Behind the Walls

A/N: kind of binged the entire series of Avatar this weekend and Ba Sing Se (and a good portion of AoT) inspired me to this story. Well, we first start off with a bit of an history lesson ~

Chapter 1: History Lesson

In year 1913, the first Akuma sightings were recorded.

Horrible creatures with glowing eyes and purple skin. They were sighted in European woods a few times, scaring some lone farmers and hunters. Those who encountered them were soon declared lunatics, it was only a shadow they had seen, a reflection from the sun, maybe. The time of fairy tales were over, there was nothing dangerous in the woods.

Few people went missing and though the search parties turned up empty handed, they never made a connection between the missing people and the strange shadows.

No one really cared for them anyway, for they never did anything but stare or run away. Those, who insisted that there really was something were dismissed. Akumas faded into minor myths that were shadowed by the killing of the Austrian crown prince one year later. No one really paid them much mind, with Europe being plunged into a horrifying war that soon inflicted the entire world. Unfortunately, the weird creatures turned out to be a danger far greater than they could have guessed.

In year 1916, in the middle of that horrible war, the profane conflicts collapsed. Creatures entered the battlefield. Creatures no one had ever seen or heard of. Wild beasts, tearing open throats and rib-cages in the muddy confines of that horrible, everlasting battle.

The Akuma, far greater in count than they could have guessed, turned aggressive.

That had been the first massive sighting, the first sign that something was on its way.

It was a mistake to declare the battle over when Falkenhayn, returning to his position after Hindenburg's death, took the offensive again and took over Verdun. The French army soon won back the ground, but the damage was done.

Many soldiers returned with horrifying stories about monsters with deep purple eyes that glowed in the dark, screams of men falling victim to their razor sharp teeth.

That first appearance will later mark the beginning of the war, in December 1916.

When the USA joined the war in 1917, they brought with them stories of demons and evil ghosts. The Germans, only fuelled by Japanese soldiers, were the first who called them Akuma. Or Demon. Possessed human souls, deprived of any feelings and memories, stripped of their humanity. The skyrocketing numbers of missing people only fuelled the legend.

With the USA joining the war and the Russian revolution in October, the war quickly turned, but in a way no one could have guessed.

When Lenin's men entered the Russian palace, they found the entire Romanov family, lying in their own blood at their feet, a creature hovering over the dead bodies. Those few who survived described a similar picture as the soldiers at Verdun did.

No one did anything yet, the fear and sheer disbelief of the creatures' nature blinding the generals to the threat.

Crop failures in Germany were the first sign of anything unusual, but when the first children showed signs of supernatural nature, they were hidden or killed, in fear of them turning into those Demons.

But more and more attacks from Akumas on both sides weakened the fronts, and Germany gave up in 1918, due to the Allies simply having a greater headcount. Everyone was weakened and scared in the face of the new enemy.

That was the reason the sanctions concerning the axis were pulled to the back. They first had to fight the evil within their lines.

Soldiers were turning into beasts, some even in the infirmaries. The myth of the missing people was confirmed. Akuma were humans, turned into something abnormally cruel and inhuman. That's how they leaned of the first symptoms as well.

Later they would learn that it was extreme negative emotions that were the catalyst, but as soon as the body showed the first symptoms, it would be over.

First, the man would get a high fever. Unable to be controlled, it would skyrocket, their eyes and veins turning into a purple colour, until the man died. Hours later, the deceased's eyes would flutter open, dark tears running out of their facial openings, the soul being already lost.

Some declared the bodies to be possessed, but after some victims were seen screaming for lost ones, for family and friends, they came to the horrifying realization that the souls had never truly left the bodies. They were not infectious, but in immense pain.

The bones restructured and the intestines turned liquid. They turned to monsters, prowling on four feet, deep purple with sharp teeth, claws and hollow eyes.

The war had caused many soldiers to fall victim to Akuma, European countries overflowing with men turned Akuma. Great Britain chose splendid isolation, refraining from any contact with the other countries, as a means of self-preservation.

