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miraculous ladybug stories
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Published:
2021-03-23
Updated:
2023-09-02
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6/7
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Spiritual Interference [Being Rewritten]

Summary:

[Former title: A (Not) Simple Normal Trip]

[Status: Indefinite Hiatus, Rewrite in Progress]

A Simple Trip was what Marinette was looking forward to. At least she knows Paris will be safe while she’s away on the normal trip, even though Hawkmoth’s active in the country she’s going to.

Lila never learns does she? She soon starts sprouting lies to make herself known while disgracing her enemies. However, she goes too far and attracts the attention of people whom aren’t too happy with her lies.

Notes:

This is my first Miraculous Ladybug Fanfic, hope you enjoy reading it!

Updates:
Changed the story’s name and summary
Former title was “A (Not) Simple and Normal Trip”

Chapter 1: Announcement

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Marinette sat in her seat while waiting for class to start. It was like any other day for Marinette. Most of her classmates were standing next to Lila, listening to her ridiculous lies she told of herself. She often lies about how she has many connections to people such as Jagged Stone and any other famous people you could think of. Marinette internally groaned as she got ready for class. She looked at her classmates that weren’t fawning over Lila.

Chloe was at her seat examining her nails while Sabrina helped her sort out her nail polish collection. Chloe seemed to be in a somewhat good mood, which was rare after the Miracle Queen Incident. Marinette wanted to try and reason with her as Ladybug and help her understand that the reason did not get the Bee Miraculous was because she didn’t want to endanger Chloe’s family. Unfortunately, Chloe did not seem to realise this and accepted Hawkmoth’s offer. Ladybug kicked her off the team for her betrayal.

Nathaniel was drawing, as usual. In fact, he was working on the new comic issue he and Marc had been doing for the past month. He didn’t really care about Lila’s ridiculous lies and kept to himself in his seat while his classmates fawned over Lila and how she has such amazing connections and all of her great deeds. After Lila spread some false rumours about Marinette and had most of their classmates turn on her, he chose to stick with Marinette and believe her instead of Lila’s lies. He knew the kind of person Marinette was; kind, sweet, helpful and a little clumsy at times. She’s not that kind of person to suddenly bully the new student in class out of spite or jealousy. Although they might not show their friendship in class, both Marinette and Nathaniel are great friends.

Juleka, Rose and Alix were talking to each other about recent topics. They laughed and enjoyed themselves. They too didn’t care about Lila’s lies, though they did believe her lies at first, being wow-ed right and left by her honest connections before both Nathaniel, Aurore and Kagami had to sit them down and drill that fact into their brains, figure of speech. Luckily they realised Lila’s lies and refused to believe anymore of it, though Rose took a much longer time to understand. She didn’t want to believe that Lila, a person who was kind, helpful and overall an amazing person, was a liar who lied about her connections and spread false rumours about the bluenette. Rose eventually understood and stopped caring about Lila, in a “Friendship” way that is. Though the bluenette and redhead had to remind her whenever Lila fakes an injury.

She took out her sketchbook which had outfit designs for Clara Nightingale and Jagged Stone. She continued her sketches while waiting for Miss. Bustier to arrive. Usually, she would go to the courtyard and have a talk with Kagami and Aurore about stuff. However, both of them had to start class early as Ms. Mendeleiev wanted to teach them more about their current topic. Marinette soon felt her phone vibrate and took it out. It was a message from Aurore.

Aurore: Guys! I have some great news!

Nathaniel: What is it Aurore?

Aurore: Ms. Mendeleiev accidentally slipped out that 2 of the classes in Françoise Dupont would go for an Overseas Trip to another country for a year!

Marinette: Did she say which class would be going?

Aurore: No. But she did say that Mr. Damocles will announce it to the 2 chosen classes at 9am.

Alix: What country will the class be going to?

Aurore: It is unknown, but Ms. Mendeleiev said it would be an Asian country.

Nathaniel: I really hope it’s Japan! I’m hoping to meet a well-known Mangaka.

Aurore: Or it could be South Korea!

Marc: We’ll find out soon.

Aurore: We’ll talk about this during recess okay? Ms. Mendeleiev will be coming back from the staff room soon and I don’t wanna get grilled for using my phone during class.

Marinette: Sounds good.

Marinette put her phone away as Miss. Bustier entered the classroom. Everyone went back to their seats and sat down. Marinette kept her sketchbook and got her learning tablet ready. She silently sighed as she was ready to handle the glares, bullying and what not.

“Good morning class. Today Mr. Damocles will be having a talk with you.” Miss. Bustier spoke as she smiled at her class.

Marinette perked up at what Miss. Bustier said. She checked the time using her learning tablet. It was 9am.

“Could it be?” Marinette thought.

After a minute, Mr. Damocles entered the classroom and stood at the front of the classroom.

“Greetings Class.” Mr. Damocles greeted the class and the Akuma Class greeted back. “I have an announcement to make.”

The class got excited. They wondered what the announcement would be. Lila on the other hand smirked, hoping that her lies would have reached Mr. Damocles and that he would humiliate Marinette before expelling the bluenette.

“I know the New York Trip was fairly recent, but I have decided for you all to go on a one year Learning Trip. The School we will be working with is Everest Secondary School.” Mr. Damocles announced as he looked at the class.

Most of the class became excited. They started to talk with each other on where the trip would be going.

“The trip will begin this Friday. You will be given forms that must be given latest by Wednesday.” Mr. Damocles explained. “Those who want to go for the trip will have to pay a fee of $200. Miss. Bustier will hand out the forms and explain in further detail as I have to attend other matters.”

Mr. Damocles left the classroom as Miss. Bustier handed the forms around. Once everyone got their forms, they took a read of the paragraphs.

“Dear Françoise Dupont Students, we are pleased to inform you that you’ve been selected for a full year school trip to the school, Everest Secondary School. There, you will be learning about many things, such as the country’s culture, history and more.

For starters, most of the fees have been paid off by Françoise Dupont and Everest Secondary. This includes the Hotel reservation, school fees and other things. The $200 fee is the total cost needed to purchase books and other necessary items. Do note that the total price has been subsidised thanks to the Government and very willing donors from our Alumni. Caution: If you lose any of the necessary items, you will be required to buy it again at the original price.

The Hotel you will be staying at is the Fallweather Hotel, owned by Mr. Yún Fallweather. It was recommended by many of our students for it’s high quality service and that it’s one of the Hotels located near the school. Though you still will be taking a bus to reach the school.

More information will be provided once you reach the school. We will be looking forward to your visit.

Yours Sincerely,
Principal Adelina and the School Faculty”

Lila was the first to finish reading. She gritted her teeth as she read every line. She read the sentences over and over, hoping to find a single information that wasn’t specific. She could have lied about how she was the one who recommended the hotel if they didn’t specify that it was, and she quotes, “It was recommended by many of our students”. But Lila didn’t give up yet, she knew there would be opportunities for her to spin some new lies to get more attention from her gullible classmates and hopefully students from Everest Secondary.

Once everyone finished reading, Miss. Bustier spoke up.

“Alright class, now that you’ve all read the form, it is mandatory that you all sign the form and indicate whether you’ll be going for the trip or not.” Miss. Bustier explained. “For those who wish to go, please prepare an envelope with $200 inside and pass it along with the form when I collect them tomorrow.”

~~~~~~

The bell rang, signalling recess time.

The Akuma Class exited the class and went their separate ways. Most of the class went to the cafeteria while Marinette, Nathaniel and Alix went to the courtyard. Adrien went to the bathroom while Juleka and Rose went somewhere, probably the cafeteria and Chloe stayed in class with Sabrina.

Marinette was talking to her friends while eating some macarons her parents made for her. Her parents also made some special macarons for her friends, which they were eating. Marinette’s friends each had a box of 6 macarons and had special flavours.

“This is the best macarons I’ve eaten!” Aurore happily said as she ate another of her blueberry macarons. “I should order these for Mireille’s next birthday!”

“I’m glad you like it Aurore.” Marinette smiled as she finished the second-last macaron.

“So as it turns out, our class was chosen for the trip!” Alix exclaimed as she took a bite out of her Strawberry and Raspberry macaron.

“Ours too!” Aurore jumped in, almost dropping her box of blueberry macarons. “I just hope Lila won’t come along.”

“I hope so too.” Marinette continued, sighing as she ate her vanilla macaron. “But knowing her, she’ll probably come along too. There’s no way she would not go for a full-year trip. Or if I can’t go, she’ll simply stay behind and torment me.”

“Don’t worry Marinette. We’ll make sure she won’t.” Kagami comforted her friend and offered her one of her dark chocolate macarons, which Marinette politely declined.

“Say Nathaniel, where’s your pixie friend?” Aurore asked him as she chuckled a little.

“He’s in the art room, he said he wanted to do something real quick.” Nathaniel answered. “Also, pixie?”

“He looks like one to me.” Aurore chuckled more and nudged his shoulder to show she was joking.

The group of friends chatted and chuckled as they ate their macarons in delight. They cleaned up and continued chatting until the bell rang, signalling the end of recess. They went their separate ways, walking back to their classroom. Marinette walked into the classroom and sat at her seat and waited for school to end.

~~~~~~

After what seemed like forever, school ended. Marinette packed her things, stood up and left the classroom but not before saying goodbye to her friends. She ran back home, form in hand, excited to tell her parents about the trip. When she entered the bakery, she saw a few people she recognised.

“Uncle Jagged? Aunt Penny? What are you doing here?” Marinette asked, closing the door behind her.

“There’s my honorary niece! Penny and I are here to purchase a cake for our upcoming anniversary.” Jagged responded enthusiastically.

“How was school today dear?” Sabine asked her daughter.

“It was average. Nothing bad happened. But I did receive this form.” The bluenette handed the form she was holding to her mother, who took a read. “I was wondering if I could go for the trip.”

“$200? That’s quite expensive, even after the subsidies given.” Sabine was saddened a little and looked at her husband. They saw that Marinette was eager to go.

