Nine years later...

A young woman sat beneath her window, basking in the morning sunlight and using it as light to work from. She had been up since dawn, hard at work, and now...

Marinette deftly snipped the thread with a tiny pair of scissors and tucked them into one of her pockets in one fluid motion. "There!" she said with a satisfied smile. She stood up, smoothing the dress out before folding it and wrapping it in paper, tying it off with twine. Another job was done.

Now all she had to do was deliver.

"I'm off!" she called, making her way down the ladder that led to her loft room above the main shop.

"Now?" Theo asked, looking up from his own work. "But Marinette, we've got-"

"Work to do, I know," Marinette interrupted as she backed out the door of the seamstress's shop. "But I promise, I'll be there and back before anyone knows I'm gone. I promise, I'll be right back!"

"Marinet-!" Theo sighed as the door shutting cut him off, lowering his sketchbook. The girl, his fellow apprentice, was already a quarter of a way down the road, he knew it. "I don't know how she finds the time for this," he muttered, returning to his designs.

"You know Marinette," whispered his neighbor as she deftly moved her needle, quiet so as not to disturb their employer's sleep. "If something needs to be done, she'll do it. And there's no changing her mind."

Marinette knew the streets better than she thought she would. The roads and layout of this small village were far smaller and simpler than her home village's, and despite her short time here she found herself moving automatically towards Manon's home. The sun warmed her hair and shoulders pleasantly, and she slowed her pace to enjoy it more.

The air was filled with the sound of people chattering amongst themselves, calling to their neighbors. She smelled various foodstuffs as she passed the butcher, the fruit vendor. As she crossed the footbridge, she paused to enjoy the sound of water lapping against the bank, the sound of the ducks.

Yes, it was much, much simpler here. More peaceful, too, and closer to nature. And she might have enjoyed living here very much, except...

Marinette's attention was grabbed by a trio of girls approaching her on the bridge. Pushing herself off the railing, she smiled and lifted a hand in greeting. "Good morning!" she said. "Nice day today, isn't-"

The girls breezed past, snickering quietly as they did.

Marinette sighed and lowered her hand, smile slowly fading to be replaced with a forlorn expression. "...it," she finished weakly. Well, she'd tried. With a small sigh, she readjusted her hold on her parcel and continued on her way.

She didn't understand it, not entirely. Oh, of course, she was a bit shy, Marinette could admit that easily. And it had been a bit rough for her to move from where she'd grown up, where she knew people – to this tiny village where she knew nobody.

But for the others her own age to disregard her the way they did...

She hadn't made a fool of herself, she knew that for certain. She'd arrived at the seamstress's with her bags and examples of her work – and to her knowledge the villagers had been impressed well enough. She got to work quickly enough, focused on her studies and her work... Okay, sure, she was a bit glum and quiet in the beginning, being so far from home and her family, but she didn't snap at anyone who came to call!

She just focused on her work, hoping that the next few months – or maybe years – of her new employment would pass quickly enough.

But her mother had written that it was all right! She was new in town, she had work to do, it only made sense that it'd take a while to make new friends, to really blossom in an unfamiliar place. And...and yes, she may be having difficulty coping with her employer and her attitude towards her help, but she could ignore that. She was stronger than that, it'd take more than a dismissive attitude and a few petty, discouraging words to tear her down! But...

But...

But there was only so much she could take. If she had a friend to speak to about the situation, about her loneliness in the village, about anything that wasn't related to work, Marinette could handle it.

But Marinette herself hadn't been able to make a friend with anybody.

She wondered if that was entirely her fault.

"Mama! Mama, Marinette's here!" cried a voice as Marinette approached a familiar house.

Well, she thought with a smile, she hadn't befriended anybody her own age.

"Marinette!" Manon screeched, launching herself out the door and tackling the young woman's waist in a hug. "What'd you bring me, what'd you bring me?!"

"Manon!" cried the girl's mother, frowning in disapproval. "Don't be impolite!"

