"Here I am, m'lady!" a Chat Noir doll stood high upon Manon's bedspread, next to a Ladybug doll.
"Glad to see you, Cat Noir!" The Ladybug doll looked over at her partner.
"Of course you are! I'm the cat's meow!"
"He shouldn't say that," Manon corrected before coughing into the villain dolls she held. Marinette had agreed to babysit Manon while Mrs. Chamack was at work, and unable to take more time off to care for her sick daughter. Manon was almost well again, but Marinette still took precautionary measures as she wore rubber gloves while playing with the super hero Ladybug and Chat Noir dolls she made for Manon. Chat Noir was the latest addition as a get well present.
"No?" Marinette looked up from the dolls to Manon, the tip of her nose still a little red from blowing it earlier. Manon sniffed, so Marinette pulled out another tissue for Manon to blow her nose, before resuming their playtime.
"This is no time to be goofing around, Cat Noir!" answered the Ladybug doll, "We gotta capture the baddies before they– Actually, what do the baddies want?
"Uh...we wanna take over the world!"
"Ok...Come on Chat Noir, let's stop the baddies from taking over the world!" Marinette sent her dolls clashing against Manon's. With a bop to the villain dolls' heads, Ladybug and Chat Noir were victorious.
"Yay! Ladybug and Cat Noir have won again!" The hero dolls cheered
"No fair! You always win!" Manon tossed the villain dolls to the side, tears threatening as she sniffed again.
Marinette handed Manon another tissue to blow her nose, "Ladybug and Cat Noir always win, and the bad guys always lose."
Manon blew her nose but continued to pout.
"Why don't rest with Chat Noir and Ladybug for a bit," Marinette handed the two heroes over to Manon as she snuggled deeper under the covers, "While I go made you some soup."
Manon nodded as she held the dolls close, Marinette removing the gloves and setting them down beside the bed.
Marinette stood up to leave, before she felt a small hand grab at her wrist. She looked to see Manon holding the Chat Noir doll.
"I have Ladybug to protect me, you need Chat Noir to protect you."
"You sure Manon? Ladybug needs her cat partner."
"And you're Ladybug, so you need your cat partner," Manon shoved the doll to Marinette before clutching the Ladybug doll and falling back into bed.
"I can be this Ladybug's partner."
Marinette smiled as she accepted the Chat Noir doll.
"Thanks Manon," Marinette dimmed the light as she left with the Chat Noir doll.
It had only been a few months, but Marinette didn't know what she would do without her Chat Noir. Maybe not romantically as she originally envisioned, but being friends was turning out just fine. She set the doll on the kitchen counter, picking up the soup can Mrs. Chamack left behind when she heard the front door unlock and open.
"Marinette, Manon, I'm home!" called out Mrs. Chamack.
"Mommy!" Manon jumped out of bed and raced for her mother.
"Did you too have fun?" Mrs. Chamack picked up her daughter in a hug as Marinette came over.
"Yep, although Marinette wouldn't let me win."
"How about next time you can be Ladybug and Chat Noir," offered Marinette as she picked up the Chat Noir doll and gave it back to Manon.
"Fine," Manon took the doll.
"Thanks Marinette for watching her. I know it probably wasn't the easiest thing since she is sick."
"Manon did great, and she was very good with covering her sneezes. I think I should be fine," Marinette reassured with a smile.
"How did I catch this?" Marinette sat at the edge of her bed, nose complete stuffed as she draped a towel over her head, humidifier underneath her. Nino and Alya video message her on her watch on their way home from school, the closest they dared to get to her.
"Well you did take care of Manon over the weekend," answered Nino.
"Yeah, but I was carefu-ah-ah-achoo!" Marinette sneezed into a nearby tissue.
"Bless you," the couple answered.
"Thank you," came the stuffy reply.
"Anything can happen with the cold germ," answered Nino.
"Oh, we sent you your homework via special delivery," Alya peered into the video feed, winking as she came on screen.
"You could have just emailed it to me you know," Marinette shifted her position from sitting to lying down, head still over the humidifier.
"Oh trust me, this homework had to come special delivery."
"Marinette, Adrien is here to see you," came Sabine's voice from below.
"Please tell me you didn't," Marinette moaned.
