Miraculous: Ride of the Gatebreaker

by Ponky

3 - Bullies Inbound

“I’m going on a date with Adrien. I’m going on a date with Adrien! I’m going on a date with Adrien…”

“Calm down, ya crazy head!” Alya said with a laugh. “And stop walking like that. Just be normal. We’re almost to the Eiffel Tower.”

“Eeeeek!” Marinette’s arms folded goofily around her face in several positions before she started to run circles around Alya. “I can’t do this! Let’s go home!”

“Have you really seen the show?”

Marinette stopped and nodded. “Yes. I watched the first four episodes. They were cute! Not sure what inspired a whole adult fandom, though.”

“Maybe it gets even better?” Alya shrugged. “I haven’t seen any, myself. I just want to understand why these people are so nice to each other online. Usually I have to break up fights in the comment section, not watch friendships blossom!”

“Huh, that is interesting,” Marinette said, putting a finger to her chin. “Well, let’s go, then. I’ll do my best to pull myself together.”

“Hi, Marinette!” said Adrien, approaching from an adjacent street.

“Gyaaaah!” Marinette full-on screamed.

Adrien stopped in his tracks. Alya covered her eyes with one hand.

Thinking fast, Marinette pointed over Adrien’s head. “Is that Cat Noir?” she asked loudly.

Excited, Alya whipped out her phone and glanced every which way in search of the superhero.

Adrien didn’t even turn around. “I don’t think so,” he said, stuffing his hands into his pockets. “I thought Cat Noir usually comes out at night.”

Marinette blew air through her lips. “Yeah, right. That kitty loves the spotlight, and the sun’s as bright as it gets.”

“What was that?” asked Adrien.

“Nothing!” Marinette laughed uncontrollably, then deflated like a balloon. “Nothing at all.”

“Shoot, I missed him!” Alya said, tucking her phone away. “If either of you see Ladybug while we’re out here, we’re dropping everything to follow her, got it?”

“Got it,” Adrien said with fluttering eyelashes.

Marinette didn’t notice. “I don’t think we’ll have to worry about that today, Alya. No one’s been akumatized for ages!”

“That just means it’s bound to happen any minute now,” Alya said with a coy tilt of her brow. “Maybe one of you could be next! Do you realize you’re the only students in Miss Bustier’s class that hasn’t been akumatized at one point or another?”

Marinette and Adrien looked each other over as if meeting a stranger. “Huh…” they said together.

“Eh, it’s probably just because you don’t take anything Chloé says to heart,” said Alya. “She tends to really hurt peoples’ feelings.”

“Yeah, she’s pretty mean,” said Adrien.

“I thought you two were friends,” said Marinette.

He shrugged. “We grew up together, but… I don’t know. I’ve seen her enough lately to know what kind of person she is.” He scratched the back of his neck. “And I don’t like it.”

“Good!” Alya said, marching toward the Eiffel Tower. “That means you’re not a monster.”

“The jury’s still out,” Adrien joked.

“Ha ha ha!” Marinette laughed loudly, immediately catching up with Alya to hide her reddening face.

“Where’s Nino?” Alya asked as Adrien joined on her left.

“He went early,” Adrien said. “I told him not to wait up.”

“Are there gonna be a lot of people here?” Marinette asked. “I like the idea of supporting Nino, but… I-I’m not sure I’ll have much in common with full-fledged bronies.”

“Yeah, me neither,” said Adrien, peeking around Alya to smile at Marinette. “I guess we’ll just have to stick together.”

Marinette’s eyes bulged, but she quickly recovered with a wide smile and a double thumbs up.

They rounded a corner in sync and the Eiffel Tower came into view. There were several groups of people wandering the clean grounds below it, some larger than others, but it took a moment for Marinette, Alya, and Adrien to spot the brony meetup near a wide, cement staircase. There were two small posters, one of Pinkie Pie and one of Rainbow Dash. Most of the attendees were male, and most were almost offensively nerdy. Marinette couldn’t help but giggle at the variety of pony-themed T-shirts and hoodies among the crowd.

“Hey, Nino!” Adrien called out as they approached.

Nino was in the middle of an excited conversation and didn’t even notice his friends’ arrivals.

“And I’m telling you, bro, none of the ponies can even come close to Fluttershy! She’s perfect, bro! Best pony, for sure.”

“I still think Rarity has the most promise as a character,” said another boy, sporting a shirt with Rarity’s Cutie Mark and a fledgling moustache. “If the writers don’t mess up their perfect opportunity, she could definitely embody the most powerful character arc in Season Two.”

“You guys are all nuts!” said a skinny boy with a giant smile and even larger glasses. “Rainbow Dash is so above and beyond the best pony, it’s literally painfully obvious. She’s so freaking cool!”

“Coolest pony doesn’t mean best pony,” Nino pointed out.

“Yes! Yes it does!” the skinny boy yelled, and let out a burst of laughter. “This is the best argument I’ve ever had!”

They all laughed together. Alya and Marinette looked at each other with impressed expressions.

“So they really are insanely nice,” Alya noted.

