❛𝐔𝐍𝐈𝐐𝐔𝐄❜ ━ 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘰𝘦𝘴 𝘈𝘤𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘮𝘺

━━ 02

"Have you heard of the academy?"

REMINDER ALONG WITH PAIN FLASHED through her bluebell eyes, which once lighted up like the sun, but was now as dark as the shadows themselves. "The academy?" A light, soft scoff escaped from the corner of her mouth as she continued on with the baking she was doing in the kitchen. "Have I heard of it? I'd be crazy not to. So many people's talking about it, Maman."

The woman's eyes fell on her daughter as the mood in the kitchen altered slightly; what was once a happy room turning into a gloomy one. "Hey, I—" And she had no words, wishing she'd never brought up the academy at all. She knew how sensitive her daughter was when it came to certain things that contained abilities or animals. The woman placed her mixer down and rapidly rushed over to the younger female in front of her, taking her in for a tight hug that she hoped with all of her heart would make her feel better.

"Maman, I hate it. I hate it all!" The words came out of her mouth easily, relief stuffing her heart for finally being able to really express how she felt. "I feel so left out. They're all so cool and powerful, they're all so evil and cold, and I feel left out because I don't have what they have. I don't have what I wish I had. And I hate it — with all of my heart!"

The heart of the woman's tugged slightly seeing the tears rolling down the beautiful face of her daughter like a waterfall. "It's my fault!" She whispered, trying to hold in her tears as well as she was one to get emotional way too easily. "It's always been my fault, honey. You got it from me, and I'm sorry you're now living this tough life because of me, but—" She knelt down on one knee, her eyes never leaving her crying daughter who whimpered in pain. "Would you believe me if I said I was glad you were born powerless?

"Would you believe me if I said I was happy and glad you weren't born like the rest of them, Marinette?"

Those words put her tears to a stop, a surprised look taking over her teary one. "Why?" She breathed out, confused. "Why are you glad I'm born different? Why are you glad that I'm such an easy target for all those monsters out there, Maman?"

"Because you're unique, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Don't you get it?" Her mother rose up from the floor, a serious look drawn so precisely on her face. "If you were one born with abilities, you would be just like them. Not only would you be strong, but you would be cold! You would have the same personality as most of them out there, always belittling the powerless ones, always bringing others down in order to raise themselves higher, always feeling like they're on top of the food chain. This is a lesson, Marinette. If you were born with powers, you most likely would never be the same sweet girl I'd raised you as. These abilities are what's really ruining us and tearing us apart. In the olden days, when I was a young girl, it was peaceful, nothing like how it is now at all!"

She would be fibbing if she claimed the words did not touch her heart in some way — that fact that her mother felt like this, saw her as different, but in a good way. She couldn't help herself from wrapping her arms around the woman's small body, engulfing her into another tight, emotional hug. It made her feel better not just about the attitudes of everyone outside, but of herself. She was different.

She was unique.

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“Don't be bemused, it's just the news!”

The land has really all gone soft after the horrifying death of our brave superhero, who fought with all his might, though to his and all our dismay, lost his life. We did not lose the fight, but having the top hero leave, it sure feels like we lost everything.