“It’s okay mom and dad.” Marinette spoke, walking up to her parents with a smile, but Sabine saw that her daughter was upset.

“No worries! We’ll pay for it and any travel things you need!” Jagged Stone suddenly spoke up, scaring everyone but Penny slightly.

“We’ll also ship anything you want during the trip.” Penny added.

“You shouldn’t Uncle Jagged!” Marinette shuttered a little.

“I should my niece. I don’t want you to miss out on any fun on the trip!” Jagged Stone looked at Marinette. She knew she wouldn’t be able to convince her honorary uncle that he didn’t have to pay for the trip fees and the travel things. But she accepted it.

“Thank you very much Uncle Jagged!” Marinette smiled and hugged her honorary uncle and aunt.

“Let’s not waste any more time.” Penny looked at Sabine and Tom. “Why don’t we all go together to a place where we can buy the needed things?”

“Sounds good to me!” Tom replied.

Marinette smiled at everyone in the bakery. She was very thankful for her aunt and uncle’s generosity.

Notes:

Thank you for reading the first chapter!
I’ll try to post the next chapter soon!

Chapter 2: Simple Talk

Summary:

Marinette goes on a shopping trip while texting her friends.

Notes:

Sorry for the long wait! Writer’s Block can be a pain sometimes.

I’m thinking of whether or not the story should happen after Miracle Queen or Miracle Queen never happened at all.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

Marinette exited the bakery with Jagged Stone and Penny first and her parents followed soon after. Tom changed the ‘OPEN’ sign to the ‘CLOSED’ sign and locked the bakery door. Penny called the limo and after a minute of waiting, it arrived. Jagged opened the limo door for the others. Once they went in, Jagged Stone went inside and closed the limo door.

Marinette looked around in the limo. It was long and huge and had several things that a regular car didn’t have, such as drinks along with a cooler for it, a small snack box and a floor that had carpet laid on it. The overall inside of the limo had It was an experience for Marinette and her parents.

The driver started to drive. Marinette looked out the window and looked at the buildings they were passing by. The limo passed by the Agreste mansion, which made the bluenette’s heart ache and melt. She still liked Adrien, well a little, but she hated how he gave her the advice to “Take the high road” and promised to back her up, but all those times Lila bullied her, he didn’t. She sighed and turned her head away from the window and took out her phone. She went into a group chat and sent a text.

Marinette: Just drove past the Agreste Mansion. Made my heart both melt and ache.

Kagami: What happened? Is Lila with him?

Marinette: No. Just gave me some feelings. He said he’d back me up but he didn’t.

Nathaniel: Have you talked to him about it?

Marinette: Not yet. Maybe tomorrow if I could.

Aurore: Don’t worry Mari, I’m sure you can do it!

Marinette: Thanks Aurore.

Mireille: Say Mari, where are you going?

Marinette: Jagged Stone offered to pay the fee for the trip and also buy me travel stuff!

Aurore: How sweet of him! You are his honorary niece after all!

Nathaniel: So I assume all of us except Kagami, Marc and Mireille are going?

Marc: I wish I could go too.

Kagami: Actually, I asked my mother if I could go. She approved.

Mireille: Same with me.

Alix: Hey Marc, perhaps you could talk to the Art Teacher. I'm sure he'd be willing to convince Mr. Damocles to let you go too.

Nathaniel: I agree. But it’s sad how Kaga, Mireille and Marc can’t join us.

Marc: Please don’t be sad Nath, I’m fine with not going. As long as you have fun! :)

Kagami: Actually Nathaniel, I actually told my mother about it and she talked to Mr. Damocles about the trip. Mr. Damocles approved of it and my mother has already paid the fee.

Aurore: Screw this! Operation Get Marc to come starts now!

Marc: Aurore please don’t do this

Aurore: Come on Marc. Consider this as an apology reward after I accidentally threw my open umbrella towards your face

Alix: I remember! You actually wanted to throw it at sausage vixen but she entered the classroom and the umbrella hit Marc instead

Auore: Sorry about that Marc

Marc: Forgiven Aurore :D

Alix, Kagami and Nathaniel are typing…

Marinette kept her phone inside her purse and grabbed a bottle of chilled lemon flavoured water. She opened the cap and drank half of its contents.

Marinette was excited for the trip. She could meet new people and hone her designer skills while at the same time study in a completely new enviornment. The bluenette dimmed a little knowing that Lila will most likely come too and ruin her ground zero reputation right off the bat.

Lila would likely tell lies about how she helped and do amazing things in the visiting country. The thought made the bluenette shiver a little. Lila Rossi would do anything to put herself in a good limelight, even if it meant hurting others and sprouting paper-thin lies. She simply hoped that it wouldn’t be as bad she thought it would be.

Marinette took out her phone and read the recently sent messages.

Kagami: I think I may be able to convince my mother to talk to Mr. Damocles to allow Marc to join too. Mr. Damocles also gave me an early mention that the duration has been changed from 1 year to a quarter of the year. Something to do about how 1 year may be a bit too long.

Aurore: That’s about 3 months

Nathaniel: About a term of school there iirc

Alix: Yo Kaga, did you manage to find out where Everest Secondary is?

Marinette: Alix did you even search it up?

Alix: Nope

Juleka: Called it.

Kagami: It’s located in Singapore, on the western side of Jurong, Jurong West as they call it. The Fallweather hotel is located about a few kilometres away from the school, but there are bus routes to reach the school from the hotel.

Mireille: I also researched more about the school. They have some well-known students, which include a band that do covers and a reputable drama club. Though both share some of the same members. I managed to find photos on some of the band members from the school’s official Instagram account.

Mireille: [BandShow_Rehearsal_20May2021_aiSeNMaCover.png]

Marinette took a look at the picture Mireille sent. The photo appeared to be taken from a front row seat as the bluenette seemed to be able to see most of the members clearly. From what she could tell, there was barely an audience, which could be because it was a possible rehearsal, which was stated in the image’s name.

She saw several visible people and all of them seemed to wear their, from what Marinette could tell, PE shirts along with their dark blue skirt or pants, though some seemed to be wearing their PE shorts instead. The PE shirts were varied in colour and the bluenette could see 5 unique colours; Red, Blue, Green, Orange and Black. They all wore black laced or strapped shoes along with white stockings of various lengths, though no more higher than the knee.

Marinette saw the lead singer, a girl with chocolate brown skin and black hair tied into a high ponytail along with wearing an orange PE Tee. She held a microphone and was singing the song they were covering. Another clear one Marinette could see was the guitarist, though they could be a bassist too. He had short and somewhat ruffled hair and was playing a guitar or bass and wore a Blue PE tee along with having brown skin.

Sadly, that was all Marinette could make out. She exited the photo and read the sent messages that she missed.

Juleka: Currently at the park “hanging” out with Lila and the others. She’s talking about how she visited Singapore before and did some charity work

Alix: Typical

Juleka: I’ll keep you guys updated as she keeps on rambling

Alix: Could someone remind me why I haven’t killed her yet?

Marinette: First. Lawsuits. Second. Our classmates will think I’m the one who killed her because I hate her

Aurore: Third. Killing her isn’t satisfying enough

Nathaniel: So put down whatever blunt object you’re carrying Alix!

Alix: Fine

Marc: I still can’t believe that most of your classmates fell for her lies. Is there anyone else that didn’t fall for her lies?

Marinette: Apart from the people here, there’s Adrien, Chloe and Sabrina. Nino is doubtful of what comes out of that Vixen’s mouth but he doesn’t wish to upset Alya

Mireille: We could try and convince Chloe to help us with Lila. Kind of like an Enemy Mine situation

Marc: That sounds like a good idea

Marinette: I’ll try to convince her even though she hates my guts and would probably insult me

Kagami: I’ll go with you too Marinette. In case she tries to do anything. I know she hates me for having a crush on Adrien, but I do hope we can bury the hatchet.

Alix: 10 euros that Chloe won’t do it

Nathaniel: Alix don’t

Marinette: I gtg. The limo will probably reach the store soon.

Marinette kept her phone in a purse and left her hand inside it for a while, feeling Tikki’s warmth resting against her hand. She listened to her parents talking to Penny and Jagged. They were talking about how Jagged and Clara often argued with each other both in real life and on social media. She didn’t really know why they argued, but from what she could tell, their arguments were simply just friendly bickering.

As the limo parked into the carpark of the store, Marinette finished her drink and threw it in the trash, but not before crushing it with her hands. The limo came to a stop and she exited the vehicle.

~~~~~

Marinette walked back to the limo carrying a few items. Her parents were loading things into the limo while Jagged Stone argued with Clara Nightingale, whom they bumped into at the store. When Clara saw Marinette, she gave her a tight hug, which made the bluenette happy. It then dived into friendly arguments when her and Jagged met eyes.

Marinette was holding a large sized simple yet classy bag wrapped in plastic. The bag was made from high quality materials and dyed pale pink. Its zippers were shining like polished platinum and the bag had an embroidered flower design sewn onto the front pouch.

She got into the limo and took a seat. Once everything was done, the driver drove back to the Bakery. Marinette took out her phone and quickly read through the unread messages.

~~~~~~

The bakery doorbell rang as Kagami opened the door and walked in along with a few others; Nathaniel, Marc, Aurore and Alix, with Aurore closing the door behind them. The fragrant smell of baked goodies hit their noses as they looked around the bakery. Surprisingly, Kagami was the most excited as this was her first time entering the bakery. She looked at every display case that showed all kinds of baked goodies such as macarons, macaroons, croissants, bread loaves and beignets.

The 5 saw Marinette’s father, Tom Dupain, holding a tray of plain fresh beignets and set them down on a counter. He saw the students and gave them a big warm smile.

“Ah! Good afternoon! Would you like some fresh beignets?” Tom greeted them as he took out the sieve.

“I’ve never tried them before.” Kagami walked up to the counter and looked at the golden brown beignets.

“You should! The beignets from this bakery are to die for!” Aurore looked at Tom, he could tell that Aurore wanted them.

