mind over mask

thirty-one

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Chloe's POV

After patrol with Nightwing and Robin, who seemed more solemn than usual, we decided that it was time to finally let them access to our base.

"We need to show you something," Ladybug said, gaging their reaction.

"Tt. What?" Robin finally asked.

"Follow me," Mari said, and we followed her blindly, soaring over Paris in the nighttime. Chat was next to me, while Nightwing and Robin were a bit more cautious as they tailed us.

I rolled my eyes. If we wanted to hurt or trap them, we would've done it by now.

Ladybug lands on the roof our base, and opens the trapdoor. One by one, we drop down into the room, that's only being lit by the moon.

Marinette claps, and the lights turns on. It's mostly empty, and the Miracle Box has been put in a safe space. Just because

"What's this?" Nightwing asks as he studies the room.

"This is where we go to train. This is sorta our base." Chloe, now Princess Honey, explains.

"Why didn't we come here in the first place?" Robin asks annoyedly.

"Trust is earned." I warned him. He was getting on my nerves, almost as badly as Lila. Robin glares, but says nothing more.

"It's nice," Nightwing offers. "After next patrol, we should spar here."

"Why not now?" Robin challenges.

"It's late," Nightwing reminds him, trying to control him like a chihuahua on a leash.

"Tt." He says in contempt.

Seriously the noise he was making? Ridiculous, utterly, ridiculous.

"Why not now?" I ask him back. "We have time."

Robin smiles, while Nightwing sighs, saying, "It's all fun and games until someone gets hurt."

Chat Noir says, "It's you we should be concerned about. Our suits protect us, and we only get hurt with magic."

"Perfect," Robin says, taking his katana out of its sheath on his back. "Who wants to go first?"

Adrien is about to volunteer, since he's the only one who does it professionally, but Marinette stops him.

"I'll fight with you. But I have a life tomorrow, so after this, we should call it a night," she says.

"Deal," Robin says.

I watch as Marinette picks a katana from our chest of weapons, that were once once by Master Fu.

She stands up straight, and whirls it around her, trying to warm up a little before they fight.

"You're left handed?" Robin questions Ladybug.

Ladybug shrugs, cutting the air in an arc with her sword.

Robin smirks, which is the first time I've even seen him move his mouth into anything that's not a sneer. He switches from his right hand to his life. "We'll see," he challenges.

On the fighting mat, they slowly stalk each other, like a lion watching their prey. Marinette mirrors his movements perfectly. Neither wants to make the first move, because the more you attack, the more you reveal.

Robin suddenly lunges, and tries to hit Marinette on the right, but she easily blocks it. With extra force, she throws him off of her, gaining space between the two.