It was a day like any other.

Marinette tried to tear her eyes away from Adrien's golden hair and carefree laughter as he talked to Nino, instead focusing on the whiteboard up front. Mme. Bustier had been called away a few minutes ago and left them unchaperoned, however, so there was little chance the rest of the class would be working.

"Ugh!" Chloe threw up her feet and leaned back, stretching out. Throughout the entire time Mme. Bustier had been gone, she'd been occasionally making sounds of disgust, loud enough that the entire class heard. It was actually starting to get on Marinette's nerves; she'd had a long day - a long week, honestly - and she just wanted to get her homework out of the way so she could collapse on her bed when she got home. And she couldn't do that while Chloe was loudly proclaiming her frustration with sitting pretty in one corner of the classroom, doing a whole lot of nothing at all (and not for a lack of options).

She flipped the way her feet were resting and added, "Hmph!" her shoes pushing Sabrina's work off the table. Finally, Marinette had had enough.

"Chloe," She began boldly, immediately dragging the entire class to look at her, "if you're so frustrated with this class, why not head out until Mme. Bustier comes back? I don't mean to be rude, but your grumbling's somewhat distracting."

Several people made noises of assent, but Chloe made a face that said Marinette had given her exactly what she wanted. "Like you can talk, what with you gaping and drooling all over your desk," she called caustically, and Marinette fought not to snap back at the insult. "Is there even anything going on in that head of yours?"

"Quite a bit, actually," Marinette replied, once she'd established her composure. "You don't seem to be thinking at all, however."

She wouldn't have said it on a completely normal day, but she was tired, and frustrated, and her filter seemed to be faltering because she could already see Alya leaning forward to catch Chloe's reaction.

"Me?!" Chloe barked, shoulders tensing. "How dare you, you, you peasant! I should have Daddy get you expelled, no mere baker's daughter has any business bullying me and spluttering all over my Adrikins! I'm smarter than you'll ever be!"

Marinette could hear Tikki in her head, muttering reassurances as she tried not to get mad. She could taste the veiled insult to her origins in Chloe's words, but it wasn't yet close enough for her to get really mad; she had been targeting Marinette, after all. "I suggest you leave the classroom," she offered. "Surely your brain can figure out why that might be a good idea?"

But Chloe was on a roll today, and she wasn't about to stop. "Yes, I know exactly why," She snapped. The class was so quiet she didn't even have to yell for it to carry across the room. "You just want me to stop watching you so you can slobber all over Adrien. Well, I won't let you, Dupain-Cheng. You're not fit to lick his shoes, though I'm sure you would if it got you enough money."

Marinette could feel heat in her eyes, the little warning that she was about to cry. She inhaled slowly, quietly, but in that moment Adrien spoke up.

"Chloe," he began, sounding terribly conflicted and hurt, "Marinette isn't like that at all." Marinette's heart stopped. "She's-"

He never got to finish his thought.

"Shush, Adri-chou," Chloe waved him off. "Let me deal with this gold-digger. I'll make her move so you aren't bothered by her any more."

"No, Chloe," Adrien reiterated, looking ready to stand up and stalk over to her. "Don't. You're being-"

"Shush!" She repeated, cutting him off again. "I know what's best for you, so be quiet and let me handle it."

"Let Adrien speak," Marinette finally found the confidence to say. Now she was angry. Herself she could deal with; but Adrien? That was going way too far.

"Shut up," Chloe waggled her finger, and it alarmed Marinette just how much it infuriated her. She could feel how tightly she was holding her pen - she could feel the skin on her knuckles go taught and white from the pressure - and it took significant effort to unclench her teeth.

"Adrikins is my boyfriend, not yours," Chloe began, "And you'll never have him on my watch. Second-"

"I'm not your-" Adrien began, face tightening in upset.

Chloe held out a palm. "Shut up, Adrikins," She said, waving him away again, and he crumpled.

Meanwhile, Marinette roared.

One step too far, Chloe. Her pen snapped, ink spilling over her hands as it broke and pieces jutting into her skin. Everyone turned, but for a moment, she was wordless.

The silence was deafening. Chloe looked triumphant, Adrien broken, and Marinette? She couldn't look at herself, but she could feel her face, and she'd never felt it so tightly controlled in her life. It took genuine effort not to bare her teeth and full-out hiss at her.

"Marinette," Alya said, but Marinette wasn't listening. Her head was a maelstrom of thoughts and feelings, most of which she found rather unappealing.

Hatred. Fury. Frustration. Sadness. Hurt. Anger.

I need to stay in control.

I need to defend Adrien.

Alya was talking louder now, and she heard several people get up. She watched as Chloe yelped and backed away as if she were diseased, but she couldn't figure out why until suddenly her vision was flooded by a vibrant purple.

"Marinette Dupain-Cheng.

She has insulted you, insulted your family, insulted your beloved Adrien.

I can help you fight back against this ruthless bullying.

All I need is for you to get me Ladybug and Chat Noir's miraculous."

Marinette opened her mouth.

"Marinette, NO!" Alya reached out for her friend's shoulders, but Marinette held up a hand, pushing her back.

Marinette inhaled.

"Marinette!" A familiar voice called, piercing through the fog in her head. "Don't give in! Don't let him akumatize you!"

"No," Marinette hissed into the air.

Dead silence flooded the room, but Marinette couldn't hear.

"...no?" Hawkmoth's voice called back. There was something eerily familiar about it, right down to the chill-down-her-spine tone.

"But Marinette, look at you. You can't stand up to her like this. But I can make you strong, I can help you be a voice for the love of your life. He would never have to suffer again, if you accepted."

Marinette's hands tensed, embedding the pen deeper into her hand. She couldn't feel it. She couldn't feel anything.

"No," she repeated, though her voice felt hoarse, and was barely above a whisper. "Adrien would never love someone who had to hide behind a mask to protect themselves. Alya would never forgive me if I hurt Ladybug or Chat Noir. I won't accept your offer."

"...Maybe this will convince you to listen."

Marinette felt something akin to a tearing in her chest, consuming all rational thought. She heard someone screaming - must help them - and stumbled forward, feeling her breaths come out in rasped gasps as she stumbled towards where she remembered the classroom's window to be. She couldn't see anything except a blinding purple.

The pain stopped, leaving her gasping, and from the feel of her throat it had been her screaming.

"Will you obey me now?" Hawkmoth asked. "Or would you like to suffer some more?"

Marinette couldn't breathe, couldn't speak.

"Marinette, please, if you can hear me…" a voice she knew all too well, her constant companion, Tikki, called… "Please transform!"

She couldn't speak. Spots on, she mouthed.

It was all she needed.

The purple faded, replaced by a storm of red and black.

"I'll protect you, Marinette!"

She let go.

A/N: This wouldn't leave me alone. I have no idea if I'll finish it.

Enjoy.