Chapter 1 Awkward Camel

Psshh thunk! Clang clang thump! "Stupid machine" a young girl said as she banged into the concession coffee machine.
"Marinette, calm down. I doubt banging on the old thing will make it work any better." Her friend said from behind her laptop.
It sputtered again before a stream of coffee began to pore out. Marinette turned to her friend, her pigtails bobbing as she crossed her arm.
"What was that you were saying Alya?"
The girl rolled her eyes as she pushed her glasses back up her nose "Nothing at all oh master of the coffee machine. Is my coffee ready yet?"
Marinette turned back to the machine to finish the drink before the machine messed up again.
"Almost. You really drink way too much of this, you know that?"
"Hey, I want to be a reporter." Alya said as she walked over to the counter and leaned on it. "Isn't that a part of the job?"
Marinette turned to her and put a lid on the cup "I guess so." She said with a smile. "But right now you're an ice rink blog and website runner in high school. Why would you start putting that much caffeine and sugar in your body now? You should try some tea sometime. I keep a stash back here for me"
The blogger took the offered cup. "Thanks," she said breathing in the caffeine "but I think I'm good with this." Taking a sip she gave a satisfied noise. She sat back behind her laptop and began tapping the keys again. Marinette was cleaning out the coffee machine before her friend spoke up again.
"Do you have any plans tonight after work? There's a new movie I've been wanting to go see and I thought a bunch of us could go. I'd like to get to know some of the people here better."
Marinette slowly stopped whipping, and turned to look at her friend.
"I'm sorry Alya, it sounds like fun, but I'm busy tonight."
Her friend stopped typing and looked up at her, an eyebrow raised in confusion "With what?"

Marinette giggled and rubbed the back of her neck nervously. "Oh, well I...um...I have to...um...help my parents...in the, bakery. Yea."

"In the bakery?" she asked confused "But doesn't it close an hour before you get off work?"

"Right. But we have to prepare for the next day. I also need to work on a current sewing project."

Alya huffed in annoyance "Come on girl! We haven't got to hang out yet," She put a finger up to stop Marinette from coming up with excuses. "Work does not count, and you know it."

"I'm really sorry Alya. but I'm sure you can get some people together. I'll even help you!"

"Thanks girl. We'll figure out something eventually." They went back to work, Alya tapping at her computer and Marinette restocking chips, just enjoying the silence and each others company.

"Dude! Grub time!" A tall hockey player yelled as he burst through the concession doors.

"There is the hockey team, and thus the silence ends." Alya said with a sigh.

"Marinette!" The tall jock yelled leaning onto the counter with his hand.

The petite girl sighed. "Hey Kim. What can I do for you?"

"Give me 2 of the works! Nachos, hotdog, chips, everything! That was one of our best practices yet! All thanks to the new guy!" he said throwing his arms in the air.

Alya's ears perked up and she ran over to Kim "Did I hear correctly? There's a new hockey player? My reporter sense is tingling! Where is he? I want an interview for the blog. We also have to get a picture and Bio for the rink's website!"

Kim turned to search the other players "He's right…" His eyebrow raised in confusion "Hey, where'd the little guy go?" The other team members looked around and shrugged their shoulders. "Hey Max! Where did the new guy go?" Kim asked as another boy pushed through the doors.

"He told me he had to leave." He responded calmly as he readjusted his backpack.

"What! Why?" Max just shrugged. "But I was gonna get him the works too! We've never done that great."

Max adjusted his thick glasses with a sigh "It doesn't really matter. You don't exactly have time." he looked at his watch and placed a finger in the air. "Our tutoring session starts in 30 minutes 47 seconds. That gives you just enough time to eat your "works" before we start. We need to stay on schedule as I have others with sessions after you."

Kim visibly deflated "Maaaan. Fine." he turned back to Marinette "I guess I'll just take one works. Thanks."

Marinette smiled softly up at him. "Not a problem, I'm sorry it didn't work out like you wanted." she started typing in his order on the cash register and read him his total "that will be 13.24 € please" she turned and started pulling together his order before taking his payment and giving him his change.

"You're the best Marinette! Thanks!" Kim said grabbing his loaded tray of food before heading to a table.

Marinette went through each player's orders one by one. Eventually they had all either sat down or left. She took a deep breath and leaned onto the counter happy for the break.

"It amazes me how fast you are at that." The blogger said, her red ombré hair falling forward as she leaned on to the counter across from Marinette. "For someone so clumsy, you sure are light on your feet. What's your secret girl."

"Alya, even though you've only known me for a day, I feel like you should know I couldn't keep a secret if my life depended on it." She winked at the blogger "Just like I know about your sugary coffee addiction."

"Me? Addicted? No way."

