"So, how much longer until Sunshine wakes up?" Red Hood asks.
"It shouldn't be too much longer." Red Robin informs. "Once she wakes up though, we will need the paramedics to check her over one last time and Gordon still needs to take her statement. I still can't believe she beat Scarecrow while under the influence of the fear toxin. My readings here show that this was a more strong and potent strain than the one we are used to."
"Wow." Nightwing turns his attention to Red Hood. "Why didn't you tell me that this 'Sunshine' of yours was such a bad ass? You know when B finds out about her, he will immediately want to adopt her."
Jason sighs heavily. "Yeah. I honestly had no idea she was a bad ass. According to all the witnesses, she single handedly took out two of the tree guards Scarecrow had plus the creep himself. Her friend over there," he points to a blonde boy just on the other side of the police tape "he took out the last one. He's also the one who triggered the alarm for the emergency exit. We really need to look at the surveillance camera when we get back to the cave."
"Uh, hello?" All three hero's snap their heads into the direction of Marinette, who seems to just be waking up. "What happened?" She asks, slowly sitting up while rubbing her head.
"You were hit with Scarecrows fear toxin and you tackled him through a window." Jason answers first. "How are you feeling, Sunshine?"
She narrows her eyes at him for a long moment before finally responding. "I guess that explains the bandages on my arms." Marinette looks over herself to inspect the damage then looks over at Wayne Tower and the broken second story window. "Mr. Wayne probably won't be too happy I smashed his buildings' window."
"This isn't the first time something like this has happened, little lady." Nightwing reassures her. "And it certainly won't be the last. I know for a fact that he wont hold this against you."
"So Parisian girls crash through Mr. Wayne's window with a super villain on a weekly basis or something?" She jokes, trying not to feel too bad about what she did.
"No." Red Hood laughs. "It's usually just the villains and possibly one of us. You are one of a kind. Although I gotta say, I am very impresses. I don't think anybody in that entire building could have done what you did."
The bluenettes face goes red with the embarrassment of his complement. "W-well I don't know about that. I just wanted to save my class. We all used to have to deal with villains all the time back when Hawkmoth was still running the streets."
"Hawkmoth?" Red Robin questions. "Who's that?"
Marinette looked puzzled for a moment before answering. "He was Paris's villain of just over three years. He would target people with strong negative emotions and send out an akuma. A butterfly corrupted with dark energy that possess them. He would give people super powers in exchange of promising to obtain Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous. I can't believe you have never heard of this."
"No offence but that just sounds insane." Red Robin says. "And we deal with the clinically insane all the time. Plus, who is Ladybug and Chat Noir anyways? And what's a miraculous?"
Smiling, Marinette nods. "I guess from an outside perspective it would sound strange, but here, let me show you." She pulls out her phone from the small bag she is carrying. After tapping on it for a few moments, she turns it around to show the three heroes a video from a news helicopter.
They watch on as a news anchor describes the scene before her in French. She is above the Eiffel Tower and the camera zooms in on a large swarm of butterflies making out the face of none other than Hawkmoth. They also see a small girl in red polka doted spandex swinging a yo-yo, seemingly capturing all of the butterflies. She ends up making a lovely speech on how her and 'Chat Noir' would always be there to protect the city. At the end it showed her releasing all the butterflies, but instead of them being a sickly purple color, they are a beautiful pure white. She then shouts a few words and throws something into the air. Ladybugs swarm all around the air and seem to fix things that were once broke. The camera cuts to a stone statue before the magical ladybugs engulf it and replaces them with ordinary people. Then the video ends.
Marinette puts her phone back into her bag before saying "That was the first time Paris had to deal with Hawkmoth and this video doesn't really show all of the battle. It mainly just focuses on Ladybug and her speech. The miraculous are the jewels that give Ladybug, Chat Noir and Hawkmoth their powers. But dont worry, Ladybug and Chat Noir just recently caught Hawkmoth about a month and a half ago though so we no longer have to deal with the Eiffel Tower being destroyed every other week." She joked.
