Marinette POV

The thing about not being in class when an Akuma starts attacking is that it is much easier to find a place to hide and transform. I didn't even leave time for Tikki to talk to me as I called on my transformation.

"Tikki, Spots on!"

The little red god was sucked into my ear rings and with my powers activated I flew off to find the akuma.

It was an easy find, what with all the screaming, and the akuma didn't appear to be targeting the people around it, heading instead, straight for the school. My suspicions were confirmed when the akuma let out a guttural yell of;

"Chloe!"

What had she done to make akumatize someone this time?

I headed for the akuma swinging over it's head and landing right in front of it.

"Hey, it's okay, you don't need to harm anybody. I'm sure we can work this out."

The akuma just looked at me with pure contempt.

"I have TRIED working things out! That spoiled brat just doesn't get it!"

As much as I wanted to agree with the akuma on that subject I knew that I needed to purify the akuma before it could do any harm to anyone and, as much as it annoyed me, that meant Chloe as well.

Just then Chat landed with a heavy thud beside me. He gave me a quick side glance and acknowledged me, "Hey bug", before going into an all out charge towards the akuma.

The fight ended quickly despite the fact that Chloe thought it would be a good idea to come and try to confront the akuma while Chat and I were trying to fight it. If not for Chats quick warning, I wouldn't have been able to swoop in and save her on time.

After the battle despite the fact I just wanted to sit back and relax, I knew that I would have to show my face so that my parents and the teachers wouldn't be worried.

So after transforming I made my way back towards school.

Adrien's POV

It was quite a relief to find out that Marinette hadn't been akumatized. Out of our class, she and I were the only ones that hadn't been akumatized. That meant if she got akumatized it would be like pointing a giant finger at me and screaming out, "HE'S CHAT NOIR!", which meant I had to help her stay positive.

Normally, that didn't prove too hard. Marinette was just a naturally positive person and despite the fact that I had to help her stay positive to keep my identity a secret, I knew that I would want to help her anyway. It was depressing to see the kindest and happiest person in the class look so sad.

The first thing I did upon reentering the school was therefore to look for Marinette. After wondering the halls for a few minutes at a complete loss of where to look, I heard Chloe yelling.

Following a hunch I went towards the noise.

Marinette's POV

The moment Chloe saw me she started yelling. I know I should stay positive, I really do. In my position I couldn't afford getting akumatized but...

You try staying positive when Chloe is yelling at you.

"Where were you Marinette? The akuma came and you were nowhere to be found. Let me guess, the little goody two shoes was hiding under a table somewhere with her hands over her head shaking with fear."

I gritted my teeth and looked up at Chloe clenching my fists.

"Yeah, well at least I had the common sense not to interfere with Chat Noir and Ladybug."

She rolled her pale blue eyes and scoffed. Sabrina standing behind Chloe looked at me pityingly.

"I wasn't interfering. Ladybug saved me. What I wouldn't give for you to be more like ladybug."

It was true. Ladybug was the better side of me. Everyone seemed to love ladybug, yet nobody even shot me a second glance when I walked down the hall. In comparison to Ladybug, Marinette was invisible.

You couldn't blame me then, as I wasn't transformed, when I completely lost my cool. I had dealt with Chloe enough to day, and still had the peace of mind to save her.

"If Ladybug is who you really want then, then Marinette will just disappear."

A small crowd had gathered around to witness the fight, their faces jeering and sneers prominent on their faces. I looked around at them one last time before pushing past them all, and running away, tears streaking down my face.

Despite the fact that I had stood up for nearly everyone in the school against Chloe, no one thought of returning the favor, and that hurt more than any of the words Chloe could ever yell at me.

Adrien's POV

despite running the remainder of the way there, I only got there in time to see Marinette yell something at Chloe and then disappear through the crowd. Chloe stood in the middle of the circle, holding their attention like a self righteous Queen, looking at her nails and appearing to have a self satisfied look on her smug face.

It was enough to make my blood boil.

I started angrily pushing through the cloud, about to confront Chloe, but someone had beat me to it.

Alya stood there, her wavy hair flying behind her back. She seemed to blaze up with anger as she slapped Chloe across the face, everyone falling silent at the resounding thwack.

I smiled to myself. Despite the fact that I knew that Alya and Marinette were on rocky ground right now, it was good to see that Alya was standing up for Marinette even though Marinette wasn't there to see it.

Chloe looked at Alya in shock, rage twisting up her face. The slap seemed to have done a good job in wiping that smug look off her face however.

"HOW DARE YOU!" Chloe screeched at Alya, Sabrina was quietly beside her, trying to calm Chloe down, but Chloe just shoved Sabrina harshly off her. Not even noticing when the red head roughly hit the ground.

Not noticing, and probably not caring as well.

Alya didn't seemed fazed by this show of wrath. seemingly calm as Chloe fumed.

"Let me guess, your father is going to hear about this?" Alya looked down her nose at Chloe, "Sure go ahead and tell your father. I don't care. What I care about is the fact that you've been making Mari's life hell for the past few days."

Chloe strode forward, menacingly stopping when she was just inches from Alya's face.

"As if you care," she spat glancing around her, "Marinette certainly didn't care when you sister was on life support."

Despite the fact that the insult didn't seem to faze her, I could tell that she was trying to stay calm, a muscle was feathering in her jaw.

"Yeah, we all make mistakes, but Marinette is as much my family as my little sister was. So don't stand there acting self righteous when you're the one who causes the most akumas and works Ladybug and Chat Noir's asses off."

There was muttered agreements in the crowd and Alya turned on them

"Don't you agree with me." she said her hair flying around her face, "None of you did anything to help Marinette when Chloe started yelling and none of you tried to stop her running off, even though everyday Marinette stand up for all of you, you were too selfish to think of repaying the favor. You are not innocent bystanders, you are just as guilty as she is." Alya finished her rant pointing at Chloe.

I smiled at Alya and when it was clear that she had one, Chloe stormed off, and after she left the crowd seemed to dissipate, leaving a triumphant Alya and a grinning Nino standing by her side.

I approached them, and when she saw me she sighed.

"Let's go find Marinette."