The USA turned their back first, however news soon crossed the ocean of people turning even over there, with next to no contact to any Europeans. France and Germany were the first to be completely overrun; Berlin, the first main city to fall. Weimar, being the next capital city, closed itself off, building walls in the inner center. Frankfurt, a smaller city at that time, closed off as well, building walls with field and forests within, ready to plant everything they needed in their inner sanctum. Anyone showing symptoms were instantly shot and thrown over the walls. Many European cities copied them.

When Weimar fell to the Akuma stapled at the outer wall which simply climbed the defences in 1929, followed shortly by Warsaw and Lyon in 1930, the cities doubled their efforts, with higher walls and better training for the young ones.

Those young ones developed powers. Like nature was searching for some kind of balance, more children were born with magical abilities. They were called 'gifted'. Gifted by god, blessed with the ability to create, to destroy. They had more strength and speed, higher senses and a higher chance of killing Akuma.

The Gifted were those who build the army in the later years. Protests in the sixties changed the view of those with powers. Not every child was born with them, but those who did were supposed to lead them, were supposed to lead them to peace, as some called it in the early 80s.

Those wishes aside, the safety and protection of humanity was the main point for every government.

That was how Paris ended up with four concentric rings, being stable to the present day. The Outer Ring, the highest and most solid wall of all three was protecting the most spacious part.

The Outer Ring was filled with fields. Crops and vegetables grew there, animals grazed. A huge forest to keep the illusion of a still functioning wildlife. Few farmers lived there, taking care of the city's food and well-being. The second ring, called Safe Zone, was filled to the brim with people. Refugees, craftsmen and artists. People with low income and even lower standards.

In 1969 the Laboratories of Human Research and Development was founded and placed here as well, acting as a symbol of hope. Doctors and scholars were searching for a cure within the highly confidential walls.

The third ring, protected by a slightly taller wall than the one between the Outer Ring and the Safe Zone, was vastly smaller than the Safe Zone. The Moyenne inhabited fewer people. Those with a bit of money were able to rent a home on their own, were able to get a proper income and proper schooling. Notre Dame was inside, one of the few monuments that survived the war. As well as the city's university and the Academy for Human Survival, AHS for short.

The inner circle, separated by an even thicker and even higher wall, was called Gouvernement. As the name implied, the government lived there. Those people striving to lead the city, the rich and famous, but also the strongest of their kind, those soldiers who had proven their worth in the war against the Akuma. City Hall was there. Legends said the streets were made of gold, but that was merely fantasy, born of the fact that no one was allowed to enter the Gouvernement, unless they lived there or were invited.

The government maintained contact with the other cities, every sturdy town in a similar arrangement. Rings and higher walls proved their value.

Outside of those cities prowled Akumas. After one hundred years, they were barely reduced in number, being killed by those gifted children, killed by those who were soldiers fighting for human dominance.

Still, no one knew their origin, no one knew who or what selected those that began to show symptoms. It still happened, seemingly without reason. Random people would be infected, ill to the point of no return. No healing, no mercy. Should any Akuma penetrate the city, running rampant, especially in the Safe Zone, people would break into a panic. The Akuma would not only slaughter the city's inhabitants, but would cause a major panic that would not only infect that particular ring, but the entire city.

A panic must be avoided at all costs.

The tightly packed architecture of the Safe Zone and the amount of people living there would swarm the Moyenne and Gouvernement. There would be no surviving a panic in the Safe Zone, except by closing the gates and letting thousands, millions of people fall to a deathly destiny.

That was the world Marinette was born into. Living in Moyenne, she was not really strong. Her gift barely manifested and weak to the core. She was not really beautiful either. Loving to play in mud and with boys and girls of the Safe Zone, she was more boyish than other girls her age. Her flat chest and lack of roundness to her hips made her look more like a twelve year old with the mind of a sixteen year old.

Adrien was born in Gouvernement. His father, a high politician, a designer at heart with the mind of a ruthless businessman. His mother died when he was young, falling victim to the Akuma. Due to this traumatic experience, his father shut him off, homeschooling him and not letting him out of the mansion he lived in, the lessons rarely taking place past the mansion's grounds. His gift was highly valuable, being able to destroy anything he touched had 'gotten rid' of his turned mother at the soft age of ten.

