(Summary: Being best friends with a superhero certainly draws one's attention. Had Lila really never considered that other people than her ally would want a Miraculous?
I mean, I don't really like that description, but it does sum everything up pretty well.
Disclaimer: I don't own Miraculous: Tales of Ladybug and Chat Noir.)
Marinette was having a relatively good day. She had a full night of sleep for once, she got to school on time, had managed to have an actual conversation with Adrien and Lila wasn't in school! Really, nothing could ruin her day.
Until, lo and behold, Lila decided that she could.
It all started when Alya let out a loud shriek. Marinette and Adrien jumped up, searching the classroom and windows for an akuma. But Alya was focused intently on her phone.
"Alya?" Mlle. Bustier questioned, frowning at her student and the mess she'd made. Mlle. Bustier dropped the stack of papers she was holding when Alya had let out an unholy sound. "What is it? What's wrong?"
"I─I─" Alya flinched. She held up her tablet. "I...I─somebody posted something on the Ladyblog… it's… you should put it on the board."
"What?" Mlle. Bustier asked, but she complied, nevertheless. "What's so important about this vid─is that Lila?!" Marinette's neck snapped up. The video's thumbnail displayed Lila trapped on a chair, bound and gagged. A man wearing a balaclava could be seen behind her, the knife in his hand pressed up against her neck. The background was a plain grey, but you could vaguely make out water in the left corner.
"HOLY SHIT!" Alix shouted. "Lila's been kidnapped!"
"Oh my god!"
"No way!"
"We have to save her!"
"Poor Lila!"
"Maybe it's a film!" Max suggested anxiously. "She said she wants to be an actress, right?"
Marinette swallowed. She really didn't like Lila, but she didn't want her to get hurt! "Play the video," Marinette breathed. "Hopefully it is just a film, but…"
"But…?" Alya asked, looking between Lila's terrified face on the screen and Marinette.
'But Lila might've said something she shouldn't have…' Marinette bit her lip, watching as the video buffered. "Pray that I'm wrong," Marinette told her, crossing her arms.
"Why?" Adrien turned around. His eyebrows creased in confusion. Adrien suddenly gasped as he realised what Marinette was thinking. His eyes widened. "You don't think…"
"I do think," Marinette said.
"Care to fill in the rest of the class?" Nino asked, anxiously looking between them. They were saved the chance to answer them as the video finally played.
"LADYBUG!" The man behind Lila's voice rang out. "We have your best friend. If you want her back, then you'll do exactly as I say!" Marinette cursed softly. She doubted Hawkmoth was behind this. He could've kidnapped Lila with one of his many akumas, or when she herself was akumatized. "Bring us your Miraculous and we will let her go! You have until sundown! Come alone. You know where to find us." She didn't. Marinette had no clue where to find them. She didn't know who these men were or why they wanted her Miraculous, but she had to figure it out quickly, or else Lila was dead. "I'll let your friend say hi."
The man drew his blade over Lila's face, stopping at her mouth. He grasped at the gag, toying with the edge before pulling it down. "PLEASE! I told you, I don't know Ladybug! She's not my best friend! I lied! Please! You have to let me go!"
He chuckled darkly. "No use telling lies, Rossi. We already know the truth. Ladybug will come for you. You're her best friend, after all." He looked back towards the camera, grabbing Lila's neck in his meaty hand and tilting it backwards. "Clock's ticking, Ladybug. You might wanna get a move on." And the video ended. Marinette stared blankly at the screen. What would she do? She had to save Lila, but how?
"I─I have to go and speak with Principal Damocles," Mlle. Bustier excused herself.
"Oh my god!" Rose sobbed. "Poor Lila! We have to do something?"
"There's nothing we can do," Kim pointed out. "Only Ladybug can save Lila."
"Yeah, because she's her best friend," Chloé snorted. Marinette exchanged a look with Adrien. She jumped up, heading for Mlle. Bustier's laptop and turning off the projector..
"No, she's not," Marinette said, entering Alya's profile on the Ladybug and quickly searching for Lila's interview.