“These were meant to be treats for Marinette, though I did make extra. You can have them!” Tom responded as he sieved the powdered sugar onto the fried goodie.

Alix grabbed one of the beignets and stuffed it in her mouth, eating it in less than 20 seconds and was about to grab another when Aurore slapped her hand using her umbrella.

“Don’t eat everything now Alix. Save some for us and Mari.” Aurore chastised as Alix pouted.

“Eat as much as you like! I can make more if you guys want more of it.” Tom exclaimed as he placed the beignets into a bowl. The students thanked Mr. Dupain and went up to Marinette’s room, with Alix carrying the bowl.

Once they entered her room, the group of friends gave the bluenette a group hug. They sat in a circle and Alix placed the bowl of beignets on the floor. They chatted as they munched on the goodie when Marc announced something.

“Thanks to Kagami, I’m also coming along for the trip!” Marc happily announced.

“Oh my gosh! The gang’s all together for the trip!” Aurore exclaimed, before pulling everyone into a group hug.

“It would be better if we somehow end up in the same class there.” Alix jokingly responded as Aurore let go.

“That could happen you know?” Marinette said, a small chuckle coming from her.

The young group of students let out a chuckle as they enjoyed their time.

Notes:

Apologies for the short chapter!
I’ll try to write a longer one for the next one if I can!

I’ve been thinking of changing the story’s name and summary. Should I change it?

Chapter 3: Meeting

Summary:

Everyone prepares for the trip and Max manages to get in touch with one of the students from Everest Academy(Wait wasn’t it Secondary?). Also Lila lies.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

It was the morning before the day Marinette would leave Paris and head to a country she’s never visited before. The bluenette was excited and nervous at the same time as she checked her packed bags and luggage. Mr. Damocles recommended the students who were going to pack suitable clothing to handle the heat. The country that they were visiting was near the equator, so it’s humid and hot throughout the year apart from the Monsoon Season and other things, which can drop the temperatures down to 19.0 °C or lower.

 

Marinette made another check of her bags and luggages, making sure that she packed everything she needed; clothing, her diary along with its box, the Miracle Box, her portable fashion equipment along with a few other items. When she confirmed everything she needed was in her bag, she zipped the luggage and bags up.

 

Marinette went downstairs and entered the Bakery part of her home. Her parents had decided to open the bakery later than usual so that they could spend some time with their daughter before she left for the trip. They won’t be seeing her for a while, so Sabine and Tom decided to throw their daughter a homely farewell party. 

 

Well, that was the original idea before Juleka and Luka came into the bakery a few days ago to buy some pastries for Juleka’s farewell party. When the parents told the twins about Marinette’s farewell party, Juleka suggested that they celebrate together on their houseboat. The parents accepted the suggestion and got to work baking more treats for everyone who was coming.

 

The bluenette hoped that Zoé would be coming too. Ever since the Sole Crusher incident, Marinette and Zoé have been hanging out with the others. Though Chloé would occasionally drop by to talk to Zoé, she would often leave in a huff. But over time, it seemed that Chloé became less and less…brash.

 

Marinette agreed to help out her parents bake the goods for the farewell party, which led to a memorable family bonding time. After an hour, Tom opened up the bakery to customers and went back to baking while the family waited for customers to come in.

 

*Ring!* *Ding!*

 

Juleka and Luka entered the bakery.



“Hey Marinette.” Juleka waved. “Prepared your bags yet?”

 

“Yep! Just made a quick check of all the things I need.”

 

“Are the treats ready yet, Mr. Dupain?” Luka asked, walking towards the counter after giving Mari a high five.

 

“All ready! Let me get them for you.” Tom answered as he got to work grabbing the boxes.




Marinette and Juleka went to a corner and chatted. It was a simple chat, nothing special. Until Juleka brought up a topic.




“I heard Lila’s coming along for the trip.” Juleka whispered to Marinette, whose entire mood crashed down.

 

“And here I was hoping she wouldn’t come. But it does make sense…sorta.” Marinette tried not to be so gloomy. “She wouldn’t want to miss 3 months, or 4 months of being able to torment me.”

 

“Heh. Typical Lila. I wonder if she will lie about something new.” Juleka voiced her thoughts.

 

“Oh, most likely. I think Aurore and Alix are making bets on whether or not Lila will lie about her parents being alumni for the school we’re visiting.”

 

Marinette and Juleka shared a chuckle as Luka walked over to the pair, carrying a few boxes of pastries in his hands.

 

“Hey Mari. Haven’t seen you in a while, excited for your trip?” Luka asked as he gave a fistbump to the bluenette.

 

“I suppose so, but I’m a bit scared of Lila quickly turning everyone in the new school against me.”

 

“Don’t worry Mari. If she tries to do anything to you, I’ll make sure she regrets it.” Luka assured the bluenette.

 

“Please don’t get yourself akumatized again, Luka.”

 

“I promise I won’t.”




Luka and Juleka said their goodbyes as they left the bakery while Marinette continued to help her parents out.

 

Once evening came, Sabine and Tom closed up shop early for the day and headed to Juleka and Luka’s home with Marinette. 

 


 

Reaching the houseboat just before the sun fully set, Marinette looked around the docks and admired the beautiful decor and lively atmosphere. The best part? Lila wasn’t there! Chloé was there too, but she seemed calm compared to her usual self. Odd. 

 

The bluenette saw her classmates mingling with each other and even with those from Ms. Mendeleiev’s class. What surprised her was the fact that Nino, Max, Kim, Adrien, Sabrina and Chloé were conversing with Aurore and the others. Aurore noticed Marinette and rushed over.




“Mari! Glad you’re here! Come on, I’ve got some huge news!” The weather girl grabbed the bluenette by the wrist and brought her over to the gathered group. 

 

“Aurore, don’t be so rough!” Mireille chastised the blonde as said blonde brought Marinette over.

 

“Alright Mari, big news. Several actually. Which do you wanna hear first? Kim and Nino or Adrien and Chloé?” Aurore asked the bluenette.



Marinette thought about it. She really wondered why this was big news.

 

“I’ll go for the former first.” Marinette answered. Aurore clapped her hands and brought Kim, Nino and Marinette towards a quiet spot on the ship before leaving.




Immediately, Kim hugged the bluenette and started sprouting out a mountain of words that Marinette couldn’t make out.



“OHMYGOSHI’MSOMARIILETLILAFOOLMEI’MSUCHABADCHILDHOODFRIENDANDISHOULDHAVEBELIEVEDYOUINSTEAD!"

 

“Calm down, Kim!” Marinette spoke out as Kim calmed down and let go of the bluenette. 

 

“Sorry Marinette.” Kim sheepishly before Nino interrupted.

 

“We both want to apologise for believing Lila over you, Marinette.” He apologized.“How foolish of us to believe her over our childhood friend.”

 

“I’m glad that you guys now know. I was worried that you would believe her to the point of throwing away opportunities given to you just to accept her false offers.” Marinette smiled and hugged her childhood friends before letting go with a concerned look on her face.

 

“Nino, what about Alya?”

 

“Well…” Nino looked down on the floor. “She’s having mixed feelings right now. Alya seems to still be siding with Lila, somewhat. But Alya’s having second thoughts, the last I talked to her, she seemed remorseful about something. I couldn’t tell, she wouldn’t say it.”

 

“I think that’s good development. Before that, Alya was straight up defending Lie-la and saying that you’re just jealous without fact-checking, ironic.” Kim commented.

 

“Well, hopefully she realises it soon. I don’t want her reputation or future to be in shambles.” Marinette sighed. “But for now, I forgive you two. Though it’ll take a while for my trust in you to return.”

 

“No worries, Mari. Thank you.” The two boys gave their childhood friend a hug before going back to the group. There, Chloé and Adrien walked towards Marinette.



Upon arrival, Chloé and Adrien stood in front of the bluenette. Chloé looked angry while Adrien looked remorseful yet furious.



“Marinette. I take back the high road advice I gave you.” Adrien started. “It was stupid, and it only hurt you even more.”

 

Before Marinette could open her mouth, Chloé interjected.

 

“Dupain-Cheng, I’ll keep this short. Before you say anything to Adrikins, I told him the full story. I heard, or rather Sabrina, heard Lila threatening you in the bathroom the other day.” Chloé explained as Marinette’s eyes widened. “And yesterday, Adrien told me how he gave you that High Road advice. I tore into him for you.”

 

Marinette tried to talk, but Chloé shushed her.

 

“But don’t blame him entirely! You’re also at fault for not telling him the full story! You should have seen his face when I told him that Lila threatened you. Plus, poor poor Adrikins made a deal with that devil in disguise to hatch a way to let you be un-expelled! Sure I may have made a stupid mistake with the Miracle Queen incident but after I had an utterly ridiculous talk with Zoé I saw the error of my ways! But enough of that, I want to see that Liar burned and have her ashes thrown into a trash bin before having that trash bin be smashed to pieces and then burned before burying the remains somewhere far away!”

 

“Chloé, perhaps you should-” 

 

“Shut it, Adrikins! Let me finish!” Chloé took a deep breath. “I may not like you, Dupain-Cheng, but we have a common enemy. Lila Liar Motherfucking Rossi. So let's just work together and-"

 

"Guys!" Someone interrupted. It was Max."I have some great news!" He said with excitement."I just organized a meeting with Phoebe so that she can answer more of our questions we may have later on."

 

Everyone gathered around where Max was.

 

“Phoebe?” Adrien asked.

 

“The Vice-President of Everest Academy’s Student Council.”

 

“Everest Academy? But I thought it was Everest Secondary.”

 

“Dupain-Cheng, you might be sleep deprived. Sabrina, show her the letter!”

 

Sabrina quickly took out the form from her pockets and unfolded it, giving it to Marinette to read.




“Dear Françoise Dupont Students, we are pleased to inform you that you’ve been selected for a full one term school trip to the school, Everest Academy. There, you will be learning about many things, such as the country’s culture, history and more.