Now, he was sixteen and was required by law to leave Gouvernement and join the other gifted in AHS.

That's when Marinette and Adrien met for the first time.

:

Marinette was running late. Her first day at AHS and she'd miss the Sorting.

She had been awake half the night, worrying over her first day. The Academy for Human Survival trained gifted children to become soldiers, part of the police or simple protectors. Her father was a protector and she strived to be as well. Protectors were those who trained at the Academy, but choose to serve the city. Mingled with the folk, or in politics, they did not fight actively, but served as some kind of calm anchor.

Civilians without a gift were secure as long as a protector was with them. Safe in case of an emergency. Protectors solved arguments and were responsible for the calm in the city. They knew the safety protocols as well as the police or the military, and could, at any time, be drafted to act as police officers, who took care of the general safety.

Police officers were mainly used in the Safe Zone, where crimes were a daily occurrence.

The military were active outside, fighting Akuma, detecting and eliminating nests or cocoons. Marinette had no wish to go outside. She did not want to be a police officer either, having had unpleasant encounters with several when she had been out with her friends in the Safe Zone. They were often corrupt and ruthless, accusing anyone of anything.

So, protector it was.

That was if she was even able to attend AHS.

Her worries from the previous nights were not due to her inability to choose a future career, no, that one was clear. Protector and fashion designer. What she was worried about was the Sorting.

Every first year student needed to be sorted. With the help of a test, the teachers at the Academy evaluated your gift, giving it marks and a ranking. The higher the ranking, the higher your likely future career and income. The lower the ranking, the more useless you were considered.

They even declined kids with a power that was useless or not up to their standards. After the first year, they sorted again, those with next to no value were discarded then as well.

Those who failed and returned to a 'normal' school were often laughed at. They failed at protecting the city, failed at being useful. They often dropped out when they came of age, failing to be part of sociality. Falling into the Safe Zone.

With Marinette's power... well, she was bound to leave the school early on. Even she did not know what her power contained, how could teachers value her in the course of a simple day?

When children grew up, they generally followed a similar pattern of development. The powers manifested in sparkles or a higher sense of danger or strength by the age of four or five. Then, later on, the gift took a shape. Super strength, like her father or being able to make illusions, some more solid than others, like her best friend Alya.

But her gift... well, it was kind of stuck. Sure, she had developed the magic earlier than anyone, she had been only a few months old when she began to produce pink and red sparkles, playing with them in her crib.

Despite the high praises and prophecies of her being one of the strongest the city had ever seen, her powers did not manifest any further.

Yep, it stayed with the pink sparkles, much to the amusement of all the kids surrounding her. She was mocked often to the point she declared having no powers at all.

However, the law stated that everyone with a hint of a gift was to be sorted, so Marinette was forced to attend the sorting. Should she miss it, her family would have to suffer repercussions.

With a heavy sigh, she sprinted the rest of the way, slamming against the wide doors of AHS, when they were about to close. Quickly apologizing to the guy that was about to shut her out, she scrambled to the courtyard, where students were waiting.

Huffing, Marinette was able to make out her best friend, Alya Césaire. "Mornin'," she wheezed, leaning heavily on her knees while she tried to catch her breath.

Alya only laughed. "Girl, I was worried you wouldn't make it."

"Me too," she whined. "Even though I don't really know what I'm doing here."

"Come on, it won't be too bad. Maybe you'll get in even without any powers. You have a heavy fighting style, they need to recognize it's value," she tried to cheer her, rubbing her back.

It was true. Due to her lack in any power and her young days out in the Safe Zone, Marinette had learned to protect herself from any kind of criminal, rapist or low-key power. She was able to parkour and lift anything that was thrown in her way. Within a reasonable weight range, of course. She always wore a dagger at her left thigh and a weighted yoyo at her right, able to smash anyone's face with the small disk.

She was good in street fights, but her sparkles, the reason why she was here was useless.

