Chapter Text
“You watch the conspirators - once leaders of proud noble houses, now prisoners to face judgement - being dragged off in chains to the dungeons below. Kneeling before the emperor, he names you true champions of the realm and all who would bring harm to it.”
Taking a deep breath, Marinette leaned back, putting her hands behind her head. “...And that’s it.”
“Damn, really?” Alix stared at the table where her character sheet sat, barely holding itself together in one piece. “Can’t believe it’s over…”
“Do we get any kind of epilogue?” Adrien asked. “Something to tie it all together nicely.”
“Naturally!” Marinette stretched behind her to grab her binder off her desk. “Let’s start with… Foxglove?”
“Yeah?” Alya froze in the middle of tapping her pencil against her leg.
“You take the initiative in bringing down the remaining bandits and pirates that the nobles bankrolled. With your determination and tracking skill, the seas and roads become safe to travel once again.”
Alya grinned. “Hell yeah. Justice prevails!”
“Iban?”
“Yeah bro?”
“The nobles we caught today were only the heads of a much deeper conspiracy. You become something like a spymaster for the emperor. Never again does a plot ever get as close to the throne as it did today.”
Nino fist bumped Adrien while Alix slapped him on the back. “Righteous!”
“Daybreak Fernfog and Lotus?”
“Yes!” “Huh?” Rose and Juleka replied at the same time, Juleka more sluggish than usual from the long hours of gameplay.
“Just like you two always talked about, you founded a little tea shop. The mix of foreign exotic appeal and the strange blend of your tastes eventually turning it into a major cultural hub in the area. With Lotus as an example, black is now definitely in fashion.”
“Wicked.” Juleka smirked through her exhaustion as Rose squealed happily and hugged her.
“Maximellion?”
“Yes?” Max had his hands folded neatly in front of him, watching Marinette intently. One of the few times he didn’t have his face buried in either a book or a calculator. There was an excited gleam in his eye as he waited for his very own epilogue, which went a long way toward justifying the two hours she spent coming up with ideas for everyone.
“After having spent the better part of two years using your magic for battle, you finally get to retire to your peaceful mountain tower and pursue your studies in peace.” Marinette smirked. “While always giving out useful advice at just the right time.”
Max smiled and nodded. “It is exactly as the great Maximellion would want.”
“And with that-”
“Woah there, girl.” Alya held up her hands and pointed at Adrien, then at her. “What about you two? I didn’t hear anything about Luna or Sir Bartholomew.”
“Well, um…”
Adrien put a hand on her shoulder. “Let’s just say we all lived happily ever after.”
There was a change in the tension of the room, an understanding that swept between the hardened adventurers as they grasped the dual meaning behind the word. There were some looks around the table, but no one felt like addressing it.
Most of them stuck around for a while afterwards, but after an hour of them slowly dwindling away, Marinette gave Alya a hug as she left.
Which just left Marinette… and Adrien.
“So…” Marinette said, rocking back and forth on her heels. “Want to watch a movie or something before you have to go?”
Adrien smiled. “I’d like that.”
Halfway through their first movie, Marinette was startled when Alya burst back into her room. There was a wild look in her eyes that surprised her almost as much as her sudden arrival.
“Um… something up, Alya?”
“Your dice box!”
“What?”
“You never used your dice box that whole time we were in the campaign.” She seemed to calm down a little. “You know? That smooth oval one that was red and spotted, kinda like Ladybug is. Back before we started playing. It's what led to that whole conversation. But you never used it?”
Marinette swallowed back panic and tried to pull up a believable lie.
“Oh, umm…” She laughed nervously, her mind blanking on her. “I guess I just… forgot? I got so wrapped up in the campaign and I didn’t want to lug it around especially for those first few sessions so I left it behind.”
“Oh. Dang.” Alya deflated, her cheeks darkening in embarrassment. “Ah, shoot. Sorry for barging in but the moment I got home that suddenly clicked for me and I just sort of- Never mind, see you crazy kids later.”
The way she said it told Marinette that it had better be sooner rather than later. Which was fair, she definitely needed someone to talk through this all with anyway.
“Sorry about that, she can be-” Marinette turned toward Adrien, who had spun toward her on the swivel chair. His eyes were wide and his jaw had dropped. “Um… something wrong?”
He just laughed as if what she said was the funniest thing in the world. “Nothing at all… m’lady.”