Marinette: Ok, so we go over the plan one last time! Luke, Nath, Ivan, and Nino: You guys are in charge of figuring out any loop holes to get anyone out of danger so changes CAN! BE! PRESSED!

Nino: You can count on it!

Marinette: Chloe, Lila, Luke: I need you guys to get me an application for ISP and get it to me ASAP!

Lila: Getting the get-go already!

Marinette: Alix, Kim, Juleka, and Kagami: Please, for the love of God, make sure that Kacey doesn't do anything stupid, burn the hotel down, go after Agreste, ect. I made a list and sent it via email.

Kacey: Hey, that's not-

Alix: Nobody asked you to speak.

Kagami: Be happy she even mentioned your name.

Kim: We got you!

Juleka: Yeah we do!

Jason: What about me?

Marinette: You're with me. You know everyone, everywhere, so you'll be able to tell me weather or not their dangerous or not because I'm not tryna die up, or rather, down there.

Jason: You do have a good point.

Alix: You only wanna know if your mystery man is part of a street gang.

Marinette: Shut the fuck up, Alix.

Kim: We-

Luka: -are so-

Nino: -talking-

All: Later!

Marinette: I let out a string of breathes! I breathe and the world and everyone I know is against me! Can't ever get with what's right!

Chloe: You're rambling.

Marinette: Yeah, my bad! Anyway! Groups: Operation Next Gen is an all clear go!

Everyone: YEAH!

Everyone breaks off into their groups and starts going off on their assigned tasks. Jason takes a helmet out his bag and hands it to Marinette before they climb on his bike and start their way down East Side Paris.

Jason: So? What's the new guy's name?

Marinette: W-What new guy?

Jason: You know who I mean~ Who the hell are kissing up on?

Marinette: I'm not kissing up on anyone! But...his name is Atlas Mason.

Jason: ATLAS "PHANTOM" MASON!?

Marinette: Yeah, that's him. You know him or something?

Jason: Hell yeah I do! We were super tight in grade school. The thing about him is that he can be both anywhere and everywhere, but also nowhere at the same time. He's a super trippy dude. In the best way, of course, and his sister can drip anyone out asf.

Marinette: That's kinda cool.

Jason: It's not just "kinda cool". It's boss work cool, that's what it is!

Marinette: Ok, ok!

Jason: It's drop period at ISP, so he's got FB practice right now.

Marinette: What's a drop period?

Jason: It's like a free period at your school, but they call it a drop period.

Marinette: Oh. There school sounds so much cooler to be real.

Jason parks his bike and they go into the high school and stop at the front desk.

Secretary: You two late?

Jason: No, just visiting a friend.

Secretary: Name of friend?

Jason: Atlas Mason.

Secretary: Will Atlas Mason please report to the front desk? Atlas Mason to the front desk, thank you. You might wanna have a seat.

Marinette: Thank you, Ms. Wei.

Secretary: No, thank you! No one ever pays attention to my name. They all just call me "Ms. Secretary".

She hands Marinette and Jason visiting passes and they sit in some chairs at near the entrance doors.

Marinette: I bet he'll get here to the nearest second.

Jason: No way! He's gone get here to the nearest 3 seconds!

Marinette: Raise it 250?

Jason: Set.

They both set timers, shake hands, and wait for Atlas. He comes sprinting to the front desk and they stop their timers.

Jason: HA! I WIN!

Marinette: Fuck!

Jason: Language young lady!

Marinette: Just take your 250 and get on your marry way.

Jason: Nice! Phantom! My man!

Atlas: Ayo, Green Bean! Long time no see!

Marinette: Green Bean?

Jason: It's a long story. A story that was promised to NEVER be spoke of again!

Atlas: But, Green Bean-!

Jason: Shut up! Or that little slip up at your first football game might just come out!

Marinette: What happened at your first-

Atlas: NOTHING! LET'S GO TO THE FIELD!

They go to the field with Jason laughing and Marinette trying to figure out what Jason was talking about before.

Marinette: C'mon! Tell me!

Atlas: Nah, I think I'll keep that to myself.

Jason: It was funny as fuck though!

Marinette: Tell me!

Jason: During his first game, he-

Atlas: OH LOOK! WE'RE HERE ALREADY!

