Now I've never been one to judge, but when Juleka mentioned hanging out at her house the last thing I expected was to be in the harbor looking at a large docked boat.
'Maybe I should have thought through going with these random people that I apparently go to school with?'
I shook the thought out of my mind because it was far too late for me to back out now. We walked along the dock towards the boat that Rose had excitedly pointed out a few minutes prior.
"Ya, my mom, my brother, and I live on a boat. It's pretty chill my mom is a little irresponsible. So we get free rein of the place most of the time"
I nodded along with her, " Ya I get that, I live mostly on my own. So do all these kids go to our school?"
Rose nodded happily, "They'll love you I'm sure."
I didn't feel like mentioning that she barely knew me herself, so I stayed quiet as we grew closer to the boat. A bunch of people that looked our age were already there, the only familiar thing on the boat being all the sound equipment and instruments.
"Wow, this place is sick."
A blush rose to Juleka's face, she rubbed her neck sheepishly.
"Ya, it's where our group tends to hang out"
Rose went first and held out her hand for me to help me down the stairs onto the boat. I thanked her and did the same for Juleka even though she probably doesn't need the help after living here for who knows how long.
"Hey, guys!"
Rose bounced over to the group excitedly, they turned to face us. A girl with blueish black-haired girl with bright blue eyes looked at me questioningly.
"Who's this?"
"I-"
"This is y/n she's the foreign exchange student the principal was talking about!"
Rose cut me off bursting at the seams with seemingly never-ending energy. The other girl's face lit up.
"It's nice to meet you! I'm Marinette, this is Ivan" She motioned to the bulky boy behind her.
"And Luka" She motioned to the other boy on her left who had blue-tipped hair, tan skin, and bright blue eyes.
"It's nice to meet you guys, I'm pretty sure I'll be in your class when school starts. Also, I met your mom today" I giggled.
Marinette looked surprised for a second, "Oh the bakery?"
I nodded. Everyone began to chat in smaller subgroups, I added a comment here and there but most of the conversations were about people or places I didn't know. My eyes scanned across the deck coming to rest on a black and white guitar leaning up against a bunch of boxes. I felt the itching feeling in my chest to pick it up and strum it, the best way to describe it would be nostalgia. Music was and will always be the only constant in my life.
"Do you play?"
I flinched out of my trance. I glanced to my right to see the boy with the blue-tipped hair gazing down at me curiously, he reminded me of Trevor just a little bit. Minus the fact, that Luka had a deeper voice and was a few inches taller. I looked back to the guitar with a sheepish smile.
"Ya a little"
I lied through my teeth. I've probably played every instrument on this ship. Luka walked over to the guitar strummed a few notes and handed it to me, with a challenging little smirk.
"Show me what you got,"
I smirked back wickedly never one to step down from a challenger. I took the guitar in my hands and started a little slow to keep up my amateur act. I glanced up at him one last time before launching into the chorus from 'One More Night', my favorite song from our first album. It was one of the most technically challenging pieces we've done and one of the only guitar solos I performed.
The look on Luka's face, when I was finished, was worth it, I struck a goofy pose before handing him his guitar back. I chuckled at his shock.
"Sorry for messing with you, I've played the guitar most of my life"
I turned to see the others with a similar look of surprise and I continued giggling at their expense, eventually, they joined in as well.
"So do you guys have a band or something?"
Rose nodded excitedly exclaiming "We are Kitty Section!"
"Sick name I think it matches you guys well."
They all looked amongst each other with proud little grins, mumbling bashful 'thank yous'. They remind me so much of when our band first started.
The band started their practice off shortly after, I hung out with Marinette watching the group from afar. We both lounged on beanbags chatting while they practiced different cords. It was nice being on the opposite side of the performance for once, but admittedly I had a longing to join them even though it wouldn't be the same as when I'm with my actual band.
"I'm so glad I met you guys I was scared I wouldn't make any friends before school."
I admitted sourly, Marinette put a comforting hand on my shoulder and shot me a sincere smile in response.
"You shouldn't worry so much everyone already likes you I'm sure the others will too"
"Thanks, I can't believe school starts in two days"
She groaned flopping back dramatically on her bean bag.
"Aww, I almost forgot!"
My phone started vibrating in my pocket so I pulled it out to be greeted with a text from Poppy telling me to head back so that we could get dinner soon. I shot her a response real quick and stood up.
"I got to head back home but I'll see you later."
I slung my bag over my shoulder and grabbed my skateboard. She gave me a pouty look.
