"I'm just saying, if thermal energy can be converted to physical energy, then the chances of me being able to cook a chicken with punches is above 0."

Alya curiously listened to the conversation Marinette had with her new friends over the phone. Ever since her trip to New York, she has had three new best friends. Now they weren't bad friends or bad influences, so to speak. But they were very...

"Yeah, but would that be dependent on how hard you hit it, how fast you hit it, or how much you hit it?

"I feel like it's dependent on the last two factors. Strength of the blow won't matter."

...unhinged.

Though she probably never had any right to say that.

She never met them.

"Sorry guys, May needs help with the groceries. Talk to you guys later."

"Yeah, see ya."

"See ya."

"See ya." Marinette hung up the call.

"Hey Marinette." Alya said.

"Hmm?"

"Can I meet these new friends of yours? They seem pretty nice and I wanna meet them." Alya requested.

Marinette sat down in thought for a second. "Okay, sure."

Alya hugged Marinette excitedly. "Thanks Mari!"

Marinette opened the group chat for the squad. Karen was modifying her armor, Jaime was working on homework, and Peter was napping in a hammock made of his own webs.

"Yo, what's seven to the fourth power times three?" Jaime held his paper up to the screen. "I can't use a calculator on this."

"Seven thousand, two hundred, and three." Karen said.

"Hey guys." Marinette said. "Alya wants to meet you guys."

"Alya? Your best friend?" Peter questioned.

"Yeah. So, I have one simple request that better be impossible for you guys to screw up." Marinette said. "Don't say or do anything stupid."

Jaime looked offended. "When have we ever said or done that can classified as stupid?"

Marinette raised her eyebrow in a sarcastic manner.

"Okay, fine." Jaime said. "I won't."

"I won't." Peter promised.

"I won't." Karen promised.

Marinette and Alya waited at the place she told the others to meet at. It could have been paranoia, but Marinette chose to meet at a place less populated. For some reason, she did NOT trust her friends to keep their promise.

Eventually, she saw Peter, Karen, and Jaime walking down the street.

"Hey Nette!" Peter said. "And you must be Alya."

"Yep." Alya pointed to Peter, then Jaime, and then Karen. "You must be Peter, Jaime, and..."

"Karen." Karen did a small mock bow.

Marinette clapped her hands. "Alright, what are we gonna do?"

For the next few hours, the five teenagers did whatever came to their minds. Playing at the arcade, trying to play basketball (key word: trying), and just having fun.

This brought the quintet to an ice cream parlor where the five were just sitting down telling embarrassing stories.

"A good chunk of my hair was dyed yellow for a couple weeks!" Karen joked.

The table erupted into wheezing and laughter. Maybe, Marinette's paranoia was unfounded.

"Man, that was worse than that time at the paint factory with the Rhino! Marinette was left covered in blue for hours!" Jaime said.

Marinette froze in her seat. Because it was true. The squad did indeed have a tussle with Rhino in a paint factory. And Marinette was left covered in blue paint for hours.

But Marinette Dupain-Cheng didn't fight Rhino. Ladybug did.

Alya appeared confused. "But the only person covered in paint after fighting Rhino was..." Shock appeared on Alya's face as she realized.

Marinette grabbed Jaime's ear. "Peter, Karen, can we go outside for a minute?"

Alya followed her friend out of bewilderment while Peter and Karen followed out of fear for their lives. All while Jaime was dragged out by his ear.

"Ow, ow, ow."

Once the five were in a secluded spot, Marinette let go of Jaime's ear and asked the million-dollar question.

"WHY WOULD YOU SAY THAT?"

Jaime shrugged. "All our friends know our secret identities. We thought it was the same with you and Alya."

"You're Ladybug. My best friend, Marinette Dupain-Cheng, is Ladybug." Alya said, shocked.

"...Surprise?" Marinette meekly said.

Alya walked to Marinette and put her hands on Marinette's shoulders.

"Ok, I'm over the shock, but I just have a question. How can you fight supervillains with no fear..."

Alya began shaking Marinette so violently Peter looked concerned.

"BUT YOU CAN'T ASK OUT ADRIEN!?"

"That's what I've seen saying!" Karen said.