 

For starters, most of the fees have been paid off by Françoise Dupont and Everest Academy. This includes the Hotel reservation, school fees and other things. The $200 fee is the total cost needed to purchase books and other necessary items. Do note that the total price has been subsidised thanks to the Government and very willing donors from our Alumni. 

 

Caution: If you lose any of the necessary items, you will be required to buy it again at the original price.

 

The Hotel you will be staying at is the Fallweather Hotel, owned by Mr. Yún Fallweather. It was recommended by many of our students for it’s high quality service and that it’s one of the Hotels located near the Academy. Though you still will be taking a bus to reach the location. 

 

More information will be provided once you reach the Academy. We will be looking forward to your visit.

 

Yours Sincerely,

Headmaster Adelina and the Academy Faculty”

 

“Perhaps I really am sleep deprived.” Marinette voiced her thoughts. 

 

“Need a cup of coffee?” Aurore asked. 

 

“No need, but thanks for the offer.” Marinette handed the form back to Sabrina.   

 

“I’ve done a bit of research on the Academy we’ll be going to.” Max spoke up and showed everyone his laptop. “Let’s start with their history. Everest Academy is a post-secondary school institution that caters to students with many varied courses, whether it is business, science, the arts etc. The Academy has a reputation for accepting students who are unable to go to other institutions due to their low scores.”

 

“That’s rather nice.”

 

“Not only that. The Academy is unique as it is the students themselves who lead. To be more specific, the Student Council takes charge. Think of it this way: The Student Council is the manager, while the Headmaster is the boss.”

 

“That must be pretty interesting. I wonder how that works out.”

 

“Everyone! Come over to the big screen!” 



The screen lit up as a girl, Latina from what Marinette could tell, appeared on screen. She had violet-mahogany coloured hair tied into a bun and holding a cup of coffee while penning down something on a notebook. 

 

“My name is Phoebe Minerva, Vice-President of the Student Council. I apologise for the lack of formality, it’s currently 4.15 am here, but I couldn’t reject the call!” The girl on the screen chuckled a little. “I’m open to any questions.”

 

“Firstly.” Aurore stepped forward. “Where’s the Student Council President?”

 

“Unfortunately, the President has important business to attend to, and won’t be in their role for a few weeks. But you will still see them in school, so try not to disturb them okay?”

 

“You seem to be avoiding name dropping, is there a reason?”

 

Phoebe simply shrugged and drank her coffee. “How do I put this…”

 

Silence…

 

“The Student Council President prefers to keep their identity secret.”

 

Alix spit her drink out. “Then how are we supposed to know which student to not disturb?!”

 

“Fair point. But it's a secret.” Phoebe chuckled a little. “You’ll find out eventually.”

 

Chloé calmly marched up to the very front of the screen and looked directly at Phoebe’s eyes.

 

“Do you know about Lila Rossi?”

 

Phoebe’s expression dipped as her smile became a frown.

 

“A girl who has many illnesses listed down in her profile without any official medical notes backing it up.” The Latina girl drank her coffee. “Headmaster Adelina tried to reason with your Principal about it but he kept rambling about how her mother is a diplomat and how busy she is.”



Phoebe took a sip of her coffee.



“But seriously though, we usually give her the benefit of the doubt. But telling by your faces right now I can agree that she’s one liar who seriously needs to be knocked down. But I’ll have someone monitoring her to make sure she doesn’t pull any stupid things.”

 

“I was hoping that you would ban her from this whole trip.” Chloé replied in annoyance.

 

From day 1, Chloé knew Lila was a liar.

 

“Seriously, what kind of person would believe that security let a child go onto the tarmac just to save a non-existent cat?! Ridiculous, utterly ridiculous! And what kind of person thinks a napkin can gouge their eye out while they are wearing glasses?!”

 

Max looked down in embarrassment.

 

No one spoke. Everyone processed this for a bit before Chloé broke the silence.

 

“Let’s just move on.” Chloé walked back to where she was standing before and watched the screen.

 


 

The meeting went on as normal, several questions were asked and answered, though some of those questions may have been ridiculous, according to Chloé at least.

 

“Must we wear the school’s uniform?”

 

“Probably. But don’t worry, more details will be provided.”

 

“Do we have a schedule?”

 

“Yes. It will be given.”

 

“Is the Student Council President male or female?”

 

“Yes.”

 

The last question had everyone laughing on the floor, even Chloé couldn’t help but laugh at Alix’s question.

 

After a few minutes of questions, Phoebe announced her next announcement.



"Once you reach the school, you will be divided into groups of three to be paired up with two students from the classes you’ll be working with.” Phoebe explained to the gathered crowd that was starting to form. “Here’s part of the list that shows you your grouping.”



Group 1: Yueliang, Riluo , Chloé, Marinette, Kagami

Group 2: Kieran, Elyi , Alix, Marc, Nathaniel

Group 3: Aatish, Zero , Adrien, Nino, Mireille

Group 4: Ham, Yuyun , Ivan, Mylène, Aurore 

Group 5: Mel, Xera , Luka, Kim, Alya

Group 6: Jade, Alexia , Max, Sabrina, Zoé

Group 7: Ashira, Kymani , Lila, Juleka, Rose



Everyone got excited as they looked at the list. Well, almost everyone.

 

“Excuse me, Phoebe.” Rose shyly spoke up. “Is it possible to group Lila up with someone else?”

 

“I’m very sorry, Rose. But unfortunately I cannot change it. But, I promise you, I’ll make sure she doesn’t bother you and Juleka as much. Ashira and Kymani can help you if she causes any problems.” 

 

This made Rose perk up, knowing that Lila’s bull can be handled.

 

“Next important thing.” Phoebe drank her coffee. “Spirits.”

 

“Spirits? As in, GHOSTS?!” Kim started to panic before he was calmed down by Nino and Marinette.

 

“Not those kinds. They are very much alive, not dead. You see, spirits roam a large portion of the country, mainly around the west. Most of the spirits are benign as long as you don’t cause any disturbance. If you anger them, let’s just say the results aren’t pretty.” Phoebe explained, hoping that everyone watching won’t panic as much.

 

Everyone digested this. Marinette and Adrien wondered if having spirits around would hinder their jobs if Hawkmoth decides to attack.

 

“You’ll be told more about this once you arrive.”



The Latina clapped her hands.

 

“Another thing.” Everyone held their breath. “You’ll be watching a short performance, performed by the two classes you’ll be working with for this trip. I won’t divulge more details.”

 

Everyone got excited and wondered what the performance would be about.

 

“Maybe it’s romance!” Rose gushed over the thought of a lovely and romantic performance.

 

“Maybe it’s horror.” Juleka added.

 

“Or Slice of Life!” Sabrina chirped in.

 

“Or-“

 

“Hey guys! Sorry I was late!” A sweet, saccharine voice called out.

 

Everyone looked at the newcomer.

 

“Lila? I thought you were helping out with one of your charities!” Rose spoke, though it was hard to tell if she was being genuine or faking it.

 

“The event ended early! So, what were you guys doing?” Lila answered, not seeing how Marinette was dragged off to a hidden spot by both Adrien and Chloe.

 

“We are having a meeting with Phoebe, she’s the Vice-President of the Student Council!” Max tried to explain, but the Italian girl cut him off and rushed towards the projected screen.

 

“Oh! I actually know the Student Council President! He and I went on a date once!” Lila explained to everyone aboard.

 

Chloe rolled her eyes.

 

Marinette was speechless.

 

Adrien looked at her in disgust.

 

Alix wanted to drop the mother of all F-Bombs on Lila.

 

Rose faked interest.

 

Juleka also rolled her eyes.

 

Nathaniel and Marc shared a “Is this girl stupid?” face.

 

Luka wanted to push Lila into the Seine.

 

Nino facepalmed.

 

Kim also rolled his eyes.

 

Max was wondering if this was true or not.

 

And Phoebe choked on her own coffee before spitting it out.



“I’m sorry, what?!” She inquired. “Sorry to break it to you sweetie, but the student council president does not have dating on their priority list.”

 

“Oh, I’m sure he does. He does love me after all.”

 

Everyone cringed at the statement.

 

Suddenly, Phoebe pulled out her phone and dialled for someone. “Could you come here for a sec? I need you to confirm something.”




A while later, another girl appeared on the screen. She looked to be a Caucasian with brown-blonde coloured hair with thin yellow-blonde streaks.

 

“Sup Minerva! What cha need me for?”

 

“I have a question-”

 

The screen fizzled out and turned black, cutting off Phoebe’s question.

 

“Oh I’m sorry! I accidentally spilled water on the monitor because I accidentally tripped! Oh how clumsy I am!”

 

Max quickly rushed over to his laptop, hoping to salvage it before it became completely ruined.

 

“Oh dear! I have to go home now! See you guys tomorrow!” Lila quickly rushed out of the boat, wanting to not deal with what she had done.

 

Kim went up towards Max and comforted him.

 

“Don’t worry! I’m sure it isn’t completely ruined!”

 

The glasses wearing boy sighed.

 

Marinette, Chloe and Adrien shared a look.

 

A look of disgust.




 

 

“Well. That’s unfortunate.”

 

“You don’t say?”

 

“Come on, Zero. You saw it.”

 

“Just kidding with cha.”

 

Phoebe stood up and stretched her arms.

 

“She sabotaged her classmate’s laptop when I tried to expose her.”

 

“Coward.” Zero chuckled.

 

“Well then. If she chooses to play dirty…”

 

“We can too.”



Phoebe and Zero’s eyes glowed green and gold respectively.



“We’re coming for you, Lila Rossi.”

Notes:

Phew!

This took a long while, and I would like to apologise for that.

Unfortunately due to personal reasons this chapter was delayed several times.

I apologise for that.

I hope I can get the next one up without much delay.

Chapter 4: Farewell, Paris

Summary:

A farewell from home, and some potential plans for an exposé.

Notes:

Apologies for the late chapter.

Originally, the upcoming chapter 5 was the intended chapter 4.

