Kagami closed the door to Boulangerie Patisserie behind herself. The bakery was almost empty for once. A woman appeared behind the counter waving her over. As she walked, Kagami scratched at the triangle on her right hand. It had been a few months after the first Stone Talas appeared (starting what her mother called ‘the age of Malice’) therefore it had also been a few months since the Knight appeared. Wielding the legendary Master Sword, they struck down the Stone Talas allowing herself to get close and seal the malice freeing the boy in its clutches. Kagami shook her head as she walked to the counter, lost in the past again although it made sense for her mission.
“Hello,” She said to the woman behind the counter “I’m looking for Marinette. I need to talk to her.”
The woman had dark blue hair, and light grey eyes and was around four feet.
“Why?” Sabine asked.
Kagami had foreseen this and smiled “I’m a concerned friend, I’ve heard she’s been quiet. I want to take her to hang out. See what’s wrong.”
Sabine smiled back “I’m glad. She’s been struggling lately.”
_______________
She knew if this was real, she would be tasting blood. The Bokoblins in front of her screeched as they ran to her, some with clubs, some with bows, and even some with rocks they got from thin air. The dream training room in its plain state was pure Wight and didn’t even have any shadows let alone any rocks.
“Master,” she could hear the voice in the sword call in her head “Do you wish to be pulled out?”
She shook her head “No,” she panted as she used the blade in her hands to stand herself up “I can’t stop.”
She yelled a battle cry as she ran to meet the enemies head-on. Just as the weapons were about to clash, Marinette opened her eyes.
------------------------
“Mari,” her mother called “One of your friends is here!”
Marinette dropped the sword in her hands letting it land in her lap. So much for training the whole day.
“I apologize, master,” the voice of the sword now materialised said, “Pulling you out was the only option.”
“It’s no problem,” Marinette replied.
The blue-haired girl grasped the leather strap attached to the blue and gold sheave and stood up. She yanked her nearby red sports bag and gently placed the blade inside. Next to the blade had the Heroes’ Mask and an ocarina both strapped inside specially made pockets keeping them away from sight. The girl hadn’t made one for her sword yet but it was a work in progress. After zipping the bag shut and pulling it over her shoulder, Marinette opened her room’s trap door and almost immediately tripped over her feet as she jumped down the stairs. The girl repeated the action with the second set of stairs. She, instead of tripping for once, used her momentum to skid and turn reaching the door behind her mother.
Marinette could barely believe her eyes “KAGAMI!!” she yelled as she entered the main bakery.
Kagami looked up at the third person in the room. Marinette had a lighter shade of blue compared to Kagami’s hair with a single streak of golden blonde hair tucked behind a slightly pointed ear. She had bright blue eyes and was wearing a green jacket with a silhouette of a flower stitched to one front side (with the other having a broken sword of some kind) with a black mask covering her mouth and nose. Kagami covered the triangle on her hand noticing a black glove covering Marinette’s right hand and only her right hand.
“Hello Marinette,” Kagami said “How you?”
Marinette didn’t reply right away and instead gave her a thumbs up.
Kagami stepped forward so they were face to face (with Marinette being slightly shorter).
“How would you feel about getting ice cream today?”
Marinette stared blankly at her before happily nodding. Kagami nodded back causing Mari to nod again leaving Sabine slightly confused.
The two had found Andre on one of Paris’ many bridges and had decided to sit on a bench on it eating blackberry and orange ice cream. The loud silence between them stopped any conversation. That was until Mari had enough.
Marinette sighed “What’s the real reason you got me out here?”
“I just wanted to make sure you were alright Mari,” Kagami replied “You’ve been rather quiet recently.”
Marinette shook her head and gripped the mask still on her face. She hadn’t eaten any ice cream yet. In fact, it had partially melted onto the bench the two were on.
“I have no idea what you’re talking about, Gami.”
“There it is,” ‘Gami’ replied with a small smile “You and Hero always call me that.”
Kagami couldn’t tell if Mari was smiling back but she also couldn’t tell if she was frowning either.
She sighed as she gripped her skirt “Mari?”
Marinette turned her gaze back to Kagami “Yeah?”
“Have you ever wanted to be wrong about something? But you know that something is right?” Kagami asked as she made eye contact with the girl beside her.
Mari sighed “Almost every day,” she replied like it was almost nothing “Why do you ask?”
“I…think I know something,” Kagami reluctantly uttered “I think one of my friends is putting themselves in danger for me.”
