One Way or Another

Footsteps and An Overreaction

With help from the Horse Miraculous, Ladybug found herself in Lisbon within seconds.

After detransforming, Marinette quickly made her way to the Guardian's home and knocked on the door.

The man that opened it up recognized her immediately. "Marinette?" he asked, surprised to see her again. "What are you doing here?"

"Hi Francisco," she replied. "Alright if I come in?"

"Of course!" And he stepped out of the way so she could enter the house. Following her to the kitchen, he continued talking in his broken French. "How is Paris? I heard about your Hawk Moth getting released from prison. Is that the reason you are here right now?"

"Actually no, it isn't."

"Ah, a social visit then?"

"I'm afraid not," Marinette replied, facing him. "Tell me about the Starfish Miraculous."

And Francisco's eyes widened. "The Starfish? Why do you ask of this?"

"I have a feeling that there's something wrong with it."

A small sigh. "Well like usual, you are correct, Marinette."

Hearing his confirmation, her heart sank. She had been hoping and praying that she was wrong.

"It was damaged," the man continued, walking over to the cabinet and opening it up. Then he took a box out and placed it on the counter. "A regretful accident. But here we are." He lifted the bangle up and handed it over.

And sure enough, there was a crack about three centimeters long going around one part of it.

"But how on earth did you know?" Francisco asked.

It took a moment for Marinette to respond. "I heard about Belém Tower," she said quietly, rubbing her fingers over the bangle.

"Ah," he murmured. "So you assumed the same as I. Someone must have used the Miraculous to restore the tower way back when."

She nodded, keeping her gaze down.

"It is just a tower. Don't you worry, Marinette."

Now she shook her head. "There's more."

"More?" he repeated, confused.

"When I borrowed it five years ago we used it two times. We used it to heal two different people." She paused and looked up at him. "And now their injuries are coming back."

His face fell. "I am deeply sorry. I was the one responsible to keep the Miraculous safe, and I failed."

"It's okay, accidents happen. But if you knew it was damaged, then why haven't you fixed it yet? I mean, it has the power of Restoration. So can't you use it to restore itself?"

"I have already tried, Marinette. But it is too damaged and the magic will not work."

She closed her eyes in frustration.

"I have the instructions on how to repair it myself," Francisco continued. "But I am having great difficulty in deciphering the meaning behind the words. The grimoire is written in code to protect its secrets, and I have never had the experience to repair a broken Miraculous before."

Marinette looked at him again. "I understand. Our grimoire is the same. And I've never had to repair a Miraculous before either." Suddenly she stopped breathing as she realized something. "But I know someone who has."

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Emilie was preoccupied with her thoughts as she walked the few blocks to pick up Annabelle from preschool.