"MARINETTE NO!" Alya leaped out of her seat. Marinette stumbled forward again, and though nobody else had yet moved, she was inches away from the open window. A black-red light began to flow around her best friend, and she couldn't stay still.
Adrien jumped into action at the same time. Reflex had him racing towards her before he even began to speak. "Marinette-" he called urgently, but the moment he did, Marinette whirled around, the glowing mask of Hawkmoth blackened over her face, and leaped backwards.
They weren't on the ground floor.
Adrien leaned out over the window, throwing up an arm as a bright flash was thrown up below them. He looked down when it faded to see Marinette - but she wasn't wearing her usual cute ensemble any more.
She was covered from neck to toe in the sturdy black material he remembered from his own suit. In fact, it was exactly like Chat Noir's suit, except for several notable differences; Instead of popping from her head, the ears curved around her pigtails, and her utility belt had been lined by rounded triangles of black steel, which clicked as she walked away from the school. At closer inspection, she seemed to have no baton, but instead a black yo-yo lined with red where it gripped the string. She was flicking it up and down as she walked away.
"I thought she'd attack us," Alya murmured, concern and guilt expressed in the same sentence. "What do we do?"
"I'm going to go find her," Adrien decided, even as Marinette suddenly leaped a superhuman leap and began running. "I'll be back!"
Chloe grabbed his arm, but he shucked her away. This was a job for Chat Noir, and he wasn't going to let her interrupt him.
"Marinette," a voice panted into the rapidly flickering darkness. "Are you alright?!"
She reached out, helplessly, her throat not moving the way she wanted. She couldn't speak. She couldn't breathe. Where was she?!
"Hold on, Marinette," it repeated. "You'll be in control just as soon as I figure this out!"
"No she won't," another voice hissed into the darkness. "She is strong. She WILL get the miraculous!"
Marinette gasped into the darkness, and it choked her until she couldn't hold on any more.
Chat Noir leaped from building to building, listening for screams, shouts, even a report on the Ladyblog. It was unnerving that Marinette's Akumatized form had run away, and even more so that she had resisted. He spared a second to admire how strong his classmate was before returning to the task at hand.
Adrien leaped down into the street and waved to a nearby civilian. "Excuse me," he asked charmingly, "Did you happen to catch sight of a black-clad girl like myself earlier?"
The man blinked. "You mean that wasn't you?" He said incredulously. At Adrien's nod, he pointed. "She went that way, I decided to go opposite in case you - she - were headed to an akuma."
"A wise decision," Adrien agreed, "thank you kindly!" With that, he leaped off again.
He finally found her near his own house, sitting on a rooftop across the road. She was holding a hand up to her forehead and looking around as if searching; in any other situation, it would have been adorable.
"Well, Purrincess, fancy meeting you here," he called, already pulling his baton. For some reason Ladybug wasn't here yet, but he could handle himself. "Seems I have an admirer!"
Marinette turned around, and he was surprised to see she had no mask - it was just her face, and it was slightly disorientating to see her almost herself. "Minou!" she called, smiling brightly. An akuma smiling at Chat Noir? "Yes, it's a lovely outfit, isn't it?" She twirled, showing off. "Not as great as yours, I suppose, but it's got a bit of purr-sonal touch." she giggled.
Adrien blinked. Marinette made a Cat Pun?! "It does," he agreed, when he realized she was waiting hopefully for his reaction. "It fits you, princess. What brings you here?"
She blushed quite thoroughly, her cheeks going red as tomatoes, but she didn't stutter for even a moment when she said, "I'm looking for my Prince!"
"Oh?" he leaned forward. "Who's this Prince of yours?"
"Adrien Agreste, of course!" She grinned.
Adrien froze. ME?
"Have you seen him?" she inquired hopefully. "Chloe was so mean to him today, and I must ensure he's unhurt," she insisted. The determination on her face was adorable, the earnest expression hitting close to home. "I have to know he's alright, and if he isn't, I must help him. After all, I need to make up for failing to defend him in class today."
"Why would you defend him?" Adrien blurted before he caught up with his mouth. He couldn't even think of any cat puns, he was so shocked.
"Why wouldn't I?" Marinette - she's akumatized, Adrien reminded himself in a hopeless effort to regain his composure - replied innocently. "Why wouldn't I defend my prince? He is kind and sweet despite his own pains! He deserves the world!"
Adrien didn't know what to do. Marinette seemed utterly determined to defend him - not even Chat Noir, but Adrien. And, up until this point, she had been completely non-malicious, even though he was Chat Noir.
Adrien concluded that he was hopelessly confused, and tried another tactic.
"I agree," he began, feeling extremely weird as he talked about himself and agreed with an akuma. "He is quite the catch. Are you off to win his affections?"
Marinette shook her head. "Oh, no, I could never do that to my Prince. It would be rude!" She paused. "Though I do wish he would notice me sometimes. Oh well!" She smiled brightly again, seeming to shake away her sadness like a bad dream. "Maybe another day. And I'm confident now, just like you! Maybe he likes puns?"
What universe am I in right now? Adrien thought frantically. Should I be flattered? Horrified? Give her tips on wooing me? Attack?
Aaaagh. I wish Ladybug was here.
"I'm sure he would, Purrincess," he agreed. "Purrhaps someday I shall win my Lady as well!"
