The next morning, Marinette woke up bright and early for the first time. She took her time brushing her teeth and tending her hair. She changed her clothes at an even pace. and she finally got to actually enjoy the breakfast.
As soon as she walked down the stairs with her strap on electric guitar and her backpack she smelled the scent, wafting their way up to her nose. She quickly ran down the rest of the stairs to see what the breakfast was-yep, she guessed it.
Her mom had made her the special that she sometimes only saved for special occasions.
Marinette quickly gobbled up the breakfast, and grabbed a few fresh out of the stove chocolate chip cookies for Tikki.
Marinette wrapped them in tissues and placed them in her pouch for Tikki.
She could hear Tikki munching away happily at the cookie. Marinette was pleased with herself. She hummed and skipped all the way to school, even oblivious to the stares that resulted in it. But she didn't care. She was much too happy to let anything or anyone spoil her mood.
Tikki was thinking about what Plagg's favorite food was. She remembered that he always munched on some camembert before going to bed. Not to mention that he also ate it for breakfast, brunch, lunch, between lunch and dinner, dinner, and as a midnight snack.
Yup, camembert was his favorite food. She felt happy for him, but the only downside was that the whole room stunk of camembert whenever he flew in.
It was okay, though. She got used to it.
Tikki missed Plagg a lot, thinking about camembert. She really wanted to see him, to meet him again, to reunite. If only.
Tikki suddenly gasped. Dreams didn't always have to stay dreams. She could meet him again. Tikki's plan was to lure Plagg out instead of searching for him. She would tell Marinette that she wanted some fresh air and to leave her in her locker because the pouch was sometimes a bit too uncomfortable. Tikki hated lying to Marinette, but it was only this once and it was for a good cause. At least for her.
Marinette would leave her locker slightly open, so Tikki could get some fresh air. And let the smell of camembert reach Plagg's nose.
Tikki knew since she was small that nothing ever escaped Plagg's nose-that was why the camembert was always on a shortage, no matter how much they made.
When Marinette got to school and opened her locker, Tikki flew out.
"Marinette, I think I feel a bit sick from that cookie. Can I take a breather inside your locker? I think I'll need some fresh air,"Tikki said.
Marinette eyed Tikki strangely but said okay after she saw Tikki clutching her stomach-or at least what she thought was her stomach. Marinette's mom's cookies have never made anyone sick. In fact, they always came back, asking for more. Marinette always sneaked a batch in for Tikki. This was the first time that something like this happened. But then, she didn't understand Kwami bodies so she couldn't be the one to judge.
Tikki never knew she was such a great actress or such a great liar. She promised herself she wouldn't do that again; it was much too risky and she felt very guilty afterwards. She had to keep reminding herself that this was for a good cause. But deep down, she knew it was for her cause.
Maybe Tikki was the one making herself feel like this, but her feelings were so jumbled she couldn't understand any of it.
Besides, she had to focus on the task at hand. To lure Plagg into her trap-to the camembert. Tikki sighed. Who was she fooling? Not even herself. Tikki always thought that keeping her emotions in would help her, but it didn't. It just made it worse.
Hawkmoth was in his lair. He was sitting on the floor impatiently, waiting for an unhappy person's cry to call out. He was about to lay down on the floor when he caught the image of a girl wearing glasses, locking herself in her room. Paper was scattered everywhere, and it littered the floors. The girl suddenly started to cry, sobbing into her hands.
Hawkmoth almost felt sympathetic to the girl, but quickly remembered his position and jumped up. He straightened his suit and mask before holding a hand out for the expected butterfly to fly into his hand.
When a few minutes passed, Hawkmoth stomped his feet and started to shake his hand, shooing away all the butterflies around him. Then for no apparent reason, they all flew onto him. Some landed onto his hand, and he sighed as he began the tiresome routine over for the dozenth time.
"Hello, Writer. This is Hawkmoth. From now on, you will be acknowledged as Paris's best writer. Only you can prove it to them, but in exchange, I want Ladybug and Chat Noir's Miraculous. Now go, Writer, teach them that your stories are the most life-like and interesting. And by that, I mean quite literally."