“They say they’re fine but they almost passed out the other day,” she felt a sob deep in her throat but she swallowed it down “They want to protect me and I am thankful for that as I am targeted. But…”
Kagami suddenly wrapped her arms around Mari almost breaking her ribs again that week.
She quietly sobbed into the girl's shoulder “But I’m worried about Hero. She’s dear to me.”
Kagami could hear Mairnette’s slightly raised, powerful heartbeat somehow finding comfort in the fact it still stood strong despite everything the world threw at her. Mari could feel herself starting to sob but she bit the inside of her mask to stop herself.
“I’m sorry,” she somehow muttered despite feeling her throat closing “I never wanted this to happen.”
Kagami pulled back as she pushed the golden strand of hair behind Mari’s pointed ear “I know you never did, Hero.”
Marinette stopped. The comfort Kagami got from listing to the slightly younger girl’s breathing and feeling her rising and lowering chest stopped.
Kagami lowered her head “I had a feeling it was you, I just wished I knew sooner.”
Marinette shook her head “I -!”
“Mari please,” Kagami hesitated but lightly gripped Mair’s hands “Please, don’t leave yourself in the dark to protect others.”
Marinette tried to object but couldn’t bring herself to. She trusted Kagami, right? She had the TriForce of Wisdom after all. And they were friends too. Maybe more? Fi said courage and wisdom had always found each other. Even the other heroes had fallen in love with the holder of wisdom. ‘WHAT ARE YOU THINKING?!’ Mari thought ‘I don’t love Kagami! Where did I even get these thoughts from?!’ Mari tried to reorganise her thoughts. Kagami had always been her rock ether since ‘The Age Of Malice’ began. She had silently protected her from Lila whenever she could while Mari protected her as Hero from Gannon’s incarnate (whoever that may be). Kagami was her one true friend even if they met as Hero and Kagami. Marinette remained completely silent but she released Kagami’s hands and took off her black fingerless glove. A golden triangle glowed from the lower right-hand side of Marinette’s right hand. The TriForce of Courage shun bright almost blinding both girls. Marnette shyly smiled at Kagami. She completely trusted her with her whole life.
Kagami smiled as she rested her head agents her hero’s chest “I’ve never been so happy to see a triangle in my life.”
“That’s a sentence I never thought I’d hear,” Mari lightly scratched at Kagami’s scalp “Are you…happy it’s me? I’d understand if you weren’t.”
“Yes, I am happy it’s you,” Kagami looked up from Mair’s chest and into her bright blue eyes “I just don’t want the person I love and hold so dear to get hurt.”
Marinette had never been so happy to be wearing a mask in her life but she desperately wanted to smile to reassure the girl in her arms she’ll be fine. She smiled deciding Kagami was more important than her dignity (not that she had much anyway). The black and gold mask hung from her left ear after getting pulled off.
Marinette smiled “Don’t worry I feel the same way, Gami, if you got hurt I don’t know what I’d do.”
“You’re beautiful.”
Mari’s face went malice red “Thank you. You do too.”
Kagami now realised why Mari never showed half of her face. Two scars went across her lips creating an X. One was short and went from left to right from just below her nose and to halfway down her chin. The other went from right to left and went from her cheek to below her neck. Kagami still admired her and wouldn’t ask how she got them.
“They’re weird birthmarks, I got them from the previous heroes,” Mari said “These ones are from Wild.”
“Who’s Wild?”
A quiet noise caught Marinette’s attention. Marinette looked up from Kagami’s now ice cream-covered smiling face. A random traveller who had an upside-down eye painted on their forehead locked eyes with her. Two others stood beside them. Suddenly, Mari grabbed Kagami’s hand causing the girl to almost drop her newly bought blackberry, blueberry, and Pistachio (a surprisingly good and weird combo).
“Mari?”
Marinette gripped the bag at her side “Try not to react, but I think I see a Yiga Clan member.”
“Oh dear Nayru,” Kagami muttered.
“Farore give me strength,” Marinette muttered back.
She stood up and swung her scarlet red bag over her shoulder.
“Well, I think it’s time we head back,” Mari offered her hand to Kagami who eagerly took it “Your mother wouldn’t be happy if you’re late home.”
Mari may be a terrible actor but Kagami didn’t care. If it was what they needed to get out of there then so be it.
“Yes,” Kagami stood up standing hand in hand with Marinette “Mother wouldn’t be happy.”
They started to slowly walk away. Kagami looked up from their interlocking hands and to Mari’s concentration-filled face. She still questioned how she never realised how similar Hero and Mari looked. Sure, the Heroes’ mask hid her identity and even swapped her hair colours around but they still shared the same facial expressions. The way her eyebrows slightly turned inward. The way she slightly bit her lip. Even the way her hand was hard and firm yet ever gentle. It was all her hero. Kagami couldn’t have asked for a better chosen one.
