Chapter 18

Marinette sat across from Alya at a table outside the LadyNoir café. The gentle breeze and warming rays of the sun had enticed the girls to select a table on the outdoor patio. The relaxing atmosphere was enough to set Marinette perfectly at ease. At least, had it not been for the onslaught of prying questions Alya had been peppering her with since she mentioned crossing paths with a certain blond ex-model.

"I swear, Alya. I'm totally over him." Marinette tried to use her most convincing voice, though she knew it was no use. "Whatever stories you're concocting in that journalist head of yours are nothing more than your own twisted fiction."

Alya simply leaned back in her chair and sipped her coffee with a knowing look.

"Alright, I'll let you off easy this time." Alya teased. "I just have to ask one more time. Are you sure you can handle this? You worked so hard to get over him last year."

Marinette thought it over for a moment.

"Yes. Really." She emphasized. "It wasn't fair of me to just shut him out like I did, without an explanation." she looked down at her hands. "I only thought about my feelings, not his. It was selfish."

"Oh please, girl. You're the most selfless person I've ever met." Alya rolled her eyes, but there was gentleness in her tone.

"I guess." Marinette shrugged. There was no use arguing with Alya on that point.

"How did you two even cross paths?" Alya pressed.

"When I went in for the final interview for the internship at Agreste, I ran into him...literally." Marinette grimaced and Alya let out a chuckle.

"I would expect no less. Did you at least get in a coherent sentence?"

"Yes." Marinette said almost indignantly. "Sort of." she winced. "I managed to work the in words coffee and tomorrow coherently enough for him to understand."

"You asked Adrien out on a date?!" Alya all but yelled. "I need details, girl!" She squealed, pounding the table excitedly.

"First off, it was not a date. Just old friends catching up." Marinette corrected and Alya raised a mocking eyebrow. "Besides, if by some miracle I get this internship I won't have time for dating anyway. But from what Nino told us the other night, Adrien could use some friends right now. Things are worse than ever with his dad, and I owe it to him to get over myself and be a good friend to him."

"Well you're not wrong about that." Alya replied then took a sip of her drink.

"We met up here yesterday and chatted for a while like old times." Marinette said after a moment.

"Old times huh? So you blabbed nonsense at him until he was hopelessly confused?" Alya laughed.

Marinette shot a glare at her.

"No! For your information we had a lovely conversation, thank you very much." Marinette snarked back, but Alya only laughed harder. "He met Danica too." She continued.

"Oh yeah?" Alya quirked a playful brow. "She hit on him didn't she?"

"Yep."

"Can't really blame her though." Alya replied, tossing her hair over her shoulder.

Marinette gasped. "I'm telling Nino!" She playfully threatened, and Alya narrowed her eyes.

"You wouldn't dare!"

"Wanna b-"

Suddenly a long swath of white silk swirled around Marinette, binding her arms to her sides and sucking her into the air to hover beside a snarling spider-like akuma. The long black skirt of the akuma's dress was tattered, the shreds of fabric suspending her in the center of eight "legs." Sharp yellow fangs jutted from her sneering mouth. Encircling her wrist was a bracelet of some sort with abnormally long sewing pins jutting out in all directions.

"Hey!" Alya roared as she jumped up in a defensive position. "Akuma or not, nobody messes with my best friend!"

With a sweep of her arm, the akuma let loose a volley of sewing pins that pierced into the pavement in front of Alya, cracking the cement and serving as a warning of what would happen to her if she tried to rescue the struggling prey suspended in a cocoon of white silk. Alya shot a furtive glance at Marinette, who thrashed to no avail, but she held back.

"What did I ever do to you, whoever you are?" Marinette yelled at her captor.

"I am Spindra. You took what is rightfully mine. I deserve the internship at Agreste Fashion, not you! You're nothing compared to me! But they can't hire you if you're dead. I'll squash you like the little insect you are." Seething, Spindra rose higher into the air, her spider-like legs propelling her forward at an alarming speed, and dragging a cursing Marinette closely behind.

Alya turned and ripped through her bag, frantically searching for her phone. She was beyond thankful she had gotten the akuma alert system set up on the Ladyblog. She knew at least Chat Noir followed her blog and would see it. With a few swipes of her finger, the alert was up.

Help would soon be on the way, but Alya wasn't about to leave her friend's life to chance. If they showed up even a minute too late… she couldn't let her mind go down that path. Launching herself forward, she sprinted along the path of destruction.

Moments later, Chat Noir vaulted from out of nowhere, landing in front of her with a soft thud.

"Someone make a cat call?" he joked nonchalantly as he tucked his staff behind him. With as much as Alya stalked, or rather followed the super duo, they had become rather familiar over the years.

"Where have you been?" Alya exploded as she rushed at him, and he took a defensive step back with hands raised.

"Whoa, take it down a notch there, Alya. What's got you so riled up?"

"Spindra, the akuma, has a hostage." Alya spoke as quickly as she could. They didn't have much time. "She kidnapped my friend Marinette and carried her off." Chat looked like he had been slapped. "She's going to kill her, Chat. Hurry!"

Chat nodded once, a fierce determination in his eyes. "Don't worry, Alya. I won't let anything happen to her."

Without another word he took off after the akuma. Alya stared after him, trying to catch her breath as a heavy rock settled in her stomach.

"Be safe, Marinette."