Marinette frowned in confusion. "But, Minou," she frowned even more, her face twitching as if trying to melt into a different expression, "she already… loves you." She looked even more confused, but shook it off as easily as a dog shaking off water after a bath. "Nevermind. Sorry, Minou, but I must find Adrien! I'm going to go to him right this second!"
Her hand flew forward to release her yoyo, and before Chat Noir could follow she was swinging away.
"What do I do, Plagg?" Adrien asked under his breath as he halfheartedly chased her. "She doesn't seem aggressive at all."
"Go after her as Adrien, I can transform you if it gets dangerous," Plagg finally replied. "I'd go back to the school if I were you, that might be where she looks, since she hasn't checked it yet."
"Good idea," Adrien decided, and reluctantly he turned back towards school.
"Purrincess," a voice called from outside the void.
It was black, but it shone in the darkness, like it reflected the light and scattered it. She felt herself drawn towards it, towards the noise, and when she could hear it she could hear nothing else.
"Marinette, keep going! You're almost there!" The friendly voice encouraged, though she sounded so terribly strained. "I believe in you!"
"NO!" Yelled the voice that hurt, pain lashing along her skin. "Do not go there, Marinette. He will bring you only a broken heart."
He? Marinette thought into the darkness.
"Go, Marinette! Please go to him!" the sweet voice cried, before she whimpered and subsided in pain. "He can help you!"
"It fits you, princess," whispered the voice from outside.
Hope. Escape.
Marinette couldn't feel her limbs, but she began running towards the only thing in her brain which wasn't an unfocused mess.
"Adrien! Dude! Where were you?!" Nino cried, grabbing his friend and pulling him in for a brief hug. He released him a few moments later. "Did you get hurt?"
"Nah," Adrien rubbed his neck nervously. "Marinette's quick! I lost her a few blocks away, so I decided to walk back."
Nino sighed in relief, and Adrien felt vaguely guilty when he replied, "thank goodness, man. You run off so often that sometimes I worry, you know."
"Sorry," he began, but that was cut away by Chloe's scream and the sound of a cat's hiss.
Adrien turned around to see that, across the front yard of the school, Marinette had managed to catch up with him. She was hissing quite loudly at Chloe, who seemed content to scream back.
Adrien began walking over, and the moment Marinette caught sight of him, she lit up like a Christmas tree, her hissing giving way to a rumbling purr and a bright smile plastered over her face. "My Prince!" She called, and in a heartbeat she'd bounded over to his side, completely forgetting Chloe. "It's a relief to see you unhurt! How are you feline?" She grinned the moment the pun left her mouth.
Adrien reacted on instinct. "Paw-sitively Purr-fect." He could practically hear Nino gaping in the background.
Marinette's smile, impossibly, grew further, until-
"You mangy cat!" Chloe screeched.
Her smile vanished, replaced by a determined gaze, and in a heartbeat she'd swung around to face Chloe, one arm out to defend him. "You irritating pest!" Marinette returned, her voice low and dangerous.
"How dare you!" Chloe barreled on.
"How dare you!" Marinette replied.
Adrien blinked. Was she-
Chloe fumed. "Don't you dare lay a finger on my Adrikins!"
"Don't you dare lay a finger on my Prince!" Marinette cried, a smug smirk crawling up her face.
Chloe screamed wordlessly in frustration, and Marinette purred. Finally deciding that Chloe wouldn't bother them again, she turned to Adrien and grasped his hand in her left, laying a feather-light kiss on it.
"I do apologize for not being here earlier, my Prince," she smiled winningly. "I was a bit Purr-occupied."
Adrien had no idea what to do.
"You're blushing, kid," Plagg said unhelpfully.
"I-I-I don't mi-ind," he stuttered, speechless. She dropped his hand gently, pulling herself back up. "It's, ah, alright. Really."
She looked terribly relieved. After a beat, he gathered his bravery and asked a question that had been burning at him from the moment she'd talked to him as Chat.
"Why aren't you going after the miraculous?" he inquired.
Marinette won't hurt me, he reassured himself. Even though she's akumatized.
"Would you like me to get them, my prince?" she asked, and her ears swiveled forward as if to listen for his response. "I could! I could give Ladybug a run for her money!" She declared, holding up her yoyo.
"No, no, please don't," he requested quickly. "I was just curious, since Hawkmoth seems to want them…"
"Hawkmoth?" Her face twisted, and for a moment the purple butterfly appeared over her face again. She frowned deeper, and a moment later, the glowing sign of his influence turned red, then faded. "No. No. I don't obey anyone but myself!"
Marinette took a step back. "I do what I want to do," she murmured, "I say what I want to say! And I don't want to take the miraculous!" She curled her arms in around her. "Where would Chat Noir be without his? Or Ladybug without hers? Paris needs them!"
She was shaking. Frantic.
What on earth do I DO? Adrien thought frantically. Plagg, please help me out here!
"I don't know!" Plagg sounded rather panicked himself. "Uh, uhhh, reassure her! That should work! Tell her you're, uh, proud or something!"
Adrien gulped and laid a hand very carefully on Marinette's armoured shoulder. "It's alright, Marinette," he began. "I'm proud that you want to keep the miraculous safe."
She smiled faintly at him, and somewhere in there he noticed the spark of her old self. "...Thanks, Adrien," she murmured, before leaping back and racing away, reaching the rooftops before he could begin to react.
