#tiny hidden bich

[zellkabellk]

Finally starting the "getting tattoos" part of my life (that I always knew was coming) but I wasn't expecting the delight that it can be to get tattoos and know that you'll want to add things around them to 'complete the space'.... the pleasure of having something to look foward to in an undetermined future (but still being sure that It Will Happen At Some Point)

This is so fun !!

[olivia-anderson-fanfic]

Satisfied, Part 29

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~~~

Marinette smiled as she waved Red Hood off, watching him disappear. She waited a few seconds to make sure he wasn’t coming back before shrugging off her shoes and gloves.

The purple was higher now.

She swallowed thickly.

“Tikki, spots off,” she murmured, hand out to catch the kwami the second she appeared.

Tikki hit her hand, mostly immobile. The only way you could tell the god was still alive was the tiny twitches of her antennae.

She gently set her back in her bag and surrounded her by cookies. She knew they wouldn’t help, the kwami hadn’t used their lucky charm in ages, but she figured she should at least apologize for continuing to use her without an active Plagg.

Marinette dropped onto her bed and stared at the ceiling.

Ultimately, she didn’t trust Robin enough to give him the cat miraculous. Sure, he seemed to be pretty set on the good side, which was a giant plus, but she didn’t know if the two of them could work together without bickering.

She sighed.

Great. Then how could she keep hiding the fact that her costume was disappearing? It was disappearing at a pretty quick rate, the pro gloves and sneakers wouldn’t do much good for long. She supposed she could get a jacket... Oh! A leather jacket. She could say she was taking after her new mentor. Some boots to go along with it... 

She nodded to herself and put in an order to be delivered the next day. So that’s done.

But it was a temporary solution.

She eyed her bag. Tikki was always perfectly quiet, but now she wished that she wasn’t. She wanted her to speak up and say ‘Marinette...’ in that exasperated voice of hers. Tikki always knew how to be rational, she'd know what to do.

But she didn’t say anything, and Marinette was alone.

What could she do? She needed someone to hold Plagg and let out that extra energy to bring balance back, but who could she find on such short notice...?

Her eyes flicked to Adrien’s outfit on its hanger.

She bit the inside of her cheek.

~

The next day she woke to a knock on her door. She groaned and shuffled out of bed, blanket wrapped around her. She walked up and stood on the tips of her toes to peek out and see who was there.

She stumbled back and squeaked. Crap! Crapcrapcrap!

She ran about her apartment to pull on clothes. “SORRY, JUST A MINUTE!” She yelled, which was only met by a bit of laughter.

After managing to pull on clothes she ran to the door and flung it open.

“Adrien!” She chirped, pushing some hair out of her face.

He broke into a grin as he looked her up and down. From the mismatched socks on her feet to the rats nest that was her hair, it was pretty clear that she had just woken up.

“Hard to wake as ever, M’lady,” he teased, leaning against the doorframe.

She gave a small huff. “Whatever. Your outfit is right there.” She motioned vaguely to her closet. She looked down at herself and cringed. “I’m going to... yeah.”

She darted into the bathroom.

When she came out, Adrien was completely dressed. He messed with his tie awkwardly in the mirror.

She frowned quickly fixed it, before pulling him into the middle of the room so she could see the entirety of the outfit. At the moment it was a plain black suit and dark green tie (she didn’t want to do any embroidery only to find she needed to change the dimensions it) but he didn’t comment on it.

“Um... how’s Paris doing without us?” She asked softly, pulling the suit jacket away from his stomach. He was gaining weight, she’d expected that, but she needed to figure out at what rate --.

He sighed. “So that’s why you asked me here...”

She didn’t bother to contradict him, he was right. That was the original reason why she’d accepted his request, she’d wanted to ask after Paris and make sure she hadn’t made the wrong decision by coming here.

When she didn’t answer, his shoulders slumped ever so slightly. “It’s getting better. The police weren’t prepared for us to up and disappear, so they were a bit out of practice.”

“But everything’s good now?” She asked, pulling a tape measure from her pockets and checking his waist.

“It’s getting there.”

She nodded and pulled away, murmuring to herself and writing down his new size so she could do some calculations later. She pushed herself to her feet and frowned at the tie she had just fixed. It was loose again. Had she messed up somewhere while making it or was he doing it? If so, why --?

It was here where she finally took in her ex-partner. His hair was far messier than she was used to, little tufts sticking up at odd angles. There was less makeup on his face than usual. She’d expected the weight gain, what with less patrols and constant fighting, but it had been more than she’d expected. That could mean...