“Hey!”
The two turned their heads.
“Where do you think you’re going?!”
“Run!” Kagami yelled.
Marinette didn’t need another word before she started dragging Kagami as she sprinted.
“We won’t be safe for long here,” Kagami panted as she lent on the alley’s wall.
Marinette dropped her bag on the floor “I know.”
Mari opened her bag and yanked the familiar blade out. Seeing her hold the Master Sword still felt wired to Kagami but she also felt her heart pounding in her throat. Marinette attached the blade to her back before grabbing the Heroes’ Mask. She looked up from the relatively plain mask in her hands to Kagami and offered her a smile.
“Remember, I’ll be fine Gami.”
Marinette shoved the mask on her face as she closed her eyes. Kagami shielded her eyes from the light engulfing Marinette. Once she lowered her arm from her eyes, Kagami couldn’t help but blush slightly. Mari’s jacket had changed to a green tunic with blue lining and details. Her red and black trainers were now black and red below-knee combat boots. Her blue jeans had changed to grey track pants. Even her blue hair with a blonde strand had changed to blonde hair with a blue strand. The only thing that didn’t change was her bluebell eyes which still had their kind gaze. The gaze that made Kagami tremble at her knees.
“We don’t have much time,” Marinette now Hero muttered as she grabbed the Master Sword’s handle.
“S-Should we fight?” Kagami asked as she stepped towards Hero.
Hero shook her head “Not if we have to, I don’t want to put you in any possible danger.”
Like at the flick of an unknown switch Hero pivoted around unleashing the blade on an incoming arrow. Kagami could now see the other equipment the Heroes Mask gave Marinette. A bow, a shield and a cloak of some kind. Although, she could remember Hero also having ridiculously deep invisible pockets from when they fought together.
“Just hand over the girl Hero,” one of the Yiga Clan members yelled “And we’ll leave you be!”
Hero just grunted in response. The girl grabbed her painted shield from her back and dashed forward griping the Master Sword for all it was worth. She used the momentum to knock the closest member off guard slicing their chest and causing them to fall backwards. The other two staggered back almost tripping over each other. Hero didn’t waste any time and dashed forward again. This time they were ready. One used a Vicious Sickle to cut Heroes’ shoulder while the other with the bow vanished. 10 seconds later the sickle went flying accompanied by a semi-conscious Yiga Clan member. Hero was about to sheaf her sword when it glowed.
“Master,” Fi startled Hero slightly “Behind us.”
Hero glanced over her shoulder.
“Kagami!” she yelled as she ran back into the alley.
Hero raised her shield blocking another incoming arrow with nothing more them milliseconds to spare. She handed her shield to Kagami.
“This should help,” she said as she reached to her back grabbing the bow.
Hero pulled the string back creating an arrow out of thin air. She stood in front of Kagami with the bow raised.
“Show yourself!”
Another arrow wised past giving Hero enough reaction time to fire one in the direction it came from. The two shared a sigh of relief once the familiar poof signalled the member’s disappearance.
Hero put her bow away on her back “Glad that’s over.”
“What about your shoulder?!” Kagami yelled back.
The next day, Kagami couldn’t keep her eyes off Marinette. Sure, she had always looked in Mari’s general direction ever since she transferred to College Francoise Dupont due to the rumours but now her eyes were glued to her hero. The girl was back to wearing her mask in the classroom but she now had her jacket tied around her hips (still wearing her white long-sleeve shirt though) but now she also had the blonde strand braided. All of a sudden, a knock came at the classroom door grabbing Miss Bustier’s attention.
“I’ll be right back,” she said before stepping out.
At least half of the class grabbed their phones. Including Marinette? That was new. Kagami felt her phone vibrate in her pocket after Mari typed something.
/
Mari
Mari: You ok after yesterday?
You: I am perfectly fine. How’s your shoulder Marinette?
Mari: Eh I’ve had worse just two bandages later and it’s fine
You: That doesn’t reassure me.
Mari: Well I’m just glad you’re ok Gami
\
Kagami looked up from her phone under the table to see Mari rubbing her shoulder.
/
Mari
You: Why didn’t you take today off?
Mari: You know why I have to protect you
You: Sometimes I wish you didn’t.
\
Kagami sighed as she turned off her phone. Mari was either the least careful person or the most careful person. It just depends on the subject. Or rather, who she’s being careful for.