He pushes them out to the field and runs back out to practice. Marinette and Jason go up to the top of the bleachers where Pearl and Ruby are sitting with Jason watching the football team's practice.

Marinette: Hey! You guys go here too?

Ruby: Y-Yup!

Pearl: Y-Yeah! What are you doing here?

Marinette: Jason and I are just visiting Atlas.

Younger Jason: You've got the same name as me!? That's so cool! I've never met anyone with the same name as me!

Older Jason: You kinda remind me of myself as a kid. I'mma call you MnM!

Younger Jason: MnM?

Older Jason: Y'know? Like, "Mini Me". MnM!

Younger Jason: Cool!

Ruby: No fair! Pretty lady, I wanna nickname too!

Marinette: What do you like doing?

Ruby: I like dancing, and singing, and anything bright colored! Everything's also gotta have flare to it!

Marinette: Pop Rocks!

Ruby: Nice! I'm winning!

Pearl: You two make everything a contest, I swear.

Jason/Ruby: It's not my fault I'm better than him/her! Are not! I am so!

Pearl: I swear, the sexual tension between you two is so great. I bet you two make out in the gym just to skip class, huh?

Both their faces go red and Ruby snatches her sketchbook out of her lap.

Ruby: Let's just see how your pictures of Ethan are coming along, hmm?

Pearl: Give that back!

Ruby: No way!

At this time, Ethan kicks the football and it goes off course flying straight towards Marinette's face. Everyone freezes and Marinette prepares for the impact, but it doesn't happen. Marinette opens their eyes and sees Atlas with the ball in one hand only centimeters away from their face.

Atlas: You ok?

Marinette: Y-Yeah, thanks!

Jade runs out to the field and climbs up on the bleachers.

Jade: Pearl, Ruby, and Jason, your teachers are- oh my gosh you're so pretty, whoever you are- Your teachers are looking for you. Ashley snitched.

Pearl: I really hate that bitch.

Ruby: On everything!

They leave and Ethan follows with the rest of the team to go change in the locker room. Jason leaves suddenly without saying anything which leaves Marinette and Atlas confused.

Atlas: What's his deal?

Marinette: I don't know. Maybe he had to go comb his hair. He does that a lot.

They laugh and sit on the bleachers. Atlas sits down spinning the ball in his hands.

Atlas: So, the infamous Ladybug is scouting out our school for the Next Gen, huh?

Marinette: You know!?

Atlas: I'm a ghost, but my brain still works. Same height. Same hair color. Same piercing eyes. Yup. Same person.

Marinette: Why can't people on my side of Paris be this smart?

Atlas: I don't know, but I do know some people who'd be great for the job of superhero.

Marinette: Really? 'Cause you could be saving me A LOT of time right now.

Atlas: You know that girl that came for Pearl, Ruby, and Jason?

Marinette: Yeah?

Atlas: That's Jade and those were her sisters. She has two other sisters. Amethyst and Sapphire, but I don't think you've met them yet. Ethan and Jason have three other brothers. Jacob, Matteo, and Liam.

Marinette: I don't have anything to write down those names.

Atlas: Oh! Hold on.

He takes out a marker and scribbles his number down on a piece of paper.

Atlas: Here. My number.

Marinette takes the piece of paper and when their fingers touch, they both get a bright flash of white. To them it's like someone keeps taking close up pictures of them and it doesn't stop until Marinette grabs the paper and moves away from Atlas.

Marinette: W-What the hell?

Atlas: You...felt it too?

Marinette: What was it?

Atlas: I don't know...but I might know someone who does.

Marinette: Really? Who?

Atlas: My cousin. She works at the fire station a few streets up from here. Hey, if you don't have anything to do now, I could...take you there now?

Marinette: I-I actually have, uhm- uh- I have things I gotta do, s-so-

They get up and start walking down the bleachers when Atlas chases them and grabs their wrist.

Atlas: W-Wait-

A shock like sensation passes through both of them and Marinette falls into Atlas' arms.

Atlas: Are you ok?

Marinette: Y-Yeah, I'm fine.

Atlas: Are you sure?

Marinette: Yeah...

Atlas: I'm not forcing you to go, but we need to know what's going on.

Marinette: I-I know. Let's go to the fire station.

Atlas helps Marinette stand up right and they leave the school grounds to go to the fire station.