"He insisted," answered Alya before Nino pushed her out of the way.
"More like Alya was assigned but put Adrien to it under the excuse to not get her family sick, and since Adrien isn't around a lot of people to spread your cold," Nino explained. Marinette groaned as she flopped her head onto the bed. The last thing she wanted right now was for Adrien to see her looking like this in her pajamas, hair ascue, and nose a ladybug red.
"You know what they say: for better or worse, for sicker or for poorer," Alya stated, earning another groan. Marinette and Adrien were just friends now.
"Hey Marinette," Adrien poked his head through the trapdoor. Marinette quickly hung up the video call.
"I'm up here," came Marinette's stuffy reply as she reached for another tissue.
"I brought you the classwork for today, everyone hopes you get better soon," Adrien set the books down on the desk then turned to look up, seeing a lump of a towel where Marinette's head probably was.
"You ok under there," Adrien asked as he headed towards the stairs to her bed.
"I wouldn't advise getting to close if you don't want to get sick," Marinette warned.
"I'll be fine, Agrestes are known for being cold proof. Which would explain why the house is always below freezing," Adrien continued up the stairs sitting on the floor where used tissues did not occupy.
Marinette slightly lifted the towel, not realizing Adrien was so close. With an "eep" she hid under the towel.
"I thought we were past you hiding from me when I tried to talk to you," Adrien lifted the towel by the edge to find a mess of blue hair falling out of their pigtails.
Marinette lifted her head a little to look over, finding Adrien looking at her curiously.
"Sorry, didn't want you see me looking like this," Marinette propped herself onto her elbow, leaning back over the humidifier.
Adrien shrugged, probably the wisest thing to say at this point.
"Do you think you'll need any help with the material? Most of the teachers stayed on the same chapter, but we did fill out a study guide for history if you want help."
"Maybe after dinner, wouldn't want you staying long enough to catch my cold. Plus you need to spend more time with Plagg so he won't follow you to school."
"Won't catch it, Agreste immunity to germs. Plus I was planning on some bro-cat time anyway later tonight anyway. Already started shopping around for his girlfriend."
Marinette chuckled as her watch beeped.
"What's the sitch Nino," Marinette opened the call to find Nino at his desk.
"Hey, LB, I'm patching through an elite scientific team for a satellite briefing."
"Please and thank you." Nino switched out to two scientists standing in their lab.
"Ladybug, we've just put the finishing touches on our new invention," began one scientist, "We call it…"
"Ray-X," the other scientist interjected.
"Ray-X," asked Chat, mask already in place.
Marinette sniffed before responding,"What's it do?
"Well, uh, it's a secret," answered the first scientist.
"Hence, the 'X'," answered his partner.
"'X' as in 'the unknown'."
"Of course, we know."
"Right. Uh, but no one else does, so it's unknown to everyone else. The point is, we could use some extra help with security around here."
"Just for today, until we have moved Ray-X to a secret location."
"We're calling it Location X."
Marinette's head began to spin from the scientists alternating sentences, "Say no more. I'm on it."
Marinette closed the call, and sat up on the bed.
"And where do you think you are going," Chat adjusted himself to block the stairs down, taking off his mask as he did.
"To guard Ray X." Marinette edged off the bed so she was in front of Adrien.
"Not when you are sick like this," Adrien stood to block her way.
"I only just have to sit and guard it. Shouldn't be too strenuous. Plus I have you there to help." Marinette stood up, only for her eye level to reach his chest.
"Fine, but if your parents find out, I'm an innocent party," Adrien stepped aside as Marinette proceeded down the stairs to change.
"Deal, can you please go so I can change now?" Marinette pulled out her Ladybug attire, Adrien turning fifty shades of red before dashing out the room faster than she could say "Miraculous Ladybug."
Maybe leaving the house was not the brightest idea. Ever since Marinette had been shown around the facility and booth where she would be keeping watch, she had been sneezing like crazy, the momentum from her sneezes pushing her away from the security desk.
A beeping noise from the security intercom interrupted her soliloquy of sneezes.
"My Lady, I just heard a way freaky security alarm go off. It sounded like, 'Choo, choo, choo!' Over," came Chat on the other line,
"That was me. I was sneezing. Stay alert and keep your eyes open for anything suspicious." Marinette adjusted the tissue box on the counter before pulling out another tissue.