"Marinette! Now is not the time to allow your jealousy over Lila to get in the way!" Alya exclaimed, tone rising scandalously.
"It's not," Marinette said, clicking through the video and plugging in her headphones. Marinette didn't want them to know what she was doing. She found the correct time stamp eventually.
"Ladybug and I are always hanging around at the Statue of Liberty," Lila was saying.
"How?" Alya asked. "I mean, that's in America!"
"Not that Statue of Liberty, silly! I mean on the Seine! You know, Île aux Cygnes?"
Marinette nodded. That was it. Marinette had recognised the Seine in the background of the video, despite how little you could actually see of it. She'd been yoyo-ing over the Seine for so long that she could recognise it from just the small bit shown.
"Somebody has to call Ladybug!" Mylène exclaimed. "Maybe she hasn't seen it yet! Lila could be in so much trouble!"
"Ladybug's not gonna show up," Marinette said, her plan formulating as she rose, taking out her earphones. "You guys may not believe me when I say that Lila's lying, but that doesn't change the fact that Lila will die because of it."
Ladybug couldn't show up. These people had probably accommodated for Ladybug, and maybe Chat Noir, too. They hardly expected her to go down without a fight. It might put Lila in more danger to show up as Ladybug.
Marinette reached under her desk, grabbing her bag. "Marinette, c'mon! It's Ladybug! Of course she'll show up! Even if Lila's lying!" Kim pointed out. "But she's not lying, so you have nothing to be worried about."
"Have some faith in Ladybug, Mari," Alya said. "She'll save Lila. They're best friends."
Marinette rolled her eyes, opening her mouth to speak, but Adrien beat her to it. "No, they're not," he said. People made to argue but Adrien spoke quickly. "In fact, I think Ladybug downright hates Lila."
"Why would you think that?" Max frowned curiously as Marinette winced. She knew what Adrien was referencing.
"It's not important," Adrien quickly said. "But Kim's right. Ladybug will still try to save her."
"So Lila's going to be okay?" Rose asked.
Their classmates rushed to assure Rose that yes, Lila would be okay. Marinette grabbed her phone, quickly typing up 'statue of liberty paris'. The landmark was open. Strange… how were they holding Lila there, then? They could hardly be holding the other tourists hostage, could they? It'd certainly stop Ladybug from fighting the men...
"Who are these people?" Alya wondered, staring at her phone screen with thinly veiled disgust. "Is this guy an akuma or something?"
"Probably," Nino said. "But what is his power?"
"I don't believe he is an akuma," Max said, drawing their attention.
"Course he's an akuma," Sabrina scoffed. "Why else would they want Ladybug's Miraculous?"
"There could be a few reasons," Marinette said. "Hawkmoth might've hired them, or they may be working independently. A Miraculous is pretty valuable, not to mention powerful. They could want to sell it, or use it for themselves."
"You've thought about this a lot," Adrien observed. Marinette shrugged, forcing back a blush. She looked down at her phone. Nine hours until sundown. Marinette didn't want to go immediately. She wanted them to let their guards down, and she could do some reconnaissance, too.
"If Hawkmoth hired them, wouldn't he akumatize them, in case?" Nino asked.
"That might mess up their mission," Max pointed out. "The akuma could go rogue and completely diverge the operation." And besides, Marinette didn't think Hawkmoth was behind this. He'd been in Lila's head. He knew how much Lila hated Ladybug. And Hawkmoth probably would have asked for all of the Miraculouses, since she was the Guardian.
Marinette glanced at the door. From her position at Mlle. Bustier's desk, she was closest to it, but it was likely that Adrien or Nino would notice her walking out of the classroom.
"They hardly expect Ladybug to just give them her Miraculous," Adrien said, frowning. "And there's no way that Ladybug won't ask Chat Noir to help…" Adrien's eyes widened. "They know this." Marinette smirked faintly. She wondered how Adrien realised that.
"What?" Alya questioned. "B-but they said─"
"Of course they said that," Marinette scoffed. "But they hardly expect Ladybug to comply. No matter what way you look at it, it's a trap."