"The Eiffel Tower was destroyed?" Nightwing asked, a little confused. "You'd think that would make international headlines."
Marinette shakes her head. "No, it wouldn't because every time it was destroyed the miraculous cure fixes it. That were those magical ladybugs you saw in the video fixing things that were broken and bringing those people back that were turned into stone monsters." She went silent for a moment before speaking again. "You know, now that I think about it, it all makes sense. The mayor probably blocked international news media. Paris thrives on tourism and he knows that our country needs that income. I guess I don't really blame him. Not nearly as many people would come visit if they thought it was too dangerous"
"Uhm, okay." Nightwing says after a long pause. "By the way, we need a paramedic to look you over before your class can leave and the police also need to take your statement. You good with that?"
She nods and Red Robin goes to grab the nearest paramedic while Red Hood grabs Gordon. After she was looked over and her statement was taken, Madame Bustier quickly ushered her class onto the bus. Clearly the teacher didn't want to be there any longer than necessary.
--------------
Back at the hotel, Marinette and her friends gathered in her room for a sleepover. "That way we will all be late if Lila decides to pull something." Alix had said.
So, there they were, all piled up onto Marinette's hotel bed laughing at Disney movies. Chloe, Adrien and Mari were the only ones up now.
"I hate to admit it" Chloe whispered. "but they really are just the cutest thruple I have ever seen."
They all look over to where Kim, Alix and Max are sleeping at the head of the bed. Alix was in the middle with both Kim and Max draping their arms over her. All three teens smile at their adorable friends sleeping peacefully.
"Yeah, its so sweet it almost makes me sick." Adrien scoffs. "Hey, but now that they are sleeping can I see him?" He asks eagerly.
"I'm here kid." Plagg pokes his head out from behind the TV and zooms over to sit on the boys' lap. "How's it hanging?"
"I've been doing well," Adrien looks fondly at the kwami. "but I've really missed you. I almost miss the smell of stinky cheese too... Almost."
"Hey, you were the one who wanted to stop being Chat Noir and gave up the ring. That wasn't me kid. But I do agree. The bug is nice and all but I miss you too."
"Are you being nice for once?" The kwami sticks his tongue out at his previous holder. "M'lady has started to rub off on you, hasn't she?" He pauses for a moment. "I do think giving you up was a good thing though. I never had a chance to be a normal kid and now I do. Its freeing. Plus, I know our new guardian over here can handle you."
"Barely." Marinette scoffs. "He's a handful. It's like watching a toddler with a potty mouth that has an addiction to cheese. Don't you think so Chloe?" She looks to Chloe for her answer but finds her slumped over and gently snoring. "I guess we bored her."
"Her loss." Both Plagg and Adrien said at the same time before bursting into laughter.
Marinette watched the two fondly for a minute before briefly standing up. "I'm going to take Tikki and Kaalki up to the roof with me to sketch out some ideas I have. I think I should leave you two to catch up."
"Okay bug, but take a jacket with you. It's a little cold outside."
"Sure thing, Kitty." She smiles at her best friend. "And make sure you call Kagami before you fall asleep. I know she probably misses you."
Pulling on her jacket, she lets Kaalki and Tikki snuggle up into her inside pocket before taking her room key and sketch book and leaving for the roof. Her room was close enough to that top that she only had to climb about four stories to reach the rooftop access.
Sitting closer to the edge of the roof, she looks off to the horizon for inspiration. She finds herself sketching out elegant ball gowns and men's suits. Something about the moonlit city rooftops made her think of something you would dance in. Sighing deeply, she sets her sketch book down and stands up, gently tugging off her jacket.
"What are you doing Marinette?" Tikki squeaks from inside her pocket.
"I want to dance Tikki." She smiles down to her kwami. "I don't want you guys to get sick so make sure you two stay bundled up."
"We will." Kaalki says, excited to watch her guardian dance. It's a little-known secret that Marinette, even with all her clumsiness, is a fantastic dancer.