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Language:
English
Series:
Part 1 of Recommencer and More
Collections:
Random_Miraculous_Ladybug_Fics, TastyRadiationCollection, hereBeGems, Miraculous Ladybug (JayPhoenic), The Forest
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Published:
2019-11-12
Updated:
2023-09-25
Words:
96,348
Chapters:
63/?
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1,552
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4,802
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882
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163,906

Recommencer

Chapter 2: Episode 1; The Restarter, Part 2

Summary:

Marinette meets her classmates, and makes a few friends.

Notes:

(See the end of the chapter for notes.)

Chapter Text

Inside, there was a small class of about nine students. Including her and Ale, that was only eleven. Marinette couldn’t but be a bit relieved at the slightly smaller class size Everyone was scattered across the room in groups, except a boy in the back, listening to something on his phone contentedly, and a blonde boy with his nose in a book, sitting a chair away from the other boy. The rows were wide enough for three to a row, in a single column of desks with stairs on either side, instead of the two to a desk in her old school.

In the front desk, a group of students were gathered around one serious looking raven-haired boy of Asian descent, who was typing quick as lightning on a personal laptop.

“Everyone!” Ale announced. All the students looked up, except for in the back, where the blonde had to gently tap the tanner boy, as he couldn’t hear. Marinette felt her confidence deplete just a bit. Ale put a steady hand on her shoulder.

“I’m proud to introduce Miss Marinette Dupain-Cheng!”

For a moment there was silence. Marinette silently worried it was bad silence. She hoped Lila's lies about her hadn't spread already...

“Yo, you mean the girl who did Jagged Stone’s shit?!” The silence was broken by boy with black cat-eye glasses, a leather jacket, and a shaved head, who asked this quite excitedly.

“Language!” A girl with double braids called sternly. Her hair was a dark brown, and her glasses were square and pink. She seemed of mixed descent, like Marinette. She walked down the stairs to her, examining her closely, eyes intense and hawkish. Marinette found herself a little nervous. This wasn’t the Chloé of school, right?

“I’m sorry, but your right pigtail is loose. May I adjust that for you, please?” A little bossy, her hands aching to fix it herself, but polite. Marinette gave a nervous nod, and the girl tightened it for her.

“Thank you very much. Now! Your last name is Dupain-Cheng? Half Chinese?” She asked, still examine her with hawk-like brown silver eyes.

“Ah, yes! My mother is Chinese, and my father French!” Marinette explained, feeling slightly put on the spot.

The girl nodded, and a proud smirk came to her face. She adjusted her deep brown jacket. “I see. We’ll get along nicely then! My grandfather is Italian, and my grandmother is Chinese. So we already have ancestry in common.” She explained, sounding very satisfied. “Apologies for getting ahead of myself. I am Irma Chen.” She extended a hand, laden with a silver watch, to her. “It’s nice to meet someone of a similar talent level.”

Marinette found herself smiling even more. “N-Nice to meet you, Irma!”

“Like, don’t hog her, prez!” A high pitched, airy voice came from from nearby. Marinette turned, and had to look up a little at the tall girl, who had her dark hair in loose, long cornrows. She waved a dark hand playfully. 

“Hiya! I’m Ashli Campbell! Super sweet ta meet you, Mari! Can I call you Mari?” She asked excitedly, giggling.

“Oh, sure!” Marinette smiled. “It’s nice to meet you. All of you!”

“Seems like you’ll fit right in, Marinette.” Ale smiled. “Unfortunately, the only open seat is in the back. I hope it isn’t a problem? Félix and Hemi are quiet, but they’re not rude.”

“We can do some shuffling around if you want, girly!” Ashli said happily.

The idea of everyone moving seats, combined with the too familiar nickname, made Marinette pause, feeling like someone had dumped ice water on her.

“No!” She said, a bit too loudly. “I mean... no, it’s fine.” Marinette have a forced smile. “I’m sure we’ll get along, if they’re as nice as you guys.” The three seemed concerned, but they all seemed to shrug it off. Except Ashli, who watched her with an unreadable expression.

That's when the teacher came in. She was a somewhat short, youngish looking woman in dark brown pants, short black hair, and riding boots. “Alright, class! Let’s get to our seats. We gotta get through our general studies fast today. We have a lot to go over!”

The class responded in unison. “Yes, Ms. Desrosiers!”

Marinette was a bit surprised at the command with which she spoke, and more so at the resounding response. But the teacher smiled at her with kindness.

“First, I’m sure you’ve already been getting to know her, but please meet Miss Dupain-Cheng! She’s transferred to us from Collège François Dupont. Treat her with kindness, is that clear?”

The class responded in unison again. Marinette smiled a bit, feeling shy. Ms. Desrosiers, who towered over her, bent down a bit to be at her level. “If you need anything, you come to me, or Miss Chen, our class representative. We’ll do our very best to accommodate you. Will you be alright in the back?” She asked, concern in her voice. 

“Yes, Miss Desrosiers. Thank you for the concern.” When had it last been that a teacher had checked up on her like this? Marinette couldn’t cry before class started, though. So she quickly made her way to the back of the classroom. 

She took the middle seat, and beamed nervously at her seat-mates. The medium-brown skinned boy gave a small smile and a little wave. He started to sign something, and Marinette smiled, recognizing it.

“Oh, do you sign? Mine’s a little rusty, but I’ll try my best.” She asked. The boy nodded, seeming a little less shy at hearing this. He wrote something in his notebook. ‘Hemi Tamihana.’ Then pointed to himself. He made the sign for H, and then turned it into the sign for actor. His personal sign, it seemed. Marinette nodded.  

“Marinette.” She made the sign for M, her hand pointed downwards, and then moved her hand under it, like moving fabric under a sewing machine. Hemi nodded eagerly, lighting up at meeting someone who knew the language well and had a personal sign.

“Félix.” She suddenly heard behind her. She looked to the blonde boy. He looked... familiar somehow. He regarded her a bit coldly. Then, he made the sign for F, and then for ‘ice.’ Hemi laughed soundlessly, and Marinette giggled. Maybe not so cold after all.

“Nice to meet you. If it helps, you don’t seem that cold.” Marinette told him warmly.

Félix gave a strange, forced smile. Like he wasn’t sure how to, but was giving it his best shot. Marinette found it... kind of endearing.

“Alright class, let’s start!”

This time, with Hemi resounding in sign, Marinette joined in on the unison response. 

“Yes, Ms. Desrosiers!”

Notes:

Which of the Rose class is your favorite? Besides Félix, of course.