Alya gasped. "We have to warn Ladybug!"
"I'm sure she knows," Adrien said. "Ladybug's smarter than that." Marinette turned around to hide her blush.
"Is there any way for us to help save Lila?" Mylène asked. "Or Ladybug, maybe?"
"Doubt it," Nino said, looking bitterly at his bare wrist.
"We don't need to be superheroes to save Lila! She's our friend!" Alya exclaimed, though she was also clutching at her shirt absently. Marinette winced. She couldn't give any of her friends a Miraculous again after Miracle Queen. Hawkmoth knew their identities, so it'd be too easy for him to akumatize one of them.
Marinette inched towards the door as Max pointed out the probability of them helping her. Kim argued back, only for Chloé to make a sarcastic comment back and suddenly all of the known Miraculous holders of their classroom were arguing, drawing everyone's attention. The second she thought nobody was looking, Marinette darted out of the classroom, sprinting down the halls and out of the school. The bakery was just down the road from the school, so Marinette quickly reached her house, scaling a building to her left and hopping onto her balcony. She didn't want her parents to know she was skipping.
"Hey, Tikki," Marinette said, opening her purse. "You hear all of that?" She opened the trap door, dropping inside.
"Yeah, I did," Tikki frowned, sitting on a bookcase as Marinette pulled out the Miracle box. She pulled out the Mouse and Fox Miraculouses. "I feel bad for Lila, but I also don't like her. Is that normal?"
"Completely," Marinette said. She put the Miraculouses on, waving at Mullo and Trixx.
"Hey, Marinette! What's up? Is there an akuma?! A new big bad?! Food?!" Trixx excitedly exclaimed. Marinette tried not to grin, shaking her head with a laugh. Mullo squeaked a laugh as Trixx pealed about.
Marinette shook her head, opening her purse with a pointed look. Trixx grumbled loudly, but entered the purse obediently regardless. Mullo and Tikki followed. Marinette looked at her purse, only to notice that she didn't have enough food to satisfy the three. Marinette groaned, opening her door and quickly sneaking downstairs. Fortunately, her parents were still down in the bakery. Marinette left the house through the front door, as neither of her parents would notice her.
Marinette made it three steps outside when she noticed somebody watching her. Marinette froze, looking back to see Chat Noir watching her suspiciously.
"C-Chat! What a coincidence seeing you here! ...why are you here?"
He frowned down at her, lazily leaning back. "Well, you see, I was just passing through the area when I happened to look through your window, and I noticed something suspicious."
"Really?" Marinette asked nervously. "Are you sure it was my room?"
Chat ignored the weak deflection. "Why were three kwamis in your room, Princess?"
"Kwamis? What's a kwami? I had dolls in my room, but no kwamis!"
Chat looked at her blankly. "Princess, I'm not an idiot."
Marinette deflated, quickly thinking of a lie. "Look, um, I'm not sure if you know, but Ladybug's out of town at the moment."
"What?" Chat asked, frowning down at her.
"Y-y-yeah! She asked me to take care of any problems while she was gone, so she gave me a couple Miraculouses."
"A couple?" Chat asked, peering at her. He examined the Mouse and Fox Miraculous, but frowned as he looked at the rest of her. "Where's the third one?"
"T-the third one?" Marinette repeated.
"Yeah, I saw three kwamis," Chat said.
"How could you even see that?"
"I have lovely vision," Chat cheekily said. "And stop deflecting."
Marinette started walking past him. "I have no idea what you're talking about."
"Sure you don't," Chat said. "So you know where they're keeping Lila."
"Yeah, I do," Marinette said. "But you're not going to help me."
"What? Why?"
Marinette tried to dodge Chat's hand, but his hand closed around her upper bicep. Marinette sighed. "I need you to stay away from all this."
"What?" Chat frowned.
Marinette sighed. "Neither Ladybug or Chat Noir can show up, or else this'll only happen again. I'm not even sure that I'll be using any of the Miraculouses for help."
Chat choked on his words. Marinette pulled her arm from his grip. "E-excuse me?!"