Marinette looked at Adrien and gave a smile. “Someone took my words to heart, huh?”

His face reddened slightly and he looked away. “Is it that obvious?”

“Well, it took a professional designer a few minutes to piece it together, so I’d say probably not.”

Her eyes found their way to where the miraculous box was hidden. She’d called him here earlier than she usually would to ask him to take back the cat miraculous. She hadn’t expected him to start working on himself so soon, she didn’t want to ruin any progress he was making.

Then she thought of Tikki, curled up and almost completely immobile.

“Marinette...?” He asked quietly, resting a hand on her shoulder.

“I’m fine. I’m happy for you,” she said softly.

“You don’t have to lie to me. I want what’s best for you, I’m your partner, remember?”

She cringed. “I know. That’s why I can’t ask it of you.”

The hand on her shoulder gave her a tiny shake and she let her gaze fall to the floor.

And then he let go, his hand falling to his side lamely.

“I’m going to make your outfit more baggy. It’ll help with covering any weight gain and it goes better with your messy look.”

“Okay,” he said softly.

The silence stretched on and kwami she just wanted him to talk because she knew that if he didn’t she would ask him and --.

“Can I see Plagg again?” He asked.

She looked up at him. Could he hear her thoughts?

Still, she nodded and walked to the miracle box and pulled out the ring. It pulsed with an almost blinding green light and she curled her fingers over it to block some of it out.

Plagg poked his head between her fingers and then gave a small “ADRIEN!”

She looked away as the two embraced, dropping onto her bed as they chatted excitably.

“Look at you! Finally gaining weight, I see? I told you your dad wasn’t feeding you well enough!”

“That was only because he didn’t give me cheese for every meal of the day.”

“And I was right! How could he deprive you of such luxuries? In hindsight only he could have been Hawkmoth!”

Adrien laughed and shook his head, before pulling the kwami close for a kind of hug.

“So! Finally becoming Chat Noir again?”

The blond’s smile lessened slightly. “No, no, I’m not going to. I’ve been using Chat Noir as a way to be myself, but recently I’ve actually been able to do it without him. Besides, Ladybug is doing fine here, from what I’ve seen in papers. It’ll be fine.”

Plagg frowned and looked at Marinette, who had started making the  ‘nononoshutup’ motion with her hands.

“You haven’t told him?”

She groaned and rested her head in her hands.

“Marinette, you haven’t told me something?” He asked.

She didn’t respond, gripping the ring tighter. He’d said it himself, he’d been doing better without the persona. She couldn’t ask him to take it up again, she couldn’t let him go back to the way he was. He was right, they were partners. She wanted what was best for him, too.

“Tikki is getting weaker without the cat miraculous being active.”

Adrien frowned. The bed shifted as he sat down next to her. “Marinette...”

“I’m dealing with it, Adrien, it’s fine.”

“I’ll take it back if you’re suffering.”

Marinette cringed. She wished she was the one suffering, at least then she would be able to get through it. But it was Tikki who was getting weaker, not her.

Was either of their potential suffering greater? Was it fair to let go of one’s happiness for another’s liveliness, or vice versa? Could she even make that decision?

“I’m not suffering, Adrien. And I’ve found someone that I’ve been considering. Robin. I think he could be a fit, I’m scouting him out right now,” she said.

Not a complete lie, at least.

“Are you sure?”

She smiled, choosing to ignore the glare Plagg was sending her way. “Yep. I’d tell you if I needed you, right? We’re partners. Partners communicate.”

“Okay...”

She sat up and pressed a kiss to his cheek. “Anyways, you’re done here. I’ll get this to you once I’ve finished, okay?”

He looked reluctant to leave, but he gave a small nod. She turned around so he could change and sighed to herself when he set it down on the bed beside her. She turned back around and waved at him. He hugged Plagg and gave Marinette a tiny wave back.

“See you later, kitty.”