Nino spun around. “Alya! Marinette! And Adrien! What’s up, guys? I knew you’d make it!” He gestured to the boys over his shoulders. “These are my new friends, Claude and Jean-Marc.”

“Hello,” said the bespectacled Claude.

“Greetings.” The quasi-moustached Jean-Marc waved.

Marinette looked around at the group. All in all there were about twenty kids, chattering incessantly about My Little Pony. Most of them were boys, and all of them were between the ages of fifteen and twenty five. She caught herself smiling. There was a kind of raw energy that sparked from such an unusual gathering. The fearlessness of the fans, the genuine enthusiasm for the material, the innocence of it all… it was strangely intoxicating, and Marinette soon found herself engaged in conversation.

“I’ve only seen a few of the episodes,” she said. “I think they’re really cute.”

“So you haven’t gotten to Sonic Rainboom yet?” asked Claude, wide eyes exaggerated in his lenses.

Marinette raised an eyebrow. “Sonic whatnow?”

“Oh my gosh! That’s the best episode ever!” Claude jumped up and down, rubbing his palms together delightedly. “Even if you don’t watch them all in order, you have-have-have to see Sonic Rainboom.”

“And you definitely need to watch the Season Finale,” said Jean-Marc, nodding thoughtfully. Though there was light in his eyes, he refused to smile. “It’s excellently written, and the music is superb.”

“I’ll get around to it, I’m sure,” said Marinette, smiling.

“Oh me goodness!” Another voice, much higher pitched, burst in from elsewhere. A small girl, no taller than Marinette’s classmate Rose, literally sprinted to Marinette and Alya. She had a round face, huge green eyes, and the thickest, reddest hair Marinette had ever scene. And as if her appearance wasn’t a good enough indicator, her accent was distinctly Scottish. “Other gerls! HA! I knew I wusn’t the only woon!”

Marinette smiled. “Yeah! Well, I mean, Alya hasn’t seen the show, and I’ve only seen a few episdoes, but―”

“But yeer heeeere!” The redhead laughed and clapped her hands, then extended one close to Marinette’s abdomen. “I couldn’t be happier! M’name’s Emilie. Great to meet you!”

“Hee hee! Good to meet you, too,” Marinette said, shaking Emilie’s hand before it passed to Alya. “I love your hair.”

“Thanks! Lots o’ you Frenchies don’t, y’know.” Her eyes softened. “That was rude, sorry. Really, thanks for sayin’ such. I don’t get lots o’ compliments.”

“Oh!” Marinette wasn’t sure what to say. “You’re welcome!”

“So! Who’s best pony then, hm?” Emilie stood on her tiptoes, still not reaching Marinette’s eye level. “There’s a right answer, so you best think hard!”

Marinette swallowed and looked sideways at her friends. Alya shrugged; Adrien and Nino were in another conversation with Claude and Jean-Marc.

“Uhhh…” Marinette’s eyes flicked to a poster behind Emilie’s head. “Pinkie Pie?”

“YES!” Emilie suddenly wrapped Marinette in a hug. Her thick arms wrapped around Marinette’s middle and squeezed tightly, making her cough. “That’s right! We pegasisters think alike, doon’t we?”

“Pegasisters!” said Alya. “I like that.”

“I couldn’t find a Pinkie tail,” Emilie said, turning around to show Marinette and Alya the literal-pony-tail hanging from a belt loop on her white jeans, “but I made one that sorta matches me own ‘mane’. Ha! Whaddaya think?”

“Awww, that’s cute!” said Alya.

“Stylish!” Marinette added.

“Oh. My. Word.” Yet another voice entered the scene, but this one made Marinette instantly cringe.

With a groan, Marinette turned around slowly and saw Chloé Bourgeois descending the cement stairs, hands on her hips, with her lackey Sabrina close behind. Alya sighed audibly and Adrien immediately stepped forward, meeting Chloé at the bottom of the stairs.

“Hey, whatever you’re thinking about doing right now,” said Adrien, eyeing the snide smile on Chloé’s pink-glossed lips, “it’s really not a good time. These guys are having fun.”

“Having fun being sickos!” Chloé boomed right off the bat. “Honestly, Adrikins, I’m shocked at you!” She tapped his chest with the tips of her fingers. “Fraternizing with such weirdos. Don’t you think they’re below our standards?”

“Get out of here, Chloé,” Adrien said seriously. “You’re just gonna hurt someone’s feelings.”

“Ooooh, wow! A protector of the weak! How dashing.” She winked at him, then marched closer to the bronies.

Most of them had caught onto what was about to happen. Marinette watched their body language fold in on themselves, waiting for an all-too-familiar beratement.

“You’re all seriously in love with this stupid kid’s show?” Chloé asked. “Ha ha ha ha! What a bunch of disgusting weirdos. These… candy horses make you feel happy, now, do they? Now that’s really sad.”

“Leave them alone, Chloé,” Marinette said, crossing her arms.

“Marinette! Why am I not surprised that you’re here?” She sneered, and her eyes drifted over to Emilie. “Wooow… is that a tail? Are you seriously wearing a tail on your butt? Ha ha ha!”