"It might not be necessary," she shrugged. "Don't worry, Chat. I'll be fine. Lila will be back by the end of the day."
"It's not going to be easy," Chat warned.
"Nothing's ever easy when Lila's involved."
Chat's eyes narrowed at her. "Why do I get the feeling you don't like this 'Lila'?"
"Because I don't," Marinette said simply. "But that doesn't mean I'll leave her with those people, either. Nobody deserves to be kidnapped."
Chat smiled bitterly. "Even Lila?" he asked, as if he was checking.
"Even Lila," Marinette confirmed. 'No matter how much I hate her.'
So it was neither easy or simple. Honestly, it was entirely Lila's fault that things went wrong.
Things started off so great, too! Marinette had worn the Mouse Miraculous, becoming small and scouting out the area. She had found the growing group of hostages (this was seriously so unorganised. Literally every time a person wandered too close for comfort, two men wearing balaclavas with weapons would walk over to them, threaten them and lead them back to the group. If somebody decided to risk it and scream, their whole operation would be ruined) and where they were keeping Lila.
Multifox had used her flute, an illusion of two guards walking over to the man in charge of the hostages. "They said to release the hostages."
"Wha'?" The man asked. "Wha' are you goin' on about? I'm under strict orders to keep 'em 'ere!"
"Hey, don't blame me, man! Apparently they caught the bug trying to save her friend."
"So we got it? The Miraculous?" Another guard butted in.
"Yeah, we got it. The boss ordered us to return to base, but leave the hostages tied up. Somebody will come for them eventually."
"Right," the man nodded. "Ah, this is great! We're gonna be rich!"
"Shut your trap!" the man in charge barked. He turned back to his men, giving his men the order to retreat. One of the Multimice followed after them.
Simultaneously, Marinette examined Lila's situation. She narrowed her eyes at the two guards, considering the timer on her Miraculous. It'd be best to deal with this as Marinette, because if any superhero was spotted, things could go wrong.
The Multimouse that had followed the retreating group to their base quickly memorised the address. She examined the illegal guns in the room. 'How did they even get those? They're illegal!'
Maybe a superhero could deal with these. But not yet. She quickly hurried back to where Lila was being held, transforming back into her normal self. From there, Marinette removed the Miraculouses and dropped them in her purse, just in case, stashing them away in a bush. Marinette opened the clasp, letting Tikki out and ordering her to find Chat if anything went wrong.
From there, Marinette considered the guards. If she took down the guard nearest to her, then it was pretty likely that Marinette would be hammered with bullets. No, it'd be best to take the woman on her far right down from behind. Only Lila would notice that, and considering the gag in her mouth, there was no chance of Marinette being found out.
So she took down the first one, and from there she easily took down the second. The third belatedly noticed her, so Marinette took him down, as well.
Finally, Marinette reached Lila, pulling the gag from her mouth and quickly working on her bonds. "What are you doing here?" Lila hissed.
"I used common sense and realised that since you're not Ladybug's best friend, that nobody would be coming to save you. My options were either this or you die."
Lila scowled. "No, they really weren't." Before Marinette could react, Lila's hand shot out, the punch knocking her backwards. "You're all useless!" she shouted, standing up and crouching in front of Marinette. "Did you really think that I was kidnapped, Marinette?" Lila scoffed. "Please. We both know who's really behind this."
Marinette tried not to gape at her. "Hawkmoth knows you're not Ladybug's best friend. He wouldn't risk her not showing up."
"I found a higher bidder," Lila shrugged. She smirked down at her. "He allows much more freedom. And it doesn't matter whether I'm Ladybug's best friend. She'd save me anyways. Look at Chloé. Everybody hates her, but Ladybug saves her anyway!" Lila sneered. "She is disgustingly nice."
"You really think that Ladybug will try to save you?" Marinette asked, clenching her fists. 'I should've known,' she thought. Of course Lila would do something like this.
"Yes," Lila answered. "After all, I'm just an innocent Collége student. Imagine how the public would react if she didn't show up."
"I'm sure they'd understand," Marinette scoffed, pushing Lila away from her.