"I don't think they care much about a knife." Glancing around, she gestured to a boy that towered over them. "I mean, that guy is practically made of stone and I think I saw a girl that turned into a dragon earlier," Marinette argued. "I, on the other hand, am only able to do pink swirls."

"Highly valuable pink swirls," Alya grinned. "Come on, where's your sunny and always positive nature?"

"Still sleeping in my bed."

They giggled, but soon stopped when the chatter around them died as well. A man had climbed a small podium in front of them. Marinette strained her neck to get a view. He was bulky and slightly chubby, looking more like an owl like a man.

"Good morning, future students of Francois Dupont's Academy of Human Survival," he grinned, his fake grin nearly splitting his face in two. His round eyes were merrily twinkling in the light, but they held none of the joy he was portraying with his wide arms and too bright smile.

"I am really excited to get to know you all, even those of you who won't make it past today."

"Yeah, that's believable," Alya murmured and Marinette and few students surrounding them snickered as well.

"I have read through all of your applications beforehand and am pleased to see we have so many valuable people this year."

Groaning, Marinette hid her face in her hands. The application had been the most embarrassing thing she had ever done. Half a year before the start of the new school year, they were supposed to fill out a form, explaining their powers. Having to tick 'no' everywhere was dreadful and she barely managed to give the envelope with the filled form to the postal service.

They were surely already laughing at her.

"However, let's not delay any further," he began, "I want you to take a number from the teachers surrounding you, so you can be divided into classes beforehand. They will be your class until you graduate. You will find them at your right and left. They have a range of numbers attached over their head; stick to them when you find your range, and they will lead you through your sorting," he explained and clapped in his hands, prompting them to move.

Alya pulled her over to the nearest teacher with a bowl in front of them, so they could draw their numbers, praying they would be in the same class for the sorting.

Rummaging through the swarming students was a task, Alya, being the taller of them, got shoved back again and again. That was when Marinette decided to sneak in between the people, her hand easily reaching into the bowl and pulled out two slips, letting herself be dragged back to Alya.

The redhead snatched the slips out of Marinette's hand. "If the numbers don't match, I'll try to exchange them for some that match, okay?" she declared and Marinette nodded, snatching one of the two slips from Alya's hand.

32.

"What did you get?" Alya asked, leaning over, then began to squeal. "I got 35!"

Laughing, Marinette shrugged. "I guess, I was lucky, huh?"

"I absolutely love your luck, Mari," she squealed, hugging her tightly. "Now, we're going to have a great day, pass this test in a snap and be classmates for the rest of our school life!"

Sometimes, Alya was too optimistic to be healthy, but Marinette did not mind, enjoying her last day having Alya in her class.

"Now, now," she cooed, trying to pry Alya off her, "Let's go find our teacher, shall we?"

"Yeah, let's go!" Alya squealed and grabbed Marinette's hand again, running around in search of their teacher. They soon found a woman with orange hair and a bright smile, the sign above her head read '20-40'. Alya dragged her over and as soon as their way cleared, Marinette couldn't suppress the escaping groan.

"Alya, what did you say about my luck?" she whined, gesturing ahead. Behind the teacher a few students were already waiting, one of them a blonde girl, clinging to the arm of another blond boy. "Chloé's in my class again."

Alya blinked and laughed. "Okay, maybe you're cursed?"

"Cursed with the mayor's snotty blonde princess."

Chloé Bourgeois was the only daughter of Paris's mayor. Due to her father, she thought she was able to do anything she wanted. Especially bully Marinette. She had been in the same class with her in school for years and Chloé knew of Marinette's inability to use her gift. It was her favourite way of bullying her.

And like being summoned, the blonde turned around and her eyes landed on Marinette instantly. "You know, you have to have some gift so attend this school?" she snickered, tugging at the boy's jacket.

Marinette averted her gaze, but Chloé did not stop. "You see that girl over there?" she laughed, loud enough for everyone to hear. "That girl with those childish pigtails, she has absolutely no power. Well, some sparkles, but her gift seems to be stuck in elementary school, just like her body."

Marinette heard some murmur, the boy on Chloé's arm frowning, but Marinette tried to ignore them. Maybe Chloé would leave her be.