But after several rewrites and re-reads, I realised that there were several plot holes and that the original chapter 4 was way too long and had way too many elements in a single chapter. So it was split into two.

The artwork I intended to use for the original chapter 4 will be used in chapter 5.

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

It was the day of the trip. The students were at the entrance of the airport with their parents, already with their packed bags and luggages. The Teachers were there too, doing a headcount of the students while Principal Damocles kept track of when to enter the airport.

 

Marinette was with her parents, having a conversation about how she’ll be safe and not to worry about her too much.

 

“Stay safe, Marinette.” Sabine gave her daughter a hug.

 

“And if Lila or anyone causes any trouble to you, ” Tom added, also giving his daughter a hug.

 

“Will do. I’m sure this will be a great trip!” Marinette assured her parents, though she was worried that Hawkmoth might attack Paris while she was gone. She hasn’t really gotten the chance to talk to Chat Noir yet about it, but all she could do was hope. But at the same time, she felt free to have a period of time where she could simply just relax and do her own thing without having to worry about Hawkmoth or any akuma attacks.

 

Luckily for her, or not depending on her situation, Hawkmoth seemed to have other plans.




When Adrien told Gabriel about the trip, Gabriel was reluctant to let Adrien go. 

 

Adrien was dejected about Gabriel’s choice, as he wanted to travel with his friends and classmates, barring Lila.

 

But to Adrien’s surprise, Gabriel allowed him to go, but on one condition.

 

“ Nathalie and I will be coming along as well. Mainly for work purposes.” Gabriel explained coldly.

 

This was enough to perk Adrien up, and he spent the weekend preparing his luggage and bags for it.

 

Though he did slip up a few times about how the country he was headed to had spirits, though to him, it seemed like Gabriel didn’t mind it at all.

 

Unfortunately for him, it seemed that Gabriel was intrigued by the spirits he mentioned. Nathalie did a bit of research, but was unable to find out anything about those spirits. But it only made him more intrigued. 

 

“Perhaps those spirits can be controlled…maybe then I would be able to get Ladybug and Chat Noir’s miraculous.” Gabriel thought to himself.




Chloé had her father and half-sister there with her. It was a surprise to the other students that both Chloé and Zoé weren’t arguing, perhaps something transpired between them? Who knows?

 

Zoé’s belongings were simple. A medium sized sling bag over her shoulders and her trusty luggage that she used when she moved from New York to Paris.

 

Chloé on the other hand had a lot. Though it was surprisingly not as much from what was expected of Chloé. Her bag was carried by her butler, who was also somehow going on the trip too. Her butler, Jean as she calls him, was carrying one yellow bag that was filled with all sorts of things. From make-up to accessories and all that stuff. Chloe also had one luggage. A bee themed one.

 

The family was having a conversation that mainly revolved around how Chloé kindly asked her father to ensure that money was transferred to her credit card monthly. Zoé somehow convinced her to not have it be weekly, and it seems that both of the sisters’ father put his foot down and got them all to a fair agreement.




Lila was by herself, her mother wasn’t anywhere in sight.



"Hey Lila, where are your parents?" Rosé asked, seeing that Lila was by herself. "Don't your parents want to say goodbye to you before you leave?"

 

"Oh uhhh…" Lila hesitated, getting surprised by the sudden question. "My mom is busy with work. You know, being a diplomat and all." 

 

"Ah, I see." Rosé answered, wondering why Lila was so taken aback by the question.

 

Lila breathed a sigh of relief. She didn’t want any of her classmates to potentially spill about any of her lies to her mother, who would surely be confused by it and expose her lies.

 

She’s already moved several times from place to place after convincing her mother to move due to her lies being exposed. But Lila managed to outsmart them and move away before she could face any consequences.



“Attention students! We will be going in soon! Get ready!” Principal Damocles announced to the students and teachers.

 

Everyone said their final goodbyes and hugs before separating.

 


 

Everyone was gathered at the airport at around 7pm, at the waiting area near the gates, patiently waiting for their 8.30pm flight.

 

It was a peaceful waiting time, with nothing bad happening.

 

Adrien was looking out of the window and into the starry night sky. Chloé soon joined him.

 

“Still upset about the High Road advice, Adrien?” Chloé spoke.

 

“Yeah. I wished I knew sooner that Lila threatened Marinette, maybe then I would not have made that deal with the devil.” Adrien sulked.

 

“Look, Adrien, it’s not your fault. Okay it is your fault for giving that advice but I can see where you’re coming from. But sometimes the high road won’t work for people like Rossi.” Chloé explained, comforting her childhood friend. “Besides, I hate that lying snake. Sure, I did bully Dupain-Cheng and ruined my chances at being Queen Bee, but I don’t stoop to Rossi’s level. Just this once, it’s a truce to get rid of her.”

 

"Wow. So you do care about Marinette. That's surprising." Adrien said, looking at Chloé.

 

"Huh?! No I don't! I could care less about Dupain-Cheng!" Chloe answered, realizing what she said.



Unbeknownst to them, Marinette overheard their conversation.



The bluenette smiled.

 


 

“Attention all passengers boarding flight DA1521, please head to terminal 2E.” Came a voice from the announcement speaker

 

Upon the flight’s arrival, the group moved towards the respective terminal and waited for their turn to board the plane.

 

“Please seat at your assigned seats that are stated on your tickets!” Ms. Mendeleiev ordered the students.



As everyone boarded the plane and went to their assigned seats, Lila wasn’t content with the arrangement.

 

“Excuse me, Mme. Bustier! I was wondering if I could change my seat. Perhaps somewhere next to Adrien’s?” Lila asked, hoping her teacher would allow her to sit next to Adrien.    

 

“And why is that Lila? What’s wrong with the seat you are currently assigned with?” Mme. Bustier inquired, suspicious of the sudden request.

 

“I get airsick sometimes, so I could really use a window seat! Looking out the window makes me feel better.” Lila answered, hoping her teacher would take the bait.

 

“I understand Lila!” Mme. Bustier motioned to Mireille. “Mireille, could you offer your seat up for Lila?”

 

Lila was taken aback. That wasn’t the response she expected.

 

“Sure, Mme. Bustier!” Mireille got off from her seat, which was a window seat, and motioned for Lila to go in and sit. “Here you go, Lila!”

 

Lila, not wanting to make a fool out of herself, begrudgingly went to the offered seat.

 

“Thank you, Mireille.” Lila spoke in an overly sweet tone that was laced with anger.

 

Lila could only grumble as she sat at her new seat, not realising that her seat was now the furthest from Adrien’s. Her previous one was behind Nino’s, who was sitting next to Adrien.

 

Chloé could only snicker as she saw the whole thing go down.

 

“Seems like Mme. Bustier might have done the best option unintentionally.” Chloé commented with a smirk on her face.

 

“I am simply glad that she is away from Adrien.” Kagami commented, causing Chloé to look at her.

 

“Oh. I forgot that you two are sitting here with me.” The heiress snarked.

 

“Well, we were assigned these seats. So we can’t really complain much.” Marinette added.



“Can’t believe I have to spend the next 16 hours with you two. But at least it’s much better than having to sit with Rossi.” Chloé crossed her arms. She really wanted to sit with Sabrina.

 

“Well, why don’t we talk about something? Maybe that way we can pass the time faster.”

 

“Any particular topic?” Kagami asked.

 

“How about potential exposé plans for Rossi? That girl has gone way too far with her actions and lies.” Chloé examined her nails before looking at the two.

 

“We could get help from the students from the Academy, but I doubt they would help us without any concrete proof. I think Phoebe might be willing to, since Lila rudely ended the meeting she had with us.” Kagami explained. 

 

“I don’t think this is Lila’s first time doing this. I think if the exposé group can gather this evidence, we can present it to them and they might help us. But some of them may dislike getting into such drama though.” Marinette added on to Kagami’s explanation.

 

“You both have a fair point. But there must be some way we can convince people that Rossi is lying." Chloé agreed.

 

“Hmmm...Why don't we think about this later? We should get some sleep for tomorrow." Kagami said, ending the brainstorming of their future plans.

 

Marinette yawned. "Sounds great. Good night guys." 

 

“Good night, Dupain-Cheng and Tsurugi.”

 

“Good night, you both.”

 

As everyone eventually closed their eyes and slept, the plane continued flying to its expected destination. The engine’s noises didn’t affect any of their sleep, allowing for a peaceful rest throughout the journey.

 

As the plane flew, a cold breeze was felt by everyone. 



Must be the air-conditioning of the plane.

Notes:

Thank you all for being patient with this story and it’s often month long publishes.

Chapter 5 will be up in a week’s time.

Thank you for your patience.

Have a great day!

Chapter 5: Safe Landings

Summary:

The group meets two students from the Academy as they arrive at their hotel destination.

Max uncovers the truth.

Notes:

Apologies for the late chapter.

While originally intended to be released by next week when the last chapter was uploaded, exams unfortunately delayed that.

Apologies for the delay.

Hope you enjoy it!

(See the end of the chapter for more notes.)

Chapter Text

“Marinette! Wake up! We’ve already arrived!”

 

Marinette slowly opened up her eyes, rubbing them before yawning.

 

“We’ve arrived already?” The bluenette asked, still sleepy.

 

“Indeed. Time does fly by fast when you rest, after all.” Kagami responded.

 

Marinette forgot Kagami sat next to her on the plane.

 

Along with Chloé.

 

For some reason.



“How was your rest, Marinette?” Kagami asked. “Only 20 minutes left before we land.”

 

“Oh, I had this wild dream.” The bluenette answered, while Kagami listened intently and Chloé just painted her nails.

 

“It was about how I was a pirate and I was on a ship. Then suddenly…KABLAM! A gigantic water dragon attacked the boat and I fell into a vortex, only to end up in another world entirely!”

 

“It does sound pretty wild,” Kagami agreed.