"Are you sure we haven't even ordered pizza yet?"
I shrugged "Ya I wish I could stay."
"I'll text you then, we should meet up later."
I gave her a smile and a curt nod, turning on my heels towards the stairs that led off the boat. I waved at the band who was finally performing a full song, Rose saw me leaving and waved extra dramatically continuing to scream into the microphone. The others waved as well, just as I was stepping off the boat I locked eyes with Luka for a split second. I brushed it off and continued on my way.
I rode back with my air-pods in and my music blaring with my Google Maps on so I could find my way home. I hummed along to the tune as the city and people passed by in a blur. The city was gorgeous right now, the perfect mix of summer heat and early fall breeze. I heard a bit of mumbled yelling through my earbuds but I ignored it thinking it didn't involve me.
I zoomed along for a few more minutes in peace when I started to notice people running in the opposite direction as me. Cars were screeching past and bicyclists were turning around in their tracks. I stopped and took an earbud out surveying my surroundings, people were screaming 'What's happening?'.
Suddenly a colorful explosion threw me to the paved ground, I fell with a thud and rolled onto my stomach slightly. Hissing in pain, I pushed up onto my elbows and ripped my other earbud out. I looked around as the multi-colored dust settled, the building next to me was completely covered in a solid green substance. I looked down the street and was met with a strange boy standing on a hoverboard in a neon multicolored lab coat holding a lot of different colored vials. He was tall, wore goggles, and had disheveled neon-green hair.
"I am Chemical and Paris is my experiment for the taking!"
He threw his head back and yelled into the sky. He flew around on his hoverboard throwing different vials at pedestrians, trapping them in multicolored globs of goo.
I attempted to stand up, groaning in pain, my ankle was on fire. I crawled across the pavement to a car parked on the curb and used it as a support to get up so I could limp to safety. I turned my back on the destruction and tried to run like the others that passed me did.
"Oh is that a new test subject I see?"
I didn't have to turn around to know who he was talking about. Chemical squealed giddily as he flew towards me I tried running but my ankle was screaming in pain. When he finally was closer to me he launched a vial right at my face. I flinched and covered myself unable to move quickly enough to dodge.
The green sludge never came though, and I was swooped to the side by a blur of black leather.
"Now that's not very nice, didn't your teacher ever tell you not to play with chemicals!"
I looked at where I stood trying to register that the pile of goo sitting there could have been me. I looked up at my savior who still clutched me tight to his chest by my hip.
He was clad in black leather with cat ears and a mask. His blonde hair was shaggy and unkempt and his eyes were piercingly green. My brain finally filled in the blanks that this was Chat Noir, and he had just saved me from being another one of this villain's victims. I first heard of him and Ladybug on our tour last year. I thought it was cool that the city had its superheroes keeping everyone safe. It's one of the reasons I was drawn back here in the first place.
Chemical screeched in rage, charging straight for us.
"You'll regret that you mangy cat!"
Chat Noir tightened his grip on my waist and raised his baton.
"Hold on Princess this might get messy!"
The next few seconds passed in a blur, one minute I was being held by the hip the next I was slung over Chat Noir's shoulder. Chemical lunged at us but Chat simply dodged and pressed his baton, which extended into the ground. With a single jump, we flew up to the height of the buildings. He leaned us slightly to the right and suddenly we were tumbling to the top of the building.
I gripped his shoulder for dear life and scrunched my eyelids as tight as they would go. As soon as Chat's feet hit the pavement of the building he took off sprinting away from the villain that was hot on his trail. He was somehow managing to gain distance while running, even while carrying me over his shoulder. Finally, after a while, I could hear Chemical's cries of frustration dissipate into the horizon behind us. After a little while longer of running on the rooftops, he slowed down his pace until finally stopping. I peeled my eyes open hesitantly and released him from the death grip I had on his right shoulder.
"Well, m'lady there's a ladder right here to get down. Try to stay out of trouble."
"T-Thanks for the save"
I wavered a bit as he set me down, limping over to the ladder. He frowned at me, taking a step forward.
"You sure you don't need any more help?"
I shook my head with a smile as my hand reached the ladder and I climbed onto it, I turned to him.
"Don't worry about me you've done enough. Now go, your partner probably needs you"
And with that, I shot him a quick little smirk and slid down the ladder.