"Oh, yes I will, Hawkmoth. Quite literally,"mumbled the girl. The little Akuma landed on her book, and transformed her into the Writer.
"Hey, Adrien, smell that? It's camembert, and it's not too far either. Want to drop me off so I can get it?"asked Plagg.
"No way,"said Adrien. He was wrinkling his nose at the memory of how the camembert almost made him choke. His father was also getting suspicious of the stench before Adrien convinced him that it was some...um...bakery next door that was trying some new recipe. It was the first thing that came to his mind, and he crossed his fingers that his dad wouldn't order someone to shut down the nearest bakery-Marinette's bakery.
Adrien glanced out of the window and jumped up.
"Adrihoney, what's wrong? Can't wait to see Chloe again? Well, mwa mwa mwa…"said Chloe as she puckered her lips and with outstretched arms, ran toward Adrien.
"Sorry, gotta go! Uh...photoshoot emergency. Yeah,that's it! Photoshoot emergency!"said Adrien. He quickly dashed to the door, leaving Marinette in wonder.
Photoshoot emergency? Since when did he start having photoshoot emergencies on his break days? Oh, well. Better add this to his schedule,Marinette thought.
Marinette was pulled away from her thoughts when she suddenly heard a thud. Chloe was on the floor, rubbing her head. She finally opened her eyes to discover that she was on the floor.
"Adrihoney! Don't leave me, we could be together forever! I was so close!"she wailed. She then looked at her clothes and her eyes widened.
"Noooo! Not my designer jacket! And, oh! My hair! My hair! It's all ruined! The perfection! The hour I spend every morning fixing it, looking in the mirror! Oh, boo hoo hoo!" Chloe "sobbed" into her hands, and Marinette rolled her eyes at Alya. Alya was taking a video of Chloe.
"If she wants to go to drama school, go right ahead. No one's stopping her,"mumbled Alya. Marinette giggled so much that she didn't even notice when Alya's phone swiveled to her direction, capturing her cute laugh. Chloe glared at them, and sighed.
"Oh, well. Who wants to believe that? My hair is always perfect, no matter what."
"Girl, I am seriously questioning the size of her ego under that mess of blond hair,"whispered Alya. Marinette giggled again, and she let her eyes wander around as she stopped. She looked out the window, and immediately gasped.
"Oh no! Alya, you stay here. I forgot my homework...um...at my house! Take care of my stuff for me!"said Marinette as she dashed out the door.
Marinette ran into a nearby classroom. She looked in her pouch, but her Kwami, Tikki wasn't there. She groaned.
Step one of being a superhero-always have your Kwami with you!thought Marinette. She quickly sprinted to the lockers. She slammed her locker open, but Tikki was nowhere to be found.
"Ladybug, help!" Marinette's blood froze. That was the voice of her superhero partner, Chat Noir!
She dug through her locker, checking every nook and cranny. But it wasn't any use. Tikki was gone! Marinette placed her hands on her head, and paced around the room.
Think, Marinette, think! Where would a Kwami be right now? I don't know! I'm no Kwami!
Marinette started to bite her fingernails, a habit she picked up whenever she was nervous. She sniffed the air, trying to find a clue to where Tikki would be. She didn't smell a hint of chocolate chip cookies anywhere. However, she did smell a very bad scent-almost like moldy cheese. She followed the trail, and the scent became stronger and stronger. She stopped at a some doors leading to the courtyard.
I haven't got much time to lose! Chat Noir needs me! She slammed the door open, and frantically scanned the yard. There. A flash of red. Barely noticeable, but if you're a 24/7, on the job superhero you'd have the eye for these things. She quickly ran over to the flash of red.
"Tikki!"Marinette called out. The red Kwami flew over to Marinette, as fast as a bee, and hugged Marinette's finger.
"Marinette, I'm so sorry! I'll never do anything like this ever again!"she sobbed. Marinette was thoroughly confused, but she quickly dismissed the feeling.
"Come on, you'll have to explain later. Right now, we've got a tight situation on our hands. Or,"said Marinette, glancing at Tikki's hands,"whatever hands you Kwami have. But right now, we've got to save Paris and Chat Noir. Tikki, transform me!"