Marinette followed the class lazily, dragging her suitcase behind her, the girl was physically and mentally tired. Sitting in the same place for approximately 8 hours made her body sore and numb and the Kwami's discussion about her "premonition" only made her overthink too many things.
"Hey," Chloe said slowing down "I heard you had a vision or something."
"I don't want to talk about It" Marinette grumbled.
"Oh"
Marinette sighed "I'm sorry Chlo, I'm a bit tired. Can we talk tomorrow?"
"Of course," Chloe smiled "Do you want James to help?"
"Isn't his name jean?" Marinette asked looking at the butler, who was carrying 3 suitcases and 2 handbags "I think you should help him out."
"I shall do no such thing!" Chloe snorted.
"He's struggling with your bags. Be a hero dudette." Nino taunted.
Chloe huffed mumbling "You guys are the worst" before stalking to jean—who looked surprised when she took two of her suitcases.
"Was that so hard?" Marinette smiled as the blonde walked towards them.
"Uh...yes! these are so heavy!"
"That's on you. You shouldn't have packed so much." Nino shrugged.
Chloe huffed again, cursing under her breath. She looked around spotting two familiar faces, grabbing both of their arms Chloe pulled Marinette and Nino in the other direction.
"Luka! Kagami!"
"Hey guys!" Luka yelled back waving his hands wildly as Kagami looked at him in amusement "We're here!"
"Yeah, you're hard to miss." Chloe deadpanned "help me with my bags."
"What's the magic words? ~" Luka asked in a singsong voice.
The blonde sighed looking at Marinette and Nino for support, but they looked away, almost laughing "...Please?" she requested which made Luka smile widely "That's my girl!" he said, ruffling her hair "Oh my God! don't ruin my hair1 it took me hours to get this perfect!".
"Yeah well, it's late anyway you're going to sleep so no harm" Kagami said before pausing and looking at Marinette "Your parents couldn't come, they said they were busy with the bakery, so they asked us to pick you up."
Marinette smiled "Thank you Kagami."
Kagami dropped Marinette off waving her goodbye. She yawned and stretched, staring at the red car become a small dot in the distance, sighing she dragged her suitcase lazily into the bakery.
She was surprised when she saw that the bakery was empty. She immediately climbed up the stairs in worry.
Had hawkmoth found out her identity? Were they home?
Marinette sighed in relief when she heard muffled voices, pushing open the door she greeted them with her usual, cheery voice only to be greeted by angry stares.
"Is it true?" Sabine asked angrily.
"Is what true?"
"That you stole Lila's ticket?!"
"WHAT?! Maman! Who told you that? I would never-"
"Alya called" Tom glared at Marinette making her flinch "So did your teacher...and Principal."
"Why?" she asked, confused.
"There have been multiple reports of you bullying Lila and missing classes" Sabine hissed "This is not how we raised you young lady!"
"Ma! It's the other way around! She has been-"
"Bullying you?" Tom chuckled sarcastically "Alya said you would say something like that."
Please Marinette pleaded you have to believe me, I thought you did."
"I did." Sabine answered, "but right now, I don't know if you're saying the truth."
"Tony stark brought me that ticket" Marinette blurted.
"Yes, and I'm the king of England" tom snorted, at any other time Marinette would have laughed her ass of but this was serious, she couldn't let Lila take away her parents too. Sabine looked at her daughter in surprise when she saw her serious face.
"Why in the world would Tony Stark buy a Ticket for you?"
"He...he wants me to design a suit for him and give me a Stark internship-But it's not only me its Nino and Chloe too."
"No, you are not- "
"Please! New York is an amazing place! Chloe's mom knows Mr. Stark very well and Nino's parents are most likely to agree, I can get so many opportunities."
Sabine sighed "I don't think I should allow you to go to New York alone especially with anybody unknown-"
"But I have Nino and Chloe" Marinette pleaded "Please! I almost went to New York with Audrey! This is another opportunity, and I don't want to miss it!"
"She's right." Tom sighed looking at his wife "Marinette is very lucky to get this chance, twice. This could be for the better."
Marinette looked at her mother pleadingly "I promise I'll be good."
Sabine sighed again "fine but if I get another complain from anyone you're grounded for the rest of your life."
"Thank you, Thank you, Thank you!!!" She exclaimed "I won't let you down."
'You better"
--------
NEXT DAY
Marinette walked- no, hopped to Chloe's room in joy. The young girl spotted Jean and gave him a bear hug, surprising him, before giving him the box of macaroons she brought from the bakery and yelling "Have an amazing day."