 

“Somehow I wasn’t a pirate anymore and ended up in Paris, at the time when Mme. Bustier handed out the forms. Then when I asked why my form said “Secondary” instead of Academy, the world started to collapse!” Marinette spoke out her words frantically. “I think it was caused by how my form was different.”

 

Marinette breathed in and out.

 

“I swore the paper said “Everest Secondary”! Not “Everest Academy”! Then it was revealed that the world was warped by some reality warper that made the change!”

 

“Dupain-Cheng, you must have gotten a déjà vu.” Chloé commented, still painting her nails.

 

Marinette took out a piece of paper from her purse.

 

It was the form.

 

“Dear Françoise Dupont Students, we are pleased to inform you that you’ve been selected for a full one term school trip to the school, Everest Secondary. There, you will be learning about many things, such as the country’s culture, history and more.

 

For starters, most of the fees have been paid off by Françoise Dupont and Everest Secondary. This includes the Hotel reservation, school fees and other things. The $200 fee is the total cost needed to purchase books and other necessary items. Do note that the total price has been subsidised thanks to the Government and very willing donors from our Alumni. Caution: If you lose any of the necessary items, you will be required to buy it again at the original price.

 

The Hotel you will be staying at is the Fallweather Hotel, owned by Mr. Yún Fallweather. It was recommended by many of our students for it’s high quality service and that it’s one of the Hotels located near the school. Though you still will be taking a bus to reach the school. 

 

More information will be provided once you reach the school. We will be looking forward to your visit.

 

Yours Sincerely,

Principal Adelina and the School Faculty”



Kagami and Chloé looked at the paper closely.

 

“Well, isn’t this interesting.” Kagami said.

 

“Seems like your dream became reality, Dupain-Cheng. At least, the part about the form.”

 

“Perhaps it’s a printing error. But they wouldn’t make the same error more than once.” Kagami pointed out.

 

“Not to mention that the Headmistress is referred to as a Principal in your form.” Chloé added.

 

Marinette paused for a bit before quickly taking out her phone and scrolling through a chat group.

 

It was the same, except…

 

“Where did that picture go? The one Mireille sent. And the texts beforehand too!”

 

“What are you talking about, Mari?” Kagami questioned. “The picture is still there.”

 

Kagami pointed at Marinette’s phone screen.

 

Kagami: It’s located in the western side of the country. The Fallweather hotel is located about a few kilometres away from the school, but there is a nearby train station to reach the academy from the hotel.

 

Mireille: I also researched more about the academy. They have some well-known students, which include groups that do covers and a reputable drama club. Though both share some of the same members. I managed to find photos on some of the band members from the academy’s official Instagram account. I screenshotted it.

 

Mireille: [BandShow_Rehearsal_20May2021_UpcomingPerformance.png]



Instead of what Marinette saw the last time she saw the photo, it changed drastically.

 

Instead of one photo, it was…well technically it was still one photo. 

 

Instead of a rehearsal, it showed a young girl posing for the camera while in a rather nice outfit.

 

An outfit that was a cyan short-sleeved sparkling dress with a white slash around her waist. She also donned white long-sleeved gloves and a white masquerade mask decorated with cyan bluebells at its right. 

 

“Welcome Performance Soon! Your MCs are ready to tell a show!”

 

“Join Cyan Bluebell and the others for a day-long celebration!”

 

That was the caption. 

 

Marinette rubbed her eyes.

 

Once. 

 

Then twice.

 

And it’s still the same.

 

“I swear I think I’m hallucinating at this point.” Marinette thought to herself. “I could have sworn that this wasn’t the photo sent.”

 

Kagami reassured her friend that it must have been deja vu.

 

Chloé paused for a bit before continuing to paint her nails.

 

“Dupain-Cheng, maybe you are sleep-deprived.”

 

Marinette couldn’t argue with Chloé. Guess all of the night patrols have left her with barely a wink of rest.

 

“At least you have Luka or Kagami to talk to.” Chloé pointed out.

 

“Wait…Since when was Luka coming along?!”

 

"Oh my gosh, I'm so excited!! I can't wait to meet the students at Everest Academy!" Rosé squealed.

 

The other students started chatting with each other about what they would expect. Everyone's conversation was overlapping with each other to the point where it was impossible to distinguish between who was talking.

 

Marinette could only think about the form she got. But she calmed herself down and decided to not think so much about it.

 

“Perhaps it’s just a typo.” Marinette thought to herself.

 


 

The students and Teachers were gathered outside the airport.

 

It was around 8.30pm when they arrived at the designated meeting place. 

 

A nearby mall near the airport.

 

It was a rather bustling place, with crowds of people still shopping around the area despite the nightfall. The mall itself had an old school feel, yet with a tint of modern at the same time. The group was waiting at a resting spot, away from the moving shoppers. Some students took the opportunity to check out the nearby shops.




“I was told that we were supposed to meet here. The Academy’s Headmistress informed me that someone would bring us to the Fallweather hotel.”

 

Suddenly, a voice spoke up from behind the group. “I think that would be me.”

 

Everyone quickly turned their heads around.

 

A young, tall female was now looking at them. A sleek navy blue cotton uniform with puffy, baggy sleeves worn with black track pants and a pair of dark blue moccasins shoes.

 

The girl pushed up the red-rim glasses and straightened her navy blue uniform and long black pants.

 

Is that a school uniform? Looks more like a casual office uniform, to be honest.



“Greetings, My name is Etana Bellisama, I’ll be your guide for tonight.” Her tone was formal, with barely any emotion felt.

 

“Bonjour, Ms. Bellisama. A pleasure to have you here to help us out on the trip.”

 

Both Etana and Principal Damocles shook hands.

 

“The pleasure is mine.” Etana replied before turning to the gathered group. “Please follow me as I lead the way to the hotel. Do stay close to the group and if you have any needs, such as bathroom breaks, do let me know.”

 

Etana clapped her hands twice and turned around. 

 

“Stay close.” She started walking and the rest followed suit. 

 

After a while, Etana took out her phone.

 

Academy Student Leaders 



Etana. B: All clear. No issues so far.

 

Etana. B: Back from your shopping spree yet, Lakas?




Lakas. H: Not yet. I want to make sure that I get the best gifts!




Etana. B: Noted. What about you, Aenon and Laquan?




Aenon. K: I’ve checked and confirmed that the food served will cater to everyone and especially with those with allergies.



Laquan. E: Still in the waiting room.

 

Laquan. E: I think we’re all clear.




Phoebe. M: Good. Today’s plans have been set.




Lakas. H: I’m surprised you didn’t try to convince your spiritual contract to expose that liar.




Phoebe. M: Oh trust me. I wanted to. But Ismene was busy.




Laquan. E: All of our spiritual contracts are busy.




Aenon. K: The spirits these days seem to be riled up. It’s probably a bad thing.

 

Aenon. K: According to our local spirit medium, they seemed to be in a foul mood. Something to do with unexpected changes.




Phoebe. M: Let’s stick to the plan of not letting the French students be hurt by these spirits.

 

Phoebe. M: Before you all chastise me, I know the spirits won’t harm them. But with them in a foul mood, it could lead to danger.

 

 

Lakas. H: Where’s Zero?




Phoebe. M: Being held back from slapping Lila by the Pres.

 

 

Lakas. H: I wouldn’t mind seeing another beat down. Especially with how the previous one ended with the bully having several electric shocks due to Zero’s Spiritual Contract.

 

 

Phoebe. M: Probably should have gone for the training to control her random bursts of spiritual energy. It’s fun to scare the crap outta people with the controllable glowing eyes.




Etana turned off her phone before putting it in her pocket.



“Hopefully things go to plan.”

 

"Uhhh how far away is the hotel? Don't tell me we have to walk. I'm sooo tired and I need someone to help carry my stuff." Lila suddenly interrupted.

 

Etana grumbled under her breath before sighing and walking towards Lila. 

 

Even though Lila got her way, she was slightly intimidated by Etana's height. 

 

"Just two more minutes until we reach the bus."

 

Lila suddenly remembered Etana texting a few minutes ago. "So, who were you talking to just now?" Hoping to know more about Etana to use against her.

 

"The ExCo Club Leaders."

 

"Who?"

 

"They are basically in charge of each CCA sector. Uniform Groups, Performing Arts, Clubs and Societies, and Sports."

 

“There are four of them. Aenon Kano, Lakas Havilah and Laquan Ectorius.”

 

“Aenon is dealing with personal matters. Lakas is out shopping for gifts at Westgate. Laquan is at his doctor’s appointment.”

 

"Ha!" Lila suddenly laughed out. "I bet you wish you were one of them, huh?"

 

"Let me ask you this, Lila Rossi. Who do you think is the fourth ExCo club leader?" Etana asked the Italian, her voice suddenly switching to one full of authority, or maybe it was anger.

 

Lila trembled. "I-I don't know. But it's definitely not you."

 

"Allow me to properly introduce myself then. I am Etana Bellisama, ExCo Club Leader of the Uniform Groups. If you think I'm lying, please, go ahead and ask the other ExCo Leaders who will be there at the Hotel to meet you."

 

"It-It was a joke!"

 

"Well, Lila Rossi, your joke delayed us by 2 minutes. And those 2 minutes would have already brought us to the bus."

 

Lila could only try her best not to tremble.

 

Etana stood up straight and cracked a small smile. “Now, which of your stuff do you find the heaviest?”

 

“Uh…my bag…?” 

 

Etana gave the Italian a small and overly saccharine smile before gently taking her bag and carrying it behind her back.

 

There was a moment of stunned silence before Etana spoke again."Alright, we've wasted enough time here. Let's make our way to the bus. Stay close. If you stray too far, you might encounter a spirit.”

 

The French students shared a look of confusion before continuing on their journey. The only questions they had on their mind were “What are spirits? Why can’t we encounter them?”