"Oh, it's fine, Madame Chamack," Marinette chuckled. As Manon released her and stood back a few paces, the older girl knelt down, a secretive smile on her lips. "I did throw in an extra present for you," she whispered, winking.

Manon squealed, taking her parcel and running inside. "Thanks, Marinette! Thank you thank you thank you!"

"Manon!" Nadja Chamack cried, but her words were drowned out by the sound of ripping paper. Heaving an exasperated sigh, she shook her head and pressed fingers to her temple. "I'm truly sorry, Marinette-"

"Really, it's fine. Kids will be kids," Marinette said as she rose to her feet. "And it's really hard to stay mad at that face," she added in a low voice. Subtly she pointed beyond Nadja to where Manon was still visible, the little girl squeaking in delight as she lifted a princess doll from the top of her new dress.

Nadja laughed a bit before her expression softened, her brows down-turned. "Marinette," she began in a low voice so her daughter wouldn't hear. "How have you been doing lately? Are you adjusting well here?"

Marinette felt her face threatening to turn red. "Oh!" she hastily gasped, waving a hand in front of herself. "Oh, no – I mean, yes. I'm fine, things have been well! Why do you ask?"

"It's just... I understand it must be a bit difficult for you," Nadja began, frowning slightly and tilting her head. "I've seen you around the village several times, and you never interact with anyone either. I just don't want you to be-"

"It's fine," Marinette said hastily. "I'm just – I'm still adjusting, is all." She plastered a smile onto her face, hoping Madame Chamack believed her. "It's hard to get used to a new place, you know!"

"That's true... Will you stay for Manon's party today?" she mercifully changed the subject.

Marinette considered it. It would be nice to be with Manon a bit, and the little girl did like her. But then again, the only others at the party would be her little friends, and their parents. Nobody Marinette's age. Marinette did like kids, but she wasn't sure she could deal with this many at once – and she'd likely be pitied by the older ladies too. 'Poor thing, doesn't have a soul to talk to,' she could just hear them saying already.

"I...appreciate the offer," she began, "But I really need to get back to the shop. Madame Bureau will be waking up and opening shop soon, and I should be there when she does. She doesn't know I took this job," she added in a quick whisper.

Nadja's eyes widened and Marinette caught her smile before she covered it with her hand. "You're not getting into trouble by doing this, are you? I imagine she'd see this as cheating her out of money she could be making."

"Oh no," Marinette said, feeling her smile becoming less fake, more natural as she thought of it. "No, she doesn't know about any of this. Theo and Mireille promised not to tell her, and I'm good at keeping secrets."

She thought back to the small bag of money she'd stashed under her bed above the shop. Every bit of coin she earned from her own secret comissions (most of which were courtesy of Nadja, of course) went into that bag. That way, when she was finished with her apprenticeship at Madame Bureau's Bureau, she could leave straight away and open her own shop, in Paris. And her own house, full of friends!

She'd miss Manon and Nadja, of course, but-

...but that day wouldn't come for a long time.

Manon chose that moment to run out, princess doll in her arms. "Marinette! Are you going to stay?!"

"No, sorry!" Marinette blurted out, looking at a spot about Manon's head so she wouldn't be swayed by doll-eyes. "I just got done telling your mother, I gotta get back to the shop now. But I'll see you soon, okay?" She briefly knelt to give the little girl a hug, and then began walking back to her – no, someone else's – home. "Happy Birthday! Goodbye!"

"Bye-bye, Marinette!"

"Bye, Marinette – good luck!"

"Thank you!" Marinette called over her shoulder.

As she walked down the road and away from the one friendly face she knew here, her good mood started to decline again. Her feet dragged slightly, and her smile dropped.

She was going to be here for a while, commission or no. And Madame Bureau's attitude wasn't going to change, either. Maybe she should try harder to make friends her own age, at least to make things more bearable.

