Marinette stood and watched the trap door shut on the last of her friends.
"Tikki… what just happened?"
"Well, Marinette, I think what just happened was you were asked on a date by a cute boy, and you said yes! Congratulations!"
"I feel bad, though!"
"Bad?! Why?" Tikki spluttered. "Marinette, this is the first time a boy asked you out - ever. Just because it's not the boy you wanted to ask you out does not mean that you are any less valuable or that it's any less of a date! Enjoy it! You're probably not going to get a lot of time to enjoy things this summer with all the responsibility that Master Fu is giving you, so please, please, take the time for yourself and just - experience life as a teenager! And that's an order!"
"Yes ma'am!" Marinette giggled. "I'm glad you are watching out for me - and I don't feel bad that I was asked on a date - it's just that I gave Chat such a hard time for seemingly switching from Ladybug to Marinette at the drop of a hat… am I doing the same thing?"
Here comes the tricky part. "Marinette, you and Adrien are going to be friends for life. And if something happens where you become more than 'just friends' for life, then welcome that change. Embrace that change. But in the meantime, you can't spend your life waiting for him. And he's not going to spend his life waiting for you, either." Well, he might… but that would be *Ladybug you*, and you're not ready for him to know that... yet. Once that information gets out, then things are going to get messy. Romantic Ladybug and Chat Noir is always the best combination of the two, but if we have to settle for platonic this time around, then so be it.
Adrien was sitting at the desk in his hotel room, doodling on the stationery.
"You should probably draw some flowers or something for all of those ladybugs to eat," Plagg pointed out.
"Listen, Mr. Floating Stomach, I'm worried that something's going to happen back home and I won't be there to do anything about it!" He sat up and began bouncing his leg nervously. "What if Ladybug needs me, Plagg? I should have been more responsible."
"Hey - none of that! You're going back tomorrow. What you don't need right now is to give your father any reason to delay your trip home. If something happens that Ladybug can't handle, she'll probably go visit the Guardian to get reinforcements like she's done in the past. Remember the time you were caught in that giant spider web? Or the time you were possessed by magical perfume spray? Or the time you were unconscious because you were kissed by Chameleon? Or the time when…"
"I GET IT, Plagg!" Adrien balled up the piece of paper and threw it at the kwami, who easily dodged it. "Besides, that last time, I seem to remember someone trying to kiss me out of that enchanted sleep…"
Plagg flattened his ears against his head. "You still have an hour before you have to be back on set. Why don't you be more productive?"
Adrien made kissing noises at his kwami, who flew out of the room, muttering under his breath.
A knock on the trapdoor alerted Marinette to her best friend's arrival. Finally… about four hours after I needed her! Better late than never, I guess… Alya popped her head through the door and before she could say anything, Marinette had grabbed her purse and started to come down. "Let's go for a walk; I've been cooped up in here all day and could use the fresh air."
"You got it, girl! Are we getting some dinner while we're out?"
"That sounds really good, actually!" The pair descended the stairs to the bakery. "Mom, Dad… just going with Alya for a bit. We'll grab something to eat while we're out."
"OK, dear, have fun!" Tom smiled and waved at Alya, who waved back.
Once the girls were outside, Marinette made an aggravated noise and pretended to collapse on the ground. "Aaaaaagh! It has been SUCH a crazy day today! I'm glad you're here."
"Girl, I just wish I could have been over here sooner. My sisters… well, let's just say that we had a repeat of the Spaghetti Incident…"
"Oh, no!" Marinette sympathized. 'I remember the last time, when…"
"Yeah, we don't talk about that. What happened with you?"
"Luka's coming over to my place for a date this Saturday," Marinette started, before quickly getting cut off.
"WHAT?! Girl, that's fantastic! I know you two really hit it off at the ice rink, and I never understood why nothing came of that. Did you ask him again?"
"No, he asked me this time. I was measuring him for an outfit, and he was just so sincere and intense… I don't think I've ever seen anything like that before! He really spoke to me, though. I'm not sure what did it, but I just felt a click with him that I haven't felt with anyone else!"
"Whoa, slow down, girl. Not even with Adrien?"