Atlas: So...what do you think this is about?

Marinette: I don't know, but I hope it's a good thing.

Atlas: (Chuckles) How is getting shocked a good thing?

Marinette: Everything is a good thing in a way. Sometimes bad things are good things in disguise.

Atlas: Like?

Marinette: Like shots. To be clear, I'm talking about the vaccines, not the alcohol.

Atlas: Ok.

Marinette: That's the only example I have.

Atlas: You're a strange girl, y'know that?

Marinette: Hey! That was so uncalled for!

Atlas: What? My mom said it's bad to lie to women.

Marinette: Sometimes keeping your mouth shut is the best option.

Atlas: Eh. At least I didn't lie. Why did you break up with that guy anyway? You guys looked so happy together.

Marinette: You got time?

Atlas: I've got nothing going on anytime soon.

Marinette: Well...

The walk was about two hours, so Marinette had plenty of time to tell their story. With every word they speak, Atlas gets angrier at what happened to them.

Marinette finishes just as they're only a few more blocks away from the fire station, and Atlas tries to take some calming breaths, but it doesn't seem to have any effect.

Atlas: YOU WERE SAed!? AND IT WAS THE MAN WHO PROMISED TO STAND BY YOU!?

Marinette: Yup.

Atlas: AND WHEN YOU FINALLY START FEELING YOURSELF AGAIN, YOUR EX-MAN CHEATS!? NOT WITH ONE, BUT WITH WOMEN!?

Marinette: Yeah, pretty much.

Atlas: WHY IS MODEL BOY STILL ROAMING THE STREETS!?

Marinette: Because he got money, and threatened to shut down any major assistance buildings.

Atlas: I'M GONNA FLIP MY SHIT! I SWEAR TO GOD I'M GONNA-

Marinette: I'll buy you a coffee.

Atlas: C-COFFEE!? YOU'RE WORRIED ABOUT COFFEE!?

Marinette: I'll spring for a chocolate fudge muffin~

Atlas: CH-CHOCOLATE- I- (Sigh) Will it make you feel better if I accept?

Marinette: ...Yes.

Atlas: But- (Sigh) Fine. But I'm still angry.

Marinette: It's a start.

They enter the nearest coffee shop and Marinette buys Atlas a coffee and a chocolate fudge muffin and they continue their walk to the fire station.

Atlas: Fank Yoy! (Thank you!)

Marinette: You're welcome.

Atlas eats half the muffin and drinks half the coffee and gives the rest of it to Marinette.

Atlas: It's getting colder out, and I'm assuming you haven't eaten anything yet?

Marinette: I have not, but I'll survive.

Atlas: If you don't eat it, I'll shove it down your throat.

Marinette hastily takes the food and sips on the coffee.

Marinette: Thanks...

Atlas: No problem.

Marinette: WHAT HAPPENED OVER THERE!?

They point to a pile up in the street with people trying to get back on to the overturned bus that's laying on its top.

Atlas: Oh my God! THERE'S KIDS ON THAT BUS!

They run over to the bus and sneak around through the back and start crawling in through the back.

Marinette: Why the fuck aren't the rescue workers doing anything?

Atlas: There's only a handful of good ones. My cousin is one of them. Everyone else isn't gonna do shit unless it involves a paycheck. As long as you don't die, you can do pretty much anything you want around here.

They keep crawling until they find a little boy with two girls next to him.

Atlas: Hey, little guys. What're your names?

Boy 1: I'm Rowan.

Girl 1: Maxxi.

Girl 2: Trixie.

Atlas: What do you say we get you outta here, hm?

Maxxi: Yeah!

Trixie: Let's go!

Rowan: Ok!

Marinette: We can't go back out through the doors. They've compressed even more. There's no room to fit.

Atlas: We'll just have to go out the windows then!

Atlas breaks two windows and brushes the shards of glass out of the kids hair.

Atlas: Sorry about that. Now, let's try this again. It's exit time!

He climbs out of the window and helps the kids out first, then helps Marinette out before they fall.

Marinette: Thanks, Atlas.

All the kids run back to their mothers while Atlas starts sniffing the air.

Marinette: What's that smell?

Atlas: A gas leak... THERE'S A GAS LEAK! EVERYONE MOVE! NOW!