She barged into Chloe's room finding her detransforming.
"God! have you heard of knocking?!" Chloe hissed
"What were you doing transformed?" Marinette asked suspiciously.
"I was looking for you" she lied "Why are you having such a stupid expression on your face?"
"I'm just happy" Marinette smiled "and don't lie. Where were you?"
"I-I went to uhh....lie-las house."
"What?!" Marinette hissed "why?...Are you conspiring against me?!"
"Wait- what?! No! I would never do that." Chloe swore "I may or may not have eavesdropped on your argument with your parents, I know you don't like people eavesdropping, but I couldn't help it. And you can only go if you don't get any complaints and that's gonna be impossible with Lila around soooo... I gave her a piece of my mind."
"What were you doing at my house?"
"I came to visit you as Empress honey, but shit went down."
"Mmhmmm, fine... Just. don't eavesdrop on me again."
"I promise I won't."
"Do you think-"
"My parents agreed!!!" Nino yelled, shoving the room doors, and barging in having the same expression Marinette had.
"What is with you guys with kicking my door?!" Chloe rolled her eyes but the other two were too preoccupied with celebrating their 'victory' over their parents.
"Should I ask my mother to inform Tony? " Chloe asked
Nino and Marinette nodded enthusiastically making her smile about 15 minutes later, Kagami and Luka joined the group and Marinette decided this was the best time to tell them about...well, everything. She was surprised when Kagami and Luka confessed shyly that they went on a date when the others were gone. Luka also confessed his sudden fight with his sister, Juleka and kitty section, so he resigned.
"Our life is just fucked up, isn't it?" Chloe snorted
"Girl what?" Luka laughed "You got an internship with Tony Stark! that's like, awesome."
"Eh"
Days went by and it was finally time to go back to New York. Hawk moth hadn't sent one akuma during the entire time which surprised and worried Marinette greatly. Many people started to assume and theorize That Ladybug and the rest of her teammates had defeated Hawkmoth and Mayura, but the situation was far from it. And Lila didn't even bother to even give her a threatening look, which Marinette only assumed was because of Chloe, it made her wonder how she managed to convince Lila to shut her mouth.
Tony called her in advance informing her that his close friend, Happy Hogan, was going to visit her family to give them the details about the internship. The conversation went quite well, despite Chloe barging in with excitement and running back out embarrassed. As agreed, she waved her parents goodbye a week after her summer holidays started.
And now here she was, both her friends by her side as Happy drove them to The Avengers Tower. Happy dropped them off inside, telling them that he would get their bags later and that they could sit in the waiting area until then.
"Stop it." Chloe hissed as she put her hand on Marinette's knee, stopping it from bouncing.
"What? I'm nervous."
"Why tho?"
"Oh, I don't know. I mean, it's not like we're meeting the avengers" Nino snorted sarcastically while looking at Chloe in disbelief.
"Aw come on, you've been on television, and you've met jagged stone. You are famous yourself so it's gonna be the same."
"uhhhh says you. You've met so many famous people so you're used to it"
"Eh. There's a first time for everything." Chloe shrugged
"Hi!" An excited voice greeted; the three Parisians turned around to find a tall smiling blonde woman walking towards them "You kids must be Tony's new interns! My name is Pepper Potts, it's a pleasure to finally meet you."
"Hello, Ms. Potts. My name is Marinette, Marinette Dupain-Cheng. This is Nino lahiffe and Chloe bourgeois. It's a pleasure to meet you too."
"Please, call me Pepper" She smiled before looking at Chloe in curiosity "Bourgeois? As in Audrey bourgeois? You're her daughter, aren't you?"
Chloe nodded shyly. Pepper Potts. Pepper Potts was standing in front of her. Pepper had been Chloe's role model ever since Chloe learned that she existed. It was taking a lot of Chloe's self-control not to fangirl over her.
"Follow me" she said leading them into an elevator "I'm such a big fan of you kids, when I learned that you were MDC, I was shocked. how in the world do you manage so many commissions? and Chloe you are the Top Model and the manager for the brand which is really amazing and inspiring, Mr. lahiffe I love your music! I more of a jazz person but your music is always an exception. Don't tell this to anybody and definitely don't tell anybody that I told you this...but Tony blares your music while he's working on something in his lab".
"Thank you pepper, it means a lot."
"No way" Nino laughed but when he saw the serious expression on Pepper's face he gaped "He listens to my music?"
