amu_chan | My Miraculous, UNLOCK! A PSL for a Ladybug in Japan.

After settling in, Tom and Sabine would have given Marinette a surprise gift, since they could tell that she hadn't fully wanted to come overseas on this trip. So once they were settled in they gave her an envelope. Inside was a concert ticket for the next night and some spending money to buy herself either something to wear for the concert, or cloth if she wanted to make something herself, since the air B&B they were staying at had a sewing machine. They would be at the concert too, since it was a strange city in a foreign country and all, but they assured her they would be sitting several rows back.

They totally weren't going so Tom could spy on if she was flirting with any Japanese boys, NOPE! Not at all. She can't prove it.

Anyway.

So she would be given an afternoon with some money and a map to wander if she wanted to, so long as she was home in time for dinner. There might have been threats that if she was late coming back for dinner they would spend the whole concert glued to her side, but that was probably a joke. Right?

It was cold outside, late December snows keeping some people indoors, so the streets weren't too crowded, but that made it that much easier to catch hints of conversations from the people who were out. Teenagers and kids were talking about school, and sports, and the upcoming concert which seemed to be a big deal. The two main acts were a boy band called Darts and a singer named Utau. There were subtle advertisements here and there, but at least one shop window had a pair of posters for them. Darts was all cookie cutter boy band, and on the young side. Nothing like the energy someone would get from a Jagged Stone poster. It looked like SAFE had been the key word for the design team.

The poster for Utau however....

The girl in the poster couldn't have been older than sixteen or seventeen, and the babydoll black dress and the blond pigtails should have made her look soft and safe as well. Should have made her look young, even with the tall heels she was wearing. But there was nothing comforting or cookie cutter about the poster of her. Everything from the look in her eyes to her stance seemed to act as a warning. Or maybe that was just because Mari knew Chloé. Just from the image she seemed to have all the attitude Chloé tried to have. But what held people going by was the expression on her face. The eyes. Where all the boys of Darts were smiling brightly at the camera, and thus the passer bye, her violet eyes held a challenge, her lips a slight down turn that might remind one of Gabriel Agreste at his more irritated. As though the photo shoot, or perhaps the audience, was a waste of her time.

In fact, some of the people passing by would comment, and Mari could hear them, about how she was so pretty, why wouldn't she smile, or about how her music was so good you almost didn't care that her poster looked like it hated you. A few guys starred dreamily at the poster, though.

One boy, maybe 19 or so, stopped near Mari, eyeing the poster for a moment, his eyes cool, his face blank, hands in his pockets. Unlike everyone else, he hadn't bothered with a winter coat, wearing an all black outfit with small silver crosses here and there. He had short dark blue hair and for some reason might aaaaaalmost remind her of Chat, though there was no logical reason for it. Tikki, however, would sense something from him. The boy didn't seem to notice Mari at all, however, and would turn and walk off again after only a moment, seeming bored.

And he wouldn't be the only one Tikki would sense something odd about. Not five minutes later, three girls would be passing, huddled in their jackets. Two of them looked about a year or two younger than Marinette, the third looked a year or two younger than that. The youngest looking one had brownish hair in pigtails that DID make her look younger, but the barrettes might have something to do with that. Big red bows. She was also bouncing a bit as she walked, and all her mannerisms made her seem young. Of the other two, one had shockingly pink hair with a red X hair barrette over one small lock that was pulled up over the rest, and bored seeming gold eyes. She was hunched into her black and red jacket against the cold. The third had long purple hair Juleka would have loved and kind eyes, along with small kind expressions. She moved with a gentle grace, small fluid motions, and her jacket was well tailored to her and looked very feminine in style and cut. Very well made. The other two were clearly wearing off the rack coats, hers looked custom designed for her.

The youngest was talking animatedly. "Are we going to Utau's concert this time too, do you think? Should we ask Kukai and Tadase at school tomorrow?"

"Do we have a choice, after last time?" The pink haired one grumbled.

"Hmmm," the purple haired one said. "We probably should go. Let's bring it up at the meeting, alright?"

She looked like she was about to say something then looked around, scowling. She stared at Marinette for a moment then looked past her, before turning to the purple haired girl. "Where are Ran and the others?"

"I think Kiseki said something about training, they'll be along." And with that the three kept walking.

But not only would Tikki sense something odd from those three, the pink haired one the most, but.... something the pink haired one was wearing or carrying under that coat and scarf, hidden from sight, was something that Tikki would feel like a wave of power. As if she had just eaten one of the macarons with an enhancement potion in it. Something that girl had with her would make Tikki feel strong and amped up... but it wasn't any feeling she'd recognize.

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

From:

amu_chan

"who knows! One way to find out," he said, cheerfully, heading for the edge of the roof.

From:

coccinelled

W-wait, you don't mean we are actually going to -- ?

[To just jump? Off of the roof? Surely there were safer options in figuring if they could fly? If she could? While she is still learning all this especially, given the potential differences between things with the chara and how she works with Tikki.]