“Later, M’lady.”

~~~

I have found out that I have been using ‘parole’ instead of ‘patrol’ this whole time...

Welp, this is it boys, time to pack it up it was fun while it lasted this fic is cancelled--

~

Taglist

@comet-kun @thatonecroc @trippingovermyfeet @swiftie-miraculer13 @nickristus-dreamer @moongoddesskiana @i-am-ironic @indecisive-mess-named-me @thebooki3h @insane-fangirl-of-everything @deepestobservationwombat @theymakeupfairies @fatimaabbasrizvi @clumsy-owl-4178 @fanofalittletoomuch @iamablinkmarvelarmy @nathleigh @lilkymilky @silvergold-swirl @dino-lovingreen-angel @thestressmademedoit @kissa-chan @ladybug-182 @alysrose-starchild @t1dwarrior-of-earth @spyofthenightcourt @rowanrouge @nik-nak-3 @momothefemur @aestheticnpoetic @labschaos @our-preciousss @mochinek0 @eliza-bich @mythogaychic @severelyenchantedwonderland @sashakoi @smolplantmum @bluesimani @tropestropestropes @kitsunebell @keepingupwiththemalfoys @sassakitty @2confused-2doanything @too0bsessedformyowngood @all-mights-asscheeks @demonicbusiness @meg-an-ace

<3

[inevitableenquere]

Mademoiselle Mari

Insp. by a comment on the Maribat Discord:

Buckle up, biches.

We’re gonna pull deep into DC canon for the French codename for female superheroes, Mademoiselle Marie, in use since the 18th century through the World Wars and probably beyond. Alfred Pennyworth worked closely with “Mademoiselle Marie” in the past.

In this universe, its expanded into a French government-sponsored training program, training little girls in espionage and assassinry since the Cold War. These program heads aren’t monsters; the girls still live with their families, still go to civilian school, they just occasionally “take trips to see distant relatives”.

Their parents are aware that their daughters are doing government work, and there’s a benefit package unlike any other available within the country. Salary is set aside in trust for “Marie” until she hits adulthood (precaution in case of shitty parents) and a stipend besides for her and her parents to use as they see fit. These girls get a full-ride “scholarship” to any accredited global university of their choice. Only the best of the best risk their lives for wet-work necessary for the good of France. These girls become unsung heroes of France, and they receive glowing recommendations when they decide to move on from the program.

Still, it’s not something the Dupein-Cheng family had thought of for their daughter, it’s not a well-known program after all. The handlers don’t have an eye on her until new mayor of Paris, freshly divorced, André Bourgeois brings the girl “bullying his little princess” to their attention. And that is how six-year-old Marinette Dupein-Cheng is brought into the program.

Now, Marinette, tiny little bi-racial girl, is competitive, and this program is something she enjoys, learning from adults and “older sisters” on how to tumble, dance, act, create, and make new friends– both in person with the other girls, and through letters to former agents and outside contacts. They craft a network based on previously established agency contacts and expand upon them as they move out in the world.

Marinette quickly becomes a star student, moving on to weapons training, and eventually becomes one of the first to graduate in her batch and she travels the world as pre-teen superspy “Mademoiselle Marie”. (Whose last name changes by assignment.)

This is how she meets Damian Al Ghul, prince of the League of Assassins for the first time, though he’s introduced to her as “independent contractor” Caracal. He clocks her as trained, and a threat right away, and takes his standard precautionary measure. He attempts to murder her.

Attempts, because Mari is just as trained as he is, if not as lethally inclined. He quickly finds himself pinned under her knee, knife to his throat. (Later, he insists that he was having an off day, helplessly grateful that he hadn’t succeeded.) But in the moment they agree to a truce and go their own way, Marie Simon to her “parents”, Caracal to the shadows from whence he came.

Naturally, the next time they meet they are “distant cousins” on a collaborative wetworks mission in Thessaly, against an uppity German drug lord, and his mad-scientist wife. The mission goes a bit sideways, took more luck than either will admit to pull it off, and they emerge from the aftermath, a grudging respect on both sides. Even if she’s too soft and he’s an arrogant andouille.

Through happenstance and circumstances, they run into each other enough, work together enough, to become friends. Friends, in this case, meaning “person I won't stab on sight and/or who owes me a favor”. A rarity for Damian.

Marinette thinks otherwise; with friendships among those in her organization, and tentative friendships with some of the boys in école, she considers Caracal an Ally. A lonely sad boy, sure, but more a feral street cat then a friend. It takes more than a few meetings for Marinette to consider him a Ride-or-Die Friend.

