Until We Meet Again

Chapter 3: Escape

I woke up to light flooding into my room, but something was strange. There was a shadow being cast across my room that wasn't normally there. I looked over to see what was casting the shadow and saw Chat Noir on the windowsill. What was he doing here? He's supposed to be in Paris, not with me.

"Chat?" I said, confused.

"M'lady, I've found you!" He seemed a bit off as he turned towards me. "I've come to reveal myself, I can't bear it any longer. I need you to know. I've known who you are for a year and a half, now it's my turn."

"No, Chat you can't. What about Hawkmoth? You haven't defeated him yet!" 

"Claws off!" There was a blinding flash of light, and I woke up.

"Oh, god. Tikki, I had the dream again." I said, slightly whining.

"Oh Marinette, I know you're desperate to know who he is, but you're also right in not letting him tell you. Hawkmoth must be defeated before you know who he is." The kwami said knowingly, sometimes she seemed more like a therapist to me than anything.

"As always my sweet friend, you're right." 

It had been a year and a half since my parents and I had left Paris. I'll be eighteen in just two months. Chat and I wrote to each other all the time, and technically, we're in a long distance relationship. Whenever he defeats an akuma, he captures it in a jar and sends it to me with another letter. I'll be honest though, it's really hard not knowing who he is, especially while he knows basically everything about me. Although I did learn that we went to school together, he kind of let that one slip. Sometimes though, I'll ask him about Alya, Nino, and Adrien. They are still happily together, and have their Miraculous' full time. But when I left it really took a toll on Alya, Chat said she wouldn't talk to anyone for a week, not even Nino. I knew that she had hurt people in making it seem like I had fallen off the face of the Earth, but what else were we supposed to do? I think that having Trixx helped Alya, just like Tikki helped me.

There was a knock at the door and a maid walked in. "Princess, I have your schedule. You have a dress fitting at noon for your coronation, a harp lesson at two, and a family dinner at five. Otherwise, you have a free day." She was looking at her clipboard.

"Thank you, will you inform everyone that I would like to be left alone until noon, no disturbances." I said, knowing what I'd be doing until then.

"Yes Ma'am, no disturbances until noon." The maid said, as she bowed, and then turned around and left.

As soon as the door closed I went over and locked it.

"Alright Tikki, we're sneaking out. It's six o'clock now, so we have six hours until we need to be back. I'm going to quickly take a shower, will you go into the closet and find something super casual. Just jeans and a top, as well as a pair of tinted sunglasses." 

Thirty minutes later I was ready.

"Tikki, spots on!" I had to transform to get into the city.

I traveled low so no one could see me, I don't want people to know that Ladybug was in China, that could put my identity in danger.

I dropped down in an empty alleyway near the mall and detransformed. 

"Ok, we have five hours until we have to go back, hide in my purse Tikki."

I adjusted my sunglasses and walked into the mall. I walked around the first floor, walking into a few stores, but not finding anything I needed, so I took the escalator up to the next floor. Up there I found an Agreste Fashion store, it must've been new, because I'd never seen it before. 

I walked around looking at the mannequins, there were all kinds of outfits. Some designs were a bit more simple, such as a new jean jacket that had been released a month ago. I hadn't gotten the jacket yet, so I grabbed it in my size. Others were far more intricate though, such as the gown I had gotten. I got the gown for an important luncheon I had with some other diplomats. I grabbed a few more items and put them on my arm, walking up to pay for them.

As I walked towards the front, I nearly tripped and fell, but someone grabbed my arm. Unluckily for me, the force of the fall stopping made the sunglasses slip down on my face. I turned around to thank the person who saved me, and was met with electric green eyes.