Mia Mizoguchi walked the streets of Gotham City. Alone.
She sighed thinking about how well the day had started. She and her friends had gone to hang out at the Gotham City mall. They had laughed at Damian's expressions of disgust at having to be kind to order food. She and Lucy had gone to buy clothes while the boys complained (Mia suspected that Lucy did it on purpose to annoy the boys), they were going to the pet store when the four had received the call.
The four young heroes had been summoned by the Young Justice team for a mission.
Mia was happy for her friends, seriously.
Particularly for Lucy, it had taken time but, at last, the Justice League and the Young Justice team had stopped seeing her as the Joker's daughter. Now, they saw her as Zinger, the only one who could endure Nightwing's acrobat training.
Collin was happy to be part of something bigger, and Damian and John could find their way as heroes without having to stick to their parents and their methods.
Mia was happy for her friends, but still...
It hurt to not be there with them.
When they had missions in Gotham City, as Maps, she could help them by providing information and hacking enemy systems. Her cartography skills were always useful but, when her friends worked with Young Justice, they didn't need her… and that felt horrible.
She knew that Damian had tried to convince Batman to let her in, but he had refused. Mia was, after all, a civilian without training for battles. Although Batman approved the inclusion of Maps in Damian's team, Young Justice was out of the question. It hurt, but she understood and accepted.
Batman had already made many exceptions with her; letting her be part of Damian's team, letting her into the batcave, not kicking her out when she got excited like a girl at a carnival and began to grab batarangs as if they were candy, etc.
She only hoped one day to be able to be with her friends while they fought crime.
Smiling with determination, she shook her head and took out her phone. After all, she wouldn't become a hero if she just sat.
"Very good Lucy, Damian. What do you have for me?"
Meanwhile, in Mount Justice, Damian's team was preparing for their mission.
"Poor Mia." mentioned Collin. "We left her hanging."
"Mizoguchi already knew that this was likely to happen."
"Don't be insensitive, Damian!" Jon complained. "Collin is right, poor Mia."
"Bringing Mizoguchi to a serious mission would be counterproductive and she would only get hurt."
"Translation: Damian is worried that Mia might get hurt."
"I didn't ask you to 'translate', Quinzel."
"Certainly, it was a community service."
"Anyway, I don't like Mia not being here." Jon complained. "She's our Maps."
"Neither the League nor the team would allow a civilian, even a capable one, to enter here as if it were nothing." Damian said while taking out his katana. "It would be dangerous to have someone without the proper training included in our missions."
Everyone was silent while Lucy glanced at Damian.
"What are you hiding from us?"
"What are you talking about Kent?"
"Lucy has that 'I want to tell you but I can not' look"
"Quinzel! I told you to work on that look!"
"I can't help it!"
" I knew it! Something happened!"
"What is it about?"
"Is it about Batman?"
"Is it referring to Mia?"
"No," Damian answered at the insistence of his teammates, "it's about Maps."
Everyone, including Lucy, looked at him strangely.
"Is that not the same?"
"It isn't, Abuse."
"Ah, the hero names."
"But I thought the League had said that Batman couldn't let Maps in?"
"He can't."
"Okay, Damian, you are leaving me more lost than a snake in shoes store." Lucy complained.
"My father told me that he could not include Maps on the team because they see her only as a talented cartographer but if we find someone who, besides their intelligence, can defend herself…"
"We're not going to replace Mia!"
"That's not what I said Kent."
Collin was the first to grasp the double meaning behind Damian's words.
"They are looking for a new identity for Mia."
It was not a question. Damian was smug.
"I knew there was hope for you, Wilkes."
Everyone was silent, processing the young Wayne's words.
"The League and Young Justice opposed to Maps." Lucy said with a smug smile. "It is sooo typical Batman to seek legal loopholes in the words of the two teams in which he was a founding member."
"Isn't that lying? I do not like to lie."
"Well, Kent, what do you call having a secret identity?"
"It's not the same."
"I know you don't like the idea Jon," Lucy said while tying her hair in a ponytail, "but in this deceptive world, we sometimes have to be cunning."
"I have a question. Why do we have to do all this?" Collin asked. "Well, I mean, Oracle isn't a fighter, at least not anymore. She's a hacker and an intelligence agent for the Batfamily. What is the difference between her and Maps?"