Lila reached into her waistband, pulling a gun out from behind her. "I wouldn't try something, if I were you."
"Planning to shoot me?" Marinette asked, subtly reaching behind her and taking out her phone. You know what the good thing about helping your best friend run a famous blog is? You're usually signed into the Moderators account when you're on the website. It isn't that hard to start livestreaming from there. "How would you spin that story?"
Lila waved the gun around thoughtlessly. Marinette was well aware that she could've kicked it out of Lila's grasp. Marinette set her phone on the barrel behind her, leaning it against the tap sticking out of it. Marinette was curious about what the barrel contained.
"I could say that you were actually the mastermind behind my kidnapping," Lila pondered. "But that's just tasteless. Where would you get the connections to have someone like me kidnapped?"
"Yes, because your fictional life is so amazing that nobody would ever kidnap you," Marinette scoffed drily. "Still, I can't believe that you're working with terrorists now, Lila. I had my suspicions that you and Hawkmoth were involved, but this… really? You're pathetic."
"I don't think I'm particularly pathetic," Lila said. "After all, who is it that your classmates believe? Oh right. Huh." Lila examined Marinette thoughtfully. "Maybe I'll just let you go. After all, they'd never believe you over poor, honest, innocent Lila. But…" Lila cocked the gun. "I really hate your guts."
Marinette dodged the bullet, staring at Lila incredulously. She hadn't expected Lila to really attack her. Well… the stakes were just raised.
If anyone asked, Marinette was simply defending herself. After all, Lila had shot first.
"Guys!" Alya exclaimed. "My account on the Ladyblog just went live, but I'm not recording."
"Put it on!" Kim ordered. Alya quickly complied. Adrien peered at the video in concern. That was… he could only see her back, but he was pretty sure that was Marinette. He could see Lila standing across from her, wildly waving a gun around.
"Oh my god!" Rose exclaimed. Marinette moved to the side, her face becoming visible. Lila moved to her left, standing directly across from her.
"What the fuck?!" Chloé demanded. "Is that a gun?!"
"It can't be a real one," Alya nervously said. "I mean, Lila's been kidnapped!"
"How would you spin that story?" Marinette said in the video. Adrien examined the surroundings. There appeared to be wooden barrels lining the right side of the area. It was completely open, but the sun couldn't be seen from the camera's position. Adrien could also make out three people, a woman and two men, lying on the floor, unconscious.
"What are they talking about?" Ivan asked.
"I could say that you were actually the mastermind behind my kidnapping," Lila pondered. Adrien frowned. Did she… had Lila really been kidnapped? "But that's just tasteless. Where would you get the connections to have someone like me kidnapped?"
"Yes, because your fictional life is so amazing that nobody would ever kidnap you," Marinette scoffed drily. He looked at Marinette sharply. Was she insane?! Lila was clearly holding a gun! Then again, Adrien would be a hypocrite if he judged Marinette for that. "Still, I can't believe that you're working with terrorists now, Lila. I had my suspicions that you and Hawkmoth were involved, but this… really? You're pathetic."
"What?!" Alya exclaimed. "Did she just say─"
"I think that they might be filming a movie," Mylène meekly said. "I mean, there's no way…"
"Notice that she said fictional," Max observed. "There's a chance… but… that's impossible…" Max bit his thumb, looking at the monitor with narrowed eyes.
"I don't think I'm particularly pathetic," Lila said. "After all, who is it that your classmates believe? Oh right. Huh."
"What does she mean by that?" Nathaniel asked, with a frown.
"I think it's obvious," Adrien breathed, nails digging into his palms.
"No, no, no! It's not!" Rose breathed quickly. Juleka reached out to her, wrapping her arms around her girlfriend.
They watched as Lila smirked back at Marinette. "Maybe I'll just let you go. After all, they'd never believe you over poor, honest, innocent Lila. But…" Lila cocked the gun. "I really hate your guts."
It felt like the world around him stopped moving as that bullet fired towards Marinette. Adrien distantly heard himself shouting out, his voice intermingling with his outraged friends'. Adrien stood up quickly, and he was about to sprint out of the classroom but then Marinette dodged the incoming onslaught.
