Evening descended over the bakery, painting the storefront in soft hues of twilight. Jazik methodically cleaned the last of the flour from the kneading trough downstairs, the quiet hum of the refrigerators a familiar comfort. Suddenly, a sharp CRASH shattered the peace from Marinette's room upstairs.
He sprinted up the stairs, his heart pounding a frantic rhythm against his ribs. Every protective instinct flared within him, screaming a warning. The broken window meant violation, an intrusion into the safety of this home. Marinette needed protection.
Jazik burst into her room, stopping abruptly just inside the doorway. Shards of glass glittered on the floor around the shattered window, letting in a cold draft. The Evillustrator stood near Marinette's desk, his purple-and-white suit a stark contrast to the familiar pink walls. Marinette huddled by her bed, her eyes wide with fear.
Jazik immediately moved, stepping in front of Marinette. His stance became a rigid shield, arms slightly spread, ready to intercept any threat.
"Leave," Jazik commanded, his voice low and firm, carrying an edge of steel. "You do not belong here."
Marinette stared at the villain, then at Jazik, a gasp escaping her lips. "Nathaniel?" she whispered, confusion warring with terror in her voice.
The Evillustrator's hands rose, not in threat, but in a strange, pleading gesture. "I didn't mean any harm, Marinette. I just wanted to see you."
"But... why did you attack Chloé?" Marinette asked, her voice still trembling. "If you're not bad."
The Evillustrator's shoulders slumped. "Chloé is mean," he said, his voice soft, almost wounded. "She's always so cruel and selfish." Jazik watched Marinette, whose expression showed she couldn't really disagree.
"Are you going to hurt me, then?" she asked, a fragile hope in her tone.
He recoiled as if struck. "Never! You're beautiful, Marinette. You're sweet and perfect." The villain then paused, his gaze dropping to the floor. "I was wondering... if you'd come to my birthday party? Just the two of us?" The offer hung in the air, a strange mix of threat and tender, misguided affection.
Marinette wrung her hands, glancing from the shattered window to the Evillustrator, then back to Jazik.
"I can't," Marinette said, her voice small. "I have my physics presentation tomorrow, and I really need to call Alya."
The Evillustrator's hand moved, and a glowing stylus appeared above his tablet. He sketched a delicate line, then another, creating a beautiful drawing of Marinette herself, posed elegantly against a backdrop of twinkling stars. The image shimmered with an almost magical light, clearly showing his artistic talent.
"But it's for you, Marinette," he insisted, his voice gentle and coaxing. "I can draw anything for you."
Marinette's eyes widened at the drawing, a genuine awe softening her fearful expression. She paused, considering his words, her kindness warring with her fear.
"Alright," Marinette conceded, a small spark of her usual determination returning. "I'll go with you, but on one condition."
The Evillustrator leaned in, his glowing eyes fixed on her. "Anything for you."
"You have to promise me you won't hurt Chloé anymore," Marinette stated, her moral compass overriding her immediate terror. "Or anyone else."
He paused, then nodded slowly. "If it's what you want, Marinette, I promise." He raised his hand, sketching a rocket pack onto his back. With a soft whoosh, the pack materialized. He then flew out the broken window.
"Meet me at the Left Bank by Notre-Dame at sunset," the Evillustrator called back, his voice echoing into the Parisian night. Marinette's innate empathy led her to accept a date with an akumatized villain, hoping her influence could curb his destructive impulses.
Jazik watched the villain disappear into the night sky, then turned back to Marinette. His expression was unreadable, but a faint tremor ran through his hand as he subtly adjusted the collar of his shirt.
Jazik's gaze sharpened, cutting through the fear that still lingered in Marinette's eyes.
"Marinette, you cannot go," Jazik insisted, his voice tight with a frustration that rarely showed. "He is a villain. He hurt Chloé. He could hurt you."
Marinette shook her head, a stubborn set to her jaw. "But he seemed so nice, Jazik. He has a crush on me, and he said he wouldn't hurt anyone else."
"He is still dangerous," Jazik countered, his hands clenching at his sides. He thought of the Dodo Magia, how it had almost broken his armor, how easily it could have taken Marinette. She could not see the lurking danger, the way kindness could twist into something ugly and possessive when fueled by despair. His own past flashed through his mind, the cold, calculating cruelty hidden behind calm faces.
"No, I think he just needs someone to understand him," Marinette declared, cutting him off with a determined flick of her pigtails. "You have to trust me on this." She then rushed toward the door. "Don't tell Papa and Maman, okay? Please?"
She disappeared down the stairs before Jazik could respond, leaving him alone in the shattered silence of her room.
Jazik stood alone in the damaged room, the broken window letting in a chill wind. He could not let Marinette face a potential threat alone, not when she saw kindness where he saw danger. Tom and Sabine had taken him in without question, offering him a home and a place in their family. Marinette, with her bright optimism, had treated him like a brother since his arrival. He owed them. He owed his new family his protection. Jazik's expression hardened with resolve. He moved toward the door, his mind firmly set on a path he knew he had to take.
Jazik slipped out of the bakery's back entrance, the cool evening air a stark contrast to the warmth inside. He located a secluded alley, its shadows deep and inviting, perfect for what needed to happen next. He pulled a Poppingummy Gochizo from his pocket, the small creature shimmering with soft, internal light. The Gavv organ on his abdomen opened with a wet, mechanical squelch.
[GUMMY!]
The Gochizo launched itself into the Gavv's mouth, the blue lips closing around it.
[EAT GUMMY! EAT GUMMY!]
Blue and magenta energy swirled around Jazik, wrapping him in a dazzling light. It felt like his very cells were humming, vibrating with raw, sweet power. The familiar armor solidified, piece by piece, clinging to his form.
[POPPINGUMMY! JUICY!]
He stood as Kamen Rider Gavv, vibrant and ready. He then placed his hand on the ground.
[VROCAN! GO-GO-GO!]
A hot pink Vrocanbuggy materialized before him, its engine roaring to life with a [HIGH-PITCHED WHINE]. The urgency of his mission pulsed through the armor, a silent demand for speed. He revved the engine, sending a spray of gravel behind him, and sped toward the Seine. The candy-themed motorcycle was surprisingly fast, its tires gripping the cobblestones with surprising efficiency. He raced through the deepening twilight, a blur of pink and blue, determined to reach the Left Bank before Marinette. He knew that the Akuma's invitation, however gentle, held true danger for his friend.
***
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