Through the years, these two baby assassins grow into a friendship that withstands facing each other as enemies to reunite with no hard feelings at the next meeting between them. After all it’s Just Business, and they both know that well.

And then Hawkmoth.

Marinette can’t be Ladybug, “defender of Paris” when “Mademoiselle Marie” travels across the globe networking for her government and taking down European threats. Marinette reluctantly resigns from her position, and she takes up a red-spotted mantle.

Now the Mlle. Marie Organization aren’t idiots. Marinette Dupein-Cheng retires with accolades, offered a permanent place whenever she finishes her “hiatus”. And if the Parisian Police are instructed from on high to look the other way for Ladybug? Well, it’s best to leave superhero business to superheroes.

People in the organization are Carefully Not Thinking About It.

Completely coincidentally, therapy and healthy coping mechanisms are now mandatory for all operatives working within Paris and the surrounding areas.

That said, she still has to tell her assassin that she’s retiring.

Damian does not take it well.

Not like murder not well.

Like communication blackout and regime change in Peru not well.

Damian gives her the silent treatment. After all, she’s Out. (She abandoned him.)

Little does he know, his mother is working to get him out as well.

Marinette, meanwhile is Not Happy that Mothman Barbie decided to take out his issues on her home turf. The Mlle. Marie project is supposed to be foreign support, and last line of defense. So I mean it's in her wheelhouse. She just enjoyed her job as a globetrotting pre-teen superspy.

She doesn’t want to be chained down to the homefront, not when there's so much inspiration out there! Putting all that on hold for Mothman Barbie in Paris, eating into her free time, sleep, and drastically cutting into her social life? Bitch.

Civilian life makes her itch now, stuck in one place with confusing, mandatory, rules. Fictional barriers and preteen posturing, and only one hidden knife? Being Marinette is Suffering™. New friend Alya and pretty-boy Adrien can only relieve it so much.

Yes she has a bit of a crush. He's pretty and a model. Shut up.

Tikki is pleased she's got another loyal warrior, a second coming of Jeanne d'Arc, though she wishes Marinette was kinder. That's something she learns while dealing with Mothman Barbie. Not just how to act kind, to prevent akumas. But how to genuinely be kind. How to unlock the empathy she'd learned to tune out years ago, and how to act altruistically.

During her collège years Marinette juggles the life of a teen superhero, making friends with her class sincerely for the first time in years, something she didn’t get the chance to do with her frequent trips. Beyond Nino and Kim that is.

When Lila comes she deems her as annoying, but not worth her time. Until she’s the one turning her friends into akumas, with broken promises and lies that damage reputations. Marinette has a set future, as long as she keeps to the laws of this land and doesn’t slaughter a bitch. Lila can’t do anything to her. But if she hurts any of her friends, Lila is getting a horse head in her bed, American cliché or not.

Thankfully her crush on Adrien dies a silent death during this time. She can’t see herself with someone who won’t stand up for himself, nor with someone who enables a pathological liar that is one move away from harming the rest of her friends. She’s unspeakably grateful for that when Mothman Barbie is revealed to be his absentee father and Mayura to be the closest thing he has to a living mother. She’s able to focus her attention on his mental state and not how stupidly pretty he is.

Adrien is cemented as her best friend and platonic life partner in a catsuit. Adrien, once he got over his crush on the "idol" Ladybug, is happy to treat her the same. He’s just glad that his Lady won’t leave him for what his family had done.

Despite Mari’s wishes, Ladybug can’t retire just yet. People come out of the woodwork to fill in the vacuum left behind from the fashion-blind terrorist that held Paris in fear for three years. Ladybug is a celebrity, and Paris would be left uneasy if the city’s heroes left them undefended. She trains to be a guardian with Master Fu, to find more permanent Miraculous holders to take up the defense of Paris, and later the world. She finally has the free time to devote to her fashion commissions and to pick up the occasional job with her old organization.

It’s mid-way through lycée that Jagged invites her as his plus one to a charity gala in the United States. As his designer, and as an inconspicuous bodyguard that has combat training (far more than he knows), Marinette is the best choice when Penny is on leave. It gives his favorite niece the chance to network with American big shots, and get her brand noticed by more than just a few fashion moguls in Paris.

Which leads us to today. Marinette Dupein-Cheng– agent on leave, teenage superhero, aspiring designer, and temporary bodyguard of her surrogate uncle– spots a very familiar profile across the room.