"And no flirting with me when I'm sick, it's weird enough when you do it normally, and even weirder when I'm sick."
"Aww Bugaboo, you are still pawsitively beautiful even when your sick. How can I help myself? And you forgot to say 'Over'. Over."
Marinette was sure if her face was already red from her cold, it was a little bit redder at his compliment.
"Just stop Chat. I'm not in the mood."
"Eh-hem."
"Over," Marinette squeezed out before another round of sneezes hit her.
This went on for the next couple minutes, constantly sneezing until Marinette heard the sound of wheels sliding across the floor.
She looked up between sneezes to see Hawkmoth and Volpina trying to get away with Ray X. Marinette pressed the security button, metal doors replacing the glass ones and locking them in.
"I'm sorry. Visiting hours are over," Marinette stood up from her seat as Hawkmoth and Volpina turned to face her. She pressed the intercom to call for backup.
"Chat, meet me at the main entrance. I got Hawkmoth."
"I'm on my way. Over. You didn't say over. Over."
"I have no idea what this is going to do to you, but I'm banking it's very, very bad!" Hawkmoth aimed the weapon at Marinette.
"I'm so over this! Over!" Marinette jumped at Ray X, spinning it towards the blocked windows.
Volpina threw her orange glowing plasma at her, Marinette dodging to land on top of Ray X. Volpina threw another, Marinette jumping out of the way to have the plasma hit the wall, triggering the sprinkler system. Marinette jumped off, slipping on the wet floor, forcing her to collide with Volpina. Volpina kicked Marinette off then tackled her, effectively pinning her to the ground. It was then Marinette's nose began to tickle.
"I have to sneeze," she tried telling Volpina.
"What?"
"I need to cover my nose."
"Nice try, Ladybug."
Marinette tried to warn her, but apparently, Volpina wasn't buying it. Marinette sneezed, the snot flying onto Volpina's face.
"Aah! Aw! That was a low blow," Volpina stumbled off of Marinette, using the water overhead to wipe off the snot.
"Fire escape routes activated. Security doors open," the security doors opened, allowing Chat in and Hawkmoth and Volpina to escape.
"Stop them Chat," Marinette called out as she sat up, Chat quickly spinning around only to fall on the wet floor, allowing Volpina to load Ray X onto their getaway.
"You should have stayed in bed Ladybug!" Taunted Hawkmoth as they made their escape.
Adrien sat at the piano in his bedroom, practicing the music sheets given to him by his instructor from his last lesson. Plagg sat on the bench beside him, nibbling on camembert.
After escorting Marinette home the day before, he had yet to hear back from her, either for homework or a follow up mission to capture Hawkmoth.
His playing was interrupted by a ring tong he recognized to be the one he set for Marinette/Ladybug.
"Good Evening My Lady. And how are you feline today?"
"Worse, the sprinkler system did not help my cold at all, and maman is way cranked that I went out sick"
"'Cranked' is putting it mildly!" Adrien could hear Sabine's voice over the phone.
"I'll have you know Sabine I was against Marinette going."
"So she told me," answered Sabine.
"Anyway, do you think you can handle Hawkmoth?"
"Not a problem. Retrieval mission should be a piece of cake."
"Are you sure?"
"Yeah, I've gotten more experience since last time I tried to take him on my own."
"Ok, thanks Adrien."
"No sweat, you just get better, ok?"
"Will do."
"Can I bring Nino?"
"No."
"Why not?" Adrien heard Marinette cough on the other line.
"Nino is still grounded from going on missions."
"Ok," Adrien hung up the call, turning to his feline companion.
"Looks like we have a world to save Plagg." Adrien pulled out his old ipod he kept for emergencies like this, opening to his most recent playlist, playing the recent songs his teacher taught him on piano.
Once his ruse was set he went over to his desk and called Nino.
"Adrien, I thought you had piano practice."
"Still do. I need a ride to Hawkmoth's, got anything?"
"Let me look," Nino began searching through his computer.
"Why can't you go on missions any more?"
"The Monsieurs."
"Right, you turned them to villains."
"Sorry."
"You don't have to apologize to me for that you know."
"Old habit. Besides, after hiring you, Marinette came up with a list of people to handle missions if she can't. I'm after Team Miraculous."
