Loving Two Sides

dress

Finally!" I say as I look at the sketch of my dress. It's a sleeved dress with a scoop neck cut, it's 'skin tight' until the waist where it becomes flow-y and large like a princess ball gown, the waist has a bow and on the back there is an integrated corset to tighten up the dress.

"What type of materials are you going to use Marinette?" Tikki asks as she scans the sketch.

"I was thinking lace for the top and tulle for the bottom, I'm going to need a crinoline* for under the dress so it has the princess effect or else it will just stay down." I explain to her as she nods.

"What about the bow?" she asks me, I haven't thought of that yet.

"Maybe... silk or satin?" I tell her wondering what the bow should be made of.

"You can make bows out of silk?" she asks me surprised.

"Yeah, it's usually a shiny material so it's used more for decorations while satin is a much more matte colored material," I tell her as I imagine both kinds of fabrics on the dress.

"Have you decided on the colors yet?" she asks me curious to know.

"No..." I confess with a groan as I slam my head against the table. I have five days and three hours to work on my dress; I still have to go buy all of the materials and can't decide on the colors for my dress.

"Think Marinette, you save Paris on a daily basis, and deal with Chloe daily; you're Ladybug for crying out loud! Picking colors shouldn't get you down" she says cheering me up, she has a point and she just gave me an idea!

"That's it Tikki! I'm Ladybug!" I tell her making her confused and startled by my sudden outburst.

"Yeah..." she says putting her little fist in the air with not much enthusiasm.

"You don't get it Tikki, I'm Ladybug! The girl in black and red!" I tell her finally making her see my point.

"Oh I get it! That's a great idea Marinette!" she says as she gets excited as well.

"Let's go Tikki! We have materials to buy!" I exclaim as I grab my bag, wallet and phone and race out the door.

"I need to go buy some materials mamma, I'll be back in a few hours!" I tell her as I grab a croissant, kiss her cheek and rush out the door. I bump into my dad who is sweeping the side walk outside.

"Where are you going dumpling?" he asks me as he sees me.

"i'm going to buy some fabric papa, I'll be back in a few hours" I tell him s I kiss him on the cheek and dash off.

"Be careful!" I hear him yell as I cross the street and hurry off to the train station. I finally reach it just in time to see the train arrive. I sit down miraculously and I place my earbuds in and press play on my playlist. I ride for fifteen minutes and it comes to a halt, I get off trying my best to not get shoved off by the many people that are also getting off.

I walk until I see a big fabric store, i can hear a faint 'wow' from Tikki as she spies through my bag making sure nobody sees her. I walk in and start my shopping .

🐱🐞🐱🐞🐱🐞🐱time SKIP 🐱🐞🐱🐞🐱

"Can you pass me another pin?" I ask Tikki as I cut out my dress, four days and six hours to go and I finally have all of the materials, measurements and methods to make this the perfect dress. Given the fact that akumas don't ever rest yesterday I got interrupted while I was going to start making the dress but I hope today I will be ale to works as much as possible.

"It's amazing how you manage to work so fast Marinette," Tikki says as she passes me another pin.

"Thanks Tikki, I've sewn since I was about ten. My mother and father gave me a sewing machine after I begged them for a really long time," I tell her remembering a younger me begging my mother and father.

"Wow your parents really are supportive" she says, but that's not entirely true.

"It wasn't always like this," I tell Tikki.

Flashback-

"Fashion week is right around the corner and only the most elite will be showing up!" I hear the television announcer say, I'm helping mama mix some cookie batter.

"Mama, isn't fashion week awesome?!" I ask her excitedly as I continue mixing.

"It is dumpling, there's a lot of pretty clothing made by some of the most prestigious brands and designers" she tells me as I stare at the television in awe.

"You mean... all of that clothing is made by one person?" I ask her.

"Well, not all of it, brands usually have designers with the same sense of style design their clothes. Designers usually design it themselves and personally pick anybody they believe worthy enough to design for them" mama explains as she butters up a tray for a cake.

"I want to do that too" I tell her as my mixing slows down and my eyes don't abandon the screen.

"Do what dumpling?" she asks me as she starts pouring in the cake batter.

"I want to be a famous designer mama," I tell her causing her to spill a little bit of the batter out of surprise.

"I want to design pretty clothes and become famous and be in fashion week with all of the famous designers!" I say as I stop mixing and instead start clapping my hands.

"But honey..." mama begins, I look at her and wonder what's wrong.

"Don't worry mama, I'll be good at it. And I can still help you and papa here," I tell her reassuring her so she knows I'll help out in our bakery.

"Honey,but you don't know anything about fashion" my mother tells me, she has a point.

"Well... I didn't know how to count or read but you told me to study hard and I learned! So if I study hard, I can learn all about fashion too" I say, my mother gives me a small smile and pats my head.

End of flash back .

"I can still remember that day as of it was just a couple of months before"I stay to Tikki.As I continue to sew and make my dress