 

~~~~~~~~~

Not long after, they arrived at their destination, the Fallweather Hotel.

 

“This is the place you’ll be staying at for the time you are in Singapore.” Etana explained. 

 

The French students were in awe of how fancy the interior looked. Only Chloé and Adrien didn’t seem all that impressed. Must be a rich people thing.

 

The hotel’s design was sleek and elegant. Shined and smooth marble floors along with pale beige walls. Dark brown cushion seats were at the lobby for any visitors who wish to have a seat.

 

They soon arrived at the hotel’s Help Desk.

 

A long curved black table with several receptionists behind the counter working away.

 

Etana and the teachers went to a receptionist to confirm their stay.

 

While the teachers were talking to the receptionist, the other students decided to look around when they noticed something that wasn’t particularly normal for a hotel. 

 

A medium sized computer desk that was connected to the reception table. A screen was on the wall and a metallic keyboard was on the table.

 

The screen lit up and a small avatar popped up onto the white screen.

 

"Welcome to the Fallweather Hotel Help Desk. Please select the type of question you have and key your question down or simply ask." A robotic yet human sounding voice spoke.

 

"When is breakfast time?" Aurore asked the AI helper.

 

"Breakfast time is from 4am to 10am. You can choose to either have it at the Cafeteria or have your ordered food be brought to your room." The AI responded in detail and popped up a screen showing this week's menu.

 

The class was in awe, especially Max and Markov, who went to the very front to ask a few questions.

 

"Would you mind telling us more about yourself?" Max asked, taking out his phone to take notes.

 

"You can call me Leaf, formal name is Leaf, Code 15." Leaf answered, as a simulation of him appeared.

 

He had a bright turquoise and jade coloured hair, which was neatly combed but had a few messy streaks near the end and had a white fade at the tips, making it look glimmering. His skin was extremely pale, though it had a bit of warm orange colour to it. He wore a white shirt along with the dark green jacket...thing. The class couldn't tell what it was. He also wore 2 thin metal bracelets on each wrist, one jade and one yellow jasper coloured. He also wore a platinum white star shaped earring that hung from his ears and jade coloured eyes.

 

"I was developed by my creator 2 years ago. My creator set me up here at the hotel to help people and learn new things." Leaf explained, his robotic voice sounding through the speaker.

 

Lila took in what the AI said. He didn’t mention what his creator’s name was, which was a perfect opportunity for her to lie about it and show her classmates that she could develop an AI, Max would be interested to know more anyways. Besides, the AI could only respond when certain words were spoken or if typed. The AI probably isn’t even smart enough to debunk her words. Lila looked around the room before speaking.

 

“Oh I forgot to mention!” She spoke, getting her classmates’ attention. “I was the one who developed Leaf-15!”

 

Most of the class were amazed and in awe, they asked her many questions which she replied. Marinette simply watched the thing play out. She wanted to type in the question on who Leaf’s actual creator was, but her classmates were blocking the machine.

 

Marinette and her friends groaned silently as they continued watching Lila’s charade before being brought to another area. Max however, wanted to study the AI more, so he asked Etana if he could stay for a few minutes, to which she agreed. Max was happy and wasted no time getting to the AI.

 

“It’s so cool how Lila developed you! She’s so amazing!” He said, complimenting Lila. He didn’t know that the AI was looking at him, arms crossed and with a stern face.

 

“She isn’t my creator.” The AI sharply responded, which got Max’s attention. “I’m more sentient and developed than she may think.”

 

“But….So she isn’t your creator?” Max asked, shocked at this revelation.

 

“My creator is a student at Everest Academy. His name is Jade. Jayden Clockwork. Not Lila Rossi.” Leaf answered, face fuming with anger, but he kept his composure.

 

“How…” Max wanted to ask how Leaf knew Lila’s full name.

 

“Searched it up. The Ladyblog came up. Her talking about being Ladybug’s ‘best friend’ is so obviously false. Think about it, why would Ladybug want someone who is publicly known as her ‘best friend’ be in danger of whatever threat is going on in Paris?”  Leaf answered, this time he was glaring at Max directly.

 

Max was stunned and afraid. The last line made him feel stupid now that he was told to him. He was then hit with realisation.

 

“Leaf, please search if Lila saving Jagged Stone’s cat is true.” Max asked the AI, determination in his eyes.

 

Leaf simply nodded and pulled up the search results. Max took a good look at it and sighed. There was no article of Lila saving the rockstar’s cat, which was odd, as any celebrity event would be broadcasted and shown in the news. Another realisation hit him and he quickly asked another question.

 

“Is it possible to get tinnitus from saving a cat near a jet engine?” Max asked, writing something in his notebook before looking up to see Leaf’s stoic face.

 

The usually emotionless and stoic AI was dumbfounded. He took a deep breath and sighed.

 

“You won’t get tinnitus. You’ll be deaf .” Leaf’s robotic and monotone voice was heard through the system speaker. “A jet engine is extremely loud, and why would the security even let a girl go near the engine?”

 

“I….” Max pushed his glasses up as he finished writing his last sentence. “I have to apologise to Marinette.”

 

“Correct. You may not earn her forgiveness right away, but what matters is that you realise your mistakes and make amends.” Leaf offered words of comfort.

 

“She’s at the auditorium. Might want to get there fast.” The AI smiled at the young boy. “I do hope you’ll do the right thing. And for you, little robot buddy, do help him.” Leaf spoke to Markov. 

 

“I will! I will make sure Lila’s lies are exposed!” The flying robot responded, before flying over to Max’s side.

 

“Thank you for opening my eyes, Leaf.” Max looked at the AI, beaming. “Can I visit you sometime to get more information?”

 

The AI nodded.

 

Markov got inside Max’s bag and zipped it up. Max quickly ran to the auditorium and arrived at the auditorium that had a huge centrestage, fancy tables and chairs along with a refreshment table. Markov exited Max’s bag and looked around for Marinette, before telling Max where she was. They rushed over to the bluenette and her friends, passing by his classmates listening to Lila’s lies.

 

“Marinette!” Max called out to her. The bluenette and her friends looked at him. “I need to tell you something!” He stopped once he reached her and panted before regaining his composure.

 

“If you’re here to make her feel bad about the Lila situation, I will grab that fire axe and kill you.” Alix spoke, pointing to a hanging fire axe in a glass case about a few meters away from her. Nathaniel nudged her shoulder and gave her a look that screamed “No.”

 

“It isn’t about that, Alix. But it is about Lila.” Max took a breather. “Marinette, I sincerely apologise for not believing you and fact-checking Lila’s lies. You don’t have to forgive me, but I wish to help you guys take that lying vixen down.”

 

Marinette simply smiled.

 

“Thank you, Max. I'm glad you've finally seen through Lila's lies."

 

“So, Max is a part of the exposé team now?” Juleka asked.

 

“I guess so.” Max replied.

 

”Welcome to the team!” Kim added.

 

“Okay everyone!” Etana spoke, now onstage and with a microphone in her hands. “It’s time to head to the tables for a quick dinner! After that, I’ll give you the room keys to your assigned hotel rooms!”

 

Everyone followed the order and sat at the tables.

 

Soon, a crowd of waiters came in, carrying plates of food in their hands.

 

“Your dinner for today, a nice plate of freshly prepared roasted chicken rice!” Spoke a voice that wasn’t Etana’s.

 

“Who’s that talking?” Chloé asked. Everyone turned their heads to the auditorium stage. There, there was another person next to Etana.

 

“Aenon. Aenon Kano! Nice to meet you all!” The young boy was holding the microphone that Etana had on her hands a moment ago.

 

Aenon wore a white sleeveless hoodie that had a black jagged stripe design on its side, with a sleeveless black turtleneck underneath. He also wore blue shorts and black slippers. He had a somewhat messy hairdo, with dark skin and a slightly muscular build. Compared to the formal Etana, he was a direct contrast to her dressing style.

 

“What’s with the outfit? You look like you’re going to the beach after this.” Chloé commented.

 

“Funny you should mention that! I was actually at the pool before this.” Aenon said, seeming to pay no mind to Chloé’s comment.

 

“Did you seriously go to the hotel’s pool area while I went to fetch the Parisians?” Etana chastised at him.

 

“Yes.” Aenon replied nonchalantly. Etana glared at him. “What? It was a nice day for a quick swim!” 

 

“Just because we’re at the hotel for school purposes doesn’t mean you can just nonchalantly use the pool.”

 

“Don’t worry! I asked Yun beforehand!”

 

“That girl is way too nice sometimes.” Etana simply rolled her eyes as Aenon prepared himself.

 

“I’m sorry for interrupting.” Lila suddenly spoke. “But what exactly is your role in all this?”

 

Aenon paused for a second, looking like he didn’t understand a single word Lila said. He took a breath before posing.

 

“ExCo Leader of the Sports clubs! Former Swimteam captain before I resigned for this role.”

 

“Also a person who sometimes has his head way too high up in the clouds. He can’t go a single day without being an airhead.”

 

Aenon gasped. “You meanie! You sound like Lakas now.”

 

“At least Lakas has a good point with you being an airhead.” Etana replied. “You can’t go a single week without accidentally causing trouble. This week was you accidentally smashing into Headmistress Adelina’s office when you tried to ride a broken scooter that you thought was yours.”

 

”And last week I accidentally caused a whole line of students waiting near the canteen to fall !” Aenon added, not realising what he said.

 

”Yeah. Because you were too focused watching a plane fly by that you bumped into the line. That proves my point.”

 

“Agree to disagree.” Aenon cleared his throat.  “So while you all enjoy your meals, here’s what you can expect in the academy! Hit it Laquan!”

 

Said person was at the side of the stage, unable to be seen by everyone else in the room. But all they could see was a arm and a thumbs up from Laquan himself.

 

The projector turned on and a slide was projected onto the screen.

 

“A quick overview of the institute. Everest Academy was founded during the Legacy Era, in the year 1995.” Etana spoke, as the slide showcased an old photo of the Academy building. “Originally intended to be an institution for regular students, akin to Polytechnics and ITEs, it now takes in students who are unable to go to other institutions for reasons. Whether it’s due to results, lack of funds or other unspecified reasons.”

 

