Tigress - The New Hero Of Paris

Chapter 1 - Secrets

"Guys! Guys!" Alya shouted as she entered the classroom. "You won't believe what I got!" She went to Marinette and Nino who were in their spots. Juleka saw Alya pick up her phone and click on a video from her gallery. Marinette looked curious, like Nino.

Juleka already knew what it was, besides she participated in the video herself. It was a quick interview with Tigress, a new Paris superhero, who was also the dark-haired girl. More people were around Alya when they heard about the interview.

"Did you see that?" Rose asked Juleka as she climbed the stairs and sat in her spot.

"Saw what?" Juleka asked back with a small smile.

"Tigress, the new super hero!" She giggled as if it were obvious. "She showed up yesterday after school, in the middle of the fight against that akuma she came up." She explained excitedly.

"Ah, yes. I already knew that ..." Juleka lowered her voice and looked away from Rose when she heard Mme. Bustier's voice announcing the start of the class. All the other students sat down and got their materials as soon as Bustier started speaking.

***

Class was finally over, Juleka and Rose were the last to leave the room. The tall girl waited for the smallest to store her material, but she was lost in her thoughts about her new double life.

"Juleka, I already said you don't have to wait for me! You know your mother wants you home early today, and I can come with you later. "Rose said in an anguished tone, apparently having been saying things like that for a while. The blonde's voice sent Juleka out of her thoughts, then processed for a second what Rose said and thought of a quick response.

"She can wait for me." Juleka said indifferently. Rose pouted, and that made the brunette giggle. "Come on, you know she'll complain if I don't show up with you." Rose had no choice but to agree. She finished packing her things and both girls went downstairs to the exit of the room.

"You know ..." Rose began. "I feel kinda important when you do that ..." She looked up to look at Juleka. The brunette raised an eyebrow.

"When do I do what?" The larger one asked shyly.

"When you wait for me at the end of class..."

"Why?"

"I'm the only person you wait for at the end of class, it makes me feel kind of important!" She giggled as she said those words, and then leaned her head against Juleka's body for a few seconds. Juleka felt her cheeks heat up a little.

"Ah..." The taller sighed. "I wait for you because I don't like to see you alone..." Juleka looked away for a second. Rose noticed a hint of worry that Juleka didn't even notice she was feeling.

"What's up?" Rose dared to ask, but her tone was clearly worrying. The dark-haired girl felt a little shiver down her spine as she heard a small voice sound so worried. She wanted to tell Rose about her identity, about her new double life, about everything that was breaking balls inside her head, but she also was afraid of what would come next. Hawk Moth could find out about Rose and could use her to get what he wants, he could hurt her. Juleka was afraid of losing her.

"What do you mean?" Juleka answered quickly with a hesitant tone. Rose looked even more worried.

"I noticed you're lost in your thoughts ... more than usual." She smiles at what she said, but soon the smile fell apart. "I'm worried." She continued, now more serious.

"I'm fine, Rose." Juleka said slowly after a brief pause. "I promise."

That didn't convince Rose entirely, but she stopped asking about it. Instead, she started talking about the next Kitty Section song that she and Ivan were thinking about. Juleka listened attentively, always with a calm and genuine smile on her face. Sometimes there were some laughs in the middle of the conversation, and it was that way until they got to Juleka's house.

***

"Mom, we're home!" Juleka shouted to Anarka to hear her from the doorway. Instinctively she went downstairs and went into the living room to see if she was there as she was followed by Rose, both girls dodging the mess they had already gotten used to. Anarka was tuning her guitar on the couch, and Juleka was a little odd. Hardly her mother played the guitar, she wondered why she was now.

"Oh, hello, sailor!" Anarka got up from the couch quickly after setting her guitar aside. "I see you brought a mate, don't you?" She continued in a slower voice as she turned her eyes to the pink girl who went there so much.

"Yes, Captain!" Rose replied making an 'attention pose' as a soldier, or in this case as pirate, but couldn't stop a giggle. Anarka smiled.

"Come, sailors!" The captain exclaimed dramatically. "I bought you some sweeties!" She went to the counter next door and pulled a white bag off a shelf. At last she set it on the tier of benchs and withdrew with her guitar in hand.

"I'll be back at night, daughter!" Anarka called once more and left. Juleka wondered where she was going.

"Is Luka at home?" Rose asked discreetly raising an eyebrow.

"I don't think so." Juleka murmured quickly.

"So I think the whole boat is ours!" The smallest celebrated with a few hops. Juleka smiled at the girl's animation. The girls walked to the room and set on Juleka's bed.

Suddenly something made the boat tremble, Juleka grabbed Rose by the arms to not let her fall, but both of them fell to the ground.

"What was that?" Rose wondered aloud as she stood up quickly.

"I want to know too." Juleka answered quickly, but already having an idea of what it would be. Akuma attack.

Oh, not today! Not now! Not when she finally has time to be with Rose! She cursed Hawk Moth mentally, so Rose picked up her phone upon hearing a notification. It was the news, Rose approached Juleka and both girls sat on the floor to watch. Basically there was even an akumatized villian, but Juleka was relieved to see that Ladybug and Chat Noir were with Viperion. She wouldn't have to go out and lie to Rose, thank God. There was a relieved sigh from her mouth.

"They'll take care of it." Juleka said quietly. "In the meantime, we better not go outside."

"Akuma is near here!" Rose remembered.

For a second Juleka didn't think of a quick answer, she had to pause for a moment. There was a tense silence, tense for some reason.

"We'll be fine," she promised slowly, and Rose nodded. The petite girl hugged the taller, and both stayed in this way for a while.

***

"Mom, I'm home!" A voice sounded from outside Juleka's room. Rose recognized the voice quickly.

"Luka!" She told Juleka, who soon uncrossed her legs and sat on the bed toward her brother who entered the room with the guitar in hand. She saw Luka enter the room and drop his guitar on the bed, so he looked at his sister and then at the blonde. "Where's mom?" He exchanged glances with both girls, but Juleka knew the older one was only talking to her.

"She left a while ago, said she would come back only at night." Juleka answered quickly, Luka widened her eyes a little and raised an eyebrow. Apparently neither did he believe that his mother left home to do anything but buy them food or new guitar strings for Luka. "Okay then." He shrugged and sat on his bed slowly, finally placing the guitar back in his hands as he propped it on his lap. Juleka wanted to know where Luka was while she and Rose were right there, but decided not to ask anything. Luka could no longer give clear explanations, since now he only spoke in metaphors for some reason.

Juleka stared at Rose for a few seconds, and noted that Rose also wondered where Luka had been, but soon the blonde turned her gaze to the tall girl.

Juleka got up and closed the curtain that divided the rooms when opened, then sat down next to Rose. Soft music began to come out of Luka's side, and Rose began to enjoy it silently. Juleka joined her and sat beside her, leaning against the bed and letting Rose rest her head on her shoulder. Both stayed like this for a while and soon they both fell asleep.