"It's so pathetic, really. Hey, Marinette!" she continued and Marinette sighed, turning around to get it over. "Why do you even care to be sorted? Got some hope that you might pass? Well, listen carefully. You won't. Go home and save us all from your embarrassment."

"Hey," Alya fell in, "Everyone has to try, and I tell you, once her power is fully developed-"

"Developed?" Chloé interrupted. "Her power is already developed. I mean, she can't do anything useful, she's wasting our time."

"Chloé," that boy next to her began, tugging himself from her arm. "That was mean. Let her try."

"Oh, Adrikins, you're too good for this world really," she cooed and snuggled closer to the boy. Marinette averted her gaze, shuffling into a far corner, sitting on the ground against the wall and buried her head in her arms on her knees, trying to shut the world out. As much as she hated Chloé, she was right. Marinette was useless and simply pathetic to even try. Her power was nothing compared to... everyone's.

"Hey," Alya cooed and patted her upper arm and shoulder. "Don't let her get in your head. You know how Chloé is."

"Yeah," Marinette murmured, not looking up from her position between her arms. "But this time she's right."

Alya clearly struggled to say anything in return, but Marinette did not know whether she appreciated it. She clearly did not want to give her any false hope, but didn't want to lie to her either.

"It's just... they have to see, what I can see, what your parents see," Alya mumbled. "And we're going to show them, alright?"

Peeking up finally, she offered a small smile. "I'll give my best."

"Good!" Alya cheered, then suddenly, her gaze darkened. "What do you want?"

Glancing to the side, Marinette noticed the blond boy that had had Chloé attached to his arm earlier. He came closer and rubbed his neck, smiling.

"Hey, I wanted to-" he began, but Marinette interrupted him.

"Make fun of me?" she finished his sentence, frowning. "Just like Chloé? Sure, go ahead, but know that anything you might want to say, Chloé already did."

"No, I wanted-"

"You're friends with her, right? You're the same."

His mouth opened and closed again, then opened, but nothing came out. Being under the intense glare of Marinette and Alya though, seemed to work wonders, so he, for whatever reason, turned around again and headed back to a laughing Chloé, Sabrina by her side.

Groaning, Marinette slumped back into her arms. "I just want this day to be over."

After some time, the red-headed teacher turned around to them and clapped her hands, drawing their attention.

"Alright, is everyone here?" she glanced over the group of twenty people. "Good, please, follow me to an empty classroom, don't get lost, don't use any powers, and wait with the questions until we're there, okay? I know you're excited and curious, but I can assure you, today's sorting is going to be memorable."

Whispers broke out and Alya gushed by Marinette's side about how excited she was to finally be here. She rambled about the upcoming test (which made Marinette even more nervous) and how awesome it was going to be to get to know her future classmates.

The boy made of stone was with them, as well as some girl with a gooey skin. The others looked relatively normal.

The group made their way up some stairs, other students mingling around them, following their teachers through the halls. It was hard to keep up, but they managed.

Eventually, their teacher stopped in front of a wooden door, leading into one of the classrooms. She led them inside and ordered them to take seats.

Alya quickly pulled Marinette to the second row, not even allowing her to take a proper look. The room had wooden desks and benches, tall windows leading outside, as well as to the hallway outside of their classroom.

Marinette tried not to pay too much attention to Chloé, but unfortunately, Chloé herded that blond boy directly to the seat in front of Marinette. She was gushing about how those two would sit next to each other, with her and Sabrina across the aisle.

"Okay, now that everyone has found a seat, I'm going to introduce myself. I'm Madame Bustier and I'm going to be your homeroom teacher for the rest of your studies at the academy. I'm the one you ask for advice or help. I'm also responsible for your sorting."

Murmur broke out among the students, Alya elbowed Marinette as well, Marinette smiling back. Madame Bustier seemed nice. She had a smooth voice and loving eyes. Alya wouldn't have a hard time the following years.

"Quiet, please. I first have to collect your names so I know who you are and can have access to your files."