"Basically the fact that, before being Oracle, she was Batgirl." Damian replied. "She was already part of this world. The league does not want to put any civilian unable to defend themselves at risk and, honestly, Gordon is still skilled."
"Once Mia is inside, there is no going back," Lucy explained, "so we are preparing her for that."
Everyone remained silent until Nightwing approached where the young heroes were.
"Are you guys ready? I'm about to assign the missions."
With a settlement on behalf of all the young heroes, they moved towards the area where they would receive their mission.
×××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××
The next day, in London
London was a wonderful city, the streets felt historic, it was genuinely beautiful. That was something Nadja could appreciate. What she didn't appreciate was having to run through it's busy streets being dragged by her 9-year-old daughter.
"Manon, go slower please."
"But mom, we'll be late!"
"Sweetheart, the Hyde Park has been open for almost four hundred years, I don't think it will go anywhere."
"What if they close and don't let us in?"
"I already told you, I verified it, they don't close until midnight."
"Then we have to hurry so we can see everything."
"Manon, it's barely 3 in the afternoon."
Still, Nadja smiled. She liked to see her daughter so excited and happy.
By the time Nadja had been invited to the World Media Congress and the following Reporters Gala, whose headquarters would be in London, she had begun planning what to do. She had not been given much time, just a week in fact, but she had managed to get an itinerary that would allow her to continue her work as a journalist and spend time with her daughter.
She had doubts about taking Manon with her on her trip but, upon learning that Marinette would go on a trip on Friday night, she knew she had to take her daughter with her. She would not entrust her daughter to anyone else.
Manon was excited to see The Rose Garden. She knew that she would surely have to buy a new SD for Manon's phone because the little girl would fill it with photos.
That was a peculiarity she had acquired thanks to Marinette.
Manon was depressed from being akumatized for the fifth time, her schoolmates weren't cruel but Manon felt a little lost. The thing she liked most in the world, playing with her dolls, was always the theme of her villain alter-ego.
Nadja didn't know what to do,especially considering her job didn't allow her to be with her daughter as much as she wanted.
One day, she had to cover a very important event and asked Marinette to take care of Manon.
Marinette had felt terrible when she saw the little ball of energy so discouraged, so she decided to take her for a walk. She took her to Le Jardin du Luxembourg, the little girl had been ecstatic surrounded by such beauty and had discovered a passion for photography. Her pictures were far from professional but they were still surprisingly good for being taken by a little girl.
Anyway, seeing her little girl running, excited, taking photos of roses from different angles, Nadja could not help smiling. They had been in the garden for a couple of hours when Nadja called her daughter.
"Remember that we have to go back to the hotel soon, Manon."
"Sure mom," said the little girl while taking another picture, "just let me take a picture of this rose and send it to Marinette."
"That's very sweet of you honey," Nadja looked at her daughter with love, "but hurry up, I would like to be on time to the dining room for dinner."
"Yep mom, I'm coming."
Mother and daughter walked back to the hotel which was only 10 minutes from Hyde Park. It was the same hotel that would host the congress.
"Are you going to look for that friend of yours mom?"
"That's the plan, darling"
That was the main reason why Nadja had agreed to go to the Congress on such short notice. She had to find someone to help her.
The situation in Paris was critical, all citizens were basically emotional hostages of the villain Hawkmoth. Nadja, like all Parisians, trusted Ladybug and her team to catch the villain but, after Hawkmoth realized Manon's creative potential, he had begun to target the little girl. It was already been 5 times that the poor girl became Puppeteer, more and more powerful than the previous one.
She knew for a fact that Ladybug and the Mayor had tried to contact The Justice League, but they had dismissed them as a joke.
Well, Nadja couldn't be dismissed just like that.
So, the moment they entered the hotel dining room, she started looking for the only person who she knew for sure would help her. She didn't have to search much.
"Nadja, is that you?"
Smiling, relieved, she turned to see her old friend.
"Long time no see. How have you been Louis?"
×××××××××××××××××××××××××××××××
Two days later, in Paris
It was a beautiful afternoon in Paris. The weather was beautiful, they were in the beginning of March and it wasn't too cold. And the most important thing for the day to be counted as pleasant was the fact that, for once, there had been no akumas. Normally, that would mean it was a day to calm down and relax.
