Rainbooms in Paris

One Choice

RAINBOW DASH

I've been living in Paris for only a few days, and I'm loving it. Except when I'm at the hotel. That part sucks.

So, here I am this morning, talking to Alix about the latest sport news, when - What's his name, again ? Kim ? - struts upto us like he owns this school.

"So, Dash, right ? Heard you were the captain of every team in your old school." He says in an almost mocking tone, like he wants to challenge me for something.

"Yeah.. that's true." I say. 

"Are you sure ? You don't look like the type. Honestly, all the other people in your old school must have been loonies who couldn't run a mile." He says, snickering. His friend (Max ?) coughs, but I think it's just some sort of cover up. And suddenly, it's like people all around are laughing, giggling. I don't know if it's real, or I'm just hearing those sounds inside my head. All I know is that my face is heating up. 

"Don't-" I snap. "- you dare say that about any of my friends." 

"Else what, huh ?" He steps forward daringly. 

"Stop ! Both of you !" Alix says, stepping in between us. "Look, Kim;" She turns to him. "If you have something against me, let it out on me, not on her." 

"You better stay out of this, Alix. This is between me and her, or is she so weak you have to stand up for her ?" 

That's the last straw.

"What do you want ?" I ask, pushing Alix aside and standing in her place.

"A challenge, Dash. Any sport of your choice. Tomorrow, 5 PM, at the Parc des Princes." He says.

"Soccer, then. What does the winner get ?" I ask, my voice void of emotion.

"Winner gets to dare the loser to do something." He says in a low voice, slowly. He moves back, still looking at me. "See you tomorrow, then." 

"Yeah. Sure." I say.

MARINETTE

"Well ?" Somebody says, putting an arm on my shoulder as I watch Rainbow walk to class alongside Alix. I know this somebody very well, though.

"What is it, Alya ?" I ask, turning, and her hand falls off of my shoulder.

"It's tomorrow." She says. Tomorrow ? What's tomorrow ? It's not Alya's birthday, is it ? Or maybe Nino's ? Or some other occasion ?

Alya must've noticed my puzzled expression, for she says, "Your grand debate with Lila, Marinette. It's tomorrow." Cue grand gestures when she said 'grand debate'.

"Seriously, Alya ? Not that stupid debate !" I say.

"Deal with it, Mari." Alya says. God, she can be so stubborn sometimes. "The entire Ladyblog viewers are waiting for this. You can't let them down !" 

Although, now that I think about it, this could actually be a chance to expose Lila. Expose all the lies she's ever told. The idea of putting her out is really tempting, and I nod, a plan starting to form at the back of my head.

"Great. Let's get to class before it's too late, shall we ?" Alya says, and we head to chemistry class.

RAINBOW DASH

I lean back in my seat, and watch as the class fills up after lunch break. Alix still isn't here, but none of it matters as I see Marinette walk in and take her seat. For some reason, she looks a bit.. down. I suddenly think of Pinkie, her ability to make someone smile even in the darkest of times, and as if my body decided to act on it's own accord, I'm next to her.

"Is everything okay ?" Marinette flinches, as if she were lost in her thoughts until I came over. She turns to me, looks at me for a second, before she says, "I'm fine."

"You don't look so." I say.

"Oh, you know, the usual school drama." She replies, casually, looking away.

"What happened ?" 

Mari sighs, and looks down at her desk.

"You know that girl ? Lila ? Well, she's a big liar. And many people believe her. Believe in every word she says. But now, I have an opportunity to expose her. Reveal her lies to the world." She looks straight ahead, and continues. There is something forlorn about her expression, like she is worried. "But... is it really worth it ? If I do so.. she might never be the same again. She might become an Akuma. Again."

"In that case," I say reassuringly, "Ladybug and Chat Noir will defeat her again, won't they ?"

"Yeah, but.. The last time it happened, they nearly lost. She's that powerful. You see... she was a master of illusions. The ones she created.." Mari shakes her head, like she's trying to forget a bad memory. "Ladybug is a superhero. She's supposed to protect citizens, and when something goes wrong, the guilt will never leave her. That's why she nearly broke. But I... It seemed like she was targeting me. All of the things I love." I see her hand curl into a fist, and then she sharply turns towards me.

"I saw my house.. I saw it collapse to the ground. Imagine if it really happened. We.. we wouldn't sustain. It's not just a home to me. It's a part of my life. A part of myself. And then, she made me believe that she was gonna..." Marinette leans back, blinks a few times, and exhales. "Sorry. I can't even think about that. Imagine seeing the person you love most becoming lost to you forever.. in front of your own eyes."

"Oh." I say, and turn to the door, when Adrien just steps in. I can hear Marinette inhale sharply, then exhale immediately. She's taking sharp, ragged breaths. 

'You lose your breath when they walk into a room..' I recall Rarity saying once. She and Fluttershy were talking about love back then. 'How do you know so much about love ? You've been single all your life !' I said when Rarity was done rambling about the 'symptoms of love'.

'Oh, I have my sources, darling.' She'd said. Now I'm wondering what those 'sources' are. Realization sets in that she loves him. Like, true love. Not the silly-school-crush kind of love.

"You really do love him, huh ?" I say. Marinette nods, a corner of her lips curling up in a smile.

"And.. about the whole Lila thing.." I think about Sunset Shimmer. "Don't be harsh. Give her your friendship. It'll fix her on its own. But then, you really do need to do something about the whole lying thing."

"I'll think of something." Marinette says. "Thanks for your advice."

"No problem." I reply, and as soon as the words leave my mouth, I hear the bell ring, signalling the start of the class. 

A/N : 

*casts protection spells* *builds a 100 foot wall* *installs a dragon near said wall*

Well hello there ! Long time no see... hehe.. heh...

Yes people, I, Queen of Procrastinators, have finally updated this story.

So my exams are nearly over, (Just one more tomorrow) And then I'll be FREEEE to update more.

And I apologize for updating so late. I had a case of writer's block, somehow ended up writing a cringey placeholder chapter, then deleted that one and wrote this.

Hopefully I'll be able to update again soon. (Note the 'hopefully')

Adios !