There was a moment of silence as Marinette stared back at Lila.
"You did not just try to shoot me." Marinette's voice shook.
Lila smirked. "Too bad I missed."
She raised the gun, about to fire it again when a new person entered the room. "What is going on─" Adrien recognised his voice as the man that had given the ransom beforehand. "Lila! What is the meaning of this?! Who is this girl?!"
"Just a classmate of mine," Lila shrugged, aiming the gun again.
He marched over to Lila. "Give me that!" He snapped. Adrien relaxed for only a second before tensing once more. The man had pulled the safety off of the gun. "I thought you said you knew how to use a gun! If you shot her, she'd probably be fine! And you can't even aim, either!"
Adrien looked at Marinette. She was backing away from the two, using their distractions as an opportunity to escape. Marinette had just made it to the door when the man looked up.
"Hey!" Adrien blinked, a gunshot echoing in his ears and suddenly Marinette was on the floor, clutching at her leg in pain. "You aren't going anywhere, bitch."
Marinette hissed. "Fuck… fuck you!"
"Feisty," the man chuckled. "I like it." He looked back at Lila. "Hey, get your phone! You're clearly not interesting enough for those superheroes to come and save. Maybe they'll come for this bitch instead."
Adrien didn't stick around to hear anymore. His classmates shouts in the background filled his ears as Adrien sprinted from the classroom.
He made it to the locker room when a small black and red kwami appeared in front of him.
"Sugarcube!" Plagg exclaimed. "What are you doing here?!"
Tikki ignored her counterpart, instead focusing on Adrien. "Chat Noir! Marinette is in trouble! You have to go help her!"
"Where is she?" Adrien demanded, calling out Plagg's transformation phrase.
"Île aux Cygnes! You have to hurry! She's hurt!"
And so Adrien hurried. When he reached the island, Adrien was surprised at the lack of guards.
Chat sprinted around the island, finally spotting the barrels that had been seen in the livestream. Chat leapt over them, not even bothering with subtlety.
Adrien blinked and he was met with a sight.
A truly astonishing sight.
These lackeys did not know how to tie rope. Really. Marinette could easily move her arms. But the minor detail of a bullet in her leg was keeping her immobile.
"I've always wanted to see you like this," Lila smirked down at her. "D'you think Ladybug will come for you?"
Marinette didn't answer her. There'd be no point. Lila would only find it amusing. Pleading was pointless. The only thing Marinette could do was stew in silence.
Lila groaned loudly. "You're so boring! You decide to shut up when I win! How typical!"
"Lila!" the man called. "Stop badgering the hostage."
Lila pouted, turning around and standing in front of Marinette. Her eyes latched on the gun sticking out of Lila's waistband. Marinette subtly began working on the rope.
"But Jo─ohn! I've hated her for ages! I can't not torture her now that I finally have her all tied up!"
'John? That's a start.'
"Correction, I have her tied up. This is my base. You're just a rather useless contractee."
"What?! I'm going to get Ladybug for you! And─" Marinette was well aware that Lila was smirking. "Hm, maybe you'll let me keep this bitch─" Lila kicked backwards, hitting the bullet wound. Marinette gasped, her eyes watering. "─too."
John frowned, turning away from them. "Sure, if I get Ladybug's Miraculous, then you can have the hostage."
Lila smirked. "Lovely."
The sound of a gun clicking drew their attention. "Yes. Lovely." Marinette dug the gun into the small of Lila's back. Lila tensed and John reached for the gun at his side, but Marinette was faster. Her arm whipped out, hand steady as she aimed the gun. Lila moved to get away from her, but Marinette reached up, grasping her dull brown hair and sharply tugging it backwards.
"I wouldn't, if I were you, John."
John laughed. "What are you gonna do? Shoot me?"
Marinette pulled off the safety.
"Yes."
It's like an eye for an eye. But in actuality, it was a 'you-shoot-my-leg-I-shoot-your-leg' kind of thing.