Her assassin, dressed to kill, possibly literally. And she resigns herself to once more being on the opposite side of the boy who cut her out of his life, and any attempts to get in touch with him.

She’s dressed in a MDC original (with more hidden knives on her person than people would think), as she goes through the familiar song-and-dance and slips into the mindset of Mademoiselle Marie.

Stolen glances across the room. How have they been? Will they talk to me again even if I left/left her in silence?

Both are on edge. They are professionals and an unexpected meeting won't prevent them from keeping their loved ones charges safe.

It's like they never left the business, the two of them. They don't know each other. I've never seen them before. They can't have been the murderer because I saw them head to the bathroom. Just don't. touch. what's. Mine.

They're Friends after all.

Thankfully nothing happens at the party.

Damian Wayne saw her. How could he have ignored her, magnetic as she ever was. His eyes periodically drawn to her, partly assessment, partly admiration. When nothing happens at the gala, he figures that she’s changed as much as he has. And Damian has changed. He's softer and he knows it. He's been Out almost as long as she has, and in trying to hold to his father’s standards, he doesn’t think he could slip into the mindset of the ruthless prince of assassins so easily any more.

The silence and loss of his first friend on the other hand, was a wound that lingered even as he learned of civilian friendships and built connections with other superheroes around his age. This was a chance to introduce himself to his oldest friend. Without business between them this time.

It's Damian that does the signal.

Mari trips and giggles at the end of the night over to her assassin. It's easy after years of "Clumsy Marinette can't possibly be Ladybug!" She plays up the petite harmless French girl.

"Mon Caracal!" She calls from 3 feet away, stumbling into his arms.

She hugs him, compartmentalizing the muscled form that holds her safely, knowing he can kill her if she plays this wrong.Not without a fight though.

She hugs him more surely, kissing both his cheeks the way neither of them would be allowed outside of acting. "It's been far too long!"

She pulls away to see him gazing down at her, and wow someone has given him acting lessons because he smiles soft, fond, and far more real than he ever had Before.

"Marie."

She boops him on the nose. "Marinette." She teases coyly. She can't tell him her last name. For the safety of her parents, but also to keep cover as close friends.

"Marinette." He nods, crooked smile on his face, and away from prying eyes there's the signal that he'll keep his mouth shut about her name.

Speaking of prying eyes... "Marinette!" Uncle Jagged calls, making his way over to the pair of them. Her assassin is surprised, though few would be able to tell, at the world-famous rockstar approaching them.

"Uncle Jagged!" She answers, facing him but keeping a hand on the muscled arm of her friend to keep him from attacking, just in case.

She plays up the accent. Just a rockstar with his very French™ niece and her boy toy, nothing to see here!

"Jagged," she says again looking up at her uncle, "this is my good friend–"

"Damian" her assassin, starstruck or not, can follow his cue.

Between them is the subtle flash of information-true-hidden as she speaks over it to distract Jagged. "–Damian, my caracal."

Jagged bristles a little, baring his teeth in what those who don't know him would call a toothy grin, rather than a threat.

"And is Damian rock-and-roll enough for my favorite designer, M?"

"He's very kind," she confides with a Marinette-sweet smile. In his own way. she finishes the thought ruefully. A small part of her brain is cackling hysterically.

Jagged relaxes, and drags the both of them forward, holding a polaroid out to snap a picture of the three of them. ("Very Rock-and-Roll!" Jagged had said three months earlier.) He shakes the picture to development, and autographs it with a flourish, before stuffing it into Damian's hands.

"Well any friend of Marinette's is a friend of mine! And M? Car leaves in 10." He smiles, patting them both on the shoulder before sauntering off.

"I." Damian tries. He sighs.

"Jagged Stone? Jagged? Really Marie?" Damian asks, slipping once more into the familiar nickname. Marinette decided to let it slide, Jagged had that effect on a lot of people.

Marinette shrugs helplessly, before fishing a pen and spare notepad for her to jot down her contact information. It had only been a night but that familiar rush and heady friendship was something that Mari didn't want to lose if she could help it. She placed the paper with the photograph, putting the lethal pen back in her clutch, and cupping his face in both hands.

"Keep in touch this time? Please mon caracal?" If her begging was a little more heartfelt, well she’d learned a few things too. She kissed his cheek one final time and stepped away.

A hand caught her wrist.