"Of course," she said as the elevator dinged open to a large hallway "Starting a business at your age is very rare and businesses that have gone really popular as yours is much rarer. you guys are really talented. if I were in your shoes I would faint from the pressure, especially with your uh...'extracurricular' activities"
Pepper's watch suddenly beeped making her gasp crap I almost forgot I'm sorry I've got to head out I have a meeting in 10 minutes being the new CEO of stark industries has taken a toll on me. Friday will take you to your rooms I'm really sorry I've gotta go bye and with that pepper walked hurriedly into the elevator before waving a small goodbye as the doors closed.
"So, we're supposed to stay in this hallway?" Chloe asked, raising her eyebrows.
"I don't think-" Marinette started but was interrupted by a feminine monotone voice.
"Good evening Ms. Dupain-Cheng, Ms. Bourgeois and Mr. lahiffe. My name is Friday, as requested by miss Potts. I will be your guide."
"Uh...hello Friday...?" Marinette started hesitantly "You can call me Marinette."
"Yeah, du- I mean, Friday you can call me Nino and you can call her Chloe."
"Of course," Friday replied "Please follow my directions do your rooms."
The three followed as Friday instructed in the directions to their rooms. The AI answered every curious question, they asked with enthusiasm which made them much more confident than they were.
"Here you are, please make yourself comfortable," Friday said as the doors in front of them opened automatically they looked inside gasping in awe. This wasn't only the bedrooms; it was an entire suite.
"Dibs under on the biggest bedroom!" Chloe yelled run inside
"Dibs on the second-largest!' Marinette laughed following her.
"Wait-does that mean I get the smallest?" Nino grumbled after them.
"Marinette" jumped on the large red sofa this place is the best I want to live here forever.
"Eeeeee We have our own bathrooms!" Chloe squealed in joy.
The place was simple and spacious yet modern the hall was large connecting to the dining bloom and do a small kitchenette--which Marinette claimed as hers since none of the others knew how to cook --three bedrooms in all different directions Chloe being Chloe obviously choose the largest one. Marinette got a smaller one with a large study table. Nino got the same except He had a small couch in his room instead of a study table.
"Pinch me" Marinette declared holding out her hand 'cause I think I'm living a dream."
Chloe walked past her giving a hard pinch "Was that hard enough?"
"Too hard" Marinette grumbled rubbing or her arm.
"Well, hello." a smooth voice greeted, startling them. Nino immediately sat up straight looking at the tall man in front of them in
"Did you actually phase through the wall?" Marinette asked in awe while Chloe facepalmed internally.
"Oh that. Um...yes. I'm sorry, am I intruding?-"
"No no no, of course not!" Marinette smiled "My name is Marinette; this is Chloe and Nino. I'm sorry if I offended you in any way. You just surprised me since I've only seen our kwamis phase through things."
"What are kwamis?" Vision asked tilting his head slightly.
"Um...they are the sources of our powers" Marinette explained pointing at the kwami's, who were hovering over the small tea table looking at vision curiously.
"The tea table is the source of your powers...?"
"He can't see us, remember? Since he's technically a robot..." pollen pointed out.
"Sorry man you cant see em"
"No no no, of course not!" Marinette smiled "My name is Marinette; this is Chloe and Nino. I'm sorry if I offended you in any way. You just surprised me since I've only seen our kwamis phase through things."
"What are kwamis?" Vision asked tilting his head slightly.
"Um...they are the sources of our powers" Marinette explained pointing at the kwami's, who were hovering over the small tea table looking at vision curiously.
"The tea table...?"
"He can't see us, remember? Since he is technically a robot..." pollen pointed out
"Sorry man, you can't see em' " Tony said standing near the doorway "hey kids how was your trip?"
"It was amazing, thank you Mr. Stark." Nino smiled "So are these rooms."
"It was an unused room anyway, a bit of adjustments and voila!" he shrugged looking around "Oh, just so you know your friend Luka Coffaine-am I pronouncing that right?-will be arriving here."
"I asked Happy to pay them a visit and his mother literally threw the poor boy at him. Either way it worked out for him but his girlfriend...what's her name again?"
"Kagami Tsurugi." Vision and Chloe said in unison.
"Yes, Ms.Tsurugi's situation is a bit complicated since her-"
"-Mother didn't allow her." Marinette completed Sighing.
"I like this kid" he said looking at her "but honestly we didn't really ask her mom because I know how strict that Lady is. I met her in a charity gala and she was absolutely terrifying and I did not want to get Happy killed"
"So when will Luca be arriving?" Nino asked curiously.
"Tomorrow."