I was about half a block away when I realized I didn't have any idea where I was. I took my phone out of my bag groaning at the fact it now sported a shattered screen, and the battery was dead. I scanned my surroundings for anything familiar. I looked down an alleyway between two buildings on a random street and spotted the park where I had met Rose and Juleka. This would be great news if my ankle wasn't twisted and I didn't have my skateboard anymore.
'At this point, I won't be home till sunset'
I thought bitterly, as I began limping my way down the alley trying to find my route home.
I was just beyond the park and in the final few blocks of my trek when a familiar black cat ran on the roof above me. As I had predicted the sun was setting making the sky golden and the streets were almost empty. If I stopped now I wouldn't make it to my apartment before dark. So I kept on my way, ignoring the hero. Eventually, the footsteps stopped suddenly before Chat jumped down in front of me, landing in a superhero pose and giving a little bow.
"Hello Purrincess, I just was dropping off a gift." '
I chose to ignore his terrible pun, raising an eyebrow as he reached behind his back to pull out the 'gift' he brought. My face must have lit up with joy because he smiled at me, pulling out my skateboard.
"My Board! I thought it broke in the fight!"
He shook his head with a cocky grin.
"I was able to find it, here" He handed it to me.
"Thanks, man you're a lifesaver, and don't make a pun about that"
His mouth hung open mid-joke with no words coming out, defeatedly he frowned. As he fake pouted I brushed past him, I was on a mission to get back home. Even though my ankle was busted and I couldn't skateboard I would make it home even if it was the last thing I did. He fell in slow limping step with me, which must have looked pitiful but I couldn't really worry about that right now.
"Where you off to princess?"
"My house"
He looked at me confused. "It's been like a half hour you haven't stopped home yet?"
I shook my head. "My apartment is like halfway across the city and-"
"I dropped you off in the opposite direction!"
He finished for me, and a look of horrified realization crossed his face.
"Well looks like I'm giving you a free trip home before I change back"
I shot him a weird look. "Change ba-aghhhh?"
He caught me off guard by swooping me up bridal style like I was a sack of feathers and used his baton to jump onto the roof. My death grip returned as I wrapped my free arm around his neck drawing myself as close to him as possible. My other holding my bag and skateboard. He smiled cheekily down at me, I shut my eyes.
"Hold on Princess."
After a few minutes of a breathless ride, I gave instructions blindly while Chat chuckled at my expense. We made it to my house. He set me down gently on my feet in front of the bookshop.
"Thank you for riding air Chat Noir, the current time is 8:58"
He said checking his baton before crossing his arms across his chest. I rolled my eyes at his antics, peering up at him with a little grin.
"Thanks for the ride Chat Noir!"
I turned on my heels, walked up the steps to my door, and pulled out my keys from my bag.
"Hey, I never got your name, Princess?"
He called after me from the street, and I smiled.
"Y/n."
I closed the door on his now retreating form into the night.
'What a strange cat.'
After getting chewed out by Poppy about being home so late and not charging my phone. We ate some takeout she ordered on the couch. My ankle was elevated on the wooden coffee table wrapped in a bag of peas. Poppy turned to me just as I set my chopsticks down in my rice container.
"I have a surprise for you!"
I looked over at her from my spot on the opposite side of the couch.
"Wow um you didn't have to I-"
She stood up and walked into the other room before I could continue, returning moments later holding a small box with a blue bow, and plopping the present into my lap. I looked at her startled.
"This couldn't wait till after dinner?"
She gave me a sheepish grin, brushing some of her pin-straight red hair out of her face.
"Technically no plus you know I can't keep secrets, and I figured you would need it after today." I cast. my gaze down at the surprisingly heavy box and lifted the top open with ease. Tears peaked at the corners of my eyes when I registered what was inside, I reached down and picked up an adorable husky pup. He was black and white with one blue and one brown eye. I squealed in joy hugging him to my chest as he squirmed up to lick my jawbone.
"Thank you so much!" I continued squealing like an idiot.
She grinned at me and pulled me into her warm embrace.
"I figured he would help keep you company while I'm not here. Studies show that pets can help a variety of mental health problems."
Ever the worrying manager she continued to list facts and how to properly care for the puppy for the next hour. I had already begun washing the few dishes we used while the puppy was zooming around the living room when Poppy finally finished listing off facts. Growing up I never had the option of owning a pet because I was traveling so often. I always wanted a husky, and I had expressed this offhandedly to the band in the past. "
"What are you going to name him."
She asked while flipping channels on the TV. I paused my dish drying to think for a second.
"I think I'll name him...Snickers."