"It hasn't been the same without you, Marinette." Damian said, hand slipping into hers, thumb gently brushing the back of it. He lifted her hand and kissed the air above her knuckles, before stepping away and towards the exit.

I must not swoon. I must not swoon. I must not swoon. Marinette chanted internally as she left to find Jagged, already looking forward to turning a Friendship into something more honest. More real.

-Meanwhile, In The Lobby-

"What was that, baby bird?" Dick asked his youngest brother.

"An old friend." Damian answered tersely, pointedly ignoring the curious stare from his Father and the more obnoxious kissy noises from Todd.

"Hell of an old friend." Tim commented, sounding almost put out, probably because of the unexpected personal introduction to Jagged Stone and autograph Damien had received. "You let her get close."

Damian raised an eyebrow at Tim.

Tim rolled his eyes, "PDA close!" he expounded like that explained anything.

Dick must have sensed his confusion, " You attempted to judo-flip Kor'i when you first met her. And you let this tiny girl hug you and kiss your cheeks."

Damian scowled, "I'm not that bad!"

"You bit me last week when I went to ruffle your hair!" Jason said, tugging his suit sleeve back to reveal light scarring.

"And?" Damian said, very done with the conversation already.

"We just wanted to know how long you've been pining for her, baby bird." Dick teased.

Damian felt a betraying heat creep up the back of his neck, to his ears and cheeks. "It's not like that!" He hissed.

"I-" he paused, wondering how he could explain the beautiful, cunning girl who knew of his past, was honestly the best part of it, and how she had watched his back, kept him safe and sane, had killed people on his tail even, without making them regard her as a threat.

His grandfather would have made her an example. Vivisected, drawn and quartered for daring to get close to his perfect weapon.

"I've known her for years. We're Friends, and that means I'll allow her more than I would you, Todd."

He stalked forward, as his father called behind him, "You should introduce us when you feel comfortable, Damian."

He stopped, listening but not daring to turn around.

"After all," Damian could hear the grin in his father's voice, "It'll be nice to meet my future daughter-in-law!"

Screw the Joker, Batman ends right here, right now.

[baolau]

Hanoi To Ninh Binh: A Mind-Blowing Day Tour

Ninh Binh, which is located in Northern Vietnam, has long been famous to the locals for its UNESCO-listed Heritage Trang An Complex and stunning karst spread all over the province. Foreigners often find their way from Hanoi to Ninh Binh to seek adventure on wheels, picturesque landscapes viewed from spiritual mountain pagodas or breath-taking sceneries captured on peaceful boat rides.

Should you wish to experience it all, you will find that exploring Ninh Binh on a self-guided trip by train is cheaper, more relaxed and flexible than going on an organized tour. Here’s a highly recommended one-day itinerary for visiting Ninh Binh from Hanoi on your own.

Start your journey in Ninh Binh with Tam Coc or 'Three Caves'

One of the top experiences to start your journey would be to explore the famous Tam Coc, in English 'Three Caves', on water. Some of the most spectacular and typical landscapes of Ninh Binh province can be found here in Tam Coc, dominated by limestone cliffs ascending towards the sky surrounded by rice paddies. The best way to enjoy the karst area is take a boat ride along the Ngo Dong river. During approximately one hour, a local sailor will take you through three dazzling grottoes, named Hang Ca, Hang Giua and Hang Cuoi. Bare in mind to avoid taking the boat tour during mid-day or early afternoon, as the sunlight tends to be highly intense during these hours. Or make sure you bring an umbrella, sunglasses and a hat just in case Ninh Binh's weather is too aggressive.

Entrance fee: 150.000 VND (7.5 USD). Boat fee: 120.000 VND (6 USD)/boat for 4 locals or 2 foreigners.

Bich Dong or 'Gem Cave'offers fantastic countryside views of Ninh Binh

Lying only about 3 kilometers away from Tam Coc, Bich Dong is a spiritual spot you must not miss. Climbing up through the mysterious cave temples, including Lower Temple, Middle Temple, and Upper Temple, it offers fantastic countryside views of Ninh Binh. Plus, you can visit nice caves and karsts along the way. It is also possible to take boat tours and explore the area further, this would take an extra three-hour time.

Entrance fee: free for the pagodas.

Thung Nang or 'Sunlight Valley'the best sights to photograph rice paddies in Ninh Binh

Thung Nang is one of the best sights to photograph rice paddies in Ninh Binh. The best time to travel here is between May and June when the rice paddies blossom. If you happen to visit Ninh Binh outside this time, take a motorbike ride instead of going for the boat ride and find a safe spot to climb up the mountain for photography.

Entrance fee: 60.000 VND (3 USD)/boat for 4 locals or 3 foreigners.