John fell to the ground, clutching at his shin. Marinette pushed Lila away from her, hitting her over the head with the gun before limping over to John and taking his gun away from him. Marinette withdrew behind two barrels as she heard two of John's men amble inside.
Marinette waited until one of them was in her line of sight before firing the gun into the man's hand. He dropped his gun in shock and pain, staring around in bewilderment.
"What the─" the second guard looked around.
John gasped in pain as he stood. "Over─over there! Get the bitch!"
Marinette went to move, but she froze when she caught sight of a certain partner of her's leaping over the barrels surrounding her. Marinette watched as Chat froze, quickly taking in the situation. John and his lackeys stared at Chat in bewilderment.
Finally, Chat cracked a grin. "I'm pretty sure it's written somewhere that you shouldn't point a gun at a princess."
With that said, he sprinted at them.
Marinette closed her eyes, leaning against the barrels tiredly.
It felt like no time at all had passed when she felt a strange material on her face. Marinette blinked awake.
"Chat?" she asked tiredly.
"Hey, Princess," Chat said. He smiled slightly. "Thought you said you got this in the bag."
"I'm fine," Marinette said, trying to stand. Chat gently pushed her back.
"Stay down for now. You have a bullet in your leg."
"Oh, really?" Marinette winced. "I never knew."
"Course." Chat frowned. "I think we need to put pressure on this. Can I take off your cardigan?" Marinette didn't answer, shrugging it off for him. Chat looked at Marinette worriedly. "This is going to sting."
"It's fi─ine." Marinette hissed in pain, sending him a murderous glare.
Chat cracked a grin. "Think of this as a lesson, Princess. Never go somewhere without backup."
Marinette smiled slightly. "I had backup."
"Hm." Chat made a noncommittal sound, looking around absently. "Hey, where'd you learn to fire a gun, anyways?"
"I didn't," Marinette answered. "I probably just have a steady hand." Marinette glanced down, instantly tensing as she caught sight of the single pad on his ring.
"Chat, your ring!"
He looked down. "I can't just leave you here, Princess."
"I'm fine," Marinette insisted. "Hurry. Go. I'm pretty sure my phone is still livestreaming."
"I─" Chat gulped. "Fine." He quirked a grin. "See you later, Princess."
Marinette smiled. "See you later, Chaton."
"I─"
"Holy shit!"
"Marinette is a badass!"
"That was awesome!"
"No, it was terrifying!"
"Holy shit! Guys! Lila!"
"Fuck her!"
"That stupid fucking bitch! I can't believe she did that!"
"Marinette must be so mad at us!"
"D'you think Marinette will be okay?"
"Is nobody gonna talk about how neither of them noticed Marinette getting up?"
"That was pretty funny."
"Funny?! I nearly had a heart attack!"
"Remind me not to mess with Mari."
"Hey, does anyone wanna help me plan a murder?"
"Uh, yes."
"If we're talking about Lila, that duh."
"I totally know Lila was evil. I can't believe you losers were too dumb to get it─oh wait."
"SHUT UP CHLOÉ!"
A little lesson here, when you work with terrorists, the government is very likely to ignore your diplomatic immunity. Lila didn't realise this, but they ignored her pleas and cries, and so Lila was prosecuted and received an appropriate sentence.
(It would later be revealed that Hawkmoth had adamantly refused to akumatize Lila Rossi.)
John somehow escaped custody, but he was returned black and blue three days later with a bright red bow and a letter signed with a paw print.
The class tried to bake a get-well cake for Marinette, but when that failed, they all began to make Marinette presents using their respective talents.
But honestly, Adrien should've been more subtle. A Chat Noir huddy, really?
It was easy to figure out when she caught sight of the 'Get Well Soon, Princess' embroidered in the hem. Later on, Adrien would arrive and insist he'd given her the wrong present. By then, though, it was too late.
Ladybug had a lot of fun berating Chat Noir that night.
Marinette became a worldwide sensation overnight, and try as she might to make the attention go away, people just began following her around. Marinette found herself out hiding with Adrien more often than not.
One good thing that came out of this, though, was that nobody ever tried to kidnap Marinette again. They all knew better.