《My Muse // Life Swap AU // A Kagaminette Story》~🌸 Chapter Three 🌸~
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Kagami's head hurt from the amount of thoughts that whirred around in her mind.
'She's so short! And the pigtails are adorable, I've got to ask how she gets her part so straight. Her hand is really warm, too. What if my hands are too cold? Will she let go? Why am I so worried about what she thinks of my hands?? She must think I'm rude, I've barely said a word to her, and we haven't even made eye contact! Please don't think I'm a horrible person, Marinette!'
She struggled with her internal monologue, staring at the ground as she was pulled to her classroom by hand. She looked up, at her, confused as to why this all mattered so much. She was Kagami Dupain-Cheng, nothing ever got to her! Least of all a girl she barely knew.
She tripped over someone's foot, and before she realised what was going on, it was too late to regain her balance. She clamped her eyes shut and prepared for impact with the ground, but it never came. When she opened her eyes, she was face-to-face with the girl who'd distracted her. Mari had caught her at lightning speed, and gripped a nearby pole to help support their weights.
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Marinette was shocked by how slick that save was. 'I mean, I know I'm an international fencing champion with the reflexes of a ninja, but that was surprisingly quick!'
She pulled the both of them up slowly, setting Kagami on her feet before she patted her down. "Are you ok? I can't see any scratches, does anything hurt?"
Kagami was once again left to buffer for a few seconds, while she processed what just happened. She managed to spurt out "Y-yeah, I'm okay. Thanks to you, that is. Are you alright?"
Mari smiled, dusting herself off. "I'm fine as long as you're fine. Class is just there, through the door on the end. Let's get going! I'll sit next to you for the day." She thought about grabbing Kagami's hand again, but knew that Chloe would somehow find a way to blackmail her using that tidbit of information. So, she simply gestured to the door, saying "After you!"
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When the two entered the classroom, Miss Bustier smiled, pulling Kagami aside to introduce her. Marinette made her way to the empty back seat, which earned a few funny looks from her classmates. Chloe spoke up, because she just couldn't contain herself, and said "Finally! Going to the back where you belong, Tsurugi?"
Mari was used to this by now, so she just blocked it out. But Kagami wasn't having it. She grinned and bore it until Miss was done introducing her, and before she walked to the back, she leaned down over Chloe and whispered a couple harsh words.
"I don't know who you are, and I don't care. If you speak to any student, especially Marinette like that again, I will personally see to it that your life becomes living hell. Ok, Chloe?"
The blonde shrunk further into her seat with every word. Sabrina shot her a pointed glare, and everyone else just sat there, kinda impressed. Kagami strolled up to the back seat, and plopped down next to Marinette with a tired sigh. Mari was already slumped over her side of the desk, and she gave a small smile when Kagami appeared next to her. "You didn't need to do that for me, y'know."
Kagami sighed again. "I would have done it for anyone. Chloe has no right to treat people like ants for her to step on."
"Well, I'm glad we have a new knight in shining armour to protect us."
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It was 6th period, the last hour of the day. Kagami was relieved, 'After this class, there'll be no more introductions, no more forced conversations, no more obligatory get-to-know-me games! I can just go home and do my homework!'
However, 6th period happened to be Literature.
This subject was her least favourite – all you do is read books, and write about why books were written. And when you're not bearing the consequences of the actions of authors, you're writing stories and poetry of your own. Blegh. That day they started a unit on emotive writing, and the first task was to write a song or rap that conveys at least 3 related emotions. Kagami worked away at her desk, trying to identify a group of similar feelings that she could actually connect with. She brainstormed and mapped out as many ideas as she could, but nothing settled well with her. 'Well, I guess I'll just have to leave it for later...'
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The bell sounded, signalling the end of the school day. She gathered her books, and slowly trekked back to the locker bay. Everyone was rushing around her, already eager to leave the place on the first day. She made it to her destination in one piece, packed the materials she needed into her bag, and turned to leave. She noticed a blonde student enter the room, and groaned internally as they made their way towards her.
[ this is Adrien's outfit rn ]
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Adrien was preparing to waste awhile hanging out alone at the school. He had fencing later that afternoon, so his father saw no point to dragging him home, only to immediately go out again. He had no reason to hurry, so he took it slow on his way back to the lockers. When he entered, he was surprised to find the new student still in there, fiddling with her bag. She looked up at him, and flashed an obviously fake smile, before turning back to her locker. Adrien approached anyway, because he's a kind bean, and just slightly too oblivious to have picked up on Kagami's strong 'go away' body language.
"Hey! It's Kagami, right? I didn't get to introduce myself earlier. I'm Adrien Agreste."
Kagami's eyes widened a little when she realised that's why he was so familiar. She supposed she might as well be cordial, since they'd be seeing a lot of eachother in the coming months.
"Nice to meet you, Adrien. What are you doing here so late?"
He put his books down on the bench next to him, sitting down while responding. "I could ask you the same thing."
Kagami let off a small smile, quirking an eyebrow. Adrien grinned back at her.