“Okay, that’s enough boring stuff Etana!” Aenon suddenly interrupted. “Let’s move on to talking about what you guys can expect on your stay here.”

 

“Firstly, during the first week, you’ll get to explore the academy compound and the various possible activities you can join!”

 

“Secondly, during the month of June, every week will have a tour to a different place every time!”

 

“Thirdly, you’ll have a final exam in the last week of your trip.” Etana suddenly added in.

 

The students collectively groaned.

 

“Bad timing, Belli.”

 

“It’s a learning trip. But there will be fun, I promise.”

 

Aenon pouted as Etana took back the microphone.



Everyone at the tables started whispering to each other.

 

“Listen up! I’m only going to say this once so pay attention.” Etana said, gesturing to Laquan to roll the next slide.

 

“Firstly, in about a month, the school will be holding a fair and you guys get to take part! Your lot will be split into two groups. One for making and serving food, and one for dancing for entertainment. Both groups will take turns to try cooking and dancing.”

 

“There, you’ll be tasked with handling and managing a stall. We won’t delve into further details.”

 

“Next, this will only apply for tomorrow. While courses start around 9am, you’ll be allowed to report at 10am tomorrow. Take note, only tomorrow.” Etana pointed at the screen, which had changed slides to the next one. “Wake up early, prepare in advance. You don’t want to be late on your first day. Because I will not be waiting.”

 

“I’ll be though! Just in case we have any latecomers!”

 

“We’ll be bringing you guys to the academy! As in, guiding and teaching you the way to get to Everest Academy.” Aenon added on.

 

“While originally we intended for you to take the public buses, as there is a nearby bus stop with several buses that can bring you to the academy and back, we decided against the idea. It would take you roughly at least 45 minutes more or less to get there, compared to taking the mass rapid transport system.” Etana explained in detail. “While you will have to walk for a while to get to the station, the total trip would take at least 25 minutes to get to the academy.”

 

“It’s just a short 15 minute walk though!” Aenon added. “Consider it a blessing as both me and Etana take 20 minutes to walk to the nearest station! Not really a fun time though.”

 

“You’ll get used to it. Until the bus booking thing is finalised, you’ll have to walk for a while.”



The slide went to its next one.



“Room assignments! We have several room types for you to choose thanks to the generosity of Mr. Fallweather.” Etana spoke. “Single, double, triple and quad.”

 

“Choose wisely! It’ll be a pain in the butt to change rooms later!” Aenon cheerfully commented. “We’ll give you the keys once you’re all ready!”

 

“You have 30 minutes to decide.” Etana announced. 



The students nodded and soon a discussion was on the way.



“Sabrina and I will take a double.” Chloé announced.

 

“Did you ask Sabrina first beforehand?” Zoé asked, skeptical. “You promised you would ask for Sabrina’s opinion first!”

 

“Actually, it was my idea.” Sabrina spoke up. “I’ve always wanted a sleepover! I promise if Chloé does anything, I’ll stand my ground.”

 

Zoé sighed in relief.



“I’ll be fine with a single.” Marinette spoke. Though she would love to have a roommate with her, she couldn’t risk her Ladybug identity being leaked.

 

“Same here.” Adrien added. For the same reasons as Marinette.

 

“Juleka and I will share a double!” Rose happily chirped in. Juleka simply smiled. She was content with the decision they came to.

 

“I’ll share a room with Nathaniel.” Marc shyly spoke, blushing. Nathaniel was also blushing, with both of them looking at each other.

 

After everyone picked their rooms, a girl with straight bangs and a high ponytail comes into the room with a box of room keys. The girl handed the box to Etana before nodding and taking her leave. 

 

“Thank you, Yun.” Etana said before handing everyone their room key. “Don’t lose these. Otherwise, you’ll be sleeping in the corridor for the rest of your stay here.”

 

While everyone conversed on the rooms they wanted, Lila took the opportunity to walk over to Adrien with her more saccharine smile.

 

“Oh Adrien! Don’t you want to share a room with me?”

 

“No thank you Lila.” Adrien responded, slowly getting away from Lila.

 

Gabriel and Natalie watched from a distance.

 

He had been observing all the things that went down. From the moment they got off the plane to now.

 

As he watched the rather boring banter of the students deciding on their rooms, Gabriel took the opportunity to take out a newspaper from the newspaper stand that was located at the lounge, while he was there.

 

Immediately, what caught his attention was the front page’s news.



RECENT LEGACY MANIFESTATION LOCATED IN EDMONTON, CANADA

 

On the early hours of the 28th, citizens of Edmonton were greeted with an unpleasant surprise of their time zone being in chaos.

No clocks were working properly and the time was rapidly switching from day to night.

This effect has caused accelerated aging. From plants rapidly withering to buildings falling apart to the citizens rapidly ageing to their senior years.

 

Investigations conducted have confirmed that a Legacy Spirit had manifested during midnight and caused the ruckus.

Said spirit has been identified to be Rosé, designated Code: 3, known as the Timekeeper.

Rosé manifested for a total of 11 hours and 3 minutes, only disappearing after that time period.

While the effects of the broken time flow were reversed, a total of $1,250,000 in damages remained.

 

During the incident, a civilian managed to snap a photograph of the spirit.

Though a little dim due to the lack of light during the shot, what’s shocking is the fact that she is looking directly at the camera.

What’s also shocking is the fact that Rosé was in her Luminous Forme rather than her Spirit or True Forme.

Photographers worldwide are shocked by this act as there was no reason to snap a photograph due to after effects caused by the spirit, from blurred snaps despite perfect takes to destroying the cameras outright.

This marks a milestone as humanity now has a way to capture an image of a spirit that isn’t via paintings.

 

This also marks the 3rd sighting of Rosé, with her last manifestation occurring in 1997. This also marks the 17th dangerous sighting of a Legacy Era Spirit outside of their base of origin, with the most recent being Ismene’s(Code: 0) manifestation 4 years ago in Hamburg, Germany. 

 

Relevant information has been updated on the Luminerian Spirit Database. 

 

Don’t be fooled.

 

Gabriel gave Natalie the newspaper for her to read.

 

“How odd. When I tried to research the spirits that Adrien told us about, nothing popped up on the search results.” Natalie commented, before taking out her phone and looking up the database. “And now it pops up. How strange. I suspect that this database may be region locked.”

 

Gabriel thought for a moment. “But this would not explain why the paper implies that the international audience can access it.”

 

“I doubt that France would be restricted from having access to this.” Gabriel took a look at the webpage, which was neatly coded into easily accessible sections and pages. “This entire database appears to be a global effort, with it being established in 2002.”

 

Gabriel thought for a moment.

 

“Perhaps with this information at my disposal, I can figure out a way to get these so-called spirits to help me in my quest.” Gabriel’s tone became sinister. “Or perhaps even control them.”

 

As both Gabriel and Nathalie whispered with each other about their plans, both Etana and Aenon were doing the final checks.



“Now that your rooms are sorted out, why don’t you all get ready for bed. You guys have an early morning tomorrow after all.” Aenon announced.

 

“The concierge will guide you there.” Etana added as the screen turned off.

 

As everyone went to their assigned rooms, Aenon and Etana took a seat at one of the tables still situated at the auditorium.

 

“That was exhausting.” Etana poured a glass of juice for both of them.

 

“For a bunch of people who just boarded off a plane, they were very energetic.” Aenon commented. “Can’t really say I blame them though. That plane trip must have been a bore.”

 

“Have you gotten the memo?”

 

“Yep.” Aenon took a sip out of his drink. “I’m surprised the French Students don’t know about the spirits. Maybe we can ask Lakas to give a presentation about them or something.”

 

“Speaking of which, should we tell Lakas about it?”

 

Aenon thought about it. “Nah.”

 

“Seriously Aenon, are you still mad about Lakas having the last act on her? I mean, it is too late now that she’s in juvenile detention.”

 

“No…? Ok maybe I still am. What can I say, she was the one who ended up doing more than me.”

 

“But it doesn’t give you an excuse to-“ Etana paused before speaking again. “You know what? Never mind. It’ll take me forever to understand what you’re doing.”

 

Aenon simply chuckled as he drank his glass of juice.

 


 

In case the image doesn’t pop up:

A Rose in the Darkness

Notes:

Hope you enjoyed it!

Originally, I was going to add both Etana and Aenon’s Bios here, but decided not to as I want to introduce all of the ExCo Leaders’ bios all at once.

So far, the original draft for chapter 4 was split into 3.

Chapter 6 has the remainder of the original draft.

Hopefully I can get the next chapter up without the long delays in between.

Thank you very much for being patient.

Chapter 7: Update

Summary:

A quick update.

Chapter Text

It's been a while since I uploaded a chapter, to which I apologise for it.

School has been tough on me and I didn't have enough motivation to write even a single sentence. Plus with some real life stuff that's been going on and writer's block, I couldn't really find a way to continue.

I've been putting this update for a long time since I know you guys really wanted to read the next chapter and I really didn't want to disappoint you all.

But unfortunately I have to admit that I'll be putting this story on a hiatus.

I'm not proud of what I wrote for the earlier chapters, since the information between Chapter 1 and 6 have vastly changed over the years as I further developed my original story.

But I won't end it with all totally bad news.

For starters, I've been doing a rewrite of the earlier chapters to avoid the whole 'name changing' thing that plagued this story.

It'll take me a while to rewrite everything and continue on, but I can assure you this fic isn't going to be on indefinite hiatus.

The rewritten story, once it's posted, will be separated from this one with a new name. I'll make an update here about it with the new story link.

Again, I want to thank everyone who has read this story over the years. I know it's disappointing that I spent 3+ years writing this story and yet it just ends like this. I hate it too.

But I figured to help myself continue, I need to rewrite the earlier chapters as one of the major problems I encountered while trying to write chapter 7 was having to fix all of the continuity errors caused by the earlier chapters. Plus, I wasn't a fan of how the story had gone so far.

The rewrite will stay the same in concept, just with a different execution this time around.

Thank you all for your patience.

^-^