"Harsh."
"She listed them individually before listing the team."
Adrien grimaced at the comment. It was that bad.
"Hey bro," Nino paused in his search to look at Adrien.
"What?"
"How would you like to take an experiment of mine out for a field test?"
"You know, when you said experiment, an untested jet pack wasn't what I had in mind," called out Chat Noir over the watch as he soared through the skies towards Hawkmoth's lair.
"Merry belated Christmas," answered Nino.
Chat landed on the beach, the jet pack disarming as he touched solid ground. He checked his pocket to find Plagg sleeping inside. He pulled out the baton and launched himself to the window and inside the building.
Chat snuck around the hallways searching for the Ray X. During his search he noticed Hawkmoth arguing with a tall blond haired woman in a suit similar to Ladybug's but reverse shirt color.
"What's Anti-bug doing here," Chat whispered once they made it past.
Neither Nino or Plagg had a good answer. A couple of turns later and he found Ray X in a laboratory. Chat got behind the device and began rolling it out of the lair, passing Hawkmoth and Anti-bug again, neither of the villains aware to his presence.
He turned the corner to find Volpina in a orange bathrobe and fox slippers, her nose as red as a ladybug.
"Volpina! Wow, you look green. I mean, you know, because usually you're orange," commented Chat.
The only response Volpina had was to sneeze into the handkerchief she was carrying.
"Aw... Ew! Total grossness," Chat continued on his way, turning back to see Volpina made no effort to follow, "Like taking candy from a baby."
Marinette sat on the family sofa, watching some superhero show. She couldn't really remember much about the plot other than the villain could control people using puppets. She was about to take another sip of water when she noticed her cup was empty. Marinette got up from the sofa to refill her glass when her phone rang with the ringtone she had designated for Adrien/Chat Noir.
"Hello?"
"Stupid Volpina, spraying her germy illin' all over me," came the stuffy reply.
"Volpina's sick?"
"And she got me sick."
"What about Ray X."
"Safe and sound. Unlike me."
"Sorry," Marinette refilled her cup with water before heading to her seat, "What happened to your Agreste immunity?"
"Father told me positive thinking keeps germs away. Apparently thinking negatively about being sneezed on ruined my good streak."
"Or your body was just over due for a cold."
"Still isn't fun."
"Why don't you come over then? I'm sure Maman and Papa would be happy to have you over."
"I'll talk to father or Nathalie about it. Right now they have me quarantined in my room, with my meals dropped off at my door."
"How would you talk to them if you don't see them?"
"Video call."
A day later, Marinette was still stuck on the sofa, Sabine making cream of corn soup when they heard the doorbell ring. Marinette looked to her mother, who only gave a knowing smile as she went to the door. She opened it to reveal Adrien wrapped in a blanket with a surgical mask, and Nathalie with gloves and a surgical mask as well. How someone could still look so perfect even while sick was beyond Marinette as she failed in her attempts not to stare at Adrien.
"Thank you for allowing Adrien to stay here while he recuperates. Mr. Agreste feels it would be best for Adrien to be around people who can provide him with the full care he needs," said Nathalie as Adrien stepped into the house, Sabine putting a reassuring hand on the boy.
"No worries, Adrien will be well taken care of here," responded Sabine.
"Let us know when Adrien is well enough to come home again."
"Will do."
"Bye Nathalie," Adrien offered a slight wave as Nathalie nodded, then left.
"Let's get you situated on the couch. I have some cream of corn soup almost ready," Adrien waddled over to the couch, releasing Plagg who jumped over to Marinette.
"I think Plagg wants you to be his girlfriend," Adrien teased as he sat down, Marinette turning a bright shade of pink as she cuddled with the cat.
"Is Ray X safe," she asked as she snuggled deeper into her blanket.
"Got everything taken care of Bugaboo," Adrien pulled out from under his blanket a laptop.
"Nino hacked the security cameras at my place, so I can keep an eye on it," He opened the laptop and pulled out a live feed of a couple rooms, one of the camera's facing a closet.
"You hid Ray X in your closet?"
"No one is going to think to go through a boy's closet, namely one Adrien Agreste's closet," commented Adrien as he settled in his spot on the couch.
"True. How did you manage to get it?"