"My parents don't need me home until later. Plus, I like this place when it's quiet." She sat down next to him.
"I guess it's kinda nice... I have fencing classes later, so I just stick around until they start."
"When do they start?"
"Five o'clock."
"Five? You sit in here, alone, until five?? I mean, I know I'm one to talk when it comes to spending time alone, but damn!"
"Yeah..."
They sat in silence, Adrien trying to ignore how lonely he was outside of school, and Kagami thinking of a solution. Then it hit her; She literally lives within walking distance of the school.
"Hey, my place isn't that far from here. Do you... want to spend the afternoon at mine?"
"For real?!" He was so excited for a second, but his face fell when he remembered how little the chances of his father saying yes were. 'What he doesn't know can't hurt him, right? It's not like I'm disappearing off the face of the Earth', he convinced himself.
"You know what, Kagami? I'm in. Let's go, don't wanna waste any more time!"
And so to Kagami's house they went.
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Hey hey everybody! How's quarantine treating y'all? Tell me about the mischief you're getting up to!
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Valor and Violence
Valor and Violence is a series of short stories following different, yet all equally colourful, characters set in the same world. Birth of a Legend, the first short, follows Captain Erskine Erwell, a newly promoted Captain in the Calandorian Royal Navy, charged with protecting his people from all who would do them harm. Great news for the Calandorian citizens, bad news for the Skjar reavers that ravage the shores in search of slaves. But when a small reaver fleet slips the net and escapes to the southern jungles of Marduk, Erwell must fight a war on two fronts; one against the raiders, and a far more difficult war against the hostile landscape. If he can't find allies in this strange land, he may end up being the one in need of saving. The first part of the second short story will be uploaded on Saturday, the 11th of June, following Ferez Ahud, an aspiring young battlemage charged with the unsavoury job of 'terminating' a rogue member of his college. But how this nobody of a mage became a fugitive remains a mystery, and when the answer is discovered, the tables are turned and the hunter becomes the prey. I'll be uploading chapters of more in-universe short stories each week or as close to, work permitting. Content Guidelines: course language and violence
8 99Deathless Dungeoneers
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8 332Toothpick
“Hello! My humble audience! I, the Bard of the North, am going to tell you a tale. Nothing new, nothing old. A story of a hero, some may say, others a poor boy who was hated by the world.” The storyteller paused as he waited, right timing was everything when telling a story. Pacing… Too slow and the audience became bored then left without tossing even the smallest of coins. If he spoke too fast and rushed the story. It would leave the audience confused and having no reason to be impressed. So like any good storyteller, the Bard has to do a balancing act of sorts. Not too slow, not too fast. Just perfectly in the middle. “In a shattered country in the south, a novice princeling has the ambition to mend a torn tapestry that is his birthplace. Struggling to fend off those who would usurp the throne in an unending civil war spanning centuries. A mercenary that left only death in his wake, unable to stave off the monotony and peace of life. He looks back at the path laden with bodies, wondering if it was all worth it. Wandering souls summoned by a madman, travel away from a wasteland in a foreign land, the first alone, the others as companions. A deity, ancient in her years, waiting to be freed from a duty she no longer enjoys. For all these people and their stories, none are the hero of this tale. No, the hero is not grand, not wise, not ready.. he was punished for nothing of his doing, who was an outcast that was unloved by many, including his father.” This was always the big reveal novices use to jump off into their story. He did not start here, instead, like any good fishermen, he set the bait and waited until the fish bit before pulling. As he saw the audience's eyes focus, he then started the backstory. The harness, that stopped the listeners from having metaphorical whiplash. The foreshadowing. “But that is not where the story starts. No, not even the hero's birth. Where the story begins, is the boredom of the deity, a deity many know of. She who hunts for the impossible, the guide for those who have lost the path, the Huntress of Mallon--” A small pause, a short breath. “--All old names for a single powerful being that has roamed the grounds of this continent longer than any line of kings or queens, lords or ladies. A being of worship for many an individual…” One last breath. And he began singing the first verse.
8 289Fallen Stars
Jedi Master Terus Neeman, master to the young Twi'lek Padawan Yisheera Daal is present on Alderaan when the planetwide communications blackout occurs. As a result, the young padawan back on Coruscant finds herself plagued by a deeply rooted dread. Despite her insistance that something has gone terribly wrong, it seems that neither the Jedi or the Republic will believe her. She decides that if no-one else will act, than the responsibility of saving her master falls to her and her most loyal friend, Kayle Mattuk. But the two padawans soon find themselves in over their heads, facing overwhelming and continuously mounting odds. Now their only hope is to find and rescue Yisheera's master, because he may well be the only chance they have of getting home alive.
8 96False Mage (Urban Fantasy)
Viktor is hired to find a missing person who struggled with escalating conflicts in her professional and family life. The only clues left behind are her journals, which record her attempt at using dark magic to make everything better. But her efforts only ended up making everything worse.
8 119The Faen Wrath
Ben is a normal man working at a grocery store, when he meets an abnormal woman who accidentally pulls him into her world. The world of the Fae.
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