MARINETTE

"A-And why would you want to do that?" He sputters, not expecting the words that came out my mouth.

"Because who else aside from me can appeal to both sides?"

"Mari..."

"I am the daughter of the first proditor," I quickly state with determination, looking straight at his eyes, "while I am also the daughter of a man who worked for the government all of his life." I place a hand on my chest and with conviction I continue, "If Monarch won't choose to stand in front. Let me be the one. Some have seen me in front of them before. I must not stop there. I need to continue."

Adrien lets out a breath then drops his head, resting his forehead against mine. "I...If..." he sighs again. "If this is what you want...then I'll help you prepare for whatever needs to be said." He places a hand behind my head. He draws back to gently tilt my head to look at him. Is this what you really want?" He whispers, desperately searching my eyes.

"It scares me," I confess in a soft voice. I swallow and blink countlessly, tears brimming my eyes. "But Adrien...I don't want to stand idly anymore. When I will talk, I won't only be doing it for them and the hope of our land, but I will also be doing it for you. For us and our future that I want to spend with you."

"And I choose to believe you..." He runs a thumb under my eye, a smile playing about his lips. He leans in, pressing a soft kiss on my forehead then proceeds to pull me closer to leave a tender kiss on my lips. I immediately reciprocate it, looping my arms around his neck, holding him dearly as he holds me the same.

The deep kiss we shared leaves the both of us panting for air when we pull back. "I love you..." I manage to utter in ragged breaths. He lets out a soft laugh, brushing a finger on my swollen lips.

"...and I choose to fully believe that as well," he replies with a glint in his eye before pulling me in for another kiss.

------------

"Monarch, why won't you be there?" I ask for the nth time.

I personally asked Monarch to see me. Now we are in my room, just the two of us. Although he and Adrien are civil with each other, that did not stop the fact that Adrien clearly stopped himself from even batting an eyelash to show his discomfort that I'm making him leave me alone for some time. I did not want to say it out loud, but I found it really cute how he tried to show that he was unbothered with the fact that I wanted to talk to Monarch.

Now that it is just Monarch and I, as much as possible I didn't want to start an argument. But I couldn't help myself. I guess it is in our nature now when we see each other.

"Haven't I explained it well enough?" He grunts, throwing his hands to his sides.

I roll my eyes and huff, "You keep on explaining but I still don't see anything wrong with you being there!"

"Look," he holds out a hand at me, "you can't just place me on a pedestal now that you need me to lead."

"It's not only me who needs you," I argue, my voice raising in the room, "the people need you."

"Marinette, can't see? Do you know what I'm trying to point out? You have the capability to do that." He takes a step forward, looking straight into my eyes. "That is what I love about you..." he whispers before turning the other way and continuing, "and that is what I took from you."

My heart drops with his last words. I clench my hands into fists, yearning to find the right words to say...or even the strength to say anything.

"Monarch-"

"I'm trying to make up for what I lacked in. I could not even keep your trust in me," he points out, "what more if it is with other people from different backgrounds?"

"Monarch, I trust you," I emphasize.

"Not as much as your trust in Agreste," he quickly replies, turning back to face me. "Listen, I want to be mature about this as much as possible, but if you push an argument like that you are making it hard on me."

I heave out a deep sigh, pursing my lips. My arms fall limp by my sides, the urge to move even an inch, all gone. "Monarch..." I whisper desperately after a while.

"Mari, I know that Lieutenant Agreste is the only one you see." He casts a sullen look toward the side of the room, avoiding my gaze. "I'm not daft. I've known it for a long time," he discloses in a soft voice.

"...we broke things off years ago."

"I know," he instantly acknowledges, "and it's mostly because of me." Monarch throws his eyes on me, pulling off a forced smile that could not reach his eyes. "I still regret being too controlling when we were together."

"Stop beating yourself up," I utter, repeating the words that Adrien said from the night before.

Monarch shakes his head, flatly dismissing my statement. "It's not easy to do that," he tells me.

"Well, to help, I want you to believe that I still trust you."

He scoffs, "Honestly, that's a bit hard for me to believe."