"Well, Volpina was too sick to care, and Hawkmoth and Anti-bug were arguing about something."
"Wait," Marinette sat up in her seat, scaring Plagg a little bit, but not enough to leave, "Anti-bug was there?"
"Yeah, so?"
"You know she puts a tracker on everything, right?"
Adrien's eyes went wide.
"I'm sure your ray thing will be fine. Eat your soup first, then talk to Nino about removing it and taking it back to the facility," Sabine handed the teenagers bowls of soup. Adrien removed the surgical mask as his mouth watered looking at the soup.
"Not Nino!" Marinette panicked before coughing into her blanket.
"I think Nino can return a sciency thing back to where it belongs," reassured Sabine, Marinette less than convinced, but ate her soup anyway rather than panic up a solution.
"Thanks Sabine," Adrien heartily dug into the soup with gusto.
"Thanks Maman," echoed Marinette.
"So, whatcha watchin?" asked Adrien, glancing at the tv, still playing the superhero show from the day before, now with a new villain.
"Some show, where the villain is trying to reveal the main heroine's identity using her phone."
"Sounds almost like Alya before she discovered your identity," answered Adrien with a chuckle, the statement causing Marinette to almost spit up her soup. Almost.
They settle into a comfortable silence, Marinette gradually falling asleep while petting Plagg. She wasn't exactly sure what happened, but when she woke up, her head was on Adrien's lap as he slept leaning against the back cushions while Plagg watched them from the end of the sofa with scheming green eyes. She looked over to find another pair of scheming eyes as her mother took a picture.
"Go back to sleep, I was just grabbing the bowls," Sabine covered up as she took the bowls away.
Marinette shifted her position, not sure if she try to get off Adrien or not. She heard the blond boy murmur something, stirring as he slightly woke up. Marinette closed her eyes, pretending to be still asleep as Adrien sat up, allowing herself to enjoy this comfort however brief it could be.
Adrien looked down to Marinette, smiling as he petted her messy hair. During the course of the show, Plagg moved off of Marinette, which lead to her falling over as she slept, her head landing on Adrien's lap. Adrien, didn't have the heart to move his sleeping friend and fell asleep soon after. Now though as he looked at Plagg, he was sure the scheming kitty had been behind it. Adrien looked over to the laptop, noticing the door to his closet slightly open.
He quickly phoned in Nino, careful not to wake Marinette.
"Nino, can you check the camera in the closet."
"Sure thing bro, why?"
"I'm check the security footage and the door is open slightly."
"Ok," Adrien waited while Nino checked the footage. He couldn't let Marinette see how deep far back in the closet there was his Ladybug memorabilia back from when her identity was still a mystery. That was something he still needed to deal with and make sure Marinette did not find out.
"Bro, the Ray X is gone," came Nino's response.
"What?!" Marinette sat up, her head knocking into Adrien's chin.
Both yelled in pain at the same time.
"You two alright?"
"Peachy," they both responded, rubbing where they bonked each other.
"Well, with both of you sick, can we send Option Number 3 out to retrieve it?"
Marinette looked over at Adrien, who did not look well enough to go out, and knew she would be in deeper trouble if she did.
"Alright, send Option Number 3," Marinette relented, settling down into her seat far away from Adrien's lap.
"Whose option number 3?" Asked Adrien, looking between his phone and Marinette.
"Are you serious!? Ladybug chose me?!" Alya almost screamed into the temporary watch she was borrowing as she made her way to Hawkmoth's lair via jetpack.
"Yes, not so loud," answered Nino from the safety of his room, remotely guiding her jetpack.
"Sorry."
"LB said she was very impressed with how you handled the whole Jagged Stone thing, plus with Team Miraculous more focused on Miraculous City, you seemed like the next best back up."
"Nice, can I vlog this?"
"And that is why she chose Chat Noir over you."
Alya grumbled, "Well at least I'm still third."
Nino sighed, not willing to discuss why he wasn't near the top of the list.
"So, can I have a code name like Ladybug and Chat Noir?" continued Alya.
"Not unless Ladybug says so."
"Ooo, I can be Rena Rouge."
"I'll bring it up to LB after the mission," responded Nino as he landed her on the roof of Hawkmoth's lair. As much as he loved his girlfriend, her and missions were proving to be a dangerous combination.