"Really. Than can you explain the 8 cups you had yesterday?" Marinette teased crossing her arms.

"Not relevant." Alya responded with her arms crossed and head held high.

Marinette sputtered in disbelief "How is that not relevant?"

Instead of a response, Alya just turned to the tables of hockey players and threw her hands in the air. "Hey, I'm going to the movies tonight. Anyone want to join me?"

"Did someone say movies?" a boy said as he came into the room. "Sounds like a great plan. What are you going to go see?" he asked adjusting his hat.

"It's the new superhero movie. They are premiering Majestia in it! One of my all time favorite heroes in this universe!" She replied showing a movie poster on her phone.

"Wait, that comes out tonight? Man, I can't believe I forgot. Count me in dude. The Quantic squad is sick! I've been super amped about this movie." he said before holding out his fist. "The name's Nino by the way. The rinks resident DJ and future producer."

"Alya. I was just hired to run the rink's website and social media." She said bumping his fist with hers.

"Dude cool! Welcome to the team!"

"Thanks. Anyone else coming?" Alya asked turning back to the hockey players.

"Sounds like a good idea." Kim said, the rest agreeing in some form.

"Great! I get off around 6. We could grab some dinner and go head there after that. The first showing is at 10, and to make sure everyone has seats you should probably go ahead and buy your ticket online. I got mine as soon as they started selling them."

"Sounds good. Think I could use your computer?" Nino asked rubbing the back of his neck.

"Sure." she responded. They both sat at the table she was occupying as she walked him through the steps of getting his ticket. They were interrupted when someone slammed their hand on the table.

"Excuse me, but this is my table! You look like a newbie, so I'll let it go this time. But you better move now before I change my mind!"

Alya looked at the girl in front of her completely startled. It quickly turned to anger how ever and she shot up out of her chair to face the blonde. "Excuse me?"

"You heard me." the girl responded, flipping her ponytail. "Or are you so new that I have to spell it out for you?"

"Who do you think you are!" Alya ground out. "I don't see a name anywhere labeling the table."

"How dare you! You don't even know who you're dealing with. My name is Chloé Bourgeois, daughter of Andre Bourgeois, the owner of the ice rink. What I say goes, and what I want I get, especially with the lousy staff." she shot back at Alya, getting into the bloggers face. "And what I want newbie, is this table. Listen, Adrien is arriving today, and here I have a perfect view of him and him of me."

"Come on Chloé, you can see fine from this table. Alya already has everything out." Marinette said coming over. "Who is Adrien anyway?"

The blonde cackled with her red-headed friend "Well if it isn't Marinette Dupain-Cheng. Can you believe she doesn't know who Adrien is. What rock have you been living under? Now why don't you stay out of a conversation that's not yours and do your job. I'll have a large non-fat latte with ½ and ½, skim, no whip or foam, and just enough chocolate to flavor it." She said crossing her arms and throwing her nose in the air.

"The coffee machine is messing up today, so I can't make one of your special orders. What we can do now is hot chocolate, regular coffee, or a soda."

"Utterly ridiculous!" The blonde fumed "You just don't want to do your job!" She accused sticking a finger in Marinette's face.

"That's not it and you know it Chloe." Marinette's shot back crossing her arms "Until someone orders a new machine, I'm afraid fancy coffees are out."

"Fine. I'll just get daddy to order a new one. Now make me something else. I'll take an earl grey tea. I know you have a stash that you keep with you and you won't mind sharing with me. Free of charge of course."

"Of course." Marinette ground out before walking away, arms pressed firmly against her sides, stiff with anger.

"What a brat." Alya mumbled as she gathered up her things to move then turned to face the skater, finger pointing into her face "You can't just push everyone around. That won't work when you're older. Come on Nino." she grabbed the DJ by the arm, pulled him over to another table. He grabbed what was left of Alya's things as she swept him away, and they began putting setting everything back up before sitting and continuing to order movie tickets.

After finishing the tea and nearly spilling it on Chloe, Marinette retreated into behind the counter area hoping to get a break from her clumsiness. Alya snuck in behind the counter after helping the others to start buying their tickets for the movie. Seeing her friend hunched up against the wall, the redhead placed her hand on her shoulder completely startling the girl.

"Chillax girl. You okay?"

"I so wish I could handle Chloe the way you did."

"Me?" Alya said gesturing to herself "Nah, you mean how Majestia does it. She says 'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil, is that good people do nothing.' And if bullying isn't evil, I don't know what is."

Marinette smiled at the blogger before pulling her into a hug "Thanks Alya."

"Not a problem girl. What are friends for?"

"Well," the bluenette said pulling away and placing her hands on her hips " it's nearly time for open skate. That means figure skaters and sugar craving kids. I better make sure everything is in order and grab a snack before it gets too busy in here."