"Alya, you know how I feel about Adrien. I love that boy to death. I'm not sure if I'll ever be able to have a coherent conversation with him, though. How is he ever going to notice me as more than a friend if I can't tell him my feelings? I mean, I kissed the boy, Alya, and he never really responded to that! I kissed Luka, and he's asking me out on another date, even after I blew the first one!"
"You know, kissing boys isn't exactly the way to find out if they're interested in you. Usually that stuff happens the other way around," Alya teased. "Ow, that hurt! Anyway, I think it's a good thing that you're going out with Luka. How many days do we have to strategize?"
"Three. And why do you say it's a good thing?"
"We are going to spend some time going over outfits and game plans… although to be fair, girl, I don't think we need to worry about you going completely off the rails with Luka like you would with Adrien."
"What do you mean, go off the rails?" Marinette demanded.
Alya ignored her. "And I think it's a good thing that you're giving someone other than Adrien a chance. Dating someone outside of our usual circle of friends is probably going to be really good for you. Think about it… if you are dating someone we all know, and it doesn't work out, it could get really awkward. With Luka, if something goes wrong, the band might lose its image consultant, but that's really the worst of it!"
As they exited the photographer's studio, Gabriel pulled Nathalie aside. "I've reviewed the proofs and we have everything we need. Reschedule the train home for tonight, please."
Nathalie pulled out her tablet. "Are you sure, sir? I would hate for something to not turn out right and us have to come back."
Her employer bristled. "Tonight, please," he repeated tersely.
"Understood, sir." She swiped on her tablet and hummed. "It appears that the first available train back to Paris leaves at 5:00 tomorrow morning. I'll book three seats and arrange for car service to the station. I hope that's acceptable, sir."
Gabriel grumbled an affirmative.
"You know, sir… if I may say something… the change of scenery is doing Adrien well. He might benefit from the extra few hours here in the countryside. Why don't you spend some time with him, if neither of you will be working? He adores eating meals with you; how about dinner or a dessert at a cafe tonight?"
Gabriel shot her a sideways glance.
"Plus, you're clearly not working on your… second job… tonight, so… maybe you can relax a bit. Take advantage of a night off, for the first time in the past year."
He paused and looked at his assistant as if she were speaking Martian.
Nathalie took a deep breath. "Very well, sir. I'll arrange for the car service early tomorrow morning, then." She turned to continue the walk to the hotel.
"Nathalie… wait. What… what kind of desserts does he like?"
After a hearty dinner and heartier laughs at the cafe, Marinette and Alya sat down on the stairs at the Trocadero facing the Eiffel Tower, watching the sky fade from blue, to pink, to black as the sun set..
"You know, Alya, I was thinking about what you said earlier. I'm glad I'm giving Luka a chance. I can't imagine dating someone I'm already friends with… it would be too weird."
"Weird, in what way?"
"Well, if something happens, then I won't be able to be friends with them anymore! And I'd really hate to mess up anyone's friendship. I mean, look at everyone we know… they all instantly… just, boom! You and Nino, Rose and Juleka, Nathaniel and Marc… who's to say that if Adrien and I haven't had that happen by now, then it might not ever happen?"
"Do you think you and Luka… um… went boom?"
"I think we're definitely getting there," Marinette confirmed.
"Let me ask you something, girl… when do you think you're supposed to become friends with your boyfriend?"
"Oh, that happens over time, since you hang out with each other all the time, right?"
"...And you can't fall in love with someone you're friends with?"
"Hmm… well… noooooo… because if you fall in love with someone it just kind of happens right there, right? I'd know if I were in love with someone before I became friends with them. There's a difference between becoming friends with my boyfriend and friends with my friend-friends. Plus, the stuff I'd share with my boyfriend is stuff I wouldn't dream of sharing with my friend-friends."
"Like me, right?" Alya raised an eyebrow knowingly.
"You know what I mean, Alya! We're not going to be dating anytime soon!"
Alya poked Marinette in the side. "Well, I, girl, am officially offended that you don't think I'm good enough for - what on Earth is THAT?!"
A black-hooded, yellow-and-red clad figure leapt from somewhere - neither Marinette nor Alya could tell where - and landed in the center of the Pont d'Iéna. Before anyone could react, the figure pulled out a forked sceptre and began swinging wildly. The pedestrians who weren't quick enough to run out of the way found themselves clubbed down by the figure's weapon.