Everyone starts running away from the bus trying to get away from it before it explodes. Marinette trips over a jagged piece of metal and falls to the ground with blood dripping down their leg.

Marinette: Oh, c'mon!

They try to get up, but falls back down because of the throbbing pain in their leg. The bus exploded with Marinette only a few feet away from it. They prepare for a forceful explosions, but when it comes, they're covered by someone, so they don't feel a thing.

They open their eyes and are practically paralyzed when a pair of dark eyes are staring straight at them. Atlas.

Marinette: H-How did you...?

Atlas: I was nicknamed Phantom for a reason, Bella. Let's go before we get arrested.

Marinette: Y-Yeah...

When Marinette blinks, in an instant, they're only a block away from the fire station.

Marinette: HOW!? WHAT!? WE WERE JUST-

Atlas: That's a trade secret.

Marinette: No fair!

Atlas: All's fair in love and war!

Marinette: Then...which is this?

Atlas: W-What?

Marinette: N-Not like that! I-I just meant- Like, which mind tactic are you using? Like, gaslighting? Mind games? Psychology? (Nice save, Mari!)

Atlas: Oh... I was...kinda hoping you'd ask about something else.

Marinette: Something else?

Atlas: Oh! Y-You know! Like, when we're gonna get there, or...or if I have any siblings!

Marinette: Oh!

Atlas:(Nice save, Atlas) Y-Yeah, that's what I meant.

Marinette: Well...do you?

Atlas: I have an older sister, yeah. Her name's Isabella, but everyone calls her "Glitch".

Marinette: Why?

Atlas: Because once you look at her and see her a certain way; the next time you look at her she'll appear to be completely different or something small will change. I'm not really sure if that's true or not because I haven't seen her in a while, but it sounds trippy.

Marinette: That sounds super cool.

Atlas: She is... I just wish I could see her more. She's in college, so...I barely ever get to see her anymore.

Marinette: Oh... I'm sorry...

Atlas: It's not your fault. I just... I wish I spent more time with her when we were little.

Marinette: Maybe you'll have more time whenever you see her again.

Atlas: (Chuckles) I doubt it. Her school always keeps her on her toes.

They turn into the fire station and start looking around until Marinette spots Noah making an attempt (Keywords being: Making an attempt) at flirting with Sasha.

Marinette: HI SASHA! HI NOAH!

Sasha: MINI NETTE!

Sasha runs over and ruffles Marinette's hair making her hair ties fall out. They give each other a hug and Atlas just stands there confused.

Atlas: Why are you two the only ones here?

Noah: 'Cause Sasha got us put on probation.

Sasha: You like dick! You like taking it up the ass! You suck for a living! You-

Atlas: You're embarrassing yourself 'Cuz. Anyway! You gotta show me the equipment!

Sasha: I do?

Atlas: Yes. (Wink wink) You do.

Sasha: Right! I almost forgot! Mini Nette, looks like you've got the displeasure of hanging with Noah.

Noah: I am a delight!

Sasha: Yeah, and I'm an absolute angel.

She rolls her eyes and drags Atlas to the equipment room and leaves Noah with Marinette.

Marinette: Y'know, you'd actually get somewhere if you cool it down a little.

Noah: Cool what down? I'm getting somewhere. Just look at her. She's all over me.

Marinette: Whatever you say, Amigo.

Noah: You think I'm wrong?

Marinette: I don't think you're wrong. I KNOW you're wrong.

Noah: What do you know? You hang out with Phantom! Man's a little bit of a weirdo.

Marinette: How's tapping ass going for you?

Noah: I'm not gonna argue with a child.

Marinette: You're mad 'cause I'm right.

Noah: What!? You're not-

Ethan: CALEB!

Noah: Not here!

Matteo: KATIE!

Noah: In the field as well!

Amethyst: AUNT SASHA!

Noah: What about Uncle Noah!? I'm here too!

Liam: Long story short, Jacob fucked up and now Jade's gone.

Jacob: I didn't mean it!

Pearl: Shut up! Don't speak!

Sapphire: You trashed her name!

Jacob: It was a set up! I didn't think Jade was gonna be there!

Jason: Like you said: It was a set up, and you fell for it hook, line, and sinker.

Noah: What the hell did you do, man?

Jacob: I guess it's storytime...