"Monarch," I bravely take a step forward. "You are forgetting that trust is always earned especially in a time like this."

"Mari, I can't even trust myself anymore," he suddenly blurts out. "These plans I made...they feel so surreal," he breathes out, "to think that these were formulated in a mediocre mind of mine. It frightens me, knowing that we are pushing through with them."

I walk closer to him and reach out to hold his arm. He quietly watches me do so, then I give it a light squeeze.

"Will you allow me to make a selfish request?" I softly ask him.

He continues to stay silent but the look in his eyes show that he is listening and anticipating whatever my request will be.

"Can you at least be there for me?" I ask him slowly, "and I will never ask anything from you ever again."

------------

I am not shaking out of nervousness as much as I thought I would. Though, cold sweat is forming in my palms. There is no backing down now.

But the mess hall is literally in a mess now. With his power, Monarch called for everyone to gather at the exact time in the evening. He said that he would help in that area only. I let him be after that. Growing up with him, I know when he really needed his own time and space.

The noise, though, is an endless ringing in the ears. People were arguing - soldiers, medical practitioners, staff - making their voices louder, trying to get their point across, and not even thinking of backing down.

"I followed whatever was given to me. It was my duty."
"It's the mere fact that you used a lot of people for your own selfish desires!"
"I was moving with the fact that I was following my own beliefs - beliefs that hold a higher moral standing than yours ever will be!"

"To think that you still support a corrupt system we are in disgusts me!"
"Without them, who else could I lean onto?! Before making any assumption, think of how they have been helping my family try to make ends meet daily."

They wouldn't stop voicing out their own stands and beliefs. I would not blame them. To let out frustration that has been growing in one's self for years is such a fulfilling and euphoric feeling.

But I choose to kill that feeling for a moment now. I shoot a sharp glance towards Nino and he gets my message almost immediately when he brings out a whistle from his pocket and blows hard into it. The sound reverberates in the room and slowly the voices die down to mere muttering or to nothing at all.

I nod my head at him in thanks and he nods back. I saunter to the center and climb on one table situated at the center. I feel all eyes on me when I stand on top of the table. Some let out groans, who I presume are the members of the mutiny, when they see me.

"Nurse Marinette, what are you doing there?" A nurse, whom I have worked with in the garrison asks me seeing that she was near enough for me to hear her. I flash her a smile that plays about my lips before turning back to the mass of people waiting for me to do something or say anything.

"What is she doing in front of us again?" A loud voice calls out in a sneer. And if I assume correctly, it would be from someone part of the mutiny.

"It's because I did promise that I would continue," I loudly reply, facing the direction where the voice came from. "And I am never one to back out from a fight."

"Why are we all here?" Another voice calls out from the other side. I spot the owner of it and turn to the person.

Bringing on a serious face and narrowing my eyes, I answer, "We are all wasting our time arguing over which side is the best. What we can't realize yet is that it's neither."

Then this is when they all turn silent. Their murmuring has completely stopped and they are all waiting for me to continue. Of course, they find it repulsive to think that I am turning down each side.

I feel Adrien's eyes on me from across the room. I glance at him and see how he shows a small smile directed towards me. With arms crosses in front of him, he subtly nods for me to continue. I sharply intake a breath then let it out softly through my mouth.

"Choosing a side is saying that evil is still needed to fight." I shake my head. "Our choice should not be the lesser evil, but what is right."

"We are all lucky to live in this garrison, to live outside of the world where people are suffering because of the faulty system, where leaders are under the plight of selfishness and wicked desires," I continue, "We are blessed to live here and lead our own lives, not even knowing that we each held different views to it, yet we still found respect for one another even if it was just for a short amount of time." Then I point a finger at the exit of the mess hall. "What about those we left behind?"

"What about those that are still out there suffering because of the different systems we live in?" I emphasize. "We are all aware that some of us here are part of the rebels or even part of the covert service of the government. We are blatant about it - wanting to impose our beliefs on others, shunning others that hold different thoughts from yours. We are forgetting that those outside need us now more than ever."

