pigtails brushing against her shoulders as she turned to face Firebird. "Or Chat Noir will be wondering where we are."

"It probably wouldn't hurt to leave him for a little longer," Firebird shrugged, thinking back to how Chat had been acting earlier that morning; but then she considered her sister's suggestion and let out a sigh. "You're right though, Evillustrator will be waiting and it is never a good idea to anger a villain before you have to fight them."

Marinette gave a short giggle before leaning forward and turning off her computer, picking up her bag from where it rested on the back of her chair and standing up. She walked towards the trapdoor laid in the floor and stood next to it, turning back to face Firebird.

"Are you coming?" She asked, raising a solitary eyebrow at the hero.

Firebird glanced up towards the trapdoor in the ceiling and then back to Marinette. "I was thinking we could leave from up there."

"But how would we-?" Marinette question was cut short as Firebird stood up and flexed her shoulder blades, summoning her own means of travel.

"Sky!" As the elegant feathered wings appeared at her back, she watched Marinette's eyes widen.

"They're beautiful." The girl whispered, leaning forward and brushing a hand gently against the wing closest to her. "Are they made of actual feathers?"

"As far as I'm aware, yes." Firebird replied, shaking her wings back and forth to see if any feathers would fall out. When none did, she ran a hand over one until she found a suitable one with red, orange, and yellow markings trailing up it in intricate swirls. Closing her eyes and bracing herself, she tugged sharply at the feather, pulling it out of her wing, and handed it to Marinette. "Here."

"No, no I couldn't." Marinette stuttered, trying to refuse the offering, but Firebird would have none of it.

"It's yours," She insisted, taking her sister's hand and wrapping it around the feather. "I don't have any use for it now, and you can use it in one of those brilliant designs I have heard you create."

Marinette blushed bright pink - presumably wondering how on earth a superhero had come to hear about her drawings - and accepted the feather without further objection. Tucking it into a box that sat on her desk, she smiled at Firebird and gestured for her to climb the ladder, quickly following afterwards as the two girls made their way up to the roof.

Perching on the edge of the balcony, Firebird offered a hand to Marinette, helping the girl stand up on the railing beside her. "You aren't afraid of heights, are you?" She asked - despite already knowing the answer to her question - and Marinette shook her head.

"No," She replied, though Firebird didn't miss the glance the girl cast towards the ground as she responded.

"Good, now stand on my foot and hang on tight." Firebird told her, allowing the girl to get into position before she wrapped an arm around her waist and took off into the air.

Immediately, Marinette's arms shot from their resting position to wrap around Firebird. Unfortunately, the only available part of her to hang onto was her neck, and Marinette's shock was causing her to hold on uncomfortably tight.