Ladybug's Darkside

Chapter 4

Marinette's POV

"Andre's opponent was Tom Dupain, Marinette's father." Audrey said, shocking me enough to fall off the bench. "Tom reigned as champion of the ring for six weeks but quit fighting just before the fight that would make him champion for seven weeks, all of his opponents always went down in a single punch, no matter their size even though everybody is smaller than him."

"Wait, Tom was a member of it?" I asked, shocked entirely.

"Yes, and when you fought off that mugger without any restraint I knew you picked up the fighting gene from him." Audrey answered. "When you told me exactly why you were on the streets I knew I picked a good champion, you are the first person to ever get back up after receiving a solid hit from him."

"Talk about an accomplishment." Chloe said with surprise in her voice and shock on her face.

"With the size and severity of the bruise Tom didn't pull his punch, and with your frame he was aiming to kill you." Audrey spoke up. "He would've gotten away with it too, the head of it would've gotten him out of all trouble for a price."

"Well then, that's a shock and a half." I said, completely stunned and no longer paying attention.

Time Skip

It's night time and me, Audrey, and Chloe are now heading to baby league night to show Chloe what we're talking about. When we got to the building and the bouncer saw me he started quivering in fear. I patted his shoulder as we walked by, damn near making the man pass out.

"Why was he so scared of you, Ma-" Audrey prevented Chloe from saying my name, drawing a look of confusion from her.

"My name is Harbin in here, we don't use real names." I said before she could ask. "She's Queen of Style, and you are Heir of Style."

"Ok, geez, you'd think that'd be something you would've mentioned beforehand." Chloe muttered.

"Couldn't, those names aren't to be mentioned when not within these walls, that's why I don't call Harbin's father Dupain out there." Audrey said, getting a nod of acceptance from Chloe. "Ok, baby league is completely legal, so many rules you'd think it was a prison instead of a fight club."

"Meaning you don't have to worry about seeing more than a broken nose and maybe a chipped or missing tooth." I explained in more detail, settling Chloe down.

"Minor League isn't illegal, but it is massively frowned upon." Audrey continued.

"Meaning there's only one rule, no killing and using weapons is frowned upon but not against the one rule." I continued to explain in more detail.

"And then there's champion league, the less than legal one that makes the big bucks." Audrey listed.

"There is no rules in champion league, killing is actually wanted by the crowd." I said, causing Chloe to pause in her steps. "Every participant signs a waver before they even enter the building, which is why minor league is legal."

"What league are you in Ma-, Harbin?" Chloe asked me.

"Champion, have been for the past week." I answered, making her look at me in shock.

"Why in the hell are you even participating in the first place?!" Chloe shouted in shock, drawing attention.

"Ignore the newbie." I said, waving people off. "Because this is what keeps a roof over my head." I answered. "Plus I've now got enough money for a doctorate in college and a car, maybe even a house as well."

"Queen of Style." A voice said, drawing our attention.

We looked and saw a literal vermin standing behind us, Bob Roth.

"What is it DJ Rat?" Audrey asked.

"I just heard the matches for the champion league, figured I'd give you a heads up of a returning champion." Bob said with a smirk.

I pulled out a five-hundred and handed it to him without even batting an eye. Chloe looked dumbfounded, but didn't say anything.

"Dupain came back, his first match is against you, Harbin." He said. "It was a pleasure doing business with you."

"Wait just a moment, do you know why he's back and why he's targeting Harbin?" Audrey asked, already handing him a five-hundred herself.

"Because he wants to ruin hers and your rep, she's undefeated and the only other undefeated in the champion league is him after he trashed dictator." Bob Roth answered. "Now that's all the information I have so far."

"I have a piece of information for you." I said, taunting him.

He squinted his eyes before he pulled a five-hundred back out and handed it to me.

"Dupain is my father." I said bluntly, shocking him. "And I can't wait till my fight with him, I owe him for the hit he gave me a little over five months ago."

"I hope you're not just talking tough to impress people." Bob said, a nervous chuckle slipped past his lips as he walked away. "Word has it that he's the champion of The Moth, bit of free info since you sold me prime info for cheap."

"Well then, it looks like I'll be able to get even for him trying to kill me." I said, rolling my shoulders before hopping from foot to foot to loosen up a bit.

"Are you sure about this, I could always make a case about him quitting the fights and make him start from minor league." Audrey said worriedly.

"I'm certain." I answered, no emotion on my face or in my voice. "Plus, you know DJ Rat is going to spread the piece of information I gave him, and betting is already starting."

"What do you mean?" Chloe asked confused.

"Betting board is broadcasted up top." I said, pointing at the projected screen where they are replacing the bets from the fight of the baby league about to start with bets for my fight that's in two days. "I'm surprised I'm getting so many bets."

"That's the newbies betting on you, they don't know who Dupain is or what he looks like." Audrey said, me nodding in agreement. "But my money is on you like always."

"So Heir, do you think you'll join your mother as a supporter?" I asked her.

"What do you mean?" Chloe asked confused.

"She means, are you gonna find yourself a fighter and start in on the action?" Audrey explained. "Or are you gonna be a fighter?"

"Is it possible to be neither?" Chloe asked nervously.

"Sorry, but now that you know about it you're a part of it and there's only two roles available to choose from." I said plainly, a little bit of sympathy for her. "Everybody you see either on this level or in the arena below is either a fighter or a supporter."

"But how would I go about finding a fighter?" Chloe asked, getting more nervous by the second. "Why are you both smiling?"

"You clearly don't know that Queen retired with Dictator, even though that was common sense." I said, an actual chuckle slipping past and scaring those nearby. "The only reason Queen brought herself back into such a direct role with this was to train a fighter for when you became a supporter, though both of them happened earlier than she intended."

"That they did, but I'd rather it happen earlier because that gives you an upper hand later on." Audrey said, turning Chloe's attention to her. "Right now you're not gonna be risking everything, win or loss on the bets you'll have food in your stomach and a roof over your head because Dictator and I provide that, like a safety net so you know it's ok to fail."

"Wait, does this mean?" Chloe questioned.

"After the fight between me and Dupain, yes." I answered.

"Heir, there are several things you have to learn between now and then." Audrey said, making Chloe actually take things serious with calling her by Heir. "Starting with, your fighter is your partner, not your employee or servant like how you treat that ginger haired girl." Chloe nodded in understanding. "In a place like this, your fighter is your lifeline, if you treat them badly they're likely to let you drown in the sea of unfriendly and dangerous faces."