"You go girl!" Alya said before heading back to her table, and hopefully prepping for an interview with one of the skaters.

After serving a long line of candy crazed kids, Marinette head just rested against the counter when a squeal broke into the room.

"Marinette! I'm so glad you're working the concessions again this summer!

"Hi Rose, Julika, Mylène." Marinette said waving to the pixie blonde, " It's good to

see you. How was your vacation Rose?"

Rose's eyes sparkled as she bounced, causing the tiers of her skate dress to sway, matching her attitude and the bright pink colors she wore.

"It was wonderful! We'll have to have a girls day and I'll tell you all about it, and show you pictures and hand out souvenirs! Oh I'm so excited just thinking about it!" her excitement grew and she clutched her hands in front of her chest trying to contain some of it. "Are you going to be skating with us this year? Please say yes!"

Marinette shook her head "No, I'm not going to be able to, I'm sorry. I know you have been trying to get me to join forever, but I've never taken lessons, I wouldn't do the team any good." seeing the blonde visibly deflate she tried to think of a way to cheer her up. "Hey, there's someone I want you all to meet. Alya! Come here!"

The girl looked up at Marinette from her computer before her eyes zeroed in on the three figure skaters her were looking between her and each other confused. She grabbed her phone, pen and notepad before dashing over the the small group. "Yes Marinette?" she said still looking at the girls.

"These are some of the skaters here. Rose, Mylène, and Julika." she said gesturing to each of the girls as she introduced them. "Girls, this is Alya.'

Alya shook each of the girls hands as she finished her introduction "Hi, I just started running the rink's website, blog, and social media. Mind if I get an interview and updated picture and bio information for the team's section on the website?"

"Of course!" Rose responded enthusiastically.

"Let us just get some drinks and snacks, and we'll be right over." Mylène finished with Julika nodding her head behind the two.

"Fantastic! Thank you so much!" the reporter jumped up excitedly before dashing back over to her table.

After the girls ordered, the day progressed similarly, other skaters coming in, ordering, and getting ambushed by the determined reporter, who more often than naught asked them to join the group going to the movies later. Marinette's day was mostly slow after the mid-day rush, with only a few scenes from Chloe who had decided to take her anger and disappointment out on the girl and everyone else because her friend never showed up.

Marinette was cleaning up the tables when Alya had come back from an interview with the skate team's instructor, Madame Bustier.

"Thank you again for all the help today Marinette." she said going over and gathering all of her things so that the table could be cleaned "It would have been so much harder getting interviews with everyone if you weren't already friends with them. Most people shy away from me because they don't know if they can trust me, but with you vouching for me it was a cinch. I should have enough info to have something new up everyday this week."

Marinette came over and started wiping down the now cleared off table. "I'm glad I could help. I hope it makes up for me not being able to make it to the movie tonight."

"Well," Alya said stopping and thinking for a second "I'm still disappointed but I guess I understand. While you did help me to get others to join me, I was hoping we would get to hang out. So you do have to make up that part."

"Okay, okay. What about you come over Sunday after work, and I'll ask my parents if I can give you some treats from the Bakery, then we can hang out and talk. Does that work?"

"Sounds like a plan. I better go, I gotta grab some dinner before the movie and change clothes." she lifted her messenger bag over her head and jumped over to Marinette, giving her a side hug "I'll see you in tomorrow!"

"Bye." Marinette said returning the hug. She watched as her friend left, meeting up with some of the others before heading out, before playing music in her phone and going back to cleaning the tables. When she finished she put away all the cleaning supplies, grabbed her backpack and locked up the doors to the concession room before heading to the manager's room.

She knocked on the door and poked her head in after a muffled response came through.

"Mr. Damocles?"

He looked up from some paperwork, his bushy eyebrows raising slightly when he saw her. "Ah, Marinette, come in. What can I do for you?"

She entered his office completely, one arm holding onto the other nervously "Well, I just closed up concessions, and everyone is gone for the day, would it be okay of I…" she trailed off holding up her bag nervously "I brought them again today."

"Of course." He said and she thought he smiled, but it was hard to tell under his thick beard. "You go right ahead. Don't worry about asking next time. I'll let you know when not to, and I'll most likely see you before I head out since I make rounds before locking up."

"Thank you so much sir. Have a good night!" Marinette responded happily before heading to the door.

"You too Marinette."

She skipped through the low lit rink heading to the DJ booth and booting up the equipment. She signed into a separate user from Nino's on the computer and her spotify popped up. After that she headed to the hockey players bench and pulled some skates out of her bag, before sitting down to put them on. After lacing them up, she started her spotify from her phone, and removing her skate guards stepped onto the ice.

