When I get to Marinette's that night, Mama explains that she's been up in her room since dinner finished and I head upstairs.
I find her watching a fashion show. "I want to be a designer, but what if I'm cut for something else?" "Do you only talk to yourself here, Princess? Or all the time?" Marinette spins in her chair. "Cat!" "Hey, did I come at a bad time?" "No, come on in." She switches off her laptop. "I would have watched that with you." "Its okay. I guess I'm feeling restless tonight." "I'd lend a listening ear if you'd like," I try to make her laugh by turning my right ear, and I feel a small surge of victory when she does. "Come on, let's go cuddle."
Wrapped in a thick blanket, Marinette's thoughts tumble out. "I know I still want to be a designer, but Paris makes me so restless. And what if I'm supposed to be on a different path?" I stroke her hair. "What about Paris makes you restless?" she snuggles a little closer, as if she doesn't want the walls to hear her secrets. "I don't like large crowds or noise. Especially loud noises." I make a mental note. "What kind of places do you prefer then? Other then the coffee shop." "The library, the bookshop. My room." I look around her pink bedroom. "Your room is very cozy." She looks up at me. "Can you keep a secret?" I nod. "When I had that dream about the seal, I was dreaming of my island. Deserted, but warm and sunny. I would live there with my husband and have three kids, a hamster…." "I like hamsters, too. A island would be a peaceful place to live, I agree." "I'm here for Adrien, but I feel like I'm needed for something, though I don't know what yet. Yes, I want to be a designer, but the bright lights and fame aren't for me."
Marinette sighs. "I'm so glad I'm able to tell you this, Cat. I have so many secrets bottled up, but I get scared to tell people. I'm afraid they'll laugh, or not like me anymore." "Princess, I will always laugh with you, not at you. And I respect your thoughts and feelings, and I'm proud of you for opening up." Marinette cuddles close. "This isn't easy. But its easier with you." "Would a kiss help?" "Chocolate or the other kind?" I joke, before meeting her lips. "Cat," I hear her muffled voice and realize she's crying, and I pull her into my lap. I rock her back and forth gently, whispering comforting words. I only get distracted when I see her phone light up on the bed.
"Oh, tomorrow's Prank Day at school," she sniffs, wiping her cheeks and grabbing her phone. "Prank Day?" "Yeah, the students all prank each other with silly pranks, as long as none of them hurt anyone." "Did you have someone in mind?" Marinette blushes, and I wonder if she's thought of me, just without the mask. "I was thinking of Felix, actually." Whew, my cousin, not me. "See, he likes frogs and I bought a whole bunch of plastic croaking frogs from the dollar store. I'm going to place them in his locker before school. But to say no hard feelings, I made him a stuffed toy frog too." "Oh, Princess, you are wicked. You'll have to let me know how it goes." "Promise."
I hide at school early the next morning, watching Marinette plant the frogs. I head off to my own locker to put away my books when I hear a scream. "Plagg, Claws Out!"
"Princess, are you hurt?" I dash over to her. She points to a giant rubber spider in her locker. This isn't the kind of prank she was talking about and who could do this to someone so kind and sweet?
"Cataclysm," I turn the creature into dust. "Its okay, its gone now." I hold her close until her breathing calms down, but I'm holding in my rage. Who did this, and why?