...maybe she ought to try again. Try harder. Make some friends with the people here. Maybe-

"Hey!"

Marinette jumped, heart leaping into her throat, but the shout wasn't directed at her. As she stopped in the middle of the bridge, she saw a middle-aged man leaning out of his open window, shouting at a group of younger teenagers running into town, away from the forest a short distance away.

"What did we tell you about going out there?!" he shouted, cuffing one boy on the back of the head.

The teenagers didn't seem to care, laughing and shouting as they scattered in several directions.

"We heard the demon!"

"I saw it, I saw it!"

"Did not, you liar – you ran like a baby!"

Marinette paused, frowning. What were they all talking about?

But everyone had already left, so with another small shrug, she continued on her way.

That evening, Alya grimaced as she passed one of the hallways near the back of the castle. So dark, torn apart and cracked... It was a real shame, it once looked so nice, all over the castle too – not just in half of it.

She supposed she should be happy though. At least half their home still looked nice, and was actually livable.

It was a small comfort, but sometimes small comforts were all they had.

"Nathalie!" she called, peering out from her new location. "Have you seen Chat Noir yet?"

Even from where she stood, Alya could see the older woman's form tense, back ramrod-straight. With a tense, barely-constrained voice, Nathalie replied "I have not... And I would dearly appreciate it if you would at least try to call him by his title."

Alya shrugged one shoulder. "Why bother?" she said, in a tone that was only a little grumpy. "It'll come out as something else anyway." A short pause, and she leaned further out, watching as Nathalie seemed to be surveying the damage to the hall. "What are you doing?"

"Trying to decide if it's worth cleaning this up," came the clipped reply. "It would make me happier and would be safer, but..." She left the rest of that sentence unfinished, and Alya could see her shoulders slump.

Despite their differences, Alya felt her heart go out for this woman. "Do you want help?"

"No. Thank you. It's fine, I just wish to be alone a moment."

"Well... all right. I'll be in the kitchens if you need me." And with that, Alya ducked back where she came from-

-and then popped out again, just in front of the kitchen doors. "Hey!" she called out, making her way through the slight crowd. "Hungry girl, coming through!"

"Alya!" Rose cried as the other girl plucked a macaron from a plate she was holding. "These are everyone's!"

"Then there's no trouble in letting me have one right now," Alya grinned. "Hey, anyone seen Sabrina?"

"I'm over here!" came a familiar voice from a far corner. "I've been here for the past half hour..." Sabrina sounded so despondent Alya felt her heart twist in sympathy for the second time in just thirty seconds.

"Ah, jeez, sorry, Sabrina, I-"

"It's okay...I'm used to it..." Sabrina mumbled.

"You haven't seen Chat, have you?" asked Rose. "I've been asking around, but-"

"Nah, I haven't either. Kim's outside too, right? Maybe he knows where he-"

"Nope, sorry."

"Seriously?! Where is he going all the time?!"

"Alya." This was a new voice.

Alya froze a bit at the way the voice sounded – it was hard for her to describe. Echo-y just a little, a bit 'full'...like someone speaking from the bottom of a cave with a huge lake in it. She knew this voice. With another sigh, she turned around, locking eyes with Nino. "Yeah?" she said.

His dark blue-green eyes looked concerned, but calm at the same time. "He's fine," he told her, placing a cool hand on her shoulder and laughing when Alya playfully brushed at the wet spot left behind. "You know how he is – he just wants some air. He'll be back before it's time to turn in, I'm sure of it."

"I know..." Alya grumbled. "I can't help it, though – I wish he'd warn us before he takes off like that! What if something happens out there? What if someone sees him?!"

"He'd never let that happen," Nino reassured her.

Outside, high in the treetops, a black figure stood against the setting sun. It looked up, tilting its head back as if taking a long, deep breath. Then with a twitch of its ears and a few quick, graceful movements, it leaped to the next tree, and the next, and the next.

"Chat's too fast for anyone to really see him."