The Price of One || Miraculous Ladybug Fanfiction

Chapter Two: The New Girl

Everyone had their own thing. Her mother was a designer, her father a fighter, Inez was a painter, and Emma was a dancer.

Truthfully, she hadn't had the courage to put her ballet slippers back on ever since 'the accident'. But then Marinette had talked her into going to dance therapy, and that was that. Though the movements Emma had learned to cope with what had happened, it also brought her guilt because while she was getting better doing what she loved, he wasn't.

Before Emma's mind could continue down that dark and dangerous path, she inhaled deeply - letting the pain and the guilt go into that locked box of forbidden emotions and memories inside her.

"Hi! Emma, right?"

Emma jumped back in surprise at the sound of the voice. The girl only laughed, her matching bluebell eyes shining with amusement as she held out her hand. "Sorry if I scared you. I'm Marinette Dupain-Cheng - the class president. Miss. Bustier sent me to come help point you in the right direction."

Emma laughed nervously. "Hello! And thank you! It's easy to get lost in a large school like this." She can totally see right through me!!

"No problem! At least you came here on a good day. It's Heroes Appreciation Day - where we celebrate all the heroes that protect Paris - though you probably already know the two of them pretty well." Emma felt the sweat dripping down her forehead, her smiling facade quickly fading. Was she already being called out? On her first day?

Marinette smiled, gesturing to Emma's sneakers, which had ladybugs and paw prints drawn onto the fabric with permanent marker. Emma had to hide her sigh of relief. "Oh, yeah. They're kind of a legend where I come from."

"They do make a good team." Marinette whole-heartedly agreed - a glimmer of respect and adoration catching in her eyes before she shook her head. "If you follow me, I can lead you to the rest of our class."

"Great!" She breathed, following behind Marinette with silent steps - just as her touch on her parent's love life should be; quiet and undetected but progressing. While Emma was there, it was imperative that they only fell further in love with each other, and not out.

"Marinette!"

Alya's shout brought Emma out from her stupor. "Girl, you have my ladybug stuff, right?" Marinette gave her bff a smile and a nod, holding out the polka-dotted blouse as Alya vaulted over the desk - snatching it quickly from Marinette's grasp, and with a hurried 'Thanks!', she was gone. With all the commotion, it took a few seconds, but the class quickly caught on once they caught sight of the pinknette.

"Who's the new girl?" Kim was the one who asked first. Marinette smiled, gesturing towards her. "This is Emma Bisset. She's new." She greeted Emma as the class herded around her - curious about the newest addition to their number.

"Where did you get your sneakers from?"

"I really like your scar! Very Harry Potter!"

"Neat hair."

"Are you familiar with all current 31.4 trillion digits of pi?"

"Students!" Miss Bustier finally interrupted, trying to allow Emma some space to breathe. She sighed, gesturing for everyone else to go to their seats before she relaxed, smiling once again. "I'm assuming you've all met your new classmate. Everyone say 'hi' to Emma."

"Hi, Emma!"

"Now, why don't you tell us a bit about yourself? How about Montpellier - I'm sure Paris is a lot different from where you came from." She said with a smile. "Oh, yes! There's a lot of different buildings and faces, but I think I'll eventually get the hang of it." Emma crossed her fingers that her words would come true.

Miss. Bustier nodded, satisfied with Emma's answer, then gestured to Ivan. "Thank you for sharing. Why don't you have a seat next to Ivan. Ivan, would you raise your hand please?"

Class went on, other than the occasional smile and stare in Emma's direction - particularly from Rose, who couldn't seem to stop marveling at her sweater(A one-of-a-kind piece made by fashion designer Marinette Agreste herself). But while the others were looking at her, Emma herself was busy staring at her parents - her bluebell gaze taking in the familiar color of the back of their heads.

"Your parents are drifting apart." Bunnyx had told her as the two walked around her rabbit hole, showing Emma pictures of Marinette and Luke together as well as Adrien and Kagami. They looked so...wrong together, and there was something so deep down inside her that was revolted at the very idea of her parents separated and with other people.

Her parents were meant for each other - it was clear from the way they looked into each other's eyes, in the small moments they shared they thought Emma never saw. "But my parents never liked anyone else." Emma had said - recalling her Dad's stories about him and her mother in their teenage years. "They revealed their identities after Master Fu lost his memories, and started dating."

Emma's nose began to bleed as she dabbed at her nose - the blood blossoming on the daffodil fabric of her sweater. Bunnyx narrowed her eyes. "Well, that didn't happen - at least, not in this current timeline. You and Hugo keep getting nosebleeds because your parents didn't reveal themselves at the right time, and they're falling for other people. Your DNA is slowly separating - until you and the future we live in disappear forever."

Emma took a deep breath, deciding. Bunnyx knew Emma had finished absorbing her information when she looked up - her bluebell eyes filled with a steely determination. "What do you want me to do?"

Whether accepting Bunnyx's mission was the right choice, Emma couldn't decipher. What she did know was that she wasn't just going to sit back and let another person die. No matter the cost.

She began tugging at her choker - her miraculous.

The Black Swan miraculous had always been somewhat of an idol to Emma. Something had just clicked when she first laid eyes on it - like it had just been waiting just for her. Her mother had never allowed her to wear it, but even though Bunnyx had given the choker to her freely, now that Emma knew the truth and dark history behind it, the jewelry seemed to weigh heavier upon her spirit.

"I'm so sorry, Emma. I...I love you. With all the stars in the sky."

"Miss. Bustier, may I go to the restroom?"

Suddenly she was racing down the halls of Françoise Dupont High. Emma locked herself in the bathroom stall, attempting to stave off the tears by taking deep breaths. She couldn't risk getting akumatized - she already knew too much.

Cia hovered by her holder's shoulder, close enough to let Emma know she was there, but not quite touching. Emma was grateful - there was only so much she could handle. As much as she adored her kwami, Cia was still connected to the miraculouses, connected to him. She was still healing, and she couldn't afford to go back down that endless spiral of guilt-ridden thoughts. Not when everything she loved was at risk.

"You were thinking about him again, weren't you?" It wasn't a question.

She sniffed, wiping a hand across her eyes. "It's just so unfair, Cia. He had his whole life ahead of him. He can't just be...gone." But he was exactly that - gone. Never to be heard from ever again.

"It is unfair." Cia agreed, floating closer to Emma. "It's so wrong that he isn't here with you. But death is just another part of life. We all die someday - that's why we have to make the most of the time that we have."

Emma smiled at the advice, yet her stomach churned. Was that what she should've been doing - spending time with her family and friends before she went rather than trying to save herself by going to the past?

Her thoughts slammed to a screeching halt, and her head snapped up as her ears picked up panicked screams from outside the restroom. She stood up, filled with a newfound sense of pure determination.

"There's an akuma." Emma said, she and Cia sharing a sly smirk. While the two had many different tastes and opinions, their love for action was completely mutual. "Are you ready?" She asked curiously, periwinkle eyes shining.

Emma bit her lip. "I don't really have a choice, Cia. I have to be ready." She gave her kwami a confident grin, trying to prove that she was completely fine. "Cia, Spread my wings!"