I said usually but these guys are not normal.
On the outskirts of Paris was the abandoned Chateau de Rothschild. The exterior had been converted into a park with games for children but everyone knew that the mansion had been abandoned decades ago.
This place had become the hideout for the team of Parisian heroes.
At that same moment, Marc Anciel was wondering why he had lunch.
Kagami was taking her work as a teacher seriously, which meant she was squeezing poor Marc.
"More speed!"
"Yes ma'am!"
"Your posture is incorrect!"
"Yes ma'am!"
"Use more force in your lunges!"
"Yes ma'am!"
"Don't just say 'Yes ma'am'!"
"Yes ma'am! I mean no ma'am! I mean …" Marc turned to see Feu Fox with tears in his eyes. "Nath, what do I mean?"
"I'm sorry Marc, but I have three reasons to not intervene. Number 1, we need you to be ready for battle. Number 2, don't use real names while using miraculous. And number three.. "
" Kagami scares him."
"Kagami scares me... Chloe! Don't mess with me!"
"You know it's true."
"No it isn't."
"Yes it is."
"No, it isn't!"
"Yes, it is."
"No!"
"Yes!"
"Enough you two!" Kagami scold them. "You are interrupting the training."
"Yes ma'am!" both of them said at the same time.
Marinette and Luka watched the scene with a smile. Both were practicing fighting styles that fit Ladynoir and Rock Linx. The kwamis laughed when they saw the interactions of their users.
Marinette sighed, Marc was supposed to be on probation and therefore shouldn't know their identities, but things had gone wrong when an Akuma attacked at the exact moment they were talking to Marc.
The boy had helped the heroes and discovered Nathaniel and Chloe by accident. Marinette decided that it was best for him to know everyone's identity, so she could look for Kagami or Luka at the time of an attack.
Even so, he was still on probation. He was not allowed to patrol with them and he had to go through Kagami and Luka's training to be ready.
Conte Dragon and Serpent were identities that he would only use if necessary.
"I think is enough, Kagami." Marinette said, pitying Marc. "It's Luka's turn."
Kagami nodded and Marinette smiled when she saw Marc say a mute thank you.
"Talking about snails with arthritis," Nathaniel said, "when are you girls leaving?"
"Our flight leaves tomorrow night. Just in time for Mari-hime and Chloe's incompetent teacher to not have the opportunity to interfere."
"I wouldn't call her incompetent."
"That's because Maribug is too kind."
Marinette blushed to see everyone, including Marc, nod.
"Anyway, Chloe, did you finish the essays?"
"Ugh, don't remind me, I swear my fingers still hurt from writing so much."
"Well, then I think we're ready."
"Why don't we make it a sleepover tonight?" Luka said, seeing everyone worry at the prospect of the absence of the three girls. They would take Kaalki with them just in case it was absolutely necessary to return to Paris, but still, the idea made everyone nervous.
"Good idea, we can do it in my hotel. Nathaniel and Marc come with me to start fixing everything."
"Typical of you littlebee, you want to put us to work."
"Do not call me little bee, and Marc, remove that expression of astonishment from his face. It's ridiculous, utterly ridiculous. Obviously you are invited."
"Chloe is right. Just let me call mother to ask permission."
"Go ahead! Anyway, I don't want any funny business between you and Luka so I'll put you both in separate rooms."
"CHLOE!"
"My hotel, my rules."
Marinette laughed when she saw a very flustered Kagami chasing Chloe while she was laughing.
Luka had remain quiet, smiling while trying to hide his blush, and Nath and Marc laughed, one laughing out loud and the other only slightly, watching the scene.
Those little pieces of peace made everything worthy.
"Gotham, get ready, here we come!"
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OK
There is chapter IV.
This one was mostly to get things ready. So just to make everything clear
The part of the story in Gotham happens on Monday, later on, the London part, it happens in Tuesday, and the Paris part, happens in Thursday.
The girls leave the next day in Friday night.
So yes that's it.
The next Chapter will be the first encounter between Damian and Marinette so get ready.
Last but definitely not least I wanted to thank my friend Aegyobutpsycho for helping me editing this chapter.
So I think that's it.
Farewell fellows
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