From:

amu_chan

He laughed and pointed from the edge. There was another roof below, just a one story drop. Huge for MAri, nothing for Ladybug. "It's not a bad fall."

From:

coccinelled

That...oh. Okay, that isn't as bad as I figured it might be at least?

[At least, for Ladybug. For her enhanced physical skills. She seems to relax a little more after seeing that it wasn't as high as she assumed, at least, not to the next roof. So she gives a nod, and backs up a little to start running to make a leap for it.]

From:

amu_chan

AAAAAAAS she was jumping, Miki's voice would say, seemingly from all around her, "I'm not actually sure we can fly........"

And they couldn't. But apparently what they could do, if she allowed instinct - and Miki - to take over, was to draw the needles across the sky swiftly, which formed a parachute somehow....

Or she could just fall. Which is also an option, since Kukai jumped ahead of her and is ready to catch her.

From:

coccinelled

[Marinette was nothing if not more fearless, more confident with being transformed. That seemed to still hold true even with this time using the chara instead of Tikki. Which is why she leaps, trusting Miki and using the needles and thread to help guide her down to the next roof.

She was used to her yoyo, but well. As long as the thread was strong enough she could still possibly sort of use it in a similar fashion perhaps. Once she gets more practice with this.]

From:

amu_chan

Kukai applauded. "Well done!"

And yes, she would find that if she chose, she could use the needle and thread in a similar fashion to her yoyo.

From:

coccinelled

Alright. Maybe I'll get the hang of this quicker than I thought. At least, moving around.

[Having experience with Tikki prior probably helps. Still, she shifts then, in turning to the other, checking the others were with her still or at least not too far behind in making their own way down too.]

From:

amu_chan

Amu was still fighting with her pull ups.

Kukai was right with Lady Blue. "Shall we see what else you can do then?"

From:

coccinelled

I guess she might be a while. But sure! I can try!

[Better to learn while practicing than potentially fumbling while really in trouble while transformed like this. So Marinette agrees, giving a nod and hoping she doesn't mess up all the same, at least too badly. She gives an instinctive attempt to use the thread similar to a yoyo, flinging it out to try wrap around his arm.]

From:

amu_chan

"Whoa! Careful!" he cried as the thread wrapped around his arm but the needle nearly took out his eye.

From:

coccinelled

Sorry...!

[Needle. She would have to remember that. It made this decidedly more potentially dangerous with her actually hurting someone in comparison to her yoyo. Marinette would need to be careful. Especially when she is still learning. But that was the whole point with practicing with them.]

From:

amu_chan

"What were you actually TRYING to do?"

From:

coccinelled

I was just....trying it out. I guess I'm used to using the yoyo to restrain the akuma back home.

[She really hadn't meant to potentially hurt him with the needle. That was something she would need to keep in mind. To try and avoid. Marinette wouldn't intend to actually really hurt anyone, especially when they were just training together as practice. ]

From:

amu_chan

"Yes, but tryin to do what? Just restrain?"

From:

coccinelled

Yes. I mean, I try not to hurt people even if they have been akumatized if I can help it.

[She knows it isn't really them, after all. So if she can help avoid hurting anyone, she will go for that option. Restraining while Chat Noir breaks their item to release the akuma. She takes the same approach here, even if she almost did unintentionally hurt him just now.]

From:

amu_chan

He nodded a bit, considering. "Alright. Let's see what else you can do. There might be a safer way of doing that than the needle. Or maybe you just need to work on your aim." GRIN.

From:

coccinelled

My aim is fine. I just wasn't accounting for the needle since I'm more used to the yoyo.

[It would take time. Practice. For anyone to adjust, whether they were somewhat familiar with this sort of thing as she was through Tikki, or otherwise. Marinette raises an eyebrow at his grin and teasing, but she does then stand ready, this time waiting for him as she pulls back the thread to her.]

From:

amu_chan

"I was teasing." He was grinning like an idiot.

From:

coccinelled

I'd hope so.

[Well. At least she was used to teasing and jokes, thanks to Chat Noir back home. Still, it does make her all the more determined to get this right. As Lady Blue if she ever needs to make use of chara instead of using Tikki as her usual default.]

From:

amu_chan

"Well come on then." He held out his arm. "Try again."

From:

coccinelled

Okay. I just hope I don't actually hurt you.

[She takes aim and tries again, trying to be more careful in her aim to be more mindful of the needle this time around when she goes to throw the thread out to try wrap it around his arm he holds out to her.]

From:

amu_chan

"There you go! That worked!!"

From:

coccinelled

It did! I got it! I just need to be careful with the aim. So if I just get more practice in, I should figure it better!

[Which is a relief. She didn't want to actually hurt him with this. Marinette then shifts to pull it back to her. At least, back home with teaming up with Chat, that was mostly what she did, in restraining and distracting the opponent while he used his Cataclysm to figure breaking their akuma or to get them more time for her to then get her Lucky Charm ready.]