Hang Mua or 'Dancing Cave'

Hidden in Khe Ha village, only a few kilometers away from Tam Coc and Bich Dong, Hang Mua is a less touristic site known for the panoramic it offers of Ninh Binh from above. After walking up 500 steps to visit the female Buddha, you would enjoy the majestic view from the mountain top, whilst tiny wooden boats flow through the peaceful river. Mid-afternoon is the ideal time to climb.

Entrance fee: 100.000 VND (5 USD)/adult

The ancient capital of Hoa Lu to experience the festival activities

More than one thousand years ago Ninh Binh was chosen as the capital of Vietnam, the range of limestone mountains created a natural protection for the city. Hoa Lu was home to the Dinh, the Le and the Ly Dynasties. In the present, tourists can visit the remaining of the temples, graves, and pagodas surrounding the old capital. A special time of the year is April, during Hoa Lu festival where ceremonies, games and fair take place. Traveling from Tam Coc to Hoa Lu, you would be passing by Trang An Landscape Complex, which would take fairly another day to explore as a whole.

Entrance fee: 20.000 VND (1 USD)/adult

How to get from Hanoi to Ninh Binh

The best way to go from Hanoi to Ninh Binh is by train, as you get to enjoy the scenic landscapes on the way. There are several trains running from the early morning until the night. You can find schedules and fares, and book your tickets online using Baolau.

If you want to visit Ninh Binh in one day, take the first train in the morning departing from Hanoi Central Station. After 2 hours you will arrive at Ninh Binh Railway Station. Rent a bike from the closest travel agency opposite to the station and explore the city by yourself, visit the points of interest that we recommend. The last train from Ninh Binh to Hanoi will depart late in the evening, so you can spend all day around the city.

See more at: Hanoi To Ninh Binh: A Mind-Blowing Day Tour

[olivia-anderson-fanfic]

Satisfied, Part 20

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~~~

The next day, she walked through the bad part of town (was there really a bad part of town in a place like this?). With the horse miraculous the whole ‘walking’ thing wasn’t quite necessary, but she was waiting for something.

She checked her reflection in a mirror and made sure that her earpiece was completely invisible and continued on.

People avoided her like the plague. If you were wearing a costume you were either a rogue or a vigilante. In this part of town they were both equally bad. The best option was to avoid them and hope you don’t find out.

So, when she saw people approaching her, her brain shorted out a little bit. They were all obviously affiliated with each other. They were wearing the same suits, even had the same general build. Did their boss get mad at them? At her? Did they have some sort of grudge?

Then she saw the needle in the closest’s hand.

She made a squeaking noise in the back of her throat and turned on her heel. To her horror, she saw more people in those same suits. Great. Brilliant, even. They’d surrounded her and were blocking her only two exits.

She could use a portal, sure, but she didn’t want everyone to know her powers. The less people knew about her new persona the better.

“Feeellas,” she said awkwardly as they neared her, hands up in surrender. “Listen, listen, you rea -- eeee!”

She had been cut off when one lunged for her. She backed up as quickly as she could, eyes locked on the needle in his hand, only to feel a hand clamp around her shoulder.

Her head whipped around and the man gave an apologetic smile as he held up a syringe.

“Ah, bon,” she hissed.

She didn’t register a gradual drop of consciousness, didn’t even feel the needle puncture her skin. One second she was struggling to get out of the man’s grip, the next she was tied in a chair, a bag over her head.

She could hear people screaming in her ear but it all came out as fuzz.

“Quoi?” She murmured to herself.

The bag was whipped off her head at the sound and she blinked a few times as she tried her hardest to understand what was going on through all the fog.

She was in a warehouse of some sort, that much was obvious from the high ceilings and boxes. For some reason, though, only one light was on; the one right above her shone brightly, making it hard to see more than a few feet in front of her.

Her brain cleared when she felt the cold barrel of a gun touch the back of her head. Her pupils dilated in fear. Even if it wouldn’t kill her, a shot to the head would definitely leave her incapacitated for the next few days.

A person stepped into her vision.

She looked up at the face of Harley Quinn and gave a weak smile. “Hey, miss, if you wanted to thank me this wasn’t at all necessary.”

She gave a soft laugh. “Thanks for your help, darlin’, but that’s not what you’re here for.”

“Then why?” She asked, trying to subtly tip her head back and see who had a gun to her head.

She heard the safety click and froze. She slowly trained her gaze back on the woman in front of her, but she never heard the safety turn back on.