She asked everyone their names, typing on her tablet all the while. Once, she collected everyone's data, she put the device on the desk at her back.

"Okay, now I'm going to tell you how the sorting is going to work." Again, murmur broke out, but she quickly quieted everyone. "First of all: the formal stuff. During this morning and afternoon, you are going to be tested in three phases: knowledge, endurance and fight.

"First, we're going to test your knowledge about everything Akuma and gifts," she explained and Marinette's heart jumped in her chest. That was her subject! Due to her lack of power, she tried to collect as much information as possible. How gifts spread, how the power manifested and worked. And Alya had practically dedicated an entire blog about Akuma, theorizing and collecting stuff with her in her free time. Due to Alya's rants when she was unable to decide on a subject to portray, Marinette knew practically everything about them as well.

A small, dangerous flicker of hope bloomed in her chest. Maybe she had a chance.

"But don't worry," Madame Bustier reassured the rest, who began to chatter anxiously. Surely, no one had really paid attention to that subject in school. "Don't worry," she repeated again, "You're not expected to know everything, so don't take it too seriously, it's just so we can adjust our timetables with your knowledge."

The chatter died down, but Marinette noticed a few uneasy faces.

"The second test is of endurance. We'll head to the gym and test your body, without your powers, to know how durable you are. There's a simple obstacle course you have to get through. Without the help of your powers, or you're disqualified and get zero points in that test."

Again, uneasy murmur broke out, but Marinette felt light headed. No powers allowed? She's going to ace that! With a glance to Chloé, who frowned, she snickered. Chloé had neither any knowledge, nor any kind of training.

"Girl," Alya hissed, "you're going to rock that! Who said they are not good enough?"

Giggling, Marinette shoved Alya to the side. "Oh hush, okay, maybe I'll manage."

"But," Madame Bustier again interrupted the commotion. "The third test is something more difficult. The fighting is very serious this year. Normally, we had an arena in the Outer Ring where you had to fight against an Akuma-"

Hushed whispers broke out again. Fighting against an Akuma? That was a big thing.

"But," Madame Bustier raised her voice again, making everyone stare at her in appreciation. "But due to an... accident last Semester, the Arena is out of order right now, so Monsieur Damocles talked to the Military, who cleared a small area out of the wall."

This time, silence reigned the classroom. Did she just tell them they were going to leave Paris?

"What do you mean out of the wall?" Chloé spoke up, her nasty tone laced with something Marinette recognized to be fear.

No civilian, no student, no one was allowed out of Paris without a special allowance. Beyond the secure walls of Paris was chaos. Akuma were lurking everywhere and no one was safe, no one would survive an entire hour without special training.

And they were students. Had never fought against an Akuma, some even never left Moyenne. How could they even think of letting a group of students out of Paris?

"Don't worry," Madame Bustier tried to reassure them. "The military and us teachers are going to protect you, should the need arise. Some protectors and police officers offered their help as well, don't worry, you'll be fine. But I promise, you, you will fight an Akuma and you have to use your power. Should you hide or refuse to use your gift, you're going to fail."

Silence stretched like a blanket between the students. Dread pooled in Marinette's stomach. She had not even seen an Akuma yet and now she was supposed to fight one with her nonexistent power.

Sighing, she exchanged a worried glance with Alya. That's going to be a rough day.

"The grading will take into account your creativity in solving the problems, the effectiveness, and the outcome," she explained further. "The grading in every test varies between A and E. A is the best, E the worst you can get. One E and you're out, three Cs and you're going to pass, but have to achieve at least one A at the end of the year to continue. Two Bs and you're secure. The mean is going to decide your entire grade. A and B as mean are secure, C has to work harder the next semester. Got it?.

Everyone nodded.

The cheery mood was gone, replaced by nervous jitters.

That was the first chapter :) I'm really excited to share this story with you guys and I can't wait to hear what you think! An enormous thanks to my Beta RoseySparrow for editing everything!

I'll opload every Tuesday or Wednesday, but be prepared: This is going to be a huge project (maybe even worse than Butterfly Effect), so you're in for the long run :P.

Well, until next week then :P