A hand raises up in the air from a man wearing the same attire as us, nurses. With his hand still raised, he asks, "What about us who hold no beliefs at all, no chosen side. We all know how screwed up the system is and because of that, I choose to stand nowhere. This may sound selfish but I am not victim of either. I am just doing my job and living normally."

I hum and cock my head, looking at him. "Allow me to ask you a question. When you might encounter a stump and your job is unjustly taken away from you, you would fight for it, right?"

He furrows his eyebrows in confusion yet still chooses to nod slowly.

"Let me follow-up with this question: Aside from you, who else will speak out for you?"

He gapes at me, faltering where he is seated when he also feels the gazes of the others on him.

"When the time comes and you need their help, they won't be there because in the first place, where were you when they needed you as well?" I state, now turning back to address the bigger crowd, "Who will speak out for you when you never spoke out for them?"

"A mentality like that will grow and spread among others if we are not made aware of the change we can bring." I take a deep breath and let it out before I continue, "Some of you don't feel like victims and I understand why. But if we claim that we should not mix ourselves with their problems, then who will help them give a voice? Who else will speak out for them?"

All of them are now just looking at me, their faces intrigued and some disheartened. This is the world, the reality, we live in. And this is what it takes to act human.

"And you forget that we are all victims here. Victims of poor governance and implementation; victims of graft and corruption, and avarice," I point out. "So, if you refuse to step down that mighty pedestal of yours, then I advise you to reflect on yourself and your true beliefs. We need all the help we can get.
Yes," I jut my chin at them, "we are all different and I know that will never change. We all thrive in different groups. But when one is in danger, we cannot just stand idly. And since we are all badly affected by this so-called 'system' we live in...we need to take it down, abolish whatever is leading us. Take it all away and build a new system where we all can benefit from."

"Yeah! Abolish it!" A voice suddenly shouts out loud and it is followed with shouting of protest from the others, especially members of the mutiny.

"But in the means of getting what we want," I continue despite the noise, raising my voice to make sure I am still heard, "violence is not the answer."

After hearing what I said, others voice out their confusion or violent reactions.

"What's wrong with violent means?" One person asks.

"They have been violent with us," Another one chimes in, "We can fight back the same way-"

"Because violence begets rage," A new voice interjects; a voice I know all too well, a voice I've been hoping I could hear from tonight. I find myself looking with shock and at the same time, with relief at the man who has arrived at the mess hall. Monarch saunters in the room, garnering the attention of everyone in it, even me. "and rage begets a certain kind of evil," he continues and stands tall right beside the table I am on, "a kind that could blind you; a kind that could make you lose all sense of your morality."

Monarch glances at me and with a small smile, I bow my head at him in silent gratitude.

"I'm no general. Not anymore," he quickly states, turning back to the crowd of people awaiting for him to continue, "I stand here hoping that you see me as a person who can guide you in a new revolution, a peaceful one. A revolution that we all could believe in. A revolution that wouldn't favor either side, rather create a new one. One may act as a leader for all this, but the end-product is all yours."

He holds his head high and form his hands into fists. With much conviction he utters, "I ask from all of you to place your trust in me and in yourselves. This new fight starts within us and time is not on our side. But if you are ready to risk a lot for what is right," Monarch silently yet determinedly raises a fist above his head, "follow me and I promise that you won't regret any moment of this fight."

I raise a fist, following him and in an instant the others do the same. They all raise their fists in silence yet I could hear the roaring in their hearts, the cry for a new freedom and a new promise for whoever lives in this nation.

I see Adrien raise a fist as well, looking straight at me with a small grin displayed on his face. He brings up his other hand and places it on his chest, over where his heart lies.

And with a smile, I do the same knowing this heart of mine beats for this new fight I am a part of and for the man that I have found myself loving more than even my own life.

~~~~~~~~~~~~

Not that much Adrienette interaction here but I believe that Marinette's words were needed to be said in difficult times like now.

Writing this took long and a lot of effort because I needed to find the right words to type. I hope I did my best in writing them :)

5-6 more chapters 'til this book ends! I'm actually excited to end it :) I've gone a long way since the first day of writing this book back in August 2016.

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