The intention was clear: one more chance.

The smile that stretched across the woman’s face was so calculated and cold that she felt a shiver run through her. “I just have a few questions for you.”

She looked up at the woman in front of her and knew instantly that lying would be a fatal mistake. While she definitely gave off the impression of someone who had a few screws loose, her eyes were far too sharp for that to be completely true. At the very least, she’d been a very smart person before she had gone off the deep end. There was nothing saying that she didn’t keep those smarts when she’d changed.

So, no lies. This should be fun.

She swallowed thickly. “Of course.”

“One: why did you help me?”

“I was in the area, I saw you fighting Robin, I wanted to help you out.”

“Okay, that’s how, but why?”

Marinette bit the inside of her cheek. “You’re pretty high up in the crime world, I thought it would be a good idea to get on your good side.”

Harley raised her eyebrows. She must not have detected a lie, because in all technicality there wasn’t one, so she moved on: “Two: how do you know Robin?”

She blinked a few times.

“He went easy on you at first, it’s not normal for him.”

She gave a small shrug. “We’d met before. Didn’t go great on either of our ends but definitely not for me.”

Harley nodded. “Three: why can’t I take off your mask?”

Oh, thank kwami. Something she could answer having to think of a lie. “Miraculi don’t let you take them off without a fight. Especially this one, because it doubles as a mask.”

“Miraculi?” The woman’s cold smile dropped slightly in her confusion.

Great. She’d been wrong. Apparently they weren’t all that well-known in America. She could have hidden that information by just saying it was a part of her powers. Still, she couldn’t start lying now, so she just said: “It’s a France thing, apparently. It just grants me my powers.”

“And how do those powers work?”

She gave a small shrug. “I can open portals anywhere I can see or visualize perfectly. Like, I can make a portal across the room and send another to my house, but I can’t make one ‘just outside’ because I don’t know where I am.”

Harley nodded slowly. “Last question: why are you on this side?”

The girl closed her eyes to think, then looked up at the woman. “Necessity,” she said simply.

She looked at the person behind Marinette and tipped her head to the side. “She wasn’t lying.”

“She’s still hiding things,” said a man’s voice.

“She’d be stupid not to.”

There was a long silence and Marinette’s forehead beaded with sweat.

The safety clicked and the gun left her skin. She breathed a sigh of relief and slumped in her chair as much as her restraints allowed.

Harley smiled. “Have you already had your debut? You said you had already fought Robin once before...”

Marinette bit the inside of her cheek. “I’ve not really done anything outside of fight him while like this. I kind of wanted to do some sort of major thing to debut.”

“Weeeell,” she began.

The man behind her sighed. “Harley. Don’t.”

“Whaaat? I like her,” she pouted.

The man groaned.

The woman grinned and leaned down to be at eye level. “Listen, darlin’, we’re planning to crash the Wayne Gala. You want in?”

Marinette’s eyes widened. The Wayne Gala? She cursed in French. She was lucky she hadn’t yet made prototypes for the outfits, because she was going to have to rework them to make running easier.

“Um... don’t speak French, darlin’.”

“Oh. I was just saying that sounds fun! Can’t wait!” (It was true, the context had just been much different.)

The woman walked around her. “Great! Let me just untie you...”

“No need.” She winked and opened a portal under herself and went crashing to the ground a few feet away. The chair broke under her from the force and she grinned as she pushed the splinters away from herself.

“Are you okay?” Came Batman’s voice in her ear, and Harley unknowingly echoed him.

“Yeah, these suits are pretty durable,” she answered both, then looked up at her captors. Whoever the guy was, he wasn’t the Joker. Still, he had the very distinct look of a villain. She frowned slightly as she tried to place his face, then shrugged to herself. She’d describe him to the bats later.

She stood and picked up the rope holding her, then pouted at the pair. “You used my own weapon to tie me?”

“Sorry, darlin’,” said Harley, not sounding at all sorry. “It was what we had on hand.”

She reattached her lasso to her waist. “Alright. I’m gonna head out. Next time, if you want to contact me, could you just send a guy to tell me so?”

Harley grinned. “No promises.”

She sighed and shook her head slightly, then opened a portal back to the grocers rooftop. She sent a tiny wink before slipping through.

~~~

You know I got five plants at the beginning of this and named each of them after a different Wayne, then I said ‘hey, whichever one(s) is/are dead by the end of three weeks will die in the fic’ and all of them are still alive. The plants have spoken

~

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