"I AM SERKET!" The figure twirled the sceptre and brandished it in front of her.
"Akuma!" Marinette and Alya cried in unison. Marinette stood up and started to race for a place to transform. She looked over her shoulder to see if the coast was clear, and saw Alya running down the steps of the Trocadero toward the bridge!
"NO, ALYA!" Marinette hesitated, looking back at her friend. I'm closer to Alya than I am to cover right now… I've gotta stop her! She bolted back and grabbed her friend. "What are you doing? You've gotta get out of here!"
"No way, girl!" She held her phone up and aimed it at Serket. "Ladyblog footage coming up! I've just gotta start filming and wait for the heroes to show up! Now… where's a good place to…"
She was interrupted by a thump next to her. Looking up, Alya saw a hooded figure grinning at her beneath their mask.
"...hide?" Alya squeaked.
"YOU! You are the only one foolish enough to run toward me. You should listen to your friend, girl…"
Alya stood her ground, frozen in place with fear. Marinette's eyes darted between her purse, Alya, and Serket.
"You want to film something, do you?" Serket asked, menacingly. "I have a message that you can broadcast to everyone. Scorpion's Sting!"
The area between the forks on her sceptre started to glow. In the blink of an eye, Serket touched the forks to Alya's chest, causing the light on the sceptre to immediately sink into her!
The young woman screamed and fell over, twitching.
"Chat Noir! HELP!" Marinette yelled, searching the sky for any indication of her partner.
Serket reached down to pick up Alya's phone, fumbled with it, and aimed it at her face. "Vengeance is ours! Beware, all who stand in the way of our mission! People of Paris… await your new Guardian!" She tossed the phone in the air and turned away abruptly as a chirp sounded from her direction.
Marinette caught the phone before it could hit the ground and watched as Serket leaped away in huge bounds. She turned the phone off and stuck it in her pocket, then looked at her best friend, who was laying on the ground, convulsing.
"Alya, stay calm, I'll get you out of here!" She picked up her friend and started back toward the Musée de l'Homme. There's gotta be a secluded area where I can transform, get a Lucky Charm, and then Miraculous Cure whatever this is away. Hang in there, Alya! Almost there… She ducked into a nook, set her friend down, and quickly called for her transformation. "Lucky charm!" she chanted as soon as the magic finished washing over her. Only giving the item a glance, she tossed it in the air and summoned the Miraculous Cure.
Come on… come on… she watched Alya intently, eyes focused on the glowing yellow circle Serket's sceptre had left on her chest.
The circle didn't fade, and Alya didn't get better. Ladybug moved to cradle Alya's head in her lap and started stroking her hair. What do I do? I can't take her to Master Fu's place… why didn't the Cure work? The Cure always works! Her earrings chirped and Ladybug started panicking. What is going on? Where's Kitty? I need someone to talk to about this…
Over the next few minutes, it was a race between the beeping of Ladybug's earrings, the slowly fading circle on Alya's chest, and the pounding of Ladybug's heartbeat. I'm not even sure if the sting is actually fading or if it's just me needing everything to be alright. What is going ON here?
After the longest fifteen minutes of Marinette's life, her friend finally came to. Alya mumbled, "What… what happened? The akuma got me, and that's the last thing I remember."
"How do you feel?" Marinette asked, leaning close to Alya's face.
"Like a brick wall was dropped on my chest. Oh, girl, it was awful. It was like a giant bee sting, but I was literally paralyzed for all that time. When the pain was bearable enough for me to get a coherent thought in, I thought I was going to die."
"I thought you were going to die, too." Marinette whispered. "I'm so glad you're OK. We need to find someone to talk to about this… but I have no idea who."
"Maybe Ladybug can help us. She's the expert on the akumas. Did she come? I have a vague recollection of somebody in red sitting over me… but maybe that was just a fever dream."
"Ladybug came, Alya… she cast her Miraculous Cure, but it didn't work. I think she left to try and find out what exactly we were dealing with."
"I wouldn't wish that sort of pain on anyone… not even Lila. I hope she can figure it out."
"Me too, Alya. Me, too."
Next time:
* "It was something I should have taken a closer look at…"
* A chat with Chat
* "This isn't over…"