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Chapter 8 – A New Classmate
(MC POV)
A week passed in a blur. My days became a cycle of training, planning, and building. Piece by piece, my secret base near the Savage Land took shape. The ventilation shafts were installed using the Goat Miraculous, reinforced with Cat's destructive precision. Light crystals shimmered across the caverns, the pressure regulators kept everything livable, and even a rudimentary cafeteria was functional.
It wasn't flashy—no Stark-level sleek panels or Wakandan nanotech—but it was mine. A medical bay, training area, and even a vault for weapons stood ready. The only thing missing was an AI system, something advanced enough to run surveillance not just on the base but eventually across the city.
But AI… that was complicated. I didn't have Jarvis in my pocket. That part would take time.
For now, I allowed myself a moment of satisfaction, lying down on the small cot I'd set up as a "bed" in my underground lair. The hum of air cycling through new ducts lulled me, and eventually, I drifted off.
---
The next morning was supposed to be normal. Another day of school, another chance to watch Peter Parker stumble into destiny.
But of course, "normal" doesn't exist in this world.
When I got to class, the air was already buzzing. Whispers flew across the room like wildfire. At the front stood Coulson—yes, Agent Coulson, trying to play it cool with his usual dry smile. And behind him were four faces I recognized instantly: White Tiger, Power Man, Iron Fist, and Nova.
The Defenders.
Apparently, Fury's new "student hero squad" had decided to blend in as high schoolers.
That much I expected. What I didn't expect… was her.
Standing a little awkwardly behind them, fidgeting with her bag strap, was a girl with short black hair tied into pigtails. Bluebell eyes wide, nervous, and utterly out of place.
Marinette Dupain-Cheng.
The literal protagonist of Miraculous Ladybug.
Except—she wasn't Ladybug here. Not in this world. My heart skipped for a second as I checked my Kwami pouch instinctively. Tikki was tucked inside, calm but watchful.
Coulson clapped his hands. "Alright, class. We've got some new transfers today. I expect you to welcome them."
The heroes introduced themselves one by one with casual confidence. Danny Rand gave a polite bow, Luke Cage nodded coolly, Sam tried to act smooth but ended up awkward, and Ava Ayala crossed her arms like she was ready to fight anyone who looked at her wrong.
Then… it was Marinette's turn.
She stepped forward, cheeks flushed pink. "H-Hi, my name is Marinette—" she froze, stuttered, and blurted, "Marinette name is my!—I mean, my name is Marinette!"
The room erupted in laughter.
Her face turned crimson as she hurriedly scurried to the empty seat next to mine. She didn't look up once, hiding behind her hair as if she could vanish from existence.
I blinked. Of all people… why her? Why here?
---
The rest of the morning passed in a haze of whispers and stolen glances at the new students. Marinette stayed quiet, doodling in her notebook, sometimes sneaking a look at me but quickly jerking her head away whenever our eyes met.
At lunch, Peter got called to the principal's office. Which, in reality, meant Coulson wanted to pitch him on Fury's hero training program.
That left me, Ned, and Gwen heading toward the cafeteria. Marinette trailed behind us, clutching her bag like a lifeline. Liz noticed and raised an eyebrow.
"You know, you don't need to carry your bag around everywhere," Liz said casually. "We're just going to lunch."
Marinette froze. "O-Oh! Right! Yeah, of course, silly me."
She hurried back to drop off her bag. But in the process, she tripped—classic Marinette—and stumbled into my desk. Her books scattered, and in her rush to tidy everything back into her bag, she didn't notice she had also scooped up something else.
My idea book.
The one filled with summaries, designs, and outlines from my past life—Naruto, Death Note, Fullmetal Alchemist, Your Name, and more.
I didn't notice either. Not until much later.
---
After school, I headed home, trying to process everything. The Defenders in my class, Marinette of all people sitting beside me… what next, Deadpool joining drama club?
When I entered my room, I immediately slipped into the Timeless Zone.
"Fluff, burrow!"
Time froze. The world turned still. And I began to search.
I had to know. Who was Marinette in this world? Was she still destined to be Ladybug? Did she carry any hidden miraculous energy? Or was this some cosmic joke throwing her at me without rhyme or reason?
I stretched my awareness backward, tracing her history like unwinding a thread. And what I found… stunned me.
She was just… Marinette. Daughter of Tom Dupain and Sabine Cheng. French bakery family. Immigrated here for business. A sweet, clumsy, talented girl with a knack for design. No magic. No kwami. No miraculous box.
She wasn't Ladybug. She never would be.
I released the spell and returned to normal time, exhaling slowly.
But before I could even think it through, Tikki flew out of her pouch, glaring at me with tiny, fiery eyes.
"Adrien!" she scolded. "You invaded her privacy!"
I winced. "I just… needed to be sure. You don't understand, Tikki. In my world, she was—" I stopped myself. I couldn't say it. Not to her. Not to any Kwami. They couldn't know I remembered another life.
Tikki folded her little arms. "It doesn't matter what she was somewhere else. Here, she's just a normal girl. And you don't use miraculous powers to pry into someone's past like that!"
Before I could respond, Plagg drifted out of his pouch, snickering. "Pfft, look at you. Blushing like a schoolboy. Admit it—you've got a crush on her."
"I do not!" I snapped.
Wayzz chuckled from the corner. "Young love is always amusing to witness."
"No, seriously," I insisted. "She's… she's not like that. I don't have time for this!"
But the teasing didn't stop. Sass the snake slithered out, voice sly. "Funny how you never looked this deep into Gwen's past, or MJ's, or any other classmate. But Marinette shows up, and suddenly, you're Sherlock Holmes with magic."
I groaned, running my hand down my face. "You're all insufferable."
Tikki's voice softened, though her tone remained stern. "Adrien, promise me you won't do that again. She deserves to live her life without you digging into it."
I hesitated… then nodded. "Fine. I promise."
The Kwamis slowly dispersed, muttering little teases to each other. Plagg gave me one last grin. "Crush or not, you're in trouble, kid."
---
Meanwhile…
(Marinette POV)
Back at her house, Marinette sat on her bed, unpacking her bag. Her sketchbook. Her lunchbox. Her pencils. And then… a notebook she didn't recognize.
"Huh?" She flipped it open curiously.
Her eyes widened.
It wasn't a diary, or school notes. It was… something else.
Page after page of character designs, names, plot outlines. Strange words like "Hokage," "Quirk," "Alchemy Circles." Emotional summaries of stories she had never heard of but that pulled at her heart with just a few sentences.
Naruto's loneliness and dream of being acknowledged. Light Yagami's descent into godhood. The tragic beauty of Your Name, two souls separated by time. The brotherhood in Fullmetal Alchemist.
Her fingers traced the careful sketches of faces—boys with spiky hair, girls with determined eyes, otherworldly creatures, weapons of impossible design.
"This… this is amazing," she whispered.
Her heart raced as she devoured the pages. Whoever wrote this book wasn't just talented—they were a genius. And somehow… she had ended up with it.
She glanced at the cover. No name. No clue. But when she thought about who she had bumped into today… her eyes flickered to a certain blond boy in her mind.
"Adrien…" she whispered.
---
(MC POV)
As I lay back on my bed, I couldn't shake the image of Marinette sitting beside me in class. Nervous. Flustered. Ordinary.
No miraculous. No Ladybug. Just… Marinette.
And yet somehow, she had already managed to crash straight into my carefully ordered life.
And the Kwamis' laughter echoed in my head.
"Crush or not, you're in trouble."
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