She and Sabrina laughed mercilessly, pointing fingers at Emilie’s tail. The bouncy Scot’s green eyes faded and her lips pursed close together.

“Knock it off!” Alya joined the resistance, walking straight up to Chloé’s bronzed face. “You’re one to talk about being disgusting, Chloé. Have you looked in a mirror recently?”

Chloé’s jaw dropped. “How dare you? Do you want my daddy to know what you just said? You with your dumb glasses and your gross mole!”

Alya raised a fist, but Marinette was at her elbow immediately, stopping Alya from throwing a punch.

“Hit a nerve, did I?” Chloé smired. “Well let me hit a few more.” She turned back to Emilie and leaned forward at the waist. “You do realize that your precious little show isn’t real, right? If you were a loser before a fake show made you feel like you have friends, you’re still a loser. As if there was ever any doubt.”

She cackled again, and Sabrina joined in. With a contented sigh, Chloé tucked a strand of hair behind her ear. “Well, that was fun. Come on Sabrina, Adrikins, let’s go.”

“I’m not going anywhere,” Adrien growled, “but we’d all love for you to leave.”

“Fine!” Chloé rolled her eyes. “See you tomorrow at school then, honey-boo. Don’t get any of their tail hairs on you while you’re at it! Ha ha ha ha!” She marched off toward the Eiffel Tower, head held high, with Sabrina bouncing at her heels.

“Don’t pay her any mind, Emilie,” said Marinette. “I’ve been in her class my whole life. She’s always been mean to… Emilie?” Marinette glanced around the group of downtrodden bronies, but Emilie was nowhere to be seen. “Emilie!? Oh, darn it.”

Alya put an arm around Marinette’s shoulder. “She’ll be all right, Marinette. Chloé’s the worst.”

Marinette put her foot down. “I’m so sick of her acting like that! Come on. Let’s find Emilie and make sure she knows not to pay Chloé any mind.” She ran off with Alya in tow.

“We’re coming, too!” Nino said as he, Jean-Marc, and Claude hurried after them. “Gah, why does Chloé have to ruin everything?”

Adrien sighed, ran a hand through his hair, and chased the group as well. “I should have stopped her,” he said under his breath.

🐞

Twilight woke with a start. She touched the tip of her horn ― it was hot. She glanced around her room in the Ponyville Castle, but nothing seemed broken or even singed. She stood up regardless, wandering around the room in search of any errant magic she may have cast in her sleep.

She felt embarrassed, even though no one was around. He hadn’t sleep-cast since she was a filly. Groggy, she tried to illuminate her horn with magic to bring more light into the bedroom… but nothing happened. Frowning, Twilight tried harder, but the effort to channel magic through her horn brought upon a painful spike in her head.

“Ow!” she yelped, grabbing her skull between two hooves. “Ow ow ow! What in Equestria…?”

Spike opened her bedroom door. “Twilight! Is everything all right?”

“Spike… what are you doing up?” Twilight blinked heavily and rubbed her aching horn.

“I-I heard you yelling a few minutes ago,” he said. “Are you okay? Your eyes are red.”

“They are?” Twilight rubbed her right eye with the back of a hoof, but it stung too much to rub for very long. “What is going on? Spike, I can’t see very well. Will you help me to the bathroom?”

“Sure thing, Twilight.” Spike rushed up and took one of her hooves. “Is your horn okay?”

“No, it hurts.” She frowned deeper. “Why?”

“Uh… it’s kinda smoking,” said Spike as he led her to the large bathroom nearby.

“Smoking?” Twilight let go of her assistant and hurried to the nearest mirror. Leaning close, she saw her own red eyes and a slightly glowing, smoking horn. “Ahh! What’s going on?”

“I-I don’t know, Twilight!” Spike gulped. “Do you want me to send a letter to Princess Celestia?”

“Yes. Yes, right away.” She tapped her horn again and winced. “Tell her something’s wrong. Tell her to come here as soon as she can.”

“Maybe we should just go to her?”

“I’m not sure there’s time for that, Spike,” Twilight said quietly. “I can’t cast any magic.”

“What!?”

“Just… tell Princess Celestia,” Twilight said, sitting on her haunches in a daze, “that her fateful student needs her. Now.”

Comments

[jen_lee_hattie]

“Maybe it gets even better?” Alya shrugged. “I haven’t seen any, myself. I just want to understand why these people are so nice to each other online. Usually I have to break up fights in the comment section, not watch friendships blossom!”

oh it does and that just how pugguse sitters and bronys work some of the time.

[jen_lee_hattie]

“Yeah, me neither,” said Adrien, peeking around Alya to smile at Marinette. “I guess we’ll just have to stick together.”

SHIP!

[jen_lee_hattie]

“And I’m telling you , bro, none of the ponies can even come close to Fluttershy! She’s perfect, bro! Best pony, for sure.”

No best pony is pinkie best princess is luna and best character is discord.

[jen_lee_hattie]

“So they really are insanely nice,” Alya noted.

most but some of us just love to watch the world burn.

[jen_lee_hattie]

“Uhhh…” Marinette’s eyes flicked to a poster behind Emilie’s head. “Pinkie Pie?”

Yes!