"Do all villain lairs have such terrible lighting?" Asked Alya as she took pictures of the cliffside laboratory.
"Yes, and why are you taking photos?"
"For my blog. My peeps are dying to know what it's like to take down a supervillain since Ladybug only posts recap articles. Ooo, free wifi!"
Nino banged his head on the keyboard, looking over at the screen Alya did not know about that had Marinette and Adrien watching him and Alya. Adrien was stifling a laugh while Marinette buried her face in a pillow. Nino got a notification on his computer, alerting him Alya had posted the photos on her blog.
"Can you just get Ray X already?"
"Alright, alright, chill," Alya put away her phone.
"Open your bag, I got something that should help you,"
Alya opened her backpack to find inside a baton with multiple buttons, almost replicating a flute.
"What's this?"
"Chat Noir baton prototype. Narrowed the final model down to just extending and works pretty well.
"First button closest to the edge is a laser so point the end away from you before firing."
Alya nodded before aiming, the first button firing a laser out of the opposite end of the stick, luckily still pointed away from her.
"First button to shoot the laser, laser shoots out of the end with no buttons," corrected Nino.
"You could have told me that."
Alya shifted the position of the flute and pressed again, this time hitting the cover of an air vent.
"Hey Nino look, I'm a wizard," Alya aimed the watch toward her hand, showing how she held the flute looked like she held a wizard's wand. She put the watch down to take a photo with her phone.
Nino looked over to Marinette and Adrien, although Adrien had left the living room to laugh and cough in the bathroom based on the sound of it, while Marinette collapsed over on the sofa, blowing her nose.
"Done, now what," reported Alya.
"Fourth button next to the hole in the middle will open a cable. Attach that to your belt while propping the baton between the walls of the vent, and the and bungee down the air shaft." Alya placed the baton between the walls of the air vent, then pressed the fourth button, releasing the clip at the end of a cable. She attached it to her belt and jumped into the shaft, trying her best not to scream in the excitement.
She broke through the vent, her cable slightly recoiling before allowing her to land on the ground.
"That was awesome," she whispered into the watch. Nino gave a thumbs up.
Alya snuck through the lair, finding no one wandering around.
"Where is everyone?" She whispered into the watch.
"I'll check for heat signatures, you check for Ray X." Alya nodded and proceeded wandering around until she came to an office looking room where stood Ray X with a man talking on the phone.
"Found it," she whispered to the watch.
"Then go get it," Nino suggested.
Alya nodded and proceeded into the room, tiptoeing past the man talking on his phone, too distracted by his conversation to pay her any heed.
"Oh, no extra trouble. I really want to get in on the ground floor of this whole super villainy thing. You see, I think it could be the growth industry of the next ten years. In fact, I just caught my first prisoners just now."
With a press of a button, Alya found herself trapped in a cage, separated from Ray X. The man turned around in his chair, continuing with his phone conversation. She was 90% sure the man in the chair wasn't Hawkmoth.
"What's that? Oh, no biggie. That's what I'm here for."
Marinette was very thankful she had gone with Chat Noir over Alya. As much as she loved her bestie, she was a little too reckless for going on missions. Her journalism instinct as Alya would put it put getting the scoop over danger.
"LB, we have a sitch," came Nino's voice over the video feed.
"What's up," Marinette sat up from her previous fetal position to see Nino facing her on the screen and Alya's video feed blacked out.
"Alya's been compromised."
"Say no more, I'm on it."
"You sure? I can call Tikki."
"No need to spread this anymore than we already have. Just get me a ride and I'll head over."
"You could always take the jetpack? Chat and Alya did field testing and it works great."
"They got to field test the jetpacks before me? No fair."
"That's what you get for not taking proper care of yourself."
Marinette pouted as she got up.
"Let me see if Chat can go or not, then I'll consider it."
"Fine."
Marinette walked over to the bathroom and knocked.
"Adrien, it looks like Alya got captured. Want to go help me rescue her?"
The door swung open, Adrien looking more pale than before he entered the bathroom.
"Ready when you are My Lady," he responded at he leaned against the door frame for support.
"Ok, you are definitely not going," Marinette heffed Adrien's other arm over her shoulder as she led him back to the couch.