She did a few laps around the rink to warm up, first forwards, then backwards, working on crossovers, before she began to skate to the music that was softly playing through the overhead speakers. With everyone gone she felt completely free, showing it in her lutzes and spins. She was completely different, confident from her usual nervous clutzy self because she knew there was no one around to tease her if she fell. She swayed with the music, the sounds of her blades cutting into the ice complementing the music. The rhythm began to come to a close and she leaped into the air beginning to spin, landing on one leg and continuing her spin as she bent it and outstretched her other. She began to raise up again and extend her other leg up behind her when clapping broke her concentration and she ended her camel spin rather awkwardly, landing on her rear limbs splayed out around her.

"Oh my goodness!"

She heard someone cry before trying to sit up and reorient herself. She jumped when someone placed their hands on her back and shoulder and whipped around to see who was in the rink so late, and was met by the face of a complete stranger.

"I'm so sorry Marinette. Are you alright? I was just so blown away and couldn't hold it in. I should have waited until you were done. Here let me help you up."

Marinette yelped and tried to stand up while backing off, but only succeeded in falling awkwardly again, so she just scooted away. "Who are you? What are you doing in the rink at this time of night? Better question. How on earth do you know my name?" she babbled, nearly yelling by the end of it.

The young woman tried to calm her down, putting her arms up in a surrendering manner. "It's okay Marinette, I just want to talk. Please calm down." She took a deep breath before exhaling "I know you don't know me but you can trust me. My name is Tikki and I used to train here." She stood and offered a hand to the still shaken girl. "Will you come sit on the bench with me? I have cookies and hot chocolate."

Marinette looked into her eyes and saw truth in the deep blue. Her eyes scanned up and down the young woman. She didn't think she looked like she would try to kidnap her, and even if she did her mom had taught her several martial arts moves. Her eyes caught the woman's unique hair coloring and decided to take the offered hand, easily standing up. Marinette saw that she was also wearing skates and the two glided over to the bench together, Tikki arriving first and grabbing their guards, offering Marinette's to her first and waiting before moving to put hers on and step off. Marinette sat on the bench and watch Tikki cautiously as she pulled cookies, a thermos, and two cups out of a skate bag. She poured hot chocolate into the cups and offered one to the bluenette while taking a drink from hers. She sat down and placed the large bag of cookies in between the two, whether it was to give Marinette space, or just so that they could both reach them easily, the girl didn't know, but guessed it was a bit of both as the young woman took a couple out as she relaxed into her seat.

Marinette continued to observe her, for now she was really able to look at her with more lights in the bench area. She wore a red dress that had a skirt with multiple layers that came to several points, and little red and black earrings, but her hair caught the aspiring fashion designer's eye the most. It was up in two buns, and from what Marinette could tell started in a deep red at the roots and became black about halfway through, her bangs being black around the center almost to the roots. She had two long sections of hair that hung from the buns, and some longer pieces that hung in front of ears. It should have given of a different feeling than it did, it should have looked completely fake and maybe even childish, but on her it looked mature, strong, and almost elegant.

"Is that natural?" Marinette found herself asking, she started wishing she could grab it and put it back in her mouth. "I'm so sorry! That was completely inappropriate! It's just that I'm really into fashion design and am completely baffled by your hair.

Tikki stared back at her, an eyebrow raised in confusion before she burst out into giggles. "Oh Marinette! You have absolutely no reason to be upset, I completely understand. But as for the answer to your question, I'll leave that for you to figure out." She said with a wink.

"Okay…" The pigtailed girl said cautiously "what about my other questions? I still don't know how you know my name."

"Right, of course. Well, I have a proposition for you. I'm sure you know about the Masquerade Skating event happening this summer."

"Yes… But only some basics. Some of the skaters were discussing it today, but I only caught tidbits."

"They used to be fairly common. This is the first one they have had in several years, but it is very important because it raises money for important causes. Many of the skaters are followed closely by the media and can become role models for for others." Tikki saw that the young girl was paying full attention, but confusion was still visible on her face.

"What does that have to do with me?"

"My partner and I have been looking for the right people to take our place in the event. We used to skate the event and others every year, when the skating world was great. Looking around, we see that many of the skaters have become selfish, or just don't realize what an influence they can have on others."

Marinette really looked at her now, she watched those events when she was younger, and had many of the skaters and routines dedicated to memory. She gasped when she put everything together.

"Wait a second! You're...no way!" She began to bounce in her seat "I remember! I used to watch your routines over and over again! I know several of them by heart. But what do you want with me?"

"I want you to take my place."

"Me? You don't want me, I'm clumsy, and always mess up when I skate in front of people. Plus I don't know the first thing about skating with a partner!"

"Marinette, calm down." She said grasping at her shoulders "I've been watching you and other girls for several days. You are the only one I know can do this. I want you to be the next Ladybug."