Blue Hearts And Paper Cuts

e p i l o g u e

An invisible red string connects two people who are destined to be together from the moment they are born. This string can be stretched and tangled, but it can never break. Despite the time, the place, and despite the circumstances, the string will never break.

As the gods tied these invisible red strings to the pinkies of everyone, they were given a special form of communication – once the soulmates grow to be the age of fifteen, the soulmates are brought closer together through the power of being able to talk to each other through marking their skin.

The red strings of fate brought together Marinette Dupain-Cheng and Adrien Agreste. The red strings of fate brought together Gabriel and Emilie Agreste.

Despite the time, the place, and the circumstances, the string will never break...

But, it can grow weaker, more fragile, and withered, as it had done for Emilie Agreste.

There was always more than one string, the one that connects her to her parents and her son. And while Gabriel had been her soulmate, that string grew so thin, while the string for her son grew thicker and added one, for Marinette.

—

"Hey, remember when you and Adrien were actually siblings?" Alya questioned, a smug smile on her face.

Marinette visibly shuddered and Adrien snorted lightly. "Remember when you an Chloé were the best of friends?" he calls back.

Now it was Alya's turn to freeze while there was a sigh across the room.

"Listen, we weren't best friends, we probably won't ever be best friends. Now please, kindly shut up, Adrikins." Chloé states from the couch.

"Amen, sister." Alya murmurs.

"Oh, so now you're sisters, huh?" Nino cooed, and he quickly rose his hands up to catch Alya's flying hands.

The bunch of them grew into a fit of laughter. They were mostly back to the way they had been in their alternate world. Marinette and Chloé put their differences aside and were actually good friends. Alya and Chloé were on speaking terms, but the two preferred Sabrina over each other.

Marinette was helping Adrien pack a bag, as he, Emilie and Marinette were going to Italy to actually make a contract with the Rossi brand.

"Are you sure we can't tag along? I wanna go to Italy too." Alya whined.

"I'd rather not see Lila again. She rubs me the wrong way." Chloé huffed.

"Everyone rubs you the wrong way." Adrien stated as a matter-of-factly.

"Adrikins." She pointed a finger at him threateningly, making him laugh.

"I'm glad to see her again. If I'm being honest, she kinda grew on me." Marinette speaks up.

It had been a couple months after the whole Miraculous ordeal. With the threat of Papillon gone, Ladybug and Chat Noir had to give their Miraculous back.

With all of the Miraculous gathered, the city of Paris no longer needed superheroes. The city did miss their favorite spotted and feline heroes, but their story will never be forgotten. Marinette and Adrien definitely missed flying through the sleepy Parisian skyline.

They continued their chatter, until Emilie came knocking at the door, accompanied by Nathalie.

"Marinette, Adrien. The two of you have some... well, a visitor." Emilie called.

"And unfortunately, it's getting increasingly late. Miss Bourgeois, your ride is here as well." Nathalie states.

"Hey, you guys want a ride?" Chloé asks as she pushes herself off the couch.

"That would be amazing, yes, please." Nino replied.

The three of them head out, escorted by Nathalie, while Emilie hangs back with Marinette and Adrien as he finishes closing up his suitcase.

"Who came to visit?" Adrien asked as he zipped up his luggage bag.

"And they came to see me, too?" Marinette questioned.

Emilie smiled and she rocked back and forth on her feet. "Well... I think it's best if you go see for yourself rather than I tell you." She winked at them and she turned, heading out the room.

Marinette and Adrien looked at each other at his mother's secrecy, but followed her down to the atrium nonetheless. Emilie opens the door to the atrium and the two of them peer inside, seeing a small figure standing in front of the painting of Emilie.

As they enter and the door closes behind them, the figure turns and the two of the gasp.

"Master Fu!"

The two of them run over and the older man is startled, but greets them warmly. "Adrien, Marinette, it's a pleasure to see you again."

Ever since they had returned their Miraculous, the two of them haven't seen, heard, or even been able to locate Master Fu.

"We're glad to see you, Master Fu. Glad to see you're in good health." Adrien states.

The older man gives a hum at Adrien's words.

"But what brings you to us, Master Fu? Where have you gone? We hadn't been able to find you for months." Marinette continues.

"I'm glad to see that the two of you are still as lively as always." He states, not addressing Marinette's questions. "I have a request for the two of you."

The two of them perked, looking down at him. The older man was now walking with a cane, as he wobbled towards the table, where a box had been sitting.

The box was burgundy in color, with many little symbols along it's six sides, the two of them not having noticed this box when they first came in.

"With the recent events, I've grown increasingly sick. I am old and don't have any children to be my successors, but..." He opens the box from the top and reaches in for two items. "I see the two of you as my children. You two are the only ones that I have, so, I have to.. I have to ask, can the two of you be the new Guardians for the Miraculous?"

The two of them look down at Master Fu's extended hands, and in his palms were sitting a pair of ladybug speckled earrings and a black ring.

A red and green light came out of each Miraculous respectively and circled around the two of them, before stopping and materializing before them.

"Tikki!"

"Plagg!"

The two of them fawned over their kwami, thrilled to be reunited once more.

"I am no longer in any state to protect them, so I must entrust them to you. Please, take care of the Miraculous." Master Fu bowed to two them, and Marinette and Adrien bow as well.

The two of them put on their Miraculous and look at each other.

"Why do you say about a late night run through the Parisian skies, my lady?" Adrien asks.

"It would be my honor, kitty."

Blue Hearts and Paper Cuts completed November 18, 2018