01 months, 16 days
(November)

. __________________________________________________ .

When she wakes up, the first thing she does is glare at the numbers of her clock.

(She likes being a hero; she is honored to have the Humming Bird Miraculous, really, and having the ability to help others - even if it is officially on the wrong side of the law...This is a lengthy thought process and freak out for another time-

She loves being Hummingbird.

But the lack of sleep is going to kill her.)

She stares at the coffee pot, willing it to make her her caffeine drink faster.

(Or the amount of pure caffeine. Whichever one comes first.)

A cup of coffee later, and her brain is on-track to its usual cheery self.

It still isn't quite enough, however, as she barely has time to hurry Issy into her hoodie pocket and make it to class, two minutes to spare and her hair undone, hairband hanging on her wrist.

"Morning, Aria," a familiar face greets, chuckling. "Someone had a long night."

"Studying," Aria groans, casting a glance over her companion and the girl's similar dark circles. "Not that you can really say anything, Alice."

"Caught me," Alice jokes, raising her hands in mock surrender and brushing her hair out of the way. "What are you doing later this afternoon?"

"Flower shop," Aria answers automatically, taking a seat to the right of her friend. "Mom has a big order to organize, so I'll be manning the counter."

"Sounds fun," Alice comments, not quite sarcasm.

Aria sighs, spotting the instructor at the front and jerking her head towards the head of the classroom in warning.

"Hope you're prepared to learn," she states.

"You mean die," Alice jokes, clicking her tongue and her already-ready pen.

"Same difference," Aria teases, pulling out her own notebook.

. __________________________________________________ .

"We need to attach a flag to Lynne," Alice grumbles, looking over the crowd.

"Most people say bell," Aria replies absent-mindedly, tip-toeing as if the extra inch would magically locate their friend.

"We don't need to hear her; we need to see her," Alice corrects, putting a hand on Aria's shoulder to pull her out of the way of an incoming biker. Static sparks between their fingers lightly. "Sorry. Static."

Aria waves her apology off.

"Found you," a voice chirps, hands latching around Alice's waist. "I hope you guys are hungry. I found coupons for all-you-can-eat lunch."

"Please," Aria agrees eagerly, latching onto the bespectacled girl.

"You were snacking during class," Alice points out, raising a brow at Aria. "How hungry are you?"

"Hey. When you got to eat, you got to eat," Aria jokes, straightening and pulling Lynne with her. "If we hurry, maybe we can go for ice cream before class starts."

"Your appetite has been growing," Lynne notes, smiling. Her hair swings in her ponytail, loose, shorter hairs pulled back by a barrette. "It looks like our daily lunches have given you a hunger schedule. Finally, you'll eat like us mortals."

Aria pauses only for a second.

(Yeah, her appetite has been growing - all the Miraculous Wielders' have been - but...)

Issy twitches in her hood, pecking a point on her back lightly.

"Does that mean we get to go for ice cream?" she jokes.

"Better. We can do crepes," Lynne declares, holding up another coupon. "Student discount too."

"Lynne, you're the best," Aria declares, already heading out with one arm looped around Alice's and the other around Lynne's.

For a second, when Aria speaks, Lynne sees another figure superimposed on her friend.

(That is...)

A sudden throb in her head - a promise of a headache to come - distracts her, and she shakes the pain (and thought) out of her head, quickly following and chattering with her girls.

. __________________________________________________ .

It takes time (less than five seconds) to realize that she is growling - not the low sound she can make with in an approximation of a growl but a legitimate growl.

(What the-Growling thing later! Robbery now!)

She curses under her breath, glancing to the bathroom where Aria had gone and the table where Lynne still sat, eyes wide.

"Now!" one of the two robbers barks, pointing the gun at the cashier. The second wields his gun like a toy, pointing it at the customers with a sneer before settling on the head of a child, tearing her from the arms of her mother.

The cashier - another college student, probably new at the job - fumbles with the register, shoving bills and coins into the robbers' prepared bag.

Caane presses against her neck, little pricks of warning from the Kwami's claws.

"Tick tock," the first reminds the cashier, finger resting on the trigger testily.

At that moment, police sirens ring in the air, and she takes her chance as the robbers are momentarily distracted.

She separates the hostage from the robber, standing between the weapon and the child.

"If you're going to kill her, you better do it over my dead body," Alice declares, that same growl rumbling in .

"-n't you-"

A gunshot rings in the air.