"But Bugaboo, you need me to go with you. I'm your my partner."
"And because you are my partner, you need to stay here and rest," Marinette laid Adrien on the couch and tucked him in with the blanket.
"I'll be back before you know it," Marinette stroked Adrien's head as he began to fall asleep, turning back to Nino as Adrien's eyes closed.
"Looks like I get to take the jetpack out for a test run."
"God, I hate to do this, but I do need to score some points with the boss, so…" the man aligned Ray X, directing its aim at Alya with was clamped to the wall.
"Who are you," both Alya and the man turned their heads to see Marinette standing at the opening of a broken air vent.
"Xavier Ramier. Hello!
"Do you work here?"
"Well, I am a temp, but a little birdie told me I might be kept on," Xavier turned the machine to face Marinette and began firing, Marinette easily dodging the chaos. She spun the machine around and kicked Xavier out of the way.
"Sorry Xavier." Marinette pushed a button on the wall, the clamps opening and releasing Alya.
"Girl, this guy is crazy. Did you know they have an an agency for people who want to be trained to be villains?" Alya stood up from the floor, rubbing her wrists as she did.
"There's a lot of strange things in the villain world. Let's just get this out of here," Marinette grabbed Ray X preparing to leave.
"Wow, looks like somebody's been drinking lots of fluids and retaining every ounce," Volpina snarked as she stood blocking their exit, ready to fight.
"Not in the mood Volpina," Marinette charged for Volpina. Marinette threw the first punch, which Volpina dodged, sliding away to get some distance. Volpina charged back at Marinette, attempting to strike a blow with her orange glow followed by a kick, only for Marinette to duck.
Marinette was about to throw the next punch, when Volpina called for time out, both girls turning away to sneeze.
"Gesundheit," offered Marinette.
"Thanks," came the response and Volpina readied her glow to fight again.
The skilled combatants resumed their fight, unaware that Xavier was conscious again, and redirected Ray X to fire in their direction.
"Oh no you don't," Alya charged after Xavier, who noticed her coming towards him in time to turn the machine around and fire it at her. Alya slid to the ground to dodge, pushing up a carpet as she went, effectively crashing into Volpina and rolling her up in the carpet.
"Nice job Alya," congratulated Marinette.
"I got siblings, I know how to handle things like this," Alya pulled out her phone, pulling Marinette in for a selfie with Volpina bundled up between them, while Xavier ran away in the background.
"Not so fast!" Alya noticed the chandelier hanging over his head and the rope nearby tied to the wall. With a smirk, she undid the rope, the chandelier crashing down on Ray X.
She looked over at Marinette who just shook her head.
Xavier continued his run up the stairs, Alya finding the correct rope for the chandelier, and released it, the chandelier trapping Xavier.
"Yes!" Alya cheered for herself before running over to grab another selfie.
"Just took down the bad guy!" She mumbled to herself as she posted the photo.
"And that is what you get for taking a selfie with a sick hero and sick villain," Nino chided over the video screen while a sick Marinette, Adrien, and Alya sat on the sofa in the Dupain-Cheng household.
"Well she did a pretty good job in spite of the pictures," complemented Marinette before taking a sip of water.
"See!" Alya laughed which turned into a coughing fit.
"But she did break Ray X," added Adrien while he settled his head into Marinette's lap for a nap, causing Marinette to freeze at this.
"And the funny part was is Ray X was suppose to be used to cure the common cold," Adrien chuckled before falling asleep. Marinette looked to Nino and Alya for help, both of them only smirking while Alya took a photo. Marinette frowned at them before turning to Adrien. SHe knew he probably only meant this in a gesture of friendship, so she turned to rest her head on Adrien's side, falling asleep soon after.
"Guess it was a good thing I broke it then," Alya took one more picture before exchanging her phone for a tissue, "How's school without us Nino?"
"Oddly enough, quieter."
"Aw, do you miss us? Visiting hours here between 3-5."
"No thanks, I do not want get sick, so I'll stay safely far away."
Nino got sick two days after the three returned to school.
I've just about sorted all the remaining chapters up until the second movie using only Season 1 MLB. So any of Season 2 would be in the chapters following the movie. Although I might include the romantic interest for Marinette to replace Erik in the 2nd movie.